Angela Cook – who also answers to the names Ange, Angus (a hang-over from her schooldays), Chief (ditto from her days as chief reporter on the local newspaper) and Antz, a name coined by her three Bristol-based nephews, who wisely decreed Aunty Ange to be too much of a mouthful – lives in her native town of Whitby, North Yorkshire.

It was there she had her introduction to the magical world of pantomime – at the tender age of 15 she ventured onto the stage of the town’s theatre, in the chorus line of an Apollo Players’ production of Dick Whittington and was hooked.

She has stuck with the society ever since, turning her hand over the years to costume-making, scene painting, choreography and directing. Although Antz has also worked with other drama groups on a wide variety of productions, pantomime remains her favourite and five years ago she decided to bring her wealth of experience of the medium to bear on her first pantomime script – Little Red Riding Hood.

Summer 2004 saw her first non-panto script, Merry Men of Sherwood (Who Shot the Sheriff?) go into production at Whitby Pavilion Theatre, where all her shows have gained the stamp of audience approval. She is now working on a follow-up, Arizona! (Who Shot the Sheriff 2)

After more than 25 years as a local journalist, Antz recently “threw in the towel”, relinquishing full-time, paid employment to pursue a number of writing and craft projects of her own. She is currently writing an historical novel, researching a volume of art history, and running her own business making and selling hand-made greetings cards, Conker Card Crafts. And, of course, there are more pantomime scripts and other show scripts up her sleeve!

Antz is married to drummer and Shadows afficionado, Martin Verrill, and in what spare time she has enjoys producing and drinking home-made wine, browsing in second-hand book shops in Hay-on-Wye and visiting Bristol to "relax" in the company of Monopoly-mad nephews, Jacob, Callum and Toby.