LEGENDS, tall tales and many a yarn will be in evidence when the third Lakeland Storytelling Festival opens on Friday, September 27, staged by Taffy and Chrissy Thomas's Northern Centre for Storytelling.

Lyrical hotshots and nifty narrators of the highest calibre come together for a merry old weekend of 24 events with the grand opening at 6pm at Wilf's Caf in Staveley, featuring festival favourites the Chipolatas, Tuup and Len Graham.

Prominent Irish, Scottish, Welsh and English performers from the world of storytelling including Sileas harp and ballads duo of Patsy Seddon and Mary Macmaster will join the festival throng across Staveley and Ings.

This year's theme is a Bonny Bunch of Roses.

Second on the bill on the Friday is the welcoming concert Merrynett at 7.30pm (until 10pm) in Staveley Village Hall, when every act appearing during the festival introduce themselves and give the audience a taster of what's to come over the weekend.

And an exciting addition to the 2002 event is the participation of schoolchildren in the Out of the Mouths presentation at Staveley Primary School on the Saturday (4pm), with the Staveley school performing in concert with pupils from Southlands High School in Chorley, and telling stories that they themselves have chosen.

However, no festival would be complete without that man of many words Taffy Thomas as MC.