YOUNG actors are hoping for a show of support tonight as an under-threat hall hosts what could be its last pantomime.

Children from theatre company ActUP Northwest will be staging their Christmas show in Bromley Cross's village hall.

Birtenshaw Church Village Hall in Bromley Cross is due to close next August along with Birtenshaw Methodist Church.

And tonight and again on Tuesday, talented thespians from across Bolton will be bringing the house down with Panto Pandemonium, which they have been rehearsing for since September.

The theatre company run by Claire Hetherington, a former secondary school head of performing arts, has been established for three years with its base at the village hall.

Now the theatre school is looking for a new home to ensure children from Bolton and further afield continue to benefit from an arts based education.

The group runs classes for ages four-to-10 on Tuesday after school — the ActUpLet — for 0-five on Friday morning and an ActUp school for those aged 11-to-16-years-old.

It is the company’s Actuplets class, for youngsters aged four to 10, which will be presenting their first family pantomime.

Mrs Hetherington, who is the school’s director, said: "The children are all from Bolton and the surrounding area. We put three shows on a year so these rehearsals started early September.

"We meet each week and recently the children have been performing at the weekends in showcases at events around Bolton. They work extremely hard and are very committed."

She added: "Panto Pandemonium is a family friendly pantomime and involves good having to overcome evil — eventually the baddies see the light and want to be good and peace is restored to the land."

Mrs Hetherington said that the theatre school helps children to develop their confidence and personal skills.

She said: "I have been running the schools here at Birtenshaw for the last three years and we have a really positive impact on the local community.

"We have many audience members who follow our shows but feel the local community should rally together to make the most of accessible and family friendly theatre productions.

"It will be a great loss to Bromley Cross and the wider Bolton community to lose this hall — it really is the hub for many productions and opportunities.

"We are currently searching for the new premises but as we have three schools a week to provide for, both day and after school, it is proving rather difficult."

The show starts at 6pm and tickets are £3, two for £5 and under-fives go free.

Mrs Hetherington said: “I am so proud of the children – I was in tears watching them perform in the dress rehearsal.”

For more information visit the group’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Actupnorthwest-199155693572841/?fref=ts

Tickets can be bought on the door.