PANTO director Mike Edmunds has been "getting his wig off" after a series of mishaps struck his Dick Whittington production.

Mike was initially cast as Dame Cookie in the panto, which is being performed by the Blackwood Cancercare-line charity next week.

The panto has received a 2,500 donation from the Argus's parent company Gannett, which awarded the grant as part of its funding to community groups involved with helping the young, sick or disabled.

But just before Christmas, the original director pulled out due to unforseen circumstances and Mike gallantly stepped in despite never having directed before.

Since then Mike, husband of the charity's founder Jean Edmunds, has been plagued by a string of situations which have left him ready to tear his hair out!

First the actor playing the double roles of captain and mayor dropped out. Samantha Morton stepped in.

Then, just a couple of weeks ago, the actor playing the major role of Billy also pulled out and 14-year-old Ryan Nicholls, a pupil at Oakdale Comprehensive School, took over and is now busy learning his lines.

And this week a cast member playing the Sultana had to pull out and is to be replaced by Mandy Maddison a friend of one of the cast who lives in Devon.

She will be arriving in Blackwood on Friday, in time for a frantic weekend of rehearsals before the show starts on Wednesday.

Mike, who is being helped by co-director Wendy Moss, has also been suffering from a dose of bronchitis but is still taking the role of the panto dame.

"The show must go on and it's going to be good," he said yesterday.

All the money raised by the panto goes to Blackwood Cancercareline, which gives advice and support to anyone in the area affected by cancer.

So far, ticket sales for the panto have been slow but organisers are hoping they will pick up in the next week and make the panto as big a success as last year's production.

l Tickets are 5 and 3 with concessions and the show is on at 7pm on February 16 and 17, and 2pm and 7pm on February 18 and 19. Booking is recommended. Telephone 01495 221660.