AN altar cloth badly damaged during the York Minster fire of 1984 has been restored to its former glory and is to be rededicated at a special Songs Of Praise service.

The Millennial year service will be held at York Minster next week.

During the course of the service, the refurbished altar cloth will be returned to its former home.

The cloth is known as the Women's Institute Altar Frontal and it will be rededicated during a service to be led by the Dean of York, the Very Rev Raymond Furnell. The cloth was originally presented to the Minster by the old Yorkshire Federation of Women's Institutes, and it was dedicated in 1970.

It was in regular use until the Minster fire in 1984 when it was badly damaged by water used to extinguish the blaze, caused by a lightning strike.

To salvage the cloth, it was handed over to the York Minster Broderers Guild, who are nationally renowned for their specialist embroidery skills, and it was members' dedicated work that resulted in the completion of the refurbishment process.

The service begins at 1.30pm on Saturday, September 16.

Women's Institute members from all over Yorkshire will attend the service alongside their national chairwoman, Helen Carey.

They will hear stories of how the cloth's history unfolded, linked by hymns.

The choir will be made up of members of the North Yorkshire East Federation of WIs.

They will sing an anthem written specially for the occasion by their conductor, Christopher Mitchell-Innes.

Though the service will be of special significance to WI members, everyone is welcome to attend.

PICTURE: The altar cloth known as the the Women's Institute Altar Frontal, which has recently been restored after being damaged in the 1984 York Minster Fire, and which is to be rededicated at a special service next week.

Pictures: David Harrison