Following the incredible discovery of the remains of King Richard III, Yorkshire's tourism agency is now calling for his remains to return home to Yorkshire.

#Yorkshirehour we think King Richard III should be returned to York. Please sign petition to #Bringhimhome epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/38772

— Welcome to Yorkshire (@Welcome2Yorks) February 6, 2013

Following the incredible discovery of the remains of King Richard III, Yorkshire’s tourism agency is now calling for his remains to return home to Yorkshire.

Known as Richard of York prior to his coronation, he is regarded by some as the only ever northern king.

He spent some of his childhood and formative years in Middleham and Sheriff Hutton in Yorkshire – which some say is his spiritual home – and began his education as a nobleman here too.

There’s now a Richard III Hotel in Middleham, a Yorkshire-made Richard III Wensleydale cheese and Richard III museum in York

Now tourism agency Welcome to Yorkshire is making an audacious bid for his remains to return to Yorkshire.

Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “We believe that the remains of Richard III should be returned to Yorkshire, his childhood and spiritual home.

“He has been described as the country’s only northern king and we think it would be appropriate for him to rest in peace in the north.”

The campaign has also attracted expert support.

Sandra Wadley, Chairman of the Society of Friends of King Richard III, said: “Although Richard III was born at Fotheringhay, Northamptonshire, he spent ten years of his life here in the North at Middleham. We in the Society of Friends of King Richard III therefore believe that even if he wasn't born in Gods own county he is an adopted Yorkshireman.

“York was Richard's city, the people of York loved him, and Richard loved York, you only have to look in York City Archives to see how much he was loved. For a city to put these words in writing was a very brave thing to do. Please let him come back to York and Yorkshire."

It’s a campaign which has got the strong support of Scarborough Borough Council Leader, Cllr Tom Fox, due to the strong ties the last Plantagenet King Richard had with Scarborough.

Cllr Fox said: “Scarborough’s history would make very different reading if it wasn’t for the influence of Richard III and there is an argument the Yorkshire connection to Richard is at its strongest in Scarborough which is why we fully support the campaign to bring Richard III ‘home’ – it’s only fitting Yorkshire is his final resting place."

“We are fully behind our colleagues at the City of York Council in their bid to bring Richard ‘home’ in accordance with his wishes. To be perfectly blunt, the people of Leicester misplaced him for more than 500 years – would we really wish to entrust his remains to them again? I think not.”

Welcome to Yorkshire has launched a social media campaign, which you can support and follow @welcome2yorks and #bringhimhome

You can also sign an online petition here

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/38772