When stars appear in Alhambra pantos they become, for the weeks of the run, part of the life of Bradford.

As celebrities, they’re expected to make themselves available for public appearances in support of all manner of good causes and turn up with a smile on their face to help with fund-raising or publicity.

These pictures capture some of those moments. If you were at any of them, please send us your memories.

It was in January, 1993, that comedian Russ Abbot joined these Bradford youngsters to present the prizes in the Safer Cities poster awards. Were you there? What impression did Russ make on you?A

A bearded Tommy Cannon and thumb- sucking Bobby Ball (on his 43rd birthday in January, 1987) received a giant Pudsey Bear on behalf of Barnados from Bob and Anne Waine. The couple had won the larger-than-life cuddly toy in a competition organised by the National Provincial Building Society

Charlie Drake, appearing in pantomime in Bradford, said “Hello, my darlings” to the-then Lord Mayor, Councillor Tom Hall, Lady Mayoress Mrs Hall and a toy rabbit when he paid a visit to the new toy library at Bradford Children’s Hospital in January, 1975

The odd one out in this collection is Ken Dodd, who wasn’t appearing in panto at the time and was in fact making a public appearance to promote a company – Boardmans, who were opening a furniture store in John Street in 1979. But he merits inclusion because of the string of appearances he made in Alhambra pantos nearly 20 years earlier, which have been credited with helping to make him the massive national star he was to become.