A YEAR-long celebration of life in Highworth has officially been launched.

This year's festival, called Highworth Alive, will be a celebration of community spirit in the town.

Among the events planned are a flower show, theatrical productions, a celebration of the works of Shakespeare and a carnival.

The festivals are held every four years and the last one, in 2000, raised £16,000, which went towards a stained-glass window in St Michael's Church.

Money from this year's events will be ploughed into community groups.

The next event is a production of the Extraordinary Tale of Colonel Cody, which is being staged tonight at North-view Primary School from 7pm.

Tickets are £6 with £4 concessions, and are available from the town council office in High Street.

The Women's Institute is to stage Votes For Women, a play about the suffragette movement. The show starts at 7.30pm on January 30 in St Michael's Hall.

Lynn Vardy, the secretary of the festival committee, said: "Everyone always looks forward to the festivals, they really bring the community together. There is always something for everyone."