THE return of the Cradley Produce Show after an eight-year absence promises to be major community celebration.

The show is being staged with help from the National Lottery and will raise funds for a hearing loop system for the village hall.

The show and associated events will be held on Saturday and Sunday, September 10-11, and centre on Church Stile Farm, where there will be a marquee.

The produce show, which has more than 60 classes, will be opened at 2pm with a Chinese Lion Dance traditionally performed to bring good luck. The Ho family, of Gloucester, will dance in costume accompanied by cymbals and drums.

There will also be demonstrations by the Bromyard Bowmen and Rumores de Espana flamenco dancing. Teams will compete in a special Cradley triathlon - tossing the tractor tyre, beer drinking and sausage eating and a fancy dress relay.

There will also be ferret racing, a raffle and traditional punch and judy. Show prizes will be presented around 5pm and produce auctioned. Admission is £1 on the gate.

Mummers - drawn from the ranks of the Cradley Village Players - will present three performances of a cheerful snapshot of country life. They will be at the farm at around 2.30pm, at Brookside, near the Post Office Stores, at 3.15pm and on the green by the church around 4pm.

In the evening, there will be a barn dance featuring That Shallot. Tickets are £10 (£5 concs), including refreshments.

Sunday sees a Grand Musical Allsorts event in the marquee from 2pm. Headliners include Worcester-shire Youth Jazz Orchestra and local rock bands Velvet and Neptune. There will also be jazz-jive dance by Malvern pairing Kymberly Lane and Russell Dudley. Tickets are £2.50 or £10 per car.

n Beautiful Cradley should provide ample inspiration for people taking up an art challenge.

The 2nd Cradley Village Art Challenge will be held on Saturday, September 10, in conjunction with the revived Cradley Produce Show.

Amateur artists are invited to pick a location within the village and create a work in the size and medium of their choice between 10am and 4.45pm. A panel of judges will select a winner, who will be presented with a £100 prize around 4.45pm.

Artists are requested to bring all the equipment they need and to come prepared for traditional summer weather. The entry fee is £5 per person, which includes lunch. Pre-registration is essential before September 3, call Margaret White on 01886 880000 or Ros Rowberry on 01886 889758.