A CHARITY is appealing for help to promote its annual pantomime after it was banned from putting up roadside placards advertising the show in Stourport.

The Monday Night Group, which is staging a fund-raising production of Jack and the Beanstalk in aid of more than 80 community groups and causes, desperately wants to hear from private landowners willing to site billboards in prominent places.

The group has been hit by the litter-busting Grime's a Crime campaign which was launched by Wyre Forest District Council in conjunction with the Shuttle/Times & News.

One element of the campaign is the removal of unauthorised advertising material from the highways.

Pantomime producer/director Alan Green said he was told by the district council he could apply to the Highways Partnership for permission to put up signs. But he said the partnership had said "no, no, no."

He said: "It seems barmy to me when we are offering to go through proper channels and the partnership could authorise these signs."

He said the group, which will be staging the pantomime at Stourport Civic Centre in January, relied on the large placards along the highways to advertise its shows.

Last year it had raised more than £18,000 for a variety of groups and causes, many of which depended on the support to survive.

Mr Green fears audiences and box office takings will be severely hit by the ban, despite an offer by the district council to put up posters in libraries, leisure centres and other local authority buildings.

He said other charitable groups would also lose out.

A district council spokesman said flyposting was against the law and the Grime's a Crime campaign was merely enforcing it "more stringently".

He said the council was willing to help by displaying advertising in its buildings if approached and it was open to the Monday Night Group to advertise on private land.

Highways Partnership manager Stuart Reynolds added: "We were asked by the district council through the Grime is a Crime campaign to remove all signs from the highways.

"Unfortunately the balloon has gone up and quite honestly the request of the district council to remove all signs was not thought through fully."

Wyre Forest district council leader Mike Oborski described the ban as "complete and utter uncaring foolishness."

He said: "We have made it clear what we want is dangerous signs and illegal advertising removed from our roads. That is all."

Anyone who can help the panto group can contact Mr Green on 01886 888158 or 01299 254631.