THE next Nick Park could quietly be honing their skills at the South's West's leading animation festival, Animated Exeter, this month.

Foundation degree College of Art students have given their free time to help out at the Arts Council-funded festival of animation, which runs from Thursday, February 11, to Saturday, February 20. The event, the longest UK animation festival, includes a programme of over 140 animated films featuring work from the best in the business to groundbreaking new talent.

Screenings, events and workshops will take place across the city — festival organiser say they will appeal to animation lovers of all genres.

The students will be able to observe techniques, styles and developments from leading lights in international animation. With hands-on access to nine days of animated films, workshops, master-classes and awards, organisers say the students will become the 'public face' of the festival, helping with stewarding, workshops and loading film reels.

Animation Exeter, which started in 2000, attracts audiences of over 12,000.

For more details, see www.animatedexeter.co.uk