GREAT Aycliffe Town Council has unveiled its programme of events for this year's Great Aycliffe Show.

Outdoor arena events at the show, on June 22 and 23, will include the Honda Imps motorcycle display team and The Mighty Smith, who will give £1,000 to anyone who can match his feats of strength.

Jez Avery will jump over 15 people from the audience, if he can find any volunteers, in his mountain bike stunt show. There will also be chainsaw demonstrations by Chris Head.

One of the regular features of the Great Aycliffe Show is the free have-a-go activities, which have been expanded this year to include spectacular views of Newton Aycliffe from a Royal Artillery hot air balloon.

Other activities include parachuting, becoming part of a human football table, beach volleyball and an inflatable giant crazy cottage for children.

Around the showfield there will be Punch and Judy, face-painting, a fairground and trade stands selling everything from cars to decorated pebbles.

The Playhouse marquee will have a varied line-up of bands, including The Chimes, Mixt Nutz, Littlestar and TRC, plus soloists and dance troupes, and is open from 11am to 5pm both days.

Other marquees will house the rabbit and cavey competitions, trade stands and craft demonstrations, plus the popular handcraft exhibition.

Handcrafts include cookery, sewing, knitting and photography, attracting more than 700 entries from across the North-East.

Show organiser Marie Robinson said: "With football and badminton tournaments, competitions for pedigree rabbits and guinea pigs, craft and trade demonstrations, brass and pipe bands, it looks like a bumper show this year.