Met Office issues four-day rain warning for Harrogate district

A weather warning covering four days has been issued for the Harrogate district as Storm Babet approaches.

The storm is forecast to bring wet and windy weather across the UK from Wednesday. Eastern Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Pennines are likely to be worst affected.

A Met Office weather warning for rain is in place in the Harrogate district from 9pm on Wednesday to 6am on Saturday.

Although gusts of over 60 mph are expected in Scotland, the Met Office isn’t currently forecasting anything higher than just above 30mph locally. But plenty of rain is due, especially on Friday.

The Met Office, which has issued a less severe yellow weather warning, said there was a “small chance” of some homes and businesses flooding and has warned of difficult driving conditions.

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Miriam Margolyes visits Harrogate Homeless Project

Miriam Margolyes took time out from her book tour to visit Harrogate Homeless Project this morning.

The actor, who starred in Harry Potter, was in Harrogate to publicise her latest book, Oh Miriam! She appeared at Harrogate Convention Centre last night and will be in York this evening.

Ms Margolyes visited staff and service users at Springboard Day Centre, which provides food, shower and washing facilities, skills workshops, activities, psychotherapy, medical services and housing advice to homeless people.

Harrogate Homeless Project runs the day centre at the Wesley Centre on Oxford Street in Harrogate. It also operates a 16-bed hostel on Bower Street and move-on housing for those wishing to escape homelessness.

Ms Margolyes said:

“I was honoured to visit the Harrogate Homeless Project and witness at first-hand the remarkable dedication of staff and volunteers and their powerful work, transforming lives. It’s essential that we all address the issue of homelessness with compassion and empathy.”

Clair Challenor-Chadwick, a trustee of the charity, said Ms Margolyes “didn’t hesitate to visit the project when asked”, adding:

“It’s her unwavering commitment to social causes, her kindness, and absolute belief in fairness and justice that truly sets her apart.”

Miriam Margoyles with Harrogate Homeless Project today. Pic: Gerard Binks

With chief executive Francis McAllister. Pic: Gerard Binks

Chief executive Francis McAllister said the visit would raise awareness about homelessness.

“Her visit will undoubtedly throw a spotlight on this cause, and I hope her compassion inspires the wider community to come together and make a difference in the lives of those in need.”

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Harrogate athlete Cal Mills wins at Yorkshire Marathon Festival

Elite Harrogate runner Cal Mills won the 10-mile race at yesterday’s Yorkshire Marathon Festival in a blistering 50 minutes and 18 seconds.

Over 10,000 people took part in the festival, which was part of the Run For All series of events established by Leeds fundraiser Jane Tomlinson. The series has now raised more than £10 million.

Cal, 23, led more than 2,500 entrants home in the 10-mile competition, finishing nine seconds ahead of second place and just three seconds off the course record.

He is no stranger to winning big races, having finished first at the Brighton half marathon in February.

Cal takes the winner’s spot in the middle of the podium.

Yesterday’s event, which took place in and around York, marked the 10th anniversary of the Yorkshire Marathon Festival. It featured a marathon, marathon relay and 10-mile races.

Serious runners were joined by fun runners and famous faces, including British rugby league coach and former professional player Jamie Jones Buchanan and comedians Rob Deering and Paul Tonkinson.

Harvey Gration, son of late BBC Yorkshire broadcaster Harry Gration, started the marathon and then took part in the 26.2-mile marathon.

The fastest male in the marathon was Joe Sagar in 2:24:10 and the first woman home was Melissah Gibson who clocked 02:40:41.

Mike Tomlinson, chief executive of not-for-profit events company Run For All, said it was “a truly spectacular day and an amazing atmosphere from start to finish”.

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Harrogate road to be closed for another six months

A busy Harrogate road is to remain closed for another six months.

Vehicles have been blocked from crossing the bridge where Kingsley Road meets Bogs Lane since November last year.

Besides serving the Kingsley area, the road is also used as a cut-through to avoid congestion on the main A59 Knaresborough Road.

The road was due to re-open to through traffic on November 3 but North Yorkshire Council, the highways authority, has now said the traffic order will remain in place until May.

The order was issued to enable work on the 133-home Redrow homes site Kingsley Manor to take place.

But in an email seen by the Stray Ferret, the council said Barratt Homes —which built the nearby Kingsley Meadows development — had not fulfilled an obligation to build a footway along Bogs Lane to make the area safer for pedestrians.

The email said:

“Unfortunately following a meeting with Barratts last week, we have been informed that their internal commercial processes would not allow them to award a works contract to the contractor who is currently working in the area and forming the Redrow site access.”

The email adds the council had therefore extended the temporary road closure “to ensure the road does not open until a footway is constructed allowing safe pedestrian access”.

By May, the road closure will have lasted for 18 months — the maximum legal time.

There appears no guarantee, however, the footway will be finished by then.

A spokesperson for Barratt and David Wilson Homes Yorkshire East, said:

“In 2019, we agreed a plan with North Yorkshire County Council for new pathways on Kingsley Road. However, the council has now requested that a revised plan is put in place because another developer is also building homes in the area, creating the need for further road improvement works.

“While we are not legally required to do the more extensive road improvement works, we have agreed to go out to tender to get costs for doing this work and intend to make a contribution towards it.”

A local resident, who asked not to be named, said the situation typified the ‘act now, think later’ approach to development in the area over the last six years.

They said:

“Bogs Lane is an unclassified country lane yet it was deemed safe by highways for the development and entrances of five major construction sites.

“No thought was put into the safety of the current and thousands of future residents. Highways were warned over six years ago of the dangers on Bogs Lane and it took them nearly five years to act and then only due to repeated complaints of incidents and near serious accidents.”

A familiar site on Kingsley Road.

Cllr Chris Aldred, a Liberal Democrat who represents High Harrogate and Kingsley, said:

“While it’s disappointing that Barratts internal processes don’t enable them to work speedily with the Redrow contractors to provide the long awaited and much needed footpath, which myself and council officers have been pressing for, I agree with the officers that it better for the road to remain closed to cars – pedestrians and cyclists are still able to use it, as they have been doing for the last year of course – until the safe footpath is in situ.

“I am very conscious that when the road eventually does reopen to vehicles we do not want a return to the infamous Kingsley rat run, which has knock on effects for all the residential roads leading to Kingsley Drive from Knaresborough Road and need to make this link safe for all users of the road, particularly bearing in mind there is bound to be increased vehicle use by residents living in the new developments.

“It’s important the footpath is in place prior to the road reopening to vehicles.”

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Scarecrow festival to raise awareness of speeding in Nidd

The village of Nidd between Harrogate and Knaresborough is to begin a scarecrow festival this weekend to highlight concerns about speeding.

About 16 scarecrows will line both the B6165 that passes through Nidd and Town Street. Many have been designed specifically with a speed theme and one will resemble a police officer.

Nidd resident Jayne Brown said villagers wanted the speed limit reduced from 40mph to 30mph after longstanding concerns had been heightened by two recent fatal accidents in the area.

A police scarecrow with a safety message.

 

Another of the designs

Ms Brown said the lack of visible houses on the B6165 encouraged motorists to drive faster than they should. She added:

“Most drivers are not even aware they are driving through a village with elderly and young children crossing the particularly dangerous part of the road between Nidd Hall hotel and Town Street.

“The corners after Nidd Hall hotel have seen numerous accidents. If the most recent had been seconds earlier it would have hit schoolchildren on the pavement.”

The B6165, which links Ripley and Knaresborough, has some sharp, narrow bends in Nidd, especially near Nidd Hall.

(left to right) Villagers Jayne Brown, Alan Lunn and Shirley Hudson

 

An eye-catching scarecrow

Ms Brown said cars sometimes scraped walls in incidents that weren’t reported to the police so the actual number of accidents was higher than statistics suggested.

The scarecrows are expected to remain in place for a couple of weeks.

However, Nidd Parish Council, which is working with North Yorkshire Council to tackle the traffic issues, does not support the scarecrow initiative.

The clerk said:

“We are concerned that any distractions to drivers as they approach, what we all agree is a dangerous bend, is not sensible.
“They (drivers) should be concentrating on the road ahead and navigating the significant blind curves.
“Secondly, the possibility of attracting people to stop and view scarecrows has several potential difficulties including parking and pedestrians.”
An already unsatisfactory could be made worse by additional hazards, the council added.

Nidd Hall Hotel has agreed to allow two scarecrows at its entrance.

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Angry parents say closure of Lofthouse school will ‘rip heart out of community’

Devastated parents have said a village near Pateley Bridge will have its heart “ripped out” by the closure of a primary school.

Governors of Upper Nidderdale Federation have issued a statement saying they have taken “the heavy and sad decision to ask North Yorkshire Council to begin consultation on a proposal to close Fountains Earth School” in Lofthouse.

A formal decision on closure is expected next year but the fate of the school, which was rated ‘good’ by Ofsted at its last full assessment in 2017, appears sealed as no pupils remain.

The council has said the closure is part of a trend caused by declining pupil numbers at rural schools but numerous parents have contacted the Stray Ferret to dispute this.

They say they felt compelled to withdraw their children because of the way the school was run and that it could have a viable future if the will remained.

A joint statement by a group of parents said they were “devastated to have been left with no choice but to remove our children”. It added:

“It will remain the view of the former parents that the pending closure of Fountains Earth School is not simply about known challenges around resourcing of rural schools and pupil numbers.

“We believe it has everything to do with the leadership, governance and decision making of the Upper Nidderdale Federation.

“Parents have a degree of choice and can tell when a school is failing its children. As a parent group we’ve been disappointed by how unwilling the school has been to pro-actively communicate with us and surprised by the total lack of accountability that can exist around how a school is governed.”

Some villagers also issued individual comments. Ashley Gatecliffe said it felt as if the school closure was a “deliberate act”. Former parent Leanne Jowett said things started to unravel after a previous consultation on closing the school ended in June 2022. She added:

“I truly believe the heart of the community has been ripped out because of this and questions need asking in relation to accountability, how this is able to happen yet again in North Yorkshire and who is ultimately responsible.”

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‘The whole thing stinks’

Another former parent, Fiona Ewbank, said three generations of her family had been educated at the school but she felt “forced” to move her child outside the federation, which also includes St Cuthbert’s Primary School in Pateley Bridge and Glasshouses Community Primary School.

Ms Ewbank added:

“The school had 11 pupils enrolled in June 2022 and increased to 15 by Sept 2022. Numbers were not declining, despite what is usually the story around rural school closures.”

Lofthouse

The school closure will have a significant impact on Lofthouse.

Former parent Rosie Costello, who runs a playgroup in the village, said:

“We have a thriving village playgroup in Lofthouse with children from both the local area as well as further away. This was a great pipeline for future pupil numbers, and we wanted to work pro-actively with the school to maximise on this but there didn’t seem to be the level of interest to do so that we would have hoped for.”

Stephen Ramsden, chair of Upper Nidderdale Parish Council said:

“In my opinion the parents have been pushed out and they are now forced to travel much greater distances because they’re left with no confidence in the leadership of this federation. The whole thing stinks.”

Cllr Andrew Murday, a Liberal Democrat who represents Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale on North Yorkshire Council, said:

“It’s a sad state of affairs. There has been a failure of communication between parents and the federation.”

‘Difficult decision’ to begin closure process

Asked about moves to instigate closure, Amanda Newbold, the council’s assistant director for education and skills, said:

“We very much recognise the problems of falling pupil numbers at small rural schools, which is an issue affecting a number of communities in North Yorkshire.

“Sadly, there are currently no children enrolled at Fountain’s Earth CE Primary School in Lofthouse in Nidderdale.

“After a challenging time for all, the school governors have made the difficult decision to begin the formal process of applying to the council for a consultation on proposed plans to close the school.

“The request will be formally considered in November. If a consultation is given the go-ahead, it would be undertaken later this year and include a public meeting.”

 

Balaclava-clad burglars target homes in Harrogate

Police are seeking three men wearing balaclavas who attempted to break into a house in Harrogate.

According to North Yorkshire Police, the would-be burglars were disturbed when they entered a home on Azerley Grove in the Jennyfields area.

The incident happened between midnight and 3am last Saturday (October 7).

The force today appealed for witnesses and information. It said in a statement:

“On the same night, three men were seen on ring doorbell footage approaching a second property nearby.

“One of the men was described as wearing a striped body warmer over a long-sleeved top, he was wearing dark joggers and dark trainers.

“A second man was described as wearing a tracksuit with reflective stripes on the lower legs. All three men were wearing balaclavas.”

The statement urged anyone with information or doorbell footage to email ruby.rutter@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and ask for Ruby Rutter.

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

Quote reference number 12230190164.

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Knaresborough Castle to host free Glastonbury party next year

Knaresborough’s Party in the Castle will return next year, organisers have confirmed.

The free event, which was held in glorious sunshine in the grounds of Knaresborough Castle in June, enabled residents to watch BBC coverage of Glastonbury together on a big screen.

It was organised through a collaboration between business group Knaresborough and District Chamber and North Yorkshire Council.

Hundreds attended this year’s event. Pic: Mike Whorley

Enjoying the Glastonbury vibe. Pic: Mike Whorley

The two groups have now confirmed Party in the Castle 2024 will be held on Saturday, June 29.

A spokesperson for Knaresborough Chamber said:

“We are excited to announce the funding of 50% from North Yorkshire Council through Cllr Matt Walker and we have saved the date with Tim Dabell, manager of parks and open spaces, to secure the castle yard.

“We will be announcing our town events sponsorship packages in the new year. Party in the Castle is on for 2024!”

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Firefighters tackle car fire on A1(M)

Firefighters from Ripon, Masham and Knaresborough used breathing apparatus to tackle a major car fire on the A1(M) today.

Fire engines were called to the southbound carriageway at the junction 49 slip road at 7.24am this morning.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service‘s incident report said:

“Crews located the Audi that was well alight and extinguished it using one hose reel jet and two breathing apparatus.

“Crews dampened down and made the vehicle safe before leaving the incident in the hands of the highways agency.”

North Yorkshire Police later posted on social media that “the fire is now out and occupants uninjured”.

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Harrogate woman among 16 housemates on Big Brother

A 25-year-old Harrogate woman is among the 16 housemates on the new series of Big Brother.

The programme, which has returned after a five-year hiatus, sees strangers live together in a house for weeks on end. The last one to be voted out wins £100,000.

New hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best introduced the show, which is now on ITV, last night.

Among those entering the house was customer support agent, Yinrun, 25, who is originally from Shanghai, China but now lives in Harrogate.

She described herself as “a pretty adventurous person” whose boyfriend would describe her as “quirky but lovable”.

She told ITV:

“My friends in China think I am like the crazy mother because I always take care of them. I’m very playful.”

Yinrun added that since moving to the UK, she drinks a cup of Yorkshire tea with milk every day.

Asked what she would do with the prize money if she won, she said:

“I want to move to a farm. That’s my final dream, I will live on a farm and have some chickens, grow my organic vegetables and have a puppy to run around. And I’ll have eggs from the chicken, it will be so wholesome. This is my dream.”

She nominated Michael McIntyre as her dream celebrity to live with.

Yinrun and the other 15 housemates. Pic: ITV

The return of Big Brother

ITV describes Big Brother as “the ultimate social experiment”.

It added:

“Big Brother will see a new cast of carefully selected housemates, from all walks of life, become the first people to take up residence in the brand-new Big Brother house.

“Given its own contemporary new look ready for this reimagining of the show, the iconic Big Brother house will play host to all the action – clever tasks, nail-biting nominations and live evictions will be back.”

Big Brother first hit screens in the Netherlands in 1999. Since its debut, over 500 series of the show have aired around the world in over 64 countries and regions.

In the UK, it ran for 11 series on Channel 4 and also led to seven series of Celebrity Big Brother.

The show subsequently aired for eight series on Channel 5, with an additional 15 celebrity series, before ending in 2018.

Big Brother is now broadcast from Sunday to Friday on ITV2 and ITVX at 9pm.