There's a twist in the mermaid's tale which will be told on the stage of Sheringham Little Theatre next week.

Doctor's wife Clare Martin (Helen Simmons) definitely smells something fishy when her husband Paul (Greg Pope) brings home an 'invalid' woman from his angling holiday in Cornwall.

Unknown to his wife, the patient is in fact Miranda (Suzanne Challinor), a mermaid who rescued her husband from drowning and asked to visit London as a reward.

Seated in a wheelchair, with her give-away tail hidden under a blanket, the flirtatious Miranda manages to wreak havoc all around her as men fall for her charms hook, line and sinker, and their relationships with real women head for the rocks.

Sheringham Players have set their latest production in the 1940s, when Peter Blackmore wrote the play.

It was turned into a successful 1948 comedy film, starring Glynis Johns in the title role.

Co-directors/producers Greg Pope and Hazel Warrington both take roles in the players' production, which can be seen from March 21-24 at 7.30pm.

Sheringham Players last performed Miranda in the 1990s when they chose to set it in contemporary times.

Having a leading lady whose legs are wedged into a fish tail has added challenges to rehearsals and Suzanne has become very adept at manoeuvring herself around in a wheelchair.

But finding a suitably-convincing tail was surprisingly easy, according to Hazel.

'We found it on the internet,' she said. 'We just put in 'mermaid's tail' and a lovely one came up - skin-tight and shiny blue. It even said it's swimmable.'

For ticket information ring the theatre box office on 01263 822347.