SUFFOLK'S morris dancers - the East Suffolk Morris Men - will be celebrating their 50th anniversary with a concert at the Ipswich Corn Exchange on July 12.

SUFFOLK'S morris dancers - the East Suffolk Morris Men - will be celebrating their 50th anniversary with a concert at the Ipswich Corn Exchange on July 12.

Featuring the Demon Barber Roadshow, the show is a collaboration with world and roots music promoters Peppery and is being staged as part of the Ip-art Festival.

Howard Hugh, spokesman for Peppery said: “Run by Damien Barber, the Roadshow features clog, sword and morris dancing as well as Damien's own folk group - The Demon Barbers.

“Youthful, enthralling, charismatic, and with bags of attitude, The Demon Barbers combine solid traditional acoustic instruments and songs with the added oomph of a superbly tight rhythm section, making a unique and captivating sound.

Mr Hugh added: “And for 50 years East Suffolk Morris Men have been dancing around Suffolk towns and villages. Their Jubilee celebration year 2008 is marked by the concert and many other events including a Children's Festival.”

East Suffolk mainly perform the Cotswold tradition of dances, but in winter also include dances from the Welsh borders dressed in colourful tatter coats.

There is a long history of dancing Morris around Ipswich and East Suffolk Morris Men have picture archives of people dancing around the turn of the 19th Century.

For more information and tickets call the box office on 01473 433100.

Are you a fan of morris dancing? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk