Jazz sensation Clare Teal, who was born in Kildwick, near Skipton, is to grace her home town by opening its annual Sheep Day.

Clare, the UK's First Lady of Jazz, will take to the stage in Skipton High Street, on Sunday to launch the seventh annual celebration of the town's agricultural heritage.

And she will entertain the crowd with some of her popular songs, accompanied by the Black Horse Jazzmen of Settle.

"I haven't decided what I will sing yet, but I do know I'll be bringing my wellies along just in case," said Clare, who has won both the British Jazz and BBC Jazz Vocalist of the Year awards.

"When the invite came it really tickled me. I thought it would be a real laugh.

"It involves going back to Skipton, my home town, and it's about celebrating our heritage, so I'm all for it - and a bit excited too."

And another reason she was keen to return was because of her fondness for sheep.

Grazing outside her home in Bath are a flock of Jacob sheep.

Chris Aldred, the event co-ordinator, said: "I contacted Clare by the Internet because I heard she likes reasons for coming back home - so we gave her a reason and she said she'd love to.

"We know she sees it as a bit of a novelty and we hope people will enjoy her appearance."

Skipton High Street will be closed to through traffic from 7am for the day to make way for the sheep pens and arena.

Providing the entertainment will be the Sheep Town Theatre Company with their performance of Shaggy Sheep Tales and the Grassington-based Penny Plain Theatre Company with an enactment of The Ghosts of Bolton Abbey.

The day will see demonstrations of sheep shearing, sheep dog trials, a display of birds of prey and Skipton Farmers Market will also be set up in the High Street.

A street collection with a prize of a weekend for two at the Rendezvous Hotel at Snaygill, Skipton, will raise cash for the town's Christmas lights display.

l Clare, who shot to fame after appearing on the Michael Parkinson radio and television show, has just released a new album Paradisi Carousel.

She also presents her own BBC Radio 2 jazz programme Big Band Special every Monday evening.

e-mail: clive.white @bradford.newsquest.co.uk