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The Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Unlikely England hero now runs shop in his hometown after becoming ‘literally someone who could just throw a ball'
ASHES HERO Gary Pratt has had an unusual career trajectory since his heroics against Australia in 2005. The Durham native is best known for his iconic running out of Australia captain Ricky Ponting as a substitute fielder in 2005's Ashes series. But for Pratt, who was in his early twenties at the time, life has not followed on from that moment of glory in the way most might have expected. Now 43, Pratt runs Lorimers cricket shop in his home town of Bishop Auckland, County Durham. He plays his cricket for North Yorkshire and South Durham Premier League's Richmondshire, as he has done since arriving at the club in 2012. It is a far cry from his peak, playing six years of first class cricket for Durham as a youngster between 2000 and 2006. In conversation with The Times, Pratt attributed part of his career's fall off to his most heroic moment. 'I scored 1,000 runs for Durham in the Championship [in 2003] and stuff like that. "But after [Ponting], I wasn't known for holding the cricket bat. I was just literally someone who could just throw a ball." His moment came as Ponting and batting partner Damien Martyn set off for an ambitious single after the latter rolled an Andrew Flintoff delivery away to his right. Pratt scooped it up and fired the ball back at the stumps from range, catching Ponting out as he stretched for the crease. The image of the youngster being hoisted into the air by his teammates became a rallying point, around which England would go on to win the series. Ricky Ponting is run out by sub fielder Gary Pratt at the Trent Bridge 2005 Ashes 2 "I wouldn't say it hampered my career," Pratt continued. "But it probably did in a way because there was a lot of attention on me for that reason. "I could have just plodded on in the background, with this not happening. I could have probably still been playing today, really.' Pratt also plays social cricket for a local car dealership, SG Petch, and receives a car in return for his participation in matches and charity events. Between playing for his multiple clubs and running his cricket shop, Pratt is still clearly as in love with the game as ever. He told The Times: "You don't realise there is a different life. All I have is cricket, literally. 'From when I was ten years old it was just cricket non-stop. It was all I wanted to do. "In a way, I kind of achieved it, but finished too soon.'
BBC News
29-07-2025
- BBC News
Rapist who groomed and controlled victim jailed
A rapist who groomed and controlled his victim has been jailed for nine Kianipanah, 34, was found guilty of raping a woman at an address in Richmondshire in 2022 following a trial at Teesside Crown Court on 5 of Brook Road, Brent, was given a nine-year jail term as well as an additional three years on licence when he was sentenced on was also placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely and has been made subject to a restraining order. 'Level of control' During his trial, the jury heard evidence that Kianipanah had groomed and controlled the woman around the time of the she found the courage to make a report to North Yorkshire Police in 2023, sparking a two-year woman had since also had access to a range of professional support and care, police said. Temporary Det Sgt Quita Readman said: "With her support, we carried out a thorough investigation capturing the whole story of the grooming stages Kianipanah engaged in before and after the rape, maintaining a level of control over the survivor."I have nothing but praise for the bravery of the survivor in this case."It also shows it is never too late to make a report to the police and seek support from the Sexual Assault Referral Centre and organisations such as Independent Domestic Abuse Services (IDAS)."We are here to help you - please don't hesitate to get in touch." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
20-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Ukrainian photos featured in North Yorkshire libraries tour
Ukrainians who sought refuge in the UK following the invasion of their country have used a photo exhibition to show how they have adapted to their new exhibition is touring libraries across North Yorkshire and features families who have found sanctuary in the was the idea of Roman Pronyszyn, the Ukrainian community co-ordinator in Richmondshire, who had seen a similar project at the University of York."We believe the more people know, the better they understand and the more welcoming they become," Mr Pronyszyn said. The display, funded by North Yorkshire Council, has been produced in partnership with Helping Hearts North Yorkshire and the Richmondshire Refugee Support Pronyszyn said: "This project explains to people what has happened and why these people are here."Since arriving, many have now got jobs and some have started their own businesses – we have a café owner and a consultant at the Friarage Hospital, for example – and all are settling in and making their mark." Featured in the exhibition is former solicitor Iryna Oliinyk who now works as a customer response assistant with the council's health and adult services team."I had a nice life in Ukraine with my husband and daughter," Ms Oliinyk recalled."Everything has changed. We had to move abroad to keep my daughter safe."Ms Oliinyk said she was really grateful to her sponsor, Angela, who met her online before allowing her family to stay at her home as part of the UK-wide Homes for Ukraine said she would like to return to Ukraine at some point but knows life would not be the same."I understand I cannot have the same life as I had before."I will need to start from the beginning. I lost my job, I lost my friends who are all abroad. Except for my husband, I have nothing, so it will be another challenge, but it is how it is." Yana Drapak, from Donetsk, left Ukraine in 2023 and is now an English teacher for the family lived under Russian occupation before moving to Kyiv but left the country for North Yorkshire when the "constant bombardment" became too much."It was a really hard decision to leave, especially when you did not know what your life was going to be like," she said."It was great to discover there was a range of possibilities here, not only for me but also for my husband who is a photographer."We have made friends and live in a lovely community, so it has been great." The council's executive member for arts and culture Simon Myers said it was important for libraries to host exhibitions such as this one."We see the war in Ukraine on our televisions, but this exhibition, through its powerful words and photographs, gives us a chance to stand and think about the impact it has on the population."It is only right that we play our part in helping the victims of conflict, so it was a privilege to meet those who are now calling North Yorkshire their home and to hear how they have been welcomed by our residents."Fellow councillor Caroline Dickinson visited the exhibition when it was in Northallerton and said it was "wonderful" to see how refugees had been welcomed into towns and villages across the county. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
BBC News
21-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Pool's future in doubt due to 'historic issues'
The future of a public swimming pool has been thrown into doubt after council officials revealed that "extensive" work was needed on the Swimming Pool has been closed since April, when part of the ceiling fell down just weeks after the facilities transferred from the management of Richmondshire Leisure Trust to North Yorkshire to the council, investigations have since uncovered "several historic issues" at the pool will remain closed for at least three months while further surveys are carried out and "all possible future options" are considered. In a statement, North Yorkshire Council said: "In addition to the essential repairs required, we also know that other areas are in urgent need of improvement and key equipment requires replacement."We now want to take more time to assess and compare all possible future options available to us, including the costs and impact of these options." The council said it appreciated the closure was disappointing and apologised for the disruption statement added: "We thank you for your ongoing patience and would like to remind customers that you can use pool facilities at our neighbouring Active North Yorkshire sites."The café and adjacent gym remain open as normal, the Local Democracy Service site was previously owned by Richmondshire District Council until it was dissolved in district authority came under fire in 2022 for giving the trust almost 5% of its income to run the services - and then having to provide an extra £75,000 in funding to cover a 400% increase in energy council also agreed to pay compensation to the trust of up to £85,000 due to lost income from issues with a £1.9m revamp, which included a new heating system and solar panels on the upgrade work took longer than expected and meant the pool had to close for several months in 2023 due to issues with the heating system. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
28-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Scotch Corner Designer Village delays leave nearby residents frustrated
Developers behind a luxury retail park say they have signed leases for more than two thirds of units, despite nearby residents claiming there has been no construction work on the site for more than a Corner Designer Village in North Yorkshire, which gained planning permission in 2016, said it was working towards a March 2026 opening 2020, developers said they were expecting it to launch in autumn 2023 but this was moved back to September councillor Angus Thompson said he had regularly contacted the developer for an update and had been told work was due to restart on the site at the end of June. He said: "There has to be an upgrade to Scotch Corner roundabout before the development can work."The roundabout doesn't cope with the volume of traffic at busy times now and it's going to be a 30% or 40% increase in traffic."Resident Neale Brewster, who lives in Richmond, said he drove past the site every day and had not seen any work taking place for more than 18 months."The development started prior to Covid and over the last couple of years they have not done a lot," he said."Nobody has been anywhere near the site, it's just been one person on site most days."Everything seems to have ground to a halt."Mr Brewster said he had worked in the construction industry for 35 years and would be amazed if the development was completed by March 2026."It's an eyesore. It's frustrating because it could be a good source of local jobs," he added. Marketing director of the development Patrick Hanson-Lowe said they had filled 72% of leases and were keen to "bring premium retailers" to the site."We have the groundwork done to ground level and above ground it is about half built. But we have paused to focus on retail," he added."The internal walls on a development like this are moveable, and a retailer may come in and ask for it be different, so we have to be careful we don't overly build it."Thompson said he believed a decision on the National Highways A66 dual carriageway upgrade would dictate progress.A spokesperson for Scotch Corner Designer Village said it would have "absolutely no impact whatsoever" and the company had begun the lease process, and applied for planning permissions "long before the A66 upgrade project began".North Yorkshire Council was contacted for comment. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
