THE battle to save York's Mystery Plays is set to be featured on BBC's Look North this evening.

The programme has interviewed key figures involved in the Evening Press campaign to ensure the Plays are staged again in the Museum Gardens, if possible in 2005.

The feature follows the launch last week of a Mystery Plays Association, involving volunteers who have come forward with the aim of keeping the long-standing tradition alive.

Chief Reporter Mike Laycock said the newspaper had decided to launch the campaign in response to demand from readers, who wanted to take part in or watch productions again.

He said there had also been calls for the Mysteries to be saved from people from all over the world, who wanted to travel to the city to see them. Look North also interviewed former Lord Mayor and York Festival chairman Keith Wood, who has agreed to chair a working party to investigate the feasibility of staging them again in the Museum Gardens in 2005.

He said he believed the timescale for 2005 was "very tight", but he thought it was still possible.

Actor Rory Mulvihill, who has played Jesus Christ and the Devil in previous productions, told the programme there was a danger that a whole generation of youngsters would miss out on the chance to take part in the Plays.

He also stressed there was no certainty that York Minster, which staged a spectacular Millennium production in 2000, would be prepared to stage another one in 2010.

A Look North spokesman said today it was 99 per cent certain the Mystery Plays campaign would be featured on tonight's programme, which starts at 6.30pm.

Updated: 14:47 Friday, September 12, 2003