Apple's new mapping software relocates Spurn Point to South Africa

IT HAS changed the face of East Yorkshire in an instant, moving villages, land and even a cathedral.

Apple's new mapping software, described by the computing giant as the "most powerful ever", was supposed to give people a view of the world at their fingertips.

But a series of embarrassing glitches means the new software, available to millions of iPad and iPhones users, has left Apple ridiculed for making momentous mapping mistakes.

And East Yorkshire doesn't escape, with these Apple map gaffes:

Beverley appears as "Leckonfield".

Driffield is shown as "Little Driffield".

Spurn Point relocates 6,000 miles to a restaurant in South Africa.

Beverley Minster is moved to a pub.

Hull's railway station moves to the city's marina.

Apple has pledged to solve the problems, which emerged almost as soon as it released its new maps service last week.

It was designed to replace the more familiar Google Maps app, which iPad and iPhone owners and other computer and phone owners had been used to.

Other mistakes in the Apple version have included London being relocated to Ontario, Canada, Paddington station vanishing, a new airport appearing on a Dublin farm, towns in Wales and England moving several miles away, parts of Scotland being obscured by cloud and Manchester United being moved to a local amateur football ground.

The most glaring mistakes in East Yorkshire are seen in the satellite map of the region where notable towns are visible.

Hull appears correctly, but Beverley appears as "Leckonfield", presumably a misspelled variation of the nearby village of Leconfield. And Driffield appears as "Little Driffield", a tiny village just outside the town.

Other searches also provide baffling results.

"Hull Docks" directs users to the Victoria Dock Tavern, a community hall or Victoria Dock health centre. A search for "Hull Railway Station" places it in Railway Street in the marina.

And a search for Beverley Minster, one of East Yorkshire's most prominent landmarks, places it behind the Monk's Walk pub in Highgate.

A search for Spurn Point, one of the region's most recognisable features, directs users to the "Silver Spear Spur" a restaurant in Durban, South Africa.

In another odd example, the tiny hamlet of Aughton, near Howden, appears as one of the main towns in East Yorkshire.

Beverley Town Mayor Margaret Pinder is annoyed by the glaring errors.

"Leconfield is dominated by an army base while we are a market town," she said. "How can you get it so wrong?

"Beverley is the county town and people are very proud of where they live.

"In this day and age people rely heavily on technology so companies like Apple need to get it right.

"I just wonder where they got their information from.

"This smacks of arrogance."

Neil Pickford, virger at Beverley Minster, believes people shouldn't rely on technology so much.

He said: "I think this proves that it's better to travel with your eyes open to the real world rather than concentrate on the digital one.

"It's the real world we need to live in, not something created by computer."

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust runs the nature reserve at Spurn Point.

"It is disappointing to hear this," said Joanna Richards, of the trust. "This is a nationally renowned reserve and is very recognisable.

"We are trying to create a tourism triangle in East Yorkshire to bring more eco-tourism to the region.

"We want people to be aware of the wildlife you can see at the reserve but people need to know how to get there.

"It doesn't help when Apple get it so wrong."

Branding Driffield "Little Driffield" hasn't pleased the town's mayor Joan Cooper.

"Little Driffield does exist but making errors like this is going to put somebody in a ditch," she said. "People have pride in where they live and mistakes like this anger people.

"A company like Apple should know better."

A spokesman for Apple admitted mistakes have been made but is learning from the feedback received.

She said: "We are continuously improving it. The more people use it, the better it will get.

"We appreciate all the customer feedback and are working hard to make the customer experience even better."