Water walkers provide festival "miracle"

Gallic company Ilotopie unveiled a glimpse of their Fous de Bassin (waterfools) show for photographers on Thursday morning. The full show will take place on June 25 and 26 in Millwall Outer Dock, and artistic director Bradley Hemmings promises even more eye-opening sights during the event itself.

He said: "This is a tiny fragment. The show will have a variety of different structures. As well as the car, there will some amazing things such as trees, lampposts coming out of the water and Penny Farthing bicycles with a queen on top.

"The performers use foot-operated submarines, but because the show will be put on at night, it will create the illusion of walking on water."

The free Greenwich and Docklands International Festival is set to take place in locations across the area from June 25 to 28. Other events include a music and multimedia show at the National Maritime Museum called Water Music, which marks the 250th anniversary of Handel's death.

Each year up until 2012 will have an elemental theme. This year's topic will be water, with earth, fire and air following over the next three festivals.

Mr Hemmings said: "We always put a lot of emphasis on showing Greenwich, East London and Docklands in a surprising and unexpected way. Everything's free, and the whole idea of this being a festival for everybody is very important."

For more information, go to festival.org