Next week's Elgar Festival looks set to be a sell-out success.

Tickets for three of the four special concerts have already sold out and tickets for the final concert are selling fast.

At the festival, the Malvern-based English Symphony Orchestra will give the most complete performance of Elgar's music ever played in Worcestershire. The festival, running from June 2-5, commemorates the 70th anniversary of the composer's death.

ESO founder and conductor William Boughton said the idea of a running a festival celebrating Elgar's music and life had been a "long-held dream".

"It's Elgar's music in Elgar country," he said. "People can listen to the music and walk the Malvern Hills, which were his inspiration."

The final concert, Elgar's Dream of Gerontius, will be performed at Worcester Cathedral and tickets are still available on 01684 892277.

The festival also includes a wide range of other events connected with the composer's life and work.

Local historian Cora Weaver gives a talk, Elgar in Malvern, at St Wulstan's Church, Little Malvern, on June 2. Concert ticket-holders can attend the talk free at 11am. For those without tickets, there is an afternoon talk at 3pm. Admission is £2.50, on the door.

One of Elgar's favourite past-times was flying kites and on the last day of the festival kite-lovers of all ages are invited to Malvern Common to watch kite flying demonstrations and to make and fly kites of their own.

In and around the town, Malvern traders are marking the anniversary of the composer's death with a series of special activities.

These include a live jazz performance by the Bill Bailey Jazz Band, playing some of Elgar's works in the New Orleans style, at outdoor venues in the town and Priory Park on Saturday, June 5.

Visitors and local people can find out more about the famous composer from a series of window displays at shops in the town centre. Malvern bookshops will also be selling Mrs Weaver's new book Elgar In Worcestershire.

Malvern Civic Society is offering guided town walks from the Tourist Information Centre on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 4-6. Outdoor shop Time-Out will also have information on walks on the lower slopes of the hills, along with a photography competition.

Other events include tastings of local speciality food and drink, many of which have been named after the composer.