Students have been bringing a touch of festive magic to primary schools across Teesside with a tour of their Christmas show.

The Performing Arts students from Teesside University will perform panto favourite Cinderella at seven schools across the region during the two-week tour.

“For some children this will be the only pantomime they will see this Christmas,” said student, Luke Oldfield.

It is with this in mind the 22-year-old from Middlesbrough said they have to make sure that every performance is spot-on and delivers all the magic expected from any professional seasonal show.

For the students who are studying the University’s FdA in Performing Arts in association with Stockton Riverside College, planning, preparing and delivering the tour is one of the biggest challenges of the academic year.

They must not only perform in the show but also take responsibility for everything from sound to lighting, set design and even the marketing of the show.

“It is hard work but we are enjoying it and because we are involved in every aspect it makes it feel very much like our own show,” said student Mollie Shellard, 18, from Stockton.

With a cast of 36, the students admitted that planning and choreographing the show is no easy feat, but Mollie added: “It gives you a real awareness of all the different roles involved in a show and a greater appreciation for what they do.”

For their young audiences the panto is already proving a hit. Julia Rodwell, Deputy Head Teacher at Middlesbrough’s Park End Primary School, said: “The show was excellent and our pupils loved it.

“Some of our youngest children won’t have seen a pantomime before but it will be an experience they will remember. The enthusiasm the students brought to the performance really shone through, along with the audience participation and singing. The atmosphere was fantastic.”

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