TIVERTON Rotary Club's annual variety show has been giving up and coming amateurs a chance to share the bill with showbiz professionals for the past 13 years.

On Friday and Saturday, March 12 and 13, another great night of entertainment has been lined up at the New Hall in Barrington Street.

Tickets for the two evenings and the Saturday matinee cost £10 or £7.50 for children and over 60s. They are available from Vacation World travel agents, in Fore Street on 01884 243433 or from Alan Hunt on 01884 259233 or 07775 585928.

Top of the bill is comedian Jimmy Cricket and he will be supported by compere Andy Oakley and a host of talented local amateurs.

Colin Hiscock, who attended the auditions last autumn, said organisers had no difficulty filling the programme, but variety was an issue. They selected a comedian as headliner to create a mix as the local acts tend to be singers.

Mr Hiscock was impressed by the maturity of some of the voices at the audition, many of which came from those only just in their teens.

He said: "The quality of the people coming through was extremely good. This is my fourth year involved with the show, and we had more singers than ever this year.

"The songs the acts audition with are often the same ones they perform on the night. The show itself takes shape very quickly. Paul Williams plays a big part in that, he puts the running order together in the days before the show.

"Anyone who has seen the show knows how professional it is, the individual acts are good, but when you see it together as a complete show, it really is a great example of what talented young people we have in this area."

Among the locals taking part are Georgia Miller, Jill Smith and Isabel Childs.

Georgia, 13, from Tiverton, has been a student at Mama Stone's Music Academy for two years, and eventually hopes to carve out a career in the music industry.

The Tiverton High School pupil said: "I am delighted to be singing in the show, as this will be my first time singing in front of my home audience."

Jill, who works as a teacher in Tiverton, can play the piano and saxophone and has a keen interest in jazz.

Isabel, 22, studied drama at school and performing arts at Exeter College.

The 12 previous shows have raised more than £85,000 for groups including Age Concern, Hospiscare, Unite and Children's Hospice South West and Tiverton Hospital League of Friends.