Months of rehearsals, preparations and fundraising finally paid off for Cononley villagers this week. 'The Cononley Circle' was a one-off village millennium celebration funded with a £4,520 'Awards for All' lottery grant and £200 Craven council community chest grant.

Professional playwright Ken Bowen was hired together with four professional actors for the leading roles.

Villagers played other parts and dealt with sets, costumes and promotion work.

The play's plot was inspired by 'The History of Cononley: an Airedale Village' by Trevor Hodgson and David Gulliver, which has just been released and is available from the village post office.

Review in Knights Out