They say laughter is the best medicine and a family doctor is putting on a show to prove it.

Tim Kimber of Park Surgery in St Flora's Road, Littlehampton, has enlisted friends to stage A Song For St Barnabas, a razzmatazz show based around songs from famous musicals.

He hopes to pack out the 850-seat Worthing Pavilion Theatre in March, making £10,000 for the St Barnabas Hospice in Columbia Drive, Worthing.

Dr Kimber, 43, who is chairman of Sussex Musical Productions, said: "I know the hospice intimately because my patients are often looked after there. The staff provide a fantastic service.

"Only nine per cent of the funding comes from the NHS and the rest comes from charitable donations.

"Because of the high profile of the Chestnut Tree House children's hospice in Angmering, the profile of the adults' hospice has dropped a little."

Dr Kimber, who will produce and direct proceedings as well as taking the stage himself, has enlisted Steven Thorpe and Eric Fowler to write the show, a history of the love song in musical theatre during the past 100 years.

He has also obtained the services of a professional band, sound man and stage crew, all of whom are giving their time for free.

He said: "Some friends of mine are doing a show called Love Songs, which starts in October, and we are basing the show on that.

"Love Songs is a fairly small show but once we get to the Pavilion we are going to go for a bit more razzle dazzle."

The show will include a number of faces well known to Worthing audiences, including Julie Waite, Julie Le Manquais and Jon Spicer.

They will begin rehearsing hits from Chicago, South Pacific, Phantom Of The Opera, Anything Goes, Cabaret, Kiss Me Kate and many more, around Christmas.

The curtain goes up at 7.30pm on March 21. Tickets, priced £10 to £50, are available from the Pavilion box office on 01903 206206.