A YORKSHIRE garden inspired by the Tour de France has carried off a silver medal at the Chelsea Flower Show.

The seeds of success for Tour de Yorkshire were sown by Bedale based landscape designers Alistair Baldwin Associates, who made the garden for Welcome to Yorkshire.

The garden celebrates hosting the cycling event and brings together some of the best known features of the rural and urban landscape including a windswept Hawthorn tree taken from Brimham rocks.

Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: ‘‘This is the world's greatest flower show, so to be awarded a silver medal is a proud moment for all the people who have worked on the garden, it is also great news in the year our county hosts the opening to the world’s greatest annual sporting event.’’

But cyclists hoping to come for the Grand Depart and travel by train have been dealt a bitter blow by train operators who say they will not be allowing extra bikes on trains.

Train operators revealed they will be putting on extra services and carriages for the event but urged people to leave their bikes at home.

With up to three million spectators expected train operators say they will be sticking to their current policy of only two bikes per train.

A spokeswoman for Northern Rail said:”We are asking people to think twice before they bring their bicycles. Trains are going to be very busy and people may not be able to travel together or they could be delayed if they have bicycles. Train operators have the same basic policy of two bikes per train and we will be sticking to that.”