VILLAGERS in Burnsall have removed an "imposter" maypole from their village green because they thought it made them a laughing stock.

The "apology" for a maypole, which appeared after the traditional 66ft one blew down in the Christmas storms, mysteriously disappeared after the Herald covered the story.

Edwin Williams, the Herald's Burnsall correspondent said: "The maypole seems to have been taken down quietly as some of the villagers did not think it was funny and thought we were all being made to look like idiots."

Mr Williams added he had no idea where the "imposter" maypole had gone, but he was not optimistic about its condition.

Now villagers, in the hope of recovering some self-respect and laying the saga to rest, are considering erecting another traditional maypole.

Mr Williams said: "We are hoping to get a new traditional maypole, similar to the one which blew down. We plan to have a meeting in the next couple of weeks to make a decision on the matter. It would be nice to get it up fairly soon though and then we could have a Queen of May festival."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.