A talented cast of young people has been gathered for Warminster's Athenaeum Limelight Players production of Peter Whelan's Accrington pals.

Some are new to ALPs, but they include Rob Billen, who played Romeo last November, and Dora Bishop, who appeared as Peter in the Little Sparrows production of Peter Pan in December.

Among the newcomers are Jackie Brown from Westbury, who stepped into the breach at short notice, and Ian Morrison from Trowbridge; a civilian who plays a Regimental Sergeant Major with great conviction; a real-life serving soldier and an Army wife.

Accrington Pals is ALPs’ first commemoration of the 1914-18 war and can be seen from March 27-29. It will be a moving tribute for the anniversary of the start of the war to end all wars.

The men of the title were young recruits who joined the officially named 11th Battalion, the East Lanca-shire Regiment.

Although the play deals with the true story of how they went off to war hopeful that they would be back by Christmas, it also covers the effects on the women they left behind.

While The Accrington Pals portrays the devastating effects of war on a typical Lancashire mill town, it has many comic moments as the women come to terms with the changes in their roles.

The story, the setting, the sound and the lighting are proving an exciting and stimulating challenge for the backstage crew as well as for those on stage. Accrington Pals will be a moving tribute for the start of the anniversary of WW1.

Tickets, £9 from the box office, 01985 213891 or www.the ath.org.uk are on sale now.