Two fresh flood alerts have been issued for the River Nidd this evening.
It means there are now three flood alerts and one more serious flood warning in force for the Harrogate district, with further rainfall expected.
The Environment Agency issued an alert for the middle Nidd catchment at 6.47pm tonight, affecting land around the river and tributaries including Thornton Beck, Newton Beck, Oak Beck, Cow Dyke Beck, Bilton Beck, Frogmire Dike and Syke Dike.
Minutes later at 6.54pm another flood warning was issued for the lower Nidd catchment, affecting land around the river and its tributaries including Sand Beck, Sike Beck, Pool Beck and Great Gutter. The alerts said:
“Flooding of low-lying land and roads is possible today, Tuesday.
“The river has risen in response to recent rainfall, and with persistent and heavy rain forecast to continue through until Thursday we expect river levels to remain high and could rise further.
“Please avoid low-lying land and footpaths near local watercourses.”
A flood warning for the Nidd at Low Laithe between Dacre Banks and Glasshouses was issued this afternoon.
It remains active, as does a flood alert for for the upper Nidd around Wath and Lofthouse, just north of Pateley Bridge.
If flooding affects your area please let us know at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk
Read more:
- Flood warning issued for River Nidd near Pateley Bridge
- £2.5 million project to prevent flooding at Fountains Abbey
Flood warning issued for River Nidd near Pateley Bridge
The government’s flood information service has issued a flood warning for the River Nidd just south of Pateley Bridge.
The warning, which was issued shortly before 4pm, says flooding is expected at Low Laithe between Dacre Banks and Glasshouses.
It adds roads and farmland are expected to flood and immediate action is required:
“Levels on the River Nidd are rising at Pateley Bridge. Please be aware that persistent and heavy rain is forecast until Thursday. Please avoid walking or driving through flood water.”
Two hours earlier the flood information service issued a less severe flood alert for the Upper Nidd around Wath and Lofthouse, just north of Pateley Bridge.
The Upper Nidd alert says:
“Areas most at risk are low lying land and roads.
“Please avoid using low lying footpaths near local watercourses and do not walk or drive through flood water.”
Read more:
- Flood alerts issued as heavy rain forecast for Harrogate district
- £2.5 million project to prevent flooding at Fountains Abbey
Storm Christoph is beginning to saturate the Harrogate district and beyond.
Five flood warnings and 30 flood alerts are effective in North Yorkshire, where rain is expected to fall until midday Thursday.
Rain, rain and more rain forecast as storm arrives today
More than two inches of rain are forecast to fall in some northern areas over the next 48 hours as Storm Christoph arrives.
An amber warning for rain became active at 6am this morning and is due to be in force until 12pm on Thursday.
The Met Office has warned people in Yorkshire and the Humber, the North West, East Midlands and the east of England to expect heavy rain and potential floods.
The west of the district is expected to be worse affected. A less severe yellow warning is active for the east of the district.
Heavy rainfall combined with some snowmelt across the hills is likely to cause flooding.
The amber warning says homes and businesses could be flooded and fast flowing and deep water could cause danger to life.
Some communities could be cut off and power cuts are also possible.
Read more:
- Appeal for patience as council refills grit bins
- Flood alerts issued as heavy rain forecast for Harrogate district
Andrew Jones MP ‘shocked’ by ‘inadequate’ free school meals
Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has spoken of his “shock” at the inadequacy of free school meals and called for urgent action.
A constituent in Knaresborough told Mr Jones she had received two pre-packed sandwiches, two mini yoghurts, an apple, an orange and two potatoes to feed her son for five days.
The Conservative MP said on his website this “simply isn’t good enough” and that he would ask children’s minister, Vicky Ford to investigate the issue “as a matter of urgency”. He added:
“There are reports that the companies distributing this food have been paid £30 for a week’s food but you could buy what my constituent received for a few pounds. Fortunately my constituent can manage this week but that isn’t the point.
“Surely it would have been better and cheaper to give parents a loaf of bread and the ingredients to make their own sandwiches rather than send supermarket pre-packs? It would have been more nutritious too.
“What has been sent seems to me to be completely inadequate. Whichever companies are being used to supply the meals need to buck their ideas up and do it pronto.”
Mr Jones voted against free school meals last year and his comments have drawn criticism from political opponents.
Read more:
- Andrew Jones MP criticised for lockdown U-turn
- ‘Show patience’ on covid turnaround, says Andrew Jones MP
Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrats tweeted:
“We were shocked that he voted against giving free meals to low income kids in the first place.”
Harrogate and Knaresborough Labour Party tweeted:
Man dies on Ripon building site“Ten days worth of food costing £30! Cronyism in all its glory, profiteering from poverty and neglecting the very children that need to receive healthy, substantial food! Let’s hear our MP justify this!”
A man has died after an incident at a building site in Ripon.
North Yorkshire Police issued a brief statement this afternoon confirming the news. It said:
“Police were called to a report of an industrial incident in Ripon at about 10.30am on Wednesday.
“A man was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. Enquiries are ongoing jointly with the Health and Safety Executive.”
A member of the public contacted the Stray Ferret on Wednesday saying Harrogate Road in Ripon was closed and a large number of police, fire engines and ambulances were in attendance.
The police initially declined to reveal any information but today confirmed a man, who has not been named, had died.
No further details about the incident have been released.
Read more:
- No suspicious circumstances in Pateley Bridge couple’s death
- Four covid deaths in three days at Harrogate hospital
Venues close as heavy snow approaches Harrogate district
Gritters are out in force today as the Harrogate district braces itself for a second bout of heavy snow in a week.
Fountains Abbey near Ripon and RHS Harlow Carr in Harrogate have already decided to close tomorrow, with the Met Office warning of road closures, stranded vehicles, power cuts and loss of mobile phone coverage.
With heavy snow forecast all day tomorrow (Jan 14), Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, including the deer park will be closed all day for the safety of visitors and staff.
If you've booked to visit tomorrow you should receive a cancellation email shortly.@GHRHarrogate pic.twitter.com/iwPF7JWxWi— Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal, National Trust (@fountainsabbey) January 13, 2021
Unfortunately with more heavy snow forecast in Harrogate tomorrow, RHS Garden Harlow Carr and Garden Centre will be closed on Thurs 14th January.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused. If you have paid for tickets, please contact harlowcarr@rhs.org.uk to arrange a refund. pic.twitter.com/oW6oKnTMJI
— RHS Harlow Carr (@RHSHarlowCarr) January 13, 2021
A yellow weather warning for snow and ice is in place until 9pm tomorrow.
Although less severe than amber and red warnings, the Met Office still warns of “possible significant travel disruption”.
Overnight temperatures are forecast to fall as low as minus two degrees centigrade and not rise above freezing until Saturday, when another weather warning — this time for heavy rain — if effective.
A @metoffice yellow #weatherwarning for #snow and #ice in #NorthYorkshire is in place until 9pm tomorrow. Our gritting crews are treating priority roads but, if you must travel, please take extra care.
You can keep up to date with the forecast here ⬇️https://t.co/zHvC8EqeVU pic.twitter.com/02QCYkusKz
— North Yorkshire Council (@northyorksc) January 13, 2021
There are currently no flood warnings in the Harrogate district but they are in place nearby on the River Swale and River Ouse.
The Stray Ferret will provide weather and travel updates throughout the day tomorrow.
Road works in Harrogate district to continue during lockdownRoad works in the Harrogate district will continue during the third lockdown, according to North Yorkshire County Council.
Several long-term projects were scheduled to take place on some main routes at the start of the year, including Otley Road and Skipton Road in Harrogate.
The lockdown has brought many businesses to a halt, with staff encouraged to stay at home.
But county councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for access, said construction projects, including street and road works, were permitted to continue in accordance with Public Health England and industry guidance.
He added:
“All of this work contributes to the safe, efficient operation of the highways network so other key workers can do what they need to do.”
“As traffic levels are reduced to a minimum, our repair work can be carried out quickly, efficiently and with little or no disruption.”
Mr Mackenzie added contractors were nearing completion of the £15.1m Local Full Fibre Networks scheme, which has seen 170km of gigabit fibre installed in 20 towns in North Yorkshire. He added:
Can you help deliver hot meals to vulnerable people?“At the same time, the Superfast North Yorkshire project has continued throughout the covid pandemic in order to ensure that increasing numbers of businesses and households in rural areas have access to high quality broadband, which is even more vital in times of lockdown.”
A charity that delivers hot meals to older people has issued a plea for more volunteers during the lockdown.
Harrogate and Ripon Foods Angels needs extra help because of rising demand for its services and a reduction in volunteers due to shielding.
The food angels prepare and deliver about 120 meals daily for vulnerable people in Harrogate and Ripon.
Today’s plea is not only for individual volunteers but also for businesses: for instance, two staff at Harrogate firm Slingsby Gin help every Thursday.
The service not only provides meals but also helps reduce isolation among vulnerable people during the pandemic.
Read more:
- Harrogate charity launches UK’s first meals on wheels loyalty scheme
- My Year: Harrogate care leader describes ‘waves of despair’ in pandemic
Sue Cawthray, chief executive of Harrogate Neighbours, which oversees the food angels, said it expected demand for meals to increase in the weeks ahead and any help would be appreciated. She added:
“New shielding guidelines have forced regular and willing volunteers to take a step down, which has left a big gap in the number of people we need to deliver the meals each day.
“We are asking those individuals or local businesses who can spare some time to please do so, so that we can continue to provide the much-needed service into the community.
Volunteers follow government guidelines and protocol, including wearing PPE.
For more information on volunteering visit here or call 01423 888777.
Police appeal for help finding fraudsters who conned woman, 80Fraudsters pretending to be from a disability service stole three bank cards from a woman in her 80s in Summerbridge.
Police in Harrogate today issued a CCTV appeal to find the man and woman responsible.
The suspects took three bank cards and subsequently made fraudulent transactions in Ripon and Darlington.
The incident occurred on Hartwith Bank at around 4.45pm on October 14.
A North Yorkshire Police statement said:
“We are appealing for information which will help to identify the suspects, including anyone who recognises the person in the CCTV image, which is from TK Maxx in Darlington around an hour after the incident.
Read more:
- Man jailed for breaking police officer’s leg and threatening ex-partner
- Police arrest suspected cocaine dealers after chase in Harrogate
Anyone with information can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Katie Bell.
You can also email katarina.bell@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12200181553.
The Harrogate district’s top five covid hotspotsThere have been 633 covid infections recorded in the Harrogate district in the last seven days, according to government statistics.
The infection rate has rocketed over the last month and the current seven-day average rate is now 494 people per 100,000.
But there are considerable variations within the district.
The government breaks each district into smaller areas known as middle super output areas, each with a population of about 7,200 people.
According to the latest figures, the middle super output areas with the most current infections are central Harrogate and central Knaresborough.
The more rural Pateley Bridge and Nidd Valley, which has been consistently less affected throughout the pandemic, has the fewest current infections.
Most infections
1 Central Harrogate 76
2 Knaresborough Central 61
3 Harrogate West and Pannal 59
4 Killinghall and Hampsthwaite 53
5 Starbeck 47
Read more:
- All over 80s in Harrogate district to be offered vaccine by end of month
- Three Harrogate Town players test positive for covid
Fewest Infections
1 Pateley Bridge and Nidd Valley 13
2 Hookstone 17
3= Dishthorpe, Baldersby and Markington
3= Spofforth, Burn Bridge and Huby 19
5 Masham, Kirkby Malzeard and North Stainley 21