THIS week, 15 years ago, celebrations were set to begin for a railway station's 150th anniversary.

Trains first stopped at Leyburn Station, on the Wensleydale line, in North Yorkshire, on May 19, 1856.

To celebrate the anniversary, Leyburn Town Band was meeting the first train of the day followed by speeches and activities arranged by the Friends of Leyburn Station.

Celebrations would continue throughout the weekend with living history events, an exhibition of photographs, refreshments and stalls.

Ruth Annison, Wensleydale Railway's chairwoman, said at the time: "The opening of Leyburn station for passenger services on May 19, 1856, was probably one of the most important events in the history of the town.

"It would have been a grand occasion, celebrated and welcomed by people from miles around who recognised the railway's importance to the future of the town."

Meanwhile, yachtswoman Dee Caffari returned home after becoming the first woman to circumnavigate the globe solo and non-stop the "wrong way".

The 33-year-old triumphed over extreme isolation, lethal icebergs, mountainous waves, vicious storms and hurricane force winds to set a new world record as the first woman to sail east non-stop against the prevailing winds and currents.

Caffari was given a hero's welcome from hundreds of people who cheered as she arrived in her home port of Southampton after her 29,100mile voyage, which lasted 178 days, three hours, six minutes and 15 seconds.

She crossed the official finish line off Lizard Point, Cornwall, and in the last few days of her journey had to contend with a broken autopilot meaning she had to steer her 72ft cutter Aviva manually despite a lack of sleep.

Caffari was welcomed into the Ocean Village in Southampton by The Princess Royal, who was the first person to welcome home Dee's mentor, Sir Chay Blyth, when he became the first person to complete this voyage in 1971.