A NORTH-EAST theatre company's latest production looks set to get off to a flying start.

South Shields' Amateur Operatic Society presentation of Scrooge will include three roles which will be very much up in the air.

The company is busy rehearsing for the show - which has three flying parts.

But it's all in a days work for the society, which is returning to its home territory for the first time in 18 years.

The company was forced to leave the Regal theatre in South Shields when the building became a bingo hall, and has been staging its productions at the Empire theatre, Sunderland.

But this year it has decided to go back to South Shields and present the show in the town's Customs House.

The production will open on October 23 and will be on each night until October 28.

Yesterday, members of the 40-strong cast travelled to Washington Old Hall for a photo shoot to promote the production.

Company member Moira Milburn said: "We felt the old hall would make a perfect setting to photograph the cast for our pre-show publicity."

The society is hoping its move back home will boost audiences.