SOUVENIR-hunters who want a reminder of when the world's greatest cycling race came to Craven are to have a chance to bid for bunting and banners.

Craven District Council is to auction off the Tour de France artefacts that adorned Skipton in the summer - and the cash will go to the council chairman's charity.

Twelve iconic Tour lamp-post banners and 50 bundles of yellow, green, polka dot and Union Jack bunting that were on and around Skipton High Street are up for grabs in a sealed bid auction.

All the money raised will go to the charity Lupus UK, which battles lupus, a chronic and incurable disease of the immune system.

The banners bear the official Tour De France and Yorkshire Grand Depart 2014 logos, while the bunting features a display of cycling jerseys in the colours of the Tour De France competition categories.

Council chairman Linda Brockbank said: “We’ve had a lot of interest in the banners and bunting and wanted to give people, businesses and organisations a fair opportunity to obtain these souvenirs. Personally, I am thrilled that all money raised will go to the very deserving charity. Lupus is a chronic and presently incurable illness.”

More information about the auction is available on www.cravendc.gov.uk/TdFauction. The auction will run from today until November 28. Bids can be made via the council website or send a letter clearly stating the item you are bidding for, your bid and your contact details to: Craven District Council, FAO Elaine Brittain, Chairman’s Secretary, 1 Belle Vue Square, Broughton Road, Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 1FJ.