One of Britain's greatest authors, Charles Dickens, stayed at Shrewsbury's Lion Hotel at least twice in the mid 19th Century. He certainly performed at the nearby Music Hall and most likely gave readings from his novels in The Lion's Ballroom.

Now, to mark the 200th anniversary of his birth, his great, great grandson - the respected actor Gerald Dickens - will headline a weekend of celebrations at The Lion - Shrewsbury's famous Grade 1 listed 16th century coaching inn.

Gerald will perform two of his most popular one man shows about his great, great grandfather in The Lion Ballroom as the centre point of a weekend-long Dickens Festival to take place on February 3rd 4th and 5th 2012, just two days before the great man's big day.

These performances will be a cornerstone of a nationwide media and theatre celebration of the man who wrote A Christmas Carol, Great Expectations, Oliver Twist and Pickwick Papers.