A DRAGON the size of a bus will form the focal point of children's celebrations to mark Chinese New Year this weekend.

Artist Lip Lee and the Junior Fiends of Leazes Park, in Newcastle, will mark the Chinese New Year by building a 50ft-long Chinese dragon in the park, between 10am and noon on Sunday.

The youngsters will then carry the dragon in a dance through the park.

The Junior Fiends group, whose members are aged from two to 12, was set up to encourage young people to enjoy the park and take part in activities there. They meet in the park's newly refurbished workshop once a month on a Sunday morning.

Leazes Park manager Adam Greenwold said: "The Fiends are certainly becoming an important part of the life of the park and it's great to see young people enjoying themselves so much and using the park so well.

"I'm sure Lip Lee and the Junior Fiends will produce a terrific dragon on Sunday, one that they will be proud to parade through the park and one that will really bring the Chinese New Year to life for them."