TALENTED youngster James Pickles is to see his design preserved for generations to come.

James, a pupil of Farnley School, Otley, came up with the winning design for the carved head of the town's new maypole.

And it will mean his design will form the basis of the top of the pole when it goes up as the centrepiece of the newly restored dancing area in Manchester Square later this year.

The town's two Morris Dancing 'sides', or teams, Wayzgoose and Buttercross Belles, together with Otley Town Council last year won a £21,000 Local Heritage Initiative grant to re-establish the original site of maypole dancing opposite Otley Civic Centre.

It is planned that the area, which will be redesigned, featuring planters, seating and stone flags, while keeping the parking places, will become a centrepiece for morris dancing in the town.

The pole has been made out of a tree donated from the Farnley Estate and a competition to come up with the head of the pole was run in Otley schools.

The mayor, Counc-illor Phil Coyne, at a special presentation on Friday last week at Otley Civic Centre, congratulated all the children who took part.

Louise Wilson, of the Maypole Restoration Project said James's drawing had caught the eye of the judges and would form the basis of the crown - alongwith the designs of other children.

She said: "We are delighted that so many children sent in ideas, drawings and models and we are using as many of them as we can in pulling together the final design."

An exhibition was held at the end of last year at Otley Civic Centre.

The children received certificates and chocolate eggs from Woolworth's and Mounseys and James received a book token from Manor Books, Manor Square, Otley.

An application for the restoration of the square has gone into Leeds City Council and will be considered at a future meeting of the Development Control Panel West.