Police called after neighbours hear blood-curdling screams...to find actors rehearsing Sweeney Todd

Officers in two squad cars and a police van quickly descended - fully prepared for the worst.

Identifying the building from which the cries were coming, they went in to investigate.

Blood-curdling: Police were called to a rehearsal of Sweeney Todd after residents heard an actress screaming

But instead of a blood-soaked murder scene they discovered the set of a theatre production of Sweeney Todd and found the yells were those of an actress.

The victim had been a member of the 20-strong cast of an amateur dramatics group which had just finished a successful four-night run of the play about the Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

But as it had been so warm that evening the Wavertree Garden Suburb Institute Drama Group had left the windows of their theatre open allowing the chilling screams to shatter the peaceful evening.

The cast of the Wavertree Garden Suberb Drama Group 'saw the funny side' after police were called on them

Carol Golightly, chair of the institute's music and drama group, said: 'We had just finished our final performance which received a standing ovation.

'We were just taking make-up off and getting ready to clear the hall and have our after-show party when someone came in and said the police were outside.

'At first I thought it was just a wind-up. But when I went outside and saw them myself I realised it was really happening - I couldn't believe it.'

They questioned her over the source of the screams and found the commotion had been caused by one particularly violent scene.

Mrs Golightly, 57, a retired psychiatric nurse, said: 'What must have happened is there is a scene in the play where one of the characters, Mrs Lovett, is thrown into an oven by Sweeney Todd.

'There is quite a lot of screaming throughout the play anyway as the main character obviously is a killer.

'With it being such a hot night, we had all the doors open as well as the fire door at the back of the stage.

'The noises must have just carried to the houses nearby. Really, we were lucky we weren't arrested for murdering the play.'

After taking a few notes, asking a few questions and reassuring themselves that no-one had been really murdered, the police officers then departed.

A police source said: 'It was taken extremely seriously because the reports seemed to suggest a serious incident was taking place.

'Thankfully no-one had been injured or worse and the actress must be praised for her impressive vocal range and the realism of her screams which apparently caused alarm to many of the residents living close to the theatre.

'Officers were fully prepared for anything and I think were slightly deflated when they found the eventual cause of the commotion.'

Mrs Golightly said: 'The police were totally professional about it. But it was impossible not to see the funny side.'

A spokesman for Merseyside Police confirmed three vehicles, two squad cars and a van, containing at least six officers had been sent to the address in Watertree.

She said: 'The phone call was made in good faith and we would always treat calls of this nature seriously.'

For their next production the amateur dramatics group are considering staging a more genteel play.