Balls, parades and fancy dress in store as UK marks Jane Austen's 250th birthday

At the Jane Austen Centre in Bath, southwestern England, visitors don extravagant costumes and pose with a Mr Darcy mannequin. This year, the centre is expecting greater footfall than usual as the city and the wider UK kick off celebrations in the run up to the literary icon's 250th birthday on 16 December. "She really connects to her readers," says Lauren Falconer, a guide at the centre, praising an author whose work has sold millions of copies, led to screen adaptations and inspired hit productions like Bridgerton.