AN award-winning theatre company is coming to East Lancashire, because the boss’s wife told him to.

Mark Whiteley’s company Hard Graft has toured nationally for 17 years with comedy, drama and children’s theatre.

The theatre group will be performing at St Mary’s Centre, Clitheroe, from December 27 to December 28 at 3pm and 6pm.

His wife, Joanne Whiteley, who has worked in the Ribble Valley for the last 20 years, said: “When I met Mark, his children’s shows were only being performed in Greater Manchester.

“I remember bringing my children up in Clitheroe and there was nothing for us over the Christmas period.”