MEMBERS of a theatre company will be banning the phrase "break a leg" when they perform their new production next month.

The last time Glenholme Theatre Club, in County Durham, put on a play it was forced to cancel the event after being hit by a series of accidents.

One of the leading ladies in the ironically named Beyond A Joke suffered a broken arm when she collided with a girl on a bike, and a second member had to pull out when her mother broke her legs.

With a cast of only eight, and a month to go before the performance in June, the club was forced to admit defeat.

Fortunately, rehearsals for their next play, a modern-day comedy farce called Natural Causes, are going extremely well with a new cast.

The club's chairman Aaron Hicks said: "The play before was literally jinxed, but we've had no major hitches so far with this one so we're keeping our fingers crossed."

Natural Causes will be performed at the Elite Hall in Crook on September 4, 5 and 7, starting at 7pm. Tickets are priced £3 adults and £2.50 concessions, and are available at Lally's Barbershop and the Coffee Pot, both in Crook, or by contacting (01388) 762436.