Children get into the festive spirit

YOUNGSTERS in the Broadcast area have been celebrating Christmas by performing plays and taking part in carol services. Stebbing Primary School children raised more than £200 for charity when they performed two festive plays, The Snow Child, and Little Re

YOUNGSTERS in the Broadcast area have been celebrating Christmas by performing plays and taking part in carol services.

Stebbing Primary School children raised more than £200 for charity when they performed two festive plays, The Snow Child, and Little Red Riding Hood last week. As part of the festivities Father Christmas also visited the children. The money will go to the Stebbing-based charity Mummy's House, which helps children in India.

Homegrown pantomime The Cat's Whiskers was the bee's knees when it was performed by children at St Mary's Primary School in Dunmow.

Year Five teacher Ben Harris penned the festive panto during the summer holidays and said he was delighted to see the 150 children in years 3, 4 and 5 perform it to a packed audience last Wednesday and Thursday.

The Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future took to the stage at Ford End Primary School's successful production of Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol.

Headteacher Hazel Arnill said: "Practically every parent was raving and saying how great it was." The story was told through the words of a sexton, played by year six pupil Alex Wild with Scrooge played by Oliver Carhart.

Christingles and a nativity play also gave the children from Finchingfield Primary School the opportunity to shine at St John Baptist Church on Monday.

The children performed a tableau and the other children had speaking parts.

Headteacher Paul Hagan said: We were really pleased with it, it was one of the best we've done.