AMBITIOUS plans to create a new maypole dancing area in Otley have come up against a major hurdle.

Despite getting £21,000 from the Local Heritage Initiative lottery funding, the cost of using real Yorkshire Stone has almost doubled the cost of the project.

And now the town's Morris dancing teams and the town council are faced with having to reduce the size of the project and also use reconstituted stone.

Louise Wilson, of The Buttercross Belles, said they would still need to raise another £10,000.

"We can't afford to do it all in Yorkshire Stone and will have to slightly reduce the area of the circle of stone, even so we will still need to raise about £10,000."

Determined to see the project through, plans are now underway to raise the extra money with a number of fundraising schemes including a raffle and possibly a folk concert.

The group will also be asking people to sponsor individual stone setts at a fundraising day at Safeway Supermarket, Otley in October.

"We plan to have a raffle sometime in November and are appealing to people to donate items to raffle. It would also be really nice if some nice benefactor would give us some money," said Mrs Wilson.

The aim is to restore the site of the original maypole dancing area - in Manchester Square, opposite Otley Civic Centre.

A maypole has stood in the square for more than 300 years and the latest pole - which will be made out of timber donated by the Farnley Estate - will be the town's sixth maypole.

In 1872, hundreds of people turned out to see the new maypole being carried by volunteers through the streets from Otley Railway Station.

A scheme has been put together by the two Morris dancing sides, the Buttercross Belles and Otley Wayzgoose, together with Otley Town Council. Planning permission has been given by Leeds City Council and it was hoped that work would start soon.

l Anyone who would like to donate some money to the maypole project, or with a fundraising idea, or with an item to donate for the raffle, should contact Les Cross at Otley Civic Centre, Cross Green, Otley. Donations can also be made at The Wharfedale Observer, 9 Orchard Gate, Otley.