STUDENTS at a North-East academy have entertained an audience of hundreds during a performance of a much-loved fantasy novel.

A cast of almost 40 performers at The King's Academy in Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough, appeared in a three-night performance of Alice in Wonderland Jr to 800 guests.

The students spent weeks learning lines, songs and steps for the musical, which saw Alice follow the white rabbit into a madcap world of a talking Cheshire cat, the Madhatter and March Hare and the dreaded Queen of Hearts.

The cast performed a dress rehearsal before 300 local primary school children before opening night.

Eddie Jones, head of drama at The King's Academy, said: “We cast the show before the summer so the students had the summer to learn their parts.

"We also welcomed some new Year 7s when they joined the academy in September.

“It was a fun production and because there were so many main characters it gave lots of students the chance to shine.”

Kirsty Gosnay, a former King’s student and a regular in past productions, returned during her gap year to coach the singers, and teacher of drama Danielle Dodsworth trained the cast in choreography.

Mr Jones added: “As always it was a fantastic team effort and the cast had a great time performing."