RAIDERS escaped with jewellery worth thousands of pounds after targeting a property in North Yorkshire.

Rings, necklaces, earrings and bracelets, some including diamonds and rubies, were taken from a house in Abbey Mill Gardens, Knaresborough.

The raid took place sometime between 9.30am and 3.345pm on Tuesday.

Police are appealing for anyone who may have information about the raid or who may have been offered some of the haul to contact them.

Phone North Yorkshire Police on 101. select option two and ask for DC Quita Passmore or Harrogate CID. Alternatively, information can be emailed to quita.passmore@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk


Benefit cheat’s payback

AN East Yorkshire benefit cheat has been ordered to repay the £8,575.80 he obtained by fraud between January 2012 and January 2014.

Jonathan Moore, 24, of Sewerby Road, Bridlington, failed to declare all his self-employed income and that his partner had been working.

He pleaded guilty to four offences involving housing benefit and council tax benefit and was sentenced by Bridlington magistrates to 120 hours’ unpaid work. He must also pay £200 towards the costs of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, which prosecuted him.


Sports sessions for disabled residents

DISABLED York residents have a fresh chance to take up boccia, bowling, badminton and wheelchair basketball.

Jorvik Boccia Club’s sessions are held on Sunday from 11am to 3pm at Burnholme Community Sports Hub. For details, phone Liz Moulam on 07742 886883.

Disability bowling is on Monday, March 16, from 1pm to 3pm at York & District Indoor Bowls Club, and cost £3 a session. For details, phone Ian Clough on 01904 704180.

Deaf Badminton Club is on Thursday, March 19, from 8pm to 9.30pm at York Railway Institute. For details, phone Denis Cleary on 07831 504247.

York Wheelchair Basketball Club is from 6.30pm to 8pm on Thursdays at Joseph Rowntree School. For details, phone Jason White on 01904 552045.
 

Auctioneers to stage valuation day in York

A TEAM of auctioneers are giving people in York the chance to have collectables valued for free.

Warwick And Warwick will be running a valuation day at the Holiday Inn in Tadcaster Road on Tuesday, March 10, from 9am to 1pm, with experts in coins, banknotes, stamps, medals and militaria, postcards and cigarette cards, die cast toys and models and model railways all on hand.

The firm recently sold a First World War Yorkshire Regiment officer’s Albert Medal, presented for gallantry in saving life on land, for £7,762.

The medal was presented to 2nd Lieutenant Thomas Johnstone Dickson in 1917.

Postcard collections, especially with close-up views of early omnibus or a traction engines are particularly valuable at the moment, while coin collections are benefiting from the high price of gold.


Lorry trailer stolen

THIEVES stole a 26-foot trailer from an articulated lorry parked near Selby.

The blue trailer, with a boarded wooden floor, was parked on a grass verge near Wistow mine when it was stolen overnight on Friday.
 

MP hails new community woodland and meadow 

SELBY and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams has hailed a new community woodland and meadow near York after touring the site.

He was shown round Three Hagges Jubilee Wood at Escrick, by pioneer of the project, Rosalind Forbes Adam and botanist consultant for the wood, Lin Hawthorne.

He said afterwards: “What has been achieved at Three Hagges Jubilee Wood is fantastic.

“With thousands of trees planted among wildflowers, there is so much to see.

“I can’t wait to visit again in the spring when it is in flower.”
 

Day school to take a look at developments in astronomy 

A DAY school will be held in York to look at some of the recent developments in astronomy.

The school, organised by the York branch of the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA), takes place at the Quaker Meeting House in Friargate, and will look at exciting discoveries made by a new generation of telescopes, the search for other planetary systems and the many new worlds being discovered.

Tutor Fred Stevenson said no previous knowledge of astronomy or science was required for those attending the day school.

The event will run from 10am to 3.30pm on Saturday, March 21.

Anyone interested should phone 01904 627791.
 

Cast of Sondheim musical prepare with trip to the country

York Press:
York Musical Theatre Company cast members, from left, John Haigh, Anna Mitchelson, Richard Bainbridge, Eleanor Leaper, Kelly Derbyshire and Matthew Ainsworth get in the mood for A Little Night Music.

YORK Musical Theatre Company is bringing Stephen Sondheim's popular musical, A Little Night Music, to the city.

On at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, this Olivier and Tony Award winning musical comedy is set in 1902 and sees love and passion run riot at Madame Armfeldt's country estate.

To promote the production members of the cast posed in costume in the grounds of Middlethorpe Hall Hotel & Spa recently.

The cast includes professional singer Michelle Todd who plays the lead role of Desiree Armfeldt, and sings the well-known number Send in the Clowns.

The show is on from March 18-21, 7.30pm evenings and 2.30pm Saturday matinee. Tickets from £16. Book at www.yorkmusicaltheatrecompany.org.uk or call the Box Office 01904 623568.


Blair advisor to give talk

FIONA Millar, a writer and journalist who specialises in education and parenting issues, will host the next Ebor Lecture at York Minster.

Ms Millar will talk about ‘Schools for One Nation’ at the free event on Wednesday, March 18.

Ms Millar worked in the Leader of the Opposition’s Office between 1995 and 1997 and from 1997 until 2003 she worked for Prime Minster Tony Blair as a special adviser.

She is currently chair of the National Youth Arts Trust, a member of the steering group of Comprehensive Future and is a school governor at two of the North London schools her children attend.

Her talk will look at the hierarchy of schools in England, the issues generated by choice and diversity and the risks to social cohesion of a school system that “divides children and communities.”

The free lecture starts at 7pm and tickets can be booked via www.yorksj.ac.uk/eborlectures or by email eborlectures@yorksj.ac.uk or phone 01904 876474.


March against domestic violence

YORK residents are being asked to join in a city centre march against domestic violence on Saturday evening.

The Reclaim The Night march will take place at 6.30pm and start from The Mansion House, St Helen’s Square to St Sampson’s Square.

Under the city’s White Ribbon Status gained after the last march in November 2013, it aims to raise awareness of and action against violence towards women, and takes place the day before International Women’s Day on March 8.

The White Ribbon Status recognises that York demonstrates commitment to addressing and altering social norms that lead to violent and abusive behaviour against women.

Alongside the march, Cllr Tracey Simpson-Laing, City of York Council’s cabinet member for communities and chairman of the Anti-Domestic Abuse Board, will be calling for an end to violence against women and domestic abuse for all, supported by the Independent Domestic Abuse Service (Idas).

People who wish to march and show their support for the cause are invited to meet in St Helen’s Square from 6.15pm for a 6.30pm start. The march will last about 30 minutes.
 

The Groves stages first community awards ceremony

THE first community awards ceremony for the Groves area of York takes place tonight at York St John University's Temple Hall.

The scheme, which was the idea of Groves Association committee member and local resident, Frances Harding, involves all three local primary schools - Haxby Rd, Park Grove and St Wilfrid’s - the Door 84 Youth Centre, the university and local residents and businesses, with nominations sought from local residents.

Children will receive awards for their contributions to school life and the local community, and for supporting other children, while other awards will recognise similar contributions from young people and students, good neighbours, good community volunteers and community minded local businesses.

Those receiving awards will include a leader from the Haxby Rd Scout Group, a long-time resident acknowledged for her care for her neighbours and another resident for their efforts to maintain a beautiful front garden each year.

Business awards include one for the Punch Bowl pub, recently protected from conversion to a supermarket, in recognition of its wide range of community facilities and the important role it plays in the Groves.

The evening will include some entertainment from Groves related performers including a young singer from Door 84 and a set by York St John University’s Musical Production Society.