A car belonging to a missing Leeds woman has been found close to the border of the former Harrogate district.
Molly Ann Garbutt, 25, was reported missing last night (Tuesday, April 2) with police saying they had “immediate concerns for her welfare”.
Enquiries led officers to establish Molly’s black Renault Clio was in the Grassington area from around 7pm last night.
Her car was found by Rural Watch volunteers just before 8am today, parked off the B6265 near Dibbles Bridge at Hebden, about two miles from Greenhow in the former Harrogate district.
West Yorkshire Police issued the initial appeal for information but following the discovery of the car North Yorkshire Police has joined the search.
It said in a statement this afternoon:
“North Yorkshire Police is conducting searches and enquiries in the surrounding area in the effort to find Molly.
“These are being supported by RAF Mountain Rescue and the Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association, along with a HM Coastguard helicopter.
“Molly is described as white, slim build, with long ginger hair. She was last seen wearing a brown velvet thigh-length coat, pink leggings and white boots.”
Officers have urged anyone with information or sightings of a woman in the area matching Molly’s description to report it by calling 999.
Quote North Yorkshire Police reference number 12240057708 when passing on information.
Photo of the Week: Greenhow Hill
This week’s photograph was taken by Sue Whitaker, capturing the view from Greenhow Hill near Pateley Bridge.
Sue Whitaker
Photo of the Week celebrates the Harrogate district. It could be anything from family life to capturing the district’s beauty. We are interested in amateur and professional photographs, in a landscape format.
Send your photographs to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk for a chance to be featured next week, we reserve the right to adjust and crop images to fit into our format.
A weather warning for ice has been issued for the Harrogate district as sub-zero temperatures loom.
The warning is in force from 6pm tomorrow until noon on Thursday.
The Met Office has warned “some disruption is likely due to icy surfaces” on untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths.
The district has had remarkably little ice so far this winter.
Temperatures are expected to fall slightly below freezing tonight and then plunge to minus three degrees centigrade on the next few nights. They will struggle to rise much above freezing even during the day and light snow could fall on Friday and Saturday.
Temperatures could fall even lower in more rural areas, such as Greenhow Hill, which is the highest place in the Harrogate district.
Gritters, which operated last night, will be back out on key routes again tonight.
Running wild in Nidderdale
There are two indisputable facts about Pateley Bridge: 1 It’s beautiful. 2 It’s hilly. Which makes it the perfect challenge for running.
Trouble is, if you want to avoid the roads and get the authentic Nidderdale cross-country experience you risk getting lost or being garrotted by a low hanging branch.
So the formation of a new trail running group called Pateley Runners presents the perfect opportunity to give it a go.
Trail running, as opposed to road running, is about being close to nature rather than pounding tarmac.
The group, set up by keen runner Si Lawson, is an informal community of runners like the Early Bird Run Crew, which organises regular free jogs around Harrogate and Knaresborough.
Si promised the group would be inclusive and friendly and, better still, free.
Passing former lead mines.
About 25 of us turned up at the bandstand in Pateley at 7pm for the inaugural Tuesday night run. A good proportion were what is generously described in running circles as ‘veterans’.
There is no way out of Pateley that doesn’t involve hills but few are as tough as the climb to Greenhow Hill, the highest place in the Harrogate district, with reputedly the highest parish church in England.
So the first stretch, which began along dungy sheep fields and quiet lanes, opened the lungs but the pace was gentle. It was certainly easier than cycling to Greenhow and there was not an engine to be heard.
Si and two friends took it in turns to lead and bring up the rear and every so often they stopped to regroup. Nobody was left to run alone and we chatted as we jogged.
The notorious Nidderdale microclimate led to a brief downpour but nobody minded. By then we had hit our stride and the whole point of the exercise is to feel alive in nature.
The route we followed.
We passed lead mines, cattle grids and caravan parks before finally heading back down to the river in the muggy damp twilight, brushing off flies, which sparked talk about the best way to repel them. Marmite, garlic and Avon cream were all mentioned.
Stopping to regroup.
We saw Scouts throwing axes in a field before being summoned by the sound of church bells back to the bandstand in the recreation ground at Pateley.
We had covered about six miles in a glorious hour of friendly and relaxed running. It’s hard not to feel happy when you’re in the heart of such countryside but being part of the group enhanced the experience. Si is knowledgeable and welcoming — little wonder the group already has 100 followers on Facebook.
Pateley Runners meets on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday but anyone is welcome to arrange their own runs and invite others.
More details are available here.
Nidderdale wakes to snow
Higher ground in Nidderdale experienced a white start to Boxing Day this morning.
A yellow weather warning for snow and high winds was in place from shortly after midnight and it did indeed create some treacherous conditions.
This photo shows Greenhow Hill, near Pateley Bridge, in the early hours.
It is one of several this morning on the North Yorkshire Weather Updates Facebook page.
One showed treacherous driving conditions on the road from Blubberhouses to Greenhow Hill.
Current conditions on the road between Blubberhouses and Greenhow Hill. @juliatetley @UKWX_ @UKsnow_updates @bezberesford @JonMitchellITV @Hudsonweather @SimonLeeWx @uksnowmap pic.twitter.com/uz2PEKdr2v
— NorthYorksWeather (@northyorkswx) December 26, 2021
The show appears to have been confined to the west of the Harrogate district and is not expected to last long as wetter weather moves in.
More roadside weather stations in Harrogate district to help drivers
North Yorkshire County Council has installed an extra 13 roadside weather stations on remote roads to alert drivers to treacherous road conditions during bad weather.
It means there is now a total of 23 weather stations across the county, powered by solar and wind technology, that display up-to-date images of road conditions on the council’s website.
The Harrogate district is covered by one new station on the A658 Harrogate bypass as well two others in Low Burton, near Masham, and Greenhow Hill near Pateley Bridge.
The images can be monitored by commuters but will also be used by highways teams to track conditions.
“The introduction of more weather stations over recent months marks a huge step forward in our winter service delivery.
“Many of North Yorkshire’s roads pass over the high ground of the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors, resulting in dangerous driving conditions at times during the winter months.
“The stations broadcast up-to-date images to anybody who views our website. They allow you to see what road conditions are like before you even leave the house.”
The county council is encouraging all road users to check the cameras prior to heading out if extreme weather is forecast.
For a list of the weather stations and to view live images click here