A PLEA by organisers of the Cookham Festival for a maypole dancing instructor has reached across the Atlantic after the appeal appeared on the Bucks Free Press website.

Committee members, who decided to volunteer themselves as maypole dancers after a lack of interest, said the search for a teacher had gone transatlantic, with American Pagan websites featuring the story.

Wren's Nest News – the latest in witch, pagan and mainstream religious news and the Noble Pagan picked up on the article because the traditional May dance has Pagan roots.

Mike Copland, one of the festival organisers, said he was surprised to hear how far the interest had gone: “We saw it had got onto some Pagan websites in America, I don't know whether it means we are going to have a lot of witches flying over here for the event.

“We have had a lot of interest on the whole thing, we have one or two possibilities on the maypole front but we are still looking for somebody to teach us.”

Organisers of the bi-annual event, which concludes on May Bank Holiday with an open air rock concert on Cookham Moor, also want to hear from craftsmen.

They hope to set up a number of craft stalls offering items like pottery and jewellery and are keen for demonstrations to take place to show off the skills.

If you would like to run a stall call Gail Dorrington on 01628 541700.

Any maypole volunteers can call Mike Copland on 01628 630375 or go to www.cookhamfestival.com for more information.