A Scottish theatre company is celebrating its most successful panto after selling more than 91 per cent of tickets for the Beauty and the Beast performance.

The PACE Theatre Company saw close to 10,000 people attend the pop-up theatre in the Art Department, on the top floor of the Paisley Centre - which has been its temporary home for two years. 

More than a quarter of performances sold out and many more were packed.

Grant Mason, chief executive of PACE Theatre, said: "As panto season closes for another year, we’re delighted to be celebrating another hugely successful run for the PACE panto.

"I’m incredibly proud of the team at PACE, both on and off stage, because delivering nearly 60 performances and bringing such high energy to each and every show, and joy to our audiences, is no mean feat."

The theatre company said the annual panto performance featured all the traditional elements.

Beauty and the Beast was written and directed by Andy McGregor, with set and costume design by Fraser Lappin, original music by Alan Orr and David Ramsay, and a professional cast of five members, supplemented with young actors from PACE's youth theatre groups.

Mr Mason said: "At PACE we are committed to creating quality arts experiences for audiences and making them as accessible as possible, and this is never more the case than at Christmas when a local panto offers an entertaining and affordable way for families and friends to celebrate the festivities together."

“We couldn’t have wished for a better response from everyone who has seen it. The production earned 4-star reviews in the press and was described as 'a masterclass in how to do small-scale panto' in one and 'everything you’d want from a pantomime' in another, but most importantly the audience feedback received has been better than ever before and we’re thrilled to have brought some festive cheer to everyone who joined us!”