OPERA seeped into some unexpected places yesterday as a number of pop up performances took passers by by surprise.

As part of Bradford's BOLD Festival, a celebration of the city's over 60s, former Opera North singers David Owen-Lewis and Pauline Thurlborn held a number of operatic performances in unusual locations.

They burst into song at the National Media Museum, Oastler Market and even the quiet of the new City Library was temporarily broken by their operatic arias.

Puzzled library goers emerged from behind book cases to watch the seemingly impromptu performances, which at one point saw Mr Owen-Lewis on all fours, meowing in an operatic fashion.

The festival has been organised by Bradford based Freedom Studios as a way of changing perceptions of how people view the older generation, and how people can still be creative in their old age.

There will be similar impromptu events today, with pop-up storytelling shows by Freedom Studios' over 65s group the Thursday Thespians at Oastler Market at 1.30pm, City Library at 2.30pm and the National Media Museum at 3.30pm.

They will tell stories of "love, adventure and mystery" all in less than ten minutes.