Yes Paul Smith started the Whitby Garland and based it on the Castleton one. I can't claim any credit for introducing it to Whitby apart from doing research on the the Derbyshire original. Unlike the Castleton Garland the first Whitby one was built up from an old bicycle wheel, is it still in use?

With Paul Smith and Dave Wood however, I do claim credit for the introduction of the first Wars of the Roses, including the final challenge which involved each team's chosen champion eating a whole sliced loaf, a family-sized Neapolitan ice cream, a tin of sardines and a jar of gherkins. Yorkshire's man made ice cream, sardine and gherkin sandwiches, the Lancashire lad had to retire retching.

And like Malcolm, although 'Wild Mountain Thyme' sung in other places might be a bit hackneyed, at Whitby and especially at the old Spa, it's a towering song.

Georgina