A play based around Bromyard's former glove factory kick-starts a range of events for the Spring Festival of Town Criers.

Gloves Galore, which runs Thursday and Friday, April 28-29 at the town's Conquest Theatre, features the exploits of factory workers in the 1950s, as they prepare for an annual trip to Blackpool.

The tale draws on the Milor factory, which was based in several locations in the town centre from 1946 to 1981.

Author Josie Ann Dolan, described it as a light-hearted, funny play.

"It's good fun, featuring period music and costume," she said. "The whole community has helped to put it all together."

Ten members of the Heritage Theatre Company, formerly the Rural Theatre Company, star in the performance, including Queen Elizabeth High School pupil David Sallis, drama student Amanda Vincent-Perkins and Shirley Whittal, a former Milor employee.

Original photographs and memorabilia from the factory are on display in the Conquest foyer during the run. Performances are at 7.30pm and tickets are £5 from 01885 488575.

The play marks the start of the Bromyard Spring Festival and Town Criers' Competi-tion, running throughout the weekend.

More than 60 criers from across the country, and as far afield as Belgium and Holland, will compete for trophies at 11am on Saturday and 2pm on Sunday, in the town centre.

Bromyard and Winslow's town crier Peter Dauncey, said: "This year's festival should be great, we've got criers from all over the place coming to the town."

The Bromyard in Bloom campaign is launched at 10am on Saturday in The Square, and a craft fair takes place throughout the weekend in the Public Hall.

On Sunday, Falcon Theatre Group present Chaucer's Nun's Priest's Tale and Pardoner's Tale at different venues in the town, starting at 11am in The Square.

Full details of the festival are available from Joan Dauncey on 01885 482898.