Two children and woman killed in collision between Ripon and Harrogate

Three people, including two children, were killed in a collision on the main road between Harrogate and Ripon yesterday.

A silver Vauxhall Meriva, a blue Toyota Aygo and a double-decker bus were involved in the incident near South Stainley at 2.20pm yesterday.

It was the second fatal collision on the A61 Ripon Road between Ripon and Harrogate on consecutive weekends.

North Yorkshire Police today said a woman and two children from the same vehicle died and appealed for witnesses and dashcam footage. Their names have not yet been revealed.

The force said in a statement:

“The Vauxhall and Toyota were travelling south towards Ripley and the bus was travelling in the opposite direction.

“Sadly, all three occupants of the Vauxhall Meriva, a woman in her 30s, a teenage girl and a six-year-old boy, died following the collision. Their next of kin have been informed and are receiving specialist support.

“The driver of the bus was taken to hospital with leg injuries, some of the bus passengers sustained minor injuries and were taken to hospital, and the two people in the Toyota were not injured.”

The road was closed to allow all emergency services to attend to the collision and for investigators to examine the scene. It reopened at around 11.30pm.

Officers are appealing to anyone who saw any of the vehicles prior to the collision or witnessed the collision to get in touch if they have not already spoken to officers.

They are also appealing to anyone who may have dashcam footage of the vehicles travelling along the A61 prior to the collision or of the collision itself, to get in touch.

You can email Julie.brown@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and pass information for incident 12230166439.

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Cow in Valley Gardens was ‘reunited with owner’, say police

It’s the mystery that has been hanging over Harrogate for a week: how did a cow get into Valley Gardens — and was it reunited with its herd?

The story of the cow wandering towards the Magnesia Well Tea Room last Saturday morning is one of our best-read this week.

It has provoked numerous head scratching because Valley Gardens is nowhere near grazing cattle. It has even inspired a poem, which we’ve published below.

Dog walker Lucy Emma Renshaw-Martin spotted the bovine beast when she was taking her usual morning stroll.

The cow heads to the tea room.

 

Police dealing with the incident.

Lucy, who sent us these photos, still has no idea how the cow got there or what happened to it. She left as the police were struggling to deal with the loose cow.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire Police last weekend for details of the incident. The force finally replied today with a one-line statement saying only that ‘the cow was reunited with its owner’ — leaving the mystery only partially solved.

Poem about the cow

Carole Keegan, a member of Harrogate Writers’ Circle, compiled this imaginative poem about the cow’s sojourn to Valley Gardens.

“I want to break free” sang the Friesian cow

Not to the abattoir just right now.

Aha! A hole in the fence, looks big enough for me

Plenty of Flora and Fauna and of course the magnesia well for a cup of tea

 

It’s strange to be here without the herd

A few pics and police but nobody’s saying a word

Everyone’s looking at me but not even a MOO

Perhaps I should pop over and shout BOO!

 

It’s a mystery how I got here, buts it’s been such fun

I do love Patrica Hodge as Miranda’s mum!

AND an added boost I can manure the roses and plants

Maybe to the onlookers it will be pants.

 

I’ve looked all over and don’t know how I will be taken away

Oh the memories of such a glorious day

Gosh,I know I will put a daisy in my mouth, with a pout

Join the Magic Roundabout….hey Zebedee

Please wait for me!

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Knifepoint robbery at Harrogate betting shop

A knife-wielding man with a scarf around his face robbed terrified staff at a Harrogate betting shop last night.

The man entered Betfred on Kings Road at about 8.15pm wearing a black Nike tracksuit and brandishing a kitchen knife.

North Yorkshire Police said it has launched a full investigation and appealed for witnesses and information.

It said in a statement:

“He left with a small amount of cash before making off, crossing the road and is believed to have headed down Back Dawson Terrace.”

The man is described as white, around 5ft 9ins tall with blue or green eyes and brown hair.

He is described as in his early twenties with a local accent.

Detective sergeant Tom Barker of Harrogate CID said:

“Clearly this was frightening for the staff at Betfred. Fortunately no one was hurt in the incident.

“I want to emphasise that we don’t believe any members of the local community are at risk. The suspect in this case has clearly targeted the location to steal cash.”

He said detectives have many lines of enquiry, including video footage from the area. They have released an image of a man they need to locate as part of their enquiries.

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DS Barker added:

“If you live nearby we encourage you to review you doorbell cameras.

“Equally if you were in a vehicle at the time with in-car footage please review your cameras.

You can phone 101 or report online at www.northyorkshire.police.uk

If you would prefer to remain anonymous. contact CrimeStoppers on  0800 555 111 or go to their website wwwcrimestoppers-uk.org”

Quote incident number 12230165267.

 

Cash and bank cards stolen from car parked in Harrogate

Cash and bank cards were among the items stolen from a car parked on Queens Road in Harrogate yesterday.

North Yorkshire Police today appealed for information, including CCTV or doorbell video footage, about the crime.

A police statement said:

“It happened in the early hours of Thursday 31 August when the grey Hyundai was broken and personal items taken from inside including bags, bank cards, cash and clothing.

“We are appealing to anyone who saw any suspicious activity on Queens Road or has private video footage of the potential suspects to get in touch.”

You can email Sam.Clarke2@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for PC 1136 Sam Clarke.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote reference number 12230163997.

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Witness appeal after person hit by car in Ripon

A person has been injured after being struck by a car in Ripon city centre.

The incident happened on Fishergate this morning and the extent of the injuries is not yet known.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said:

“Shortly after 11.30am today, police received a call from the ambulance service reporting that a person has been hit by a vehicle on Fishergate in Ripon.

“Officers are currently at the scene of the incident.”

North Yorkshire Police urged anyone with information to get in touch. The incident number is NYP-01092023-0161.

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‘High value’ items stolen in Harrogate shop burglary

Cash, high-value clothing and accessories have been stolen in a shop burglary in Harrogate town centre.

North Yorkshire Police said today the theft occurred after 5pm on Thursday, August 24 and before 10am on Friday, August 25 at an address on Montpellier Parade.

Criminals entered the property through a fire door.

Officers are now appealing for witnesses and information.

The force said in a statement:

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

“In particular, we are appealing for information about anyone acting suspiciously in the area, or anyone seen with branded denim-coloured clothing and leather handbags.

“If you have been offered anything of this nature for sale, officers would be keen to speak with you.”

Anyone with CCTV footage of anything suspicious between the times stated that covers Montpellier Parade/Mews/Street/Hill/Square is urged to get in touch.

You can email kirsty.greenbank@northyorkshire.police.uk or dial 101 and ask for PC Greenbank 1188.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass on information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote reference number 12230161091.

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Police warn of spate of sneak-in burglaries in Ripon

People living in the Harrogate district, particularly in Ripon, have been urged to keep doors and ground floor windows locked following a spate of sneak-in burglaries.

A message on North Yorkshire Community Messaging said three incidents had been reported in Ripon over the last few days.

A sneak-in burglary occurs when a door or window has not been locked and an offender chances their luck by trying handles or windows to gain entry.

If they find something to be unlocked, they sneak in and steal items.

Alison Swan, of North Yorkshire Police, said:

“Please be sure to secure doors and ground floor windows particularly at night, also consider locking doors during the day especially if you are in rear gardens where you are not able to monitor your front door.”

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North Yorkshire Police improve 999 answer times

North Yorkshire Police has recorded an improved 999 call answer time performance, according to latest figures.

The force answered 83% of calls in July 2023 within the national target of 10 seconds. By comparison, just 44% were answered on time in November 2022.

There has been a 30% increase in the number of emergency calls made to the force control room in the past year.

This month, police recorded the highest number of 999 calls made in any August in history with 10,800 calls — 400 more than the same time last year.

The improvement comes after Zoe Metcalfe, the Conservative North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner awarded the force control room £1.8 million a year to improve response times.

The money was earmarked to fund the appointment of 36 additional communications officers, 12 additional dispatchers, six established trainers and two additional police inspectors.

Superintendent Fee Willey, who heads up the force control room, said:

“In the control room we’ve changed our ways of working. We looked at all our processes to see what was stopping our people being efficient in their roles – what were they doing and how were they doing it. We stripped away anything that was not relevant or slowed them down.

“We found that our trained and highly-skilled call handlers were being restricted by the number and complexity of the forms that they needed to complete for every single call that they received.

“We kept any mandated question sets, but beyond that we gave the call handlers freedom to follow their own initiative, while still being able to refer to question sets if needed. This has resulted in a much speedier process to dispatch officers to incidents while still providing a succinct level of information to the attending officers.

“And the more efficient that the force control room is in performing its role, the quicker that officers can be dispatched to scene.”

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Thieves steal ‘large amount’ of equipment from Ilke Homes’ factory

Thieves have stolen a “large amount of equipment” from Ilke Homes factory in Flaxby.

The modular housebuilder, which employed 1,150 staff, went into administration in June. Nearly all staff immediately lost their jobs.

The equipment was stolen two days after it had been auctioned by administrators to realise the value of assets on behalf of creditors.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said:

“North Yorkshire Police is investigating a report of a break-in at a large industrial premises near the village of Flaxby in North Yorkshire.

“It was reported that on August 19 a large amount of equipment worth thousands of pounds had been stolen from the premises.

“The investigation is ongoing at this time. No arrests have been made.”

Ilke Homes’ factory is close to junction 47 of the A1, about two miles from Knaresborough.

Ilke Homes’ site near the A1(M).

Administrators AlixPartners commissioned Hilco Valuation Services to auction items including electric hand tools, travelling cranes and tipping skips.

The Stray Ferret asked AlixPartners for details of the value of stolen items and whether the site maintained on-site security.

It declined to comment beyond a statement that said:

“We can confirm that there was a break-in and subsequent theft at a property relating to the Ilke Homes administration.

“The administrators are now working with insurers and all related parties to minimise any losses incurred.”

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Ilke Homes, which was founded in 2018, reported a pre-tax loss of £34m in its latest accounts.

It claimed to produce operationally zero-carbon modular homes from its Flaxby site.

Police urged anyone with information about the break-in to dial 101 and quote incident number 12230156480

Vandals smash windows of 15 buses in Tockwith in £100,000 attack

The windows of 15 buses have been smashed in an attack causing £100,000 of damage in Tockwith.

North Yorkshire Police said yesterday the incident occurred at Tockwith Airfield, on Southfield Lane between 10pm – 9am on the evening of Monday, August 21.

Police are now appealing for witnesses and information.

The force said in a statement:

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

“In particular, we’re appealing for information from anyone who witnessed anything suspicious in the surrounding area at the time of the incident and/or if anyone has any CCTV.”

The runways of the former airfield, which was previously RAF Marston Moor, are now used for driving education courses and specialist training.

Connexions Buses, which is located on Southfield Lane in the village, told the Stray Ferret none of its vehicles were damaged in the incident.

It also posted on Facebook “the companies that it involved have worked very hard to replace almost all of them already”.

The companies have not been named.

Police urged anyone with information to email chloe.winter-atkinson@northyorkshire.police.uk or dial 101 and ask for Chloe Winter-Atkinson.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote reference number 12230158082.

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