THE lads and lasses of Storth Entertainers have good reason to smile.

As well as raising a few laughs in Dick Whittington in the village hall next week, the cast will be celebrating a £5,540 Lottery windfall.

Chairman and producer Mike Cooper is one of the group's 'fabulous five' founders alongside his wife Terri; Tom and Winifred Wooff and Sheila Lowe.

Just about back on his feet from a leg operation, he was really chuffed with the Lottery grant: "We can go ahead now and complete the tiered seating project so that's exciting news.

"We were turned down last year by the Awards for All.

So we reapplied to Northern Arts for the Lottery to fund us."

Conscious of audience needs, the money will go towards the £9,300 cost of 100 new seats for hall users, tiering 60 for performances.

South Lakeland District Council and the county council's Neighbourhood Development have also dipped into their respective funds as well as £3,000 from the Entertainers' own coffers.

The new seating should be in place for the society's much-looked-forward-to spring musical in May.

This year directed by Brian Barden, it's a choice between Viva Mexico, the King and I, or Man of La Mancha, based on Don Quixote.

Last year Storth and District Entertainers Society began its 25th anniversary year staging Alan Ayckbourn's A Chorus of Disapproval.

Dick Whittington runs from Tuesday, January 16, to Saturday, January 20 at 7.30pm each evening with a 2.30pm matinee on the Saturday.

This year the theatrical society is supporting Derian House Children's Hospice.

Tickets, £4/children £2.50, are available from Storth Post Office or on 01524-761903.