A North Yorkshire auctioneers with offices in Harrogate sold a 1966 World Cup winner’s medal, shirt and squad cap today for a combined hammer price of £445,000.

The items originally belonged to Alan Ball, who at just 21 years old was the youngest and least experienced member of the legendary 1966 World Cup winning England team.  

His medal sold for £200,000 hammer, his red number 7 shirt fetched £130,000 and his cap sold for £115,000 at Tennants Auctioneers’ toys and models, sporting and fishing sale in Leyburn. 

Lancashire-born midfielder Alan Ball played for Blackpool, Everton, Arsenal and Southampton, and won 72 caps for England. He went on to manage several clubs, including Manchester City and Southampton.  He died in 2007.

Alan Ball’s 1966 World Cup winner’s medal.

Alan Ball’s shirt sold for £130,000

His cap fetched £115,000

Ball sold his medal and cap at auction in 2005, when they were purchased by the owner of Bolton Wanderers, businessman and philanthropist Edwin ‘Eddie’ Davies (1946-2018). 

From the same estate came a Pele match-worn Brazil shirt, worn during the first half of the famous Brazil v England 1970 World Cup match, which sold for £33,000.

Tennants Auctioneers’ sporting specialist, Kegan Harrison, said:

“We are absolutely delighted to have achieved such fantastic results for the vendor, who has had a long-standing relationship with Tennants.  

“The 1966 World Cup victory will always be a golden moment in English sporting history, and we have been honoured to have handled the sale of these extraordinary items. It has been 56 years since that incredible match, but it is still very close to the hearts of all football fans.” 

Tennants Auctioneers is based at Leyburn, North Yorkshire and has an office on Montpellier Road in Harrogate, as well as in London.

Festive spirit will be flowing in Boroughbridge tonight as the town hosts its annual late-night shopping, Christmas tree lights switch-on and a visit from Santa.

The event, organised Boroughbridge and District Chamber of Trade, will see shops stay open until 8pm.

The night will begin with the official Christmas tree lights switch-on in Hall Square at 5.30pm, followed by carols from three school choirs — Boroughbridge Primary and High School and Roecliffe Primary.

Boroughbridge Lions will host Santa and his sleigh and there will be community stalls, children’s rides and a donkey and miniature horse.

Read more:

• New BBC series pays homage to intrepid Victorian explorer from Boroughbridge
• Time to sparkle: Your guide to Christmas lights switch-ons across the district

Festive food and drink will include the Scouts’ roast chestnuts and Brighter Boroughbridge’s mulled wine and mince pies stall. There will also be a hog roast.

The shop window display competition theme this year is A Christmas Panto, with entries to be judged tonight,

The lights on the Christmas tree will be switched on by BBC Radio York’s Georgey Spanswick and the Mayor, Sean Hynes.

Chamber president Derek Hufton said:

“Anyone coming along will find the town buzzing.

“There will be lots of great independent shops to browse and buy Christmas gifts from.

“Santa and his sleigh, along with the kids’ rides, will be big attractions to the younger generation. But wrap up warm!”

Unison is to write to Harrogate Borough Council today warning them not to offer senior managers more favourable redundancy terms than other staff when it is abolished.

Seven district councils, including Harrogate, and North Yorkshire County Council will cease to exist on April 1, when they will be replaced by the new North Yorkshire Council.

All staff, except the chief executives, are due to transfer to the North Yorkshire Council under TUPE regulations.

But Hambleton District Council has agreed to pay £767,065 to four senior officers who decided they do not wish to work for the unitary North Yorkshire Council after April 1.

The payments were agreed even though the four directors had been assured they would be offered “suitable roles” at no financial loss to themselves when they transferred to North Yorkshire Council .

This has prompted trade union Unison to write to all the councils demands all staff be treated the same.

A spokesman for the North Yorkshire branch of Unison said:

Read more:

• Harrogate council chief executive set for £101,000 redundancy pay-out
• New Harrogate district housing plan should not be ‘tickbox exercise’, says councillor

Harrogate Borough Council’s chief officer employment committee is due to meet tonight to discuss awarding chief executive Wallace Sampson a £101,274 redundancy package.

Mr Sampson would receive a contractual redundancy payment of £71,633 plus £29,641 for a 12-week notice period he will not have to work.

Mr Sampson’s exit package is considerably less than that announced so far for other chief executives who will leave their jobs on March 31.

Selby District Council chief executive Janet Waggot is to receive a redundancy package worth £210,000 and Hambleton District Council’s chief executive, Justin Ives, is to receive a £225,000 settlement.

This article is sponsored by Linley & Simpson.

An exclusive new development of luxury four-bedroom bungalows has gone on the market in the picturesque village of Rainton.

Boasting a cricket club, green and pub, the idyllic rural setting provides the perfect location for Grange Farm.

As village locations remain in huge demand, one property has already been sold.

However, there are two spacious detached homes with double garages remaining, with prices starting from £630,000.

They have been built by Harrogate-based independent developers JWK Developments Ltd.

Plot 1 at Grange Farm Barns, Rainton.

Lucy Collinge, new homes marketing executive at Linley & Simpson, the agent selling the properties, said:

“It is unusual for a development of bungalows to come to the market – particularly as new builds.

“These properties are around 1,800 sq ft. However, they are really energy efficient as they are fitted with air source heat pumps and underfloor heating.

“The specification is high quality with stunning contemporary open-plan fitted kitchens, french doors opening to a private garden and patio and tiled bathrooms and ensuites. There is also a feature oak handrail in the hallway.”

The homes boast a carefully considered layout, with living and sleeping accommodation shared on the ground floor, as well as featuring a principal bedroom to the first floor in a dormer bungalow style.

A bathroom at a similar development in Alne, near Easingwold, by JWK Developments.

A separate sitting room and optional study or snug allows for a second reception room, ensuring that these homes provide for versatile living accommodation.

The ground floor also provides a utility room, cloakroom WC, house bathroom, two further double bedrooms and a single fourth bedroom/study.

Ms Collinge said:

“They also feature large landscaped gardens, which have been planted with crabapple trees and are really pretty. They are very much in-keeping with the village landscape.”

Rainton is a quintessentially English village, nestled between Ripon and Thirsk.

It is close to the junction of the A1 and A168, providing the commuter with options when travelling by car. Central Harrogate and York are 16 and 25 miles to the south respectively and Leeds is 38 miles away.

A kitchen at a similar development in Alne, near Easingwold, by JWK Developments.

For longer journeys, the nearest train station is Thirsk which is just seven miles away. From here, it is possible to catch direct trains to Leeds, London, Manchester Airport, Sunderland and York.

Ms Collinge added:

“Rainton has got a lovely village green and a maypole and it certainly looks the part.

“You’ve also got great transport links on the doorstop giving seclusion without remoteness.

“Rainton really is a stunning village in a fabulous location – the perfect place to buy a new home.”

James Knight, director of JWK Developments, said:

“Grange Farm is a truly unique development and the importance of an energy efficient and sustainable home has been recognised.

“From Mitsubishi air source heat pumps, underfloor heating to the ground floor and electric vehicle charging points, this offers buyers luxury eco-friendly living.”

To enquire about plots 1 and 2 at Grange Farm Barns, call Linley & Simpson on 01423 540054

An ambition to create a devolved mayoral combined authority for North Yorkshire and York has reached a milestone as the local authorities pursuing it launched their first joint decision-making body.

In a turn of events that highlighted geographic and transport issues a combined authority for the vast area will face, the inaugural meeting of North Yorkshire and City of York Council’s joint devolution committee started more than half an hour late due to committee members travelling to central York being delayed on public transport.

With two of the leading executive members from each councils and being co-chaired by the councils’ leaders, the committee bears a close resemblance to the proposed mayoral combined authority executive.

However, it also includes non-voting members, such as the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and the chair of the local enterprise partnership.

The meeting heard the committee was being launched despite the public having yet to decide having a mayoral combined authority as part of the proposed devolution deal is acceptable, with a consultation under way.

North Yorkshire’s monitoring officer Barry Khan told members: 

“This is in no way trying to pre-determine or pre-judge that process.

“If the councils agree to submit a proposal for a mayoral combined authority then this committee can transform into a shadow combined authority to set up that arrangement.”

Nevertheless, James Farrar, the enterprise partnership’s chief officer, told he meeting the councils needed to start taking joint decisions or face losing nearly £20 million of funding the government had agreed to give under the proposed devolution deal.

Mr Farrar said: 

“The rules are very stringent and inflexible.”

Read more:

• Harrogate council chief executive set for £101,000 redundancy pay-out
• Questions raised as Harrogate Royal Baths loses £2.5m in value

He said the government had set a deadline of March 2025 to complete two major projects it was funding.

The schemes include £7 million to enable the area to drive green economic growth, creating the country’s first carbon negative region, and £12.7 million to support the building of new homes on brownfield land.

He said with a potential date of creating the combined authority in December next year it left a very tight timescale to complete the projects, leading councillors to approve a move to invite firms to submit interest in potential schemes this month.

Mr Farrar said even if devolution was not progressed the authorities would have created a pipeline to challenge for “increasingly competitive” funding from government.

City of York Council leader Cllr Keith Aspden issued an appeal for as many residents and businesses as possible to respond to the consultation ahead of its December 16 deadline.

The meeting was told the committee would “exercise executive functions”, but its remit could be widened to “a joint committee that exercises both council and executive functions”.

The county council’s leader, Cllr Carl Les, said he was hopeful the consultation would come back in favour of creating a mayoral combined authority.

He added: 

“It’s a first step and of course we have been very keen to say to people that devolution is an iterative process.

“I really welcome the fact that the brownfield fund also covers the rural areas, not just urban areas, and also that we are getting some help with net zero activities because that is highly topical at the moment.”

The festive season gets underway in Knaresborough this weekend with the Christmas Market and the launch of the Christmas Tree Festival.

Centred around the large Christmas tree in the town’s historic Market Place, the two-day shopping event, on Saturday and Sunday, December 3 and 4, will feature almost 60 stalls selling seasonal goods, decorations, cards, gifts and locally-sourced produce.

Hot roasted chestnuts, mulled wine and performances by local dancers, brass bands and choirs promise to add to the festive atmosphere.

Knaresborough Chamber of Trade and Commerce committee member Charlotte Gale said:

“We have a fantastic range of local independent shops, galleries, cafes and restaurants in town, not just in the market square, but on the surrounding streets and High Street.

“We hope that visitors to the market will also take the time to explore everything which Knaresborough has to offer. There is even a book signing at Castlegate Books with best selling local crime author Wes Markin from noon on Saturday.

“Knaresborough’s businesses always make such an effort to decorate their windows for Christmas, which gives a wonderful festive feeling in town on the market weekend.

“There are lots of events happening around the town too, including a shopping event at Knaresborough train station and the start of the stunning Christmas Tree Festival at St John’s Church, which features beautifully decorated trees from local businesses and organisations.”

The Christmas Market is organised by volunteers from Knaresborough Rotary, Knaresborough Chamber and Knaresborough Lions.

Free park and ride

The centre of Knaresborough will be largely pedestrianised for the event, but a free park and ride is available all weekend from the GSPK car park (postcode HG5 8LF) on Manse Lane to Chapel Street, close to the Market Square.

The weekend will close at 4.30pm on Sunday, December 4 with a firework finale, set against the dramatic backdrop of Knaresborough’s famous viaduct and the Nidd Gorge. This is best seen from any viewpoint which overlooks the river area.

Market chair Hazel Haas, of Knaresborough Rotary, said:

“We are keen that this year’s market benefits the town as a whole.

“Members of our volunteer committee have been liaising with other local organisations and businesses to ensure that we are promoting the full range of festive events taking place in Knaresborough over the market weekend, including the popular Christmas Tree Festival at St John’s Church.”

The Christmas Tree Festival at St John’s will run from Saturday December 3 until December 23.

Every year more than 70 Christmas trees decorated by local groups and businesses are displayed in the church on Vicarage Lane.

Read more:

• Guide to Christmas fairs and markets in the Harrogate district
• Time to sparkle: Your guide to Christmas lights switch-ons across the district

Admission is free, but there will be the opportunity to donate to the church and the event’s chosen charity for this year.

For more information on Knaresborough Christmas Market, including travel information, entertainment timings and events taking place throughout the town, click here.

Meanwhile, Harrogate’s Christmas Fayre kicked off today and tonight (Friday) sees the return of late night shopping in Pateley Bridge and Bewerley for the first time since 2019.

Shops will stay open until about 7.30pm to offer festive treats and community groups will operate stalls along the High Street.

Harrogate’s Christmas Fayre got underway today and next week sees Boroughbridge’s late night shopping and Christmas lights switch-on event on Wednesday (December 7).

A Nidderdale lollipop woman is set to retire after 47 years of helping children cross the road.

Mary Fisher, 87, is North Yorkshire’s longest-serving lollipop woman.

She has supervised generations of children crossing the busy Pateley Bridge to Harrogate road outside Summerbridge Community Primary School since 1975 — the year the Vietnam war ended, Margaret Thatcher became leader of the Conservative Party and Leeds United were beaten in the final of the European Cup.

Now, after 18,000 morning and afternoon patrols involving thousands of children, she has decided to retire. Her last day is due to be December 16.

Nick Coates, executive headteacher of Darley and Summerbridge Community Primary School Federation, said:

“Mary will still be a regular visitor to school but in a guest capacity rather than a working role and is going spend her retirement taking it easy, gardening, baking with the odd bit of knitting thrown in.  

“We wish her all the best and of course, it goes without saying, all our love.”

Read more:

• Is Mary the Harrogate district’s longest-serving lollipop woman?
• Plan submitted for 20mph zones around five schools in Harrogate

Mary came to North Yorkshire in 1954 with her husband Jim, and soon became firmly embedded within the local community.

In 1956 the couple moved to Summerbridge, where Mary worked at New York Mill and Jim worked in the building trade.

Over the next decade or so Mary and Jim raised their four children, all of whom attended the school. It was at this point that Mary’s relationship with the school really began.

Bringing the children to school everyday, it was soon noticed by the local ‘bobby’ that Mary would make a great lollipop lady and despite initial reluctance, she eventually agreed.

Two years ago, when she celebrated her milestone of 45 years, she said:

“One of the best parts of the job is that everyone recognises you – everyone always waves at me.

“I love being outside and active as well. I have to be out and about rather than sat inside. Not a day goes by where I think I don’t want to get up today and do it.”

Now, after 47 years and five headteachers, she has finally decided to call it a day.

Men live 10 years longer in Harrogate than Knaresborough, according to a new report.

The North Yorkshire Director of Public Health annual report 2021-22, published today, shows male life expectancy in Harrogate is 85 compared with 75 in Knaresborough.

Women live on average to be 87 in Harrogate and 79 in Knaresborough. In Ripon, men and women live on average to 79 and 84 respectively.

The commentary in the report suggests the difference is down to deprivation. It says:

“Large parts of North Yorkshire have better than average life expectancy when compared with England as a whole. However, there are areas where life expectancy is worse, particularly in Scarborough, but also in parts of Selby, Harrogate and Richmondshire.

“The gap in life expectancy between our most deprived and least deprived wards can be as much as 11 years for men and 10 years for women.

An image from the report showing life expectancy.

The report says there was a “marked decrease in life expectancy between 2019 and 2020 for both England and Yorkshire and Humber”, adding:

“This has improved slightly for 2021, but the longterm impact of the pandemic on mortality is yet to be fully determined.”

Read more:

• Staffing problems still affecting mental health services for Harrogate district residents
• ‘Intimate gem’ Knaresborough pub wins rare award for beer quality

In a section on ‘lessons learned’ the report says the rural nature of North Yorkshire presented challenges responding to covid.

It says:

“For North Yorkshire in particular, we learned to adapt our response to the pandemic to ensure that the rural nature of large parts of the county did not create additional barriers to access covid support.

“For example, we had to adapt the standard covid testing model of having a small number of large testing centres in urban areas to provide multiple mobile options that could travel across the county to rural areas.

“Similar issues were seen with access to vaccination sites; more sites opened up across the county as the pandemic progressed, but additional services eg voluntary transport provision were required to expand access to those unable to travel, and weekend clinics were added to help enable working age population to attend.”

Report author Louise Wallace, director of public health at North Yorkshire County Council, said in her foreword:

“The pandemic has had a profound impact on the lives of everyone in North Yorkshire. The ways in which we work, interact, travel, socialise, learn, live, bring new life, experience illness, loss, and death, have all been affected.

“However, there remain parts of our population who experience more than their fair share of the burden of these impacts, with the pandemic only widening pre-existing inequalities across our society.”

A new campaign group has warned that axing 80 bus services in North Yorkshire would be “devastating”, as fears of a cull grow.

Conservative MP Nigel Adams, whose Selby and Ainsty constituency includes parts of the Harrogate district, told Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday about 80 bus services in North Yorkshire were under threat.

Last week Cllr Keane Duncan, executive member for highways and transportation at North Yorkshire County Council, said the county’s bus network was “facing a really grave situation”.

“These cuts would be devastating. Folks might have to get into debt to buy cars, uproot their families to move closer to work, or risk assault walking home with no buses in some areas after 7pm.”

Read more:

• 80 bus services in North Yorkshire under threat, says Harrogate district MP
• YorBus: On-demand service’s running costs are twice as much as regular buses

“The crisis in North Yorkshire’s buses stem from the awful system we use to run them — a patchwork of private companies prevented from integrating their services by competition law. No other European country has such a ridiculous system.

“Compare this to networks in local control where the council coordinates services to maximise the public benefits — for instance, the locally controlled networks in London and Jersey are much more efficient with public subsidy and deliver more frequent and reliable services.

“If we want to protect our services from cuts, our local leaders must seize the opportunity presented by the new devolution deal to bring buses into local control here too.”