THE MAGIC of water puppetry captivated onlookers old and new in an unusual outdoor city centre setting yesterday.

Members of a Vietnamese water puppet troupe gave a series of displays of the age-old far eastern craft for hundreds of invited guests.

The shows were staged in a large tank containing more than 97,000 litres of water, in a pagoda-shaped setting, outside the Gala Theatre complex in Durham's Millennium Place.

Vietnamese water puppetry has changed little in the 1,000 years since it was devised in the north of the country.

The Thang Long water puppeteers are continuing the tradition and spreading it to the western world.

Only invited audiences have so far seen the unique Durham displays, but public performances will be staged at the weekend.

The shows, suitable for all generations, will be at 11am and 1.30pm, tomorrow, and at 1.30 and 3.30pm, on Sunday.

Tickets cost £5 for adults or £3 for children and concessions.

The event is part of 2005 Alive, a £12m programme of world-class events and attractions in different settings in the North-East.