CAMPAIGNERS have launched a drive to reopen a long-closed train station in a Selby village.

Hemingbrough railway station was mothballed more than 30 years ago, but two villagers want to see the stop reopened.

Villagers Jan Strelczenie and Ronald Chilvers, chairman of the parish council, are conducting a survey in the area to see whether there is support for the plan.

The former station is on the Leeds to Hull line - which runs through Selby - at what is now Cliffe level crossing.

Mr Strelczenie said: "I've lived in the village for 22 years and there's not been a station in all that time.

"But there are still some platforms there.

"Roland and I have both been out leafleting in Cliffe, Hemingbrough, Osgodby, and South Duffield.

"We are sounding out people in the village to see if they want the station reopening, whether they would generally support it, or use it. We were thinking along the lines of Howden station, which was reopened recently, where they have put some bus shelters up."

Mr Strelczenie said he thought the scheme could bring real benefits to the village.

"I have always thought it is a shame that people cannot use the trains going through the village," he said.

"People complain about kids running around the villages, but they cannot go anywhere.

"With a train station they would be able to go into Leeds or wherever for the night.

"Also parking is getting very bad in Selby, and if the station were open, people could use that instead."

He also said the reopening could contribute to tackling climate change by reducing car use in the area. Within the last two days there has been quite a lot of positive interest," he added.

Selby MP John Grogan: "I think there is a case for doing a feasibility study to see to whether Hemingbrough railway station could be reopened.

"There is the essence of a station there already - it is not difficult to see how it could be done.

"The last station to be reopened was Sherburn-in-Elmet in the early nineties, which has about five or six services to York every day, and there's not been anything since."