Vicky Carr, Author at The Stray Ferret

Fell rescuers assist in search for missing Harrogate woman

Police called in Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association (UWFRA) yesterday to help search for missing Judith Holliday from Harrogate.

Judith, who is 73, was last seen on Saturday, August 27, when she left her care home in Harrogate and walked to the bus station and Library Gardens.

After a further sighting the same day in North Rigton was confirmed by North Yorkshire Police on Friday, UWFRA was called yesterday to assist.

Posting on social media, UWFRA said:

“The team was tasked to search boundaries and features as much as possible within a 2km radius of her last known position and to aid NYP in search some of their predefined areas.

“All defined areas were completed as best as possible by 6.30pm, sadly without success, and the team stood down.”

There have been no further confirmed sightings of Judith since the Saturday she went missing, though her family told the Stray Ferret there had been suspected sightings reported throughout the week.

They urged the public to be vigilant for any sign of her this weekend when out and about.

Her niece Lucinda said Judith loved picnics in the countryside, with favourite spots including Fewston and Swinsty reservoirs and Almscliffe Crag.

Anyone who thinks they may have seen Judith is asked to call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and quote reference number 12220153505.

Any immediate sightings should be reported via 999.

New choir to offer therapy to people with Parkinson’s in Harrogate district

A new choir will offer a fun yet effective form of speech therapy for people with Parkinson’s in the Harrogate district.

It will be led by musician Rhiannon Gayle, supported by staff from speech therapy at Harrogate District Hospital.

Each session will offer gentle exercises and fun songs, as well as time to socialise, at the Green Hut on Harlow Avenue, Harrogate, each Monday afternoon.

Research has shown singing helps to improve breathing and voice control in people with Parkinson’s, and group singing is also known to improve mental health and wellbeing.

John Sheepy, chairman of the Harrogate and district branch of Parkinson’s UK, said he is keen to hear from more people with Parkinson’s who could benefit from the choir and the other activities on offer.

“We have 160 members in the branch, but the hospital have 750 people diagnosed with Parkinson’s on their records.

“We’re always trying to find the other mossing 600 – not from our own point of view, but from theirs, because Parkinson’s is a horrible thing to face without support.”

As well as its monthly meetings, the Harrogate group offers numerous opportunities for members to stay active, from table tennis to crown green bowls, and even boxing.

It also organises talks from experts in fields relevant to Parkinson’s patients. On September 27, three leading speakers will look at advances in research, treatments and technology in a research projects discussion forum held by the branch.

The event takes place at the Masonic Lodge from 7pm, with a meal also available from 6pm at £10 per person.

For more information about the choir or other upcoming events, visit the Harrogate and district Parkinson’s website.

‘Help us get Judith home’ – plea from family of missing Harrogate woman

A week on from the last confirmed sighting of missing Harrogate woman Judith Holliday, her family says they hope this weekend will bring the right result in their quest to get her home.

Judith, 73, was last seen on Saturday, August 27, when police believe she got a bus from Harrogate before flagging down a lift to North Rigton.

Speaking to the Stray Ferret, her niece Lucinda Edwards said she wanted people to understand Judith as a person and to help ensure she was brought back to her family.

Judith grew up in Harrogate, attending the former Belmont Birklands school. Lucinda said she loves visiting Bettys, as well as going out into the countryside, to places like Fewston and Swinsty reservoirs, for picnics and birdwatching.

She said:

“Judith has a condition which presents like vascular dementia.

“She has fluctuating capacity – she can get a bit confused, but often, she will come across as being as sharp as a tack.

“She can point out family homes from years ago in the villages around here, but her short-term memory is much more of a problem.

“When she gets tired, she gets more confused.”

Judith left the care home where she lives around 10.30am on Saturday, saying she was going to visit Lucinda, who lives nearby. However, she never arrived.

She was seen on CCTV heading from Harcourt Road towards the town centre, as well as at the bus station and in Library Gardens.

The latest sighting on the way to North Rigton was confirmed by police yesterday, after another report was received by someone who thought they saw in Wetherby last weekend.

Lucinda said:

“We’ve had potential sightings at Crimple, in the Saints area, Wetherby, North Rigton, other villages towards West Yorkshire – all on separate days.

“She can’t be everywhere, so we have to verify all of these to be sure they were her. That’s why CCTV is so important.

“We don’t want people to stop looking and reporting possible sightings, but we need evidence. We need to work smartly.”

Community response

The response from the community to Judith’s disappearance has been encouraging to her family. Many people have shared social media posts about her, while local businesses have put up posters to raise awareness.

Posters are also available to take from Jarfull, Porters and Sligsby’s coffee shop in central Harrogate, as the family hope they can cover a wider area with help from the public. Lucinda said:

“We’ve had amazing help. Harrogate is full of really good people and really nice business owners.

“I’m blessed with really good family and friends who know we’re going through a really hard time and are rallying.”

With Judith having been missing a week now, her family is asking people to be vigilant for her when out and about this weekend, and to check CCTV, doorbell cameras and dash cams from across the whole area since the time Judith was last seen.

Judith did not have bank cards or a bus pass with her, or access to a car, but could have been carrying a limited amount of cash.

Lucinda emphasised that Judith could be moving from place to place, even back towards Harrogate. She asked the community to keep looking wherever they were, even if it was not near previous sightings.

She added:

“If you see someone that looks out of place, or asks for help, to use a toilet or for food and drink or shelter, or even transport, perhaps a lift, please report it.

“For all we do a lot to help as a family, Judith has lived a life and travelled, and I don’t know how resourceful she might be in this situation.”

North Yorkshire Police said anyone with any information that could assist with the search should call 101 and quote reference number 12220153505.

Any immediate sightings should be reported via 999.

Artisan market set to expand to Knaresborough Castle this weekend

A popular monthly market will move into a new location in Knaresborough this weekend.

Little Bird Artisan Market will hold its first even in the castle grounds on Saturday, after growing in popularity over recent months.

Jackie Crozier, managing director of organisers Little Bird Made, said:

“We are always looking at ways to improve the markets and we had outgrown our previous location in the Market Place.

“We are grateful to be working with both [Knaresborough Town and Harrogate Borough] councils to find an alternative venue in the castle grounds, which will allow us the opportunity to continue to grow and develop.

“Both staff are traders are really looking forward to the first market and we promise all our customers a great day out when they come to visit us.”

The event will also be in Harrogate this weekend, with its monthly market at the Valley Gardens on Sunday.

Both markets, running from 10am to 3pm, will feature independent bakers, crafters, designers, artists and photographers from around the region.

Visitors to the Valley Gardens will also have the opportunity to hear Harrogate choir The Stray Notes, fresh from their appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, performing in the bandstand from 2-4pm.

Pictures show progress of £28m Harrogate Hydro and Knaresborough Leisure Centre works

Works are well underway on two major projects to renovate Harrogate Hydro and build a new leisure centre in Knaresborough.

The projects will cost around £28 million in total and are being run by Harrogate Borough Council with construction works carried out by Bristol-based firm Alliance Leisure.

Harrogate Hydro shut to the public in April and has now been stripped out and partly demolished as part of a £11.8 million investment.

The works include the construction of a two-storey extension, as well as a new entrance, cafe, reception area, diving board structure, fitness suite and refurbished changing rooms.

David Hawcroft, project manager at Harrogate Borough Council, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the strip out of the building had revealed the need for some extra works, although this was “to be expected” for a project of this size.

Work on Harrogate’s Hydro.

The extra works required include the replacement of corroded steelwork and improvements to the fire protection of the steel frame.

It is anticipated that the project will be completed by next April, with reopening the following month.

Once complete, the Hydro will no longer use gas and will run completely on electricity with the use of air source heat pumps and 420 solar panels.

Meanwhile, foundations have been set at Fysche Field in Knaresborough in preparation for the steel structure of the new £17 million leisure centre which will have a six-lane swimming pool, health spa and fitness studios.

It is being built behind the existing Knaresborough Pool which will be demolished.

The council previously said it aims to complete the new leisure centre next July, before demolishing the old pool by the following October.

Solar panels on the Harrogate Hydro.

The project was approved earlier this year despite concerns over the environmental impact of demolishing a large building to replace it with another.

Jonathan Dunk, chief development officer at the council, previously described the 30-year-old Knaresborough Pool as “at the end of its working life” and argued more swimming and exercise space was needed for the town’s growing population.

In Ripon, the city’s new swimming pool at the Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre has been open for six months and resulted in a big uplift in membership numbers.

Work being carried out on Knaresborough pool.

Work being carried out on Knaresborough leisure centre.

However, the ongoing refurbishment of the older half of the venue has been plagued with issues caused by underground voids found at the site.

The council’s cabinet recently approved remedial groundworks which will cost £3.5 million and push the total costs of the entire project above £18 million.

The original contract awarded to construction company Willmott Dixon was worth £10.2 million for the project which was originally due for completion in May 2021.

Warning as fire reignites in Stainburn Forest five days after being put out

Firefighters have issued a warning about the dangers of fires in overgrown areas as a fire reignited five days after being put out.

Crews from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to Stainburn Forest near Beckwithshaw last Saturday, where a campfire had spread to surrounding undergrowth and trees, causing damage to an area covering 20m by 20m.

Five days later, on Thursday morning, they were called back to the same spot, where the fire had reignited and spread to a further 20m sq of undergrowth.

Posting on Facebook, a spokesperson for Knaresborough Fire Station said:

“The reignition was caused by hidden residual heat in the undergrowth.

“The images just show how dry the undergrowth is and how deep the compacted forest bed goes – perfect conditions for hidden fire spread…

“All this fire damage was caused by one campfire on dry forest ground! This incident could have been a lot worse as fire would have easily spread to the surrounding trees if it was a windy day.”

Photo by Knaresborough Fire Station

Two tanks of water were used to soak the area and prevent any further fire, while crews cut away the smouldering edges of the site with shovels.

The spokesperson said crews were able to locate the fire precisely because the person who called it in gave a location using the What3Words app. They urged people to download the free app in case they ever need to use it in an emergency.

Ripon MP warned councils are facing ‘enormous’ costs as inflation rises

Ripon MP Julian Smith has been warned councils are facing “enormous” costs as rising inflation stretches budgets for key services and major projects.

Mr Smith told councillors that local government reorganisation and devolution in North Yorkshire would bring “limitless opportunities” to the area.

However, he was urged to pressure Westminster to provide urgent support for local authorities as “the direction of travel is undoubtedly going to be one of austerity”.

That warning was from Cllr Simon Myers, executive member for growth, culture, leisure, sport and housing at North Yorkshire County Council, who said:

“You can imagine that the extra costs in heating schools, leisure facilities and other council buildings are going to be enormous.

“And it is unlikely that there will be any ability to recoup that cost from residents. Indeed, it would be wrong to, given the economic circumstances that our residents are facing.

“We are going to need help from central government if we are not going to cut back on essential services.”

Mr Smith responded to say the rising costs for councils, households and businesses was “increasingly concerning” and would be the “key issue” for the new Prime Minister set to be announced on Monday.

He added he was “confident” that whoever is appointed – either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak – would announce financial support “very quickly”.

Mr Smith said:

“I can’t prejudge what is going to happen, but whatever the noise of the Tory leadership debate, there is going to be a massive government intervention.

“This in my view is at the level of, if not more financially challenging than the covid period and these interventions will have to happen right across the economy.

“Although the timing of this leadership election to the Conservative party has been far from ideal, there has been significant work in the background by current ministers and officials in Whitehall.”

Ahead of further rises in inflation and energy costs in autumn, Mr Smith said the situation facing businesses was of particular concern for the Skipton and Ripon economy which is propped up on small enterprise.

He added he had already been contacted by several firms which are “really worried” about the months ahead.

Mr Smith told today’s meeting of the Skipton and Ripon Area Constituency Committee:

“There are big concerns from small businesses across our area, particularly in manufacturing and hospitality where the current bill increases are proving very, very difficult.

“Small business has to be a key focus because there are hundreds of thousands of jobs across our area.”

Man charged after Land Rover stolen from Harrogate driveway

Police have recovered a stolen Land Rover which had been taken from a driveway in Harrogate and charged a 21-year-old man.

The owner alerted North Yorkshire Police yesterday morning after finding the vehicle had been taken overnight.

The two-in-one burglary had seen the keys taken from the house before the offender made off with the Land Rover.

Officers tracked down the vehicle and, while checking local CCTV, saw the suspect trying the door handle on another home.

The 21-year-old suspect, also from Harrogate, was arrested and charged with burglary, attempted burglary, and theft of a motor vehicle.

Famous acting family set for play premiere in Harrogate

Members of an acting dynasty will be in Harrogate next month for the premiere of a play about their ancestor.

Samson Fox will be the focus for The Man Who Captured Sunlight at the Royal Hall, exploring the inventor’s life and his controversial legal battle with author Jerome K Jerome.

The play has been penned by Doctor Who writer Gavin Collinson and aims to celebrate the former mayor of Harrogate’s achievements – including building the Royal Hall.

It will be seen by Samson Fox’s great great grandson, the actor Freddie Fox, and his mother and fellow actor Joanna David, as well as other members of the famous family.

They will take part in a Q&A after the matinee on Friday, September 23, along with the actors and director Sian Murray.

Freddie, recently known for playing Mark Thatcher in Netflix series The Crown, said:

“Regardless of my connection with the Royal Hall, which I just think is the most amazing building anyway, I just think the notion of celebrating great new work, particularly as the story of Samson is so intrinsically tied to Harrogate, is utterly vital.”

Samson Fox grew up in poverty but went on to become a wealthy man and renowned inventor, responsible for revolutionising train travel, engine construction and street lighting.

On his death in 1903, King Edward VII sent a telegram of condolence to his adopted home town of Harrogate – but that, along with many of his other letters, medals and awards, were lost or destroyed over the years.

The late Harrogate historian Malcolm Neesam found the royal telegram disintegrating in a skip when much of the former mayor’s heritage was ripped out in the 1970s.

Now, however, his story is being brought to life in a new play produced by Harrogate agency Cause UK. Director Clair Challenor-Chadwick said:

“Harrogate owes a great deal to Samson – as does the world, not just for his inventions and engineering legacy but his vital role in the arts.

“It’s fitting that the play has been written by Doctor Who writer Gavin Collinson, as it’s a bit of a time-bending scenario that without Samson, we wouldn’t have this incredible acting dynasty.

“As well as Freddie, Edward, James [and] Emilia, there’s also Robert Fox – the acclaimed theatre producer behind David Bowie’s last production, Lazarus.”

Freddie added:

“No-one would really know who Samson was, and yet if you trace the history of his inventions and the legacy of what they created now, he is probably one of the most important names in industry for this country.

“So yes, a bit of celebration of Samson’s genius is long overdue.”

Police warn Harrogate residents to expect loud noise after ‘unexploded grenade’ found

Police have warned Harrogate residents not to be alarmed by a “loud noise” this afternoon as a controlled explosion is carried out.

Officers have been dealing with a report of a suspected unexploded grenade from the Second World War in a rural area on the outskirts of the town.

Posting on social media around noon, North Yorkshire Police said a controlled explosion would be carried out around half an hour later. The post said:

“Earlier this morning a member of the public contacted us after they found an item, they believed, could have been an unexploded grenade from WW2.

“They were using a metal detector in a rural area on the outskirts of Harrogate at the time of the find.

“A 100 metre cordon has been put in place there has been no need to evacuate homes or businesses due to the rural location.

“Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians are on their way to the scene to make the area safe.”

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