YORKSHIRE Day celebrations are now established as an annual event in Masham after 5,000 visitors flocked to the latest festivities at the weekend.

The two-day event, which was first held last year, centred mainly on the Market Place.

Cricketing icon Freddie Trueman opened the event and spent four hours visiting most of the attractions, chatting about his Yorkshire roots and signing autographs.

Among the popular attractions was a re-enactment of Wild West Days by the Fourth Cavalry, a living history group from the Harrogate area.

There was standing room only to see children from the Lynn Unit dance school in Knaresborough putting their best feet forward.

Proceeds from the White Rose celebrations will help to pay for improvements to Masham's Christmas lights.

The event was organised by the Christmas Lights Appeal group, a sub-committee of Masham Parish Council, aiming to raise £10,000 to bolster existing displays.

Its chairman, Andy Burrell, said 20 people had been involved in helping to stage the event, plus a group of teenagers acting as traffic marshals in the car park to help raise money for a soon-to-be-opened skateboard park in the town.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance and the RNLI both had their funds boosted by the event.

With the Sheep Fair, Victorian Fayre, Traction Engine Rally, The White Bear Beer Festival, Black Sheep Brewery Music Festival, a two-day horse event and now Yorkshire Day, Masham has built a series of attractions to further boost tourism.