Cricket umpire Dickie Bird, former Manfred Mann lead singer Paul Jones, broadcaster and comedy writer Roy Hudd and cellist Julian Lloyd Webber are just some of the big names who will be appearing at next year's Grassington Festival.

Dickie Bird has just stepped down as a cricket umpire and his autobiography has become the biggest selling sports book of all time.

Paul Jones made his name with the Sixties chart-topping band but has since pursued a highly successful solo career as a blues singer, while Roy Hudd has been a script writer on several top comedy programmes, stars in his own long-running radio show The News Huddlines, and is a devotee of music hall - he and Christopher Timothy play Flanagan and Allen.

The opening night of the two-week event will celebrate the Roaring Twenties with a show called The Charleston Chasers, compered by either Pete Murray or David Jacobs.

Other highlights will include a performance of Henry V in the grounds of the Old Hall, Grassington, Chris Barber and his Jazz and Blues Band, Barry Rutter on four northern poets, Harrogate Youth Jazz Orchestra, the West Riding Savoyards performing Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience and 11 Tibetan monks performing Spirit of Peace.

Also invited, but yet to be confirmed, are Adrian Spillet, the 1998 BBC Young Musician of the Year, and Black Umfolosi, a South African dance and singing group.

Major sponsors this year are Tilcon, JP Mewies, solicitors, and Opera North - but more sponsors are being sought.

Booking is expected to start in April.

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