Town prepares for the Tour de Yorkshire

And cycling race organisers have announced that a roadshow will be held in the area in the run up to the May event. Residents, businesses and community groups are invited to attend to find out more about the tour and how they can get involved.

The roadshow will be held at the Westfield Resource Centre on Wednesday, March 14.

Coun Steve Tulley, for South Elmsall and South Kirkby, said: “The hub of South Elmsall is the community centre and I’m pleased the roadshow will be coming to it. I’d encourage people to get down there and find out all about the tour and get behind it.

“I think it’s really wonderful for the community that the tour is coming through the town, and it puts South Elmsall on the map.

“It was a great success last time and I never in my wildest dreams expected it to come back again in such a short space of time. I’m thrilled to bits.”

The county’s most celebrated cycling race, which runs from May 3 to 6, will take in South Elmsall, Ackworth, Pontefract and Castleford on a Yorkshire heritage-inspired section of the route.

Riders will pass through the district as they make their way on a 149km journey from Barnsley to Ilkley on May 4.

Villagers in Ackworth are also preparing for the tour’s arrival. A public meeting will be held at the Parish Council community centre from 7pm until 8.30pm on Monday.

Residents, community groups, schools, businesses and other organisations are invited to attend to help plan the communal effort to welcome the race.

Local craft group Ackworth Needles and Pins have already approached the parish council with an offer to decorate the village with bunting. And they will hold workshops in March and April for people to get involved.

May will be the third time the district has played host to the tour. In 2015, Wakefield city centre was the location for the start of the third day of the race.

And in 2016, the tour passed through Knottingley, Pontefract, Upton and North and South Elmsall.