A HOST of colourful characters will bring magic into the woods tomorrow with the staging of the 15th Guisborough Forest Festival.

The biggest event of its kind in the north is pushing the boundaries, showcasing hoof tapping sheep who dance to ABBA songs, characters from Alice in Wonderland perched on stilts, plus a fabulous array of craftspeople from woodturners to wheelwrights and basket weavers to coracle makers.

The festival is organised in the 1,000 acre North York Moors beauty spot by the Friends of Guisborough Forest and Walkway and Redcar and Cleveland Council with support from the Forestry Commission.

This year clowns and jugglers will be slapping on even more facepaint and throwing skittles higher to mark the 250th birthday of circus, which began life in its modern form in London in 1768.

Ranger Neil Thirkell said: “Circus entertainers have been a big hit at the festival for years so it’s nice to nod our thanks and say happy birthday in return. It’s just one way in which the the festival has branched out. You can still have a go at forest skills, watch amazing birds of prey displays and shin up climbing walls.”

Visit www.fogfw.org/events for more details.