Masham woman sets up fundraiser for bus driver involved in fatal A61 collision

A woman from Masham has set up a fundraising page for the bus driver seriously injured in a fatal collision on the A61 Ripon Road this month.

Daria Bartienieva, 35, her son, Ihor Bartienieva, aged 6, and Daria’s step-daughter, Anastasiia Bartienieva, 15, died after a three-vehicle crash that involved a double decker 36 bus on the road near South Stainley on September 3.

It was the second fatal collision on the road on consecutive weekends.

Katie Sills, 23, told the Stray Ferret she had followed the fundraiser for 15-year-old Liza Bartienieva, who was orphaned following the accident.

It has so far raised more than £41,000 and Ms Sills decided to launch a similar appeal for the driver of the 36 bus known as ‘Bob’ because she had not seen anything being done on his behalf.

Ms Sills said she does not know Bob but wanted to help in any capacity she could:

“I just thought to myself ‘he’s a man with a family, bills and probably rent or a mortgage’.

“I’m not entirely sure what the money will be used for, but I imagine just everyday living if he’s not working.

“What he saw would’ve been absolutely horrendous and now he’s left with physical and mental trauma.”

After setting up the GoFundMe page on Sunday, which has now raised over £2,000, a friend of the bus driver reached out to Ms Sills.

“His friend said he’d seen my post about the fundraiser and that the man does not have social media, so he passed on my phone number and he text me not long after.”

The man told Ms Sills “I cannot thank you enough for your kindness and consideration”. She said:

“He told me in the text that the only reason he was working that Sunday was so he could take a day off to drive his son to university the following week.

“He also said he’d always be indebted to me.”

The initial target was £1,000 but now that has been surpassed, Ms Sills said she’d like to keep the page up to raise as much as she can.

A fun day will also be held at Ripon Bowling Club this Sunday to continue raising money for those affected by the collision – including the bus driver and Liza.

It will include cake stalls, a raffle, a live DJ and a magician.

The event will run from 1pm to 5pm.

It is free to attend but asks people to donate what they can.

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Vote for your favourite autumnal images for our charity calendar

Help create the best 2024 charity calendar featuring beautiful reader images from across the Harrogate district!

The Stray Ferret will be showcasing the best photo of the week entries – posted every Sunday on our channels – in our calendar, but we need your help to decide the lucky winners.

The winning photographs will be included in the autumn months of the calendar, so whether you love the flaming orange leaves or a twinkling starry night, take a look at our shortlist below and vote for your favourite images via our competition page.

You never know…perhaps your own picture could be the winner!

Natural beeswax shop opens in Knaresborough

An independent shop that sells a range of beeswax products has opened in the centre of Knaresborough.

The Yorkshire Beeswax Candle Company opened in Green Dragon Yard on Saturday.

It previously traded at Yorkshire Farmers’ Market in Knaresborough Market Square, which no longer exists, before trialling a premise on Waterside.

Inside the new shop.

The family-run business, which was launched in 2019, sells a variety of beeswax candles, organic body care products and diffusers.

It also offers several Yorkshire honey products, including one sourced from a Knaresborough hive located just off Waterside.

The premises on Green Dragon Yard.

In a social media post, owner Michael Landreth, said:

“It’s been a crazy few weeks and months but we have done it and ready to open our doors.

“We would like to thank everyone who has helped us and supported us over the months and years and we really look forward to you all visiting our brand new home.”

The Yorkshire Beeswax Candle Company is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm.

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Open day in Pateley Bridge gives people chance to learn about local rivers

The Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust is hosting an open day in Pateley Bridge this weekend to give local people an insight into its work.

The environmental charity protects local rivers, including the Swale, Ure, Nidd, Wharfe and Ouse, by carrying out educational projects and engaging with communities.

The open day will tell people about its work in areas such as water sampling, flood management and controlling non-native species, as well as highlighting the importance of healthy river environments.

A representative of Nidd Action Group, which is campaigning to clean-up the Nidd, will be among a number of guest speakers.

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There will also be two guided walks along the Nidd, a lunch time poster session and a session in the Rivers4U mobile classroom where people can enjoy learn about the river and life within it further.

Soup, coffee and cake will be on offer during the lunch session.

Dr Marie Taylor, chief executive of the trust, said:

“People are now far more aware of the quality of Yorkshire’s rivers and yet many are probably less aware of the extent of the trust’s endeavours and our partnership achievements in monitoring and improving our waterways.

“The open day is a great opportunity to explore the breadth of our work, learn about what we have delivered with others, and discover how to support these activities.”

The event will take place on Saturday, September 16, from 11am – 3.30pm.

It will be held at the Riverside Scout Hut in Pateley Bridge and is free to attend.

Harrogate band represents town at French flower festival

A Harrogate band has represented the town at a flower festival in Luchon in France — a place twinned with Harrogate.

Tewit Silver Band, based in Huby, recently returned from Luchon en Fleurs 2023, which celebrated all things floral.

The band – which is made up of 30 players aged between 13 and 78 – and invited to feature in several parades.

It gave its first performance in Sqaure Lauret where its marches and overtures entertained the crowd despite poor weather.

The following show took place in front of the Mairie – the mayor’s office – and was accompanied by a procession of horses and dancers.

Pics: Tewit Silver Band Facebook

The final performance was held at a church in Garin and ended with a standing ovation.

The band said in a statement:

“Our free time was spent discovering the natural beauty of the surrounding area that was spectacular despite the weather.

“Members enjoyed walks, visits to the local areas, swimming in the lake and sampling a few of the local bars and restaurants.”

Tewit Silver Band, a charity, was formed in 2017.

It competes in various national and international competitions, as well as private functions and charity events.

Harrogate is twinned with Luchon and recently held its own floral festival – Harrogate Floral Summer of Celebration.

The relationship between the towns is overseen by Harrogate International Partnerships.

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Yorkshire Kardashians venture on ‘reet posh’ trip to Harrogate

The Yorkshire Kardashians ventured to Harrogate for a “reet posh” weekend away in a recent social media video.

The creator of the videos, Steff Todd, shares the lives of the northern characters on Facebook and Instagram – from being banned from Amber Cars to family trips t’Asda.

The video follows the Kar-Jenner clan on their jollies as they explore all the town has to offer, including a day at the Great Yorkshire Show and two-for-one cocktails at The Yorkshire Hotel – all thanks to a Groupon deal.

The newlywed Kourtney and Travis Barker are pictured ice-cream-in hand outside the Black Sheep Bar at the showground, while ‘momager’ Kris Jenner is heckling Emmerdale’s Paddy Kirk in the sheep ring with repeated ‘ey-up Paddy’s!’

Kylie and Kendall Jenner are then seen walking a multitude of dogs in the town complaining about their mother ‘getting half-cut at Fountains Abbey’ and planning their ‘cocktails with the lasses’ later that day.

The family even swoon over a house near Risplith as ‘it looks like the Omaze house’, which Kris reassures Khloe she “put a tenner on to win last night, lass”.

As their weekend continues, the family prepare for the main event: two-for-one cocktails at the “reet posh place”, the Yorkshire Hotel. Although, not before Kourtney asks the hotel staff if there’s a vending machine nearby for her husband is “right hungry”.

When speaking to a friend who has recently moved to Harrogate, eldest Kourtney adds:

“So, you live in ‘ere in Harrogate? Flippin ‘ell…you’ve done well, haven’t you?”

The family bring their Harrogate weekend to a close with a trip to Bettys, where they have a “stunning view, even with the roadworks overlooking the war memorial and a glass of Prosecco in hand”.

The light-hearted video shows Harrogate in all its glory, with shots of the town centre, the Stray and villages across the district.

Comedian and impressionist Steff Todd told the Stray Ferret she began her Kardashian videos in lockdown, when she decided to combine Kylie Jenner with a Yorkshire accent.

The fictitious characters have also travelled to York, Ilkley Moor and Whitby.

The Harrogate video has amassed nearly 40,000 likes on social media.

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Harrogate man ‘saves baby’s life’ during choking incident on M62

A Harrogate man saved an 11-month-old baby from choking to death after spotting a mother in distress on the M62 this week.

Liam Brown of Harrogate Automation Ltd was stuck in traffic on the motorway with his boss, Alex Eadington, on their way to a supplier in Warrington on Tuesday.

The pair noticed a car pull on to the hard shoulder and then a woman got out “screaming for help in desperation”.

Liam continued:

“We then saw a man get out of the car – it was the mother’s grandfather – and he was shaking a baby.

“He was screaming for help too.”

(left) Heroes Liam Brown and Alex Eadington, the owner of Harrogate Automation.

It was then that the men, who were still stuck in traffic, realised the baby was choking.

Alex, the driver, pulled the van on to the hard shoulder and Liam instinctively ran to help.

Liam said:

“I literally ran and just grabbed the baby, squatted down on one knee and place it over my knee to pat its back.

“I learned first aid in 2014, so I just tried to implement everything I’d learned to help.”

Mr Brown said the baby was convulsing and he could hear a rattling sound coming from around its mouth.

“I knew something was stuck at that point.

“I really gently put my finger in its mouth and pulled out a plastic wrapper.”

Fortunately, the baby’s breathing then steadied according to Mr Brown.

He added:

“There wasn’t much thought to it really.

“Alex and I are both fathers and it felt like a parental instinct to help – I couldn’t just watch and do nothing.”

Satisfied the baby had recovered, the two men returned to their van to continue their journey.

The baby’s mother, Lola Taylor of Salford, shared a message she’d sent to Harrogate Automation Ltd on social media:

“Just a quick message to thank your amazing team for the support and help they gave to my baby this morning.

“My baby was choking and two gentleman kindly pulled over and saved my baby’s life!

“If it wasn’t for that man my baby wouldn’t have survived – I’m honestly so so grateful.”

Ms Taylor also posted on her social media:

“What a traumatic experience. We are so so lucky.

“If it wasn’t for that man pulling over things would have been so different now.”

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New hair salon opens in Ripon

A new hair salon has opened on Heckler Lane in Ripon.

Owners Kyra Dodsworth, 21, and Shannon McCarthy, 25, opened Salon Twenty Three last week after working together at a Northallerton salon for seven years.

Krya said Shannon spotted the unit and presented the idea of opening their own salon.

The pair got the keys on August 1 and opened to the public a month later when renovations were complete.

The salon offers traditional hairdressing services, including cuts, colours, styling and treatments for both men and women.

Hair extensions and wedding hair services are also available.

The women posted on social media:

“A lot of blood, sweat and tears has gone into making our dream become our reality!

“Such a “pinch me” moment for us both, I’m sure one day it will feel real but for now it’s still not sunk in that our dream is no longer just a dream.”

Kyra told the Stray Ferret an additional room in the salon that, once decorated, will hopefully be used to offer beauty services as well.

The salon is currently open Monday to Saturday.

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World food supermarket opens in Harrogate today

A supermarket stocking a range of international cuisines has opened its doors in Harrogate today.

All Nations Supermarket on Skipton Road sells a wide variety of Asian, African, Middle Eastern and European foods and ingredients — the first of its kind in the town.

The store also has a butchers counter selling fresh meat and stocks halal foods too.

Owner Amjad Ali, who lives in Leeds but is originally from Kurdistan, told the Stray Ferret he decided to open in Harrogate due to a high demand for ethnic foods in the town.

Mr Ali said:

“I’d visited the area a few times.

“When I found the unit, I posted on Facebook to get a flavour of whether people would want a world food store and I got a great response.

“I knew then that the town wanted these foods.”

The store stocks the TikTok viral Buldak products, as well as a range of Asian spices, Middle Eastern desserts and even fresh fruit and vegetables.

The store boasts a large amount of Asian noodles and ramen dishes.

The shop has received a positive response on social media. One person commented it would save them going to Leeds to find something similar.

Mr Ali continued:

“We only opened this morning but the response from people has been absolutely incredible.

“I’m so happy and I feel so excited for the future.”

All Nations Supermarket is open seven days a week from 8am to 9pm.

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Woman fined after being in charge of dangerous dog in Harrogate

A Harrogate woman has been fined for being in charge of a dangerous dog after it bit a 15-year-old boy.

Deborah Patterson, 61, of Southville Terrace, pleaded guilty to two offences which took place in August last year.

She initially plead not guilty at a hearing in March but changed her plea before Harrogate Magistrates Court yesterday.

Phillip Morris, prosecuting, told the court the defendant’s dog, Baxter, a boxer, bit the first victim on the leg while dangerously out of control in a small park at the junction of Skipton Road and Ripon Road on August 1

A week later, the same dog bit another dog between Skipton Road and Ripon Road.

Reading a witness statement, Mr Morris said the first victim, who was 15-years-old at the time of the incident, was sitting with a friend on a bench near Patterson’s home at 9.30am when Baxter approached him.

He added the dog jumped up at him and, after turning his back on Baxter, the dog bit the victim on the back of his leg.

The witness said:

“The owner sort of hid away after.

“I shouted at her ‘your dog just bit me’.”

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also posted a picture on his Snapchat story captioned: “I’ve just been bitten by a dog”.

He suffered bruising to the back of his leg as a result of the incident, the court heard.

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Patterson and her dog were then involved in a second incident on August 9.

Reading the second witness statement, Mr Morris said the named victim had been walking her two dogs with her baby in a pram near the same parkland on Ripon Road at around 10am. Baxter ran over and bit one of the woman’s dogs on the neck.

Ms Patterson and the second victim’s leads also became entangled and, as a result, caused the pram to tilt, the court heard.

The victim said in her witness statement:

“Afterwards, [Patterson] said ‘I’m not saying sorry to you’.

“I then told her her dog had just bitten mine.”

Neither the woman nor the baby were injured during this incident.

Mr Morris said that while neither victim wished for Baxter to be destroyed, they wanted the court to understand the defendant’s “acute lack of apology” following the incidents.

‘Lady of good character’

Peter Minnikin, defending for Patterson, told the court the offences took place more than 12 months ago and Baxter had not been involved in any similar incidents before or since.

He said Patterson was a “lady of good character” who had taken Baxter to behavioural training sessions in Cumbria.

Mr Minnikin added she had shown contrition in police interviews and had taken steps to control her dogs on walks since the offences.

In an interview with the police, the defendant said about the second incident:

“I should’ve checked — I just saw her and her dogs coming towards me.

“She was just trying to protect her lovely baby. No one was on the floor.”

At sentencing, the magistrates chose not to give a destruction order or contingent destruction order against the dog.

Instead, due to the defendants noted ‘good character’ and no further incidents taking place, the magistrates fined the 61-year-old £1,296.

She was also ordered to pay a total of £250 to the 15-year-old victim and £100 to the second victim as compensation.