NAILSEA School is inviting people to "shake and shimmy" their way back to the 1960s with its production of the musical Hairspray.

Before going into production the performers took professional advice from a top touring company to ensure everything will be all right on the night.

A coach full of students accompanied by staff travelled to the New Wimbledon Theatre in Middlesex to see Michael Ball and Micky Dolenz star in the leading roles.

Hairspray is a socially- conscious satire which delivers a fairly potent political message about the evil of ethnic intolerance.

After watching the performance the youngsters got to meet the cast and company manager Eamonn Byrne who told them to 'just go for it' and not to dilute the strong message of "integration not segregation".

Set in the US mid western town of Baltimore it is played out against the background of a cult televised dance contest for teenagers.

Overweight teenager Tracy Turnblad is played by diminutive Alexandra Knight wearing a fat suit and classmate Cian Jarvic is the presenter of the Corny Collins Show.

Adam Weaver also bulks up with a fat suit to play Tracy's mum Edna, heart-throb Link Larkin is played by Sam Ford and Elise Cockerton as Velma gets to sing Blonde And Beautiful.

Other foot-tapping numbers include Welcome To The Sixties and Good Morning Baltimore.

Joining the sixth formers on stage are Year 7 pupil Charlie Turner as Little Inez and Year 8 pupil Joel Rothwell as Edna's husband Wilbur. The two-hour show has a cast of 70 students, a band of musicians and an army of people doing props and lightning.

Director Amy Harris, of the Windowbox Theatre Company, said: "There is a lot of talent in the school and many of the young people had parts in the previous production but we also have some new faces. Although we are sticking to the story some of the smutty innuendos in the script have been removed to ensure this is a family show."

The show runs Tuesday to Friday, February 7-10, 7pm.

Tickets cost £8 (£5 concs) from the school reception or by calling 01275 852251.