A WEEKEND of mixed weather put a dampener on the Settle Sheep Shambles, but couldn't deter locals and visitors from supporting the community event.

It kicked off on Saturday with a colourful procession, and there was a range of events on the market place including jugglers, a unicyclist, clowns, magic shows, fire eating and circus routines. There was also a sheep auction, sheep shearing and rare breeds pens while a pen of water buffalos, owned by Wigglesworth farmers John and Matt Dinsdale, intrigued children and adults alike.

There were more attractions on the main field at Bond Lane, with an army aerial slide, assault course and paint ball range proving popular.

There were also several charity stalls at the event, raising money for Settle PTA, the Cave Rescue Organisation, Settle Swimming Pool and Settle Church.

Meanwhile line dancing demonstrations on Saturday and Sunday proved popular, with the more mature members showing up many of the youngsters.

And if all the excitement outdoors proved too much there were several exhibitions over the weekend, including an art exhibition by pupils from Catterall Hall, a display of spinning, knitting and weaving and an exhibition of photographs from Settle Amateur Operatic Society's 121 year history.

On Sunday six teams entered the sponsored Sheep Shuv, dressing as sheepy Olympic contenders.

They left the Black Horse Hotel in Giggleswick and worked their way around local pubs before arriving, some worse for wear, at the rugby clubhouse at Grove Park.

The Rev Stewart Ridley said: "As a community event, the sheep shambles was superb with the town packed with lots of people.

"Some people even came, stopped the night and made a weekend of it."

He said the event was better attended than last year, but added that there may now be a year's break.

"Next year there is going to be a community play in Settle and we'll have to consider whether it's worth holding two major events," he said.

"We have thought about returning in 2001 as next year, with the millennium, there'll be many extra events going on."

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