Actress Virginia McKenna will be standing in for Sir Michael Caine at the biggest theatre festival of its kind in the UK.

Sir Michael, who is patron of the Leatherhead Drama Festival, will be unavoidably absent from its 10th anniversary due to filming commitments.

Instead the festival is pleased to welcome McKenna who will present the trophies at its Gala Awards Night at Leatherhead Theatre.

McKenna has starred in films such as The Cruel Sea and Carve Her Name with Pride and won a British Academy Award for Best Actress for A Town Like Alice.

The wildlife campaigner is perhaps most famous for roles in Born Free and Ring of Bright Water.

Leatherhead Drama Festival will showcase one act plays over two weeks starting from Monday, May 6.

Chairman David Brett said they were pleased to welcome McKenna who he described as a 'lovely lady'.

Mr Brett said: "We are thrilled and proud she agreed to come along to give out trophies.

"It's very sad not having Sir Michael Caine but he did come for the first seven years. He is still very much remembered and part of it."

He added: "We are already the biggest drama festival of its type in the UK. This year we want to make it something special."

Young Ashtead Players and Leatherhead Performing Arts are among the groups putting on nine junior plays.

Epsom Players, Ashtead Players, Mole Valley Scriptwriting Group, Kingswood Amateur Drama and Dance Society among others are performing 17 adult play.

Leatherhead Drama Festival; Leatherhead Theatre, 7 Church Street, Leatherhead; Junior Week - Monday, May 6, to Thursday, May 9. Tickets £8; Adult Week - Friday, May 10, to Friday, May 17; Tickets £10. Gala Awards Night - Saturday, May 18, at 7.30pm; Tickets £15. Box Office: 01372 365 141; Visit: www.leatherheaddramafestival.org and www.theleatherheadtheatre.org.