IT is hard to believe that the Boxing Day Trial at Howden Wood, Silsden could be the final event to be held by the illustrious Bradford & District Motor Club, unless new helpers are found.

The names on the membership are legends. The entire Jefferies family, Allan, Tony, Nick, and the late David, Colin and Robin Appleyard.

The Lampkin family, Arthur, Alan, Martin, Harry and multi-world champion Dougie – and now his children – Artie Ratcliffe, Stan Holmes, Bill and Mick Wilkinson, Geoff Broadbent, Blackie Holden and Maurice Rispin.

The club have run sprints, scrambles, grass tracks, trials up to national and British Championship status such as the Allan Jefferies Trial which was trade supported in 1947 at Long Ashes, Grassington.

That was the very first trial I ever watched. I was 16 and at the time I rode an ex –Army Triumph 350cc motorcycle.

The trial was a British championship event and all the major domestic motor cycle manufacturers were there. I did compete in the event eight years later

Sadly, the current problem is manpower. The club has a strong list of workers, the people who mark out trials and observe, but have just one lady volunteer who is prepared to sit in the car taking entries, in some cases observing, and then preparing the results.

Nick Jefferies and club president Kevin Feeny have discussed a policy with long-standing official Ron Eddings, who has done a 25-year-stint.

The bottom line is Bradford and District Motor Club will suspend organising events in 2018, unless some new blood comes on the scene.

And talking of new faces four Hemingways and many young Lampkins plus many top Yorkshire riders, will be in action at Howden Wood on Tuesday.

All of them will be hoping that this doesn’t prove to be the popular club’s last stand.