A BIZARRELY unseasonal group of celebrities created some extra colour for sunbathing Sheffielders.
Families enjoying a glorious afternoon in the city's Botanical Gardens yesterday could hardly believe their eyes when they spotted the stars.
The cast of Snow White and all seven of the dwarfs put in an appearance at the sunspot in full theatrical costume.
Because although it seems summer has only just arrived - it is time for the launch of the Lyceum's Christmas panto.
The theatre's annual festive offering has seen its popularity soar so much in recent years that hundreds of tickets were sold within days of the curtain coming down on last year's production.
Many of the same team have been given the job of cramming in the laughs this year including the ever popular dame Damian Williams as Nurse Nellie.
The list of new celebrities heading up December's show is topped by musician and television presenter Toyah Wilcox, who plays the wicked witch.
South Yorkshire's very own comedian and radio presenter Toby Foster is also braving his first ever step into the world of panto under the direction of Ian Hendy.
Toby will be playing the Dame's son Muddles who gets everything wrong.
He said: "I am genuinely over the moon that they are allowing me to do it. I came here last year to see Aladdin with my daughter who was absolutely blown away with it, and that is when I thought 'I want to do Panto'."
So three men in tights, Snow White, the wicked witch and their team of dwarfs all headed out into the sunshine for their first photocall together.
They treated families in the gardens to one of their shiny red apples and shared jokes with inquisitive members of the public.
And as no summer trip to the Botanical Gardens is complete without an ice-cream, they even stopped off for a cornet on their way out.
This year's panto promises a musical feast to accompany the boos and hisses as well as all the traditional slapstick comedy.
And even though Bobby Knutt isn't on the cast list, fans should keep their eyes peeled for a familiar - if only 2D - face.
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