A WEEKEND of music and dancing is set to bring a market town to life when it kicks off next week.

The annual Teesdale Thrash, at Barnard Castle, in County Durham, will feature street dancing, a candle-lit sing-a-long and music workshops.

The event, from Friday to Sunday, will start with an evening of music in the Red Room of Witham Hall, led by folk group Accordance.

There will be a craft fair and ceilidh next Saturday, which it is hoped will attract hundreds of visitors to the town.

Other highlights include a Velcro Olympics, bungee running and a procession through the town.

The dancing will come to a climax with a display by groups in the grounds of Bowes Museum, followed by a concert at Witham Hall, featuring Les Barker, Nebula, Luce Women and Captain Cooper's Motley Crew.

The Thrash has proved to be a popular event in the past and is expected to be an important step towards the recovery of the dale in the wake of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

The event was one of the few community festivals in Teesdale to go ahead during last year's epidemic, which caused the cancellation of country farming shows and the annual meet.

One of the organisers Roy Tranter said: "Throughout the weekend there is a craft fair, colourful street dancing, lunch-time singing sessions and a range of dance and music workshops for children and adults.

"For the youngsters there will be a bouncy castle, Velcro Olympics, an assault course on Scar Top and magic by entertainer Ian Wragg in the Witham Hall."

For information about Teesdale Thrash, contact Roy or Karen Tranter on (01833) 638288