Wellington residents are invited to join the town's Folk and Custom Society in their annual Wassailing event.

The traditional ceremony is set to feature performances by the Bootstrap Border Morris Team, as revellers gather to ward off 'maulscrawl' spirits as is a customary part of the tradition.

Chair of the society, Lee Edmead, said: "Come and Join us in this Winter traditional event, by blessing the Apple trees! Wassail derived from the Anglo-Saxon 'Waes Haeil', used as a salutation and to mean 'good health.'

"Bring pots & pans, drums, whistles, bells, participate in scaring off the 'Maulscrawl' spirits, to enhance a good crop of Apples for the Summer/Autumn. We will have Wassail singers of 2023, the song-keeper, Master of Ceremony, Wise-maiden, Modred the dragon,  BootStrap Border Morris Team, The Wellington session Traditional Folk Musicians, Mr Double Danger the 2nd.

"We will start at the Cottage Inn, then off to bless the apple trees, then return to the Cottage Inn, for further celebrations with the Bootstrap Border Morris team and then we will continue into the night with traditional folk music tunes & songs in the Cottage Inn, so musicians and singers are welcome to join in."