A WEST Devon woman who starred in the Mousetrap in London 44 years ago got a special look behind the scenes when the first ever tour of the show came to the Theatre Royal Plymouth recently.

Rosalind Pugh from Sampford Spiney spent time playing the lead role of Mollie Ralston and being the assistant stage manager in 1966 and 1967 while the show was at The Ambassadors Theatre in London.

Forty six years on, the show is on its first ever tour to celebrate running for 60 continuous years, which included the recent run at the Theatre Royal.

Rosalind's husband John arranged the surprise backstage tour at the Theatre Royal, where she got to meet the current actress playing Mollie Ralston, Jemma Walker.

Both ladies follow in the footsteps of Sheila Sim, who first played the role in the West End alongside her husband Richard Attenborough, who played Detective Sergeant Trotter.

Rosalind also got to look around the current set and see some of the changes to the show since the 60s, including the use of a snow machine.

She said: 'I was thrilled to go backstage and to meet Jemma, the touring leading lady and to see the new technology, especially the snow machine.

'It was great fun to have been a small part of theatrical history.'

Rosalind and her husband now farm alpacas, but she still has a necklace which was given to her after she attended the luncheon celebrating the Silver Jubilee of The Mousetrap at the Savoy in 1977, as well as a programme from the show while she was in it.

l John and Rosalind are holding an open day at Sampford Manor on December 1 and 2 between 11am and 4pm, at which visitors can see the alpacas and buy goods made from their fleece. See http://www.dartmooralpacas.co.uk">www.dartmooralpacas.co.uk