MORRIS dancers from all over England and Wales converge on the Forest of Dean this weekend for a knees-up to match the best.

It will be the 47th annual Morris Festival to be organised locally, but the first time ever the Forest of Dean Morris has danced as a mixed side of men and women.

The event kicks off in Coleford town centre at 10am on Saturday (June 9) with a massed display. The groups (known as ‘sides’) then split into three to take in local venues.

Tour A starts at the Nag’s Head in Oldcroft at 11.30am and moves on to dance at St Briavels Carnival (3pm) and the Three Tuns in Chepstow at 4.30pm.

Tour B is The George Inn, St Briavels; The Anchor, Tintern; The Boat Inn, Penallt; The Gatehouse, Monmouth.

Tour C: The Glove, Berry Hill; The Inn on the Wye, Kerne Bridge, and the Hope and Anchor Inn, Ross on Wye.

On Sunday morning, the sides give a massed display at Dean Heritage Centre, Soudley.

Local sides, Wimberry Clog and Forest of Dean, host visiting sides from Nuneaton, South -Wales, Cheltenham, Nottingham, Leeds, Leicester, Mersey and Southport.