A RADIO station which broadcasts to the Dales has confirmed that it will be beefing up its service to parts of Richmondshire next week.

Fresh was launched in the late 1990s as Yorkshire Dales Radio, with a remit to cover most of the national park area as well as across the border into Lancashire and West Yorkshire.

The core listenership has been around Skipton - but the station hopes to build on its successes by opening a studio in Richmond.

Staff based on the Gallowfield trading estate will transmit on 1413 MW, which should also be easy to receive around the Catterick, Leyburn and Bedale areas.

Local news, traffic information and weather will be an important part of the service, to be launched on Monday.

The same output will also be broadcast for two weeks on 87.7 FM on a restricted licence acquired by Fresh to tie in with the Wensleydale Show, in Leyburn next Saturday.

"Fresh believes that radio ought to be local and I believe that is what we will achieve with the new service," said chairman Chris Parkin.

To contact the Richmond staff, call (01748) 821133.