Scarborough: Civic honours for Beth Mead and Zoe Aldcroft

Beth Mead, who grew up near Whitby, was first suggested for the award last year

Footballer Beth Mead and Rugby Union player Zoe Aldcroft are to be made honorary Freemen of the Borough of Scarborough.

The award will be confirmed by Scarborough Borough councillors at a special meeting on 20 March.

England and Arsenal footballer Mead is from Hinderwell, near Whitby, while Aldcroft, from Scarborough plays for England internationally.

The council said they were a "model to young women" on the Yorkshire coast.

Mead was first suggested for the honour in August after the England team won the Uefa 2022 Women's Euros.

She was named the competition's best player and was the tournament's top scorer and went on to be crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year and recognised in the New Year Honours List.

Rugby Union's Aldcroft made her debut internationally against France in 2016 and joined Gloucester-Hartpury Women in 2018 and was named World Rugby Women's 15s Player of the Year in 2021.

Rugby Union's Zoe Aldcroft grew up in Scarborough

Scarborough Borough Council's Conservative group leader Derek Bastiman said both women exemplified the "qualities of perseverance, resilience and hard work that are a model to young people growing up on the Yorkshire Coast".

He said success was not measured by just length of service, but by the effort put in.

"It is very welcome that we are being given a chance to celebrate their success as individuals and part of our national team," he added.

The special council meeting will also see 12 long-serving councillors become honorary aldermen and alderwomen.

The town's former mayor, Hazel Lynskey, who died in 2022 will also be honoured.

It will be the final time Scarborough Borough Council makes the awards before the authority is abolished at the end of March to be replaced by a new unitary North Yorkshire Council.