The return to Bradford of the famous Cottingley fairies cameras and photographs today marked the start of this year's Bradford Festival.

A glittering ceremony marked the handing over of the memorabilia which were secured for the city by a campaign run by the Telegraph & Argus and Amateur Photographer magazine.

The collection of Cottingley Fairies memorabilia, including six fairy photographs and the cameras used by cousins Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths in the celebrated hoax, were today brought by train from London to Bradford.

The items also include water colour paintings by Elsie and other archive material related to the story which has enjoyed renewed publicity following the release of the film Fairytale: A True Story based on the famous hoax.

They will go on public display at the National Museum of Photography Film and Television.

Amanda Nevill, head of the museum, said: "It's wonderful news that the cameras are finally coming home and we have this great opportunity to thank everyone in Bradford and beyond who have done so much to make this magic moment possible."

The future of the historic artefacts was secured earlier this year thanks to the campaign which raised £14,000.

About £2,500 was contributed by T&A readers while national photographic companies Canon, Jessops Group and Olympus Optical contributed about £11,500 between them.

Originally, Geoffrey Crawley, the owner of the artefacts, had intended auctioning them and it was feared they might be bought by an overseas collector.

But Mr Crawley, who lives in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, decided to sell them to the appeal fund even though he had received a greatly improved offer from film star Mel Gibson, whose production company made the film Fairytale: A True Story.

Following the official hand- over the festival swung into life with the weekend-long Guinness Festival Fling in Centenary Square.

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