A public meeting has been called to get more people involved in reopening the railway line through Wensleydale.

As a member of the Wensleydale Railway Association, Euro MP David Bowe will be chairing the meeting at Leeds Civic Hall on 27 February.

Members of the association will outline plans to run their first services later this year.

Mr Bowe said: "The fact that the association recently signed its 3,000th member and has raised a �1m through a share offer demonstrates the groundswell of support for restoring what must be one of the most beautiful rail lines in the country."

"We want to raise awareness of the tremendous benefits which restoring the Wensleydale line can bring to the whole of Yorkshire."

Scott Handley, the chief executive of Wensleydale Rail plc, will outline the plans to have trains operating on the 12 mile stretch between Leeming Bar and Leyburn.

The long-term aim is to reopen the whole of the line from Northallerton to Garsdale.

This would restore the link between the East Coast Main Line and the Settle-Carlisle lines.