STUDENTS thought lecturer Billy Nicholson was cut out to be Scrooge in their Christmas production.

He was the popular choice to take the role in East Durham and Houghall Community College's version of A Christmas Carol.

Billy, a former student at the Peterlee college, and now a lecturer in popular music, said: "They must think I'm the most bad-tempered. Or maybe they just think that I live by the old values that Scrooge adopted."

Billy has taken up the part with gusto in Charles Dickens' classic Christmas story.

Other leading parts are taken by Keith Wilson, as Bob Cratchitt, Kelly Smith, as Mrs Cratchitt, and Caroline Saxby, as Scrooge's former flame from Christmas past, Belle.

The show runs for three days, with matinee performances on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week, at the college's town centre site in Peterlee, with curtain-up at 1.30pm.

There is also an evening performance, on the Wednesday, at 7.30pm.

For tickets, costing £1 for matinees, £2 for the evening show, ring 0191-518 8224.