OTLEY Courthouse is promising a 'cracking' programme of events for the Easter holidays.

The arts venue has lined up two family theatre productions and three craft workshops for the upcoming school break.

The attractions begin with a chance to meet Christopher Nibble, a guinea pig faced with the challenge of saving the only dandelion left in Dandeville.

The Topsy Turvy Theatre will bring its new adaptation of this classic children’s story to the Courthouse on Saturday, April 1 at 2pm. Tickets cost £6 for a child and £8 for an adult.

Another fantastical creature will appear on Tuesday, April 11 when Tessa Bide, in association with the Redgrave Theatre, Bristol, presents The Tap Dancing Mermaid.

An innovative, one-woman show featuring hand-crafted puppets, singing and dancing the story focuses on a mermaid, Marina Skippett, who creeps out of the water at night to dance on the boardwalk to the sounds of the sea.

Marina has been banned from dancing at home by her evil Aunty, but one magical night she meets a mysterious boy swimming along and her life is dramatically changed.

The show starts at 2.30pm and tickets cost £8 for adults and £6 for children.

The first of the three Easter workshops, meanwhile, takes place on Monday, April 10 when children will have a chance to make their own kaleidoscopes with shapes and effects they can test out on their friends.

That will be followed on Wednesday, April 12 with a session where young people can make their own shadow theatre and puppets.

Finally on Thursday, April 13 children are being invited to come and make their own Easter sock bunnies and 'upcycled' Easter baskets.

All of the workshops begin at 10am and cost £5, with materials supplied.

The Easter craft and shadow puppet workshops are suitable for ages five-plus, while the kaleidoscope event is for six year olds and over.

To book tickets visit otleycourthouse.org.uk, call (01943) 467466 or pop into the Courthouse, on Courthouse Street, Otley.