A BOLTON theatre company has sent out an urgent appeal for help in finding props they need for their new play.

The Phoenix Theatre Company, based at the United Reformed Church, in Bolton, desperately want to borrow a miner's hat from the 1950s or 1960s and a copy of a speech given by Margaret Thatcher to the miners during their strike of the 1980s.

The theatre company has been searching for more than three months to find the props for their play, "Salt of the Earth", which opens on January 15 -- but it has had no success.

Joyce Smith, the Secretary of the Phoenix Theatre Company, said: "We've been searching for months for these props, and we're getting quite desperate now.

"These props are so important. We only want to borrow them for the duration of the play."

Anyone who can help should contact Joyce on 01204 367317(day) and 01204300719 (evening).