THIS year's Lymm Festival kicks off today - and it promises to be one of the best yet.

The extravaganza runs until July 9 and launches with the Street Fun and Food Fest which includes a greater variety of stalls than ever.

One of the main attractions will be Lymm's very own Big Picture.

By piecing together 50 individually painted sections, the whole painting will be revealed at the Food Fest.

Jackie Marshal, the organiser of the event, is very excited by the response to the project.

She said: "I have had such a

good reaction to the idea, both from the gallery and the executors, and so many people wanted to take part that the picture is now going to be almost 17ft by 13 ft.

"The problem of how to display the picture has been solved by the Lymm 3rd Scouts who have risen to the challenge and they will erect the completed picture at the Food Fest."

The picture will be The Village Square by LS Lowry and the Lowry Art Gallery has helped set it up.

Another major event is the Mozart 250 concert at St Peter's Church in Oughtrington, with a specially formed festival orchestra and choir.

Lymm resident Nick Cox (principal clarinettist with the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra) has organised the concert and his pupil Mark Simpson, recent winner of the prestigious BBC Young Musician of the Year award, has agreed to play at the concert.

Two performances by Peter (aka Matthew) Corbett about his years as TV companion to Sooty and Sweep have sold out already, as has the Festival Picnic at Lymm Hall, but there is still plenty more to choose from including folk, jazz, blues, choral, music hall, exhibitions, comedy, poetry, drama and dance.

The spectacular Art in the Garden event will run throughout the week and the Open Garden Walk and Manchester Bonsai Society exhibition will take place again this year.

For details, log on to lymmfestival.org.uk