I starred in panto and found out how important family is - on stage and off

There is something truly magical about the world of pantomime.

- by Laura Collins

Laura Collins goes backstage - and on stage - to lift the curtain on what goes on behind the scenes at Sleeping Beauty at the Carriageworks, in Leeds.Going to the pantomime as a child at Christmas was a family staple in our house growing up.

We'd always go in that lull between Christmas Day and New Year and it was precious time spent with my mum, dad and little sister.

I can still remember the year Mr Blobby decided to use my mum as the butt of all his jokes in Cinderella.

And the year my little sister was so scared of Aladdin that my poor dad spent most of the time consoling her every time it got slightly noisy.

These are treasured memories that our family talk about three decades as we still laugh about our shared experiences.

And the word family is clearly right at the heart of pantomime life. Be that for the thousands of families, just like mine, who love watching the onstage antics through to the connections created backstage.

I went backstage - and on stage - at Sleeping Beauty to find out what happens on and off stage to create these incredible memories for generations.