Harry Gration was loved  by many people in the Harrogate district and across Yorkshire. He touched many lives – last year he worked with us at the Stray Ferret in a competition to find Harry’s Heroes.

In the course of a few weeks he met the finalists and made podcasts with them – talking to them about what inspired them to work for others.  It was what Harry liked doing best — meeting people from all walks of life.

Tamsin O’Brien the director of the Stray Ferret worked with Harry at the BBC when he was presenting Look North.  Today she said:

“Harry was a one-off. He was fun and simply got on with everyone. A naturally gifted communicator.

“I worked with Harry in my previous career at the BBC and it was joy to work again with him last year on Harry’s Heroes. It’s hard to take in the news that he’s no longer with us.

“I speak on behalf of all of us at the Stray Ferret by sending Helen and his family all our love and thoughts at this time. There was only one Harry Gration.”

Susie Little from Covid Co-operation Harrogate, who was one of the nominated heroes, posted a picture on Facebook of herself with Harry and this message :

Susie Little with Harry last year for Harry’s Heroes

Harry Gration lived in York but was a regular visitor to the district.

He was a season ticket holder at Harrogate Town which posted this message:

Recently Harry spoke at a Harrogate Brigantes fundraising event. Today a statement was issued from the club’s Les Ellington:

“We are shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of Harry Gration MBE, who was guest speaker and auctioneer at our charity dinner only on 17 June, helping us to raise over £5000 for our Ukraine appeal.

Our thoughts are with his family, friends and former colleagues at the BBC. Rest in peace Harry and thank you from all of us.”

Do you have memories of meeting Harry Gration? Do send them to us and we will publish them in the coming few days. contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

A 40-year-old man has been charged with two counts of attempted murder in Beckwithshaw.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is also charged with assaulting an emergency worker.

It follows an incident at a house on the main B6161 Otley Road, very close to the local primary school, at about 8.20am on Monday.

North Yorkshire Police said in a statement today:

“We are continuing to appeal to anyone who may have been dropping off children at the school, or commuters passing by, to check their vehicle dashcam and report any footage that may have captured any part of the incident prior to the attendance of the emergency services.”

Anyone with information can contact the police on 101, press 2 and ask to speak to the major investigation team.

Quote reference number 12220105995 when passing on any information.

Read more:

• Woman arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in Harrogate
• Harrogate murder trial hears that body was found in a rug

A woman in her 40s has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in Bilton.

A man in his 40s has also been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder.

It follows an incident at a house in Byland Road last night when a woman was seriously injured by what police believe to be a “bladed article”.

A North Yorkshire Police statement this evening said:

“It has also been established this was an isolated incident and it is believed there is no further risk to the wider public.”

The scene on Byland Road this morning.

Detective Chief Inspector Jonathan Sygrove, a senior investigation officer, said:

“We hope this goes some way to reassure the residents of Bylands Road and the surrounding areas.”

Police were called to Byland Road at about 5pm yesterday. Forensic officers also attended the scene.

The woman is the second person in the Harrogate area to be arrested on suspicion of attempted murder today.

This morning a 40-year-old man was arrested for the attempted murder of an 11-year-old child and a 10-year-old child, following an incident in Beckwithshaw on Monday.

Police urged anyone with information on the Bilton incident to call 101, or if you wish to remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers instead on 0800 555 111.

Quote reference 12220108308 when providing any information.

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Read more:

• Man arrested for attempted murder of two children in Beckwithshaw
• Harrogate firefighters issue smoke alarm warning after house fire

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People are being urged to take measures to avoid covid after the rate of infection tripled in the Harrogate district this month.

The covid rate had been decreasing across North Yorkshire since the end of March. But the trend has reversed in recent weeks due to a more transmissible variant of Omicron.

At the end of May, the district’s rate of infection was 55 people per 100,000. It is now 172.

Dr Victoria Turner, public health consultant at North Yorkshire County Council, said:

“Cases of covid are once again rising across the UK, including in North Yorkshire.

“The latest increase is being driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants of Omicron, which has also caused high rates in other countries across the world.

“There is evidence that BA.4 and BA.5 are more transmissible than previous variants, and there is limited protection from infection with previous variants against BA.4 and BA.5.”

Dr Turner said getting vaccinated, meeting outdoors or in well-ventilated areas indoors, wearing face coverings in enclosed spaces, and good hand and respiratory hygiene would reduce the risk of transmission.

Read more:

• Online meetings during covid saved council £4m
• Harrogate council charge police over £110,000 for CCTV since 2016

She also advised people with covid symptoms to try to stay at home for five days following the day of their positive result.

Free covid testing is no longer available for most people, but tests can be bought from pharmacies. Dr Turner said:

“It is still best to try to avoid covid infection wherever possible, or minimise the number of times you have it.

“Even if you do not develop severe symptoms from the initial infection you are still at risk of developing long covid, which can be debilitating.

“You are also at increased risk from cardiovascular problems such as heart attacks and strokes in the days and weeks following covid infection.”

Sue Peckitt, NHS North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group chief nurse and director of nursing and quality, added:

“There are still a significant number of people in our hospitals who have covid and it’s a stark reminder that coronavirus hasn’t gone away. This virus is still causing some people to become very unwell.”

A 40-year-old man has been arrested for the attempted murder of an 11-year-old child and a 10-year-old child, following an incident in Beckwithshaw on Monday.

The man has also been arrested for an assault on an emergency worker.

A 13-year-old child also sustained minor injuries during the incident.

North Yorkshire Police said this morning the man has been released from hospital and is now in police custody for questioning by officers from the major investigation team.

Detective Inspector Steve Menzies, senior investigating officer, said:

“The incident took place around 8:10am both inside and outside a property in Beckwithshaw which is situated on the main road, the B6161 Otley Road, and is very close to the local primary school.

“I reiterate that this incident is not connected to the school, however I am appealing to anyone who may have been dropping off children at the school, or commuters passing by, to check their vehicle dashcam and report any footage that may have captured any part of the incident prior to the attendance of the emergency services”.

The police appealed to anyone with information to contact them by calling 101, then pressing option two and asking to speak to the major investigation team.

Quote reference number 12220105995 when passing on any information.

Read more:

• Forensic experts at serious police incident in Bilton
• Harrogate council charge police over £110,000 for CCTV since 2016

Harrogate fire station has urged people to ensure they have working smoke alarms after attending a fire this morning.

Fire ripped through the roof of a bungalow but fortunately nobody was hurt because the alarm sounded.

The incident took place at 2am in York and the aerial ladder from Harrogate was required to help firefighters from York and Huntington tackle the flames.

An investigation is underway.

Harrogate fire station said the blaze, at a time when most people are sleeping, served as a warning to everyone to check their smoke alarms.

It said in a Facebook post:

“In the early hours of today, we were at a house fire. Luckily the occupants had working smoke alarms and got out safely.

“Please make sure yours work if you have them and if not you can contact you local fire station to see about getting some fitted.”

Smoke alarms are free. You can book for them to be installed here.

Read more:

• Harrogate firefighters rescue dogs from hot car
• Leon set to confirm Harrogate opening date for early July

Harrogate firefighters rescued two dogs yesterday when they got stuck in a car on one of the hottest days of the year.

The car self-locked when the owner went into the boot and was unable to get back into the vehicle shortly after 11am.

With the temperature rising, and the dogs still in the back of the car, the owner summoned help.

The fire crew was called to the incident at Harlow Carr Gardens, Harrogate.

North Yorkshire Fore and Rescue Service’s incident log says:

“Crews cooled the vehicle with one hose reel jet, then released the dogs using a glass punch and gave water to them.”

Read more:

• Fire destroys BMW on A1 near Boroughbridge
• Ripon firefighters save pony stuck in mud

• No update from police following blade incident in Beckwithshaw
• Family of murdered Harrogate policeman seeks permanent memorial

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has written to Home Secretary Priti Patel about speeding up measures to evict Travellers who break the law.

The Conservative MP said the recent encampment at Hay-a-Park in Knaresborough produced “disorder and anti-social behaviour completely off the scale compared to that associated with previous traveller encampments in our area”.

Mr Jones said his comments were based on reports received from residents, police and landowner Harrogate Borough Council.

Writing on his Community News website, he said:

“Vandalism of property, damage to cars, late night motorbike and quad bike racing through residential estates, break-ins at barns, use of pavements and open space as a toilet were just some of the unpleasantness residents nearby reported and had to put up with.”

Mr Jones added that some Travellers had “took the openness and generosity of spirit which is the hallmark of our communities and simply abused it” and further action was needed to “protect the rights and property of residents against future incursions of this nature”.

Eviction currently takes place three days after notice is served.

“I have written to the Home Secretary asking her to look at ways in which enforcement can be brought forward on the advice of the police where law-breaking occurs from the activities of a travelling community.

“I have also written to our local Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Zoe Metcalfe, asking her to look at the policing of this encampment and to see if any improvements could be made with the benefit of this experience.

“Finally, I have asked the council to look at how it can secure public land more effectively and more anticipate the movements of travelling communities and provide appropriate sites to be used as layovers for them.”

Read more:

• Andrew Jones MP calls on Prime Minister for rail improvements
• Andrew Jones MP to vote against Boris Johnson tonight

Mr Jones described the Traveller encampment as “a darker episode for many” amid recent celebrations, such as Knaresborough Bed Race and the Queen’s platinum jubilee.

“I want to make sure that local people and travelling communities can enjoy their everyday lives in peace.

“It is a shame when the minority act in a way that risks labelling the majority and that is what my actions are seeking to avoid.”

Harrogate Town will travel to Bradford for a Christmas Yorkshire derby.

Today’s fixture list revealed that Town will start with a home match against Swindon Town on August 30.

They will also end the season with a home game, against Rochdale on May 6.

But most Harrogate fans will have looked first for the matches against Yorkshire rivals Bradford City, against whom Town did the double last season.

Valley Parade holds up to 25,000 fans.

Simon Weaver’s men will entertain the Bantams on October 1. The return fixture will take place at Valley Parade on December 29, when a bumper festive crowd is likely.

The two teams played twice in 16 days last season. After defeating Bradford 2-0 at the EnviroVent Stadium, Harrogate then came from behind to win 3-1 in a thrilling encounter in Bradford.

Former Manchester United striker Mark Hughes was named as Bradford’s new manager shortly after that game.

Read more:

• ‘Allez Allez Allez!’ Harrogate Town fans savour special Bradford trip
• Fans hopeful new Harrogate Town ticketing system will boost crowds

The only other Yorkshire team in League Two of the English Football League is relegated Doncaster Rovers.

Town will travel to the Eco-Power Stadium on December 17 then Doncaster will come to Harrogate on April 15.

The dates of fixtures are liable to change.