Victorian remedy for literary fans

When Charles Dickens performed a reading from one of his most famous stories in Shrewsbury 140 years ago, there were reports of ladies fainting in the aisles.

And in a bid to prevent history from repeating itself, a town centre herbal shop has come up with a traditional Victorian smelling salt remedy for when the author's great-great-grandson Gerald Dickens recreates the performance at next week's Dickens Festival.

He will follow his ancestor's footsteps by reading 'Sikes and Nancy' from the novel Oliver Twist live on stage in the ballroom of The Lion Hotel at 8pm on February 4.

The Herbarium shop on Wyle Cop has come up with a pure essential oil of rosemary remedy as the perfect emergency pick-up.

Gerald said: "Most of Charles' readings were safe, well-known and often comic passages from his novels.But in 1869 he introduced 'Sikes and Nancy' to his repertoire.

"And when he performed what he called 'The Murder', he judged the success of the evening by the number of ladies who had fainted with horror."

Chris Eldon Lee, event organiser, said: "We suspect that people's fainting thresholds are rather higher in the 21st century but, we're taking no chances."

To book tickets visit www.thelionho telshrewsbury.com/dickens-at-the-lion