THE campaign to save York's Mystery Plays has won immediate backing - from God and Jesus Christ.

Rory Mulvihill, the actor who played the Saviour in the 1996 production, and John Hall, who played God in 2000, have both offered to do their bit to ensure the Plays are kept alive in 2005.

They have agreed to join a prospective board which may be set up to ensure the 50-year tradition is not lost.

The Evening Press, launching its Keep York Mystery Plays Alive campaign last night, suggested that the only way the Plays can be saved is for enough people with the necessary expertise, commitment and time to come forward to create such a board.

Mr Mulvihill and Mr Hall recently called on City of York Council to take a lead in saving the Plays.

Mr Hall said he was disappointed that the authority had not agreed to lead such a campaign.

But, having spoken out vociferously and passionately in recent weeks in support of the Mystery Plays, he was willing to join with others in attempting to save them.

Mr Mulvihill said: "While I am still bemused at, and angry with, City of York Council's persistent refusal to accept its historic responsibility towards our city's world-famous Mystery Plays, I'm nevertheless delighted that the Evening Press has officially taken up the challenge of acting as facilitator for a possible 2005 production.

"I have no hesitation whatsoever in offering whatever help I can give to this quest to restore the York Mystery Plays to an acceptably regular (four or five year) cycle and to the pre-eminence they have always hitherto enjoyed."

Updated: 15:14 Friday, July 25, 2003