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ONE PAPER ... ALL THE NEWS from Dewsbury, Batley, Ossett, Mirfield, Liversedge, Birstall, Heckmondwike, Cleckheaton & Spen Valley

Friday January 12, 2018

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No. 824

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Hospital crisis latest

Danny talks tough in TV debate

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4,000 homes, three schools, a health centre and shops ... is this huge project a

RECIPE FOR DISASTER?

By Zoë Shackleton News Reporter zoe@thepressnews.co.uk

PLANS to build thousands of homes on green belt land are a “recipe for disaster”, according to a Mirfield councillor.

Tory politician Martyn Bolt has blasted proposals for the Dewsbury Riverside development, which could see up to 4,000 houses, new schools and shops built on green fields between Ravensthorpe and Mirfield.

The project is mentioned in Kirklees Council’s Local Plan, which outlines proposals to build

33,000 new homes across the district within 15 years.

Coun Bolt believes the scheme has not been thoroughly thought out.

And despite being called ‘Dewsbury Riverside’ around 500 of the planned new homes would be built over the ward boundary in Mirfield.

“500 of those houses would be in Mirfield,” said Coun Bolt.

“There was a comment made at a recent local planning meeting that Mirfield was just a suburb of Dewsbury. It shows a lack of understanding that people who are dealing with these things have about the local community.

“It’s very worrying that they are

showing access off Sands Lane, which is narrow and not maintained by highways.

“Steanard Lane is narrow, it floods a lot, there is a failure to address environmental flooding.

“It’s just a recipe for disaster the way it’s going.”

An official document showing what the 160-hectare plot could look like if it is given the go-ahead has been revealed.

Plans suggest that three new schools, shops, a community centre and a health centre could all be built on the site.

And it is the idea of new schools that is a major concern for Coun Bolt.

He said: “It’s great for any com-

munity to have new buildings, but I’m sure parents want more than just new buildings.

“If you’re a parent sending your children through education, you want a track record of delivering education, you don’t just want a shiny new building.”

Planners are also considering building a new road bridge to access the site over the River Calder and TransPennine rail line via Low Mill Lane, as well as building access roads from Mirfield, Ravensthorpe and Thornhill Lees.

Dewsbury MP Paula Sherriff said that a lot of work needs to be done before the development goes ahead.

Continued on page 2

Coun Martyn Bolt

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ThePress

Friday January 12, 2018

Concerns over development From page one

Deaths

Crematorium, Friday 19 January at 12.30pm.

ARMITAGE HARRY On 5 January, aged 86, of Batley. Husband of Beryl.

Service at Batley Central Methodist Church, Tuesday 16 January at 2.15pm, followed by committal at Dewsbury Crematorium.

BARNES JUDITH ANNE On 1 January. Wife of Peter.

Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Wednesday 17 January at 10am.

BRAY DENISE JEAN (NEE BLAMIRES) On 28 December, aged 65.

Service at Park Wood Crematorium, Wednesday 24 January at 11.15am.

BRUFFELL WILLIAM KENNETH (KEN) On 31 December. Husband of Irene. Service at Christ The King, Mirfield, 29 January at 11.30am, followed by private committal at Dewsbury Crematorium.

DEAN JEAN On 29 December, aged 82, of Batley. Wife of the late Charles. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, on Monday 15 January at 2pm.

FISHER BERYL DIANNE On 7 January, aged 72, of Birstall. Wife of John.

Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Tuesday 23 January at 10 am.

GODDARD LEONARD CHARLES

CROWTHER JOHN Aged 54 years, of Wrose.

Service at Dewsbury

On 4 January, of Hopton, aged 68. Husband of the late Brenda. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Thursday 25 January at 12.30pm.

HUTTON GRAHAM On 29 December, aged 77, of Heckmondwike. Husband of Mary. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Thursday 18 January at 2pm.

JONES (NEE NEWSOME) ALICE

On 30 December, formerly of Birstall. Husband to Rosaline. Service at St Patrick’s Church, Birstall, on Wednesday 17 January at 10.30am, followed by burial at St Peter’s Churchyard.

On 3 January, of Dewsbury, aged 90. Wife of the late Bert. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Friday 19 January at 1.15pm.

HALEY BRIAN

On 22 December, aged 73, of Birstall. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Monday 22 January at 2pm.

On 7 January, aged 91.

Husband of June. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Wednesday 24 January at 1.15pm.

CLOUGH CHRISTINE On 7 January, of Mirfield, aged 66. Wife of Alan.

Service at Dewsbury Crematorium on Wednesday 24 January at 12.30pm.

HEPWORTH ROBERT CLIVE

HARGREAVES WINIFRED (NEE SCHOFIELD) On 29 December, aged 86, of Mirfield. Wife of the late Claude. Service at Huddersfield Crematorium, Friday 19 January at 10.30am.

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LANNEN VALERIE

LEVERAGE MAUD ‘LADY’ On 31 December, aged 96.

Wife of the late Arthur.

Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Friday 19 January at 10.30am.

MCKINNELL NEE ACKROYD PAMELA On 6 January, aged 74, of Earlsheaton. Wife of the late John. Service at Dewsbury

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Minster, Tuesday 23 January at 10.30am, followed by interment at Dewsbury Cemetery.

NORRIS JAMES On 28 December, aged 79.

Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Tuesday 16 January at 10.30am.

OLDROYD AUDREY On 8 January, aged 91, of Mirfield. Wife of the late Joseph. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Friday 26 January at 10.30am.

OWENS DENNIS On 6 January, aged 87, formerly of Dewsbury. Service at St John the Evangelist, Accrington, on Thursday 18 January at 11.30am.

SMITH NINA On 4 January, aged 82, of Staincliffe. Wife of the late Alan. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Wednesday 24 January at 2.45pm.

SMITH (NÉE KEMP) TERRY On 1 January, of Shaw Cross, aged 63 years.

Partner of Tony. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Monday 22 January at 12.30pm.

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SPRUCE (NEE FENTON FORMERLY BRIERLEY) JOAN On 4 January, aged 91, of Dewsbury. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Tuesday 23 January at 2.45pm.

lowed by private committal.

WHITE LEO On 29 December, aged 81, of Dewsbury. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Thursday 18 January at 10:30am.

WOOD JOAN

STORK SYLVIA On 4 January, aged 87, of Liversedge. Wife of the late Allan. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Monday 22 January at 2.45pm.

THWAITES FIONA ELIZABETH On 4 January, aged 45.

Service at Christ the King Church, Battyeford on Friday 26 January at 12noon, fol-

On 30 December. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Tuesday 23 January at 12.30pm.

WRIGLEY JAMES HANSON On 3 January, of Thornhill, aged 85. Husband of the late Dorothy. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium Monday 22 January at 10.30am.

In Loving Memory

BEDFORD Carole

The most wonderful thing I decided to do was to share my life and heart with you Loved and missed forever Mike

“It is a key concern of local people and of mine that – as with any new development – the impact on the existing highway network and other infrastructure requirements are fully considered,” Miss Sherriff said.

“Access to affordable, good quality housing in the right location continues to be one of the most frequent issues I am contacted about and we need to work together to meet the housing needs of constituents.

“I continue to work with residents to ensure that any concerns are heard and addressed at an early stage before properties are built.”

Whether the project will go ahead is down to the Local Plan being given the green light.

A decision is expected later this year after a planning inspector has reviewed all documents.

Developer Miller Homes already has permission to build around 120 homes off Ravensthorpe Road at the edge of the site.

A Kirklees Council spokesman said: “The council put forward the area known as Dewsbury Riverside as proposed housing allocation in the emerging Local Plan.

“However, some of the land in the area is already allocated for housing in the current development plan for Kirklees (the Unitary Development Plan, adopted by the council in 1999) which the council currently works to when deciding planning applications.

“The outline permission for the 120 houses in the application 2016/60/94117/E is on the land already covered by the UDP. “No decision on the wider Dewsbury Riverside project will be made until the emerging Local Plan is finalised.”

xx

JENKINSON (Nee Wilkinson) Eileen -- • --

Died 14th January 2005 Always in our thoughts, with love David and all the family x

Place your memorial notices by calling 01924 470296

ThePress Friday January 12, 2018 Issue No: 824

31 Branch Road Batley West Yorkshire WF17 5SB Tel: 01924 470296 Fax: 01924 472561

www.thepressnews.co.uk @ThePressLatest /ThePressNews Publisher: Danny Lockwood Editor: David Bentley Reporter: Zoë Shackleton Sports Reporter: Ben McKenna Graphic Designer: Craig Moore Sales Manager: Lucy Tissiman Sales Executives: Nicola Finch, Janet Black, Rachael Hall Office Manager: Adele Latham Accounts administrator: Angela Hall

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ThePress

Friday January 12, 2018

WINTER STRAIN ON THE NHS

News In Brief

MPs take the fight to ministers over crisis

By Zoe Shackleton

A patient, background, lies on the floor of a corridor at Pinderfields Hospital

Hunt urged to name the day for visit to Dewsbury Hospital DEWSBURY MP Paula Sherriff has called on Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to stick to his word and confirm a date to visit Dewsbury and District Hospital.

Last November Miss Sherriff secured a commitment from Mr Hunt to visit the district after pressing him for more than a year to come and see the impact of the downgrade and closure of local hospital services.

The Labour MP said: “With well-documented winter pressures compounding the problems already faced by our overstretched doctors and nurses, it is clear that staff are making huge efforts under immense pressure.

“But with plans underway to close Huddersfield Royal

Infirmary and replace it with a small urgent care centre, there are widely held concerns that this will leave the whole of Kirklees without full A&E services and further exacerbate already identified risks to patient safety.

“This decision over the future of services in our district currently rests directly with Mr Hunt.

“He needs to hear from those staff, patients and health campaigners who have deep concerns over both the recent downgrades at Dewsbury and forthcoming changes at Huddersfield.

“It is vital that he doesn’t delay in visiting our area. The decisions he makes now will affect our area for generations to come.”

“It is vital that (Jeremy Hunt) doesn’t delay in visiting our area. The decisions he makes now will affect us for generations to come.”

‘Think twice before going to A&E or dialling 999...’

HEALTH officials in North Kirklees are urging people to make the right choice this winter as hospitals continue to be extremely busy.

They have again warned residents not to phone 999 if a health problem is not an emergency.

For illness or injuries which are non-emergencies, the number to call is 111. A trained adviser will be on the other end to assess symptoms and immediately direct callers to the best medical care.

NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Leaders of the district’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) have also advised people to visit their local pharmacy for expert advice on common illnesses and the best medicines to treat them.

Local GP surgeries are also offering more urgent appointments through the winter months,

as well as ‘out-of-hours’ appointments via 111.

Dewsbury walk-in centre is open Monday to Friday from 9am8pm and Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays from 10am-6pm, in the emergency department of Dewsbury and District Hospital.

Dr David Kelly, chairman of the NHS North Kirklees CCG, said: “There are many different ways that people can help themselves to get the right treatment this winter.

“When people use health services appropriately, it means that the ambulance service and A&E departments are then able to deal with serious conditions more quickly and effectively.

“Please think twice before visiting A&E or dialling 999.”

To find out more, visit www.northkirkleesccg.nhs.uk/ stay-well-this-winter-2017-18.

THE district’s two Labour MPs have hit out at Health Minister Philip Dunne after patients were seen lying on the floor in hospital corridors.

Batley & Spen MP Tracy Brabin published photos last week which showed patients at Pinderfields Hospital sleeping on the floor due to what she claimed was overcrowding. It also emerged that tens of thousands of non-urgent NHS operations and procedures in England could be delayed until after January 31 because of an increase in the number of patients going to A&E departments.

During urgent questions in the House of Commons on Monday regarding the state of the NHS, Ms Brabin said: “Can I press the Minister a little bit further about the photographs taken by my constituents of people sleeping on the floor?

“These were poorly people in chairs waiting for hours, not being given a bed or a trolley. What I didn’t hear was an apology.

It’s now time for the Minister to apologise to those affected.”

Mr Dunne replied: “I absolutely am prepared to apologise to those patients who are not able to be treated as quickly as we would like them to.

“There are seats available in most hospitals where beds are not available and I can’t comment individually on what happened in her case but I agree that it is not acceptable.”

Mr Dunne has since quit his government post, as part of Prime Minister Theresa May’s Cabinet reshuffle.

Dewsbury MP Paula Sherriff said: “Despite the best efforts of NHS staff, patients in my area were waiting routinely over 12 hours just to be seen at hospital, and we’ve heard from honourable friends about patients having to sleep on the floor.

“To that end, will he now take the opportunity today to say that he will halt all further downgrades and closures of services in my area at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and Dewsbury Hospital until a full assess-

ment of capacity is undertaken?”

Figures released this week showed that the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Pinderfields and Dewsbury hospitals, treats 82.8 per cent of patients in A&E within four hours; it should be hitting a target of 95 per cent. It is also down on giving planned operations and care, treating 84.1 per cent of patients within 18 weeks. The target is 95 per cent.

In response to the publication of the Pinderfields photos, hospital bosses said that patients must have chosen to lie on the floor rather than sitting on chairs.

David Melia, director of nursing and quality at the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “The Trust has received no complaints regarding the care of the two patients identified in the photographs, who may have chosen to lie down as seats were provided.”

Murder trial DEWSBURY: Two men accused of murdering Dewsbury man Jonathan Binns are due in court next week.

Jaelen Herlt, of Derwent Road, and Khaleem Harris, of North Road, denied murdering Mr Binns outside the Scarborough Hotel on Friday, February 17 last year and pleaded not guilty to further charges of manslaughter and violent disorder when they appeared via a prison video link on September 4.

They were told at the time by Judge Jonathan Durham Hall that their trial at Bradford Crown Court could last up to six weeks.

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ThePress

Friday January 12, 2018

News In Brief Superior appointed MIRFIELD: The Community of the Resurrection has appointed a new Superior for the next five years.

Based at the Mirfield Monastery on Stocks Bank Road, the community has elected Oswin Gartside, the current Prior, to succeed George Guiver.

The newly-appointed Superior, who will head the group until 2023, will be installed at Mass in the community church at 8am on Sunday.

Tech club for kids BATLEY: Children are becoming tech-savvy at a new club at Batley Library.

The Code Club gives youngsters aged seven to 13 a chance to learn about code games, animations and software programmes on the computers at the library.

They also get first-hand experience with robots and drones.

It’s free to attend, and the next Code Club is on Saturday March 10 (10.45-11.45am).

Addict faces sentence

√

HECKMONDWIKE: A drug addict will be sentenced later this month after admitting damaging property.

Tyrone Letremy, of Union Street, pleaded guilty to damaging property belonging to Usman Pervaiz. The offence is said to have taken place on July 8, 2016.

Leeds Crown Court heard that Letremy, 33, has been struggling with drug addiction for years. He will be sentenced on January 25.

Footpaths ramble RAMBLERS: A walk is planned for this Sunday, January 14, across local footpaths.

Ramblers are asked to meet Stuart Gledhill at 9.30am at the Wellington Road car park in Dewsbury.

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Dewsbury goes off the rails for TWO days for signals upgrade

By Steve Martyn DEWSBURY railway station is set to close again for two days at the end of the month.

The latest stage of improvement work to signalling systems will be taking place on Saturday January 20 and Sunday January 21.

Passengers are advised to check before they travel as both Huddersfield and Dewsbury stations will be closed over that weekend, with no services travelling in or out of the stations.

TransPennine Express said it was not running any trains between Manchester and Leeds because of the work.

TPE and Northern Rail will operate bus replacement services to keep passengers travelling between Leeds, Manchester, Manchester Airport, Halifax, Wakefield, Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Stalybridge and Bradford.

As part of the Great North Rail Project, old signalling technology is being ‘recontrolled’ from local line-side signal boxes to the stateof-the-art Rail Operating Centre

in York. This is the last stage of the work to make the railway more reliable and modern to improve journeys across the north.

Rob McIntosh, route managing director at Network Rail, said: “This upgrade to the signalling system is a vital investment into the railway which will improve reliability and reduce the number of delays which passengers experience, as well as providing a more cost-effective railway for the taxpayer.”

Kathryn O’Brien, customer experience director for

TransPennine Express, added: “The essential work will also mean changes to our services from Newcastle, Middlesborough, Scarborough, Hull, Manchester, Sheffield, Doncaster and Cleethorpes.

“No trains will be operating to or from Huddersfield or Dewsbury railway stations but the local team will still be on hand to provide help and support customers.”

Travellers can check at www.tpexpress.co.uk/changes, www.northernrailway.co.uk or www.nationalrail.co.uk.

Ghostly goings-on TWO ghostly performers will be telling three chilling tales in their own unique way when they arrive at Batley Library next month.

Adam Z Robinson and Ben Styles are bringing the Book of Darkness and Light to the district to enthral audiences with an evening of spine-tingling tales and haunting live music.

Adam has written and will perform three ghostly stories, while Ben will accompany him on violin.

The spooky two-hour performance starts at 7.30pm on Friday February 2.

Tickets can be booked at www.ticketsource.co.uk/ kirkleeslibraries/events.

‘Clare’s Law’ dad I know what it’s like, critical of police over says MP in attack on domestic violence Universal Credit glitches A BATLEY man whose daughter was murdered almost 10 years ago has criticised police forces for not doing enough to tackle domestic violence.

Michael Brown’s daughter Clare Wood was killed by her abusive ex-boyfriend in 2009.

He lobbied for a law which gives people the chance to ask police whether their partner has a history of domestic violence.

Dubbed ‘Clare’s Law’, the rule also gives authorities the power to tell people of a partner’s potentially violent past, even if they didn’t ask.

It was introduced in 2014 but former prison officer Mr Brown said that not enough has been done to help victims of domestic violence.

Recent figures revealed that forces in Yorkshire and the

Humber refused over half of all ‘right to ask’ requests up to June last year.

Mr Brown said: “We didn’t run around for five years to get the law in place just for it to be ignored.

“Tackling domestic violence should be a priority but it seems like the message just isn’t getting down to some bobbies on the beat.”

Det Chief Insp Fran Naughton, of West Yorkshire Police, said: “Under right to ask, disclosures must be proportionate under national release criteria.

“In the instances where requests were not met, it has either been the case that the proportionality test was not passed or that the force did not hold information about the person it had been asked about.”

MP TRACY BRABIN touched on her own childhood experience of being on the verge of homelessness to highlight problems faced by constituents due to the Universal Credit rollout.

During a Parliamentary debate on Tuesday, the Batley & Spen Labour MP said the policy could lead to the eviction of private renters across the district.

Universal Credit – which combines six benefits into one – is being rolled out to 400,000 people nationwide over the winter.

Ms Brabin claims that 7,200 private renters have been evicted since 2009 and the number of households claiming housing benefits has doubled.

She said: “As a young child, my father was out of work for quite a long period and we couldn’t pay the mortgage.

“My mum handed over the keys to the building society and for several hours we were

physically homeless until the council found us a flat, and that experience has stayed with me all my life and I’ll always be grateful to the council for saving us.

“Because being homeless isn’t about being physically on the street, it’s about not having a permanent roof over your head, something all children should be entitled to.

“So, whilst the Labour Party supports the idea of Universal Credit, sadly as we have seen in our own constituencies, the government’s wilful determination to roll it out, glitches and all, means that the most vulnerable in the private rented sector are at risk of building up rent arrears to such a point that they are evicted and made homeless – something no child should have to experience.”

She continued: “Locally, there are 869 Kirklees Council tenants who claim Universal Credit and a staggering 720 of those are in arrears.”

ThePress

Friday January 12, 2018

Care service must improve, says watchdog A MIRFIELD-based care service has been told by health watchdogs that it “requires improvement”.

Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors visited The Conkers, run by the Hollybank Trust on Far Common Road, in December.

The care home, which provides accommodation and personal care for up

to seven people with learning disabilities and complex health needs, was previously rated “good” in March, 2015.

But the service has since dropped its standards, with the safety of the home one of the concerns.

Inspectors said that medicines were not always stored in a safe

environment and that there were some inaccuracies in transcribing how medicines should be administered.

Controlled drugs were also not administered in line with the provider’s policy.

The Conkers is run by the Hollybank Trust, a long-established charity that looks after children

and adults with complex disabilities through its special school and residential care facilities.

Inspectors also decided that leadership at the Conkers required improvement and the report suggested that medicine audits were not accurate enough.

However, staff reported that they felt the regis-

tered manager was supportive and approachable and meetings were held on a regular basis.

Relatives and residents said they felt safe.

The service was given a “good” rating in being effective, caring, and responsive, but will be monitored so that inspectors can ensure that safety improves.

Ex-soldier Councillor’s plan to improve rail services... must pay £1,000 after bar bust-up A MAN has been ordered to cough up almost £1,000 in three months for being abusive to bar staff at a pub in Heckmondwike.

Former soldier James Eltringham was convicted at a previous hearing of causing criminal damage to property at Westgate 23 – formerly the Queens Hotel – on August 31 and of using threatening behaviour likely to cause harassment.

The 41-year-old, of Jubilee Mill on Blakeridge Lane in Batley, was also found guilty of assaulting his partner by beating her.

Kirklees magistrates heard that Eltringham had been at the bar with his girlfriend when a man struck up a conversation with her about her perfume.

He handed her his phone number and Eltringham reportedly pushed her in the upper chest before smashing glasses and swearing at staff.

He said: “What a set of ****. I will kill you all.” He denied making the threats.

Eltringham had also previously been involved in a military court martial at Catterick, where he punched a sergeant who had made comments about his son, who has Asperger’s Syndrome.

District Judge Michael Fanning fined him £800 as well as £165 in costs and a victim surcharge.

Eltringham has also been banned from Westgate 23 for 12 months.

MIRFIELD: Work to extend the car park at Mirfield railway station is due to start this spring.

An extra 24 spaces will be added to the existing car park and another 94 spaces in an additional car park, where work is due to start next autumn. The work is likely to cost in the region of £2m.

Jail-smuggling probe

Scrap two old stations – and build a new one

By Zoe Shackleton

School prize day

A MIRFIELD councillor has called for Mirfield and Ravensthorpe railway stations to be knocked down to make way for a new station.

Coun Martyn Bolt, who has long campaigned for improvements at the dilapidated Mirfield station, says a brand-new facility between the two towns would be more beneficial.

His thoughts come amid plans to straighten the railway line in Mirfield and proposals to build a huge 4,000-home development on green belt land nearby, dubbed Dewsbury Riverside.

Coun Bolt said: “They should pool the resources and build a brand-new railway station.

“Here we are with one of the busiest stations in the district and with 4,000 homes coming in the new Riverside development.

“To my mind, building a brandnew station to serve those two communities would get rid of two antiquated rail stations that will provide ample car parking to cope with demands.”

Network Rail submitted plans to the government in December to adjust the alignment of the railway line, which could mean more changes and improved accessibility for Mirfield’s current station.

This would be part of a larger TransPennine route upgrade on

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Drink-drive A 29-YEAR-OLD man was arrested on suspicion of driving over the prescribed alcohol limit after he was involved in a collision on Old Bank Road, Mirfield, at around midday on Sunday, January 7.

News In Brief £2m spend on rail station car parks

DEWSBURY: Two men from the Dewsbury area have been arrested for trying to smuggle illegal items into a prison.

It is not known where in Dewsbury the men, aged 24 and 27, are from but they have been released under investigation following the incident on Wednesday.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said that staff at HMP Wealstun, near Wetherby, “caught two members of the public attempting to smuggle illicit items into the prison”.

He added: “The matter has been referred to the police and it would be inappropriate to comment further.”

the line from York to Manchester.

But Coun Bolt conceded it was too soon to say whether this will happen, with the Department of Transport due to make a decision later this year.

Dewsbury MP Paula Sherriff also raised concerns about the lack of accessibility at Mirfield station.

She said: “With a straightening of the line planned, there now appears to be a possibility that Mirfield station may be rebuilt, making it finally accessible. I shall be keeping an eye on this as it develops. I hope to see services in the area improve with the changes coming over the next few months.

“I shall be meeting with the rail minister next week to discuss the issues facing passengers in the constituency and to highlight the concerns about which so many constituents have contacted me.”

A Network Rail spokesman said: “The TransPennine route upgrade aims to deliver faster, longer, more frequent and more reliable services across the north of England, from Newcastle, Hull and York towards Manchester and Liverpool via Leeds.

“Network Rail has worked on the development of potential infrastructure options for the TransPennine route upgrade and has now submitted these options to the Department for Transport for consideration.”

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HECKMONDWIKE: Heckmondwike Grammar School celebrated the success of its pupils in a prize-giving ceremony at Dewsbury Town Hall.

Head girl and head boy Bronwen Brown and Jack Bloxsome spoke about their journeys through school, while student Megan Dransfield sang an aria.

Batley & Spen MP Tracy Brabin spoke of her time at the school and the top academic award was presented to Lewis Roberts, son of deputy head teacher Peter.

‘Antiquated’... Mirfield Railway Station

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Updated edition.

Reserve a copy on 01924 470296 or call in at our office, 31 Branch Road, Batley

LIFE IN BLACK AND WHITE Danny Lockwood

The grafters really are revolting WAS down that there London on Wednesday, where the streets are still paved with cardboard and vagrants. St Pancras is one of the great buildings of the capital, but I couldn’t tell if it was a squatter’s village or the novel relocation of Shaw Cross tip out front.

Sad. Dick Whittington would have kicked his cat and gotten a grip when he was Lord Mayor of London, back in those heady days when England’s green and pleasant lands were ours, all ours, and a bloke could go down a different pit every day and dig coal to his heart’s content. Spoiled for choice!

That was actually one of the findings of a Demos survey into the attitudes of England’s silent, middle-aged majority, and why I was invited down to a debate on BBC2’s Newsnight.

“People had it better in Victorian times when there

I

was job security and proper community,” was one sample of feedback the Demos researchers got.

If nothing else, that goes to show how much rubbish people can spout. Sixteen hours a day, six days a week, for a subsistence wage was regular as clockwork alright. Shame you’d a broken back by the time you reached 40 and the kids all had rickets.

Still, there is undoubtedly a massive disconnect in this country and Demos – pleasingly – found people of my age and background resent being blamed for all this selfentitled younger generation’s imagined woes.

The rump of white Christian British people have had their promised old age stolen from them, are blamed for cluttering hospital wards (that they’ve paid for) while politicians determinedly ignore the huge pressures of unfettered immigration and

booming migrant births, and when they’re confronted with uncomfortable truths, lie their way out of it yet again.

People distrust the lot of them? Consider politicians self-serving serial liars? Well slap my stockinged thigh and go to the foot of our stairs!

Our values and culture are ridiculed. Police, politicians and bureaucrats have so overdone positive discrimination and political correctness that minorities of all bents now exist in surly expectation, and when tensions regularly arise, we’re told we have to give more and try harder.

And we’re a tad miffed at that? It’s a flaming wonder we’re not up in arms.

A young man on the show, Areeq Choudhury, is pleasant enough off camera – he was busy telling Boris Johnson’s dad Stanley about my ‘Islamic Republic’ book when I entered the Green Room.

Newsnight host Emily Maitlis Stanley chortled, delighted.

“Where’s Chootsberry?” he asked me. Nuff said.

Young Areeq is another of the legion of bright young things trying to make a name and a niche out of being a social visionary, leveraged mostly by his ethnicity.

Shahid Malik or Sayeeda Warsi with a posher accent.

He clearly considers people like me and the Demos mil-

lions everything that’s wrong with England, if not the world and decided he’d make his impression on the show by using the F bomb.

It was contrived, out of context, a brazen ‘me, me’ stunt. He was delighted with himself, too self-obsessed to see he was legitimising the frustrations of his elders – and yes, his betters, too.

Which brings us back to the lack of respect, the disconnect, the unrecognisable local landscapes in towns like Dewsbury, Batley and across the country, which result in the people who have powered this nation for 50 years and more feeling left behind and taken for granted.

Our broadcast time elapsed before the next scheduled quote to debate – about wine bars replacing insurance and banking in Leeds.

Too many wine bars? Well pop my Prosecco cork! Nine miles down the road there’s a town centre with three pubs

that had 30 and not a restaurant worth calling one. Not even a decent curry house, for crying out loud. Even the muggers go round in pairs after dark.

I was reassured that the Demos report found my brethren fair-minded, not overtly racist and resilient, determined to battle on.

That cheered me, but ultimately I was still left downhearted – because this report, which to most of us was only stating the bleedin’ obvious, won’t make a blind bit of difference.

No-one cares, no-one’s listening and unfortunately right now we don’t have a choice worth calling one.

Come the revolution my friends, come the revolution … can you mount a machine gun on a zimmer frame?

Failing that who’ll vote for my new Fab 50-plus Party?

PS: And please don’t tell Mrs L, but I’m a bit smitten

by Emily Maitlis.

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GOT some funny looks over in Aldi the other day. Even Batley’s shoplifters were dropping their fillet stakes (highly recommended by the way) to stare at this over 50s bloke who looked like he had bits of TV make-up artists’ foundation patched about his bald bonce.

The fool was patently talking, out loud, to a neatly packaged 1kg serving of chicken breasts (a bargain at £5.95, perfect when added to a jalfrezi or balti sauce from Spices & Rices, just up the road on Commercial Street). Here’s how the admittedly one-sided conversation went: “Okay chucky, listen up. I don’t mind trimming, dicing and adding you to a tasty and aromatic supper, but on one condition. You tell that plastic packag-

I

ing of yours that under no circumstances is it to go swimming in the North Sea, or any other sea for that matter. Yes, we all love dolphins, but love can kill, chucky. Deal or no deal?”

Listen, there are no dead sea turtles on my conscience. All our waste gets appropriately recycled or binned and I suspect the UK is hugely underrepresented in global plastic dumping. So quit the populist, ‘We All Love David Attenborough’ posturing Mrs May, and try to find out how plastic gets in oceans and deal with the real culprits. It wasn’t the takeaway tray wot did it, guvnor.

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PM TM’s epic transfer window fail O YOU remember when we were kids playing football on the rec or at school, lining up for two ‘captains’ to pick sides?

In the peerless film Kes, bullyboy PE teacher Brian Glover, resplendent in his Manchester Utd Bobby Charlton shirt (“Denis Law is in the wash, lad!”) picks all his favourites, opts to play downfield with the wind at his back, kick off and referee as well. He only recruits the pathetic Billy Casper because he’s the last woeful child standing.

Billy doesn’t mind. He hates football. He pulls his oversized borrowed shorts over his shivering, anorexic frame, and tries to keep warm by swinging from the goalposts. My hero.

There was more than a bit of ‘picking teams’ for the PM this week, Theresa May starting the year with her best Brian Glover impression. She ended it swinging on her own No.10 goalposts

D

Theresa May’s movie hero – Mr Sugden in Kes with her knickers over her head, trying to cover her embarrassment. The poor woman’s dying a death by a thousand cuts.

Her problem was that cast as PE and headteacher all in one for a Cabinet reshuffle, the rabble of kids picked their own sides. Some declined a ‘promotion’ while others refused detention, and

many just ignored her altogether to join the short-skirted girls on the netball court.

A reaffirming of Mrs May’s iron will? A new year, new Tories? A same-old, same-old shambles more like.

It’s the football transfer window and TM the PM wanted to present a team fit to take the title.

We saw the equivalent of Manchester United signing half a dozen kids from Macclesfield Town.

Forgive me if I don’t jump up and down and wave my scarf. I can’t swing my old rattle, because I long ago threw it at the telly.

I don’t get invited to the Stranger’s Bar in the House of Commons since I offered to throw a pompous git in the Thames (he started it – and so what if he’s now a knight?) but if I did, all of Mrs May’s new cabinet ‘stars’ would be complete strangers to me.

Good luck moistening the nation’s gussets with that pair of big knickers, darling.

ThePress

Friday January 12, 2018

Demolition crews move in to flatten school buildings

By Zoe Shackleton DEMOLITION work has started on the former Whitcliffe Mount School building.

The 100-year-old Foundation Building is yet to be pulled down though, as part of the developer’s contract to construct new school facilities.

Despite a group of campaigners petitioning to save the building last year, developer Laing O’Rourke was given the go-ahead to start demolition last Friday.

Erica Amende, secretary of the Spen Valley Civic Society, said: “Spen Valley Civic Society continues to condemn the unnecessary destruction of one of Cleckheaton’s most important buildings.

“For four years we have done everything possible to persuade the authorities to listen to local people and save the 1910 Foundation Building, to no avail.”

Work has already been completed on the school’s new teaching block and sports hall that opened last September on the site of the former Whitcliffe Mount Sports Centre.

Phase two involves tearing down the old buildings to create a new car park.

The final work will result in the creation of a multi-use games area, expected to be completed in April this year.

Laing O’Rourke is carrying out

Burglar ‘not a lost cause yet’ says judge A BATLEY man has been let off with a reduced jail term after being found guilty of burglary for a third time.

Kieran Rayner, 22, of Oaklands Drive, Soothill, admitted stealing high-value equipment, including an Apple Macbook, from a flat in Huddersfield last November.

He had two previous burglary convictions and could have faced a sentence of around two years and five months as a “three-strike” offender.

Rayner told Bradford Crown Court he was “genuinely sorry from the bottom of my heart” and Judge Jonathan Durham Hall said Rayner’s previous offending – one when he was very young and the other three years ago – was not serious enough to impose the minimum 876-day term.

Sentencing Rayner to 18 months in jail, he told him: “I don’t think you are a lost cause yet.”

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News In Brief Missing Candice found safe and well BATLEY: A 13-year-old girl who was missing for six days has been found safe and well.

Candice Manners disappeared on January 3 but following a police appeal shared widely on social media, she was found on Tuesday.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police thanked the public and media for their help in finding her.

Sudden death BATLEY: A man aged in his 80s died suddenly at his home on Farfield Avenue.

Police were called to the address at 8.05am on Friday, January 5. Nearby roads were closed for a time but the man’s death is not being treated as suspicious and has been referred to the coroner.

Man denies kidnap and assault charges DEWSBURY: A 25-year-old man has denied charges of kidnap and assault.

Adnan Shabir is accused of kidnapping and assaulting Kiran Yasin on September 8 last year, and assaulting him on June 6.

Shabir, of St John Walk, pleaded not guilty to kidnapping, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault by beating when he appeared at Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday.

He was released on conditional bail until his trial on November 6. the work as part of a project to replace seven schools in Yorkshire in a £150m deal.

It was announced in August that the Foundation Building, which dates back to 1910, would be knocked down.

Members of the Spen Valley Civic Society and Whitcliffe Petitioning Group gathered almost 4,000 signatures opposing the demolition, while four developers showed interest in refurbishing the building.

Lib Dem call to end ‘scandal’ of empty homes in Kirklees THOUSANDS of homes in able to bring long-term empty Kirklees have been sitting homes back into use. empty for years, research has Kirklees Lib Dem councillor revealed.

Cahal Burke said: “It’s a scandal The Liberal Democrat party that so many homes across found that there are at least Kirklees are empty at the same 2,113 homes across the district time that there is an increasing which have been empty for six issue of affordable housing and months or more. the number of people who are Of those, 722 have been empty homeless and sleeping rough is for two years or more, 270 for increasing. five or more years and 117 for at “We all need to recognise the least 10 years. issue of homelessness and lack The figures also show that of available affordable housing Kirklees Council has not made across Kirklees and look at use of Empty Dwelling options for bringing homes back Management Orders (EDMO) – into use urgently.” powers which are used by local authorities to temporarily take over properties which have been empty for at least two years.

The news comes as the number of CHECK FOR CARBON MONOXIDE homeless people reported in Kirklees Any gas appliance serviced £45+VAT has risen to an estithen £15+VAT for each of others. mated 206, including five rough sleepers.

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They were due to meet this week to decide what action could be taken now that demolition has started. The new school, which lies just to the rear of the old site, was rated “good” following an Ofsted inspection in September.

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Great experience, but it felt too quiet...

My wife tells me that over the festive season local MP Tracy Brabin was having a rant about the pressures the local hospitals were under.

On Friday December 29, following a fall in the snow, I took my wife to Dewsbury and District Hospital in the afternoon and was astonished to find only two people already sitting in A&E/minor injuries.

She was quickly seen, Xrayed and out again in only about an hour and during this time, I only saw about half a dozen other people attending the unit.

So far, she has had to visit twice more for follow-up

Letter of the Week: Graham Thorne, Batley treatment and outpatients has been equally quiet, appearing to have more staff than patients.

This has meant punctual and caring treatment for my wife but we got the impression that, maybe, local people believe they now have to go all the way to Pinderfields for treatment and there is no longer any A&E at Dewsbury.

No time for Call for review armchair critics into A&E From: John Appleyard, Liversedge

From: Stephen Crossley, Hanging Heaton

I’m old enough to remember the days when many members of Parliament didn’t live in the area they represented, didn’t have an office in the area, didn’t hold constitueny surgeries, didn’t give parliamentary reports to their respective local political parties, didn’t write for their local newspapers and visited the area once a year.

I remember one Leeds MP who only spoke three times in Parliament during his 27 years’ service.

No-one can accuse my MP for Batley & Spen, Tracy Brabin, of any of this.

I note that the two critics of Tracy in the last two editions of The Press don’t live in Batley & Spen either!

I would also question why The Press felt the need to identify the area of Batley & Spen where Tracy has a home, she’s not doing anything illegal.

It’s the easiest thing in the world to criticise public representatives, the hard bit is working and achieving something in the area. No time for armchair critics!

I for one am sick and tired of our politicians coming on TV and using the NHS as a political football.

Tracy Brabin’s latest outburst proved one thing – she does not have Dewsbury A&E at heart.

Had she not gone off on one she had the perfect case to reinstate Dewsbury to a front-line hospital.

The country was warned how bad it would be over Christmas. Instead of taking an hour or two away from the mince pies to go see for herself she waited for secondhand news to come through.

She flew into action over the sight of a man asleep on the floor at the side of an empty chair and then said there was no chairs.

It’s a small point, but there were plenty of chairs around the hospital.

Her and her Labour buddies seem to forget they are partly to blame for this. Partprivatising a hospital and expecting it to put lives over profit.

The flagship Pinderfields would have sunk without

From news items on TV, many hospitals certainly seem to have been busy over the festive season, but why has Dewsbury been so quiet?

I am concerned that MidYorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust may decide to use such statistics to justify further closures of facilities at the hospital?

• In response Trudie Davies,

trace had it not been for Dewsbury and Pontefract.

Labour, when it got elected the second time, used every private hospital in the country to bring down waiting lists.

If they can be used to win elections they can be used in emergencies.

There are other things which a joint party group could look into, attacking each other is not the answer.

So Ms Brabin, when you next speak in the house, don’t attack the government, call for an urgent review into keeping Dewsbury A&E open.

On a final note, a lot of people in the NHS feel the thing that would sink the NHS would be a Labour government.

Happy new year.

Why does he keep going?

From: Anthony Doyle, via email Would someone please give me a reason why we are exposed to the ramblings of the ‘has-been’ that is Tony Blair?

Time after time we hear “In my opinion” we should do this or that.

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director of operations for hospital services, at the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “During the week in question, over 1,700 patients attended Dewsbury and District Hospital A&E department.

“We are pleased to note that the reader in question found the department to be well run and calm at such a busy time for us. It is a reflection of the hard work and professionalism of our staff.

“The Dewsbury and District Hospital A&E remains a fully functioning A&E department and there are no plans to change this service.”

Tony Blair of all people is offering advice to Jeremy Corbyn?

Get real, Mr Blair. You are history, your policies whilst in power did nothing for us, crawl back under your stone and listen to what the electorate want! Brexit!

Route changes are a pain From: Name & Address supplied I grew up living on Bradford Road, opposite Batley Park.

After getting married in 1968, I have lived most of my married life in Thornhill Lees.

I don’t drive, so I have been a bus traveller.

What used to be the ‘A’ bus then became 281/282/283, this is the route I have used the most.

If the bus company are wanting more people to use the buses, can someone please tell me why they have split the route?

How can they be giving a better service if, when people who live in Thornhill Lees and Thornhill go to Batley to shop have now to change buses in Dewsbury, with bags of shopping on their way home?

A response from someone at the bus company would be welcome.

• Jon Croxford, area managing director for Arriva Yorkshire, said: “Making changes to services is always sensitive and that’s why we engage with customers prior to these making changes.

“The changes made eight months ago aimed to provide improved reliability to the whole route and since then we have seen improved reliability of these Thornhill services, as well as simplifying the route numbers for customers.

“We understand the frustrations but unfortunately made the decision to alter the routes as research showed very few people made crossDewsbury journeys.”

Yes, we’d have protested From: Paul Holmes, branch secretary, Kirklees Unison I refer to the letter from Michael Green (The Forum – December 29, 2017), and the furore against Dewsbury Conservative Association’s dinner at the National Coal Mining Museum.

I would start by saying two things: Following the booking of the Coal Mining Museum on the nearest week to the 32nd anniversary of the end of the 1984/85 miners’ strike, was either deliberately provocative, or extremely naïve.

It obviously wasn’t a ‘minor’ event as a Tory cabinet minister was due to speak at the dinner.

If it was deliberately provocative, then it was callous in the extreme, when over 100,000 jobs have been lost in the pits in Yorkshire since the strike, thousands of them in the Kirklees/ Wakefield area, where the mining museum itself is situated.

If it was naïve, then the sensible reaction from the Tory party would have been to move it out of courtesy.

There are a number of events which, if you hold them at certain times in certain areas, will cause affront to someone.

Secondly, I don’t think that the event should have been cancelled. It is a public museum, funded by public money and publicly bookable.

If the booking had gone ahead, the demonstration on site would have been extremely large.

I spoke to many ex-miners and their families, who haven’t been on a march/ demonstration since 1984/5 who would have gone to the coal mining museum to protest at the dinner.

That is their right.

The uproar caused by the booking only goes to show a lot of people how callous many people think the Tories are.

Some may think the Tories are naïve, but I don’t. Naïve political parties in government don’t allow the number of ‘rough sleepers’ there are in Britain today – callous parties do.

As I said, I think that the event should have gone ahead if the Dewsbury Tories wanted it to. They would have then found out what the residents of this area thought about it.

This branch would have been very happy to have been part of any protest.

Tories are killing NHS From: David Honeybell, Heckmondwike In last week’s Forum (January 12), Derek Cartwright accused a Labour supporter of re-writing history, when cabinet papers prove the Labour supporter to be correct.

Can I point Derek back to the Forum in early 2014, where we had a discussion on the same subject.

I would trust the Labour supporter’s historical knowledge 100 per cent.

We must not forget what happened in the 1980s, nor any other time the Tory party has tried to crush the trades union movement, but we must come back to the present, where the Tory party is killing our NHS. Both the health secretary Jeremy Hunt, and Prime Minister Theresa May, have apologised to the public for our NHS being in the state it’s in, but they don’t accept the responsibility, they just ignore the fact it’s their policies that have put our NHS in that state.

The Tory dogma of privatisation is gathering momentum, and if it isn’t stopped very quickly, our NHS will be lost, and we will never get it back.

The ambulance service is under threat with a private company, Manchester

Continued on page 9

ThePress

Friday January 12, 2018

From page 8 Medical Services, already working for the MYH NHS Trust, waiting to pounce when our under-funded NHS breaks under the strain.

The shortage of consultants, doctors, and other clinical staff is a cause of great concern.

It costs the MYH NHS Trust £100 per hour to employ a locum. £100 per hour! And all this mayhem is the fault of Tory party policy.

Seventy years ago the Labour Party formed our NHS, the jewel in the crown, and from then until the present the Tories have tried to kill it off.

We need a publicly-funded NHS more today than ever before, not a privately-owned American-style insurance based organisation only interested in profit and not the patient.

Our NHS treats the rich, the poor, the young and the old, all as equal patients.

Our NHS doesn’t ask to see an insurance certificate before treatment can begin. It’s the duty of us all to keep our NHS safe from the privateers waiting in the wings.

Worship if you want to keep churches open From: Peter Moreland, Heckmondwike The sad news about St Thomas More Church in Chickenley closing should act as a wake-up call to all the baptised Catholics who use the Catholic schools and church on an as-needed basis, rather than regular mass attendance and support for their parish.

Declining numbers show a steady fall in

elderly churchgoers through ill health, but the glaring problem is a lack of young families, who unless they start practicing their faith will find more churches and eventually schools closing.

The good lord gave us 168 hours a week – is it asking too much to give him one hour a week back?

Examples of where we’re going backwards From: Name and address supplied Progress? What progress? People say “You can’t stop progress”.

Compare today’s quality of life to what it was not that long ago.

• Scams and cyber attacks; • Terrorist attacks due to slack border controls; • Long waiting lists in doctors’ surgeries and hospitals; • Unaffordable housing and fuel costs (heating etc); • Traffic hold-ups, no matter what direction you go in; • Three lanes full of traffic near Kirkhamgate on the M1; • Yob culture and political correctness; • Inconsiderate mobile phone users on buses, trains, pubs, and restaurants. Not content unless everyone can hear their inane rubbish; • Much increased violence and crime, and falls in standards; • Charity chief executives, rail bosses, BBC employees, human rights lawyers (eg Cherie

Blair and Nick Clegg’s Spanish wife) says it all! University vice-chancellors, example Lenny Henry, so-called comedian, and now vice-chancellor of Birmingham University, all milking the system and living on the fat of the land; • Mass immigration thanks to the lack of insight from the governments of Heath (EU), Blair, Brown, Cameron and Theresa May, when Home Secretary.

There are many more totally unfair life examples, but I didn’t want to fill the excellent Forum column.

Put party politics aside for sake of the NHS From: Shaun Gardner, Mirfield The NHS is in crisis, as we see every night on our news bulletins.

Operations cancelled. People waiting for hours in ambulances and A&E waiting rooms. Reports that people have actually died waiting for ambulances to arrive.

I’ve seen pictures of people lying on the floor in hospital corridors.

I’ve seen doctors and nurses literally pleading with government ministers for more funding.

I’ve seen our PM apologise and Jeremy Hunt smirk.

Our own local hospitals are downgrading or closing A&E provision, possibly leaving the entire metropolitan borough of Kirklees bereft of accident and emergency cover.

Surely this has reached the stage where party politics needs to be put aside and our

9

elected MPs work together to sort this mess out.

And then you see something like this ad for a position in our NHS (see above – ed)!

Seriously? People are literally dying for want of an ambulance and our tax money goes toward this!

Sort it out.

Gravestones could be fixed, but at a price...

From: R Spreadbury, Liversedge I note the furore in the local press over Kirklees Council laying flat gravestones, which are not upright.

This has understandably upset the relatives of the deceased who have only discovered this after visiting the graves of their loved ones.

Kirklees have blamed that old coverall for all crass decisions, health and safety.

A point: It is not the health and safety legislation that is the problem, but the mindset of the people who administer it.

A suggestion: Load a van with some bags of Postcrete (£4.60 each for 5+ 20kg bags from B&Q) and some water and a spade.

Instead of pushing the headstones over, excavate a couple of spadefuls of earth from either side of the headstone, fill the holes with Postcrete and some water whilst holding the headstone upright.

Wait five minutes for it to set.

And, hey presto, a restored headstone with no fuss. Simple?

However the trouble is, that because this is Kirklees, a consultant and structural engineer will have to be appointed, tenders issued, and a contractor appointed for the work.

And, hey presto, each offending headstone will cost £5K+ to be restored. Oh hum.

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ThePress

News In Brief ‘Get your flu jabs’, at-risk groups urged KIRKLEES: People in at-risk groups are being urged to get a flu vaccination if they haven’t already done so.

Some people are more vulnerable to becoming poorly in the colder months, including those with long term conditions like diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Fewer than 50 per cent of pregnant women and others in ‘at-risk’ groups have had their jab, with 70 per cent of over 65s having had theirs.

Medical director for the NHS in Yorkshire and the Humber, Paul Twomey, said: “You can book an appointment to get the vaccine at your GP or local pharmacy and the flu nasal spray vaccination is the simplest way to protect children.”

For more information, visit www.nhs.uk.

Friday January 12, 2018

MP hosts jobs fair for work-seekers DEWSBURY MP Paula Sherriff is doing her bit to help more people in the district find work.

She will be hosting a jobs, careers and apprenticeships fair on Friday, January 26, at Dewsbury Jobcentre on Rishworth Road (2pm-4pm).

There will be local and national organisations in attendance to help showcase a variety of career opportunities, including stalls from Yorkshire Water, Asda, Transpennine Express, Kirklees

College, Connect Housing and others. It is open to everyone across the district, with career opportunities available for people with few or no qualifications.

Miss Sherriff said: “I’m looking forward to hosting my first jobs, careers and apprenticeships fair for local people to network and talk with organisations and to hopefully find employment.

“This government’s poor economic investment, coupled with their relentless austerity cuts,

Cheerleaders wanted

continue to damage our area. We can’t fix these problems with a single event but I want this to be an opportunity for those who are struggling to find work to make a connection with employers in the constituency.

“I have really enjoyed working with businesses and organisations small and large to put together this event and I want to thank Dewsbury Jobcentre and everyone involved in helping make this happen.”

Couple held at knifepoint by raiders in their home

DEWSBURY: The Rams are recruiting new cheerleaders for the 2018 season.

Cheerleaders perform at every home game and training sessions are on Mondays. Juniors train from 4pm-5pm and seniors from 5pm6pm. Dancers of all abilities and experience are welcome.

To join, or for further information, visit www.dewsburyrams.co.uk or contact Jordanna Senior on Facebook.

Board game club MIRFIELD: A club for board game lovers is meeting next Wednesday at Mirfield Library (7.0-9.30pm).

“Game On” club members of all ages pit their wits against each other in a wide range of challenges.

Guests are allowed to bring their favourite game or can play with those provided by the club. Everyone is welcome and the club meets on the third Wednesday of every month.

The raiders who terrorised a couple in their home

A COUPLE were threatened by thugs at knifepoint in their own home.

The pair were woken up just after midnight on Wednesday, December 6, when three men broke into their house on Howley Mill Lane, Batley.

Police have only just released details of the incident.

The gang threatened the victims with knives, forcing them to sit on the bed whilst searching though the house.

They made off with mobile phones, jewellery and keys to the victims’ vehicle, fleeing the scene in the white

Audi convertible, registration RP04 DAN. Police have released CCTV images and are keen to speak to anyone who may have seen the three suspects at the time of the robbery.

Two vehicles are believed to have been in the vicinity of the property and surrounding roads in the time before the incident.

They are thought to be a small white-coloured van and a small dark-coloured car.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police via 101, quoting 13170569047.

Council’s ‘no more grit bins’ rule under fire KIRKLEES Council has said there will be no more grit bins provided in the district, despite residents’ concerns over icy roads and paths.

A council official revealed there isn’t enough funding to put out more bins now, or in the foreseeable future.

The news comes after hundreds of residents sent requests to the council for more bins.

Concerned Lower Hopton resident Denise Wadsworth asked: “Do we have to wait for an accident to happen before they’ll do something?

“I find it unbelievable that they’re telling us to walk in the snow and ice up a steep hill in the busy road to the next nearest grit bin.”

A Kirklees spokesman said: “The current winter policy has been in place since 2014.

“The council has 1,450 grit/salt bins throughout the district – this is significantly more than equivalent local authorities.

“The exact location of these was decided by councillors in the past and they can, with advice from officers, arrange for these to be moved to other locations within their ward to reflect local need.

“It is worth remembering that grit bins are not just for use on the street where they are located; they can also be used to grit footpaths and untreated roads in the immediate area.

“Residents also have the choice to make their own arrangements and purchase grit to use as they require.

“We have filled grit bins twice this season and are in the process of refilling them again.”

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New recruits sought for first response THE YORKSHIRE Ambulance Service is looking to recruit new community first responders (CFR) in North Kirklees.

CFRs attend medical emergencies in their community and provide vital care, comfort and reassurance in the moments before an ambulance arrives.

Volunteers will be trained in basic life support skills, including cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), defibrillation and oxygen therapy, and are equipped with an automated external defibrillator, oxygen and a first aid kit. No previous medical experience is required.

Laura Williams, community defibrillation trainer at Yorkshire Ambulance Service, said: “CFRs make an extremely valuable contribution to their communities.

“We know that in many medical emergencies, such as a heart attack, breathing difficulties or a collapse, the first few minutes are critical.

“If effective treatment can be given within those first minutes, lives can be saved.

“CFRs come from all walks of life and volunteer for a variety of reasons. Many get a buzz from helping people in need and giving something back, while others benefit from learning new skills, meeting new people and becoming more connected with their local community.”

Full training is provided for the role, and you need to be over 18 and have held a full driving licence for more than a year.

For more information about volunteering, visit www.communityresponders.yas.nhs.uk or email responders@yas.nhs.uk.

Bulldogs back safe THE OWNER of three stolen bulldogs has thanked social media for helping to get them home safely.

The British bulldogs were taken last Friday morning by burglars who allegedly broke through the owner’s roof in Birstall.

Following a viral Facebook campaign posted by the owner and shared nationally, the dogs were returned late on Sunday after an anonymous phone call.

“Facebook has been amazing to be honest,” said the owner.

“I put an appeal out on a couple of pages and I was getting messages from all over Yorkshire and all over the country with people wanting to help.

“The pressure of people on social media definitely helped to get my dogs back because at the end of the day there was no way they’d have been able to leave the house with those dogs without being spotted.

“I’m obviously very happy to have my dogs back and I can only thank everybody who did their bit in sharing or commenting on Facebook.”

www.facebook.com/ThePressNews

Press founder Danny Lockwood was on BBC Two’s flagship Newsnight programme on Wednesday evening along with (L-R) presenter Emily Maitlis, Areeq Chowdhury and Sophie Gaston

TV debate for Danny PRESS publisher Danny Lockwood gained plaudits after a national TV appearance on Wednesday evening.

Mr Lockwood was on BBC Two’s Newsnight programme discussing a new research project which revealed, in part, what white British residents aged over 55 really feel about the state of modern Britain.

Cross-party think tank Demos carried out the research, with people interviewed in West

Yorkshire and across the country.

The debate also featured Areeq Chowdhury, the founder and chief executive of the youth-led, think tank WebRoots Democracy.

Acting director of Demos Sophie Gaston was also on the panel.

The spirited debate saw Mr Lockwood lock horns with Mr Chowdhury, and viewers and Press readers were impressed with what they saw.

On our Facebook page Wendy

Storey commented: “Danny led the whole thing and was just getting in his stride when wrapped.

“I have much respect for him – he says it as it is, especially for the area he was born and bred in.

Richard Gage said: “I thought he was superb. Danny led the discussion, it’s a shame the other guests were poor.”

Dawn Bradford: “He was excellent, balanced and direct.”

Louise Norman emailed to say: “Danny Lockwood on Newsnight

last night: Fantastic – you are a hero!

“You absolutely nailed the issues, and very eloquently and clearly too.”

Batley community activist Mark Griffin said: “Good to hear real people’s voices (rarely heard in an unedited form) recorded in a national piece of research. I’ll be reflecting on it for weeks, no doubt!”

The Newsnight debate can be viewed on the BBC iPlayer.

Timestep students will step in time STUDENTS from Heckmondwike-based Timestep Studio Musical Theatre have been learning their lines and rehearsing hard ahead of their performance of Mary Poppins at the end of the month.

Tayler Dunstan will be starring as Mary Poppins alongside Carl Cammish as Burt the chimney sweep at Batley Town Hall on Saturday January 27, 2018 (7pm).

The strong cast will entertain the audience with all the Mary classics – A Spoonful Of Sugar, Jolly Holiday and Let’s Go Fly A Kite – it’s a show the whole family can enjoy.

Timestep Studio Musical Theatre teachers Elizabeth Johnson and Rebecca O’Gorman have gone the extra mile, and the production coincides with the release of Mary Poppins at the cinema over Christmas.

The show is also part of Timesteps’ 25th anniversary celebrations that will take place throughout 2018.

Tickets are available from the Kirklees Town Hall box office on 01484 225755.

Art historian Simon’s back HANGING HEATON WMC High St, Hanging Heaton, WF12 7HF with new series of lectures Elvis 4 Sirloins £10 Turkey Sausages & Lean Turkey Mince 5 Kilo Chicken Fillets £25 2.5 Kilo Chicken Fillets £13 128 Huddersfield Road, Mirfield Telephone: 01924 492185

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Elvis is in the room Tickets £6

HangingHeatonWMC

ANYONE wanting to learn more about art history or who has an interest in illustrated books is in for a treat when art historian Simon Poë continues his popular art lectures at Bagshaw Museum in Batley.

His latest series of lectures in the new year will look at 19th and 20th-century British artists best known for their illustration work.

He is presenting ‘Word and Image: The Illustrators’ lectures on Sundays January 14 and 28 and February 18, all starting

at 2pm.

The lectures will consider the likes of Sir John Tenniel, who worked for Punch and illustrated Alice in Wonderland, and Aubrey Beardsley who was a leading figure in the Decadent movement.

He will also look at some of the giants of the ‘golden age’ such as Arthur Rackham, best known for his illustrations for classic fiction and children’s literature, and Edmund Dulac, the French-born, Britishnaturalised magazine and book illustrator.

Simon said: “After several series’ of lectures on ‘fine’ artists whose work was intended to stand on its own, I thought it might be interesting to explore the relationship between the text and the pictures in illustrated books.

“Some genuinely great artists have done this sort of work, a few of them famous, many not.”

Admission to each lecture is £3.50 and no booking is required. For more information contact Bagshaw Museum in Wilton Park on 01924 324765.

Call The Press newsroom on 01924 470296

ThePress

Friday January 12, 2018

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News In Brief Screwfix set to open on business park CLECKHEATON: Screwfix could create 12 jobs if its plans to move into premises on the new Luddite Way Business Park on Bradford Road are given the go-ahead.

The company has applied for change of use to class B8 storage and distribution, with some minor alterations.

The premises’ main activity would be to supply building materials to local builders and related services.

If given the green light, it will open from 7am-8pm Monday to Friday (including Bank Holidays), 7am-6pm on Saturdays and 9am-4pm on Sundays.

Local historian Mike Popplewell looks at the people and places that have shaped the history of the district...

From Moravia to the world, via Gomersal

EAR the word ‘Bohemian’ and what comes to mind? Bohemian Rhapsody, by the rock band Queen? An unconventional individual?

Well, the leap from Freddie Mercury to Little Gomersal is a very big one, but the Moravian Settlement on Quarry Road in Little Gomersal

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is a monument to the part Bohemia has played in the history and religious development of Europe in general, and not just the Spen Valley.

In fact, its influence has been felt as far afield as New Zealand.

Moravia, in the modern-day Czech Republic, was part of the Crown Lands of Bohemia from 1348 to 1918 – although it was a largely autonomous state adjoining Bohemia itself for much of its history.

It was during this time that the theologian Jan Hus began a movement that was to become what was probably Europe’s first Reformation.

Followers of Hus broke away from the established Catholic Church after feeling unable to find any scriptural basis for many of the Church’s practices – in much the same way as Martin Luther, John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli in Germany and Switzerland a century later.

Henry VIII is given credit for instigating the English Reformation, although he was perhaps merely responsible for ‘signing off’ the work done

by Thomas Cramner, Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley.

There was a counter reformation in Bohemia and it wasn’t until 1722, when a remnant of Jan Hus’s followers hiding from persecution in northern Moravia experienced a spiritual revival and the Moravian Church was born.

The persecution from the Catholic Hapsburg Empire persisted, however, and the Moravians began to disperse throughout the world in a bid for religious freedom.

In due course they landed in Yorkshire establishing settlements, amongst others, in Bradford, Fulneck (Pudsey), and Mirfield.

The Gomersal congregation was a result of the Moravians being invited to join an existing Christian movement established by a former Batley Grammar School boy Benjamin Ingham, an Ossett-

born Anglican minister who was associated with John Wesley.

The result was the raising of the existing Gomersal church building in 1751 and in 1758 the Moravian congregation was established in its own right.

But education was always at the forefront of Moravian thinking, and the story of the ladies’ boarding school on Quarry Road takes us all the way from Batley to the New Zealand Parliament.

The school had been established on the site at Quarry Road before the end of the 18th century, and though the 1870 Education Act changed the school system and the Moravian establishments were closed in the later half of the 19th century, there were some notable pupils.

The sister of Mary Taylor, Charlotte Brontë’s friend, was a member of the Moravian Church and 19th century pastor Rev Ray Lauten is thought to have been the basis for the Moravian Minister in the Brontë novel ‘Shirley’.

Ellen Nussey, another of Charlotte Brontë’s friends attended the Moravian Ladies Academy at Gomersal.

But, despite the Brontë connection one of the most notable families to be involved with the school was that of Sarah Elizabeth Colbeck.

In the 1861 census Sarah is seen as a 10-year-old pupil boarding at the Moravian School. She was the daughter of the Batley-born woollen manufacturer William Henry Colbeck, and for Victorian times William Henry looks to

have led more lives than you can imagine.

He was responsible, with his two brothers, for building Cheapside Mill, in Batley, around 1850, then moved to West House, Gomersal, where he established a volunteer artillery corps at his own expense in 1867 and acted as its commander – subsequently carrying the title of captain and storing two cannon in his garden.

He left the business at Cheapside and established an independent business at Alverthorpe, but sold the Cheapside Mill to the Taylors of Blakeridge in 1874, retired to Kent after being nominated but later withdrawing as the Conservative candidate for Dewsbury, sailed with his family to Melbourne, Australia soon after and then emigrated with Sarah, her younger sister Ada, and four younger brothers to New Zealand where they joined his eldest sons John and Arthur.

What actually became of Sarah is not clear, but William continued to chalk up success in life.

By the time he died in 1901 at the age of 77 he had served two years as a member of Parliament representing the Marsden district, moved on to Auckland, became president of the Bank of New Zealand, founded the Chamber of Commerce and became president of the Auckland Club.

He died in June 1901 after being ill for some months but left behind a rich legacy of success and children who pursued their own success with equal enthusiasm.

Friday January 12, 2018

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SNAPPER SCOOPS FOUR TOP PRIZES IN PHOTO CLUB’S AWARDS

DEWSBURY Photographic Club handed out awards for the best prints by members in five separate competitions. Paul Harrison was the big winner, producing four of the five winning entries, which were judged by Brian Hemsworth. Mr Harrison won trophies for his depiction of a woman “Preparing Sticky Rice” (top right) and images entitled “This is going to be wet” (top left), “Over we go” (bottom left), and “Gannet love birds” (main). The fifth award was won by Paul Rothery for his portrait of “Chelsey” (bottom right).

A club spokesman said there had been a lot of entries, which made Mr Harrison’s achievement all the more outstanding. The club’s next meeting is on Monday in Dewsbury Town Hall (7.15pm). Newcomers are welcome.

Deadline day for school places KIRKLEES parents only have until midnight on Monday to register their youngsters for a primary school place.

Children born between September 2013 and August 2014 must be registered for a full-time school place by then, so they can start in reception class in September.

Parents of children who are transferring to a junior or middle school in September must also apply online by the deadline.

When registering a child, parents are advised to apply for first, second and third choice schools in case places at their first preference are unavailable. One of the schools should be in the family’s priority catchment area.

Parents are warned that applications received after the deadline are not considered until after all the ontime applications have been processed, which could reduce the chances of getting a place at a preferred school.

Parents must apply online using the Kirklees Parent Portal, which can be accessed alongside the Kirklees Guide for Parents and useful information about the schools admissions process, at www.kirklees.gov.uk/admissions.

2018 WINTER WARMERS 19/01/18 Cheshire, Alvaston Hall, 4 Days ........................£189

19/02/18 Bodelwyddan, Bodelwyddan Castle, 5 Days....£225

12/03/18 Hayling Island, Mill Rythe Holiday Village, 5 Days... .............................................................................£229 12/03/18 Suffolk, Warner Corton Coastal Village – Drinks Inclusive, 5 Days.................................................£275

26/02/18 Scarborough, Delmont, 5 Days..........................£175

12/03/18 Criccieth, Lion, 5 Days .......................................£255

26/02/18 North Yorks, Nidd Hall, 5 Days..........................£285

19/03/18 Weymouth, Rex, 5 Days.....................................£269

29/01/18 Newquay, Barrowfield, 5 Days...........................£149

05/03/18 Llandudno, Queens, 5 Days..............................£249 05/03/18 Blackpool, Park House, 5 Days.........................£249 05/03/18 Drymen, Winnock, Drinks Inclusive, 5 Days......£315 05/03/18 Cheshire, Alvaston Hall, 5 Days........................£295

19/03/18 St. Annes, Clifton Park, 5 Days..........................£315 26/03/18 Morecambe, Auckland, 5 Days..........................£239 26/03/18 West Looe, Portbyhan, 5 Days..........................£249

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To receive our 2018 door-2-door coach tours brochure please phone

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Phone now for 2018 door-2-door coach tours brochure

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ThePress

Friday January 12, 2017

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Read the latest book reviews, brought to you by staff and volunteers at Batley Library

A much-loved treat from the Collegians AN AMATEUR dramatic society is putting on a pantomime next week – and it’s well worth a gander.

An amazing insight into one family’s life Shtum – Jem Lester Review by Carly Butler SHTUM is the story of 10-year-old Jonah, his father Ben and his grandfather Georg.

High on the autistic spectrum Jonah is unable to speak, he can’t bath or dress himself and he is unable to tell anyone when he needs to use the toilet.

Ben and his wife Emma are struggling to cope and the stress is beginning to show in their marriage.

As they prepare to fight the local authority in court to get Jonah into a residential school that will provide him with the best start to life, Emma decides that they stand a better chance if Ben is a single parent.

With this bombshell Ben and Jonah move in with Ben’s father Georg, and we get to see the beautiful relationship Georg has with his grandson and the complicated relationship he has with his own son.

This is a truly wonderful story of family dynamics and relationships, and the lengths a father will go to for the love of his only son.

It will pull at the heartstrings, make you want to shout with anger but it can also put a smile on your face and make you laugh out loud.

Jem Lester draws on his experiences raising his autistic child and I think this adds to the realism of the story.

It was an amazing and insightful book into the struggles of families dealing with autism on a daily basis.

I would highly recommend this book.

Ramblers’ corner FORTHCOMING walks with the North Kirklees Group of the Ramblers – non-members are always welcome. Please call the walk leader for more details WEDNESDAY JANUARY 17 THE MILLFIELD LAGOONS Starts at 11am at St Peter's Church, Horbury (WF4 6AP, SE293185) 4 miles – moderate Contact: Jim 01924 469700 janderegan@hotmail.co.uk

SATURDAY JANUARY 20 OAKWELL AND EAST BIERLEY Starts at 10.30am at the park gates (near bowling green), Bradford Road, Birkenshaw 6.5 miles – moderate Contact: Norma 01274685 343 or 07951 413012

Dewsbury Collegians will be telling the story of Mother Goose at Dewsbury Town Hall.

Based on an old Greek legend about a goose that lays golden eggs, the pantomime was first produced at the Theatre Royal in 1902 and is as popular now as it proved back then.

The story tells that the golden eggs laid by Priscilla the goose will bring wealth to the Dame, Mother Goose. But she soon realises they will not satisfy her craving to be young and beautiful.

A demon tricks Mother Goose into parting with Priscilla in return for youth

and beauty, however this comes at the expense of her happiness.

The Collegians’ adaptation of the much-loved tale has all the ingredients of a traditional family pantomime, with songs, dance, humour, audience participation and a happy ending.

Performances start from Thursday January 18 and take place in the evenings at 7.15pm until Sunday January 21.

There will be 2pm matinee performances on the Saturday and Sunday.

Tickets for the stalls are £9 and £7 concessions, with the balcony seats priced at £10.

Sunday matinee tickets are £5.

To book, ring 01924 492742 or 01484 225755 (Town Halls ticket line), or visit www.kirkleestown halls.co.uk.

Find your fortune with Carlinghow’s cast!

FOLLOWING the success of last year’s sell-out panto, Carlinghow Theatre Company return to Batley Town Hall this weekend to tell the hilarious tale of Robinson Crusoe.

The am-dram group’s show tells the tale of Crusoe and his friends as they find a treasure map and set sail in search of the Island of San Cramello and the fortune that is hidden there.

Featuring a talented cast of comical characters, music, baddies to boo, heroes to cheer and a tapdancing camel, this year’s pantomime is written and directed by Jane Griffin and promises to be lots of fun.

The town hall show goes on stage tonight (Fri) at 7.15pm, Saturday January 13 at 2.15pm and 7.15pm and Sunday January 14 at

2.15pm.

Tickets are priced at £11 and £8

concessions.

To book, call 07774 128533 or 01924

Handbags at dawn for arts group DEWSBURY Arts Group are gearing up for a busy start to the year with a varied schedule of shows.

Members are now in the final stages of rehearsals for their first play of the year, ‘Handbagged’ by Moira Buffini, which opens next week.

A playful and intelligent speculative look at what conversations went on behind closed doors between the Queen and her Prime Ministers, the play focuses

on the 11 years of meetings between Margaret Thatcher and Her Majesty.

The cleverly witty play can be seen at the Artspace, Lower Peel Street, Dewsbury, on January 20 and 22-27 at 7.30pm and tickets are on sale now.

From February 8-10, the group will be performing an evening of contrasting plays, while during March the classic ‘All My Sons’

by Arthur Miller will be the play

of choice.

Popular Ayckbourn comedy ‘Neighbourhood Watch’ will open on April 26 and in May the youth theatre will showcase their talents.

The season ends in June with ‘The Music Man’ – a great Broadway and West End musical of the old style.

For tickets and information on joining the group, visit www.dewsburyartsgroup.info.

324501 or book online www.kirklees.gov.uk/townhalls.

at

Punk battle LIVERSEDGE: Guests are invited to rock back to the late 70s in a special punk night at Millbridge WMC. Tonight (Friday) there will be a USA vs UK Punk Night with live performances from New York Rocks, Guttersluts, and Rebel Lash.

It’s free entry from 8pm, and there will be another live music night tomorrow (Saturday) with girl duo Head Over Heels taking to the stage.

For more info, call the club on 01924 402696.

ThePress

Friday January 12, 2018

Hear Ann across the BBC radio network

Marketplace

The day I reported live to the world Turn your unwanted items from outside Buckingham Palace into cash £££s

1) Ring Angela on 01924 470296 (9.30am-4.30pm). Have your advert ready and you can pay by debit card (30p surcharge).

2) Call into the office at 31 Branch Road, Batley WF17 5SB and pay by cash, cheque or debit card (30p surcharge).

3) Post your advert and include your name and a contact number, along with cheque for payment.

ADVERTS must be no longer than 50 words.

(We cannot accept the following items: Motor vehicles, caravans, livestock. All listings will stay in Marketplace for a maximum of two months. If you wish to amend your listing, or cancel when sold, contact or call 01924 470296.

Ann Montini reports outside Buckingham Palace © Maycon Pictures HEN I was asked by an international TV channel to report on the Royals from outside Buckingham Palace, I jumped at the chance. How hard can it be? A freezing cold Christmas day with tight security in place was fine, but then they said the dreaded words: “Oh it’s live, too.”

As you can see I think I just about pulled it off, and thanks for all the kind compliments on my stint, but for now I’ll stick to writing for The Press...

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DEBBIE MCGEE wowed everyone with her incredible routines on Strictly, and now I hear that the former ballerina is keen to land more roles dancing on the stage, and would very much like to join the cast of 42nd Street. As soon as I know more, you will...

BRENDAN O’CARROLL has confirmed that he is turning Mrs Brown’s Boys into a musical. The comedian is penning a brand-new stage show around Mrs Brown which will see the entire cast dancing and singing around for your entertainment. The Irishman will also have a new BBC series coming out this year, along with a second season of All Round To Mrs Brown’s.

STRICTLY Come Dancing’s Claudia Winkleman says she has no idea if she will be invited back to host the show this year, as: “It’s all done on a year-by-year basis and yes, I love the show, but the final decision is not up to me. You just live in hope they will invite you all back again.” Claudia is the highest-paid female presenter at the BBC...

FORMER news anchor Selina Scott jumped at the chance to be back on screen to join the next series of BBC One’s The Real Marigold Hotel. She will be filmed touring India with

other celebrities including Susan George, Stephanie Beacham, Syd Little and, fresh from the Celebrity jungle, Stanley Johnson. Selina told me: “I love to travel and saw the first series and loved it, so yes I happily accepted it.”

COULD variety, of a sort, be coming back to TV? I hear that following the success of his two albums and ITV specials, the BBC now like the idea of Michael Ball fronting a Saturday night special and maybe a full series. Michael is already a huge success on BBC Radio Two, but bosses think they now want to expand him back into TV. CORONATION STREET actor Rob Mallard, who plays Daniel Osborne, has revealed that he’s inundated with complaints from viewers who think his hair needs a good wash! He said: “I think because it’s a bit longer and messy people tell me ‘look, why not get it rinsed, it looks a mess on screen’. It does make me laugh as it’s perfectly clean anyway.”

THE Morecambe & Wise Show remains the most memorable Christmas TV programme on British TV. It has been 34 years since their final festive special aired, but the comics nevertheless topped a BBC poll which asked viewers what shows they most remember watching at Christmas. Eric and Ernie – whose 1977 Christmas show pulled in 28 million viewers – scored better even than the annual Queen’s Speech.

MUCH-LOVED singer Jane McDonald will be back with her Channel 5 show ‘Cruising’ after the success of her series last year and her recent Christmas special. She told me: “I still love going on board and waking up somewhere new, I don’t think that ever really leaves you once you

have done it so many times like me.”

CORONATION STREET fans have said goodbye to Todd Grimshaw in a hasty exit scene, after writers scrambled to write around actor Bruno Langley’s axing from the soap. But all may not be lost for the character, at least. Plans are I hear to re-cast the role with another actor within a few months.

DID you know that This Morning Host Holly Willoughby, now earns a salary of £600,000 at ITV alone, and with her ads and endorsements is looking at a figure of over a million per year? She admitted: “I know one day all this will stop so I have to make sure I have the money now.”

CORONATION STREET claim they are ready to set up a dramatic exit for Shayne Ward, but I can reveal he has already been approached about this year’s ‘I’m A Celebrity’, which recently featured his co-star Jennie McAlpine. He told a mole: “I think I might just say yes. Why not as Jennie loved it...”

OH DEAR – it appears that ITV’s All Star Musicals was not just a one-off at all, and a series is planned. Fans noted that many of the stars, like Freddie Flintoff, billed as ‘singing and dancing’ were simply covered by loud backing vocalists and the dancing proved to be simply moving one foot to the other. It’s not put ITV off, though...

THE shy and retiring Lenny Henry is piloting a new sketch comedy show. ‘It’s Alive’ is being developed for a possible prime-time slot on a Saturday night. Insiders tell me that the show is looking for a home on ITV as the BBC are busy with Mel and Sue trying to revive the Generation Game.

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working order. Good condition, £320. Tel 01924 490266 (evening).

(2260)

Casio musical tabletop keyboard, complete with music books, excellent condition, £60 ono. Tel 01924 473560 (Birstall). (2079)

FASHION/FABRIC/CLOTHING Girls’ faux fur coat in cream, from Next. Suit 7-8 yr old, as new, £35.

Tel 07961 842563/ 01924 501325 (Liversedge/ Roberttown). (2273)

Tiger foldaway bicycle 20” wheels, rarely used, VGC. Well looked after £40.

Telephone Mr Smith 07546 522603 (Batley). (2080) CHILDREN’S GOODS /TOYS Boys’ BMX style bike, (Terrain model), 20” wheels with stunt pegs, as new £45. Tel 07961 842563/ 01924 501325 (Liversedge/ Roberttown). (2273) Girls’ BMX style bike, white/green, 5 gears, 18” wheels, as new £35.

Tel 07961 842563/ 01924 501325 (Liversedge/ Roberttown). (2273) Girls’ 3-wheel scooter, pink/white, with front brake. Good condition £30. Tel 079618 42563/ 01924 501325 (Liversedge/ Roberttown). (2273) Early learning centre wooden baby walker/ trolley with coloured bricks. Excellent condition, £10. Tel 01924 407400. (2252) Mamas & Papas (Cybex) baby’s first car seat.

Suitable from birth.

Comes with carry handle. Excellent condition, £15. Tel 01924 407400.

(2252) DIY Triple extension ladder 3.5m, £85. Tel 01924 458658. (2074) Strong, folding 4-step ladder with platform, £15. Tel 01924 479647.

(2272) ELECTRICAL X Box 360, grey console including 3 games, Medal of Honour black ops, Call of Duty and COD Ghosts. £50. Tel 07533 209056 (Heckmondwike). (2259) Ricoh MPC 3500 full colour copier/printer in

Indesit fridge in good working order, can be seen working, £30. Tel 01484 656666. (2257)

Girls’ leopard print ankle strap shoes (River Island), size 2, never worn £10. Tel 07961 842563/ 01924 501325 (Liversedge/ Roberttown). (2273) Pair men’s grey leather slip on shoes, size 7 1/2, brand-new £6. Tel 01924 518904. (2271) Genuine boxed Louis Vuitton Paris black leather trainer-style shoe, size 8. Worn twice. Cost £400, sell £140. Tel 07804 233073.

(2258) FURNITURE Lovely antique side table, 5ft wide x 15in deep x 33” high. Highly carved, solid oak, 2 large bulbous legs, one drawer with 2 brass handles. Approx. 100 years old £60. Tel 01924 609015. (2075) Stripped pine console table with drawer, 3 ft high x 3ft long x 1 ft wide £25. Tel 01924 479647. (2272) Tub chair in brown material, £15. Tel: 01274 876748. (2264) Swivel chair in beige material, £15. Footstool to match, £5. Tel 01274 876748. (2264) Dining suite – Refectory table 30” x 58.5”, 4 ladder back chairs plus 2 carvers, tapestry seats, light wood. 3 separate cupboards with glass shelved display above each one, 31.5” x 71” high. Good condition, little use. £150 for all (will separate). Tel 01924 494526 (Mirfield). (2262) Pine wardrobe 6ft 4ins high x 31 inch wide, with two drawers. As new (not self assembled) £50 Tel 01484 656666. (2257) TV cabinet in pine, two shelves and one drawer.

19

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

ITEM bands

Cost per item

Up to £7: £8 - £25: £26 - £50 £51- £100 £101-£200 £201-£500 £501-£1450 £1,451 plus (not self assembled) As new, £30. Tel 01484 656666. (2257) Pine oblong coffee table, as new, £7. Tel 01484 656666. (2257) Three-piece suite from M&S, one large sofa, two armchairs and footstool. Colour natural.

Cost £2,500 new. Very good condition, £195.

Tel 01924 489657/ 07970 965369. (2252) HEALTHCARE Commode as new, folds up, £30. Also high seat for normal toilet, as new £7.50. Tel 07522 540908 (Mirfield). (2266) HOMEWARES Dinner set, cream with pale peach flower pattern, 6 dinner plates, 6 tea plates, 6 cups and saucers. New, £10, other items available.

Tel 01274 876748.

(2254) Curtains in cream brocade, fully lined. Size 7ft drop x 9ft wide, as new, £50. Tel 01484 656666.

(2257) KITCHEN Nutribullet Extractor Pro15 juicer/smoothie maker. 900W motor, includes many extras.

Cost £100, sell £50. Tel 01924 405423. (2267) Stainless steel gas hob, £20. Tel 07804 233073.

(2258) MISCELLANEOUS Antique upright piano (1914). FOC, collection only, no delivery. Tel 01924 497206 (Birkenshaw). (2268) Wine-making and home-brew equipment – gallon demi-johns, clear glass. 2 for £10. King keg pressurised beer barrel with gas cylinder, £15. Tel 07773 875472.

(2263) MUSICAL Tenor trombone (gold lacquered), serial number 430226. Make Elkhart USA. Hardly distinguishable from new.

Original 12C mouthpiece and original sturdy, lightweight, fitted case. All in excellent condition. Needs to be seen, £120 (cash only).

Tel 01924 477016 (can deliver locally). (2077) Trombone Practice Silent Brass Personal Studio S135-9 PM5.

Complete with all accessories, only used

£1 £2 £3 £4 £5 £7 £9 £11

once. Still boxed, bargain £70 cash. Tel 01924 477016 (can deliver locally). (2077) PETCARE Wrought iron pet bed, new, 2ft x 2 1/2 ft £7. Tel 01924 479647. (2272) SPORT/FITNESS/OUTDOORS Trimline 3550 Space Saver Treadmill, electric (stands up when not in use). Manual or programmed mode, £150.

Tel 07934 187407 (Dewsbury). (2076) Hi-Pro folding snooker/pool table, red baize.

2 full sets balls, 2 cues, scorecard, 6ft x 3ft, in excellent condition £65.

Tel 07961 842563/ 01924 501325 (Liversedge/ Roberttown). (2273) Reebok Irun 3 treadmill, instructions and tools included. Black & white in immaculate condition. Cost £500, sell £250. Tel 01924 405423.

(2267) Mountain bike, GT Paloma, 18” frame, 26” wheels. Good tyres and good general condition, £40. Tel 01924 274137.

(2265) StowaMatic golf push trolley with three wheels. Black, £24. Tel: 01274 876748. (2264) Fishing equipment – Shimano perfection carp rod, 12ft – 2lb TC with tube. Very good condition, £25. Boss pole roller with bag, new and never used, £15. Tel 07773 875472.

(2263) Scuba equipment includes 1 x wetsuit plus 1 shortie, set of regs, SMB, 3 masks, 1 set of fins, torch, knife, pair of boots size 9, hood, weights, belt, pouch, camera & flashgun, snorkel and compass, £250. Tel 07857 026569. (2261) Pool table in good condition, £10. Tel 01924 518904. (2255) Infiniti Fitness System Ergometer Elliptical Cross Trainer. Hardly used. Cost over £400. £200 ono. Tel 01924 460397. (2251) WANTED WANTED: N-Gauge railway rolling stock (English). Private buyer, cash waiting. Tel Andy 07900 110768. (2269)

20

ThePress

Friday January 12, 2018

An evening of

Laurel Families & Hardy films welcome.

Tickets on sale at the bar £6 which will include pie & pea supper and complimentary pint!

Please put this darite in your dia es!

Friday 23rd February @7:30pm

FREE

FUNCTION HIRE

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Telephone reservations welcome 01924 475960 option 4

Tickets for events are on sale and available from the club

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ThePress

Friday January 12, 2018

Care At Home

Aerial & Satellite

In Focus

COMPASSIONATE PERSONALISED CARE AT HOME

Ultimate Glass Ltd

Flexible homecare to meet individual needs

MALCOLM’S

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Bespoke Kitchens

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SAME DAY www.ultimateglassltd.com GLAZING

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FREEPHONE 0800 074 8967 or 01924 450999

- 1st for glass in Dewsbury ULTIMATE GLASS Ltd is one of the leading glass manufacturers in the area – and with our experienced team our reputation goes from strength to strength.

With our same-day glazing service there’s no need to panic, we have helped out scores of local people in their hour of need.

We cut glass, mirrors, shelves and safety glass at our trade counter in Ravensthorpe.

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5kg Chicken £25 2.5kg Chicken £13

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Friday January 12, 2018

Classified

Dining Out

Fireplaces

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Call 01924 470296 or email advertising@thepressnews.co.uk Carpet & Flooring

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Friday January 12, 2018

Classified Want to advertise in our Classified section?

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25 yrs experience Director: Jason

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BUILDERS OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES

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Removals/Storage

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23

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Classified 24

ThePress

Public Notices

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LICENSING ACT 2003 NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR GRANT OF A PREMISES LICENCE

TAKE NOTICE that we, THE AL NAWAB LTD, have applied to Kirklees Council under Licensing Act 2003, for the grant of a premises licence in respect of premises known as THE AL NAWAB LTD 17 STATION ROAD, MIRFIELD, WF14 8LN For LATE NIGHT REFRESHMENT MON-SUN 11PM-1AM Interested parties and responsible authorities may make representations regarding the application where they believe that the proposed activities would undermine any of the four licensing objectives.

Any representations must be submitted in writing to the Licensing Office, Flint Street, Fartown, Huddersfield, HD1 6LG or by email at licensing@kirklees.gov.uk by 6TH FEBRUARY 2018 Persons wishing to inspect the Licensing Register may do so at the above address during normal office hours or online at www.kirklees.gov.uk/licensing It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with an application and on summary conviction would be liable to a fine not exceeding £5,000.

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Friday January 12, 2018

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Friday January 12, 2018

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Town appoint Ashforth OSSETT TOWN have appointed Lee Ashforth as their new manager, on a permanent basis, following Grant Black’s resignation last week.

Black’s 23-month stint as boss was ended after Ossett won just one of their previous nine games.

Ashforth was initially appointed on a temporary basis along with Steve Ridley, however Ridley has now decided to step down from his role as player/assistant manager.

“Having spoken at length to Lee, as well as the existing squad, it is important for all of us that we retain stability and look to get back to winning ways as soon as possible,” said chairman James Rogers.

“We’ve had a great record for the last 18 months but seen a blip in results over the last few weeks.

“We believe Lee is best placed to build on the strengths we undoubtedly have as a team and take us forward.”

Ashforth took to social media to express his thoughts on his appointment.

“After a crazy week, I am happy to have accepted the role as Ossett Town first team manager,” he said.

“It’s a club I have always stayed close to and the people involved since my time in management.

“I have already got a good squad, thanks to the previous management team, and although

NEW BOY: Ossett Town boss Lee Ashforth on a bad run of form, with a couple of additions I am sure we can get back to winning ways.

“I am looking forward to the challenge and thanks to all for the kind words of support and advice that was offered to me over the past 24 hours.”

Ashforth’s first move as boss has been to name Steve Nicholson as his assistant.

Nicholson has a wealth of experience playing and managing in the Evo-Stik league, both at Ossett Albion and Wakefield.

Ossett drop further down table Evo-Stik North

OSSETT TOWN

0

COLWYN BAY

2

OSSETT TOWN dropped to 12th place in the Evo-Stik North as they lost for the eighth time in nine league games.

Two goals in the space of two minutes, just after the half hour mark, proved to be enough for Colwyn Bay to take

all three points.

The visitors enjoyed the better of the first half as Town keeper Leon Wigglesworth was forced into two smart saves from shots by Danny Andrews and Danny Bartle.

The breakthrough came for the visitors as Wigglesworth pushed another effort from Bartle behind the byline for a corner.

From the resulting corner Jack Hindle guided the ball into the net to put his side

ahead at Ingfield.

A minute later some good link-up play created space for Louis Barnes to double Colwyn’s lead.

Ossett struggled to create opportunities, with their most notable chance coming from a Josh Snowden header which was superbly kept out by Matt Cooper in the Colwyn goal.

Things will not get any easier for Town as they travel to fifth-placed Bamber Bridge tomorrow afternoon (3pm).

RACING PREVIEW WITH MIKE SMITH WILLIAM HENRY CAN LAND LANZAROTE NICKY HENDERSON’S WILLIAM HENRY didn’t make it to the starting line last week but I’m keeping faith in him to put in a big performance in the Lanzarote at Kempton tomorrow (Saturday).

As usual this 2-mile 5-furlong handicap hurdle is incredibly competitive, but the money has come from across the Irish Sea for the JP McManus-owned RIVER FROST, with Dewsbury’s leading independent bookmaker Carrigill going 9/2 at the time of writing.

The Henderson pair of WILLIAM HENRY and DIESE DES BIEFFES come next at 5 and 6/1 respectively, slightly ahead of Dr Richard Newland’s LE PATRIOTE at 13/2.

Alan King trains RIVER FROST and all three trainers are in superb form at the moment. Henderson has another three entered, but we may not have seen the best of WILLIAM HENRY over hurdles. Off a mark of 145 and priced at 5s he may be underestimated and will be happier going right handed after a disappointing flat chasing debut at Cheltenham in November.

BALLYKAN has slipped to an attractive looking mark, so could be one to keep on side in the 3-mile handicap chase

at Kempton. He has decent form over this course and distance having finished 5th in the Betbright Handicap Chase last February off a mark of 140 and he’s off 134 for tomorrow’s (Saturday) race.

Warwick’s most valuable race at 3.35 can go to trainer Kerry Lee for the second time in three years with KRAKATOA KING. He has never finished out of the frame for Lee and at a best priced 9/1 is a sure fire each-way punt with the stiffer test set to play to his strengths.

In Ireland, I’m really looking forward to seeing who comes out on top in the Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown on Saturday.

Willie Mullins has trained some smart horses to win this race over the years and GETABIRD could be hard to beat in dropping back to 2m

even if he takes on MENGLI KHAN, who is on a recovery mission having run out on his last start.

As a grade 1 winner already, Gordon Elliott’s talented novice will have to give weight to GETABIRD and he needs to stay on track this time, which he didn’t do at Leopardstown over Christmas when running out through the wings with that grade 1 seemingly at his mercy.

Up-and-coming North Yorkshire trainer Philip Kirby is a man worth following.

He was quoted last weekend as saying he couldn’t wait for his TOP VILLE BEN to turn out again following his 30-length demolition of his opponents under a huge weight at Haydock Park on the last weekend of December.

The Middleham handler has given his charge two entries tomorrow at Kempton and Warwick, so stay with him wherever he goes.

•CARRIGILL’S NAP (Stake returned as a free bet if selection does not finish in the top 4): TOP VILLE BEN, Saturday, 2.45, Warwick / 2.40, Kempton Park.

•AUGUR’S BEST BET: KRAKATOA KING, Saturday, Warwick, 3.35.

ThePress

26

Friday January 12, 2018

RUGBY UNION

Narrow loss for Ossett

Cleckheaton return to action with defeat

Yorkshire Merit League

SELBY 3RD XV OSSETT 2ND XV

North East One

BRIDLINGTON RUFC CLECKHEATON RUFC

29 5

CLECKHEATON’S long-awaited return to competitive action did not go to plan as they were defeated away at Bridlington.

The Moorenders travelled to the east coast for their first league game since December 2 a depleted outfit, with regular second-rowers Luke Pearson and Ryan Piercy sidelined by injury.

Bailey Smith also withdrew with a late knock while Josh Plunkett, Ben Thrower and Jack Bickerdike were unavailable due to holidays and other commitments.

Given the number of absentees, Cleck started relatively well, and whilst not posing a real danger to the Bridlington try line, they battled well in the middle of the park.

With the game finely poised at 0-0, with 15 minutes gone the hosts opted to kick a penalty in front of the sticks to go 3-0 ahead.

With half an hour on the clock the home side scored the game’s first try.

A well-worked reverse pass from Bridlington’s scrum-half found a support runner who ran clear for a well-executed try.

As the half was coming to a close the Brid number 8 picked the ball from the back of the scrum and bounced through the tackles to extend the host’s lead.

The Spen Valley men enjoyed the better of the first 10 minutes of the second half and got on the board with a Mikey Hayward try.

Matt Piper and Liam Darville combined to help put Hayward over for what would prove to be Cleckheaton’s only score.

A comeback did look likely immediately

CONSOLATION: Mikey Hayward goes over for Cleckheaton’s only try on Saturday afternoon after the try but several promising attacks from Cleck were thwarted by handling errors.

Bridlington took full advantage of the visitor’s mistakes with some determined running that saw them go over for their third try of the afternoon.

The conversion brought the scores to 24-5, the Moorenders tried to respond with more points of their own but more unforced errors proved costly.

With only a few minutes remaining

Gerald Christian

Bridlington went over for the their bonuspoint try.

Cleckheaton face a tough January as their next three games will all be against sides currently above them in the league table.

Driffield are the visitors to Moorend tomorrow.

Cleck won the reverse fixture earlier in the season thanks to a last-minute try and will be hoping to complete the league double over their opponents tomorrow afternoon (2.15pm).

29 26

OSSETT 2nd XV surrendered a nine-point halftime lead as they narrowly lost away at Selby 3rd XV. The visitors knew they would be in for a difficult afternoon after beating Selby in the reverse fixture earlier in the campaign.

The hosts started well and soon led Ossett 12-0, as they utilised their pace out wide.

Ossett then sprang into life and took the game to Selby with some hard running and fronting up at the ruck.

Elliot Guerilla led the way and almost put his side on the scoreboard as he bust through two of the largest players on the field, only to have a Selby player slide underneath him to hold the ball up.

However, Ossett soon got themselves a try as Lee Hemingway crossed for the away side.

Hemingway and his partner in the centres, Isaac Traughton, dominated the middle of the park with Traughton letting no one through.

Jonathan Banks, Tom Sprott and Ian Whitehead all made yards up front while Chris White disrupted the Selby lineout.

Alex Armstrong was unlucky to get a knock early on but made good yards and put Banks in for Ossett’s second try.

This was quickly followed up by Duncan Kitts crossing for another after an individual break down the middle. With all tries converted by Tom Halloran, Ossett went into the break 12-21.

In a back-and-forth encounter Selby went back in front in the second half, scoring twice to make it 24-21.

The visitors regained the lead themselves when they went over for their fourth try of the afternoon.

It wasn’t to be for Ossett though, as the Selby attacker managed to hold off the Ossett tackles and force his way over the line in the closing stages.

FOOTBALL

Brave Albion downed by Walton strike rescues point last-minute Trafford goal NCEL Premier Division

WORKSOP TOWN LIVERSEDGE FC

4 4

LIVERSEDGE scored two goals in the final five minutes in order to rescue a point away at Worksop Town.

Sedge were playing in only their third game since the beginning of December, due several of their games falling victim to the weather.

The Clayborners now sit in 12th place, but could move to as high as eighth if they win their games in hand.

The home side took the lead on Saturday afternoon as Mitchum Husbands volleyed home from close range.

Ten minutes later Worksop doubled their lead as Sedge’s Max Elliot put the ball into his own net.

Former Worksop winger Rhys Davies came

LEADER: Scott Metcalfe was named as Albion’s man of the match after a stellar display on Saturday Evo-Stik North

TRAFFORD OSSETT ALBION A STUNNING strike from Trafford’s Jack Dorney deep into stoppage time broke Ossett Albion hearts on Saturday afternoon.

The Unicorns matched their sixth-placed opponents all game, and Dorney’s goal late in the match proved to be the only thing to separate the teams.

1 0

Albion had a few early chances to go ahead but Aidan Chippendale’s threatening cross was cut out before Scott Metcalfe’s effort was deflected just wide of the post.

Metcalfe came close again, just before the break, but his free kick was kept out by Grant Shenton.

The visitors continued to dominate as the second half wore on but they were unable to create any clear cut chances.

Trafford began to create some chances of their own,

Keil O’Brien came the closest as he saw his header cleared off the line.

However, in the 92nd minute, Trafford snatched all three points as James Dean controlled a long ball for the arriving Dorney who curled the ball in from 20 yards out.

Despite the defeat Albion remain outside the relegation zone on goal difference and will hope to put a bigger gap between themselves and the bottom two at home to Droylsden tomorrow afternoon (3pm).

back to haunt his former side immediately after as he found the far corner with the outside of his boot.

Micah Bishop restored Worksop’s two-goal cushion 20 minutes into the second half as his 30-yard strike went in off the post.

Joe Walton made sure that Liversedge stayed in the game when he reduced the deficit to one goal – finishing off a superb counter-attacking move.

Worksop looked to have put the game to bed as Ash Burbeary ran onto the ball and hammered a half volley into the roof of the net.

Liversedge were then awarded a penalty with five minutes remaining, Davies made no mistake from the spot as he lashed the spotkick straight down the middle of the goal.

With the game nearing its close Walton was the hero for Sedge as he drilled the ball into the corner of the net to snatch a point for Liversedge.

WOMEN’S FOOTBALL

Town keen to maintain good form OSSETT TOWN go to third-placed Clifton Rangers, at Deighton, aiming to continue in the form that saw them start the new year with a 5-0 win over lowly Silsden.

Town preserved their unbeaten record and maintained the pressure on leaders Farsley Celtic reserves.

Dewsbury Rangers saw their

scheduled game at home to Farsley postponed and they will try again with a trip to Silsden on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Lower Hopton’s hopeful surge towards the Second Division title came to an abrupt halt due to the weather.

Their clash with Middleton was postponed, but they will be looking for

their seventh-straight win when they entertain Skipton at Woodend Road this week.

In the same division the Ossett Town Development side lost 3-0 at home to Boroughbridge and the likelihood of any reward in the game at home to Middleton this week looks pretty slim.

Send your news and photos to: sport@thepressnews.co.uk Tel: 01924 470296

ThePress

Friday January 12, 2018

27

RUGBY LEAGUE

Batley scoop centre Galbraith for 2018 BATLEY BULLDOGS have continued to strengthen their squad ahead of the 2018 campaign with the signing of Lewis Galbraith from Rochdale Hornets.

The 22-year-old centre had initially agreed to stay at Rochdale for the coming season but left the Hornets after the club sought to cut player wages due to financial troubles.

Galbraith scored seven tries in 28 appearances for the Lancashire outfit last year and Bulldogs boss Matt Diskin is delighted to have added the centre to his squad.

“Lewis is very, very quick and elusive, and good on his feet,” said Diskin.

“He is a young, talented kid, who we are excited to add to the real talented centres we have already got.

“We have got three quality centres that many of the Championship clubs would snap their right arm off for.

“Now we are adding a real quality player into that, it provides some healthy competition, everybody knows where they stand – that if they train hard

WELCOME ABOARD: Lewis Galbraith with Batley boss Matt Diskin they will be selected.

“We have good some real good depth in and around the squad and we are really excited to get going, the players know they will have to perform as they always will have somebody snapping on

their heels for selection.”

Diskin wants his side to focus on “fine-tuning” their training techniques when they host Wakefield Trinity on Sunday afternoon.

Sunday’s clash will be the sec-

ond of four pre-season friendlies for the Bulldogs, who kick off their league campaign against Rochdale on February 4.

However, Diskin believes that it will be a severely depleted Wakefield side that his team will face at the weekend.

He added: “I’m not too interested in what squad Wakefield will bring, I am under no illusions about what squad it will be, it will most likely be their academy lads.

“For us, the focus is on the stuff we have been doing in training, putting it into practice and fine-tuning everything.

“It was good to blow some cobwebs off in the Boxing Day game, it wasn’t the best quality, there were plenty of errors and penalties and that happens in your first few pre-season games.

“We want to make sure we are ready for the first game of the competition, whatever team Wakefield put out, we will be focusing on ourselves.

“I am more than happy with where we are at the moment. We have some real quality and depth throughout the squad.”

Kelly expecting tough afternoon DEWSBURY RAMS head coach Neil Kelly reckons Huddersfield Giants will be the toughest test his team will face in pre-season.

The clash against Huddersfield is the Rams’ second of three pre-season games, and is due to kick off at 3pm at the John Smith’s Stadium on Sunday.

“It will probably be the stiffest test we will face in pre-season,” said Kelly.

“I would imagine that Rick Stone is probably going to want to use a large part of his squad.

“I know that at some stages in the game it will be a real test for us.”

Kelly is hoping to see improvement in his team’s attacking play, following their defeat at the hands of Batley on Boxing Day. The Rams boss is also aiming for his side to be competitive against Huddersfield and not produce a similar performance to Halifax, who were thumped 62-0 by Wakefield on Sunday.

“I am looking for a smoother, less disjointed attacking performance,” said Kelly.

“I was looking for defence primarily against Batley and obviously I will be looking at defence again.

“The players are all training well, the spirit amongst the lads is quite good and we are where we should be at this stage of the year.

“I will be disappointed on Sunday if we put in a performance, say like, Halifax did against Wakefield last week.

“We have got to try and learn lessons from other teams and make sure what happenened to Halifax doesn’t happen to us on Sunday.”

Celtic planning trip down under Hanging Heaton come from behind to stay undefeated DEWSBURY CELTIC are planning a hugely ambitious overseas tour of Australia for both their open age and Under-19s teams.

The Crow Nest Park club, based at the Dewsbury Irish National Club in Westtown, are having a launch night at ‘the Nash’ on Saturday January 27 when ‘old boy’ and recent World Cup star Alex Walmsley will be on hand to discuss his England exploits.

Appearing with the Saints and former Batley man will be Leeds Rhinos legend and current Widnes Vikings assistant coach Francis Cummins, plus ex-Huddersfield Giants coach and Bradford and Great Britain prop Paul Anderson.

They’ll be talking about their experiences playing down under.

The tour is planned to coincide with the return of the Great Britain Lions in October 2019 for hopefully the first full Ashes Test series since 1992.

Although the Lions have played Tri Nations tournaments and one-off tests against the Kangaroos, it will be 27 years since a fully-fledged Lions side toured. Australia beat England 60 in a tense 2017 World Cup final.

The Celtic tour organising committee already have deposits from 71 planned ‘tourists’ and will be launching the tour logo and fundraising efforts.

With a 7.30pm meet and a disco to follow the launch which starts at

Pennine League, Division Two West

OVENDEN A HANGING HEATON

HEADING HOME: England star Alex Walmsley will return to Dewsbury Celtic on Jan 27 8pm, Celtic are hoping to welcome as many former and current players and supporters as possible.

Elsewhere, the club have confirmed their pre-season fixtures

ahead of the 2018 season.

Celtic will face rivals Dewsbury Moor on February 10 before hosting Shaw Cross Sharks in the third-annual Ben Restall Cup on February 17.

Birstall Vic set to begin pre-season BIRSTALL VICTORIA will begin preparations for their new league campaign as pre-season training is scheduled to start next week.

The side will be training twice a week, on Monday and Thursday, with each session costing £2.

Monday’s session (Jan 15) will take place on the Dewsbury Rams’

4G facility, located next to the stadium.

Thursday’s session (Jan 18) will be held at the T3 Training and Wellbeing Centre in Batley.

Both sessions have an 8pm start, players old and new are welcome to come along.

The club’s junior sections have

also confirmed their training schedule.

The Under-16s will train on Thursday nights at the Howden Clough 3G pitch from 5pm-6pm.

The Under-13s will begin their preparations on Friday evenings at the Indoor Sports Hall at Batley Baths from 6.30pm-7.30pm.

The Under-11s and Under-10s training will begin tomorrow morning (Sat) from 9am-10am at the St John Fisher 3G pitch in Dewsbury.

For more information on training sessions for all ages you can contact the club via email on rugby@birstallvictoria.co.uk or by phone on 07866 751715.

8 40

HANGING HEATON came from behind against Ovenden A to maintain their unbeaten run in Division Two West of the Pennine League on Saturday afternoon.

The hosts went ahead inside the first minute as they made the most of a knock on from Hanging Heaton at the kick off.

It was 8-0 soon after as Ovenden were awarded a penalty for dissent and opted to kick for goal.

Hanging Heaton continued to hold on and struggled to complete, leaving Ovenden well in control of the contest.

With his team struggling, head coach Steve Smith said he was forced into some changes in order to get points on the board.

“After 20 minutes I made a few tactical changes, with Adam Bingham moving to hooker,” said Smith.

“We upped the ante and began to win back control of the ruck.”

Smith’s changes proved fruitful as Jake Green dotted down in the corner, Danny Hainsworth added the conversion to reduce the deficit to two points.

The visitors went ahead shortly after as Declan Tomlinson broke clear inside his own half.

With only the fullback to beat, Tomlinson drew his man before

passing to Max Vernon on the inside, who gathered and scored.

Hainsworth was on target with the conversion to give his side a four-point lead.

Hanging Heaton were now in the ascendency and went over for a third try through Aaron James.

A number of quick play the balls proved too much for the Ovenden defence as they could only watch on as James crashed over.

Just before half-time Tomlinson broke clear again and with support on either side he sent Green over for his second of the afternoon.

Both sides proved evenly matched at the beginning of the second half, but it was Hanging Heaton who got the next score.

The ball was moved through several pairs of hands to Joe Kershaw who planted the ball down underneath the posts.

The away side got a sixth try as they utilised the overlap and sent James over on the short side for his second of the game.

With 15 minutes remaining tempers flared between the two sets of players, and Green was given his marching orders for punching.

Despite being a man down Hanging Heaton restricted their opponents to just eight points and scored with the final play of the game. Vernon went over underneath the sticks for his second, and Hainsworth added his fifth conversion of the day as proceedings were brought to a close.

Kelly concerned

by Wood’s exit

By Ben McKenna DEWSBURY RAMS head coach Neil Kelly believes that several Championship clubs should be worried by the direction that rugby league is heading following Nigel Wood’s departure from the RFL. Kelly says that many clubs in the Championship and League 1 are concerned about what will happen to the lower divisions of the sport now that Wood has stepped down from his role as CEO. It is understood that several Super League clubs are wanting to take full control of the game’s TV revenue, which could lead to less funding for Championship clubs.

And the Dewsbury boss thinks giving less money to the Championship will prove detrimental not just to the division but to the whole of rugby league.

“Judging by some of the reports, a lot of people in our division and the division below are a little bit concerned,” said Kelly.

“There is the concern about what direction the RFL are going to go in now that Nigel Wood isn’t there.

“Everybody at this level should be a little bit worried, there have been some press reports saying that there have been moves to try and take the finance away from the Championship.

“I think that would be detrimental, not only to our division, but to the game as a whole.

“The game needs a thriving level of competition below Super League, so it is worrying what direction the game is going to take.”

The Rams boss has said that this isn’t the first time he has experienced clubs trying to break away.

Kelly also believes that Wood has been an “advocate” for the Championship during his time as CEO. He said: “When I was at Dewsbury before, we lived through one period that was like the current situation.

“The game fought hard to stay together against some forces within that tried to break away.

“Now it seems that we are back to where we were then, hopefully that isn’t the case and we can look at ways to take the whole game forward.

“I’m as concerned as anybody else, as the noises coming out suggest we are going to be where we were 10 to 15 years ago.

CAUSE FOR CONCERN: Kelly is worried by the potential direction the sport could be heading “I think, overall, that Nigel Wood has done a good job, on the face of it he has been an advocate for this division.”

With many names being touted to take over from Wood, Kelly feels it is critical that whoever comes in is impartial.

He said: “I have seen some of the names that people are pushing, for example Wigan – who seem to be at the front of the breakaway situation – promoting Phil Clarke and players who have played at Wigan.

“I can see there being a bit of a divide at Super League level with the

clubs that are trying to take the money from us, and the ones who have developed the clubs to such an extent that they are independent, free-standing clubs that can survive without the extra money.

“I think that Kevin Sinfield has been touted for the position but I think it needs to be a neutral person who goes in there, rather than a significant player.

“It is better to take away the parochial side of the game and really look at getting an independent person in, who obviously has the capabilities but without close ties to any club.”

Growing divide in Championship is a worry says Nicholas BATLEY BULLDOGS chairman Kevin Nicholas believes that Championship clubs are now faced with “a very unfair playing field,” after Leigh Centurions received a £500,000 parachute payment from Super League clubs.

Nicholas’s comments come in the wake of Nigel Wood’s departure as CEO of the Rugby Football League.

The Bulldogs chairman feels the parachute payment to Leigh – who already received £750,000 for their relegation – is evidence of a growing divide between clubs.

“Clearly this means the rest of the Championship clubs are faced with a very unfair playing field,” said Nicholas.

“I hope Super League clubs can see our side of the argument, Leigh owner Derek Beaumont had spent £2m trying to make Leigh a Super League club and they obviously wanted to make things easier for him.

“No-one wants to see players and staff made redundant, I have sympathy with Derek in that position.

“And their argument (the Super League clubs) is that it’s their money. If they want to help Leigh they can.

“But you can very clearly see what happens next, and I think it’s very dangerous for the sport.”

Nicholas is also of the opinion that the departure of Nigel Wood could see the sport split into two.

The Batley chairman says he has seen a letter from Wigan Warriors chairman, Ian Lenagan, that outlines a vision where Super League teams would control the entire sport, with League 1 losing its semi-pro status.

“I was able to see a letter from October 7 that Ian Lenagan sent to all the Super League clubs,” added Nicholas.

“Some of it expressing reasonable criticism of the RFL, making it clear that Super League should be making the decisions on where all the TV money goes, and should have complete control – not the independent RFL board.

“Ian Lenagan, because of his understanding of how the Football League (EFL) works, wants our governance to mirror their model (where the Premier League is a separate entity).”

Lenagan’s proposal would remove all funding from League

Batley owner Kevin Nicholas 1, forcing many traditional clubs to become community sides.

Nicholas believes that Wood’s departure could see a small number of people take control of the sport, with only their own interests at heart.

He said: “A limited number of people, with entirely selfish interests, will be making decisions that benefit them and not the whole sport.

“As chairman of Batley Bulldogs I look after the interests of Batley Bulldogs first and foremost.

“But I would like to think that a chairman also thinks about the good of the whole game.

“The main thing Nigel Wood has brought to the table is stability, I thought Nigel and Richard Lewis worked really well together.

“I don’t agree with everything they did, especially franchising, but during their time they brought stability to the sport.

“Nigel Wood’s legacy will be the unity he created among all the different sections of the sport – and that’s what’s at risk now.

“From the community game, through the semi-pro clubs and to Super League, he gave us one sport under one umbrella and for him to keep that together was a great achievement.

“What Nigel Wood and the RFL board have done is provide an independent body and that’s what we must not lose.”

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