The press 1st jan 2015

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Thursday January 1, 2015

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No. 666

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SAME OLD STORY?

EMPTY SHOPS AND PREMISES STILL PLAGUE RETAIL ZONE

CLOSED: Historic Bailey’s Cafe

What does 2015 have in store for Dewsbury town centre?

TRADERS hit by the closure of a Dewsbury institution could benefit from business rate reforms.

Bailey’s Cafe, a town centre fixture for 70 years, shut on Christmas Eve with the loss of about 15 jobs.

Sky-high business rates were partly blamed for leaving the eatery unable to make ends meet.

MP Simon Reevell (Con, Dewsbury and Mirfield) thinks there is hope for others in the same situation.

He said: “The chancellor announced in his autumn statement a review of business rates.

“I don’t know what that review will recommend, but it does appear the current system is on its last legs.”

He added one option could be bas-

By David Miller News Reporter davidmiller@thepressnews.co.uk

ing business rates on turnover instead of a property’s rental value.

Such a change cannot come soon enough for Dewsbury Chamber of Trade president Trish Makepeace.

She said: “Business rates are simply too expensive. Some traders now pay more for that than they do in rent.

“That’s not how business rates were set up. We asked the government and they said there’d be no change before 2017.

“I imagine no political party would commit to anything happening sooner this side of an election.”

CHANGES NEEDED: MP Simon Reevell Business rates are set by the government and collected on their

behalf by councils.

Mrs Makepeace, also chairman of the market traders’ assocation, said the town centre was quiet over Christmas.

“People will go where they’ve got free parking and where they can keep warm,” she said.

Online shopping also is having an effect and Trish added: “The whole retail landscape is changing. I don’t think there’s much anyone can do to stop it.”

But Mr Reevell feels there is still a lot Kirklees Council and landlords can do to help Dewsbury.

He said: “As we found out when setting up our office there are unfortunately some greedy landlords.

“They would seem to prefer a shop stay empty instead of reducing

the rent to attract a tenant.”

The planned renovation of the Northgate quarter could bring a much-needed boost.

But Westgate and the derelict former Continental Cafe building remain unsolved.

He called for twin approach from Kirklees Council and said: “They shouldn’t be afraid to use their enforcement powers.

“Landlords need to get the message that they can’t buy up bits of Dewsbury and then do nothing with it.

“And if they don’t respond to that then the council should look at whether they have any public service contracts.

“Companies that allow buildings to go to wrack and ruin shouldn’t be paid out of the public purse.”

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ThePress

Thursday January 1, 2015 tion at Huddersfield Crematorium, on Thursday 8 January at 12.30pm.

Dr Safia Jabeen

SMITH ANNIE On 23 December, of Mirfield, aged 89, Wife of the late Stanley. Service at Dewsbury Moor Crematorium on Thursday 8 January 2015 at 2pm.

Deaths ASHCROFT NEE FRANCE BETTY On 23 December, formerly of

Dewsbury, aged 93, wife of the late Bill. A family committal at Dewsbury Crematorium on Friday 9 January at 10.30am followed by a Thanksgiving Service at Longcauseway Church (United Reformed &

Methodist) at 11.15am.

BATTYE WILLIAM On 19 December, of Birstall, aged 96. Husband of the late Mary. Funeral enquiries to Bollands Funeral Directors. Tel 01924 472178.

BLAKELEY NEE SHEARD RUTH MARGARET On 20 December, at Fieldhead Court, Thornhill, aged 73. Wife of the late Terry. Funeral at Dewsbury Crematorium, Friday 2 January at 10.30am.

BURNS HAZEL On 19 December, of Birstall, aged 88. Wife of Jeffrey.

Funeral enquiries to Bollands Funeral Directors. Tel 01924 472178.

Funeral and committal at Dewsbury Crematorium, Friday 2 January at 3.15pm.

HARRISON ANNIE On 15 December, in hospital, aged 90 years. Wife of the late Vernon. Funeral was held on Tuesday 30 December at Dewsbury Crematorium.

HATHAWAY ZENA On Friday 19 December at home, aged 78 years. Memorial service was held on Monday 29 December.

HUNT NORA At Ings Grove N H on 17 December, aged 88, of Laverhills. Wife of the late Irvin.

Funeral at Dewsbury Crematorium on Friday 2 January at 11.15am.

CADE DAVID On 27 December, of Dewsbury, aged 71, husband of Patricia.

Funeral at Dewsbury Crematorium on Thursday 8 January at 11.15am.

COUPLAND KATHLEEN Aged 68 years. Passed away 14 December. Mother of Jayne and Melanie. Funeral on Friday 2 January at 12.30pm at Dewsbury Crematorium.

HAIGH MARY On 17 December, aged 85, of Hopton. Wife of the late Allen.

LEEBROOKE DENNIS On 19 December, aged 89 years, lately of Thornhill. Long time friend of Alan and Eileen Lister. Funeral at Dewsbury Crematorium, Monday 5 January at 3.15pm.

MURRY MAUREEN TERESA NEE EGAN On 19 December, of Gomersal.

Wife of Paul. Requiem Mass and interment was held on Tuesday 30 December.

NAUGHTON CARMEL DENISE On 26 December, of

On 14 December, aged 85.

Husband of Hilda. Funeral was held at St Andrews Methodist Church, Mirfield, on Tuesday 30 December.

ROBERTS NEE KELLY FORMERLY JENKINSON COLLEEN MARY

On 17 December, in hospital, of Mirfield, aged 95. Wife of the late Kenneth. Service and cremation at Huddersfield Crematorium on Monday 5 January at 2pm.

On 26 December, of Batley, aged 75, wife of the late Allen.

Enquiries in respect of the funeral arrangements may be made to George Brooke Ltd Funeral Directors Tel 01924 454476

SCARGILL NEE HICKS MARY On 11 December, in hospital, of Shaw Cross, aged 80 years.

Much loved mum, mother-inlaw and grandma. Funeral was held at Dewsbury Crematorium on Wednesday 24 December.

SHACKLETON JOHN On 17 December, of Cleckheaton, aged 65 years. A dearly loved dad, brother and granddad. Funeral enquiries to Michael Wright & Son Funeral Directors. Tel 01274 871092.

SIMPSON MARGARET JESSIE On 22 December at home in Mirfield, aged 88. Wife of the late Leslie. Service and crema-

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SMITH ARTHUR ASQUITH

Heckmondwike, aged 51, Carmel, daughter of Nora and the late Terence. Requiem Mass at Holy Spirit RC Church, Heckmondwike on Wednesday 7 January at 5.30pm. The committal will be held on Thursday 8 January at Grenoside Crematorium at 10.45am.

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STANLEY MARION

SWIFT COLIN On 22 December, of Thornhill, aged 71, husband of Jane.

Funeral will be held at Dewsbury Crematorium on Friday 9 January at 2pm.

SWIFT GORDON On 24 December, of Thornhill, aged 78, dad of Vicky, Shaun and Louise. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium on Monday 12 January at 12.30pm.

WAKEFIELD Peter -- • --

On 18th December 2014, in hospital, after an illness bourne with dignity and courage, aged 74 years, Peter, dearly loved brother of Edith and Betty, a very dear brother-in-law, loved and respected uncle, great uncle and great great uncle.

Peter, a dear friend who will be remembered as a dedicated committee member at Dewsbury Moor ARLFC and part of both the Rugby league community and local Scottish dancing fraternity.

Funeral service will be held at Dewsbury Moor Crematorium on Friday 9th January 2015 at 12.30 pm, followed by refreshments at the rugby club.

Family flowers only, donations in his memory may be placed in the collection box provided

by George Brooke Ltd. Funeral Directors for the benefit of The Rosewood Centre and The Youth Development at Dewsbury Moor ARLFC.

WRIGHT Harry “H” On 17 December, aged 62 years, of Cleckheaton. Funeral at Dewsbury Crematorium on Tuesday 6 January at 2pm.

Doctor hailed as patient champion A DEWSBURY doctor has won recognition for her work informing women from ethnic minority communities about sexual health.

Dr Safia Jabeen was named ‘Patient Champion of the Year’ at the recent Regional NHS Leadership Recognition Awards for Yorkshire and the Humber.

The award is the latest of several that Dr Jabeen has won for her pioneering work leading the Chandni Clinic at Dewsbury District Hospital.

She was also awarded ‘Doctor of the Year’ at the Best of Health Awards in December, where Jan Hall from Dewsbury was also named ‘Midwife of the Year’.

The Chandni Clinic aims to better inform women from ethnic minority communities about sexual health.

It was set up following a survey of local Asian women which revealed that 70 per cent had no concept of sexual health.

The clinic enables women from sometimes hard-to-reach ethnic minority communities to talk confidently about sexual health with a female doctor in their own language.

It offers advice on screening, infections and contraception and runs an outreach programme that visits to mosques and community centres.

Rory Deighton, director of patient charity Healthwatch Kirklees, said: “We worked with Dr Jabeen earlier this year as we tried to understand cervical screening messages in South Asian communities.

“Her skill in identifying how to communicate difficult messages in a way that was relevant and engaging to her patients was fantastic, and we’re really pleased she Thursday, January 1 2015 has received this Issue No: 666 recognition.”

31 Branch Road Dr Jabeen will Batley now be put forward to this year’s West Yorkshire National NHS WF17 5SB L e a d e r s h i p Tel: 01924 470296 R e c o g n i t i o n Fax: 01924 472561 Awards. www.thepressnews.co.uk

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ThePress

Thursday January 1, 2015

Flu vaccine ‘unlawful because it isn’t halal’

By Staff Reporters A FLU vaccine policy unlawfully discriminates against Muslims, a Dewsbury-based health group has claimed.

The only vaccine available locally this year, a nasal spray called Fluenz, contains pork gelatine – and so is not certified as halal.

Public Health England refused to offer an alternative, which Healthwatch Kirklees said was unlawful.

They took legal advice and it fol-

Stolen taxi arrest BATLEY: A man was arrested after he allegedly stole a taxi following a row with the driver.

The 24-year-old jumped behind the wheel on Bradford Road when the cabbie pulled over and got out for his own safety.

Police found the vehicle and arrested him on York Road, off Batley Field Hill, early on December 14. He was bailed until Wednesday, February 25, pending enquiries.

Policy discriminates against Muslims, says health body Gang grab cash, cigs lows earlier concerns raised by council health officials. Islamic scholars at Dewsbury District Hospital were consulted in October and they ruled Fluenz was unsuitable.

Healthwatch Kirklees director Rory Deighton said it is now too late to change the situation.

A “significant” number of children across the area will not be immunised as a result.

But Mr Deighton hoped Public Health England would heed the advice for next winter’s scheme.

He said: “They said it was Fluenz or nothing, so we were really going to struggle with uptake in the Muslim community. This is a community in which we already have ongoing health inequality issues.”

He said the vaccine works well but health bodies should be wary of breaking equality laws.

Akooji Badat, a committee member at Batley’s Snowden Street mosque, said breaking halal rules can be justified sometimes. He said: “Anything which is necessary and for which an alternative can’t be found is okay,” he said.

“If I was fasting and it was a life or death situation then I would break the rules. But a flu vaccine hasn’t been proved to be necessary – you can do without it.”

Just what the doctor ordered for Christmas YOUNGSTERS in hospital over Christmas still enjoyed festive fun thanks to groups across the area.

The United Reformed Chuch in Heckmondwike was among those who donated to the children’s ward at Dewsbury Hospital.

Others included Tesco in Batley, Mecca Bingo and Yorkshire Building Society in Dewsbury and the Co-op in Gomersal.

Toys like dumper trucks and sought-after merchandise from the popular animated film Frozen were donated. There were also advent calendars, selection boxes, games and Fisher Price sets for tots.

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Intruder arrested after spate of burglaries

Leave a family legacy for future generations

A SUSPECTED intruder was caught by police following an attempted burglary in Heckmondwike. Officers found a 37-year-old man near a home on Nunroyd which was targeted at around 7pm on December 21.

A householder returned home around that time and almost caught the burglar redhanded. The suspect fled but was arrested soon after. Nothing was taken and police enquiries are continuing.

Officers added that several properties in the Nunroyd area had been burgled in recent weeks.

FAMILIES can leave a legacy for future generations by planting trees at Dewsbury’s new country park.

Suitable for all ages, the event at the former tip site which is now a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Wood runs from 10am to 12.30pm on Sunday, January 11.

Saplings, some tools and hot drinks will be provided and there will also be a fire for toasting marshmallows.

Participants should take a spade if possible and a plastic bag to wrap trees in while holes are dug.

Suspect in Nazi camp cemetery thefts arrested POLICE in Birstall arrested a driver wanted in the Czech Republic for thefts from a concentration camp cemetery.

They pulled over a man driving a Nissan Micra on the M62 near the J27 retail park on December 21.

The suspect, a 35year-old Czech national, is wanted on a European Arrest warrant.

A database search showed he is a suspect in the alleged theft of 824 bronze plaques from a Nazi concentration camp

News in Brief

cemetery in the Czech Republic town of Terezín in 2008.

The man, one of three sought for the theft of plaques, is in custody pending extradition proceedings.

Supt Pat Casserly, of West Yorkshire Police, said: “His arrest demonstrates the professional approach our officers take to their job.

“I’m pleased we’ve been able to play a small part in the investigation into what was an appalling crime.”

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Road and Sophie Hawkins also gave to the unit.

Children were further boosted by the lifting of visiting restrictions for parents and other family members on Christmas Day. It followed a festive party earlier in December sponsored by the Starlight Children’s Foundation.

Sarah Seymour, play leader at the unit, said: “We like to make sure children have an enjoyable and positive experience.

“We’d like to thank all the groups, businesses and individuals for their generous donations.”

DEWSBURY: A thug armed with a spanner guarded the entrance while two accomplices robbed a store. They escaped with cigarettes and cash from Tesco Express on Leeds Road on December 22.

Two suspects jumped over the counter and pushed a worker to the floor between 6pm and 6.20pm. They fled in a vehicle with the cigarettes and till drawers stashed in a blue builder’s rubble bag.

Staff were told to “stay back” while the robbers grabbed their haul. The shop did not reopen until 6am on December 23. Anyone with information can call DC Mike Parris at Kirklees CID on 101 or Crimestoppers (0800 555 111).

Vans burned out CLECKHEATON: Two vans were destroyed in a suspected arson attack on the Trade Cars dealership on Bradford Road at around 9.15pm on December 21.

Flames from two gutted Ford Transits spread to a third van and a Peugeot 206, which were also damaged.

Paving slabs theft DEWSBURY MOOR: Thieves ripped up paving slabs and carted them off in a wheelbarrow and a wheelie bin.

Three men were seen destroying steps near Heckmondwike Road’s junction with Pump Lane between 10.30pm and 11.30pm on December 10.

Any witnesses or anyone offered paving slabs can call police on 101.

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ThePress

Thursday January 1, 2015

School will back food bank throughout 2015

News In Brief Van snatched BIRKENSHAW: A van was stolen by three suspects who broke into a locked compound last Sunday.

The silver Mercedes Sprinter vehicle was taken at around 10pm from premises on Bradford Road.

Police are hunting three people in dark clothing who arrived at the scene in a darkcoloured vehicle.

Anyone with information can call PC Idrees Khan at Batley Police Station (01924 295301).

Prowler held OSSETT: A man was arrested after reports of a prowler in the garden of a home on Towngate.

Police chased a suspect on foot at around 4am on December 16 and caught him in another garden.

The man, 24, of Lupset, was arrested over an alleged garage burglary.

Bedroom blaze CLECKHEATON: A man burned his bedroom down – by lighting a candle too close to where he hung his coat.

The 22-year-old, of West End Drive, lit the candle at around 8pm on December 23 and then got in the shower.

Moments later a smoke alarm went off and he found flames had engulfed his coat and spread across the room.

He suffered a burn to his arm as he tried to put out the blaze and was taken to Dewsbury District Hospital.

PUPILS at a Batley school held fundraising events which spread festive cheer at home and abroad.

About £130 was raised at Batley Business and Enterprise College for the town’s food bank.

Youngsters spent the proceeds on toiletries and 550 tins of food for the charity.

The school’s student

Claims of school bullying unproven

By Staff Reporters A PROBE was launched into alleged staff bullying at a Liversedge school, it has been revealed.

The unproven claims investigated by Kirklees Council centre on Headlands Junior, Infant and Nursery School.

Coun Lisa Holmes (Con, Liversedge & Gomersal) was told in April about high staff turnover at Headlands.

Coun Holmes took up concerns raised by a constituent with the council’s assistant director of learning Gill Ellis.

BUT I’M NOT HAPPY WITH COUNCIL’S ACTIONS SO FAR, SAYS COUNCILLOR It was after this that bullying claims surfaced and an investigation was launched – but Coun Holmes became concerned about a lack of progress.

In June she arranged for staff at Headlands to be interviewed as part of a fresh effort by Kirklees.

A report into the affair

K I TC H E N S - B E D R O O M S -

was due to be disclosed to Coun Holmes at a meeting on December 15.

But she was told by council chief executive Adrian Lythgo it needs to be “further anonymised” to protect the identities of interviewees.

Coun Holmes has no idea what the report found – and, as such, any claims of bullying remain wholly unproven.

But she was told that any problems found would be left for school B AT H R O O M S governors to

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council chose the food bank as its fundraising partner and pupils will raise money for it throughout the year.

Year 10 pupils also made and sold Christmas decorations in aid of a school for blind children in India.

Headteacher Sam Vickers said: “We see our school as being a key part of the community.”

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Coun Holmes said: “I’m not on a witch-hunt and I’d never do anything to harm the school.

“I was concerned that the council was not doing enough and I’m still not happy with the action taken so far.

“But as it stands I’ve not seen the report and so haven’t seen any proof of the allegations.”

A council spokesman said: “We can confirm the council held a fact-finding with the consent of the chair of governors, and on behalf of the governing body, based on the information presented by Coun Holmes.”

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Charities benefit from generosity of shoppers SHOPPERS in Dewsbury raised hundreds of pounds for charity.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance, top, Mirfield Salvation Army, centre, and North Kirklees Women’s Refuge, bottom, were all supported by customers at Sainsbury’s.

On December 18 there was a raffle and sale of festive goods in aid of the air ambulance.

Volunteers went back three days later to do a sponsored bag pack.

Toys and gifts were then donated by store staff so women’s refuge residents could receive a present.

And on December 20 the Mirfield Salvation Army played Christmas carols and held a collection in the store.

Addict’s ‘wicked thefts’ from her elderly victims A DRUG addict from Dewsbury was condemned by a judge for stealing from elderly people.

June Langley, 45, of School Lane, duped or distracted victims, some in their 80s and 90s, in their own homes.

She was jailed for five years after admitting four thefts and a burglary.

Judge Geoffrey Marson QC at Leeds Crown Court said victims were “deliberately targeted” to steal from in a “wicked or mean way”.

He added: “Courts have to send out a message they will protect the elderly from people like you.”

Langley and another woman tricked their way into the home of an 88-year-old man in Batley on June 23.

The dementia sufferer opened his door to find Langley crying. Once inside his

home, they stole £100.

They returned the next day to steal a further £80 while Langley returned again on June 25 to steal a similar amount.

Langley stole a handbag and a purse from a neighbour in her 50s when she was distracted.

The same day she went to the home of a 90-year-old woman and stole her handbag.

Gillian Batts, for Langley, said her client had struggled most of her life with drink and drug problems.

“It is a way of coping with other difficulties, including being abused as a teenager.

“It’s a very sad cycle of offending.

She’s spent most of her adult life in prison, she finds some stability in custody and fits in the system there.”

ThePress

Thursday January 1, 2015

Devolution ‘would open the door to privatisation’

By Steve Martyn KIRKLEES Council leader David Sheard has insisted that real power will NOT be devolved to communities which face cuts to public services – because it would open the door to privatisation.

In a row with Tory leader Robert Light, the Labour stalwart fumed: “I’d love areas to have full devolution and power.

“But if the Conservatives had that power they’d be contracting it out to their friends and

Seven years for child-sex abuser A LIVERSEDGE man was jailed for seven years for sex offences against girls as young as nine.

Jamal Mohammed Raheem-ul-Nasir, 31, of Firthcliffe Grove, committed the offences in 2010 and 2011.

Leeds Crown Court heard girls aged nine and 14 were abused at his former home in Bradford.

He was found guilty of four counts of sexual activity with a child and two counts of sexual assault of a child.

Raheem-ul-Nasir was jailed for four years and three years respectively and made subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

Det Con Helen Riley, of Bradford Council's Safeguarding Unit, welcomed the sentences.

She said: “Raheem-UlNasir took advantage of his victims’ young ages and vulnerability.

I would like to thank them for coming forward and reporting his crimes.

“I also hope the sentences will encourage other victims to engage with our specially trained officers.

“They will sensitively and thoroughly investigate all reports with the aim of securing convictions.”

COUNCIL CHIEF POURS SCORN ON TORY DEMANDS privatising everything.”

Tories believe devolution has been ‘stitched up’ as the council’s Labour cabinet gets the final say on decisions.

Area committees were swept away and replaced by new district panels for Dewsbury & Mirfield and Batley & Spen.

Each panel gets control of issues such as street cleaning, grass cutting, parking and road safety.

They will also get 10 per cent of

the cash from a new homes bonus to allow for housebuilding schemes.

But Coun Light dubbed the move “poorly-disguised centralisation”.

He added: “These proposals don’t devolve power. It simply enshrines central control and is about Labour dictating their will across the borough.”

Coun Light said devolution was needed given budget proposals that

would take services away from towns.

He said: “Devolution of powers and budgets is essential for communities to try to maintain some of what the council presently does.

“Real devolution would give councillors the power to decide what services are provided and how they are best delivered.

“But Labour’s plan is simply the power to ‘do what you want as long as it’s what we tell you to do’.”

‘NASH’ TELEGRAM TRIBUTE TO IRISH FOOTBALL HERO A 50-YEAR-OLD telegram marking the international debut of a Dewsbury-born footballer was presented to the town’s ‘Irish Nash’ club.

The message was sent to former Huddersfield Town player Oliver Conmy by well-wishers at the club in 1964, when the winger won the first of his five caps for the Republic of Ireland.

Oliver, who started at St Paulinus Youth Club and also played for Peterborough United, died last January, aged 74.

TRIBUTE: The framed photograph of Oliver Conmy and the telegram sent to him when he made his Republic of Ireland debut in 1964

Gun-threat raider flees with cash AN armed robber burst into a Dewsbury shop and told a terrified assistant: “I’m not messing about. This is a real gun.”

After demanding cash from

the till at the Rupyal Superstore, pictured, on Hanover Street, the masked raider fled with £160.

Armed with what appeared to be a black handgun, the suspect struck last Saturday at around 8.20pm.

He is white, 5ft 8in-5ft 11in tall, with a medium build and a European accent.

He wore a navy blue short-sleeved sports top over a

hooded jumper and dark trousers.

Det Insp Ian Thornes of Kirklees CID said the shop assistant was shaken but unhurt.

He added: “It was a Saturday night and it could have been quite busy at the time.

“There was also a member of the public in the store.

“There was probably a person waiting around for a quiet time in the shop before he went in.”

Anyone with information should contact Det Con James Cooper at Kirklees CID on 101.

His widow Rosalie found the telegram among his possessions at their home in Southport and she and Oliver’s St Paulinus teammate John Jennings arranged for it to be given back to the ‘Nash’.

Club president Tony Pepper was presented with the telegram, framed with a photograph of Oliver in action.

Mr Jennings, of Dewsbury, said: “It’s a fitting tribute to one of the best players I ever saw.”

News in Brief Town centre attack BIRSTALL: A 21-year-old man suffered facial injuries when he was set upon by two thugs in a town centre assault between 1.40pm and 2.05pm on December 20.

He was pushed into a glass doorway in Market Place and one of the men is alleged to have injured the victim’s ear before he and his accomplice were distracted by a passerby and fled.

Both suspects are white. One is 5ft 11in tall, aged about 22, of slim build, with short ginger hair. He wore a dark blue tracksuit. The other is 5ft 10 in tall, 23, stocky, with short brown hair and a large black tattoo on his chest. He wore a high-visibility jacket.

Anyone with information can call PC Lucy Lindley at Kirklees Police’s Batley and Spen NPT on 101.

Shop raiders foiled CHICKENLEY: A ‘hole in the wall gang’ tried to break into a shop by removing bricks from the wall – but left empty-handed after finding their way blocked by a wooden beam.

The incident happened between 8pm on December 23 and 1.10am on Christmas Eve at Duncan Stores on Princess Lane.

Anyone with information can call PC Shafeek Yunis at Kirklees Police’s Dewsbury and Mirfield NPT on 101.

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ThePress

6

Friday January 2, 2015

Holy Moses Robin, Batman’s getting all biblical on us!

MUST have been aged about eight or nine, sitting or kneeling in the pews at the former St Anne’s Catholic Church in Thornhill Lees, when I ‘worked out’ the Bible in my own young way.

Decent enough stories with plenty of blood and guts (especially the Old Testament) but with a decided shortage of happy endings.

At least compared to the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson.

There were plenty of morality tales however.

Indeed that’s basically what the more religiously relevant New Testament is – a spiritual moral compass for good Christians specifically to live by, but beyond that a text that applies to humanity in general.

I doubt that too many Bishops and Cardinals, let alone the impressively sensible Pope Francis, would cast me into the fires of hell for suggesting that (though I have no doubt there will be right-wing zealots somewhere all too willing to damn my soul, especially in

I

Is this Moses or Robin Hood? Christian Bale and his band of merrie men in Exodus: Gods and Kings America’s Bible Belt).

A narrow insistence on literal adherence to religious scriptures has probably been the single greatest cause of man’s crimes against man throughout the centuries.

I dare say that a spiritual moral guide is broadly what the Koran is for many 21st century Muslims. Unfortunately far too many of their brothers are still stuck in a bloodthirsty sixth century evocation of Islam that would have been enough to put even

Mohammed off his halal chiken dinner.

We bought a particularly obstreperous neighbour a mischievous after-dinner game as a Christmas gift this year.

You pick a card and debate the question on it – which given that my pal Richard can argue the toss, literally, over the toss of a coin, was like throwing petrol on a burning house.

The first card he picked up said: “The Koran and Bible

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LIFE IN BLACK AND WHITE Danny Lockwood advocate the killing of sinners – should these books be banned?”

In hindsight, we should have bought tin hats to go with the game.

But of course it’s not about the books, not the Bible or Koran or any other supposedly divine tract come to that. It’s about the good or evil of the person reading and interpreting them.

In that vein, my mum was pleased to find a Christmas card on her doormat wishing her Season’s Greetings with the slogan “love for all, hatred for none” and wishes that “God grant you peace and happiness” and “a healthy and prosperous New Year”.

The card was delivered by UK Muslims for Peace.

It’s nice that an Islamic religious group can pay respects to their Christian neighbours in a fashion that many local councils, schools and other organs of British state struggle with for fear of giving ‘offence’.

To this day I’ve yet to meet a Muslim person offended by scenes of the nativity or messages of Christian love – but Britain is undermined daily by white, secular bureaucrats who indulge themselves in vicarious offence-taking.

Such as there’s a shame about UK Muslims for Peace, it’s that they don’t represent the great swathes of local Muslim communities in Dewsbury, Batley and Heckmondwike.

So no, this wasn’t my mum’s neighbours reaching out, unfortunately.

It was delivered by members of the Ahmadiyya sect who are sadly despised by many within Islam, and who would only be welcome through the doors of some local mosques if they were coming to swear a new allegiance.

Still, it was a gesture, one that the wider local Muslim community could learn from, and it was appreciated for what it was.

PEAKING of Old Testament blood and guts and for the movie buffs among you, I’d like to make a couple of seasonal recommendations.

Mrs L and I were laughing out loud at the dated dialogue of the first James Bond film, Dr No, on the telly Monday evening. Talk about cheesy.

(Ursula Undress could have the top off my boiled eggs however).

A few hours later, Mrs L would have gladly thrown both my original Goldfinger Corgi model car and a hard-backed Bible at the telly, while enduring the complete tripe that was Russell Crowe in Noah.

I actually enjoyed the first half of the film, which was more sci-fi than scripture. Once old beardy found God and got all holier-than-thou however, it was all downhill. Absolute cringing rubbish.

This was after ‘the Watchers’

S

Not much Christmas cheer in a police state HOPE you’ve all had a peaceful and happy Christmas in the bosoms of your families.

Grandma Kathleen Danby’s seasonal cheer was disrupted somewhat when she was hauled out of a Ken Dodd theatre show and thrown in jail.

Her crime? She hugged her granddaughter, a vulnerable young women under the care of our Social Services nazis and the highly secretive and farcically named ‘Family Courts’.

The girl was taken away from her dad after he was convicted of ill-treating her – trying to stop her from running into a busy road while throwing a temper tantrum. He was later jailed for waving at her in a taxi.

The girl has run away from care 170 times and wants a relationship with her family, they say, but Judge Martin Cardinal knows better than that. He gave Mrs Danby three months in prison for hugging the girl in defiance of his and Social Services’ collusions.

Judge Cardinal (pictured, and who looks like he really enjoys this part of his job) has form on this, having imprisoned Wanda Maddocks for trying to extract her elderly dad from a care home where she feared he was at risk.

We’re going to be swamped with political blather about the economy, immigration and EU over the next few months, all of which is important.

None of that however matters a jot if we exist in a police state, run both by and for unaccountable powers.

Increasingly we do, and the full-scale onslaught of silencing the press is the biggest, most malign part of that. You’ll miss us when we’ve gone.

I

PROPOS the wrath of the Gods and their earthly advocates (see main piece), I wonder what the final holy thoughts were of the reported 116 foreign Islamic State warriors who have had unfortunate – for them – changes of heart. This news comes from an independent monitoring organisation in the region.

Apparently these bravehearts who made their way to Iraq and Syria intent on playing cowboys and Indians with real guns, discovered that IS has the kind of disciplinary attitude that would have found favour with both plagueridden Rameses and Moses when he was all at sea.

When the 116 ‘just-a-minute’ jihadis had second thoughts, or tried and failed to exit stage left, they were given a swift one-way ticket home – the great home in the sky that is, not Birmingham or Tower Hamlets.

I never did understand why hatchet-faced Home Secretary Theresa May wanted to stop British extremists from going to join IS. With news that Coalition-led bombing raids have done for more than 1,100 terrorists, most people would be glad to see the back of these people.

Just so long as they’re clear they’re not welcome back.

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– a cross between Transformers and The Thing from Fantastic Four – had exploded and zapped back to heaven as angels.

That’s a tough stunt to pull off with sophisticated modern audiences, if you’re wanting them to ‘buy’ a pseudo-religious movie AND keep a straight face.

Still, at least it didn’t cost £20 plus popcorn, unlike Exodus: Gods and Kings, Ridley Scott’s $140m retelling of the Moses story.

If you like flashy CGI then fill your boots, this could be right up your street.

Even moreso if you can buy the idea that the God of Moses’ visions is a sulky 10-

year-old English prep school kid, who you really want to slap.

I certainly did, by the time the actor best known as Batman was etching away at his 10 Commandments alongside the brat (and with that comment Locky is probably confined to Purgatory’s waiting room for a spell!)

I left the cinema reflecting on the unholy price of popcorn that cost tuppence to produce and a fiver to buy, plus the fact that sometimes newer isn’t necessarily better. The pagans of Hollywood should leave the Bible to the interpretations of priests, the imaginations of children – and Charlton Heston.

ThePress

Thursday January 1, 2015

Dad in road rage ordeal slams police

By David Miller POLICE bungled a road rage investigation in Dewsbury, a motorist attacked by yobs has claimed.

Martin Yardley, 42, was set upon by five men on November 20 at Mill Street East’s junction with Warren Street.

He claims it was three weeks before he was asked to give a statement at the police station.

Mr Yardley said he had to pursue police for updates about the case because they did not call him.

In one of those reports he was told a partial number plate he had recalled was

traced to a driver in Birstall.

The owner was ruled out as he was collecting his son from football training at the time of the attack.

Mr Yardley told police he wanted to see a picture of the vehicle to rule it out himself.

But he alleged nobody got back to him and added: “They didn’t even call to say ‘you can’t do that’.

“I asked because I’m convinced if I saw that car and that person again I’d recognise them. But I heard nothing.”

Mr Yardley was dragged out of his car by five Asian men in their 20s at around 9.50pm.

Minutes earlier he had been cut up by a red Audi near B&Q on Wilton Street as he

went to collect his son from an after-school club.

Two other cars, one of them the silver vehicle he got a partial licence plate for, then boxed him in.

Mr Yardley was beaten repeatedly about the head and body in a terrifying assault.

He claims police forensics did not fingerprint his car as weather would have washed away any evidence.

He added: “Because this involves the Asian community the police don’t want to get involved.

“I even had to tell them the location of CCTV cameras because they didn’t know.

“As a result I’ve no faith left in the police.”

‘Our investigation came to a dead end’ POLICE insist they came to a dead end in investigating a road rage incident in Dewsbury in November.

But they say they will look again at the case involving Martin Yardley if new information comes to light.

Insp Jenny Thompson, of Kirklees Police, said: “We continue to appeal for information on the assault on Mr Yardley.

“He was interviewed by the investigating

officer the day after this offence took place.

“Scenes of crime officers were booked to attend to ensure no forensic opportunities were missed. A full media appeal was made on November 24 and CCTV checks were carried out.

“The footage unfortunately does not show anything of any evidential value, such as clear images of the suspects or car registrations.”

She added that a

partial number plate given by Mr Yardley brought up many different cars.

Only one of these was in the local area and the vehicle did not match the description supplied, while the owner had an alibi.

Insp Thompson said Mr Yardley is welcome to see the CCTV footage for himself.

She added: “There were no witnesses, forensic evidence, or full reg-plate numbers

of the cars involved and no CCTV of any evidential value.

“Mr Yardley was told at this stage that all realistic possibilities for investigation had been exhausted.

“This was clearly a serious incident. If any new leads come to light regarding this offence we will reinvestigate them.”

Anyone with information can call Kirklees Police’s Dewsbury and Mirfield NPT on 101.

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ThePress

Thursday January 1, 2015

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Follow us @ThePressLatest

Streetbikes have come of age Dear Sir, I have been cycling with Streetbikes almost every Saturday morning for about a year.

It started as a bit of fun, with some like-minded people to ride with but things have now moved on a lot from those early days and it has reached a stage where I need my Saturday morning staple diet of Streetbikes more than anything else in the week.

What they have achieved for Dewsbury Moor is incredible.

They have given away hundreds of bikes, encouraged scores of people to participate, including singles, families, people with disabilities, even the blind, who often come along and ride on the back of a tandem. Now that is some going.

So when I heard that regular attendees were going to be given medals and jackets and that we were stopping off at the Greenway Café for a sandwich and a drink, I knew that this was a must-attend

Gripes turning me off League From: Jack Bunn, Hanging Heaton Dear Sir, Having watched rugby league for 80 years I have now come to the conclusion that it has ‘shot itself in the foot’.

By that I mean: A) What is the idea of putting the ball into the scrum, today they might just as well give the ball to the opposition.

B) Why have they changed times of the year when they play, leaving the rest of the

Letter of the Week: Chris Jenkinson, Dewsbury Moor event. To me it was the event of the year.

I couldn’t wait for Saturday to arrive, all riders that had improved in performance and been regular attendees were to be rewarded for all their hard work.

It was going to be an achievement to be proud of for young and old.

I myself had worked hard during the last year. I am not a spring chicken any more, if we can leave it at that, and had never done too much consistent exercise so I bought my bike a few years ago as a means of keeping fit.

Streetbikes has helped move that along quite a lot.

They have given me much

year for their fans to watch rugby union and in a lot of cases convert them to Union, myself included?

C) The ref continually shouting and blowing his whistle, causing us old timers who cannot get to matches to turn the TV sound off.

D) One bash, 2 bash, 3 bash, 4 bash, 5 kick downfield, copybook-style.

I hope the coaches read this, because if I have noticed then they have, but they still do it.

Where are the likes of Brian Bevan, Gus Risman, Tommy Kenny and Harry Royal today?

Also these fancy names the

more drive and motivation and it has got to the stage where I can feel half my age, some of the time. WOW. Anyway, Saturday arrived and we all met at Burgh Mill Lane.

There were at least 20 to 30 of us and we pedalled up to the motorway past Tesco in Cleckheaton, checked our watches turned around and headed for the café at an excitable speed, where it was full of a bustling crowd of excited cyclists from Streetbikes.

Everyone was all smiles and we all clapped as the medals were presented.

This was a great event and one that all attendees will

teams call themselves do not help.

I am sure that RFL HQ could do with someone with a bit more common sense to tell them what is wrong with the game.

surely remember for the rest of their lives.

It is organisations like Streetbikes and events like this that make life worth living. This has been a great activity for Dewsbury Moor and surrounding areas and long may it continue.

So well done Streetbikes, both from me and all the other people attending the rides with you, from this area.

ful intent of Islam.

If it’s that peaceful, why do Couns Hussain and O’Donovan feel compelled to emphasise it?

What was it Shakespeare said; ‘Methinks they doth protest too much’ – or something like that.

Why did it need Trust should to be said?

From: Name and address get the job supplied, Mirfield Dear Sir, I’m confused.

In last edition’s letters page Councillors Mumtaz Hussain and Darren O’Donovan were were emphasising the peace-

From: David Honeybell, Heckmondwike

Dear Sir, The consortium including the Mid Yorks Hospitals NHS Trust are the right people to

PLANNING APPLICATIONS West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Heckmondwike Bus Hub, Junction of Northgate/Westgate, Heckmondwike, installation of illuminated sign.

R Wilkinson, 10 Lydgate Road, Soothill Lane, Batley, erection of extensions and garden/wood store, and demolition of garage.

Mr & Mrs W Garside, 14 Bracken Hill, Mirfield, dwelling with integral garage.

Haywood Brothers, Heights Farm, Wakefield Road, Grange Moor, erection of 50kw wind turbine with hub height of 24.8m and maximum tip height of 34.5m.

Binks Developments Ltd, Blakeridge Mill Village, Blakeridge Lane, Batley, discharge conditions 11 (light-

ing), 23 (security), 42 (drainage) on previous permission 2013/90287 for alterations to former mill to form 181 residential apartments with internal car parking and alterations to former go karting building, and erection of retail foodstore and petrol station and formation of car park (within a Conservation Area).

L Hopwood, 32 Norristhorpe Lane, Norristhorpe, extensions.

G Fallon, 77 Latham Lane, Gomersal, demolition of existing dwelling and erection of three dwellings.

Kirklees Metropolitan Council, adjacent to 151 Halifax Road, Liversedge, outline application for erection of up to two dwellings.

Kirklees Metropolitan Council, Church Lane, Birstall, outline application for erection of up to two dwellings (within a Conservation Area).

Kirklees Metropolitan Council, Brewerton Lane, Dewsbury Moor, outline application for erection of up to two dwellings.

Mr Dawood Ali Patel, 19 Thornhill Street, Savile Town, single-storey extension and hipped roof over existing extension.

Mr A Noble, 61 Charnwood Bank, White Lee, Batley, works to TPO(s) 13/85.

Acre Tree Care, 111 Moor Lane, Gomersal, dead or dangerous tree(s).

Hamid Y Patel, 46 Thornhill Street, Savile Town, first-floor

rear extension.

Mr M Farooq, 17 Chadwick Crescent, Dewsbury, the proposal is for erection of singlestorey rear extension. The extension projects 6m 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 2.7m.

Charles Barnes, J Barnes & Co, 1a Knowl Road, Mirfield, change of use of existing first floor offices to form three apartments and alterations to existing ground floor shop unit to form access to apartments.

Dome Regeneration Co Ltd, Old Sewerage Works, Smithies Lane, Heckmondwike, discharge of

conditions 10 (Vehicle Management Plan, 11 (Surfacing & Drainage), 12 (Phase One Report), 17 (Scheme for Removal of Suspended Solids), 18 (Construction & Environment Statement), 19 (Land Stability), 24 & 25 (Demolition & Landfill Sequence), 42 (Dust Suppression) on previous permission 2014/91575 for demolition of existing filter beds; landfill site and change of use from redundant sewerage beds to agricultural land.

Mrs Zulekha Taladea, 42 Dark Lane, Batley, extension and alterations to garage to form accommodation.

Rev David Andrew, St Paul And St Luke Church, Bradford Road, Birkenshaw, dead or dangerous tree(s).

run the £284 million ‘Care Closer To Home’ project.

They already have experienced clinical and clerical staff, and along with social services involvement, at least on paper, they should be the obvious choice.

And provided the proper facilities are in place the sooner they start the better.

The NHS, with all its experience, should not be losing out to private for profit or not-for-profit companies.

Flailing for an answer...

From: Name and address supplied, Heckmondwike Dear Sir, A question has been puzzling me for years, namely, why were our troops not supplied with flail tanks in Afghanistan?

Given the number who needlessly lost limbs and lives due to concealed mines, it seems to me they were let down (as always) by our numbskull politicians, and in this case by our generals.

When we invaded Normandy these tanks were essential to clear mines in advance of the infantry and saved many lives.

Why then, other than cost, were they not deployed in Afghanistan?

I realise this would open the field for huge compensation claims by the bereaved families involved, and why not?

I have yet to have my question suitably answered! Can any reader supply the answer?

This is a question which demands a satisfactory explanation from a knowledgeable source.

• The Press spoke to a serving senior UK military officer, who has experience of the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) situation in Afghanistan.

He said: “Flail tanks weren’t used because there weren’t defined minefields ... we faced IEDs, isolated devices.

“You’d have had to flail the whole of Afghanistan every day to find them.

“Additionally, flail tanks are not the most efficient.

Mines end up everywhere. In World War Two we were clearing routes rapidly to allow us to advance.

“Painstaking mine clearance followed to protect our rear and civilians in the rear area.

“In short, the requirement was different and so were the tools.

“There was no political or military cowardice in the counter-IED work we did.”

Editor’s Note: TO MR BEATON of Mirfield, who recently sent The Press a letter. Please feel free to call us on 01924 470296 to discuss your situation further, as we feel it warrants more attention. Many thanks.

ThePress

Thursday January 1, 2015

9

Heartless crooks snatch RL treasure DISTINCTIVE rugby league memorabilia was stolen by thieves who raided the home of an elderly Batley woman. She caught two men rifling through the bedroom of her property on Smithies Moor Rise on November 29.

After keeping her distracted, they left through the front door with cash and jewellery, which included a gold bracelet featuring two Challenge Cup medal charms and possibly engraved with ‘WP DAVIS 1897’. It belonged to the woman’s late husband and has significant sentimental value.

Det Con Kris Roberts, of Kirklees CID, said: “This incident has left the victim very shaken and distressed. Burglars frequently take things without giving thought to the sentimental value of items which could be irreplaceable.”

Anyone with information can call Det Con Roberts at Huddersfield Police Station on 01484 436558 or 101.

Head wins praise but school ‘must do better’

By Steve Martyn A SCHOOL in Birkenshaw in transition from major changes requires improvement, inspectors say.

Birkenshaw Primary on Station Lane slipped from a ‘good’ rating when its predecessor was rated by Ofsted in 2010.

The former infant and nursery school became a full primary two years later, with its first cohort of Year Five and Year Six children starting in September 2012 and September 2013 respectively.

Over the same period, a new headteacher and deputy head-

teacher started work alongside a number of new staff.

New governors have come in and the school joined a partnership with others, including Cleckheaton’s Whitechapel Primary.

Ofsted found not enough children make good progress at Key Stage Two, especially in reading and writing.

And the gap between disadvantaged pupils and others at the end of Year Six is not closed.

Leaders have not acted to improve teaching quickly enough while some governors are out of touch, it adds.

Early years provision,

behaviour, pupil safety and their social, moral and spiritual development were all found to be good.

Headteacher Rebecca Martin was praised for taking the steps needed to boost performance.

The report said: “The headteacher has clearly set out to make this school the best it can be...

“This drive and ambition percolates through her leadership team and through the positive attitudes of staff, parents and pupils... and staff are increasingly responding to the high expectations set by the leadership team.”

Old Delivery Office Oldfield Lane Heckmondwike West Yorkshire WF16 0AA Tel: 01924 950108 www.bedkingdom.co.uk Email: support@bedkingdom.co.uk Visit the showroom!

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ThePress

Thursday January 1, 2015

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Music licence up for debate

By Staff Reporters LIVE music at a pub in Mirfield could be up for review after complaints about loud noise.

Kirklees Council’s licensing panel is due to hear evidence about the Airedale Heifer on Stocks Bank Road on Tuesday.

A report showed issues have been ongoing for years but there was a rise in complaints from summer 2013.

The pub, owned by Punch Taverns, was hit with a noise abatement notice on August 6 that year. It followed complaints over previous weeks about loud music from bands late at night.

In September 2013 the pub

was found in breach of the abatement notice after more noise problems.

There were further issues in November 2013 and January, April and May this year.

Council officials attended the venue on August 2 and saw a live band set up by a wall, behind which is an adjoining home.

Staff were advised to move a bass amplifier to reduce noise going through the building structure.

A complaint was made on September 19 and officials arrived at 11.15pm that night.

The report said: “... as they arrived outside loud music from the pub was clearly audible in the street, as was

noise from people in the beer garden. “(Sic) Inside the complainant’s the bass beat was clearly audible, audible over TV and audible in the bedroom... “... the noise would make watching TV a problem or sleeping difficult and officers could tell what track was playing.”

The pub was found in breach of the abatement notice again but complaints about noise have contined since.

Chaired by Coun Mumtaz Hussain (Lab, Dewsbury West), the licensing panel meets at Huddersfield Town Hall at 10.30am on Tuesday January 6.

Driving ban after long pub session A WOMAN from Liversedge crashed her car after a row at a pub during an all-day drinking session.

Julie Lonergan, of Firthcliffe Road, was more than three times over the limit when she got behind the wheel on December 6.

Kirklees Magistrates’ Court heard Lonergan had been drinking since lunchtime with family and friends.

Later that evening her Vauxhall Corsa collided with a Volkswagon Polo at the junction of Bradford Road and Listing Lane.

An argument broke out at the pub and Lonergan had decided to leave and drive home.

She had consumed five pints of lager and had 113mg

of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The limit is 35mg.

Andy Wills, prosecuting, said: “She didn’t know how the road traffic collision had occurred but accepted it was her fault.”

Lonergan, who represented herself, apologised and said in 16 years of driving she had never previously driven under the influence of alcohol.

She was banned from the road for 28 months and given a one-year community order.

This includes 100 hours unpaid work. Lonergan also has to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £145.

Lonergan is to complete a drink-drive rehabilitation course which could reduce the length of her ban.

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ThePress

Thursday January 1, 2015 Hear Ann across the BBC radio network and on Ent News (UBC Media Showbiz online)

HEALTH WORKERS BACK CHILDREN’S HOSPICE

Square favourites will re-live big scenes on sofa EASTENDERS is marking its 30th anniversary with a Gogglebox-style spin-off show where members of the cast share a sofa and watch some of their most famous scenes again.

A source tells me: “It’s all about having fun, and looking back at some of the biggest events in Albert Square over the last 30 years ... we do feel fans will really enjoy it.”

NICK BERRY, who played Wicks in EastEnders in the late 80s, tells me he has no plans to return to the show despite it being the 30th anniversary this year. “I get asked all the time and I am flattered but it’s not in my plans and no-one has actually asked me yet to come back,” he laughed.

IT APPEARS that the X Factor decline is not letting up, with last year’s final rated the lowest since the series started. ITV tell me that the shows future is in doubt now as a “major prime time show”.

THE COLOURFUL life of female impersonator, Danny La Rue is to be made into a movie. Stage director and former Royal

Shakespeare Company chief Adrian Noble, is to work on a biopic about the famous stage dame. Adrian – who also worked on Kate Bush’s acclaimed live comeback shows – will direct the film, which will go into production late this year.

ALESHA DIXON is braving the music scene again, despite her last album missing the top 100.

Now returning as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent, she tells me: “My fans have demanded it really, so it’s all for them.”

CITIZEN KHAN, Adil Ray’s sitcom about a family living in Birmingham, has also been given the green light for another run.

The show is currently in its third series, with episodes going out on Friday nights.

CITV have commissioned a second series of Thunderbirds Are Go before the premiere of series one. Thunderbirds Are Go is a reinvention of the vintage children’s show, and is set to premiere on ITV and CITV in the spring of this year - 50 years after the original TV series began.

PLANS to tour the UK with the failed X Factor musical ‘I Can’t Sing’, which opened and closed last spring at the London Palladium, have now been axed for good, with the props and scenery sold off or simply broken up for scrap. A source tells me: “It’s a shame, but it really never took off with fans.”

ALAN FLETCHER, who plays Karl Kennedy in Neighbours, has returned to the UK for another pantomime season and says he loved to play the baddies. But he reveals that he has to be careful not to make the character too evil, saying: “You have to strike the right balance with children and not scare them too much. But now I would not miss doing it for the world as it’s a great way to spend Christmas in the UK for me.”

BOOMERS, the sitcom about a trio of newly-retired couples living in Norfolk, is to return for a second series.

Starring Alison Steadman, Philip Jackson, Russ Abbot, Stephanie Beacham, James Smith and Paula Wilcox, the comedy launched on BBC One in August, picking up 4.45 million viewers.

HARFORD’S SECURITY LTD

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ANTLERS AWAY: from left, health visiting team leader Rebecca Holley, nursery nurse Hayley Curtis and health visitors Louise Sowerby, Sue Williams, Bernie Currie and Susanne Price-Thomas

STAFF from Ravensthorpe Health Centre packed Christmas shopping in aid of a children's hospice.

Health visitors and nursery nurses who work for Batley-based Locala went to Sainsbury’s in Huddersfield for the event. Working with fellow volunteers from Lloyds TSB, they raised £538 for the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice.

Other Locala staff attended a similar event at Tesco in Batley and then helped sort donations at the town’s food bank.

Fran and Michelle lend weight to slim clubs NEW YEAR is often a time when people make changes – and it is no different at Slimming World.

Groups in Batley and Dewsbury Moor have new consultants who are both top slimmers.

Fran Bullers, who has taken over the Healey class at the Alder House Hotel, lost two stones with Slimming World.

She was shocked into action by a holiday snap of herself and now wants to help others.

Michelle Morris lost twoand-a-half stones and now runs the Dewsbury Moor group at Westmoor Junior School.

She said: “Many people start with great intentions in January but quickly lose heart and focus without support to help them stay on track.

“At Slimming World, members get all the advice they need every week to help them make healthy changes.”

Also new for 2015 is a streamlined healthy eating plan and a fresh welcome pack.

The healthy eating plan is

BEFORE AND AFTER: Slimming consultant Fran Bullers based around protein and fibre-packed foods that are filling.

Michelle added: “By basing meals around these foods, members can supercharge their slimming.”

The Healey group meets at the Alder House Hotel on Towngate Road, Batley, on Mondays at 5.30pm and 7.30pm.

Fran said: “Like many of our members, our extra-easy eating plan has had a makeover for 2015 and is better than ever.

“It’s now simpler to follow and members will find it even easier to get off to a great start with their weight loss.

“There’s also a fab new way to boost your slimming power along your journey if you need it.”

Michelle’s class meets at Westmoor Junior School on Church Lane, Dewsbury Moor, on Thursdays at 7.30pm.

For more details call Michelle on 07899 319285, Fran on 07593 788109, or see www.slimmingworld.com.

Drink-driver led police to heroin

Ex-boss of nursery in fraud trial

A DRINK-DRIVER was found hiding from police in Earlsheaton with more than two kilos of heroin.

Leeds Crown Court heard Leslie Cropper argued with his partner at a house on Headland Lane on November 30.

Cropper, 37, left on foot but then returned in a Ford Focus driven from his property on Walker Street. He came and went in the car again as the row continued, only to crash down an embankment.

Police found Cropper hiding in a loft at his home – and discovered 2.389kg of heroin worth about £112,000.

Dave Mackay, prosecuting, said Cropper had 53mgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath.

The limit is 35mg.

He added that Cropper was paid £1,200 a time to “bag up”

A WOMAN accused of dishonestly obtaining more than £20,000 in her position as a former manager of a nursery appeared in court on Tuesday.

Samantha Crossland, 30, of The Paddock, Mirfield, is said to have committed the offence between January, 2013, and February, 2014, at Child’s Play Private Day Nursery, Thornhill Road, Dewsbury.

Kirklees Magistrates’ Court heard the defendant had also been a friend of the owner, Lynda Quigley.

No plea was indicated and the case was adjourned to January 13 at Leeds Crown Court.

Crossland was granted conditional bail.

the Class A drugs, having been approached by a taxi driver about extra work.

Cropper admitted possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply, possession of cannabis and drinkdriving.

Kathryn Stuckey, mitigating, said window cleaner Cropper earns only £150 a week.

He wanted to have more for his family over Christmas and naively did not consider what he was getting involved in.

Cropper was jailed for five years and four months and banned from driving for 12 months.

Judge Sally Cahill QC said: “To have this amount of heroin in your possession, it must have been completely clear to you the scale of the operation.”

Thursday January 1, 2015

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Seniors celebrate with annual lunch

WINE flowed at a festive bash in Mirfield backed by some of the town’s best-known businesses.

The annual dinner for seniors at Lower Hopton WMC on North Street was held on December 17.

Guests were welcomed by club secretary and event organiser Colin Avery for a two-course buffet lunch.

Ramsden’s Butchers, Haigh’s Farm and the Al Nawab restaurant donated £20 vouchers for a raffle.

Cash donations from brewers including HB Clark of Wakefield helped pay for

the event. Craig Miller Joinery, who have carried out major refurbishments at the club, also made a large contribution.

Drinks were paid for by the club and treasurer John Adams said: “It means guests didn’t pay anything.”

He added Colin works tirelessly throughout the year fundraising and sourcing raffle prizes.

John added: “Everybody had a great time and we’d like to thank all those who donated to make this annual gathering possible.”

Child’s Play kids are a big hit A NATIVITY play was so popular that tots in Dewsbury have been pre-booked for next Christmas.

Youngsters from Child’s Play performed Ralph the Reindeer at St Paulinus Social Club last month.

They practiced from September to perform for the High Street, Westtown, club’s Alzheimer’s group.

Next day children took to the stage for family members and then enjoyed a fundraising

festive party. There was a raffle, tombola, bun sale and disco. Cash raised is for new toys and other nursery equipment.

Lynda Quigley, of Child’s Play on Thornhill Road, said: “All the children perfomed really well and puts lots of effort in.

“They were such a hit at the social club we’ve already been asked to come back next Christmas.

“The show was also filmed and made into a DVD for all those who couldn’t make it.”

Win new hair products

By David Bentley ONE of the region’s bestknown hairdressers has launched his own range of specialist products. After more than 30 years in the hair business, Batley-based Mark Betts has created a series of salon-quality shampoos, conditioners, sprays and treatments that are already causing a stir.

The luxury products collection went on sale recently – and the first batch was quickly snapped up by his clients.

Mark, who works alongside wife Allison and son Josh in his Commercial Street salon, has spent more than two years developing almost 40 separate products for his professional haircare range, which are all manufactured in the UK and not tested on animals. Most of the ingredients are organic – and a fully organic range is due to be on sale from January.

“The new range combines all our knowledge of using hair products for the last 30 years,” said Mark. “We’ve created something that is luxurious and high-quality, easy to use and environmentally-friendly.

“We’ll be using them exclusively in the salon and the feedback we’ve had from customers so far has been amazing. Hair and beauty bloggers are also taking a keen interest, and a review-

COMPETITION

T

he Press has teamed up with Mark Betts Hairdressing to offer one reader a fabulous prize.

The winner of our competition will win a cut, colour and treatment of their choice at Mark Betts Hairdressing in Batley, plus A YEAR’S SUPPLY of Mark Betts hair products*. To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer this question:

Q: In what year was Mark Betts Hairdressing founded?

(Read the article to find out)

LEGEND: Hairdresser Mark Betts with wife Allison at their Batley salon er from San Francisco has asked for samples.”

The range can be bought from the salon, from the Mark Betts website and soon other local salons will be offering the products.

Customers can

also take advantage of a discounted refill service, to cut down on packaging waste.

Mark Betts Hairdressing was launched in 1997 and the firm currently has 19 members of staff.

As well as the Commercial Street salon, Mark runs three state-of-the-art hairdressing training centres in Batley, central Huddersfield and at Almondbury High School, with more than 200 students making the firm one of the biggest hairdressing training providers in Yorkshire.

■ For more information visit www.markbetts.co.uk.

Write your answer on a postcard or the back of a sealed envelope and send it to: Mark Betts Competition, The Press, 31 Branch Road, Batley WF17 5SB. Alternatively email your answer to competitions@thepressnews.co.uk.

Don’t forget to include your name, full postal address and daytime telephone number.

The winners will be drawn at random from correct entries. The closing date is 12noon on Friday, January 9 2015. Good luck!

Terms and conditions *Mark Betts will supply the winner with a maximum of three products every seven weeks for 12 months.

Entries must be sent to The Press, 31 Branch Road, Batley WF17 5SB. All entries must be received by 12noon on Friday, January 9 2015.

Entrants must be aged 16+.

Correct entries will be entered into a draw which will take place on Friday January 9 2015.

The Press News Ltd’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. The prize is non-transferable and must be accepted as offered.

There are no cash alternatives or cash substitutes for the prize.

Any personal data collected as part of this competition will only be used for notifying the winner and delivering the prize.

Gang flees empty handed after raid on Ravey home ARMED robbers stormed a Ravensthorpe home – but fled with nothing after attacking a resident.

A gang of six or seven men forced the front door of a property on Bradbury Street at around 6.30pm on December 22.

They forced a man inside onto the floor and then hit him in the face, causing swelling and bruising.

Two of the group were armed, one with a kitchen knife and another with a metal bar.

Demands for goods and cash were made but they left empty-handed, some on foot down a ginnel and others in a black VW Beetle which drove off towards North Road.

The suspect carrying a metal bar is described as white, in his mid-20s, 6ft tall, stocky and wearing a dark hoodie.

The robber armed with a knife is also white, of similar height and build, aged 25, with a distinctive upturned nose and wearing a grey hoodie with the hood up.

A third man is dark-skinned, possibly black, aged 25, 5ft 10in tall and was wearing a dark hoodie with the hood over his face.

Det Con Richard Brooke, of Kirklees CID, said: “Anyone who saw a large group of men acting suspiciously around this time should get in touch.”

Anyone with information can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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 JANUARY 10, 2015 THERE AND BACK (NK) Meet 11am Mirfield Library car park WF14 8AN GR SE 203 197 7 miles (M) Leader: Noel Tel: 07780 328561

SUNDAY JANUARY 11 CASTLE HILL & HOLME VALLEY (NK) Meet 10.30am Honley Railway Station car park HD9 6LT GR SE 145 124 8 miles (M) No dogs please Leader: Dave Sharp Tel: 07981 720099

ThePress

Thursday January 1, 2015

MONDAY

Earlsheaton Central WMC 7.30pm, Carolyn 07710 749563 Healey, Alder House Hotel 5.30pm and 7.30pm, NEW CONSULTANT Fran 07593 788109

Hunsworth Scout Headquarters 5.30pm & 7.30pm Paul 07848 958798 Mirfield Old Bank W.M.C 3.30pm, 5.30pm and 7.30pm Susan 01924 495647

Mirfield Zion Baptist Church.

5.30pm and 7.30pm.

Sue 01924 406836 New Venue from 5th January, Woodkirk Country Club, 7.30pm Louise 07882 229133

Mirfield Zion Baptist Church.

5.30pm and 7.30pm Debra 07504 973964

TUESDAY

Thornhill Rugby Club 5.30pm and 7.30pm Joanne 01924 468645

Heckmondwike Comrades Club 10am and 12pm Sue 01924 406836 Heckmondwike Comrades Club 3.30pm, 5.30pm and 7.30pm Sue 01924 406836 Shaw Cross Boys Club 5.30pm and 7.30pm Lynne 07988 662052 Thornhill Lees Community Centre 7.30pm Joanne 07870 545342

WEDNESDAY

Roberttown Community Centre 7.30pm Kathryn 07906 118636

THURSDAY Dewsbury Moor Westmoor School 7.30pm NEW CONSULTANT Michelle 07899 319285

Batley Town Hall 9.30am and 11.30am Lynne 07988 662052 Batley Town Hall 5.30pm and 7.30pm Lynne 07988 662052

Birstall Community Centre 9.30am & 11.30am Yvonne 07727 137854

Liversedge Millbridge WMC 5pm and 7pm Kathryn 07906 118636

Birstall Community Centre 3.30pm, 5.30pm and 7.30pm Yvonne 07727 137854

SATURDAY

Dewsbury Town Hall 9.30am & 11.30am Debbie 01924 453681 Dewsbury Town Hall 5.30pm & 7.30pm Debbie 01924 453681

Mirfield Trinity Methodist Church 9am Debra 07504 973964

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EASY ways to book your advert:

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01924 470296 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) 2) Fax your details to 01924 472561

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PAINTING/ DECORATING

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TAKE NOTICE that I, HANNAH BALDOCK, have applied to Kirklees Council under Licensing Act 2003, for the variation of a premises licence in respect of premises known as THE OLD SILK MILL, 61-63 MOOR LANE, GOMERSAL,CLECKHEATON, BD19 4LF For THE RETAIL SALE OF ALCOHOL MON-SUN 10.00-23.00 Interested parties and responsible authorities may make representations regarding the application where they believe that the proposed activities would undermine any of the four licensing objectives.

Any representations must be submitted in writing to the Licensing Office, Flint Street, Fartown, Huddersfield, HD1 6LG or by email at licensing@kirklees.gov.uk by 17TH JANUARY 2015 Persons wishing to inspect the Licensing Register may do so at the above address during normal office hours or online at www.kirklees.gov.uk/licensing It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with an application and on summary conviction would be liable to a fine not exceeding £5,000.

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Thursday January 1, 2015

SKIP HIRE

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RUGBY UNION

Cleck stunned by Brods

How to advertise...

There are THREE ways to place your advert: 1) Ring Adele on 01924 470296 (9.30am-4.30pm).

Have your advert ready and you can pay by debit card (30p surcharge).

2) Come into the offices of The

NEW Tenor saxophone complete in case with original mouthpiece, neck sling and reeds. Gold lacquered, made by B&S Company GDR (Germany). Many pros and semi-pros play B&S saxes. Both instrument and case are like new, although slightly used. Owned from new, well cared for by sixth form school girl, £395 ONO, cash payment only. Tel Batley 01924 477016. (1613) Two leather armchaires, burgandy colour, in excellent condition £75 each.

Tel 07817 671669.

(1614) Wanted: Wooden clothes horse. Tel 01924 472250.

(1615) ANIMAL GOODS Large ‘Ferplast’ pet carrier 24” x 16” x 16”, almost new £15 ono.

Tel 01924 477305.

(1605) Dog kennel 3ft x 2ft floor. Weatherproofed, lined, insulated, unused £60. Tel Batley 01924 472043. (1577) Dog cage, absolute mint condition, hardly used, 3ft x 2ft (h) £35.

Tel 01924 521931/ 07535 508436. (1574) CHILDREN’S GOODS Cot/bed with mattress, very little use, in excellent condition, 18 months old, bought from Ikea, colour beech £40 ono. Tel 07766 610689. (1610) Infants cot/bed with safety mattress. In good, clean condition.

Used rarely at granny’s, now sadly outgrow, £35 complete.

Tel 01924 609015 (1591) Kettler Kett car (gocart), in good condition £15. Tel 07912 550896.

(1585) Wooden chalet dolls house with three pieces of furniture, in good condition £7. Tel 01274 876748. (1589) ELECTRONIC White Kenwood Chef mixer & liquidiser £60.

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Single mattress as new, used in spare bedroom, bargain £25 ono. Tel 07796 927000.

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FRED SCOTT TROPHY

CLECKHEATON RUFC OLD BRODLEIANS

24 25

at Moorend

CLECKHEATON lost a onepoint thriller as Old Brodleians clinced the Freddie Scott Trophy at Moorend on Boxing Day. The hosts fielded a strong side for the traditional fixture and entered the game as favourites against a side who ply their trade in the Yorkshire Division One – several leagues below Cleckheaton.

On paper most would have thought the result would only go one way, as it had gone for the last five Christmases past, with the hosts expected to blow away the visitors.

However, from the outset it was clear that Brods were not simply going to crumble in defence as Cleckheaton crashed into them time and time again but could not get through.

Nevertheless the Moorenders continued this approach for much of the first half and on numerous occasions Old Brods plucked the ball away from the Cleckheaton runner.

From one such turnover the visitors broke from the halfway line, and despite a valiant chase from Lee Queeley, just got the ball down in the corner.

The conversion was missed but the visitors extended their lead with a penalty goal a few minutes later.

Cleckheaton did have some merry moments in the first period with Jack Seddon, Josh White, James Wilson and Danny Vento all going close, but entered half-time trailing 8-0.

The hosts started the second half with fresh determination to get back in the game and a good catch and set seemed to get things off to a solid start.

But seconds later a no-look inside pass was picked off by a Brods defender, who intercepted and raced under Cleckheaton’s sticks.

As with the first try, the second was followed by a penalty shortly afterwards and the visitors had gone into an 18-0 lead.

With half an hour left on the clock the home side now had a mammoth task in front of them.

Cleckheaton’s man-of-thematch Queeley gave some

DOUBLE DELIGHT: Lee Queeley takes a run at the Old Brodleians defence and below, Matt Piper makes a clearing kick as Cleckheaton look to mount an unlikely comeback Gerald Christian

Christmas cheer with a try in the right-hand corner and then some real hope, with another in a similar spot, after Jack Bickerdike took a quick penalty and Mike Piper slotted a cross-field kick into the in-goal area.

Mike Piper converted one of the tries and Cleckheaton trailed by six.

Just when it looked like the visitors might go home empty-handed, a bustling run from their hooker saw him bounce off several would-betacklers and score Brods’ try of the game to re-establish a 13-point advantage.

Cameron Burnhill was introduced for Cleckheaton and made an immediate impact as he evaded the defence and skipped under the sticks for a converted try.

It was all Cleckheaton in the last five minutes and another cross-field kick from Mike Piper was plucked out

Sedge’s losing run continues with shock Glasshoughton Welfare loss NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Ping golf clubs, 3 iron to 9 iron, plus pitching, wedge and sand wedge. Full set of original Ping rail £50. Tel 01924 473835. (1593) Titleist 2000 golf trolley. Good condition, only £20. Tel 07733 225908. (1576) Golf balls, titleist Pro V1 to practice or play, in various conditions £25 for 100. Tel 07733 225908. (1576)

of the air by Ross Hayden for Cleck’s fourth try, bringing the scores to 25-24 with the kick to come.

Both sets of supporters watched on in anticipation but unfortunately for the home side the kick was missed.

There was only a minute remaining when Brods restarted but a barnstorming, 30-metre run from Matt Piper looked to give Cleckheaton the break they needed.

An infringement by Brods 40 metres out gave Cleckheaton a penalty on the last play of the game.

The Moorenders opted for goal but the kick fell short and the Fred Scott Trophy was lost to Woodhead for the next 12 months.

Cleckheaton return to National Three action on Saturday with the visit of high-flying Sale, as they look to maintain their home run.

Glasshougton Liversedge

2 1

LIVERSEDGE’S poor run of form continued as they extended their winless run to seven consecutive games with a 2-1 loss at Glasshoughton Welfare.

Despite a luckless run – which has seen the Clayborners concede 22 goals and score just twice – Sedge entered the game as the favourites against a Glasshoughton side sitting just one place above bottom spot.

But relegation-threatened Welfare pulled off an unlikely win as Liversedge were made to pay for missed chances.

The visitors had got off to the ideal start when Adam Smith fired home for an early lead after just six minutes.

But the home side responded in kind and it took them just six minutes to restore parity, Jimmy Dyson finding the space to level the scores.

Despite several chances this is how it remained at the interval with the sides entering half-time at 1-1.

Chances continued to come thick and fast in the second half but the sides remained locked at 1-1 until the 77th minute.

And it was Welfare who grabbed the crucial goal through Kingsley Wetherald, taking them to only their third NCEL Premier Division win of the season.

ThePress

Thursday January 1, 2015

21

HEAVY WOOLLEN SUNDAY LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Birkenshaw go top of Premier FOLLOWING the shock resignation of Thornhill Lees from the league, the new HEAVY WOOLLEN SUNDAY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION leaders are Birkenshaw, whose game against Woodman Batley Carr was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Overthorpe Sports Club climbed to second place after they won 4-0 at bottom side Battyeford thanks to a Kristian Angus double, plus one apiece from Adam Bennett and veteran John Hiscocks.

With CHAMPIONSHIP pace-setters Mirfield Town not in action, Woodkirk Valley moved up to second place after Chris McGuire, Ben Holdsworth, Matthew Moon, Mark McDermott and Lee Firth all netted in a 5-1 win at Taylor.

Mount Pleasant drop to third after they went down 3-2 against Birstall St Patricks.

Nadeem Seedat and Abdullah Mayat scored for Mount, but a brace from Sam Tyrell plus a strike from Joe Ratcliffe ensured the points went to Birstall.

Ravenwharfe are the new leaders in DIVISION ONE after Sam Hewitt and Ben Smith both bagged hat-tricks in an 8-2 win at The Yorkshireman. Danny Craven and Josh Walton grabbed the others, with the home side replying through Michael Senior and Ben Simpson.

Overthorpe Sports Club Reserves gained their first point of the season with a 2-2 draw with Bay Horse East Ardsley.

Joe Bedford and Kyle Walker put Bay Horse two goals to the good, but Chris Walker and Danny Marshall earned Overthorpe

OFF THE MARK: Danny Fisher (above) breaks away as Overthorpe Sports Reserves picked up their first points David Jewitt of the season at Bay Horse East Ardsley and right, Martin Firth gets a tackle in a point.

Dale Joy hit both goals as Deighton WMC drew 2-2 with Punch Bowl, who replied

through Josh Wood and Liam Curtis.

FC Liversedge are two points clear at the top of DIVISION TWO after Lee McKeown

SPEN VALLEY FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Youth prevails as Route 1 Rovers suffer rare defeat SAVILE YOUTH pulled off the result of the day in the SPEN VALLEY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION as they defeated Route 1 Rovers 2-1.

Goals from Abdullah Aswat and Mohsin Hazi ensured Youth took all three points and inflicted defeat on their Bradford opponents for only the second time this season – moving themselves closer to their third-placed rivals.

Smokin Aces eased their relegation fears as they defeated Savile United 3-2 in a drop zone battle.

Aces entered the game outside of the bottom two on goal differ-

ence, level on points with second bottom United, but Mohammed Adam, Imran Farooq and Ashraf Navsarka all found the net to seal the victory.

Savile United replied through Mohammed Shoaib and Rehman Sultan, but it wasn’t enough to move them clear of the relegation spots.

The SPEN VALLEY MEMORIAL TROPHY group stages accounted for the remainder of the action as Hightown Jets extended their lead at the top of group B. The Jets scored through a Nathan Clarke double plus further goals from Kyle Kershaw,

Ryan Foster, Bradley Balmforth and Dale Motlib on their way to 62 win over Fox and Hounds Batley. Fox and Hounds replied through Dom Simpson (two).

In the same group Howden Clough kept pace with the leaders as they defeated Savile Town 6-3.

Simy Moore led the way with a double and was supported by Troy Bagshaw, Jason Stainburn, Joe Armitage and Reece Scholes.

Savile Town added goals from Waqar Bashir, Huzaifah Adam and Sufyaan Sajid.

In Group A George Healey hold on to a narrow one-point lead at

the summit following their 3-3 draw with Mount Pleasant.

Benho Aparicio (two) and Luke Newsome had given them hope of a win, but Mount’s Anees Younis (two) and Muhammed Omar ensured a share of the spoils and first competition points for the Batley side.

Cleckheaton Sporting failed to halt their losing run as they were defeated 4-1 at home to Norfolk in the same group.

George Garforth netted for Sporting however replies from Eugene (two), Said Said and Ismail Loonat gave Norfolk the victory.

NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Albion thrash local rivals Town to seal boxing day derby win Ossett Town Ossett Albion

0 3

OSSETT ALBION thrashed near neighbours Ossett Town 3-0 on their own ground to claim the local bragging rights in the Boxing Day derby.

The victory pushed Albion further away from the Evo-Stik First Division North relegation zone, but left John Reed’s Town side perilously close to the bottom three.

The game was fairly even for the first 20 minutes.

The pace of Conner Bower nearly caught out home goalkeeper Brad Dixon twice when his clearances were almost charged down.

In the 28th minute the visitors got the breakthrough. Luke Sharry’s cross caused a mix-up in the area and Town’s Nick Wood hit the ball into his own goal.

Albion had the upper hand for a lot of the game

Just three minutes later Bower made his pace pay yet again when he took a long ball on the right. He took it on to the bye-line and pulled the ball back for Kane Reece to fire home.

And a minute later Adam Jones sent the ball through to Bower and his shot could only be parried into his own goal by the Town stopper for a 3-0 victory.

Ossett Albion 1 Spennymoor Town 1

HERO: Conner Bower scored in Albion’s derby win up to the interval, with Town offering very little apart from a free-kick which required Neil Bennet to save sharply.

Adam Hirst

On the hour mark, Town had a free-kick just outside the Albion area but it was curled just wide of the post.

OSSETT ALBION gave one of their best performances of the season as they held Spennymoor Town to a 1-1 draw on Saturday December 20.

The hosts were unlucky not to win the game after hitting the woodwork twice in an entertaining league game.

The home side took the lead on 33 minutes when Bower beat the visitor’s offside trap to chip the ball home from a

tight angle.

Both teams attacked well and both were guilty of missing chances.

But it was the home side who went into the break in front.

Spennymoor opened the second half on the attack, but were unable to break down a resolute Albion rearguard.

That changed in the 60th minute when the visitors broke and substitute Michael Roberts fired home.

The visitors then had a period of pressure but were unable to pierce the Albion defence.

Albion weathered the storm and the visitors had goalkeeper Adam McHugh to thank when he made a double save from Kane Reece and Ben Grech-Brooksbank.

The Unicorns almost sealed all three points in injury time when substitute Connor McDonagh blazed a shot against the Spennymoor bar.

crowned a man-of-the-match performance with a fine hat-trick in a 7-3 win at Batley Irish Nash.

Liam Downes (two), Kyle Smith and Ricky Naylor hit the others, with Phil Irvin (two) and Narc Lawton replying for the Nash.

Cobras lie second after Brandon Yates (two), Jonnie Jubb and Matthew Jubb all netted in a 4-0 win over Six Lane Ends.

Clifton Rangers Reserves narrowly won 4-3 at Hanging Heaton Cricket Club thanks to Leevan Brown (two), Jarron Lewis and Marcus Pope.

Hanging Heaton replied through Jamie Baulk, Chris Goodair and Dave Hall.

Lees resign from Heavy Woollen Sunday League HEAVY WOOLLEN SUNDAY LEAGUE ONE of the district’s most successful football clubs has resigned from the Heavy Woollen Sunday League with immediate effect.

Thornhill Lees FC made a shock departure from the league’s Premier Division due to a lack of committed players.

The club have enjoyed a rich history but played their final game of the season on Sunday December 14 when they suffered a shock 4-1 defeat at the hands of Overthorpe Sports Club.

Although the exact date when the club was formed is not clear, what is known is that they have collected a trophy cabinet full of silverware during their history.

During their 100-year-plus story Lees have clinched the Heavy Woollen Sunday League Premier Division on a number of occasions, dominating the district’s Sunday league up until their resignation.

The oranges also won the West Riding County Cup on two occasions, most recently in 2008.

In that year Lees also clinched the Heavy Woollen Sunday League title, edging Towngate FC to the crown after losing just two games during their campaign, but their defining moment was lifting the County Cup. After winning the coveted title in 1984 – beating Leeds side ROF Barnbow 2-1 at Ossett Town FC – they overcame Bradfordbased West Bowling 3-1 to repeat their success in 2008.

As well as being League Cup champions on seven occasions, Thornhill were regularly league champions between 1986 and 1990 and again between 2006 and 2009.

Thornhill then went close to regaining the league title in 2012/13 only to be edged out by local rivals St John Fisher.

And despite their imminent departure from the Heavy Woollen Sunday League manager Christopher Ward, who has been at the club for more than 30 years as a player and coach, hopes that some of the remaining players can re-form the side next season.

Honours: West Riding County FA Sunday Cup (1984, 2008); Heavy Woollen League Premier Division (1986 (B), 1987, 1988, 1990, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009). Heavy Woollen Challenge Cup (1987, 1989, 1990, 1995, 2002, 2007 and 2008); Brook Butler Cup (1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1997, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2013).

DEWSBURY BRIDGE CLUB RESULTS: Tuesday December 16 1 G Clarke and K Buckley 2 G Fishwick and J Tomlinson 3 G Bloom and M Loveridge 4 S Dyson and C Walker

Tuesday December 23 1 G Bragg and K Buckley 2 J Roberts and J Mackillop 3 M Watson and G Clarke 4 A Cooper and J Bragg

22

ThePress

Thursday January 1, 2015

PLAYER RATINGS BATLEY BULLDOGS James Craven Wayne Reittie Shaun Ainscough Shaun Squires Jonny Campbell Jordan Grayston Scott Leatherbarrow Sean Hesketh Alistair Leak Tom Lillycrop Brad Day Alex Bretherton Joe Chandler

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

SUBS: Anthony Nicholson Alex Rowe Adam Gledhill Lee Mitchell James Brown Tom Thackray

BOXING DAY DERBY

CAMPBELL DOUBLE

7 7 7 7 8 7

THE ROY POWELL TROPHY

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

IT WAS A tale of two centres at the Fox’s Biscuits Stadium on Boxing Day, as experienced Rams three-quarter Shane Grady and Bulldogs debutant Shaun Squires stood toe-to-toe.

BATLEY BULLDOGS DEWSBURY RAMS

18 16

Martin Singleton at The Fox’s Biscuits Stadium

DEWSBURY RAMS Karl Pryce Dale Morton Shane Grady Sam Wood Dalton Grant Matty Wildie Anthony Thackeray Byron Smith Tom Hemingway Matthew Haggarty Rob Spicer Scott Hale Jobe Murphy

SUBS: Jason Muranka Josh Barlow Jonathan Schofield Makali Aizue Joe McLochlan Joel Farrell Callan Beckett Kieran Hyde

GAME GUIDE BATLEY BULLDOGS Tries: Reittie (14), Campbell (39, 63). Goals: Grayston (3/4).

DEWSBURY RAMS Tries: Grady (8, 68), Farrell (24).

Goals: Grady (2/3).

STATS Penalty Count: 7-10 Referee: T Roby Attendance: 1,990 Half-Time: 10-10 Weather: Mild, still Sin-Bin: None Sent Off: None

ThePress MAN OF THE MATCH SHAUN SQUIRES Impressed on debut, supplying a great offload for Campbell’s second try

7 7 8 7 7 8 7 8

Grady struck first, exploiting an overlap to score in the eighth minute and put his side in front.

But the moment of the match came just after the hour when Squires produced a world-class offload to send winger Jonny Campbell galloping down the slope and round the covering defence for the game’s pivotal score.

Amazingly, Grady had the final say – leaping above Campbell to gather Tom Hemingway’s cross-field kick and put the Rams back in contention – but the Bulldogs held their nerve to secure bragging rights and the Roy Powell Trophy.

As is always the case, both head coaches seized the opportunity to blood a number of new players, but once again the game did not disappoint in terms of passion and competitiveness.

Bulldogs head coach John Kear named nine new signings in his line-up while there was a return for winger Jonny Campbell, who spent 2014 on the sidelines following a ban for betting irregularities.

There were five new players on duty for Rams boss Glenn Morrison, though talismanic duo Aaron Brown and Wayne Godwin, who spent much of 2014 watching from the stands with injuries, were

not risked.

After Grady’s opening try – scored from a simple left to right move – the Rams appeared capable of adding to their lead.

But a moment of magic from the boot of Scott Leatherbarrow created a try for winger Wayne Reittie, who timed his run perfectly to claim the kick on the full and evade the covering Dalton Grant to score out wide.

Neither try was converted, leaving the scores level, and the two teams traded further scores in the minutes that followed meaning it was all square at the interval.

First, Joel Farrell’s low drive to the line

from dummy half was not dealt with by the Batley markers, before Campbell hacked the ball forward twice from a free play before leaping to score in spectacular fashion.

Grady was on target with the conversion for Dewsbury and Jordan Grayston added the extras for Batley to make it 10-10 at half-time.

There was a less frantic start to the second period, although Batley’s indiscipline handed the majority of the half’s scoring opportunity to the visitors.

But just as the Rams appeared to be in the ascendancy, Squires’s wonderful

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

FA coaching for kids

Furness suffers loss in Brazil clash AVT MIXED MARTIAL ARTIST Jay Furness suffered a unanimous decision loss against home fighter Glaucio Eliziario in Brazil.

It was only a fourth professional loss for the Mirfield lightweight as his Brazilian opponent out wrestled him to claim a 30-27 victory on the judges’ score cards.

For 27-year-old Furness it marked backto-back losses after his first defeat in three years against Poland’s Krzystzof Klaczek in his last fight in September.

Furness – who fights out of AVT fight club on Bradford Road in Dewsbury – fought in front of a large crowd in a packed Clube Concordia in Sao Paulo for the XFCi 8 fight card, with millions also viewing the fight on Brazilian TV. There was controversy before the lightweight bout as Eliziario failed to make weight and was told by doctors he was not allowed to cut any more weight due to a risk of dehydration.

Despite the fact that Furness had made the weight comfortably the AVT fighter agreed to allow the bout to go ahead, opting for a higher catchment weight of 160lbs – giving his opponent a sizable advantage.

Against Eliziario, who is a Brazilian Jui Jitsu black belt and also wrestles for the national team, Furness knew his striking game would be key and it was evident in the early exchanges that he would try to keep the fight away from the ground.

The lightweight Englishman enjoyed the better of the early exchanges in round one and rocked Eliziario with a hard right hand, but the Brazilian fighter recovered to see out the round.

Eliziario displayed his impressive wrestling skills to take down Furness as an even first round came to a close.

The second round followed a similar pattern with Furness picking some nice shots on his feet, but being matched equally by Eliziario who drew blood with a stiff jab, before landing another takedown.

Furness came out in the third round know-

FLYING FISTS: AVT mixed martial arts fighter Jay Furness rocks his opponent Glaucio Eliziario with a right hand, but it wasn’t enough to avoid a unanimous decision loss in Brazil ing he would need to do something impressive to win the fight – with Eliziario’s takedowns scoring well on the judges’ cards.

However, things didn’t go to plan and instead it was Eliziario who enjoyed a dominant final round.

The Nova Uniao-trained black belt took down his opponent and it appeared the fight was over as he tried to choke out Furness, but the AVT man showed good resilience to escape.

Eliziario continued to enjoy the better of the final round as Furness could only defend a barrage of punches and elbows on the ground, before the final bell sealed the victory for the home fighter.

Furness said: “I’m not detracting at all from the rest of Glaucio’s performance, he

has skills, but his timing was the really surprising thing.

“Every time I tried to wade in with a big shot he ducked under and took me down without even giving me the chance to defend. He showed textbook techniques and executed them really well.

“But the stuff I normally do well I didn’t even try. It didn’t enter my mind. I’d got too hooked on a certain gameplan for him and failed to get in his face, get on top of him and grind him down some.

“He was a big unit and at a guess I’d say he was probably the best part of a stone heavier than me on the night.

“But I’ll admit I didn’t really feel like it was his size that had that much of an impact. His timing really was the best asset.”

FOOTBALL CHILDREN in Batley and Dewsbury can get free FA quality football coaching in and out of school times as part of The FA Skills programme.

The scheme that provides free football coaching for children aged 5-11 is currently offering a range of new sessions in Dewsbury, Batley and the surrounding areas.

The programme aims to give children the opportunity to get active and acquire new football skills in a fun learning environment.

It is implemented through after-school football coaching as well as holiday football coaching and within primary schools providing football based PE lessons to students.

FA Skills coach Ben Hardaker, who oversees the programme in the area, said: “We are currently working with the North Kirklees Schools Sports Partnership to deliver PE to every school within the partnership, as well as supporting a number of local Charter Standard grassroots coaches and players and running free holiday courses across the county.”

Ben will be running three one-hour FA Skills sessions at St John Fisher Catholic High School in Dewsbury on Monday evenings between 4-7pm, starting on Monday January 12 with a free session.

“The onus is on ensuring that the children who participate enjoy the game irrespective of their ability and within a safe environment where they can make friends and develop skills,” added Hardaker.

“Spaces are limited to 24 per session therefore early booking is advisable.”

To book your place, or for more information regarding The FA Skills Programme visit www.TheFA.com/Skills or contact Ben on 07943 550599 or ben.hardaker@thefa.com.

ThePress

Thursday January 1, 2015

23

BOXING DAY DERBY

WINS FESTIVE DERBY

DERBY DELIGHT: (From L-R) Jonny Campbell touches down and then celebrates with Battler the Bulldog, and Shaun Ainscough shrugs off a tackle KingPix

offload sent Campbell hurtling down the left wing to give the Bulldogs an unlikely lead.

Grayston converted the try to make it 16-10 and leave the Rams needing to find a response.

RUGBY LEAGUE

THORNHILL’S HOME START

They did when Grady leapt to score from Hemingway’s kick and then converted his own try to level the contest once again.

The Dogs had been denied on the right earlier in the second half when Reittie had a second score chalked off, but they had more joy there with the boot.

Both Dale Morton and covering full back Dalton Grant dropped kicks down that flank to hand the Bulldogs the platform they required to edge in front and win the game.

A penalty for a high tackle was capitalised upon by former Ram Grayston, who stepped up to strike over the goal to put the Dogs in front once more.

The Rams rallied and had little trouble making yards up the famous slope, but the final ball was lacking as the Bulldogs defence scrambled.

And after opting to run the ball rather than convert a penalty into two points and level the scores, Dewsbury came away empty-handed.

And there wasn’t enough time for a further foray.

Following a dramatic finale to the season in 2014, Batley head coach Kear will take plenty of heart from victory over a side that went within 80 minutes of a Grand Final appearance earlier this year.

But Rams head coach Glenn Morrison will also extract the positives from a varied display by his side, who already appear better equipped following the acquisition of Matty Wildie.

Both sides were applauded from the field by the healthy Boxing Day crowd, who will undoubtedly relish the challenges of 2015.

Maroon and Golds target league summit

Trojans’ pre-season begins as fixtures are released THORNHILL TROJANS will begin preparations for life in the National Conference League with a four-game pre-season fixture list.

The Trojans, who will play in the National Conference League Division Three next season, begin their summer rugby campaign with a National Cup game at Holderness Vikings on Saturday January 10.

The Vikings currently play in the Yorkshire Men’s League Premier Division and should offer a stern test for the former Pennine League Premiers.

A week later on Saturday January 17 the Overthorpe Park men travel to Thatto Heath for a pre-season friendly.

It could be a steep learning

curve for the newly-entered National Conference League men – with Thatto Heath established in the Premier Division of the same competition.

The Trojans have also arranged another trial game on Saturday January 31, with details due to be confirmed.

Thornhill’s first game in the National Conference League Division Three sees them host Warrington outfit Crosfields on Saturday March 14.

They follow that game the next week with a trip to Eastmoor, before playing Waterhead at home on Saturday March 28.

The Trojans will also play two Friday evening home games during the season, against Stanningley on Friday June 19

and former Pennine Premier rivals Hunslet Club Parkside on Friday July 24.

Meanwhile, Dewsbury Celtic will begin their Division Two season at Ovenden on Saturday March 14.

The Crow Nest Park side were relegated from Division One last season and will be looking to bounce straight back, but a trip to fifth-placed finishers Ovenden could offer a tough opening.

Shaw Cross Sharks start their season a week earlier on Saturday March 7 with an away fixture at Pilkington Recs.

The Sharks enjoyed a good season last year, finishing fourth, and in Pilkington they face a promoted side hunting their first points in their new division.

PENNINE LEAGUE

KEY MAN: Thornhill will be hoping Joel Gibson can replicate his 2014 form

Mixed National Cup draw for Heavy Woollen sides THE draw for the first round of the 2015 BARLA National Cup has been made with three Heavy Woollen sides entering the famous competition.

Pennine League teams Batley Boys and Dewsbury Moor will be joined in the knockout cup by newly-entered National Conference League side Thornhill Trojans.

The draw offered

mixed fortunes for the district’s clubs, with Batley Boys and Dewsbury Moor offered home ties and Thornhill Trojans on the road in East Yorkshire, with ties to be played on Saturday January 10.

Batley Boys have perhaps the best of the draw as they host Pennine Division Six East strugglers Ryhill Hammers – who are yet to pick up a victory in

their opening eight league fixtures.

Dewsbury Moor meanwhile welcome Widnes West Bank to Heckmondwike Road as they look to carry their current league form into the knockout format.

The Widnes side clinched the North West Men’s League Premier Division title last season with only two losses and are sure to provide a stern test

for Moor.

Thornhill Trojans make the trip to Holderness Vikings to take on a side who finished third in the Yorkshire Men’s League Premier Division last term.

• The full draw is as follows: Round One: Batley Boys v Ryhill Hammers, Holderness Vikings v Thornhill Trojans, Dewsbury Moor v Widnes West Bank, Hunslet Parkside Club v Halton

Simms Cross, Methley Royals v Keighley, Stanningley v Leeds Underdogs, Whinmoor Warriors v St Maries Vikings, Crigglestone All Blacks v Illingworth, Upton v North Herts Crusaders, Mudchute Uncles v Halifax Irish, Egremont Rangers v West Leeds, Brighouse v Hindley, Sharlston Rovers v Fryston Warriors, Heysham Atoms v Queensbury, Queens v Eastern Rhinos, Bamber Bridge v Wath Brow Hornets.

DEWSBURY MOOR could go level at the top of the PENNINE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP ONE table if they can beat New Earswick All Blacks on Saturday.

The Heckmondwike Road men currently lie in second spot, two points behind leaders Doncaster Toll Bar, but with the table-toppers without a fixture, a victory over the York side could see Moor move to the summit.

Batley Boys, who play in the same division, will be hoping for a return to their early season form when they host Bentley Good Companions on Saturday.

The Halifax Road side enjoyed a resurgent start to the season and were pushing for the top spot in the early rounds, but a recent downturn in form – with three consecutive losses – now sees them lie fourth in the table.

However, with a home tie against mid-table Bentley on the cards Batley will be hopeful of a return to winning ways.

In DIVISION ONE Ossett Trinity travel to Halifax to take on a Siddal side who currently reside at the foot of the table.

Trinity are currently in sixth place and will be targeting points to avoid a mid-table finish, and against a side with eight losses and a draw from nine games so far they have every chance of collecting them.

The only other Heavy Woollen team in action on Saturday are Dewsbury Moor A, who travel to Halton Moor Storm.

Moor’s second string are riding high at the moment after a run of good results has propelled them up the DIVISION SIX EAST ladder.

But they know they will be tested against a Halton Moor side, currently second in the table, with just one loss from their opening seven league games.

‘DOGS DELIGHT Batley seal derby win on Boxing Day

CLECKHEATON STUNNED BY UNDERDOGS OLD BRODS

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RAMS FACE STERN TEST Skip Godwin insists Dewsbury are ready for 2015

By Jared Priestley

RETURNING STAR: Rams co-captain Wayne Godwin will come back from injury in 2015

Sports Reporter sport@thepressnews.co.uk

DEWSBURY RAMS captain Wayne Godwin is looking forward to the new season, but insists there will be no easy games in 2015.

The Rams kick off their Championship campaign with a home fixture against Sheffield Eagles on Friday February 13.

Glenn Morrison’s men will be looking to build on last season’s play-off heroics which saw them fall just short of the Grand Final.

The Tetley’s Stadium men thrashed Workington 50-6 at home before defeating Halifax 25-0 in a play-off classic to secure a semi-final with eventual champions Leigh Centurions.

Morrison’s troops battled bravely and almost secured an unlikely comeback, but Leigh showed their class to finish 33-22 victors.

However, despite last season’s good run Godwin insists the Rams can’t rest on their laurels in 2015.

“Every game is going to be good – I love playing in the Championship because there are no easy games,” he said.

“I can’t wait to get going. It’s going to be a tough year and that’s why Glenn Morrison is building a good squad.”

While Godwin can’t wait for the new season

to start, he has a particular interest in certain fixtures.

The former Wigan, Castleford and Bradford player has pinpointed the Rams’ match-ups with relegated Bradford Bulls as the games he is most looking forward to.

The former Super League champions are joined in a new-look Championship by fellow top-flight side London Broncos, and with Leigh remaining full-time it brings the total

number of fully professional sides in the competition to three.

“One of the games I’m looking forward to is Bradford away,” Godwin added. “I’m looking forward to playing at Odsal again, it’s a great place to play.

“It would be a tough ask but hopefully we can get the win over them when we go there.

“All the new lads have settled in well.

We’re training well and we’re doing a lot of

conditioning as well as working hard on the tactical side of our game – we’re being well coached and we feel prepared.

“Being a part-time player you have to love the game. The lads are working in the day and coming to training in the evenings so you must enjoy it or you wouldn’t play. All the lads are really enjoying it.”

The 32-year-old has enjoyed a distinguished career, which saw him win international honours in 2004.

But he is starting to make plans for a future in rugby league and is looking forward to being a part of the Rams’ coaching staff this season.

“I’m still loving playing and can’t wait to get back on the field but coaching is something I want to do when my career is over,” he said.

“I’m lucky to have been given the opportunity by Glenn Morrison and Damian Gibson to learn my trade as a coach.”

Godwin was rested for Dewsbury’s Boxing Day loss at Batley Bulldogs after breaking his arm at the back end of their 2014 campaign.

However, he is expected to get some game time in the Rams’ other friendlies, starting with Austin Buchanan’s testimonial against Salford Red Devils at the Tetley’s Stadium on Sunday January 11 (3pm).

The Rams then travel to Gateshead Thunder on Saturday January 24 (4pm), before hosting Championship new boys London Broncos on Sunday February 1 (3pm).

Campbell set for big new season, says Kear BATLEY BULLDOGS coach John Kear is backing winger Jonny Campbell to have a major impact in the 2015 Championship.

The Bulldogs stalwart missed the entire 2014 season following a ban for placing bets on a number of Championship games in which he played – including the 2013 Grand Final defeat to Sheffield Eagles.

His ban expired in November, but the 27-year-old had already put pen to paper on a new deal for the 2015 campaign by that time.

The deal will take Campbell into his seventh year at the club and coach Kear expects big things of the Batley speedster.

The Northern Rail Cup winner made an impressive return in the Bulldogs’ 18-16 Boxing Day victory over Dewsbury Rams, impressing his coach with a pair of tries.

Kear said: “I thought Jonny

Campbell was outstanding for us against the Rams, especially considering he missed the entire 2014 season.

“I was confident that he wouldn’t show any signs of ring-rustiness because his application in training is outstanding.

“He has lost weight and I think he has actually got even faster, and it is not just his try-scoring that makes him a good player, he also makes good yardage out of our own half.

“Fans have a lot to look forward to in 2015.”

The current Welsh chief also says he was pleased with his side’s derby display, and can already see improvements from last season.

Although Kear admits there is still a lot of improvements to be made before the new Championship season begins.

The Fox’s Biscuits Stadium side begin the season on Sunday February 15 when they host Workington Town.

However, Kear’s troops face a busy pre-season programme ahead of that, with a trip to Featherstone on Sunday January 18 (3pm), followed by a home game against a Heavy Woollen Select side on Sunday January 25 (kick-off TBC) and a final home friendly against North Wales Crusaders on Sunday February 1 (2.30pm).

And Kear says his side have a chance to build momentum for the season with their busy pre-season.

“That was probably the best Boxing Day derby I have seen during my time at the club,” he continued.

“I think the intensity has upped and that is because both sets of

players know what we are up against in the new Championship.

“It was nice to get a win and of course it is great for the fans because they have the bragging rights now, but we still have a lot to work on before the season and a number of friendlies to come.

“I was happy with what I saw and the most important thing was that the new recruits showed up well.

“When you consider we had Cain Southernwood, our new halfback to come back, and the likes of Luke Blake, Sam Scott, Keegan Hirst, Brad Day and Ayden Faal sat in the stands it is encouraging that we played so well and they still have to come back.”

The Bulldogs travel to Featherstone next and Kear admits he will be ringing the changes again, with a view to RETURNING STAR: Jonny Campbell was in fine form on his return from a ban KingPix establishing his strongest side.