FOREST Morris dancers took part in a folk festival in Brittany.

The Forest of Dean Morris has had links with the town of Pont Aven in the French region since 1980.

They were once again part of the annual Fête des Fleurs d’Ajonc – the Festival of the Golden Gorse – Brittany’s oldest folk festival celebrating Breton heritage with parades, dances and musical performances.

The Forest of Dean Morris spent two days dancing throughout the town and also took part in the main parade.

The colourful rag jackets worn by Forest Morris complemented the traditional costumes worn by the local performers.

A spokesman for Forest of Dean Morris said: “The festival, being a purely Breton event, Morris dancing is unfamiliar to both residents and visitors.

“Bretons are fiercely proud of their traditions but recognise in the Morris something entirely different yet pure and without modern orchestration, so they make an exception for us.

“A former mayor of Pont Aven commented that he regarded the Forest of Dean Morris Dancers as ‘honorary citizens’ of the town.”

After returning from France,the Forest of Dean Morris were again in an unfamiliar location, dancing with several other sides at the abandoned village of Imber in the military training area on Salisbury Plain and at some other villages on the edge of the plain.

The village of Imber was taken over by the military in 1943 and is only accessible on a few days each year.

This was Imber Bus Day and transport was only by a fleet of about 40 vintage double decker buses, many of them London Routemasters.

The group is holding a workshop for those interested in trying Morris dancing.

It is being held at Soudley Village Hall on Saturday, September 19 with sessions between 10.30am and 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 3.30pm.s