Giant puppet launches city festival

A towering puppet procession, called Mo and the Red Ribbon, paraded around the city centre on Friday night to open the Norfolk and Norwich Festival

An illuminated 25ft (7.6m) wicker puppet strolling through the city streets has opened the Norfolk and Norwich Festival.

Organisers said "several thousand" people turned out on Friday night to watch the spectacle.

Mo and the Red Ribbon, by French arts company L’Homme Debout, tells the story of a child refugee separated from family.

“It was a thrill to see thousands of people on the Norwich streets as we launched this year’s festival," said festival director Daniel Brine.

The illuminated wicker puppet performed outside The Forum

"Mo and The Red Ribbon was a fantastic event, awe-inspiring with a gigantic 25ft puppet greeting spectators, and poignant, with its exploration of contemporary migration."

Mr Brine added the festival, which runs until 26 May, would continue with dance, drama and music performances by local artists alongside world premieres.

Several thousand people were said to have joined the procession

The puppet lit up the night sky in Norwich

The procession marked the start of a weekend of free performances.

Energetic feats by NoFit State Circus, the roaming New Orleans-style Das Brass band and interactive spoon-playing from Betty Brown Bags will be popping up across Norwich.

World premieres at the festival include an eight-hour organ piece composed by Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood.

Mo and the Red Ribbon tells the story of a child refugee separated from their parents