INTERNATIONAL experts are visiting North Yorkshire next week to celebrate the achievements of two market towns.

The market town regeneration specialists are visiting Richmond and Whitby as part of a fortnight of activities organised by the Countryside Agency.

The towns were chosen as Beacon Towns by the agency last year to be used as a test bed for ideas and research.

Teams of experts from Latvia, Hungary, Slovakia, the USA and Serbia, will visit both towns to see how they are using their heritage in their regeneration plans.

Each team will be in the towns for five days, visiting local attractions and meeting local partnership members. The visit will end with a public presentation on their findings and recommendations for the future.

Northallerton and Bedale are also preparing for their future through the publication of market town charters.

The documents, which have been drawn up as part of the Renaissance Market Towns programme spearheaded by Yorkshire Forward, are a 25-year vision.

They will be launched on Monday, and Hambleton District Council is hoping local people will sign up to show their support.

The Northallerton launch takes place between 3pm and 4.30pm, at the Methodist Church, and the Bedale launch is at Bedale Hall, at 6.30pm.