Tan Hill Inn owners ‘will resort to helicopters if necessary' to get Chris Moyles to Britain's highest pub for birthday show amid travel disruption

Tan Hill Inn’s owners Mike Kenney and Andrew Heilds have promised “the show will go on” despite Storm Franklin - and have proposed to fly Chris and his team to the remote Yorkshire inn by helicopter as a last resort.

The Radio X team were due to get the train from King's Cross to Darlington in time for a party at the 17th century pub on Monday evening ahead of Tuesday’s live show - which promises a few special guests.

Chris and his team are due to spend Monday night at Tan Hill Inn, alongside Noasis - the tribute band who were famously snowed in at the pub during Storm Arwen last November.

However, the widespread travel disruption caused by Storm Franklin has seen their train cancelled - so the pub’s owners are looking into a contingency plan.

Mr Kenney told The Yorkshire Post: “We have a contingency plan to fly the lot of them - there’s quite a few - in helicopters in a worse case scenario.

“The show must go on and weather does not beat us at Britain’s Highest.

“It’s going to be party night tonight and God help them in the morning. All the team are staying in all the rooms and bunk rooms etc.”

He revealed that weather conditions at the pub - which at 1,732 feet (528m) above sea level is the highest in the UK - were windy and snowy on Monday morning - adding “but what’s new?”

Mr Kenney added that a group of soldiers had stopped by the pub on Monday morning.

Chris chose the famous Yorkshire pub as the destination for his special birthday show after interviewing general manager Nicola Townsend about Storm Arwen that saw revellers snowed in for three days in November last year.

“He said how much he wanted to visit and have a lock-in. As did Liam Gallagher on Twitter. So they thought this was going to be a unique and Interesting venue,” Mr Kenney said.

“It’s all been hush hush as Chris’ tech team came up a week ago - and around a dozen guys arrived on Sunday to prepare our festive barn for the live broadcast in the morning.”

Yet Storm Franklin isn’t the only challenge when it comes to putting on a live radio show at Britain’s highest pub.

Mr Kenney said: “We are fortunate to have a few celebs pitch up here.

“However a live national radio broadcast has certain challenges all of its own.

“It’s hard enough to get a phone signal and we tend to rely on satellite, but a live on-site broadcast is wow!

“But Chris’ tech team have overcome all of that having had secret previous visits, only to have the trains from King's cross cancelled.

“The show will go on and one way or another Chris and the team will get here and enjoy our hospitality. “

Previous destinations for Chris’ birthday show have included a pop-up pub, a pod on the London Eye, and a pitch black studio where he was unable to see a thing.

You will be able to watch Chris Moyles’ special birthday show live from the Tan Hill Inn here on Tuesday February 22 from 6.30am.