Pubs are perhaps better known for real ales, ciders and screening a game of live football than the high culture of the arts.

Eastern Daily Press: The Burston Crown. Picture: SONYA DUNCANThe Burston Crown. Picture: SONYA DUNCAN (Image: ARCHANT EASTERN DAILY PRESS (01603) 772434)

But one South Norfolk watering hole has taken a different path - by organising its first-ever, very own arts festival.

Although live music of varying tastes has become a feature of many pubs in recent years, The Burston Crown, near Diss, has gone one better by staging poetry readings as often as twice a week.

The Burston Crown ArtsFest '17 began earlier in May and is due to continue this month, with the festival concluding on June 13 with The Tortoise and the Hare at 8pm.

Earlier events included music by Crumbs for Comfort at 8.30pm on Thursday, May 18 and a one-man performance by David Mynne called The Odyssey, as well as Lady Bracknell's Confinement - an Oscar Wilde monologue.

Eastern Daily Press: Burston Crown owners Steve and Bev Kembery after winning last year's South Norfolk Community Pub of the Year award. Picture: SONYA DUNCANBurston Crown owners Steve and Bev Kembery after winning last year's South Norfolk Community Pub of the Year award. Picture: SONYA DUNCAN (Image: ARCHANT EASTERN DAILY PRESS (01603) 772434)

Bev Kembery, owner of The Burston Crown, said: 'Our first ArtsFest is a very exciting new venture for us.

'The Burston Crown has been a place of entertainment since 1580 and I feel it is important to continue this tradition.

'All events are free to enter and this means that anyone from our community can come and experience events of really high quality.'

The pub has even welcomed famous guests in the past, with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn posing for pictures with staff when visiting the village for last year's Burston Strike Rally.

There is no need to book for any of the events.

It also won last year's South Norfolk Community Pub of the Year, a competition run by South Norfolk Council which rates pubs' facilities and accessibility, mbience, sense of community and its food and drink selection.

The pub also hosts its 'eazy Thursday' and 'Sunday sessions' music events each week.

For more information, visit www.burstoncrown.com or call the pub on 01379 741257.