Dewsbury february 3rd 2017

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Shannon drama on screen

Friday February 3, 2017

12 MONTHS

No. 775

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Wounded man in hospital and four suspects are hunted after ‘a targeted’ shotgun attack A MAN was shot in Dewsbury on Wednesday night in what police believe may have been a targeted attack.

A 24-year-old man was taken to hospital with serious but not lifethreatening injuries after three other incidents nearby that officers have linked to the shooting.

Police were called to an address on Park Parade, Westtown, shortly before 10.30pm after reports that a man had been shot.

It is believed that a shotgun was used.

The shooting took place on Cemetery Road, a few minutes before emergency services were called.

Officials are linking it to another incident which occurred at the same location about half an hour before, where a member of the public was threatened.

There were then two subsequent incidents of attempted robbery and robbery which took place within three miles and half an hour of the shooting.

Police are working on the theory the first incident may have been one of mistaken identity, with the third and fourth incidents attempts

Crime scene... Police threw up a cordon around the scene of the shooting in Cemetery Road, Dewsbury to steal vehicles to get away from the area. Four male suspects aged in their late teens/early 20s are being sought, with three of them described as Asian, Afghan and

Afro-Caribbean. Detectives are appealing for anyone who may have seen a dark-coloured VW Golf with front-end damage either at the time of the incident or parked up in the

Mike Clark

local area since. Police are also searching for a ‘D’ registration grey Peugeot 3008 stolen by the suspects in one of the subsequent incidents.

Detective Chief Inspector Sue

Jenkinson, of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “We would like to reassure the community that we are doing everything we can to trace those involved.

“We believe this to have been a targeted attack and appeal to anyone who was in the area around the time of the incident and who may have any information to come forward.

“We’d also ask the public not to approach anyone they suspect as being involved, as the suspects were in possession of a shotgun.

“If anyone in the area has any concerns, they can contact their neighbourhood officers, who will also be conducting increased high visibility patrols in the area to offer further reassurance to residents.”

Routes around Cemetery Road remained cordoned off yesterday (Thursday), and St Paulinus Catholic Primary School on Temple Road was closed for the day.

There was major disruption on Huddersfield Road and on surrounding routes on Thursday morning while officers conducted enquiries.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting 1696 of February 1.

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Friday February 3, 2017 11.15am, followed by committal at Dewsbury Crematorium.

FLETCHER JOHN On 15 January, aged 96, of Batley. Husband of the late Barbara. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Monday 6 February at 2.45pm.

Deaths BLADEK MIECZYSLAW (MICHAEL) On 29 January, aged 89, of

Cleckheaton. Husband of the late Onesta. Service at Our Lady and St Paul’s RC Church, Cleckheaton, Tuesday 7 February at 1.45pm, followed by committal at Dewsbury

Crematorium at 2.45pm.

BREADMORE CHRISTOPHER On 24 January, aged 73, of

Birstall. Husband of Jean.

Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Thursday 9 February at 11.15am.

Place your family notices by calling 01924 470296

BRESLIN JOSEPH On 26 January, aged 80, of Batley. Husband of Jean.

Requiem Mass at St Mary’s RC Church, Batley, on Friday 17 February at 12noon, followed by committal at Dewsbury Crematorium.

BROADLEY MARGARET (PEGGY) On 23 January, aged 93, of Ravensthorpe. Wife of the late Goff. Service at Park Wood Crematorium, Elland, on Friday 10 February at 3.45pm.

BRUNTON PETER On 29 January, of Dewsbury, aged 76. Partner of Jean.

Service at Dewsbury Crematorium Tuesday 14 February at 11.15am.

CROOKES PETER On 27 January, aged 81, formerly of Dewsbury. Partner of Margaret. Service at St Mary’s Church, Woodkirk, Tuesday 14 February at 1pm.

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DUNNETT ALAN On 21 January, aged 94, formerly of Carlinghow. Husband of the late Elsie. Service at St John’s Church, Carlinghow on Monday 20 February at

On 29 January, aged 83, of Earlsheaton. Husband of Mavis. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Friday 10 February at 2pm.

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On 25 January, aged 95, of Earlsheaton. Husband of the late Dorothy. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Monday 13 February at 12.30pm.

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GREENUP JANET (NEE DEW) On 26 January, aged 67, of Birstall. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Tuesday 7 February at 3.15pm.

HILTON GEOFFREY ROSS On 25 January, aged 83, of Liversedge. Husband of Carol.

Service at Dewsbury Elim Pentecostal Church, Friday 10 February at 11.30am, followed by private committal.

HOPKINS NEE WYNNE DOROTHY On 24 January, of Dewsbury, aged 82 years, Wife of the late James John. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Monday 6 February at 11.15am.

HOWELL MALCOLM On 24 January, aged 84, formerly of Dewsbury Moor.

Husband of Beryl. Service at Park Crematorium, Lytham, Monday 13 February at 12.30pm.

On 24 January, aged 76, of Liversedge. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Tuesday 7 February at 11.15am.

MORTIMER DORIS On 30 January, aged 93, of Roberttown. Wife of the late Jack. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Thursday 16 February at 1.15pm.

PADGETT ANTHONY ERIC On 23 January, aged 61, of Scotland. Husband of Glynis.

Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Friday 10 February at 1.15pm.

PALMER NEE DAY MARGARET On 25 January, of Ossett, formerly of Dewsbury, aged 73.

Wife of the late David. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium Thursday 16 February at 12.30pm.

SHAW SYLVIA On 21 January, of Earlsheaton, aged 63. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Monday 13 February at 2pm.

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On 29 January, formerly of Batley, aged 86. Service at Batley Parish Church, Tuesday 14 February at 2pm followed by interment in Batley Cemetery.

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SIMMS MARK On 27 January, aged 48, formerly of Mirfield. Service at Huddersfield Crematorium, Monday 13 February at 2pm.

STOCKWELL JOAN (NEE SWITHENBANK) On 11 January, aged 94, of Dewsbury. Wife of the late Frank. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Friday 17 February.

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On 25 January, aged 91, of Dewsbury Moor. Wife of the late Bert. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium Thursday 9 February at 1.15pm.

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On 28 January, aged 71, formerly of West Ardsley and Ossett. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Monday 13 February at 11.15am.

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Arron Smith – correction IN LAST week’s edition of The Press (January 27) we published a story titled ‘Josh killer dies’.

In the story, we incorrectly said that murder victim Josh Hirst had his throat cut by Arron Smith, who died in prison last year.

We would like to state that Arron Smith did not cut Mr Hirst’s throat during the incident.

The victim was attacked by both Arron Smith and Joe Church.

During their trial it was stated that it was Church who had the knife and stabbed Mr Hirst.

In mitigation for Smith, Mr Abdul Iqbal said there was a difference to be drawn between Church, who wielded the knife and Smith who did not.

Both men were convicted of murder.

We acknowledge our error and apologise to the family of Arron Smith for any distress this may have caused.

Got a story?

Call The Press newsroom on 01924 470296 or email news@the pressnews.co.uk

ThePress Friday February 3, 2017 Issue No: 775

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: James Morris Sports Reporter: Joe Link Graphic Designer: Craig Moore Sales Manager: Lucy Tissiman Sales Executives: Nicola Finch Janet Black Sam Gilbert Office Manager: Adele Latham The Press abides by the principles of the Independent Press Standards Organisation and at all times attempts to report fairly and accurately and correct mistakes or errors as soon as possible.

In the first instance, contact the editor, otherwise we will be happy to give details of the Independent Press Standards Organisation.

ThePress

Friday February 3, 2017

News In Brief

MPs back vote to trigger EU exit BATLEY & SPEN: Labour MP Tracy Brabin has voted in favour of triggering Article 50 to withdraw from the European Union.

In a marathon Parliamentary debate on Wednesday, Ms Brabin called on MPs to “move the process on, not with angry denial or blind optimism but on a mission to be vigilant about the rights of those who have the least and those who support people in the greatest need.”

Both Ms Brabin and her predecessor Jo Cox were strong supporters of the Remain campaign.

But she vowed to “respect democracy” and said the priority should now be to “get the best deal for everyone”.

Dewsbury & Mirfield MP Paula Sherriff also voted in favour of Article 50.

Sian Brooke as Natalie Brown, Sheridan Smith as Julie Bushby and Gemma Whelan as Karen Matthews in The Moorside

TV drama tells the story of Karen Matthews’ deceit

By James Morris THE BBC TV drama depicting the disappearance of Dewsbury Moor youngster Shannon Matthews will be aired next week.

The Moorside, which features Cilla star Sheridan Smith, tells the story of how the nine-year-old disappeared from the Moorside estate in February, 2008.

Smith stars as Julie Bushby, while Game of Thrones actor Gemma Whelan takes the role of Karen Matthews, and Sherlock star Sian Brooke will play Natalie Brown.

The BBC said: “Following the disappearance of nineyear-old Shannon, the police and community mount a frantic search.

“Despite their efforts, no trace of her can be found and within a few hours the police

investigation takes on the scale of a murder enquiry.

“Emotional public appeals for information from her mother Karen Matthews amount to nothing, and the community, led by Julie Bushby, stand by her and make extraordinary efforts of their own to find Shannon.

“Despite the support, doubts are beginning to creep in for some regarding Karen’s behaviour.

“Friend and neighbour Natalie struggles with her conscience as she becomes convinced that Karen knows more than she is revealing.

“Just as all hope is close to fading, Shannon is found alive.

“The wild celebrations of Julie and the community are rapidly cut short when they learn that Shannon was being held by a man known to Karen.”

Healthcare ‘speed-date’ success for students HIGH SCHOOL students quizzed healthcare professionals at a ‘speed dating session’.

GCSE pupils from St John Fisher Catholic Voluntary Academy in Dewsbury each had a 10minute ‘date’ with NHS staff.

Student Lara Kiely said: “The session was really interesting; I have found out about many different healthcare roles. Being able to speak to the practitioners has taught me so much more than reading a leaflet or looking online.”

The event was organised by local NHS community healthcare provider Locala.

The drama follows a documentary shown on the Investigation Discovery channel last month about Shannon’s disappearance called “Faking it: Tears of a Crime”.

Matthews made several TV appeals for her daughter which led to a £50,000 reward for her safe return.

Shannon was discovered less than a month after she was taken at a flat in Batley Carr, which was occupied by Michael Donovan, the uncle of Craig Meehan, who was Karen’s boyfriend.

Both Karen Matthews and Donovan were charged with Shannon’s kidnap, her false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice.

Both were found guilty at Leeds Crown Court and both were jailed for years.

■ The Moorside is on BBC One on Tuesday (9pm).

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Shannon Matthews and, below, her mother Karen

Crash driver’s trial DEWSBURY: A man denied causing serious injury by dangerous driving following a collision with a motorcyclist.

James Butler, 25, of Bywell Road, appeared at Bradford Crown Court, which heard there was a collision at the junction of Bennett Lane and Leeds Road on June 24, after which a 55-year-old motorcyclist was admitted to the intensive care unit at Leeds General Infirmary.

Butler will face trial on September 25.

Car damage denial BIRSTALL: A man denied causing damage to a Mini Cooper car when he appeared at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court.

Jamie Fallas, 27, of Shirley Avenue, Birstall pleaded not guilty to the alleged offence at an address in Briarmains Road on November 26.

His trial will take place on March 30.

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ThePress

Friday February 3, 2017

News In Brief Town’s job centre set for closure BATLEY: The job centre in Wellington Street could close under plans announced by the Department for Work and Pensions.

It said some smaller job centres would merge with larger ones, others would move to local government premises and some buildings would shut in a move to make the service “more efficient”.

It said around a fifth of its estate was “under-utilised” and the changes would save around £180 million per year.

Centres at Rishworth Road in Dewsbury and Bradford Road in Liversedge will remain.

Mosque open day DEWSBURY: The Salfia Centre and Mosque hosts an open day on Sunday (11am-4pm), inviting residents of all faiths to explore Islam.

Organisers want visitors to view the architecture and history of the building in Scout Hill and the beliefs and practices of those who worship there.

They say their aim is “to make local people more familiar and comfortable with Islam, a religion constantly associated in the press with a minority radical element.”

The day will feature tours, refreshments, talks on Islam and the mosque’s role.

Bishop Tony Robinson, who has worked with the Muslim community for many years, said: “We need more of these events so we can share and understand each other’s cultures better.”

Pizza jobs boost CLECKHEATON: Nearly 30 jobs are set to be created after pizza chain Domino’s was granted planning permission to open in Cheapside.

The fast food chain applied to Kirklees Council to open the takeaway in vacant premises next to the RSPCA store.

Book tells the story of Mr Variety Club

By James Morris THE story of the man who brought the famous Variety Club to Batley has been told in a new book written by one of his friends.

Maureen Prest, the club’s promotions and PR manager during its heyday in the 60s and 70s, has told the rags-to-riches story of James Corrigan.

Acts such as Louis Armstrong, the Everly Brothers, Gene Pitney, Eartha Kitt, Roy Orbison, Shirley Bassey, Ken Dodd, Lulu and The Bee Gees all graced the stage at the Batley Variety Club.

Maureen, who lives in Birstall, was a close friend and confidant and said: “I went to work for him shortly after the club opened.

“He expected everyone to give 110 per cent – and we were happy to do it.

“It was his vision that the north should have some top-class entertainment.

“There were no grants; if you had an idea you went for it.”

At its height, the club was drawing audiences of 2,500 and had a membership of 300,000.

“James had charisma, personality and impeccable manners,” said Maureen.

“Once he started getting the stars in, they all wanted to be there.

“He was a showman who was always looking for the next big thing.

“Kirklees Council ought to do something to recognise what he did for the area.

“It was an amazing piece of social engineering. James was very brave because he put a lot on the line.

“Thankfully it paid off, not just for him but for the whole area.”

Maureen, who also worked as a theatrical agent, artist promoter and record producer, said of the book: “It is James’ life story. I’ve wanted to write it for a long time.”

King of Clubs will be launched at 11am on Friday, March 24, at Batley Town Hall – two days before the 50th anniversary of the opening of Batley Variety Club.

It is also available to order online from www.routeonline.com, priced £14.99 for a signed edition.

James Corrigan died in 2000, having made and lost his fortune.

The Variety Club closed in the early 1980s and became the Frontier nightclub, which shut down last year and is now set to become a gym.

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Daniel turns up the heat in battle of the apprentices AN apprentice heating engineer hopes to be named the best in the country.

Daniel Hobson of Birkenshaw, who works for DTR Gas and Heating Specialists in Mirfield, will compete in the HIP UK Heating Apprentice of the Year final after winning his regional heat.

The 19-year-old, who studies at Bradford College one day a week and trains on the job four days a week, triumphed over apprentices from eight

other colleges at the North West heat held in Burnley.

He scored top marks after completing a complex pipework task, which showcased his plumbing and heating skills.

He now heads to Cheltenham for a twoday final at the end of March, where he will go up against the winners of the six other regional heats for the national title and a £1,000 prize.

Said Daniel: “I didn’t expect to win but now I

am feeling quite confident about the final. It felt great to win the regional heat and my employer was over the moon.”

Daniel’s victory was no surprise to his college tutors. Chris Webb, plumbing lecturer at Bradford College, said: “We put him in for the competition because his work is exceptional – he is the best in his year.

“His work is faultless, which is what the judge said to him at the heat.”

Meeting spotlights rail problems

Batley & Spen MP Tracy Brabin, second left, with constituents at talks with Northern Rail BATLEY & Spen MP Tracy Brabin hosted a public meeting with train operator Northern Rail after constituents raised concerns about the quality of services.

The meeting at Batley rail station was an opportunity for Ms Brabin and the public to question Northern Rail officials about performance and plans.

Residents had previously raised their concerns with the Labour MP over delays,

capacity issues, compensation payments, customer experience and the quality of trains.

Other issues raised at the meeting included broken ticket machines, too few printed timetables and insufficient storage space for bikes.

Ms Brabin said: “It’s clear many commuters aren’t happy with the service, which s on them getting to work in the morning and

back to their families after work.

“Many of my concerns remain, particularly as there are no plans to make Batley station accessible and improvements to tracks are quite far off.

“I’ll be writing to the Secretary of State to press these points as Batley & Spen deserves high-quality public transport, because travellers pay a premium and rising prices for train tickets.”

Tackling loneliness in memory of Jo COLLEAGUES and relatives of Jo Cox have launched a commission in her memory – to tackle loneliness.

The murdered Batley and Spen MP had begun work on the cross-party campaign on loneliness before she was killed.

The commission will work with 13 charities, including Age UK and Action for Children, who will then publish their recom-

mendations about how to tackle “Britain’s silent epidemic”.

They will ask government to look into ways of reducing the problem.

At a launch event in London, Mrs Cox’s sister, Kim Leadbeater, said the Labour MP was motivated to tackle loneliness after she suffered when she went to university.

“It was one of those issues

where she felt she could make a real difference,” she said.

“I can’t go back to normality because there is no normality without Jo, but what I can do is try and work to continue the good stuff that she did and try and make her proud.

“I’m going to try and make some of the change and difference Jo can’t make for herself anymore.”

ThePress

Friday February 3, 2017

Library service facing cuts of £1.9m £80k cannabis

By Steve Martyn

FUNDING for the district’s libraries looks set to be hit again in the latest round of council cutbacks. Kirklees councillors will be asked to give the green light to plans to cut £1.9m from the library budget – just a year after cash for libraries was slashed from £5.7m to £3.9m.

The proposals will go to Kirklees’ full council meeting on February 15. If they are given the go-ahead, a public consultation will be held in the spring before the cabinet decides in summer how library services will be delivered.

Despite the cuts, Kirklees closed only two of its 26 libraries last year – but stopped funding another 14, handing them over to community groups and volunteers.

Coun Graham Turner, cabinet member for resources, said the council would look to deliver the best possible service, despite the cuts.

A report to the council’s cabinet said: “Kirklees Council completed a review of the library service in 2016-17, saving £1.85m over the period April 2016 to March 2017, including the £1.35m savings for 2017-18.

“The reduction of £1.9m for 2018-19 will require a further significant service review and will impact across the library service budget. This includes a review on the number of libraries the council can continue to support. There are currently 24 libraries in the portfolio. Supplies and services and book fund budgets will also be reviewed.”

The report did not specifically mention library closures – but it said reducing the number of libraries could see more customers use those libraries that remain.

“The budget has to get through cabinet and full council,” said Coun Turner. “This is only a budget recommendation and we will make a decision on February 15. If it goes through, it will be a big reduction in spend.

“We will have to review the whole service again and see what we can develop. As before, we will ensure we develop the best possible service we can for the people of Kirklees given the financial restrictions.

“We have had preliminary meetings with the staff, members and directors to look at ideas that we could develop in the framework of the money we have available. We will start with a blank sheet of paper.”

In 2015, the council split its 24 libraries into eight ‘town libraries’, which remain fully staffed, and 16 ‘community supported libraries’ with one librarian each backed by community volunteers.

Last March Kirklees announced that 20 library staff members would be leaving voluntarily and 14 were moving into different roles to avoid the need for compulsory redundancies.

Friends of Heckmondwike Library chairman Chris Martin said: “We are very disappointed to hear the proposal for further huge cuts to the budget for libraries when the library service is still recovering from recent cuts and reorganisation. Any cut to libraries affects young people and those who rely on them most.

“If you’d like to help support your library, we invite you to join us at our meeting in Heckmondwike Library on Tuesday February 28, at 7pm.”

farm discovery MORE than £80,000-worth of cannabis was found at a property in Heckmondwike. Police made the discovery after a raid on the building in the White Lee area at 9am on Sunday morning. Officers from the Batley and Spen neighbourhood policing team uncovered dozens of the plants and found an advanced cultivation set-up including lighting, fans and ventilation equipment.

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News In Brief Does the unclaimed £1m belong to you?

KIRKLEES: A £1m winning ticket is still waiting to be claimed by someone who bought it in Kirklees.

Although the unknown player’s numbers didn’t come up in the January 13 EuroMillions draw, the ticket had a winning ‘Millionaire Maker’ code printed on it. The winning code is HQMK 66117.

Anyone who thinks they’ve won but may have lost the ticket has 30 days to try and claim their prize. Those who still have the ticket have until July 12 to claim.

If the £1m is unclaimed, it will go to National Lottery-funded projects.

Tax hike expected KIRKLEES: Plans to increase council tax by 10 per cent over the next two years look set to go ahead. Kirklees Council is expected to hike tax by five per cent for each of the next two years as it looks to make huge savings.

The council’s cabinet this week recommended that the full council approve the proposed budget, with a final decision to be made on Wednesday, February 15.

Gangs clash CLECKHEATON: Fighting broke out in Cleckheaton town centre on Sunday morning, with reports of armed gangs clashing.

Police were called to Northgate just after 1am after violence broke out while some reports claimed weapons were being used.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: “We attended to reports of males fighting and found one person with a head injury.

“Weapons were believed to have been used and a bat was recovered. One man was arrested.”

Anyone with information is asked to ring the police on 101, quoting incident number 90 of January 29, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Battle to clear roads is moving forward PLANS to ease congestion on some of the district’s busiest roads have moved forward.

Routes in line for investment as part of the £1bn West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund include the A653 between Dewsbury and Leeds, the A644 through Mirfield and Ravensthorpe and the A62 from Huddersfield to Cooper Bridge.

The A62 from Huddersfield Ring Road is to have ‘capacity improvements’ at key intersections to speed up journeys through the rush hour.

There are also plans to widen the single lane road from Cooper Bridge to the M62.

The schemes are all in the early stages of planning in the hope that they will attract funding.

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Friday February 3, 2016

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LIFE IN BLACK AND WHITE Danny Lockwood

Trumpeting their rank hypocrisy OME people just have too much time on their hands. Too little to do with their brain cells. That, or too few brain cells rattling around in their airy heads to have any real purpose in life.

I can’t believe the bed-wetting Trumpomime that Britain’s liberal sweethearts are in an air-headed frenzy over. Don’t you have some cakes to bake? A poster to scrawl for the university student bar, calling for the banning of free speech? Get a life. Even better, get a job.

It beggars belief that these time-rich Citizen Smiths would take to the streets to protest against the leader of another country imposing a temporary travel ban on nations that would love to see his nation wiped off the face of the planet.

Really, don’t these people have something useful to do?

Why don’t they go volunteer

S

Wolfie ‘Citizen’ Smith would have loved 2017 at a community centre, or find an elderly neighbour to care for? That or just stick to writing letters to The Guardian.

Trump is even more of the embarrassment than I think anyone feared. He really does

believe his own BS. Mad, sad and quite possibly dangerous.

However, so far he hasn’t publicly beheaded anyone, let alone bombed, gassed, or committed genocide against his own people or any others – although quite a lot of them would gladly see that fate befall their new President.

Well, that’s their business, their right. It is not in the gift of a bunch of bleedingheart British conscientious objectors.

Those are the same conshies, by the way, who have no voice to raise against the governments that fund and arm (and in some cases are) terrorist organisations whose hate-filled goal in life is depriving the self-same snowflakes of the physical ability – let alone right – to march in protest.

I can only imagine that in the event of that simpleton

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celebrity Lily Allen finding herself kneeling in front of a video camera clad in an orange boiler suit, with a carving knife at her neck, she would blame Brexit, Nigel Farage, Theresa May, Trump, the Daily Mail … anyone except her own lobby group of infantile fantasists who think that all ISIS and al Qaeda need is a group hug and a nice cup of Rooibos tea.

I could find a grain of sympathy with the snowflakes if not for the fact that six of Trump’s seven banned nations have a total ban on Israelis visiting their countries.

They, and a total of 11 of the 16 Muslim nations similarly prejudiced against a lawfully constituted member of the United Nations, were hosted by mayor of London

Sadiq Khan this week.

Some will even ban or deport anyone who so much as has visited Jerusalem as a tourist, yet typically Khan was on his moral soapbox, blowing gas and air up the backsides of governments with appalling human rights records. Hypocrisy knows no bounds where the left-wing and anti-semitism is concerned.

Out of Africa ... and in no rush to return SURVIVED South Africa at least, although last Friday night trying to negotiate the legions of beggars and prostitutes on Cape Town’s Long Street – described on tourist websites as “lively” “funky” and “fun” – was a walk on the wild side.

Community safety officers stand idly by – I saw one elderly English-sounding gent being indulged with some handiwork (ahem!) in a shop doorway – while groups of young Christian missionaries patrol trying to save souls. A thankless task.

It’s a stunningly beautiful country and the people are generous of welcome and spirit, though many are fearful of its future. With good reason.

I

I suspect friends who said I’d love it never tried some of Johannesburg’s more colourful precincts or East London and a great many other nontourist friendly parts of the nation.

Murder and corruption are commonplace and in many ways the new Rainbow Nation is still going backwards. It has a big U-turn to make if it is to fulfil its undoubted natural potential.

Would I recommend it? With qualififcations, depending on how sanitised a South Africa you want to see. Even then, you’ll see things you’d rather not. Oh, and contrary to popular myth, they serve the toughest steaks I’ve ever encountered.

Infant mortality epidemic Kirklees is in denial over S THE quote attributed to the great British statesman Benjamin Disraeli went: “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics”.

Disraeli may have been accurate of his time, but those innocent days are long gone.

Can I offer an addendum: Lies, damned lies, statistics and bureaucratic bullshine.

That’s what happens when people like Public Health Kirklees (a department of the local authority) gets hold of inconvenient and uncomfortable statistics.

One of the most craven, dangerous examples of them at work was witnessed on page 4 of The Press last week, The story was headlined ‘North Kirklees baby deaths stat shock’. Latest figures (2014) show that infant mortality on our patch stood at 13.2 per 1,000 live births, compared to 8.4 in Huddersfield – which is shocking enough – but staggering against a national level of only 7.1.

Australia? Just 3.3.

Now factor this in: take away Mirfield, Birstall and Spen, and imagine what those numbers would be. You know where I’m going. And so does Public Health Kirklees (PHK) which artfully somehow avoided addressing not the level of baby deaths, but the why of them.

A spokesman glibly said the Kirklees level had been higher than the national

A

Disraeli – foresaw Kirklees average for years “but the gap has narrowed considerably in recent years”.

This was strangely enhanced by a claim that in the past nine years the level has actually been “around five in every 1,000 live births”.

Lord knows how those dreamboat numbers have been arrived at because in 2008 North Kirklees was 50% higher than Huddersfield, while Dewsbury alone was more than double the national average.

PHK tried to palm away the reasons for this crisis by blaming “poverty, poor accommodation, poor diets, smoking, alcohol and drug use”. All are indubitably a factor, although I detect something critical missing from that list of factors.

You see, the majority of births in Dewsbury and Batley are among a commu-

nity not renowned for its women smoking, boozing or using drugs. Apart from anything else they’d set fire to their niqab if they tried a sneaky Capstan Full Strength.

But what they still do, as much as ever, is marry close family members. And generationally they keep on doing it, compounding the inherent genetic risks.

One of the few exemplary Kirklees public servants whose work I’ve admired over the past 20-odd years is Dr Judith Hooper MBE. If she’d still been in situ we might have had this ticking ethnic time bomb explained – because it isn’t just about infant mortality, it’s about sky high incidences of congenital abnormalities, physical and mental impairments.

I’ve no idea why Dr Hooper walked away but she was a rare public servant, unafraid of the truth.

I’m not sure where in her successor’s remit it declares that effectively lying by omission is conducive to improving public health. Maybe today’s functionaries joined Kirklees having lost their jobs at Rotherham or Rochdale, where the uniform approach to these difficult issues was to close eyes, put hands over ears and go ‘blahblah-blah’.

Statistics show that while it may help the guilty sleep at night, it does bugger all to tackle social epidemics.

ThePress

Friday February 3, 2017

7

t Charity desperate to i a o g n i v T a a v N ern e h T find temporary home MIRFIELD

By James Morris A LOCAL charity is desperately seeking temporary accommodation while their current home is refurbished.

The Dewsbury & District League of Friendship is based at Howlands on School Street in Dewsbury town centre, but after the community hub won

a grant for a full refurbishment, it needs to relocate for 20 weeks while work is carried out.

The group was successful in a bid to the Big Lottery Building Communities Fund, which awarded a grant of £459,818 for a major overhaul of the building.

But to allow for the work to take place, the centre will

have to close for between four and five months, leaving the charity without a base.

League of Friendship chairman Tom Ellis said: “Building works are due to start at the end of March but unfortunately we have a minimal budget and haven’t been able to source suitable temporary accommodation.

“For many, the Howlands is a real lifeline so we’re really hoping we will be able to continue to support those members.

“As you can imagine, we’re very concerned about our predicament and would like to appeal to the generosity of the people of Dewsbury for help.”

The charity needs a temporary home to continue providing a community hub for people looking for companionship and friendship through events, courses and social gatherings.

If you think you can help, contact Tom Ellis or Deborah Hall on 01924 463693.

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Social workers’ strike called off for talks A STRIKE by social workers was called off at the 11th hour.

Around 200 members of staff from Kirklees Council’s children’s services department were due to take industrial action last Friday following a long-running dispute over working conditions.

Members of public sector union Unison voted in favour of

the walk-out and would legally have had to take action by February 6. But Kirklees Council has agreed to extend the deadline until March 6 and talks will now take place.

Both sides have signed an agreement to go to “joint conciliation” to negotiate an end to the dispute.

Figures showed that almost 450 social workers had left Kirklees in less than four years.

Kirklees Unison secretary Paul Holmes said: “Unless they come back with something substantial, I think we will be giving notice of another strike.”

■ Troubleshooter speaks out: Page 12

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Hope to hear opinions on integration Dear Sir, I am happy to address the concerns raised last week by Steve Cass about local segregated communities (Forum, 27/01/17).

UKIP’s General Election manifesto promoted a unifying culture of British values, open to anyone who wishes to identify with Britain.

We argued that different ethnic and religious groups should be encouraged to integrate into British culture.

In her recent review on integration, Dame Louise Casey found ‘regressive practices’ that ‘run contrary to British values and sometimes our laws.’

Dame Casey rightly condemns those public officers and institutions who have failed to protect

Council don’t have a clue From: R Spreadbury, Liversedge Dear Sir, Thank you for your recent article concerning the Kirklees Council edict to fell the Shama’s palm trees.

At the time of writing we have over 1,300 signatures supporting our Remain campaign.

Thanks to all who have signed.

That said, back to the point of my letter. I note with a feeling of deja vu the following comment by the council on the planning appeal.

A Kirklees Council spokeswoman said: “The inspector supported this council’s con-

Letter of the Week: Aleks Lukic, chairman, UKIP Batley and Spen vulnerable people, particularly women and children.

In Kirklees, she brought to light the levels of segregation in our schools and the large number of women lacking proficiency in English.

I have also examined the survey conducted by ICM for the Channel Four programme ‘What British Muslims Really Think.’

Over 1,000 people were asked

cerns at the harmful appearance of the features and their effect on the predominantly residential character of the surrounding area.”

Just like the Whitcliffe Mount Sports Centre fiasco, it is obvious that this person has not visited the site, just like it was obvious that most of the decision makers concerned with closure of WMSC had never visited the site.

In fact she has just re-quoted the line from a recent reply I received from the Planning Department on this very matter: As every local person knows, the area round the Shama is not predominantly residential.

The restaurant is on a busy arterial road, and is surrounded by fields (used for regular circus visits), a mobile phone mast, businesses, a takeaway, a pub, a large school, and round

about their views, including some from four localities in Kirklees.

It was promising that the people surveyed felt a strong sense of belonging to Britain and their local areas.

Fewer than one in 10 said they would take no action if someone close to them was getting involved with people supporting terrorism in Syria.

the corner a derelict tip site (perhaps the council should do something about this ), on what was once an old working men’s club.

The latter was rented by the Shama before they bought and converted the Halfway House pub.

It would appear that not only do council employees never venture out of Huddersfield, they can’t even be bothered accessing Google Maps to check out some facts before making generic pronouncements.

Basically, our council seem to have forgotten that they are public servants, and don’t understand the concept of public participation.

Councils should be doing all that is possible to be transparent and inclusive, not making decisions through an unaccountable cabal of like-minded

LATEST PLANNING APPLICATIONS Khalid Aftab, two-storey extension to rear, 4 Sherburn Close, Birkenshaw.

Mr M Khalil, two-storey and single-storey rear extension, 20 Slaithwaite Road, Thornhill Lees.

Mr Sahid Hussain, detached dwelling with detached garage, land opposite 38 George Street, Heckmondwike.

Mr Dave Mason, formation of vehicular access, 373 Halifax Road, Hightown.

M Horne, first floor extension, 120 Drub Lane, Cleckheaton.

Mr Ahmed Variava, two-storey side extension to create dwelling forming annex accommodation associated with 107 Carlinghow Hill, Upper Batley, at ground floor and first floor extension for existing dwelling.

Triton Construction Ltd, nonmaterial amendment to previous permission 2015/92628 for erection of 49 dwellings, land adjacent to 12 School Street, Chickenley.

Mr S Kazi, single and two-storey rear extension, 28 Broom Walk, Soothill.

I Davis, temporary flexible change of use from A1 to A3 for up to two years commencing 31 March 2017, 36 The Works, Market Place, Market Street, Heckmondwike.

Harbour Landmark Living Ltd,

c/o agent, discharge conditions 3 (materials), 9-13 (contaminated land), 14 (boundaries/landscape) on previous permission 2015/93723 for demolition of existing dwelling and erection of three dwellings, Bright Street/ Sunny Bank Walk, Mirfield.

G Turton, the proposal is for erection of single-storey rear extension. The extension projects 3.5m beyond the rear wall of the original dwellinghouse. The maximum height of the extension is 3.6m, the height of the eaves of the extension is 2.4m, 3 Burnsall Road, Hightown, Liversedge.

M Din, outline application for erection of residential development, land at Battye Street, Dewsbury.

Fernbrook Associates Ltd, c/o agent, alterations to convert nursing home to six dwellings (within a Conservation Area), Nightingale Nursing Home, 4-8 Transvaal Terrace, Batley.

Kirklees Council, discharge conditions 4 and 5 on previous permission 2016/91516 for Listed Building Consent for internal and external renovations (within a Conservation Area), Pioneer House, Northgate, Dewsbury.

S Dighton, two-storey and single-storey rear extension and porch to front, 3 Hill Top Crescent, Upper Hopton.

J Rayner, single-storey extension to rear and porch to front, 81 Chidswell Lane, Shaw Cross.

C/O Agent, dead or dangerous tree(s), 36 Oxford Road, Dewsbury.

B Smith, works to TPO(s) 07/76, 72 Lower Lane, Gomersal.

D Beaumont, works to TPO(s) SP2/70, The Coach House, Latham Lane, Gomersal.

A Owens, non-material amendment to previous permission 2016/91997 for erection of 10 dwellings, former restaurant site, 221 Leeds Old Road, Heckmondwike.

Yasmin Akhtar, work to TPO(s) 21/97, 483 Bradford Road, Birkenshaw.

P A Paras, single and two-storey side and rear extension, porch to front and demolition of garage, 11 Carlton Avenue, Staincliffe.

Craig and Sarah Watson, erection of extensions and alterations, 484 Halifax Road, Hightown.

Mr S Musa, the proposal is for erection of single-storey rear extension. The extension projects 5.2m beyond the rear wall of the original dwellinghouse. The maximum height of the extension is 4m, the height of the eaves of the extension is 2.5m, 99 Warren Street, Savile Town.

Suzy Brain England, work to TPO(s) 29/77, adjacent to 7

Vicarage Gardens, Birkenshaw.

J Clay, c/o agent, erection of one dwelling and demolition of outbuildings, 15 Lower Lark Hill, Moorbottom, Cleckheaton.

K Sword, detached dwelling, adjacent to 4 Low House Fold, Hightown, Liversedge.

Mr Molammed Ilyas, erection of detached garage, 104 Warren Street, Savile Town.

B Mottram, dead or dangerous trees(s), 956 Bradford Road, Birstall.

Kirklees Council (Forestry), work to TPO(s) 14/88, Millwater Woodland, off Millwater Avenue, Thornhill Lees.

Mr & Mrs Gothan, the proposal is for erection of single-storey rear extension. The extension projects 4.5m beyond the rear wall of the original dwellinghouse. The maximum height of the extension is 3.9m, the height of the eaves of the extension is 2.69m, 11 Slaithwaite Avenue, Thornhill Lees.

I Banks, c/o agent, the proposal is for erection of single-storey rear extension. The extension projects 3.8m beyond the rear wall of the original dwellinghouse. The maximum height of the extension is 4m, the height of the eaves of the extension is 2.3m, 7 Honeysuckle Drive, Thornhill Lees.

But 78 per cent said that no publication should have the right to publish pictures of the Prophet, only a few months after the Charlie Hebdo shooting.

Only 18 per cent agreed that homosexuality should be legal in Britain, and 31 per cent said that it is acceptable for a British Muslim to keep more than one wife.

We do all have much in common with each other. It is however apparent that fundamentally conflicting values and customs exist among a significant number.

These challenges must be addressed by Government, local authorities, public bodies and politicians.

Unfortunately, Tracy Brabin’s

people behind closed doors.

Why, in this day and age, can’t a planning appeal be voted for online by local residents who are directly affected?

Easily done, local participants only, ratified by an electoral role reference.

Also, what exactly is the remit of planners? To keep North Kirklees looking like a collection of old run-down woollen mill towns forever?

Look at the City of London skyscrapers. Love them or hate them, they are quite stunning and interesting and help set the City apart.

We desperately need something to set North Kirklees apart, because the council certainly have no interest in doing this.

De Gaulle will be proved right From: John Appleyard, Liversedge Dear Sir, How times change! For years the UK made applications to join the European Common Market but each time was rejected by the French President de Gaulle, who saw Britain as America’s Trojan horse in Europe.

The Conservative Prime Minister Edward Heath took Britain into the Common Market in 1973 and divided his own party on the issue.

Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson did what Heath failed to do and held a referendum and the people voted in favour of Europe by a 2-1 majority. This too divided the Labour Party.

Last year’s referendum was supposed to sort out the matter but has divided the country and brought down Prime Minister David Cameron and put an end to George Osborne’s ambitions to succeed Cameron.

His successor Theresa May went AWOL during the referendum and now we witness a British Prime Minister sitting at the table with a US president who I consider to be the most

remarks have offered no reassurance. Nor do I think President Trump’s latest idea would be best for Britain.

I would argue, for example, that people attending sharia councils and other faith-based tribunals must be informed of their rights and that such rulings may not be legally binding.

Young people might also be better protected if we taught them the importance of registering marriages under English law.

We will only form long-term solutions by mature, open discussion.

I hope to hear opinions from across our communities about how we can better foster integration rather than segregation in our area.

racist, homophobic, misogynist advocater of torture in my life time.

Former US President Obama wanted the UK to stay in Europe, Trump is pleased we didn’t. For years America and other countries condemned the Soviet Union for building the Berlin Wall and now Trump is in the process of building a wall on the Mexican border at an estimated cost of £75 billion and the Mexicans say they won’t pay for it.

Meanwhile Donald Trump is rattling sabres with China with the intention of having a trade war.

We live in dangerous times and if Theresa May goes ahead with her support for the US President then the former French President de Gaulle has been proved right about Britain’s subservient position to the USA.

Nothing for me on the box From: TR Moorhouse, Cleckheaton Dear Sir, Having been in Ireland on business for three weeks, I got up early to get up to date with the news: First, a trial nuclear rocket headed to the USA by mistake.

Football manager Sam Allardyce was now at Crystal Palace. He should have been banned years ago.

Next, a warning! There may be disturbing images from Yemen. There were!

Hospital bed-blocking, and our ultra-modern BBC showing two men kissing.

That joker on ‘Film Review’ trying to infuse excitement into usually totally boring films, probably to benefit his friends in the film industry.

The ex-president of Gambia ousted and refusing to accept democratic vote.

Fed up of the BBC – Brussels Broadcasting Company (my name) – I quickly changed channels.

Oh no, not again! Protests

against Brexit and Donald Trump’s victory! Do they want us to be at the ‘back of the queue’, like Obama said?

An election result they don’t want happens to millions of people all their lives!

It’s democracy, morons!

Accept it and grow up! Get some backbone!

It was all starting to get me depressed, so I got the kiddies up for nursery and comforted us all with Noddy, Bob the Builder and Postman Pat for a while.

OAPs can’t afford a rise From: Name and Address Supplied Dear Sir, I have just received the January 27 edition of The Press.

The article headed ‘Kirklees reveal tax bombshell’ has really angered me.

A 10 per cent increase over two years plus two per cent for the West Yorkshire Police precept means that pensioners like me are going to struggle.

I write to complain about the council because many people, some pensioners in particular, will struggle to pay.

I wondered if the council will allow people who fail to pay to go into debt for £300,000, which is allegedly the amount of unpaid rent by the Muslim men who rent part of the cemetery.

I hope you will print this as I would love a reply from our Labour leader, who with his colleagues is doing his best to destroy Dewsbury and Mirfield.

Unsafe changes From: Wendy Senior, Dewsbury Dear Sir, Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust have sent an open letter to Batley & Spen MP

Continued on page 9

ThePress

Friday February 3, 2017

From page 8 Tracy Brabin and Dewsbury & Mirfield MP Paula Sherriff, asking them to make it clear to their constituents that the accident and emergency department at Dewsbury is not closing.

I think everyone will be grateful for the assurance.

What is worrying our MPs are the proposed changes planned for later this year, which include the closure of the intensive care unit and the high dependency ward at Dewsbury, which will both be moved to Pinderfields. This hospital cannot cope already, so how can it cope with more influx of patients?

I know of people being turned away at night in pyjamas and dressing gowns, having to wait outside for a taxi in the rain. Also lots of people are waiting hours on trolleys in corridors for beds.

So where are these extra wards going to be situated in a hospital which cannot cope already? There have been no plans seen by anyone, so these changes cannot go ahead.

There have been no discussions on running Dewsbury Hospital without intensive care or high dependency care.

A member of the Trust told me that if there were problems during an operation the person involved would have to be put in an ambulance and taken to Pinderfields. What would hap-

pen if there wasn’t a bed available?

I spent the last 35 years as a nurse working in maternity, 20 years working for Crossroads, and now as a volunteer for a memory loss group.

I am also a member of Keep Our NHS Public. I hear so many shocking stories from people, some elderly and frail.

These people should be treated better, we are going back to the 1960s, things should be getting better, not worse.

The Trust keep changing the date for the intensive care and high dependency ward closures, I hope our two MPs keep pushing to stop the Trust plans because they are not safe.

Thank you all From: Liz Exley, administrator, CARE Dewsbury Dear Sir, I am writing on behalf of the volunteers and clients of CARE Dewsbury to thank all those individuals, churches, schools and Sainsbury’s store who for the past eight and a half years have donated food, toiletries, clothing and money which have allowed CARE Dewsbury to continue to help so many individuals in need.

CARE Dewsbury is part of Churches Together in Dewsbury and is staffed by volunteers from membership churches twice a week on

Monday and Thursday mornings. We seek to help those who come to us with a variety of problems and we could not continue to provide this help without you.

So thank you to every single one who has donated to us.

God bless you all.

Make station accessible From: P Kirby, Mirfield Dear Sir, All the ‘action’ that is being claimed about getting a bigger, better car park for Mirfield Rail Station is just hot air.

The years people have said things are moving towards a conclusion are too numerous to count.

What should be happening is the people responsible for the station should be forced to build disabled access to it.

Forget the people who commute, or who drive into Mirfield to park up and get the train.

Start making the station accessible to all, get a decent shelter and make it safe.

Then start spending the hundreds of thousands on car parking.

This is 2017 and an act requiring such things came fully into force on October 1 2004, 12 years ago!

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ThePress

Friday February 3, 2017

Family’s plea for cash help as dad Andy’s cancer fight goes on

Tyre boss put workers at risk THE owner of a Heckmondwike tyre company has been prosecuted for health and safety offences which put his employees in danger.

Haroon Khan, who owns Speed Tyres on High Street, was found guilty of three health and safety Unsafe ... inside offences, including the tyre shop failure to ensure the health, welfare and safety of his employees.

Khan, of Fir Avenue, Ravensthorpe, was also found guilty of contravening a public notice to stop using a part-constructed mezzanine floor.

The floor had no edge protection, safe access and no fire safety precautions were in place. In addition he was prosecuted for allowing employees to work at height without sufficient measures to prevent them from falling.

Khan was ordered to pay costs of £1,160, plus a surcharge of £85. He was also given a 22-week curfew order as an alternative to custody.

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Thumbs up ... but Andy Chapman needs costly cancer treatment

A FAMILY has made a plea for funding to allow a man to receive vital cancer treatment in Germany.

Andy Chapman, 53, was diagnosed with cancer of the bile duct in February, 2015.

After he became ill, doctors told him he had gallstones which had become infected and put him on a course of antibiotics. But after he continued feeling unwell, Andy and his wife Zena requested a second opinion at Dewsbury Hospital – to be told he had cancer.

They were told the cancer was still at an early stage and surgeons at St James’ Hospital in Leeds subsequently removed just over a third of his liver in April, 2015.

The family was told that Andy, who is originally from Dewsbury but now lives in Horbury, was recovering well following the surgery and in October, 2015, a scan showed he was doing fine.

But the father-of-two became ill again at Christmas that year and was told in April last year that the cancer had returned. Doctors said it was incurable and gave him six months to live.

Zena admitted that the news was tough to take. “We were told that Andy had six months to live and we said we couldn’t accept that,” she said. “He has two daughters who are 14 and eight and he is my husband of 33 years, so we said we couldn’t accept that he would only have six months.

“The doctors said that if Andy was to undergo a course of chemotherapy it could extend this to 12-18 months, so he started it in May last year.”

Due to complications, Andy could only complete 11 of his scheduled chemotherapy treatments and seven radiotherapy treatments – so the family began looking for alternatives.

They discovered the Hallwang Clinic in Dornstetten, Germany, which offers a different course of treatment to that available on the NHS. They returned this week from their first visit to the clinic, where Andy spent nine days.

The Chapman family has been forced to foot the cost of the treatment as immunotherapy for bile duct cancer is not available on the NHS. Zena said: “It is very expensive but what price do you put on a person’s life? We are hopeful they can get the cancer under control because lots of people live with cancer every day. So far I would say we have spent around £75,000 on this treatment.

“We need some big donors to come forward. Around £25,000 has been raised in two weeks, which is amazing, but we really need to keep the momentum going. It just shows how much Andy is loved.”

A number of fundraising events have been organised, including a charity tombola in Dewsbury market tomorrow (Saturday).

To donate to the fund, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ AndyChapman.

ThePress

Friday February 3, 2017

Man ‘tapped’ partner with bat, avoids jail A CLECKHEATON man who struck his partner with a bat during a Boxing Day row has avoided prison.

Thomas Hill, 26, admitted assaulting Olivia Taylor at the home they shared on Bradford Road.

Kirklees Magistrates’ Court heard that the couple had argued over Hill’s level of drinking.

During the incident, Hill “tapped” Miss Taylor with a bat while there was a threemonth-old baby present.

Hill said he could not explain his actions but admitted being a weekend binge drinker.

District Judge James Hatton said he was satisfied that Hill “almost tapped” his girlfriend rather than fully striking her.

He told Hill: “The reality of this situation is that you used a bat, a child was present and the offence was committed while in drink.

“This is an extremely serious matter, serious enough for me to imprison you.”

Hill was sentenced to 16 weeks in custody, suspended for a year.

He must complete 60 hours of unpaid work.

Cash and carry firm to fight store plan refusal

By James Morris A BATLEY cash and carry business whose application to become a supermarket was turned down has appealed against the decision.

Kirklees Council’s Heavy Woollen Planning Committee refused permission for Mullaco Foods to convert their building on the corner of Wellington Street from a warehouse to mixed use – comprising a warehouse, food processing, cash and carry specialist food store and car park.

The application attracted a large number of objections from local residents on Purlwell Lane, who said the site was unsafe.

A report recommended councillors refuse the application as it had “failed to demonstrate that adequate servicing facilities can be provided to serve the intensified use and avoid conflict between different users of the car park at times of deliveries and movement of goods.

“The proposal would have an unacceptable impact on the safety of customers visiting the site.”

Councillors voted unanimously to accept the recommendation.

Mullaco Foods was issued with an enforcement notice which stated they must return the site to a cash and carry by January 6. But complaints have been made that the site is still operating as a supermarket.

Kirklees Council confirmed it was

aware of the situation but said that due to an appeal in place, the enforcement notice was suspended.

A Council spokesman said: “Following the Heavy Woollen Planning Committee’s decision to refuse the planning application, the council issued an enforcement notice on October 28.

“One complaint has been received since the planning application was refused. The enforcement notice requires the retail use to cease.

“The owners have since lodged an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate against the notice.

“In line with normal procedures, the requirements of the enforcement notice will be suspended until the outcome of the appeal.

Takeaway man fined £2,000 for fly-tipping rubbish THE owner of a Dewsbury takeaway has been convicted of flytipping after he dumped 18 bags of rubbish.

Raja Faisel Aziz, who runs Rajas on Huddersfield Road in Ravensthorpe, was found guilty at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court of three offences, including fly-tipping waste on nearby Bradbury Street.

He was also found guilty for

not providing trade waste disposal documents and for not having a bin to suitably contain his waste. This meant there were bags of rubbish dumped in the rear yard of his business that were accessible to vermin.

Aziz, previously convicted for a similar offence in 2013, was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £120 and £638.61 costs.

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News In Brief Appeal after teen is badly hurt in crash BATLEY: Police are appealing for information after a teenage boy suffered serious injuries in a car crash.

The incident happened on Grange Road, just after 7pm on Saturday, January 28, when a blue Volkswagen Bora collided with a tree.

A 16-year-old male was left with serious but not life-threatening injuries and was taken to Leeds General Infirmary.

The other occupants of the car, including the driver, left the scene and efforts to trace them are continuing.

Anyone with information is asked to contact PC Matthew Judge at SRANS West on 101, quoting reference 13/17/44240.

Robber traced by blood at crime scene NORTH KIRKLEES: A man was convicted of robbing a hair salon – after leaving his blood at the crime scene.

Lee Knowles, 43, admitted breaking into The Hair Studio on Northgate, Heckmondwike, on June 25.

Kirklees Magistrates’ Court heard that Knowles, of Quarry View, Dewsbury Moor, took £500-worth of hair trimmers and £200 in cash.

Magistrates sentenced him to a community order with nine months of drug rehabilitation and 10 days of activities.

He was also ordered to pay £200 compensation to the salon’s owner.

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Roof refurb BATLEY: Work has begun to refurbish the roof of Batley Town Hall. The roof has been targeted by thieves for

Friday February 3, 2017 its lead and a Kirklees Council spokesman said: “In order to reduce the risk of further incidents of this kind, the council is replacing the lead with a similar-looking substitute material.”

Troubleshooter speaks out on children’s service crisis

By Steve Martyn THE woman brought in to turn around Kirklees Council’s failing children’s services department has spoken about the task she faces.

Government troubleshooter Eleanor Brazil OBE was brought in last month after Ofsted judged the department “inadequate”.

The watchdog gave its lowest rating over concerns surrounding more than a third of children’s cases, including unrecognised neglect and abuse.

Secretary of State for Education Justine Greening brought in Ms Brazil as a Children’s Services Commissioner following the

scathing report. The large turnaround in staff was also highlighted by Ofsted inspectors, who said “workforce instability” meant improvements were hard to make.

Speaking for the first time since her appointment, Ms Brazil said: “I think I have two tasks here.

“The first is to review the leadership and management capability and capacity of the local authority.

“I will make some recommendations back to Government at the end of the review period at the end of March.

“The second part of the role is to drive improvement.”

Asked what her job entailed, she said: “I will spend time with frontline

staff and get a sense of how it is for social workers to do a good job, how they are being supported by the managers and what’s getting in the way of it.”

Ms Brazil has been given full authority by the Government to attend any meeting she wishes and to speak to all members of staff.

“If you read the Ofsted report it’s clear something went very wrong in terms of the focus on the most vulnerable children in the area,” she added.

“To be fair, the council had started to address things but had not had the impact.

“There are people committed to getting it right.

“There are people here who are doing a good job

but everybody needs to be doing a good job.

“I am encouraged. I think politically, the council is supportive.

“I have met the whole cabinet and they are extremely serious that this happened and they want to sort it out as quickly as possible.

“This is not a passive role. If I see something that I think could be done better I will say so. My view is that we have to tackle a number of things at the same time.

“The biggest issue is always about leadership and direction at every level.

“I have not seen anything that I have been surprised by.

“I wouldn’t be here if there weren’t things that weren’t right.”

Drunk mum crashed car with daughter in it A MOTHER crashed her car with her daughter in it while she was more than three-and-a-half times the drink-drive limit.

Krisztina Kubovics, 31, was involved in an accident in Mirfield on December 28.

Kirklees Magistrates’ Court heard police attended the scene of the crash on Sunnybank Road.

When they arrived, they found Kubovics in the dri-

ver’s seat of her Mitsubishi Carisma with the keys still in the ignition and the engine running. The court was told she was in a distressed state and was crying.

She confessed to officers she had been drinking and failed a roadside breath test.

A test at Huddersfield Police Station showed she had 126 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – more than three-

and-a-half times the legal limit of 35 microgrammes.

Kubovics told police she had visited her ex-husband that evening and had planned to stay the night with him.

They were talking and drinking but when a row started she decided to take the child and leave as she feared being assaulted.

District Judge James Hatton told her: “You put

yourself, your child and other road users at risk.

“Your behaviour is not to be repeated because it’s highly likely that you will go to prison.”

Kubovics, of Finching Grove in Mirfield, was sentenced to a community order with 100 hours of unpaid work and 15 days of rehabilitative activities.

She was banned from driving for 30 months.

ThePress

Friday February 3, 2017

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New principal tackles further education challenge

News In Brief Assault denied DEWSBURY MOOR: A man who denied assaulting his partner claimed he acted in self defence.

Kirklees Magistrates’ Court was told that a neighbour overheard a commotion between the couple at an address on Ravenshouse Road, Dewsbury Moor, on New Year’s Day and phoned the police.

Abubakr Ahmed, of Clarence Road, Manchester, will appear before magistrates on March 30 for trial.

Text ‘threats’ BATLEY: A woman has appeared in court after allegedly harassing her ex-partner and causing damage to his car.

Sayra Bhatti, 36, of Spring Gardens in Batley, pleaded not guilty when she appeared at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard she allegedly made threats in text messages.

Her trial will take place at the court on March 29.

Prison recall

ple and their parents; it is a hard decision for them, so they need to have the right advice and guidance on the best route to take.

“The recent government focus on apprenticeships and vocational training is an area where Kirklees College can provide a wide range of programmes to support every-

one’s employment goals.

“It is important we tackle the challenges for post-16 education and provide the best opportunities for our learners.

“There is a lot of great partnership working in place, particularly with a number of companies. I hope more will come on board.”

Local historian Mike Popplewell continues his look at some of the lesser-known aspects of Spen Valley history...

JOHN APPLEYARD’S contribution to The Press Forum last week highlighted one omission from the Spen Valley Fame Trail – the lack of representatives from cricket in general and the failure to acknowledge Wilf Barber in particular.

Cricket in Yorkshire is as old as the game itself and there is scarcely a district in the county that doesn’t have a claim to fame.

Hutton and Sutcliffe from Pudsey, Trueman and Root from South Yorkshire, Holmes and Hirst and Rhodes from Huddersfield, for example.

Dewsbury and district may not be quite so well represented as other areas of the county, probably due to the predominance of its rugby league tradition, but from my distant cousin Alfred Firth in 1869 to current Yorkshire

head coach Andrew Gale, there have always been players from the Spen Valley and surrounding areas who have progressed to county level.

Firth, from the Firth blanket manufacturing dynasty, lived at Beavor House in Heckmondwike and played only one game, as an amateur against Surrey at The Oval, but Cleckheaton-born Wilf Barber served Gomersal at club cricket level and went on to represent Yorkshire with distinction in 354 games between 1926 and 1946.

He also played in two Test matches for England in 1935 and later that year toured Australia and New Zealand without making the Test team.

His accumulation of 16,402 runs at first class level, and a top score of 255 against Surrey at Sheffield, marks Barber as a cricketer of the

Wilf Barber... cricket giant highest calibre and his achievements, as John Appleyard pointed out, have perhaps been forgotten with the passage of time.

Wilf was born on April 18,

1901, in Cleckheaton but was brought up in Gomersal and played for the local club as a boy.

At the age of 20 he made the top score for his side in the final of the historic Heavy Woollen Cup, at Dewsbury, when they lost to Wakefield by six wickets.

It was another five years before he broke into the Yorkshire side but he stayed there for 20 years and helped the Tykes to no fewer than eight County Championships, the last in 1946.

That final season saw the return of first class cricket after the war years and despite several players, like Wilf, now in their 40s, they finished top dogs again.

After the war, every employer had to re-engage pre-war employees by law, and both football and cricket saw teams full of players

who you would expect to be past their best, but Wilf finished second in the county batting averages behind Len Hutton and accumulated over 1,000 Championship runs.

But, it was then time for a change in the county side and Wilf was one of several players to leave the first class game.

In 1947 he played as a professional in the Bradford League for Lidget Green and subsequently played for King Cross in Halifax. He also worked full time as a coach with the then North Riding Education Authority and, between 1961 and 1964, at Ashville College in Harrogate. In his later years he lived in Birkenshaw and was Mirfield’s first professional after they reformed in 1952. He died in hospital in Bradford after a short illness in September, 1968, aged 67.

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she was responsible for training apprentices.

Ms Gilluley took her first job in further education at Central Manchester College.

She said she was hoping to see students make the most of the apprenticeships on offer at Kirklees College.

She said: “There are so many choices for young peo-

Barber was a cut above!

YOR K

DEWSBURY: A man has denied attacking his partner twice in the space of four days.

Damian Auty, 37, of Mountain Road in Thornhill, faced two two charges of assault on Suzanne Wood at his home on January 20 and 24 when he appeared at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court from custody. He was remanded in custody ahead of his trial date after he was recalled to prison.

THE new principal of Kirklees College has started work. Marie Gilluley has worked in further education for 30 years, including the last five as principal of Bolton College.

She completed a degree in engineering and after university worked as a plant engineer in Co. Durham, where

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A little goes a long way...

OMANTICS will have February 14 already circled in their diaries, but for those of us who sometimes need a nudge in the right direction Valentine’s Day is less than a fortnight away.

R

For most people, this may seem like more than enough time to put some thought into how to best to show that special someone how much they care, be it with flowers, chocolates, a cosy meal or whatever takes their fancy.

Perhaps you’ve got it all figured out already. Maybe you’ve planned a wonderful evening where your partner will be wined and dined and at the end of the evening...well that’s up to you!

But to help the more forgetful among us avoid the cold shoulder from our loved ones, here at The Press we are trying to inspire our readers (and ourselves!) with ideas to make the day extra special.

As already mentioned, wining and dining is one of the best, and more popular, ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day together, as a candle-lit dinner at either a restaurant or at home goes a long way to showing how much you care.

An intimate meal at home tends to work even more, if you’re willing to pull out all the stops by cooking their favourite dish and setting a candlelit table with soft lights and music.

However, if your Casanova culinary skills

are more of a turn-off than an aphrodisiac, your best bet may be to take them to a restaurant.

There are plenty of restaurants across North Kirklees which cater for all tastes, so you’re bound to find the perfect place.

Even so, restaurants will be at their busiest for the night in question so you are urged to

book early, unless fish and chips are more your thing.

Perhaps you want to give your partner a more lasting token of your love, in which case jewellery may be the answer.

A bracelet, necklace or earrings will provoke thoughts and feelings about you every time they are worn by a loved one.

A ring would also make a great symbol of your affection, but for those of us in the early stages of a relationship these might best be avoided to prevent a few wires getting crossed!

Flowers and chocolates are always the quick-fix answer but are never unappreciated. This doesn’t mean thought shouldn’t go into it – a bag of jelly babies and a bunch of daffodils doesn’t usually do the trick.

Perhaps your chosen one has a favourite sweet or favourite flowers?

Ten minutes hunting in the High Street could make all the difference.

For that special touch you may want the flowers delivered so they will need to be ordered early.

And for those of you who really want to splash out perhaps spending a weekend together at a hotel or a health spa could help you to relax together and grow to appreciate each other more.

All of these gestures are sure to be appreciated and make your loved one feel exactly that.

But don’t forget the simple things. A card telling them just how much you love them can work as many wonders as a meal, flowers or chocolates.

Have fun on February 14, and remember: Love is not meant to be given and received on just Valentine’s Day. You should practice it every single day of the year!

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Our new Mother Prom of the 2017 Bride is here range First holy communion and Bridesmaids!

Where falling in love is just the beginning...

Show that you care...

MOST of us would agree with George Eliot’s words, “I like not only to be loved, but also to be told I am loved.”

Valentine’s Day is the occasion when you can experience both, so here are some creative ways to tell your partner “I love you”...

• On small pieces of paper, write down every kind of kiss that you can think of (examples: passionate, on the cheek, etc.). Then fill an inexpensive red felt bag with your “kisses” and give it to your other half.

Ask them to pull several pieces of paper from the felt bag, and then give your sweetheart whatever kind of kiss is described.

• Take your beloved on a scavenger hunt. Ask him/her to answer riddles to find the clues to items that you placed somewhere around town. The last item should give instructions that lead to your Valentine’s Day activities.

• Give your missus a dozen roses. On each stem attach a note for a future date – to do something that she would enjoy (example: Go to the symphony).

• If possible, go on a date with your partner to a restaurant that you enjoyed when you first met. After you order your meal, take some time to write down favourite memories from the past year, then

share your lists.

• If you are separated across the miles, send a care package filled with things that are red.

• Make a meal with symbols of love. Examples: Write I love you with string beans, make a sweet dessert in the shape of a heart...

• Write a poem for your partner and frame it.

• On individual note cards, write why you love them and insert the cards in a small photo album.

• Make a special “14 Reasons I Love You” Valentine’s Day breakfast for your sweetheart.

On his/her plate, leave a letter or card listing 14 reasons that you love your partner.

Happily bigger after for bridal boutique A BATLEY bridalwear boutique celebrated re-opening in expanded premises with a well-attended open evening.

Ever After Bridal Wear’s elegant store on Commercial Street now extends into the shop next door, where the new area focuses on prom wear, mother of the bride, bridesmaids and holy communion dresses and accessories.

The former kitchen showroom has been completely transformed, with an archway leading through into the original boutique that is now dedicated solely to bridal wear.

The work involved meant that Ever After, founded by owner Sallyanne Hendry in 2013, had to temporarily close

for most of December.

The store officially re-opened with a special evening with music, a fashion show and refreshments attended by brides-to-be, wedding bloggers, suppliers and even Tracy Brabin MP popped in. There are new changing rooms – one of which is for the use of mothers of the bride, to help to give them a more exclusive appointment.

For more information visit www.everafter bridalwear.co.uk, or search for Ever After Bridal Wear on Facebook to receive news of special offers and new arrivals.

Mother’s Day Sunday 26th March 12 - 6pm Bring that special lady in your life for a wonderful afternoon. Enjoy the lovely surroundings warm and welcoming atmosphere and some of the most delightful food dishes in the area, served by our friendly staff.

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Vital statistics of romance PROPOSALS – Valentine’s Day is one of the most common dates in the calendar, but according to statistics, Christmas Eve is the most common day to get down on one knee.

24% of proposals take place on December 24, followed by New Year’s Eve. Engagement – 33% of engagements last for two years. Only 6% of couples give themselves six months to plan the day.

Date – There isn’t much variation in the popularity of wedding dates.

Unsurprisingly, 54% of weddings happen on a Saturday, and 20% occur on a Friday.

Venues – Despite 64% of weddings being civil ceremonies and only 36% being religious cere-

monies, the church is still the favourite location.

15% opt for a hotel, 13% in the registry office and 12% marry in a marquee.

Budgets – 30% of the budget will be on the reception. The couple usually spends £4,000 on the venue, catering, décor etc.

The honeymoon fund occupies 25% of the budget, followed by outfits, generally costing £1,400 in total for the groom’s suit hire and the bride’s dress.

Total cost – In total, the average spend is £35,000 on a wedding in the UK. The wedding industry is worth over £10bn as a result!

Average age – Quite surprisingly, the average age for a person to get married is 33 for the groom and 31 for the bride.

Your Wedding Jewellery Specialist

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Like a real home from home Garlands Residential W & Dementia Care Home HEN it comes to long-term care, we all want to make the right choice – for ourselves and our loved ones.

So arranging the right kind of care is crucial for everyone’s peace of mind.

Based on Church Street in Heckmondwike, Garlands Care Home is a family-run business with a small family-run feel and offers residential care in a personal, friendly atmosphere.

The attractively-designed care home is situated in the Grade II Listed former vicarage of the adjacent St James parish church and offers the highest quality accommodation, which is matched by high quality care from a dedicated and well-trained team of staff.

The Birstall-based

Bolland family took over Garlands in May 2007 and have worked hard to maintain and improve the high standards the home has always adhered to.

The care environment at Garlands is second to none, with a maximum of 20 permanent residents meaning that staff get to know all of them on a personal level.

The 25-strong team is headed by manager Linzi Bolland, who has worked in the care industry for many years, with mum Gillian taking a hands-on director’s role and dad David working hard as MD. “We’ve tried to create a warm, friendly atmosphere at Garlands and we’ve put in a lot of hard work to ensure our residents receive the best possible care at all times,” said

David.

“Some of the residents have lived with us since we took over and it really feels like a large family home.

“We take great care and pride in knowing our residents’ needs intimately.”

The team hope to revamp and extend the home in the near future, offering more rooms and extra facilities for the residents.

Currently every room has TV, Sky and telephone points.

Staff and residents also enjoy regular visits from entertainers, singers and activity co-ordinators who provide quizzes and exercise classes, with films, music and games always on offer.

For more information or to arrange a viewing call 01924 404122.

Our family run home from home offers our guests undivided care & attention We provide respite & daycare in a happy and friendly environment, where respect & kindness are paramount

Telephone: 01924 404122 27 Church Street, Heckmondwike

The perfect local venue for all corporate occasions and events DIMPLE WELL LODGE HOTEL 35 The Green, Ossett, Wakefield, WF5 8JX

CONFERENCING, MEETINGS & CORPORATE EVENTS Dimple Well Lodge Hotel is A Great Setting For A Corporate Event We Cater For All Size Of Events Small Or Large Whilst Providing A Professional Service You Can Also Portray A Relaxed And Inviting Surrounding For Your Delegates We Have A Wide Selection Of Services Available To Provide An Easy Use Venue If You Would Like Something Tailored To Your Specification Please Come And Talk To Our Staff Who Will Be Happy To Help MEETING/INTERVIEW ROOMS: Up to 10 Delegates – Private Dining Room BEDROOM/CONFERENCE/MEETING ROOM – Seats up to 70 Delegates, Theatre Style – Morning Room ACTIVITY DAYS – Seats for up to 50 Delegates – Morning Room, Titanic Room & Bar

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THE AWARD-WINNING Dimple Well Lodge Hotel is the perfect destination for any occasion.

And it’s rapidly gaining a reputation as a great setting for corporate events.

Situated on The Green, in Ossett, Dimple Well Lodge Hotel is an 18th century Victorian house that is one of the district’s foremost venues for weddings, celebrations and other events.

Now Dimple Well is reaching out to new customers and hosting conferences, corporate events, training days, promotions and product launches.

Easily accessible from the motorway, Dimple Well

To advertise YOUR business Here for your plumbing & in our Three Of The Best gas needs feature, call The Press sales “ team on 01924 470296 or email advertising@ thepressnews.co.uk No other local paper can touch us on advertising prices!

IF YOU need a trustworthy and competent gas and heating engineer at a fair price, then look no further. “l’m based in Birstall and have been running CR Gas & Plumbing Services for almost ten years after working as a British Gas engineer for 15 years.

“I will take care of all of your heating and plumbing needs, from breakdowns to servicing, from boiler exchanges to fitting appliances and everything in between.

is the ideal location for meetings, and any number of different configurations of rooms and packages can be arranged.

The beautiful garden area can also be used for corporate events.

Everything can be tailored to your needs and supported with catering, including buffets, afternoon tea and full banquets for all your delegates.

With ample parking on site, all of Dimple Well Lodge’s 10 rooms have been upgraded in the last 12 months, offering guests a luxurious stay as part of any corporate event.

Dimple Well Lodge also works with other nearby

l’m Gas Safe-registered and I cover all of West Yorkshire, with no call-out charge and free quotes and estimates.

“A major local lettings agency trust me to service all of the properties on their books and most of my work

hotels to ensure that sufficient accommodation can always be provided for any number of visitor.

Dimple Well’s Harby’s Restaurant combines traditional and contemporary British cuisine and has picked up a string of impressive reviews on consumer sites such as TripAdvisor.

The 70-seat restaurant is open seven days a week.

Dimple Well also has a strong social media presence, and guests can find the latest menus, promotions and deals on their Facebook page.

For more information call 01924 280472 or visit www.dimplewell.co.uk.

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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 SATURDAY FEBRUARY 4 AROUND TO MIRFIELD Meet at 11am at Cleckheaton Town Hall (BD19 3RH, SE191254) 8 miles – moderate Contact: Noel Tel: 07780 328561 noelmirfield@hotmail.co.uk

Talk on a major outbreak SPEN VALLEY Historical Society’s next meeting on Wednesday, February 8, will feature a talk on ‘The Leeds Typhus Epidemic of 1847’ by Father Nicholas Hird.

On Wednesday March 8, David Templeman will give a talk on Mary Queen of Scots called ‘The Captive Queen 1568-1584’.

Meetings are held in the Catholic Church Parish Hall on Dewsbury Road, Cleckheaton, starting at 7.30pm, with refreshments served from 7.15pm.

The cost is £2 per meeting for members, £4 for guests and membership is £10 per year. For more information email scooper@thecoopersonline.org.uk.

Wolf spotted in Mirfield MIRFIELD Team Parish Pantomime committee are putting on their 69th show to the delight of audiences young and old.

This year’s production is Little Red Riding Hood and it promises all the usual fun and excitement.

Come along to see how Rose, Grandma Ruby and a very unusual fairy take on the Big Bad Wolf and his evil henchmen.

Performances at St Mary’s Church are at 7.15pm tonight (Fri) and tomorrow (Sat), when there will be a matinee at 1pm as well as an early evening performance at 5.30pm. For tickets contact Claire on 07986 737999 or email Julia at jwilding17@sky.com.

Thornhill – and beyond ON WEDNESDAY January 25, 31 walkers from Dewsbury & District Rambling Club set off from Tadcaster and walked six miles by the river to Newton Kyme.

Members had lunch in the churchyard and then went via Watling Street, the old Roman road, and on field paths back to Tadcaster.

The leader was David Richards and Christine Richards was the back marker.

A walk is planned for tomorrow (Sat), called Thornhill & Beyond.

This is a ‘C’ walk, please meet David Banks at 9.30am at Link Road in Dewsbury or at Rectory Park in Thornhill at 9.45am.

A walk is planned for Sunday February 5, through Tong & Fulneck.

This is a ‘B’ walk, please meet G Young at Wellington Road car park in Dewsbury at 9am.

MONDAY FEBRUARY 6 AROUND OAKWELL COUNTRY PARK Meet at 1pm at Oakwell Hall top car park (WF17 9LG, SE217271) 4 miles – moderate Contact: Kathleen 01924 471 473 Kathleenoshea5@aol.com

The trio of main characters from ‘Give A Little Love’

Cast members from The After Dinner Show

DEWSBURY Arts Group’s two short plays, which open on Thursday February 9, are set to offer a great evening’s entertainment.

The night will open with ‘Give a Little Love’, a funny but moving play by Halifax playwright Alan Stockdill.

Thanks to Facebook, four old school friends who are die-hard Bay City Rollers fans meet up

again 30-odd years later at a tribute band concert.

They reminisce over old times and share something of their lives since they last saw each other.

Old friends and old flames die hard in a tale of memories and music!.

The second short play, ‘The After Dinner Joke’

by Caryl Churchill, concerns Selby, who is tired of working for a big corporation.

She wants to do good and help others – it’s an irrelevant and humorous look at the world of ‘charity’!

The plays will be performed at the Artspace on Lower Peel Street, Dewsbury, on February 9-11 at 7.30pm.

For tickets visit www.ticketsource.co.uk/ dewsburyartsgroup or call 03336 663366.

The game played from parks to pavilions A PHOTOGRAPHY exhibition illustrating the grassroots beginnings of Asian cricket in Yorkshire is on display at Dewsbury Library for the next few weeks.

The exhibition contains photographs taken by cricket enthusiast Mohanlal Mistry of ‘back-street’ or ‘alley’ cricket being played in West Yorkshire in the early 1990s.

His work was also displayed at Headingley for the one day international between England and Pakistan, at the Oval for the 2016 Asian Cricket Awards and it has just spent three months travelling around local libraries in Bradford.

This will be the first time that the exhibition is open to the public and free to visit in Dewsbury.

The work is part of the ‘From Parks to Pavilions’ project which is documenting the history of Asian cricket in Yorkshire.

The project was developed by the AYA Foundation, a community organisation specialising in promoting minority heritage, arts and culture and supported by a number of funding bodies.

Mobeen Butt, the curator of the exhibition, said: “The photographs perfectly capture how young Asians played cricket in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.

They didn’t play on cricket grounds, in practice nets or even in parks – they played wherever they could, and that meant playing in alleyways, carparks and wastelands.

“They played with milk crates, traffic cones and crisp boxes for wickets and would carve out a bat from pieces of broken floor board or fence.”

The project also aims to collect material and record interviews from members of one of the oldest Asian led cricket leagues in Britain, the Quaid-

A snapshot of Mohanlal Mistry’s work

e-Azam Sunday Cricket League.

Some of the teams that formed the league came from the Dewsbury and Batley area.

Lord Patel of Bradford said: “We often hear people say that for Asians cricket is a religion, and playing the game is in our blood – an inherent part of who we are.

“I believe that this exhibition captures that sentiment perfectly.

“For me personally, it brought back many mem-

ories of my childhood experiences of playing this great game – it is so important that we do not forget this rich history, learn from it, understand it, build on it and all move forward – not just in Yorkshire but around the country.”

The exhibition will be on display at Dewsbury Library on Railway Street until Saturday February 18.

For more details visit www.fromparkstopavilions.org.uk.

A barn-storming display from local artists at Oakwell Hall’s Visitor Centre OAKWELL Hall’s annual ‘Art in the Barn’ exhibition and sale of work is currently running in the Visitor Centre Barn, at the top of Nova Lane in Birstall.

More than 35 local artists are showing in the exhibition which

runs until Sunday February 12, and can be viewed during Visitor Centre opening hours of 11am-4pm (Tuesday to Friday) and noon-4pm (Saturday and Sunday). The visitor centre is closed on Mondays.

Among the exhibitors is Margaret

Bates, 79, from Huddersfield, whose paintings are being sold in aid of Kirkwood Hospice. An artist for many years, Margaret specialises in landscapes and still life and, over the years, has captured scenes in and around Huddersfield and

on the East Coast.

Margaret has a life-limiting illness and is currently receiving support from Kirkwood’s community nursing specialists.

A selection of the donated paintings are on display in ‘Art in the

Barn’ and are for sale at £20 each.

Some of the other exhibitors are also selling cards to raise money for Kirkwood Hospice.

Further information is available by contacting Oakwell Hall Visitor Centre on 01924 324761.

ThePress

Friday February 3, 2017

Hear Ann across the BBC radio network

Rock on Tommy! We go inside the dressing room of Cannon and Ball

Ann with Cannon & Ball

Maycon Pictures

POPPED along to the Wakefield Theatre Royal recently to see the wonderful Cannon & Ball in their first play, which is set behind-thescenes at a run-down theatre. They find themselves involved in the crazy goingson of compere Stu Francis and fellow comic Johnnie Casson – it’s a hilarious comedy play written by Bobby Ball that combines sitcom with variety and comedy.

Part-play, part-variety show, Bobby told me backstage: “We just wanted to do something a bit different and fans appear to be loving it.”

Judging by the sell-out crowd and standing ovation, I agree.

Go see it now...

I look back now and wonder where all the glamour has gone.”

BRIAN MATTHEW, the Radio Two DJ who has presented ‘Sounds Of The 60s’ for more than a quarter of a century, is to be replaced by the BBC in a decision he described as “horrible”. Brian, 88, is Britain’s oldest regular radio presenter and has been with the station since 1954. Radio Two have decided to continue the show “without him”.

MRS BROWN’S Boys creator Brendan O’Carroll is working on an entirely new show with the cast. He revealed a little more about All Round To Mrs Brown’s and said: “It’s a light entertainment show. Kathy (Jennifer) has got her own talk show, where Mrs Brown sits in and of course slightly interferes.”

I

POINTLESS TV host Alexander Armstrong is already planning another album for later in the year after his last one fared well in the charts. He reveals: “I like the idea of going a bit more pop next time, and have a few ideas, but who knows what will happen when we hit the studio again?”

GINGER Spice Geri Horner is to feature in a documentary as part of the BBC’s ‘My Generation’ strand. She will look at the musical styles and fashions of the 90s and of course her own time as part of power house group The Spice Girls. She tells me: “I can’t believe that my time has already become nostalgia.”

FORMER EastEnders actress Kara Tointon tells me about her glamorous ITV drama The Halcyon. “Betsy is the singer with the hotel’s big band, and is so much fun,” she said. “I really love her style and of course the opportunity to sing. I think I would have suited that 40s period too as

PRODUCERS of the upcoming West End production of Richard Harris’ comedy Stepping Out at the Vaudeville Theatre have told me a casting update. Natalie Casey will step in for Angela Griffin, who performed during the show’s UK tour, and now will no longer be appearing in the West End transfer which runs from March 1. A source reveals: “Angela has TV commitments that she is unable to move and insisted the show went ahead without her.”

W1A, the comedy about the inner workings of the BBC, will return for a third series of its self-referential mockery.

The spoof documentary will see the BBC’s head of values Ian Fletcher, played by Hugh Bonneville, deal with the broadcaster’s new mission statement of doing ‘More Of Less’. Hugh told me: “I honestly don’t know how we get away with it but it’s great fun making it.”

OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN hinted to fans of Grease that there may be a reunion to celebrate 40 years of the hit film. She told me in London: “I think it would be great honestly, as I know it’s loved by so many people, but as to what we will do I have no idea yet.”

POLICE drama Inspector George Gently is coming to an end after 10 years. Actor Martin Shaw tells me that he is happy with the decision, but: “I know fans will be upset as they have grown attached to George and the team, but again I hope that he may come back at some

point for a special or something like that.”

THE XTRA FACTOR is set to be taken off the air by ITV after 12 years. A source tells me: “It’s simply too costly for too few ratings, and while we will support the show it basically means that we are now an app and on social platforms, with clips and extra content, as well as on YouTube, where X Factor clips perform strongly so no need for such a big production spin-off and a huge saving to the budget.”

AS CORRIE’S bad girl Tracy Barlow, Kate Ford has been marrying, manipulating and murdering her way through the Street for 15 years. Kate tells me: “There’s very little that Tracy hasn’t done, she’s done most of the sensational stuff. That’s why it’s nice that she is going in a different direction now. My scenes are more family-driven and real than they have been.”

AMANDA HOLDEN was in a good mood for the launch of her QVC homeware range in London recently. She told me: “Fans have asked me for years to get my name on something I love doing, so I figured let’s get on with it.”

Amanda will also appear on the channel to help sell the stuff, and she hopes also to branch out into other areas too.

LET IT SHINE presenter Mel Giedroyc has explained that appearing on Strictly would ruin her enjoyment of the celebrity dance show. She tells me that she gets asked almost every year, but: “I said no. l love watching it so much, I almost didn’t want to spoil the pleasure by being on it.”

THE NEW series of Call the Midwife had to be rewritten after Miranda Hart pulled out, its creator has said. Writer Heidi Thomas told me that she had written Miranda into the sixth series, but she withdrew at ‘relatively short notice’. It appears that Miranda is hoping to launch a Hollywood career, hence the decision to leave.

25

26

ThePress

Friday February 3, 2017

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ThePress

Friday February 3, 2017

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Car Boot Sale The Area’s Biggest and Best Car Boot Sale every Sunday at Dewsbury Rams, Owl Lane, Dewsbury OPEN AS USUAL DURING GROUND DEVELOPMENT WORK Price £12 per car, opens at 6.00am, ring 01924 465489 for further details

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Health Services NHS advice (urgent but non emergency) Tel 111 Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALS) Tel 01924 542972.

Walk in centre A&E, Dewsbury & District Hospital.

Tel 01924 542695

Libraries Kirklees Libraries Tel 01484 414868

Sport/Fitness Centres (KAL – Kirklees Active Leisure) Batley Sports & Tennis Centre Tel 01924 565059 Batley Baths & Recreation Centre Tel 01924 565388 Dewsbury Sports Centre Tel 01924 565254 Spenborough Pool & Fitness Complex Tel 01274 891767 Whitcliffe Mount Sports Centre Tel 01274 891019

MPs Batley & Spen – Tracy Brabin Temporary address: Batley Resource Centre, 90 Commercial Street Tel 01924 479082 Dewsbury & Mirfield – Paula Sherriff The Old Dewsbury Reporter Building Tel 01924 565450

Useful Numbers Citizen’s Advice Dewsbury Tel 01924 487860 Kirklees Council Switchboard Tel 01484 221000 Police (non emergency) Tel 101

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DECORATORS David Grayshon & Son Interior & Exterior Decorators FREE ESTIMATES Insurance work undertaken

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Garages

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Any gas appliance serviced £45+VAT then £15+VAT for each of others.

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28

ThePress

Friday February 3, 2017

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Hours will be mainly evenings and weekends Applicants will be subject to DBS checks

Interest in sport will be an advantage, possession of sports coaching qualification would be a distinctive advantage. £7.20 per hour.

Applications to Angie Burkinshaw, General Manager, info@dewsburyrams.co.uk Dewsbury Rams RLFC, Tetleys Stadium, Owl Lane, Dewsbury, WF12 7RH

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GOODS VEHICLE OPERATOR’S LICENCE DURA BEDS LTD of KELVIN BUSINESS PARK, GRANGE ROAD, BATLEY, WF17 6PB is applying to change an existing licence as follows To add an operating centre to keep 17 goods vehicles and 7 trailers at UNIT 5, SOOTHILL BUSINESS PARK, SOOTHILL LANE, BATLEY, WF17 5NL. Owners or occupiers of land (including buildings) near the operating centre(s) who would believe their use or enjoyment of that land would be affected, should make written representations to the Traffic Commissioner at The North Eastern Traffic Area, Hillcrest House, 386 Harehills Lane, Leeds, LS9 6NF, stating their reasons, within 21 days of this notice.

Representors must at the same time send a copy of their representations to the applicant at the address given at the top of this notice. A Guide to making representations is available from the Traffic Commissioner's Office.

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DEWSBURY ALLOTMENT ASSOCIATION LTD

A.G.M

WILL BE HELD AT THE HOWLAND CENTRE ON WEDNESDAY 15TH MARCH AT 7.00PM FOR THE AGENDA SEE SITE NOTICE BOARDS JOHN P. HOWARTH, ASSOCIATION SECRETARY

ThePress

Friday February 3, 2017

Marketplace Turn your unwanted items

into cash £££s 1) Ring Adele on 01924 470296 (9.30am-4.30pm). Have your advert ready and you can pay by credit or debit card (30p surcharge).

2) Call into the office at 31 Branch Road, Batley WF17 5SB and pay by cash, cheque, credit 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.

NEW Dusky pink dralon winged fireside chair, good condition, £25. Also blue dralon winged two-seater sofa, good condition, £50. Tel 01924 472619.

(2080) Garden shed, 8’ x 6’, apex roof, very strong, never used, £280 delivered & erected.

Tel 01924 278949.

(2081) Exercise bike, full body workout, £25. Tel 01924 480194. (2082) Keep fit machine all the family can use, type used in gyms using vibration, several programmes, cost £150 as new, will accept £50. Tel 01924 469652.

(2083) Black & Decker battery hedge trimmer, 20” blade, 18V, hardly used, £35. Tel 01924 430088.

(2084) Two metal guest beds with mattresses £10 each.

Tel 01924 401729.

(2085) Polished hall table £25. Tel 01924 401729. (2085) Large fur rocking horse £30. Tel 01924 401729.

(2085) Large keyboard with stand £25.

Tel 01924 401729.

(2085) CHILDREN’S GOODS/ TOYS Three wheeler, rideon buggy with charger. £100 ONO. Tel 01924 467057.

(2072) Red Tomahawk

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? ITEM bands

Up to £7: £8 - £25: £26 - £50 £51- £100 £101-£200 £201-£500 £501-£1450 £1,451 plus

Mongoose twowheel bike, suit 69yr old. Very little used, stabilisers availablem £50 ono.

Tel 01924 476050.

(2066)

Breville electric kettle, modern dome shape, cream colour, good working order, £7. Tel 01924 444000.

(2079)

Tonka toys, tipper truck and crane with grab, £26, will split. Tractor/ loading shovel, ride-on, suit 4/5 year-old, good quality, German-made, £27.

Tel Mirfield 01924 492544. (2059)

2 x 3 light pendant ceiling fittings in pink, £10 each, two matching wall lights £10 each. Tel 07521 540623. (2060)

Early Learning Centre baby’s wooden toddle truck with coloured bricks. Excellent condition £10. Tel 01924 407400.

(2054) BEDROOM FURNITURE Metal framed foldup occasional bed/mattress, £20.

Tel 07519 288925.

(2070) COLLECTIBLES Bradford Exchange collection of Marilyn Monroe plates by artist Chris Notarile, in mahogany frames, complete with certificates of authenticity. In good condition £10 each.

Tel 07719 954892.

(2061) COMPUTING Medion (E1210) 10” everywhere netbook, complete, boxed, good condition £25. Tel Mirfield 01924 491306.

(2074) DIY Aluminium extension ladder, 20ft, 24 rungs in total. Ideal for DIY, £25 ono, buyer to collect. Tel 01924 462494.

(2047) ELECTRICAL Hotpoint tumble dryer, good working condition, little used, £25. Call Mrs Kelly 01924 405259.

(2077)

Cost per item

2 x 3 light chandeliers in glass and brass £10 each. Tel 07521 540623.

(2060) FASHION Two red ladies’ handbags (large), in red, 12” x 10” and 15” x 12”, both excellent condition, still in wrappers £20 each. Tel 01274 861904. (2071) FREE Baled, dry wood, ideal for wood burners/home use. Free to collect from local area. Tel 07580 135488. (2078) FURNITURE Dark blue leather two-seater settee and two chairs; wood trim on arms, good condition, £150. Tel 01924 381651. (2076) Open dark wood book case with three shelves, £20 ono. Tel 01924 499643. (2063) Comfortable threeseater settee and chair, excellent quality from M&S. Westcott chenille hessian, neutral colour £150. Tel 01924 442711.

(2055) Shackletons ‘Sherbourne’ twoseater sofa, armchair and large storage footstool in beige. Two years old, excellent condition. £300, buyer to collect. Tel 07703

£1 £2 £3 £4 £5 £7 £9 £11

183220. (2046) GAMES Table-top casino board in carrying case, for blackjack and poker, with 400 casino chips, cards, dealing shoe and dice. New, £25. Tel 01274 876814.

(2065) GARDEN Old stone sink, suit garden ornament, £35. Tel 079615 64984. (2050) HOUSEHOLD 36-piece Royal Doulton ‘Yorkshire Rose’ tea service, £20. Tel 01924 264330. (2075) Large yukka plant, 3ft, minimum £35.

Tel 07961 564984.

(2050) Tom Gower painting, £40, Tel: 079615 64984 (2050)

ATHLETICS

Abu-Rezeq targets third 10k triumph JORDANIAN athlete Mohammed Abu-Rezeq is seeking a hat-trick of wins in Sunday’s Dewsbury 10K. The Altrincham runner will be looking to get inside 30 minutes after finishing in 30.06 last year and 31.02 in 2015.

His chief rivals are likely to be Ethiopian Paralympic athlete Wondiye Fikre (Leeds City), Kevin Loundes (Manx Harriers) and Kris Lecher (City of Hull).

Favourite for the women’s race is Olympic athlete Aly Dixon, who won at Dewsbury in 2013. The Sunderland

Strollers athlete, who represented Great Britain in the marathon at the Rio Olympics, will be challenged by 2015 winner Julie Briscoe (Wakefield), Josephine Stone (Middlesbrough) and Laura Smith (Notts AC) for the women’s title.

Race director Bernard Disken, of organisers Dewsbury Road Runners, said: “Once again we have reached our entry limit of 1300 and have had to turn many runners away.”

The race starts at Dewsbury Ring Road at 9am and goes along Bradford

British Eagle Zancara 21” bicycle. Polished aluminium frame, 21 speed, good condition. Approx. 10 years old, £50. Tel 07910 405324.

(2051) Falcon Futura Cycle, full suspension, 18 gears, suit teenager, £25. Tel 07910 405324. (2051) WANTED WANTED: Timber to recycle for garden project. Tel 07790 568986. (2052)

Road through Batley to Birstall Smithies, returning along the same route.

Sponsors of the race are Disken and Co solicitors and SMK Sports (Elland) with water supplied by Shepley Spring (Ice Valley).

Prizes will be awarded for men and women in the open age category and in veteran categories for over 40s, over 45s, over 50s, over 55s, over 60s, over 65s and over 70s.

Among the charities to benefit from the event will be Martin House children’s hospice and Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

CRICKET

Clubs aiming for Headingley final LAST year’s All Rounder Bradford Premier League champions Pudsey St Lawrence qualified for the Yorkshire Premier League’s play-off final staged in Abu Dhabi, losing to Wakefield Thornes, but while Hanging Heaton, Cleckheaton, Woodlands, East Bierley and Batley will all be striving for the Premier Division title this year there is no pot of gold waiting at the end of the rainbow.

In fact, dare I suggest, an actual rainbow is the more likely scenario.

The Bradford League champions will be playing their semi-final at Scarborough’s North Marine Road ground, against the Yorkshire Premier League (North) champions, on September 16, but the final will be much closer to home this season – at the famous Headingley ground the following week.

It may be woolly sweaters instead of short-sleeved t-shirts, but what league cricketer wouldn’t want to perform in an international arena?

The league season itself gets underway on April 22, with the first eight Priestley Cup ties going ahead in an unseeded Preliminary round on Sunday May 7.

This year’s Priestley Cup competition is open to the 24 teams comprising of the Premier League and Championship One, while those clubs in Championship Two and the Conference will compete in the Jack Hampshire Trophy, which gets underway with 10 first round ties on Sunday April 30.

As in more recent years the historic Heavy Woollen Cup will get underway with 15 first-round ties on the first Sunday of the season namely, April 23.

RUBGY UNION

Priestley Cup: First round Ossett v Methley, Bankfoot v Yeadon, Townville v Hanging Heaton, Bradford and Bingley v Woodlands, Wrenthorpe v Pudsey Congs, East Bierley v Lightcliffe, Cleckheaton v Pudsey St Lawrence, New Farnley v Baildon. Byes: Gomersal, Batley, Birstall, Scholes, Undercliffe, Morley, Farsley, Bowling Old Lane.

Jack Hampshire Trophy: First round - Altofts v Brighouse, Keighley v East Leeds, Liversedge v Rodley, Windhill v Azaad, East Ardsley v Hartshead Moor, Wakefield St Michaels v Hopton Mills, Idle v Carlton, Crossbank v Sandal, Oulton v Heckmondwike, Adwalton v Hunslet Nelson. byes: Brook Walton, Gildersome, Great Preston, Spen Victoria, Northowram Fields, Buttershaw St Pauls.

BOXING

Cleck RUFC struggle on visit to Sandal

SPORTING/FITNESS Gym workout bench, hardly used.

Ideal Christmas box, was £100, now £55. Tel Mirfield 01924 498341.

(2057) Ridgeback 401GS mountain bike, 18 gears, 18” frame size. Good brakes, excellent condition £40. Tel 01924 407400. (2054)

29

Cleckheaton’s Jack Bickerdike

Gerald Christian

National League Three North

SANDAL CLECKHEATON RUFC

40 12

at Milnthorpe Green CLECKHEATON RUFC lost 40-12 away at Sandal in National League Three North last weekend.

Sandal raced to 14-0 lead as Cleckheaton were slow to get out of the blocks, but the Moorenders did reply with an unconverted try from Richard Piper midway through the first half.

However any hope the Moorenders had of getting back into the game was short-lived as Sandal went over for a third converted try before the break.

Cameron Burnhill gave the hosts something to think about shortly before the interval, but in the end it proved little more than a consolation try. Ronan Evans added the conversion.

The second period went the way of the home side as they touched down three more tries to run out comfortable winners.

Cleckheaton have the weekend off before they play a crucial game against relegation rivals Doncaster Phoenix on Saturday February 11 (2.15pm).

Front row (from left): Mark Hurley (baseball cap), Keira Carter, Alex Hurley, Josh Warrington, Abed Mghrbel, Jack Churchill, Jordan Yates.

Middle: Jake White, Reece Mould, Shaun O'Hagen, Yussuf Al Hamidi.

Back row: Ben Tatterson, Dan Garber, Connor Broadbent, Gary Sykes

Trinity Boxing relaunch DICKY’S GYM in Batley was renamed Trinity Boxing Centre on Tuesday night, with a host of famous boxers on show at the relaunch.

The move comes as owner Mark Hurley looks to promote boxing in the area and entice new people to take part in the sport.

Hurley also hopes the rebranding will attract more boxing fans to the professional bouts of some of the gym’s most promising boxers, including Josh Warrington, Jack Churchill, Femi Fehintola and Reece Mould.

The gym’s star fighter, Warrington, is preparing for a world title fight this year and is also fighting Kiko Martinez at Leeds’ First Direct Arena on May 13 with Olympic gold medallist Nicola Adams on the undercard.

But Hurley is also keen to develop newcomers to the sport. Anyone interested in getting involved and training alongside some of the brightest boxing prospects in the country can contact Hurley on 0776 3246865.

Anyone over the age of 15 is welcome to attend public classes that take place Monday to Wednesday 7pm to 8.30pm. Juniors can also train Sunday mornings and those sessions start at 11:30am.

30

ThePress

Friday February 3, 2017

NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL

RUGBY LEAGUE

Walton brace helps Sedge to all three points Northern Counties East League Premier

RAINWORTH MINERS WELFARE LIVERSEDGE FC

1 3

at Kirklington Road

Rams start season without a victory Pre-season friendly

LIVERSEDGE FC have climbed to sixth in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division thanks to a 3-1 win away at Rainworth Miners Welfare.

After a disappointing goalless first half the game sparked into life immediately after the restart.

It was Joe Walton who broke the deadlock with a 47th minute strike.

But relegation strugglers Rainworth hit back 10 minutes later thanks to a Nicholas Langford effort.

But Jonathan Rimmington’s Sedge were in determined mood and on the hour mark edged their noses in front courtesy of a Stephen Wales goal.

The visitors were far from home and dry in the latter stages of the contest as Rainworth pushed for another equaliser, but Walton’s second of the afternoon sealed the win for the Clayborn outfit inside the last five minutes.

Liversedge now prepare for a trip to the coast where they will take on third-placed Bridlington Town tomorrow (3pm).

Reds climb to second OSSETT TOWN kept alive their slim First Division North title chances last weekend with a 1-0 win at home to play-off hopefuls Glossop North End. In an uneventful contest Steven Ridley’s 52nd minute strike was enough to separate the two sides at the final whistle.

The win moves Grant Black’s Reds to within four points of leaders Lancaster City, but the Ingfielders have played a game more.

Next up for Town is a trip to Clitheroe – another side chasing a play-off place this season.

Meanwhile Ossett Albion remain 17th in the First Division North standings following a 2-1 loss at high-flyers Scarborough Athletic.

Jacob Hazel fired the North Yorkshire side in front after 20 minutes but Albion hit back on the hour mark and levelled things through James Eyles.

But a late Cameron Murray goal for the hosts ended Albion’s hopes of a point.

Richard Tracey’s Albion host Ramsbottom United tomorrow (3pm).

LEIGH CENTURIONS DEWSBURY RAMS

38 4

at Leigh Sports Village DEWSBURY RAMS were comfortably beaten by a cool and composed Leigh Centurions side seemingly ready for life in Super League this year.

Leigh boss Neil Jukes selected a strong side which enjoyed an early opportunity at the Rams line, but the ball was spilled and the visitors were able to bring it away.

Neither side completed at a high percentage during the early stages, although it was the Rams that enjoyed the majority of early opportunities.

Paul Sykes’s grubber just eluded full-back James Glover, before Gareth Hock broke for Leigh and carved out an opportunity for David Thompson.

But the former St Helens player was forced into touch before dotting down.

And as the game wore on Leigh strengthened their grip.

Josh Drinkwater’s grubber kick forced Glover to palm dead and, a penalty later, James Clare touched down wide on the right for Leigh’s first try.

Former Rams loanee Ben Reynolds was wide with the conversion. Leigh managed possession and territory in the minutes that followed, although they were unable to add to their lead.

The Rams’ cause wasn’t helped when hooker Dom Speakman limped off, which added to coach Glenn Morrison’s injury woes ahead of the new Championship campaign, though the visitors continued to acquit themselves well defensively.

The Centurions went close to

adding to their lead after 23 minutes, but Hamish Barnes was quickest to react to Reynolds’s chip. The visitors’ strong defensive work was undone moments later, when a Rams play for the ball on the last tackle didn't come off, and centre Willie Tonga pounced to dot down. Reynolds was on target with the extras to make it 10-0.

Leigh soon went close to adding to their lead, breaking from the restart, but Gareth Hock lost possession following a barnstorming run, and the Rams survived.

As the game approached halftime, Leigh appeared content to sit on their lead, and executed an effective territorial kicking game.

Dewsbury had chances of their own, but were unable to retain possession, nor find the right option on the last tackle, in crucial areas.

There was concern for the home side when Tonga had to be helped from the field following a knock to the head. Moments later, the Rams made it stick and cut the deficit.

Two quick-fire passes from the play the ball created the opportunity for Lucas Walshaw to power over on the stroke of half-time, though Sykes was wide with the conversion.

The Centurions found another gear following the restart and, on the back of a penalty, Mitch Brown hit an excellent line onto Reynolds’s ball to extend the home side’s lead. Reynolds added the goal to make it 16-4.

The Rams rallied in response and went close to cutting the deficit, but a wild pass from dummy half afforded Leigh a respite.

Dewsbury continued to be wasteful with the ball, though the Centurions were unable to find a way over the line.

But Leigh eventually extended their lead, courtesy of Matty Dawson, who stepped through a

HEAVY WOOLLEN SUNDAY MORNING FOOTBALL LEAGUE

James Glover filled in at fullback for the Rams against Leigh

MATCH STATS: LEIGH CENTURIONS Ryan Hampshire David Thompson Mitch Brown Willie Tonga James Clare Ben Reynolds Josh Drinkwater Jamie Acton Micky Higham Dayne Weston Atelea Vea Harrison Hansen Gareth Hock SUBS: Liam Hood Sam Hopkins Danny Tickle James Green Antoni Maria Lewis Foster Matty Dawson

8 7 8 8 8 8 7 7 7 7 7 7 8 7 8 7 7 7 7 8

DEWSBURY RAMS

disjointed Rams defence to touch down. Minutes later, Mitch Brown’s palm back fell flush into the arms of Atelea Vea, who scored Leigh’s next try, but Reynolds’s attempt at goal fell short.

By now, the Rams were struggling to make it out of their own half and Vea capitalised when he hit a flat ball from short range and had too much power for the Rams’ defence, to add his second try, and Leigh’s fifth. Ryan Hampshire was on target with the conversion.

But Leigh’s win was soured by a knee injury to Ben Reynolds late on.

The delay appeared to affect the home side’s momentum, and worse news followed with the departure through injury of James Clare in the closing stages.

Leigh added a sixth score in the final moments of the game courtesy of Sam Hopkins’s scything run, and Hampshire converted on the hooter to confirm a resounding victory for the hosts.

James Glover Gareth Potts Hamish Barnes Lucas Walshaw Donald Kudangirana Paul Sykes Andy Kain Mitch Stringer Dom Speakman Jode Sheriffe Rob Spicer Scott Hale Aaron Brown SUBS: Robbie Ward Aaron Ollett Tony Tonks Jack Teanby

7 7 7 8 8 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7

LEIGH CENTURIONS Tries: Tries: Harrison (1, 4), Scott (9, 60), Reittie (15), Rowe (43), Hill (76). Goals: Walker 3/5, Brambani 1/1, Southernwood 1/1.

DEWSBURY RAMS Tries: Gill (26), Sheehan (37).

Goals: Sweeting 2/2.

Referee: P. Bentham / Half-time: 10-4 / Penalties: 7-7 / Sin Bin: None / Sent Off: None / Weather: Cold and cloudy / Man of the Match: Ben Reynolds (Leigh) / Attendance: 1,632 / Match Rating: 2/5.

WOMEN’S FOOTBALL

Chickenley beat the weather and secure win ALBION NEED MORE CONSISTENCY THE WINTRY weather decimated last Sunday’s Heavy Woollen Sunday League programme, meaning only nine games survived.

In the Premier Division the only game played saw AFC Chickenley win 7-3 against bottom-side Heckmondwike Sports Club.

Shaun McDaid led the way with four goals, with Ryan Simmonds (brace) and Danny Moffatt completing the tally.

Heckmondwike replied through a Blake Maude double plus a strike from Craig Bentley.

Championship leaders Linthwaite enjoyed a 13-0 win at Hanging Heaton Cricket Club after Jake Jayers netted a superb seven goals for the away side.

Linthwaite remain with a perfect league

record as Joshua Shields, Don Johnson, Brad Riley, Stephen Wilkinson and an own goal left them nine points clear at the top.

Slip Inn Hounds lie in second spot after they won 4-2 at home to Battyeford, who replied through Matty Shaw and Daniel Paris.

Wellington W e s t g a t e recorded the day’s highest score, thrashing The Yorkshireman 15-0.

Marcus Paul, Jordan Parker, Adam Holt and Eliot Wilkinson all fired hat-tricks for Wellington, who also had Josimar Bradshaw and two own goals on the scoresheet.

The top two sides in Division One met and it was second-placed Saville

Arms who triumphed over leaders Scholes Athletic 6-5.

Alex Shaw and Kieran Corley hit doubles for Saville, with Jordan Walton and Patrick Davies also on target.

Jonny Irving (two), D a v i d Blackburn, J a m e s Mortimer and M a t t h e w C h e s h i r e replied for Scholes who see their lead at the top cut to five points.

Roberttown Rovers lie third after Matthew Bolton (brace), Dean Vernon and Reiss Brook all scored in a 4-2 win at Deighton WMC. Clifton Rangers Reserves climbed to fifth place with a 3-0 win at Ravenswharfe thanks to a Ben Simpson double,

plus one from Conor Durkin.

With Division Two leaders Overthorpe Sports Club Reserves’ fixture with Dewsbury United falling a victim to the weather, secondplaced Wire Works failed to capitalise, drawing 3-3 with Clifton Rangers A. Andrew Wojciechowski hit all three goals for Clifton, but a brace from Richard Shooter plus an own goal saw Wire Works claim a point.

Irfan Ali bagged five goals as Snowdon won 142 against bottom-side Wike Horse.

James Heeley and Imran Farooq both bagged hat-tricks, Atif Basharat claimed a double and Noman Hussain completed Snowdon’s tally.

Eddie McKay and Liam Platts hit Wike Horse’s consolation efforts.

THE ADVERSE weather was the only winner on the women’s soccer scene last week, with Ossett Albion missing out on the chance to pull clear of the drop zone in the North East Regional League Southern Division, when their clash with bottom club Harrogate Railway was postponed.

On Sunday Albion will try again to get vital points on the board when they take on a visiting Preston AFC side just one point behind them and fighting to avoid the drop themselves.

Elsewhere, Ossett Town’s hugely disappointing season showed no sign of improvement as they crashed 4-1 at Hepworth to stay joint bottom with an equally frustrated Battyeford SC, who went down 4-3 at leaders Leeds Medics and Dentists.

With just four points apiece from 12 games both Town and Battyeford find themselves four points adrift of safety, having played two games more than Brayton Belles above them, but they will

be keeping a close eye on Brayton’s result at home to Silsden as Battyeford entertain Ossett this week with at least one team guaranteed points.

Dewsbury Rangers kept their outside chance of promotion alive in Division Two when a 2-0 win over visiting Silsden Development kept them in third place, eight points behind the joint leaders Clifton Rangers and Leeds City, but with games in hand on both and a chance to reduce those arrears with a visit to Leeds City on Sunday.

Ossett Town Reserves slipped deeper into relegation trouble with a 7-1 defeat at home to Leeds City and this week they entertain joint third-placed Farsley Celtic Development.

In Division Three Lower Hopton’s 7-0 win over Durkar kept them in touch with second-placed Middleton, but they have played two games more.

On Sunday they have a chance to close the six-point gap when they host league-leaders Ripon City.

Contact us at sport@thepressnews.co.uk

ThePress

Friday February 3, 2017

RUGBY LEAGUE

Bulldogs boss young Tigers prospects – Tom Holmes and Will Maher.

“Tom Holmes played with nice tempo and caused some problems which is encouraging from our point of view,” observed Diskin, who also takes sidelined Cas back Jy Hitchcox for the season.

“Big Will (Maher) did big minutes and when a big man does that the quality drops off but he made some strong carries where he needed to be.”

Tigers assistant coach Danny Orr also gave Maher massive praise for playing all but three minutes in strength-sapping conditions, adding: “It was a really big challenge for a very young team with a lot of potential playing against a good Championship side.

“They found it difficult at the start and gave themselves a lot to do but got back in it and were reasonably happy at half-time.

“They all loved the experience and the lads who are being loaned out will become better players for the experience.”

Cas made the worst possible start as cold hands fumbled the kick-off, allowing James

Pre-season friendly

BATLEY BULLDOGS 38 CASTLEFORD

12

at Mount Pleasant BATLEY boss Matt Diskin admitted he has some tough selection decisions to make ahead of the Championship opener in Toulouse after his side’s third straight pre-season victory.

The Bulldogs, close to full strength, were ruthless from the off against a youthful Cas side who appeared like rabbits dazzled by headlights in the early stages.

Diskin’s men ran in four tries in 15 minutes to lead 20-0, but were then faced by a vibrant opposition for the remainder of the half.

After the break, playing down the slope, the young Tigers applied plenty more pressure which Batley repelled with distinction in ever-worsening weather - the bitter cold being increasingly laced with fine rain.

Diskin said: “We’ll take a 19man squad to Toulouse and it’s going to be very tough (who to choose).”

His squad will be bolstered further by the loan of two of their opponents’ outstanding

Harrison to force his way over after less than 60 seconds.

Within a couple of minutes Harrison claimed his second and when Dave Scott added a third try, and Wayne Reittie successfully chased a Dom Brambani grubber, a rout seemed a possibility.

But the Cas youngsters learned fast, steadied the ship and even dictated the course of the latter stages of the half, hitting back with well-worked tries from Kieran Gill and Dec Sheehan, both converted by eye-catching teenager Jake Sweeting, to trail by eight points at the break.

The Bulldogs began the second stanza the way they had the first with Alex Rowe crashing over from close range.

Meanwhile Scott claimed his second try on the hour.

The Tigers again grew in stature as the half wore on with Jack Render being denied when shunted in to touch near a corner flag - just one example of determined goal-line defence which must have impressed Diskin.

Batley scored the last try when Hill touched down in the closing stages.

31

JUNIOR RUGBY LEAGUE MATCH STATS: BATLEY BULLDOGS Dave Scott Wayne Reittie Sam Smeaton Macauley Hallett Shaun Ainscough Cain Southernwood Dom Brambani Brad Hill Alistair Leak Alex Rowe Dane Manning James Harrison Patch Walker SUBS: James Brown James Davey Trae Sullivan Danny Bravo Joe Chandler Alex Bretherton Mike Hayward Shaun Squires

9 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 7 7

Celtic out-muscled by in-form Dalton

7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7

Dewsbury Celtic’s Under-16 squad

CASTLEFORD TIGERS Jake Sweeting Dec Sheehan Kieran Gill Tuoyo Egodo Calum Turner Callum Mcllelland Tom Holmes Brandon Douglas Luke Million Will Maher Luis Johnson Connor Fitzsimmons Jacques O’Neil SUBS: Jack Render Rory Dixon Dan Igbinedion Paddy Burns Robbie Storey Jamall Goodall Jake Trueman Harvey Kear

7 7 7 6 6 7 7 6 6 7 7 6 6 6 7 6 7 6 6 6 6

BATLEY BULLDOGS Tries: Tries: Harrison (1, 4), Scott (9, 60), Reittie (15), Rowe (43), Hill (76). Goals: Walker 3/5, Brambani 1/1, Southernwood 1/1.

CASTLEFORD TIGERS Tries: Gill (26), Sheehan (37).

Goals: Sweeting 2/2.

Referee: N Bennett / Half-time: 20-12 / Penalties: 6-8 / Sin Bin: None / Sent Off: None / Weather: Bitterly cold with second half rain / Man of the Match: Dave Scott (Batley) / Attendance: 602 / Match rating: 3/5.

BARLA National Cup

DALTON ARLFC U16 38 D’BURY CELTIC U16 16 at Kelland Park DEWSBURY CELTIC Under-16s were dumped out of the BARLA National Cup in the first round following a 38-16 defeat away at Dalton ARLFC. The Cumbrian outfit went ahead with a try at the end of their first set but Celtic immediately hit back with a try of their own which was finished off by Jacob Thewliss.

But Celtic’s vulnerablelooking defence was breached again on 11 minutes and the touchdown was converted to give the home side a 10-4 advantage.

Five minutes from the interval and an error from the scrum on the Dalton 10metre line allowed a breakaway try for the home side following a 90-metre sprint to cross under the sticks.

Trailing 16-4 at the start of the second half, Celtic knew they had their backs to the wall and so it proved.

Dalton arguably came out stronger in the second period and quickly extended their lead with another try.

Dewsbury showed limited resolve in the form of a try midway through the half courtesy of centre Lewis Teale who crashed over.

Charlie heaton bagged the extras.

But Dalton were quick to re-assert their dominance for the remainder of the game.

The hosts went over for another two tries in three minutes, as Celtic’s penalty count increased, and left the visitors with no way back into the contest.

The green and whites did, however, muster a late consolation try thanks to the efforts of opposition man of the match Connor Appleyard, who barged his way over.

But it was the Cumbrians who had the final say in a physical encounter with a try under the posts.

Thornhill on track for Challenge Cup run Challenge Cup First Round

THORNHILL TROJANS 32 LOCK LANE

18

at Overthorpe Park THORNHILL TROJANS overcame Lock Lane 32-18 at Overthorpe Park and sealed their place in the second round of the Challenge Cup for the first time in a decade.

In what proved to be an end-toend encounter it was the Trojans who broke the deadlock inside five minutes.

The hosts pressed up-field and the ball was worked along the attacking line before a clever James Craven pass paved the way for winger Jack Gledhill to go over and bag his debut try for the club.

The Trojans were quick to try and extend their advantage against a Lock Lane side lacking tempo in the early stages.

But the try sparked the visitors into life and they quickly hit back through Ethan Flowers, who powered his way over. Conner Turner converted to put Lane in front.

DEWSBURY BRIDGE CLUB RESULTS: TUESDAY JANUARY 24: 1 T Johnson and J Bragg; 2 A Cooper and J

Lodge; 3 D Hannam and J Paxton; 4 L Sargent and P McKenzie.

Trojans full-back Craven was looking dangerous in possession, however, and when Lock Lane chipped forward and he intercepted the ball cleanly he embarked on a 70-metre sprint to the line, beating three Lane defenders along the way for an unconverted try.

The away side battled hard throughout the contest and demonstrated how dangerous they could be when scrum-half Joe Willcock crossed the whitewash, only to lose his grip on the ball before grounding.

In the run-up to the interval George Woodcock kicked a penalty goal for the Trojans and Lock Lane’s Scott Wilson was sin-binned for dissent.

The away side looked dangerous as the second half got underway and they were soon in the driving seat thanks to a well-worked try.

A long-range break away move unpicked the Trojans defence and allowed Turner to touch down. He stepped up and successfully added the conversion.

But the Trojans were unwilling to give up on their dream of a surprise Challenge Cup run and slowly stamped their authority on the game.

Danny Ratcliffe was instrumental in the turnaround and his determination helped to forge the opening for Sam Ratcliffe to power his way over in the corner. George Woodcock converted.

Woodcock then turned try-scorer when he latched onto a wonderful George Stott pass out wide before

Danny Ratcliffe touches down and (inset) Ryan Fenton is tackled just short of the line dotting down in the corner.

Woodcock held his nerve and added the extras.

With their tails up the Trojans pushed for the decisive try. It came via Danny Ratcliffe who crashed over at the side of the posts, but somehow Woodcock skewed his conversion attempt wide.

As the hard-fought contest neared

its conclusion tempers began to boil over between two clubs who have history when it comes to poor discipline.

Lock Lane’s Adam Galick initially received a yellow card for his part in the altercations but that was upgraded to a red when he spoke out of turn to the referee.

And with a man advantage

Dave Jewitt

Thornhill scored their final try of the game through Woodcock. Sam Ratcliffe kicked the goal to round off the victory.

Lock Lane bagged a late consolation thanks to the efforts of Lewis Price, but it was too little too late for his side. Turner converted.

Thornhill now look forward to an away trip to Haydock in round two.

‘We won’t lose our identity’ Stags unveil Muff as Morro eases Rams fans’ dual-reg concerns

By Joe Link

MIRFIELD Stags have confirmed the appointment of Alex Muff as the club’s new head coach, with Craig Young joining him as part of a new-look coaching team for 2017.

The pair are joined by team manager Kryss Tominay (pictured, above left, alongside Muff, centre, and Young, right).

Sean Hayden will also become a team manager, with Donny Robertson continuing in his role as head physio.

Muff, a former Barrow Raiders and Batley Bulldogs player, prior to retiring from the professional game, has held coaching roles with Brighouse Rangers and Lindley Swifts.

He featured as a Stags player last term and is now looking to the club’s coaching ranks, alongside coaching partner Young.

“We are really excited about the season ahead and cannot wait to get started,” said Muff.

“I came to the club last summer and began playing and the opportunity to coach the Stags, alongside Craig, is something we were keen to take up.

DEWSBURY boss Glenn Morrison has insisted the club will keep its identity despite acknowledging the likelihood of several Wakefield Trinity players joining the Rams in 2017 as part of the dual-registration agreement between the two clubs.

Last year’s Batley Bulldogs captain Keegan Hirst could feature for Dewsbury against Rochdale on Sunday after making a move to Wakefield from Mount Pleasant during the off-season.

Mason Caton-Brown could also feature for the Rams as the Super League season doesn’t start until the following weekend.

“I have been speaking all off-season with Wakefield Trinity regarding dual registration possibilities,” said Morrison.

“We have known for a few weeks who would be available for consideration and the Dewsbury players have been made aware of these possibilities, in which they have bought into.

“Wakefield players will be considered if we need them due to injuries or loss of form.

“I’m sure we will see a couple of their squad playing for us this season.

“If we decide to pick any Wakefield players this will be up to myself and the Rams coaching team when we come to selection meetings each week.

“I would never abuse this system, as seen a few years ago when we had a dual registration agreement with Bradford Bulls.

“We will always keep our identity. However, our small squad and injury concerns may see us in need of players more than we have in the past.”

The Rams had just 17 players available for their final

new head coach

“We have enjoyed some success in the past and we are looking forward to getting to work at Mirfield.

“We are aiming to bring plenty of structure, while giving the guys an idea of exactly what we expect from them this season.

“A lot of the guys are currently playing winter rugby, so fitness we don’t believe will be difficult to overcome, it is just a case of getting us ready to go on the field.”

The Stags managed a seventh-placed finish in 2016, in the Yorkshire Men’s League Premier Division, and Muff is expecting to build on the effort this term.

“We want to create a positive culture here and really progress and kick on,” added Muff.

“Winning is not everything but it is important we do achieve on the field, in order to keep confidence and desire high.

“We will go into the new season in April with plenty of confidence. We are looking forward to getting going.”

Diskin’s men embark on French expedition Former Batley captain Keegan Hirst could make a surprise return to Dewsbury this weekend on dual-registration from Wakefield as Glenn Morrison’s (inset) men prepare to face Rochdale pre-season outing of the winter against Leigh last weekend.

An illness around the camp meant several players had to miss the trip, but despite losing all four warm-up games against Batley, Wakefield Yowies and Leigh, Morrison is confident his side are ready for the challenge of newly-promoted Rochdale on Sunday (3pm).

“The lads are ready to get started, but we know that Rochdale won’t be easy,” added the Australian.

“We started last season with a tricky away game

against Swinton, it’s the worst time to play the newly promoted sides because they are desperate to prove their worth in the league.”

One player who will be unavailable for the trip is young winger Donald Kudangirana, who has allegedly failed an RFL drugs test. Kudangirana was set to become a regular fixture in Morrison’s first team in 2017 after making the step up from Dewsbury’s ill-fated Reserves side of 2016.

The club have refused to comment further on the situation.

BATLEY BULLDOGS chief Matt Diskin admits he is concerned about the logistical challenge involved in his side’s first outing of the 2017 Kingstone Press Championship away at Toulouse tomorrow (3pm).

Diskin’s men fly out to southern France today and the former Leeds Rhinos and Bradford Bulls star, said: “You look at the full-time teams in Super League and everyone struggles to go to France just because of the logistics of it.

“That is magnified with the parttime blokes. We have to control the feeling of a jolly away with the boys. We are there to do business and we know it is going to be tough.

“You look at the result they had against Catalans (in pre-season) and they have some fantastic players and we are going to have

to handle the issue of travel, which is all new to these boys.

“We are going to have some whole new preparation all in one weekend, but it is a challenge we are up to.”

But the Bulldogs couldn’t be in better form after a pre-season which saw them win all three of their outings against Dewsbury, Keighley and Castleford.

Diskin added: “It’s always nice to go into a new season with some confidence, we have slowly improved with each game and I’m really pleased.

“We have got a fantastic squad and it will be a tough job selecting the team.

“Some of the so-called fringe players, who people didn’t know much about, you can see the quality they have in the matches they’ve played and we have got plenty of depth.”