FAMILIES will have a chance to mix traditional with modern techniques at a Scythe Fest in York next weekend.

The open land around Millennium Bridge will be the venue for a wide variety of activities enjoying and managing nature.

Festival goers will have the chance to try their hand at scything, the traditional way of cutting grass, go on minibeast hunts to find local grassland animals and go on nature walks to find wildflowers.

They will also have the chance to join in the modern technique of wildflower seed bombing to increase the number of wild flowers in the area, take part in a scarecrow competition and join in nature craft sessions.

The event is the first Scythe Fest organised by St Nicks' centre for nature and green living's Meadow Keepers project and runs from 2pm to 8pm on Saturday September 9.

The project promotes the use of scythes to cut grass on the grounds they are more wildlife friendly than mowing machines, a quiet low carbon way of maintaining meadows and provide a workout for those using them.

The Fest will include demonstrations on how to use them safely, taster sessions and a two-hour course in their use that must be booked in advance. .

Volunteers from the project will also demonstrate the skills they have learnt over the summer in identifying and monitoring different species.

Fest organisers hope it will lead to families and residents learning techniques and skills to encourage more wildlife in their own gardens including pollinators such as bees.

Millennium Bridge Fields is one of 15 urban grassland sites in York getting extra funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund through the project.

Saturday's event is free.