Shakespeare is reaching a young audience in West Norfolk with the help of puppets.

St George's Guildhall and the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust have worked together to make the Bard popular with schoolchildren by using a puppet show to tell his stories.

Shakespeare Week, an annual national week-long event organised by the trust, ran from March 18 to March 24.

It saw youngsters from eight schools including South Wooton Infant, Walpole Cross Keys, Watlington, Eastgate, West Lynn, Howard Junior and King’s Oak plus the home education network take part in activities.

Eastern Daily Press: Engaging children with Shakespeare through puppetry Engaging children with Shakespeare through puppetry (Image: Ian Burt)

Dr Paul Edmondson, head of research at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, said: “Shakespeare would no doubt be delighted that over 500 children, gathered together by the team at St George’s Guildhall, were being inspired by his work.”

The activities centred around A Midsummer Night's Dream and saw pupils learn the story, explore the characters and find out about different types of puppets before making their own spoon puppets or paper bag puppets representing different characters from the play.

These activities were so successful that the Guildhall decided to extend the event into a second week with more school visits scheduled.

Borough council cultural officer Tim FitzHigham said: “It’s fantastic and proves the huge appetite for Shakespeare in our schools, for our first year offering Shakespeare Week it’s been incredible."

Eastern Daily Press: Shakespeare Week, is an annual national week-long event, ran from March 18 to March 24 Shakespeare Week, is an annual national week-long event, ran from March 18 to March 24 (Image: Ian Burt)

Jane Hamilton, St George’s Guildhall learning and engagement officer, said: “It’s really exciting to work alongside the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and celebrate Shakespeare Week with West Norfolk children and young people.

“Exploring Shakespeare’s plays through puppetry is a great way to engage children in the magic of his stories and to inspire their creativity.”

The project at St George’s Guildhall, which receives funding from the Towns Fund, aims to refurbish Britain’s oldest working theatre and establish a creative hub on site.