THE star-studded Bewdley Festival kicks off tomorrow with a variety of events taking place over ten days.

On Saturday, an art lecture will be held by Dr Beth Williamson at 2.30pm at Bewdley Baptist Church to complement the exhibition, God in the Flesh: the Human Christ in Medieval to Modern Art.

Clare Teal will perform a selection of jazz classics at the Ramada Hotel on Saturday evening. A favourite of Michael Parkinson, Clare scooped British Jazz Vocalist of the Year in 2005 and 2007.

A classical concert at St Anne’s Church on Sunday afternoon will feature the orchestra from Bewdley’s German twin town Vellmar, playing music composed by Handel, Mozart, Charles Avison, Frank Bridge and Vivaldi.

Actress Hannah Gordon will then present an evening of readings at the Ramada, including material from writers as diverse as Willy Russell, Siegfried Sassoon, Noel Coward, John Betjeman and Joyce Grenfell.

Hannah’s previous roles include Virginia Bellamy in Upstairs Downstairs and Victor Meldrew’s killer in the final episode of One Foot in the Grave.

Garden lovers can view a variety of old and ingenious gardening tools on Monday from 2.30pm at Bewdley Baptist Church, while nature lovers can hear a talk by TV presenter Chris Packham at the Ramada in the evening.

Chris, who has presented wildlife programmes including The Really Wild Show, will use his own unique photographs to explore the more perverse and peculiar aspects of the animal kingdom.

Chairman of Bewdley Civic Society, Richard Perrin, who has lived in Bewdley all his life, will host an illustrated tour around the Bewdley of old, demonstrating its buildings, its famous people and its royal connections from 10.30am at Bewdley Baptist Church on Tuesday.

Bespectacled comic poet John Hegley will perform his recent Edinburgh Festival show at the church at 2.30pm, promising an A-Z of animals – with a Bewdley connection.

Comedy actor Gordon Peters and his accompanist David Carter will round off the day at the Ramada with a celebration of the works of Flanders and Swann.

Having appeared in sitcoms such as Dad’s Army and Are You Being Served?, Gordon’s latest show sees him paying an affectionate tribute to one of the biggest acts of the 1950s and 1960s.