A TIMELY arts grant from the borough council has saved a Basingstoke school's musical production after a businessman pulled out of a sponsorship deal at the last minute.

Staff at John Hunt of Everest School in Popley feared they would have to cancel their production at the Haymarket theatre after the major sponsor, Dr Elsayed Selim, withdrew his promised financial support.

business manager Patricia Langley said the sponsor cited personal, political and business reasons for his decision.

In the run-up to the last General Election, Dr Selim failed to lodge his application to become a Basingstoke Independent candidate by the deadline date for candidates to get their nominations in.

Consequently, Dr Selim blamed the council and the Government for giving him the wrong information.

Dr Selim said: "The Government dealt with the matter with contempt.

"By giving money to schools, you are supporting Tony Blair indirectly.

He added: "There are victims in every conflict.

Unfortunately, this time the victims are schoolchildren."

Fortunately, the council has come to the rescue and this means the production will take place tonight, tomorrow and Friday.

Mrs Langley said: "In the finest traditions of the theatre, the show must go on, and with a major award from the council's arts fund it is able to."

This production will be the 10th original musical that the school has performed.

All the musicals have been written by the assistant headteacher Martin Amos.

Selling Moonshine is set in the 1900s on a remote island populated by people who fled from the potato famine. The play is about how they are conned into paying a lot of money for deeds to the moon.

Mrs Langley said: "Any production of this type is a major undertaking and despite the support of the theatre, the school still requires considerable outside sponsorship.

"The most the people of Basingstoke can do is come along to the Haymarket to watch and support these pupils. Then sponsorship issues can be supplemented by box office receipts."

Each performance of Selling Moonshine at the Haymarket starts at 7.30pm.

Tickets are available from the school on 01256 465547 or 01256 465566.

See Friday's Gazette for our review of Selling Moonshine