FARMERS swapped their wellington boots and flat caps for wigs and fairytale costumes as they took to the stage.

Past members of Northumberland YFC, also known as 27Up, starred in Sleeping Beauty at the Queen’s Hall, Hexham during a three-night run last week.

Now in its 28th year, the biannual pantomime shows no signs of slowing down with a whopping 965 tickets sold and the Saturday performance completely sold out.

The money raised, which is still being counted, will go towards supporting the Northumberland YFC when it visits other counties.

This year the 40-strong cast took on Limelight Scripts’ version of Sleeping Beauty under the new production team of Tom Richardson and Clare North-Lewis.

The role of Sleeping Beauty, aka Princess Nightingale, was played by Gayle Baty, with Charlotte Ridley as the good fairy – Fairy Light – and Clare North-Lewis as the evil witch, Zendora, who curses the princess.

Riotously funny and heart-warming in equal measure, the cast delivered the usual laugh-a-minute affair audiences have come to expect from 27UP.

Special thanks were given to director Tom Richardson, pianist Steve Hodgson and choreographer Mari Stewart.

Chorus member Sarah Matthewson said: “Our director, Tom, did an exceptional job and we owe him a huge thank you.

“We presented him with a signed photo of the cast on the final performance.

“Family and friends have said it was the best panto yet.”