Woman’s decomposed body discovered at park home in Knaresborough

The partially decomposed body of a woman found at an over-50s retirement park in Knaresborough yesterday is believed to have laid undiscovered for about six weeks.

Neighbours at Nidderdale Lodge Park raised the alarm yesterday when they became suspicious about the length of time since they had seen the woman.

They alerted the emergency services after noting a smell when they lifted the letterbox to check on her welfare.

Bob Frendt, who lives at the 53-home retirement park for over-50s and used to chair the residents’ association, said:

“It’s really sad. It’s awful to think she died like this.

“People look out for each other here. The community spirit is very good but this woman kept herself to herself and nobody noticed she was missing until yesterday.”

Mr Frendt, who is well known for his aid trips to eastern Europe, said police checks indicated the woman’s phone had not been used since December 18, which was 41 days before her body was discovered.

North Yorkshire Police said in a statement today:

“Police were called by the ambulance service at 10.30am on Sunday, January 28 following the death of a woman in her 50s at Nidderdale Lodge in Knaresborough.

“Officers believe there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding her death.

“A file is being prepared for the coroner.”

Nidderdale Lodge Park was established in the 1960s as a caravan park and began providing park homes in the 1980s.

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Police seek man after woman ‘sexually touched’ in Harrogate bar

Police have issued a CCTV image of a man they would like to speak after it said a woman was “sexually touched” walking through a Harrogate bar.

In a statement today, North Yorkshire Police said the incident happened at Banyan Bar & Kitchen on John Street.

It took place at about 8.30pm on Friday, December 15.

The police statement said:

“Officers would like to speak to the man in the image as they believe he will have information that could assist the investigation.

“Anyone who recognises the person in the image or can help to identify them is asked to email katie.jacobs@northyorkshire.police.uk

“Or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for Katie Jacobs or collar number 1131.”

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

Quote reference number 12230237996.

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New planetarium near Ripon brings the universe to life

Seven miles from Ripon is one of the best kept secrets in the north of England.

Lime Tree Observatory and Planetarium, which is located on a remote farm near Grewelthorpe, provides the kind of experience you previously had to travel hours for.

Here you can see the moon close-up through telescopes and lie on cushions and learn about the solar system while watching an ever-changing skyscape in the planetarium.

The project wasn’t set up by a large private company or a rich benefactor, but by three enthusiastic amateur astronomers who built it from the ground up, with the help of a community-minded landowner.

“It’s a hobby that got out of hand,” says Martin Whipp, who has worked alongside Chris Higgins and John Roberts on the project.

Harrogate Air Cadets in the planetarium this week.

Martin’s passion for the night skies can be summed up by the fact that whenever he goes on holiday, he visits a planetarium. So far he’s ticked off over 100 and although most are better known than his, it’s doubtful whether any is run by someone quite as committed.

The Stray Ferret has been trying to visit since we reported in 2022 that a planetarium, like a distant comet, was heading our way.

It opened later that year at Lime Tree Farm and although the guys love nothing more than spreading their infectious love of astronomy, they were somewhat reticent to invite us because of fears the place could be swamped.

Demand for tickets is already, well, astronomical. What’s more, the observatory is manned entirely by volunteers and only opens on winter evenings when it’s dark enough to stargaze by 7pm or 8pm. Bookings are by appointment-only and all 46 sessions from now until the end of March, when it closes for summer, are sold out.

When tickets went on sale this month for some extra events organised as part of this year’s Dark Skies Festival organised by Nidderdale National Landscape, formerly known as Nidderdale AONB, they were snapped up in a day. Book now and you’re unlikely to get in before March next year.

The planetarium holds 25 people and there is a minimum charge of £100 for eight people. Each additional person costs £12.50. Most bookings are by private groups but some sessions are reserved for individuals who can’t get a group together.

Another reason for keeping things low key is that a large commercial venture wouldn’t sit well with the ethos of Lime Tree Farm, which operates as a community interest company providing activities such as pond dipping, a campsite and stone circles alongside stargazing.

Martin Whipp Lime Tree Observatory

Martin Whipp

Martin Whipp (left) and Chris Higgins play with the telescopes.

‘I’m fascinated by the enormity’

Martin, who lives in Ripon, juggles his hobby with an NHS career in diabetes. He has been into astronomy since the age of four or five. “I’ve just always been fascinated by the enormity of it,” he says.

He joined York Astronomical Society when he was 14 and used to visit Lime Tree Farm, where the landowner — a keen amateur astronomer — invited hobbyists to look through telescopes on a site that is in the Nidderdale National Landscape and on the eastern edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park which has International Dark Skies status. The only light pollution is from nearby Masham and Ripon.

The observatory opened to the public in 2016, with the purchase of a second-hand 24-inch reflecting telescope from Kent. The telescope is nearly 50 years old now and due to be replaced this year with a computer-driven model which will have far superior optics.

When the landowner said he was keen to find a use for a barn, Martin’s brain went into overdrive. Could it be converted into a planetarium? Even prohibitive quotes of up to £50,000 to build one didn’t deter the gang of three — instead they decided to make their own.

They found a company that sells domes and bought a mould for one section then built the other nine and assembled it. Throw in a sound system, a large screen and astronomy software called Stellarium, plus funding from Nidderdale National Landscape and Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, and after five years of toil the planetarium came to fruition.

Harrogate Air Cadets in the planetarium this week.

The cadets zoom in on the moon and Jupiter.

The presentations can be tailored to the audience: there was a creepy cosmos show at Halloween and a star of Bethlehem show at Christmas. Last year they also had an event that celebrated the 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon album.

Chris Higgins, who has a PhD in pharmacology and used to have a small observatory in his garden shed at Bishop Monkton, says: “Someone drove all the way from Stirling for it and gave it a five-star review.”

We finally got to sample it this week when Harrogate Air Cadets let us tag on to a visit. We looked through telescopes and learned about constellations and supernovas, Orion and Sirius and got that sense of enormity that Martin mentioned. Did you know you can fit a million Earths into the sun, but the biggest star is a billion times bigger than the sun?

The cadets’ knowledge was impressive, or perhaps mine was awful, as they answered many of the questions posed during the presentation before heading outside to look through the telescopes. We visited on the day Storm Isha was passing and had to wait for gaps in the banks of cloud but the clarity of Jupiter through the lens drew gasps.

The 90-minute session was informative and entertaining — and there’s nothing like it for miles around.

Martin says: “Once we built the dome, we did think that’s really quite incredible.”

That’s an understatement. As local experiences go, it’s out of this world.

Watching the planetarium presentation.

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Editor’s Pick of the Week: Keane Duncan’s campervan caper and football mayhem in Starbeck

There are now just 96 days until we go to the polls to vote for the first mayor of York and North Yorkshire.

The Liberal Democrats still haven’t named a candidate; Conservative hopeful Keane Duncan’s, by contrast, has been sending out press releases like billy-o.

Mr Duncan’s bid took a slightly farcical turn this week when he announced he would spend the final 100 days of the campaign trail living in a campervan “surviving on army-style ration packs and sleeping in the wilderness”.

Keane Duncan in his van.

Keith Tordoff, an independent candidate from Pateley Bridge, delivered a withering response.

My personal highlight this week was a trip to the little known Lime Tree Observatory and Planetarium, between Ripon and Masham, which you can read about today.

City fans (from left) Kev Butterworth, Tim Lund and Barry Johnson.

It was also fun mingling with Manchester City fans at Starbeck Working Men’s Club, where the club paraded the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup trophies. The queue was almost as long as the list of Premier League charges facing the club.

The fire I attended at Bettys & Taylors headquarters in Harrogate was a far more serious matter.

This week also saw plans for a major new bar on Harrogate’s Parliament Street and academics discovered some details about the mysterious Knaresborough Hoard.

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Keane Duncan’s campervan quest ‘a load of tripe’, says political rival

The battle to become York and North Yorkshire’s first mayor has started to heat up with independent candidate Keith Tordoff suggesting Keane Duncan will be secretly ordering fish and chips on his campervan tour of the county instead of surviving on “army-style ration packs” in the wild as claimed.

Conservative candidate Mr Duncan announced this week he is embarking on an “epic” 100-day quest in a campervan called Peggy ahead of the election on May 2.

He said he’ll be taking the vehicle around North Yorkshire to meet voters in person and to show that he’ll be a mayor for the whole county.

Mr Duncan, who is the councillor in charge of highways at North Yorkshire Council, even said he’d be eating ration packs and sleeping in the wilderness to get back to nature whilst he is away from home.

But his sceptical rival Mr Tordoff called it a “PR stunt” when speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service yesterday. He said:

“I’ve never heard such a load of tripe. Only the gullible will fall for that. He’ll be having pizza and fish and chips.”

Mr Tordoff unsuccessfully stood to be North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner in 2021 and during the campaign embarked on a tour of his own around North Yorkshire in a smart car meeting the electorate and promoting his bid.

The former police officer from Pateley Bridge accused Cllr Duncan of copying his idea but wished him well on his journey.

Cllr Duncan has emblazoned Peggy with his campaign slogan “Keane for Mayor”.

But the van doesn’t mention the Conservative Party, which Mr Tordoff said might be deliberate due to negative perceptions of the national party and jokingly added might have invited wags to let down his tyres when he’s asleep.

He added:

“As the North Yorkshire Conservative councillor in charge of highways, at least if his mayoral campaign is unsuccessful he will have discovered first-hand the terrible state of the roads in the county. Happy camping!”

Responding to Mr Tordoff’s comments, Cllr Duncan told the Local Democracy Reporting Service:

“My campaign is a positive one, focused on connecting with every community in North Yorkshire and representing all corners of our vast county.

“My campaign is also a respectful one. I will not trash my opponents or use offensive language. I feel this only reflects poorly on those choosing to do so.

“We now have 98 days to polling day. My epic tour of North Yorkshire continues, and I am loving every second of it.”

Who is standing to be mayor?

The Green Party has chosen former soldier Kevin Foster as its candidate.

Keith Tordoff will stand as an independent after previously announcing he would run for the Yorkshire Party.

Keane Duncan is standing for the Conservatives.

Labour has chosen business owner and chair of York High Street Forum David Skaith.

The Liberal Democrats has not yet decided who its candidate will be.

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Harrogate Convention Centre designs to be finished this month

Designs for a planned £49m redevelopment of Harrogate Convention Centre will be finished this month, according to North Yorkshire Council.

The council-owned convention centre opened in 1982 with conferences providing a boost to the town’s bars, restaurants and hotels.

However, it has struggled to record a profit with successive administrations wrestling with what to do with it.

Harrogate Borough Council announced a major refurbishment of the facility two years ago and its new owner North Yorkshire Council has continued to develop the proposals.

In an update, the council has now said these designs are almost complete.

The drawings are still to be made public but they will go to the council’s Conservative-run executive in early spring to decide on what happens next.

North Yorkshire Council, which is looking to slash £70 million from its budget over the next three years, has not said how it intends to pay for the project. It’s seen several two levelling up funding bids for the scheme rejected by government.

Last week, the Stray Ferret reported comments by chief executive Richard Flinton where he said the council would be open to selling part or all of the facility to a private business.

Nic Harne, the council’s corporate director for community development, said:

“We are currently in the design stage for this project which was started by the former Harrogate Borough Council, which will be completed next month. The redevelopment scheme will then be considered by the council’s executive in early spring when a decision on the way to proceed will be taken.

“As part of the review into the redevelopment, we are also seeking views from the wider market around how best to deliver positive outcomes whilst minimising costs to the council and local taxpayers.”

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Police seek woman after coats stolen at Harrogate TK Maxx

North Yorkshire Police has issued a CCTV image of a woman they would like to speak to after clothes were stolen from TK Maxx in Harrogate.

In a statement today, officers said a woman took four coats as well as a bag full of clothing without paying.

The items, worth £600, were taken from TK Maxx in Victoria Shopping Centre at about 3pm on November 29.

The statement added:

“Officers are asking members of the public to get in touch if they recognise the woman in the image as they believe she will have information that will help the investigation.

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

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

Quote reference number 12230227510.

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Storm Isha hits Harrogate district

Strong winds battered the Harrogate district last night and continued to cause problems throughout the day. Our live Storm Isha blog below provided updates throughout the day.

2.40pm: Quieter night expected — but winds to pick up again

The latest Met Office forecast shows winds abating tonight although it will remain very blustery. Tomorrow night, however, is expected to see gusts of up to 51mph.

The number of local flood warnings has been reduced. There is currently a warning for the River Ure camping and caravanning site at Boroughbridge and less severe flood alerts for the lower River Ure at Ripon and the lower River Nidd catchment area.

12.48pm: Newby Hall miniature railway flooded

Newby Hall’s miniature railway looks more like part of the boating lake this morning.

The stately home between Ripon and Boroughbridge has posted a video on its Facebook page of the flooding, along with the message:

“The River Ure is so high this morning it’s completely covered our railway. The Ure is one of many rivers that drain the dales into the River Ouse.”

12.01pm: Masham road closed

The A6107 has been closed by police at the bridge entering Masham, Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce chief executive Martin Mann has posted on social media.

11.01am: River Ure high in Ripon

Two photos indicate how high the River Ure is in Ripon. The first, put on social media by Tom Bulmer, shows the water level high on the bridge. The second, sent to us by Richard Taylor, co-chair of Ripon Civic Society, shows the metal sculpture of a soldier and horse on the flooded North Bank up to their necks in water. They can just about be spotted.

Pic Tom Bulmer

10.21am: Northern Powergrid says power restored to 84% of homes affected

Northern Powergrid, which distributes electricity for eight million people, has said in a statement about 32,479 customers have been affected by the storm so far. It added:

“We have, however, successfully restored power to over 25,260 customers, and we are working as quickly as possible to get the remaining customers’ lights back on.

“Our teams responded quickly and have already managed to reconnect 84% of customers who have been impacted. We will keep customers updated regularly via text message, on our website and on our social media channels.  “

It added Northumberland, which recorded the highest gust of 99mph, had been most affected.

9.25am: High local river levels

River levels are high on the Nidd at Knaresborough and Hunsingore, the Ure at Ripon and Boroughbridge, as well as the Crimple and Swinney Beck at Masham, according to the government. The middle reaches of the Nidd don’t currently appear too high. You can find out more here.

7.31am: Rail passengers ‘encouraged to check’

Rail operator Northern hasn’t issued any specific alerts to trains on the line passing through Harrogate and Knaresborough this morning but has said:

“Storm Isha is expected to cause disruption to our network, so we’re encouraging customers to check before they travel this evening and tomorrow morning.”

7.11am: Dishforth Road closed

Dishforth Road in Sharow, which had been described as ‘impassable’ on social media, has just been sealed off by the sign and cones at the dip near the sewerage pumping station.  Signs and cones are in place.  Drivers must now divert using Berrygate Lane.

6.50am: Gusts hit 56mph at Greenhow Hill

Nationally, the highest gust of wind recorded so far is 99mph at Brizlee Wood in Northumberland. Locally, gusts have hit 56mph at Greenhow Hill, near Pateley Bridge.

6.02am: Flooding expected along Ure

A Met Office weather warning is active until Wednesday.

The Environment Agency has issued flood warnings, which means flooding is expected, for the River Ure at Boroughbridge camping and caravanning site and for the River Ure at Masham.

The Boroughbridge update, issued at 4.52am today, said:

“River levels continue to rise at Westwick Weir and Boroughbridge as a result of heavy rainfall associated with Storm Isha.

“Flooding is affecting locations near the River Ure with low lying land expected to be most affected, particularly around Boroughbridge Camping and Caravanning Site. The river should peak this afternoon,”

The Ure at Masham warning, issued just before 1am, says:

“Flooding is forecast to affect locations near the River Ure, with low lying land expected to be most affected, particularly around Masham including properties on Mill Gate, Marfield Quarry and off the A6108. Flooding is expected in the early hours of Monday.”

Less severe flood alerts are in place for the lower River Ure at Ripon and for the upper and lower Nidd catchment areas.

There are unconfirmed reports online of Dishforth Road at Sharow, which is notoriously prone to flooding, being “impassable”.

National Highways posted on social media last night that the A66 was closed in both directions between Scotch Corner and the M6 because of strong winds.”

 

Readers’ Letters: Slippery Harrogate footpaths ‘unsafe’ for elderly

Readers’ Letters is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

I do so wish that the council – or whoever is in charge — would sweep the footpaths and gutters.  Not just in the centre of Harrogate but out of the centre too.

We all pay our council taxes like everyone else, but rarely see anyone out of town.

The flowers are nurtured regularly but, frankly, it would be wonderful to see clean streets too. The dead, wet leaves make it slippery to walk on and the gutters are full of leaves too, which blocks the drains, meaning the water and rubbish just float down anywhere.

Harrogate has a high population of older people and it makes walking around much harder and unsafe.

Whilst I am about it, if the soil and muck around the bollards in the centres of the roads were cleaned up too, we would not have unsightly weeds sprouting around them.

Valerie Cooke, Harrogate.

‘Jaw dropping’ number of coffee shops in Harrogate

This letter is in response to a story published by the Stray Ferret about the amount of coffee shops in Harrogate.

I lived in Harrogate until 1990 and the amount of coffee shops mentioned in the article was jaw dropping.

I have left the town, but this is my hometown and it seems there are more coffee shops than before. I know Harrogate relies on the revenue from tourists which is a good thing.

The pandemic did a lot of damage to people and businesses which was not good, so I am pleased businesses are recovering.

I shall be making my visit when it gets warmer and busier, and no doubt test the coffee to see if it’s as good as our barista machine!

The best of luck to all businesses in Harrogate.

Andrew Fear.

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‘Unjust’ to blame littering on Harrogate drive-thrus 

This letter is in response to last week’s edition of Stray Views, in which one reader expressed concerns over road-side takeaways contributing to littering issues.

I find it a little hard to imagine that the local Costa tasks their staff  every morning with spreading the store detritus around the local area, just as I cannot accept that the McDonald’s manager requires their staff to do a similar daily job.

Let me assure him that my local chippy just does not have the time and my local pub manager right out refuses to scatter broken glass outside the pub, so I find it an unjust accusation to even imply that the new Starbucks store will be responsible for any rubbish up and down the Wetherby Road.

Alas, the fault is plainly that of us Brits; we seem content to live with rubbish up to our knees.

Just take a ride to any of our local beauty spots, of which we are more than blessed, and he will find they are all piled high with rubbish.

The problem is not a hard one to fix, take it home!

Angus MaGee, Harrogate

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

Harrogate hero John Shackleton, 85, chops logs to fund 50th aid mission

It’s minus two degrees and 85-year-old John Shackleton is chopping logs in Starbeck.

John had a heart attack recently but neither that nor advancing years has stopped him doing what he has done for much of his life — helping others. He’s one of Harrogate’s most loved and admired citizens for his aid trips to desperate places. If ever anyone deserved an accolade, surely it’s John.

He’s now trying to raise about £20,000 for what will be his 50th trip driving an ambulance full of medical supplies. This time he will be heading to the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan to help Armenians displaced from their homes in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

John has talked about retiring more often than Elton John but here he is on a bitterly cold day toiling away outside some back street garages in sub-arctic Starbeck.

He says:

“I’m always saying ‘this will be my last one’. But it is so important. There are people living in tents with nothing. I really feel their pain. We are so privileged in Harrogate.”

Chopping wood in Starbeck.

John mainly uses a chainsaw these days but can still wield an axe when required. When we met this week, it was almost too cold to hold a pen, nevermind an axe, yet he and helpers Adam Rawson and Mick Stokes were working up a sweat. The chopped wood has to be loaded into ton-bags and delivered to customers. John says:

“It’s heavy work. There’s a lot to be done.

“Sometimes I have up to six lads chopping. They don’t receive any payment, besides the odd cup of tea. They are all here to help and I couldn’t do it without them.”

With Mick Stokes (left) and Adam Rawson (right) at the back of John’s ambulance.

Having a break with Alfie.

The logs are sourced from his daughter’s husband’s farm in Summerbridge. “We are desperately short this year,” he says.

So far he’s raised about £5,000 towards his latest target of £20,000. The main source of income for his trips is donations. Selling logs supplements it. John has also hit on a new way to raise money — doing trips to the tips in Harrogate for people who want to get rid of stuff. He says:

“If anyone wants anything sending to the tip give me a buzz. All contributions go to the poorest people on earth.”

John and many of his helpers are members of St Robert’s Church in Harrogate. They used to chop wood at a man called Pete the Pole’s place in Burn Bridge, until he died. Now they operate out of council garages in Starbeck. John is resigned to eventually losing them but he’s well connected and so well loved that he’s usually able to find someone willing to help.

The usual procedure is to buy an ambulance, usually from Amsterdam, then fill it with medical supplies and drive it to wherever it’s required before getting back to Harrogate however he can, usually with two co-drivers.

John has been doing this since his first mission in 1990 when he was moved by the plight of Romanians after the fall of Ceausescu.

‘I have to be busy’

Born in Gibraltar to a Harrogate-born father who fought in Spain during the Second World War, John moved to Harrogate with his family when he was 12. He served in the RAF and worked in bomb disposal before finding himself jobless with a young family. He says:

“I had no idea what to do. I had three girls so I had to put bread on the table. So I bought a greengrocers on Stonefall Avenue and ran that for seven years.”

He also opened a design studio and sold wall plaques, one of which his daughter presented to President Jimmy Carter when he visited Washington in Tyne and Wear in 1977.

Eventually he fancied a change and went to night school to learn some practical skills and used what he learned to convert a house on Victoria Avenue into four flats. He has been converting properties ever since.

His first wife died suddenly 48 years ago and his second passed away last year. He has 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

John was up a tree with a chainsaw when he suffered a heart attack. Fortunately, he looks fit and robust now.

Besides doing this, he also collects bikes for Harrogate charity Resurrection Bikes, which brings old cycles back to life. He says:

“I have to be busy. I’m very active. It’s something I have to do because it’s the right thing to do and I’m fortunate to be able to do it.”

You can donate to John’s mission here. For details about tip trips, contact John at johnshackleton@aidtoeasterneurope.co.uk or call him on 01423871255.

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