Police are investigating a suspected hate incident after a Nazi swastika flag was hung from a flat overlooking Harrogate Train Station.
The swastika appeared on Saturday and was visible to commuters until police removed it that night.
It was displayed from the window of a flat on East Parade, high above the train station.
North Yorkshire Police said in a statement last night:
“Police in Harrogate are investigating a suspected hate incident after a swastika flag was placed in the window of a flat near Harrogate Train Station on Saturday.
“Two separate complaints were made to North Yorkshire Police.
“Following enquiries, officers attended the property just before 10pm to remove the offensive item.”
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The spokesperson added:
“The matter is now subject to an investigation and the occupant of the flat, who was not present, will be spoken to in due course.
“Officers will also be taking formal statements from the two complainants during the week, as well as conducting further enquiries in the neighbourhood.”
‘We couldn’t believe it’
Harrogate man Thomas Norman, who reported the incident to police, was travelling to the Harrogate Brewing Co. beer festival on Saturday evening when he noticed the swastika at the station. He added:
“We couldn’t believe it at first and had to ask each other if it was what we thought it was, it was uncanny, I’ve never seen that in a real life context.”
It is the second time in just over a year a swastika has been displayed from a property in Harrogate.
On the previous occasion, the man responsible said it was a kriegsmarine flag which he put up to mark the sinking of the Bismarck ship.
Police asked witnesses to the latest incident, or anyone with information, to make a report via the North Yorkshire Police website or by calling 101, option 4.
If you would prefer to remain anonymous, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or make an online report.
Quote reference number 12230151540.
Missing Harrogate girls found safeThree missing girls from Harrogate have been found safe.
North Yorkshire Police have confirmed that two 13-year-old and a 16-year-old girl were found in Leeds and returned to their families.
The girls were last seen at 5pm on Thursday (August 10).
A police statement said:
“Protecting vulnerable people is of paramount importance to North Yorkshire Police.”
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Police confirm missing Harrogate teenagers found
Three missing girls from Harrogate have been found safe.
North Yorkshire Police have confirmed that two 13-year-old and a 16-year-old girl were found in Leeds and returned to their families.
The girls were last seen at 5pm on Thursday (August 10).
A police statement said:
“Protecting vulnerable people is of paramount importance to North Yorkshire Police.”
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Trains stopped amid ‘concerns for safety’ of teenager on Crimple Valley viaduct
Trains on the Harrogate line were stopped this morning after emergency services were called to deal with concerns for the safety of a teenager on Crimple Valley viaduct.
The concerns were first reported to police just after 5.30am, and both North Yorkshire Police and British Transport Police attended the scene.
They were joined by staff from Yorkshire Ambulance Service, while North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service was on stand-by to help if needed.
A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said:
“Police negotiators brought [it] to a safe conclusion just before 8.30am.
“A man aged in his late teens was checked over my paramedics and he is receiving medical support.”
Train services on the line had to be replaced by buses for a number of hours while police dealt with the incident.
The line is now clear, though Northern said delays to services could last “for some time due to displaced trains and crew”.
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Police find man who went missing from Harrogate hospital
Police have confirmed a man who went missing from a hospital in Harrogate has been found.
The man was reported missing from the hospital on Ripon Road on the morning of Wednesday, August 9.
He was last seen walking towards Parliament Street.
In a statement, North Yorkshire Police said it was thought he may have been in West Yorkshire or heading towards the Burnley area.
Officers urged the public to dial 999 immediately if they saw the man and not to make any contact or approach him.
However, on Wednesday evening, they confirmed he had been located safe and well, and thanked everyone who had shared the appeal.
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Inquest opens into death of Harrogate woman Sophie Lambert
An inquest opened today into the death of Harrogate woman Sophie Lambert, who went missing for five days in June.
Ms Lambert, 22, left her home in Starbeck on June 16. Hundreds of people took part in searches to find her.
North Yorkshire Police also launched a missing person search, which included helicopters, drones and dogs and was supported by mountain and underwater rescue teams.
Her body was found in the River Nidd near Lands Lane, Knaresborough, by a member of the public five days later.
Catherine Cundy, area coroner for North Yorkshire, opened an inquest into Ms Lambert’s death at a hearing in Northallerton this morning.
She confirmed Ms Lambert was certified dead on June 21, 2023.
Ms Cundy added that a provisional cause of death of “drowning by immersion in fresh water” has been reported.
The hearing was adjourned to a date to be confirmed when a full inquest will take place.
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Police investigating after man dies on building site in Ripon village
Police are investigating after a man died on a building site near Ripon.
The Health and Safety Executive has also been called in after the incident at the Palladian Homes development in Marton-le-Moor.
The man has not been identified, but is understood to have been working on the site at the time.
A spokesperson for HSE said:
“We are aware of an incident and making enquiries alongside North Yorkshire Police.”
The incident happened on Saturday, July 5, but has only just been confirmed after a nearby resident contacted the Stray Ferret.
North Yorkshire Police has confirmed its officers were called to the site. A spokesperson said:
“We can confirm that we received a call from the ambulance service at 11.41[am] with a report that a 34-year-old man had life threatening injuries following an incident at Marton-le Moor.”
The Stray Ferret contacted Palladian Homes about the incident but had not received a response by the time of publication.
The development, off Chapel Lane in the village, features 10 detached homes of between three and five bedrooms.
It was originally given outline planning permission for up to 16 homes in 2019 after the developer appealed against Harrogate Borough Council’s decision to turn down the proposal.
Detailed plans were then drawn up for a development of 10 homes, which were approved in 2021.
Work was today continuing on the site, where several of the houses have already been listed for sale and some are under offer.
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Golf clubs stolen from car in central Harrogate
Police are appealing for information after a set of golf clubs was stolen from a 4×4 in a Harrogate street in the early hours of the morning.
North Yorkshire Police is seeking witnesses and information after the incident in the Chelmsford Road area.
It happened on Wednesday, August 2 around 5.25am, when the black 4×4 had its rear window smashed.
A police spokesperson said:
“The suspect left the area along Arthington Avenue on foot with a black Ping golf bag containing 14 Calloway clubs and a Cobra driver.
“Officers are appealing for witness, dashcam and private doorbell or other CCTV footage that may have captured the suspect on camera to get in touch.
“They are also appealing to anyone who may have been approached by someone selling similar items since August 2 to get in touch.”
Anyone with information can call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option two and ask for Ben Robinson-Brockhill, or send him an email.
Alternatively, to report information anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 quoting North Yorkshire Police reference 12230147463.
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Concern over North Yorkshire Police’s decision not to attend all mental health call-outs
North Yorkshire Council has said it will ensure “suitable provision” is in place for authority-run services amid concern over police no longer attending all mental health call outs.
The government published an agreement with police and NHS this past week, which said forces would no longer attend callouts unless there was a “risk to life”.
The new approach aims to free up force time in order that those experiencing a mental health crisis are “treated by the most appropriate agency”.
However, the initiative has been met by concern with some council officials pointing out that some mental health services are already under pressure.
Richard Webb, North Yorkshire Council’s adult care director, said that while the scheme, called Right Care Right Person, had “good elements” to it, it seemed to ignore the challenges that NHS services face.
In a post on his social media, he said:
“It seems to ignore the unprecedented challenges that many NHS mental health services are facing to deliver current services, let alone absorb more crisis work.”
2/3 local implementation. However, 3 key points for me: 1) it seems to ignore the unprecedentes challenges that many NHS #mentalhealth services are facing to deliver current services, let alone to absorb more crisis work, 2) it needs to engage with councils as a whole, not just https://t.co/RGC5oJTixv
— Richard Webb (@RichardWebbNY) July 28, 2023
He added that the scheme needed to “engage with councils as a whole” as there were implications for young people, housing and public health.
The Stray Ferret asked the council how this agreement would affect services run by the local authority.
In response, Abigail Barron, North Yorkshire Council’s assistant director of prevention and service development, said:
“We are working closely with the police and health service partners to ensure that suitable provision is in place to support anyone experiencing a mental health issue.”
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North Yorkshire Police said it had been operating the Right Care Right Person approach since January.
The initiative itself was first devised by Humberside Police in 2019 and was later adopted by other forces across the country.
At the time, Mike Walker, assistant chief constable at North Yorkshire Police, said:
Police seek help into spate of vandalism on cars in Ripon“Our commitment to protect the most vulnerable in our communities is not changing and we will still attend where there is an immediate risk to life or a risk of serious harm.
“However, when agencies call us about issues which do not meet the threshold for police intervention under the Right Care, Right Person model, we will signpost them to the most appropriate service to take primacy.
“This puts the individual at the very heart of our decision making and means that a police officer is often not the right person to be providing this care.
“In some cases, we may need to deploy alongside medical or mental health workers where those agencies need to take primacy but there is still a risk to those involved.
“We realise this will mean some big changes for some of our partners, who have become used to calling us to help in these situations.
“That is why we have been working with mental health care providers, NHS representatives, local authorities and the ambulance service to let them know about our plans and give them plenty of time to make changes to the way they work.”
North Yorkshire Police is seeking assistance from the public following a spate of vandal attacks on vehicles in Ripon car parks and on residential streets.
Over the past week, cars have been deliberately damaged in the Cathedral and Morrisons car parks in the city, as well as on Quarry Moor Lane and Oak Road.
The vandalism, which has been reported on social media, has ranged from the smashing of windscreens to attacks on bodywork, windscreen wipers and mirrors.
Yesterday (Sunday) members of the Harrogate Outer policing team were on Ripon Market Square to promote the North Yorkshire Community Messaging service and, while there, Sgt Jeff Peel, told the Stray Ferret:
“We’ve had a number of people who have given us information that may be helpful in our on-going investigations into the recent vandalism incidents.
“We would urge anybody else who feels they can help to contact us in confidence.”
Anybody with information about the attacks or other suspicious behaviour that that they have witnessed, can call 101 or report online via www.northyorkshire.police.uk.
The North Yorkshire Community Messaging service, provides another means for the public to help in the fight against crime and those who sign up for it will receive localised email alerts about events, crime appeals and safety advice.
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