Shipley Glen's heyday is set to be recreated during an afternoon dedicated to its history.

Thousands of visitors are expected to descend on the area on Sunday, August 20, for the Shipley Glen Experience.

The centrepiece will be an outdoor interactive trail, taking visitors on a journey through the Glen's past from prehistoric fossils to the 21st Century.

Visitors will be greeted by actors playing figures from the Glen's history such as Sam Wilson, the Shipley-based entrepreneur who built the tramway in 1895.

They will also have a chance to watch illegal 1930s gambling games at Rock Number Nine, view a gypsy encampment, see Roman soldiers on guard and sample temperance drinks such as sarsaparilla.

The event, from noon to 5pm, is being run by Pleasure Seekers - a voluntary organisation set up three years ago to capture people's memories of the glen - in partnership with the Shipley Glen cable tramway and pleasure grounds, Bracken Hall Countryside Centre and the Old Glen House pub and tearooms.

Pleasure Seekers founder Sara Robinson said: "During its heyday tens of thousands of people a day visited the glen, and 100 years ago it was the equivalent of Benidorm. But we felt it had become a bit neglected, especially compared with all the attention on Saltaire.

"We documented people's memories with the Ride of Life exhibition - now open at Bracken Hall - and, in partnership with the people up there, decided to run a one-day event to celebrate life on the glen.

"The tramway will take people up the glen and back through time - the Victorian age and early part of this century was its heyday but this will cover everything from prehistoric fossils to today.

"Hopefully several thousand people will come along and it's hoped to make it an annual event, raise the glen's profile and increase the number of visitors during the rest of the year.''

The mile-long trail is free - with a prize on offer to the winner of an accompanying quiz - although visitors will have to pay for their tramway ride.

But with the line expecting to welcome its two millionth passenger since re-opening in 1982 one of the tickets will win its purchaser free first class travel for four to London and a day out at the Millennium Dome.

Other attractions are due to include hot air balloon rides, art and craft workshops, samba and brass bands, kite-flying demonstrations and jugglers.