bubbly character actress Su Pollard is taking a starring role in the popular musical Annie, staged at Malvern next week.

One of the best-loved musicals, Annie is about an 11-year-old orphan who is adopted by a billionaire

Even those who have never seen the show before will know its songs - Tomorrow, It's A Hard Knock Life and You're Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile - and for this production it will be local youngsters from the Cecilia Hall Dance Centre in Malvern who will be singing out as the orphans.

Mean Miss Hannigan is played by Su Pollard (right), who is still best known as Peggy in Hi-de-Hi, and joining her will be James Smillie (Daddy Warbucks), a film and stage actor with Return to Eden and the West End's La Cage aux Folles on his CV, and Louise English (Grace Farrell) from Bugsy Malone and Me and My Girl.

Annie runs at Malvern's Festival Theatre from Monday until Saturday. Call the box office for tickets on 01684 892277 (www.malvern-theatres.co.uk).