Panto stars the Krankies officially opened the festive season for Wolverhampton by switching on the city’s Christmas lights.

Wee Jimmy Krankie, who will be starring in the Grand Theatre’s production of Dick Whittington, pushed the button last night accompanied by Willenhall singer Dominic Smith from Britain’s Got Talent.

The Krankies, husband and wife Ian and Janette Tough, have been on the panto circuit for 27 years and turned on Wolverhampton’s lights 16 years ago.

Ian, aged 60, said: “Wolverhampton’s looking great, a lot better than when we were last here. We hope that the pork sandwich shop near the theatre is still there because that place was great after a show.”

After many years playing a 10-year-old boy Janette, 60, could be forgiven for wanting to retire. But she said: “This is what we do and we love it. You’ve got to love it to do 87 shows in seven and a half weeks.”

The couple are no strangers to Dick Whittington having performed it 47 times around the country.

But there is one panto that they did regret – Jack and the Beanstalk. Three years ago Wee Jimmy fell 10ft from the top of the beanstalk in Glasgow.

“I perforated my ear drum, fractured my skull and broke my collar bone”, she said. “But I was very lucky. I was out of things for a year but I’ve completely recovered and now I’m back doing what I love the most.”

St Thomas More School pupil Dominic, aged 15, had the girls screaming as he performed three songs.

Some 16,000 lights and 300 metres of festooned trees blazed into life.

Steve and Sue Maullin, aged 41, from Penn Fields, brought daughter Aimee aged four, along. Steve said: “We come this way every day and Aimee’s been wondering what all the lights were, so it’s great to see them on.”

Julie Coan, 35, from Blakenhall, brought daughter Paige, seven. She said: “We come every year, we love it.”

Dominic Seltzer-Smith, 28, of Whitmore Reans, said: “It feels like Christmas now”.