AN ARTS and heritage festival is boasting a better than ever line-up as an historic fishing village becomes one big art gallery this weekend.

The Staithes Art and Heritage Festival, near Whitby, is now in its fourth year and will feature work from 145 local and national artists exhibiting in 90 galleries set up in homes around the village.

One of the main highlights of this year’s festival will be the larger than life wire and willow sculptures created especially for the event by Whitby sculptor Emma Stothard.

She said: “I was so delighted to be asked to create something for the festival, and I wanted some of my sculptures to reflect the continuing importance of the lobster fishing in the area.

“I also wanted to add a fun element to it, and people will find my work dotted around in unusual places.”

Her main feature sculptures are two nine foot high lobsters in galvanised and powder coated metal titled Coronation Catch, which will rest on the beach and at the harbour, as well as two more sited at the top of the bank in the village.

Visitors will also be entertained by buskers and art workshops, and can enjoy street food, pop-up tea rooms and pubs.