More than 1,000 people will descend on Oxford Town Hall on Sunday to celebrate the start of the Chinese New Year.

Those attending will be treated to colourful dancing lions, Korean drummers and Kung Fu demonstrations by the Flying Dragons performance team.

Chinese food including spring rolls, rice, roast pork and beef will be on offer and there will also be traditional singing and music.

The celebration of the start of the Year of the Pig is being organised by the Oxfordshire Chinese Community and Advice Centre.

Organiser Ivy Leung said she expected it to be a blaze of colour and sound. She said: "This is the 16th consecutive year we have celebrated the New Year in this way and it is always a fantastic day. In China the start of the New Year is a huge time for celebration, with people having a week of holiday to mark the occasion and people visiting friends and relatives.

"We are expecting more than 1,000 people at the event and would advise everyone to buy tickets ahead of the day - last year there was not enough room for 200 people who turned at the last moment."

The Lord Mayor of Oxford Jim Campbell and Oxfordshire County Council chairman Lesley Lett will be among those attending.

The 12 animals in the Chinese calendar are derived from traditional legend and the same animal is celebrated once every 12 years.

People born in the Year of the Pig are said to be intellectual, curious, honest, tolerant and loyal to their friends.

Legend has it that they are often highly regarded for their chilvary and pureness of heart, and will sacrifice their own well-being for the greater good.

Famous people born in the Year of the Pig include Humphrey Bogart, Thomas Jefferson, Ernest Hemingway and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Advance tickets cost £6 for adults and £3 for children and pensioners (£8 and £4 on the day) from OCCC on 01865 204188.