SILSDEN is set to light up the night sky next month when it hosts its own mini Glastonbury.

Local councillors Andrew and Karen Conway are the masterminds behind the first-ever Northern Lights festival which will take place on the Riverside Fields on Saturday, June 10.

Whatever the weather, festival-goers will be guaranteed to stay dry thanks to all the entertainment being in one big marquee.

Already six bands have been booked, including talent from the local area, and there will be a bar and hog roast, said Cllr Andrew Conway.

Bands in the line-up so far are The Sheratons, R.E.M by Stipe, The Escapades, Callum Spencer and tribute bands The Total Stoneroses and New 2.

The fun starts at noon and there is a drinks licence until 2am with DJ Yuley and DJ Lockt also on stage.

Tickets will be on sale at the gate for £10.

Cllr Conway said after years of helping organise big community events as part of his council work, he thought it was time he should put his experience to bigger use and create a festival that would put the town on the map.

“What better start than to call it Northern Lights. Silsden has got a great community vibe and we want to shout about it and share it. We really want this to put the town on the map,” he said.

Any profits made from the event will be going towards the So Sally Can Wait appeal. Mum-of-four Sally Major, who lived in the village, lost a battle against bowel cancer last month aged just 33 after fighting the disease in a private clinic near Stuttgart.

Hundreds gathered at St James’ Church in the town to say their goodbyes to the mum whose family had gone into debt after spending thousands of pounds to pay for cutting-edge therapies and treatment not available on the NHS in the UK.

Fundraisers brought in more than £70,000 to help them and are continuing to organise events to chisel away at the family’s debt. Any money now raised is being split 50/50 between the bills and a new trust Mrs Major’s husband Liam is setting up in her name to help young people get free bowel cancer screening in a bid to save lives.

Cllr Conway said: “Sally was a local girl and the community was devastated for her family when she died. We want to help and show our support.”

He is hoping the family will join them at the festival.

Anyone interested in volunteering on the day should call 07495 392379.

To keep in touch with the festival plans, visit Facebook Northern Lights Silsden or call 07495 392379.