THE winter solstice was celebrated in traditional style at Lyme's Cobb harbour on Saturday.

Ten men in white, with black top hats strode across the sandbar carrying wooden sticks - as the Uplyme Morris Men turned out to ensure good fortune and fertility for the coming season.

As they danced their traditional Adderbury Morris high on the Cobb's North Wall, the small crowd watched in amazement as the sun slowly crept over the horizon, an awesome sight - at first slightly pink, the sun turned more orange as the dancing progressed.

First formed in 1989, the Uplyme Morris side has been resting for the last decade. Recycled this year by Jerry Hayes and a few good men and true, Uplyme's stalwart Morris crew had also performed earlier in the year at the Talbot Arms beer festival. They are looking forward to a busy list of fixtures next year which includes the Mayday Dawn at Lamberts Castle.

And in the meantime they can be seen at noon outside the Talbot Arms in Uplyme on Boxing Day.

The side still has room for a few more members. Anyone interested in finding out about joining the Morrismen either as a dancer or musician, should contact Mr Hayes on 01297 446011 or go to www.uplymemorris.com