CCTV appeal for four men following attempted theft at Harrogate iStore

Police have released CCTV images of four men they want to identify following an attempted theft at the Harrogate iStore.

According to a statement by North Yorkshire Police today, the four men tried to steal items from the Apple retailer on James Street but failed.

It added they ran along James Street towards Princess Street.

The incident took place in December. No precise date has been given.

If you recognise any of them men or have information to assist the investigation you can contact the police on 101, select option 2 and ask for Brendon Frith or contact the officer direct at Brendon.Frith@northyorkshire.police.uk.

To remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The reference number is 12210255167.

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Traffic and Travel Alert – Numerous Harrogate bus cancellations on the 1A, 1C and 36 routes

Harrogate Bus Company has had to cancel multiple services on its 1A, 1C and 36 routes this morning.

Those affected include:

For updates from Harrogate Bus Company, follow it on Twitter @harrogatebus.

https://twitter.com/harrogatebus/status/1498194886763421696

The Stray Ferret has changed the way it offers Traffic and Travel alerts.

We will now notify you instantly through app notifications and flash tweets when there is an urgent alert. This could include heavy traffic, dangerous weather and long delays or cancellations of public transport.

The alerts are sponsored by The HACS Group.

Stray Gardener: March is the perfect time to start planting seedlings

The Stray Gardener is written by Rudding Park’s Kitchen Gardener, Fiona Slight. Fiona has worked in horticulture for more than 30 years in the UK and abroad, and specialises in growing fruit and vegetables for fine dining. This month, Fiona explains the different ways to sow seed.

 

March is the time of year when a lot of different types of seed can be sown successfully. There is nothing so rewarding as being able to grow a plant from seed and either enjoy its beautiful blooms throughout the summer or reap the rewards of tasty vegetables home grown by yourself. If you follow a few easy steps and quite often just follow the instructions on the packet, you can have success!

So where do you start? It makes sense to choose seed that you really want to grow. Read the packet instructions closely to ensure you can provide the right conditions that germinating seed will need. Most seed will need good light conditions, the correct temperature (usually given on the seed packet) and moisture. It is more than possible to grow and raise seeds on a windowsill. I do it myself every year.

Sweet pea seedlings planted in cardboard tubes.

Seed can be sown in a variety of different containers, for example, sweet pea seeds are best grown in cardboard tubes or root trainers which are tall thin containers to allow the plants a good root run and also minimal root disturbance when planted. Calendula (Pot Marigold) on the other hand, is best grown in a small seed tray or pot to allow them to grow to a size large enough to handle to be pricked out into larger pots. Whichever one you use, ensure it is clean and dry to avoid passing on any pests and diseases to your seedlings.

The next thing to think about is what material you grow your seeds in, the compost you choose is important, depending on the size and type of seed. Generally, shop bought seed compost works very well and is ready sterilised. It is important to ensure the compost is reasonably fine and well-drained. This is especially important for small seed to ensure good contact with the soil for germination.

Firmed down compost

For sowing smaller seed, fill your container with compost, and tap down to remove excess air holes. Smooth the compost off to get a level, flat surface, and then firm down either with another pot or tray with a flat bottom or a specially made wooden tamper. You now have a good surface to scatter your seed onto. Be careful not to sow too thickly as this can cause problems later on. Firm down the seeds to get good contact with the compost, and then, if the seeds requires it, cover with a thin layer of vermiculite, perlite or compost (generally until you can’t see the seed anymore). After that, I prefer to soak the seed from underneath in a tray of water as there is less chance of displacing the seeds and it ensures the compost is fully moist.

For larger seed, such as peas or beans, you can sow them individually or in pairs. Lay the seed on top of each cardboard tube or section of the root trainer and once all the seeds are placed, you can then push them down into the compost, usually a finger nail deep but it does depend on the size of seed. Then cover over the hole with more compost and water in thoroughly.

A variety of seedlings

Keeping the seed packets for future reference is very useful and helps with going on to the next stage of growing. Don’t forget to label your seeds, and if you have too many, share them with your friends.

Happy sowing!

Fiona’s Five Top Tips for March

  1. Now is the time to cut back any Cornus or Willow grown for their colourful stems
  2. March is a great time to divide congested clumps of grasses
  3. Plant onion and shallot sets
  4. Divide and re-plant bulbs in the green such as snow drops and winter aconites
  5. Pot on Dahlia tubers and place in the greenhouse to start to grow before planting out in May
Knaresborough Museum to open doors for first time in June

Knaresborough Town Museum will open its doors for the first time this summer to give visitors a sneak peek at the museum.

Knaresborough Museum Association will hold a community history festival on June 2-4 as part of the town’s the Queen’s platinum jubilee celebrations.

The museum, based at the former Castle Girls’ School near Knaresborough Castle, has been in the works since late 2020 but with the building lease set to be signed on April 1, the group can begin to plan events.

Some of the museum’s volunteers. Left to right: Sam Roberts, Clare Joia, Kathy Allday and Suzanne Coulson

The museum won’t be fully ready for the festival but it will have had a fresh lick of paint and will host stalls from numerous local groups, including the Royal British Legion Knaresborough branch and the Knaresborough Historical Society.

There will also be activities for children, including a mock-Victorian classroom for craft activity. The group hopes to have people teach heritage crafts, such as cotton spinning.

The museum itself is set to officially open in February 2023. A planning application has been submitted to Harrogate Borough Council but chair of the association, Kathy Allday, said due to a delay in contractors works won’t be able to start until autumn.

She said:

“It’s a shame we’ve had to push back the opening date but after the festival we can hit the ground running and get works underway.

“We’ll be unveiling artefacts at the festival and a 3D model of how the museum will look. We will also be trialling our history trail which walks around the town, the hopes is we can do these regularly once the museum is open.”

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The museum is being funded by public donations and grants, it will include eight exhibition zones covering periods of history from the Jurassic age to the World Wars.

The association is currently looking for business sponsors to come on board to support the museum as it opens, to get in touch click here.

Harrogate care worker’s anguish for Ukrainian family close to bombing

Marina Godwin has spoke of heartbreak and anguish for her family in Ukraine.

Mrs Godwin, who has lived in England for eight years, works as a care team leader at Vida Grange care home in Pannal.

The 38-year-old said she is “frightened” for her parents, sister, brother-in-law and extended family in the country.

Most of her family live near the town of Myrhorod in the Poltava region in central Ukraine. Myrhorod is home to a military base and has been heavily bombed.

Mrs Godwin said her family are safe but their proximity to the areas being bombed is a huge concern. She said:

“I’m incredibly terrified for my family. They just don’t know what to do. my sister said they can’t eat, of course when you’re worried and anxious of course you can’t eat.

“They have tried to get to my grandma nearby but can’t, there are just no forms of transport.”

Marina Godwin

Her sister lives further north in Kharkiv which borders with Russia. Mrs Godwin said her and her husband are sleeping on the floor in fear of missiles getting through the windows of their home.

Mrs Godwin said a shortage of fuel, cash and transport means many people are struggling to escape to safety. She’s heard from friends that there are hundreds of people attempting to find refuge in Western Ukraine.

Mrs Godwin and her husband Brian used to live in Harrogate and now live in North Leeds.

The 38-year-old has called on western leaders to act,. She appealed for them to help her home country:

“It’s difficult to imagine this can happen in the 21st century in the middle of Europe.

“I know the UK, US and many European countries have put sanctions in place. I think it would be good to supply Ukraine with better weapons, maybe European countries could help to fight but at the same time i understand it’s a dangerous situation globally and could trigger a global war.”

Mrs Godwin is also studying to be a mental health nurse at Leeds Beckett University, she said she feels “helpless” that all she can offer is support over the phone.

She hasn’t been home since July 2019 due to the pandemic, but is hopeful to be able to visit her family this year.

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The invasion has worsened overnight with Russian forces now occupying Chernobyl and continuing to perform missile strikes on towns and cities across Ukraine.

When watching President Putin’s interviews on TV, Mrs Godwin said:

“Why would someone want to find a ridiculous excuse to invade a neighbour country? I know there are reasons but it doesn’t justify a war.

“There should not be any single person killed, the war should not be happening, In my opinion there is always room for negotiation.”

She has also called on Western leaders to aid those trying to escape to safety in nearby countries by making immigration rules simpler.

Despite her desperate concern for her family, Mrs Godwin is also hopeful for the future:

“Life will go on, it will definitely go on.”

Ripon man with family in Ukraine speaks of ‘deeply troubling’ times

Peter Dutka has spoken of his devastation and concern for family in Ukraine after waking up this morning to the news that Russia had invaded.

Mr Dutka lives in Ripon and was brought up in England by his father, who was born in Ukraine. He still has family living in western Ukraine near the Polish border.

Mr Dutka hasn’t spoken to his Ukrainian family yet today but said he will call them as soon as he can. He described the invasion as “deeply, deeply troubling” and distressing, adding:

“The news is devastating on a family front but it will have ramifications across the world too. You wouldn’t think in times like these a land war would happen, but it has. The consequences of this could be huge. It’s just devastating.”

Mr Dutka, who was due to visit his family this year, said the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation needed to be “more firm” and take a stand against President Putin.

“I am really proud of my Ukrainian heritage so this is very frightening. I have aunties, uncles and cousins over there, of course it’s a huge worry for us.

“I’m welling up just thinking about it.”

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In the last 24 hours, Russia has launched missile strikes on major cities in Ukraine, forcing people to flee their homes.

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss described the attack as an “illegal, unprovoked invasion” and warned the Russian ambassador that the UK would be “imposing severe sanctions”.

An advisor to the Ukrainian president has said 40 people died in the first few hours of Russian strikes.

Mother Shipton’s delays reopening due to flood damage

Mother Shipton’s Cave in Knaresborough has delayed its reopening until March 12 because of storm damage.

The Knaresborough visitor attraction was due to reopen for the season on March 5 but it remains badly affected by last weekend’s heavy rainfall and high river levels.

The storms left several fences to repair, pathways to wash down and debris to clear in the historic woodland areas.

Sadly due to the recent storms and bad weather we’ll no longer be able to re-open at the beginning of March. 🌧

Weather permitting, we now plan to open on weekends from 12th March and then every day from 1st April, but we’ll keep you updated.

Can’t wait to welcome you soon! 🌼 pic.twitter.com/qu9Yg4pZfX

— Mother Shipton's (@Mothershiptons) February 24, 2022

The venue will now be open on weekends from March 12 and every day from April 1.

The cave’s marketing coordinator, Jay Stelling, said:

“Since Christmas, our small team have been getting everything ready for the new year with the hopes of opening the first weekend in March, but after the recent storms and adverse weather we have had to push this back.

“Luckily, we didn’t lose any of our ancient trees in the storms.”

The petrifying well, inside the site, is said to be England’s oldest visitor attraction. Visitors hear the story of prophetess Mother Shipton, who died in 1561, and see the water that turns objects to stone.

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New Bilsdale mast: some Harrogate district homes may have to retune TVs

Some people in the Harrogate district may have to retune their TVs again after another interim mast at Bilsdale was activated.

Fire wrecked the original mast six months ago, causing loss of service to 500,000 homes in Yorkshire and the north-east.  Many people in the Harrogate district were affected, particularly around Ripon.

Yesterday, a second temporary mast was switched on. Arqiva, which owns the mast, said the new 80-metre mast will improve the TV signal and be more robust in bad weather.

Paul Donovan, chief executive of Arqiva, said:

“The switchover to this new mast is another important step in the huge project to restore full TV services to people across the region. Our teams have worked extremely hard in challenging conditions to complete it.

“We’re sorry for the disruption which the fire has caused, and we remain fully committed to providing help and advice to those who are affected, and especially the most vulnerable members of our communities.”

Planning permission has been approved for a new 300-metre mast at Bilsdale, which will replace the original one lost in the fire.

Mr Donovan said work on the new mast should be complete by the end of spring 2023.

Last summer’s fire left some homes without a signal for weeks. In October the first temporary mast was erected.

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How to retune

Arqiva said homes likely to have been affected by yesterday’s switchover are those relying on Freeview services. It added it had contacted residents with instructions on how to retune their TVs.

If you notice a change in your TV reception, Arqiva recommends the following:

  1. Retune your TV. For most TVs you can press ‘OK’ or retune when prompted
  2. If your TV doesn’t automatically retune, or if you find retuning difficult, click here or call 0800 121 4828
  3. If, after a retune, you are still missing channels, then please call the helpline number above
Spike in catalytic converter thefts from flatbed vans near Ripon

Catalytic converters have been stolen from numerous flatbed vans along the A1(M) in recent weeks.

North Yorkshire Police has issued a warning to van drivers after numerous flatbed vans were targeted by thieves near Ripon.

Police have said over the past couple of weeks a number of flatbed, or tipper, vans have been had their catalytic converters or ignition barrels removed.

Vans parked in the Ripon A1 area in particular have been targeted.

PCSO Phil Wright, based in Harrogate, sent out a neighbourhood alert suggesting this spate of thefts is similar to those seen about six months to a year ago

PCSO Wright added:

“These vehicles are very sought after at the moment and despite security devices they have been taken.

“Please be vigilant with security of vehicles and if you have any information please contact 101.”

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Traffic and Travel Alert: Warning for motorists to be wary of snow on North Yorkshire’s rural roads

North Yorkshire Police has put out a warning for motorists to drive carefully on rural roads following snow fall this morning.

The force said motorists should be wary of slippery roads and poor vision this morning.

In a tweet it asked drivers to “slow down and drive to the conditions”.

⚠️WEATHER UPDATE⚠️
❄Areas of #NorthYorkshire are currently experiencing snow fall.
Roads are becoming covered & slippery.
Please #slowdown and drive to the conditions. Allow extra travel time for your Journey.❄
#Craven #A6068 #drivetoarrive pic.twitter.com/yVFj6UFuBX

— N Yorks Police Traffic Bureau & Road Safety Team (@NYTrafficBureau) February 24, 2022

The Stray Ferret has changed the way it offers Traffic and Travel alerts.

We will now notify you instantly through app notifications and flash tweets when there is an urgent alert. This could include heavy traffic, dangerous weather and long delays or cancellations of public transport.

To downloads our app, click here.

The alerts are sponsored by The HACS Group.