A Harrogate man died during a skydive after he was given a parachute with holes patched over.

An inquest yesterday heard Christopher Swales was skydiving over the Grand Canyon in America in September 2019 as a 30th wedding anniversary present from his wife, Deborah.

The couple were on holiday in Arizona where they renewed their wedding vows.

They booked Mr Swales’ skydive with a company called Paragon Skydiving.

The inquest at Northallerton heard Mr Swales was partnered with an experienced military instructor, Matthew McGonagle, for his tandem jump.

In a statement, Mr McGonagle said everything was normal on the morning of the jump. He said the winds were high at 27mph, which is two miles more than allowed in the UK for a skydive to take place. But the American Air Force expert had jumped many times in those conditions.

Mr Swales and his instructor jumped out of a Cessna aircraft, and the parachute opened. Minutes later, witnesses on the ground say the men began freefalling down at speed.

When they hit the ground, Mr Swales suffered serious injuries. Staff on the ground performed CPR on Mr Swales, but he was later certified dead. Mr McGonagle had broken his leg.

Chris and Deborah Swales. Photograph: Facebook

Performed over 1,500 jumps

The inquest heard Mr McGonagle, 34, had worked at the US Air Force as a jump master, and he had performed over 1500 jumps. He had an additional weekend job with Paragon Skydiving.

Mr McGonagle told American police he felt the pressure change as they approached the landing area, and he suspected the parachute had collapsed. After hitting the ground, he remembered little else other than medical staff and being taken to hospital.

The owner of Paragon Skydiving, Jason Theuma, watched the jump from the ground. He told police all the equipment was functioning correctly but maintained that Mr McGonagle must have panicked once he realised they were going to miss the landing area.

Theuma said he saw his employee attempt an “aggressive left turn, midair”. He told officers that he saw the two men hit the ground “at high speed in a loud boom and a cloud of dust” 100 yards away from the landing zone.

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US police took the parachute from Paragon’s offices, as part of their investigation into Mr Swales’ death.

The American police report states that they found, ‘numerous patches sewn into the fabric’. Defects or holes in the material had been circled with a pen.

American police closed their investigation after ruling Christopher Swales’ death as accidental.

Family statement

The coroner, Jonathan Heath, said:

“It appears there was nothing untoward at the start of the free fall parachute jump. It then appeared that the landing site was going to be missed. A manoeuvre was performed. The parachute did not recover from that manoeuvre which led to the free fall.

“On the balance of probabilities…this was an accident.”

Seven family of Mr Swales’ family members sat silently listening. Two of them began crying as they made a statement, which said:

“It is important for these proceedings to establish the facts. Chris had a very full life. Full of love and exciting fun times. We had many good times. That is how we are going to remember him.”

A lawnmower, an oven and power tools have been seized by police from the back of a van in Starbeck.

Road policing officers stopped the white Mercedes Sprinter van at 8.35pm on Friday.

According to a statement from North Yorkshire Police, the items “could not be accounted for” by the occupants of the van, who were from Leeds.

Police are now asking local residents to check if they’re missing any of the items.

Two more of the items found in the van on Friday.

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Have you noticed anything missing or see something suspicious? You can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option1 and speak to the Force Control Room quoting reference number 12210146727.

Or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

An independent youth service that supports young people across the Harrogate district is to become a charitable incorporated organisation.

To help it make the transition to CIO status, Inspire Youth is looking to recruit a number of trustees.

The closing date for applications is Sunday 4 July and an application pack and trustee jigsaw is available on www.inspireyouth.uk

Chief executive Jess Ward said:

“The successful individuals will take part in shaping and directing the organisation and ensuring that it operates legally, within the regulations set by the Charity Commission.”

Inspire Youth chief executive Jess Ward

The organisation, which is also changing its name to Inspire Yorkshire, works with young people aged 8 to 18 across.

Regarding its search for trustees, Ms Ward said:

“We are particularly looking for people with an experience of, and a compassion for, working with young people.

“The skills we are seeking include digital transformation and digital delivery, fundraising, social media/marketing/PR/campaigning, financial and accounting, human resources and employment law.”

Among the organisations that Inspire Youth works with is Ripon YMCA .

Through this and other connections in the city, it is contributing ideas and experiences designed to shape the future of services to young people in Ripon.

Its work in the community also extends to Harrogate and Knaresborough, and includes engagement with young people on health, wellbeing, lifestyle and career aspirations.

Ms Ward said:

“We offer a service, which is adaptive and responsive that meets the needs of the ever-changing world.

“Services are based on listening to young people and working with them to make sure they get the best out of all activities.”

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Inspire Youth has been able to extend its services through the launch of its mobile youth base, which has helped to engage young people in the community.

The mobile unit features a smart television screen, speaker, whiteboard and sensory lighting, laptop, kitchen facilities, table, and seating area inside.

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.”

A Harrogate business owner has decided not to exhibit at the first major event at the town’s convention centre for over a year because of health concerns.

Alex Vere, who co-founded a business selling gifts, has exhibited regularly at the Home and Gift Buyer’s Festival in previous years.

But she won’t be at next month’s event, from July 18 to 21, because it is part of the government events research programme, which assesses the impact of holding large events without social distance measures.

This means thousands of people from across the country will be at Harrogate Convention Centre for four days with no cap on capacity, social distancing or mask wearing.

Ms Vere has two children with medical conditions and does not want to risk passing on any infections.

She said she has been cautious for 18 months to protect her children’s health and attending the event would just be “too much” for her at this stage, particularly as infection levels are soaring.

However, she added she accepted the need to stage such events.

She said:

“I understand these events have to happen but it’s a massive concern for me with my kids. The idea of an event with no measures fills me with horror.

“It’s just too big a risk for us, my children’s health will always come first.”

The event organisers have agreed to roll over her £5,500 exhibitor’s fee to next year.

Ms Vere hopes to exhibit again next year. She added:

“As soon as my kids are vaccinated I’ll be there with bells on!”

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A government spokesperson said:

“Each event is designed and signed off by local health authorities and public health experts, and follows rigorous safety protocols, including a requirement to produce a negative lateral flow test or evidence of being double vaccinated as a condition of entry.

“These events will prove crucial in helping people get back to doing what they love safely.”

An £827,100 contract is set to be awarded to undertake work on the first phase of the delayed Otley Road cycle route in Harrogate.

North Yorkshire County Council is advertising the contract, known as the West Harrogate Scheme, with the start date given as September 6.

A total of £3.2 million was set aside to build the route in 2018 but the plans have been beset by delays that have frustrated Harrogate’s cycling community.

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Tenders for the contract are due to be submitted by July 16.

Work will include widening Otley Road on the approach to Harlow Moor Road as well as the creation of a designated left turn lane on the western approach to Harlow Moor Road and designated right turn lane on the eastern approach.

An off-road cycle route would also be created between Harlow Moor Road and Cold Bath Road as part of the contract.

Traffic light junctions would also be upgraded.

The county council confirmed that the final two phases of the scheme would also be awarded via open tender.

The second phase of the cycle route will link Arthurs Avenue to Beech Grove and the third will connect Cardale Park to Harlow Hill.

Negotiations with the Duchy of Lancaster over the exchange of Stray land have caused delays.

Harrogate Borough Council agreed in March to designate a plot of land on Wetherby Road as Stray land in exchange for the loss of grass verges on Otley Road for the new cycle path.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive county councillor for access, told the Stray Ferret a fortnight ago that the authority expected work on the first phase to be completed “within a few months”.

A group of teenagers is believed to have set fire to abandoned farm buildings between Killinghall and Harrogate.

Cow Dyke Farm, on Skipton Road, was targeted on June 20 at about 7.15pm.

It has been the victim of numerous arson attacks in the past.

North Yorkshire Police today issued an appeal to help find the culprits behind the latest incident.

It said in a statement:

“We are requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

“In particular, we are appealing for information about any identification of people who were in that area at the time.”

You can call the police on 101, select option two and ask for Joshua Harrison. The officer can also be contacted on Joshua.Harrison@northyorkshire.police.uk.

The police reference number is 12210143681.

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A total of 250 stickers are set to be offered to Harrogate businesses to show they welcome disabled customers.

Funded by Harrogate Business Improvement District, the stickers will be handed out by the charity Disability Action Yorkshire to shops, bars and restaurants in the town centre.

It is part of the charity’s ongoing accessibility campaign, which has recently seen it work with independent retailers on Commercial Street.

Jackie Snape, chief executive of Disability Action Yorkshire, said: 

“I’d like thank Harrogate BID for funding these widow stickers, which will alert disabled people to the fact these businesses have a different approach to accessibility.

“What they say is if people can’t physically enter the premises, then staff will be more than happy to come out to them, which more and more shops are now happy to do.

“We have recently been working with Commercial Street businesses, and they have been incredibly receptive to our accessibility campaign, and this is where our BID-sponsored stickers are first appearing.”

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Matthew Chapman, Harrogate BID manager, said: 

“One of our key aims is to increase footfall into Harrogate town centre by making safe, welcoming and accessible for all, and Disability Action Yorkshire’s accessibility campaign falls into all three of these categories.”

TV presenter Nick Knowles has hailed the news that thieves have been jailed for stealing bicycles belonging to NHS staff at Harrogate District Hospital.

Mr Knowles, who stars in DIY SOS, offered to buy a new bike for Naresh Gnanasekaran, a doctor at the hospital whose bike was stolen during the first wave of covid in April last year.

Halfords eventually agreed to give Dr Gnanasekaran a new electric bike for free.

Last week John Roddy, 24, from Headingley, Leeds and his partner-in-crime, who could be named for legal reasons, were jailed for stealing bikes worth almost £7,000 from 11 NHS workers in Harrogate and Leeds.

The court heard Roddy had battled drug addiction.

Most of the thefts occurred outside Harrogate District Hospital when staff were having to deal with huge workloads due to the pandemic, said prosecutor Chris Moran.

Mr Moran said one NHS worker in Harrogate had been so “damaged” by the theft of her £400 bike she no longer cycled to work.

Michael Smith, a consultant at the hospital, tagged Mr Knowles in a tweet that contained a link to the Stray Ferret article about the two men being jailed.

Mr Knowles replied that he was glad the men were caught and thankful to the NHS for their efforts over the last 18 months.

I do
Glad your guy got his bike replaced
Glad they were caught
Sad what drugs do to peoples lives and judgement
Thanks to all your colleagues for all you e done over the last 18 months

— Nick Knowles (@MrNickKnowles) June 25, 2021

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A section of Wetherby Road in Harrogate reopened this morning after a burst pipe forced it to close for three days.

The busy section between Masham Close and Hookstone Road is now open. The road has also been resurfaced.

Its closure on Friday just before rush hour caused misery for motorists. North Yorkshire County Council, the highways authority, said it hoped it would reopen over the weekend.

But Yorkshire Water said the burst pipe caused “significant damage” and engineers needed more time to complete repairs.

It was thought the road could be closed until tomorrow.

This was the road on Saturday while repairs were ongoing.

Long delays were reported across the weekend with commuters having to find alternative routes.

A spokesperson for Yorkshire Water said:

“Our teams have worked hard throughout the weekend to ensure disruption caused by the burst pipe on Wetherby Road were kept to a minimum. Our work has been completed ahead of schedule and the road has now been reopened.”

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