THEATREGOERS are being invited to step back into 1880s Salford with a troupe of local players...

Lancaster Footlights Club is staging Harold Brighouse's Lancashire comedy Hobson's Choice at the city's Grand Theatre from Tuesday next week, February 17.

It stars Tom Walker, one of the club's most active members both on stage and rushing around in the background.

With Sammy Clarke as director, Tom is taking the part of Hobson, the shop-keeper come shoe-maker with three single daughters.

He was last seen in a serious part in Accrington Pals' and, in the mid-1990s, as the acerbic Albert Parker in J B Priestley's When We are Married'.

Hobson's daughters Maggie, Alice and Vickey will be played by Liz Bousfield, Prudence Edwards and Kym Howie.

And new Footlights' member Denis Bland is playing cobbler Willie Mossop.

For tickets, costing £7 (£6 conc), call the box office on 01524-64695. All first night seats cost £5.