YORK Theatre Royal has decided not to stage any more of its successful Travelling Pantomimes, following the recent rise in coronavirus cases in the city.

The show went earlier this month to Tang Hall, Dunnington, Wigginton, Holgate, Clifton Moor, Elvington, Poppleton, Acomb, Carr Lane, Strensall, Copmanthorpe, Fulford, Heworth and Guildhall, and several post-Christmas performances had been planned for this week.

But executive director Tom Bird said that with 'great regret,' the theatre had decided that the pantomime would not resume for its post-Christmas performances.

"This has been a tough decision to make, but we feel it is the right one," he said.

“I pay tribute to the whole of the York Theatre Royal team for producing so many performances under such extraordinary conditions, and their diligence and hard work is borne out by the fact that we have no recorded transmission of the virus at the pantomime."

Box office staff will be in touch with ticket holders of cancelled performances in the next few days and the panto at the Theatre Royal will return with a 'lavish, spectacular and hilarious' Cinderella in 2021, he added.