TWO Auchinleck Academy pupils are set to star in this year’s Palace Theatre panto, Dick Whittington.

Best friends Olivia Dumigan, 12, and Eilidh Pirrie, 11, auditioned for the show back in August and were among 24 lucky dancers to join the junior chorus for the panto.

The first year pair have been practising hard and will take to the stage throughout December – something Olivia’s mum Paula is really looking forward to.

She said: “They are both in the junior chorus of Dick Whittington and they’ve got 19 performances throughout December. It’s a lot of running back and forward to Kilmarnock.

“I think it’s fantastic. They have been friends from nursery school right up, they were in the same class at primary school and are in the same class at Auchinleck as well.

“They both auditioned together and they are in the same team of eight. There are three teams of eight so it’s nice to see them do it together.”

The kids themselves have been thrilled with the whole experience. Paula added: “They have been having the time of their lives, the late nights certainly haven’t put them off.”