CHILDREN at Dorset County Hospital’s Kingfisher Ward will receive a dose of fun and laughter next week.

Young patients will be treated to an interactive performance of storytelling as part of a new initiative from the Starlight Children’s Foundation and Heinz.

The Starlight Storytellers tour will pay a visit to the Dorchester hospital on Wednesday, March 12 with performers singing and dancing along to a narrated collection of well-loved children’s stories such as the Princess and the Pea, Charlotte’s Web and Three Little Pigs.

The tour is funded by the Heinz ‘Get Well’ Soup campaign that sees £1 from every personalised can bought from its Facebook page go to Starlight, with the initiative running until March 31.

Play specialist on the Kingfisher Ward Julie Goodall said: “We are really excited about the arrival of Starlight Storytellers.

“We use play to help distract poorly children from the pain and anxiety that they might be feeling as a result of their illness and there’s nothing quite like a good story to capture children’s minds.

“We are really grateful to Heinz and everyone that supported the ‘Get Well’ Soup campaign for this fantastic opportunity.”