One of the biggest events in north Norfolk returns next month.

Cromer and Sheringham will host the eighth Crab & Lobster Festival with numerous events across the weekend.

It's believed to be the only festival of its kind in the country that is held in two towns.

The festival will begin with an opening concert on Friday, May 19 at Cromer Pavilion Theatre with a night of seaside fun, folk and comedy.

Hosted by Olly Day and Nigel Boy Syer, the event will feature the Sheringham Shantymen and local dance group, Marlene's School of Dance.

The festival weekend continues in Cromer on Saturday, May 20 and in both Cromer and Sheringham on Sunday, May 21.

The festival will host an array of local food and drink stalls, superb seafood, scintillating entertainment, seafaring crafts, music, comedy, film, crab-dressing competitions and the World's Best Crab Sandwich competition.

Festival chairman Tony Shipp said: 'I am looking forward to another enjoyable weekend in both towns.

'Each has a distinctly different venue. In Cromer Evington Lawns will host the stalls, heritage marquee, food and entertainment, while in Sheringham these will fill the narrow streets at the seaward end of the town.'

There will be a Woodforde's bar in the festival's main marquee in Cromer.

In both towns fishermen will be demonstrating the art of net braiding and pot making as well as the ever popular mobile aquarium from the

Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority.

Alongside the main attractions will be an array of activities for children and street entertainment for the whole family from Punch and Judy to Razz the Clown.

Local Cromer group Walkers are Welcome will be producing a walking fisherman's trail across the town featuring points of historic interest and

historic facts.

And visitors will be able to follow the event's Porthole Art Trail to hunt out more than 80 decorated portholes in shop windows and outside spaces around the towns. Leaflets for the trail will be available in tourist information centres.

Since 2010 the festival has raised over £35,000 for local charities.

Thousands of people took part in last year's art trail, which helped extend the tourist season.