A HILARIOUS collection of ghastly stories and rhymes are being brought to life at Weymouth College this week.

Final year performing arts students have spent several months working on their unique adaptation of Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes.

As part of their final BTEC grades, the have devised a show with a different that will tickle and entertain all ages - and now they are ready to unveil their wickedly funny creation.

Josie Waterson, who plays the gardener in the show, said: "We devised the sub-plot ourselves and it involves a group of schoolgirls who go on a trip to visit the old house.

"Once there, they meet their guide whose grandfather lived in the house and has now died. He might be a sort of Roald Dahl figure and his ghost might - or might not -haunt the place."

Once there, the girls find an ancient, hidden book that was written for the guide by her grandfather. It contains lots of tales - the Revolting Rhymes - and the visiting students relive them and bring them back to life, restoring happiness to the guide.

"It has taken several months to put together," added Josie. "There is a lot of humour in the play and because of the way it is written, there are levels that children will love and other pieces that adults will understand."

Jess Smith plays the role of the tour guide Elizabeth, with Anthony Hutchings as the ghostly old man and Becky Bridges as the teacher.

The production proved to be a challenging project for the students, as each of them undertook different tasks to make sure the show was ready and runs smoothly.

For example one student has been responsible for managing the budget, while other roles include costume designer, musical director, script editor, marketing and assistant director alongside lecturer Sarah Turner Higgins, the show's director.

Josie, who is a former pupil of Sir John Colfox School in Bridport, also arranged for current pupils at the school to spend days at the college taking part in drama workshops. She said: "I thought it would be good to involve the pupils in several workshops to give them a taste of college life and to see how we go about preparing a show.

"They loved it. One girl told me that before she came to visit us, she was thinking of becoming a doctor, but now she wants to go to stage school!"

Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes will be on stage in Weymouth College theatre from Wednesday to Friday, June 4 to 6, at 7.30pm. Tickets are £6 plus concessions. Telephone 01305 208702.