MORE than 50 of the city's top attractions opened their doors to York residents over the weekend, allowing them to sample their delights.

Museums and attractions along with some of the city's top restaurants offered free entry and special offers for the York Residents First weekend.

Free entry was available at a range of top attractions, including York Dungeon, Yorkshire Air Museum and the Yorvik Brass Rubbing Centre. Special offers were available for residents at the Jorvik Centre, Clifford's Tower and Water World.

Julia Griffith, operations manager at York Dungeon, said: "We were really pleased, we expected to be busy and it has been."

Groups were shown around the Mansion House and were able to get a glimpse of how former Lord Mayors had lived.

More than 30 visitors went into the Guildhall on Saturday within the first hour of it opening.

Cath Mortimer, who lives near Rowntree Park, took her parents, who were visiting the city, along to the Guildhall.

She said: "I have not been to the Guildhall before, it is nice to have a chance to come in and look at the place."

Brian Reynolds, from Clifton, who was also looking around the Guildhall, said: "We came today, not because it was the residents' weekend, but for normal shopping, but when we saw the notice we decided to pop down."

Updated: 11:42 Monday, January 27, 2003