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Wuthering Heights tribute held on Brontë moors

Julia BrysonBBC News, Yorkshire
News imageMatt Lumsden Photography A group of women dressed in red dressed dance on the moors, many with their hands in the air, as part of an event to celebrate Kate BushMatt Lumsden Photography
The event was held on the moors near the home of the Brontë sisters in Haworth

Hundreds of Kate Bush fans have danced on the Yorkshire moors which inspired the novel - and the song - Wuthering Heights.

The event was one of several held across the world on 27 July each year, as people dressed in red to recreate the video to Bush's 1978 song.

The event in Haworth was a joint celebration of the singer and the writer Emily Brontë held on Penistone Hill, not far from the famous Brontë home.

Organiser Clare Shaw said she was "absolutely delighted by the scale, nature and success of the event", with people coming from the United States and Italy.

News imageMatt Lumsden Photography A group of women in red dresses dancing on the moors - the one in front has long brown hair, sunglasses and a flower in her hair.Matt Lumsden Photography
Five hundred tickets were sold for the event, which was described as a "joy"

Ms Shaw set up the event as she wanted to celebrate Bush and Brontë's cultural heritage, but also to highlight local objections to a planned windfarm development in the area.

Walshaw Moor, an area near Top Withens - believed to be Brontë's inspiration for the Wuthering Heights farmhouse - is earmarked as the site of 41 turbines planned by Calderdale Energy Park.

The company's first consultation on the project ended on 10 June.

Ms Shaw said she supported green energy, but not "in a really important ecological and cultural site".

Calderdale Energy Park previously said the scheme "presents a key opportunity to support the government's target to achieve at least 95% of low carbon energy generation by 2030".

News imageIsobel Hughes Photography A group of women dressed in red dressed dance on the moors, many with their hands in the air, as part of an event to celebrate Kate BushIsobel Hughes Photography
News imageMatt Lumsden Photography A group of people dressed in red dresses with black belts, dancing on the moors in Haworth Matt Lumsden Photography
Anyone taking part had to wear a red dress to take part in the "Mass Wuther"
The event was also a protest against plans to build a wind farm on the moors nearby

The event also raised more than £2,000 for a domestic abuse charity, the Women's Aid Federation Of England.

It was co-hosted by Happy Valley Pride, the Calder Valley LGBTQ+ celebration.

One of those to join was Gail Webb. She said: "What a wuthering! Best day ever! Thanks so much to all organisers and participants. Such joy!"

A similar event was held in Birmingham on Saturday, organised by The Heath Bookshop in King's Heath.

One of those to attend was Home Office minister and Birmingham Yardley MP Jess Phillips.

Events have previously taken place in locations such as Sydney, Copenhagen, Berlin, Folkestone, and Preston.

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