The show will go on for one of the biggest events in Witham’s calendar after a bus company withdrew its objection to closing Newland Street.

Witham Town Council, which has held the International Puppet Festival in the town since 1999, applied to Braintree Council for the main road to be closed to traffic so crowds can meet weird and wonderful creatures.

However in May, the Times revealed that bus firm Stephensons of Essex opposed the application for the road to be closed, suggesting it is bad for business.

See the Witham Times for the full story.