MALVERN Folk Weekend will bring traditional British music to venues all over town.

The event, from Friday to Sunday, October 27-29, is a first for the town and organisers Malvern Fringe Arts hope to make it an annual event.

"There's a lot of local folk talent and a good folk scene here in Malvern so if the weekend is a success, we'd like to expand it next year and perhaps have a week long festival," said Owen Morgan, of Malvern Fringe Arts.

For this first event, Jez Lowe and the Bad Pennies will bring the folk songs of Northern England.

The band, which has played extensively home and abroad, is renowned for strong vocals and outstanding instrumental back-up, including guitar, fiddle, keyboard and Northumbrian Pipes.

It is performing at the Fringe Theatre at Malvern Youth Centre on Friday, October 27 from 7.30pm-11pm. Tickets cost £8.

Other highlights include singer Roy Bailey and singer and accordian player Pete Grassby. Roy, who is at The Grove, Avenue Road, on Saturday night from 7.30pm-11pm, has been singing in folk clubs around the world for the last 40 years.

He has a worldwide following and in 2003, performing with Tony Benn, he won Best Live Act at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Tickets cost £8.

Pete Grassby is a popular local folk singer, who recently toured New Zealand and has produced two CDs, Malvern Hills and Cilan. He is at West Malvern Social Club on Sunday, October 29, from 7.30pm-11pm. Tickets are £2.

Other attractions include Songs of the Heart at the Lyttelton Rooms, Malvern, on Sunday, October 29, at 2pm. Tickets for all events are available on the door. See www. malvernfringe.co.uk for details. Bars are available at the Jez Lowe, Roy Bailey and Pete Grassby events.