ONCE again, the time of year rolls around where theatres across the land are packed to the gills with Fanta-fuelled kids screaming "oh no he isn't" at a selection of soap stars, TV presenters and ageing comedy acts.

This week saw the opening of a swashbuckling production of Dick Whittington at The Swan in Worcester.

But there is a vast number of pantos, both professional and amateur, to choose from, and the following is a selection of professional productions in the area.

The Birmingham Hippodrome claims to stage the "biggest and best pantomimes in the UK" and this year's offering, Cinderella, has plenty of star potential.

Julian Clary heads the cast as Dandini, alongside Brookside's Lynsey McCaffrey as Cinderella and Henry Luxemburg, better known as Toby from Brookside, who plays the Prince.

Children's television presenter Dave Benson Phillips plays Buttons and West End star Rosemary Ashe plays the Fairy.

Cinderella runs from Friday December 19 to Sunday, February 1. Tickets upwards of £10.50 from the Hippodrome box office on 0870 7301234.

Perennial panto favourites Cannon and Ball find themselves in Wolverhampton this year starring as Starky and Smee in Peter Pan.

They have head up a cast including Crossroads stars Tony Adams, as Captain Hook, and Jane Rossington, as Mrs Darling.

Lee Brennan, of boy band 911, stars as the eponymous boy who never grew up.

Peter Pan runs at the Wolverhampton Grand from Saturday, December 13, to Sunday, February 8. Tickets from £7.50 to £19.50 from the box office on 01902 429212.

A bit closer to home, Hi-de-Hi star Ruth Madoc takes on the role of Fairy in Robin Hood and Babes in the Wood at Malvern Theatres.

Richard Ellis, who played Huw in EastEnders, joins the cast as Robber, with Last of the Summer Wine star Tom Owen as the Sheriff of Nottingham.

Robin Hood and Babes in the Wood runs at Malvern Theatres from Wednesday, December 17, to Sunday, January 11. Tickets are £8 to £16 from the box office on 01684 892277.

The fairy tale of The Little Mermaid has formed the basis for the sixth panto at Hereford's Courtyard Theatre.

Heather Phoenix, a Courtyard favourite who played Nicole Farnsworth in Coronation Street, plays the evil sea-witch Barracuda and the handsome prince is played by Dean Elliot who has just completed the world-premiere run of Now That's What I Call a Karaoke Musical in Edinburgh.

The Little Mermaid also sees the return of the theatre's former artistic director, Jonathon Stone, in the director's chair.

The panto opens tonight and runs until Saturday, January 10. Tickets from £8 to £13.50 from the box office on 01432 346500.

The fairytale theme continues in Redditch with a performance of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which runs at the Palace Theatre from Monday, December 8, to Sunday, January 4. Tickets are £7.50, concessions £5, from the box office on 01527 65203.

Things are getting ugly in Tewkesbury with Cinderella as this year's panto at the Roses Theatre. The traditional show runs from tonight until Saturday, January 10. Tickets are £11 to £12.50, with concessions, from the box office on 01684 295074.

And down in Cheltenham, Aladdin is the panto at the Everyman Theatre, which opened last week and runs until Saturday, January 10. Tickets £6.50 to £16 from the box office on 01242 572573.