A Pembrokeshire pantomime starring The Only Way is Essex’s James Argent and featuring a cast of professional and local performers has been cancelled due to Covid.

The Big Pembs Panto, Jack and the Beanstalk, put on by local theatre company Vision Arts, was due to play at Tenby’s De Valance Pavilion from December 9 to 31.

As well as the TOWIE star, the panto was also due to feature West End leading lady Emma Norman as The Woodland Fairy, Alan Wilson, a 2021 graduate of London Studio Centre as the hero Jack, James Schouten (Tony in West Side Story and Marcello in La Bohѐme) as the evil Fleshcreep, and Woodrow Young who trained at Arts Educational, London as Ensemble/Dancer.

Auditions also took place over the summer, two recruit 60 youngsters from the age of six to 12 to perform along with four local senior dancers.

However the company has announced the postponement of the panto "due to rising concerns over the safety of audiences, cast and crew as Covid-19 cases continue to rise".

“As we are sure you are aware as of Monday all Pembrokeshire schools were placed on high alert,” said a statement form Vision Arts.

“This has already led to booking cancellations and we are fielding more and more enquiries from the public about the risks of attending performances, including the news of the requirement for Covid-passports.

“Wales is still not in a good place at the moment and unfortunately Pembrokeshire has one of the highest Covid counts in the country.”

The company said it had reached the decision after several high-level meetings with independent advisers currently working through the risks of living through the coronavirus pandemic.

“Our conclusion, along with theirs, is that we are nowhere near returning to life as it was pre-pandemic, and we must particularly consider the risks attached to a large family show with family audiences and with children in the cast,” said the statement.

The company apologised for disappointing its audiences and said that all tickets would be automatically transferred to corresponding dates in 2022. Vision Arts said it would be in touch with everyone who has already purchased tickets.