Harrogate boy, 15, admits stealing car and carrying knife on Stray

A 15-year-old boy from Harrogate has pleaded guilty to stealing a car and carrying a knife on the Stray.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also admitted carrying bolt cutters on the Stray in connection with the theft of a car.

All three offences took place on January 20 this year.

The boy was charged with stealing the car from John Street in Harrogate. 

He also admitted being in breach of a conditional discharge order which was imposed for a criminal damage offence in August 2021.

He appeared before North Yorkshire Youth Court, which was held at Harrogate Justice Centre, on Friday to enter his plea.

The court remanded the teenager on conditional bail until July 19 for sentencing.

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Harrogate district MPs yet to reveal who they want as Prime Minister

The three Conservative Harrogate district MPs are yet to publicly reveal who they are backing in the race to become the next Tory leader and Prime Minister.

Since Boris Johnson resigned last Thursday, 11 MPs have declared leadership ambitions.

They include former Chancellor Rishi Sunak, current Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.

Whoever is selected will bring in their own team, signalling a change of fortunes for many Conservative MPs.

Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith, a former chief whip to former Prime Minister Theresa May, was well regarded during his time as Northern Ireland Secretary from 2019 to 2020 and could be hoping for a return to a senior role.

Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams , who is currently a minister without portfolio in the Cabinet Office, is regarded as one of Boris Johnson’s loyalist allies. He stood outside Downing Street next to Carrie Johnson when the PM made his resignation speech.

Some of Mr Johnson’s allies have been critical of Richmond MP Rishi Sunak’s bid so it seems unlikely Mr Adams will support the current bookies’ favourite.

According to a report in The Times on Saturday, Mr Adams has been telling friends he will get a peerage in Mr Johnson’s final honours list.

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Harrogate and Knaresborough’s Andrew Jones, a rail minister under Theresa May, has been openly critical of Mr Johnson in the last few months and voted against him in the confidence vote.  But like Mr Smith and Mr Adams, he has yet to state who he supports.

The Stray Ferret asked all three MPs what qualities they are looking for in the next leader and if they have a preferred candidate but none has responded.

Mr Smith is currently 200/1 to become the next leader with most bookmakers, which drifted from 100/1 over the weekend.

Mr Adams is also 200/1. The bookies do not currently have a price for Mr Jones.

Man denies indecent exposure charge in Valley Gardens

A 67-year-old man has denied an allegation that he performed a lewd act near a children’s playground in Harrogate.

Kevin Payne, from Bradford, appeared at York Crown Court via video link today when he pleaded not guilty to outraging public decency by behaving in an indecent manner.

The alleged indecent act is said to have occurred at Valley Gardens on June 12.

Judge Simon Hickey set a trial date of November 23.

Payne, of Ling Park Avenue, Bingley, was remanded in custody.

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Harrogate boy, 9, with neurological condition now cycling to school

A boy from Harrogate with a neurological condition that affects his speech and movement is now able to cycle to school in style thanks to a donation from Harrogate Lions.

Noah Maguire, 9, who has Cerebellar Hypoplasia, mastered being able to pedal on a small metal trike two years ago but his family wanted a bike with a low base of support as balance and coordination are challenging for him.

They found the K3 KMX, a reclining bike that would give Noah the freedom to enjoy cycling to school again.

Members of the Lions delivered him the bike last month and were thanked yesterday by Noah’s family who made them a special lunch.

His mum Catherine Maguire said the new bike is the “envy of all his friends” at St Robert’s Catholic Primary School where he attends.

She said:

“Words cannot begin to express our gratitude for the Harrogate Lions ongoing support for Noah. They really have played such an important role in Noah’s journey and he wouldn’t be enjoying the freedom and independence he is today without their support.”

Noah and his mum Catherine Maguire with members of Harrogate Lions

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The Lions have supported Noah to help him become more independent over the past few years.

In 2018 they funded a special play area in the family garden that has handrails and steps to practice walking. The group also funded a canopy to cover the garden so Noah can play out in rain or shine.

As Noah was prone to falling due to his condition, a rubberised play surface was built in his garden that cost £3,000.

Noah is determined to walk and medical professionals believe he can do it.

His mum Catherine added:

“Noah has now got an amazing play area in the garden where he can play football, trampoline, swing independently alongside his two siblings who also benefit from the facilities too.

“The Lions contribution within the community continues to improve the lives of so many. They will always have a special place in the hearts of the Maguire family.”

Harrogate woman wins brutal 41-mile race in red-hot Pyrenees

Harrogate’s Helen Price ran for more than 12 hours in temperatures close to 40 degrees to win a prestigious race in the Pyrenees on Saturday.

Ms Price, 52, set off at 6am and crossed the line at about 6.30pm to win the female over-50s category and finish fourth female overall in the Luchon Aneto 40 mile trail run.

She was one of a team of eight runners representing Harrogate International Partnerships, the charity responsible for Harrogate’s town twinning links around the world.

Luchon, which is among the places twinned with Harrogate, hosts an annual trail run through the French Pyrenees with various distance options.

Competing in the 65 km event, Ms Price set off in darkness in woods but was soon under the non-stop glare of the mountain sun, in temperatures ranging from 35 to 38 degrees centigrade.

There were four water stops but it was so hot she also had to get water from mountain streams to stay hydrated as she climbed over 4,000 metres.

Helen Price

Ms Price, a sports massage therapist who is a member of running club Harrogate Harriers, is one of the best fell and mountain runners in the district but even she found it tough. She said:

“The heat was exhausting. I was a bit shaky at the end.”

Two other members of the Harrogate International Partnerships team also finished on the podium.

Caroline Lambert

Caroline Lambert

Caroline Lambert, a former pupil of St Aidan’s Church of England High School in Harrogate, won the 20km female race in a new course record.

Bianca Dyer was the first over-40s female in the 40km race.

North Leeds Fell Runners‘ athlete Martyn Price, who is married to Helen, was fourth in the 45km men’s race. He said:

“The conditions were absolutely brutal. People were dropping like flies.”

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Extra water to keep animals cool as Great Yorkshire Show prepares to open in heatwave

Organisers of the Great Yorkshire Show are putting extra provisions in place to keep animals safe as they prepare to open the gates in high temperatures tomorrow.

The forecast for Tuesday is for temperatures to rise to 23C, down on the highs of 29C set to be seen today.

The rest of the week looks slightly cooler, rising to just 20C on Thursday and Friday, though Wednesday could see 22C with long spells of unbroken sunshine.

The Yorkshire Agricultural Society is putting extra measures in place to ensure animals being shown will be safe in the heat.

A Great Yorkshire Show spokesperson said:

“The welfare of people and animals is of paramount importance to us here at the Great Yorkshire Showground.

“For the animals, we have stewards working across the site, checking their areas and ensuring animals in their sections are well looked after.

“We have increased water provision and Vets are on site 24 hours a day all week to provide support. We encourage anyone experiencing any issues to notify a steward.”

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For visitors, there are some indoor areas to shelter from the sun, including the food hall and the new GYS Stage. The forestry area will also have more shade from the trees.

While there are several outdoor food courts offering refreshments, there are also indoor catering outlets, including the pavilion run by the North Yorkshire West Federation of Women’s Institutes, selling food and drink throughout the day.

The spokesperson added:

“There are extra Yorkshire Water drinking water refill stations across the showground this year and we encourage everyone to keep rehydrated and stay safe in the heat.”

While high temperatures cause extra work for exhibitors, they are unlikely to lead to significant problems for organisers, who have in the past had to deal with other severe weather.

In 2012, the show was closed after just one day because of heavy rain. It left much of the showground slick with mud and resulted in cars having to be towed from the car parks by tractors, leading organisers to call it off early over safety concerns.

It remains the only time the show has been called off because of severe weather in more than 160 years.

New 3,000 home settlement in Harrogate district to be called Maltkiln

Formal consultation is set to begin on a proposed new 3,000-house settlement in the Harrogate district.

The settlement, which will be larger than the town of Boroughbridge, will be built in the Hammerton and Cattal area of the district, close to York.

Harrogate Borough Council said in a news release today it was “finalising its policies and proposals for the new settlement” following earlier stages of consultation.

Its executive will consider a development plan document, which will set out the boundary for the settlement and other details, on Wednesday next week before it goes out for formal consultation.

It added:

“The development of a new settlement is a key part of the district’s growth strategy providing much needed homes and jobs in a sustainable location along the York-Harrogate-Leeds railway line.”

Wetherby real estate developer Oakgate Group earmarked the area to be known as Maltkiln for 3,000 homes in 2017.

It submitted a screening application to assess whether it needed to conduct an environmental impact assessment before submitting a formal planning application.

Cllr Tim Myatt, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for planning, said today: 

“The development plan document sets a clear and ambitious 30-year vision for Maltkiln and provides a policy framework that will enable the planning authority to lead, guide and manage how it is developed.”

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As part of the plan, the council also commissioned consultants at a cost of £20,000 to produce a “comprehensive climate strategy” for the settlement.

The council said that Maltkiln would be planned in a way which would help to to meet net-zero carbon emissions by 2038.

It said this would mean reducing the need to travel, providing walking and cycling infrastructure and improvements to public transport as well as supporting the transition to low emission private cars.

Cllr Myatt added:

“Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing us today and one that the council takes seriously which is why we have commissioned a climate change strategy to ensure Maltkiln will be a climate resilient place, fit for the 21st Century.”

If councillors agree the plan next week, a consultation on the development plan will be held in the autumn. It would then be submitted to the secretary of state for examination.

The move to create a settlement in the Hammerton/Cattal area comes after a long running saga between Flaxby Park Ltd and the borough council.

The battle led to a High Court hearing over whether the homes should be built in Flaxby or Green Hammerton before it was finally settled in late 2020.

Harrogate jewellery expert sells rare brooch for £80,000

Harrogate jewellery expert, Susan Rumfitt, has sold a rare brooch at auction for around three times its guide price.

Ms Rumfitt, who has written a column for the Stray Ferret and is an expert for the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, sold an intricate micro-mosaic theatrical mask brooch by Castellani of Rome for £80,600.

The piece had been listed under a guide price of £20,000 to £30,000.

Ms Rumfitt said:

“Items crafted by Castellani are a few and far between at auction, so our sale presented a very rare opportunity for collectors to acquire this delightful brooch.

“The house of Castellani is famed for its archaeological-revival designs in gold, gemstone and mosaic, and it was a privilege to share this brooch. The auction saw passionate bidding, with clients from across the globe taking part.”

Made in around 1850 and depicting Bacchus, the brooch reproduces part of a 3rd Century AD mosaic now in the Capitoline Museums portraying theatrical masks which decorated the Thermae Decianae.

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Susan Rumfitt

For the past decade Ms Rumfitt has focussed on her showroom in Harrogate. Her return to the auction house is in collaboration with Dore & Rees auctioneers in Frome, Somerset.

Ms Rumfitt said:

“The first sale this week was vibrant and exciting, and I’m absolutely thrilled with the results, especially the fabulous price we achieved for the Castellani brooch.

“The sale as a whole was strong with great interest in Victorian jewellery and also the emerald pieces proved very popular. We are now gathering for our next sale in December with some beautiful pieces already consigned.”

 

Ofsted praises North Rigton primary school

Schools inspector Ofsted has praised North Rigton Church of England Primary School following a recent visit, giving it a ‘good’ rating.

The school has been a part of life in North Rigton, as well as nearby villages such as Huby and Weeton, since 1851 and was rated ‘good’ in 2015.

It became an academy in 2016 and is part of a fellowship with All Saints CE Primary School in Kirkby Overblow. The school is part of Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust.

Inspectors said pupils “are polite, well-mannered and respectful” and were supported by teachers “who are clear about what they want pupils to know”.

‘Proud of the school’

Inspectors said the 100 pupils at North Rigton are “very proud” of attending the school, enjoy playing with friends and have “great confidence and trust” in staff.

One pupil told an inspector that staff are “exceptionally understanding, support them and always want the best for pupils.”

The report added:

“Pupils are kind and respect each other. They understand that people should be treated equally. When learning is challenging, they persevere and enjoy helping each other to succeed. Pupils strive to achieve rewards such as yellow and white ribbons for good work and contributing to school life.”

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Skillful teaching

The report said reading is “at the heart” of the curriculum at the school with staff also teaching phonics well. It said overall, books are well matched to pupils’ ability.

It adds that teachers are clear about what they want pupils to know and they check and assess their levels “skillfully”.

It said there is a “strong culture” of safeguarding with vigilant staff who know how to keep children safe.

On things to improve, it said the school has gone through “flux” in leadership and staffing this year which has left some leaders having their workload increased. It said leaders should take steps to ease the burden on staff.

‘Very pleased with the outcome’

Headteacher Amber Andrews said:

“Everybody at North Rigton CE Primary School is very pleased with the outcome of our recent Ofsted inspection and the judgement that our small village school continues to be ‘good’. We would like to thank all our pupils for demonstrating to the inspectors what a warm and welcoming place our school is and our parents and carers for their continuing support.

“We also thank all our staff for their hard work, our Governors for their dedication and Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust for their commitment to keeping small village schools at the very heart of their community.”

Traffic and Travel Alert: Harrogate district traffic roundup

The week has started with roadworks in place in Harrogate and a number of traffic orders set to come into force ahead of the Great Yorkshire Show.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic roundup.

Roads

Drivers should be aware of the normal rush hour traffic on Harrogate’s Wetherby Road, Skipton Road and Knaresborough Road this morning.

According to North Yorkshire County Council’s roadworks map, a road closure will be in place on Bower Road from 7pm this evening until 6am tomorrow morning. This is to allow Yorkshire Water to install a washout hydrant to the water main.

Meanwhile, thousands of visitors are expected to flock to Harrogate for the start of the Great Yorkshire Show tomorrow.

The event will see a number of traffic orders in place which is set to cause disruption for motorists.

This includes one-way traffic on all four days from Kestrel roundabout to the showground and no right turn onto Forest Lane or Rudding Lane.

You can find out more on how to navigate the roads during the Great Yorkshire Show in our transport guide here.

Trains and buses

Train services between Harrogate and Knaresborough going to York and Leeds are scheduled to run as normal this morning.

Meanwhile, the Harrogate Bus Company is reporting no cancellations on its services.

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