A CEREMONIAL marchpast will help to get this year's ambitious Bedale 750 celebrations off to a spectacular start.

In a recent addition to the official programme, the band of the RAF Regiment and a detachment from RAF Leeming will parade through the town on Sunday, May 27, almost 750 years to the day since Henry III granted Bedale its market charter.

Taking the salute outside the post office will be Gp Capt Andy Walton, commanding officer at Leeming, and Coun John Weighell, mayor of Bedale, accompanied by local dignitaries and clergy.

The parade will start at about 11.45 from St Gregory's church after the festival service at which the preacher will be the Rt Rev John Packer, bishop of Ripon and Leeds.

The service, conducted by the Rev David Paton-Williams, the rector, will include special music and a peal of bells. It comes at the start of the main week of celebrations at spring bank holiday.

Coun Weighell said: "The marchpast, besides providing a touch of spectacle, marks the close links between the town and RAF Leeming and the whole occasion will give a fitting start to the festival."

Other new events in the programme, which continues through to September, include two Gilbert and Sullivan concerts.

One is on Saturday, June 16, by Leeds Gilbert and Sullivan society and the other on June 30 is a performance of HMS Pinafore by Leyburn G&S society.

The semi-professional vocal group Quintessential, whose range stretches from the Middle Ages to Cole Porter and Victoria Wood, gives a concert in Bedale Hall on Friday, July 6 (8pm) in aid of DalesCare.

DalesCare, which provides day care for the elderly, is staging a medieval banquet for pensioners on Tuesday, May 29, the day of a medieval market and fair.

The meal, costing £3, will be served by staff in medieval dress at noon in the day centre in Wycar