Nearly 300 people took part in a spectacular lantern parade despite atrocious weather conditions.

On a day when roads were flooded and sporting fixtures were washed out, the good folk of Bingley refused to be beaten by the weather.

Children and adults from the town carried metre-high lanterns made from paper and willow during the parade on Saturday.

The procession wound its way along Main Street and into Myrtle Park, where choirs sang at the bandstand.

Organiser David Dinsey, town centre manager for Bingley, said: “It’s absolutely fantastic that so many people took part even though the weather was pretty bad. One school told me ‘it doesn’t matter how hard it’s raining, we’re still coming’. That’s the kind of attitude that makes this event so special.”

Amy Jeffrey, aged nine, from Eldwick, said: “We had a fantastic time making the lanterns.” Holly Patrick, aged 11, from Myrtle Park Primary School, said: “It’s real fun. It took about a day to make my lantern.”

The event, stewarded by Bingley Airedale Rotary Club, involved local schools, Scouts, Cubs, Beavers and Brownies.

Kay Adams, brown owl at the 1st Eldwick Brownies, said: “It always rains. Five times we have taken part and five times it has rained!

“But the weather won’t put us off. The parade is a super experience for the Brownies. It’s a real community event that sets us up nicely for Christmas.”

The Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Howard Middleton, and Lady Mayoress, Colleen Middleton, were the special guests during the event.

Coun Middleton said: “We are delighted to be taking part, but all the credit has to go to the organisers and the people who have put so much effort into making the lanterns.”

Earlier in the day, the heavy rain had caused problems on the district’s roads, with emergency services having to deal with standing water on several highways.

At one stage on Saturday, one lane of the southbound M606 motorway had to be closed because of flooding.

Police also reported flooding problems at the junction of Beckside Road and Spencer Road, in Lidget Green, and on Station Road, in Burley-in-Wharfedale.