INTRICATE lanterns lit up Guiseley's streets in an event to welcome in the Winter Solstice and Christmas.

The 5th Parkinson's Park Lantern Parade featured handcrafts, theatre, music and decorated streets - with enough colour and noise to drive away the greyness of the gloomy weather.

Writing on the Friends of Parkinsons Park website one of the organisers Jennifer Kirkby said: "Children had spent weeks making their individual lanterns, which they proudly paraded, whilst our special Guiseley Lanterns depicting Guiseley Wells, de Ward Cross, Theatre Button and Parkinson Clock, emerged out of history to glow once more, carried by eight strong lantern bearers.

"Music included children joining The Sound of the Mills band to improvise on home-made drums (and adults on real ones) to the beat of 'where does fabric come from', 'the mill', whilst at the Town Cross, Guiseley Brass Band gave the carol singing a warm Yorkshire glow.This year the Parade was led by Jacob Phillips and friends playing pied pipers in top hat and tails with the seductive call of saxophones. Then, of course there was the crowd, joining In the Bleak Mid-Winter, with a dash of Holly and the Ivy and Jingle Bells."

For the first time this year residents decorated the route of the parade - adorning trees and bushes with baubles, bunting and tinsel. The public have also been invited to add decorations to three advent trees in Parkinson Park itself. But there was a sombre note to the festivities.

Jennifer said: "Safety, was a bigger concern this year. Terrorist attacks in towns meant that this had to be considered on the risk assessment. Nine marshals as well as two PCs, worked in relay to watch out for cars, and keep the road and cross area free. A 'bomb' sweep was done before the parade started in the shadow of the Lily light especially commissioned this year to remember Wendy Fawell who was killed in the Manchester Terrorist attack in May."

Jennifer thanked everyone for the part they had played to make this year's event a success, and asked for ideas to make next year's event bigger and better.

She said: "Improvisation can take a lot of organizing, and the Parade pulls in the skills and time of a wide range of local people all doing something along the way – all the local Churches played a part, along with politicians, mums groups, groups of residents, the Police, local clubs of various kinds, ex Crompton Parkinson staff, photographers, musicians, woodchip layers, shops, community arts group Codswallop and Friends of Parkinson’s Park. Funding was provided from donations gathered during the year, as well as small donations and grants from local councillors and Green Leeds."