HARROGATE Rugby Union Club is celebrating its biggest victory of the season - the 11-4 vote by borough councillors in favour of its move to a new home at Killinghall.

The vote overturned a previous eight-to-seven show of hands against the club's plans for a 30-acre site at Moorlands Farm six months ago, and is expected to help firm up the sale of the present ground at Claro Road for house building.

A planning scheme for homes there will be debated shortly.

The farmland scheme, which split the village, now goes to the Government to see if it wants to intervene, but that is thought to be unlikely.

Rugby club secretary Ian Gair said the club was happy and relieved at the outcome and wanted to thank all those who had supported its relocation cause.

Letters of support this time around outnumbered those from protestors by two to one, unlike the previous occasion when the force of opposition was overwhelming.