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What a difference a week makes! Photograph by Nick Fletcher, Norton © The copyright of this image remains with the photographer

Angry sugar beet farmers dubbed a compensation offer from British Sugar "an insult". © The copyright of this image belongs to Newsquest (York) Ltd

Shocked visitors to a York park were quizzed by police as the investigation into an horrific sex attack intensified. © The copyright of this image belongs to Newsquest (York) Ltd

Tracy Potts, whose 15-year-old son, Gareth, had been missing for nearly four days, made an emotional plea for him to "come home". © The copyright of this image belongs to Newsquest (York) Ltd

Pieces of timber and stonework from York Minster went under the hammer in a bid to raise funds towards the cathedral's £23 million restoration appeal. © The copyright of this image belongs to Newsquest (York) Ltd

SHOCKED visitors to a York park were quizzed by police as the investigation into an horrific sex attack intensified. The operation last night was exactly a week on from the terrifying rape of a woman by three men in West Bank Park, in Holgate. Teams

Alan Ayckbourn will return to the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, in September to resume his role of artistic director and to direct his latest play, If I Were You. After suffering a stroke in February, Alan has undertaken a six-month period of

Introducing Claudia Elmhirst and Bill Champion, two actors, eight plays and sixteen endings. You can see Claudia Elmhirst and Bill Champion not once, not twice, but six times this summer, playing all the characters in Alan Ayckbourn's remarkable set

THE public is being put at risk by changes to the way football matches, race meetings and other major events are policed, rank-and-file officers have warned. They say their force's new policy has left them demoralised and is taking much-needed bobbies

ROCK'S talent spotters went searching Glasgow for the new Franz Ferdinand, but 200 miles north east four skint teenagers from overlooked Dundee were heard busking by one Pete Doherty. He liked The View from up there so much that he secured them a record

SHERBURN-in-Elmet schoolgirl Alice Paddison releases her first single, My World, this week at the age of 11. The date has been brought forward by a month for a young girl in a hurry, whose indie rock pop debut is issued through local label Rouska Records

ANTIPRODUCT enjoy playing Certificate 18 in York so much that they have booked their only British club date of the year for the Gillygate music bar tonight. Immediately afterwards, the London band will fly to the United States, where they base themselves

Emily Weygang & Ben Harker play a home city concert at the Black Swan Folk Club, Peasholme Green, York on Thursday at 8pm. "They're one of York's finest folk acts, strongly committed to traditional and political folk song," says club organiser Roland

TICKETS go on sale this morning for Bruce Springsteen's gig at the Sheffield Hallam FM Arena with the Seeger Sessions Band on November 14. This is one of only three Springsteen shows this autumn, the others being in London and Birmingham in a follow-up

ROB Bettinson never expected Buddy to rave on and on and on. "Phenomenal! Incredible!" says the co-writer and original director of the biographical musical, whose latest touring production relives the brief life and enduring hits of bespectacled Buddy

REHEARSALS have started for the Northern Broadsides and York Theatre Royal co-production of The Man With Two Gaffers. Commissioned by the Halifax company from Blake Morrison, the play is a new version of Carlo Goldoni's Italian comic romp The Servant

THE Coming will not be coming to York after all and, given the confusion over performance dates and the show title, maybe the production was destined never to arrive. In the York Festival Of The Rivers brochure, the Caravan Stage Company was scheduled

Maxine Gordon visits The Star at Harome's satellite restaurant at Scampston Hall. WITH views over the walled garden at Scampston Hall and food from the stable of the award-winning The Star at Harome, it sounded like the perfect recipe for a summer

OUR travels took us through the pretty village of Coxwold. It was almost lunchtime and the cafe opened at 12.30pm. We wondered how much morning coffee trade may have been lost, but presumably the owners know their business. The cafe is located at

Director Martyn Hunter is on the look out for shipmates to join his crew in Rowntree Players' pantomime, Robinson Crusoe And The Pirates. For the December show, Hunter has 13 principal parts to fill, as well as a motley crew of pirates, villagers and

A NEW comedy at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, has opened up an unusual chance for director Deborah Bruce. She is directing her own mother's show My Own Show by Lesley Bruce for a summer run from August 17 to September 9. My Own Show is a

RUSSELL Brand will be opening his Big Mouth even wider in York. The raffish host of Big Brother's Big Mouth on late-night Channel 4 is to add a second gig at the Grand Opera House after his December 9 stand-up show all but sold out, with only a few

The J-night Hull Jazz Festival closes this weekend with two shows at the Hull Truck Theatre. Tonight, The Humphrey Lyttelton Band will demonstrate how 85-year-olds can still boogie and his special guest is vocalist Tina May. Tomorrow night's concert

LOOK behind the names, events and soundbite phrases of Dexter's World Of Eighties memorial scroll and the blurred face of Margaret Thatcher looms large, just as it did in a decade still too close for comfort. On show at the Artfulness Gallery in York

THE dark horse pictured right (see the teeny-weeny fellow in the background?) found a novel way of cooling off at a sweltering York Race meeting last Saturday. Apparently, he was a Geordie on his stag weekend, so he may have no idea of the dress protocol

DAYS after returning home from a relaxing break on the Scottish East Coast, I received a letter from a Mr P. Butchard. Warm memories of beach barbecues, bracing strolls and breathtaking sunsets evaporated the moment I scanned its contents. Writing on

ANGRY sugar beet farmers have dubbed a compensation offer from British Sugar "an insult". There are more than 1,200 farmers growing sugar beet in the region who will all be hit by plans to shut British Sugar's York works next year. As reported on The

Have your feet become the victims of fashion? CHARLOTTE PERCIVAL discovers how to care for tootsies. FOR years, girls have squashed their feet into teeny, tiny shoes, regardless of warnings from mum. We have not cared about bunions, corns or arthritis

KEEN cyclist Doug Heald is hoping his ride through mountains and valleys will raise a fortune for our Guardian Angels appeal. Doug, 62, of Huntington Road, York, is preparing to cycle across the Pennines from Southport to Hornsea. He is an artist, and

With average life expectancy rapidly approaching 80 years, there is a greater need to be able to sustain a quality of life for longer. The best medicine to combat the stresses and strains of ageing is exercise, and the good news is, it's never too late

ALAN Menken and Howard Ashman's jaunty rock'n'roll spoof of Roger Corman's trashy horror flick is a lively, even saucy, choice for the seventh summer youth musical at the Grand Opera House. After the innocent fun and laughter of last year's Summer

YOU might find it hard to believe if you were among those who got stuck in rush hour traffic in the rain on Wednesday, but York is apparently bucking the national trend when it comes to congested roads. Congestion levels in the city have remained roughly

Please don't send in the clowns. That's the message from Tang Hall residents to council bosses. When the council decided to get an entertainment licence for Hull Road Park, locals were delighted. A few fun weekend events seemed just what the doctor

The holocaust that Israel is carefully creating in Lebanon and in Gaza is being grossly misrepresented by the BBC and by almost all the rest of the news media in this country. The greater aims of Israel and of the US are served by these gross violations

Regarding the letter from Margaret Vernon (Tuesday, July 25), which stated that York held a vigil for the victims of Israel's bombing of Lebanon and Gaza. York did not hold a vigil at all. About 100 Arab sympathisers marched the streets parading placards

Margaret Vernon (Letters, July 25) shows one side of the Middle East tragedy with a strong condemnation of the state of Israel. Israel has a real dilemma. Hezbollah and Hamas think nothing about putting the lives of their own civilians at risk by hiding

TERRY Smith's letter (Taxing Concerns, July 24), displays a complete lack of understanding about City of York Council's performance relating to its finances. He wrongly accuses it of "economic mismanagement" under the Liberal Democrats. To save him

I WAS pleased to read the recent letter from Anne Clarke, of Pocklington, regarding a return concert date from the wonderful Jane McDonald (Grand Opera House, September 24). Indeed, Jane's last show here in York was fantastic. I am delighted that even

I have just finished reading several cuttings from your newspaper forwarded to me by an old friend in York. I too was present at the Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones and Roy Orbison/ Beatles concerts, and played at some of the other concerts as a support

I READ with disgust and horror your article in The Press (July 27) about animal cruelty cases in the region. In January, 2005, I re-housed a dog from the RSPCA, in York, that had had the misfortune to have been one of many involved in the Ashworth

How amazing it is to read that parents who buy their children inappropriate toys then ask the council to find facilities to use them (Minimoto Ticket To Ride, August 2). If I were to buy my children a pony, would it then be right for me to ask the

I WOULD like to draw attention to the state which this council has allowed the Barbican Centre to fall into. The fact that the Barbican is being allowed to stand empty at all is a disgrace and a complete waste, but that's another story. Since the

I would just like to say a big thank you to the two ambulance paramedics and the gentleman passer-by who pushed my car to safety when I broke down in teatime traffic on Wednesday, July 26, at the traffic lights near Clarence Street and York Hospital

AMID all the turmoil and trouble, migrants and muggings, politicians and prevarications, how refreshing to read of bus-hopping Ratty going for his dinner. Here's a line or three of verse. I'm Ratty, I'm going for my dinner, I hop on the bus, don't

I would like to welcome the announcement by the Government that those who illegally use minimotos will now face the law. Acomb ward, like others, has been plagued by their illegal use on the highway and council land. These machines should only be

Everyone who uses a vehicle on the road is required to keep it in a roadworthy condition. The roadworthiness is checked in the interests of road safety and the environment by the test called the MOT. The first test is required once a car is three years

YORK City will complete their pre-season programme against UniBond League hosts rather than Premiership visitors because Newcastle United pulled out of a trip to Bootham Crescent for the THIRD successive year. Newcastle were initially due to take on

Police in Preston want to ban "vertical drinking" ie standing at the bar to sup your pint. Thankfully, licensing bosses in York have no plans for a similar move here, report STEPHEN LEWIS and CHARLOTTE PERCIVAL. IT makes sense. The beers are bound to

NEW Darlington signing David Stockdale has admitted that being released by York City has given him the kick up the backside he needed to save his career. Former England non-league international 'keeper Stockdale has put pen to paper for the League Two

YORK City's link up with Leeds United saved the club a five-figure sum after groundstaff pitched in to prevent a washout. Tuesday night's friendly was under threat of being cancelled after torrential rain left standing water in the corners of the

LEEDS United have signed Geoff Horsfield on loan from Sheffield United until the end of January with a view to completing a permanent transfer. And manager Kevin Blackwell intends handing the 32-year-old striker his debut against Norwich at Elland

Leeds United have made a formal complaint to the Football League about Chelsea's conduct in the transfer of two of their young players. The League have referred the complaint to the FA, because it involves a Premier League club. The FA will now discuss

SHELL-SHOCKED Scarborough are in danger of not being able to kick off their debut Conference North campaign after a fresh financial row. Cash-strapped Boro, already docked ten points before they kick a ball, may not make the start of the season at Worksop

NORTH Yorkshire king of clubs Simon Dyson was just four shots off the lead on the opening day of the Scandinavian Masters. The York-based golfer posted a one-under-par round of 71 after a decidedly up and down outward nine. Starting with a bogey

TEENAGE paceman James Lee got a taste of top flight cricket for Yorkshire this week even though a ball was not bowled. The 17-year-old from Bradford received a surprise call-up to the Phoenix squad for the NatWest Pro40 League game against Derbyshire

YORK Cricket Club will be without skipper Marcus Wood for tomorrow's ECB Yorkshire Premier Cricket League clash at Sheffield Collegiate. The captain is unavailable so Stephen Piercy will lead the side at Clifton Park while quick bower Nick Thornicroft

RAKER Lakes has been in top form this week with match, pleasure and specimen anglers all sharing in the bagging action at the Wheldrake complex. The mid-week match at Acorn lake saw an explosion of surface action as carp eagerly patrolled the upper layers

HEATH Scaife (18 darts), Steve Evans (15 & 20) and Keith Turner (110 finish) helped Acomb to consolidate their position at the top of the John Smith's Men's Darts League with a 8-3 win at Sun. Between them the two teams made 56-ton-plus scores.

YORK Leeper Hare Football League club Stamford Bridge are looking for new players for the coming season. The first team plays in division one and the second team in reserve B' and both could do with some new faces. Training takes place on Tuesdays

Ouija Board, an unlucky loser in the Eclipse Stakes on her latest start, can gain handsome compensation on the final day of Glorious Goodwood tomorrow. Ed Dunlop's wonderfully consistent mare, a leading player on the international circuit over the past

MALTON'S Matthew Stubbins celebrated his 15th birthday in style with victories at Pickering and District Motor Club's motocross meeting at Riseborough. He had a terrific tussle with Stockton's Andy Lamb before coming out on top in the Youth M/X 2 class

A 65-year-old man has been jailed for 20 years for a 30-year campaign of rape and sexual abuse against young children described as the "worst ever" to come before the courts. Robert Smith, of Cross Street, Scarborough, was jailed at York Crown Court

DISTRAUGHT York mum Tracy Potts was today still frantically waiting for news about her missing son Gareth. The Press reported yesterday that the 15-year-old All Saints' RC School pupil, from Crichton Avenue, Clifton, disappeared with his girlfriend,

THE proposed site of a new York Park&Ride station which will serve passengers using a rail company's London bound trains has been revealed. Grand Central has submitted a planning application to turn the Pepsimax Raceway, in Kathryn Avenue, Huntington

CONGESTION in York is bucking the national trend. Over the past five years, rush hour congestion levels in the city have stayed at 1999 levels thanks to increasing numbers of people opting to take public transport and using Park&Ride services. Julie

A CAMPAIGN urging residents to get tough on speeding drivers has helped reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured in road accidents. Latest figures reveal that 11 people were killed and 90 seriously injured on roads in the city

IT is a craze that first emerged when controversial rappers The Beastie Boys wore them round their necks over two decades ago as a fashion accessory. But motorists have been left fuming as the obsession with stealing car badges has returned to York

TRAFFIC chaos hit Stamford Bridge yesterday after a two-car smash led to the closure of a main road. Police closed a stretch of the A166 Bridlington Road for most of yesterday evening after a serious collision at Garrowby Hill at 4.30pm. A spokesman

A DISABLED charity will remain open following the resolution of an employment tribunal which trustees had feared would force it to close. Selby DIAL (Disabled Information Advice Line) set up in 1998 is a voluntary organisation which provides wheelchair