DRAGONS came to the Faithful City for the first time to herald the arrival of the Chinese New Year.

To welcome in the Year of the Rooster, the Worcester Chinese Association put on the display to entertain shoppers on Sunday, outside the guildhall in the High Street.

And the Mayor of Worcester, Allah Ditta got in on the act and took on the role of the dragon's head.

"It was absolutely amazing. It was very bright and very colourful and very noisy. This is the way forward. We should do something cultural like this every week.

"Everybody was extremely impressed with the show and children seemed to love the dragon," he said.

About 300 people were at the ceremony.

The dragon needed 12 people to make it ''dance''. It was joined by three lions, which help ward off malicious spirits in the coming year.

Accompanying the dancing were firecrackers, and drumming, also to ward off evil spirits.

"I'm extremely happy with how it went, and people have been very supportive of the association and the festival," said the chairman of the Worcester Chinese Association, Frankie Tsang.

"I have been here for 30 years and this was the first dragon dance in the city," he added.

The year of the Rooster - one of 12 animals in the cycle - began on Wednesday, February 9.

Characteristically, babies born this year will be hard-working, definite in their decision-making, and will be unafraid to speak their mind.