TWO of North Yorkshire's most prominent MPs have gone head-to-head to keep a seat in Parliament after a shake-up of the county's constituencies.

Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh defeated neighbouring Ryedale MP John Greenway in a battle on Saturday to be selected for the newly-created Thirsk and Malton seat.

The two Conservative MPs appeared before local party members to appeal for their backing after their individual constituencies were abolished and merged into the new seat by the Boundary Commission.

Ms McIntosh said she was looking forward to serving the new constituency: "It was a great honour to be selected. I will return that and work as hard as I possibly can for Thirsk and Malton."

She added: "It was a closely fought contest and obviously John has been an outstanding MP.

"It was so regrettable that these boundary changes happen and we came to a run-off."

The new constituency will stretch from Thirsk and include Easingwold, Malton and the rest of Ryedale.

Ms McIntosh said: "My husband and I feel that we have made a home here, I have got family roots here and I am not a constituency hopper by nature. I feel that I still have a contribution to make in the area.

"Whatever happens, John remains the MP for Ryedale until the next election. I am sure we will work very closely together in preparing for the new constituency."

Mr Greenway was first elected as Ryedale's MP in 1987 and he said he would be "extremely sad" no longer to represent the area.

The result also leaves his political future in doubt and he refused to say whether he would search for another seat.

He said: "I am very disappointed. I am also surprised. However, the fact is that they had to choose between the two of us.

"They had a difficult choice to make. I congratulated Anne and I think she will make a first-class MP for Thirsk and Malton.

"I have had a great 20 years with Ryedale and it has been a wonderful experience, but all things come to an end.

"I am extremely sad because I genuinely would have liked to have done at least one more term but, sadly, it was not to be.

"Of course they will have been thinking longer term when they picked Anne. I am sure she will do quite a few more terms."

Paul Blanchard, a York Labour councillor who contested the Ryedale seat at the last General Election, said today that despite obvious political differences, he had got on very well with Mr Greenway. "He fought a tough campaign and we debated at many public meetings.

"I've heard on the grapevine that he is not standing again anywhere else, which is a shame, as he was a good constituency MP."