HUNDREDS of people gathered in Little Hereford Village Hall, near Tenbury, for its first pantomime since its refurbishment.

To Little Hereford With Love was a pantomime with a difference – based on the classic fairytale of Cinderella and underpinned by a James Bond theme, complete with the key characters everyone knows and loves.

When the hall closed for upgrade work last year, Katrina Dunkley, the producer, pledged to stage a show to celebrate the opening of the newly refurbished building.

Local people were invited to audition for parts and three months later the curtain opened on an energetic and hugely entertaining performance.

“Once we had auditioned and selected the cast, we went straight into regular rehearsals,” said Sharon Ham, who directed the pantomime “With a script and songs to learn, it proved challenging for those who had never performed before but we met our deadline and have been overwhelmed by the show’s success.”

More than £1,000 was raised and will go towards upkeep of the village hall and church.