'I thought letter from Downing St was just a prank'.

Byline: By Anna Hammond South Wales Echo 

A woman who has helped thousands of children get on the stage has relived the moment she found out she had been awarded an MBE - and thought it was a prank.

In 1974 Marian Cook, a busy young mum at the time, was press-ganged into producing a show for the children of Llandough.

It was meant as a one-off but the show was so successful it seemed as if every child in Llandough had become stage-struck.

Now, 28 years later, Marian has been awarded the MBE for services to the highly-respected Anwen Little Theatre, in Penarth, where she has directed thousands of children on stage.

'When I came down the stairs and saw a letter with 'private and confidential, Downing Street' on it I thought somebody was playing a prank of me,' said Marian, from Uppercliff Drive, Penarth.

'I feel very privileged and honoured, and really quite excited about going to Buckingham Palace.'

In recent years Marian, 66, has been used to working behind the scenes and finding herself back in the spotlight is a little overwhelming.

'I see the children next on Wednesday so am sure there will be a lot of excitement in rehearsal,' she added.

Marian and her late husband Barrie were raised in Barry and settled in Llandough.

Their son Nigel, who sadly died in 1994, and their daughter Andrea have performed in Anwen productions.

Under her directorship, Anwen Little Theatre has introduced countless children to the world of musical theatre as performers, technicians and producers, many of them going on to study performing arts at college before taking up careers in the professional theatre world.

The company's administrator Jayne Murphy said everyone was delighted for Marian.

'Marian says if Anwen can give a child confidence to walk into a room, then we have achieved something,' she added.