TRUE Yorkshire Tyke Freddie Trueman has joined the fight to have the former Yorkshire border in West Craven reinstated.

The former demon bowler is to unveil an unofficial 'Yorkshire Welcomes You' road sign at the old boundary between Kelbrook and Foulridge on Yorkshire Day tomorrow.

Campaigners hope the forthright Yorkshireman will bowl officials over and help persuade them to reinstate the border to its pre-1974 route.

It is the latest move in a 22-year campaign to get West Craven moved back into the White Rose county.

There has been an unofficial Yorkshire sign alongside the A56 Colne-Skipton road at the former border, which runs close to Great Hague Farm, for several years.

Campaigners have replaced the sign with improved 'models' and recently added a Lancashire sign for motorists travelling towards Colne. They have also put White Rose stickers on local road signs.

Geoff Hoyle, chairman of the Unite Craven campaign, said: "Fred Trueman is very sympathetic to this issue and said he would be delighted to unveil the sign for us.

"I think Pendle Council has come to accept the sign as a sop to us patriots. It would create a lot of bad feeling if it was taken down."

The local farmer has given permission for the sign to be put up in his field. It will be on wheels to avoid clashing with planning rules.

The group wants West Craven, which includes Barnoldswick and Earby, to be united with Craven district, and claims that the move is backed by many local people.

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