It is 18 months since a chance remark between friends sparked the beginning of a successful business venture.

But for the Hey Diddles, a Holme Valley-based children’s theatre company, it’s hard to believe they are  rehearsing their second Christmas together.

The Hey Diddles were founded by mums Sally Norton, Lisa Kendall and Zoe Scott, who all belong to Holmfirth’s amateur drama group, Turn Again Theatre. They decided that there was a serious gap in the local market for pre-school entertainment and so created the Hey Diddles.

Lisa, who plays Sunny Diddle, said: “I regularly direct the Holmfirth pantomime and I discovered that many parents didn’t feel able to bring little children to watch live theatre for fear of them chatting too loudly, wriggling about, needing the loo etc.

“This seemed so unfair on very small children because, merely through age, they were missing out on the fantastic experience that is “live theatre”.

This trio of singing and dancing mums felt that they had what it took to do something about this  and created the Hey Diddles.

The show they’ve created is interactive and high energy with children being encouraged to get out of their seats, to join in with the actions, shout out answers, sing along and dance.

You can see the show  first at Sowerby Bridge Arts Festival (Tristan’s Dance Studio) on Sunday, December 8.

It is at Moldgreen United Reform Church (December 14), Slaithwaite Civic Hall (December 20) and Holmfirth Civic Hall December 22).

For more, visit:  www.facebook.com/ theheydiddles