THE teams who help to create magical theatre moments every day in Bolton are being celebrated for their hard work.

From moments of drama and side-splitting laughter to transporting audiences to different worlds using modern technology or just a guest appearance from a donkey – the town’s amateur dramatic and musical scene is full of surprises.

Members will now be out in force to celebrate the last year of shows at the BATS awards.

BATS (Bolton Amateur Theatre Societies) will welcome more than 250 people to the Holiday Inn for the annual event on Friday evening.

Up for silverware are theatre groups from around Bolton, Walmsley and Adlington.

BATS chairman Paul Cohen said: “We are definitely looking forward to it, it will be our second year at the Holiday Inn and we are all raring to go. It’s a highlight of the year getting together for the celebration.

“This year great, especially in music. We had a really hard time choosing a winner in that category.

“Societies are getting more adventurous, like in the pantomimes and bringing a live pony on for Cinderella or using new technology to project backdrops onto the stage.

“The standards keep on going up and up.”

To celebrate the partnership with the Octagon Theatre, BATS patron and Octagon director David Thacker will be attending alongside the theatre’s artistic director Elizabeth Newman and director Ben Occhipinti.

The night starts at 7.30pm with awards announced from around 10pm.