Saltaire residents are being urged to join forces to organise the biggest party in the village's 150-year history.

The Saltaire Village Society is planning a week of activities to mark the 150th anniversary of the founding of Saltaire and the 200th anniversary of Sir Titus Salt's birth. The committee also wants to celebrate the village gaining World Heritage status.

Today committee member Eddie Lawler urged people to come forward and attend a special open meeting on Monday, September 23.

"We have had a lot of positive feedback about the idea and people have expressed an interest in getting on board. The meeting in a couple of weeks time is really an opportunity to get people together and throw ideas around and see what local people want. This will be the first time that we will have had such a party on this massive scale since Sir Titus Salt threw a street party in 1853. It is very exciting."

The committee has already got some ideas in place including a canal festival which British Waterways could organise.

The University of Bradford will also host a day school about Titus Salt and there is an adaptation of the Tony Harrison play Poetry or Bust, about Saltaire poet John Nicholson, planned.

Mr Lawler said: "We are thinking the motto should be 'Recreation and Re-creation'. It is the re-creation of the Titus Salt era and it is recreation because we are having fun. We want two sides of the festival, one is historical and academic and the other side fun, so we have Bradford University and then the fun side which is the party and drama, music and arts."

He said it was also an opportunity to celebrate Saltaire's World Heritage status which was awarded in December last year. "We still have not had a big celebration for that so we thought it would be good to include that in the programme. All in all we are wanting to have one fantastic party, not just for Saltaire but for everyone."

He also stressed the importance of professional fundraisers taking part.

"We are looking to have someone who can devote a lot of time to solely concentrating on fundraising. As we see it we will still have a party but with money we can have a better one."

Rebecca Sims, of British Waterways, said they were delighted to jump on board. "I saw an article in the Telegraph & Argus about the festival and I thought it vital that we get involved. One of the reasons why Saltaire was founded here was because of the canal and we are hoping to put on a spectacular canal festival. The boats will look absolutely brilliant. We organised a similar canal festival in Skipton and it was great."

Councillor David Ford (Green, Shipley) also gave his support. "It is going to be a great occasion and the more ideas and people involved, the better the activities and celebrations."

The meeting will be held at Victoria Hall on Monday, September 23, at 7.30pm. For information or to take part call Eddie Lawler on (01274) 772721 or email eddie@eddie-lawler.co.uk