Giant insects to invade Newbury

Another outdoor spectacle is being brought to the town tonight (Saturday)involving bicycle-powered insects

A PARADE of giant insects is to invade Newbury town centre this evening (Saturday).

Spiders, ants and a huge mantis are to light up the sky as another outdoor event, Insectes, is brought to visitors and shoppers by the Corn Exchange, Newbury, the Greenham Common Trust and Newbury Events.

Spanish artists Sarruga created the creep-crawlies, which are powered by bicycles and accompanied by music and pyrotechnics.

Meanwhile, shoppers this week may have also noticed a few insect sculptures about the town.

These were the creations of Newbury based sculptor Jeremy Hughes who works mainly with recycled objects and has exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery in London.

Mr Hughes said: "It's completely coincidental that I was working on an insect installation and met Julie Csala who runs the Saturday Gallery at the [Newbury] Town Hall. She put me in touch with Newbury Events Manager, Caroline Paus who's working on the Sarruga Insectes Carnival. It's a wonderful opportunity for a local artist to get involved with an internationally acclaimed company."

A swarm of winged insects was spotted on the balcony of the Town Hall on Monday afternoon, while nearby a wasps nest was glimpsed by passers by in the Market Place.

Camp Hopson in Northbrook Street have a hornet's nest in their window and in Bartholomew Street, owner of Toomers, Barry Forkin set about a giant winged creature with a fly swat (pictured).

The Insectes night carnival procession will begin tonight at 9.45pm outside the Methodist Church and it will take approximately 30 minutes for them to wind their way into the Market Place for the finale.

The outdoor event is funded by the Greenham Common Trust and is one of four large scale outdoor events organised this year.

It follows other international companies who have brought outdoor spectacles to Newbury.

Last year a circus-style performance arrived in Newbury as French acrobatics and trapeze artists Transe Express suspended themselves high on cranes above the Market Place.

And in 2009 Compagnie Quidams presented a procession and world renowned production Le Reve D'Herbert to the town, which featured giant inflatable white characters.

Both drew huge crowds to town to observe the performances.

The event is free of charge to attend.