A MARKET town is set to come alive with a blaze of colour as morris dancers from across the region descend next month.

Barnard Castle will host the Black Sheep Border Morris’ Day of Dance 2018, a bi-annual celebration of the ancient art, on Saturday, May 5.

Nine different groups from across County Durham, Northumberland and North Yorkshire will take part.

The day kicks off at 10am outside Woodleigh at Scar Top, with a collective display, before pairs of teams break off to dance through the town centre during the morning session.

They will then perform at the farmers' market and outside The Witham arts centre until 12.30pm.

At 1.30pm, dancers will regroup outside The Bowes Museum for a grand display, where they will be joined for the first time by youth longsword teams led by Music at the Heart of Teesdale (M@HoT)featuring students from local Teesdale primary schools including Green Lane, Butterknowle and Bowes Hutchinson.

The youth teams have all taken part in M@HoT’s Longsword programme through the last school year and have prepared special dances to take part in the day’s events.

Black Sheep practice weekly through the autumn and winter at Winston Village Hall from 7.30 to 9.30pm. For more information contact Rupert at blacksheepbordermorris@gmail.com or call 07926076187.