STICK-ON beards, oversized coats and top hats got Year Six pupils into character for a special Oliver mash-up.

More than 60 pupils from SS Philip and James Primary school pulled on crazy costumes as they merged the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist with a musical called Olivia.

Maddy Jarvis, 11, who played the female lead character Olivia, said: “I found it really fun and I was singing quite a lot. It made me really nervous before hand but afterwards I was really pleased I had done it.”

Eight soloists and Year Six violinist Beth Fairbairn provided the musical accompaniment as the class dazzled an audience of more than 160 people. According to Year Six teacher Simon Bushell, parents had described the play as “spectacular”

He praised the children for producing a performance beyond their years.