A NEW independent radio station will be launched in North Yorkshire next year.

Ofcom, the national regulatory body for broadcasters, says there is a real viability for a new radio station, based in Northallerton and covering the immediate surrounding area, including Thirsk.

It will be advertised from May next year and already two front-runners have emerged in the race for the radio station's licence.

One contender, Hambleton Radio, is about to hold its second trial broadcast in the area, for 28 days starting on July 31.

Northallerton Local Radio, held a 28-day trial broadcast earlier this year.

It plans another broadcast in September and a third broadcast early next year.

Northallerton Local Radio chairman Hugh Evans said: "When we took the decision more than two years ago to try to win a permanent radio station there was no guarantee Ofcom would make a licence available, so this makes the news satisfying.

"A tremendous amount of effort and money has gone into the project with the belief that the county town of North Yorkshire deserves its own dedicated radio service propelling us to this point.

"That's what makes this announcement particularly gratifying."