THE plug has been pulled on an ill-fated Burley-in-Wharfedale pantomime after one of its stars chopped off the end of his thumb.

Burley Millennium Theatre Group's production of Cinderella was due to open at the village's Queens Hall tonight after months of hard work from cast and crew.

But on New Year's Eve disaster struck for ugly sister Digby Singleton - he sliced part of his thumb off while on holiday in the Peak District.

The tragedy is the second to hit the pantomime in the space of a month.

In December, original director John Squire had to pull out of the production due to serious illness.

"We had a crisis meeting and nearly stopped at that point," said group member Walter Swan. "The committee decision was that it would be abandoned."

Instead Mr Swan, of Moor Lane, agreed to take over as director. "I thought it would be too big a disappointment for the kid's chorus," he said. "They are just fantastic."

"But this has become the Scottish pantomime," he added. "It featured witches just like Macbeth and the whole thing has just been a nightmare. We have battled on and we were ready, but this latest setback is just too much."

Mr Singleton, 52, of Aireville Terrace, agreed that the pantomime had been dogged by bad luck from the beginning.

"We have had various people being ill," he said. "I think we only ever had one rehearsal with the whole cast. But we were really as ready as we could have been."

Mr Singleton, a founder member of the Millennium group, is a stalwart of the village's amateur dramatics scene and has played dozens of pantomime dames in the past. "It's a normal sort of role for me - getting dressed as a woman," he said.

"Now I have had an accident with my thumb which means I'm not able to do all the costumed roles. I'm feeling okay - it's just that we realise that there are so many moves which require use of hands and it would be very difficult to change costume.

"I'm not really sad for myself but just more for the children."

However, the group is determined that the show will go on and intend to revive the production at the end of November this year.

"Although it's a jinxed play we have agreed to do it in November." said Mr Swan. "The cast and crew all said yes and the kids in particular were really keen."

"I'll be delighted to do it in November," added Mr Singleton "As long as I don't do anything silly before it!"