Apart from ferrying giddy youngsters up and down the beach, a donkey's life might seem somewhat dull... until now.

Organisers of York Mystery Plays are searching for an "outgoing" donkey to appear in one of their performances next month.

Obviously, the perfect candidate will not suffer from stage fright, but apart from that any old donkey will do.

The animal is needed to appear in the Foxwood Players' performance of the Flight into Egypt, where it will have a starring role alongside Mary and Joseph.

Jude Brereton, of York Early Music Festival office, said: "Obviously, they won't have a speaking role, but they will make up an important part of the play.

"What we're looking for is a donkey that will stay calm. In the actual play it will have a group of angels flapping around its face so it has to stay really still and not move - we don't want it to kick any of the children."

The entries will be judged by the director Jane Oakshott, who will be joined by Tom Dyder, who has worked with horses for a number of years, on Thursday outside Lawrie's in the market place, York, at 3pm.

The animals will have to stand in the market place while a group of angels flap around them.

Jude added: "Obviously, it will be really busy anyway so we'll know straight away what sort of temperament the s donkey has."

The York Mystery Plays 1998 will take place on July 12 when a processional wagon performance will ramble through the streets of York.

Dame Judi Dench is the patron of this year's one-day event. She appeared in the Mystery Plays three times as a young amateur actress; first as an angel, then as the Angel of the Tomb, and, most famously, as the Virgin Mary in 1957.

Meanwhile, anyone wanting more information on the donkey audition can call the York Mystery Plays office on 01904 435105.

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