THE gruesome tale of the demon barber of Fleet Street delighted audiences from across Bournemouth.

More than 80 students from the Avonbourne Trust took on the challenging musical Sweeney Todd with great success.

The cast, crew and musicians have been rehearsing since May and they performed first to Year 6 children from Stourfield Junior School before four sell-out shows to parents and friends.

Sweeney Todd is the unsettling tale of a Victorian-era barber who returns home to London after 15 years of exile, set on revenge against the corrupt judge who ruined his life.

When revenge eludes him, Sweeney, played by Reuben Tyler-Wilkinson, swears vengeance, murdering many people.

He is assisted by his sinister business associate, Mrs Lovett, played by Flynn Criswick, who bakes the bodies into meat pies and sells them to the unsuspecting public.

CEO of Avonbourne Trust, Debbie Godfrey-Phaure, said: "We are incredibly proud of the many talented young people who have been involved with the show and the truly dedicated teachers who have enabled their students to shine."