APPLETREEWICK'S newly revived onion fair attracted the television cameras as well as plenty of tourists.

A camera crew from Yorkshire Television's Calendar programme turned up at the fair, which had not been held in the village since the early 1900s.

Rebecca Nelson, a member of the village's millennium committee, told the Herald: "The day went brilliantly well and all the kids really enjoyed the fair."

A total of 300 onions were sold for the fair's onion roll competition with committee members dressing up and selling onions around local pubs on Friday evening.

The rolling competition was won by Trish Regan, who won £30 and a book. Second place was taken by Tom Rendell, who picked up £20, while third placed Ann Matthews won £10.

The more unusual competitions, all with an onion theme, included "pin the tear of the onion", "bat the onion" and an "onion shie".

Committee member Susan Spence also crocheted an onion for the "name the onion" competition.

All the money raised from the fair will go to the village's millennium fund. Ideas of where the money could be spent include a village photo album and repairs to the village hall.

The beginnings of the onion fair can be traced back to 1311 when the Lord of the Manor was granted a charter to hold a three-day annual event.

People came from as far away as Scotland to attend the fair, bringing with them ponies, Highland cattle and black-faced sheep to sell to the folk of the Dales.

The name of the fair can be attributed to the fact that vast quantities of onions were strung together down the lane where the fair was held. Onions were known as "winter beef" and were sold at the fair in enormous quantities.

After the success of this year's fair, committee members are deciding whether to hold the event on a bi-annual basis.