THE talents of people from the Malvern Hills area are at the heart of a celebration of skills in Worcestershire.

Worcestershire County Council's Skills on Show event this weekend is a huge free festival centred around County Hall, Worcester, designed to give locals a platform to show what they can do.

More than 13,000 visitors turned out for last year's event and more than 150 exhibitors will be taking part this year.

Among them will be the Malvern Hills Coppice Project, which is hoping to find a market for products created by its traditional form a woodland management. Members will be giving demonstrations and talking about the project in the Worcestershire Marquee.

A series of arts workshops have been organised, among them will be one provided by the English Symphony Orchestra for string players to work alongside its Youth Orchestra.

The Malvern Hills Gallery, an arts co-operative with a shop in Worcester Road, Malvern, will also be represented with members showing examples of woodturning, teddy bears, fretwork, stained glass, pottery, cards and puppets and frames.

Malvern Quilters will be exhibiting work, along with botanical watercolours by local artist Beth Barnes and Malvern and Berrow Lacemakers. There will also be promotional displays by Malvern Hills College and the Malvern Theatres.

Performers include the choir and recorders of Great Malvern Primary School and The Hill Poets on Saturday morning, Malvern Light Opera Society on Saturday afternoon, McLean Handbell Ringers on Sunday morning and afternoon and Malvern Christian Witness Choir on Sunday afternoon.

The Swan Playwrights are also presenting two plays, including Leeks on the Moon by Malvern's Ali Oxtoby on the Saturday at 1.30pm in the Council Chamber.