YARM is to put itself forward as a possible start point for the Tour de Yorkshire.

Town councillors have voted to lobby for highly popular cycling race to start on the town's Georgian high street at a point in the future.

Council chairman Lyn Casey and clerk Terry Chapman met with representatives from Welcome to Yorkshire who told them they could be considered.

Cllr Casey said: "The man we spoke to thought Yarm High Street would be a very good place to start it."

More than 1,400 of Yarm residents voted to leave Stockton borough and become part of Yorkshire four years ago in a non-binding referendum.

Since then Stockton Council has put up signs highlighting the historical county boundaries of Yorkshire on the edge of Yarm.

The town council voted this week to become members of Welcome to Yorkshire to try to boost business in the town.

Cllr Casey said: "It is a bit like the Yorkshire tourist board was, they have events where it puts the town on the map if you join for £250 a year. They are willing to do a presentation to businesses on the high street to show them what they can get out of it.

"They will also promote our events for us. They approached Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland councils who both joined, and they approached Stockton but they haven't joined."

Cllr Jason Hadlow said: "Yes, the sooner the better, let's go to Yorkshire."

Mrs Casey added: "We also found out that borough councils in the area can actually express an interest to do it, to host either the start of the end of Tour de Yorkshire in the town.

"It is something we would have to ask Stockton borough council to do for us – they would have to put us forward for it. Stockton are really into their cycling and have some big cycling events, so it would be good."

Clerk Terry Chapman added: "Redcar and Cleveland have also expressed an interest in having it start on the seafront there.

"It could start on the beautiful seafront and head across the Tees Valley to Yarm.

"It was a fantastic coup when it started in Middlesbrough and went across through Stokesley, it was a really great day."

Cllr Casey said: "It would show Yarm to the nation on TV and it would all be good publicity."

The town council will now write to Stockton Borough Council and ask for it to be nominated for 2019 or the years after.