A NORTH-EAST transport firm has been in pole position to help the Great Yorkshire Show go ahead this week.

Stiller Warehousing and Distribution was commissioned to transport two 125ft-long logs from Scarborough to Harrogate to form part of the farming showcase, for what is regarded as England’s premier agricultural show.

The poles are being used for against-the-clock climbing competitions during this summer’s festival, which and runs until tomorrow (Thursday).

Pole climbing competitions are staged during the festival, and see competitors from across the UK race against the clock in a bid to beat the world record set by Australian Mark Bryden in 2001.

The poles were provided by Dawnay Estates and were felled in Bedale, part of the Wykeham Estate near Scarborough.

The trees are from a 71-year-old stand of Douglas Fir, planted in 1943, and have to be chosen so that once the branches have been removed there is a clear stem for climbing of 85 feet above the ground.

Stiller, based on Aycliffe Business Park, in County Durham had the task of transporting the logs 60 miles to the Harrogate-based showground on a low loader.

Stiller’s site and facilities manager, Herbie Blaser, said: “It wasn’t the most run of the mill jobs. But we’re asked to transport all kinds of weird and wonderful things up and down the country, so we’re well positioned to deal with an abnormal load like this.”