Jazz came to town at the weekend with Bingley becoming home to some of the nation's brightest jazz talent.

The second jazz festival set toes tapping, attracting audiences from up and down the country,

Launched with a gala jazz band ball on Friday, things got off to a swinging start.

About 200 guests attended the Bradford & Bingley Sports Club for the glittering black tie event, said festival director Peter Frank.

"We had nearly 200 people and the auction and raffle generated just more than £2,000. The bands were The Temperance Seven playing 1920s style jazz and the Jim Wilkes Quartet.

"We are hoping to raise between three and four thousand pounds in total.

"There is a wonderful ambience at the festival and people come from all over the country to listen to the music."

Ten long months of organisation have gone into the three-day festival and there was disappointment when Saturday's gusty winds forced the big parade inside.

Dave Brennan's Parade Band was followed by an umbrella parade, judged by the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Valerie Binney, with a bottle of champagne for the winner.

Later a marquee in the sports club grounds became home to Kid Boyd's Swing Band and the George Huxley Jazz Band.

"The music is mostly traditional jazz, Dixieland and mainstream jazz," said Mr Frank, a double-bass player who took to the stage himself with his Dixieland All Stars.

"And on Sunday it was modern jazz. All the musicians are semi-pro," he said.

Saturday evening saw the lights dimmed and the sounds of Jim Shelly's Frisco Jazz Band followed by Roger Marks Armada Jazz Band. Sunday afternoon welcomed The Socit Promenaders, The Merseysippi Jazz Band and the Dixieland All Stars to the stage.

An evening of modern jazz rounded off events at the marquee with leading instrumentalists Alan Barns and Bruce Adams supported by the Mike Hoggard Trio.

As well as a weekend of events at the sports club there was a jazz night at Baildon Hall with The Harmony Hounds and The John Richardson Dixie Six, and even jazz at Bingley Parish Church with The Ladies Festival Choir at Sunday morning worship.

Retired musician Keith Richardson, of Ilkley, was among the Saturday afternoon audience.

"I go to the jazz venues week in, week out and came here last year too. I enjoy listening to jazz," he said.

He said he would like to see the festival attracting more people new to jazz.

Funds raised by the festival this year will benefit three charities - Manorlands Hospice at Oxenhope, the Outward Bound Association in Bradford and the Nell Bank centre near Ilkley.

Mr Frank said he was already booking acts for next year's festival which would have the backing of the Lord Mayor's Appeal.

"I've already booked two bands this week for 2006. We are hoping to go international next year if we can, booking bands from abroad, but they get snapped up quickly."