THE world descends on Dorchester this weekend as the county town's annual festival takes place.

From today until Bank Holiday Monday there are a score of great events to see and take part in.

From high-wire acts and street theatre to music, dance, clay mask making, a digital funfair, carnival procession and much more, there promises to be something for everyone to enjoy.

The main events are taking place in Maumbury Rings and South Street and organisers promise that this year, an adequate number of toilet facilities have been provided!

So just turn up and have fun - there is something to tempt everyone.

Full details are available from the festival brochure, available from shops, libraries and TICs across West Dorset, from Dorchester Arts Centre on 01305 266926 and on-line at www.dorchesterfestival.co.uk Also listen out for the festival's radio station which will be streaming live throughout the next four days on 87.7fm.

Apart from the packed programme lined up for the Dorchester Festival, this weekend looks set to be the busiest of the year so far.

The Royal Manor Theatre continues to celebrate its 60th anniversary with a production of Arnold Ridley's perennially-popular thriller The Ghost Train in Fortuneswell on Portland. Performances are at 7.30pm today and tomorrow.

There is more drama in Poole where the political thriller Deadlock is being staged at Lighthouse (7.30pm today, 2.30pm and 7.30pm tomorrow) while one half of Show of Hands, Phil Beer, is at the Tivoli Theatre in Wimborne tonight (7.30pm).

The best of musical theatre in the form of Beyond the Barricade is at the Pavilion Theatre in Bournemouth tomorrow (8pm) and comedienne and impersonator Faith Brown is at the Pavilion Theatre in Weymouth on Monday, May 28 (7.30pm).