WYTHALL Theatre Company is going from strength to strength after recently sweeping the awards board thanks to members' dramatic efforts.

The trail of success began at the area heats of the All England Play Festival with Wythall's production of Too Long an Autumn.

Company member Estelle Shutkever won best actress and the best director award went to Peter Round.

The play also scooped the award for being the overall winner of the festival and also best play.

The company went on to further successes by winning seven trophies at Birmingham's Festival of Acting and Musical Entertainment Peripatetic Festival for its production of Straight and Narrow at the Palace Theatre.

The Alcester Street theatre's publicity officer Paul Hughes, who is also a member of Wythall Theatre Company, said: "The idea of the festival is to allow full length adult drama and musical productions to be adjudicated during their own performance at their own venue.

"An adjudicator judges the production during a normal performance given in front of a paying audience."

Estelle Shutkever once again won the best actress award, Roger Warren won best actor, Dave Wilkins best direction, John Nolan best set design and Joy Rodgers best set dressing.

The company also won best supporting cast and overall winner at the Birmingham festival.

Wythall Theatre Company's next production will be psychological thriller Blood Money at the Palace Theatre from Friday to Saturday and Wednesday, May 30, until Saturday, June 2.

Tickets are available from the box office on 65203 or 68484.