A charity wassailing event takes place at Woodredding Farm, Yatton, tonight (Friday), at 7pm.

The Silurian Border Morris Men will perform the Much Wenlock Dance during a torchlight procession around the boundary of the orchard.

Another attraction will be a reading by local folklorist Roy Palmer, from his book on orchard culture, Ripest Apples.

There will also be a performance of the Gloucestershire Wassail song, and 13 fires will be lit. The first, representing Judas among the disciples, will be stamped out as unworthy. The other 12 will be allowed to burn.

A bush will then be lit, representing the rekindling of the sun. With its flames put out, the bush will be passed over the flames and given to the farmer, Brian Robbins, to be kept in his house until next year, when it will be burnt completely.

The Victorian diarist Kilvert wrote about the beating of the bush at the start of a new year.

Offerings of cider and toast soaked in cider will then be made to a selected tree in the orchard.

Guns will then be fired into the air, branches will be beaten and metal objects clanged.

There will be rural songs, morris dancing and a mummers' play.

Proceeds will go to Much Marcle and Yatton churches. Entrance, to include a sausage bap and mulled cider, will be £7.50 per adult and £4 per child.