A RURAL community will be celebrating Easter in style this year as residents put the misery of the foot-and-mouth epidemic behind them.

Villagers in Bowes have joined forces to organise a series of events over the four-day Easter break.

The community was inspired to hold the first Big Bowes Bash this year as a direct response to the foot-and-mouth outbreak, which wiped out a considerable amount of the local farmers' livestock.

A community consortium was set up to prepare for the event and a grant of £1,000 from Teesdale Marketing has helped to fund the celebrations.

The Easter event will feature an open day tomorrow, at the village hall, where local people can enjoy games.

On Saturday evening there will be a family disco, run by the local football club.

On Sunday there will be a concert at St Giles' Church, followed by a race night at the village's working men's club.

The highlight of the Big Bash will be on Monday, when the village will turn out for an Easter parade, featuring costumes made by local people during a recent workshop.

The parade will be followed by an Easter egg hunt.

Rosie Bettison, secretary of the Bowes Big Bash committee, said: "The event will hopefully restore the feel-good factor which has been sorely missing in the locality over the past 12 months, in the aftermath of the foot-and-mouth disease.

"It has become evident that the Big Bowes Bash aims to pull the community together, giving all a common goal to work towards - as well as giving everyone something to look forward to and to get excited about."

For further information about the Big Bowes Bash and a full list of events taking place over the Easter weekend, contact Mike Bettison on (01833) 628343.