A FOUNDING member of the York Shakespeare Project today threw his weight behind the campaign to save the city's Mystery Plays.

Lee Maloney, who has performed in the last three Plays, said he was willing to join a prospective board which may be set up to ensure the 50-year Mysteries tradition is not lost.

The Evening Press launched a Keep York Mystery Plays Alive campaign last week, following revelations that they are not set to be performed again until at least 2010.

We suggested that the only way they can be saved is for enough people with the right expertise, commitment and time to come forward.

Lee helped found the Shakespeare project, which aims to perform all the Bard's plays in the city over the next 20 years. It has already staged Richard II and The Taming of the Shrew, and plans to perform A Comedy Of Errors this autumn.

Lee said the project was a child of the Mystery Plays. "Without them, we would never have met and the Shakespeare project would not be in existence."

He said it was vital that the Plays - a vitally important part of York's culture- were not lost and were performed again in 2005.

He said he had been on holiday recently to Cornwall and met a group of people. As soon as they heard he was from York, they had spoken of the Mystery Plays.

"When I said the Plays might not be performed again, they couldn't believe it. They said it was such a big tourist attraction." He said he told them it was also of great importance to the York community.

He said he was willing to join the board to do what he could to save the Plays, and said other individuals involved in the Shakespeare project were also willing to become involved.

If you are interested in joining with others to form a Mystery Plays board, please email mike.laycock@ycp.co.uk, or phone him on 01904 567132.

Updated: 10:22 Monday, July 28, 2003