THE Duke of York is sending a letter of congratulation and support to young people from York taking part in tonight's Our Town Story performance.

The performance, involving more than 300 young people, takes place at York Theatre Royal and one of the three productions, called Revelations, will be staged again on Friday at the Millennium Dome in Greenwich.

Friday's performance in London will mark York's turn in the spotlight on the McDonald's Our Town Story stage, where young people from across the country have been telling Dome visitors about their town through dance, drama and music.

So many people wanted to take part in York's day in the Dome that tonight's Theatre Royal show was laid on to give everyone a chance to take part in three different productions.

Pupils from Oaken Grove and Park Grove primary schools will also perform dances about the city.

And dance festivals, music workshops and a poetry and art competition, run in partnership with the Evening Press, have been held alongside the rehearsals.

Gill Cooper, manager of City of York Council's Performing Arts Service, said: "The Duke of York was invited to come down to the performance at the Dome but due to other commitments he couldn't make it.

"When we told his office about all the things we had been doing, he said he wanted to send a letter of support."

The Duke has told all those taking part that he is proud to be associated with them and their work.

Gill said: "The whole team has pulled hard together. It has been a mammoth undertaking, much bigger than we realised when we said yes, and with the poetry and art competition and the workshops, we have had more than 600 people taking part, with 350 involved for more than six months.

"It's a major achievement not only for the pupils, but also for the staff in getting them through it."

Tonight's performance will be attended by parents, teachers and councillors. Friday's Dome performance will be attended by the Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Shan Braund, and the Sheriff of York, Barrie Ferguson, the City of York Council's executive member for education, Councillor Janet Looker, and York's deputy director of education, Chris Edwards.