HARROGATE — A plaque honoring cyclist Beryl Burton was unveiled in Harrogate by her daughter, Denise Burton-Cole, and Harrogate Mayor Councillor Viv Poskitt. The plaque was commissioned by the Harrogate Civic Society and installed outside Burton's former home on Mount Parade.

Mark Newby, chair of the Harrogate Civic Society, said, "In 1967, she set a world record the for the 12-hour time trial, which wasn't just the women's record, she actually beat the men's record which she held for two years." Burton achieved a distance of 277.25 miles (446km) during this record-setting ride. Alice Lethbridge broke Burton's 12-hour record in 2017.

Newby also stated, "For the women's record, incredibly that record stood for 50 years." He noted, "She won more than 90 domestic championships, 72 national individual time trial titles." Burton was also named British Time Trials Best All Rounder for 25 consecutive years between 1959 and 1983. Burton and her daughter, Denise Burton-Cole, set a British 10-mile record for women riding a tandem bicycle, completing it in 21 minutes and 25 seconds.

Newby added, "Quite a lot of people have been commenting that she is the greatest cyclist full stop." Burton won seven world titles during her career. She was born in Morley in Leeds. She never competed in the Olympic Games, as women's cycling events were not introduced to the Olympic Games until 1984. She died in 1996 at the age of 58. The plaque marks the 99th brown heritage plaque installed in Harrogate.