A YOUNG jazz-loving reindeer and his musical animal friends helped keep the Christmas magic alive this winter.

Families flocked to The Mill Arts Centre, in Spiceball Park Road, Banbury, for its first festive production The Ballad of Rudy.

Stewart McCheyne, who played Rudy, said: “I wanted to join the production because it sounded like great fun with a lovely story. This was a fun and energetic story which was full of music and comedy.”

The original theatre piece created by children’s theatre company Goblin Theatre followed the story of reindeer Rudy and his passion for jazz.

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Set in the North Pole Jazz Lounge, Rudy was joined on his adventure by a singing polar bear, penguin and fox.

The magical Christmas show came to an end on Wednesday after entertaining youngsters for almost three weeks.

Arts centre director Georgia Geary said: “The response from the show has been really overwhelming.”

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