THE skies above Howden Wood, Silsden, cleared for the annual battle of the giants of Yorkshire trialling in the Bradford Motor Club's Boxing Day Trial.

Top of the bill was Dougie Lampkin, who kept cousins Ben and Dan Hemingway at bay after a tense three lap battle in the depths of the woodland high above Silsden.

It was a tight top six after a dozen greasy sections. The former world champion rattled off three laps while keeping an eye on Alfie Lampkin, who just pipped Alice Minta on the 50/50 route.

Danny Gamble matched Ben Hemingway all the way to the last section when he took a single mark.

Louis Haley galloped away with the inter class heading Thomas Rushton and Sam Boocock.

The Yeadon man knows how to make a Montesa work well and along with Jamie Stephenson tops the class on many a weekend.

Neil Sharp dropped a mark on the rocky loop at section eight but won the novices class.

As usual Robert Hardisty and Phillip Hammond headed the easy route runners. Hammond won despite dropping a boot on the final section near the start. Pete Hollingworth and Bradford treasurer Stephen Wilde were a distant third and fourth.

There were some Craven residents also racing sidecars over the festive period at a championship trial hosted last Thursday by Spen Valley Motor Club at Tong in Bradford.

Baildon national intermediate sidecar champions Nigel and his daughter Gracie-Mae Scott won a seven section trial featuring four sidecars.

Skipton's Chris Pickard and Sam Smith finished second and Barnoldswick father and daughter Anthony and Lucy Ayrton and Chris and Anna Newsham from Chester also competed.