FORMER diplomat turned thriller writer Jean Harrod MBE was guest speaker at Northallerton Mowbray Rotary Club's annual Charter Night at Romanby Golf Club.

Ms Harrod, who worked extensively overseas as part of the British Consul, entertained guests with stories about her travels and how she found inspiration for her first two crime thrillers - Deadly Diplomacy, which is set in Australia, and Deadly Deceit, which is set in the Turks and Caicos Islands. A third novel is in the pipeline.

Now living in North Yorkshire, she is an active contributor to regional theatre and has also written and staged several plays.

Club president Anand Nadgir welcomed District Governor Phillip Poole, who gave more details about Rotary's campaign to eradicate polio, which has seen the immunisation of 2.5bn children in 122 countries and is very close to complete worldwide eradication of the disease.

Also present were friends and guests from neighbouring Rotary clubs in District 1040. A raffle was held for the Friarage Hospital MRI Scanner Appeal.