Bedale are making a swift return to Division One after clinching the Second Division championship.

In the past few seasons Bedale have acquired a yo-yo tag after switching between the top two divisions. But a 7.5-1.5 win over one time promotion rivals Raskelf was a fitting way way to clinch the championship. Bedale have lost just once this season while Raskelf faltered badly towards the end of the campaign and have lost six matches.

Scores (Bedale names first): John Hart and Melanie Couchman beat Richard Lister and Julia Lister 6-4, 6-2; halved with Chris Hartley and Sally Banks 6-5, 4-6; beat David Wilkinson and Sally Spilman 6-1.

Mark Scarlett and Helen Broadwith halved with Lister and Lister 6-6; beat Hartley and Banks 6-2, 6-5; beat Wilkinson and Spilman 6-1, 6-1.

Tim Osborne and Trish Melhuish halved with Lister and Lister 4-6, 6-2; beat Hartley and Banks 6-1; beat Wilkinson and Spilman 6-2, 6-2.

Harrogate Racquets A team ensured promotion to Division One, where they will join their first team next season, by defeating Ben Rhydding 8-1.

Racquets' pairing Graham Penkett and Pauline Edwards won all three matches, as did Geoff Dootson and Yvonne Richards. John Corfield and Frederique Brown took two rubbers.

As expected the Northallerton club is celebrating a double championship triumph.

The first team clinched the Division Four silverware, remaining unbeaten for the third season as they advance up the tables.

Northallerton were made to battle hard by Starbeck for their 5.5-3.5 victory which clinched the championship.

Northallerton's Graham Iveson and Margaret Fenwick took two and a half rubbers. The combination of Paul Collier and Sue Pratt secured one, while Chris Brown and Jackie Wonders won two.

Northallerton A team in Division Five had already taken the Division Five title.

Best performers for Starbeck were Gary Saunders and Diana Lang who took two rubbers from their undefeated rivals.

Starbeck are also promoted and are currently ten points ahead of nearest rivals Boroughbridge A.

In Division Six Wetherby B team, who only joined the league last season, have taken the championship in style, remaining undefeated in 10 matches. Wetherby sealed the title by defeating runners-up Ripon B 6-3.

Making the difference for Wetherby were David Corbyn and Trish Bell who won three rubbers; David Rhodes and Angie Bell who took two and a half and Godfrey Wilson and Mary Fidler who halved a rubber.

Division One: Harrogate Racquets 6.5 Spa 2.5; Harrogate Racquets 3.5 Thirsk 5.5; The Academy 5 Knaresborough 4; Harlow A 0.5 Boroughbridge 8.5; Thirsk 7.5 Knaresborough 1.5.

Division Two: West Tanfield 2.5 Harrogate Racquets A 6.5; Raskelf 1.5 Bedale 7.5; Masham 4.5 Harlow B 4.5; Dacre 7.5 West Tanfield 1.5; Harrogate Racquets A 8 Ben Rhydding 1.

Division Three: Dacre A 6.5 Harrogate Racquets B 2.5; Harlow C 3 The Academy A 6; Ripon 5.5 Wetherby 3.5; Thirsk A 8.5 Knaresborough A 0.5.

Division Four: Starbeck 7.5 Thirsk B 1.5; Starbeck 3.5 Northallerton 5.5; Boroughbridge A 5 Birstwith 4; Ripon A 5 Harrogate Racquets C 4; Wetherby A 2 Northallerton 7.

Division Five: Bedale A 3 Harlow D 6; Northallerton 6.5 Spa A 2.5; Spa A 2 Bedale A 7; Masham A 6 Starbeck A 3.

Division Six: Ripon C 6 Spa B 3; Ripon C 8 Thirsk C 1; Wetherby B 6 Ripon B 3; Harrogate Racquets D 3.5 Knaresborough B 5.5; Dacre B 6 Spa B 3.

Yorkshire Veterans' Championships

Harrogate player Trevor Nuttall has battled back from illness to take two of the top titles at Chapel Allerton, Leeds.

Nuttall, former chairman of the Harrogate and District Tennis League, bounced back to win the Over 60s singles and Over 65 doubles.

Tournament organiser Giles Hinchcliffe paid tribute to Nuttall's tenacity in making such an impact on the tournament following his illness, which kept him off court for several months.

To reach the singles' final Nuttall defeated three times holder Ray Ranson from Sheffield 6-4, 6-4.

In the final Nuttall, who plays for Harrogate Racquets Club, defeated another former holder Ted Furness, also from Sheffield, 7-5, 6-3. Nuttall last won the event in 1998.

Nuttall's double triumph was completed by teaming up with Furness to win the Over 65 doubles 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 against Scarborough's Bill Brown and John Butterfield.

Meanwhile former Ripon player Andrew Batcup, now based in Harrogate, defeated Giles Hinchcliffe (Chapel Allerton) to win the Over 55 title.

And Batcup, in partnership with Dave Godfrey (Sheffield) won the corresponding doubles' title beating Ray Ranson and Neil Frieze (Chapel Allerton) 3-6,6-3, 6-3.

Finals Over 45: Peter Thomas (York) beat Mike Breslin (Chapel Allerton) 6-1, 6-1.

Over 55: Andrew Batcup (Harrogate) beat Giles Hinchcliffe (Chapel Allerton) 7-5, 6-3

Over 60: Trevor Nuttall (Harrogate Racquets) beat Ted Furness (Sheffield) 7-5, 6-3.

Doubles Over 45: Thomas and Alan Dalton (Sheffield) beat Hinchcliffe and Dave Godfrey (Hallamshire) 7-6, 7-5.

Over 55: Godfrey and Batcup beat Ray Ranson (Hallamshire) and Neil Frieze (Chapel Allerton) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Over 65: Nuttall and Furness beat Bill Brown and John Butterfield (both Scarborough) 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.

Barkston Ash League

Champions Bardsey lost a vital match against third from bottom Roundhay by 58 games to 50 - a defeat which could cost them the First Division title.

Horsforth are now favourites to take the title.

It was a weakened Bardsey side that went down to Roundhay, lacking Adrian Lobley, Syvila Billington, Tim Dickinson and Dot Mackintosh.

But Bardsey's first pairing of Tawona Moyo and Rachel Jackman did not let them down, winning all three rubbers.

The combination of Mike Walker and Becky Brown secured one victory while Julian Howes and Alex McNaughton failed to win a match.

Whitkirk have finished on 36 points with nine wins from 12 matches. Horsforth, with two matches in hand, are already on 36 points. Third placed Bardsey are on 28 points, also with two fixtures in hand on the top side. But in reality Horsforth are within touching distance of the trophy.