Heavy rain in recent days has heightened concerns about the state of drains and gullies in the Harrogate district.

The Stray Ferret has been contacted by residents in separate parts of the district frustrated about how quickly flooding occurs because of blockages in the drainage infrastructure.

Huby resident John Chadwick said flooding caused by blocked culverts, drains and ditches was a major problem in Huby and Weeton and concerns raised by the parish council had brought “minimal results”. He said:

“There is a particularly serious issue at the moment at the junction of Woodgate Lane, Crag Lane and the main A658.

“When there is even little rainfall, water cascades off the fields on the north side of the A658. Because the ditches are blocked, water flows down over the main road and then down onto Woodgate Lane. Recently this froze over causing a risk to life. This is not an exaggeration, a vehicle could easily have skidded.

“I walk my dog regularly in the area and even as a complete novice in the subject, I can see that the problem would be easy to solve by clearing ditches, gulleys and drains.”

A drain in Huby

Mr Chadwick urged North Yorkshire County Council, the highways authority, to do more to tackle the problem, particularly as a school bus stop is located at the junction.

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Sharow resident James Thornborough sent photos of Sharow Lane, which he said flooded within an hour of heavy rain on Saturday.

“The blind bend road was flooded where the sewage operation is running 24/7. It took just one hour of torrential rain to achieve the pictured lake. The electric power packs for the traffic lights were submerged in water.

“Yorkshire Water jetted the drains about six weeks ago, which is not a sustainable solution because every other drain on Dishforth Road is blocked, offering a downhill runway.

Sharow Lane last weekend

North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for highways and transportation, Cllr Keane Duncan, said:

“Funding for the upkeep of drains and gullies is part of our annual highways maintenance budget of around £55 million which covers planned maintenance programmes as well as responding to problems as they arise.

“Over the last financial year we invested an additional £500,000 to improve how we maintain road drainage systems across the county.

“We have in-house high-pressure jetting capability on our gully cleansing machines which assist in unblocking drainage systems and ensuring they are operating effectively.”

Two of the Harrogate district’s premier village shows attracted sizeable crowds over the weekend.

Weeton Show drew its biggest attendance for 15 years on Sunday as early morning rain gave way to fine weather.

The event was one of the few country shows to defy covid last year and take place.

Here are some images from the day.

Read more:

• Village show season set to start in Harrogate district
• Historic Hampsthwaite village celebration set for return

Birstwith Show bounced back strongly with its first event in three years.

3SIXTY Bicycle Stunt Team (pictured below) were among the attractions at the Nidderdale event, which dates back to 1867.

Get set for melting ice creams, home-grown marrows, dog shows and death-defying display teams… the village show season is about to begin.

After two covid-ruined years, these quintessentially British events are returning to the Harrogate district.

The Masham Steam Engine and Fair Organ Rally, which includes a Lancaster bomber fly past and dancing differs, takes place today and tomorrow.

The action comes thick and fast then. Here’s what’s happening.

July 24: Aldborough and Boroughbridge Agricultural Show

The show at Newby Hall celebrates its 107th anniversary this year.

It will feature Yorkshire produce, crafts and livestock as well as attractions and events ranging from dog, cattle and sheep showing classes to horse, pony and donkey events and hay making demonstrations.

There will be crafts, cream teas, heavy horses, baking, handicrafts, horticulture, flower arranging, photography and farm produce.

Aldborough and Boroughbridge Show.

The grand ring will host children’s races, terrier racing always and a dog show.

Catherine Park Peyton, chair of the show:

“Our show is one of the biggest community events in the area and we are very pleased to work in partnership with Newby Hall where the parkland provides the perfect backdrop for a country show.”

Read more:

• Royal visit caps sell-out first day at Great Yorkshire Show
• Harrogate district prepares for heatwave as red weather warning issued

July 30: Birstwith Show

The village show in Nidderdale will be staged for the first time in three years.

The highlights include a bicycle display team, Pete White and his Suitcase Circus, dog agility classes, a pony show and a dog show.

First held in 1867, it is one of the mainstays of the show season.

July 31: Weeton Show

Weeton Show, which was created just after the Second World War, was one of the few to take place last year and was rewarded with a huge turnout.

This year’s event features Dangerous Steve in the main ring, terrier racing, vintage tractors and a farrier demonstration.

August 7: Tockwith Show

Tockwith Show will return for 2022 in August.

The show features plenty of agriculture and horticultural attractions. There is also a sheep show, a farmers market and working crafts.

Tockwith Show 2019 pic credit: Steve Ross

The show, which dates back to 1945, takes place on Cattal Moor Lane in Tockwith.

August 14: Ripley Show

The show, initially held in 1849, will be staged for the first time in three years.

Among this year’s attractions are Savage Skills, who are the UK’s leading freestyle mountain bike and BMX stunt team.

There are also jumping classes, fancy dress, vintage machines and dog classes which include dog agility, companion dog and friends show, terrier racing, gun dog retrieve and sheep dogs.

Ripley Show is traditionally held on the second Sunday in August at Ripley Castle Park.

It is organised by Ripley and District Agricultural and Horticultural Show Ltd, a member of the Yorkshire Federation of Show Societies.

September 19: Nidderdale Show

The Annual Nidderdale Show, held in the picturesque surrounds of Bewerley Park, Pateley Bridge, is one of the county’s foremost agricultural shows.

It regularly attracts crowds of 15,000 and traditionally marks the end of the agricultural show season.

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for witnesses after a tractor theft in Weeton.

The tractor was stole from Weeton Lane at 2.10am on May 12. According to police, a vehicle entered a farm and stole the orange Kubota Compact b7100 tractor.

Officers are asking for the public to come forward with information, particularly sightings of vehicles on Weeton Lane at the time of the incident.

You can contact the police on 101, select option 2 and ask for Chloe Kinnear. Or email chloe.kinnear@northyorkshire.police.uk.

The crime reference number is 12220081066.

Read more:

• Police appeal after man robbed in Harrogate
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Harrogate district MP Nigel Adams will stand down at the next general election, according to the BBC News.

The broadcaster reported today that the Conservative MP for Selby and Ainsty, whose constituency includes Spofforth, Follifoot, Huby and Weeton, wanted to spend time on other interests.

The next general election is due to take place in 2024.

Mr Adams was first elected in 2010 and has defended the seat in three subsequent elections.

Last September, he was appointed minister without portfolio in the Cabinet Office.

The role does not have responsibility for a specific department but instead helps to coordinate government policy and includes a vote at Cabinet meetings.

A donation to Mr Adams from a Russian businessman came under the spotlight last year. Viktor Fedotov, donated £33,800 to the MP.

Mr Adams was also in the news last year for swearing at anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray outside the Commons.

Read more:

• Hot Seat: Farewell to the Harrogate district’s transport chief
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A yellow weather warning is in force across the Harrogate district this afternoon as Storm Eunice brings rain and winds of up to 60mph.

A Met Office yellow weather warning means residents can expect more disruption to roads and public transport and there’s a chance of damage to trees and buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs.

Strong winds are forecast until 9pm today when it is set to subside.

The Met Office has also issued a yellow warning for ice from 6pm this evening until 9am tomorrow.

A yellow warning for rain has been issued for Sunday between midnight and 6pm.

Follow all the latest updates below.

6.30pm: Harrogate town centre traffic lights not working

There are reports the traffic lights at the junction of Station Parade and Victoria Road in Harrogate are not working. It’s not known if it is related to the storm but it is making it difficult to pull out of Victoria Road at the moment.

5.45pm: Trains to Leeds cancelled.

Northern is running a reduced service to-and-from Leeds this evening with several trains cancelled due to the weather.

Trains will be leaving Harrogate Station every hour rather than twice an hour until 20.18. After that, only one more train is scheduled to leave at 23.18.

Visit National Rail for the latest updates.

5.40pm: Father and daughter see tree fall into cabman’s shelter

A father and daughter have told of the moment they watched a tree come crashing down on a cabman’s shelter on West Park Stray in Harrogate.

Colin Reynolds and his daughter, Lauren Reynolds, had just driven around the Prince of Wales roundabout and on to West Park Stray when they noticed the mature tree splinter.

You can read more here.

5.15pm: Tree crashes into cabman’s shelter on West Park Stray

A tree has just come crashing down on to West Park Stray. Traffic is reduced to single lane.

4.59pm: Tree down in Harrogate

Beckwith Head Road.

4.56pm: Gritters out tonight

We are #gritting priority roads across #NorthYorkshire overnight.

Road surface temperatures will widely fall below zero leading to a widespread risk of ice.

Remember gritting doesn't guarantee an ice or snow-free surface.

More info https://t.co/6cnhGrxFu6 pic.twitter.com/itSpVUu2as

— North Yorkshire Council (@northyorksc) February 18, 2022

4.51: North Yorkshire Police issues safety advice

– Check your windscreen wipers and all of your car’s lights are working

– Gusts of wind can unsettle vehicles so keep both hands firmly on the steering wheel at all times
• If a road is flooded, turn around. Never drive through floodwater@HighwaysYORKS for travel updates pic.twitter.com/4YRqTQQCxj

— North Yorkshire Police (@NYorksPolice) February 18, 2022

4.35pm: Increase in calls for firefighters

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has noticed an increase in incidents in the last hour.

We've had a busy day with various incidents but only just getting a few storm related incidents in the past hour – a tree fallen onto a house in #Selby, unsafe chimney stack in #Bentham and a tree blocking the #A162 in #Tadcaster and an unsafe roof in #Harrogate

— North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (@NorthYorksFire) February 18, 2022

4.15pm: Tree down in Weeton

A tree has fallen in the wind on Weeton Lane in Weeton and is blocking the road.

3pm: Tarpaulin in Bilton

A roof tarpaulin has landed on a driveway in Bilton this afternoon.

Parking at railway stations across the Harrogate district could be expanded in a bid to encourage more train travel.

The proposal will be discussed by North Yorkshire County Council‘s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee in March.

A report ahead of the meeting highlights the railway stations in Pannal, Hornbeam Park, Harrogate, Starbeck, Knaresborough, Weeton and Cattal for potential investment.

Councillors are set to identify which of the stations need extra car parking spaces and discuss how it could be funded.

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The problem of car parking at railway stations is most often felt away from towns and cities, according to the North Yorkshire Rural Commission.

A spokesperson for the commission highlighted the issue in a report published last year:

“The commission was told that often rural travellers do not go to their nearest railway station because they are not assured of a parking space.

“They travel further to the next station where they are guaranteed a parking space.

“Availability and cost of car-parking spaces at railway stations can be a major challenge for commuters.

“Expanding car parks on rural land is a challenge for transport providers. Accessibility for particular service users is still a major issue at many rural rail stations.”