We are just one week away from the start of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival and this year looks set to be bigger and better than ever before.

We are just one week away from the start of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival and this year looks set to be bigger and better than ever before.

Just 24 hours after it was announced that Norwich was shortlisted to become the first UK City of Culture, organisers of the 238-year-old festival unveiled the line up for this year's event.

From May 7 to 22 a range of concerts, plays and performances will take place at venues all over the city.

A rare performance by John Cale, co-founder of the Velvet Underground, three of the world's greatest circuses and a world premiere of the unusual Music for Seven Ice Cream Vans are among the highlights.

The popular Spiegeltent, which won the hearts of festival-goers last year, will return to Chapelfield Gardens and will house not only circus, music and dancing but also a daytime programme of swing and tea dances.

Daisy Turville-Petre, communications officer at the Norfolk & Norwich Festival, said: 'We're almost a third above where we were this time last year with ticket sales, which is just brilliant. We've sold 18,000 tickets to date.

'However, with more events than ever before, we've got more tickets to sell so there's still time to get involved.'

For full festival listings and booking details visit www.nnf10.org.uk.

For Evening News coverage of the festival visit www.eveningnews24.co.uk/festival