"Second home? Go home" graffitied on house of permanent Yorkshire Dales resident

The graffiti - described as 'hateful' - was left on doors at a property in the village of Worton in Wensleydale on March 29.

The messages included 'second home, go home' - referring to tensions in the Dales over second home-owners and tourists from cities visiting the National Park during the coronavirus lockdown period.

However, the house targeted by the vandal actually belongs to a permanent resident of the hamlet.

The owner of the cottage later posted a notice in the window asking the perpetrators to leave her alone - and pointed out that although she travels for work, the property is her only residence.

Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 quoting the reference number 12200053511.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority has already warned locals that they risk creating 'unhelpful divisions' by taking action to prevent visitors arriving.

Car parks and lay-bys were blocked in Horton-in-Ribblesdale - where a JCB was parked across the pub entrance - and in West Burton a home-made sign telling people to stay away and protect the NHS was erected.

The Authority accepts that there are concerns over coronavirus spreading in areas with higher elderly populations and fewer health services and have advised against travel to the National Park, but have also pointed out that some of the responses of the residents have been disproportionate.

They fear confrontations with tourists could escalate into disputes that tie up police resources, and reminded residents that the emergency services still need access to car parks in remote locations.

Many Dales communities also depend on both income from tourism and services provided by nearby towns and cities, such as medical care.

A message from the editor - and how to subscribe for postal deliveries of The Yorkshire Post

Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.

And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.

Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing [email protected]. Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available.

If you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country.

sSincerely. Thank you.

James Mitchinson

Editor