GRASMERE is gearing up for its annual Festival of Stars event with residents looking to recreate William Wordsworth's description of the village.

The stars theme for the weekend is inspired by Wordsworth's poem, Home at Grasmere, where describing the village, he wrote: "Thy church and cottages of mountain stone, clustered like stars."

Stars are beginning to appear throughout the village in readiness for the event that takes place over the weekend November 26 and 27.

"This is the third year of the festival and this time we are taking the star theme more literally, using the theme of Astronomy," said organiser Christine Shaw.

"We will be welcoming Stuart Atkinson, local astronomer, to give a talk and organise a sky watch on the sports field. We just hope the weather will be fine on the weekend to view the stars."

A lecture by Stuart Atkinson on A Tourist's Guide to the Galaxy will be followed by a chance to view the night sky through telescopes on Grasmere sports field. Also on the astronomy theme, there will be a children's workshop and an exhibition of nightscape photography by local photographer Linda Davison at Craglands shop during the weekend.

Other entertainment includes a ceilidh and entertainment with The Fairly Famous Family in the village hall, a circus skills workshop, a chance to meet Father Christmas, and a star-themed pub quiz.

Grasmere storyteller Taffy Thomas will be re-creating The Hot Chestnut man made famous by Johnny Morris (of Animal Magic fame) and regularly seen on BBC children's TV in the 1950s, telling stories over a brazier in the Storytellers Garden.