Did you spot the Covid police and the Bee Gees in Harborough? Photos and video from a surprise performance

A slimmed-down action-packed street theatre festival went ahead in Market Harborough on Saturday – and it took the town by storm.

The Arts Fresco pulled over 10,000 people in to the town centre last autumn but had to be cancelled this month amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

But the organisers of the all singing, all dancing show – one of the UK’s most successful street spectaculars - got their heads together as they created a brilliant Plan B.

And a whole host of entertainers, including Edmund and Hillary, The Covid Police, Team BGees and HMS Punnafore, wowed shoppers and passers-by caught by surprise.

Neil Kitson, the chair and co-artistic director of Arts Fresco, said: “We had an absolutely fantastic time.

“We all had a lot of fun and a lot of laughs.

“It was certainly worth doing as we all put a smile back on the face of Market Harborough!”

His dad George Kitson inspired the town’s first Arts Fresco back in 2002 at the age of 80.

“It’s really taken off since then and has grown into a much-loved and keenly-anticipated event on Market Harborough’s annual calendar.

“We were doing so well this year raising money to stage the Arts Fresco again and then Covid-19 popped up to ruin our plans,” said Neil.

“So we decided to do something online instead.

“But then as restrictions eased we thought we could go out into the town centre unannounced and stop people in their tracks.

“And we wanted that spontaneous audience engagement when we filmed our acts for our online special.

“We are still basking in the glow of satisfaction, it was that much of a success on Saturday.

“It was even more entertaining in a way because people were caught by surprise.

“We’d perform on The Square or the High Street or in one of the side streets and then we’d move on because we didn’t want to attract big crowds.

“It was hit and run street entertainment – and people just loved it.

“It felt very much like it did back when we started out in 2002 because no one knew us then and no one expected us to appear this time round,” smiled Neil.

“One mystified woman asked us what we were doing as I filmed some of our performers in front of her.

“I told her we were out and about having loads of fun.

“Immediately she beamed at me and said ‘we all need more fun, this is just amazing’.

“People applauded our entertainers time and again and so many mouthed the words ‘thank you’ at us.

“It was simply priceless.

“We all had an unforgettable day out and we will be back with Arts Fresco, bigger and brighter than ever, in September next year.”

If you missed out seeing the show live in Market Harborough on Saturday you can watch and enjoy it here on their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzIidpdJ-VgSvLc1VToXtJg/