PANTOMIME season is officially here and judging by these photographs, Bolton has always appreciated a bit of festive fun in our theatres.

The oldest picture here is January 1975 and features Walter Fearnley as Mr Simpkins and Michael Rimmer as Patch, in Bolton Little Theatre’s production of King Patch and Mr Simpkins, a play for children by Allen Cullen.

Our photo from January 1978 shows a scene from Aladdin presented by members of St Catherines’s Drama Group, Highfield Road, Farnworth. Left to right are: Michelle Henbrough, 12, Kim Sawyer, 13, Sandra Hall, 12, and Christine Andrews, 14.

In January 1979, we were capturing a scene from The Bethel Crowd’s production of Cinderella which was being staged at Westhoughton United Reform Church. Our picture shows Julie Bennett as Dandini and Joyce Foster as Cinderella.

Christmas 1986 and here is a picture of the cast from Beauty and the Beast as presented by SS Simon and Judes ADS in the school; hall, Newport Road, Great Lever. In the foreground are Joanne Fishwick as Beauty and Simon Bullough as Beast.

November 1994 and Mayor Tom Anderton was assembling a collection of colourful characters to boost his annual Christmas coffee morning. He and the mayoress are pictured with stars from the Bolton panto Cinderella and representatives of the Royal Mail and Bolton Lions Club. The event was being held to raise money for children and pensioners with the guests including Rowland Brayshaw as Postman Pat; Lion Jim Wells if the Lions Club; Maxine Spencer as Cinderella; Tracy Lawton as Dandini and Gerry Graham as Buttons.

In January 1995, we grabbed this brilliant image of Will Taylor as Window Twanky pictured backstage during a performance of Aladdin by the Bethel Crowd ADS at the Bethel Church Hall in Westhoughton.