A former teacher at a Bolton secondary school will be putting on a play with a twist this week. 

Chris Martin, a former teacher at Thornleigh Salesian College, began writing murder mystery plays in 2003 for a fundraiser at the school, and from there he has written 25 titles. 

Now, one of his short plays, 'Cross My Art and Hope to Die', will be showing in nearby Adlington on Friday, November 24. 

A murderous cloud hovers above Beresford Mange, one which has totally eclipsed its local art gallery. 

The Bolton News: L-R: Lisa Flamenco Santiago played by Jackie Rypel, Joan Constable played by Alison Evans, Mukk Raker played by John Winstanley and Wayne Baldock played by Chris MartinL-R: Lisa Flamenco Santiago played by Jackie Rypel, Joan Constable played by Alison Evans, Mukk Raker played by John Winstanley and Wayne Baldock played by Chris Martin (Image: Public)

‘Sharksy’, the world’s most famous graffiti artist, makes an unexpected visit to the remote village to present his latest masterpiece. 

However, his body is discovered floating inside one of the gallery’s exhibits, a tank of formaldehyde used to display a dead turkey. 

Four suspects are rounded up and asked to explain more: Titania Pippett, the proprietor of the gallery, Lisa Santiago, the gallery's artist in residence, Wayne Baldock, a local security guard and Mukk Raker, a newspaper reporter for ‘the Beresford Mange Trumpet’.

The Bolton News: A poster for the playA poster for the play (Image: Public)

The play will be held at Adlington Library, from 7.30pm on Friday. Tickets are available for £5 each from the library counter, or by messaging Friends of Adlington Library on Facebook. 

This comes after Chris, who was the head of drama at Thornleigh Salesian, released the second book in his teen detective series last month. 

Titled Inky Stevens: The Case of the Abominable Snowball, the series follows the eponymous schoolboy sleuth as he fights injustice at his school in down-at-heel seaside resort Blinkton-on-Sea.