The Midsomer Norton Arts Trail competition is now up and running. Residents can't have helped to have noticed all the creatively decorated bags adorning many of our favourite high street shops.

The artworks – created by Somer Valley residents at workshops in recent weeks – depict the products, people and places which make our High Street special – are all created on recycled paper carrier bags, celebrating our local history of industrial bag manufacture.

There are 34 shop windows on the High Street displaying 'paper bag' artworks created by local people. The challenge is for people to count how many bags are in each window… with a reward at the end!

You can pick up your trail checklist from outside Unit 14 (14 South Rd, BA3 2EZ) or simply save the image from the Community Trust website mnct.co.uk and print your own! Bring your completed checklist to Midsomer Music Festival on 3 June and the first 50 people to complete the challenge will be gifted a FREE Midsomer Norton tote bag!

The recently elected Mayor of Midsomer Norton, Cllr Gordon Mackay has been out counting bags with his children. "This is a fantastic idea. People have this misconception that our high street is just charity shops (which are great, themselves), but there's so much more. By counting the bags and filling in the sheet, I hope it reminds people how lucky we are to have such a variety of shops and that we must shop local, when we can. I'm a big fan of the branded tote-bags too, it's a great idea. Maybe I'll be lucky enough to pick one up at the Music and Arts Festival on the 3rd June."