PIT STOP: Actors and musicians from a stage show brushed up on the mining history of North Staffordshire.

The cast of Brassed Off, which will run next week at The Regent Theatre, were invited to visit Apedale Museum.

The stage show of the hit film follows the fortunes of a colliery band in Yorkshire which discovers the mine may be closing – plunging the future of the brass band into doubt.

The stage show runs at The Regent from June 22 to 26.

Cast members who visited the heritage centre in Chesterton were able to find out more about the region's mining industry and what conditions were like down the pit.

Jonathan Crisp, the 28-year-old producer of the play, said: "We snapped their hands off at the chance to find out more about the area's heritage.

It's a fantastic experience for the cast to get an idea of the jobs that their characters had to do every day. Apedale has been so kind to give us this opportunity and it does some fantastic work."

For tickets to Brassed Off contact the box office on 0844 8717649.

Pictured, from the left, are cast members Ian Birkin, Michael Dyer and Mat O'Connor.

Picture: Shaun Smith