PEOPLE in Bedale will be able to get into the festive spirit next month when a temporary ice rink comes to town.

The nine-metre square rink will be in the car park at Bedale Hall on Saturday, December 3, to coincide with the town's Georgian Christmas fair. It will be open from 12.30pm to 7.30pm and people will be able to pay £3 for half an hour of skating.

The rink has been brought to the town by Bedale's events working group, which is also organising the Christmas fair.

It will take place at Bedale Hall and will include a tea dance and Christmas lunch, a tombola, Santa's Grotto, a craft and gift fair, a best-dressed window competition, a fun fair and a rock night.

Catherine Megson, from the group said that if the rink was popular, it could return next year for longer. She said: "People will get the chance to enjoy some nice, atmospheric skating. It will be dark later on and the lights from the hall will be shining on to the rink.

"We are very excited about the fact that we have managed to do this. It is the first time that anything like this has come to Bedale. We are still riding high from the Bedale summer celebration, which had a really good impact.

"It was so successful that people's expectations are higher now. We might only be a little market town, but that does not mean our projects have to be small."

Tickets for the tea dance and Christmas lunch are £12.50, available from Co-ops in Bedale, Romanby, North-allerton and Thirsk from Tuesday.