A group of more than 20 volunteers have vowed to save the Haworth 1940s weekend after the previous organisers stood down amid concerns about excessive red tape.

Nikki Carroll, owner of Firth’s of Haworth, in Main Street, said the tourist event, which attracted 20,000 visitors to Haworth over one weekend, would go ahead this year.

It comes after volunteers Pam Howarth and Linda Presley, who have organised the weekend since 2006, announced their decision to pull out of the event last week, saying Bradford Council rules had made their job increasingly difficult.

Mrs Carroll said: “We will make sure that this happens for the community and for the local businesses. The bed and breakfasts were all fully-booked, but some people have cancelled since it was announced the weekend might not go ahead so we have got to make sure it does happen. It won’t be on the scale it has been in the past, but it will still be fabulous.”

Previous organisers Pam and Linda said numerous meetings in Bradford and health and safety paperwork took them away from their own businesses in Haworth. They also said the hiring of an expensive traffic management company had made the event unaffordable.

It was feared the weekend, scheduled to take place on May 19 and 20, would have to be cancelled until business owners and residents came forward to take it over.

Mrs Carroll said: “We are a group of like-minded people who want to do good in the village and really want to put Haworth on the map. It is a recession so we have got to work really hard and pull together to support this village.”

Mark Stanford, director of the company that owns the Black Bull pub, said: “We want to make sure that both the 1940s weekend and the 60s weekend [in June] proceed, not just for us but for the whole village because it’s the whole village that gets involved.”

The volunteers are holding a meeting on Monday to discuss a plan of action to save the event. People interested in volunteering to help can contact Mr Stanford on 01535 642249.