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

Friday March 6, 2015

Jade’s got a secret

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PORTRAIT OF A TOWN Dewsbury shops snapshot reveals how retail landscape is changing

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No. 675

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Legal highs are not hard to find

By Danny Lockwood and David Miller THE FACE of Dewsbury town centre is evolving – but more than a third of properties are still vacant.

A Press survey this week found 84 empty and 192 occupied premises and only two businesses left in The Arcade. Formerly the ‘jewel’ of the town centre, 16 of its once sought-after units stand empty and forlorn. Blackburn-based property firm the Adhan Group have a picture of The Arcade bustling with shoppers on their website. It boasts of offering “flexible” leases for rent and gives details of other town centre premises they own. A spokesman for the company said they had no-one available to comment on Dewsbury. But Coun Paul Kane (Lab, Dewsbury East) revealed talks are ongoing about the building’s future. He said: “A Victorian arcade such as this in any other town would be seen as an extremely attractive proposition. “We’re aware of issues to do with

SPACE TO FILL: The Arcade in central Dewsbury is still largely empty rent and rateable value. Our negotiations are continuing.” Coun Kane added an idea might see units made available to Kirklees College students for business startups. Meanwhile, Pioneer House, despite a multi-million pound council investment, still has 10 ground-floor retail units boarded up.

The former Bailey’s Cafe was sold recently at auction in Leeds for £95,000, but there is no news of plans for the property. Westgate, the Princess of Wales Precinct and South Street, by the bus station, buck the trend. WHSmith’s, Boots, Argos, New Look, Peacocks have all stayed and

Continues on page two

A PROBE was launched after a Press investigation revealed ‘legal high’ drugs are on sale in Dewsbury town centre. The Big Discount Store, housed in the former McDonalds premises on Church Street, was found to have alkyl nitrate ‘Liquid Gold’ readily available on the front counter. Coun Paul Kane promised an investigation after being told yesterday (Thurs) of our findings. The former regeneration board chairman (Lab, Dewbury East) said: “I will be talking to our compliance officers within the hour.” The party drug, known colloquially as poppers, is often sold as a ‘room odouriser’ – as it is at the Big Discount Store. Chamber of Trade president Trish Makepeace was shocked when told by The Press and asked: “Do the police know?” She added: “It’s certainly not what we want. Dewsbury’s had enough bad publicity as it is.” Details confirmed by The Press originally came after a tip from a shopper. The source said: “The store, which is frequented by children, is openly displaying poppers. “These are on open display on the counter. This stuff may be legal, but the shop owners have a moral responsibility to remove this stuff from sale.” The Press was unable to reach the owners for comment.

ThePress

Deaths ALLEN JOAN On 26 February, aged 91, of Heckmondwike. Wife of the

Friday March 6, 2015

late Joe. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium on Tuesday 10 March at 2pm.

ARTUS NEE TEMPERTON JEAN

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On 25 February, aged 64. Funeral at Mirfield Parish Church, Thursday 12 March at 12noon.

BLAND LESLIE On February 28, aged 93. Husband of the late Winnie. Funeral at Dewsbury Crematorium, Tuesday 10 March at 2.45pm.

BROADHEAD MADGE On 19 February, formerly of Ossett. Wife of the late Randall. Funeral on Thursday 12 March, Swansea Crematorium at 10.30am.

CASSIDY EDWARD On 24 February, of Batley, aged 87. Husband of Maureen. Requiem Mass at St Joseph’s RC Church, Batley Carr, Thursday 12 March at 10.30am, followed by interment at Thornhill Parish Churchyard.

COOKSON DAVID On 2 March, of Cleckheaton, aged 49. Fiancé of Denise. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Thursday 12 March at 12.30pm.

DRURY ADRIAN On 24 February, aged 67, of Mirfield. Husband of Linda.

Funeral at Christ The King Church, Mirfield, Wednesday 11 March at 11.30am, followed by committal at Rosehill Natural Burial Ground, Huddersfield.

HARROP ROWLAND On 1 March, of Staincliffe, aged 82. Husband of Mary. Funeral at Dewsbury Crematorium, Wednesday 11 March at 10am.

HELLIWELL SHANE On 1 March, aged 52 years. Husband of Linda. Funeral service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Friday 13 March at 2.45pm.

KITTLE ROD ‘ROCKY’ On 3 March, aged 65 years. Husband of Marilyn. Funeral at Dewsbury Crematorium, Tuesday 17 March at 11.15am.

LONG DEAN MICHAEL (DEAN QUINN)

Liversedge Cemetery at 12noon.

MOORHOUSE IRENE

Continued from page one

On 3 March, aged 93, formerly of Chickenley. Funeral at Dewsbury Crematorium, on Thursday 19 March at 2.45pm.

so too have banks like Lloyds and HSBC.

NIELD ROSELIND On 25 February, aged 75, of Heckmondwike. Sister of Stella and Lynette.

SCHOLES DONALD On 25 February, aged 82, of Cleckheaton. Husband of Kathleen. Funeral at Dewsbury Crematorium, Friday 13 March at 11.15am.

STANDLEY BARBARA On 26 February, aged 84. Wife of the late John. Funeral at St James Church, Heckmondwike, Wednesday 11 March at 2.15pm, followed by committal at Dewsbury Crematorium at 3.15pm.

On 25 February, of Ravensthorpe, aged 51. Service at St Saviour’s Church, Ravensthorpe, Thursday 12 March at 2.15pm, followed by committal at Dewsbury Crematorium at 3.15pm.

Philip died at his home in Batley aged 60 years. Funeral at Dewsbury Crematorium, Thursday 12 March at 2pm.

MALTAS JOHN SHAW

THACKRAH KEITH

On 1 March, aged 88. Funeral at Christ Church, Liversedge, Tuesday 17 March at 11am, followed by interment at

On 28 February, aged 74. Husband of Pat. Funeral at Dewsbury Crematorium, Friday 13 March at 10.30am.

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But Coun Kane accused the Stayton Group of “stymying” moves to tackle the derelict former Continental Cafe building on Westgate. He added council officials are now considering imposing an repair notice to force action. Coun Kane said: “There’s been no real progress. The building’s been shrouded in scaffolding due to being structurally unsafe since Noah was a lad.” There are fewer charity shops and pawnbrokers/ cheque exchange businesses than in a Press survey three years ago. And Dewsbury, according to a national report, no longer has one of the top 10 worst shop vacancies rates. The main growth area is in Asian women’s fashion stores, with at least 15 in the town centre. There are 14 ladies hairdressers, though two barbers, Neil Oakland in Market Street and Joe’s Barbers in Crackenedge Lane have closed. Also on Crackenedge Lane is Angels and Demons, which offers meditation and psychic readings. The former Gas Showroom on Northgate is now home to a business branding itself as ‘Wholesalers of Imitation Fashion Jewellery and Shawls’. And McDonalds is a discount store, adding to a number of other 99p-type traders. Trish Makepeace, president of the Dewsbury Chamber of Trade, said the way people shop is changing. She said: “Trading conditions have altered dramatically through internet shopping. “And it’s not just Dewsbury that’s affected. It’s a problem for other towns as well and we’re all having to adjust.” But she highlighted success in Mirfield and Cleckheaton and said: “I think we should reach out to see what lessons we can learn from them. “They’ve got many niche shops and perhaps they can give us pointers about what they do to attract them.”

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ThePress Friday March 6, 2015 Issue No: 675 31 Branch Road Batley West Yorkshire WF17 5SB Tel: 01924 470296 Fax: 01924 472561

www.thepressnews.co.uk @ThePressLatest /ThePressNews Publisher: Danny Lockwood Editor: David Bentley Reporter: David Miller Sports Reporter: Jared Priestley Graphic Designer: Craig Moore Sales Manager: Lucy Tissiman Sales Executives: Nicola Finch Claire Piwinski Janet Black Catherine Foster Office Manager: Adele Latham Accounts: Amy Wright The Press abides by the principles of the Independent Press Standards Organisation and at all times attempts to report fairly and accurately and correct mistakes or errors as soon as possible. In the first instance, contact the editor, otherwise we will be happy to give details of the Independent Press Standards Organisation.

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ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

Hungarian pair could be hiding in Dewsbury By Staff Reporters TWO IMMIGRANTS wanted on unrelated charges in their native Hungary could be hiding in Dewsbury. Hungarian Andras Angyal, 45, failed to appear before magistrates in London last August. He is wanted on a European Arrest Warrant to face charges of theft and fraud back home. Police, who released an image of Angyal, believe he has links to Dewsbury and Heckmondwike. In an unrelated case officers are also appealing for information about Szabolcs Domotor. The Hungarian, 31, is wanted on a European Arrest Warrant to face a charge of attempted theft of a motor vehicle. Domotor also failed to appear before magistrates in London for an extradition hearing. Police, who are looking for seven others in similarly unrelated cases, believe Domotor has links to Dewsbury. Four men and a woman from Poland, a man from the Czech Republic and a British national wanted in Germany are also being sought. All nine, believed to be in West Yorkshire, face extradition on European arrest warrants.

WANTED MEN: A European Arrest Warrant has been issued for Hungrian Andras Angyal (left) and right, fellow countryman Szabolcs Domotor is also wanted for an unrelated offence Supt Pat Casserly said: “Some of these people have already been found guilty or convicted of serious crimes in their native country. “They haven’t come to West Yorkshire to reform or rehabilitate, rather to hide from justice.”

from the hostel to a house in Huddersfield. Hind left the Dewsbury bail hostel to see Mitchell on December 11 2013 but never returned. Graham Reed, prosecuting, said Mitchell strangled Hind with a ligature after they drank vodka together. He then dismembered the body in his bathroom shower using a knife and a hacksaw. Hind’s arms, legs, head and torso were put in vari-

ous bags and dumped in or by a canal near Mitchell’s home. Records showed he had searched Google for details of the sex offences Hind had committed on boys. Mr Reed said it was the crown’s case the motive was revenge or a drunken loss of temper. Mitchell previously served 22 years and nine months in jail for murdering Kathleen McKenzie in Huddersfield

what was in the premises. “I would also appeal to anyone who witnessed any suspicious activity in the area on that night to get in contact. “I would also appeal to anyone with an interest in boats to be on the

geted’ burglary. He is described Asian, in his late 20s, about 5ft 8in tall and has long nose, crooked teeth and a small beard. A forklift truck was used to steal the goods after the premises were broken into. Det Con James Cooper, of Kirklees CID, said: “We don’t believe this was a random burglary. “The engines are worth a lot of money and we believe the establishment was targeted because of

Thornhill results ‘blip’ THORNHILL: Headteacher Jonny Mitchell insists last year’s poor exam results are a “blip”. He spoke out after Thornhill Community Academy was rated as ‘requires improvement’ in its latest Ofsted inspection. GCSE exam results, especially in English and maths, were found to be lower than expected. Outgoing head Mr Mitchell, who leaves the school at the end of the year, said: “We firmly believe the 2014 results are a blip and will be an isolated occurrence.” Thornhill Community Academy was made famous by the Educating Yorkshire documentary series on Channel 4.

DEWSBURY: Community worker Habiban Zaman has been honoured again for her tireless efforts. She is to receive a British Community Honours Award at the House of Lords in October. It is in recognition of her contribution to social cohesion and integration in North Kirklees. The council worker was awarded a British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours last year.

Police hunt boat engine theft suspect

THIS is the man wanted in connection with the theft of valuable boat engines in Batley. Twenty-three motors were stolen from West End Marine off Brookroyd Lane on the night of January 14. Parts including propellers, starter motors and alternators were also taken in the raid. Police this week released an e-fit of a suspect they want to speak over what they described as a ‘tar-

News in Brief

Habiban’s honour

Posters have been translated into Hungarian, Czech, Polish and Urdu and displayed in communities county-wide. Anyone with information can call the police’s European Arrest Warrant team on 101.

Life sentence for bail hostel killer Mitchell KILLER David Mitchell may die in jail after being sentenced for the murder of a sex offender. Mitchell, 47, was given a whole-life tariff on Wednesday after strangling to death and dismembering Robert Hind. Leeds Crown Court heard the pair met when they were at a bail hostel in Dewsbury. They had a homosexual relationship and kept in touch when Mitchell moved

look out too. “If you are offered a boat engine or engines for sale in a deal that ‘sounds too good to be true’ then it probably is.” Anyone with information can call Kirklees CID on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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in 1990. Mr Justice Globe said in sentencing “the seriousness of the defendant’s offending is exceptionally high.”

He added dismemberment and concealment of Hind’s body had added to the nightmare and heartache for his family.

Robbery duo in court THORNHILL LEES: Two men have appeared in court charged with an alleged robbery involving fake guns. Kirklees Magistrates’ Court heard a mother and her two children, aged 13 and 17, were targeted on February 28. A gang burst into her home and demanded to know where she kept her gold and money. Faisal Naveed, 22, of Squirrel Hall Drive, Staincliffe, and Kessar Naveed, 19, of no fixed address, were in court along with a 16-yearold boy from Bradford. All three are charged with offences of aggravated burglary and possession of an imitation firearm. They were remanded into custody for a hearing at Leeds Crown Court on Monday March 16.

ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

News In Brief Doorstep crime talk

Real characters, from Paddington to Sleeping Beauty

DEWSBURY: Measures against doorstep crime is the subject of a meeting at Dewsbury Library. Trading Standards officials will advise residents on how to protect themselves at 10.30am on Thursday March 19. It is part of a monthly series of Coffee Plus mornings. Admission is free and all are welcome. Last month a talk about Robin Hood by Barbara Green of the Yorkshire Robin Hood Society was well attended. Events are typically on the third Thursday of each month. For more details call the library on 01924 325080 or email dewsbury.lic@kirklees.gov.uk.

TOTS in Dewsbury celebrated World Book Day yesterday (Thursday) with a fancy dress party. Youngsters at Child’s Play on Thornhill Road got dressed up as their favourite characters – from Paddington Bear to Sleeping Beauty. Prizes including a Peppa Pig sticker book and pencil cases were given for the best costumes. There was also a book corner, story time and a disco, with staff getting in on the act as characters such as Wally from the Where’s Wally series. Nursery owner Linda Quigley said: “The children had a great time. It’s a fun way to encourage a love of reading and learning.”

Literature festival CLECKHEATON: Broadcaster Andy Kershaw is to headline the town’s first literature festival. Mr Kershaw, also a well-known writer, bring a one-man show to Whitcliffe Mount Business and Enterprise College. It will be at 6.30pm on Saturday May 9. Tickets are £8 and are available from martin@couldbeverse.co.uk. Other events include a crime writing panel featuring authors including award-winning York-based novelist Helen Cadbury.

Police curtail yobs CLECKHEATON: The ringleaders of yobs causing town centre havoc have been identifed. Seven suspects are to be dealt with by officers from the Kirklees Anti-Social Behaviour Partnership. Parents of a further 21 youths also found to be involved were sent warning letters. Another found with cannabis was referred to the Youth Offending Team while a motorbike was seized for having no insurance. Calls to police about anti-social behaviour fell from a high of 11 in eight days early last month to none in the five days to Monday.

A CHANCE NOT TO MISS Head hails vision for Whitcliffe By David Miller REBUILDING an ageing Cleckheaton school is too good a chance to miss out on, its headteacher has said. Jennifer Templar, of Whitcliffe Mount Business and Enterprise College, set out the benefits of the £13m construction scheme on Turnsteads Avenue. The advantages of the new facilities have been overshad-

owed somewhat by a row about the future of the sports centre next door. And the fate of the school’s historic main building, which is to be demolished, also caused concern. But Mrs Templar said: “The educational benefits afforded by this opportunity are immeasurable. “It will enhance students’ sense of pride in their school, their own learning and can only have a

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positive impact on their progress and achievement.” One major plus point is the use of adaptable classrooms designed for the way children learn today. Mrs Templar added: “They will support our vision to develop Whitcliffe Mount’s reputation as a centre of excellence for teaching and learning. “And the new school will be much more energy efficient than the current building. “This will allow the school to invest more of its budget on education and less on building maintenance and energy.” A dedicated bus park will improve safety by ensuring children no longer walk out into moving traffic. Construction is due to start in May 2016 and be finished by September the following year. School life carries on as normal while new facilities are built on the site of the current sports

centre, which is to be demolished. A new sports hall, fitness suite and activity studio are set to be available for public use on evenings and weekends. Mrs Templar said: “Whitcliffe Mount has for many years played host to a range of community groups and events. “We’re keen for the new facilities to provide enhanced opportunities for the community as a whole.”

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Council’s taxi chief quits – to drive a taxi A COUNCILLOR in charge of taxi regulation has stepped down – to become a taxi driver. Coun Mumtaz Hussain (Lab, Dewsbury West – pictured) quit Kirklees Council’s Licensing and Safety Committee last month. A resignation letter said he was seeking a Hackney carriage licence from Leeds City Council. Coun Hussain resigned as chairman on February 4 and as a committee member with immediate effect. The move, to avoid a conflict of interest, was announced the following week at a committee meeting. Coun Hussain, whose licence bid was granted, was succeeded as chairman by former mayor Coun David Ridgway (Lib Dem). His resignation letter was given to council chief executive Adrian Lythgo and legal officer Julie Muscroft. It said in part he quit “because I would not be able to take part in discussions and vote on those matters and would need to leave the meeting.” Last year the committee decided to suspend cabbies who reach nine points on their licence, pending a re-test. Coun Hussain was one of two members not to vote in favour. The suspension was partially lifted at a meeting on February 11. Taxi drivers in Kirklees will only face suspension if they fail to pass an in-house driving test.

ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

Hollybank really is the bees’ knees! THE HOLLYBANK Trust in Mirfield is playing its part in helping the local bee population thrive, after beekeeper Richard Terry approached them with a view to relocating some of his hives to their site. Richard said: “I wanted the hives to be in a place that would be good for the bees, but also of benefit to the residents at Hollybank. “The grounds at Hollybank are ideal for

the bees and I am keen to support the amazing work that Hollybank does.” Head of fundraising Julie Shaw, a member of Bradford Beekeepers Association said: “This is a great addition to our grounds and there are many benefits in relation to education for our children, young people and adults.” And Richard added: “I hope to produce honey to

News in Brief Drug death ‘accident’

sell to benefit the trust.” Hollybank supporters Syngenta have funded a showpiece hive for the memorial garden at Hollybank, and Richard Terry is now planning an introduction to beekeeping session there. Contact Julie Shaw on 01924 483906 to register your interest. Julie Shaw and Richard Terry, with a Hollybank resident and a Syngenta representative at the hive

Jade ready to let fans in on big Secret

Jade Helliwell

POPULAR local singersongwriter Jade Helliwell has finally announced the release date for the first single from her long awaited debut album ‘Secrets’. The single, ‘Still On My Mind’, will be launched at the Comrades Club in Heckmondwike next Friday, March 13, where Batley-based Jade will perform it and other tracks from the upcoming album. Also performing will be Secret Notes, James Preston and Peculiar Blue. The single will then be released on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and many

other digital outlets worldwide on Monday March 16. Tickets for the event are £3 and are available from the club or Jade’s website at www.jadehelliwell.com. Fans have been eagerly awaiting news of the release of the album which will go on sale from Monday May 4, again via download, and also in CD format from Jade’s website, plus other outlets to be announced. The album will be launched on Friday May 1 at a gala event at Warehouse 23 in Wakefield, where there

will be performances from rising star Rupert Stroud and Spirit Of Smokie. The night’s final performance will be Jade and her band playing the new album in full. Fans can find news of ticket prices and availability on Jade’s website and social media sites. ‘Secrets’ is the culmination of almost two years of writing, recording and producing for Jade, who has been a popular fixture on the local music scene for several years. For more info see www.jadehelliwell.com.

DEWSBURY: A man found dead at his Westtown home had taken ‘therapeutic’ levels of methadone and a lethal dose of codeine, as well as heroin and alcohol, an inquest heard. Trevor Barlow, 47, was found at his home on Dorset Walk on December 4, by his friend Shaun Hudson. Coroner Martin Fleming ruled out any notion of suicide and said Mr Barlow had misjudged the dosage of the drugs he took, enhanced by the effects of alcohol. “Those using such drugs should be very careful to reflect on this,” he said. “They are gambling with their lives and their loss impacts in a tragic way on their families.” A statement from Mr Barlow’s aunt, Maureen Fortis, said his loss “left a massive hole in all our lives”.

Oops a daisy, dear! MIRFIELD: Staff at the Oops a Daisy card shop on Huddersfield Road are appealling for a shopper who left a bag in the store to get in touch. The bag contained goods bought from the nearby Beadelicious shop and was left behind late on Monday morning. The owner is asked to contact Oops a Daisy on 01924 494946 or just call in.

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Blast for ‘dirty’ Labour KIRKLEES’ ruling Labour group have been branded “dirty” by their Conservative rivals, after a shocking report showed the authority has tumbled down national recycling tables. From being one of the greenest councils in the country, and winning a number of awards for recycling initiatives under the Tories, figures now show that Kirklees does less recycling than most other metropolitan authorities. Under Labour control, their critics claim that recycling plans have been ditched, glass collections have ceased, and the drive to encourage recycling has ended. It has seen the amount of waste generated in Kirklees increase for the first time in a decade, and recycling levels have fallen. Conservative leader Coun Robert Light said: “Labour have turned Kirklees into a ‘dirty council’ and this problem will simply get worse. “To date Kirklees has avoided paying high levels of landfill tax by burning waste

in the waste-to-energy plant – but this has led to complacency in terms of recycling. “Kirklees recycles only 30 per cent of its waste whilst neighbouring Calderdale manages twice as much,” said Coun Light. “This is leading to a financial time bomb because the council’s waste contract has only eight years to run, and

with waste increasing and recycling falling, we will face a huge land fill tax liability by the end of the current decade which will cost the council and its residents several million pounds. “The Labour-run council chases green gimmicks whilst ignoring basic good environmental policy which will lead to a crisis. “The council must

act to halt the decline in recycling by introducing new initiatives. It is perverse that the council encourages wind turbines whilst neglecting recycling. “This gimmick chasing serves no purpose other than to buy the support of the Green Party, and their Independent partners, to keep them in power and approve their taxraising budgets.”

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ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

The spring air is fresh with smells of the countryside MMMM. Breathe that in. Deeply. Through the nose please, not with your mouth hanging open like a goldfish. Flare those nostrils. Inhale! Got it? Nope, not Chanel, Dior or even Jo Malone (which sounds like something worn by a Doc Martinwearing Labour feminist). Have another guess. Brut or Hai Karate? Oh come on! That all-pervading stench wafting across the nation on Tuesday should have been immediately identifiable by anyone remotely familiar with the countdown to a British general election. Horse or bull, or a combination of the two, that political stink was pure, unadulterated ‘ess-aitch-eye-tee’. And enough of it to fertilise Lincolnshire. That smell of fear is the musk of a desperate politician, panicking like a teenager in a brothel, hoping the lump in his front trouser pocket might be mistaken for his dad’s wallet. In the context of the 2015 general election, Cameron,

Cameron – wants the goods now, and to pay later Miliband et al are bluffing and bragging and literally praying that, like that sweaty teen, they can screw us before having to part with any cash. Nine weeks today there will be a different government. The political landscape will be radically different – we could all be having haggis for Christmas dinner, judging by the polls up north. And you can smell the desperation oozing from our noble leaders’ every orifice,

like the BO of that first-time teenager, or the waft from a Delhi-belly victim who didn’t quite make the pot in time. First out of the ‘trap’ on Tuesday was the Prime Minister. “We will build 200,000 affordable homes a year!” Cameron trumpeted, like Moses stepping out from his prolonged exile in the khazi. “Only 200,000?” parped Ed Moribund. “We’ll raise that to 300,000!” “We’ll call the 200,000,” farted Nick Clegg “– but 200,000 every year!” Tories, Labour, Lib Dems, on Tuesday all of them were figuratively throwing up housing estates and entire towns on every other doorstep – as though they had the slightest control over the matter. It perfectly sums up modern politics. Literally the biggest joke of the Coalition government has been local government minister Eric Pickles. Eric tells councils like Kirklees and their legions of self-serving officers what the

LIFE IN BLACK AND WHITE Danny Lockwood ‘law’ or the ‘guidelines’ are on a wide range of subjects. And they laughingly flip him V-signs the size of Kenny Everett’s foam hands. These promises and pledges are meaningless until they have meandered through our labyrinthine political/legal system – and then been rubberstamped by Brussels. Simply moving the dog’s kennel across the back garden without permission can bring an enforcement order down on your head. That’s the reality. As such, good for Harron Homes and the Dewsbury Rams for making the old Shaw Cross tip housing plan work – but it cost them a fortune in time and money, haggling politically motivated concessions. And that was just one estate on industrial landfill. It took years, when it’s estimated that Kirklees alone already needs thousands of homes. Short of Cameron and Co sending all of their MPs out on bricklaying courses and building houses on their own plentiful family estates, how’s it going to happen? Who’s paying? On who’s land? And what about the roads? The schools, the GP surgeries and the hospitals (that they’re closing hand-over-fist) to serve these new towns and cities? So the question is – are you really daft enough to buy quick-fix headlines like these? Then you might as well get naked on Cameron’s mattress. Sure, he’ll sort out your money when he gets to a mini-bank...

Time to shut (him) up HE mere writing of these words puts me firmly in the stocks for hypocrisy. My defence is that someone needs to start saying it. Mohammed Emwazi, aka Jihadi John – drop it now. Move on. I don’t want to know that he was a grade A student, and that – aw diddums – someone called him a few names once upon a time. So what? It happens everywhere to everyone, at some time or other. We tend not to go round beheading innocent people as a result. As ever, the BBC gave platforms wider and deeper than Harry Potter’s famous magic one at Kings Cross to every treacherous Islamist group and Emwazi apologist they could find. Mohammed Emwazi “He was a lovely kid,” (they usually are). “It’s all Britain’s fault for MI5 being rude when asking him why he’d attended a terrorist training camp, sob‚” (they usually don’t). Typically, in waded the Daily Mail: Emwazi’s family are asylum/benefit scroungers/cheats who were having it large until little ‘JJ’ ruined their cash-a-thon. Make no wonder he’s not in their good books. They’ve been living the high life on our stupid, politically correct state and throat-slitter JJ has ruined the racket. If this brings their house metaphorically down on their heads, great. One down, one million to go. And as for Mohammed ‘JJ’ Emwazi? All I ever want to see or read of him again is a simple photograph, with a bullet hole between the eyes. Right now the media histrionics are simply building his celebrity and encouraging other young fools to do the same.

But if you awaken from your slumbers and all you find is a big steaming pile of something very smelly in

the middle of the room, with loverboy having bolted, don’t say that you weren’t warned.

Jail for future failures? Sorry, we want the guilty jailing now A

PROPOS politicians and their ‘BS’ promises, referenced above. I hope you understand the Prime Minister’s latest pledge to jail councillors, police and council officers for ignoring sexual abuse of children is just as smelly a deceit. Such legislation cannot be passed in this Parliament anyway and won’t be on the manifesto of the next government either. So it’s meaningless. What we do want to hear is that the same police, councillors, social services bosses etc who have already allowed white children to be raped, trafficked, drug-injected, and in short ruined by Muslim men, be brought to justice and sent to jail. Preferably sharing a cell with those children’s abusers. Weasling airy-fairy “it won’t happen again, but if it does we’ll get really cross!” rhetoric just makes me angrier than ever. You don’t wish this agony on anyone, but if only it would happen to one of these

Nigel Farage – a bit early for a U-turn Nige! pampered political elite for once...

IT WAS the same with the bankers and still is with the NHS, although I expect the Morecambe Bay midwives who killed babies – that’s what they did – over a petty dispute with senior staff, will be low enough down the totem pole that they’ll be thrown to the wolves. As they should – and as should the executives at all of these authorities who ultimately created the Stalinist

regimes that put all children and members of the public at the meaningless whim of their PC agendas. You think any of that’s going to change with this election? Do you think that any of those bureaucrats who have presided over ruined childhoods and killer hospital wards will go to jail rather than getting six-figure payoffs to keep quiet? Must be just me then... IF Nigel Farage and UKIP aren’t going to set limits on immigration, then what is the point of them? U-turns afterwards, we’re used to. But u-turns before they’ve even had chance to disappoint us? That’s novel. The only person trying harder to drive voters away this week was Nick Clegg, who wants drugs legalising, and no sanction for people using heroin and crack cocaine. What have you been smoking, Nick? The voters he wants to appeal to will probably sleep through polling day anyway!

ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

Competition for school places leaves 900 disappointed

UNDER PRESSURE By Staff Reporters THE PRESSURE on secondary school places in Kirklees means that almost 900 pupils have missed out on their preferred high school option. Although Kirklees Council trumpeted a figure of 95 per cent of children being offered one of their three school options, 276 families have been left disappointed, having not even managed to secure that. Since 2000, immigration and rising birth rates mean that the Kirklees school population has been rising by 20 per cent a year, from 5,000 up to 6,000 children needing new school places every September. The council has already pledged investments totalling over £23 million to

Coun Shabir Pandor fund new school places required by 2017. This year overall, 4,418 children (83.1 per cent of applicants) secured a place at their first-choice school, with 475 (8.9 per cent) and 151 (2.8 per

News in Brief Exposure man Charity event HECKMONDWIKE: A man exposed himself and made lewd comments to teens off Northgate. A group of young people saw him urinating in the street at around 5.30pm on February 11. He made lewd comments to a member of the group before exposing his genitals. The suspect is white, aged about 35, 5ft 11in tall, skinny and had short dark hair. He was wearing light-coloured tracksuit bottoms and a black hooded zipped top.

BATLEY & BIRSTALL: The Kirkwood Hospice support group are holding an Easter coffee morning at Batley Town Hall on Saturday March 14 from 10am to 12noon. There will be cake, book and bric-a-brac stalls and a raffle. Entry is £1.50 and includes coffee and a hot cross bun or biscuit. All proceeds are for the hospice. Ducks knitted by members and containing a Cadbury’s Creme Egg are available from the hospice shop on Commercial Street.

cent) gaining places at their second and third choices respectively. Across Yorkshire there was a wide variation. In East Yorkshire 97.2 per cent of pupils got their first preference and 92 per cent in York, while Kirklees and Leeds were at 83 per cent. However Kirklees continues to perform above the national average in GCSE results. A total of 56 per cent of local students secured at least five A* to C ‘first entry’ grades, including English and maths, compared with the national figure of 53.4 per cent. Students in Kirklees are also more likely to attend a good or outstanding secondary school than the average for Yorkshire and Humber. Coun Shabir Pandor, cabinet member for Children’s Services, said: “Young people in Kirklees enjoy high standards of education, which is a tribute to the excellent work of local schools. Students are helped to be rounded, resilient and ready for the next stage in their lives. “As well as helping students to achieve academically, schools also equip them with valuable life skills and develop young people who will add to the economic prosperity of the district. “We are very proud of the Kirklees family of schools. I would also like to thank them for their hard work in supporting the local admissions process.”

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ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

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Our NHS hospitals are still the best Dear Sir, I read in all of the press the complaints that are made of the NHS. I have reached that time in life when I need medical attention, and I would like to express a few of my own feelings. It seems that at most clinics there are patients who complain about waiting times, about everything and anything. I cannot believe some of the complaints I have overheard.

A trap – but this is wrong From: John Appleyard, Liversedge Dear Sir, I don’t agree with entrapment but neither do I support the actions of Malcolm Rifkind and Jack Straw, who both displayed an attitude of greed in their ‘cash for access’ exposure on TV. To serve as a Member of Parliament should be regarded as an honour, privilege and full time job. MPs are well paid they earn £67,000 a year on the backbenches plus various allowances on top, most of them are hard-working and seek to represent their constituents faithfully and argue their case as and when the opportunity represents itself in the House of Commons. It disturbs me that Malcolm Rifkind and others such as Lord Lawson and David Cameron, don’t regard being a Member of Parliament as a full time job. Mr Rifkind says he enters Parliament on Monday and goes home on Thursday and for the rest of the week has nothing to do except walk and do some reading. Surely on his time off from Parliament he should be visiting his constituents, local schools, businesses and party activists amongst many other things. If he has plenty of time on

Letter of the Week: Name & address supplied If some patients could stop and just take a moment to think there are countries all over the world that have to deal with serious medical situations and some people have to wait days to receive attention – if indeed they get

his hands why doesn’t he do unpaid voluntary work or help out at the local food bank instead of trying to line his own pocket? Ed Milliband is right to express his concern at MPs with two or more jobs and it is disgusting that David Cameron doesn’t share that view amidst this unacceptable scandal.

A load of balls, says our Jack From: Jack Bunn, Hanging Heaton Dear Sir, So, this is what they call English soccer? You could have kidded me, I thought it was more like bull riding in Texas, or all-in bare knuckle fighting. When I played it was for sport, and only the Church of Resurrection Fathers said sorry when they clobbered you. This we expected. But, today? When they take a corner it’s like the Eton and Harrow game against that wall in their college tournament, only today the participants are paid millions of pounds. I blame the referees for this; yellow cards are thrown about like confetti at a wedding, and a slap on the wrist is the norm. The shouts of Sgt Maj Eric Clay, a rugby referee, would have licked them into shape! When he sent someone off he would run to the other side of the field, call the offender over to him, send him off, and the

any at all. And in some countries charges can be mind blowing. For some of us who have paid all their working lives these charges would be beyond our reach even taking into considera-

offender had to run all the way past the stand, and the fans booed him all the way. Toilets were just about absent – a long wooden spout into a bucket flowing over. We have come a long way from that, but sitting down eating a served dinner at big matches is not my idea of a match hospitality box. I have just turned the cup final Chelsea v Spurs off, it’s nothing but thugs v thugs; every time a player got the ball he was booted to the ground. That’s not football and, like our government, it wants someone to get hold of the reins and put a stop to it. How do they expect our youngsters to play proper football after watching this lot? Overseas football managers should be sent back home, and let us have a new team winning the FA Cup again. Also, a cap ought to be put on players wages, and all the football Mr 10% dealers kicked out.

Worries over wheelchairs From: Christine Hyde, Dewsbury Dear Sir, In 2014 the contract for providing wheelchair services in Kirklees and Calderdale moved from the Calderdale Hospital Foundation Trust, to a private provider. Dr David Kelly, chairman of

tion all of the contributions we have made. I am aware that there are occasions when attitudes, incidents and sheer overworked staff do not seem to be what we would prefer. We are all guilty of having days that are not so good – patients as well as staff. I would like to share my feelings today. I was referred to the Rosewood Centre at DDH by my oncologist – I can say that the staff there could

One satisfied customer From: Chris Jenkinson, Dewsbury Moor Dear Sir, Three or four times a year I go to the Dewsbury Diner on Daisy Hill. This morning I set off to work in miserable weather at 9.15 am. I had two appointments to attend, one in Wakefield and one later on in Rotherham. Roadworks were everywhere so it was a bit of a bind. When I got to the Wakefield appointment it was cancelled and then the other was called off too. With nowhere else to go I headed for the Dewsbury Diner, parked round the corner and spent 50p on parking – no problem as I knew the whole breakfast was going to cost me £3.50. I got a standard breakfast, but changed two items – it’s not everywhere that this type of option presents itself. It was absolutely great, not too much or too little and when I had finished and read the paper for 10 minutes I felt ready to tackle the world. Never before had I experienced such great quality food at a great price, a fantastic friendly service and nearly all the up-todate local papers to read. I complimented the owners for such great service, came home and put this letter together immediately. The work that goes in to making so little profit by such great people is admirable and deserves to be lauded, so well done Dewsbury Diner. the North Kirklees Clinical Commissioning Group governing body, said this move would be ‘better for patients’. However, North Kirklees NHS Support Group is hearing that parents with children who have disabilities, have been having problems getting wheelchairs. These problems include poor communication and long delays, both for assessments and providing the wheelchairs. Children with disabilities need wheelchairs to access school. Disruption to education

PLANNING APPLICATIONS Mahony Estates Limited, adjacent to 9 Knowles Lane, Gomersal, discharge conditions 4 (materials), 6 (footway), 7 (tree/shrub planting), 8 (ventilation scheme), 12 (drainage) on previous permission 2014/91218 for erection of three dwellings (within a Conservation Area). Mr A Hamid, 3 Baptist Street, Staincliffe, single-storey front and rear extensions. C Marney, 6 Sunways, Mirfield, first-floor extension. Mr Mohammed Razak, Jamir Nur Quaran Madressa, 80 The Crescent, Ravensthorpe, variation condition 3 (opening hours) on previous permission 2006/95443 for renewal of previous permission 2005/95321 for change of use of dwelling to form school (madressah). J Battye, adjacent to Gothic House, 13 Park Road, Westborough, erection of detached dwelling (within a Conservation Area). T Mason, adjacent to 19 Cliffe

Lane, Gomersal, outline application for erection of dwelling and double garage. Mr & Mrs Valentine, 9 Ellison Grove, Birkenshaw, single-storey rear elevation. C Ellis, Low Farm, Lodge Lane, Norristhorpe, Liversedge, change of use from granny annex to spa building. N Cockroft, 91 Latham Lane, Gomersal, single-storey rear extension. Mr Javid Patel, 48 Stockhill Street, Dewsbury, erection of porch and rear extension, increase in roof height to provide first floor accommodation and erection of dormers, and alterations to existing garage. D Whittaker, 68 Huddersfield Road, Mirfield, demolition of detached single garage and erection of side and rear extension. S Hardy, Clough Farm, Long Lane, Earlsheaton, certificate of lawfulness for proposed erection of single-storey side extension.

Wharfedale Finance Co, Northgate House, Northgate, Dewsbury, installation of shop front and internal alterations (within a Conservation Area). R Croft, 5 Prospect View, Hartshead, erection of side extension. Spenborough Engineering Ltd, Calder Road, Ravensthorpe, extension to existing industrial building. HSBC, Market Place, Dewsbury, installation of replacement ATM (Listed Building within a Conservation Area). D Wragg, Field Head House Farm, Latham Lane, Gomersal, alterations to convert one dwelling to two dwellings. A Ratcliffe, previous allotment land adjacent to Oaks Road, Soothill, discharge conditions 3 (materials) and 7 (drainage) on previous permission 2014/91970 for erection of eight dwellings and formation of private road, adoptable turning head and footpath to Willow Road

not be any more helpful or pleasant and caring. The same applies to Pinderfields Hospital, Dewsbury Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary. The care and attention there also goes beyond their paychecks. Everyone in life has times when things do not go according to plan – after all we are all human. Please think before criticism is applied. This is my way of saying thank you NHS.

(within a Conservation Area). Punch Taverns, White Horse, 298 Oxford Road, Gomersal, discharge conditions 3 (materials), 5 (drainage), 9 (external lighting) on previous permission 2013/93067 for demolition of existing building and erection of building for use within Class A1 Retail together with access, parking, servicing and landscaping. K Cullerton, 33 Quarry Road, Millbridge, Liversedge, single-storey rear extension, detached garage and external rendering of existing dwelling. Asda, Mill Street West, Dewsbury, erection of illuminated and non-illuminated signs. Mr Z Mota, 16 Conway Crescent, Batley, single-storey extension. M Fletcher, 10 Old Hall Road, Upper Batley, works to TPO(s) 23/77 within a Conservation Area. Mr A Aziz, 5 Waverley Street, Savile Town, the proposal is for a single-storey rear extension. The

extension projects 5.5 metres beyond the rear wall of the original dwellinghouse. The maximum height of the extension is 3.85 metres. The height of the eaves of the extension is 2.85 metres. Connect Housing Association, land at Knowl Grange, Knowl Grove, Mirfield, six wheelchair-accessible bungalows and warden flat. Mr M Khan, 28 Garden Crescent, Ravensthorpe, the proposal is for the erection of a single-storey 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 2.6m. N Carter, 18 Harefield Drive, Birstall, the proposal is for a singlestorey rear extension. The extension projects 3.72m beyond the rear wall of the original dwellinghouse. The maximum height of the extension is 3.2m. The height of the eaves of the extension is 2.6m.

is a serious problem not to be dismissed lightly. If you, or someone you know, has experienced problems with the wheelchair services, whether for children or adults, please contact your local councillor, plus Healthwatch at Unit 11, Empire House, Wakefield Old Road, Dewsbury, WF12 8DJ, tel 01924 450379; or the North Kirklees Clinical Commissioning Group, also at the Empire House address, tel 01924 504900 or your local MP. For more information and support call North Kirklees NHS Support Group on 07421 026933.

Migrant surge out of hand From: Aleks Lukic, UKIP Prospective Candidate for Batley and Spen Dear Sir, Last Saturday I had the pleasure of meeting local 38 Degrees campaigners at Dewsbury and District Hospital. It is always encouraging to see fellow people getting out there and standing up for the issues that matter to them. These citizens said they want our NHS adequately funded to provide high quality healthcare when we need it. Any hard-working person who has been living and paying

their taxes here would expect nothing less. However, the government is expecting public services to manage 624,000 new arrivals into our country from last year alone. Never mind that David Cameron promised to get a grip on these numbers. He even told us to vote the Tories out if they failed to do so. More unsettling is that both he and Ed Miliband want Turkey to join the EU. In other words, they want our UK border to be thrown open to a further 78 million people. Have they ever asked us whether we think that’s fair considering the way things are at the moment? We in UKIP offer protection for public services and priority for people who have lived and worked here. That’s what any hard-working citizen would expect!

Park privilege for centre staff From: ‘IM Patient’ (name supplied), Dewsbury Dear Sir, I recently had cause to visit the car park in the Boothroyd Centre at Dewsbury District Hospital. I was amazed to discover 75 per cent of the car park space was restricted to staff only, with only approximately 30 spaces for patients.

ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

Extra From page eight Have we now reached the stage were the number of staff outnumber patients by three to one? Surely the perfectly fit staff could be expected to walk from the large staff car park at the entrance, leaving space for ill patients to park and walk the short distance to the centre reception area? Or, in this PC world, have I got it wrong again.

Less talk and more action on abuses From: Robert Reynolds, Batley Dear Sir, When we heard of the murder of Victoria Climbie, our shocked nation was told that this would never happen again. The Blair Government introduced reforms which impacted at a local level. As a councillor at that time, I recall scrutinising this legislation and concluded it was nonsense. This mish-mash of pen pusher legislation, forcing bureaucracies to information share, has failed. All too often we have seen highly paid public officials say yes, there is a problem, but it’s not my responsibility. Now, we have a new Prime Minister, equally clueless as Bliar (sic). Cameron calls for anyone ignoring child abuse to be prosecuted. Then we saw pictures of the bureaucrats, sitting around the Cabinet table, vigorously nodding their heads in agreement. I almost threw up! When will our politicians learn? The answer is simple, which is to stop everyone passing the parcel of responsibility. We need someone with balls to stand up and start prosecuting, with a few nice long jail sentences that wreck careers. That especially includes the apologetic bankers (apologetic because they got caught). The laws are there, when will someone just get on with the job?

Migration makes good economic sense From: Nick Whittingham, Prospective Green candidate for Mirfield Dear Sir, Stephen Cass wrote in The Forum (20/2/15) querying the benefits of immigration. He asks “Why can’t we be told?

“What’s the big secret?” So, just to be clear, let’s set it out for him. Immigration is beneficial to the economy because new arrivals are likely to be of working age and contribute in taxes. Robert Chote, the chairman of the Office for Budget Responsibility, the Treasury’s independent advisers, told the Treasury Select Committee that letting more immigrants into the UK “does tend to produce a more beneficial picture” for the public purse “because they’re more likely to be working age, they’re more likely to be paying taxes and less likely to have relatively large sums of money spent on them for education, for long-term care, for healthcare, for pension expenditure.” The OBR’s view is that the economy is reliant on migrant labour and the taxes paid by immigrants to keep funding public services. This view is shared by the director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research and former chief economist, Jonathan Portes, who has long argued that immigration

makes a net positive contribution to the economy. In addition, key parts of our public services are completely reliant on migrant labour. Think about the NHS. We have a huge shortage of trained medical staff – there are no unemployed British doctors or nurses, so the argument about taking British jobs is false – and if we didn’t have a large number of trained medical and support staff coming from other countries the NHS would grind to a halt. And people would die. It seems that some people like to blame immigrants for all of the problems in the economy. But why is our national debt so large – entirely because of the banking crisis. Why is tax revenue low – because the rich and the corporations are not paying their way. So blame the greedy bankers, the tax avoiders and the politicians who let them get away with it, not the Indian doctors, Portuguese care assistants and Polish plumbers who are actually helping us out.

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ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

News In Brief

Relatives search DEWSBURY: Relatives are being sought of 87-year-old Ivy Hawkins who died recently at her home in Dewsbury. Ms Hawkins was found at her home on Princess Crescent on Friday February 27. Coroner’s officers believe that she was from the Feltham area of London and may still have relatives living in London. She is understood to have had daughters named Celia Ann Wyles, Christine Margaret Cummins and Susan Lynn Hughes; sons named Richard Barrie Hawkins and Stephen Robert Hawkins; and a grandson named Kevin Hughes. Anyone with information about them or any other relatives of Ms Hawkins are asked to contact Coroner’s Officer Marie Silvester on 01924 431158.

M Fest 2015 set to grow By Steve Martyn MIRFIELD folk want a ‘country fayre’-style music festival this summer. That’s the view of organisers who held a public meeting to discuss plans for a second annual music event in June. More than 30 people attended the meeting at Knowl Club last Thursday, which featured a lively and good-humoured debate about the proposed two-day M Fest at Mirfield Showground. Principle organiser Donal O’Driscoll gave a presentation setting out his ideas for the festival, due to take place on June 20 and 21, and said he was keen to add another major event to Mirfield’s social calendar on top of the agricultural show in August and the Rotary bonfire in November. He said: “I do not want to scaremonger, but the more events we can get onto the showground the more assured its future will be as a valuable piece of open space that people can continue to enjoy all year round.” Donal and his team were surprised by people’s desire for smaller children’s rides at the festival, with donkey rides, rodeo, a slide, climbing wall, face painting, cupcake decorating and dance school sessions all being requested. The Mirfield Creative Arts Hub stall and Crafty Devilz circus skills team have also been asked to return. A proper festival bar selling a range of drinks including real ale and quality food stalls got the thumbs up from the audience, and Donal added: “I’m delighted they want something that gives the event a country fayre feel. It’s perfect for Mirfield Showground and I’m delighted we don’t have to bring heavy machinery onto the site.” John-Paul Drake, a Mirfield musician who is also responsible for the festival’s social media operation, said: “I was a bit nervous about how it was going to go but was delighted with the level of feedback we got from the audience.” The meeting gave a resounding ‘no’ to plans

The Whitfield Centre

Our centre extends a warm welcome to other physically disabled or disadvantaged groups from North Kirklees - Just see what we have to offer this Spring!

Upcoming Dates For Your Diary March 4th - Tea Dance - 1:30pm-3:30pm £3 cost 5th - Kim & Dave Valentine - 1:30pm £3 per ticket 18th - Tea Dance - 1:30pm-3:30pm £3 cost 18th - Quiz Night - 7:30pm £3 per person

April 1st - Tea Dance - 1:30pm-3:30pm £3 cost 15th - Tea Dance - 1:30pm-3:30pm £3 cost

Red Nose Day Coffee Morning We will be holding a coffee morning in aid of Red Nose Day on Wednesday 11th March 2015 from 11am Entry is free and donations will be taken. Feel free to bake, buy, or bring a cake.

Table Top Sale We will be holding a table–top sale on Saturday 21st March 2015 between 11am until 2pm. Light refreshments will be available on the day. If you would like to have a stall, please contact the office to book a place. A 4foot table will cost £10.00 and a 6-foot table will be £15.00.

25th - Quiz Night - 7:30pm £3 per person

Sing for your Health Taster

29th - Tea Dance - 1:30pm-3:30pm £3 cost

We are holding a free taster session at the Whitfield Centre for a ‘Sing for your Health’. You don’t need a great singing voice to join in. Singing has many health benefits – Come along and see for yourself!

30th - Kim & Dave Valentine - 1:30pm £3 per ticket

12 March 1:30pm

‘Introduction to IT’ Course The Whitfield Centre is pleased to offer an exciting IT course on Thursdays for 7-weeks starting on 12th March 2015. This course is an introductory course for those wanting to learn about basic IT use. It will be delivered by Electric Village at The Whitfield Centre and is free to join. Transport and lunch fees still apply. If you would like to join onto this course, please contact us for further information.

The Whitfield Centre, 180 Soothill Lane, Batley, WF17 6HP 01924 445222 www.facebook.com/soc4blind

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WELCOME RETURN: Ska House, above and JohnPaul Drake, right, entertain the crowds at last year’s festival Bruce Fitzgerald Photography for a large marquee to host the majority of the acts, with people opting to keep the open-air stage that was used last year – despite the bad weather. However the festival will only happen if organisers manage to sell at least 700 weekend tickets at an ‘early bird’ price of £20 by the end of April. Crowd funding is being looked into and business sponsors are being sought. It was announced that the first 700 ticket sales would also get a special commemorative wristband. Donal explained: “We would despatch the wristbands immediately and encourage people to wear them to raise awareness of the event.” He added that unless another business wants to outbid him, his own company logo would appear on the wristbands. £300 would be needed to secure the space. Anyone interested should contact Donal on 07957 765573 as the design has to be despatched within a week. Keep in touch with the festival at www.face book.com/mirfieldmusicfestival.

Credit Union offered lifeline SAVERS in Dewsbury and Mirfield hit when a credit union closed have been offered a lifeline. The Borough and Parish Credit Union at Dewsbury’s United Reformed Church believe they can help some of those affected. It comes after Huddersfield-based Castle and Minster Credit Union collapsed last week. Castle and Minster, who used to have premises in Dewsbury, are thought to have still had members from North Kirklees.

Directors vowed all would get their cash back – and money is protected by the government. Those left without banking facilities after the closure of Castle and Minster can turn to Borough and Parish for help. Credit union president Kevin Harford said: “We have strict conditions about where our members come from. “But certainly there could well be people who invested in Castle and Minster who fall under our criteria.”

Borough and Parish, run by volunteers, has a £3,000 limit on investments and loans. An annual general meeting heard loans of about £69,000 were made to members last year. One scheme helped members buy household goods from local shops including Vines of Mirfield and Home World in Dewsbury. Borough and Parish, founded in 1999, has about 300 members. For more details see www.boroughandparish.org.

Man suffers suspected spinal injuries in Savile Town site fall EMERGENCY crews rushed to a building site in Dewsbury after a workman fell 15 feet from scaffolding. The 44-year-old man suffered a broken wrist and suspected spinal injuries and was taken to hospital on Monday afternoon. Fire crews from Dewsbury and Cleckheaton, an ambulance and a Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) were called to Caledonian Road in Savile Town, where it is believed the man fell whilst working on scaffolding on the second floor of the construction site. Witnesses said a man appeared to be lowered to the ground from the scaffolding by rescuers. His injuries were not RAPID RESPONSE: Emergency services at the Savile Town building site Picture: Ash Milnes thought to be life-threatening. where the accident occured

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Friday March 6, 2015

Drama closes Crow Nest Park CROW NEST PARK was sealed off shortly after a crash involving a BMW on Monday night. Eyewitnesses on Heckmondwike Road said that a silver BMW and possibly a motorbike were involved in a collision at about 5.50pm. Ambulance crews and paramedics attended the scene. Meanwhile the park was sealed off and a police helicopter was seen overhead for some time. A member of the helicopter’s crew said that at the time they were in the Dewsbury area searching for two burglary suspects. PHOTO: ASH MILNES

‘No magic wand’ for station parking chaos By David Miller THERE is no magic wand to solve parking issues at Mirfield Railway Station, a councillor believes. Coun Martyn Bolt hit out after a car was towed away last week for blocking access to businesses on Station Road.

He spelled out the problems Network Rail have in finding a long-term solution to parking chaos. Commuters are parking on both sides of Station Road and Back Station Road and outside people’s homes at Southbrook Gardens. Coun Bolt said

Network Rail own two plots of land nearby which are occupied by businesses. One houses Jewson’s builder’s merchants on Station Road and the other is industrial units. Coun Bolt said: “The only two parcels of land Network Rail own

have tenants and so people’s jobs and livelihoods would be affected.” Other land, such as some belonging to the Holmebank Business Park, are designated flood plains. “ U n f o r t u n a t e l y, there’s no magic wand for the parking situation on Station

Rotary wheels are turning THE ROTARY club of Batley is expanding its membership through a new corporate scheme. Rotarians have recognised that professionals may not be able to get involved in activities due to meetings being held at lunchtimes. The group, which meets at Gomersal Park Hotel on Wednesdays at 12.15pm, have the answer. They are signing up teams of four staff who can attend a meeting a month each on behalf of their company. First to join was Batley Girls’ High School, who will be represented by Amneet Mehat, Sally Cook, Ann McCall and David Cooper. Rotary club secretary Patricia Taylor hopes businesses follow and explained how it works. She said: “A senior manager would become the rotary member, with three

Road and Back Station Road,” Coun Bolt said. Talks would involve train firms, Metr public transport officials, Kirklees Council, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and traders. Last week a Renault Megane was towed by police for blocking HGV access and causing traffic to back up along Station Road. Double yellow lines, though, may only move the issue of commuter

parking elsewhere. Other problems to look at include subsidence on the eastbound platform and disabled access. Mayor of Mirfield Coun Vivien LeesHamilton pleaded for patience and said: “I agree there isn’t a quick fix. I’d therefore ask people to bear with us while we pull many different strings together. “It’s in everybody’s interest to sort this out and so I’m hopeful we can make this happen.”

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For your bedroom... designates taking it in turn to attend weekly meetings. “Because our club meets at lunchtimes, people are finding it difficult to join if they are working, so this is ideal. They’re only away from work one lunchtime a month, which is obviously better for them. “We’re hoping other busi-

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nesses and schools and companies will think about getting involved in this way.” Pictured above are (left to right) Amneet Mehat, Sally Cook, Patricia Waite-Wright (Batley Rotary Club president) Ann McCall, Pat Taylor (Batley Rotary Club secretary) and David Cooper

Blind charity branches out A CHARITY in Batley could expand its services from helping blind people to include those with other disabilities. The Soothill-based Society for the Blind of Dewsbury, Batley and District is in talks with an Age UK group in Birstall. It is hoped both will share the society’s Whitfield Centre home on Soothill Lane from April. Trustees won a Kirklees Council grant in 2013 to turn the premises into a healthy living centre. Funding provided a lifeline after the society faced an uncertain future with the loss of a council

rehabilitation contract. Under the terms services must be broadened to include those with other disabilities. A statement said: “Our first priority remains of course to provide services to the blind and visually impaired people of North Kirklees. But this does not exclude us from extending a welcome to the physicallydisabled or other disadvantaged in our midst.” It added the Age UK group, which cares for mainly disabled older people, were looking for a new home. They were told to vacate their premises and the state-

ment said: “We look forward to them joining us in our centre.” As part of the society’s transformation they are holding a computing course from Thursday March 12. The seven-week introduction to IT is free to join, though transport and lunch fees apply. Also on Thursday March 12 is a Sing for Your Health session at 1.30pm. A coffee morning will be held for Comic Relief on Wednesday March 11 at 11am. And a table-top sale is on Saturday March 21 at 11am. Stalls can be booked by calling 01924 445222.

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ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

News In Brief Free Easter fun for kids and families THORNHILL: Overthorpe Tenants and Residents Association are hosting a free Easter bonnet fancy dress party on Easter Saturday, April 4. The party takes place at Edge Top WMC, on Whitley Road, Thornhill, from 2pm to 4pm. Children aged 10 and under can enjoy a disco, games, face painting and food, and there will be prizes for best fancy dress and best Easter bonnet. All children will also receive an Easter egg. Places are limited and can be reserved by calling Niki on 07920 272975.

‘People power’ for Mirfield By David Miller RESIDENTS in Mirfield can now seek help in getting control of issues affecting their town. Mirfield is one of two places in Kirklees selected for a government-backed trial community project. An umbrella group called Locality will help with planning issues and the ‘asset transfer’ of public buildings. Town councillors, whose Huddersfield Road offices may be sold, heard about their work at a

meeting last Tuesday. Mayor Coun Vivien LeesHamilton said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for Mirfield. “It’s also more in line with the correct view of devolution in getting people involved in their community.” Locality is a national network of more than 700 groups with expertise in various fields. The group spreads a wide range of knowledge and skills to help new groups form and challenge authorities on issues. In Mirfield campaigners car-

ried out all the research to fight new homes planned for Kitson Hill Drive themselves. They would have had access to legal and other advice had Locality been in existence in the district at the time. Kirklees was one of 10 areas chosen for the pilot. Mirfield and Lindley were nominated as testbeds. Locality can also advise on protecting resources like Mirfield Showground and the library longterm. Asset transfer, where town

councillors fought for control of public toilets from Kirklees officials, is another area of their expertise. The town council building, owned by Kirklees, is up for sale but is also wanted as a business centre. Coun Lees-Hamilton (Con, Hopton) said: “I’ve already had an enquiry from a resident who wants office space. “The rooms are there. They just need updating. Any help we can get on asset transfer and funding would be greatly appreciated.”

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STUDENTS from Kirklees College visited the Rixonway kitchen manufacturing facility in Shaw Cross for a ‘world of work’ day. Ten students and their tutor visited the factory to learn about the different career opportunities available at Rixonway, a major local employer and one of the largest kitchen manufacturers Paul Rose talks working in affordable and to the students social housing. The students got a tour of the different departments and Rixonway chief executive Paul Rose delivered a presentation on his own background and the history of the business. Tutor Caroleen La Pierre said: “Visiting Rixonway was an enlightening experience for our ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) learners. Paul Rose was a fantastic host and we were grateful that he took the

time to explain each role in detail answering all types of questions.” Sales and marketing director David Anderson said: “Rixonway is currently home to 11 apprentices, based in different departments, from HR to engineering. We strive to do our part to combat the problems of youth unemployment and start by giving young people an insight into the opportunities available.”

School needs new speakers A DEWSBURY school is looking for people to lend a hand after they were hit by a shortage of speakers for a Careers Week that starts on Monday. Staff at Boothroyd Primary, in Westtown, would ideally like volunteers from the worlds of IT (in any industry or capacity), someone who works with animals or animal care, and also someone from the caring/healthcare sector, to speak to children for an hour. The school will be showcasing a variety of careers throught the week – starting

on Monday – but has had three speakers drop out, so there are gaps to fill for next Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, March 11-13. Allison Simpson of the Focus Trust, which is organising the event, said of the ‘What’s My Line’ theme: “We have invited different speakers from different professions and industries to visit school for an hour to talk (perhaps bringing props, photos or even just describing their day) and plan to get the children to guess what job is being described.” She added: “Would you be

able to offer us an hour of your time to inspire our youngsters, some of whom have very limited horizons and ambitions currently? “We do hope so! The more we can show our children of the world of work, the more they can fulfil their potential. “If you think you would be able to give us an hour of your time on any of Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, or if you need any more information, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me on 07881 103669 or a.simpson@focustrust.co.uk.”

ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

Students excel in Rotary technology competition

No bridge too far By David Bentley PUPILS from a dozen schools across the district used their imagination and ingenuity as they battled it out in an annual technology tournament. The competition, now in its 10th year, was staged at The Frontier club in Batley on Tuesday and was organised by local Rotary clubs. Teams of students were split into foundation, intermediate and advanced classes depending on their age, and only learned of their task at the start of the contest. The youngsters had to design and create a scale model of a bridge, part of which opened to allow tall ships to pass through. Groups of the same age competed against each other and Rotary officials tested the strength and practicality of their designs with weights and model boats. The annual event helps build leadership and improves communication skills and also helps encourage young people to look at engineering as a career path. Pupils from Mirfield Free Grammar

impressed the judges and took the honours in WINNERS ALL: Above and below left, Mirfield Free Grammar, and above left, Woodkirk Academy the foundation category. Woodkirk Academy won the intermediate section while MFG students also claimed top spot in the advanced age group. Ten other high schools in the district also took part and the awards were presented by Kirklees deputy mayor Coun Paul Kane (Lab, Dewsbury East). Coun Kane said: “As a man of construction I’ve been very impressed by what I’ve seen. HEALTH bosses are asking “However, by visiting while Good hand hygiene can help Congratulations to all the schools that took anyone planning to visit local they’re ill with a stomach bug, to limit the spread of the infecpart.” they can easily bring the virus tion like hand-washing, disinThe Mill shopping outlet sponsored the hospitals to stay at home if into hospital. This can be parfecting any surfaces or objects winners’ trophies while Asda provided they or their family members have had diarrhoea, vomiting or ticularly serious for people who that could be contaminated refreshments for the competing students. flu-like symptoms in the last are already ill or who have a with norovirus and keeping toiThe Batley and four days. long-term condition. lets flushed and disinfected. Spen and Dewsbury The request is designed to “Norovirus is highly contaWashing clothes that may and Mirfield District gious and can spread rapidly have been contaminated in hot Committees again help keep ‘winter vomiting’ or anywhere that people are gathwater also helps. helped fund the com- norovirus away from vulnerable ered, such as schools or Although people usually petition, and Trish patients and staff who could offices, especially during colder recover without treatment in Makepeace, of pass it on. Symptoms of norovirus months. 24-72 hours, it is important to Dewsbury Rotary “That is why the NHS asks stay away from work, school, Club, said she was include diarrhoea and vomiting people to think carefully before college or any social gatherings grateful to the and, just like flu, the virus can visiting hospitals if they or anyuntil people have been free of Frontier club for seriously affect vulnerable patients. one in their family has even symptoms for at least 48 hours. their support. A Mid Yorks Hospitals NHS mild symptoms of stomach The trust said that in most The event was upset.” norovirus cases people do not organised by nine Trust spokesman said: “People The trust reiterated basic need to visit their doctor, Rotary clubs in the want to see friends and relahygiene routines to help limit should keep well hydrated and area known as the tives in hospital as often as they can. the spread of infection. rest. ‘inner nine clubs’.

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ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

There’s plenty to do in Horbury too ALTHOUGH Horbury is the size of many towns, it has always had something of a village feel. All the positive aspects of community life remain in Horbury, along with one of the most diverse and satisfying shopping experiences around. There are many good reasons to

Friendly shops and services - all right on your doorstep Advertising Feature OSSETT is a thriving little town that’s full of surprises, where the shopping experience will always leave you wanting to come back for more. It’s got it all on your doorstep! The busy pedestrianised town centre is clean, bright and airy and boasts a Victorian street theme based around its impressive old Town Hall. Whatever your needs, the chances are that Ossett has it. There’s the convenience and choice of the supermarkets alongside those special, individual retailers who deliver the personal touch every day. Ossett caters for the everyday needs of a family but also has specialist shops for those hard-to-find items and services for the man or woman who has everything. It’s the perfect place to find that perfect gift. Several years ago the town centre underwent a massive improvement scheme with much of the town centre re-paved – so when the sun shines why not rest a while on one

of the Victorian-style benches which encircle the precinct? Getting into Ossett has never been a problem. There are regular bus services from all the surrounding towns and plenty of car parking, some of it free. Ossett is particularly busy on market days, when people come from miles around for a bargain or two. With the market right in the heart of the town, outside the Town Hall, there is a light, airy feel yet around the stalls there is that familiar hustle and bustle that people love and come back time and time again for. Ossett has a clean, well-kept town centre and there is always a warm, friendly welcome from the shops and businesses. Ossett also boasts lots of cafes, restaurants and pubs where weary shoppers can rest and relax. People can even sit out al frescostyle and watch the rest of the world go by. With its own summer gala, beer festival and real ale breweries it’s a fun place to be. If you haven’t been lately then Ossett is well worth a visit, this great little town will surprise you.

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Ossett facts and figures – did you know that...? 1: Ossett is a Viking name which could mean either ‘Osla’s seat’ or ‘ridge camp’ and was a much more difficult settlement to defend than the earlier Anglo Saxon hilltop site of Horbury. 2: According to the Domesday survey of 1087, seven men using two ploughs filled the fields of ‘Osleset’, which had a population of 25-30 people.

3: The market place held displays of bull baiting until 1811. The old Cock & Bottle Inn had a reputation for cock fighting until the 1850s. 4: Ossett was, for a brief period in the 19th century, a spa town. Having been founded by a local mill owner, the waters were popular with those seeking relief from certain skin diseases, but it did not transform the town in the way that many other British spas did. The spa has now long since closed

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offer from small and exclusive gift shops, tasty local butchers and greengrocers, designer clothes, shoes and handbags, art shops, travel agents, jewellers, traditional bakeries and many many more wonderful retail experiences, there is plenty to do and see in Horbury.

Wedding fair is a real hit A WEDDING fair in Ossett was such a success that organisers are thinking of doing it all again next year. Last Sunday suit hire emporium the Grooms Rooms teamed up with community group Building Ossett Better (BOB) for the town hall event. Dozens of stalls from wedding day suppliers including photographers and beauty parlours attended. A display of vintage dresses, including one from the 1920s, was on show thanks to Wakefield Museum and proved a big hit. Michelle Poole, of Building Ossett Better, said: “We were very pleased with it all – the exhibitors, the number of visitors, our fabulous wedding dress display and the lovely prices donated for our raffle. “So much so everyone has asked if we are doing it again next year.” Stephen Payne, of the Wesley Street shop, approached not-for-profit company BOB with the wedding fair idea. Founded five years ago, BOB helps fund town centre events such as treasure hunts and organise late night shopping. BOB are also putting on a food and craft market on the last Saturday of each month fom March 28. Chairman John Whiteman said: “When Stephen approached us we swiftly agreed to

support this idea for benefit of Ossett. “It fitted perfectly with the ethos of BOB in increasing footfall within the town as well as promoting local businesses.” Stalls for the food and craft fair can be booked by emailing buildingossettbetter@ hotmail.com.

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ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

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. SUNDAY MARCH 8 MIRFIELD MEANDERS (NK) Meet 10.45am at Mirfield Railway Station car park WF14 8NL GR SE 203 194 7.6 miles (M) Joint walk with Rochdale Ramblers Leader: David Austin Tel: 07736 507133

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WEDNESDAY MARCH 11 THE MILLFIELD LAGOONS (NK) Meet 12pm at St Peter’s Church Horbury WF4 6ND GR SE 295 182 4 miles (M) Leader: Jim Tel: 01924 469700

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Feeling good at Oakwell CHART acts The Feeling and Stooshe will headline the second Oakwell Festival this summer after a hugely successful debut event in 2014. The festival, in the grounds of Oakwell Hall Country Park in Birstall, attracted more than 3,500 people last year and with more bands, bigger stages and more attractions this year is set to be even more impressive Set to be held on Sunday July 12 the festi-

val boasts three stages and has an impressive 22 bands confirmed. Brit-nominated The Feeling will be headlining the main stage, with other acts including hit girl band Stooshe, Rupert Stroud, 90s power pop rock trio Dodgy and 4th Street Traffic Organisers say they are also keen to keep things local, with more than half of the acts hailing from Yorkshire. For food lovers they have tried to put

together a mix of styles, with fresh Thai food, wood-fired pizza and Jamaican street food as well as the popular prosecco bar all on offer in July. There will be more entertainment for younger children this year, with ‘make and do’ workshops and rides along with bouncy castles and slides. The event is run entirely by volunteers, with proceeds going to local good causes. Festival organiser Paul Fisher said: “We

had fantastic feedback from last year and even seasoned festival-goers sent messages of appreciation. “This spurred us on to keep the event running, and bigger and better than before.” For more information visit www.oakwellfestival.co.uk. Tickets cost £25 for adults, £10 for children and under-threes go free. For more information visit www.oak

wellfestival.co.uk.

Start of a soul journey VISITORS to the Hub gallery in Mirfield throughout March and April can see the results of a special project focusing on the condition of dementia. For the next six weeks the Soul Journey art project – a collaboration between arts company verd de gris, writer Paula Sutherland and photographer/film-maker Geoff Brokate – will offer people an opportunity to look beyond some of the myths about dementia and get closer to the individual at the heart of the debate. The main inspiration for the exhibition is Jack, who has spent a lifetime walking the hills of the Upper Calder Valley. Now with dementia, Jack retraces his footsteps and reawakens the poetic and musical memories of his jour-

neying through the landscape. Over the last 12 months the project has involved spending time in verd de gris’ creative dementia sessions, filming in the Pennine landscape and working closely with four dementia sufferers – Jack, Margaret, Norma and Kate. The results include an installation, original writing, a series of still photographs and a film that weaves together spoken word, moving images and an original score to capture some of the beauty and dignity of the people taking part - and to celebrate the richness of the landscape that means so much to them. ‘Soul Journey’ runs until April 11 and there will be a special film screening and creative presentation on Thursday March 12 from 2.30pm to 5pm, followed by an

information session about the ‘Dementia Friends’ initiative from 5pm to 6pm. The Creative Arts Hub exhibition on Huddersfield Road has been supported by NHS North Kirklees CCG, Kirklees Council and Mirfield Health Centre. For more information email info@creativeartshub.org.uk or call 01924 492775.

A high-energy performance Anything Goes Alhambra Theatre, Bradford Ends Saturday March 7 Box Office: 01274 432000 Review by Adele Latham THE ORIGINAL Anything Goes show was ‘launched’ in 1934 and focuses on the madcap antics aboard an ocean liner bound for London from New York. Stowaway Billy Crocker, played by Matt Rawle, is in love with one of the passen-

gers, Hope Harcourt, who is engaged to stuffy Lord Evelyn Oakleigh. Nightclub singer Reno Sweeney, played by the extremely talented and charismatic Debbie Kurup, and ‘public enemy No 13’, Moonface Martin, played by Benidorm actor Hugh Sachs, farcically try to help Billy in his quest to win Hope’s heart and affections. This superb production is funny, vibrant and lively, with high energy, superbly choreographed dance routines, which leave the audience breathless.

Jack, the main inspiration for the exhibition, photographed by Geoff Brokate

Debut punk night in Batley THREE top bands will feature at a punk night in Batley tonight (Fri). Dirtbox Disco, one of the most popular and colourful punk bands on the circuit, will be making their Batley debut at the Brooklands venue on Bradford Road. The Midlands-based punk rock outfit had their song ‘Freaks’ featured in a Kate Moss advert for Rimmel. The band have since gone from strength to strength,

with a tour of Germany and most of the UK sold out already this year. They are a massive hit at the Rebellion Punk Festival at Blackpool Winter Gardens each year, and they always fill the room. Support comes from Barnsley-based System Of Hate, who play dark punk rock (and have Lee ‘Ratbag’ Terry from the Kingcrows, guesting on drums for the evening) and Das Abyss from

Doncaster open the evening, with their 1977-influenced sound. Doors open at 7.30pm and tickets are £8 on the night. The show is for over-18s only. This is the first night of the monthly Batley Punk shows which will take place at the Brooklands Bar. Other bands booked so far to play include Peter & The Test Tube Babies, XSLF (ex Stiff Little Fingers), Vice Squad and Chelsea.

Bach, Schumann, Ravel, Debussy, Morricone ... classics abound THE LATEST Dewsbury Town Hall lunchtime concert is set to offer a treat for lovers of the oboe and piano, featuring Lisa Osborne and Paul Janes on Wednesday

March 11 (12.30pm.) The duo will play a programme which includes classics for oboe and piano by Bach and Schumann, and piano solos by Ravel

and Debussy. The programme also includes Gabriel’s Oboe by Ennio Morricone by special request. Lunches are available from

11.30am, where ticket holders can enjoy a bite to eat and chat prior to enjoying the uplifting musical programme on offer from 1pm in the main hall.

Tickets are £5 each (£3.50 for concessions) and can be bought from www.kirklees.gov.uk/townhalls or by calling the Kirklees box office on 01484 223200.

ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

Park friends’ Faye ‘steps’ right into first meeting new comedy theatre role Hear Ann across the BBC radio network and on Ent News (UBC Media Showbiz online)

By David Miller

9 SHADES of Black is a hilarious new comedy with a whip-cracking script that promises to leave you wincing and laughing in all the right places. Starring Faye Tozer from Steps, she tells me: “It’s a far cry from what I am used to performing in, but I laughed out loud at the script, and I think my fans will love it too.” It’s on tour this spring.

LESLEY JOSEPH of Birds of a Feather tells me there could be a movie on the cards. She said: “We are in talks, because since we came back it’s been amazing and now TV bosses are seeing the success of hits like Mrs Brown’s Boys transferring to the big screen and looking at other options. I think it would be fantastic actually.” ITV APPEARED to confirm there will be a third series of hit crime drama Broadchurch, with the storyline beginning immediately after the conclusion of series two. All three mains stars of the previous outings will also return. Lead female role Olivia Coleman told me: “I can’t believe it, because we were all told this was a oneoff, but we are back filming down there in July.” DOC MARTIN star Martin Clunes will play Sherlock Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in new ITV drama Arthur and George. “It’s such a brilliant challenge and because people love the creator of the famous books, well you just better get it right,” he said. “It’s my biggest challenge to date.” NEW TRICKS is being axed after 12 series of the BBC detective drama. With all the main original stars now out of the show, the creators have decided to call time. The last series was a ratings flop, and the BBC had hoped the inclusion of Tamzin Outwaite would have helped this, but now it’s going for good after this series. KELVIN FLETCHER who plays Andy in Emmerdale admits that it would be hard for him to leave the show now. “I have been here since I was 11 years old and I don’t know if people could see me as anyone else now really,” he said. ITV is planning a revival of 1960s drama The Saint. The broadcaster has commissioned a pilot episode

SHIRLEY BASSEY, Egyptian gods and mythical creatures – Bagshaw Museum in Batley has it all. And just like many attractions these days there are now volunteers leading efforts to put it back on the map. The first meeting of a new Friends of Bagshaw Museum group takes place on Sunday at 11am. Members aim to put the venue on a par with Oakwell Hall’s green flag as a top visitor destination. The foundations are there given intriguing displays about Egyptology, Batley

Ann pictured with Faye Tozer in London penned by Ed Whitmore (Arthur & George) and Chris Lunt (Prey). If successful it will be turned into a full series, but fans are hopeful of a cameo from Sir Roger Moore, who has already admitted: “I would jump at the chance to do this.” FORMER EastEnders actor Dean Gaffney has made a triumphant return to acting ... in a new Marmite ad. Dean tells me: “I just hope that people can see I also do comedy now and not all serious stuff, but I do hope that it will lead to some other things ... I would love to pop up in Benidorm.” SIMON COWELL is taking Spanish lessons so he can find the Latino One Direction. He tells me: “I am doing a new show in that area with Ricky Martin, and yes I thought I should have a go at learning it, so I can fit in, but it’s early days so far.” ROWAN ATKINSON is to star in a remake of French detective series Maigret. The Mr Bean star will play pipesmoking Parisian detective Jules Maigret in two featurelength episodes for ITV, based on the novels by Georges Simenon. If successful it will turn into a full length series. ANN WIDDECOMBE and Zoe Lucker have been confirmed for BBC One’s 24 Hours in the Past. Alistair McGowan, Colin Jackson, Miquita Oliver and Tyger Drew-Honey are also joining the programme. The contestants must immerse themselves in the trials of a Victorian worker, having no contact with the modern world for four full days and nights. EX-EASTENDERS actor Leslie Grantham, who played Dirty Den in the BBC soap,

Maycon Pictures

has revealed that he would like to win a role in Coronation Street. He tells me: “I do enjoy the show and figure given my background I would make a great guest star. I am hopefully approaching them soon.” ANT AND DEC have been accused of copying Morecambe and Wise material for their Saturday night show, and the boys have had to admit they are “inspired” when they watch the old reruns of the duo’s hit programmes. “We admit we slightly update it, but it’s all done with heart,” they tell me. JULES KNIGHT has quit his role as Dr Harry Tressler in Holby City, and plans to work on his music career. Jules, whose character was nicknamed ‘Dr Love’, said: “I loved playing Harry on Holby and have had fun there with the cast. Variety is the spice of life, however, and I like to keep moving.” His first solo album, Change of Heart, is out in April. VERNON KAY has revealed that he would “seriously consider” taking part in Strictly Come Dancing. However insiders tell me that they have no real plans to offer him a stint, even though his wife Tess Daly co-hosts the show. “It would not be fair on the others so we have resisted the offer of him so far,” I heard.

Variety Club and decorative arts. Opposite is the Milner K Ford observatory, home to the Batley and Spen Astronomical Society. The surrounding 36-acre Wilton Park is also getting a makeover in time for spring. Park staff have cut back shrubbery, cleared paths and wire brushed and painted benches and bins. Friends group member Jason Hawkins said: “The new group is the next stage in making Wilton Park the place the community chooses to visit. “I urge anyone with an interest and as little as an ounce of time to help us to make a real difference.”

Living wage plan to be debated A REPORT recommending a 'living wage' which would bring pay increases for more than 2,000 Kirklees Council staff has been referred by the Labour cabinet to March's full council meeting. If it wins backing there, the proposal to pay a minimum £7.88 an hour would go before the Personnel Committee for rubber stamping. The council put funding aside for the move at its budget meeting. The cabinet wants Kirklees to be an advocate for the introduction of the living wage to other organisations in the district, after the report stated that where the living wage has been introduced in other organisations, there have been

savings made in terms of fewer people leaving and improved wellbeing of staff. The report also highlighted the importance of ensuring that staff understand the range of non-salary benefits, training and development available to them. It suggested joining of a West Yorkshire-wide initiative looking at ways to increase the benefits available to the lowest paid employees through collective bargaining. Council leader David Sheard said: “This is not only going to benefit our own employees – by setting an example and encouraging other local organisations to do the same, we will hopefully help a lot more people in Kirklees take a step out of poverty.”

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EMMERDALE’S Natalie Anderson tells me the trouble that’s going to be caused by Lachlan’s twisted and disturbed crush on Alicia. “Oh it’s very dark, but I believe it’s based on a true story that one of the writers has picked up on,” she said. “I like the fact that she will be doing something more dramatic and moving away from the comedy for a while.”

Featuring a distinctive copper-domed tower, the gothic building was once home to Victorian textile baron George Sheard. It was named after its first curator Walter Bagshaw, a former Batley councillor known for his travels. The observatory opened in 1969 just four months before the famous first moon landing. Mr Hawkins, of the Swan Lake Cafe at the park’s new pavillion, said: “We aim to build on the foundations of a wonderful place to visit for all the family.” All are welcome at the friends meeting on Sunday. Tea and coffee will be provided.

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ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

Seeing the light with £24k kit

Eye op dashes Brittany’s dream By David Miller

THE question ‘is it clearer with ... or without?’ will be familiar to anyone who visits an opticians. But Specsavers on Westgate in Dewsbury have made answering easier with a £24,000 investment. The branch now boasts a machine which does away with the need for uncomfortable test frames. Called a Nidek Auto Phoropter, it replaces the traditional way of checking trial lenses. Store director Paul Smith said: “Comparisons of slightly different lenses become quicker and more comfortable.”

BUDDING paralympian Brittany Stead is missing out on her sport’s world championships. The visually-impaired goalball star, 18, of Spen Lane, Gomersal, was due to travel to Seoul in May but now needs an eye operation. She had already raised about £2,000 towards the cost of travelling to the tournament. Brittany, who took up the sport four years ago, now aims to be part of the Team GB squad for the Rio Paralympics next year. She took to fundraising after UK Sport cut its investment in goalball despite success at London 2012. Players, who raised £35,000 between them to get to Seoul, need more cash for the Paralympics. Brittany said: “I’m gutted I

Health group in benefit survey

Brittany – now aiming for Rio won’t be able to go to Seoul but I’m 100 per cent behind the fundraising to get us all to Rio.” Goalball, a cross between basketball and football, was created for blind or visually-

A HEALTHCARE watchdog is undertaking a survey of the various charges local GPs impose on patients who need a medical opinion in order to qualify for benefits. Under government reforms, high numbers of people have found themselves having to get a medical assessment – which GPs are not obliged to provide, and routinely charge for. Now Healthwatch Kirklees is

impaired players. Two opposing teams of three in blindfolds try to score goals by rolling a ball into the other team’s net. The ball, which has a bell inside so players can hear where it is, is the same size as a basketball but twice as heavy. It was originally developed to help with the rehabilitation of soldiers after the Second World War. Brittany said: “It’s not an exaggeration to say goalball changed my life. “It’s amazing to play a sport designed with my disability in mind. “My confidence has grown massively. I never thought I’d be playing sport at an international level.” Anyone who wants to donate to Brittany’s Team GB Rio fundraising can visit www.justgiving.com/GBRWo mensGoalball.

News in Brief Cemetery work gets £300 cash boost DEWSBURY: Cemetery renovations are planned after volunteers raised more than £300 from a supermarket bag pack. Members of the New Friends of Dewsbury Cemetery were at the town’s Asda branch two weeks ago. The total, which includes money from a bucket collection at the Mill Street West store, came to £300.16. It will pay for tarmacking an area around the cemetery’s bottom entrance plus plants and shrubs.

Supermarket staff join the comedy fun DEWSBURY: Supermarket workers will be doing wacky things for Comic Relief – including acting as a human fruit machine. Competitors at Sainsbury’s on Railway Street will have to match winning lines of fruit drawn at random. There will also be a bake-athon, a ‘make your face funny’ face painting contest and Red Nose Day merchandise on sale. Comic Relief is on Friday March 13. Sainsbury’s are hosting activities over the whole weekend. GOT A STORY? RING US ON 01924 470296

quizzing 60 local doctors to ask if they provide evidence, what they charge and how they communicate those charges to patients. The investigation follows work by Kirklees Citizens Advice Service, which found that many of its clients had struggled to get the medical opinion they needed for sickness and disability benefit assessments. Healthwatch director Rory

Deighton said: “It’s hard on GPs. The Welfare Reform Programme has generated significant demand for medical opinions, and GPs have no contractual obligation to complete these requests. “However, for a patient, using a medical opinion to get the welfare benefits to which they are legally entitled can make a massive difference to their overall health.”

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ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

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ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

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Friday March 6, 2015

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ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

RUGBY UNION

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 Two retro metal shelf units, powder coated, one red, one black. 4 shelves per unit, 12” x 32”, adjustable height each shelf, frame floor standing and multiheight adjustable; suitable downstairs or garage etc. Good condition, will flat pack for transport £20 pair, will separate. Tel 01924 462494. (1649) NewAlba acoustic folk guitar, from Germany; inc tribal planet guitar case and metal guitar stand. All as new, never been used £70. Tel 01924 504409. (1650) Two-seater drop arm settee plus two cushions, as new, wine red, cost £699 HSL, accept £150 quick sale, buyer collects. Tel 07786 404627 (1651) Wood fire surround complete with splashback, and electric fire with removable coals. Like new £100. Tel 01924 410973/ 07519 725771 (1652) CHILDREN’S GOODS Mamas & Papas wicker moses basket with premium mattress and rocking stand, plus white baby bath; excellent condition £30. Tel 01924 477178. (1646) Mamas & Papas rearfacing car seat with carry handle. Suitable from birth. Immaculate condition £25. Tel 01924 407400. (1648) Demon kids’/ teenagers’ motorbike helmet, black, red and white. Bought from Padgett’s, cost £80. Never worn, unwanted gift £40 ono. Tel 07961 602572. (1628) FABRIC/ FASHION Men’s real leather jacket dark blue, med, zip front, made in England £15 ono. Like new. Tel 01924 495743 (Mirfield) (1641) Ladies’ black full-length Windsmoor winter coat, size 16 £20 ono. Tel 01924 470866. (1639) Two heavy quality sleeping bags £5 each. Tel 01924 473218. (1619) FREE Free to collect horse manure, bring your own bags. Tel 07814 577224. (1600) FURNITURE 4ft 6in double divan bed

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Cleck slip to draw NATIONAL THREE LEAGUE NORTH

BURNAGE CLECKHEATON

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at Varley Park

CLECKHEATON RUFC surrendered a commanding lead to slip to a 22-22 draw at Burnage on Saturday. The Moorenders came away with two league points following their first competitive encounter on a 3G pitch at Varley Park. But it will be viewed by the team as two points lost rather than two points gained, after another performance which was relatively mediocre by the standards set earlier in the season. The home side opened the scoring on three minutes with a penalty goal from Adam Knight. Cleckheaton responded straight away when a high kick from father-to-be Michael Piper wasn’t caught on the full by the home team, and the bounce propelled the ball into the hands of the leaping Danny Vento for a simple try. Ross Hayden added the extras. Poor discipline gave Burnage easy field position and another three points via a penalty goal, whilst Ben Thrower was given 10 minutes in the sin-bin. Still down to 14 men, a touch of class from Hayden saw the full-back glide through the Burnage threequarter line for Cleckheaton’s second try. The conversion attempt drifted wide but Hayden also

BARNSTORMING: Rob Afoa-Peterson carries the ball forward added a penalty goal just before half-time to give his team a 15-6 lead at the break. The visitors started the second period by putting the ball out on the full and then went on to concede a number of penalties, which strained their composure. Tempers flared and the superior rugby from Cleckheaton was replaced by threats and fisticuffs, which levelled the match right out. Burnage had a man sinbinned during the fracas but a break from centre Stuart Oldham for a long-range try put the home side back in the game. A penalty goal from Knight narrowed the scores further, to a paper-thin 15-14 to Cleck. Cleckheaton looked seemingly to have regained control when Lee Queeley tiptoed down the touchline fol-

Gerald Christian

lowing good hands from Jack Bickerdike and Rob Afoa Peterson for a try in the corner. Man-of-the-match Hayden converted to put the Moorenders two scores in front at 22-14 with less than 10 minutes remaining. Calm heads would surely have seen the game out with a victory, but it wasn’t to be. More ill-discipline and infringements gave the hosts impetus and inside centre Knight charged in for an unconverted try. With only seconds remaining, Cleckheaton nervously defended a scrum and tap penalty close to their line before a further penalty, deemed to be the last play by the referee, was slotted through the sticks by Burnage to land them a 22-22 draw.

Medal haul for BOK swimmers SWIMMING BOROUGH OF KIRKLEES swimmers collected a record medal haul as they competed in the Yorkshire Championships. The team topped last year’s impressive medal collection in the competition, which ran from February 14 to February 22, with a

total of 191 swimmers reaching their respective finals. The team collected 26 golds, 37 silvers and 32 bronze medals. Charlotte Robinson collected an impressive haul of four gold medals, three silvers and three bronzes. Robinson won the 10-year-olds 200 metre individual medley, 200 metre

breast stroke and 100 metre and 200m fly races. There was also notable performances from Milly Boulding who clinched two golds (200 metres and 400 metres freestyle), two silver medals and a bronze medal. Mirfield swimmer Kyle Chisholme came home with three silvers and a

bronze medal. Eden Warburton also picked up gold after winning the 14/15 year-old category of the 100 metre backstroke. Rosie Hepworth dominated her 12year-olds age category with an impressive capture of two silvers and four bronze medals. There was also a silver medal for Martha Bradley.

East Bierley hit a century By Mike Popplewell EAST BIERLEY CC completed 100 seasons of Bradford League cricket last September, and have featured some of the best players in the world in their ranks at one time or another, West Indian legends like Roy Gilchrist for example, but the team honours have, more often than not, eluded them. But it is all change this season at South View in this Kirklees ‘outpost’ and chairman Ray Davies is hoping for a marked improvement on a campaign last summer that saw them permanently hovering just above the relegation places before finishing in third bottom spot. Apart from a purple patch in the 1990s when they won three First Division titles in

BRADFORD LEAGUE CRICKET four years, between 1993-96, Bierley can boast just two titles, 1981 and 1988, which, for such a well-established club, must be a source of frustration. However, as a cup side they have few equals. After seven losing Priestley Cup appearances, they finally won the first of their eight final victories, in 1981, and have also clocked up another four runners-up trophies – 19 Priestley Cup final appearances. Add to that the National Village Knockout Cup success at Lords in 1979 and three Black Sheep Yorkshire Champions successes and you have a formidable knockout record.

But, what of the season ahead? Former Spen Victoria skipper Dan Shuffe is back to full fitness and will captain the side but they will miss club stalwarts like Andrew Rennison, who can no longer find the time to travel from his London base, and Gavin Hamilton, now working for the Professional Cricketers Association, who may have to miss around a third of the games. There are new arrivals in the form of former Farsley paceman Matthew Lumb and Danish Hussain, from Yorkshire League side Sheffield United, while the new overseas player is spinner Haziz Hullah Khan. Mr Khan playing at East Bierley, there’s a thought.

ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

HEAVY WOOLLEN SUNDAY LEAGUE

NAVIGATION BOOK FINAL SPOT NAVIGATION booked themselves a place in the Heavy Woollen Challenge Trophy final after Dave Blakeley, Bobby Campbell and Tom Heaton all scored in a 3-0 win over Clifton Rangers. They will meet either Battyeford Reserves or Scholes Athletic in the final. The top two sides in the HEAVY WOOLLEN SUNDAY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION met at the weekend, but neither team could claim the spoils as Birkenshaw drew 2-2 at home to St John Fisher. Danny Walding and Tom Ormondroyd netted for Birkenshaw, with Rob Hiscox and Aiden Schofield replying for Fisher, who lead the title race by three points. Woodman Batley Carr climbed to fourth place after a Lee Brook hat-trick, a Jonny Walton double, plus a strike from Andrew Pickles saw them win 6-3 at bottom club Battyeford (James Pedersen, Ashley Harder and Jamie Brannon). AFC Chickenley won only their second league match of the season, winning 4-2 against Millbridge WMC. Janos Hadju, David O’Keefe, Ryan Simmons and Tim Clarke netted for Chickenley, whilst Millbridge replied through a Jamie Wasley brace. Runaway CHAMPIONSHIP leaders Mirfield Town continued their perfect season with their 17th consecutive league win of the

campaign, beating bottom side Hartshead 6-0. Jonathan Mitchell, Gibril Bojang, Michael Rounding, Luke Naylor, Chris Meeson and Sam Raymond bagged the goals for Mirfield, who lead by 18 points. Second-placed Woodkirk Valley have a toe in the Premier Division as they increased their lead from the third placed team to nine points with a 2-1 win at St John Fisher Reserves. Jonny Downey and Scott Love netted for Woodkirk, with Blake Maude replying for Fisher. Joe Armour and Scott Metcalfe both struck twice as Heckmondwike Sports Club won 5-1 against Birstall St Patricks. Robin Knight bagged the other, with Jonathan Smith firing Birstall’s consolation. Marsh lie fifth after Liam Roe (two), Andrew Shingleton, Marc Harrison and James Parkin all scored in a 5-0 win at Barr Street. With previous leaders Navigation not in league action, Deighton WMC grabbed the chance to take top spot with a 3-2 win at Punch Bowl, who replied through a Harry Jones double. Deighton lead by a single point, though Navigation have two games in hand. Birkenshaw Reserves are third after strikes from Phil Bell and Jack Rogerson saw them

win 2-1 at Town Rangers, who replied through Scott Thornton. Ravenswharfe missed the chance to go joint second after they lost 2-0 at Bay Horse East Ardsley, who had Mark Pickersgill and Joe Hill on target. While first-half strikes from James Heeley and Faisal Hanif were enough to secure Dewsbury Westside the points in a 2-0 win at bottom side Overthorpe Sports Club Reserves. Scholes Athletic are the new leaders in DIVISION TWO after winning 5-3 at previous table-toppers FC Liversedge. Kieran Armitage (hat-trick) and Gareth Jones (two) were Scholes’ scorers with Chris Trott, Danny Stocks and Mark Wigley replying for Liversedge. Marcus Pope hit a hat-trick as Clifton Rangers Reserves won 5-3 against thirdplaced Cobras. Jordan Lewis hit the others, with Rob McLean, Lewis Kendall and Jack Bradford replying for the visitors. Chris Goodair hit a double as fourth place Hanging Heaton CC won 4-1 at Batley Celtics. Mark Inwood and Sam Hethington hit the others, with Celtics replying through Brad Jackson.

CHALLENGE: A Navigation player shields the ball Dave Jewitt

SPEN VALLEY LEAGUE

Norfolk edge out rivals to secure semi-final berth NORFOLK secured their place in the semi-finals of the SPEN VALLEY CUP after edging Athletico 3-2 in their quarter-final tie. Eugene’s double and a goal from Said Said proved the difference as Norfolk edged their Division One rivals to reach the last four. They will meet Division One promotion-chasers Palestino in the semis after they thrashed Howden Clough 5-0. In the third quarterfinal Savile Youth came away from Vision with an impressive 3-1 victory. Mohammed Amin, Ebrahim Sacha and Rakeeb Rahman accounted for Youth’s

scoring. With Vision only able to net a consolation through Chris Benn. A semi-final tie with Premier title challengers Route 1 Rovers awaits after they edged Hightown Jets in a titanic tussle of a tie. Jets – who are currently flying high at the top of Division One – faced their toughest task of the season against a Route 1 Rovers side currently second in the elite division. And they gave their higher-placed rivals a real run for their money with James Mortimor firing in their goal. But a double from Shaib Iqbal ensured Hightown didn’t

cause an upset. SPEN VALLEY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION strugglers Savile United almost gave divisional high-flyers Girlington a shock before losing 1-0. United – now three points adrift at the foot of the table – gave their third-placed opponents a real run for their money, but a single goal from Danya Dar was enough to save Girlington’s blushes. Smokin Aces remain in the battle for survival after they were soundly beaten 5-1 at Marsh. A win for Aces could have moved them further clear of the relegation zone, but they could only

muster a goal from Shakeel Pandor in reply to Marsh’s five-goal haul. In DIVISION ONE Cleckheaton Sporting picked up their first win of the season in style, at the 13th attempt, by thrashing Savile Town 51. Sporting travelled to a Town side sitting one spot above the relegation spots knowing a win was a real possibility; and they produced a seasonbest performance to gain the three points. Liam Williams was the star of the show with a hat-trick, with further goals coming from Paulie Lawson and Rob Blackburn. Amaan Safeer

scored Savile Town’s consolation. Mount Pleasant ensured the Cleckheaton side climbed off the foot of the table after they defeated fellow strugglers Inter Batley 3-1. Goals from Mohammed Patel, Jawad Khan and Raees Lorgat condemned Inter to the foot of the table. The visitors could only score through a Moosa Hafejo penalty. They remain without a league win. Fox and Hounds Batley continued their ascent up the Division One ladder after doubles from Sam Hetherington and Dom Simpson secured a 4-0 win at George Healey.

JUNIOR FOOTBALL

Sports secure comeback win OVERTHORPE Sports Under13s staged a superb second half fightback to claim a 6-3 victory over visitors Rastrick. The hosts were heading for defeat after Rastrick posted an early double and then led 2-1 at the half-time interval, but Sports put on a blistering second half display to claim the three points. Sloppy defending from Overthorpe gave Rastrick an early two-goal advantage before a superb free-kick from Alex Stonefield, against the strong wind and pouring rain, brought the Sports back into contention. The Black and Whites’

defence tightened and held the away side to 2-1 at halftime, before taking complete control in the second half with Brad Llewellyn hitting a hat-trick. Stonefield also completed his own treble with another free-kick and a quality strike from 30 yards out which gave the Rastrick keeper no chance. The visitors scored a late consolation goal in the dying seconds with a fine finish – but it wasn’t enough to deny Overthorpe. The Sports were well served at the back by Zack Whitehead, with great support from Max Chadderton,

Double defeat edges nervous Sedge closer to the drop zone

Liversedge FC Worksop Town

Joe Egan and Luke Halford. The midfield of Brodie Haigh, Henry Loney, Bailey Searby and wide man Connah Megson all had strong games alongside excellent contributions from substitutes Joe Longstaffe and Georgia Jewitt. Goalkeeper Nathan Hawker was constantly alert to the threat from the very dangerous and speedy Rastrick forwards, coming off his line on a number of occasions to deny them.

HAT-TRICK HERO: Sport’s Alex Stonefield scored three goals in his side’s win Dave Jewitt

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LIVERSEDGE were no match for second-placed Worksop Town as they slumped to a 4-0 defeat on Tuesday. James Cottingham gave the Tigers the lead on 10 minutes, firing into the top corner from the edge of the area. The lead was doubled three

minutes before the interval when Conor Higginson collected Tom Elliott’s pass cutting inside before slotting the ball past Josh Avery from just inside the area. It was 3-0 on the hour mark when Conor Sellars’ corner was flicked onto Sam Liversidge, who drove the ball into the back of the net. Sellars completed the scoring on 73 minutes from the penalty

spot after Andrew Sunley felled Higginson. Three minutes from time the home side were reduced to 10 men after the referee adjudged Frank Zola put a forearm into Elliott’s face.

Nostell Miners Welfare Liversedge

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LIVERSEDGE remain in the NCEL Premier Division relegation scrap

Town paying for festive slump as season closes WOMEN’S FOOTBALL OSSETT TOWN boss Dan Robinson must be cursing his side’s pre-Christmas slump when they went five West Riding League Premier Division games without a win. In their last game, a 2-1 win over fellow title chasers Brighouse Athletic, thanks to goals from Gemma Howell and a lastminute deflected effort from Jess Fenal, secured three points and lifted them into joint top spot with Hemsworth, having played two games more. With only one game remaining, against Bradford Park Avenue on March 22, it will need some freak results for Town to carry off the league trophy, but it has ensured an encouraging finish to the season for Robinson and his girls. Battyeford Belles took over the leadership of Division Two with a convincing 5-0 win over luckless Dewsbury Rangers who, despite playing pointless Middleton Park this week, look on course for a second bottom finish in their division. The Belles got off to a blistering start against Dewsbury and directly from the kick-off captain Louise Wardman combined with Rebecca Wiggans to set up Sarah Taylor to score after just 24 seconds. Battyeford controlled a great deal of the play before Chloe Shotton provided excellent service to Wardman for her to double the Belles lead. Girl-of-the-game Leanne Webster then provided a telling cross for Sarah Taylor to head home the Belles third just before half-time. New deadline day signing Charlie Cassidy scored an excellent fourth when she sent a 30-yard shot high into the top corner. And the former Howden Clough winger flicked on for Taylor to complete her hat-trick and the scoring. Second-placed Bradford City A have two games in hand on Battyeford, and a superior goal difference, but whilst Bradford have a tough game at Wetherby reserves, a win for Battyeford at Ilkley Town is well within their capabilities and would certainly keep the pressure on. Battyeford reserves are at the Brighouse Town Development side in Division Three.

following a 1-0 loss at fellow strugglers Nostell Miners Welfare on Saturday. The game was dubbed a must-win for the Clayborners as they faced a Nostell side two places below them in the relegation spots. Whilst their opponents are also staring a drop into the NCEL Division One in the face, Sedge came into the game on an

unwanted run of six league games without a win. And it was apparent that both sides are struggling near the foot of the table in a goalless first half. It remained the same in the second period until Nostell’s Tony Doran fired home to give his side the lead and score what would turn out to be the only goal of the game.

ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

KINGSTONE PRESS CHAMPIONSHIP

PLAYER RATINGS HUNSLET HAWKS Jimmy Watson James Duckworth Jimmy Keinhorst Danny Maun Vinny Finigan Simon Brown Danny Ansell James Houston Jack Lee Andy Yates Josh Walters Callum Casey Rob Mulhern

MORRO SLAMS RAMS Dewsbury lose as Hawks pick up first league win

SUBS: George Flanagan Luke Briscoe Liam Mackay Brad Brennan

KINGSTONE PRESS CHAMPIONSHIP

HUNSLET HAWKS DEWSBURY RAMS

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DEWSBURY RAMS

James Morris at South Leeds Stadium

DEWSBURY RAMS coach Glenn Morrison slammed his side’s performance as Hunslet got their first win of the 2015 season with a masterclass of winter rugby at South Leeds Stadium. In a game of very few clear cut chances, it was the Hawks who handled the mud bath like conditions better. Tries from George Flanagan and Vinny Finigan along with five goals from Simon Brown sent the South Leeds side on their way to victory. The Rams responded with a solitary try from Ryan Hepworth. Hunslet coach Barry Eaton described his side’s performance as very pleasing after close defeats in their opening two games. He said: “We learnt some lessons from rounds one and two and we ground it out today. “We competed in those first two games but there were some fundamentals that we didn’t get right but we put that right. “Apart from a 10-minute spell in the second half when Dewsbury threw everything at

CONSOLATION: Ryan Hepworth crashes over for the Rams’ only try and right, Glenn Morrison shows his frustration in the dug out Steve Horsfall us, we handled the conditions exceptionally well.” Dewsbury coach Morrison was highly critical of his player’s performance. “That was probably the worst performance we have put out in the two and a half years since I have been here. “I’m not trying to take anything away from Hunslet, they

played the conditions better than us, we had the wind in our face in the first half and the penalty count was 8-2 against us at half-time and that’s why we lost. “Our completion was about 60% and you don’t deserve to win a game like that. “I stuck with the same side that won at Sheffield but I

think there will be some changes now and people can’t complain if they get left out.” It was a first half of few incidents with just three Brown penalty kicks bothering the scoreboard until the final minute of the half when hooker Flanagan spotted a gap from acting half and burrowed his way over.

FORTY-20 YORKSHIRE CUP GROUP STAGE

46 0

at Mason Green

MIRFIELD STAGS’ debut in the Yorkshire Men’s League competition ended in a comprehensive 46-0 defeat as they were beaten in the Forty-20 Yorkshire Cup by Illingworth. The newly-formed side, who have entered into the YML Division One for 2015, got an early taste of life at this level and found themselves behind after just nine minutes. A good passing move involving half-backs Liam Manning and Andrew McElroy found Jack Bradbury on the right and the centre picked his way through the defence for the score.

The lead was doubled on 20 minutes when McElroy stole the ball in a one-on-one tackle and made good yards to the twenty metre line. From the subsequent play the ball possession was shifted out to the left and Scott Allen provided the pass for winger Adam Millns to touch down. Four minutes later quick thinking from Luke Sutcliffe increased the lead further. Taking a quick restart on his own 20 metre line the full-back raced away from despairing defenders to go under the posts. Kieran Nicholson added the conversion to make it 14-0. Sutcliffe added his own second and his side’s fourth as the half hour approached, Allen again the provider, the centre regaining possession of his own grubber

kick, and offloading to the fullback who crossed in the corner to complete the half’s scoring. Five minutes into the second half Bradbury grabbed his second, finishing well behind the posts following a good centre field break from prop Joe Crossland. Nicholson’s conversion took his side’s points tally to 24. Despite the mounting score line Mirfield – prompted by the efforts of experienced ex-pro Francis Maloney, Conner Socket and Lewis Hardy – fought valiantly to break their duck, but floundered on a sound forward effort from their opposition, Luke Dennis particularly to the fore. Bradbury completed his hattrick on 49 minutes, evading to cross from 25 yards out, Nicholson again converting.

The lead should have been increased as the hour mark approached when Sutcliffe made a superb break down the right, but his pass inside failed to find the support of Manning. The pair however made amends moments later, Nicholson fielded a Maloney bomb and made good yards from his own line, Manning took the ball on and went 70 yards before committing the last defender and feeding Sutcliffe on his inside for his hat-trick try. With the visitors tiring the hosts capitalised scoring three further tries in the last 10 minutes. Millns crossed for his second, Crossland, finding himself in an unfamiliar position on the wing, and Allen in the final minute completing the victory.

KBW Boxing Club pair claim Yorkshire titles KBW Boxing Club are celebrating double success after two of their boxers won Yorkshire titles at the finals of the junior and youth championships last weekend. Callum Grace and Subhaan Ahmed both collected the coveted titles after overcoming tough opponents at Havercroft Sports Centre on Sunday. Grace (48kg) had fought just two days earlier at a Halifax boxing show, seeing off Tommy Capps to reach his final. He boxed an experienced opponent in Capps from the Northallerton boxing club, but dominated and boxed clever, landing clean combinations while defending the counter-attacks to secure a unanimous decision victory on all the judges’ cards. On Sunday Grace took on Liam Riley (St

CHAMPIONS: Callum Grace and Subhaan Ahmed Paul’s Boxing Academy) and once again put on a dominant display of boxing. The KBW fighter drew blood in the first round and continued to overpower his opponent over all three rounds to secure a unan-

Karl Pryce Dalton Grant Jason Crookes Shane Grady Dale Morton Matty Wildie Anthony Thackeray Matthew Haggarty Tom Hemingway Ryan Hepworth Rob Spicer Scott Hale Aaron Brown

The closest the Rams got was a spell midway through the half when they forced four repeat sets on the Hunslet line but they couldn’t find a way through the desperate Hunslet defence. The second half started much like the first, with both sides settling down into a real arm wrestle. Dewsbury would have hoped to make early inroads into the Hawks’ lead but it was Hunslet who extended their advantage. A Brown kick into the corner was claimed by Finigan who climbed above the Ram’s defence to add to his side’s lead. Dewsbury did have a lifeline in the game when Hepworth twisted and wriggled his way out of the defence to reduce his side’s deficit, but that was as close as they would get, with Brown confirming the victory with his fourth penalty kick.

Stags suffer heavy defeat in cup tie ILLINGWORTH MIRFIELD STAGS

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imous decision, becoming a junior Yorkshire champion for the third time. Subhaan Ahmed boxed Naseem Stowell of the Hull Saints Amateur Boxing Club in the 46kg category. Subhaan boxed skillfully from the first bell and outboxed his opponent, also drawing blood in the opening round as Stowell just made it to hear the bell. The second round saw Ahmed again dominate, forcing the referee to administer a standing eight count to Stowell and later stop the bout for a few moments to wipe the flow of blood from the Hull fighter’s nose. The third round was very one-sided and when the final bell was heard Subhaan Ahmed’s hand was raised, declaring him a winner by unanimous decision.

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SUBS: Keiran Hyde Joel Farrell Toby Adamson Makali Aizue

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GAME GUIDE HUNSLET HAWKS Tries: Flanagan (40), Finigan (48). Goals: Brown (9, 12, 39, 40, 77).

DEWSBURY RAMS Tries: Hepworth (60) Goals: Hemingway (61)

STATS Penalty Count: 9-5 Referee: G Hewer Attendance: 983 Half-Time: 12-0 Weather: Windy and rainy Sin-Bin: None Sent Off: None

ThePress MAN OF THE MATCH RYAN HEPWORTH The Rams forward got through plenty of work and scored his side’s only try

Thornhill arrange final warm-up Lock Lane tie RUGBY LEAGUE THORNHILL Trojans have moved swiftly to arrange a final pre-season warm-up game ahead of the new National Conference League campaign. The Overthorpe Park men were due to take on League 1 promotion hopefuls Keighley Cougars on Saturday in a highlyanticipated match. But the fixture against the semi-professional side was cancelled due to the lack of a doctor on the sidelines. Thornhill will now round off their pre-season campaign with a home tie against Lock Lane on Tomorrow (Sat 2.30pm).

Cleckheaton boxer Mo wins Youth final crown BOXING CLECKHEATON BOXING CLUB fighter Mohammed Liaqat has been crowned 64kg champion at the England Boxing Association’s Yorkshire Association Youth Finals. Mohammed is currently studying Level 3 extended diploma in Sport at the Kirklees College’s Huddersfield Centre. Tutor Sarah Heathcote said: “Congratulations to Mo. We know how much effort he puts in to his training and his studies and it is fantastic to know he is doing so well.”

Send your sports reports, news and photos to Jared Priestley at sport@thepressnews.co.uk DEWSBURY BRIDGE CLUB RESULTS: Tuesday February 24 N/S: 1 A Haith and G Clarke; 2 M Belk and L Mallinson; 3 G Fishwick and J Tomlinson.

E/W: 1 P and D Sampson. 2 D Hannam and G Bragg. 3 J Bragg and T Johnson.

ThePress

Friday March 6, 2015

PLAYER RATINGS BATLEY BULLDOGS James Craven Wayne Reittie Ayden Faal Shaun Squires Johnny Campbell Cain Southernwood Scott Leatherbarrow Alex Rowe Alistair Leak Tom Lillycrop Alex Bretherton Lee Mitchell Joe Chandler

6 6 7 6 8 7 7 6 7 6 6 6 6

SUBS: Anthony Nicholson Luke Blake Keegan Hirst James Brown

6 6 7 7 8 6 7 9 8 7 8 8 7 6 6 7 7

SUBS: Adam Tangata Richard Moore Ryan Maneely Jacob Fairbank

KINGSTONE PRESS CHAMPIONSHIP

BATLEY LOSE ‘FAX TUSSLE

Bulldogs edged in low-scoring Yorkshire derby KINGSTONE PRESS CHAMPIONSHIP

BATLEY BULLDOGS HALIFAX

2 6

Matthew Shaw at the Fox’s Biscuits Stadium

HALIFAX Miles Greenwood Tommy Saxton Chris Taylor Steve Tyrer James Saltonstall Matt Place Scott Murrell Mitch Cahalane Ben Kaye Luke Ambler Adam Robinson Dane Manning Andy Bracek

6 7 7 6

GAME GUIDE BATLEY BULLDOGS Tries: None. Goals: Leatherbarrow 1/1.

HALIFAX Tries: Place (37). Goals: Tyrer 1/2.

STATS Penalty Count: 6-13 Referee: J Cobb Attendance: 1,113 Half-Time: 2-6 Weather: Wet and windy Sin-Bin: None Sent Off: None

ThePress MAN OF THE MATCH JOHNNY CAMPBELL The Bulldogs winger was unlucky not to score as he was denied four times

BATLEY BULLDOGS were made to pay for missed chances as they were edged 6-2 by Halifax in difficult condiions at the Fox’s Biscuits Stadium. Torrential downpours and boggy pitches have somewhat hampered newly-appointed coach Richard Marshall’s side expressing themselves as of yet, but this victory over Batley was proof that when the going gets tough, Marshall’s boys have what it takes to slog their way to ugly victories, with Matt Place’s individual effort enough to seal the win. “The boys want to be a real good defensive unit. If someone missed a tackle, someone covered. We closed the kickers down and played the conditions so well,” said a proud Marshall. From Batley’s perspective, this was two dropped points, squandering numerous chances in the first half before failing to ask enough questions of a tiring Halifax defence in the second period, with the quickly deteriorating conditions making it extremely difficult to chase the game. A combination of scrambling defence and poor ball retention meant noteworthy chances were sparse in the opening quarter, but the best openings of the first half fell the way of the home side, who were gifted a host of opportunities due to Halifax’s sloppy handling. The Bulldogs should have scored on

MUD BATH: The Batley defence get to grips with Halifax’s James Saltonstall the 30 minute mark as they broke down the left, only for Alex Bretherton to fumble the ball metres from the line. Meanwhile, Johnny Campbell was staggeringly denied on four occasions; first by Australian half-back Matt Place who dislodged the ball as Campbell was about to go over the line, twice by Steve Tyrer who outstandingly nullified two kick and chases on free plays, and lastly by referee Joe Cobb, who deemed Scott

Leatherbarrow’s pass to Campbell forward after he touched down in the corner. The blow was softened as Cobb took the play back to a late tackle from Jacob Fairbank, with the penalty resulting in Leatherbarrow converting a penalty to give Batley a 2-0 lead after 35 minutes. That lead lasted just two minutes, however, as Fax scored what proved to be the decisive try of the match.

Maroons beat league leaders PENNINE DIVISION SIX EAST

DEWSBURY MOOR A HALTON MOOR STORM

26 10

at Heckmondwike Road

DEWSBURY MOOR A defeated Division Six East league leaders Halton Moor Storm in a fiery affair at Heckmondwike Road on Saturday. Having fielded a near under-18s side the previous weekend at Doncaster Toll Bar, the hosts were able to name a much more experienced line-up for the league encounter. The game wasn’t one for the faint-hearted as Halton proved to be tough opponents, testing the referee’s limits as they tried to provoke the Dewsbury side. The hosts withstood the provocation and responded in the best way possible, going into the lead on 25 minutes when Pattrick Farrelly forced his way over, carrying several would-be tacklers over the line with him. The hosts suffered a blow when foul play saw the experienced Adie Moore forced to retire with a facial injury. Surprisingly the offending Halton player went unpunished. But the Division Six East leaders showed they were vulnerable on the edges as a cu-

WINNERS: Moor A go on the attack

Stevan Morton

out pass by Tom Kaye got Jonjoe Fox into a gap. The centre-cum-second-rower returned an inside pass to Kaye and the half-back sent winger Jack Clarkson in for a wellworked try. Stand-off Cameron Adleigh added a fine angled conversion to put Moor 10-0 in front. Storm responded in kind and some good flowing rugby saw them register their first try. The conversion was missed and the hosts held onto a 10-4 half-time lead. The feisty affair continued in the second stanza but Moor stood their ground as Simon Whiteley blasted through, before handing off several attempted tackles on his way to the

whitewash. Adleigh’s converted. There was no letting up in the tough battle and youngsters Caden Wilkinson, John Bowness, Dean Carr and Cameron Johnson came of age in the confrontations. Scott Sheard took the weight off the front line troops with some defence-testing runs to keep Halton Moor on the back foot. But the Leeds side countered and found a gap in the tight Maroon and Gold defence to score a converted try and bring the score to 16-10 to the hosts. The game threatened to boil over as the tension increased, but the referee took the sting out of the encounter by sin-binning a player from each side. With normality restored Alex Jeffs and Dominic Scanlon put in some good runs and Josh Pease was denied a try by a good low tackle at the corner flag. But the pressure paid off when Whiteley struck again to put Moor 20-10 in front. The score deflated the visitors and a harmless kick through by Wilkinson was mis-fielded by the Halton defender, allowing substitute Louis Greenwood to scoop up the loose ball and score the final try. Fox took over the kicking duties to add the extra two and make the final score 26-10.

Silverwood hunting winning Mirfield return RUGBY league will return to Mirfield for the first time in almost five years this weekend, when the Stags play host to Normanton Knights in the second round of The Forty-20 Cup. Richard Silverwood’s injury-hit side suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Illingworth last time out, going down 46-0 to the Calderdale outfit. However, Mirfield look set to be boosted by the return of at least

four Stags for tomorrow’s game at Castle Hall (Sat 2.30pm). And head coach Silverwood is hoping his men can bounce back, handing the sport back to the people of Mirfield with a bang. “Saturday is going to be a very special occasion for this club and the town as a whole,” said the Super League referee, who took on the coaching reins last November. “There is a massive appetite for

rugby league in Mirfield and we want to give the town something to be proud of this weekend and going forward. “The boys have prepared very well this week and are raring to go. They are well aware of the what Saturday will mean. “Illingworth were very good last weekend, exposing some of our weaknesses and we expect another very difficult test this Saturday.

“But with plenty at stake, including our place in The Forty20 Cup, I feel sure the boys will set the record straight in front of our supporters.” The Mirfield Stags Academy will make their debut this weekend, tackling Shaw Cross Sharks A at Leeds Road in a pre-season friendly. The Stags’ reserve side are to enter Division Four of the Yorkshire Men’s League for 2015.

Place picked up the ball 20 yards out and cut the Batley defence at ease, darting around a few defenders before diving over the line for a fine individual try. Tyrer converted to give Fax a 6-2 lead at the break. From there onwards Halifax played the conditions impeccably, being more disciplined with the ball in hand whilst allowing the kicking exploits of Scott Murrell to keep the Bulldogs away from their own line. Batley tried in vain to make an opening, with Cain Southernwood scheming throughout, but failed to make any notable chances and gave numerous penalties away when Halifax were camped in their own half, with the 13-6 penalty count leaving Batley head coach John Kear bitterly frustrated. “I’m not saying we were angels but if we were getting penalised I’m sure they shouldn’t have two penalties to our one, I’m absolutely sure of that. But I’m very happy with the commitment.”

Boys bounce back PENNINE LEAGUE

BREAKAWAY: Batley Boys burst through BATLEY BOYS got their PENNINE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP ONE promotion chase back on track with an emphatic 48-12 win over Allerton Bywater. The victory saw Batley leapfrog the visitors into fourth place, although they remain a point behind a Morley side with three games in hand in third spot. However, they can increase the pressure on the top three sides tomorrow (Sat) if they can come away from divisional strugglers St Josephs with two points. In DIVISION ONE Ossett Trinity came close to claiming a hard-fought away victory at Sharlston Rovers A, but were narrowly defeated 16-12. And a home fixture tomorrow against a Victoria Rangers side hunting promotion will do little to ease Trinity’s relegation fears. Dewsbury Celtic moved further clear of the DIVISION FOUR drop zone following a valuable 34-20 win at Farnley Falcons. Celtic’s victory over the Leeds outfit saw them leaprog the Falcons into eighth spot, and they take a break from league action tomorrow when they travel to Eastmoor Dragons in the fourth round of the Pennine Supplementary Cup. Hanging Heaton picked up an impressive 31-10 win over Keighley Albion to boost their hopes of promotion from DIVISION FIVE. The Dewsbury side’s victory saw them move above Albion into second spot – albeit having played five more games than the Keighley side – and also inflicted just a second defeat of the season on their promotion rivals.

IN-FORM CRAVEN INJURY SETBACK By Jared Priestley Sports Reporter sport@thepressnews.co.uk

BATLEY BULLDOGS could be without full-back James Craven for up to 12 weeks after he suffered a knee injury against Halifax last Sunday. Craven, who signed at the beginning of the season from relegated side Keighley Cougars, damaged his medial cruciate ligaments in the Championship fixture and will miss at least eight weeks, with the possibility of 12 weeks out depending on the results of a scan due next week. It is a hammer blow for coach John Kear who acquired the former Shaw Cross and Thornhill Trojans amateur following the departure of last season’s leading try-scorer Miles Greenwood. Kear said: “We have a number of good backs but unfortunately we will be without James Craven for eight to 12 weeks now. “Johnny Campbell filled in really well in the full-back position on Sunday, but I have three players to try in that role during this week’s training, so he isn’t assured of that position. “We also have a couple of players carrying bumps and knocks so we will have to assess them throughout this week’s training to see who will play against Sheffield.” Batley travel to the Keepmoat Stadium on Sunday to face Sheffield Eagles (4.15pm). The game forms part of a double-header of Championship fixtures as the Eagles currently share the ground with Doncaster. Doncaster entertain unbeaten league leaders Leigh Centurions (2pm) before the Eagles match

KNEE JERK REACTION: Newly-signed full-back James Craven has been ruled out for several months with a serious knee injury against Batley (4.15pm). Both Batley and Sheffield have started the season in identical fashion, with two victories and a loss in their opening three games. And Kear says that Sheffield’s opening results show they will offer a different challenge for his side. “Obviously the Sheffield game will be played on a different surface because we have played on two quagmires in the last two weeks,” he added. “The Keepmoat is a fast, dry surface suited to open rugby so that offers us a different challenge.

“Sheffield have had a really good start, not just with the London result, but also with the win at Whitehaven. “Whitehaven is a tough place to go and you don’t need to pay attention to the 20-6 scoreline, you need to look at the five tries to one because Sheffield didn’t kick one goal.” Kear also highlighted the quality in the Eagles squad and says they have strengthened well ahead of the 2015 campaign. “They have brought in Jamie Langley who has undoubted quality and he could play against us this week.

“They have skillful half-backs in Dominic Brambani and Kyle Briggs, strong back rowers in players like Mike Knowles, and when you have three-quarters like Menzie Yere and Quentin Lauulu-Togagae you know they have quality throughout. “Sheffield have been champions two of the last three years so we know how good they are. “I have been pleased with our start but let’s not kid ourselves, we have played in bad conditions not suited to flowing rugby, so Sunday will be a real test of our defence. “We have conceded four tries in our first three games, if we can restrict Sheffield to one or two tries I will be delighted.” Batley fans wishing to watch both games can buy a doubleheader ticket priced £20 for adults, £16 for concessions (over 60s and young adults aged 17-20) and £5 for juniors (under-16s). Supporters who just want to see the Eagles play the Bulldogs can gain admission after the first game has finished, and those prices are £15 adults, £11 concessions and £5 juniors. In other club news, following the success of last year’s event Batley have set a date for the 2015 Pink weekend. The event – which raised funds for a number of breast cancer charities – was a tremendous success last season when £9,900 was raised from a weekend which saw the Bulldogs don a special one-off pink strip. This year’s Pink event will be on the weekend of August 15-16 and plans will begin in the next month. If you have any ideas on how to make the fundraiser even bigger, contact Beverley Nicholas on 07711 983123.

‘DOGS EDGED IN HALIFAX BATTLE p27

RAMS LOSE IN HAWKS MUDBATH p26

Changes needed for Workington – Morrison DEWSBURY RAMS coach Glenn Morrison could ring the changes as his side prepare to take on Workington Town on Sunday. Morrison slammed his side’s performance after they slipped to an 18-6 loss at Hunslet last weekend and will be hoping for an improved showing against Town. The Rams will be aiming to get back to winning ways on Sunday as they play their second home game, but Phil Veivers’ men proved somewhat of a bogey side for Dewsbury last season, doing the double over them. And Morrison knows the Rams cannot afford to show any complacency against the Cumbrians. He said: “Even though we’ve got a lot of players who haven’t

had a run-out this season, we stuck with the team which played against Sheffield at Hunslet. “But some of them didn’t deserve to wear the shirt. I expect to be making some changes this week. “We’ve definitely lost some of the momentum we had after the first round, but it’s important to get back on track as soon as we can. We know we can play a lot better. “We have put a line under the Hunslet result now and we need to re-group and we can’t let that happen again. “We need to fix a few things up and we have to step up this week. Even though it’s at home we can’t afford to be complacent. We can’t take any game lightly.”

Town currently sit on the foot of the Championship table with three losses from their opening three games. But despite this Morrison admits it could be a false position, considering the quality of opposition they have faced so far. “Whitehaven are similar to Hunslet last week because they are a good side without a win yet,” he continued. “They got one over on us last year and we know it is going to be a tough one, there are no easy games. “There is only one undefeated side left in the competition after three rounds so that shows how close this competition is. “The table doesn’t really do Whitehaven justice.

“They have a quality squad and a dual-registration link with Widnes. All the talk is about Brett Seymour but they have quality throughout their squad. “Whitehaven have lots of quality and Super League experience with players like Danny Craven, Jessie Joe Parker and Craig Calvert who burnt us last year so they are a good side.” In other club news, following from the success of the seasonopening Championship clash with Sheffield Eagles at the Tetley’s Stadium, Dewsbury are putting on another offer for supporters ahead of Sunday’s match against Whitehaven. Every adult fan who arrives at the stadium before 1.45pm will receive a voucher for a free bot-

tle of Kingstone Press Cider. They can simply collect a voucher from reception and redeem it inside the ground upon entry. “We’re pleased to be able to offer another small incentive to supporters,” said Rams chairman Mark Sawyer. “More than 1,300 people attended our home game against Sheffield – representing an increase of more than 50 per cent on last year’s figure – and we’re extremely keen to maintain that momentum.” Meanwhile, Dewsbury’s Championship round two match against Workington Town, which fell foul of the weather, will now take place at Derwent Park on Wednesday March 18 (7.30pm).