CANOEISTS have lost their fight to prevent a hydropower plant from going ahead in a scheme to sell electricity to the National Grid.

The canoe enthusiasts, including the Lower Wharfe and York clubs, objected to plans by the Throup farming family to divert water from the River Ouse at Linton Lock, Nun Monkton, near York.

They expressed fears about the future of their activities if the scheme went ahead.

But members of the Knaresborough area planning committee of Harrogate Borough Council voted to back the scheme which will, via a turbine, generate up to 450 kilowatts of electricity.