SHOPPERS will be encouraged to experience the Great Outdoors at an event held at McArthurGlen York Designer Outlet this weekend.

The centre is celebrating summer with a series of free interactive weekends, starting with its Great Outdoor Event, which will include giant garden games such as Jenga, snakes and ladders and croquet, as well as displays by the National Trust and Welcome To Yorkshire, a caravan and motorhome show and garden and accessories stall.

York camping trailer business Go Gecko Camping Trailers will also show off its tent-in-a-trailer camping concept and resident style consultant Alison Rockett will hold outdoor fashion style consultations.

On August 6 to 7, the centre will be visited by Dr Zoolittle and his family of animals including meerkats, snakes, and birds of prey, and on August 20 to 21 by Razzamataz Theatre School as well as Yorkshire-born dancer and singer Stacey Camps, who made it to Simon Cowell’s house twice on the X Factor.

Playday by the sea A PLAYDAY will be held in Scarborough’s South Bay Beach on Wednesday for local families.

The event, held by repairs and maintenance business Willmott Dixon, will include face painting, donkey rides, a treasure hunt and a sandcastle-building competition, arts and craft tent and games area, from 11am.