CHANGES are to be made to next year's Beamish Run to reduce the amount of time spent behind the wheel.

Organiser George Jolley is to streamline the 150-mile route which winds its way through some of County Durham and North Yorkshire's toughest terrain in an attempt to reduce driving time. This year's run on June 16, saw the 101 participants take an extended lunch stop at Bainbridge, which meant some cars did not get back into Beamish Museum until after 6pm.

Torrential downpours on the Friday beforehand also took their toll as cars and wagons had to slow down to manouevre sections affected by flooding.

The Buttertubs Pass road had been partly closed as highway workers struggled to control an overflow.

Stanhope Ford was also difficult to pass through owing to rising flood water.

But one of the worst sections was the severely potholed unmetalled route from Tan Hill pub to Sleightholme which created a bone-shaker of a journey.

Mr Jolley told the D&S Times it was time to take a fresh look at the course. He said: "The day before the run my wife and I drove the course because we were worried about the damage the downpours might have caused.

"We found the Buttertubs Pass had been closed to HGV and PSVs because of an underground washout. Half of the road was closed off but luckily all of our entries could pass through.

"As for the Tan Hill pub to Sleightholme road, it looked like it had been bombed by the RAF. The holes in the road had filled up with rainwater and many of the puddles were very deep. I think that part is likely to be axed next year.