KNITTERS from around the region went bananas in their support for a theatre’s Christmas pantomime preparations.

The Georgian Theatre Royal, in Richmond, North Yorkshire, is this year staging The Adventures of Sinbad.

Yesterday, scores of people clutching needles and yellow wool joined a challenge to knit 1,000 yellow woolly bananas in time for the opening night, on December 8.

Theatre bosses had put out a plea, by word of mouth and social networking, for knitters to create convincing-looking bananas that are soft to throw.

Florence Bland, from Gunnerside, said: “I was on the 7.15am bus this morning to make sure I got here on time.

“Normally I knit squares for blankets to help the YMCA, but this sounded like a bit of fun to help out the local panto.”

Knitters from local groups including The WI, the Station in Richmond, the Methodist Church and the U3A all got involved, while more people have been knitting at home having, downloaded the pattern from the theatre’s website.

The theatre’s chief executive Kate Longmate, said: “This has been a great community affair. Thanks to local knitters spreading the word we have also had family and friends from Hull, Worcester and even Australia sending bananas in.”

The pattern is still available online and any further bananas can be handed into the box office or posted to the Georgian Theatre Royal, Victoria Road, Richmond, DL10 4DW.

:: The theatre is also running a children’s competition, for youngsters to design a dessert for Dame Donna Kebab, one of the panto’s main characters. Entries need to be submitted by Wednesday, November 16. Prizes include a fruit hamper and theatre tickets. Visit georgiantheatreroyal.co.uk