GREAT Britain gymnast Jennifer Pinches is the star guest at a major South West festival of gymnastics in Taunton on Sunday.

The 18-year artistic gymnast is attending GymFusion South West at Wellsprings Leisure Centre. Pinches, a member of the City of Liverpool club, competed for Team GB at the London Olympics last summer.

'Circus and fairground' is the theme for this year's GymFusion South West, which has morning and afternoon performances.

Katie Irwin, area manager of the British Gymnastics South West development team, is organising the event.

Said Irwin: "We have 26 teams of gymnasts attending throughout the day, all of a variety of ages and abilities, disability gymnasts and adult groups performing, as well as tots doing cheerleading.

"Jennifer, the Olympian, will be attending all day, and the other VIPs will be at the afternoon performance slot. We have ten teams in the morning and 16 teams in the afternoon slot. The festival feel is exciting and will create a great buzz."

The morning performance slot is scheduled to include team registration at 9.30 am with the first performance starting at 11.15 am.

An interval is planned from 11.45 am to 12.05 pm, with a last performance of the session timed to end at 12.31 pm.

The proposals for the afternoon entertainment have team registration scheduled for 2.30 pm.

The first performance is due to start at 4.15 pm. After an interval from 5.10 pm to 5.40 pm, the last performance takes to the floor at 6.32 pm.

Pinches, who born in Tunbridge Wells, has been a regular GB competitor at major championships for more than three years, winning a series of bronze, silver and gold medals.

Said a British Gymnastics spokesperson: "Jennifer is one of the most talented British gymnasts with many achievements in the age groups, and has been a consistent member of the GB team.

"She took bronze in the all-around at the 2011 British Championships, going one better with silver in 2012."