DORCHESTER'S community play team is appealing for a host of items and some helping hands over the next two months.

The prop, costume and set makers need everything from wigs to washing machines to make the town's fourth epic production another spectacular.

The play, Fire From Heaven, will start a two-week run on March 15, involving more than 100 local cast members backed by a professional theatre team.

It is an enormous task, and the crew is looking for a number of musicians and helpers to get the show on the road.

In particular they need musicians, including a euphonium or tuba player, percussionists and more people for the string section.

Anyone who can do carpentry or sewing is urged to join the costumes and set making teams.

A huge variety of items are needed soon to make sure there is enough time to make the costumes and props.

The main thing they need at the moment is a washing machine, but other items such as sewing machines, ironing boards, irons and dressmaking dummies, spin drier, a tumble drier and a photocopier are also needed.

Play officer Marianne Marshall said: "We desperately need a washing machine, because we're making more than 100 costumes. The musical director Andrew Dickinson and the designer Ariane Gastambide are on board now, so anyone who wants to get involved should now do so."

The dressmakers need any old materials, including buttons, threads, wools, rope, pins and boning.

Any plain-coloured dresses and skirts, long johns, and scraps of leather and linen would be useful.

The props department needs timber, old fashioned metal baths with handles and a wooden cart, or cart wheels and an axle.

Anyone who can give or lend any of the items or who would like to get involved in the production should contact the play office on 01305 258110.