JULY

ARTHINGTON/POOL-IN-WHARFEDALE

COUNTRYSIDE delights for visitors of all ages were served up in abundance at this year's Arthington Show.

Large crowds flocked to the 98th show on Sunday to enjoy everything from traditional livestock classes and showjumping to children's races and weaving demonstrations.

Terrier racing and a side-saddle horse-riding demonstration also proved to be big hits in the main showfield ring, by Pool-in-Wharfedale Bridge.

A heavy storm did send people racing for cover near the end of the afternoon, but the weather had stayed dry and warm up to that point, ensuring a strong turnout.

This year's sheep and cattle classes proved particularly popular, attracting record numbers of entries.

A heavy summer storm provided a dramatic conclusion to the show.

Cloudy but warm conditions greeted the start of the Sunday, July 5, event and the day stayed dry, allowing large crowds to enjoy everything from vintage tractor and Shire Horse displays to Terrier racing, right up until 4.30pm when a storm broke.

That blip failed to dent the show's success, though, and the organisers were delighted to see so many people turn out.

ILKLEY

A COUNCILLOR has vowed to lobby the Secretary of State for Transport and Ilkley's MP, claiming the local demand for an answer to parking problems is about to hit 'fever pitch'.

Ilkley parish councillor, Mike Ridgway, was among those who welcomed Transport Secretary, Patrick McLoughlin, to Ilkley in the run-up to this year's General Election.

Now he says he will approach the senior Government figure again to put greater pressure on Bradford Council to end Ilkley's car parking woes.

Cllr Ridgway, who has taken on the car parking issue on behalf of Ilkley Parish Council, says he is now being contacted by many more residents concerned that nothing is being done to stop inconsiderate and potentially hazardous parking on residential streets across the town.

Ilkley people have also been writing to the Gazette on the issue - in particular about the long delay in putting double yellow lines on Grove Road, and taking action about parking on Bridge Lane and Bolton Bridge Road.

"I'm getting a constant stream of people who are coming to me about parking," said Cllr Ridgway. "The situation is that things are reaching fever pitch, people are really getting annoyed about this.

He plans to contact the Transport Secretary in an effort to get urgent action.

Cllr Ridgway initiated a petition on behalf of Ilkley Parish Council late last year, calling for extra commuter car parking and a full review of Ilkley’s parking issues.

AUGUST

YEADON

AN AIRLINE based at Leeds Bradford Airport is calling for new industry-wide measures to tackle a shocking rise in "air-rage."

The UK’s largest holiday companies have just recorded a double figure rise in disruptive passenger behaviour.

Incidents of "air rage" have almost trebled in the last three years according to figures from the Civil Aviation Authority with cases of passengers fighting cabin crew and each other.

In July a Leeds couple were arrested and given a lifetime ban by Jet2.com after complaints they were disruptive and abusive towards cabin crew on a flight from Lanzarote to Leeds Bradford Airport.

The pair reportedly ignored safety instructions, used aggressive and threatening language towards cabin crew and inappropriately touched one female crew member. They were released on police bail and enquiries are still continuing.

And in May, a drunk passenger from Teesside on a stag-do was fined almost £5,000 after causing a flight from Leeds Bradford to Alicante to be diverted to Toulouse. He also received a lifetime ban from Jet2.com.

In 2014 there were 114 instances of disruptive passengers on UK airlines and on foreign airlines operating in UK airspace, compared with 85 instances in 2013, 47 in 2012 and 39 in 2011.

Now, Yeadon-based Jet2.com, is calling for industry-wide measures to tackle the problem.

Phil Ward, managing director of Jet2.com, said: "We are a family airline and holiday company carrying millions of passengers every year.

"Under no circumstances will we allow the disruptive few to spoil the experience for the majority of the fantastic customers that fly with us."

ILKLEY

MYSTERY surrounds the new owners of the vacant Tesco site in Ilkley after the retail giant revealed this week it has sold the land.

The supermarket chain announced in September last year it was scrapping plans for a new store in the town, blaming a change in customer shopping habits for the decision, with more people buying online and in convenience stores.

A company spokesman told the Ilkley Gazette they had "made the difficult decision to sell the site".

Since then, Tesco has been actively marketing the former Spooner factory site, off Railway Road and Mayfield Road.

The company is now in a position to announce a sale has been agreed, but is remaining tight-lipped about the new owners and what their plans are for the site.

A Tesco spokesman said this week: "Since we announced we would not be delivering a new store at this location, we have been actively marketing the land.

"We are keen to ensure it is brought back into use as quickly as possible and are pleased to confirm we have agreed the sale of the site."

He added: "We will keep the community updated and hope to be able to confirm who will be bringing forward plans for the site in the coming weeks."

SEPTEMBER

RAWDON

AN ATHLETE from Rawdon is aiming to take part in the 2020 Paralympics - with the help of a new racing wheelchair.

Twenty eight year old Danielle Morrison was actually nominated for the Athens Paralympics 13 years ago, when she was just 15.

But Danielle quit wheelchair racing before she could grasp the opportunity to take part in those games - a decision she came to regret in later years.

It was the inspirational scenes of London 2012, when she watched Paralympic athlete David Weir win his clutch of gold medals, that made her fall back in love with the sport.

She said: "I have been back wheelchair racing now for eleven months and really enjoy it. I gave up the sport 13 years ago when I was 15.

"After seeing London 2012 I made the decision to start back racing I but never knew who to speak to.

"Then I looked on Facebook and saw that a few of my friends were friends with - former St Mary's School, Menston student - wheelchair racer Callum Hall, so I decided to send him a message and see where he trained.

"Callum advised me that while he trains with Tanni Grey-Thompson, there was a training group at the John Charles Centre, in Leeds, every Thursday so I joined the Leeds City AC Wheelchair Racing Group.

"I race in the 100m, 200m and 400m events however I find I am better at the 100m and 200m - the 400m is one I am working on!"

Danielle competed in her first competitive races since returning to the sport on August 22 and 23, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

ADDINGHAM

FIRE investigators are examining the cause of a major blaze that swept through a landmark pub in the centre of Addingham early yesterday morning, causing extensive damage.

A total of 35 firefighters and six fire engines tackled the flames as they took hold of one side of iconic The Fleece pub in Main Street shortly after 4am.

Nobody was in the pub itself at the time, but two chefs asleep in a flat adjacent to the main building were woken by firefighters and had to be treated for smoke inhalation.

The alarm is said to have been raised by a nearby resident, who called the fire service and sounded his car horn in an attempt to alert anyone still inside the building.

Villagers also told how Main Street residents rushed from their homes to alert neighbours, fearing the fire could spread to nearby houses.

A section of Main Street remained closed to traffic for the much of the day.