A SILSDEN Back on Gas "Thank you" civic reception is to be staged in the town next week.

It is designed to recognise everyone who pulled together when the town was badly hit by a gas main being accidentally severed over Easter.

The reception is being sponsored by Barratt development. The major disruption in Silsden began at the end of March when workmen on this construction company's Belton Road site smashed through the gas main, cutting off supplies to the whole town.

The civic reception is being organised by Reverend David Griffiths, of St James Church, Silsden.

A spokesman for the evening said it would start at 7pm on Wednesday May 9 at Silsden Football Club, with an invite only buffet gathering for specific organisations and individuals involved in helping local people get through the crisis.

The evening will then be opened up to the wider Silsden public from 7.45pm.

The spokesman added: "It's going to be an informal evening with some music, speeches and a chance for people to share their own stories of what happened when the gas went off.

"We'll have people coming from Northern Gas Networks, Friends of Silsden Town Hall, Silsden Methodist Church and from the football club, as well as other people who were involved."

Gas supplies to around 3,500 properties in Silsden were cut on Good Friday morning, and a huge emergency plan was put into place by Northern Gas Networks to resolve the problem.

Northern Gas drafted in its own engineers and was backed-up by teams from other UK gas distribution companies, as well as many other agencies and volunteers.

Both Barratt and its subcontractor Athena Civil Engineering have apologised for the loss of gas supplies in Silsden during the Easter break.