A bleak Knavesmire on a murky morning is hardly Hollywood, but nevertheless York's wannabe television stars turned out in their droves for a taste of TV stardom.

Runaround: Look North presenter Harry Gration does a Benny Hill-style run at York's Knavesmire chased by Tesco workers

Countdown host and Mayor of Wetwang, Richard Whiteley, opens Wetwang School's new extension

The lure of the camera proved hard to resist for 20 enthusiastic volunteers who took part in filming a trailer for Look North presenter Harry Gration and his new radio show.

The trailer, called Catch Harry With A Question, involved the volunteers chasing after Harry trying to catch his attention.

The film will be speeded up, Benny Hill-style, to make a 25-second trailer that will be broadcast after Look North to advertise Harry's Friday evening sports phone-in show on Yorkshire's local radio network.

The show's host, a Grandstand commentator, York City fan and Evening Press columnist, will be fielding questions on any sporting matter during the hour-long phone-in on Fridays at 7pm.

Harry said: "This is all just a bit of fun really. It's just nice so many people have turned up. "People are generally quite keen to be on television."

And the volunteers, recruited while shopping at Tesco in Tadcaster Road last Sunday, certainly enjoyed the experience.

Meanwhile, Countdown host Richard Whiteley, alias the Mayor of Wetwang, delighted children at the East Yorkshire village primary school when he opened their new extension.

He unveiled a plaque in the new wing comprising an additional classroom, cloakroom, new toilets and an office in which headmaster Phil Williamson will meet parents.

Mr Whiteley was met on the outskirts of the village to receive his mayoral regalia and arrived at the school in style in a chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce.

He cut the ribbon to the £116,000 extension and signed the ends of it, which were given to the oldest and youngest boy and girl in the school.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.