THE firefighting equivalent of Welsh crooner Tom Jones hit the Midlands for a fun show packed with singing, dancing and pertinent safety messages.

Miserable Pontypandy station boss Steele was left behind in the Valleys as Sam, Penny and rock `n' roll wannabe Elvis planned a fun day for the villagers, including Norman Price, clearly a candidate for an ASBO if ever there was one, and his doting mum Dilys.

Woolly the Sheep also put in an appearance for some panto-style japes. "Look, there he is." "Oh no, he's not!"

The plot concerned the preparations for the fun day, which were dogged by bad luck.

Naughty Norman broke Sam's safety message machine, sabotaged Elvis's ice cream maker, let an over-excited Woolly loose and then left a glass drinks bottle on a hay bale in blazing sunshine.

Fortunately, Sam and co doused the flames and the day went ahead - gifting the Pontypandy Gazette a stunning front page story, I expect.

My three-year-old son Nicholas, on his first theatre visit, loved the show - and he was in good company as youngsters screamed and waved their Fireman Sam cut-outs.

Elvis's uptempo versions of Ten Fat Sausages and Five Little Ducks went down particularly well.

Overall, a great way to keep the kids entertained on a grey Sunday afternoon.

TP