RSPCA dashes hopes of Peter the Peacock returning to Bilton

The rumours are true — Peter the Peacock will spend the rest of his days away from Harrogate and will not be returning to Bilton.

The beloved bird had not been spotted at his usual haunts around Tennyson Avenue over the past week.

Bilton resident Claire Hamer said on Monday an RSPCA inspector told her Peter had injured his foot and the charity had taken him to an animal sanctuary to recuperate.

Responding to questions by the Stray Ferret, An RSPCA spokesperson confirmed Peter was taken in after members of the public alerted it to the bird’s injury.

After taking Peter to a vet for immediate care, the charity then took him to a “specialist boarding establishment”, believed to be across the Pennines in Lancashire.

The spokesperson added that Peter will soon be placed in a new permanent location where there are other birds, including peacocks, to keep him company.

 An RSPCA spokesperson said:

“We were called to reports from concerned members of the public about a peacock in Tennyson Avenue, Harrogate, earlier this month.

“It was reported to us that he was injured and unable to bear weight on his right foot and because of this he was also unable to roost in his usual tree.

“The RSPCA sent an animal rescuer to the area and the peacock was taken for immediate veterinary care.

“Peter lived for many years on his own but he has now been taken on by a specialist boarding establishment and he will be found a new home on an estate with many other birds, including peacocks, for company where he will be able to spend the rest of his days.”

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However, Peter may not be flying off into the sunset just yet.

Bilton residents who have cherished Peter’s presence over the past 12 years are mobilising and could launch a campaign to persuade the RSPCA to bring Peter back to where they consider to be his rightful home.

Andrew Hart, who owns the local post office, said the plight of Peter has been the talk of Bilton over the past week and he might start a petition for his return.

He said:

“He’s an attraction. He belongs to Bilton and we want him back”

Speaking to the Stray Ferret, the RSPCA spokesperson said it would be illegal under the Wildlife and Countryside Act to release back into Bilton because peacocks are classed as a non-native species.

The spokesperson did give residents’ some hope, though, by suggesting that Peter may be able to return if someone with the correct accommodation to house a peacock offered to adopt him.

Number of covid patients at Harrogate hospital falls to two

The number of covid patients at Harrogate District Hospital has fallen to two, despite a sharp rise in infections in the district.

In a sign that the vaccination programme is working, Amanda Bloor, accountable officer for NHS North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group told North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum today there are now fewer covid patients at the hospital than last week, when there were three.

The number of cases of the Delta variant in the Harrogate district has nearly quadrupled in the last two weeks. The district’s seven-day rate of infection is now 155 per 100,000, just below the England average of 159.

Despite the steep rise, the hospital has not faced the same pressures as in previous waves. At the peak in February, there were 68 covid patients at Harrogate hospital.

According to the latest NHS England figures, the hospital’s last covid-related death was reported on April 11.

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Ms Bloor also said today that Ripon racecourse vaccination site, which opened in February, is due to close in August.

The closure of the Great Yorkshire Showground vaccination centre in Harrogate this month has seen many people travel to Leeds, York or Bradford for jabs, although there are pharmacy sites in Knaresborough and Pateley Bridge.

Ms Bloor said pop-up vaccination sites could open in the district this year.

She said:

“We want to be able to flex the programme as sites and vaccines allow.”

‘We want him home’: Bilton bids to bring back Peter the Peacock

Residents in Bilton are considering launching a campaign to bring Peter the Peacock back from exile in Lancashire.

Peter has wandered around the Harrogate suburb for years and is part of the community. Facebook and Twitter accounts have been set up about him.

But Bilton resident Claire Hamer said yesterday an RSPCA inspector had told her the enigmatic bird had injured his foot and the charity had taken him to an animal sanctuary in Lancashire to recuperate.

According to Ms Hamer, when Peter is back on his feet he will be re-homed and will not be returning to Bilton.

The Stray Ferret has asked the RSPCA whether it is treating Peter but has not yet had a response.

Ben Rothery, who set up the Bilton Community Group Facebook page, told the Stray Ferret he was considering rallying residents behind a campaign to return Peter to the streets around Tennyson Avenue.

It could involve the community adopting Peter if it can persuade the RSPCA he’s well looked after.

He said:

“I don’t see why he can’t be returned. He’s lived here for 12 years, which is more than half my life.

“He’s like a pet for a lot of residents.

“He’s a well known figure in Bilton. It’s a shame to have him taken away and I’m going to try to bring him back.”

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Andrew Hart, who owns Bilton’s Red Box card shop and post office, said “everybody is talking about Peter” this week.

Mr Hart said the RSCPA had taken Peter away previously a few weeks ago and returned him, so he saw no reason why he couldn’t come back again.

He suspects there may have been a complaint to the charity from someone in Bilton who does not like Peter.

Mr Hart is considering setting up a petition to put pressure on the RSPCA and may even ask Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones to back a campaign.

He said:

“He’s an attraction. He belongs to Bilton and we want him back”

Knaresborough and Starbeck pools: still no reopening dates

There are still no firm dates for the re-opening of Knaresborough Pool and Starbeck Baths.

Lockdown restrictions eased to permit swimming pools to re-open on April 12. However, 11 weeks on neither council-run pool has reopened since.

A problem with the pool filters at Knaresborough forced it to remain closed.

The manufacturer, based in Spain, was unable to send engineers to fix the equipment due to covid travel bans.

Harrogate Borough Council eventually decided to replace the filters, rather than delay the opening further, at a cost of £27,000.

In its latest monthly newsletter to residents, the council said Knaresborough Pool was “set to open in July ahead of the school summer holidays” although no precise date was given.

The council recently advertised for a new duty manager at the pool as well as new lifeguards.

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Meanwhile, there has been no update on when Starbeck Baths will reopen.

The council previously said the baths would open “shortly” after Ripon Spa Baths. The Ripon pool reopened in May and there has been no update on Starbeck since.

The Stray Ferret understands staffing may be an issue at Starbeck as a number of employees have either left or been seconded to new roles.

Has Peter the Peacock left Bilton for good?

A peacock that has strutted around Bilton for years and nested in people’s gardens appears to have left the area for good.

The streets of Bilton have been curiously quiet in recent days without the distinctive squark of Peter the Peacock, and there are murmurings on social media that the bird has flown the nest.

Concerned Bilton resident Claire Hamer told the Stray Ferret that an RSCPA inspector called her this afternoon to say Peter had injured his foot and the charity had taken him to an animal sanctuary in Lancashire to recuperate. 

According to Ms Hamer, when Peter is back on his feet he will be re-homed and will not be returning to Bilton.

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Bilton has been Peter’s home for 12 years and one superfan even set up his own Facebook page for the peacock that has amassed over 500 followers.

Its last post was on June 5.

He told the Stray Ferret today that Peter had not been seen for weeks and that rumours of his departure could be true.

Ms Harmer said Peter would be “greatly missed.”

“I enjoyed seeing him, he was very tame, I used to give him seeds, so beautiful.

“He could make a big noise but I got used to it. He would roost in our tree.

“I will miss him, bless him.”

‘Shocking’ anti-trans graffiti daubed in Knaresborough toilet

Anti-trans graffiti has been written on a public toilet near Knaresborough Castle.

The message was spotted yesterday afternoon in the Castle Yard car park toilets by a woman who was visiting the town with friends.

The use of single-sex toilets has become a battleground for trans rights issues in recent years.

Trans rights campaigners believe that trans people should be able to use the toilet in whichever gender they identify as, however there has been pushback against this by some women who say it makes them feel uncomfortable.

The message read:

“Single-sex spaces matter. Trans women are men. Male pattern violence doesn’t decrease if a man ‘feels’ like a woman.”

Jess, who asked us not to use her surname, tweeted her disappointment at the message:

“What kind of hatred do you have to feel in your soul to write this…in the car park toilet of Knaresborough Castle?”

“Trans women are women and if your issue with trans women is male pattern violence then your issue is not with trans women your issue is with predatory men who would do anything to take advantage of or harm women.”

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Jess told the Stray Ferret that she found graffiti at about 2pm and it looked like someone had tried unsuccessfully to wipe the word ‘men’ from the message.

She described the sentiment of the message as “very vitriolic”, adding:

“And in such a strange place, it was really shocking to sit down and see it.”

Leanora Wassel, chair of local LGBT charity Pride In Diversity Harrogate said there was some anti-trans feeling in the area but graffiti was rare.

She said:

“We as a community find anti-trans abuse abhorrent. It’s important we stand together.”

Harrogate Borough Council, which owns the car park, said today the graffiti had been removed.

15 buildings damaged by thieves at Ripon allotments

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for witnesses after at least 15 sheds and storage units were broken into at allotments in Ripon.

Thieves struck at Fisher Green allotments, which has 80 plots close to the city’s racecourse, overnight between Friday night and Saturday morning.

Tools were stolen although not all the buildings suffered losses.

A police statement said the culprits also caused “considerable damage” to windows and doors when breaking in.

They are asking for anyone who might have witnessed the incident or has been offered tools for sale to get in touch by dialling 101 and quoting reference number 12210147470.

You can also email James.Skaith@northyorkshire.police.uk.

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Ripley’s Smarties nursery could reopen in new location

Smarties Day Nursery and Pre-School in Ripley, which closed in March after its landlord decided not to renew its lease, could reopen at a new location four miles away in Brearton.

The nursery opened in 1987 and catered for 52 children. The building it was in is part of the Ripley estate and is owned by Sir Thomas and Lady Emma Ingilby.

Its closure promoted an emotional response from many parents on the Stray Ferret’s Facebook page, with one saying she was “absolutely gutted” and another calling it “really sad news”.

The management of Smarties has now applied to Harrogate Borough Council to convert the former Spotty Dog Boarding Kennels in Brearton, which closed in April, into a new nursery.

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As part of the application, a letter was sent to the council by Smarties’ management, which called the site in Brearton “a perfect setting for a children’s nursery” with indoor and secure outdoor play.

It would be open from 7.30am until 6pm Monday to Friday for children between the ages of three months to 11 years.

The letter added:

“The site provides a rural setting away from main roads and has the benefit of excellent outdoor space for child learning and development.

“Consistently rated as ‘Good’ by Ofsted there is a definite need for quality day care in this location which will provide full and part time employment opportunities for local people and a valuable community service for the parents in the area.”

Harrogate Borough Council will decide on the plans at a later date.

 

Harewood House takes the lead with Big Dog Walk tomorrow

Harewood House will host a Big Dog Walk tomorrow so dogs can meet new four-legged friends while walking around the stately home’s famous grounds.

There’s a choice of 2km, 5km or 10km routes and tickets are currently still available for walks that start at 2.30pm.

Owners and their pets are advised to arrive one hour before their booked time to have a sniff around before the walks start, and there will be staff along the route to offer thirsty dogs a drink.

Dogs will be welcome to walk three routes around Harewood House’s grounds

There will also be a ‘dogstacle’ course, shopping, expert advice, a dog show and refreshments.

A Puppy Socialisation Walk at 10am will give owners the opportunity to introduce puppies to other dogs in a safe, organised way.

Nicole Cooper, managing director of Touchpoint Live Media and the organiser of the Big Dog Walk, said:

“Harewood House is such an idyllic venue and we can’t wait to welcome those faithful companions who have kept us going though lockdown and provide them with the ‘pawesome’ day they deserve!”.

For tickets visit here.

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Green Shoots: Is the future of farming in the Washburn Valley?

Twenty-four-year-old Washburn Valley farmer Robert McAneney says agriculture should be about respecting the land and “improving what you’ve got for the next generation”.

In February, he single-handedly took over the tenancy of Scow Hall Farm, which has spectacular views overlooking Swinsty Reservoir, one of the district’s most cherished outdoor sanctuaries.

The farm is owned by Yorkshire Water and rented to Robert for five years through a scheme called “Beyond Nature”.

It aims to encourage sustainable land management and improve the environment while helping younger farmers take on their own tenancies.

Open-minded

Robert was busy worming lambs when the Stray Ferret visited the farm last week. He has 120 sheep and 45 cows, which he hopes to double by the end of the year.

He said the stunning Washburn Valley scenery helps during the long and often solitary days managing a farm.

He was brought up in Darlington and studied agriculture at university. He’s not from a farming family, which he believes gives him a more open-minded and progressive approach to one of our oldest professions.

He said:

“I don’t have a farming background so I don’t have dad or grandad telling me ‘that will never work!”‘

“The older generation can be stuck in their ways. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, as they say.”

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Storing carbon

Soil carbon sequestration is a process where carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and stored in the soil’s carbon pool.

It’s key to Robert’s approach to managing Scow Hall Farm. He sees himself as a bit like a scientist, improving the soil so it can store more CO2.

He said this involves lots of soil analysis, harrowing soil, spreading lime and reseeding it with herbal mixtures.

Healthy soil also means he can cut down on using fertiliser, which can be catastrophic to wildlife.

He added:

“I’m open to new ideas. You don’t need to pile on fertiliser.”

A sustainable business

First and foremost, farms are businesses and key to Robert winning over Yorkshire Water was his plan to ensure that Scow Hall Farm turns a profit without dependence on subsidies.

Robert says subsidies can “create dependence” and is a “lazy business structure”.

The UK government plans to replace the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy with a new payment system that incentivises farmers to manage their land in a more environmentally friendly way.

Robert said he plans to start selling meat from the animals he rears later this year to people who care that their meat comes from a sustainable farm.

“That’s where we are heading.”

“I want to cut out the middleman so people know exactly where their meat is coming from.

“After five years I want to to leave the farm in a much better state than when I found it.”