ISABEL COCKAYNE Performances from both professional musicians and up-and-coming youngsters are among the highlights of the week-long Watton Festival 2005.

ISABEL COCKAYNE

Performances from both professional musicians and up-and-coming youngsters are among the highlights of the week-long Watton Festival 2005.

The festival, which has run every two years since the late 1980s, will also see storytelling, puppet show, historic English dances and jazz in the town between October 22-30.

Festival chairman John Kerr said the aim had always been to bring a mixture of home-grown talent and quality professional performers to Watton, which the town could not normally afford.

"We don't want to stand still. Every time, we try to improve on it without disrupting too much and losing out on ticket sales," he said.

George Cushing's Bursen street organ will kick off the festival, playing from 10am on October 22 in Chaston Place, before two light-hearted performances with the Good Old Days.

Rotarians have sponsored Junior Startime on October 23 in the Queens Hall, giving local young entertainers the chance to compete in three age categories.

Pianists Jocelyn Abbott and Laura O'Gorman will delight an audience with classical music the night before solo performer Hugh Lupton tells folk tales, legends and songs from East Anglia.

Norwich Puppet Theatre will put on Pinocchio for a younger audience on October 26.

Gardener Bob Flowerdew will put in an appearance and keen dancers will be able to learn the popular Elizabethan dances or watch the Norwich Early Dance Group in action.

The Vintage Hot Orchestra Jazz will be playing their music on October 28.

The whole event concludes with the Watton Festival Chorus on October 30.

Tickets and more information are available from the Tourist Information Centre or by calling Brenda Davies on 01953 881792 or Derek Smith on 01953 884044.