The jingle of bells, flutter of hankies and clunk of sticks will join the notes of accordions for a mass morris dance charity festival.

More than 200 morris dancers from throughout the South West will gather in Tavistock town centre locations for a free public event.

Dartmoor Border Morris is hosting the traditional energetic dancing to folk music on Saturday, November 15, from 10am to 4pm for the tenth annual Pudsey Day of Morris to raise money for children’s charities.

Guest of honour is a human-scale Pudsey Bear, who will be wondering around Bedford Square meet and greeting people to drum up cash donations .

The high energy spectacle of dramatically dressed dancers and musicians is a fund-raising event for the BBC Children in Need appeal, which kicks off in November with people across the country raising money in their own small way to contribute to the national appeal.

The BBC Children in Need 2025 TV show is on the day before -Friday, November 14, with the fundraising theme Challenge Yourself to 25!. - encouraging people to undertake sponsored activities completing 25km or 25 acts of kindness.

Dartmoor Border Morris has collected over £14,000 for the cause in ten years, and hopes to break last year’s record of £2,840 in one day.

The day starts at 10am with groups of dancers performing in Bedford Square, next to the Guildhall car park and outside the Soft Touch Needle craft shop on Market Road.

At approximately 10.45am, they will all converge onto Bedford Square for a mass dance.

After a large group photo in Bedford Square with Pudsey Bear, they will return to their dance spots until 4.15 pm. After that, everyone will retire to the Stannary Arms pub for a well earned music session which is open to everyone.

Organiser Mark Tregaskis, of Dartmoor Morris group, said: “This event has become very popular with Morris sides coming from West Devon and as far as Bridgewater and Penzance.

“On Saturday fifteenth of November, Morris dancing in all its traditions will be on display, with flowery garlands to hankies through to high jumping young men trying to out dance each other.

“Mr Pudsey Bear will be more than willing to pose for photos so keep an eye open for a big yellow bear walking around Tavistock.

“If your stand too close during the mass dance, be warned, you might get grabbed by the hand & drawn into the mass dance.”

He added: “Dartmoor Border dress in distinctive blue ‘tatters’ jackets that reflect the colours of Dartmoor. They also dance in border style with sticks instead of hankies. The music is very folkie , but often loud, fast but fun.”

Dartmoor Border Morris comprises dancers and musicians of all ages and backgrounds who meet on Wednesdays in Walkhampton Memorial Hall and appear at fairs and festivals in West Devon, while collecting for charity.

This year’s charity is Shallowford Farm, which takes inner city children to a working farm near Widecombe.

More details on Dartmoor Border Morrison at this link: www.dartmoorbordermorris.com or Facebook and Instagram pages.