HAWORTH will be packed with thousands of visitors and locals this weekend for the village's enduringly popular 1940s Weekend.

This year's occasion is to be given a special Airborne theme, to celebrate the bravery of the Allied paratroopers during the Second World War.

Entertainment will be taking place across the village, with most of the action due to centre around Haworth Central Park and Main Street.

Attractions will include a display of a Spitfire fighter, a "Pegasus Bar" beer tent in the park, stalls and vintage vehicles in the park and also in the parsonage museum car park, performances by Bradford Pipe Band and a Land Army parade.

There will be a cadet drill parade competition, evening dances, and a remembrance service at the bandstand in the Park from 10.45am on Sunday.

Visitors can also enjoy 1940s-style food, music, military re-enactments and a huge variety of photo opportunities with enthusiasts dressed in period outfits.

Depending on the weather there should be fly-pasts by a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire fighter during the afternoon on both Saturday and Sunday.

Afghanistan war veteran Ben Parkinson will be guest of honour at the weekend.

The former paratrooper lost both legs and suffered brain damage in a 2006 mine explosion in Afghanistan.

When he woke from a coma he was told by doctors he would not talk or walk again. But he was walking with crutches by 2011, and later canoed 250 miles down Canada's River Yukon.

Another visitor will be expert swordsmith and writer Robert Pooley, who will give a free lecture on British Army swords since Waterloo, on Saturday at 11.45am in the exhibition centre at West Lane Methodist Chapel.

Mr Pooley is a world-renowned authority on his subject and lectures at Sandhurst, Cranwell and Dartmouth colleges to members of the Armed Forces.

Her Majesty’s Deputy Lieutenant for West Yorkshire David Pearson, will give a talk on the history, work and people of the West Yorkshire Lieutenancy at the Community Centre in Butt Lane on Sunday at 11.30am.

Again, the talk is free and will last about 45 minutes with time for questions afterwards.

People wanting more information about how to find their way round the weekend's attractions are encouraged to pick up a souvenir Picture Post event programme. This is on sale now from Firth's Boutique and Rose & Co – both in Main Street.

The weekend will again raise money for service personnel charity SSAFA. And there will be a raffle to further boost the final fundraising sum, with a first prize of £1,000.