Police have launched an investigation after trespassers broke into Harrogate Spring Water‘s headquarters last night.

A source told the Stray Ferret protesters attempted to enter the building on Harlow Moor Road and “antagonised staff”. They added those responsible wore GoPro cameras and flew a drone over the site.

However, nobody appears to have claimed responsibility for the incident and no footage has emerged.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said today:

“North Yorkshire Police were contacted yesterday evening to reports of people trespassing on a business premises on Harlow Moor Road in Harrogate.

“The incident had occurred prior to the report being made and an investigation is now underway.

“Anyone with any information that could assist the investigation should contact North Yorkshire Police by calling 101, select option 1 and ask for the Force Control Room. Please quote reference number 12230099981 when passing information.”

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A spokesperson for Harrogate Spring Water said:

“We cannot comment at this time since the incident is currently being looked into by police.

“We can confirm that no-one was injured during the incident and no damage has been made to the site.”

Harrogate Spring Water said in March it was “reviewing plans” to expand its bottling plant at its headquarters off Harlow Moor Road, in the Pinewoods.

The plans, which would involve felling trees in a public woodland planted by schoolchildren, have proved controversial.

It is not known whether yesterday’s incident was related to this.

The National Trust has introduced cattle to the moorland at Brimham Rocks in Nidderdale.

A herd of Belted Galloways will graze the vegetation from June to October as part of the site’s moorland management plan.

The trust said grazing will improve the moorland at Brimham as well as improving the habitat for ground nesting birds.

A fence has been erected around the cattle’s roaming area on the south and north moors. To maintain Brimham moorland as open access land, gates have been installed on public rights of way as well as on the most popular desire lines.

Natural heather moorland habitats are rarer than rainforest. According to the Moorland Association, 75% of the world’s remaining heather moorland is found in Britain and that habitat has been declining rapidly.

The moorland at Brimham has the distinction of being home to three local varieties: ling heather, bell heather and cross-leaved heath. Unattended bracken will damage the heather moorland beyond repair, according to the trust.

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Brimham Rocks

Alec Boyd, area ranger at Brimham Rocks said reintroducing cattle was “a very important step to improving the condition of the moor”, adding: 

“We are using cattle instead of sheep or horses because the cattle rips and pulls rather than nibbles at the vegetation.

“They also eat on the move, a little here and a little there, and are less selective than sheep or horses – they aren’t as choosy about what they eat. This helps create a varied age structure that will benefit other species that call moorland their home.”

Belted Galloways are hardy but placid, which means they are unlikely to be fazed by members of the public and their dogs.

A trust spokesperson said it acquired Brimham Rocks in 1970 and there has not been any grazing since then, but it is thought grazing took place prior to this.

Further information is available here.

North Yorkshire Police has appealed for help locating 32-year-old Dwaine Layton, who is wanted in connection with a serious assault.

The force said today Layton is believed to be in the Harrogate area.

It added:

“If you have any information which could help to locate Layton then please call 101 or if you wish to remain anonymous, you can call Crimestoppers on 08000 555 111.

“If you have an immediate sighting, then please dial 999.”

The reference number is 12230099771.

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Firefighters were called out shortly after 2am this morning when traffic cones were set on fire in Knaresborough.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service believes the fire was caused deliberately.

Its incident log said the Knaresborough crew was summoned to King James Road at 2.13am, adding:

“Knaresborough crew have dealt with traffic cones on fire in the open.

“Crew used buckets of water and the cause is believed to be deliberate.”

No further details have been released.

Four weeks of roadworks began last weekend on King James Road and York Place in Knaresborough to enable Northern Powergrid to install electricity cables.

The junction of the two roads is due to reopen on Monday with four-way temporary lights in place until the expected completion date of Tuesday, June 20.

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A bridge in a village near Harrogate closed suddenly yesterday after a crack appeared.

A two-inch wide gap appeared at the side of the bridge on the edge of Hampsthwaite. It is possible to look through the gap and see the River Nidd.

The issue was reported yesterday on the Hampsthwaite Village Facebook group and later that day the bridge was closed to traffic.

The closure was unannounced by North Yorkshire Council, which is the highways authority.

The bridge between Hampsthwaite and Clint

A long crack has appeared

The bridge, on Church Lane, carries traffic between Hampsthwaite and Clint.

A North Yorkshire Council spokesperson said:

“The bridge has been closed due to structural concerns. We will be assessing it today and will provide an update.”

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Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has said new laws will strengthen police powers to tackle crime associated with Travellers in Knaresborough this summer.

Appleby Horse Fair starts on Thursday next week in Cumbria and lasts until June 14.

The event has attracted illegal encampments in Knaresborough and Copgrove in previous years as people make their way to and from the event.

The encampments have also led to widespread concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour.

Mr Jones recently discussed the issue with fellow Conservative Zoe Metcalfe, the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

He told the Stray Ferret the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 enabled police to “take quicker and more effective enforcement action where significant harm is happening” and criticised opposition parties for not supporting it.

Hay-a-Park in Knaresborough after an encampment two years ago.

Mr Jones added the broadening of existing powers under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 would also enable police to “ban trespassers from returning to land previously occupied and preventing them from occupying land that forms part of the highway”.

He said:

“These are all matters I have raised with the local police and the police, fire and crime commissioner to ensure that they are fully aware of the tools at their disposal for dealing with anti-social behaviour connected with traveller encampments.

“I am also keen that the council and the police share intelligence on traveller movements, particularly during the summer season of traveller fairs, so that private landowners can be given advice on how to secure their land if they are on the route to these fairs.

“I hope these new powers and continued coordination between the relevant authorities, landowners and residents can prevent anti-social behaviour that is associated with some of the encampments.”

But Mr Jones admitted it was “difficult to address all eventualities and I am sure incidents will still occur”, adding:

“The court process exists for those occasions and our local council has a good track record of using those processes to re-possess public land and can provide guidance to private landowners in that respect too.

“There are sites travellers can use in the district – in fact there are nine council-owned sites across North Yorkshire. The council needs to constantly review whether the number of sites is adequate.  It may be that the capacity is enough and the travellers are simply not using them. That is information the council will need to assess in its deliberations over whether the number of sites is adequate.”

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‘No specific actions’

Ms Metcalfe said she took “no specific actions” from her meeting with Mr Jones but said she expected all reports to be “investigated thoroughly”. She said:

“I am aware of community concerns surrounding traveller encampments in the run up to and during Appleby Fair, and I know the force are learning from previous years when incidents involving gypsies and travellers have taken place.   

“When meeting with MP Andrew Jones last month he raised no particular issues in relation to traveller encampments, and we spoke about this year’s Appleby Fair and the positive community messaging that had already been circulated by North Yorkshire Police regarding things such as road safety, for example drivers being aware of people travelling to the event and being careful when over taking horse and carts.   

“I took no specific actions from the meeting, only to encourage anyone who witnesses or experiences a crime to report it to the police via 999 in an emergency or 101 in a non-emergency. I will continue to scrutinise the force for their handling of calls and expect that all reports made over the duration of the event will be investigated thoroughly.”

A series of environmental activities are being held in Nidderdale as part of the Great Big Green Week, which runs from June 10 to 18.

The green week, which first started in 2021, encourages community action to tackle climate change and protect nature.

Organised by the Climate Coalition, which includes organisations including the National Trust, WWF-UK and the RSPB, it sees tens of thousands of people take part in events ranging from litter picks to seaweed foraging to tackle climate change.

The activities in Nidderdale include a low impact lunch at Summerbridge Methodist Church, a biodiversity walk and talk at Bank Woods in Summerbridge, a community litter pick in Glasshouses

Make It Wild, Church in the Dale, Nidderdale Climate and Environment Group are among those organising the local events.

Details of these and other events being held during the green week are available here.

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London North Eastern Railway has revealed a new named and full liveried train as Pride celebrations get underway.

The Azuma train will call at more than 50 stations, including Harrogate.

Featuring eight LGBTQ+ flags, the train was revealed today to coincide with the start of Pride month.

Named ‘Together’, it celebrates LNER’s support of Pride activities as well as the company’s commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion.

An LNER press release said the name “champions the unification of all communities which LNER is proud to support”.

David Horne, managing director at LNER, said:

“It’s a momentous occasion for everyone at LNER to be unveiling the first full liveried Azuma in celebration of Pride ahead of our summer of supporting Pride events on our route.”

LNER will be supporting Pride events in York, Edinburgh and London this month on the east coast route.

The flags included on the train are the intersex-inclusive progress pride flag, the transgender pride flag, the bisexual flag, the trans-inclusive gay men’s flag, the lesbian pride flag, the pansexual pride flag, the nonbinary pride flag and the asexual pride flag.

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Businesses in Harrogate will begin voting this week on whether to continue to fund a town centre group that aims to increase footfall and boost trade.

Currently 462 town centre businesses with a rateable value above £19,000 pay a levy to Harrogate Business Improvement District.

They agreed to do so for five years after a ballot in 2018 and firms are now being asked whether to fund it for a second five-year term.

The BID spends the money on additional services, such as street cleaning and Christmas lights, to those provided by local authorities.

These planters were funded by the BID.

If businesses vote ‘no’, the BID will cease to exist at the end of the year.

Matthew Chapman, chief executive of the BID, launched the organisation’s term two business plan in April at the Doubletree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel.

The plan reveals the BID is forecast to have £510,000 income a year, which it would spend on activities such as its street ranger Chris Ashby, street cleaning, Christmas lights, match-funded grants, street entertainment, targeted free parking and floral baskets and planters.

Ripon, York, Leeds, Skipton, Ilkley, Otley, Bradford and Northallerton all have bids but Knaresborough rejected one.

Council to remain neutral

Five years ago, Harrogate Borough Council voted in favour of the BID when it used its block vote for businesses it ran.

But it no longer exists and North Yorkshire Council, which replaced it this month, has said it will abstain as it wants businesses to decide.

Karl Battersby, corporate director for environment at the council, resigned as a BID director on April 28.

The ballot will run from June 1 to 28 and the result will be announced on June 29.

Pic shows: Dan Siddle, the general manager of the Crown Hotel, and Primark manager Andrea Thornborrow who are the current chair and deputy chair respectively of the BID.

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On Wednesday, Roger Hewitt will don his town crier regalia and read one of his hand-written short scripts opening Knaresborough market.

It’s something Roger has done every Wednesday for more than eight years, making him one of the most familiar faces — and voices — in Knaresborough.

But this will be the last time he performs the civic duty, which stretches back to the 1600s, before retiring.

He remains an incredibly popular figure, so why is he stepping down?

“I’m not getting any younger. I think things are going quite well at the moment but I don’t want to carry on until people say ‘it’s time form the poor bugger to go’.”

Roger has a fine line in self-deprecation. He describes himself as a Knaresborough incomer, having only lived in the town for 44 years. He taught chemistry at Harrogate Grammar School for 23 years before becoming town crier. He says:

“I’ve bumped into many people I used to know from my teaching days and from what I can see, I don’t think I have done any serious psychological harm to any of them.”

The pirate of the Nidd. Picture by Charlotte Gale

The town crier role, which is managed by Knaresborough & District Chamber, appealed because he was “coming up to retirement age and the wife was keen for me to have something to do”.

Roger’s background in amateur dramatics, alongside his humour, people skills and commitment to the role  —  he often agrees to appear at coffee mornings and charity events above and beyond the call of duty — have made him the perfect town crier. It’s worked for him, too.

“I’ve loved it. It’s been absolutely brilliant. The best part is meeting kids. They all think I’m a pirate. All I need to do is let them ring the bell and it’s like someone has given them the best Christmas present ever.”

Although Roger is leaving the role, he’s most certainly not leaving Knaresborough. He says he and his wife would like to do something together now. What makes the town so special?

“I think it’s the combination of history and scenery. People walk around for the most part with a smile, partly because there are so many pubs but also because it’s such a nice place.”

Tradition dictates he opens the Wednesday market at 11am even though, as he puts it, “the fish man is nearly sold out by then”.

He writes 150 to 200 words for each cry, which lasts about 90 seconds and always includes three ‘Oyez’ and ‘God save the King’. He admits to one time mistakenly shouting ‘God save the Queen’ after she had died.

Roger helped to select his successor Mark Hunter (third from left).

Does he have any advice for his successor, Mark Hunter, who in a break from tradition will also have two deputies?

“The only advice I would give is to do your own thing and enjoy it. I’ve said I’ll give him two things — my best wishes and my phone number. I won’t be there telling him what to do but if he has any questions I will happily answer them.”

How will he feel after making his final cry?

“I know how I will feel an hour afterwards because one of the pubs has invited me round!

“I shall be nostalgic for what has been a very, very happy eight years but also happy to hand over to someone else.”

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