Carol Hegarty and her husband Dennis, from the Holder House estate, are both familiar faces on South Tyneside's amateur dramatic circuit.

However, next month they'll be jetting off to start a new life in New Zealand.

Mrs Hegarty said: "Our daughter Joanne moved out there after she was married in 2001.

"We then took a four-month trip not long after the wedding, and were taken with the lifestyle.

"It wasn't until last year though that we decided to move out there for good."

But before the couple, who first met when they were five-year-old pupils at Westoe Road Primary School, leave, Mrs Hegarty has one last show to produce.

This will be Broadway hit A Chorus Line, which will be shown at the Customs House in Mill Dam South Shields, later this month.

But it's not the first time they've been connected with the musical, they both worked on the professional tour in 1987 at the Sunderland Empire.

After marrying in 1966, Mr Hegarty and his wife continued to work with many of the borough's local amateur dramatic groups, including the Westovians, the South Shields Gilbert and Sullivan Operatic Society and the D'Oyle Carte Opera Company.

After deciding she no longer wished to perform, Mrs Hegarty turned to producing and her husband took up the role as stage manager.

Together they worked with director Gareth Hunter on a number of shows and as a result, ION Productions was born.

But as they look forward to their final show in the UK, neither of them have any regrets about their decision to move.

Mrs Hegarty added: "Although, hand on heart, we have no regrets about leaving South Shields, we will miss some friends and certainly our next-door neighbours of 33 years.

"But we are looking forward to our new life and enjoying the rest of our retirement there and who knows what new hobbies we will take on."

* A Chorus Line will be on at the Customs House in Mill Dam, South Shields, from May 26 to 30.

Tickets cost £10 and are available by calling 454 1234.