PEOPLE from all communities and backgrounds are being invited to celebrate the city's rich tapestry of life at the third annual Oxford Mela.

Organisers of the multi-ethnic, multi-cultural festival hope three will be the magic number as they look to host their biggest crowd at Cowley Marsh Park on Sunday, June 22.

Last year, between 3,500 and 4,000 people took part but organisers hope the line-up of attractions this year will pull in more than 5,000.

The aim of the event is to give a platform to bring communities together that otherwise would not interact with one another.

The festival, from 10am to 5.30pm, features a whole host of free, family events, including football, volleyball, skate hockey, martial arts and Bangladesh's national game, kabbadi, a form of tag.

Crowds will also be treated to performances of dance and music, including R 'n' B and soul, bhangra, Irish dancing, Bollywood dancing and jive.

Although the word mela means gathering in the Indian sub-continent, organisers are hoping to attracts crowds and participants from Oxford's eastern European communities, including Poles and Albanians.

Nisha Prakash, who is organising the event, said: "We're certainly hoping it's going to be bigger than previous years.

"We already have huge interest from people waiting to take part in various sports and we're particularly targeting people from eastern Europe to join in with football teams and their native music."

"Preparations are going well. We're repeating everything we did last year, because it was so successful but also adding a few sports like quick cricket and more children's activities, like mask-making, juggling and circus skills."

The event is organised by Oxford City Council, which has provided £6,000 of funding to meet expenses, and Thames Valley Police, which has donated £2,000.

Antonia Bance, the city council's executive member for social inclusion and young people, said: "This year the event promises to be a bigger success than last.

"I would encourage everyone to support the event by participating in the sporting and cultural activities on offer."