A motorist was clocked driving 84mph through a leafy street in Pannal, the parish council has revealed.

A machine operated by Pannal & Burn Bridge Parish Council records the speed of vehicles on Church Lane and it registered the car racing down the 30mph zone last year.

Since then it has regularly found cars and vans dangerously breaking the speed limit. In May 2022 alone, 277 vehicles were recorded travelling faster than 50mph.

Speeding problem

The parish council has three Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs) within the parish.

The machines flash the current speed to the motorist and run 24/7, with the data then relayed back to North Yorkshire Police.

The council’s chair, Cllr Howard West, said they have begun to publish the data because “many people had no idea” of the speeding problem in Pannal.

Mr West said:

“With more housing being built on the western arc, it will only become worse.

“More white vans for home deliveries under time pressure and more irresponsible drivers were some of the reasons we chose to employ Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs).”

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In March 2022, the top three speeds were 76mph, 71mph and 69mph.

Mr West wants to make people aware that Church Lane, Yew Tree Lane and Burn Bridge Road are 30mph zones and through Main Street in the village itself it is 20mph.

He added:

“We’ll keep highlighting those ridiculously high speeds, sometimes around school pick-up times, in the hope that common sense will prevail and people will travel at no more than 30mph or in some cases 20mph in our parish. “

The fastest new team prize for Knaresborough Bed Race was presented to a Harrogate running club today, after a mix-up saw the trophy incorrectly awarded to the wrong team.

The famous race returned to the town for the first time since 2019 last weekend and saw thousands of people line the streets for an entertaining and enjoyable day.

Fastest new team was a fiercely-competed category with three new teams (Early Bird Run Crew Harrogate, Nidd Valley Juniors and It’s A COP-Out) separated by just 20 seconds.

It’s a COP-Out were handed the trophy on Saturday, but after being made aware of the error they magnanimously handed the trophy back to the Knaresborough Lions, which organises the bed race, and it was duly presented to EBRC Harrogate this morning.

EBRC Harrogate, the fastest new team

The Lions said on Facebook:

“Things don’t always go to plan and unfortunately the fastest new team prize on Saturday was awarded to the wrong team.

“Thank you to It’s A COP-Out for being so magnanimous when told of the error, and thanks for EBRC Harrogate for being patient in receiving their prize.

“Amazing running by all new teams and we hopefully look forward to seeing you back in 2023.”

Knaresborough Lions PR officer Martin Brock even joined EBRC’s 6.30am Friday 5km run around Harrogate after handing over the trophy.

Read more:

• Crowds line streets of Knaresborough to cheer on Bed Race
• Aaron Bertenshaw’s family to fundraise at Knaresborough Bed Race

This article is sponsored by Kliniken.

Kliniken, Harrogate’s state-of-the-art day surgery clinic, is pioneering new stem cell treatment for a pain-free life.

The clinic has introduced a ground-breaking procedure that uses stem cells to help heal osteoarthritis in the knee to avoid painful knee replacement surgery.

Kliniken is owned and run by Mr Mallappa Kolar, the UK’s leading surgeon on stem cells, and his wife Karuna, and they are delighted to be bringing the life-changing procedure to Yorkshire.

Expertise and experience

Mr Kolar’s expertise in stem cell treatments has helped him pioneer the procedure in a UK-first, aiding patients with often crippling, painful osteoarthritis.

His understanding of how fat stem cells injected into the knee can help those suffering from arthritis has meant he can provide a solution to those in need.

The procedure gives people a chance to lead pain-free lives that seemed previously out of reach.

He said:

“I feel privileged to be able to use my knowledge on fat stem cells to be able to help patients that are unable to live as active and mobile a life as they would love to, due to their arthritis, as the pain prevents this.“

The treatment avoids painful knee surgery.

How it works

Kliniken, is the only location within the UK to offer this specific type of stem cell procedure.

The procedure itself focuses on utilising fat and dental stem cells to aid regeneration within the area affected, through the use of targeted injections at the problem regions and joints.

This can help those suffering on the spectrum of pain. This can range from a mild ache all the way up to those who may be due to have knee replacements using metal, which is a far more invasive form of surgery.

Unlike other procedures available, this pioneering stem cell injection treatment means the body is healing the body, and it does not involve any metal insertion into the patient’s body.

Benefits and results

For those suffering from osteoarthritis, knee pain or perhaps struggling to keep up with hobbies like running or golf due to knee issues then stem cell treatment could be the right thing.

Unfortunately, knee replacements cannot be reversed and most younger people who have to get a replacement are more likely to need a revision later in life which is a major undertaking.

Mr Kolar added:

“Having travelled and worked in the United States and Europe over the years, where this procedure is popular due to its evident success, I am very excited to bring its benefits and results home with me.”

Alan Cryer and Mr Mallappa Kolar talking through the process.

Pain free and happy

64-year-old businessman Alan Cryer from Harrogate suffered from excruciating pain in both his knees. He said:

“I was told by the hospital that I would need two knee replacements in order to deal with the pain. At this point I was having to crawl up the stairs. The impact the pain was having on my life was huge.

“I did not want to go on like this, but I did not want metal knees, so I began to research – but struggled to find any alternatives within the UK.

“As fate would have it, Mallappa was right here in the UK, and on my doorstep too! After the surgery I had no pain whatsoever – I could literally have walked out of the theatre had I been allowed.”

Roughly a week after surgery Mr Cryer went look for his crutches and ended up walking the whole way through his house without them. He added:

“After two weeks walking, I did a walk I’ve done before and knew I’d normally be in pain so took a walking stick – which I didn’t need. By week three I was walking down slopes without any pain at all.

“I am now so confident, and even help my grandson off the floor when he falls! I could not be more grateful for the life I can now lead, pain free and happy.”

Alan has subsequently booked and undergone the same procedure for his other knee and is recovering well.

Please call us on 01423 206388 or visit our website at kliniken.co.uk for more information.

Two Harrogate taxi drivers delivered a letter signed by 154 cabbies to Harrogate Borough Council’s Civic Centre this morning protesting against a raft of new licence conditions they believe are unfair.

The changes, which were approved by the council in April, include potentially revoking a driver’s licence if they receive seven penalty points.

They also stipulate drivers must keep taxi plates on their vehicles even when they are not working, attend mandatory training courses and adhere to stricter rules around scuffs and scratches on vehicles.

Following the Stray Ferret’s article on the new conditions last week, the taxi drivers received some criticism on social media for opposing the seven penalty points rule.

Blueline driver David Goodall wanted to stress that drivers are “not asking for permission” to speed but that the points ban was only one aspect of the changes that he believes will irreparably hurt the trade.

He added:

“What we want is for the council to understand within our occupation you can inadvertently go over the speed limit such as when we have a difficult customer in the car or if someone has a medical emergency and there’s a need to get to hospital quickly.”

Taxi driver Musa Ebzao believes making drivers display their taxi plates at all times could put their security at risk and make their cars or their homes a target for thieves.

“I’ve been threatened by somebody who wanted to burn down my house. The plates are telling people where we live.

“Also so many times, people break in thinking there’s money in the taxi and steal what’s in the meter or sat nav. That has happened many times.”

Read more:

• ‘We just want to make a living’: Harrogate cabbies hit out at new rules

• Harrogate district taxi drivers hit out at ‘unfair’ penalty points proposal

He added that sending experienced drivers on four days of compulsory training was “really insulting”.

“Send me on a course to teach manners and honesty? We already have that. I find it really insulting. I have been taxi driving for 30 years on and off.”

Legal action

Mr Ebzao and Mr Goodall said they will be awaiting a response from the council licensing team but hadn’t ruled out future legal action or protests.

Mr Goodall said:

“An increasing concern is the manner the council is using these conditions as a way of antagonising and persecuting licensed drivers.

“The council should abandon this policy, start from scratch, and consult all the licensed drivers. What we want is common sense, that’s all we ask.”

A council spokesperson said it would not be issuing a response to the letter and that its position has not changed from last week’s statement, which said:

“The safety of customers using taxis is paramount.

“Seven penalty points issued for motoring offences is consistent with proposals for City of York and the West Yorkshire authorities and is recommended in national guidance.

“Taxi drivers’ licences are reviewed on an individual basis when points accumulate. And while the policy specifies seven points, an opportunity is given to the driver to put their side and reasons why their licence should not be revoked.

“Once a vehicle is licensed it is always a licensed vehicle and the law does not permit drivers to take licence plates off. It cannot sometimes be a private vehicle and sometimes be a licensed vehicle at the driver’s choice. And by ensuring a valid licence plate is secured and displayed at all times it allows the public to identify the vehicle as licenced by the local authority, and prevents it being stolen and used by others.”

Harrogate Borough Council’s claim that 120,000 visitors attended two jubilee events over the recent four-day weekend has been questioned.

To celebrate the Queen’s 70 years on the throne, the council and Harrogate Business Improvement District turned part of the Stray into Jubilee Square. The venue included a stage and big screens showing events such as the Queen’s birthday parade.

Valley Gardens hosted a free family festival, organised by the council, which featured jugglers, magicians, choirs and fairground rides. An artisan market was also held in the Sun Colonnade in the gardens.

The free rides in Valley Gardens were a hit with families.

Following the two events, the council’s tourism body Destination Harrogate issued a news release that said 120,000 visitors attended over the four days.

Whilst the events were clearly popular, the council’s figures suggest as many people attended them as the British Grand Prix, Leeds Festival or the Great Yorkshire Show.

How was the figure calculated?

The Stray Ferret asked the council how the figure of 120,000 was calculated.

At Valley Gardens, a system called PFM counted whenever someone entered, meaning one person could be counted multiple times.

A council spokesperson confirmed that “if people went between two sites then they could be counted twice”. They added:

“Of course, when it isn’t a ticketed event you can’t be 100 per cent but we believe over the four days there were more than 120,000 visits to both locations.”

The council’s method of counting visits means that a family of four would have been counted 8 times if they had begun the day at the Valley Gardens, gone to the Stray and returned to Valley Gardens later in the day.

Jubilee Square on the Sunday night.

If they did the same thing again the next day, the same family would have been counted another 8 times.

This suggests the true number of people that attended the events could be significantly lower than the “120,000 visitors” stated in the news release.

Read more:

• Mixed picture for Harrogate town centre as jubilee celebrations end
• How the Harrogate district celebrated the jubilee

‘Loose with the facts’

Harrogate district resident and transparency campaigner Alex Smith has queried the council’s use of statistics on previous occasions.

He has questioned its claim that three million people visit Valley Gardens a year and has also queried a comment by Conservative council leader Richard Cooper that 88% of Harrogate Convention Centre conference delegates return to the district for leisure.

Mr Smith accused the council of using “bogus” visitor numbers to trumpet its jubilee events and to justify spending on projects such as the proposed £47m redevelopment of the convention centre.

He added:

“Obviously this is an attempt at PR for their Destination Harrogate intentions.

“But with the future of of the town centre at stake we deserve better than a council playing fast and loose with the facts.”

Asked to respond to Mr Smith’s comments, the council spokesperson insisted its jubilee figure was accurate. They said:

“We use a system called PFM that records visitor numbers to Valley Gardens in Harrogate. This system recorded 120,258 visitors between Thursday 1 June and Sunday 4 June.

“As we knew visitors could – and would understandably want to – enjoy all the events taking place across Harrogate town centre, we used a rounded figure and phrase of ‘more than 120,000’.”

Harrogate footballer Rachel Daly has made the England squad for the Women’s Euro 2022 tournament this summer.

Daly, who went to Saltergate and Rossett schools, now plays in the United States for Houston Dash.

The full-back is also an experienced international who has made 46 appearances and scored seven goals for her country since her debut in 2016.

Manager Sarina Wiegman has used the versatile Daly as a substitute in recent fixtures.

The Lionesses have reached the Women’s Euros final twice before in their history, in 1984 and 2009.

This year’s tournament will be played in England and the squad will be hoping home advantage will give them an extra edge. They are in a group with Austria, Norway and Northern Ireland.

Daly, along with the rest of the squad, today met Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, who wished them luck.

⚽️ Wishing the very best of luck to the @Lionesses ahead of this summer’s UEFA Women’s Euro 2022.

A major tournament on home soil is an exciting prospect and it’s clear the players are looking forward to the opportunity to show what they can do. pic.twitter.com/RzoZ4BYvMk

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) June 15, 2022

Read more:

• Harrogate’s Rachel Daly dedicates England goal to late dad Martyn
• ‘She’s just my daughter!’: Rachel Daly’s dad’s pride at Olympics star
• Harrogate footballer’s journey from Killinghall Nomads to Tokyo Olympics

When do England play?

Wednesday July 6

England vs Austria, 8pm, Old Trafford

Monday July 11

England v Norway, 8pm, Brighton and Hove Community Stadium

Friday July 15

Northern Ireland v England, 8pm, St Mary’s

All of England’s games will be shown live on the BBC.

https://twitter.com/RachelDaly3/status/1537115164931153920?s=20&t=Hl6Dk4RnCIKTtmbWt6blwQ

World-class opera singers used to performing in New York and Paris will be at the picture-perfect village of Aldborough for a production of Handel’s Theodora tomorrow evening.

The performance will take place on the opening day of the two-week Northern Aldborough Festival, which hosts some huge names in jazz, opera and pop music.

Theodora will be the biggest performance in the festival’s 29-year history and will be performed in the 14th century St Andrew’s Church, which is rich in history.

The Stray Ferret dropped in on rehearsals at the church this morning and met Robert Ogden, the festival’s director.

He said:

“There isn’t a huge amount up north where you can go to a small rural community like Aldborough and hear world class artists that have just stepped off platforms in London, Paris or New York.

“You can get very close. Some stages are bigger than this church, so you’re right in the thick of it hearing these world class performances.”

Theodora is being played by soprano Fflur Wyn and directed by Joe Austin, whose recent credits include Katya Kabanova at the Royal Opera House.

It will include a line-up of soloists, chorus and orchestra under the baton of Baroque specialist, Julian Perkins.

Mr Ogden called the opera “a tragic tale”.

“It’s about persecution and a small sect of Christians in Pagan times that are in hiding practicing their religion. There’s an edict from the emperor that says anyone who doesn’t worship the pagan god will be killed.

“It does take quite a dark turn but it’s very moving. It’s about a noblewoman called Theodora who is very devout and a young Roman soldier who who wants to rescue her.”

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Other festival highlights

The festival,  near Boroughbridge, will also include an appearance by the British bass, Sir John Tomlinson, who will star in a new opera by John Casken based on Shakespeare’s King Lear.

There will also be performances from Blur’s Britpop rebel rock star turned cheesemaker, Alex James, and classical guitar player Sean Shibe.

Other acts include an evening of jazz by Claire Martin and clarinetists Julian Bliss performing with leading pianist James Baillieu. Clare Hammond, a leading light on the UK piano scene, will play Schubert, Stravinsky and Schumann.

As well as established names, the festival supports young talent. It hosts a Young Artists Showcase, as well as the upcoming harp and saxophone duo, The Polaris Duo.

On the final evening, the grounds of Aldborough Manor will be opened for the festival finale, an outdoor concert with fireworks that often attracts around 1,000 people.

The last night concert features Harrogate-born vocalist Alex Denny of The Big Cheese, with high-voltage pop and rock covers, supported by So 80s, who set a light show to 80s tracks.

To book tickets for Theodora or any of the other events visit here.

The rate of covid in the Harrogate district has more than doubled since the end of May.

Latest North Yorkshire County Council data shows there are currently 113 positive cases per 100,000 people in the district.

The rate was at as low as 52 cases per 100,000 people on May 30.

Whilst the rate has begun to climb up again for the first time since March, it is still far below the peaks seen in January and April 2022.

Source – North Yorkshire County Council

North Yorkshire County Council public health consultant Dr Victoria Turner said the rise was being driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants of omicron.

The sub-variants have also caused high rates in other countries across the world.

She said:

“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.

“The ways to prevent the spread of BA.4 and BA.5 remain the same as for other covid variants. Meeting outdoors where possible or in well-ventilated areas indoors, wearing a face covering in enclosed or crowded spaces, and good hand and respiratory hygiene will all reduce the risk of transmission.”

Dr Turner said anyone who has tested positive for covid should stay at home for five days.

Covid tests are available to be purchased from pharmacies.

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A senior North Yorkshire Police officer has said former officer Christopher Groom ‘betrayed public trust and betrayed North Yorkshire Police’ after he was given a community order for downloading indecent images of children.

Leeds Magistrates Court heard yesterday how Groom, 41, searched the internet for images of youngsters using search terms such as ‘naked young teens’ and ‘youngest naked models’.

Analysis of Groom’s computer tower revealed that he had downloaded 8,707 Category C images of children over what is thought to be a seven-year period.

District Judge Richard Kitson told Groom, of Main Street, Claxton, he would not be sending him to jail because the probation service said he was at low risk of reoffending and could be rehabilitated in the community.

Mabs Hussain

Following the end of the court case, North Yorkshire Police deputy chief constable Mabs Hussain said the force “demands the highest level of integrity from our officers and staff.”

He added:

“This is essential to ensure the communities we are proud to serve have complete trust in their police service.

“The abhorrent and criminal actions of Groom have betrayed that public trust and he has betrayed North Yorkshire Police.”

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• Police officer avoids jail after downloading 8,000 indecent images of children
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Groom resigned from North Yorkshire Police ahead of his first court appearance on May 18.

An accelerated misconduct hearing will now be considered by the Chief Constable and the professional standards department.

Groom was investigated by NYP’s online abuse and exploitation team.

Detective Sergeant Steve Alderson said:

“The fact that Groom was a serving North Yorkshire Police officer made no difference to how we conducted the investigation.

“He was treated the same as any other member of the public who become subject to a criminal inquiry and court proceedings.

“This case shows the determination of North Yorkshire Police to secure justice against those involved in indecent images of children offences, no matter who they are.”

A review into Harrogate’s controversial hosting of the 2019 UCI Road World Championships is finally set to be published – almost three years after the major cycling event was held.

Members of Harrogate Borough Council’s overview and scrutiny commission are behind the review, which will be published ahead of a meeting on July 4.

The nine-day cycling event was hailed by organisers as a “once in a lifetime moment” for Harrogate, but was also criticised by businesses and residents in the town who had complaints about disruptions during road closures.

It is also infamously remembered for leaving Harrogate’s West Park Stray severely damaged after the parkland was used as a spectator area during heavy rainfall, with repair works and upgrades later costing £130,000.

Conservative councillor Nick Brown, who has chaired the cross-party review, previously said the commission hoped to publish a final report last year, however, there have been several delays.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he said:

“I can confirm that after long deliberations, covid and the recent local elections, it is planned for me to present the review on 4 July.

“The purpose of the review is to fully understand the impacts of this large-scale event for people who live and work in the area, and to also make any recommendations based on the evidence presented during the investigation.

“It should make interesting reading and perhaps will be useful for the new North Yorkshire unitary authority which will be involved in holding future events.”

Cllr Brown also said the views of residents and businesses had been “extremely useful” in shaping the review which involved a survey last year.

The review is separate to an economic impact study carried out by accountancy firm Ernst and Young at a cost of £19,000 to the council.

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This study concluded the championships resulted in an economic boost to the local economy of £17.8 million and was watched by a global television audience of 329 million.

It also said 84% of people who came to watch the event were satisfied or very satisfied with it.

However, it did not take into account a reported drop in earnings for some businesses, whose complaints rumbled on long after the event was held.

Retailers unhappy

Retail campaign group Independent Harrogate previously conducted its own survey looking into the event’s economic impact. After speaking to 22 of its members, the group claimed losses amounted to nearly £1m.

Based in Harrogate as the host town, the championships were held in the UK for the first time in nearly 40 years after a joint-bid by British Cycling, UK Sport, Welcome to Yorkshire and the government’s sport and culture department.

The event organisers were Yorkshire 2019 – a now-dissolved company which was set up by the government and later contributed £35,500 towards the West Park Stray repair costs.

A further £95,000 was spent on park upgrades by Harrogate Borough Council which spent a total of £606,000 on hosting the event.

The biggest single cost was £200,000 for the fan zone on West Park Stray.