IT'S no easy task rehearsing 600 Girl Guides for a musical stage show but the end result should be worth the logistical headaches.

More than 80 Brownie and Guide units from across the region have been putting the finishing touches to their latest stage spectacular, Showtime FM 200.4, which comes to The Mayflower next month.

Individual groups have been rehearsing sections of the show for months, but last weekend was the first time they had practised the show en masse.

"It's really amazing when you hear them all together. I think they gain such a lot from taking part in the show," said producer Chris Horsley.

"We auditioned between 1,000 and 1,100 girls last June and they have been rehearsing since October.

"A lot of the children have probably never even danced before. It's lovely to see how they've grown in confidence by the time they get on the stage."

Because of the mammoth size of the undertaking, the Guides' Showtime productions are only staged once every two or three years. The latest show tells the story of a young girl, Rebecca, and her quest to find "her'' song as she trawls the airwaves and tunes into more than 80 different hits.

Packed with music, dance and colour, Showtime FM 200.4 runs at The Mayflower from February 17-21. For tickets and information call 023 8071 1811 or go to www.the-mayflower.com, or visit Mayflower ticket desk in WestQuay Shopping Centre, Southampton.

There will be lots more pictures in special editions of the Daily Echo on sale at the show in February.