IT will be murder for passengers on the East Lancashire Railway tomorrow night when a period wedding party celebrates the nuptials of Val Mai Ashworth.

The murder mystery evening is being arranged by Bacup and Rawtenstall Soroptimists to raise funds for the Samaritans in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale and Rossendale Hospice.

Rossendale-born actor Anne-Marie Francis has written the play and is taking the role of blushing bride.

She has enlisted help of former Archers' Sergeant Barry, David Vann to play a policeman in the drama and Archers' lovebird Marc Sinn, who plays Greg Turner in the Radio soap, to direct.

Celebrities on the train will include Louiza Patikas who plays Helen Archer, Marc's radio partner, and Lancashire cricketers Glen Chappell and Tim Roberts.

Tickets sold out even before they were printed and the evening, which includes a five course meal provided by Northcote Manor, of Langho, will hopefully raise more than £4,000.

Anne-Marie said: "We have formed a professional theatre company for just one night and will be rehearsing all day tomorrow in Bacup and then getting our hair and make-up done at Stone Hair Art on Market Street.

"The play is actually a wedding and the guests are everyone on the train, they have been asked to come in dinner jackets or 1935 dress.

"It is my wedding and the death has already occurred, they pull a body out of the River Irwell.

"There are two carriages and we will be acting out the scenes promenade style and them swapping over to the second carriage and repeating the scene so everyone get the chance to see the whole play.

"The audience will be in teams of two or four and they will be able to ask us questions and we have to replay in character."

Rawtenstall businesses Gypsophila and Novak have provided the wedding and bridesmaids dresses and men's outfits. All guests will be greeted on the platform with a glass of champagne and the train will depart at 7pm for Bury arriving back at about 10.45pm.

It is Anne-Marie's first murder mystery play but she has written a previous play and began writing when she won a Lancashire Evening Telegraph story writing competition when she was at school.