GLUSBURN Youth Theatre has been selected to appear in the Co-op’s Christmas TV advert.

Youngsters from the group will be filmed this month rehearsing for their pantomime Beauty And The Beast.

The footage will form part of a major advertising campaign by the Co-operative to promote its ties to local communities.

The campaign will showcase groups who are receiving funding as a result of a revamp of the company’s membership scheme.

Glusburn Youth Theatre (GYT) were chosen after the TV production company visited several local groups, including Oakworth-based KYDZ Keighley Youth Theatre, to cout potential ad ‘stars’.

GYT spokesman Jason Smith said: “Filming will be commencing within the next couple of weeks at Glusburn Community and Arts Centre and the ad will be on TV screens in the run-up to Christmas.

“Thirty-five cast members of our upcoming production of Beauty and the Beast, plus production team, will be involved in the filming.”

GYT has for several decades performed a pantomime during the February half term at Glusburn Institute, with a cast made up solely of children and young people.

Mr Smith said GYT had previously applied successfully for funding from the Co-op to help buy new equipment.

Mr Smith added: “This led to the production company that is producing the advert wishing to use us.

“We had a call telling us we had got it and would be filming within the next two weeks. This is something completely new for the youth theatre but very exciting!”

Funding for GYT -- along with a host of other community groups across Keighley and South Craven –will come from the Co-op’s relaunched members scheme.

Members will receive a five per cent discount on all own-brand goods they buy from Co-op stores and other Cooperative services, and a further one per cent will go to local causes.

Members can choose which cause to donate their share to, from a list of approved groups chosen by staff in neighbourhood stores.

The scheme is expected to lead to £19,000 of donations over the next six months to 23 groups in the Keighley area.

These include Riddlesden Scouts, the 3rd Keighley, Steeton and Silsden Scout Group, Haworth Riding for the Disabled, Friends of Lees Primary School, KYDZ Keighley Youth Theatre, Cougars Community Foundation, and the JOIN Project for disabled people.

Local people wishing to sign up to the Co-op members’ scheme should visit coop.co.uk/membership.