Bereaved families have accused dog owners who let their pets off the leash at a Ripon cemetery of being disrespectful and causing distress.

Jeanette Behan has visited the grave her husband Brian in Ripon’s Kirby Road Cemetery twice a week since 2014.

Mrs Behan, told the Stray Ferret:

“I’ve had to remove dog dirt from my husband’s grave on a number of occasions and I’m getting sick of it.

“It is disrespectful as well as distressing, but Harrogate Borough Council, who I contacted weeks ago, don’t appear want to know.

“I’m sorry to say that over the years, this place has gone to wrack and ruin, while Stonefall in Harrogate where I have family and friends buried, is kept neat and tidy by a team of gardeners.”

In the same section of the cemetery, the last resting place of Michael Hogan, who died in 2012, is looked after by his partner Tracey Bland.

Ms Bland said:

“The thought that some people are so disrespectful that they are happy to let their dogs run free in a cemetery, is beyond belief.

“When they are challenged, the say that they haven’t seen any signs to say dogs are not allowed, but why would anybody need to see a sign, when it’s a matter of common decency.

“I’ve got a dog and there is no way that I would let it run free across people’s graves.”

Some owners are ignoring this sign at the main entrance to the cemetery and letting their dogs run free

Ms Bland at her partner Michael’s grave

Read more:

• Harrogate Borough Council accused of being disrespectful of Ripon’s dead
• Ripon Cemetery headstones daubed with graffiti

Seeking action from Harrogate Borough Council

With a lack of response from HBC, Mrs Behan called for intervention from independent councillor, Pauline McHardy, who also has relatives buried at the cemetery and has voiced concerns about the management and maintenance of the site.

Cllr McHardy, said:

“I raised the matter with council officers, saying that there was a need for signage on all entrances to the cemetery to be improved and positioned where it can be seen by everybody.

“I also asked for the appropriate action to be taken to enforce the rule, which only allows people with assistance dogs to enter the cemetery.”

In an email response seen by the Stray Ferret, Alison Wilson, HBC’s head of parks and environmental services, said she has asked a colleague:

“to look at the signage options for the site to advise that only support dogs are allowed and also raised the issue with the dog warden service in Safer Communities requesting they undertake some patrols of the site. “

Cllr McHardy, added:

“I will be monitoring the situation.”

Royal Engineers, driving recklessly at high speeds on a stretch of road near their Ripon base, are ‘putting lives at risk’ claim local residents.

Fears that there will soon be a human fatality, if urgent traffic calming measures are not put in place, have heightened following reports on social media that pet cats have recently been killed on Clotherhome Road.

The family pets join a mounting casualty list that also includes a Labrador puppy hit by a car.

Fears of a human fatality

Claire Charlton, who lives opposite the playing fields and within sight of two 15mph speed limit signs (pictured below) said:

“It’s only a matter of time before we will have a human fatality – things are getting out of hand.”

The mother of four and owner of two small dogs, pointed out:

“A lot of school-children use the cut through between the Doublegates estate and Clotherholme Road as a short cut on their way to and from school and it would be dreadful if it took the death of a child, to make speeding motorists realise what a danger they pose to children, other road users, dog walkers and family pets.”

Students of both Ripon Grammar School and Outwood Academy, use this short-cut from the Doublegates estate and onto the busy Clotherholme Road

Mrs Charlton, added:

“A few weeks ago, I was reversing out of my drive onto Clotherholme Road and was nearly hit by a white car that must have been going at more than 60 miles per hour.

“I followed the driver as he turned into Chatham Road, but when I came to the barrier at the entrance to the barracks, I was stopped by by camp security, who told me it wasn’t their problem.”

Batty was found dead on Clotherholme Road and his owner says the extent of his injuries indicate he was hit with considerable force by a vehicle

The loss of a family pet

On the Doublegates estate, the distraught owner of Batty, a black cat killed on the road a week ago, was tearful as she told the Stray Ferret:

“He came to us as a stray and was a beautiful, home-loving cat, who very rarely went out of our garden.

“But he didn’t come in when we called for him at bedtime and my partner found him with terrible injuries, dead on the road the following morning.”

She, added:

“Some people say, ‘what’s the fuss, it’s only a cat’ but to us Batty was a member of our family.”

Concerns have been raised by people living in the urban area and adjacent residential streets,  who say that the finger of blame points clearly at soldiers traveling to and from Claro Barracks at the far end of Clotherholme Road.

‘Letting the regiment down’

Neil Divine, who served in the Royal Engineers for 23 years – four of them in Ripon – told the Stray Ferret:

“As a former member of the regiment, I regret to say that the weight of blame rests squarely on the shoulders of some soldiers, based at the barracks, who are  letting the regiment down.

“They are seen in their uniforms driving recklessly to and from the barracks, at ridiculously high speeds.”

The section of road on the approach to the barracks has a speed limit of 15 miles per hour, but Mr Devine said:

“Not only is this regularly ignored, by most drivers, but they also speed in the 30mph section that goes past homes where there are families with children and pets – all of whom are being put at risk because of this reckless behaviour.”

The Stray Ferret has asked the Ministry of Defence for a response to the claims but did not receive one at the time of publication.

Read more:

• Police appeal after indecent exposure at Newby Hall
• Could portable cameras slow down motorists on Clotherholme Road?

Dog owners (pictured above) who visit Hell Wath nature reserve in Ripon on a regular basis, fear a potential future clash with cyclists.

The area, with its wooded and riverside walks and wildlife, is popular with people who take their dogs there for daily exercise.

Currently, signage at an entry near the football pitches (pictured below) states ‘no pushbikes’ but there are concerns that this could change, if a cycle route was created on the site, following an approach from the community.

Dog owners Janet Anderson and Brian Don, who attended a Friends of Hell Wath committee meeting earlier this month, made their feelings known.

Ms Anderson, told the Stray Ferret:

“Dogs and cyclists just don’t mix in a setting like this and we are very worried that we will not be able to let our dogs off the lead, to get the exercise they need, for fear of them being involved in an accident with a bicycle.”

Mr Don, added:

“We have absolutely no issue with paths being made more accessible to people in wheelchairs, but a cycle route is a completely different proposition.”

Discussions about a possible route for cyclists were initiated following a community event held at the nature reserve in September by the Skell Valley Project, headed by the National Trust and Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Working with volunteers, the project aims to bring about environmental and other improvements to a 12-mile stretch of the river valley – part of which runs through Hell Wath.

The minutes of the Friends of Hell Wath meeting of 1 November meeting, state:

“The committee confirmed that it had been approached about a cycle route and that it also had reservations.

“It also noted that Hell Wath is secured for community use and the committee is not the arbiter for who can use it and should therefore explore whether safe access for cycling could be facilitated.”

Committee chair, Councillor Stuart Martin, who was not present at the 1 November meeting, pointed out:

“Friends of Hell Wath are consultees and should there be any plan for a cycle route, or improved access for people with limited mobility, we will be consulted alongside all statutory bodies and the public.”

Mr Don welcomed the opportunity for wider consultation and said:

“Hundreds of local people take their dogs to Hell Wath each week and some of them have been going there for up to 50 years. It is important for our voices to be heard

“We just ask that any consultation that takes place is publicised in a way that can be accessed by everybody – particularly older people who are not familiar with the use of social media.”