THE Brunel Shopping Centre has unveiled a summer of free entertainment for children and families throughout the school holidays.

Every Wednesday, between July 26 and the end of August, there will be free seaside-themed activities at the centre as part of the Summer Fun Festival.

Activities will include stories, a puppet show, competitions, sand sculpture and a visit by popular children’s character SpongeBob SquarePants, who will kick off the free summer entertainment programme.

On July 26, he will be meeting children at intervals between 11am and 3pm and can be found in The Brunel Arcade, on the ground floor, near to That’s Entertainment.

A week later, on August 2, five tonnes of sand will be transformed into a sand sculpture and shoppers will be able to watch its creation unfold.

The sand sculpture will remain in place for the following two weeks.

The following week on August 9, there will be a Shed of Seaside Stories.

Situated in The Brunel Plaza, upstairs between Boots and Marks & Spencer, storytellers will entertain children as part of the event.

This will be followed by seaside craft activity on August 16 and a Pirate Puppet Show on August 23.

All activities will be located on the upper level of The Brunel Plaza, between M&S and Boots.

On August 30 The Last Resort will take up residence on the ground floor of Brunel Plaza between 11am and 4pm.

The Last Resort is a quirky mix of characters in an eccentric beach front. This includes a caricaturist, fortune teller, beach shop, tattoo parlour, photographer and monkey and an elusive chip shop.

Every week of the festival there will be the chance for one lucky beach-goer to win a £50 gift card. Children will be challenged to find the six seagulls hidden around the shopping centre. Each seagull will hold a letter of the alphabet and when all six letters have been discovered the secret code can be cracked.

Those submitting the correct code will be entered into a draw to win the £50 gift card.

To enter visit Bonkers Play on the first floor of the Brunel Arcade, to collect an entry form.

Jane Stewart, deputy manager at The Brunel Shopping Centre, said that shoppers were in for a treat this summer.

She said: “The Summer Fun Festival will provide free entertainment for children and families every week of the long school holidays.

“It is being held every Wednesday and we hope that people will return each week to see what’s on offer.

“There’s something for everyone. There’s no need to book, just come along and join in the fun.”

For more information see www.thebrunel.co.uk and www.facebook.com/thebrunelswindon