A UNIQUE opportunity to experience life in the Arctic will be available when experts share their knowledge on environmental issues at a deeper level.

Castle Drogo will be holding a Fire and Ice event, where talks by wildlife artist Mark Coreth and TV's Animal Planet presenter Nick Baker, will be given to inspire people to learn more about the Arctic.

Visitors will be welcomed by a life-size sculpture of a polar bear in the foyer of the visitor centre and guests can also enjoy an auction of Arctic items, a raffle and music by local performers.

The event is to raise money and awareness for the Ice Bear Project, which aims to inspire everyone who encounters the Ice Bear to find out more about the Arctic.

It will include a full Indian dinner, polar bear sculpting, performed by Mark Coreth, and talks by leader of the Catlin Arctic Survey and Arctic explorer Pen Hadow.

Enterprise manager of Castle Drogo Christine Gray said the evening would be an exciting experience: 'We are more than happy to support the Ice Bear Project and trust people will have an enlightening evening about the plights of global warming.

'The fire element of the event will be a hot Indian supper cooked by our National Trust chef.

'This is going to be an exciting event for everyone to come along to and enjoy.

'It's the first launch of the project and it's nice to have it here because it's local people that are involved with it.'

The UK-based non-profit arts organisation aims to create sculptures of life-sized polar bears out of ice and bronze.

An ice sculpture of a polar bear will be carved by sculptor Mark Coreth next month as part of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) International Big Tent and art exhibition in Copenhagen.

Over two weeks the Ice Bear will melt and leave a bronze skeleton, a pool of water and a symbolic message about the power humanity has to shape the environment.

A bear will also be carved in Trafalgar Square on Friday, December 11.

The Castle Drogo Ice and Fire event is tomorrow (Friday) from 7pm to 11pm.

Tickets cost £22.50 and booking is essential. For tickets email [email protected]">[email protected]

 For more information on the Ice Bear Project: http://www.icebearproject.org">www.icebearproject.org