YOUNGSTERS in Preston and South Ribble have been donning the greasepaint to tread the boards for their annual Christmas productions.

The 65 tiny stars of the Wonderland Nursery, Waterloo Road, Ashton on Ribble, Preston - all under four-years-old -- have been rehearsing their lines for the Wizard of Oz at least four times a week since September.

Their months of hard work finally came to fruition yesterday (Wednesday) and today when they took to the stage to entertain an audience of up to 70 parents in each performance.

Manager Joanne Farnworth said the annual festive production was always popular with family and friends.

"The parents absolutely love it, it's really good. Some of the mums get quite emotional." At St Paul's CofE School, Croston Road, Farington, pupils staged two performances of their traditional nativity production this week. Around 125 parents, friends and relatives packed into the hall for each performance which featured 70 of the school's infants.

A school spokesman said: "They were all very good and spot-on with their lines."

Youngsters at the Stonehouse Nursery, School Lane, Leyland, put on a "tearjerker" in three performances of A Christmas Story.

The cast of 40 children sang songs, read poems and performed dance routines for parents.

Their final performance was to an audience which included the Mayor of South Ribble, Councillor Norman Crossley, and senior citizens from the King Street Day Centre. Afterwards the children served mince pies they had baked, and sherry. Manager Jackie Dixon said: "It was wonderful - it always amazes me how they remember their lines."