THE first meeting of the Hambleton Flood Forum will be held next week.

The forum, which has been criticised by local councillors, meets in the council chamber in Northallerton, at 9.30am on Thursday. Those at the session will include district, town and parish councillors from the Thirsk, Romanby, Brompton and Northallerton areas, and representatives from Yorkshire Water, the Environment Agency, emergency services and community groups.

BARN DANCE: Mowbray Folk Dance Group is holding its barn dance tonight in Northallerton Town Hall, from 7.30pm to 11.15pm. The Bug Band will be playing and admission is £4.50, including a buffet supper. Drinks must be brought to the dance.

CRASH VICTIM: Police have named a man who died in an accident on the A64 on Wednesday as Charles Craig, 50, of Pineview Road, Columbia, South Carolina, in the US. He was killed when his Vauxhall Vectra collided with a lorry at Barton Hill crossroads, near Malton, at about 2.20pm. Witnesses are asked to contact PC Steve Wood on (01723) 509555.

BOOK DATE: The annual book fair at Fountains Abbey takes place over the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, November 2 and 3. Fountains Hall hosts the popular event between 11am and 4pm each day. Anyone who would like to contribute books, records or CDs for sale can contact 0870 458 4000 or visit the National Trust website at www.nationaltrust.org.uk

PUB'S TRIUMPH: A Masham pub, which only re-opened two years ago, has won an award. The White Bear has been named Yorkshire Life's Dining Pub of the Year for the Harrogate district. The accolade recognises the standard of service and cuisine, and follows Camra's Pub of the Season award earlier this summer.

STICK UP: Gangsters will be patrolling York's McArthur Glen designer outlet on Sunday - but shoppers need not be concerned. The shifty characters are members of the cast performing in the York Amateur Operatic Society's production of Bugsy Malone. Songs from the show will be performed from 2pm.

CASH BOOST: Crakehall Primary's Hannah Brown and Becky Liddle, from Norton's Ryedale School, won £50 each for their schools, and £10 for themselves, in a competition run by Masham animal feed firm, I'Anson's, which challenged them to use its products to come up with a piece of artwork that reflected farming today.