A THEATRE company has had to cancel its latest show after pregnant chorus girls started a production line of their own.

Within weeks of rehearsals starting, the once shapely chorus line began to look like the waiting room at a pre-natal clinic.

In the end the New Garrett Theatre Company at Tyldesley decided that their August Revue would have to be called off.

Lyndsey Tither, 24, started the ball rolling with the birth of a daughter, Maddison Collinge Tither, now 5 months old.

Not to be outdone, Kate Sweeney, 29, countered by having a son, Frankie Sweeney.

She was followed very rapidly by 34-year-old Yvonne Gerrard's contribution, a daughter Rebecca.

Two other members of the chorus have also decided on their own one act productions.

Tina Taylor, 25, conceived on her honeymoon six weeks ago and Janine Marsden, 29, is now just over 8 months pregnant with her first baby.

Director Phil Rowson said it was 'inconceivable' that so many had become pregnant at the same time.

Any early plans to try to hide the pregnant girls on the chorus back row, were soon ruled out.

And as the weeks went by it become obvious that the show would have to be cancelled.

But all's well that ends well. As our pictures show, Phil's chorus line has now been enhanced by the addition of three beautiful babies, with the promise of two more arrivals in the near future.

And when the proud mothers spoke to the BEN at a rehearsal for their Christmas pantomime "Jack and the Beanstalk", they announced they had no intention of following Noel Coward's advice of "Don't put your daughter on the stage Mrs Worthington".

They all said the new babies would be encouraged to join them on stage as soon as they were able!

Lyndsey Tither said: "I was pregnant while I was doing an earlier show called 'The Little Shop of Horrors' and when it came to the August production I already had one baby at home so there was no way I could take part."

Kate Sweeney added, "In our last production I was principal boy, and Janine Marsden was principal girl - and we were both pregnant! This time I was just a little too big!"

Yvonne Gerrard said: "I was disappointed when I had to pull out, but of course baby Rebecca made up for that. I'd love her to go on stage - professionally - if she was good enough!"

Janine Marsden, 29, who is now just over 8 months pregnant with her baby added: "This is my first baby and there's not long to go now thank goodness. I was principal girl in our last pantomime and I had just started my pregnancy then. I had to back out of the August show because I would have been too big. I was quite disappointed that I couldn't be in it, but there wasn't much I could do about it!"