THE show went on for performers at a York school play - despite a huge power cut plunging the auditorium into darkness.

More than 3,300 homes were left without power between 9pm and 10.09pm last night in the Southlands area of York, following a fault in the network.

Pupils at Millthorpe School were in the middle of a performance of the hit musical Oliver! when the electricity failed.

But the packed audience "considered themselves well in" when the youngsters decided to continue with the finale using the school's emergency lighting. They were given a huge ovation.

Tony Wootton, head teacher of Millthorpe, said he was "very proud" of the pupils.

"I felt desperately sorry for them as it's a wonderful production," he said.

"Our emergency lighting came on which enabled them to carry on with the finale. They did marvellously well under the circumstances and the response of the audience was superb."

Pupil John Wooldridge, 16, who cheered on his school friends performing in the show, said: "Everyone was cheering loads by the end of it - it really added to the night."

The school's final performance of Oliver! takes place today.

A spokeswoman for NEDL said a fault on the "wide area distribution network" was responsible for the loss of electricity to around 3,300 properties in the Southlands area of York. Homes were left without power from 8.58pm until 10.09pm.

She said: "Last night we switched supplies to alternative routes, which is why power was restored so quickly. We are carrying out further fault location checks today."

Updated: 10:15 Friday, November 12, 2004