Walkers in the town’s park had a sneak preview on Sunday when local drama group Trowbridge Players held a photocall for their annual pantomime.

The Players are bringing to the stage a traditional pantomime, and the cast of Jack and the Beanstalk, in their colourful costumes, spent an hour taking publicity pictures.

But according to the script, Jack's life is not going well. His mother, Dame Trot, is so poor she has to send Jack to sell their beloved family cow, Daisy, so that they can pay the rent.

And the problems don’t rest with the debt. An enormous evil Giant is terrorising the village of Merrydale.

In true panto style it’s Jack’s role to defeat the giant: but will Jack then marry the Princess and will his mother end up with enough money to pay the rent ?

The show, based on an English fairytale, is being staged at the Arc Theatre Trowbridge The production opens on Thursday, January 15 and runs until Sunday, January 18 with more shows from January 22-25.

Tickets are available at £9 (£7 conc) from the Arc box office on 01225 756376 (Mon- Fri 9.30am-4.30pm) and 45 minutes before every performance.