Men from Keighley and South Craven are being sought to join Me and My Girl.

Skipton Amateurs need men to join the chorus for their production of the light-hearted musical about a Cockney who inherits a country mansion.

Barbara Lowens, the producer, says: "I'm desperate for some lords -- I've got a lot of ladies but no husbands for them."

Anyone interested in taking part should phone Barbara on 01535 656483 or go along to rehearsals on Mondays and Tuesdays at 7:30pm, in Skipton's Trinity Chapel.

n Silsden Singers pop up the valley to perform at Skipton Folk Club next week.The group, which sings unaccompanied songs from around the world in harmony, meets in the village each Tuesday.

Next Tuesday sees them at the folk club in the Lock, Stock and Barrel, Coach Street, Skipton, from 8:30pm.

The Singers say they perform mostly for "sheer pleasure" with no pressure on members to perform in public.

Members joined with choirs to perform with folk trio Coope, Boyes and Simpson in the well-received presentation Christmas Truce around Yorkshire last year.

Phone Sheila on 01535 665889 for details of Skipton Folk Club. Silsden Singers welcome new members to 7pm rehearsals at the Cobbydale Social Club.

n Phil Shackleton, pictured, has appeared with Samantha Fox and Mealoaf -- but don't hold that against him.

Phil travels from his home in Germany to perform next Friday at Sutton Music Festival with his long-time musical partner Andy Nutter.

The men have performed as the duo Talisman for the past two decades both in the UK and across Europe.

Phil began his career as a semi-professional on the club scene of Lancashire and Yorkshire while working by day as an engineer with Rolls-Royce.

In Germany he is now known as the "Power Packet from Manchester" and regularly appears on television and radio.

The title song from his second album, Shooting a Movie, turned up on a pop sampler between Meatloaf and Samantha Fox.

One of Phil's instrumentals was used for an Olympic TV special, he has toured with John Martyn and he has performed with New Model Army.

Talisman will be supported by Skipton blues-rock band The Palominos when they performs next Friday, at St Thomas's Hall, in Sutton.

Other festival concerts: Harry Hinchcliffe and his accordion group, Tuesday, King's Arms, 8pm; flute, saxophone and clarinet quartet Two By Two, Bay Horse, Wednesday, 8:30pm; Irish night and jam session, Black Bull, Thursday, 9pm; rock band the Big Bang, Saturday, August 3, St Thomas's Hall.

Tickets for the St Thomas's Hall concerts are on sale from festival organiser Andy Jackson on 01535 637601.

The festival will close on Sunday, August 4, with an event in Sutton Park featuring the Phoenix New Orleans Parade Band, Harry Hinchcliffe's accordion players, a Tai Chi demonstration and a planned appearance by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

n A former Steeton man who now lives in Chesterfield has published an anthology of poetry.

Micheal Winterburn was born in Bingley and lived in Steeton for 33 years, working at Landis Lund in Cross Hills for eleven of them.

He moved to Derbyshire seven years ago, where he now teaches RE in secondary school. His mother Dorothy lives in Braithwaite.

Michael published a novelty item entitled the Yorkshire Passport 12 years ago, which sold well at home and abroad.

Michael's latest effort is The Task of Time, a collection of 13 poems, all written in the past 25 years for adults and children.

The longest and most recent poem, With God in Gethsemene, explores the thoughts and emotions possibly experienced by Jesus immediately before to his arrest.

The collection has been described as a powerful and impressive work by Bob Silverstein, of Quicksilver Books.

The Task of Time is available from the Tempus Press, PO Box 354,Chesterfield S40 4WT, or by phoning Michael on 01246 221776.

n Small Town Scenes, featuring former members of Whipping Post and Coda, performs on Tuesday, at the Junction pub, in Queensbury. Support is from the Neil Thomas Band.

n Quasimodo causes fireworks tonight by the lake of Coniston Hall in the Yorkshire Dales.

The Bellringer of Notre Dame is the title of a hand open-air performance based on Victor Hugo's classic novel.

Oddsocks Productions promise bells, masked balls, great escapes and a performing goat.

Gates open 5pm, performance at 7:30pm. Tickets area available at Skipton Tourist Office.

n Performers such as Lucky Peterson, Tommy Castro, Eric Sardinas and Big George Jackson headline this year's Great British R&B Festival.

Slack Alice, King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys, and Lazy Lester appear during the August Bank Holiday weekend in Colne.

Full details are in the festival brochure, available free from local information centres or by phoning 0870 909-3399. Full weekend tickets cost £65, and there are tickets for individual days. Phone the same number.

n Clairvoyants, cabaret and copies are on offer at Leeds City Varieties this September. Glory Days is a tribute to Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Bono, Sting, Mark Knopfler and Freddie Mercury, on September 7.

Barry Mason, who wrote classic songs including Delilah, the Last Waltz and Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes, sings his songs and tells the story behind them (September 4).

Also appearing is Australian cabaret comedian Bob Downe (6) and leading medium Stephen O'Brien (11).

Buy tickets for all the shows from Keighley Information Centre in the town hall, or phone 0113 243 0808.