Two bamboo-inspired performances are set to be staged in North Staffordshire later this week.

The free celebration in Stoke and Newcastle-under-Lyme will include a bamboo castle, den-building, puppetry and circus skills performed on bamboo poles.

Organised by Brilliant Bamboo, the event will take place on Thursday and Friday and will also feature demonstrations and workshops to showcase the creative uses for bamboo.

Gemma Thomas, director of Brilliant Bamboo, said: "We're delighted to bring two days of inspiring performances and activities to Stoke and Newcastle-under-Lyme.

"Bamboo is a remarkable material, and through circus, theatre and hands-on creativity we want to spark ideas about how it can contribute to a more sustainable and connected future for our communities in North Staffordshire and beyond."

The event will be in Stoke on Thursday before heading to Newcastle on Friday. (Mark Robson)

On Thursday, August 28, from 11am to 3pm the Brilliant Bamboo Parklet, off Boothen Road in Stoke, will stage activities highlighting the potential of bamboo, alongside a live performance of BAMBOO by NoFit State Circus at 1.30pm. The outdoor show uses only bamboo poles and the human body to explore ideas of fragility, balance and interdependence.

The following day, Friday August 29, Newcastle town centre will host Bamboo-Castle from 11am to 4pm, with more free performances and family-friendly activities. BAMBOO will be performed on the High Street by Vue Cinema at 12pm and 3pm, while theatre company Pif Paf will present Right To Play, an interactive installation featuring den-building, messy play and puppetry.

The Newcastle event is supported by Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, Newcastle BID, and the UK Government through UK Shared Prosperity Funding.