Revised plan for Wolves parade

Plans for an open-top bus parade to allow Wolves to show off the Championship trophy in front of thousands of fans have been revived, just weeks after they were given the red card due to health and safety fears.

Council bosses are setting up meetings with the club's chief executive this week in an 11th hour bid to allow a scaled-down city centre parade of players and the trophy to go ahead.

Wolves has already dismissed the promotion parade because of concerns over litigation if people were hurt and came under fire from the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health for using it as a "convenient excuse".

But now council bosses are making a last-ditch attempt to make the plans a reality, and will be suggesting it is incorporated into the city's Steam and Vintage rally or City Show.

Councillor Malcolm Gwinnett, chairman of the council's planning committee who helps to organise the steam rally, said: "The council is arranging meetings with the club this week. We really want this parade to go ahead. From the council's point of view it is not over yet.

"The council has more than enough expertise to organise something like this. The club would literally have to provide a bus, a few players and the trophy and we would do the rest. Hopefully it can be incorporated as part of the parade in the Steam and Vintage show or the City Show."

The parade plans revival has been announced after organisers told how almost double the number of traders had signed up to man market stalls at this year's steam and vintage rally in Wolverhampton, putting it on track to be the biggest and best in its 12-year history.

It also emerged a 20,000-gallon water tank will be installed in West Park for the June extravaganza for a 999 demonstration by the fire service, police and ambulance.

Preparations are forging ahead for the festivities on June 6 and 7, which are expected to attract around 40,000 visitors.

The annual steam and vintage rally has made a name for itself as one of the most popular events on the city's calendar and each year gives visitors a glimpse at transport from years gone.

A Battle of Britain memorial flight will to once again be one of the highlights of the free-to-enter event, and costumed actors will also be re-enacting battles from the past.

Dozens of miniature battleships will float on the lake, military vehicles from the past and present will be on show, and a special "model marquee" will be set up to give visitors a glimpse of railways, aeroplanes and vintage vehicles in mini form.

A host of beautifully-restored traction engines, motorcycles, and stationary engines will also be on display, while an area showing how people would have worked decades ago will be set up as well as a vintage funfair and nature haven.