The York Mystery Plays have been "saved" - after a company stepped in to provide a warehouse to store its extraordinary scenery.

The news follows a recent appeal by organisers to Evening Press readers for warehouse space to store wagons - which are to act as "stages" for 11 different plays to be staged on Sunday, July 12, as part of the Early Music Festival.

Organisers feared the plays might have to be cancelled if a suitable storage area was not found.

Shortly after the appeal was made Railtrack stepped forward and said players would be allowed to use a former concrete works close to the city centre free of charge for one month as a workshop and to build their sets.

Early Music Festival administrative director Delma Tomlin said: "Railtrack have saved the day, there is no doubt about it.

"This year we are making these sets which are beautifully decorated and quite extraordinary.

"If it hadn't been for Railtrack they would have probably been sitting outside on the grass and we would not be very happy about it."

This year will be the first time the players intend to recreate the mystery plays exactly as they would have been in the 14th century.

A Railtrack spokeswoman said: "As soon as our director caught wind of the fact they were looking for somewhere to go he consulted our property department. This warehouse will be near to the town, warm, dry and undercover. The Early Music Festival has a fine reputation and its organisers are part of the cultural fabric of the city."

See WEBSITE www.railtrack.co.uk - Railtrack

See WEBSITE www.netcomuk.co.uk/yemf/festival.htm - York Early Music Festival

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