A festival atmosphere filled Bradford city centre’s urban garden during May Day celebrations yesterday.

Performance artists and musicians entertained the crowds and people were encouraged to take part in activities including painting, crafts and dancing around the Maypole.

Event organiser Dusty Rhodes said: “It was a nice sunny day, beautiful.

“There were a fair few people turning out, including children playing at wigwams and a painting wall.

“This is its first proper use as the people’s park. It has been completely generated by good will.

“It’s a day for us, not funded by anyone.

“A whole bunch of us came together and thought there’s not much going on in the city and we’d like to see more life and stuff in the city centre. We got together, volunteered our time and offered resources.”

Internationally renowned Bradford artist Jamie Wardley created anamorphic images of dancing figures – pictures on the ground which appeared stretched to the naked eye but looked perfectly in proportion through a camera.

The artist said: “People have been wondering what we’re doing.

“We’ve not done much of this before so we thought we’d give it a crack and see what happens.

“There’s so little money going around at the moment in the arts.”

Bradford arts development agency Fabric is in charge of finding creative uses for the garden, built on the mothballed Westfield site. Director of the agency Gideon Seymour said the event was a “good opportunity for people to celebrate Bradford”. Meanwhile in Oakworth re-enactments of scenes from the iconic Railway Children film were taking place to mark the movie’s 41st anniversary.

Film fans were invited to climb aboard carriages used in the film, which was shot on the Keighley and Worth Valley line in 1970.

Cream tea was served in the Old Gentleman’s Saloon and the film’s famous Green Dragon steam locomotive was on show.

Haworth Brass Band and the Hade Edge band performed during the Railway Children weekend, which was running from Saturday until today.

Oakworth station manager Wayne Oxley said: “We are trying to recreate scenes from the film, using the items we have.

“We did it last year for the 40th anniversary and it went down so well last year we have decided to do it again.

“It’s looking very good, we’ve got fantastic weather so we can’t complain, it’s a bit windy, but it’s great.

“People of all ages are here, people who remember the film originally and a new group of enthusiasts.”

On Friday and Saturday, Keighley residents were celebrating St George’s Day. Street entertainment included a Punch and Judy show and there were performances by Morris dancers and musicians at the Bradford Council organised event in Church Green.

Keighley town crier Mike Walton made a proclamation and youngsters were invited to hold animals including snakes and spiders.

Stalls selling items including jewellery, crafts and speciality fudge lined the site on both days at the market, which was free to attend.