COLWALL Orchard Group is organising an evening of the traditional pastime of wassailing tomorrow, Saturday, January 15.

Revellers will gather on Colwall Green from 6pm, to get organised for the procession to a nearby orchard at 6.30pm.

Wassail means good health in Anglo Saxon and is the old English festival to wake up the trees and ensure a good harvest the following autumn.

A young boy, called Tom Tit, is placed in the biggest tree in the orchard and the trees are given a toast in cider. Then everyone makes as much noise as possible to wake up the trees and scare away any unfriendly spirits.

Ruth Kiely of the group said: "Please wear wellies, warm clothes and a silly hat - it is traditional to decorate hats with winter foliage such as holly and ivy, but any silly hat will do. Bring your own torches or lanterns but wax torches and sparklers will be on sale."

After the festivities, the revellers will go to a barn for songs and a traditional wassailing drink called lambs’ wool of mulled cider with roast apple pulp, together with sausage rolls, flapjack and brownies, before visiting the Yew Tree Inn in the village.

"This is a family-friendly event, and children are welcome, as long as they can walk for 15-20 minutes or you can carry them, as there is no parking on site," said Ruth.

Admission is £2 for adults and children go free. Proceeds will go towards a new community orchard.