WORCESTER’S rich and varied heritage is at the heart of a festival being staged in the city this week to keep families entertained during half term this week.

The festival offers a full and fun programme of events based around the city’s top heritage attractions from the Battle of Worcester to the porcelain industry.

The Love Worcester Heritage Festival runs until Sunday February 21 and is organised by the Worcester Heritage Partnership and supported by Visit Worcestershire, Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce and Worcester City Council.

The events include a mystery themed trail at the Elgar Birthplace Museum, near Lower Broadheath, where children and hunt for the composer’s lost batons and win a prize. This will be running from 11am to 4pm until Saturday February 20.

From 9am to 5pm up until Sunday February 21 there are free family trails to follow and find fruits, flowers and fossils at Worcester Cathedral. A safari back pack will be available to help youngsters do their research. The Cathedral is also staging a love-themed self-guided trail until Saturday February 20 when people can learn about interesting love stories connected to the Cathedral. Royalty, Shakespeare and Elgar are featured.

The Cathedral is also offering messy church craft activities for the family today (Wednesday) and tomorrow from 10.30am to 12.30pm and from 2pm to 4pm.

There will also be a talk given next to King John's tomb - in the 800th anniversary year of his death. Hear about his life, loves and disputes running up to him sealing Magna Carta. This takes place tomorrow at 2pm.

The Worcester City Arts Gallery and Museum is inviting people to design and create their own postcard of a favourite Worcester city place and attach it to the Love Worcester peg line. The best entry will be awarded a prize. This runs until Saturday February 20 from 10.30am to 4.30pm.

The George Marshall Medical Museum at the Charles Hastings Education Centre, Charles Hastings Way, Worcester, is offering youngsters and adults the opportunity to discover the fascinating mystery world of anaesthetics and what was used before drugs to knock someone out cold! This is free to enter and open until Friday February 19 from 9am to 5pm.

Spying and industrial espionage in the 18th century are under the microscope at the Museum of Royal Worcester Porcelain when visitors can find out the length the factory owners went to in ensuring nobody else could find out the details of their formula for the finest bone china. The event is on between 10am and 4pm until Friday February 19.

Tudor House in Friar Street, Worcester, is inviting people to make a home and shelter for the useful garden insects from 10.30am to 3.30pm today. While the museum is staging a re-enactment bringing Tudor times alive on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm.

St Swithun’s Church in Church Street will be offering people the chance to find out what life was like for children in the Georgian era on Friday February 19 from 11am to 3pm.

For further information on the Love Worcester Heritage Festival or the city visit http://www.visitworcestershire.org/worcester/Love-Worcester.aspx, the Worcester Tourist Information Centre at The Guildhall, High Street, call 01905 726311 or email touristinfo@visitworcestershire.org