AGATHA Christie's record-breaking murder mystery The Mousetrap is 67 this year - and it's not looking a day older than when it was first performed.

The ever-popular whodunnit played at the Bristol Hippodrome this week (June 24-26) as part of an extensive UK national tour while still continuing its long run at St Martin's Theatre in London's West End.

This excellent production featured Gwyneth Strong - who played Rodney's fiancée Cassandra in the popular BBC TV series Only Fools and Horses - as Mrs Boyle.

She has joined the tour for 24 weeks until Norwich mid-July when a new cast will be announced.

The set and lighting were spot on and, directed by Gareth Armstrong, this production has a strong and experienced cast, all of whom play their roles to perfection.

They include David Alcock (Mr Paravinci), Geoff Arnold (Detective Sgt Trotter), Nick Biadon (Giles Ralston), Lewis Chandler (Christopher Wren), John Giffiths (Major Metcalf), Harriet Hare (Mollie Ralston) and Saskia Vaigncourt-Strallen (Miss Casewell).

The plot revolves around a group of people in a country house cut off by snow. The gathering realise there is a murderer in their midst and the hunt begins to find the identity of the killer.

The Mousetrap is playing to packed theatres and, as always, there is a plea from the cast at the end to keep the murderer's identity a secret. My lips are sealed.

John Baker