Otley celebrated Christmas early this year as residents and businesses rallied round to make the Spirit of Christmas Day a success.

Despite the cancelled Victorian Fayre, the magical daytime events continued with school children carol singing and shop-keepers dressing in period costume.

The day saw organists playing in the town centre and businesses decorated shop windows in a Christmas theme.

Mayor of Otley Gerard Francis said: "The shops really rallied together to save the day and the people of Otley really supported it.

"I held a meeting to save the daytime event and luckily it went ahead. I would like to say a big thank you to all concerned.

"Hopefully we will have the Victorian Fair back again next year, bigger and better. The Victorian Fair Committee will be meeting in February a new committee will be formed and I think it will come back stronger than it was before.

"The problem is it has been run on a very small committee and if they get a bigger one they will be able to do more things."

Carol singing, mince pies and mulled wine greeted visitors to the town.

Shopkeepers dressed up, while the angelic voices of school children drifted through Otley's cobbled streets as Christmas carols were sung throughout the day.

Mince pies and mulled wine were served all day at the Wharfedale Observer offices, provided by bakers The Real Food shop and Teales.

More than £700 was raised for Lineham Farm, which provides holidays for disadvantaged children. It had been chosen as the charity of the year by the Victorian Fayre Committee.

Lineham Farm Appeals Manager Lisa Barnes said: "We are absolutely delighted with the support of the people of Otley. When we thought the whole Victorian Fayre had been cancelled we were very disappointed, but everyone has been so generous during the daytime events.

"With help from the Wharfedale Observer we raised more than £700. We are really pleased. We didn't think we would get anything. The day was brilliant, everyone was really friendly and it was a great opportunity to tell everyone about the farm.

"The money will help the farm to continue. We are in desperate need of funds to keep it open. We are really grateful to everyone who helped out."

The day saw three prizes awarded to shops in the town for their excellent window displays and friendly welcoming faces.

The window display competition saw 21 shops competing for the coveted title of 'Otley Spirit of Christmas' award, which replaced the annual Victorian Fayre award.

The shops were judged on their window displays, costumes, premises and friend-liness.

Gift shop Cornucopia, on Boroughgate, won the title, closely followed by Designs and Stitches in runners-up place and in joint third position were Oxfam and the Wharfedale Observer who were both highly commended.

Clerk of Otley Town Council, Les Cross said: "The day went really well, I was very pleased.

"It was not like the Victorian Fayre but it was a brave effort on behalf of the shops to take part and not let it go.

"The Committee's decision to cancel the fayre was a difficult one to make, because they did not know what to do. But the day was extremely good, the town was very busy and I was very pleased with how it went."