Some of Yorkshire’s finest writers have put pen to paper to offer their take on a mystery dating back more than 90 years.

The likes of Sir Alan Ayckbourn, Jilly Cooper, Alan Titchmarsh, and Barbara Taylor Bradford are among the contributors to a new book about the indetity of the woman behind Bettys.

Swiss chocolatier Frederick Belmont, who founded Bettys in 1919, has taken the secret of the company’s name and the identity of the real Betty to the grave.

But now the company, which has six tea rooms, including one in Ilkley, is hoping to make the most of the mystery and help raise more than £40,000 to the Yorkshire Rainforest Project, a long-term campaign by the family business to save an area of rainforest the size of Yorkshire.

The book, Who Was Betty?, is filled with tall stories, poems and cartoons gathered from famous names close to Yorkshire’s heart and includes bestselling authors, world famous playwrights and OBEs all giving their version of who the mysterious muse could be.

There is a foreword by the Prince of Wales, founder of the Prince’s Rainforest Project, while Bettys family member Jonathan Wild has also contributed a tale and there’s an anonymous contribution – slipped under the door of the tea rooms by an unseen hand.

Although it is likely no one will ever uncover the truth about Betty, bosses at the family firm are hoping the whimsical theories will help their good cause.

Claire Catton, manager of Bettys Ilkley, said: “We’ve been bowled over by the enthusiasm and support to date from customers for our Yorkshire Rainforest Project.

“We have great hopes that sales of the new book will raise over £40,000 towards our long-term aim to save an area of rainforest the size of Yorkshire.”

Meanwhile, Bettys and Taylors are celebrating after their environmental work helped them scoop three prizes at Yorkshire in Bloom.

“We are thrilled and delighted to receive three awards at the Yorkshire in Bloom awards – it was such a lovely surprise and is a fantastic accolade for everyone involved in keeping our site looking so beautiful and show such dedication to our environmental endeavors,” said community projects officer Sarah Wells.

Who Was Betty? is available from Monday at the six Bettys Café Tea Rooms throughout North Yorkshire and from Bettys online shop bettys.co.uk or by calling 01423 814008.

Priced at £5.99, all profits will go to the Yorkshire Rainforest Project. For more details, log on to yorkshirerainforestproject.

co.uk.