Year 8 pupils, 75 in total, from the Berkhamsted school entertained the audience with their rendition of the musical specifically written for schools, Dracula Spectacular.

A double cast system for most of the main characters meant the maximum number of pupils had the opportunity to perform on one of the two nights earlier this month (July 10 and 11).

The story was based on the innocent schoolteacher Miss Naïve (Emily Main/Eleanor Pyne).

During a visit to Transylvania with some of her pupils, she fell prey to Dracula's wicked ways, only to be rescued by the handsome, debonair young scientist, Nick Necrophila.

The local innkeeper and his wife, Hans and Gretel (Philip Halsey and Georgina Lark), along with a priest father O'Stake (Marcus Hanvey/Robbie Travis), were on hand to comfort and offer advice.

Dracula was played by Tom Redburn.

His two sidekicks, his mother Wraith and trusty assistant Ghengis (Hannah Cochrane/ Georgia Solez/ Leo Donlan) provided some hilarious examples of horror clichés.

Head teacher Rachel Swaffield said: "The show was a huge testament to teamwork and not only the talents of the pupils but the energy and commitment of the teachers who rehearsed them over the preceding four weeks, led expertly by Mr Malcolm Abbot, a former head of Music at the school, and Miss Rosie Coupe the current holder of that position."