FESTIVAL bosses were celebrating a cash windfall yesterday after being selected for a grant from Yorkshire Arts.

The Ripon International Festival has been awarded £11,000 in the latest round of the Regional Arts Lottery Programme.

The festival, which takes place between September 6 and 15 this year, will offer a chance to see professional performers at affordable prices.

Director and co-founder Susan Goldsbrough said: "It's a fantastic boost to funds and will enable us to proceed in certainty with our special fifth anniversary programme.

"Both the fact that we are having the orchestra of Opera North and a choral concert for rising young stars of opera couldn't have happened without the grant."