CHILDREN have been busy getting into the festive spirit for their annual Christmas plays.

Pictures show pupils at St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School, in Cross Street, dressed up and rehearsing ahead of their Christmas productions next week.

The festive fun will start in the school on December 11, with reception children aged four to five performing ‘Sleepy Shepherd’, about a loveable shepherd who just cannot stay awake. They will perform twice at 10am and 2pm.

Meanwhile infant children aged five to seven will take part in two afternoons of dance-themed fun at the Civic Theatre in Oswaldtwistle.

‘Lights, Camel, Action’, will be a Strictly Come Dancing themed nativity involving dancing camels to celebrate Jesus’ birth. The children will be rated on their dancing in a similar way to the popular reality TV show. The fun takes place on December 12 at 1.30pm and 6.30pm and on December 13 at 6.30pm.

On the same days and times at the same venue, junior pupils aged seven to 11, will then perform a Charlie and the Chocolate factory-themed show, complete with Oompa-Loompas and Willy Wonka himself

And on December 14 from 10am at the school, pre-school children aged three to four will also sing a selection of festive-themed nursery rhymes written by the headmistress, which include ‘Ten Little Reindeers’, an adoption of ‘Ten Green Bottles’.

Headmistress Tina Wilkinson said: “The children have all been busy rehearsing ahead of the Christmas shows next week.

“It’s all gone very well and they’ve had a lot of fun.

“It will be really enjoyable for them to perform at the civic theatre where there is more room and no limit on the tickets.

Tickets for all the shows are £2 and include mince pies which have been donated from Iceland.