Bolton Priory will form the impressive backdrop to a special open-air Millennium production.

With the title of The Mystery Tour, comparisons with York's famous Mystery Plays are inevitable although Bolton Abbey's version is not a specifically religious play even though it is presented by the Bradford Diocese.

The cast of 59 range in age from two to 65. Some are churchgoers, but others have no church commitment at all. Doctors, tax inspectors, vicars and magicians are among the careers represented in the production which aims to provoke a few thoughts on "the person behind the millennium".

One of the main directors is Lucy Moore, wife of the vicar of Kildwick, who said the idea came about two years ago because the setting in the ruins of the Augustinian Priory was so beautiful that it obviously leant itself to staging an outside production.

The writing began last year, and rehearsals started in January. Now the cast is putting the final touches to the production before the curtain goes up next Saturday, July 29.

"The play was written by a group of local writers especially for this area and this year," said Mrs Moore. "The aim is to appeal to people who rarely go to the theatre so it's fast moving, with plenty of action and strong television and sport themes.

"We wanted it to appeal to those who know the Bible back to front and those who've never read a page of it. The mystery tour of its title is a journey through the Bible from Creation onwards but the passengers on the tour, the tourists, aren't happy just to be passengers and the journey doesn't go smoothly."

Among the tourists are Richard Jowett, a pupil at South Craven School, Cross Hills, and Meg Dobson, from Skipton Girls' High School and Jane Ellison-Bates, from Grassington. Playing the role of The Guide, taking them on the Mystery Tour, is Brunel James, a curate at St Margaret's Church in Thornbury.

Music is provided by the 15-strong Mystery Band which includes Steve Tilston and Maggie Boyle, and dancing from the Stepping Stones group, which is based at Ben Rhydding.

The Mystery Tour at Bolton Priory runs from July 29 to Saturday August 5 (no performance Monday July 31) at 7.30pm.