Festival celebrating Sir Isaac Newton attracts thousands

The festival included science exhibitions, theatre and art - all themed around Newton.

A week-long festival celebrating the work of investor Sir Isaac Newton has attracted thousands of people to Lincolnshire, organisers said.

The Gravity Fields Festival, in Grantham - where the scientist was born - featured more than 100 events..

It included music, lectures, exhibits and hands-on experiments and ended with a parade through the town on Friday.

The star attraction was a rare third edition of Newton's work Principia.

Festival director Rosemary Richards said the events were designed to educate and entertain the public.

'Wonderful condition'

South Kesteven District Councillor Francis Cartwright said: "Obviously the Fringe Festival has done a lot for Edinburgh and Shakespeare has done a great deal for his area and this is going to be fantastic for Grantham.

"I think it is great for the younger people who are learning about sciences and it is a great thing for the town."

Grantham Museum curator Jane Robb said: "The star attraction is the third edition of Principia - in which Newton describes the law of gravity - it normally lives in the vaults but we have brought it out.

"It is in wonderful condition and it is a beautiful work of art as a book itself as well as its contents."

Stuart Bennett, science teacher at St George's Academy in Sleaford, said: "If you allow students to come and see things that are not easily done in school itself, then there is a lot of benefit - it is a great success."

South Kesteven District Council has invested £150,000 to stage the event in a bid to boost the town's profile.

The council said it planned to hold the festival every two years.