DOZENS of people turned up on Otley Chevin at the weekend to help pull the Easter Cross into place.

More than 40 people are needed to pull the 32ft high cross into its place high above the town.

Last year not enough people turned up on the allotted day two weeks before Easter and the annual ceremony had to be delayed. But this year, churches in the town rallied volunteers and together with an appeal in the Wharfedale, more than 70 people turned up on The Chevin at 9am on Saturday.

Ron Sweeney, of Otley Churches Together, said: "There was a very encouraging turn-up and the cross went up without any difficulty."

The cross, which is made out of timber salvaged from the 1996 Manchester IRA bombing, replaced the earlier one which was destroyed by vandals. Otley Churches Together raised £2,000 to pay for the new cross.

The cross will stay up on the Chevin until Saturday, May 5, when more volunteers will be needed to take it down at 9.30am.

An open air service is due to take place on Otley Chevin at 7am on Easter Sunday, April 20. Another service will take place at the cross in Otley Market Place at 3pm on Easter Monday.

l Hot Cross buns will be given out in Otley Market Place and throughout the town on Saturday, April 19. Last year, Otley Churches Together gave out more than 300 buns and an Easter greeting, and this year plan to give out 1,000. Anyone willing to help give out the buns should meet at the welfare centre, Crossgate at 9am on Saturday, April 19.