EVERYTHING looks good for a spectacular Otley Carnival on Sunday.

The weather forecast is fine, schools and other groups are putting the final touches to their colourful floats and organisers have pulled out all the stops with an exciting line up of entertainment.

Providing the weather stays fine and there's no wind, there will be a spectacular display by a free fall parachute team and a historical re-enactment group plans to stage a battle between children and the grown-ups.

It may not be entirely politically correct and there are bound to be some raised eyebrows in the audience but the children are bound to love it - especially if they're given pretend weapons to play with and get to triumph over the adults in the end.

It's a doubly exciting time for this year's carnival - not only is it the first of the new millennium but it is the event's 18th birthday.

A hard working band of volunteers has spent much of the year planning the event - from booking the entertainment to getting schools and organisations to enter a float.

It's a real community effort and those 19 shops and businesses who got into the carnival spirit and entered the window dressing competition are to be congratulated.

Above all, the event is run for the town and needs the support of the people. Without the support of residents, businesses and schools it would die - so let's all get behind the carnival and make the millennium event the best yet.

WE make no apology for yet again highlighting, on page one, the need for a new, fully operationable Wharfedale Hospital.

While the staff at Leeds General Infirmary are undoubtedly skilled and caring and deserving of a better funded and more efficient health service, anyone who has been in

hospital will know, it is somehow hugely theraputic to be cared for, whenever possible, in one's local town.

We will continue to highlight people's dissatisfaction with the current situation until it has changed, and we can

joyfully report the opening of the new hospital the town so desperatelywants.

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