THREE days of fun lie ahead for residents and tourists in Barnard Castle this weekend.

The annual Meet will dominate the bank holiday weekend, with a range of events for all the family.

A new edition to the packed line-up of events is the It's a Knockout competition, on Monday, at 2pm, which will replace the boat race, which has been dropped because of safety concerns.

The fun starts at 10am on Saturday, with the crowning of the Meet carnival queen, 13-year-old Sarah Cockerill, on Scar Top.

A pet show will take place at the Witham Hall on Sunday, from 10.30am until noon.

The Rhythm and Blues Festival starts on the Demesnes at 12.30pm until the evening.

Monday will see the parade through the town to the showfield on the lower Demesnes, starting at 1pm.

On the showfield, there will be bands, children's entertainment, Barnard Castle Dog Club, an agility demonstration, chainsaw carving, Army display and a team paintball range.

There will also be a car boot sale on the Lower Demesnes, open to sellers from 6am and the public from 7am.

Meet committee chairwoman Rachel Tweddle said: "All the people who have put this year's carnival together deserve great credit - so well done to them.

"Our committee is small but we all work really, really hard throughout the year.

"Everybody is praying for good weather but I'm sure everybody will enjoy it regardless."