THERE will be over one-hundred morris dancers out to entertain throughout the area on July 7-8.

Local side, The Leominster Morris, are hosting seven guest teams from across the country to celebrate the 35th anniversary since the revival of a morris side in Leominster, the previous side having foundered in the 1920s, and are looking forward to sharing their birthday with guests from as far away as Sheffield and Reading.

Dancing will take place in Ludlow, Leominster, Hereford, and in some of the Black and White villages: Eardisland, Pembridge and Weobley.

The whole event will finish outside the west doors of Hereford Cathedral on Sunday lunchtime.

Dubbed Marches Morris Festival, the event showcases three different styles of morris dancing from across England: Border which is native to Shropshire and Herefordshire, the ubiquitous Cotswold from Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire and North-West danced in clogs from the mill towns of Lancashire and Cheshire.

Morris dancing has a long history in this region, dating as far back as medieval church records stating payments to morris dancers at holidays and festivals.

With a membership of some 25 dancers and musicians, the Leominster Morris are active in the region year-round, dancing at events such as Tenbury Applefest, Shobdon Food and Flying Festival, Clun Green Man and at many of the region's pubs.

They would welcome new members either as dancers or musicians at their practices in Leominster.

The schedule of dancing for July 7-8 is as follows (see leominstermorris.org for more detailed information):

Ludlow Castle Square: Saturday 10.30am - 1pm.

Leominster Corn Square: Saturday 1.30pm - 4pm.

Eardisland, Pembridge and Weobley: Saturday 4.30pm - 6pm.

Hereford High Town, Sunday 11am - noon; Hereford Cathedral, Sunday 12.30 - 1.30pm.