Ghosthunting with a paranormal investigator on the Stray

A paranormal investigator claims the Stray is haunted by spirits of the dead.

CJ Myers from York was near the train line on Stray Rein at 4am earlier this week hunting for spirits when he said his psychic powers led to a phantastic discovery.

He said:

“I have psychic skills so spirits communicate with me. I usually get the answer I’m looking for”.

CJ claimed he saw a ghostly shadow move mysteriously over the turf.

The spirit stopped and communicated to him via his dowsing rods, two metal sticks that move when he asks the apparition questions.

CJ said the spirit had a tragic backstory, but he already knew something was not right as the spirit “smelled of blood”.

He added:

“When he was alive, he was walking across the Stray to commit suicide on the tracks. But as he was walking across, these lads attacked him and disabled him. They badly injured him.”

We feel we should point out there is no scientific evidence of the existence of ghosts.

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The Stray Ferret joined CJ to investigate the phantoms of the Stray on Wednesday afternoon.

Almost as soon as he got out his rods out, he picked up the spirit of a woman sitting on a bench. He ushered the woman to move into the light whilst his rods jumped back and forth.

But isn’t there a perfectly rational explanation for why his dowsing rods move so much on the Stray? There is a body of water underneath the grass after all.

No, says, CJ, as that doesn’t account for the fact he can see them too. Seeing is clearly believing.

He has his own ghostbusting crew, called North Yorkshire Paranormal Investigators. They’ve investigated ghosts at Harrogate Theatre, Spofforth Castle and the Nidd Gorge Viaduct.

They are recruiting for new members and full training is provided.

They even have a TikTok account where they hope to reach a new audience.

CJ says he communicates with spirits daily and claims to have cracked unsolved murders in the USA. He says sometimes the police listen to his tip-offs, sometimes they don’t.

He claims he’s been communicating with spirits for five years, although he said it’s sometimes a frightening experience.

“Once you’ve opened Pandora’s Box it happens every day. I’ve had experiences in our house. I had a picture of a cross on the wall, that flew forwards into the air. One day I found a spirit level laid on the top of the stairs.”

His message to the skeptics who say it’s all made up:

“They have a right to their opinion, but at the end of the day, they can’t do it.”

Tributes paid to Valley Gardens head gardener who retires after 43 years

Tributes have been paid to Valley Gardens head gardener Simon Collier who has retired after 43 years working for Harrogate Borough Council.

Mr Collier led a small team at one of Harrogate’s most famous parks. He tended to its plants, trees and green spaces but has hung up his shears for good, as has his wife Paula who has also retired from gardening for the council.

In recent years Mr Collier was instrumental in the works to restore the Japanese and New Zealand gardens and he helped to bring the Old Magnesia Well Pump Room back to its former glory.

Jane Blayney, who last year co-authored a book on Valley Gardens and is a former chair of Friends of Valley Gardens said the couple “will be sorely missed”.

“Simon and Paula are absolutely brilliant. I’ve learnt an awful lot from both of them and nothing is too much trouble.

“It will be very difficult to find a replacement. We were very lucky to have them.”

A HBC spokesman said:

“We’d like to thank Simon and his wife for their dedication to the gardens across the Harrogate district and hope they enjoy their retirement.”

Friends of Valley Gardens said:

“Their hard work and dedication to the gardens will be missed.”

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Ripon cabbie with dreams of making it in the movies

Ripon cabbie Richard Fieldman has been a film and TV extra alongside Hollywood stars Samuel L Jackson, Judi Dench and Michael Gambon.

The A1 Cars owner got into the side hustle after a conversation with a passenger in the back of his cab a few years ago.

The man was an extra and passed on the details of his agent to the curious taxi driver, who now helps secure him non-speaking roles on the silver screen. He joked:

“But I always get picked out for the thug type character!

“It must be the way that I look. It doesn’t bother me, it’s all good work and I thoroughly enjoy it, it’s a break from taxi-ing and I get to meet a lot of stars.”

Most recently Richard was in the Marvel superhero series the Secret Invasion that was filmed at the Piece Hall in Halifax last month. He said he was in a protest scene “causing a bit of mayhem”.

He’s also had roles in Victoria and Abdul with Judi Dench and Mad to Be Normal, which starred David Tennant and Michael Gambon.

Many people will remember Ricky Gervais’ character in the BBC comedy Extras, who was disrespected by diva A-listers, including Samuel L Jackson. However, Richard said in real life Mr Jackson is much more friendly.

He said:

“The set was fantastic, it must have cost thousands, businesses around Piece Hall were paid to close for the weekend.

“A lot of stars keep themselves to themselves. Samuel L Jackson had his own security bloke but I spoke to him. He was normal and down to earth.

“Coming away from the Marvel set was really surreal. One minute you’re on a multi million pound set with top stars, the next you’re back at home cooking dinner in Harrogate.”

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Richard drives his taxi around the Harrogate district for thousands of hours a year, so there’s one role that he wouldn’t require much method acting to play.

“I recently had to send a photograph of the car to my agent, it might be used, but I’ll have to take off the Harrogate Borough Council sticker off!”

On the rank, he says most are pleased and proud of what he’s been doing.

Next up, Richard says his agent has contacted him about being in the hit TV show Peaky Blinders, which will be filmed in Yorkshire later this year.

He hopes to transition into speaking roles and develop his career as an actor.

“I would love to do some speaking roles, that’s the whole idea, to see where it leads. You never know who’s watching.”

Owner of Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant opens Pateley Bridge takeaway

The owner of Harrogate’s Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant is opening a new takeaway in Pateley Bridge tonight.

The takeaway is called Royal Baths Express and is at 2 Park View on Bridgehouse Gate. A restaurant will also open at the venue at a later date.

It’s open on Sunday to Thursday from 4.30pm to 9.30pm and Friday and Saturday from 4.30pm to 10pm. The business is closed each Tuesday.

Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant in Harrogate has been closed for most of the last two years due to coronavirus lockdowns and an extensive refurbishment that began in May last year.

It is due to reopen soon but a date has yet to be confirmed.

The owners have continued operating at their other Harrogate site, Haks Little Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant, on Station Parade.

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Calls for police in Bilton to tackle ‘yobs on bicycles’

There were calls last night for police to do more to tackle teenagers on bicycles in Bilton who residents say are causing havoc in the Harrogate suburb.

A meeting was held at Bilton Grange United Reform Church and residents asked questions to a panel that included PC Brendan Frith from NYP, Bilton Conservative councillors Matt Scott and Paul Haslam, Liberal Democrat councillor and Mayor of Harrogate,Trevor Chapman, and Julia Stack from Harrogate Borough Council’s safer communities team.

It was chaired by Reverend Alan Crump who invited questions from around 30 residents who were in attendance.

One resident said “something has to be done” about the groups of youths who congregate on bicycles after 10pm.

“On Bilton Lane in the dark these cyclists have no lights on or high vis jackets on, and they have given us the finger.

“Sooner or later someone will get killed.

“There are eight or nine yobs, and I’ve seen them trying car and front doors.

“Something has to be done. It’s dangerous.”

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PC Brendan Frith circulated a leaflet of crime statistics in the Woodfield area of Bilton. It said there had been 11 reports of arson and criminal damage in January 2022, compared with 2 in January 2021 and 5 in January 2020.

He said “a number of arrests” have been made recently linked to anti-social behaviour in Bilton.

He said:

“We are aware of anti-social behaviour problem of kids on bicycles. We think they are linked to trying doors [of cars and houses]. When we are about, we do deal with them”.

Last night’s meeting was the third to have taken place since September 2021. Police were praised by some residents for increasing their presence in Bilton and performing more arrests in recent months on suspected criminals.

The next meeting is set to take place in June.

Plans approved for 38 flats at ‘Pannal skyscraper’

Plans have been approved for a second time to build an apartment block at the former Dunlopillo factory in Pannal.

Developer Echo Green Developments was granted planning permission in September last year to demolish the main office block and build 48 apartments.

In December the developer then submitted new plans that would supersede the previously approved plans.

It included 38 apartments, fewer than the original proposal, but would still be two storeys taller than the demolished building.

The initial decision to approve the plans, which was made under permitted development rights, was met with anger from some residents.

Pannal historian Anne Smith said the village would be lumbered with a “skyscraper-type building”.

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Permitted development rights were brought in under the Conservative government and can be used by developers to fast track the redevelopment of disused offices.

Nevertheless, Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough Andrew Jones intervened to say the scheme should have been decided by a vote from the council’s planning committee.

A review by the council concluded the plans were “appropriately considered”.

Mr Jones called on residents to submit objections to the second application. In the end, it received 26 objections.

 

Starbeck cafe reopens for first time since pandemic began

The Living Room cafe in Starbeck recently reopened for the first time since the covid pandemic began almost two years ago.

The family-friendly café is run by Sarah Khanye and is situated inside the Life Destiny Church at 93b High Street.

It opens from Tuesday to Friday from 9am until 3pm and hosts a variety of events that aim to bring the community together with drinks, food and snacks available.

Events include a mum’s coffee morning on Mondays, a meeting for crafters on Wednesdays and a get-together for parents and carers of disabled children on Thursdays.

The Living Room Café also plans to host a Clothes Swap event on March 11 at 6.30pm.

Visit their Facebook page to find out more.

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Police seize ‘substantial amount’ of drugs in Jennyfields

North Yorkshire Police seized a “substantial amount” of suspected class A and class B drugs in Jennyfields today.

The force said in a statement that officers executed a drug warrant at an unspecified address in the area and several people are currently in custody.

There has been an increased police presence in Jennyfields since this morning and NYP said officers will continue with patrols to offer reassurance to residents.

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Work begins to build new Harrogate Lidl

Workers have this week begun to demolish the old Lookers car dealership on Knaresborough Road, Harrogate, to make way for a new Lidl supermarket.

Councillors granted planning permission to the German chain in August to build the supermarket, and six months later work is finally underway.

It’s the first Lidl to open in Harrogate, although there is already one in Knaresborough.

The multi-million-pound proposal includes a 1,263 square metre sales area, an in-store bakery, customer toilets and 94 parking spaces.

A CGI image of how the supermarket will look.

The new store will be open from 8am to 10pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday.

A public consultation for the store revealed 87% of more than 1,000 responses supported it.

The Stray Ferret asked Lidl for an expected opening date but we did not receive a response at the time of publication.

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Council ridiculed for cycle path sign that points to Harrogate in wrong direction

There has been mirth and exasperation in Harrogate after a sign for the Otley Road cycle path was built pointing to the town centre in the wrong direction.

The long-awaited cycle path has been called a step forward for cycling in the town by Harrogate District Cycle Action but even its supporters would admit it’s had a bumpy ride so far.

After years of delays, there have been complaints from local business owners about disruption from building works and confusion from cyclists over what some believe to be a convoluted course that weaves on and off a shared route with pedestrians.

Phase one from Harlow Moor Road to Arthurs Avenue is now ready to be used and North Yorkshire County Council contractors erected signs two weeks ago, including this one close to the Harlow Moor Road junction.

But instead of directing cyclists towards the town centre and Valley Gardens, it sends them up Harlow Hill and out towards West Yorkshire.

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The Stray Ferret asked members of a Harrogate Facebook group what they thought about the error.

Mary Reevey called the sign “shambolic” whilst Christine Hemming said it was “totally useless, just like the cycle lane”.

Others joked that cyclists would now be able to take “the scenic route” into town.

However, Richard Squire defended the erroneous sign and called for some perspective:

“I think things go wrong sometimes. It’s no big deal, is it?”

In response, Melisa Burnham, highways area manager at North Yorkshire County Council, said:

“This is a genuine mistake by our contractor. The signage will be amended this week at no cost to the council.”