A giant will be stalking the street of Peel this weekend, flanked by a host of vaudeville street performers.

One of the most popular summer events in the island, the famous Peel Carnival, bursts into life on Sunday, August 4, and among the many attractions will feature a huge mechanical puppet of Mannanan, and a host of thrilling street performers, clowns and circus acts parading and entertaining along the harbourside and promenade.

Among the visiting acts is the death-defying Great Mefiesto, a sword-swallowing, fire-eating and sharp-thing-juggling dare-devil who will perform his dangerous feats at close proximity to the audience.

Also appearing are the Raven Sisters, a pair of juggling, dancing,balancing circus performers, blessed with dextrous footwork, whose show is evocative of street entertainment from a bygone era.

They will be joined by the clown troupe the Peace Police and Astounding Grundy Brothers.

However, one of the carnival organisers, Ian Baker, is confident that their main attraction will throw everything else, quite literally, into the shade.

’We have had created a huge moving statue of the Manx god Mannanan, to be the centre piece of the parade,’ said Ian.

’And when I say huge, I mean this thing is enormous.

’It measures about five and a half metres high and about four metres across.

’It has been created by a Sicilian artist called Pietro Ragusa.

’He lives and works on the island, but he used to make these large sculptures for carnivals in his homeland, and what he has created has to be seen to be believed.

’We wanted it to be the stand out part of the carnival, and it really is.

’If you want to see something genuinely amazing, believe me, you will see it in Peel,’ he added.

This year’s carnival also features the popular fancy dress parade, which will meet at the House of Mannanan at 1pm, and also the sand castle competition, which begins at 10am on Peel beach.

There will also be a whole afternoon’s worth of music across three stages along the promenade.

The carnival has been backed by the Isle of Man Arts Council.