A TRADITIONAL All Star cricket match pitching celebrities from ITV soap Emmerdale against a village team organisers had hoped could go ahead this year has been cancelled because of concerns over the pandemic.

After the relaxing of restrictions Crakehall Cricket Club, near Bedale, announced last week they would be hosting their annual charity cricket day with members of the cast of the ITV soap Emmerdale on Sunday August 8. It’s been held for more than 20 years raising over £100,000 for charities.

But organiser Luke Haslam said they had received a call at the weekend from Emmerdale to say that the decision had been taken that they are having to cancel the charity day at Crakehall this year.

It's understood they had been advised that all covid protocols are remaining in place on the Emmerdale set for the foreseeable future to try to protect filming schedules, and as such the actors are not able to take part in the charity day this year as it does attract large numbers of spectators.

They had hoped that the day would be able to go ahead given national restrictions being eased but the decision had been taken by the production company.

Mr Haslam said they were planning to go ahead next year and were keeping the Yorkshire Air Ambulance as the charity to benefit from the event as they are missing out this year.