THE Leaf Dragon of the Porter Valley has trouble with her eggs at this time of year said Kerry Bennett, of the South Yorkshire Forest Partnership.

"The ground's too wet, so she has to breathe fire to warm them up," he explained.

Unfortunately this year the ground got even wetter just as the dragon was about to ignite her lungs, at the finale of the South Yorkshire Wood Fair in Endcliffe Park.

The now annual event was the third wood fair to be held in Endcliffe Park, each with a pyrotechnic theme devised and carried out by the gunpowder plotters of Handspring Design.

This year, however, the weather got steadily worse over Wood Fair Day and as dusk approached the sodden pyrotechnicians were only able to summon a few glowing gasps from the leaf dragon rather than a full-blown scorching extravaganza.

"They worked very hard to try and keep the fires going and they were a bit sad that the dragon couldn't be seen in her full glory," said Kerry, who'd recounted the myth of the Porter Valley Leaf Dragon for local schoolchildren over the last few weeks.

Despite the clouds the fair attracted well over 3,000 people, said Kerry, and she reckoned that 500 or more stayed to watch the fiery finale, even though the heavens had opened at that point.

The idea of the fair is "to celebrate the most wooded city in the country", said city council woodland project officer Jon Dallow. "It's a shop window to show the economic, environmental and educational side of our woodland."

Children from the nearby Hunters Bar and Greystones primary schools had been involved in the fair by making masks relating to the legend of the Porter Valley Leaf Dragon and by taking part in a parade on Saturday.

Sheffield Samba Band took part as woodland fairies and earlier in the day, before the rain really got started, the fair was host to Sheffield wooden industries, including artists, furniture makers, chainsaw sculptors, biomass generators, loggers, chippers and lathe operators.

Four hundred years ago Sheffield's woodlands were an industrial concern and now that woodland industrial heritage is returning, said Jon Dallow.

Although some people are concerned when they see trees being felled, using local wood for fuel or furniture or for a host of other products is sustainable and potentially almost carbon neutral, added Kerry, as long as the trees used are managed properly and replaced.

"The woods are becoming an important part of Sheffield's economy," said Jon.

And there's a growing interest in the subject, evidenced by the fact that hundreds of people were prepared to turn out in the pouring rain to watch desperate Handspring Design staff Scot Fletcher and Graeme Ritchie do their best to set fire to the Leaf Dragon, her sawdust tail and a mysterious pair of trousers (which went up quite nicely, in the end).

"They are working hard, aren't they?" said one onlooker from under her umbrella as the bedraggled Scot and Graeme did their best to ignite a squadron of catherine wheels.

"I want to go home to bed," cried out a damp teenager.

Eventually the dragon raised her stubbornly unfiery wings and the show was over, to much appreciative applause, although Kerry admitted that the Leaf Dragon has been unable to dry out her eggs during the show.

"It was sunny the next day, though, so I think they must have hatched then," said the hopeful Kerry afterwards. "Perhaps the baby dragons will be in the story next year."

lMore woodland events – Saturday, October 18: more fire based art (hopefully) at the Beacon event at Parkwood Springs from about 5pm near the Cooks Wood Road entrance.

Ecclesall Sawmill: course on green woodworking (Oct 18) and the new gallery is now open and gearing up for the sale of locally-made wooden gifts for Christmas

Second Nature project: following a £100,000-plus lottery grant, Sheffield is preparing for the launch of a scheme to encourage children to get out and play in their local woodlands. The project will include Rivelin Valley, Ecclesall Woods, Gleadless Valley and Parkwood Springs, and will involve a play officer, rangers and others working with local children on woodland games and activities.




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