THE bank may have its origins in Yorkshire — where the Tour de France will start next month — but its bosses turned to a cycling team from Lancashire for their latest TV advert.

Bolton based Team Chronomaster were cast for the minute-long Yorkshire Bank commercial after being head-hunted by a casting agency wanting “professional-looking” cyclists.

The team, which is ranked in the top five in the North West, was invited to Rivington Barn for a test shoot, before being chosen to appear in the advert over a number of other cycling teams.

Cyclists Craig Battersby, Billy Sewart, John Myburgh, Darran Acton, Simon Deplitch and Karl Owen, as well as team sponsor Neil Wood feature in the ad.

The men, who currently lead the North West Criterium Series, hope that it will boost the newly-formed team’s profile.

Mr Battersby, aged 39, of Greenstone Avenue, Horwich, said: “It’s quite funny when you think about it that a bank based in Yorkshire has cast a cycling team from Lancashire.

“I got called up by a casting agency based in Manchester asking for professional-looking cyclists, which made me laugh.

“I have raced competitively pretty much since I was in the pram, but this team has only been going since the start of this year, and it is great publicity, so we thought why not?

“We did a test shoot at Rivington Barn which was a great location, and we were delighted when we got picked to star in the advert.

“We filmed in Edinburgh for three days on its beautiful cobbled streets. It was raining all the time, so it wasn’t much different to being in Bolton.

“Then we went over to Holme Moss, which is the biggest climb in Yorkshire and will be used in the Tour De France.

“It was really good fun and we are all pleased with the result.

“It is really weird watching yourself on TV.”