Haworth’s Scroggling the Holly parade last Sunday was the most popular in many years.

The public turned out in force to watch the Victorian-style procession, which welcomes Christmas to the village.

The successful event came the day after Haworth’s first fairy parade, which attracted dozens of entrants in full costume.

The weekend, organised by Haworth Christmas Committee, began on Saturday with the ‘Scroggleve’, in which pixies and fairies prepared Main Street for the opening of Christmas.

Nikki Carroll, one of the organisers, was delighted with the reception to the first fairy parade.

She said: “It was really lovely. Children from local schools dressed up in fairy costumes and sprinkled fairy dust in Main Street.”

Scroggling the Holly was held as usual on the Sunday at 3pm, when the Holly Queen and her princesses travelled up Main Street on a carriage pulled by a horse, accompanied by Morris dancers and residents dressed in Victorian costume.

The Holly Queen was crowned on the steps of Haworth Parish Church, watched by Santa Claus and the Snow Princess, who have their grotto just inside the church.

Nikki added: “Scroggling the Holly was a huge success. The weather was wonderful, and the crowds were bigger than we’ve had for quite a few years.

“They opened up the gates to welcome Christmas in, then Father Christmas must have seen more than 200 children.”

Haworth’s festive celebrations continue with a Victorian Christmas this weekend, torchlight processions on December 14 and 15 and a Nativity pilgrimage on December 22.