A MASSIVE 10,000 tickets have already been sold for this year’s festive panto at the Towngate Theatre in Basildon.

With just two weeks to go until the start of Dick Whittington, bosses from the 550 seat theatre say they are looking at a record-breaking success at the box office.

This year 33 schools across Basildon - more than ever before - will also be going to watch the musical show, which runs for a month over Christmas.

Graham Sandford, manager of the theatre in St Martin’s Square, said: “The annual pantomime is one of those things that the whole family can enjoy. It offers a bit of escapism for a few hours and really encapsulates the Christmas spirit.

“Obviously people have that little bit less money in their pockets at the moment but we are finding that their yearly visit to the local panto is still an absolute must.”

The theatre has gone from strength to strength since it was taken over by the council in 2006, with the first pantomime in years staged the following year.

The seasonal panto now accounts for 40 per cent of the theatre’s annual income and last year saw 25,000 people attending.