RATHMELL actor Bretten Lord was the star of the 43rd Horton-in-Ribblesdale Gala on Saturday.

His sunny nature lifted everyone's spirits on an extremely wet and miserable day. Bretten played the lead character in the film, The Lad, which was filmed in and around Craven and his opening speech reflected his affection for the area.

His most important task of the day was to crown the new princess, 13-year-old Victoria Johnson, who, despite a journey on an open topped float through heavy rain, still looked stunning.

Her attendants, Annabelle Horsfall, Elexis Cross, Isabel Mezzanotte, Katie Gudgeon, Emily Palmer, Charlotte Wilson and Edward Dickinson also looked splendid.

Bretten also had the difficult task of judging the fancy dress entrants - and it was fitting that, on the 70th anniversary of D-Day, that the Walter Sutcliffe Trophy for the overall winner went to seven-year-old Daisy Pilkington, dressed as a Land Girl.

Runners-up were six-year-old Ellie Forster, of Stainforth, and her lamb, Sam, who depicted the nursery rhyme characters Mary and her little lamb.

Unfortunately because of the dire conditions, the intended netball match was cancelled but the football match still went ahead between Horton FC and Settle Coal with Horton winning 5-1.

The Penyghent Fell race organised by the Settle Harriers also went ahead with 106 competitors bravely leaving the field. Though the conditions were pretty bleak there were no major problems. First to the top was Settle's Mark McGoldrick but unfortunately on the run down he could not quite match the descending speed of a former winner, Kendal AC's Craig Roberts.

There was musical entertainment from the children of Horton School and the South Steel band from Leeds who played in an open sided gazebo.

l For more results, see the Neighbourhood News pages