ONE of the friendliest, most family-orientated festivals of music and speech in the country has opened its doors to even more participants.

The Wensleydale Tournament of Song will be open to all rather than to just those living within 25 miles of Leyburn for its 95th festival in March 2005.

This is a pilot scheme to ascertain if the festival should become open to all-comers in the future.

The adjudicators are Silvie Taylor for speech (March 9-11), and David Hoult and Colin Touchin for music (March 14-18).

Mr Hoult has been the principal of Leeds College of Music since 1993 and will be mainly adjudicating the singing and brass sections. Mr Touchin, a conductor and composer, will mainly adjudicate the woodwind classes.

Ms Taylor has adjudicated at the Darlington festival as well as at those in Hong Kong, Canada and in many other parts of Britain.

She has presented several series of Reflections on Grampian TV and broadcast her own monologues on Radio Heartland.

There are many varied classes for children as well as adults and this year the Wensleydale Tournament of Song has adopted a child protection policy approved by the national federation of festivals.

The closing date for entries is January 10, 2005. Copies of the syllabus are available from many shops in Leyburn including the tourist information centre, the newsagents, Aspects of Art and Barkers Jewellers; or contact Joan Foster at 01969 663368.