It is the story of forbidden love - and just what lengths you would go to get your heart's desire - set against a backdrop of colourful characters and catchy songs.

Now Little Shop of Horrors will be entertaining audiences at Helston's Epworth Hall all this week thanks to the cast of youth theatre group ACT1.

The group begins a four-night run of the show tonight, ending on Saturday, when there will also be a matinee at 2pm. Evening performances begin at 7.30pm.

Little Shop of Horrors is the story of a geeky florist shop worker who finds out his Venus fly trap can not only speak but can give him everything his heart desires - although it will come at a cost.

The horror-comedy action takes place in downtown Skid Row, a run down neighbourhood, and features a range of quirky characters.

Ben Reed plays the lead character Seymour Krelbourn, a nerdy florist who loves "strange and interesting plants." He is nice and well-intentioned, but is easily influenced, resulting in the plant, Audrey II, wanting blood - literally.

The object of Seymour's affections, but who is seemingly out of his reach, is his kind but shy and awkward co-worker Audrey, played by Sarah England. Sarah is no stranger to the stage have performed as Mrs Thenardier in Les Miserables and Lina Lamont in Singin' in the Rain.

Audrey is dating the sadistic Orin Scrivello, a nitrous oxide-addicted dentist played by Harry Charleston.

Other characters included Mrs Mushnik, the grumpy owner of the flower shop Seymour and Audrey work in, played by Sarah Morton, while the voice of the plant, Audrey II, is Treve Benny. The puppets are the same as the ones used in the 2016 national tour of the show.

The lead cast are supported by a Greek chorus of six Rockettes, rather than the original three, in the form of Olivia Duval, Kirstin Palmer, Frankie Morley, Tamsin Ford, Megan Bloor and Jasmine Ives, who provide back-up to the many musical numbers in the show.

They have been directed and choreographed by Lisa Topsey with assistance from Lisa Jane Taylor, with ACT1 chairman Ashley Chinn as musical director, Adam Taylor as stage manager and Alex Morgan in charge of set design and lighting.

Music is provided by an eight-piece live band.

Tickets cost £10 for adults and £8 for children, available from Heathercraft in Coinagehall Street or via the ACT1 Youth Theatre Facebook page.

Most commonly thought of as the 1986 American rock musical horror/comedy film directed by Frank Oz, that was in fact an adaptation of the off-Broadway musical comedy of the same name by composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman.

ACT1's production comes eight years after their senior counterparts of Helston Theatre Company performed it.