Maurice New will be reprising his role of executioner in The Yeoman of the Guard, a part he first undertook in 1999.

Maurice looks the part, having worked out in the gym for the last 30 years, and played rugby until he was in his forties.

He is a member of the Swindon Gilbert and Sullivan society who are presenting the popular opera in Swindon next week.

Julia Fryer from the society said: "Hopefully we won't have a repeat of the disaster from our last performance of Yeoman when Maurice tripped over his large boots and nearly fell off the stage - all the while clasping his genuine axe! After that he spent the rest of the finale giggling, luckily he wore a large executioner's hood, so no one noticed.''

Tackling a rather larger role in the show is Rob Felstead who plays the part of Jack Point, a strolling player.

"After seeing our last show (Ruddigore), Rob decided to join us,'' said Julia. "He sings with the tenors and has got one of the toughest roles in the whole operetta.''

The other newcomer to the society is Claudia Philips.

Julia said: "She only has a little stage experience (she was in the chorus when her school put on a production of Grease) and is now in the soprano section of our chorus.''

Other cast members are Stuart Benjamin, who had great fun as one of the Gondoliers in a previous production of The Gondoliers. In Yeoman he is taking the role of Wilfred the jailer, Stephanie Walsh is playing Phoebe, and Lance Trodd is the Lieutenant of the Tower.

The Yeoman of the Guard is one of the Savoy operas and is based in the Tower of London during the 16th century. It is darker than many of Gilbert and Sullivan's operas, more emotional than slapstick, although there is plenty of humour and their trade mark one-liners.

It was the first of their operas to be broadcast on the radio in its entirety.

The show includes numbers such as When Maiden Loves, She Sits and Sighs, A Laughing Boy But Yesterday, I Have A Song To Sing O.

Sir Richard Cholmondeley is the only character in the opera that is based on an actual historical person. He was the Lieutenant of the Tower from 1513 to 1520.

The Yeoman are the guardians of the Tower and the crown jewels and are usually appointed as a reward for services to the crown. Today they act as tour guides around the Tower.

The Swindon Gilbert and Sullivan Society began in 1969 and they rehearse in the Wroughton Workingmen's Club, Devizes Road, Wroughton every Tuesday at 7.30pm between September and June.

The show will be on from Tuesday, April 4 to Saturday, April 8 at the Arts centre in Devizes Road from 7.30 with a Saturday Matinee at £2.30. Tickets are £12-£14 for adults and £6-£7 for children with a special student rate of £8.50 - £10. They can be bought online : swindontheatres.co.uk or from the Wyvern Box Office : 01793 524481 or direct from the society: 01793 337906. - Flicky Harrison