A lasting celebration of the new millennium was officially opened in Oxenhope at the weekend. Hundreds braved wet weather to attend the millennium green opening. Bishop of Bradford the Right Rev David Smith had the honour of opening the £70,000 project. He was joined by well-known former village bakers Joe and Elise Claughton and brother and sister Megan and Jacob Simpson, aged four and six, for a ceremonial tree planting.

The village staged a fun day that included tug-of-war with four pub teams, Morris dancing, a duck race and a performance of Tudor dancing by children from Oxenhope Primary School . Special commemorative mugs were also on sale.

The first seeds of the project were sewn last summer when a millennium green committee was formed. It was boosted with a £35,000 grant from the Countryside Agency which it has match funded with contributions from companies and cash from fundraising events.

The money allowed the group of trustees to buy the 1.5 acre area of land between Mill Lane and Station Road, adjacent to the railway station. The transformation began at the start of the year with villagers of all ages helping with digging and planting. The next step was the creation of new entrances, disabled access paths, seating and the planting of wildflowers in the meadow and goit.

A notice board containing information about Oxenhope, and soon to include a map showing local businesses and walks around the village, has been erected next to the entrance. Trustee and parish council chairman Cllr Derek Allen said: "It is a very important milestone for the village and is something that will be here for both present and future generations to enjoy.

"We've been very pleased with the amount of voluntary work and the excellent response from the village and all the hard work has paid off.

"The KWVR will benefit from the green and we will benefit from the visitors who come."

MP Ann Cryer, also present, said: "I'm thrilled to bits with the result of all the hard work. I think it's a terrifically good way of celebrating the millennium.

"It's an absolutely wonderful facility for the village as well as for passengers using the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway."