CHILDHOOD favourites Ratty, Toad and Badger will be taking centre stage at an all-girls' school.

The ten and 11-year-olds will perform an adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows on Wednesday, December 4. The adventures of life by the riverbanks have certainly captured the imagination of some 47 girls during rehearsals at Queen Mary's School, near Topcliffe.

The production is being directed by new head of drama Mary Considine, who said: "We have chosen the Alan Bennett adaptation, which is superb. It is an extremely intelligent script which works well on several levels."

The role of Toad will be played by Molly Pinkney, from Helmsley, Ratty by Alex Short, from Dishforth, and Mole by Charley Miles, from Kilburn, near Thirsk.