YORK is set to hold its biggest-ever anti-war demonstration.

The campaign group York Against The War (YATW) hopes more than 5,000 will take part in a mass march and rally in the city.

The demo, which YATW says will involve locally and nationally-renowned speakers, is planned to take place on Saturday, March 15.

"In addition to the main march that will assemble at noon at Clifford's Tower, feeder marches have already been confirmed from Fishergate, York University and York St John College," said spokesman Chris Fuller.

"We took 1,200 people to London for the national demonstration, and there is no reason why we can't get 5,000 people marching through York against the war.

"We will make the Government and Hugh Bayley listen. This war cannot be allowed to happen in our name."

Details of the route march and a possible rally have not yet been finalised.

Speakers invited include Tony Benn, George Galloway MP, Jeremy Corbyn MP and a senior trade union official.

Updated: 11:31 Thursday, February 27, 2003