Have a whale of a time at Dewsbury-on-sea

And organisers are urging children to get involved by designing a t-shirt that will be sold at the annual event.

Designs should stick to a beach theme and include a whale in honour of this year’s special guest.

Brave swashbucklers will be led into the whales belly, which will be guarded by a nosy fish wife. Once inside visitors will encounter a shipwrecked pirate with a treasure tale to tell and a mermaid with a haunting song.

Theatre group Circo Rum Ba Ba are staging the show on August 24, when the town centre will be transformed into a traditional seaside resort with its very own beach.

The Reporter is backing the t-shirt competition, which is open to children under 12. Reporter Series editor Hannah Ridgeway will judge the entries, along with Coun Masood Ahmed.

The deadline for the competition is June 10 at noon. Entries are to be sent to the Reporter office. Please include your child’s name and age along with a parent’s name, address and daytime contact number.

The winning t-shirt will be sold at the event on August 24, with profits going to Whale and Dolphin Conservation.

A host of other activities and live theatre events are planned for the day, including viking warriors, donkey rides, facepainting, Kirklees Active Leisure’s muscle beach and the Ponderosa petting zoo.