'Queen of the high street' Mary Portas, who lives with her partner and son near Stroud, will be the celebrity judge of the Painswick ArtBurst 2019 competition this August.

This year's ArtBurst, which will take place across venues in and around Painswick between August, 17 to the 26, will feature arts events and activities, as well as exhibitions of fine art - and is expected to attract thousands of visitors to the pretty town.

Along with Emma Falshaw, director of the sponsor of the competition, Town & Country Financial Planning , she will be assessing over 100 entries expected for this year’s fantastic festival.

Lucky winners will also be presented which has prizes of £500, £250 and £100 for the very best on the theme the ‘Character of the Cotswolds’..

Emma Falshaw said "We are delighted to have Mary Portas as a judge as her interest in art, design and style is very apparent from her television programmes and retail consultancy work.

"Judging will be a challenge as we have opened the widest perspective for an artist to use whatever materials or forms they like in interpreting the Cotswold theme broadly."

All the entries will be displayed in the St. Mary’s Church rooms - they will be judged and the prizes awarded on the first day of the ArtBurst Festival, August 17.

Applications to enter the competition must be registered by May n1, for more details visit artburstpainswick.co.uk