Artists will really be warming up for Great Yarmouth's second Mardi Gras this week – with an appearance at one of Europe's biggest street art festivals.

For among the wacky attractions that Yarmouth's SeaChange Arts is taking to the Fish and Chips festival, in Rouen, Normandy, is an HG Wells-themed sculpture that bellows out flames, the creation of Chris Day from Halesworth, and a tree-styled fire installation made by Dan Peppiat from Essex.

Meanwhile, Norwich-based Lucy Enskat and Hocus Pocus, will be warming up French visitors to Rouen, which is twinned with Norwich, by inviting them into a sauna, one of a number of 'seaside therapies' offered out of a beach hut.

SeaChange Arts, which runs Yarmouth's Out There festival as well as Mardi Gras, has been invited to be co-producer of the Rouen festival –billed as a showcase for British talent – through its membership of the European Zepa partnership of street art festivals.

Some of the 40 acts SeaChange is taking to the festival, which runs from today until Friday, will also be appearing at the Mardi Gras, in King Street, Yarmouth, on March 8.

SeaChange director Joe Mackintosh said: 'It was a conscious decision to choose acts using fire for Mardi Gras. Last year's terrible weather made us realise the need to warm up spectators.'

Members of French street arts company Generik Vapeur, who starred at last year's Out There festival, will be arriving in Yarmouth the week before Mardi Gras to work with local residents on themes.

Organisers are appealing for donations of Christmas decorations, fairy lights, Christmas trees, fake foliage and artificial flowers to help them project the theme of winter's struggle against spring.

'The items will be transformed into winter and spring displays to decorate the street and there will also be a window-dressing competition,' said SeaChange's Laurie Miller-Zutshi.

Items can be dropped off at their office, Maritime House, Marine Parade.