A LEOPARD skin stage coat once owned by Spice Girl Mel B has been bought by a Nailsea theatre group to use in its Christmas production.

Bosses at Nailsea based Number One Productions snapped up the Dolce and Gabbana coat in an on line auction organised by Scary Spice to raise money for children's cancer charity, CLIC Sargent.

Despite frenzied bidding on the online auction site, Andy Lewis, who runs the theatre group, snapped up the designer outfit for £195.

It will now be worn by 21-year-old singer Kelly Merrett-Osmond from Downend when she performs at the Number One Christmas show at Weston Playhouse in December.

Mr Lewis said: "We were delighted to be able to successfully bid for the coat.

"Our show is based on Christmas number one hits through the decades.

"As we perform two Spice Girls tracks, Two Become One and Too Much, we thought getting Mel B's original coat would bring something extra special to the production."

The 10 strong theatre company will be embarking on a 13- date tour across the country next month with their Christmas show stopping at The Playhouse on December 2.

Mr Lewis said: "Most of the clothes we use in the show, especially from the 50s to the 70s, are genuine.

"When you think that some of the other outfits in the auction went for around £900, we got a real bargain."

The cast will be supported at their Weston-super-Mare show by dancers and singers from the Nailsea based Tingill Musical Youth Productions.

This year, for the first time, Andy's son Jordon, aged 12, will be taking a starring role in the production – as Little Jimmy Osmond.

Jordon, a Nailsea School pupil, will be putting on his flares to perform the 1972 Christmas hit, Long Haired Lover from Liverpool.

Andy said: "Jordon is really excited about performing with the company for the first time and has been practising really hard. He has been involved in productions before with Tingill, but this is his debut on such a big stage."

Scary Spice, aka Melanie Brown, cleared out her cupboards following her move to Los Angeles and auctioned off some of her most treasured possessions to raise thousands for the charity.

As well as a selection of clothing, some by designer Robert Cavalli, the auction, which raised £60,000, featured priceless items such as a motorbike and Bechstein Baby Grand Piano and her famous MTV Cribs dining table and personal copy of Spice World: The Movie.

Tickets for the Number One Christmas Show are priced at £16 and £14 and are available by ringing the Playhouse box office on 01934 645544.