THE Malton Dickensian Festival, celebrating the market town’s literary links to the famous author is back with headline star actor Miriam Margolyes.

It is said that Dickens was inspired to base Scrooge’s famous Counting House on Smithson’s Counting House in Malton, now a museum and visitor attraction, which is open Saturdays from 10am to 1pm.

Harry Potter star Ms Margolyes said: “Malton should be rightly proud of its rich association with Dickens and this magical book, and I’m honoured to be celebrating the town’s literary legacy once more. It’s going to be enormous fun.”

Victorian street theatre from Hardcastle’s Mighty Excelsior Theatre Company at the Malton Food Lovers Christmas market, is among the festival events.

The irrepressible troupe of down-and-out Victorian thespians bring a medley of songs, dance and mayhem, featuring the Hardcastle Human Vegetable Machine. Horse and carriage rides will also be available on the day, and there will be a special performance of A Christmas Carol in the Counting House Museum at 2pm and 3pm. This is a free event, donations are welcome.

Events begin on Friday December 8, with the Big Sing, as local school children perform their favourite Christmas carols at The Milton Rooms. Doors open at this free event at 12.30pm for a 1pm performance.

Sunday December 10 presents A Christmas Carol Lunchtime Gala. Doors open at 1pm at the Milton Rooms, with two contrasting versions of A Christmas Carol. Brian Oxberry, of the Charles Dickens (Malton) Society, will perform the traditional version. This will be followed by the Hardcastle Mighty Excelsior Theatre Company’s take on the tale. This rather unusual interpretation will be interspersed with completely irreverent carols.

The fun packed festive gala will be introduced by a distinguished visitor to the Malton Dickens Festival - Paul Graham, secretary of the international Dickens Fellowship since 2012 and a member of the Board of Directors at the Charles Dickens Museum in Doughty Street, London. Paul will open proceedings with a brief look at the theatrical history of the carol story. Tickets for the lunchtime gala are £5 (£4 OAPs and under 16s) online or from the box office/01653 696240.

Ms Margolyes will join Charles Dickens' great, great, great granddaughter Lucinda Hawksley, author of the new book Dickens and Christmas. They will take part in an exclusive Q&A session after a screening of the new film The Man Who Invented Christmas, in which Miriam plays the role of Mrs Fisk.

The Hollywood movie tells the journey that led to Dickens' creation of A Christmas Carol, and stars Christopher Plummer, Dan Stevens and Jonathan Pryce. The screening takes place on Saturday December 16 at 4.40pm at The Palace Cinema in Malton. Lucinda and Miriam will also judge the best decorated Christmas trees (by school children) at the Milton Rooms and Dalby Forest.

The festival concludes on Sunday 17 December, as Miriam Margolyes and Lucinda Hawksley explore what it would have been like to take part in a real Dickensian Christmas, with a book signing afterwards. Tickets are £25, to include lunch, wine and coffee at the Talbot Hotel, Malton.