A fire officer saved a tiny kitten when it got stuck inside a recliner chair in Killinghall.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service received a call to help the animal after it somehow became trapped in the chair.
Paul Metheringham, station manager at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said a single person was dispatched in a car to help the feline.
Using small tools, the rescuer was able to help the kitten escape unharmed.
The incident happened at about 7pm on Tuesday. No further details are available.
The fire service’s incident log said:
“A fire service officer rescued a tiny kitten that had got stuck inside a recliner chair. The kitten was rescued and had no injuries.”
Read more:
Snow affects schools and traffic across Harrogate district
Schools and traffic across the Harrogate district were affected by overnight snow.
The Met Office issued a yellow weather for ice across the district, which was in place until 10am this morning.
You can recap our live blog and updates from the Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Pateley Bridge and Masham areas this morning below.
10.10am – Picture of Pateley Bridge this morning
Joyce Liggins has sent in this picture from Pateley Bridge of the town covered in snow.
She said:
“We woke up to a covering of snow this morning and it’s looking like there is plenty more to come by the look of the sky.”
9.31am – Met Office weather warning in place until 10am
The Met Office weather warning for ice remains in place until 10am.
Gritters have been out on main roads in Harrogate this morning during the overnight snow.
9am – Readers’ pictures
Stray Ferret readers have sent their pictures from this morning’s snow. Here is a couple they have shared with us.
If you have any pictures of the snow that you would like to share, you can email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk or message us on Facebook and Twitter.
Picture from Jackie Bedford.
Picture from Hornbeam Park this morning. Picture from Vicky Galbraith.
8.50am – St Aidan’s in Harrogate open as usual
St Aidan’s Church of England Secondary School will be open as normal this morning.
School is open as usual today. Please only travel if safe. Let us know if your child is not coming in. All students should sign in at reception if late. Many thanks. pic.twitter.com/pXNVZ3vJiO
— St Aidan's (@StAidansCEHS) March 31, 2022
8.36am – Only a handful of Ripon Market traders this morning
Only a handful of Ripon Market traders have set up stall this morning due to hazardous conditions on the roads.
Brian Murphy, stallholders’ spokesperson who runs a fruit and vegetable stall, said:
“Because many of the traders come from a distance and travelling conditions are horrendous coming into Ripon, they decided to turn around and go back home.
“I’m keeping an eye on the weather, but will stay open for as long as I can.”
Brian Murphy at his stall on Ripon Market this morning.
8.30am – Heavy but moving traffic on Otley Road
Traffic is heavy but moving this morning on Harrogate’s Otley Road.
Overnight snow has left some side roads treacherous, but main roads in and around Harrogate have been gritted.
8.15am – Rossett Acre Primary School opening at 10am
Rossett Acre Primary School in Harrogate will open at 10am due to the overnight snow.
If your school is affected by this morning’s adverse weather, get in touch at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.
8am – Harrogate Grammar School delayed opening
Harrogate Grammar School has delayed the start of the school day due to the adverse weather.
The school will begin lessons from period three. Those pupils already on their way to school will still be accommodated and should report to the Hub on arrival.
7.45am – More pictures from across Harrogate
7.40am – Ripley Endowed Church of England Primary School delayed opening
Ripley Endowed Church of England Primary School will open at 10am due to the overnight snow.
The school said that those pupils who arrived before 10am should use the intercom to be let in.
7.35am – RHS Harlow Carr to open at 11am
RHS Harlow Carr gardens will open at a slightly later time this morning.
The gardens will open at 11am due to the snow in order to allow for the car park and pathways to be cleared.
⚠️ Thursday 31st March
Please note, due to snow, the garden will open slightly later today at 11am. This is to allow our teams time to clear the car park and pathways. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this, please check back for further updates. pic.twitter.com/Yb8tj5DakF
— RHS Harlow Carr (@RHSHarlowCarr) March 31, 2022
7.30am – Kettlesing Felliscliffe Primary School and Beckwithshaw Primary School to have delayed starts
Kettlesing Felliscliffe Primary School and Beckwithshaw Primary School will both open at 10am this morning.
If your school is affected by this morning’s adverse weather, get in touch at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.
7.25am – Traffic moving normally in Harrogate
Traffic around Harrogate Town Centre is running normally at the moment.
Gritters have been down York Place and West Park this morning to clear the roads. However, traffic is expected to pick up in the next hour.
7.20am – Is your school affected by the snow?
If your school is affected by this morning’s adverse weather, get in touch and let us know.
You can email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk or on Facebook and Twitter.
7.12am: Weather warning in place until 10am
The @metoffice has issued a yellow #weather warning for #ice from 8pm tonight until 10am tomorrow.
Forecasters say #snow & hail showers could lead to icy surfaces, with possible travel disruption.
Take extra care if out and about.
More: https://t.co/nyJZTWA2Gn pic.twitter.com/s1roUeqCrO
— North Yorkshire Council (@northyorksc) March 30, 2022
7.03am: Harrogate covered in snow
https://twitter.com/MrsReedGeo/status/1509405530086948865
6.50am: Harrogate district wakes to blanket of snow.
Here’s the scene on Ripon Road in Killinghall. Send your updates to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.
Harrogate Islamic Association has said it is confident of raising enough money to buy the former Home Guard Club and convert it into the town’s first mosque.
A price of £500,000 was agreed to buy the building, which is on the corner of Tower Street and Belford Road, before the association obtained planning permission.
The current owner set a deadline of Monday next week to complete the sale.
The group already has several hundred thousand pounds set aside to buy the building but does not yet have enough to pay the full asking price.
After planning permission was granted last month by Harrogate Borough Council, the association launched a crowdfunding campaign to help raise the extra money needed to buy the building as well as for much-needed repairs, setting a target of £200,000.
With days to go until the owner’s deadline, the crowdfunder is currently on just £18,000.
However, Zahed Amanullah, a member of the association, said there was no risk the deal could fall through because it had loans in place to cover any shortfall.
Mr Amanullah said:
“We are on our way to getting the money. It’s not all reflected in the crowdfunding campaign, which we’re extending to the end of April, which is the month of Ramadan, and will be used to pay back loans.
“We’ve been raising money from other sources, such as pledges from the community directly.
“Where there might be a shortfall, we have people to loan us the difference, so we can pay them back. Our intention is to make the payment in time with a combination of loans and crowdfunding.”
Read more:
-
‘Community goodwill’ helped to overcome anti-mosque campaign, says Harrogate Islamic Association
-
Malcolm Neesam History: the colourful past of what could become Harrogate’s first mosque
The association, which was set up in 2011, has been looking for a permanent home for several years, with previous attempts at securing a site falling through. Around 100 Muslim worshippers currently meet in the Quakers’ Friends Meeting House on Queen Parade.
The association also organises prayer sessions at Chain Lane Community Hub in Knaresborough.
Mr Amanullah said once the group has the keys to the building, the immediate focus will be on repairs and restoring original features.
All being well, it could open to the public by the end of the summer.
Harrogate marketing agency secures United States clientsHarrogate marketing agency Big Bamboo has announced three new clients in the United States.
The clients, which are based in New York, Texas and Ohio, operate within the insurance, professional services and industrial packaging sectors.
Nicola Stamford, founding director of Big Bamboo Agency, said it was “a huge milestone for us”.
She said:
“We are thrilled to be working with these new businesses, all of which are leading players in their respective industries and have their own set of needs and marketing challenges.”
Events company helps raise £57,000 for Children’s Air Ambulance
Impulse Decisions staff helped to raise £57,000 for the Children’s Air Ambulance.
Harrogate events company Impulse Decisions has raised more than £57,000 for Children’s Air Ambulance.
Children’s Air Ambulance is a national service which transfers critically ill babies and children from one hospital to another for specialist care.
Impulse Decisions has worked with the charity before and hopes to double its funding this year.
Tom Hesketh, director of hospitality sales at Impulse Decisions, said:
“This has been a great partnership and shows the benefits of our silent auctions, and just how much money they can raise, at no cost to the charity.
“After the last two years it is even more important to continue to support charities like this and in total, we helped charities nationwide raise over £1 million last year.”
Read more:
Ice warning follows rush hour snow in Harrogate district
Temperatures are set to plummet tonight after snow hit teatime traffic in the Harrogate district.
Snow is forecast across the district this evening and overnight temperatures are expected to reach -1 degrees celsius in Harrogate. It will be colder in more remote areas, especially around Pateley Bridge.
John Benson took this photo of Greenhow this afternoon.
BBC Weather is predicting the snow will clear by 7am tomorrow.
A yellow warning for ice is in place in the district from 8pm tonight until 10pm. Roads across the county will be treated.
Read more:
- Call for urgent remedy to Ripon residents’ flooding issue
- Boroughbridge gets free public WiFi — and Harrogate is next
Nature observers, however, may get an opportunity to see the Northern Lights tonight.
The Met Office tweeted that the phenomenon, also known as the Aurora Borealis, may be visible.
Due to Coronal Mass Ejections arriving from the sun, there is a chance of seeing the #AuroraBorealis later tonight and again tomorrow night
As usual, the further north you are in the UK, the greater your chance of seeing it#NorthernLights
More here: https://t.co/sQ1IjJM44y pic.twitter.com/qxmFQNJCM6
— Met Office (@metoffice) March 30, 2022
Inquest concludes no single factor led to Harrogate woman’s suicide
An inquest into the death of a Harrogate woman has concluded that no single factor contributed to her taking her life.
Sarah Tatlow, 57, died at home on March 26 last year. At the time of her death she was undergoing treatment for an aggressive form of cervical cancer.
The two-day inquest in Northallerton, which ended today, heard Ms Tatlow’s husband, Julian Tatlow, question the actions of her doctors in the months leading to her death.
Mr Tatlow said his wife only became fully aware of her “poor prognosis” when a letter was sent days before her death.
The letter was written by Dr Isa Edhem, a consultant urological surgeon at Harrogate District Hospital, to Ms Tatlow’s GP practice. Mr Tatlow described the letter as “cold and insincere” and said it contained details not made clear to them during their consultation with Dr Edhem.
Harrogate District Hospital.
Mr Tatlow questioned members of his wife’s care team during the inquest, asking if they had made it clear to her how aggressive her cancer was. The doctors said they were sure Ms Tatlow knew her cancer was aggressive.
The coroner, Oliver Longstaff, said he took Mr Tatlow’s arguments into consideration but that there was no evidence the letter had a direct link to Ms Tatlow’s death.
Mr Longstaff concluded:
“Since it’s not known when that clinical letter arrived and indeed whether she had seen it, it is inappropriate for me to consider that a direct causal link can be found.
“Even if the letter arrived on March 26 and even if she had taken in the content, is there evidence this letter provoked her suicide over other factors?
“She was facing drastic surgery. I find it unrealistic to single out one factor only and say one was a trigger to this tragedy.”
He concluded the death was due to suicide and there was a clear link to her cancer.
Read more:
- Inquest finds homeless Harrogate man endured a ‘drug-related death’
- Wanted man fell to death from tree in Harrogate district, inquest told
Hospital action plan
Mr Longstaff then read out an action plan written by Dr David Earl, on behalf of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, setting out a number of recommendations the hospital had put into place following Ms Tatlow’s death.
These included a protocol whereby, rather than sending letters to a patient’s GP, they are sent directly to the patient, explaining their prognosis and management plan. This is due to be rolled out across all departments by autumn this year.
It also suggested doctors would be more proactive with referrals to the cancer clinical psychology team if patients are struggling to cope.
Mr Longstaff said the trust’s action plan meant there was no need for him to write to the trust outlining his own recommendations.
Dr Jacqueline Andrews, executive medical director at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, said in a statement afterwards:
Work on Harrogate Hydro and Knaresborough leisure centre to start next month“We would like to offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Sarah Tatlow, and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.”
Two major projects to renovate Harrogate Hydro and build a new leisure centre in Knaresborough will get underway next month.
Harrogate Borough Council is behind the plans which will cost around £28 million and see the construction works carried out by Bristol-based firm Alliance Leisure.
The Hydro will get an £11.8 million investment, including a two-storey extension of the building, as well as a new entrance, cafe and reception area.
There will also be a new diving board structure, fitness suite and refurbished changing areas.
The venue will close on April 8 and the project will be phased to allow for the pool hall area to be brought back into use “as soon as possible in early 2023,” the council said.
It also said it anticipated all of the works will be completed by April 2023.
Read more:
- Ripon leisure centre named after local Olympic hero Jack Laugher
- £28m contracts for new Knaresborough pool and Harrogate Hydro upgrades approved
- Harrogate Hydro set to close for nine months
Meanwhile, some grounds works are already underway at Fysche Field in Knaresborough where a new £17 million leisure centre complete with a six-lane pool, health spa and fitness studios will be built as a replacement for the existing Knaresborough Pool.
It will be built behind the existing pool which will remain open during the works before being demolished.
The council said the new leisure centre will take 65 weeks to build with completion in July 2023.
After this, the demolition works will take a further 15 weeks with completion in October 2023.
Proposals for the Knaresborough Leisure Centre.
These proposals were approved last month despite concerns over the environmental impact of demolishing a large building to replace it with another.
However, Jonathan Dunk, chief development officer at the council, described the 30-year-old Knaresborough Pool as “at the end of its working life” and said more swimming space was needed for the town’s growing population.
He previously said:
“We need to renew rather than refurbish the existing facility because it is old and there is inadequate water space.
“We also want to upgrade to make the most of the energy performance of the new building.”
In Ripon, the opening of the city’s new multi-million pound swimming pool was finally celebrated on 2 March after months of costly delays.
The project was nine months overdue and £4 million over budget, and refurbishment works on the adjoining Ripon Leisure Centre are still underway after the discovery of an underground void prompted the need for an investigation.
The investigation by engineering firm Stantec was due to finish earlier this month and a report setting out what reinforcement works will be required will now follow.
Stantec previously suggested there had been a “significant deterioration” of the ground beneath the older half of the leisure centre and that strengthening works could include steelworks, thickened floors and grouting – the same method “successfully” used to stabilise the new pool.
Bilton playgroup rated ‘outstanding’ by OfstedOfsted has rated Acorns Playgroup in Bilton ‘outstanding’ following a recent inspection.
The education inspectors visited the setting, which operates at Bilton Grange Community Primary School on Bilton Lane, in February.
It has 30 children registered between the ages of 2 and 4.
Ofsted found that children “excitedly enter the safe and vibrant pre-school” and are “deeply engrossed in a limitless range of first-class activities and experiences”.
The report said:
“Children’s interests and ideas are at the heart of staff’s thinking when they implement the curriculum.”
Read more:
- Bilton’s Richard Taylor Funclub gets glowing Ofsted report
- Beckwithshaw primary school rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted
The inspector praised the playgroup for its safeguarding procedures and said staff give the “utmost priority” to keeping children safe.
It said staff have “very high aspirations” for all children and swiftly identify any possible developmental delays to help any child catch up. It said staff at Acorns have an “admiral passion and dedication” to their jobs.
The report added:
“Children demonstrate exemplary behaviour and play extremely well together. They solve problems while building impressive constructions, excitedly dig for ‘treasure’ in the large sand pit and make ‘Chinese noodles’ in the exploratory kitchen. Older children play a mathematical card game skilfully and ensure everyone plays fairly and follows the rules.”
Catherine Kaiser, director of Acorns, thanked staff following the report
She said:
“The staff here are fantastic, we’ve all worked really hard and the report reflects that. It’s our fourth ‘outstanding’ rating in a row. It really has been a team effort.”
Woodlands Kids Club
Earlier this month Woodlands Kids Club, at Willow Tree Primary School on Wetherby Road, received a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted.
Inspectors visited the setting on February 1 and praised staff for offering a welcoming and encouraging environment for young learners.
The report said:
Bid to save ‘at risk’ Harrogate district bowls clubs“Staff know the children well and respond to their interests. They extend their learning as they play together. Children greet staff with huge smiles as they arrive at the end of the school day. They show a good sense of belonging as they excitedly talk about their day.
“They form meaningful relationships with the staff and follow instructions well. Staff use their knowledge and experience effectively to support those children who need additional help and encouragement. The strategies they use are highly effective.”
Bowls clubs in the Harrogate district have joined forces in an attempt to recover from the covid pandemic.
All 16 clubs that play in the Harrogate league have come together after it became clear that some were at risk of folding.
Dave Rowson, secretary of Harrogate Amateur Bowling Association, which governs the game in the district and coordinates its development, said the organisation had launched a drive to increase participation and retain players.
Mr Rowson said membership in local crown green bowls was declining and some clubs were at risk of going under.
He said:
“Membership of many clubs is declining and of the 16 clubs in the district there are a number forecasting that without an increase in participation they could be at risk of being unable to remain in existence.”
Mr Rowson, who is also secretary of Black Swan Bowling Club on Devonshire Place in Harrogate, pointed to Bilton Working Men’s Club as an example of a club which needed support.
The club currently has 26 bowlers and needs more players to remain viable.
Read more:
Paul Gill, who is a member of Bilton Working Men’s Club, said part of the problem was that the sport was regarded as an “old man’s game”.
He added that people also did not know where the bowling greens are situated because they are often behind buildings or hidden.
Mr Gill said:
“They do not know they are there.
“There are a lot of locations and a lot of clubs.”
Grants and strategy
After two years of the covid pandemic, the 16 clubs decided to come up with a strategy to ensure their survival.
As part of that, Mr Rowson secured a £1,500 grant to set up a website for Harrogate Amateur Bowling Association.
The site will enable each club to advertise open days for potential new members. The season runs from April to October so the number of open days is expected to ramp up shortly.
Mr Rowson added:
“The programme will be open to all. Bowls is a sport for everyone irrespective of age or gender. Everyone can compete equally.”
Younger players, parents and people retiring from other sports such as cricket and football will be encouraged to come along.
The association aims to get 600 new participants trying bowls. Mr Rowson added that there was capacity for 13 more eight-person teams in the Harrogate league.
He estimates that the league would need 80 new bowlers for those teams and to cover any player holiday or illness.
The association has also bid to North Yorkshire Sport for up to £5,000 in funding for equipment costs and coaches to help new players.
For more information on how to get involved with your local bowls club, visit the Harrogate Amateur Bowling Association website.
TikTok video on mental health in Harrogate goes viralA TikTok video of a man raising awareness of mental health in Harrogate town centre has gone viral.
The clip, by Ben Ogden on Cambridge Street, shows him standing with a sign saying: “If you’ve struggled with mental health, let’s talk”.
Mr Ogden is well known on TikTok for his videos talking to people on the street about mental health and has posted clips in Leeds and Skipton.
In Harrogate, he speaks with a woman, who is off camera, about her struggles with mental health.
Mr Ogden says in the video:
“We’re just trying to raise awareness for mental health and to let people know it’s alright to talk about it and it should be a normal conversation.”
@itsbenogden It’s okay to talk 💬 #mentalhealthmatters #friends
The video has racked up 429,000 views on TikTok and has more than 21,000 likes and 200 comments.
Mr Ogden, who has nearly 50,000 followers on the social media platform, also published a video outside Sainsbury’s on Cambridge Street with a sign that reads: “If you’re missing your mum this Mother’s Day, let’s talk”.
The clip clocked up 465,000 views.
Read more:
- ‘So beautiful I can’t believe it’s real’: TikTok video of Knaresborough goes viral
- Viral TikTok video sees Brimham Rocks staff kick out mobile DJ
The video becomes the latest TikTok in the Harrogate district to go viral this year.
In January, a Russian TikToker racked up a million views with a video of Knaresborough that she described as “a place in England so beautiful I can’t believe it’s real”.
In the same month, a bizarre video by DJ Zach Sabri, better known online as SUAT, showed the TikToker being told by National Trust staff that he cannot film at Brimham Rocks.