Organisers of Sunday’s Skipton Yuletide Festival are looking forward to a snowy event.

Despite the recent snow, the town council says the two-day event will go ahead.

And with coach bookings up on last year, it promises to be busier than ever.

Town manager Brett Butler said everything was shaping up well.

“Unless we get some really horrendous weather on the day itself, the festival will go ahead,” he said.

“In fact, the snow will hopefully add to the festive atmosphere.”

Sunday – the first of the two-day festival, which will continue next Sunday – will see some unusual acts, including a full- sized animatronic polar bear and tap-dancing turkeys.

Children will be invited to join a free lantern-making workshop next to the NatWest bank on the High Street, for a lantern procession at the end of the afternoon.

There will also be a festive market and charity stalls, for local good causes.

Skipton High Street, Sheep Street and Otley Street will be closed to traffic from 4am on both Sundays and until about 8pm on the same day, although people will be able to get through to the town hall car park.

Drivers will also be barred from parking on the High Street setts on Saturday night.

“It is really important that the High Street is free of traffic overnight on Saturday to allow the market to set up on Sunday morning, “ Mr Butler said.

“Every part of the High Street is in use and even one vehicle left will cause us problems.”

Diversion routes will be in place during the closures and additional car parking will be available at a charity car park, run by Skipton Rotary Club, at Skipton Building Society, The Bailey.

l Aireville School students will be running a stall at the town’s Yuletide Festival on Sunday.

Students involved in the World Challenge will be hoping to raise money for their trip next year to Norway.

They will be selling cakes and biscuits, running a tombola and guess the number of sweets in a jar contest.

Each of the students taking part has to raise £1,300 towards the trip.