A panto star has been forced to pull out of a top Christmas show after being badly injured in a bizarre airport accident.

Irishman Billy Boyle, who has appeared in EastEnders and Father Ted, was due to appear as Dame Dotty in Puss In Boots at the Connaught Theatre, Worthing.

But while queuing for a plane at Heathrow, he was knocked over by a group of passengers rushing for a flight and broke his shoulder in two places.

Billy, who lives in Surrey, was signed off work for 12 weeks and will miss the panto, which runs from December 2 to January 8.

David Smith, producer of the panto, which has been written by acclaimed children's author Christopher Lillicrap, was stunned because rehearsals were due to start in two weeks.

He said: "Billy decided to take a holiday before the hectic panto run started.

"He was waiting in line at Heathrow when a group of five or six people came charging through, barging into him and knocking him over.

"They didn't even stop. I understand there was a lady injured as well.

"Billy broke his shoulder in two places and is not going to be fit to do panto. He is out of action for 12 weeks. What a bizarre accident.

"It's dreadful and Billy is devastated.

"He had been ringing me up every week and talking about the role and really getting into it.

"It gave me a big problem because rehearsals start in two weeks.

"I obviously needed to find a name to replace him at short notice.

"I rang around various agents and managed to secure the services of Giles Watling, best-known for playing Oswald, the vicar in Bread.

"I have been very lucky to get a named artist at this late stage, to be honest.

Billy declined to comment. David said: "He is so upset about it he doesn't want to talk."

Puss In Boots also stars Leila Birch as Princess Poppy, Clare Buckfield as The Marquis of Carabas, Nicola Weeks as Puss, Samantha Hughes as The Enchantress and Barnaby Edwards as King Penniless.

David said 15,000 tickets have already been sold and the production was on its way to beating last year's box office record for Snow White of 26,000 tickets.

He said: "It has really caught the public's imagination."