A vicar's wife is coming to Bromyard to entertain audiences with a cabaret-style show all about knickers.

Known as The Knicker Lady, actress Rosemary Hawthorne will be appearing at the Conquest Theatre, Bromyard next month.

Her light-hearted show, which is currently touring the country, promises a mix of fashion and comedy, dressing up and lots and lots of knickers.

Rosemary has always been interested in fashion. She has been collecting vintage clothing for many years and has written books about knickers, bras, stockings and suspenders.

"I began giving talks about fashion and social history and I discovered that people were absolutely fascinated by the old underclothes," said Rosemary.

Her 18th and 19th Century dresses were beautiful but it was the weird and wonderful unmentionables that everyone wanted to see.

"You could say that the fashion top of the pops was knickers," said Rosemary, adding that the call to 'come and show us your knickers' has been on everyone's lips ever since.

The RADA trained actress spent a number of years working in theatre before giving up the stage to get married and have a family.

"My knicker show has got me back on the stage which is great," she said.

"Initially the fact that I was a vicar's wife talking about underwear intrigued people but mainly people are just interested in my knickers," said Rosemary, who has a large collection of pantaloons, pantalettes, divided drawers and bikinis.

Rosemary said that underwear, more than any other aspect of fashion, perfectly mirrored social changes and attitudes.

"The changes in underwear show the huge changes in women's lives from emancipation through to today," she explained. Interest in Rosemary's brief history of unmentionables has ranged from university student unions to Rotary Clubs.

The Knicker Lady is appearing at the Conquest on June 6 at 7.30pm. Tickets are £10.