A host of top jazz acts will perform at this year's Bingley Jazz Festival.

The three-day music extravaganza is being repeated following its massive success in the town last year.

The festival will again feature a range of traditional and modern jazz bands, soloists and a charity jazz ball.

Jazz fans will also be able to enjoy the music in Baildon as several acts have confirmed they will perform in the village during the festival which is running between May 27 and 29.

And there will be an umbrella pa-rade for all the family featuring live music.

Last year's festival, which attracted thousands of jazz fans from across the country, generated just short of £10,000 for the last Lord Mayor's appeal.

This year's festival had been in doubt after Councillor Irene Ellison-Wood, the present Lord Mayor of Bradford, said she did not want the festival to be run as part of her appeal, partly because she's not a jazz fan.

But hard-working festival committee members endeavoured to organise a repeat of the event and sponsorship from the leading bank, Bradford & Bingley, has been secured to run it.

Cash raised at the festival will be pledged to Manorlands Hospice at Oxenhope, the Outward Bound Association and the Nell Bank Centre near Ilkley.

Jazz fan Allan Hillary, who was instrumental in organising last year's jazz festival when he was Lord Mayor, said he believed the event would be bigger and better than ever.

"I was contacted by Bradford & Bingley who thought it would be a tragedy and would leave a gaping hole if Bingley didn't continue with its successful jazz festival following last year," he said.

"If we can get success this year next term's Lord Mayor, Councillor Valerie Binney, has indicated that she would like the festival to con-tinue as part of her appeal.

"The idea of a jazz ball in a luxury marquee is exciting me as a new experience and I'm looking forward to that greatly. The festival will really put Bingley back on the map as a market town.

"The idea that we've been able to put it on for a second year with a third year very likely is great news for jazz enthusiasts and Bingley."

Mr Hillary said he believed the jazz festival was the only one running in Yorkshire in May. He said he was grateful to Bradford & Bingley for sponsoring the event and to Peter Frank, Derek Lawrence, Peter Yeadon and Peter Harrison for working hard.

Tickets for the different shows are priced individually and are available by contacting Bingley town centre manager David Dinsey on (01274) 438776. The majority of events at the festival will take place at Bradford & Bingley Sports Club in Wagon Lane.

For further information visit www.bingleyjazz.co.uk.