THE MUPPETS will help Otley get in the Christmas mood next week.

Otley Courthouse will present a matinee screening of The Muppet Christmas Carol at 2pm on Thursday, December 21.

Tickets for the film, which is a musical - and Muppets - filled take on Dicken's classic festive tale about Scrooge and the Cratchit family, cost £4 for adults and £2 for children.

The venue has three other cinematic events lined up before that, starting on Thursday, December 14 with a 2pm presentation of Sing Street.

The movie, about a boy growing up in Dublin who starts a band to distracts him from his worries, will be preceded - from 1.30pm - by tea and biscuits which are included in the £4 ticket price.

Then at 7.30pm on Friday, December 15 the classic ballet Giselle, danced by the Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House, will be shown.

Courthouse Programmer Chris Jones said: "Now we have Hi-definition projection and surround sound at the Courthouse we want to keep trying out different genres on our cinema nights.

"The Live Streaming events have been a great success, and we have also run a series of documentaries on major art exhibitions.

"Now we want to see if there is an audience for ballet in Otley - and if its popular we'll try more.

"Giselle is a classic tale of betrayal, the supernatural, and love that transcends death."

Tickets cost £10.

Finally at 7.45pm on Thursday, December 21 Otley Film Society will show Captain Fantastic, starring Viggo Mortensen.

The film follows the experiences of a father who is raising his six children in a determinedly unconventional way, far from the trappings of modern America.

When tragedy strikes the group must journey into the outside world and face the new challenges it presents.

Tickets cost £4.

To book a place at any of the events visit otleycourthouse.org.uk or call (01943) 467466.

The Courthouse will be closed for the Christmas / New Year fortnight.

Its first cinematic offering of 2018 will be Manchester by the Sea which will screen at 7.45pm on Thursday, January 4.