Tackling their first Agatha Christie whodunnit will be an exciting challenge for a local theatre group.

Royal Wootton Bassett’s Clarendon Players will be notching up their golden anniversary next year, so to kick off celebrations the actors are performing their first ever Agatha Christie drama.

The curtain will rise on A Murder Is Announced from Thursday, November 15 to November 17 at the Memorial Hall from 7.30pm in Royal Wootton Bassett.

Annie Harvey from the Western Players said: "An announcement in the local paper states the time and place when a murder is to occur in Miss Blacklock’s Victorian house. What follows is a classic Agatha Christie puzzle of mixed motives, concealed identities, a determined Inspector, grimly following the twists and turns and Miss Marple on hand to provide the final solution, at some risk to herself, in a dramatic confrontation just before the final curtain.''

There are around 21 members of the company, led by chairwoman Wendy Mitchell, who is playing Miss Marple in the whodunnit. Karen Smith, who joined 19 years ago when her daughter Becky, who organises Swindon Fringe, was just a toddler, takes the role of Miss Blacklock.

Drama graduate Aless Basram makes her Clarendon debut as Mitzi, Miss Blacklock’s cook.

Behind the scenes crew are the director Alec Smith who also designed the set, Paula Clifford is the technical director, Jeremy Goode provides the sound effects, Diane Chew is responsible for props and Denise Edwards has arranged the costumes.

The Clarendon Players have scooped numerous awards at the Swindon One Act Play Festival over the years and in 2016 splashed out on a new projector which they use to provide backgrounds and effects. The actors rehearse at the Memorial Hall every Wednesday and new members are always welcome.

Tickets for A Murder Is Announced are £7 from https://www.ticketsource.co.uk