THE traumas faced by Skipton's Gala Committee during the build up to the big event were certainly not evident on Saturday when hundreds of people piled into Aireville Park to enjoy Skipton's Millennium Gala.

Faced with few volunteers, committee members leaving and a difficulty in booking acts during the millennium year, the small band of dedicated helpers who worked into the early hours of the mornings managed to pull off a huge successful event.

Star guest Eddie the Eagle could not have got the day off to a better start when he chatted with autograph hunters after declaring the gala open. Skipton was honoured to have Mr Edwards at the gala as he had taken time out from studying for his law exam which he was due to sit this week.

The effervescent ski jumper who famously finished last in the winter Olympics posed for photographs and kept his captive audience laughing at tales of his skiing days.

He said: "It is great. It is a nice little town is Skipton."

He added that he was even more pleased that the weather had broken with tradition - the sun had stayed out all day whereas it had rained on his previous visits to the town.

Mr Edwards had attended the event on behalf of the Sport Aiding Research for Kids (SPARKS) charity, supported by Homeloan Management, Skipton. The Herald left him itching to have a go on the many fairground rides.

The main attraction of the day must have been the falconry display team which entertained children and adults alike.

Daring youngsters held Solo the barn owl, called for hawks with 125cm wing spans to fly towards them and land on their hands, and laid on the grass pretending to be mice whilst a huge eagle owl flew over their heads.

Two falcons demonstrated how they would feed in the wild by swooping and diving for food in the middle of the arena.

Craven Gymnastics Club also pulled a good crowd with its display of women's artistic gymnastics.

The girls performed cartwheels, walkovers and backflips on an outdoor sloping field which is no mean feat. Congratulations to the gymnasts who displayed their individual floor routines and to the two group teams who got the audience clapping along to their mixtures of dance and gymnastic sequences.

The final highlight of the day was The Medieval Combat Society which took the audience back to the 14th century and the days of King Edward III. The knights battled it out using replica swords and the morning star, a vicious instrument of death consisting of a spiked ball on a chain.

Perhaps it could have been set up in a larger arena as the audience was about six deep and it was difficult to see when everyone was up cheering and booing.

The fighting tournaments were exciting and obviously took a lot of skill and stamina.

Organiser of the event Glynn Beresford said: "The weeks before the gala certainly kept us guessing and due to the potential adverse weather our pre-day sales will have been affected.

"We couldn't have wished for better weather which lasted until the early evening. The main acts revelled in the sun and were so carried away that they ran over their alloted times much to the appreciation of the attending crowds."

Competition results: majorettes: tinies - 1 Silsden, 2 Keighley Comets, 3 Pudsey Diamonds; best leader - Silsden; best mascot - Keighley Comets. Juniors - 1 Silsden, 2 Lancashire Red Rose, 3 Pudsey Diamonds, best leader - Silsden, best mascot - Pudsey Diamonds. Senior section 1 Keighley Comets, 2 Pudsey Diamonds, best leader - tied Pudsey and Keighley, best mascot - Keighley Comets.

Football - Parish Church School; netball - Parish Church School.

Procession: 5 to 16 - 1 Lala, Christine Baker, Earby, 2 Dream Angel, Kiera Baker, Earby; organisations - 1 Parish Rainbow Unit, 2 Busy Bears Nursery, 3 Bizzie Lizzies; gala queens - 1 Skipton, 2 Keighley and Silsden; home-made costume - 1 Millennium Girl, Holly Ciesla, Skipton, 2 Terminator, Philip Watkiss, Skipton, 3 Action Man, Robert Metcalfe, Skipton; fancy dress, 16 and over - 1 Music man, Allan Mason, 2 Joseph and his multicoloured dreamcoat, Tony Bond, Sutton, 3 Mr Kipling's fantastic tarts, Samantha Hodge, Sutton; trade - 1 Peter Watson, Skipton Scooter Centre, 2 Burger King, Skipton, 3 Healthy Life, Skipton.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.