Memorial bench vandalism devastates Harrogate familiesVandals who have destroyed two memorial benches in the Nidd Gorge have left the Harrogate families behind them devastated.
A group set up to protect the area found the benches in a sorry state yesterday and posted pictures of the remnants on the “Keeping Nidd Gorge Gorgeous” Facebook page.
The sight of the broken bench is too much to bear for Sylvia James, who bought it to keep the memory of her husband Colin James alive.
Colin died when he was 55-years-old from cancer in 2015. He was born in Manchester but moved to Harrogate to be with Sylvia and loved to go on dog walks in the Nidd Gorge.
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For that reason Sylvia bought the bench and she often goes to sit on the bench to be with her husband. She told the Stray Ferret that she will replace it as soon as possible:
“What a way to find out. I haven’t been up to see the bench and I can’t go there because I think it would tear me apart.
“It’s just such mindless devastation. This is a memorial, it is there for a reason. When I go up there and sit there I am with him.
“The bench has been there since 2016 and it has been fine. I didn’t know that people would even do a thing like this.”
Steven Worrell-Shaw, Sylvia and Colin’s son in law, set up a fundraising page with a £300 target to replace the broken bench
Within a day generous people have beaten that target and have donated £450. Sylvia says any money not needed will go to St Michael’s Hospice, a charity which cared for Colin before he died.
Increased police patrols after vandalism at Stonefall parkA plaque in Stonefall park has been shattered with what police describe as “considerable force”.
The vandalism took place on the night of March 20 or March 21.
The plaque, which gives visitors information on the history of the park, including Queen Victoria passing on the former train line that ran alongside it, is thought to have been smashed with a rock.
It’s thought repairing the plaque could cost Harrogate Borough Council about £300.
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Liberal Democrat councillor Pat Marsh, whose Harrogate Hookstone ward includes Stonefall, said:
“It’s concerning that there are people who will inflict this kind of force on a public board. This history plaque is for the community to read and damaging it is just mindless.
“However, this mindless vandalism has been overbalanced by the community spirit, lots of people have already said they will donate to fix the plaque. That gives you faith back in the community.”
The local police community support officer has begun to patrol the park more frequently to keep an eye on the area.
The council and police have urged anybody who may have seen anything or have any information to come forward.
Vandals strike again in Ripon city centre
A rare building that is part of Ripon’s heritage has been damaged by vandals.
The cabmen’s shelter — a Grade II listed structure – dating back to the days of horse-drawn transport — was the target.
The shelter was recently refurbished and returned to Market Square at a cost of £22,000
Ripon City Council leader Andrew Williams told the Stray Ferret:
“It’s enough to make you despair.
“We are doing our best to get ready for the easing of lockdown, by making the city more attractive for residents and visitors,
“Now we have suffered another mindless act of vandalism that detracts from all of our efforts.”
A window in the shelter was broken yesterday and Cllr Williams, along with the Mayor of Ripon, Councillor Eamon Parkin, carried out a sweep-up after being alerted to the incident.
The window was temporarily boarded up and the broken pane will be replaced shortly.
The broken window on the cabmen’s shelter. Photograph: Ripon City Council
Police have been informed and Cllr Williams said:
“I hope the person or persons who did this were picked up on CCTV cameras covering the square.”
Yards away from the shelter, a broken window at the Tourist Information Centre in Ripon Town Hall remains boarded up, after being vandalised in December.
The city council, which has responsibility for the upkeep of the cabmen’s shelter, is waiting for landlord Harrogate Borough Council to repair the Tourist Information Centre window.
There has been a spate of vandalism in Ripon during the covid lockdowns.
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Windows at premises including the Ripon Cathedral office, shops in Westgate and Fishergate and a public house in High Skellgate, have been smashed.
In recent weeks, police patrols, particularly at weekends, have been stepped up in a bid to tackle a rising tide of violent and anti-social activity.
City councillors have called for action on policing numbers and also said they will join forces with the police to crack down on crime in the city.
Vandals thought to have damaged memorial tree on the StrayAn upset Harrogate family discovered this morning its memorial tree on the Stray had been damaged.
Sharon Canavar posted pictures of the tree on Twitter this morning and described her sadness at the incident.
Ms Canavar suspects the tree, planted along Slingsby Walk, was vandalised overnight. The top two-thirds were snapped off and left on the floor.
The tree is one of 50 planted in 2016 to mark Harrogate International Festival’s 50th anniversary. Residents were offered the chance to buy a tree, with many doing so in memory of loved ones.
Ms Canavar, who is chief executive of Harrogate International Festivals, bought a tree for her family. She said:
“I found it this morning on our walk. My kids were more upset. People say it happens a lot and there has been a spate of it happening in the past. It seems they’ve got mine this time.”
She hopes to be able to replace the tree eventually.
This is far from the first tree on the Stray that has been damaged recently.
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In October, local police officer, Sgt Paul Cording tweeted about a number of trees “destroyed and killed” on York Place Stray.
In June, there were reports of vandalism affecting young trees. It occurred when local police officers were attempting to crack down on large groups congregating on the Stray.
Ripon town hall and cathedral office hit by vandalismVandals targetted Ripon town hall and the cathedral office as anti-social behaviour problems continue in the city.
Both buildings were hit on Tuesday night. Workers found smashed glass the next morning and informed the police.
The Stray Ferret approached North Yorkshire Police to see if they were investigating but the force communication’s department refused to comment.
Julia Barker, manager at the Ripon Cathedral office, said:
“We found the window broken on Wednesday morning. We didn’t see anything which could have been used to break them, just the glass.
“The building is part of the extension in the 1980s so we have not lost anything historic. It has happened a couple of times before but I have been here for seven years.”
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The police and councillors in Ripon recently joined forces to tackle anti-social behaviour.
Sergeant Clare Mayes, who is responsible for neighbourhood policing in Ripon presented a report on the issue to the council recently.
Covering the period from August 26 to November 22, her report showed that the city’s police, has been dealing with ‘hotspots’ for anti-social behaviour.
These include Market Square, the old college site and parts of the Moorside ward.
She said:
“We wrote letters to parents warning that action would be taken if their children became involved. This approach appears to have done the trick.”
Do you live in Ripon and witness repeated anti-social behaviour? If so get in touch on contact@thestrayferret.co.uk
Police officer: ‘No knife crime problem in Ripon’A senior officer, with responsibility for policing in Ripon, has reassured people the city does not have a major problem with gangs after a mother expressed concerns.
The mother, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Stray Ferret she and other parents feared Ripon was witnessing an increase in gangs, violence and intimidation.
There have also been recent incidents of vandalism, including the breaking of windows in the city centre and damage caused to the surface of a children’s playground in Grove Lane.
The mother said:
“The impression that I and other mothers I meet have is that there is a growing gang culture, which links into drug taking and dealing.
“It can be intimidating seeing groups of youths, some on bikes, congregating in parts of the city late at night and we are concerned that some might be carrying knives. We fear that somebody is going to be hurt and believe that something needs to be done.”
Inspector Steve Breen, (pictured above) who presented a report to Harrogate Borough Council in March on actions taken by North Yorkshire Police to tackle knife crime, said he wanted to assuage concerns and introduce a sense of proportion.
He told the Stray Ferret:
“We have essentially eradicated knife crime in Ripon through proactive use of stop and search tactics and intelligence-led disruption activity, leading to the imprisonment of some key individuals.”
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He added
“This problem existed within a small group of drug users and dealers across the district and did not impinge on innocent members of the public. There is no problem with knife crime in Ripon.”
Regarding the vandalism that temporarily closed the children’s playground, Insp Breen said:
“I reinforce the message that parents need to know where their children are, who they are with, and what they are up to.
“I urge the public to report issues they are concerned about via 101 or 999 in an emergency.”
“We are active in suppressing antisocial behaviour through home visits to problem individuals, the issuing of cease and desist letters, and working with schools, social workers, youth charities and other partners to engage and divert young people from nuisance activity.”
Vandalism closes Ripon playgroundA vandal attack has caused the closure of the Grove Lane children’s play area in Ripon.
A rubberised surface designed to soften falls for children playing on the swings has been damaged and the area will remain closed for weeks until it is repaired.
All Ripon city councillors were informed of the vandalism on Wednesday, after Jennifer Love, Harrogate Borough Council’s (HBC) technical officer for parks and playgrounds, contacted the city council.
In an email, she said:
“Unfortunately I have been forced to close and lock up Grove Lane Play area due to vandalism of the safety surfaces.
“I will arrange the repairs, but it could take a few weeks to resolve and the repair will cost over £2,000.”
Anybody who witnessed suspicious activity in the area of the playground is asked to contact the police on 101.
Ward councillor and the leader of Ripon City Council, Andrew Williams, said:
“It is very sad that mindless morons with nothing better to do have closed the play area intended for local children. I welcome that Harrogate Borough Council will repair and get the play area open again, but this is council tax that could have been better spent given the current economic climate.”
The Grove Lane play area where the rubberised surface has been damaged.
The attack on the play area is the latest incident in a spate of vandalism and other antisocial behaviour in Ripon.
In recent weeks, a number of city centre premises have had windows vandalised, graffiti containing an obscenity was daubed on a wall in close proximity to the cathedral and fly tippers dumped old furniture and rubbish on a secluded green area on Stonebridgegate.
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Earlier this year, Ripon police called for parents to be more vigilant to help tackle anti-social behaviour in the city,
Making a direct appeal for assistance, Sergeant Clare Mayes of North Yorkshire Police’s Ripon Neighbourhood Policing Team said:
“Parents, please take responsibility and find out where your children have been, what they’ve been up to and who they have been with – before you receive a knock on the door from a police officer.“
Vandals rip out chunks from Valley Gardens sculpturesVandals have ripped out large chunks of wood from sculptures in Valley Gardens dedicated to Harrogate’s links with New Zealand.
Both the kiwi bird and the carved Maori bench were missing large chunks when The Stray Ferret visited the gardens today.
There are some chippings close to the carved Maori bench indicating that the damage was deliberate.
The carved Maori bench has also been badly damaged.
Ann Beeby, the secretary for the Friends of Valley Gardens, told The Stray Ferret she feared that the sculptures could not be repaired or replaced:
“We get very upset when mindless vandalism of this sort happens in a park, especially at this time when a safe and attractive outdoor space is so important. These sculptures can never be replaced, they can only be removed, which is what will happen if there is further damage.”
Harrogate Borough Council has told The Stray Ferret that it will look into whether the sculptures can be repaired.
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Councillor Andy Paraskos, the cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, said:
“We are really disappointed to see that the sculptures in the New Zealand garden in Valley Gardens appear to have been vandalised. These were carved to complement the gardens and make them more attractive for residents and visitors alike. We will look into whether repairs can be made but as they are carved from tree trunks this is easier said than done.”
A large chunk missing from the kiwi bird.
The New Zealand Garden commemorates Harrogate’s twinning with Wellington and the country’s airmen stationed in the town during World War Two.
The garden dates back to 1954 and chainsaw sculptor Mick Burns carved the Marlin, Kiwi, and bench in 2010.
Police ask Ripon parents to help reduce anti-social behaviourRipon police has called for parents to be more vigilant to help tackle anti-social behaviour in the city,
Making a direct appeal for assistance, sergeant Clare Mayes of North Yorkshire Police’s Ripon Neighbourhood Policing Team said:
“Parents, please take responsibility and find out where your children have been, what they’ve been up to and who they have been with – before you receive a knock on the door from a police officer. “
Many of the reports received by the police identify young people at the heart of the problems being experienced in the community.
A vandalised window at the Lamb and Flag pub in High Skellgate, Ripon
Sergeant Mayes pointed out:
“We all have a part to play in helping everyone to stay safe and feel safe in their homes and any behaviour which undermines this will be dealt with accordingly
“We are absolutely committed to tackling anti-social behaviour and will be doing everything we can to ensure our communities remain safe and pleasant places to live.”
She added:
“We know that lockdown has caused many of our community members to become isolated from their normal social groups and practices, but nothing excuses the unacceptable behaviour we have recently seen and had reported.”
Ripon Neighbourhood Policing Team says it is working with partner agencies to deal with incidents that are reported, but would urge the public to ensure reports are made by calling 101.
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It advises that updates given by members of the community via Facebook or other social media accounts cannot be used as a formal reporting method. Anyone witnessing any anti-social behaviour or crime should report this to by ringing 999 if the incident is ongoing or 101 if it has already happened.
By doing so, witnesses are not only helping the police to deal with incidents in real time but also to build up a picture of what is happening so they can proactively target problem areas.
The police add that any evidence to support reported incidents such as CCTV or mobile phone footage is very helpful in identifying those involved, particularly as it finds suspects may have run away or dispersed when the police arrive.
Witnesses to incidents are advised not get involved in any situation; take whatever details it is safe to obtain and contact the police immediately.