Latest news with #Rolo
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Incoming Hershey CEO faces wall of challenges, not least cocoa
Fresh perspective might just be what the doctor ordered - in this case the board of Hershey bringing in a new CEO almost a year before incumbent Michele Buck was due to retire from the confectionery and salty snacks maker. Buck's hands have largely been tied over the last 18 months or so by historically high cocoa prices, with limited options but to keep increasing prices and suffer the impact on confectionery volumes, which dropped a whopping 18% in the first quarter based on a positive three percentage points in price. Hershey can arguably ill-afford to keep suffering such pain when its confectionery brands such as Reese's and Rolo generated more than 80% of the $11.2bn in total group revenue last year, especially when salty snacks demand remains subdued in the US as consumers trim discretionary spending amid still-high living costs. Cocoa futures prices have at least come off the record highs reached in December but are currently still more than double what they were in July 2023. And until prices come down to more conservative levels, incoming CEO Kirk Tanner will have his work cut out to avoid raising prices in confectionery further. If he does, he may just have to stomach the loss of volumes. And early indications for the 2025/26 cocoa harvest season suggest a significant correction in prices is not on the cards anytime soon. Tanner's food industry credentials largely lie in snacks and beverages, fostered during a 30-year stint at PepsiCo, another US giant in the salty snacks category that has also been feeling the pinch from stretched consumers. He spent the last 18 months as CEO of the fast-food chain Wendy's and was obviously tempted by a new challenge at Hershey given such a short shift. And a challenge it looks set to be with many of the hurdles to be circumnavigated beyond his immediate control. A case that held true for Buck too, who Tanner will replace as president, chairman and CEO on 18 August, with the retiring chief acting in a senior advisory role to guide the new man at the top through the ropes. Cocoa prices and the consumer-induced pressure on salty snacks sales have already been mentioned, but then add to the equation the rising popularity of the GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, the Make American Healthy Again campaign being waged by the Trump entourage and his reductions in SNAP benefits. John Baumgartner, a managing director at Japanese investment bank Mizuho Securities, said the appointment of Tanner at least brings 'clarity' on the executive front and removes an uncertainty that threatened to linger until Buck's planned retirement next June. Tanner's appointment, and his experience in snacks, beverages and his record on innovation, 'provides an encouraging foundation for new perspectives', Baumgartner wrote in a research note. However, Alexia Howard, a food analyst at AllianceBernstein, warned the US investment bank has concerns that 'similar pressures will continue to pressure performance in the indulgent snacking space'. She added: 'In particular, increases in GLP-1 use as pill versions emerge in 2026, as well as the elimination of candy from SNAP spending in some states, could be negatives.' Hershey's first-quarter results for fiscal 2025, announced in May, were emblematic of the pressures, despite this year's timing of the Easter celebrations, which in some countries often involve chocolate consumption. Net sales dropped by 13.8% year-on-year on a reported basis to $2.8bn and were down 13.2% in organic terms. Volume/mix fell 15% as prices were increased by two percentage points during the quarter. Organic confectionery sales in North America declined 15.2% to $2.3bn as volume/mix fell 18% on the back of a three percentage-point increase in price. The much smaller salty snacks division – brands such as SkinnyPop popcorn and Pirates Booty - for the same region saw organic sales rise 1% to $277.8m, with volume/mix growth of 4% and negative price of three percentage points. Hershey's international sales were comparative with snacks but with a very different performance outcome – sales down 7.9% at $227.5m, volume/mix retreating by 8% and price a positive one point. The telling story is in Hershey's share price, which has fallen 12% on the New York Stock Exchange in the past year, while adjusted diluted EPS in the opening quarter slid almost 32% to $2.09. However, more than halfway into 2025, the stock is down only 3% and last traded at $164.64. For 2025 as whole, Hershey expects net sales growth of 'at least 2%' but with adjusted EPS likely to be down in the 'mid' 30% range. Whether Hershey chooses to amend that outlook when the second-quarter results are issued at the end of July remains to be seen but Howard suggests Tanner may tweak the longer-term guidance. 'As an outsider coming into a company that has been troubled by sharp increases in cocoa input costs and weak volume trends in recent years, it seems plausible that Mr Tanner will take the opportunity to rebase earnings expectations downwards for next year,' she wrote. 'If this were to happen, it would be a markedly different trajectory from the hypothetical 6%-8% EPS growth (consistent with the company's long-term earnings growth algorithm) that the company presented at the CAGNY conference in February if cocoa input costs were to remain at 2025 levels.' Marley Robinson, an analyst at Just Food's parent company GlobalData, suggests cocoa prices could bounce back up to last year's unprecedented levels if there's another poor cocoa harvest, a scenario that if materialises is likely to test Tanner's mettle soon after he takes the hotseat at Hershey. 'Pod counters in the Ivory Coast have suggested that the upcoming 2025/26 season will see a 10% decline in output. These forecasts are based on elevated mortality rates of flowers and cherelles (young pods), which have occurred despite supportive weather conditions,' Marley says. 'With low cocoa stocks, prices could go back to the highs seen in December 2024 or even higher if we get another poor cocoa harvest.' Meanwhile, Baumgartner at Mizuho wrote that the slope of Hershey's volume declines is likely to moderate but emphasised how 'stubborn cocoa inflation and tariff/health & wellness uncertainties remain limiting factors for visibility into sales and EPS'. Baumgartner added: 'We expect strategic emphasis to remain on consumer segmentation and customer partnerships and, although we believe the long-term growth algorithm is secure in theory (net sales growth of 2-4% and EPS growth of 6-8%), we would be unsurprised to see larger brand-building investments at the outset of Mr Tanner's tenure.' The food-sector analyst explains his theory to Just Food on consumer segmentation by suggesting Tanner might want to 'drill down' on different consumer segments in terms of demographics – how and where they shop, how and where you market to them, what marketing is most effective and how much individuals buy on promotion. 'Not just making one Reese's for the entire country,' he says. 'Hershey's innovation of the last couple of years hasn't been incremental to the category or to the brand. It's probably been more cannibalistic, which is part of the reason it has lost market share consistently,' Baumgartner argues. 'Anybody coming in as an outsider is going to have some fresh perspectives and different experiences that they may be able to apply, whether it's innovation, marketing, supply chain, or whatever.' While the Mizuho MD infers the Bubble Yum and Jolly Rancher's gum brand owner's investment in marketing has not kept up with inflation in the past couple of years, he also says pricing taken by food manufacturers in general, including Hershey, has gone a stretch too far. That, in itself, presents a challenge for volume recovery. Baumgartner suggests prices in a large proportion of food categories have gone up by around 30% since 2021, including confectionery and salty snacks, while food-at-home inflation has climbed about 17% when US household incomes have only gone up by circa 13%. 'You raise the price at double the rate of household income growth. Chocolate in the US has always been a low price point and an impulse purchase but given where prices have gone, it's not really a low-price category anymore,' Baumgartner says. 'We've seen a number of instances where we've had companies reduce prices and volumes have responded fairly quickly.' "Incoming Hershey CEO faces wall of challenges, not least cocoa" was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
BBC News
03-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
'My assistance dog helps me be part of life'
"When you're dealing with a lot of changes in your life, the last thing you think about is getting a dog."But being paired with Rolo, a dedicated assistance dog, in 2021 has been invaluable for Andrew Miles, who suffered a spinal cord injury in a car crash in Brazil a decade black labrador helps the 70-year-old, who now uses a wheelchair, with a range of day-to-day tasks - from picking up dropped keys to moving clothes in and out of the washing Miles, who lives in Derby, said Rolo also helped him be "part of life", but the charity that brought them together has temporarily closed its waiting list to new applicants due to a lack of volunteers. Canine Partners, based in Leicestershire, has now issued an urgent appeal for people to come forward to train puppies who will go on to become assistance dogs for people with physical Miles had not considered an assistance dog until a chance encounter with another wheelchair user and their canine companion while shopping in the Meteor Centre in said: "We were chatting, comparing notes because we were both in chairs and the penny dropped, because I'd never thought about it." Mr Miles applied to the charity but, with lockdowns due to the Covid-19 pandemic, he was unable to spend the required two weeks at its base in Osgathorpe, near Canine Partners moved Rolo into his home and visited daily for training, and the two have never looked Miles said: "He's trained to pick things up for me - my keys, my gloves. "If I'm out in the workshop doing some jobs, he'll pick up a screwdriver or something."And for me, it may sound quite a minor thing for the onlooker, but actually when you're in a wheelchair and you drop something, it's a real pain."Rolo also opens and closes doors for Mr Miles but said he provided more than practical help."When you're involved in a life-changing accident or you have an illness that comes and changes your ability to be mobile you sometimes sort of step back and let life go by," he explained."Because I've got a dog, I've got responsibility. A canine partner help you be part of life. They don't let you watch the world go by." Canine Partners had about 100 people on its waiting list when it closed to new volunteers look after puppies until they are about 15 months old, teaching them basic obedience and socialisation dogs are then paired with their new companions, who they will live with, and begin specialist training, which costs about £50,000 per dog trainer Steph Dainty said: "Volunteers really do start the dog's first chapter off for us and get them to the amazing standard they need to be to then come in to do the assistance dog stuff."They can really go on to do some amazing things. "People are always shocked by what our dogs can do - and then want one for themselves."Lucy Eldred, chief executive of the charity, added: "Other than the time and the commitment, you don't need any specialist skills or experience."We're looking for anything that anyone would offer any normal dog in puppyhood, which is a loving, caring home and basic obedience and basic socialisation."
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Latest casualties of the cost of living crisis: Rover and Mittens
Shannon Shorten and her family have spent more than $8,000 in emergency vet visits for their 12-year-old cat Rolo — and she's not sure if they can afford yet another expensive procedure amid the current economic climate. Torontonian Shorten, 52, and her husband adopted Rolo and his brother, Toffee, both orange tabbies, more than a decade ago at a cat rescue. 'I am a redhead, my two boys are redheads, so we needed an orange cat,' she said. Having grown up with outdoor cats who required frequent vet visits, she initially believed she might be able to save on these costs since Rolo and Toffee are both indoor cats. But Rolo ended up having pica, the compulsive urge to eat inedible items. He took a liking to Styrofoam and the stuffing inside toys, leading to a blockage in his digestive tract and his first surgery in 2021. The tests and the surgery (which resulted in Rolo getting 18 staples) set Shorten and her husband back at least $4,000. A year later, Rolo's bad eating habits hurt him again. Shorten said they opted for a minimally invasive procedure this time to save Rolo some of the pain and trauma, but it meant an additional $4,000 out of their pockets. 'We always have that fear because he has a heart murmur too: Will he even survive (another) surgery?' Shorten said. She and her husband also aren't sure if they can afford another emergency vet visit that would cost them thousands of dollars, on top of other financial responsibilities such as meeting their mortgage payments and caring for their children. They are among a growing number of Canadians grappling with the rising cost of animal care, resulting in skipped vet visits and even pet abandonment. Half of pet owners have not brought their pets to the veterinarian for care within the past year or have declined previous recommended care, according to research from Gallup, Inc. and PetSmart Charities of Canada. The majority of those that have skipped or declined care (67 per cent) said this was due to financial reasons, such as not being able to afford care or not believing the care was worth the cost. Dr. Maggie Brown-Bury, executive member of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), based in St John's, N.L., said cost has always been an issue deterring some Canadians from accessing veterinary care for their pets. But she has noticed a shift in the past year or so, with pet owners making fewer appointments and the topic of money emerging more often in decisions to postpone veterinary care. The cost factor is twofold, she said. 'Everything is becoming more expensive, and so everyone has less to spend on their pets,' Brown-Bury said. 'At the same time, veterinary clinics are staffed with people who are facing those same increases, so we're trying to make sure that we're paying our staff a living wage, which means the cost of labour is going up, and then the cost of our supplies is going up, and so the cost of our services have to therefore also go up.' Shorten, who is self-employed, said the ongoing trade war has taken a major hit to her baby products business, BabyJack Products Inc., resulting in supply issues, fluctuating sales and unstable income. She avoids taking the cats to the vet for routine checkups unless it's necessary. 'To figure out what's wrong with a cat, you start with the basics, so they'll do blood work, and then, all of a sudden, it's an x-ray, and then maybe it's an ultrasound,' she said. 'The bill just rises so quickly with pets.' A March report from found veterinary service costs have surged, with office visits, preventive care and vaccinations increasing by up to 50 per cent for dogs and 25 per cent for cats last year. This appears to be an ongoing trend: A 2023 CVMA report indicated that households spent a total of $9.3 billion on veterinary and other services for pets in 2022, more than double the $4 billion spent in 2019. Sophie (whose surname has been withheld to protect her privacy) said she and her partner spend nearly $4,000 in veterinary bills for their two dogs every year. Diego, a pure-bred American Staffordshire Terrier with a pair of perpetually upturned ears, is a gentle 13-year-old senior, while Murphy is an energetic six-year-old rescue mutt. They feature on Sophie's pet social media account, @murphspaldiego. Sophie, who is in her thirties, works in the information technology sector and lives on Vancouver Island, B.C. She began posting content about her pets in the beginning of 2024 but started a new series this year in which she documents the monthly costs of pet care. 'I thought it was good to show how (these costs) fluctuate so much, like none of those numbers are ever remotely the same any month,' she said, noting that emergency vet bills can boost expenses significantly. Diego, for example, requires a monthly injection for his arthritis, which has gone up from about $107 to $126 a month since he started taking it. But he has also undergone four surgeries in his lifetime to have melanomas removed, which set Sophie and her partner back thousands of dollars. As a dual-income household with no children, the couple has the leeway to afford veterinary care, so far. Sophie said she and her partner have started stashing about $100 a month into an emergency savings account in case of these surprise expenses. But others struggle to afford the cost of caring for their animals. The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society told Financial Post it is seeing a 16 per cent increase in the number of animals entering its care for re-homing year-over-year across the province. PetSmart Charities of Canada president Aimee Gilbreath said advancements in veterinary care result in more potential for pets to recover from illness or injury and to live longer, but noted many of these treatments and procedures are expensive. 'Unlike human healthcare, those are not subsidized by the government or by your employer,' Gilbreath said. 'You have to pay the full cost.' The veterinary care most often declined included diagnostic procedures such as blood tests and preventive care such as annual check-ups and vaccinations, according to the CVMA report. However, some respondents also said they had forgone recommended medications and declined elective and even life-saving surgeries for their pets. 'The most significant consequence to people hesitating to spend the money is what could have been a small problem becomes a bigger problem, which unfortunately also can mean a more expensive problem — or in the worst-case scenario, a problem that we can no longer fix,' said Brown-Bury. 'There has been an increase in people giving up their pets … and people opting for humane euthanasia (to ensure their pet is not suffering) when there may have been a treatment option that they can't afford to pursue.' Chantelle Archambault, communications director at the Vancouver Humane Society, said its McVitie program, which provides emergency funding for life-saving veterinary care for pets in low-income households across B.C., has ballooned from less than 200 applications in 2020 to about 1,600 in 2024. 'This year, we have already processed more than 900 applications,' Archambault said in an email, noting more people are struggling to afford veterinary care as the cost of living has gone up. 'Increasingly, applicants … mention that their rent alone is nearly the same as their full monthly income,' she added. 'Many applicants report having only $100 to $200 per month left for food for themselves, their pet and other necessities.' Christine Van Tol, 54, is a two-time recipient of this funding for her three-year-old orange cat, Milo, who has been prone to developing urinary tract blockages. Van Tol, who has multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia and other autoimmune issues and relies on disability paychecks to make ends meet, said she had not intended on adopting another cat when she already had one and was grappling with much higher rent payments. However, after rescuing the scrawny kitten and being unable to find him a home, Van Tol decided to keep Milo, who developed a special bond with her other cat, Leia. Unfortunately, Leia underwent kidney failure a year later and Van Tol made the difficult decision to opt for humane euthanasia at the vet, scrounging up $800 from birthday money and her income tax refund to cover all the costs. But when Milo had a urinary tract infection that took a sudden turn for the worse, Van Tol could not afford an expensive surgery so soon after paying for Leia's veterinary care. She went to three different clinics until she found out about financial aid through the McVitie program. She received $500 through the program and managed to raise the remaining $1,200 she needed through GoFundMe within two days. However, 10 months later, Milo was suffering from yet another blockage. Van Tol knew she had to either end his suffering or try one last procedure: a $3,500 perineal urethrostomy (PU) to surgically open the urethra. Luckily, she was able to get funds from the McVitie program and GoFundMe again to get the procedure, done this year. I sacrificed everything ... I wasn't ready to say goodbye Christine Van Tol 'I sacrificed everything,' she said. 'I wasn't ready to say goodbye.' Milo is faring much better today, though Van Tol still has him on a special diet. While pet insurance can save owners money, this can cost pet owners anywhere from $120 to $1,200 or more per year, according to It is also much easier to get coverage for a pet in the early stages of its life, with few providers willing to cover treatment for pre-existing conditions. Gilbreath advised pet owners to be open and transparent about their financial circumstances with their veterinarians. She suggested asking about payment plans and grants, creating a rainy day fund and searching for clinics with lower cost options. High cost of living forcing Canadians to make concessions on auto theft prevention Tariffs causing rising uncertainty in Canadian businesses: StatCan 'The reality is that the magnitude of the problem in Canada alone is billions of dollars a year,' Gilbreath said. 'Addressing this is going to really require all of the facets of the industry to come together.' • Email: slouis@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Daily Mirror
08-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Popular holiday resort issues new tourist rules which could cost Brits £1,000s
Brits will face penalty charges of up to £3,375 for tourists who flout behaviour codes in the Algarve resort of Albufeira after city hall legislators approved the strict new rules The Algarve holiday resort town of Albufeira, Portugal, has gone to war with badly-behaved Brit tourists by approving huge new fines. Penalty charges of up to €4,000 (£3,375) for holidaymakers who flout a strict new good behaviour code were agreed on Friday by local councillors. British tourists were first warned about the new get-tough rules in February when Albufeira 's mayor Jose Carlos Rolo announced the 'Code of Conduct' plans and put proposals out to public consultation. This week the process took a giant leap forward as it emerged holidaymakers can be hit with the fines once they are published in an official state bulletin, expected to happen soon. People who enter bars and other business premises with their tops off will face fines of up to €1,500 (£1,250) under the new rules, with the wearing of beachwear outside of allowed areas also being tackled. Spitting or urinating in the street will be punished with fines of between €150 (£125) and €750 (£630). And badly-behaved tourists who end up naked in public, or get caught having or simulating sex, face fines of between €2,000 (£1,685) and €4,000 (£3,375). Bars and cafes who let customers in without the proper dress code will also be hit with financial penalties under the new rules. Mayor Mr Rolo last night signalled his intent to try to take Albufeira upmarket and win back some of the families said to have been scared off by the reports of alcohol and drug-fuelled behaviour. He told local press "tourists who fall down drunk aren't needed here at all" as he said he was seeking a three-pronged approach of 'dissuasive measures', marketing and meetings with British diplomats. He also called on the central government to draft in more police. The mayor said: 'We want security to be visible. Sending 10 police officers to stay at their station isn't going to solve the problem.' Only one of the 25 Albufeira councillors who voted opposed the new Code of Conduct, with critic Leonardo Paco claiming everything in it was already covered by national legislation. Other dissenters have cast doubt on the idea that police will end up going into bars and cafes to check whether tourists have their tops on. Last summer a group of partying British tourists put on a shocking display of public nudity which led to locals questioning the type of visitor the town attracted. Footage of their drunken antics, showing them naked on their knees in a line on top of a bar counter, went viral as Mr Rolo called the display 'deeply negative' and said he would call for police reinforcements. Eight British holidaymakers were later identified by cops. The GNR police force is understood to have discovered who they were following an investigation. The jaw-dropping scenes happened at Route Caffe 66 on the Oura Strip, Albufeira's equivalent of the infamous Punta Ballena party strip in Magaluf. One of the revellers was seen slapping the bare backside of a pal who was part of the bizarre party train. It is not immediately clear what if any action has been taken against them following an investigation.
Daily Mail
05-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Appleby Horse Fair police catch drivers high on cocaine and cannabis as they arrest 49 and RSPCA probe animal cruelty cases at Europe's biggest gypsy gathering
Europe's largest gypsy gathering has seen a spate of drug drivers stopped by police, with the RSPCA also probing animal cruelty accusations. Police have revealed there were 49 arrests in the days leading up to the fair opening and drug driving had been 'a theme'. The RSPCA is also investigating reports of animal cruelty, including two ponies being abandoned by the roadside in a Cumbrian village close to where Appleby Horse Fair is underway. A member of the public also reported a horse being beaten and anti cruelty investigators have launched a probe. Cumbria Police Superintendent Daniel St Quintin, Gold Commander for the fair, said: 'The most serious arrests we had yesterday were two drug drivers. 'That seems to be a theme this year where we are catching quite a few drug drivers, either for cannabis or cocaine and they are getting dealt with accordingly.' The arrests generally relate to drug and drink driving, drug possession and low level public order and anti-social behaviour offences. Police said the arrests were not limited to travellers, with some local people also arrested. Cumbria RSPCA chief inspector Rob Melloy, said: 'Unfortunately there are still a minority of people that come here who will abuse the animals and run the horses far too much and work them too hard, but that is what we are here for, we are here to try and find those guys and stop them. 'We have had a couple of ponies that have been dumped and we have an ongoing investigation into a horse that was being hit inappropriately. 'A member of the public saw the horse being hit and reported it, resulting in the investigation. We have managed to save that horse basically.' The incidents are understood to have occurred in outlying villages in the Appleby area over the last week. Up to 10,000 travellers and 30,000 other visitors are arriving in Appleby-in-Westmorland as locals prepare for disorder which often accompanies the event. The picturesque town has a population of 3,000 for 51 weeks of the year - but this all changes in the first week of June thanks to the annual event which began in 1775. In the days leading up to the fair on the banks of the River Eden, travellers have been accused of smashing up a cricket pavilion, racing carriages along village streets, threatening locals with a penknife and fouling footpaths with human excrement. But MailOnline also found a softer side to the event today, with four-year-old Jimmy Cole posing for a photograph with his miniature Shetland pony called Rolo. Jimmy was riding the 'flashing lane' where travellers ride their horses on a country road behind Fair Hill, alongside thundering ponies three times the size of his. His father, also called Jimmy, who travelled up from London, said: 'He's only four but he's got a great understanding with Rolo. He's four years old and a miniature Shetland so he won't grow much bigger. 'We're all enjoying Appleby, especially young Jimmy. He loves horses but Rolo will always be his favourite. They've been on the flashing lane, but Rolo is not for sale.' Meanwhile Scarlett Tipton, 17, from Stockport, Greater Manchester, was putting her pony Duchess through her paces on the streets of the town. Scarlett said: 'I love coming to Appleby, I'm here every year with my family. Duchess is loving the flashing lane this year, it's been great fun. I just wish the rain would stop.' MailOnline also spoke to fortune teller Melvina Smith, who has been attending Appleby for 30 years. She said: 'The fair has changed so much over the years. 'It used to be a calm place where you could come to relax. These days it's so much busier and it's sad that there's so much trouble now. You see a lot of bad behaviour, which is mostly down to drink.' Ms Smith, from Blackpool, Lancashire, bills herself as a 'true born gypsy' who reads palms and tells fortunes. She added: 'My mother and her mother before her had the gift and it's been passed down to me.' It comes after footage posted on social media yesterday showed a line of travellers on horse-drawn carriages are seen galloping down a road causing traffic to come to a snail's pace. In a video titled 'Appleby 2025 so far', a toddler is seen being held by his mother on the back of a horse. Travellers have also been washing their horses in the River Eden as part of a long-held tradition to prepare them for sale and to cool them off. Billed as the largest traditional gathering of the community in Europe, the annual fair features horse riding, horse trading, traditional music, dance performances and shopping stalls. A special police task force has so far dealt with offences of burglary, criminal damage, racist abuse, knife crime and faced a torrent of criticism after finding it necessary to handcuff a 10-year-old boy. Also present is the RSPCA - which is keeping an eye out for anyone failing to treat their animals with respect. Cumbria RSPCA chief inspector Rob Melloy, said: 'Unfortunately there are still a minority of people that come here who will abuse the animals and run the horses far too much and work them too hard. 'But that is what we are here for, we are here to try and find those guys and stop them. 'We have had a couple of ponies that have been dumped and we have an ongoing investigation into a horse that was being hit inappropriately. 'A member of the public saw the horse being hit and reported it, resulting in the investigation. We have managed to save that horse basically.' The incidents are understood to have occurred in outlying villages in the Appleby area over the last week. Cumbria police said 49 arrests had been made in the area during the run-up to the fair. Superintendent Daniel St Quintin, Gold Commander for the fair, said: 'The most serious arrests we had yesterday were two drug drivers. 'That seems to be a theme this year where we are catching quite a few drug drivers, either for cannabis or cocaine and they are getting dealt with accordingly.' The arrests generally relate to drug and drink driving, drug possession and low level public order and anti-social behaviour offences and involved a mixture of those living in the region and visitors. Boxing champ Tyson Fury sparked excitement that he might be on his way to the fair when he posted an Instagram video riding a horse and trap. But he later confirmed he had just been seen taking a ride around Knutsford in Cheshire for scenes filmed for his Netflix show. Ahead of the fair, a surge in crime around quaint Kirkby Lonsdale in Cumbria caused anxiety among locals ahead of the fair starting today. Local sporting venue, Kirkby Lonsdale Cricket club, has seen its pavilion smashed up, as no windows remain in the wooden structure. Cumbria Police say three 10-year-old boys - only just within the age of criminal responsibility - were arrested over the attack as part of the wider Appleby Fair policing operation. There were also problems at Woodclose Park caravan site where police investigated reports of criminal damage and the racial abuse of a security guard. It was reported that a group of traveller children had been abusive to staff and when asked to leave the park's reception set off fire extinguishers All the complaints led the police to visit the makeshift camp in a layby at the town's Devil's Bridge where dozens of caravans congregated ahead of the fair in Appleby, which is 40 miles away. A field has been handed over by the town for the travellers to graze their horses as a safety measure to make sure they aren't causing a hazard tethered on roadside verges. In an earlier incident police detained and handcuffed two traveller children after a penknife was produced in front of a shocked local on a riverside path. The police action in the layby at Kirkby Lonsdale was captured on video by the boys' mother, showing one of her sons in tears tethered by the wrist to a policeman. The mother posted: 'Our boys were put in handcuffs on the basis of false allegations! Pure abuse of power and provoking behaviour! Bullying 10-year-olds! 'You wouldn't see them doing this to anyone other community! And they wonder why our children are afraid of them, this could of been handled in a completely different manner!' William Lee, from Blackpool, was furious at the intervention of Cumbria Police, posting videos of the confrontation on social media. Mr Lee posted: 'We're on the way up to Appleby on our holidays as we have done for generations these these police have been to a several times as we've been travelling we all feel very intimidated and picked on can everyone please share this post thank you.' In one video he says: 'We are gypsy people stopping at Fell End and hurting no one. Other vehicles are parked on common land and they are not going to check them out, they are just checking gypsy vehicles. Is this racism?' Locals said they have never seen so many Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) people descend on the town so early. For years the town was the focus of the pre-fair gathering but in the recent past locals have fought back, closing down services and pubs and shutting off the places where travellers would usually set up camp. One Kirkby Lonsdale local told MailOnline: 'They seem to have descended on us this year and have come earlier and in bigger numbers than we have seen before. 'There have been problems caused by gypsy children in the town centre and closer to the camp they have set up in a layby.' One of the biggest concerns for locals - apart from the disruption, criminal damage, littering and occasional assault - is the welfare of the thousands of horses driven to Appleby to be traded in the streets. Last year two horses died at Appleby, one a three-year-old stallion and the other a Shetland pony, both deaths due to exhaustion and overworking. The RSPCA intervened in 438 cases in total. Local campaigners say stricter regulations need to be placed on the event with spot checks on animal passports. The Appleby Fair Communities Group said: 'There are no checks on horse passports, we know horses are traded but the authorities never spot check passports. We know horses are moved, but with no check on passports ever. ' Some of Appleby's pubs remain open, but many close down for the weekend, fearing trouble between rival traveller factions. One resident told MailOnline: 'My husband and I pack up for the weekend and leave town, it just isn't worth staying here. 'The town changed beyond recognition with horses being raced up and down the high street and tethered to every railing, it goes from being a peaceful country town into something from the Wild West. 'It's the small things that annoy you as much as the rampant disorder, there is always damage caused and the drunkenness and fighting that comes every year is scary. 'We're not alone in moving out, Lots of people do it just to escape the mayhem.' One of the 'small things' to annoy Appleby residents so far this year is that small wooden animals that were painted by local children have been pulled off the railings at one of the town's play parks. A local woman fumed: 'Why would they even touch this? That's pretty tragic really.' Travellers are also accused of digging up or sawing down stakes hammered into roadside verges with the aim of keeping horses and caravans from parking up. Pictures show a road into Appleby with traveller vehicles parked all the way along a grassy verge. Locals claim the posts hammered in by the local authority with signs nailed on making it clear parking was banned, have been uprooted. Cumbria Police has warned motorists to expect slow-moving traffic in the next two weeks because of the Appleby Fair. Detective Superintendent Dan St Quintin of Cumbria Police – Police Gold Commander for Appleby Horse Fair – said: 'Public safety is our number one priority for Appleby Horse Fair which is why we are encouraging all road users to be cautious and vigilant on the roads. 'Drivers need to be aware that the likelihood that they encounter slow-moving traffic is high so please pay extra attention when travelling around the county. 'I ask people to pay particular attention when driving on the A66, where there is the potential for fast-moving traffic to encounter slow-moving, potentially horse-drawn, vehicles. 'Please take extra care, be patient and plan ahead and set off early. Let's make sure everyone reaches their destination safely.' Caravans set up camp in a field for the annual Appleby Horse Fair on June 4 A traditional horse drawn caravan makes its way to the annuall fair Cumbria Police has warned motorists to expect slow-moving traffic in the next two weeks because of the Appleby Fair A local business park in Kirkby Lonsdale tried in vain to stop gypsies useing their car parks by blocking entrances with containers Caravans have also taken over a farmers field en route to Appleby 'There have been problems caused by gypsy children in the town centre and closer to the camp they have set up in a layby,' a local said Locals say they have never seen so many Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) people descend on the town so early The fair is held outside the town of Appleby, at the point where the old Roman Road crosses Long Marton Road, on Gallows Hill, which was named after the public hangings that were once carried out there. It was once thought the fair originated from a royal charter to the borough of Appleby from King James II of England in 1685, although more recent research has found the charter was cancelled before it was ever enacted. The gathering is sometimes known as 'the New Fair' because Appleby's medieval borough fair, held at Whitsuntide, ceased in 1885. The 'New Fair' began in 1775 for sheep and cattle drovers and horse dealers to sell their stock. By the 1900s it had evolved into a major Gypsy/Traveller event which brought families from across the UK and Europe. In its 250-year-history the fair has only been cancelled twice, the first in 2001 during the foot and mouth outbreak and the second in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic.
