A memorial stone was unveiled this morning in honour of Harrogate police officer David Haigh, who was murdered on duty in 1982.
Father-of-three PC Haigh, 29, was shot by Barry Prudom at Norwood Edge car park in Stainburn Forest.
Prudom went on the run and killed two more people before turning the gun on himself 17 days later after Britain’s biggest ever manhunt, which involved 4,000 police officers.
PC David Haigh was just 29 when he was murdered.
Family members, who return to the site annually to lay a wreath, told the Stray Ferret last year they were in discussions with the Police Memorial Trust, a charity that erects memorials to British police officers killed in the line of duty.
Those discussions finally bore fruit today and numerous relatives, including PC Haigh’s widow Annette Jakes, children, grandchildren and brother, attended the ceremony. Many still live locally.
Geraldine Winner, the widow of film-maker Michael Winner, unveiled the stone at the spot where PC Haigh is believed to have fallen.
Mr Winner founded the Police Memorial Trust, which has now created 57 memorials to officers killed in the line of duty.
Family and representatives of North Yorkshire Police and the Police Memorial Trust at today’s ceremony.
A 58th is due to be unveiled tomorrow in honour of sergeant David Winter, 31, who was shot during the search for PC Haigh’s killer.
North Yorkshire Police representatives, including chief superintendent Catherine Clarke, were also in attendance.
Ms Jakes told the Stray Ferret the memorial “has been a long time coming” but she was delighted PC Haigh’s sacrifice had now been formally recognised.
Youngest son Richard Haigh said:
“I’m really pleased that after all these years we finally have somewhere where we can come and reflect and think about dad.
“It’s somewhere for everyone to see what he sacrificed — how he went to work and never came home.”
A QR code on the memorial stone takes phone users to a page on the Police Memorial Trust website that gives information about PC Haigh.
The memorial stone is situated where PC Haigh lost his life.
You can watch a video of the stone being unveiled on our Facebook page here.
Read more:
- Family of murdered Harrogate policeman seeks permanent memorial
- 40 years ago today: PC David Haigh was murdered in Beckwithshaw
Warning as fire reignites in Stainburn Forest five days after being put out
Firefighters have issued a warning about the dangers of fires in overgrown areas as a fire reignited five days after being put out.
Crews from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to Stainburn Forest near Beckwithshaw last Saturday, where a campfire had spread to surrounding undergrowth and trees, causing damage to an area covering 20m by 20m.
Five days later, on Thursday morning, they were called back to the same spot, where the fire had reignited and spread to a further 20m sq of undergrowth.
Posting on Facebook, a spokesperson for Knaresborough Fire Station said:
“The reignition was caused by hidden residual heat in the undergrowth.
“The images just show how dry the undergrowth is and how deep the compacted forest bed goes – perfect conditions for hidden fire spread…
“All this fire damage was caused by one campfire on dry forest ground! This incident could have been a lot worse as fire would have easily spread to the surrounding trees if it was a windy day.”
Photo by Knaresborough Fire Station
Two tanks of water were used to soak the area and prevent any further fire, while crews cut away the smouldering edges of the site with shovels.
The spokesperson said crews were able to locate the fire precisely because the person who called it in gave a location using the What3Words app. They urged people to download the free app in case they ever need to use it in an emergency.
Read more:
- Fire crews and police attend tanker incident in Harrogate
- Harrogate firefighters called to midnight hay fire
Family of murdered Harrogate policeman seeks permanent memorial
The family of PC David Haigh, the Harrogate police officer murdered by Barry Prudom, has called for a permanent memorial to be erected.
Father-of-three PC Haigh was just 29 years old when he was shot by Prudom at Norwood Edge car park in Stainburn Forest.
PC Haigh’s widow, three sons and other family members hung a wreath at the site yesterday — 40 years to the day after he was slain.
They laid another wreath at Harrogate police station, where there is a plaque commemorating a fallen colleague.
But besides that plaque there is nothing to honour the officer who made the ultimate sacrifice and his family feels it is time that was put right.
Speaking to the Stray Ferret at yesterday’s wreath hanging, relatives said they were in discussions with the Police Memorial Trust, a charity that erects memorials to British police officers killed in the line of duty.
They hope something will be arranged for the site where he died, which is currently a car park owned by the Forestry Commission.
The memorial to PC David Haigh.
Annette Jakes, PC Haigh’s widow, returns to the site most years to pay her respects. She said:
“He was a hero. Yet there is nothing to remember him except the plaque in the police station.”
The fateful day
Ms Jukes was so overcome by grief at the news of her husband’s death that she had to be sedated for many days afterwards.
Recalling the fateful moment, she said she could see police officers through the glass door of the family home at the time on Elmwood Street:
“It was about 10am. There was the chief superintendent and the police doctor behind him.
“The chief superintendent said ‘I think you’d better sit down’. Then he told me my husband had been killed this morning. I don’t remember anything after that. I just hit the ground. I was injected for weeks. I never even saw the children.”
Eldest sons Carl and Michael, who were 11 and eight at the time, were sent home from Grove Road Community Primary School. They were waiting in a neighbour’s house when they overheard the news that their dad had been killed. Two weeks later they were back at school.
PC David Haigh
Youngest son Richard, who was just three at the time, said he was “unbelievably proud” of his dad.
He added it was a cruel twist of fate that the anniversary of PC Haigh’s death always fell around Father’s Day.
About a dozen family members, including grandchildren of PC Haigh, were at Norwood Edge yesterday to pay their respects.
It was a short and dignified occasion at the spot where it is thought PC Haigh died from a single gunshot wound.
Prudom went on the run and killed two more people before turning the gun on himself 17 days later after Britain’s biggest ever manhunt.
Now the family hopes a more lasting tribute will be erected in memory of the young Harrogate father who sacrificed his life serving others.
Read more:
‘Shameful’ fireworks in Stainburn Forest highlight danger to animals
Discarded fireworks found this morning at a local beauty spot have highlighted the dangers of fireworks to livestock and wildlife.
Twitter user YorkshireRelic photographed this image of the fireworks, which appear to have been discarded at the rural location between Beckwithshaw and Fewston last night.
The forest is home to wildlife, including deer and several bird species. Sheep graze in nearby fields. It is also popular with walkers and mountain bikers.
YorkshireRelic, who described themselves to the Stray Ferret as a local resident and dog-walker, tweeted:
“Bet the poor sheep just hated their evening. Someone could have cleaned up at least. Quite shameful.”
Conservative Washburn councillor Victoria Oldham, who is also a farmer, said the fireworks posed a risk to animals.
She told the Stray Ferret:
“Fireworks are a potential danger to livestock and although the ground is sodden at the moment and the chances of fire are unlikely, it’s always something to be born in mind.”
According to a 2019 survey carried out by the British Veterinary Association, around 1 in 14 vets reported seeing animals with firework-related injuries over the course of a year.
Read more:
Tonight is bonfire night and although all public celebrations have been cancelled due to the lockdown, Harrogate Borough Council advised people to recycle discarded fireworks.
The council tweeted:
“Please do not put fireworks in the bin. All used and unused fireworks should be taken to your local household waste recycling centre where they will be disposed of safely.”