Ferret Unlocked: what you missed in news last week

Last week. the Stray Ferret took a closer look at some of the issues affecting our district.

Getting a GP appointment in a timely manner is a struggle for most people. We investigated how this has affected the Harrogate district and what is needed to tackle the problem.

As part of our research, we contacted all 17 GP practices in the Harrogate district to ask how long the current wait is for a non-urgent appointment with a GP. You can read more in our in depth article here.

Meanwhile, we took a closer look at the Long Course Weekend after the dust had settled on the major sporting event held in Masham.

We spoke to businesses and local representatives to get a handle on whether the event had been a success for the area.

In other news, we requested the campaign spending figures for each of the seven candidates who stood to be Harrogate and Knaresborough MP at the general election and outlined what each hopeful spent their money on.

We also sat down with Jim Moir, aka Vic Reeves, as he launched his art exhibition at the RedHouse in Harrogate to find out more about his work.

The Stray Ferret followed the outcome of a court case involving a Ripon man which made national news earlier this year.

David Wootton was found guilty of sending offensive matter by public communication network after posting pictures of himself wearing a costume depicting Manchester Arena bomber, Salman Abedi. You can read our full report on the case here.

Elsewhere in crime news, our reporter Flora Grafton spoke with the relatives of Gemma Simpson who was brutally murdered by Martin Bell in Harrogate in 2000.

Bell, who was jailed in 2014, could be moved to an open prison after a mere 10 years behind bars. Subscribers can read our interview with Gemma’s sister, Krista, who says her family has “never been given any evidence” of Bell’s reform.

Finally, subscribers to the Stray Ferret can take advantage of a range of fantastic exclusive offers, discounts and giveaways from local businesses, which we regularly update.

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