News

A BARNSLEY man is among 18 people charged as part of an ongoing investigation into the illegal conversion of blank firing weapons and ammunition into viable firearms and ammunition.Karl Keegan-Moore, 32, of Reasbeck Terrace, Smithies, and the other suspects have all been charged in connection to a complex investigation, jointly led by the South Yorkshire Police’s Serious Organised Crime Unit and Armed Crime Team.Ashley Stevenson, 21, of Spa Well Crescent, Rotherham, Joshua...

A CAR was wrecked after the driver collided with a tree in Barnsley when he got behind the wheel after drinking. On Saturday, roads policing officers responded to reports of a collision on the A629, near Bank Lane.The car, a blue Ford Mondeo had left the road and become embedded in trees and shrubbery against a wall.The driver, a man in his 30s, was breathalysed at the scene and blew...

A BARNSLEY woman has been arrested and prosecuted for fly-tipping.Last July, neighbourhood wardens investigated a report of fly-tipping in an alleyway on Milgate Street, Royston, and found a quantity of household waste.Enquiries led to Zoe Milner, of Milgate Street. being identified as the owner.Having failed to attend earlier hearings, an arrest warrant was issued and on April 22 of this year, Milner was arrested and put before the court....

THE world’s oldest steam engine still where originally built is ready to celebrate a special anniversary year thanks to local volunteers.The Newcomen Beam Engine, the oldest steam engine in the world still in its original location, is ready to welcome visitors again after a winter break. The engine, a Scheduled Ancient Monument of international significance, is found at Elsecar New Colliery.The colliery was sunk in 1794, making this year the 230th...

A GROUP of over 60 Barnsley Hospice supporters who took part in walks earlier this month have raised over £10k.The walkers, who included the Mayor, Coun. Mick Stowe and MP Dan Jarvis, took on 10km, 20km or 30km walks around the borough – including High Hoyland, Cawthorne, the town centre and Oakwell – to raise funds for the facility.The 30 for 30 walk marked the hospice’s 30th anniversary and raised an...

BARNSLEY officers are appealing for information following a reported burglary in which several items of jewellery were allegedly stolen.Around 10.58pm on Sunday March 17, police received reports of a break-in at Wood Walk in Wombwell. An Audi Q5 was stolen along with sentimental pieces of distinctive jewellery.An investigation has since been launched and the vehicle has been recovered and returned to its owners.Two men, aged 19 and 21,...

PARENTS whose children failed to regularly attend school have been taken to court and fined.Jessica Illingsworth, of Upper Forest Road, Athersley North, whose two teenagers failed to regularly attend school, was fined £81, and was told to pay a victim surcharge of £32 and costs of £90 having pleaded guilty at Barnsley Magistrates’ Court. The 39-year-old failed to ensure the children attended Penistone Grammar School.Another mother whose teenage son failed to...

A FORMER family centre will be demolished to make way for a new facility for children with special educational needs.Approval has been given for the demolition of the former Stairfoot Family Centre, in order to create a new facility at Hunningley Primary School to accommodate up to 15 young children as part of meeting their special educational needs.At its meeting held in November 2022, Barnsley Council cabinet members approved the objectives...

BARNSLEY supporters are being asked to “Bring a Pound to the Ground” at this weekend’s match against Northampton Town to help raise vital funds for Barnsley FC Community Trust’s work in the local community.The Community Trust is the charitable arm of Barnsley FC and is committed to making a positive impact across the borough. The Trust delivers a wide range of programmes and activities designed to support local residents. With a reach...

POLICE have released dramatic footage of a vehicle being driven the wrong way down the M1 to highlight the dangers of drink driving.On Saturday March 9 around 2:45am, police received numerous calls into their control room following reports of a vehicle going contraflow to traffic on the M1 Southbound, at Junction 35A.Cameras from National Highways captured the car joining the motorway and drive for two junctions before leaving the carriageway....

SOUTH Yorkshire Police are urging anyone who feels they are being stalked to get in touch.The force is supporting national Stalking Awareness Week 2024 led by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust which started yesterday.Stalking and harassment is when someone repeatedly behaves in a fixated and obsessive way that makes others feel scared, distressed or threatened in an attempt to disrupt their life.The police are committed to working with local partners...

TWO people have been charged following a theft from a garden shed.Ian McAffrey, 37, of Northorpe in Gilroyd, and Francesca Darlow, 26, of Green Lane, Dodworth, were both charged with burglary.On March 25,at 4.25am, it’s reported that household items worth over £400 were stolen from a garden shed at an address on Bowden Grove, Dodworth.McAffrey appeared at Barnsley Magistrates’ Court on Monday.Darlow has been released on bail...

FOR 21 years Bronia Warden has been delivering tailored exercise sessions for the elderly.She celebrated recently with a party at Shaw Lane’s Griffin Suite – and 130 people who’d taken part in the Healthy Bones fitness groups came to show their appreciation for Bronia’s hard work.Many have been working with her for decades and through her work Bronia has built a loyal following.She said: “I did general fitness stuff...

A BARNSLEY woman will be joining thousands of young people and their loved ones for an awards ceremony at Buckingham Palace next month.Amy Sutheran, 23, has won the gold Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) Award and will be at the event, hosted by Prince Edward on May 10 which will mark the Prince's first celebration as patron of the DofE charity.Amy said: “I completed my gold DofE whilst working full-time as a...

BARNSLEY Hospital is asking people to help them protect its most vulnerable in-patients by thinking twice before visiting.The hospital is currently experiencing a rise in confirmed cases of norovirus.The infection control team is working directly with some wards to limit potential spread of infection, and visitors to those areas will be asked to take special preventative measures to minimise opportunities for bugs to spread.People who have had diarrhoea or...

BARNSLEY Hospice is appealing for help in its bid to win a £5,000 donation.The Benefact Group's 'Movement for Good' draw could help Barnsley Hospice win £5,000 to support the outstanding care we provide to local people.We Are Barnsley has cast our vote for the hospice and it literally takes less than a minute!Just follow the link below, and search Barnsley Hospice or use its registered charity number 700586 and...

POLICE believe this bike was stolen recently from the Barnsley area and are trying to find the owner.A police spokesperson said: “We are appealing to locate the owner of a bike we believe was stolen in the early hours of Thursday from the Millhouse Green area.“Two men were charged following a reported theft when the pair were found in possession of a mountain bike for which neither man could provide proof...

A LOCAL author will host an event about his latest book this week.Chris Brook will talk about his book, ‘The Totty Cup: A Century of Schools Football in the Don and Dearne area’, which he co-authored with Steven Penny.The Totty Cup, which celebrated its centenary last year, is the oldest ever primary school football competition.Over the years, many young players who competed in the cup would go on to...

MORE than 4,000 youngsters under the age of 17 have sought mental health support in Barnsley, shock new figures have revealed.According to an NHS report, a total of 4,140 people – predominantly teenagers – have received contact from support services in the last year.Barnsley East MP Stephanie Peacock said: “It is so important that children know how to express anything that they are struggling with to someone they trust.“If...

MORE than 80 per cent of South Yorkshire Police officers experienced ‘stress or low mood’ last year, a survey has revealed.The Police Federation of England and Wales heard from 409 force officers for its Pay and Morale Report 2023.According to the report, 41 per cent of respondents said their job was ‘very or extremely stressful'.Similarly, 14 per cent of officers said they needed medical attention for one or more...

LOCAL councillors met with pupils of Gawber Primary School to unveil a new history board the school had made.Members of the school council, with help from deputy headteacher Rachel Knox, the Gawber History Group and designer David Exley, designed the board that includes information about the school’s past, present and future.This is the latest in a series of history boards in Gawber produced by the history group with ward alliance support....

A POPULAR bakery established more than 35 years ago has been put up for sale.The Bakehouse, on Wombwell High Street, has been put up for sale by Ernest Wilson business agents, whose clients have been operating the establishment for the past five years.The agents are intending for the property to remain as a bakery and sandwich bar, with takeaway and third-party delivery options.

PLANS to create a new beauty salon in a Worsbrough back garden have been rejected by Barnsley Council.An application was submitted in October for the salon to be created on Mount Vernon Place.However, Barnsley Council rejected the plans earlier this week.A report said: “It is proposed to operate a beauty treatment business from a residential property located on Mount Vernon Place which forms part of a new housing development,...

THE family of a Gawber youngster who died of terminal cancer last year have received a match-worn Sheffield Steelers’ jersey to continue their fundraising journey in his memory.Oliver Howe, eight, was first diagnosed with cancer in September 2020 and, despite everything, always had a smile on his face.After ringing the cancer treatment bell in 2021, the disease devastatingly returned later that year and he died on February 1, 2023.His...

PUPILS at Shafton Primary Academy got creative this Easter as they took part in an egg-decorating competition.Following on from their recent success in designing posters to decorate several Barnsley bin lorries, pupils put their creativity to the test again with their new egg decorations.All entries were displayed in the school, allowing pupils to show off their work to classmates and parents, who were invited to take a look at the artistic...

PLANS to bring a new hand car wash business to Platts Common have been resubmitted to Barnsley Council – just weeks after being rejected by the planning board.An application was originally submitted in June last year to create the business on Platts Common Industrial Estate.The plans sought to turn the land into a hand car wash – which included a staff room as well as staff and visitor parking. However, the...

TWO Barnsley takeaways have been handed new food hygiene ratings – and it’s not great news for either of them.Acorn Chippy, on Cemetery Road in Grimethorpe, was given a score of one following an assessment on March 8. Whilst Dollie’s Pizza Plaice, on Osmond Place in Worsbrough, was given a zero on the same day.It means that of Barnsley’s 270 takeaways with ratings, 168 have ratings of five and just one...

A BARNSLEY building material specialist has been recognised for his commitment to the industry.Luke Hoyle, who’s based out at Carlton Manufacturing, has been named as one of the top 100 young achievers across the sector.National trade body the Builders’ Merchants’ Federation (BMF) and Builders’ Merchants News (BMN), joined forces to identify the top 100 across the multi-billion pound building materials sector, and shine a light on the brightest stars of the...

A FLORIST is thanking the community who helped her make the ‘pipe dream’ shop come true by giving out free bouquets.Katie Jo Brown – who runs Bloemist Family Florist on High Street, Bolton-upon-Dearne, with her mother Jean Hackett – has been placing bouquets around the community since she opened the store in July.The small gesture has been her way of giving back to a community that allowed her and her mother...

WORLD-RENOWNED table tennis stars visited the town to help youngsters hone their skills last weekend.Over the course of the weekend, Barnsley Table Tennis Club welcomed Swedish head coach Christian Björklund and Mark Mitchell from premier club St Neots in Cambridge to lead coaching sessions at Hope House Church on Blucher Street.Both players have had experience at the highest levels of competition, with Mark representing England 55 times while Christian has achieved...

BARNSLEY fans donated the equivalent of almost 200 meals for Barnsley Foodbank Partnership at the weekend.At Saturday’s League One fixture against Reading, the football club continued their Reds Against Hunger campaign.They asked supporters to donate food on the day, and in the week leading up to the match.A spokesperson for the Barnsley FC Community Trust said: “We would like to extend our thanks to everyone who donated at our...

IMPORTANT changes have been made to newborn feeding options at Barnsley Hospital.From Monday, there will be a change in the availability of pre-made formula bottles at the Gawber Road site.A spokesperson for Barnsley Hospital said: “Deciding how to feed your baby is a significant decision, influenced by various factors including personal experiences and advice from others.“It’s crucial to discuss this with your midwife. The ideal time to make this...

A MAPPLEWELL primary school have been praised for their anti-bullying campaign.Wellgate Primary School began their journey to develop their anti-bullying provision in September.This was through taking part in the Anti-Bullying Association’s ‘United Against Bullying Programme’ – and earlier this month they were awarded a gold status. Only 11 per cent of the 259 schools nationally that took part were awarded gold.The programme supported the school to audit provision...

PLANNING permission is being sought to erect signage for a new shoe shop in the town centre.The former Optical Express building on Queen Street is currently vacant, but plans have been submitted to Barnsley Council to turn it into a Clarks store.The application seeks to add new signage to the store whilst changing the colour of the existing shopfront from white to black.Residents have until May 3 to submit...

A FORMER Barnsley College student has won a prestigious award at the Cooper Gallery in Barnsley.Former Level 3 Creative Practice: Art, Design and Communication student, Isabel Edwards, won the Special Award for Originality and Skills at the Cooper Prize.Isabel, is now studying BA Fine Art at Leeds Arts University. She won the College Special Award Prize with artwork she created for her final major project which she displayed at Barnsley College’s end-of-year...