WITH spring in the air, preparations are under way for the 2016 Malvern Well Dressing Festival.

This year’s celebration of the local water sources will see over 40 springs, spouts and troughs elaborately decorated over the early May bank holiday week.

This year's theme is Friendship - L’Amitié, celebrating the twinning of Malvern with the spa town of Bagnères-de-Bigorre in the French Pyrenees.

Spokesman Lionel Shorstone said: "This is a fantastic theme and we are expecting to see all manner of creative interpretations. It is a real opportunity for all well dressing teams including the schools, colleges, Brownies, Girl Guides and adult entries to rejoice in the Malvern spring water, perhaps with a touch of French panache.”

The festival, run by Malvern Spa Association, has been running continually since 2000, and last year 44 sites, ranging from humble natural springs to elaborate water spouts, were included in the colourful display.

The dressers will work their magic on the Friday, and the judging team from Malvern Spa Association will then tour all of the entries on the Saturday with the winners competing for gold, silver and bronze rosettes.

This year will see the return of the People’s Award, where members of the public are encouraged to visit the various sites and vote for their favourite child and adult entries.

Mr Shorstone said: "This is the perfect excuse to spend a weekend exploring the water sources on the hills and around the town. There are so many in plain view, but it’s always exciting to hunt down some of the lesser-known sites that were so important to the town’s history."

Over the bank holiday weekend, there will be minibus trips and water blessings by different faith groups. As always the Malvern Tourist Information Centre in Church Street will have information for visitors, telling them how to visit the sites.

Well dressing in the Malvern hills is thought to date back to the 12th century, with records indicating that the Holy Well in Malvern Wells was dressed annually. From 1870 Royal Well in West Malvern was regularly dressed, and the Wyche Spring was also dressed by local residents in the 20th century.

For anyone interested in dressing a water source this year or in the future, there will be a meeting at Lyttelton Rooms, Church Street, on Monday, April 4, at 7.30pm.