Quite simply, Last of the Summer Wine is the longest-running comedy programme in the world. It premiered 37 years ago, in 1973, and, after 31 series it finally came to an end last year - even though all its original protagonists - Compo, Foggy, even Nora Batty - are now dead.

Remarkably, for a series of such longevity and international appeal, it is all about elderly people, has little action or plot, and is set and filmed in and around the small Yorkshire town of Holmfirth.

Now, Andrew Vine, the deputy editor of Yorkshire's daily newspaper, has written the...