A “fantastic” new visitors’ guide has been produced to encourage more people to enjoy the delights of Otley.

The booklet, sporting images of local landmarks like the Jubilee Clock and Otley Bridge on its cover, is the work of the Town Council.

The council’s events management committee has also packed the guide with photographs of regular attractions, like Otley Carnival, Otley Show and the Otley Cycle Races.

There is historical information and a newly created map of the town, too, but the meat of the booklet is its calendar of events, listing everything from the May Day dances through to the Christmas Tree Festival.

Events management committee chairman Councillor Nigel Francis (Ind, Danefield) believes the publication could play a significant part in boosting visitor numbers.

He said: “Otley has lacked a good-quality, up-to-date guide to its regular attractions for years.

“Leeds City Council does, very, very infrequently, produce something that is quite good but then there's a long gap where the leaflets aren’t updated and they disappear. And Otley Town Partnership has provided good support for the town, producing its own leaflet.

“I think what we’ve produced here is a fantastic booklet, a credit to Otley, that I hope we can update and add to each year.

“Otley is full of events all year around but it tends to only be people living here who are really aware of that. With this booklet visitors can flick through and see what’s going on, when, and hopefully will think ‘I wouldn’t mind going to that May Day celebration, Otley Carnival, Otley Folk Festival’ or whatever it is they like the look of.”

Some 10,000 copies have been produced and the booklet is on display at the Otley Core Resource Centre and Otley Library.

It is also being distributed to other local venues, including libraries and Tourist Information Centres in nearby towns like Ilkley.

Coun Francis paid tribute to everyone at the town council, including the office staff, for pulling out all the stops to create the guide.

He said: “The support has been fantastic and everybody has pitched in.”

He plans to send out hundreds of copies later this year when he is contacting people about the 2014 Otley Vintage Transport Extravaganza, which he organises each year as the major fundraiser for children’s charity Hang on to a Dream.