SUMMER is coming- with bells and whistles.

Hoping it won’t be a traditional May Bank Holiday- lots of rain- the famous Hammersmith Morris Men are visiting west Dorset.

They want to help local morris teams Treacle Eater Clog and Wyvern Jubilee Morris welcome the imminent return of summer.

May Day is celebrated across the country by Morris Dancers, an Anglo-Saxon tradition stretching back to pre-Christian times and an important rite of the year.

For May Day weekend, Hammersmith are joined by their special mascot, a Jack-in-the-Green, who resides the rest of the year at Cecil Sharp House, the home of the English Folk Dance and Song Society.

Jack is a participant of traditional May Day parades, and wears a garland covering of foliage from head to foot, basically a walking bush.

But be careful, this incarnation of the Green Man can be a trickster, and requires constant hydrating (with ale.)

Hammersmith Morris, Treacle Eater Clog and Wyvern Jubilee Morris can be seen dancing on Saturday, April 30 at 10.50am in South Street, Dorchester, then 11.40am at the Brewhouse and Kitchen, Brewery Square before heading to the White Hart, Yetminster at 2pm.

After their Dorset jaunt, they will jig on to Somerset, performing at The Prince of Wales, Ham Hill at 5.15am on Sunday, May 1, most likely having stayed up all night, celebrating in anticipation of the return of the sun.

They have taken their dances all over the world, including, recently, to America, Corfu and Austria, but their reputation takes them further afield.

An invitation to Australia has already been received for 2017.

Michael Catovsky of the team, a resident of Sherborne, but ongoing member of Hammersmith since his days at University in London over 20 years ago, said: “I am so pleased that the team are coming to visit.

“This is beautiful, ancient and quirky part of the country; they will fit right in.”

Morris dancing is a traditional form of dancing performed in time to music.