Villagers await Pinner panto's triumphant return

Pinner Pantomime returns to the village next week just months after it looked destined to be cancelled.

The festive favourite was in danger of coming to an end after small businesses in the area struggled to help fund the annual festivities.

But to everyone's delight the event was saved with the help of the Observer after we called on people to stump up the cash needed for the night. And in keeping with tradition, the 16-year-old affair will be held next Thursday - the last Thursday in November.

Mary Nichols, of Uxbridge Road, Hatch End, is ecstatic the event was saved and is expecting a good turnout at this year's festivities.

The 64-year-old said: "The pantomime evening is a great occasion and one of the few events that has a real community atmosphere about it.

"Everyone really enjoys the night because it signals the start of Christmas and it would have been a disaster to have lost it from the calendar.

"I think talk of it being cancelled surprised a lot of people and it may well be busier than years gone by because everyone has been talking about how much they love it.

"Let's just hope it can get the same support in the future and it will be held here for many years to come."

Celebrations are set to get under way from 5pm, when John Nickolay, the Mayor of Harrow, switches on the Christmas lights.

As many as 500 schoolchildren will be doing their bit on the night with a host of different performances, while a choir will be on hand to sing traditional Christmas carols.

Shops in the village will compete for the most impressively decorated front windows and proceedings will end at 8.30pm with a fireworks display.

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