As King George’s Hall prepares to bring Cinderella to the stage this Christmas, audiences in Blackburn back in 1987 were treated Aladdin as the annual pantomime.

Pictured during rehearsals were the cast (from left) Sean McKenzier, who played the Emperor Suzanne Hughes as the genie, radio presenter Allan Beswick as Abanazer, Gail Roach the slave of the ring, Ronnie Hilton as Wishee Washee and Aladdin played by Beverley Alexander.

Ronnie Hilton - who had a string of hits in the Fifties and Sixties including I Still Believe and Windmill in Old Amsterdam - was the star of the show. Comedian Duggie Chapman who wasn’t in the picture played the dame, Widow Twanky