GENTLEMEN fastened their great coats and ladies defiantly clung onto their bonnets to brave the elements for Otley's annual return to the 1800s last Friday.

While some say high winds and rain kept people from the Victorian Fayre during the day, many families were lured into the town by the warm glow of Christmas lights, quaint cobbled streets, and the smell of roasting chestnuts in the evening.

Organisers are again declaring the fayre a success, and say they will be able to make a significant donation to this year's beneficiaries, St Gemma's Hospice, and the Rawdon-based West Yorkshire Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre.

Victorian Fayre chairman Adrian Robertshaw said: "Although the weather conditions curtailed some of the Fayre's entertainment, the organisers were very pleased with the level of attendance."

Schools in the area provided entire classes of youngsters in flat caps, or shawls and mop-caps, to sing and dance in the town centre.

The day began with children from Farnley School singing carols in Orchard Gate. A crowd gathered despite pouring rain and high winds, which sent more than one bonnet and bowler hat flying.

Staff at many workplaces in the town were transformed into their 19th Century alter-egos, while many others changed into a Victorian costume of their choice to promenade on the streets in the evening.

Owners of Clutterbug gift shop, on Boroughgate, Sarah and Ben Barker, saw something of themselves in the costumes they chose from a theatrical hire shop.

Mr Barker envisaged himself as a fancy gentleman complete with top hat and cufflinks - but came away with a smart red soldier's uniform.

"I always did like men in uniform," joked Mrs Barker.

She chose a typical suffragette's outfit for herself, but decided against chaining herself to the civic centre in protest.

The couple added some festive cheer to the evening by putting on mulled wine to warm some of the chilled and damp revellers in the street.

Staff at Otley Library consider themselves old hands at dressing up for the Fayre, while everyone at Boroughgate greengrocers The Harvest found their busy work meant they would have to wear the clothes best suited to them - those worn by Victorian shop workers.

Some of the most serious and authentic dressing-up came from staff at Beech Hill clothing shop Carole Fashions.

Two employees made not only some of the most colourful and spectacular dresses seen around the town, but also made them to authentic designs.

Elaine Wakes made dresses from original pre-war materials from her grandmother's drapers shop. She also used patterns from a real Victorian dressmaking book, which she scaled up into real dresses, and brought in some intricate 150-year-old lace collars which belonged to her great-grandmother, for the window display.

She said: "We've taken part in the Victorian Fayre since it began. Last year we didn't dress up, but this year we have a new member of staff, so we though we'd do it again."

The shop's other creative genius was seamstress Audrey Baldwin - who made stunning dresses without using any pattern.

Many of the staff brought in genuine Victorian silverware, flat irons, a sewing machine, and a genuine embroidered tablecloth, to decorate the shop.

All the staff went to the lengths of wearing underskirts - some of them with hoops to give the dresses shape - and authentic petticoats.

Charity shops spent much of the year keeping back Victorian-looking clothes to create their own outfits. Despite fending off shoppers hunting for historic clothing of their own, St Gemma's Hospice Shop, Newmarket, put in a special effort this year, as one of the beneficiaries.

Children from Thomas Chippendale Primary School, Otley huddled in the shelter of the Buttercross to perform songs for a gathering of visitors in the market. The school took the opportunity to sing a few songs from their Christmas production, Sheikh, Rattle and Roll.

Sprightly youngsters also put on several displays of traditional dancing for shoppers in Orchard Gate throughout the day.

However, some feared the threat of a downpour would lead to the evening event being a wash-out. Some traders were disappointed by the daytime attendance.

Market toffee and sweets seller John Johnson said: "Trade isn't as brisk as usual."

But the fayre attracted thousands of families in the evening, when colourful street organs, traditional fairground rides and a

sit-on miniature steam engine thrilled youngsters.

Evening entertainment included street

performers who amused crowds with a

combination of on-the-spot jokes, fire juggling and doing tricks on unicycles.

The Chevin Handbell Ringers performed on Kirkgate, while Leeds Morris Mummers alarmed and entertained passers-by in Bay Horse Court with their lively plays.

There was also dancing in the streets from three Morris dancing groups - the Otley-based teams Wharfedale Wayzgoose and Buttercross Belles, and a second women's team, Persephone.

Visitors said they were impressed by everything the fayre had to offer.

Jonathan Barber, of Otley, said his daughter Pheobe, two, was mesmerised by the musical street organ playing in Manor Square.

He said: "We came last year, but this year she's old enough to appreciate it. It's a very cold night, but we've had a good time."

And anyone who could not get enough of the nostalgia packed into the Black Horse Stables, off Westgate, to immerse themselves in the darkest days of Victorian Britain with Otley Community Players' production, The Murder in the Red Barn.

The play is based on a real murder committed in Suffolk in 1827. The Players used

traditional folk music to take the audience back to the creepy age of the 1800s. A hearty pint of ale also proved a popular way to keep warm. Bondgate pub The Bowling Green sold out of its speciality Victorian Velvet ale, brewed at the town's own Briscoe's Brewery for the event.

Charity organisations based in the area set up stalls in the market place and on Kirkgate, including the West Yorkshire Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre. Staff said the stall was very successful.

High winds stopped pony and trap rides taking place on Westgate, although the owners still turned up in costume, to let

children 'meet' the ponies.

Many shopkeepers kept their businesses open late, and say this year's fayre brought in plenty of custom to all parts of the town centre.