The loss of traditional community spirit, where people rally together for the common good, is one of the 20th centuries most regrettable developments.

Politicians of all persuasions and those who remember better days all lament its

passing.

Yet in Burley-in-Wharfedale, they have retained the spirit of the past, and millennium night was a true testimony to

togetherness.

For years, dozens of

volunteers, rallied together by the indomitable spirit of Tom Sumner, held events to raise money to make sure the village could boast a millennium night none would forget.

In all, £10,000 was raised, and there can have been no more gratifying sight to those who had worked so hard to see thousands of people flock to the village's cricket club to mark the event, including

generations of the same family, young and old.

With the bar doing a roaring trade, almost as much as the bouncy castle and other attractions for the kiddies, throughout the evening more than £4,000 worth of fireworks filled the sky and a candlelit service and bonfire illuminated the proceedings.

The ten o'clock bonfire

display was a marvel in itself, with dozens of fireworks exploding in a kaleidoscope of colour and sound - and if the odd secondary explosion bounced off the library roof then that was perhaps no bad thing for a building normally shrouded in comparative silence.

Burley, and the event organisers, did themselves proud.

As Mr Sumner said: "It went very, very well. It was a really good evening, there was no trouble at all, and the people who have worked so hard for three years raising the money and done a really good job saw that all the effort was

worthwhile."

And the work has not stopped. A special millennium mug is being given to every child in the village and Burley is also hosting a millennium festival from July 1 - 9.

If that proves to be half the success of the millennium celebrations, Burley will have entered the new millennium in a manner many other

communities could only dream of.

l Pictured above are some of the fireworks at the 10pm

display. (52-07-H)

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