AS THE season of goodwill creeps ever nearer two theatres favoured by Worcestershire people look set for their very own battle of the giants.

Cheltenham's Everyman Theatre thought it had this year's golden goose as it announced this year's production of Jack and the Beanstalk - and with a beanstalk of record length to boot.

Yet instead of making the competition green with envy, The Roses Theatre announced it too was running the same panto.

Oh no they're not.Oh yes they are!

So, as the battle for audiences start, how is the Roses going to compete with the celebrity stars earmarked for Cheltenham and a beanstalk likely to give the giant himself vertigo.

"Its not the size it's the quality," said Karen Lawton, of the Roses Theatre.

"But you wouldn't want to jump from the top of ours."

The remark, said with a heavy helping of humour, does not mean the start of hissing and booing between the two, more the beginnings of a happy ending for both of them.

"It's not a competition," she added.

"We just want families to come to the panto and see something which will make their Christmas.

"We use professional pantomime actors who really know what they are doing and provide a superb show for the family.

"Last year we sold well over 90 per cent of the available tickets so we know we are offering a performance as good as anyone else."

Derek Aldridge - marketing manager at The Everyman - said just like Dick Whittington and his cat, the two theatres regularly work in perfect harmony. And he predicted both pantos would be a box office success.

"We have had top pantos running at the same time before and pantos are always very similar," he said.

"But it was not down to either of us. It's the cycle the tours took which has resulted in both theatres having the same plays this year - we both knew this was going to happen.

"But there should be enough people for both of us."