THREE members of a Chester based Stage School are celebrating being cast in two productions of a classic Dickensian tale this Christmas.

The trio, Matthew Burke and Ellis Williams both aged nine, and 11-year-old Lewis Lowry, all members of Stagecoach Performing Arts Chester have been cast as Tiny Tim in two separate stage adaptations of the Charles Dickens festive classic A Christmas Carol.

Matthew, from Saltney and a pupil at St. Clare’s Catholic Primary School in Chester, will be joining the cast of the Birkenhead Operatic Society's (BOST) production which is being staged at The Royal Court in Liverpool from November 7 to 10.

Ellis, from Backford, near Chester, a pupil at The Kings School and Lewis, from Holywell, who attends Ysgol Bryn Pennant, will both share the role in the Emlyn Williams Theatre at Theatr Clwyd from December 13.

Based on Charles Dickens' famous novel of 1843, the stage adaptations of "A Christmas Carol" tell the story of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge who fails to see the joy in Christmas until he is shown the error of his ways by the appearance of three ghosts who show him visions of his past, present and future as a warning of what is to come if he doesn't mend his mean, miserly ways and embrace the spirit of the festive season.

Speaking about the casting of Matthew, Ellis and Lewis, Stagecoach Chester Principal Lindsay Partington said: "We are thrilled to have not one but three Tiny Tim's in various productions this year! The boys have done extremely well to beat lots of competition for the roles and we are very proud of them all, we are also very proud of all of our other students who are involved in these productions.

Further details about Stagecoach Performing Arts Chester can be found at https://www.stagecoach.co.uk/chester