OLD Otliensians are to celebrate their RFU Junior Vase victory at Twickenham with an open-top bus parade through Otley on Sunday.

The Chaffers Field club, who also secured promotion by finishing as runners-up in Yorkshire Division Three, beat Devon opponents South Molton 32-21 at HQ.

In addition, Ensians’ flag will fly from the town’s maypole, situated at the apex of Walkergate and Boroughbridge, from today for a week.

The bus is due to arrive at Chaffers Field, off Pool Road, at 12.15pm, when it will be decorated in flags and banners provided by Otley Town Council.

It will set off between 12.30pm and 12.45pm on a route that will pass the maypole, which is 70-80 foot high – tall but nowhere near as high as when Ensians’ flag was flying from the top of the stand at Twickenham.

The bus will travel to the traffic lights at the former Argos store, turn left past the Factory Shop and turn right past Wetherspoons, continuing down Kirkgate onto Bridge Street.

It will turn right by the Bridge Church and then take two more rights, one being at the ex-Argos shop, to arrive via Boroughgate in the Market Square for about 1pm.

There the crowd will be addressed by Otley Town Mayor Mary Vickers and Old Otliensians’ RUFC chairman Steve Robinson.

At 2pm, the squad will be driven up Westgate, past the Cross Pipes, and turn left to come down Burras Lane, ending at the Otley Tavern, on Newmarket, for further celebrations.

The pub will be bedecked in Ensians’ flags outside and bunting inside for the occasion, there will also be some inflatable rugby posts outside, while food and live music will also be available.

“The landlord, Peter Jackson, has been there about six years and a lot of Ensians members have had a drink there in there in that time and this is his way of repaying them.

“However, there are no plans, as was originally thought, to either rename the pub for the day or rename a bar inside for the day in the club’s honour.”

BILL MARSHALL