A record 360 tractors in North Yorkshire took part in an annual run to raise money in memory of a young farmer who died aged just 24.
Hundreds of farmers gathered on Sunday 8 March to support the Knaresborough Young Farmers’ Club annual tractor run.
They added at least £10,000 to the £40,000 the event has already raised for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
Sunday's turnout is thought to have secured the event – organised in memory of former YFC member Mike Spink – as the biggest tractor run in the whole country.
There was a new starting point, from the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s (YAS) headquarters in Harrogate, as it had outgrown its old gathering point.
The route took in all its traditional Nidderdale drive-throughs including Knaresborough and Pateley Bridge.
“There are no pre-entries so you never know until the day how many are going to turn up,” said Steven Brown, one of the event organisers.
Around 400 tractors leaving the @greatyorkshow at the start of the @KnaresboroYFC #TractorRun All condensed in to 21 seconds @strayfmwill @PeteOnTheRadio Have a great day everyone raising vital funds for @YorkshireAirAmb ?????? pic.twitter.com/dw06F1FkKB
— Sgt Paul Cording ??+??=? (@OscarRomeo1268) March 8, 2020
“We got to last year’s total of just over 300 and then they just kept coming; it’s a happy but very emotional day for all of us who new Mike.
"He would absolutely capped to think of all these tractors turning out to remember him and raise money for such a good cause."
In January 2017, Mike Spink was hit by a car in New Zealand as he was walking home shortly after midnight.
He grew up on the family’s dairy farm in Scotton, near Knaresborough, before travelling to find farm work overseas.
Sunday’s event was the fourth annual tractor run the club has organised since the 24 year-old died that day.
His friends from YFC wanted to do something to honour him and a tractor run seemed the most fitting tribute.
“It’s breathtaking to think how this event has grown in such a short space of time,” said Steven.
“It started out with just a dozen of us going for a run out on our tractors to remember Mike. To see the 360 turn out this year is very humbling.”
