Panto favourite Billy Pearce will swap the stage for a prison cell to support the Lord Mayor of Bradford's Appeal.

The comedian, who is appearing in Aladdin at the Alhambra Theatre, Bradford, will be handcuffed after his performance next Tuesday night and taken to spend the night behind bars at Trafalgar House, the new police station in Nelson Street, Bradford.

He will only be released when his bail money has been raised.

The stunt is in aid of the Lord Mayor, Councillor Choudhary Rangzeb's Appeal, supporting the Born in Bradford Project and Bradford Sport and Recreation Association for People with Disabilities.

The Born in Bradford Project will monitor the health of the district's children in one of the world's biggest research studies involving more than 10,000 families.

So far The Lord Mayor's Appeal has raised more than £25,000.

Coun Rangzeb said: "I am thrilled that Billy has taken time out of his busy theatre schedule to support the appeal.

"The lengths people have gone to, to raise money for the appeal have been extraordinary and I am delighted."

Donations towards Billy Pearce's bail' will be collected from the audience as they leave the theatre.

The jail fundraiser was organised by the Honorary Recorder of Bradford, Judge Stephen Gullick, who will be spending the night in the cells with a group of friends.

Fellow inmates will include Bradford Bulls' coach Steve MacNamara and radio presenter Georgie Spanswick.

Lord Mayor Appeal officer, Alexis Jenner, who is a lifelong Bradford Bulls fan, will also be taking up a cell sharing it with the Lord Mayor's Appeal mascot Brad Ford bear.

Trafalgar House police station opens to the public at 7am on Wednesday, January 24, when the helpdesk at Bradford Central police station will close.