Harrogate visitor's attraction is to star on hit TV show

Mother Shipton’s Cave in Knaresborough is set to appear in an upcoming episode of the TV documentary series Bangers & Cash.

To be screened on U&Yesterday, the episode will showcase Bangers & Cash star Derek Mathewson as he makes the short trip to a mysterious Yorkshire beauty spot to pick up a 1920s style bus that isn’t all that it seems.

Though it looks like a vintage relic, the bus is actually a converted 1980s Transit van.

Once an iconic feature of Mother Shipton’s Cave, the bus was used to transport visitors along the Long Walk from the entrance to the steps leading to the cave and well.

It also led the renowned Bed Race Procession through Knaresborough each year and served as a roving advertisement for the attraction.

Speaking after the shooting of the Bangers & Cash episode, Fiona Martin, owner of Mother Shipton's Cave, said:

“I can’t wait to see the story of the old bus on Bangers & Cash. I hope it finds a great new home. It’s brilliant to share a bit of Yorkshire tourism on TV.”

John Wynne, who has been a tour guide at Mother Shipton’s Cave since 1992, fondly recalled the bus’s role in the visitor experience, saying “it was an attraction in its own right.”

During filming, Bangers & Cash’s Derek Mathewson visited the site’s famous Petrifying Well, which slowly turns objects to stone as if by magic.

Derek donated a flat cap to be petrified, joining an eclectic collection in the site’s Cabinets of Petrified Curiosities, which includes Jonathan Ross’s underpants.

The proceeds from the auction of the old bus will be reinvested into the site, ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy the magic of this legendary location.

First opened in 1630, Mother Shipton’s Cave is the legendary birthplace of England's most famous prophetess and includes an ancient forest.

Tune in to Bangers & Cash at 8pm, Thursday, February 27, on U&Yesterday (Freeview Channel 27).