BERWICK KALER, York's premier panto dame is celebrating 25 years of entertaining the city.

At the same time celebrations were taking place in York to mark the 75th birthday today of the Walt Disney character, Mickey Mouse.

The city's veteran pantomime dame started rehearsals yesterday for his 25th York pantomime, Mother Goose's Silver Jubilee, at the Theatre Royal.

The show will run from December 10 until January 31 and is expected to be a huge success.

Berwick said: "I never dreamed in 1977 when I arrived here that York would play such an important part in my life and my career. I can't believe that I'm standing here on the first day of rehearsals for my 25th pantomime."

He said it was the amazing audiences he played to in York that made him stay in the city rather than play in a pantomime elsewhere.

"We have developed our own traditional pantomime. This pantomime would never work elsewhere because I can't take the audience with me.

"It has a cult following throughout the country."

He said this year's pantomime would be a little more ambitious than the others, but he hoped it would be a success.

At the age of 57, Berwick said he had many pantomimes left in him yet.

"I can promise the audience I won't be walking on stage with a Zimmer frame. I'll stop before then."

Meanwhile, there was an air of magic around Parliament Street, York, today as the world's most famous cartoon character celebrated his 75th birthday.

Staff at the Disney Store in York put out the flags and bunting as Mickey Mouse reached three quarters of a century.

The legendary character, created by Walt Disney in 1928, has captured the imagination of generations of children and adults in dozens of cartoons including the magical Fantasia.

Updated: 10:50 Tuesday, November 18, 2003