A TRAVELLING storyteller has a "magical" coat to weave her tales around, thanks to a £2,000 grant.

The funding, from the Arts Council of England, will help Rhoda Fraser to take legends from around the world to children in the Richmond area.

Most of the money has been spent on a patchwork coat, made by Rebecca Atkinson, of Applegarth Designs, near Richmond. It features pockets from which Mrs Fraser pulls characters and objects linked to her stories.

She has already lined up venues, including the Dales Countryside Museum, at Hawes, Richmond's Georgian Theatre Royal, hotels, parks and community gardens.

Among her projects is storytelling in the community orchard, at Reeth, every Wednesday afternoon during the summer.

The storytelling grew from the ghost walks which Mrs Fraser, of Brompton on Swale, leads in Richmond. The Hawes museum made her its resident story teller and she uses her 30 years' experience with drama and operatic societies to bring tales to life.

Other Arts Council grants announced this month include £8,500 to Arts in Richmondshire, for a creative writing project, £3,875 to York artist John Creighton, for an exhibition at Ryedale Folk Museum, £4,951 to York artist Liz Bowe, for studio equipment, and £4,468 to York Late Music Festival.