DAME Cissie Sessay has hung up her outrageous frocks after a record-breaking run in Dick Whittington at the Theatre Royal in York. Fortunately, Britain's best panto dame will return in a new guise at Christmas.

Berwick Kaler is now as much a part of the festive season as the Queen's Speech. While Her Majesty only has to do one performance, the remarkable Berwick completed 65 in a run that finished for the first time in February.

Now he is already looking forward to his 23rd panto, Jack And The Beanstalk. York's babbies and bairns can hardly wait.

Updated: 11:18 Monday, February 05, 2001