Elderly Summerbridge woman tricked by bank card thieves

Thieves tricked their way into an elderly woman’s house in Summerbridge, stealing bank cards which were later used for transactions in Ripon and Darlington.

The pair – a man and a woman – told the occupant they were from a disability service and were allowed into her home.

While there, on Wednesday, October 14 between 4.30pm and 5pm, they took three bank cards which were later used to make fraudulent transactions. A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said:

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

“In particular, we are appealing for information about the identity of the people in the CCTV images as officers would like to speak to them in connection with the incident.”

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Anyone with information should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option two, and ask for Katie Bell, or email katarina.bell@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

To report information anonymously, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12200181553.

Is Mary the Harrogate district’s longest-serving lollipop woman?

An 85-year-old lollipop woman in Summerbridge has celebrated her 45th year of helping children cross the road.

Mary Fisher has helped three generations of children at Summerbridge Community Primary School.

She took up the role in 1975, when Harold Wilson was Prime Minister and Leeds United reached the final of the European Cup, and has been excited by it ever since. 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.”

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Ms Fisher worked as a carer for more than 30 years before retiring in her 60s.

“I’d get up in the morning and go to my caring job, before coming back and getting changed and going out to be a crossing lady. I did that for many years and I enjoyed it.

“The community thinks the world of us lollipop ladies and the job we do and every day is different and every day is happy.”

Nick Coates, headteacher at the school, said Ms Fisher was “a treasured member of our community for generations” who had “ensured the safe crossing of the busy road for hundreds of children”. He added:

“Not only does Mary ensure that everyone is safe, but she always has a kind word for the children and a wise word for the parents, many of whom she has known for all of their lives, too.”

Council steps in to buy Summerbridge social housing

Harrogate District Council has stepped in to buy five homes in Summerbridge for social housing after a national housing charity pulled out of the development.

The homes, worth around £395,000, at Poppyfields will be offered to people in Upper Nidderdale as social rented properties.

The houses were originally allocated as four affordable rented properties and one shared ownership as part of a wider 13 home development.

Housing sites, such as Poppyfields, have a requirement to allocate 40% of homes to affordable housing.

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But the original housing association for the affordable homes, Home Group, pulled out of projects across the country in March in order to focus on other “strategic sites”.

Now, senior councillors on the authority’s cabinet have voted to step in to purchase the houses and offer them to local residents in order to salvage the housing scheme.

The council said the current pandemic has left “considerable uncertainty” in the housing market and an increase in demand for rented homes in Nidderdale.

Mike Chambers, cabinet member for housing, said it was right for the council to step in.

He said:

“It is very appropriate that we buy these houses.

“It allows us to provide much needed accommodation to people in Nidderdale and also has the effect of us being able to assist a small enterprise who might have otherwise had a difficult time in moving these houses.”