Orchard Park residents have spoken of their delight that two tower blocks on the estate will be pulled down. Gorthorpe and Kinthorpe high rises are to be demolished after a city council U-turn.

It was agreed two years ago to keep the blocks and include them in a £15.3m housing investment plan for the area. Now councillors have ruled refurbishing them would too costly.

At the Pint & Pot, in Ellerburn Avenue, drinkers said they will be pleased to see the back of the flats.

Angie Fox, of Jipdane, grew up on the estate, where the skyline has been dominated by tower blocks since the 1960s.

She said: "It's good they're coming down – everyone will tell you the same around here.

"There has been a lot of trouble with drugs in them over the years."

Her friend Sylvia Woollons, who lives in Cladshaw, agreed. "It's a good thing they're bringing the blocks down," she said.

"I remember them going up. They were fine to start with. Old people went to live in them.

"But then the young 'uns moved in and it went downhill."

Under plans, the flats will be replaced with 94 one and two-bedroom council houses.

"That's good," said Sylvia. "My son was on the housing list for a year, before he eventually got somewhere.

"A lot of people, born and bred on Orchard Park, have had to move off the estate, because there just is not the houses."

Angie said: "It's good Orchard Park is having some money spent on it.

"In the past, all the money has been spent on Bransholme. It makes a nice change."

A few tables away, Val Baxter, who moved with her family to the estate in 1963, drank coffee and discussed the fate of the tower blocks.

"We'll get much better views, more sunshine and no drugs," said Val, summing up the benefits in a sentence.

Her friend, Gillian Hayton, says she hopes the new homes will go to north Hull people.

"We have mothers with kids, who have grown up round here, still waiting for a two-bed council house. To me, and to a lot of other people round here, that's wrong."

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VICTIMS of hate crime are being urged to come forward and report their experiences to the police. The call comes after Kallum Crosby and Jamie Norris were jailed this week for pushing a man into the River Humber and then boasting they did it because he was gay.

Stephen Mirfin has been the hate crime and diverse community co-ordinator for Humberside Police for five years. He believes more people are reporting hate crime, whether relating to race, gender or sexuality, but believes too many are still suffering in silence.

Mr Mirfin said: "Unfortunately, hate crime still happens and the big thing for us is to get people to report it. There has been a lot of progression within the police on this issue. We are getting more and more reports, which we see as a good thing.

"It is encouraging to think people feel confident enough to come to use and report such crimes. We realise in the past that hate crime has been under-reported and we want to build up that confidence. We expect there to be a steady increase in reports."

Mr Mirfin feels the force has made big strides over the years in dealing with hate crime.

He said: "We have been working with Andy Train, of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Forum, and other groups.

"In the past, people have just accepted what is happening to them, particularly with low-level crime such as name-calling.

"But it is important we get the full picture and people need to report all matters to us. It also helps us identify people early on.

"Those responsible for terrible hate crimes, such as murder, probably began with name-calling. We want to help educate people early on."

Mr Mirfin admits dealing with hate crime is not easy.

He said: "Many of these cases need to be sensitively handled. A victim may not have come out to friends and family yet so won't want the police coming round to his or her home. We have reporting centres across the area if people feel intimidated by police stations.

"Even if people don't want to take the matter further we at least know about it and can record it. We are very much victim-focused and will listen to what they want."

The court heard this week how Crosby and Norris followed their victim as he walked home alone from Fuel bar to Victoria Pier on January 7, where they pushed him in.

The pair later boasted about the attack to a worker in a takeaway, telling her they did it because he was gay.

Their victim was trapped in thick mud, but managed to call 999 from his mobile phone and was freed. He was treated for cuts and bruises at Hull Royal Infirmary.

Crosby, of Thurston Close, Bransholme, and Norris, of Terry Street in west Hull, both admitted attempted robbery.

Crosby was sentenced to four and a half years and Norris to three years nine months in jail.

Hate crime can have a devastating impact on the lives of victims.

Mr Mirfin said: "It is also important to understand the impact on victims.

"Some people can't face going out anymore and others stop going to school or university. If they stop socialising they often lose their support network. It can be a huge problem for them."

Anyone wishing to report a hate crime can call the 24-hours hotline on 0300 123 4283 or Mr Mirfin on 01482 220707.

PLANS to recreate a thatched roof on one of Hull's oldest domestic dwellings are set to be shelved amid fears it could become a target for arsonists from Bransholme.

An historic buildings trust currently working on Victoria Cottage in Lowgate, Sutton, say the proximity of the estate is one factor behind its move.

The former farmhouse dates from the late 17th century. It is currently being restored to something close to its original glory by the Buildings At Risk Trust, which acquired the property from its previous owner in 2009.

But the trust says it now wants to abandon proposals to cover the roof in traditional thatch because it could be vulnerable to an arson attack.

Under the facelift project, the cottage will eventually be divided into two properties, one for sale and the other for rent.

In a planning submission to Hull City Council, the trust says: "While an existing consent has been obtained to re-cover the main property's roof in thatch following research to confirm this was the original roof covering, it has become a concern that it may be inappropriate to reinstate this covering, primarily due to fears of an enhanced fire hazard.

"The properties front the road and because the construction is fundamentally single storey, the thatch with its required overhang of the wall plate would be within easy reach of a passer-by.

"It is of considerable concern that this might present an enhanced passive fire hazard, for example from a discarded cigarette, or perhaps of more concern an allurement to someone to attempt to light the thatch.

"While it is disappointing to have to consider the locality of the Bransholme estate as a factor, it is a concern which many passing local residents have informally discussed during the repair programme."

A new planning application seeking approval to re-roof the grade two listed building with clay pantiles will be considered by city councillors next week after they carry out a site visit to inspect the ongoing work.

The cottage had a tiled roof when it was originally designated as a listed building.

In its submission, the trust says a thatched roof could still be considered at some point.

It said: "If, in the future, the situation is perceived to have changed, the roof can be recovered in thatch as the roof repairs have been carried out in the expectation that the covering would be thatch.

"One great concern initially in 2010 regarding the re-tiling of the property was the ability of the roof to support the extra weight of the tile covering versus the thatch.

"This concern has been ameliorated as the repairs have reintroduced considerable strength to the roof, which previous decay and ill-considered alterations had removed."

Hull City in Europa League | Aston Villa match reportAm I dreaming? Hull City are in Europe! It was a day to forget on the pitch for Hull City, but the talk quickly turned to qualification for the Europa League. Sorry Liverpool fans, but Manchester City's victory over Everton was just what the Tigers ordered to confirm a place in Europe next season as FA Cup finalists, because Arsenal are now guaranteed Champions League football. The prospect of travelling across Europe supporting your football team is one that I'm sure will excite City fans. Winning the cup would mean us going straight into the group stage, graced last season by the likes of Lazio, Valencia, PSV and Fiorentina; losing would see us start in the third qualifying round in July, which would no doubt give Steve Bruce a headache over his pre-season plans. But what a problem to have! The KC Stadium could be playing host to some famous clubs from the continent next season, just a decade after the likes of Kidderminster and Darlington were regular visitors. It may not sink in until fans are on a midweek trip to Moldova, but it is another remarkable achievement for Bruce, who has worked wonders with a squad that many expected to struggle. If Norwich fail to beat Chelsea today, we can finally relax and enjoy the climax to what is turning out to be City's best ever season. Defence unusually poor against Aston Villa To the Villa game, then. For a City side that has prided itself on its defensive resolve so much this season, the first half just wasn't good enough. Curtis Davies was particularly off-colour, and it's not often any of us have had to say that about him this season. Davies, for whatever reason, simply wasn't his calm, assured self and he played with an anxiety we've not really witnessed since he joined the club. In fairness, you can count the number of poor games he's had this season on one hand, maybe even one finger. He will know more than anyone that he wasn't up to his own incredibly high standards on Saturday, and he'll no doubt be looking to put that right against Man United on Tuesday. Davies has been the calm head that his fellow defenders have looked towards all year, so it's perhaps no surprise that when he falls short, so do the rest. From a City point of view, all three Villa goals were fairly avoidable. The first reminded me a bit of Sheffield United's second at Wembley. The ease with which Gabby Agbonlahor evaded a couple of challenges and then crossed the ball into Ashley Westwood in the centre wasn't too dissimilar to Stefan Scougall's effort for the Blades last month. You could put it down to a lack of concentration, considering it was only 50 seconds into the game. But from there on in, City were always going to be facing an uphill battle. To be fair to Bruce's men, they recovered enough to gain a bit of a foothold in the game. They started knocking the ball about in the manner that supporters know they can and, when the equaliser came, it wasn't against the run of play. So, when Villa scored their second goal of the game to regain the lead shortly before half-time, it was a kick in the teeth. This goal, like the first, was soft. At least twice, City had a chance to clear their lines, but they never got the ball out of the danger zone. Jelavic did well to keep out Baker's initial header, but should have done much more with the ball when it rebounded back to him off the bar. Fair enough, he had little time to react, but in football, speed of thought is essential. Conceding just before half-time is always a blow, and when Andi Weimann grabbed his second goal just before the break it was doubly hard to take. Of the three goals, this was the one that could be put down more to attacking brilliance than defensive incompetence. It was a fine cross in from Jordan Bowery and an excellent glancing header from Weimann, although, at 5ft 10in, some may question whether he should have been out-jumping Davies and Alex Bruce. It was a bad day all round for City defensively, and I'm sure players and fans alike will be happy to erase it from the memory.James Chester injury a huge blowJames Chester left the pitch injured during the first half yesterday and the early prognosis doesn't look promising. Not only will he miss out on playing at the home of his boyhood team, Manchester United, on Tuesday night, he is now also a major doubt for the FA Cup final. It would be incredibly harsh on Chester if he were to miss out as he has adapted to life in the Premier League seamlessly. Alex Bruce is likely to step in and, while he's an adequate replacement, he's not in the same league as Chester, who will be sorely missed. Sone Aluko, meanwhile, seems to spend more time in the treatment room than he does on the football pitch and his fragility is becoming a bit of a concern. After a fine cameo against Fulham last week, Bruce hinted he would start with Aluko yesterday, only for the forward to injure his ankle in training. It's a shame that such a promising season looks to be petering out, as his return from injury a couple of months ago was met with genuine excitement from City fans. Let's hope for the sake of Aluko and City he recovers in time for the cup final. Who knows, he may just be saving that one moment of magic for Wembley.

Individually poor firstly but also collectively. We will not win games of football with first half performances like that! #HCAFC

— Curtis Davies #6 (@TheCurtisDavies) May 3, 2014

Feel so helpless and angry 2bh reading news of another terror attack in Abuja. May those who have died RIP. I pray their deaths spark change

— Sone Aluko (@sonealuko) May 2, 2014

Steve Bruce has paid tribute to the "remarkable" achievements of his Hull City side after a weekend that saw a place in the Europa League and Premier League confirmed for next season.

Despite falling to a meek 3-1 loss at Aston Villa on Saturday, the greatest campaign in the Tigers' 110 years was embellished a fortnight before facing Arsenal in the FA Cup final.

Manchester City's 3-2 win at Everton guaranteed the Gunners will finish in the Champions League and provided Bruce's side with their own passport to the Europa League, while Norwich's 0-0 draw at Chelsea yesterday finally dismissed the last fears of relegation.

Adventures on the continent will now run alongside another season in the top flight, lifting City's meteoric rise over the last decade to dizzy new heights.

Bruce can look forward to managing in Europe for the first time but the Tigers boss admitted it was a struggle to appreciate the moment after a "flimsy" defeat to Villa.

"On an awful day, if someone had said to me two years ago we'd be safe in the Premier League, planning for a FA Cup final and in Europe, they'd be carting me off in white coats," said Bruce. "It's quite remarkable. But we'll not last long in Europe playing like that."

Although City have much to look forward to with a FA Cup final and European football, Bruce was far from impressed as his side relied upon a favour from Chelsea yesterday to see survival secured.

Conceding three first-half goals to a struggling Aston Villa side, the Tigers served up their worst performance of the season.

"We won't play that badly again. We couldn't be any worse," said Bruce, with a FA Cup final 12 days away.

"It might be just a gentle reminder. If we were getting ahead of ourselves, football has a habit of bringing you down a peg or two.

"I haven't had to rant and rave on many occasions but that was so not like us.

"We were lackadaisical, we didn't win anything at all that we shouldn't have done.

"That upset me more than anything. It's not like us. We've prided ourselves on being tough to beat and tough to break down.

"What goes on in a dressing room stays there but there were a few words to be said."

City will get the chance to shake off the disappointment of losing to Villa when travelling to Manchester United tomorrow before the Premier League season rounds off with a home game with Everton on Sunday.

Only then will Bruce accept the thoughts of his players switching towards the FA Cup final and he added: "It's difficult to keep everyone focused. Everyone in Hull is talking about it.

"Whether they've got their tickets, whether they've got their suits, how their families are getting there. All the nonsense that goes with it.

"Let's be fair, it's inevitable. Keeping people focused on the job ahead is difficult but we've still got a job to do in the Premier League."

Hull City defender James Chester is fearing FA Cup final heartache as he awaits scan results on a hamstring injury suffered in the 3-1 loss at Aston Villa on Saturday.

The 25-year-old limped off late in the first half when aggravating the same problem that has twice resulted in extended spells out this season.

Updates are expected to come today but with just 12 days remaining before facing Arsenal at Wembley the signs are not promising for Chester.

"You'd have to say he's a big concern," said Steve Bruce. "It's a recurrence of the hamstring injury he got at Newcastle in September and then damaged it again at Norwich.

"It's not looking good for him. It's cruel on him, really, really cruel."

The same troublesome hamstring has already seen Chester miss 11 weeks and then a further five weeks this term. Even a minor strain would, therefore, be enough to rule him out for at least a fortnight.

Paul McShane's return from injury could be a timely one but City's injury problems were extended to Sone Aluko.

The forward rolled his ankle in training on Friday and though Aluko's outlook is more promising than Chester's, Bruce was unable to deliver positive news.

He added: "Unfortunately he's another concern. It was one of those horrible accidents. Jogging along and he put his foot in a divot. I wouldn't say he's definitely out but it'll be touch and go."

FOR the second year in succession the May Day weekend had something very special in store for Hull City. A year on from winning automatic promotion to the Premier League in a breathless conclusion to the Championship season, another famous chapter has sent the club back into the realms of the ridiculous.

As well as seeing another 12 months in the top flight rubber-stamped, the Tigers have found themselves propelled on to the European stage for the first time in their history.

The two wonderful outcomes required helping hands from others after a limp defeat to Aston Villa but 2014-15 will now bring adventures in both the Premier League and Europa League.

No wonder Steve Bruce fears being tracked by those "men in white coats".

The mood of the City boss will have improved significantly in the hours that followed a trip to Villa Park.

There he could barely crack a smile after witnessing a demise as poor as any this season. "It's been an awful day," was the immediate and damning conclusion.

Within a couple of hours, though, City were in Europe. Within a day all threat of relegation had vanished.

Awful had quickly become awfully good.

Twelve months ago it was Leeds United's final day win at Watford that confirmed City's ascent to the next level.

This time it was Manchester City and Chelsea to thank for a delicious denouement.

Everton's defeat at home to Manchester City on Saturday evening brought confirmation that the Tigers' FA Cup final opponents Arsenal would again be in the Champions League. A Europa League spot, therefore, belongs to City.

And then came a much greater, albeit less romantic, prize. Norwich's 0-0 draw at Chelsea yesterday afternoon ensured Premier League visas were finally extended for another year. Mission complete.

Bruce will allow his side an off-day with the FA Cup final against Arsenal just 12 days away, especially with the riches delivered these past eight months, but the Tigers boss struggled for perspective on Saturday.

A defeat as poor as any this season saw to that. City were timidly beaten by a Villa side that had begun the day below them in the Premier League. The defence of a Wembley distraction did not wash for their furious boss.

Bruce will have woken this morning in better spirits ahead of a return to Manchester United tomorrow night but that is not to say he is a man free of trouble. There is still too much at stake this season for him to relax.

Defeat at Villa Park provided more questions than answers ahead of a Wembley final Bruce is loath to view as just a day out. Undone tactically and technically, City got everything they deserved.

From Ashley Westwood's goal after 57 seconds to Andrea Weimann's quick-fire brace just the break, Villa's appetite was handsomely rewarded.

A Jordan Bowery own goal in between gave hope for the visitors but it was only ever short-lived.

Only goalkeeper Steve Harper could claim to have enhanced his chances of playing in the FA Cup final. With James Chester now likely to miss out with a cruel recurrence of a hamstring injury and Sone Aluko also struggling with a twisted ankle, there is suddenly question marks hanging over half the Wembley team.

Experiments, without the cup-tied pairing of Nikica Jelavic and Shane Long, are now a necessity in the season's final week.

Bruce may not even know which formation to favour anymore. City began lined up in a 4-4-2 at Villa Park but found it unable to even contain Aston Villa, let alone Arsenal. Things went wrong very early. Gabby Agbonlahor's burst down the left flank saw him run past Liam Rosenior and over the inexplicably below par Curtis Davies and once his cross was miscued by Marc Albrighton and poked back to Westwood, a cool finish dismissed fears of it being a nervous atmosphere for the home crowd.

Bruce soon switched to a 3-5-2, matching up with his lively hosts, and got a response of sorts.

Tom Huddlestone's quick free-kick set Liam Rosenior clear in the box and his low cross-cum-shot was turned in by the unlucky Bowery.

Then came the tension that had simmered throughout the build-up.

Villa wobbled and only Brad Guzan's strong save kept out Huddlestone's powerful shot from distance. Moans and groans quickly began but before they could spread City's soft centre was exposed twice in the final minutes of the first half.

Harper had been alert to keep out Bowery and Weimann with the defence scrambled but could do little to prevent an embarrassing Villa second. A corner from the right was met by Nathan Baker.

His first header was kept out on the line by Jelavic and his second attempt pushed up on to the bar by Harper. But when Jelavic made a hash of clearing the ball fell kindly for Weimann to nod in. Third time was lucky.

The game was effectively over soon after in the third minute of added time before the break. The hapless Maynor Figueroa failed to stop a Bowery cross from the left and Weimann was allowed to step in front of the statuesque Alex Bruce and Davies to nod in a vital third. That brought a furious reaction from Steve Bruce. "I've never seen him like that," said Harper afterwards.

The anger was not without justification. City have now conceded 11 goals in their last four games. Before that it had taken them 10 fixtures to concede such an amount but the one great strength of this side has gone missing at the wrong time.

The second half passed largely without incident. Harper's saves spared an embarrassment while Jelavic fluffed the one and only chance to come City's way in a fixture that started as Villa's cup final and ended as a testimonial.

The weekend quickly got better to elevate another May Day back to the surreal but Bruce will not want two more performances like this to be their last preparation for Wembley.

Hull KR coach Craig Sandercock was left to rue a missed opportunity as his side lost 34-29 to Widnes at the KC Lightstream Stadium.

Rovers led by seven points with seven minutes remaining but failed to close the game out against Denis Betts' battling team.

Sandercock admits KR should have won, but individual errors meant his side lost back-to-back games following their defeat to Catalan Dragons a fortnight ago.

"We should have won that with a seven-point lead and seven minutes remaining," Sandercock said.

"But there were some really poor individual errors that let the team down.

"Not just in the final stages of the game, but throughout.

"Widnes are a dangerous side and that's why they are winning games.

"Kevin Brown is a world class player and he made us pay in the end."

Sandercock welcomed back a host of players into the line-up, with Ben Cockayne, Kris Keating, Jamie Langley and Jonny Walker returning from injury. He also handed new signing Wayne Ulugia his Super League debut.

Cockayne had a great game at full-back, while Keating's partnership with Travis Burns got better as the game went on.

Langley and Walker contributed when they came off the bench as his side looked for the win that could have taken them up into the top eight.

Sandercock said the returning players came through without mishap and that he was pleased with both their efforts and new-boy Ulugia's contributions.

"Wayne was solid in his first game for the club," Sandercock said.

"But he still has a lot of work to do on his fitness.

"The plan was always to play him for 50 minutes or so and I thought he was solid.

"The others seem to have come through okay."

Worryingly for Sandercock and Rovers was the fact that they looked tired at the end of the game when Widnes stunned them with those two late tries in the final seven minutes through experienced campaigners Jon Clarke and Brown.

Rovers had a fortnight to prepare following the 37-24 defeat at Catalans on Easter Monday, but Widnes, who beat Salford 30-20 in the cup last week, were the fresher side at the end of the game, which sparks a concern ahead of Saturday's trip to Salford.

"Maybe some of the other boys showed signs of fatigue, and that is disappointing," Sandercock said.

"Widnes probably had more energy in the final 15 minutes than us and that was a factor.

"It is disappointing considering we didn't play last weekend.

"There were a few 50/50 calls and when your luck isn't with you, they don't go your way, but it was certainly an entertaining game."

AN angry Lee Radford has again questioned the enthusiasm of his Hull FC team after witnessing what he described as a capitulation against Wakefield.

The Wildcats ran in four quick-fire second-half tries, scoring 23 unanswered points in a 23-16 victory which snapped their six-game losing streak.

The performance and a third home defeat of the season left Radford seething and feeling for owner Adam Pearson.

"The irony is a spectator got up after the game and gave Adam Pearson a finger as he's going, saying he'll not come and watch again. It has cost Adam £1m for this organisation. You'd think £1m would buy you some enthusiasm," said Radford.

"We capitulated and we were out-enthused. They got a sniff and they out-enthused us.

"It was like watching paint dry and it was a boring game with no intensity. They did a good job in taking the intensity out of the game.

"I am angry with myself because I don't know what the answer is. I could have gone blazing in at the players, but decided not to. But you'd think the money invested would buy you some enthusiasm.

"Credit to Richard Agar because he's got a bunch of blokes on the cheap, patched them together and they've come to play us and out-enthused us in every department."

The defeat leaves Hull seventh in the Super League table, but with champions Wigan to play next on Friday evening.

Hull will go into that game missing their player of the season so far after Joe Westerman fractured his wrist in a collision with an advertising hoarding in the first half.

Westerman will undergo scans today but is understood to have fractured his wrist in two places and is facing two months on the sidelines.

Hull will also be without former Wigan player Chris Tuson for what is now a crunch game, after he suffered a repeat of his hamstring injury.