CONSERVATIVE Party chairman Richard Holden MP stopped off in Skipton and South Craven during a visit to the district.

Mr Holden, who grew up in the Ribble Valley and is an old boy of Ermysted's Grammar School, Skipton, met up with North Yorkshire councillor Keane Duncan, and Keighley and Ilkley MP Robbie Moore. 

Cllr Duncan, the council's executive member for highways, is the Conservative candidate to be the first mayor of North Yorkshire and York and is currently on the campaign trail.

Mr Holden, who joined Cllr Duncan on a walk around Skipton tweeted that it was 'brilliant' to be in the town on his 'first campaigning stop as Conservative chairman'.

He tweeted: "Keane is already a fantastic North Yorks Councillor and is campaigning hard to become Mayor for York and North Yorkshire. Let’s get him over the line next year."

The only other candidate so far in the race to be mayor  is Independent candidate Keith Tordoff.

The election is due to take place on May 2 next year.