Town does May Day the Wicker way

By Julia Houston
BBC News Online, Manchester

Christopher Lee starred in the original film

Dancing round a maypole is far too tame for the residents of Glossop, who, it seems, prefer to gather round a bonfire and burn a Wicker Man.

For the third year running, the High Peak market town will hold a day of Celtic celebrations not dissimilar from the "locals" of Summer Isle.

In a nod to the cult 70s horror film, a 15ft replica of The Wicker Man will lead the Derbyshire town's annual May Day parade.

At dusk, the towering effigy will be sacrificially burnt before a crowd.

So does this mean that the community of Glossop has renounced Christianity in favour of more pagan rituals?

Or perhaps more importantly, where is Glossop's own Britt Eckland dancing naked through the streets?

Join the residents of Glossop as they celebrate May Day in their own special way

In pictures

Local artist Helen Gerrard has spent the past two months building the Wicker Man from the willow that grows in her back garden.

"We were interested in doing something based on The Wicker Man just because we liked the film," she says.

"Last year there was a woman who chanted as the man was being burnt, but I had to leave at that point, after all that hard work I couldn't bear to watch him go up in smoke.

"The chants are all about welcoming in the May, similar to traditional May Day celebrations I suppose."

Dusk will see about 100 people gathered around a fire in the grounds of Glossop's Labour club, drumming, chanting and burning a 15ft man made of willow.

Ms Gerrard says the schools were a little more than dubious about the project.

"They didn't want to get involved because they could see the link to the film straight away. It's far too pagan, no way."

And what about the pagan fertility rites associated with Summer Isle?

"Well I did meet my new partner at the Mayfest last year." says Miss Gerrard.