WORKERS are battling the government; women are fighting for equal pay and Essex girls are trying to throw off the old stereotype – some things never change.

For their next production, Wantage's Jigsaw Stage Productions are offering to take their audience back to Dagenham in 1968 in a genuine '68 Ford Cortina.

The group are staging their version of the West End musical Made in Dagenham, based on Nigel Cole's 2010 film, at The Beacon, Wantage, from April 5 to 8, and again at the Cornerstone, Didcot, April 20 through 22.

The musical tells the true story of the Ford sewing machinists' strike of 1968.

Drama centres around mum-of-two Rita, a plant machinist, who finds herself at the centre of the fight for justice.

The group's Chris Jones said: "With equal pay and working conditions for women, the show is very topical for today.

"It is heart-warming, uplifting and inspiring, it includes some classic British Banter, and a lot of comedy, uplifting musical numbers and some moments of sobriety.

"Made in Dagenham has a bit of everything."

Tickets cost £14 and are available from the Beacon and the Cornerstone. Find out more at jigsawstageproductions.co.uk