Huge crowds turned outHuge crowds turned out
Huge crowds turned out

All the best photos from the Knaresborough Young Farmers Club's annual tractor run

A record attendance of 360 tractors took part in a charity tractor run organised by Knaresborough Young Farmers Club in memory of a member who died aged just 24.

The tractor run through Knaresborough and Pateley Bridge has become an annual tradition since the death of Michael Spink in 2017. Michael, whose family own a dairy farm in Scotton, was in New Zealand on an agricultural work placement when he was killed in a road accident. He crashed his car after a night out with friends and was walking along a state highway in darkness when he was struck by another vehicle. This year's tractor run raised £10,000 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and the event has grown to become the biggest run in the UK. The gathering has now outgrown its old starting point, and this weekend began from the Yorkshire Agricultural Society headquarters at Harrogate Showground. Organiser Steven Brown said: "There are no pre-entries so you never know until the day how many are going to turn up. We got to last year’s total of just over 300 and then they just kept coming; it’s a happy but very emotional day for all of us who knew Mike. He would be absolutely capped to think of all these tractors turning out to remember him and raise money for such a good cause. What really makes the day is the spectators. It makes all the hard work organising worthwhile when you see so many people cheering and waving as you go by on the tractors.” Knaresborough YFC is also calling for new blood after several former members had to retire from club activities, having reached the leaving age of 26. There are now only 10 regular attendees. Anyone with an interest in rural life is welcome and the club meets on Wednesday nights at Knaresborough Football Club.

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