Police are investigating reports that two kittens were thrown from a moving vehicle to their deaths in Ripon.

Police say the incident happened at around 2pm last Thursday between Water Skellgate and Bondgate Green.

Witnesses described the vehicle as brown or gold in colour. It was driving eastbound from Ripon towards the A61 bypass.

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Anyone who saw the incident have been urged to call 101 and quote reference number 12200204632.

Reports on social media suggest that the kittens were alive when they were thrown from the vehicle and later died from their injuries.

Sport and leisure clubs in the Harrogate district have reacted with delight to this afternoon’s government announcement that they can reopen next week.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed lockdown will end on December 2 and the country will return to a tier system.

Gyms, sports clubs and non-essential shops will all be able to re-open.

Chris McVey, chair of Pannal Ash Junior Football Club, which has 400 boys and girls, said it hoped to resume training on the weekend of December 5 and 6.

“It’s good news but to be honest I’m still bemused by it all. I don’t know why the boys and girls couldn’t train. I don’t know what their fitness levels will be like after a month off but it will be great to be back.”

Harrogate Gymnastics Club tweeted it was ‘brilliant news’.

Phillip McKay, owner of independent Ripon gym Intrim, agreed. He told the Stray Ferret:

“When you see people queueing for McDonald’s and gyms closed, it doesn’t make sense. Gyms have so many health benefits.”

Mike Barnett, coach of Harrogate Ladies rugby club, said:

“The announcements are really positive for the players physically and also mentally as they are doing something they love with their friends again. We are still not at a place to do matches but they will be pleased to get back together.

“We just need to wait for the official line from the RFU and what tier Harrogate is placed in.”

There was good news for Harrogate Town fans too, with the government also raising the prospect of some fans possibly being allowed to return to outdoor events. Harrogate Town celebrated the news on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/HarrogateTown/status/1330915072407957504

Government guidance today said adult sport would be permitted outdoors in tier one areas but must follow the rule of six indoors.

Outdoor sports can also take place in tier two areas but only one household can take part in indoor activities.

Tier three also permits outdoor sports but limits household mixing and encourages people to avoid contact sport.

The search is on to find the best lit house in the Harrogate district this Christmas! With the help of Yorkshire Lighting and Electrical Services, the Stray Ferret is looking for those who’ve gone that extra mile to make Christmas 2020 more magical than ever.

The competition will launch on Facebook on Monday 23 November, and anyone can nominate themselves or a neighbour.

Glen Molloy from Yorkshire Lighting said:

“I’m delighted to be working alongside the Stray Ferret to try and bring some Christmas cheer in these hard times. It’s been a difficult year for everybody, and I’m hoping this will bring some joy to those neighbourhoods that get involved. I’m really looking forward to seeing all the hard work that goes into lighting up so many houses for Christmas 2020.”

Aside from the pride of the title of ‘Best Christmas Lights in the Harrogate District’, the winner will receive a £150 voucher from Harrogate company Lights4Fun – so they can go even further next year!

Simon Norton, Marketing and Customer Experience Director at Lights4fun said:

“This year more than ever before, the home is at the heart of Christmas. There are many ways in which lighting has lifted our spirits, from outdoor displays that brighten the evenings of those passing by to placing candles in windows in support of key workers. As a Harrogate business we are proud to partner with the Stray Ferret in their search for the best dressed Christmas house. We truly care about our community and are always so proud to support our local causes and businesses.”

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A coronavirus testing site in Ripon could open in an effort to expand capacity.

Victoria Turner, public health consultant at North Yorkshire County Council, said at a press briefing today the authority was “scoping” a mobile site in the city from next week.

However, no further details have been revealed.

Ripon has some of the lowest rates of covid infections in the Harrogate district.

Today’s press briefing also revealed the full-time Harrogate testing site on Dragon Road is averaging 180 tests per day – well below its capacity of 320.

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A further 50 cases of coronavirus were confirmed today in the Harrogate district, according to Public Health England.

The figure takes the total number of cases up to 3,254.

There are further encouraging signs that the spread of the virus is slowing.

The seven-day average rate of infections for the district has fallen to 241 per 100,000 people, down from 307 last week.

It means the district has fallen from having the second highest rate in the county to the fourth highest behind Selby, Craven and Scarborough.

The R number has also gone down from 1.6 to 1.2.

Dr Lincoln Sargeant, director of public health for North Yorkshire, told today’s press briefing of North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, a partnership of emergency agencies, that consensus was needed over future restrictions.

He said the tier one measures, which were in place in the county until the second lockdown, did not give people “a sense of seriousness about the situation”.

To the dismay of Ripon residents, a building site has been erected in the city’s historic market place alongside the city’s Christmas display.

Ripon spent an extra £65,000 on Christmas lights this year, with the tree in the market place the centrepiece of the attraction.

But just two days after the lights were switched on the festive mood soured slightly when Yorkshire Water, which is carrying out emergency sewer repairs on Kirkgate, set up portable cabins right next to the tree in the heart of the city.

The market place has been the centrepiece of the city since the 12th century and is one of the most famous landmarks in the Harrogate district,

Cllr Stuart Martin, the Harrogate district’s mayor, told the Stray Ferret:

“It is not right to put this slap bang in front of a Grade II* Listed Building, next to the Christmas tree. This has obviously caused a lot of upset.

“The positioning could have been better. Hopefully it will be moved in a couple of days.”

The Stray Ferret understands Harrogate Borough Council has asked Yorkshire Water to find a more appropriate place for the cabins.

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In the spirit of making the best of a bad situation, people on a Ripon community group suggested decorating the cabins as giant presents or as Santa’s sleigh.

Another wrote:

“We have so little to look forward to this year. Surely it’s not too much to ask to be able to take a photo of our beautiful square!”

The Stray Ferret approached Yorkshire Water for a comment but had not received a reply by the time of publication.

The company has said Kirkgate will be closed until December 2 and any remaining work will be postponed until the new year.

A display of six-feet tall bears is brightening up Ripon in time for Christmas.

Hornseys, a gallery on Kirkgate, has acquired the bears as part of its shop front display.

The Charlie Bears are worth thousands of pounds but the gallery is not in a rush to sell them.

Daniel Hornsey, the gallery owner, told the Stray Ferret it has been his most popular display ever.

“People find it uplifting, we can always hear them talking about which bears they like most.

“It is a wonderful story. Anything that brings joy to people at the moment is a very good thing.”

Watch our video above to see the display in its full glory.

Daniel Hornsey, the gallery’s owner.

A glamping site with luxury yurts and hot tubs will open near Ripon next year, to capitalise on the current “staycation” boom.

Yorkshire Yurts, which already operates a similar site called “Yurtshire” near to Fountain’s Abbey, was granted planning permission from Harrogate Borough Council this week to develop the new campsite.

The site on the edge of Eavestone Lake near Ripon will have 12 yurts for people to stay in as well as a spa, fire pits and pizza ovens.

Demand for glamping has soared this year and Tom Stern from Yorkshire Yurts told the Stray Ferret that there’s no better time to expand his business.

He said:

“Staycations are massively on the increase due to Brexit and coronavirus. People want to get away from it all and have a back-to-nature experience where they can stay in a bit of luxury and have the benefits of the great outdoors”.

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The planning application received objections from local residents who said that it will harm the “peace and tranquility” of the rural setting, but Mr Stern said the campsite will be sympathetic to its surroundings.

He added:

“It’s a beautiful spot, and what we are planning is low key. We are putting a lot into it to maintain the land, planting more trees which will enable us to manage the nearby woodland.”

The camspite will open in Spring/Summer 2021.

While the pandemic means the festive season will be different this year, it has not stopped the traditional Christmas lights switch on in the Harrogate district.

Although there was no host or crowds to mark the occasion and the shops are closed, Harrogate and Ripon were still lit up ahead of Christmas.

In Harrogate, custom lights have been strung between buildings, around lampposts and in trees, including those in front of the war memorial at the top of Parliament Street.

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Ripon Christmas lights were switched on last night.

Meanwhile, Ripon has spent £65,000 on its decorations and lights which has been dubbed the city’s largest ever display.

Despite the lack of a traditional switch on with celebrity guests, we have been out filming so you can enjoy them.

If you want to support Harrogate retailers and buy your Xmas gifts locally go to our new Shop Local section

Remembrance Day was commemorated differently this year because of covid but residents across the Harrogate district still paid their respects to those who lost their lives in battle.

Although annual services and parades were unable to go ahead, people held two-minute silences at home and some paid their respects at war memorials.

In Harrogate …

After a two-minute silence and the playing of the Last Post by a single bugler, pupils and a small number of staff from Ashville College laid wreaths at the school’s on-site war memorial.

The rest of the college participated in the annual commemoration from their classrooms.

Upper sixth pupils and joint heads of school Niamh Boyle (left) and Massimiliano Ernesto Nobile (right) with year 6 pupil Taylor Henderson (centre).

Local people congregated at the Harrogate war memorial at 11am yesterday for the two-minute silence.

On Sunday members of the Harrogate Brigantes Rotary Club gathered at Stonefall Cemetary. A small service was led by Rev. David Hoskins.

Photograph: Guy Wilson.

Rotarian Manuel Camacho laying a wreath. Photograph: Guy Wilson.

In Ripon …

On Sunday, the Ripon branch of the Royal British Legion and standard bearers representing the Royal Navy, Royal Engineers and Royal Air Force, stood at the war memorial in Spa Gardens.

Local MP Julian Smith and the Mayor of Ripon, Councillor Eamon Parkin, laid wreaths in the mist.

Yesterday, about 40 people gathered at social distance outside Ripon Cathedral at 11am to observe the two-minute silence. Prayers after the silence were led by the Dean of Ripon, The Very Revd John Dobson.

In Pateley Bridge …

The chair of Nidderdale Chamber of Trade, Tim Ledbetter, laid a wreath on behalf of the chamber.

Elsewhere …

At the North Yorkshire County Council’s offices in Northallerton, Cllr Jim Clark laid a wreath.

Three soldiers in Ripon will take part in a 700-mile barefoot relay this weekend to raise money for a girl with a rare genetic disease.

The soldiers have been inspired by Major Chris Brannigan, who walked the distance barefoot solo in August this year.

He did so to raise funds for Hope for Hasti, a charity set up to develop a treatment for his daughter Hasti, who has Cornelia de Lange syndrome.

Major Brannigan raised £375,000 and since then others have boosted the total to £670,000 of the £1m target,

This weekend’s 700 miles, which will be completed in five-mile stages, will add to the tally.

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The three members of Ripon’s 21 Engineer Regiment stepping up to help are Sergeant Max McGoon, Corporal Lee Connolly and Private Matty Haigh, who will complete the 94th, 95th and 96th legs of the route on Sunday.

They will walk from Hessay, York to Langthorpe. Hasti’s favourite soft toy, Obama the llama, is being used as the baton by all those taking part.

Private Haigh explained why the soldiers wanted to support fellow soldier Major Brannigan.

“In January 2015 until August 2016 Major Brannigan was my boss in Catterick and Cyprus. He was a very supportive and family-orientated man.

“My fiancée Chloe and I are expecting a little girl at the end of this year. Major Brannigan has shown me that no matter what life throws at you, you always fight back and most importantly that you can do anything when it is for your children.

“I hope we can raise a massive amount of money for Hope for Hasti by doing the barefoot relay.”

To support the Ripon soldiers in their efforts, click here.

Dishforth Military Wives Choir members will take on the 98th leg of the relay.

Seven members of the Dishforth Military Wives Choir are also taking part. They will cover the 98th leg of the relay from Ripon Cathedral to North Stainley. The choir also supported Major Brannigan during his original march in August.

Choir member Sue Bell said:

“Chris said to us he would walk to the ends of the earth for his children and we thought five miles barefoot is nothing in comparison and the least we could do for all the children with rare diseases.”

Read more:

• WATCH as the barefoot soldier, Major Chris Brannigan, arrives at Ripon Cathedral. 
• This year residents were encouraged to hold their two minutes silence on Remembrance Sunday at home. 

Hope for Hasti 

Major Brannigan and his wife Hengameh have been fundraising for over a year for their daughter, Hasti, who was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition, Cornelia de Lange Syndrome.

There is currently no treatment for the disease. The Hope For Hasti charity was set up this year to raise money to start the research and a clinical trial into a gene therapy treatment for CdLS.

Chris’ barefoot march raised £500,000 but their final goal is £2.5million to fund a treatment. It is hoped this relay will raise further vital funds for the charity.