KEEPING the children entertained during half term is always a struggle, but this weekend saw the holiday start with a doodle show for families in Didcot.

On Sunday, the Cornerstone Arts Centre hosted a one-off performance of comedy show Little Howard And The Magic Pencil Of Life And Death.

Created by comedian and animator Howard Read, the show incorporates real life with projected animations.

Mr Read, 38, said: “It involves me – Big Howard – performing with a little cartoon child – Little Howard. In this show he discovers the pencil that created him, but on the other end is the eraser of doom.”

Little Howard is a regular character on children’s television channel CBBC, and Mr Read, from North Hertfordshire, does shows all over the country.

He explained how he got involved with children’s entertainment: “I started doing comedy shows for adults, but when I started including cartoons people kept bringing their kids when it really wasn’t suitable. So I decided to do a kids’ version and it took off.”

Eight-year-old Jessica Claridge and her brother Archie, seven, from Didcot, were in the audience at the weekend.

Jessica said: “It was really funny. My favourite bit was when Big Howard destroyed the bad man at the end.”