Harrogate’s Rachel Daly given hero’s welcome at Elland Road

Harrogate’s Rachel Daly received a hero’s welcome at Leeds United’s Elland Road stadium this past weekend.

Daly, who is a lifelong fan of Leeds United, was welcomed onto the pitch ahead of the club’s opening day Premier League clash against Wolves on Saturday.

She received a standing ovation and gave a pitch side interview before kick off.

She made the appearance off the back of being part of England’s Lionesses’ historic win at Euro 2022.

Daly and her teammates captured the heart of a nation after clinching the title with a 2-1 defeat of Germany last week.

Following her pitch-side appearance, Daly saw Leeds pick up all three points with a 2-1 win with goals from Rodrigo and an Aït-Nouri own goal.

In June, Daly lived out a childhood dream when she played at Elland Road in an international friendly against the Netherlands.

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She used to watch the men’s team play at the club’s famous old ground when she was a season ticket holder as a child.

Daly even has a line from the Leeds anthem Marching on Together tattooed on her forearm.

She said in an interview ahead of the Netherlands friendly:

“It’s a club that has held such a special place in my heart and my family’s heart and I’ve got so many memories of being at Leeds.”

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Thieves steal cash and stamps from Birstwith post office

North Yorkshire Police is investigating a burglary at a rural post office in Nidderdale.

Thieves entered the Dales Stores Post Office in Birstwith at nine minutes past midnight on Friday (August 5).

The suspects smashed two panes of glass on the front door and stole cash and a large amount of stamps with a high value.

A North Yorkshire Police statement added:

“Officers are asking members of the public to get in touch if they have any information, saw anything suspicious or can identify the person recorded on CCTV.

“In particular, offices are asking local residents if they have any CCTV or dash cam footage of vehicles in the area at the time of the burglary.

“Anyone with any information is asked to email leah.fitzsimons@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for PC 950 Fitzsimons.

“If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Please quote reference number 12220137553 when passing on information.”

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County’s first recycled plastic bridge installed at Masham

North Yorkshire’s first recycled plastic bridge has been installed at Masham.

The new bridge was fitted at Swinney Beck near to the town and was put in place to provide an alternative to traditional crossings.

The area is prone to flooding and was hit by floods in February 2020. Residents raised concern over the condition of the bridge following the storms.

North Yorkshire County Council officials took the decision to replace the bridge with a recycled plastic structure. They said the material will last longer, will not corrode or rust and will not require painting or maintenance.

Cllr Keane Duncan, executive county councillor for highways and transportation, said that the new bridge fits well with its surroundings.

He said:

“Long-term maintenance costs are a huge consideration when installing new bridges on our public rights of way network. This is why we have taken the opportunity to introduce a recycled plastic alternative which is becoming popular in other parts of the country.

“It’s very exciting to see that plastic waste can be used in construction. 

“The appearance of Swinney Beck bridge is in-keeping with the area and the previous structure – the only difference is the increased lifespan and environmental credentials.”

Richard King, who lives in Ellingstring village near to the beck, first raised the concerns over the condition of the bridge with the county council.

He said:

“Villagers and our many holidaying visitors love to walk on the local footpaths as a perfect escape from the stresses of normal life, enjoying the wildlife and the fabulous views we get being high up on the side of Wensleydale.

“In November 2020 I was crossing the old Swinney Beck Bridge on one of my daily outings and I saw that the bridge had collapsed and was partially submerged, and therefore dangerous to use.

“I reported it to the county council and they have replaced it with a handsome, practical and safe new crossing, which should last for many years, and has the added benefit of being made from recycled materials.

“This will allow walkers to enjoy many more years of access to a quiet and tranquil corner of our beautiful landscape.”

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Cllr Margaret Atkinson, who represents the Masham and Fountains division on North Yorkshire County Council, added: 

“This route is well-used by local residents and walking groups who raised its poor condition and have welcomed the replacement.

“The recycled plastic bridge is a pioneering addition to North Yorkshire’s public rights of way network. I hope it proves a success and more are considered elsewhere in the county.”

Appeal for missing Leeds man who may be in Harrogate

Police are appealing for information on a missing Leeds man who may have travelled to the Harrogate area.

Jesus Moreno, 41, is described as of Spanish origin with long curly brown hair, a long brown beard and wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans.

He is 5ft 7in tall and has an orange octopus tattoo on his upper left arm.

West Yorkshire Police believe he may have travelled to the Harrogate and Knaresborough area.

Officers have urged the public to call 101 referencing log number 1061 02-08.

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Yorkshire Water submits Swinsty parking machines plan

Yorkshire Water has submitted plans for payment machines and number plate recognition cameras at Swinsty reservoir.

The moves comes as the company is set to trial parking charges at three reservoirs within the Harrogate district.

Charges will also be introduced at Thruscross and Fewston.

Yorkshire Water said previously that the revenue generated will help to pay for an in-house rangers team, which would do maintenance jobs and tackle anti-social behaviour at its sites.

As part of the plans submitted to Harrogate Borough Council, automatic number plate recognition cameras and machines on the existing Swinsty car park.

The company said in documents submitted to the authority:

“The car parking itself provides an important functional element to ensure the management of parking to Swinsty Reservoir and the wider area.

“The site is a long-established car park, and it is not anticipated that the introduction of pay and display facilities would generate a greater use of or cause any greater impact than that arising from the current usage of the site by visitors.”

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Those who use the car park will be able to pay via car payment on site, by using the RingGo app or telephone.

Emergency services and blue badge holders will be exempt from the charges.

The proposed tariffs will be one hour at £1, two hours at £2, six hours at £3, an all day pass for £5 and an annual pass for £30.

Bransby Wilson Parking Solutions, based in York, have been appointed to operate the parking meters. 

Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

Harrogate mental health crisis team remains in Ripon

Harrogate’s mental health crisis team is still operating out of Ripon, two years after health bosses closed the town’s Briary unit.

Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, which runs mental health services for the district, moved the team to The Orchards at Ripon following the closure of the Briary unit at Harrogate District Hospital in May 2020.

The crisis team provides specialist inpatient care for adults and children with mental health problems who may otherwise need to go to hospital.

The 29 staff were relocated after managers were unable to find alternative accommodation in Harrogate.

At the time, health bosses said the move was a short term solution until a new base in Harrogate was found.

The Stay Ferret asked the mental health trust whether a new base had been identified for the crisis team and if it had returned to face-to-face consultations.

A spokesperson for Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust said:

“Following the transformation work associated with adult and older adult mental health services, there was a requirement for services other than hospital liaison to move out of Harrogate District Foundation Trust.  

“In the planning of this, the adult and children’s crisis teams were accommodated at the Ripon community base at The Orchards from May 2020, as the crisis team coverage included Harrogate, Ripon and the rural district areas. The crisis team continues to operate from their own office spaces in Ripon.”

They added:

“Because of the nature of the crisis and home-based treatment team, the way we met the needs of patient and carers did not change, in that, we retained face-to-face contact throughout covid balanced with telephone or video contacts, depending on patient choice and level of need as we had done before.”

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In March 2021, health bosses told the Stray Ferret that the team needed to return at the “earliest opportunity”.

When the Briary Wing closed in April 2020, inpatient mental health services transferred to York.

North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, which buys medical services for the county, said the transfer of inpatient beds “released £500,000”, which could be invested in community mental health services.

Have you been affected by this change in mental health services? Get in touch at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

Traffic and Travel Alert: Harrogate district traffic update

Some road closures come into force in the Harrogate district this week which may cause disruption for drivers.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic update.

Roads

This morning, drivers should be aware of roadworks on Wedderburn Road in Harrogate as North Yorkshire County Council refreshes double yellow lines on the street.

A road closure is also expected to be put in place from Tuesday on Knapping Hill as the county council resurfaces the footpath. This work is scheduled to last until August 16.

Meanwhile, a road closure is also in place on the B6451 at Dacre Banks. Yorkshire Water is carrying out repair works.

Temporary lights remain on Ripon’s Clotherholme Road as Northern Gas Networks carries out replacement work to gas pipes in the area.

The lights will remain in place for seven weeks.

Temporary lights are also in place on the A661 Park Road in Spofforth as Northern Powergrid carries out repair work. Drivers should expect delays.

This will remain in place until September 2.

Meanwhile, long term roadworks are in place on Station Road in Goldsborough. The road will be closed until September 19, 2022, as Stonebridge Homes installs a foul water and surface water pipes to connect to the sewer system.

A diversion route is in place in the village.

Trains and buses

Northern services between Harrogate and Knaresborough going to York and Leeds are scheduled to run as normal this morning.

Meanwhile, the Harrogate Bus Company is reporting cancellations on the 1, 1A, 1B, 1D, 7 and 36 morning services.

The road closure at Dacre Banks also means the 24 service will take a diversion and miss stops in the area, including Fountains Bent, Ross Bridge, Holme Farm and Darley Moke Hill.

You can find out more on the disruption to services here.

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Explained: What is North Yorkshire’s combined authority?

As part of a devolution deal which was announced this week, a combined authority will be set up for North Yorkshire and York.

The move will be historic for the county as it joins Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and Tees Valley in setting up such an authority.

Should it be given the go-ahead, a combined authority could be set up for North Yorkshire and York by autumn 2023.

But what is a combined authority and how would it work?

What is a combined authority?

A combined authority is a body set up for two or more councils to make joint decisions.

In this case, the upcoming North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council would come together to make decisions on matters such as economic development and transport.

The combined authority will be chaired by the elected mayor of North Yorkshire and York.

It will be a separate body to North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council.

Four councillors from North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council will sit on the mayor’s executive, should it wish to operate on such a system.

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An overview and scrutiny committee will also be set up to scrutinise the decisions of both the mayor and combined authority. Six councillors from each council will be nominated to sit on the committee.

The closest example of this is West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which recently has led on the £10.9 million Station Gateway scheme, as well as similar schemes in Skipton and Selby.

In West Yorkshire, Labour and Co-Operative representative Tracy Brabin has been the elected mayor of the county and head of the combined authority since 2021.

What decisions will it make?

The combined authority’s powers focus mainly on overarching matters that affect more than one place, for example transport and economic development.

Under the devolution deal agreed this week, the authority would also oversee skills and adult education.

Services such as bin collections and highways will remain with the unitary council.

Why do we need one?

Under the devolution deal agreed with government, a mayor and combined authority must be set up in order to access further funding for areas such as housing and economic development.

It is also required for some powers to be devolved from Westminster to North Yorkshire and York.

North Yorkshire council officials feel the move will help the county be able to make strategic decisions jointly with York.

Simon Weaver: Harrogate Town have been through a ‘cycle of change’

Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver has said the club has been through a “cycle of change” as they head into the second week of the new season.

Town got off to a winning start last weekend against Swindon Town, picking up three points after a 3-0 win at the EnviroVent Stadium.

Weaver told the Stray Ferret that the squad had undergone wholesale changes ahead of the campaign, which needed to be made alongside a fresh style of play.

Town played a 3-4-2-1 formation last weekend and gave debuts to the likes of Matty Daly — one of 10 new additions to the squad.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s clash against Crewe Alexandra, Weaver said he hoped the changes would bring greater depth to the squad and prevent Town from dropping falling away again later in the season.

He said:

“We hope so. We’re excited about the start of the season. We’ve made so many new changes — new style of play, new training ground.  We’ve had a whole cycle of change with the players.

“The last couple of years we just haven’t had the depth we needed. Injuries really hit us in the face. We’ve now got younger lads coming through and we can keep people fresh and have a good season throughout.”

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Debutant Daly, who is on loan from Huddersfield Town, was on the scoresheet in the opening game, alongside Jack Muldoon and Alex Pattison.

The formation and style contributed to Town scoring three of their five shots on target.

When asked if he was happy with how the season has started, Weaver said the club had “a long way to go”.

He said:

“We are only 10 metres into a marathon so we have a long way to go.

“We have more pace now. Last season the counter attacks against us were quite potent. We didn’t have the right shape defensively. We can now be more patient with the ball.”

Town take on Crewe at Gresty Road at 3pm tomorrow.

The Railwaymen were relegated last season after finishing bottom of League One.

Town will be without Rory McArdle, Will Smith, Josh Falkingham and Max Wright who are injured for the clash.

Ticket information is available here.

Ripon’s Jack Laugher wins second gold medal at Commonwealth Games

Ripon’s Jack Laugher has won his second gold medal for England at the Commonwealth Games.

Laugher clinched the title for the synchronised 3m springboard alongside Anthony Harding this afternoon.

The medal becomes the 27-year-old’s second gold in 24 hours.

Yesterday, Laugher defended his 1m springboard title for a second time at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre in Birmingham.

The medal was among the first titles on offer in diving at the games.

Laugher took gold after scoring 447.05 to finish 10 points ahead of Australia’s two-time world champion Li Shixin.

Afterwards, he dedicated the victory to his late grandma, Bernice, who died a couple of months ago and lived seven miles away in Sedgley.

He said:

“It’s really special that today I’ve hopefully done her proud. She was my biggest supporter and I think hopefully I have done her, my family, my mum on poolside, my girlfriend’s parents up in the stands, I hope I have done them all proud.”

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Laugher said there was pressure to defend his title, but he was relieved to clinch gold in front of a home crowd.

He added:

“There was loads of pressure coming into here, trying to defend that title that I’ve had for eight years now.

“It was a great performance, very steady, a few mistakes here and there but I’m really, really happy with everything and to do it in front of a home crowd makes it a little sweeter.”

Laugher was joined on the podium by Jordan Houlden who won the bronze medal.

Speaking after his victory, Leanne Jalland, chair of Harrogate District Diving Club, said:

“We are incredibly proud of Jack, he is not just a talented athlete but an excellent ambassador for diving as a sport. Our divers will be eagerly watching and cheering him on during his next events on 3m.

“It’s great to see so much British talent on show during the 2022 Commonwealth Games to inspire the next generation of young divers”