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

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Friday May 1, 2015

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No. 683

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THE FINAL PUSH Election hopefuls throw everything they’ve got into clinching your vote HE last week of frenetic electioneering is under way – and we have stories from inside the various campaigns in North Kirklees.

There’s been a rumpus involving claims – now partially retracted by the Conservatives – that Batley and Spen Labour candidate Jo Cox neither lives or is registered to vote here.

On the other side of the district, Labour’s nominee for Dewsbury and Mirfield was called a “chicken” for pulling out of a TV debate with incumbent Tory Simon Reevell.

Paula Sherriff is believed to have withdrawn from an event in Thornhill due to a family commitment.

She did, though, take part in a debate between the candidates on local TV station Made In Leeds.

Reports suggested that the Green Party’s Adrian Cruden did well, while Lib Dem candidate Ednan Hussain was seemingly not on form.

Labour continued bringing in high-profile figures in their bid to unseat Mr Reevell.

Shadow ministers Ed Balls

T

TOWN HALL MEETING: Ed Miliband addresses voters in Dewsbury yesterday

and Michael Dugher were followed by Party Leader Ed Miliband – who was in Dewsbury yesterday (Thurs).

Meanwhile, chancellor George Osbourne announced special help for Dewsbury on Tuesday.

He vowed to make the town

a devolved “enterprise zone” which would have powers separate from Kirklees Council.

These offer economic boosts such as rate relief schemes, simplified planning processes and superfast broadband.

Meanwhile a political row erupted in Shaw Cross over

DEWSBURY DISTRICT GOLF CLUB

whether a residents’ meeting was a public event.

Tory council election candidate Mark Eastwood was asked to leave an annual general meeting – he’s since complained to officials about what he claims was political bias.

READ MORE INSIDE

• Miliband in Dewsbury • Sherriff is a ‘chicken’ – MP Reevell • Tories and Labour row in Batley & Spen seat Election special: p4-5

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ThePress

Friday May 1, 2015

Tragic mum stepped straight in front of car

Deaths BIRD RAYMOND On 27 April, of Thornhill Lees, aged 92. Husband of the late

Joyce. Funeral at St Paulinus RC Church, Monday 11 May at 2pm, followed by burial in the churchyard.

Place your family notices by calling 01924 470296

BRADBURY JOHN

CROWTHER JOE

On 23 April, of Ossett, aged 86.

Husband of the late Mavis.

Funeral at Dewsbury Crematorium, Wednesday 6 May at 12.30pm.

On 22 April, aged 96, of Thornhill. Husband of the late Doreen. Service at Thornhill Parish Church, Friday 8 May at 1.15pm.

CHESTERMAN DONALD

DICKINSON NEE KIMBERELY CHRISTINE

On 21 April, aged 88, of Cleckheaton. Husband of the late Joan. Funeral at Gomersal Methodist Chapel, Thursday 7 May at 10.30am.

COOPER JEAN (NEE BRAIME) On 25 April, aged 89, of Soothill. Wife of Norman.

Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Friday 8 May at 11.15am.

COST MATTHEW On 24 April, aged 44. Mass at St Paul’s Catholic Church, Cleckheaton, Thursday 7 May at 11am.

On 20 April, of Batley, aged 71.

Wife of the late Reg. Funeral at Dewsbury Crematorium, Thursday 7 May at 2pm.

DUNTON JOHN On 25 April, aged 90, formerly of Hanging Heaton. Husband of Joan. Funeral Wednesday 13 May at St Leonard’s Church, Ipstones at 2.30pm.

ELLIS NEE BLACKBURN MARGARET On 26 April 2015, of Thornhill, aged 75. Partner of the late Gerald. Funeral at Dewsbury Crematorium, Wednesday 6 May at 11.15 am.

Place your family notices by calling 01924 470296

FRANCE ELIZABETH On 27 April, of Earlsheaton, aged 84. Wife of the late Walker. Funeral enquiries to George Brooke Funeral Directors Tel: 01924 454476.

INESON GARTH On 23 April, aged 79, of Staincliffe. Funeral at Dewsbury Crematorium, Tuesday 5 May at 10.30am.

MERSON ALAN THOMAS GP On 28 April, aged 92, of Ossett, aged 92. Funeral enquiries to George Brooke Funeral Directors Tel: 01924 454476.

SCOTT NORMAN On 26 April, aged 94. Funeral at Dewsbury Crematorium, Thursday 7 May at 10.30am.

SHIRES NEE BREAREY BEATRICE “BIDDY” On 27 April, of Earlsheaton, aged 75. Wife of Stuart.

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SMITH ALBERT LESLIE On 20 April, aged 76, of Cleckheaton. Husband of Margaret. Funeral took place at Dewsbury Crematorium, Wednesday 29 April.

SYKES MARK MAXWELL On 25 April 2015, aged 58.

Dad of Dan. Funeral at Dewsbury Crematorium, Wednesday 6 May at 2.45pm.

WILSON (NEE COLBECK) IRENE On 25 April, aged 89, of Birstall. Wife of Eric. Service at Dewsbury Crematorium, Friday 6 May at 9.30am.

WOOD BESSIE On 22 April, aged 91. Wife of the late Ernest. Funeral at Dewsbury Crematorium, Monday 11 May at 12.30pm.

WOOD LESLIE On 23 April, of Cleckheaton, aged 97. Funeral enquiries to Michael Wright & Son Funeral Directors, tel 01274 871092.

WOODHOUSE KENNETH On 24 April, of Upper Hopton, aged 86. Husband of Pat. Funeral at Dewsbury Crematorium, Thursday 7 May at 12.30pm.

A DRIVER could not have avoided hitting a wedding reception reveller near Dewsbury, an inquest heard.

Dominic Lacey was at the wheel of a Ford Ka when it struck Amy Binns on November 9, 2013.

Wakefield Coroners’ Court heard Miss Binns was crossing Dewsbury Road near Woodkirk Valley Country Club around midnight.

Mother-of-one Miss Binns, 23, of Ridgeway Drive, Birstall, died from multiple injuries in Leeds General Infirmary.

Mr Lacey told police he did not see Miss Binns in the road and only braked after the tragic collision.

Police accident investigator Keith Reyner said he estimated Mr Lacey was doing 41mph in a 40mph zone at the time.

Miss Binns stepped out from the dual carriageway's

central reservation when the Ford Ka was just 11m away.

Mr Reyner said even if Mr Lacey had seen Miss Binns and braked the collision would still have happened.

Evidence showed Miss Binns had drunk about two glasses of wine at the wedding reception with fiance Thomas Oates.

Deputy coroner Kevin McLoughlin recorded a verdict of death by traffic accident.

He said: “For reasons we will never be able to explain, neither Mr Oates, or similarly Sarah, saw the car approaching.

“To lose a promising young woman with such a bright future is a mammoth tragedy.

“I offer my heartfelt sympathy. I’m particularly mindful that there is a little boy who must grow up now without his mother.”

Arts academy trials A NEW performing arts academy has opened in Dewsbury offering free trial classes.

The Acorn Theatre Company is based at Oak Tree Studios, between South Street and Daisy Hill.

There are dance, vocal and guitar lessons for all ages ,with free try-outs for anyone interested.

Parent business Little Acorn Productions recently took on Reman House – which has a long association with performing arts groups.

The Acorn Theatre Company does four major events a year and runs work-

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shops for children.

Moving into Reman House proved to be the perfect chance to expand into teaching. Proprietor Sarah Barker said: “Our teachers come with a range of experience but all of them know what is needed to be a successful performer.

“We set high standards for ourselves and our pupils and will do everything we can to make sure we all achieve them.”

Classes at Oak Tree Studios are on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons. Each one offers a free trial.

For more details call 01924 452277 or email sarah@acornproductions. org.uk.

ThePress

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Friday May 1, 2015 Issue No: 683

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The Press abides by the principles of the Independent Press Standards Organisation and at all times attempts to report fairly and accurately and correct mistakes or errors as soon as possible. In the first instance, contact the editor, otherwise we will be happy to give details of the Independent Press Standards Organisation.

ThePress

Friday May 1, 2015

Hit-and-run lout tracked down on Facebook DRIVERS turned detectives to find the hit-andrun motorist involved in a crash in Dewsbury.

Culprit Daniel Briggs, 25, was traced through Facebook after he fled the scene on Leeds Road.

Leeds Crown Court heard Briggs, of Thornhill Lees, was driving his girlfriend’s Audi and ploughed

into the back of a car with such force that it was shunted forward into another vehicle.

Both Briggs’ victims suffered neck injuries. One needed time off work while the other had only just bought the car and still has to make payments.

Briggs, who took the Audi without permission,

only had a provisional licence and didn’t have any insurance. After the crash, he parked his girlfriend’s car in a shop car park, ran off and later told her to report the vehicle as stolen, which she did.

Duncan Ritchie, prosecuting, said the crime report was soon discovered to be false. Then one of the

other drivers, who found out the name of Briggs’ girlfriend, looked her up on Facebook. A picture of her cuddling Briggs was seen and he was recognised as the driver who fled.

Briggs pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking and failing to stop at the scene of an accident.

He also admitted having no insurance or full driving licence, attempting to pervert the course of justice and common assault.

Richard Reed, for Briggs, said his client has a cannabis problem which has cost him his job more than once. He was jailed for 12 months and banned from driving for two years.

Swindler pays up to avoid jail A SWINDLER avoided jail when more than £22,000 stolen from a Dewsbury nursery was paid back.

S a m a n t h a Crossland, 30, was told to cough up before sentencing at Leeds Crown Court last Friday – or face prison.

Crossland, daughter of Mirfield lottery winners Susan and Michael Crossland, stole the cash from Child’s Play.

The nursery, on Thornhill Road, Dewsbury, was left close to financial ruin by her actions.

Leeds Crown Court heard the amount stolen, £22,642.61, was paid into the bank account of nursery

owner Lynda Quigley last Wednesday.

The deposit was from an “S. Crossland” – though it is not clear if this was Samantha or her mother Susan.

But as a result, Crossland received a 12-month community order with 180 hours’ unpaid work.

Crossland, of The Paddock, Mirfield, previously admitted to the theft of tuition fees paid by parents.

She had been promoted to nursery manager and then ran the accounts when Mrs Quigley became

ill in 2013.

Recorder Ray Singh told Crossland: “You were in a position of significant trust. You were left alone to deal with the money – it is therefore a breach of trust.

“Staff, parents and the like were no doubt finding it very difficult to understand what was happening.”

Crossland’s parents scooped £1.2m on the lottery in 2008 using the same numbers as Susan’s late father Barrie had used.

Mrs Quigley, a friend of Susan’s, also considered herself

“I’m happy justice has been served after what has been a very difficult year. But I still have no idea why she did this to me – why a good friend would betray me like this...”

– LYNDA QUIGLEY, Child’s Play nursery owner

THE PRESS: The winners of our £100 Asda gift card competition were Mrs Maureen Wilde of Staincliffe and Mr Idrees Akhtar of Dewsbury, who both correctly answered that the Asda store is on Mill Street West.

Well done to both and thanks to everyone who took part – we had hundreds of entries.

Drugs charges BATLEY: A man appeared in court accused of having Class A drugs with intent to supply.

Asif Laher, 27, of Banks Street, is alleged to been in possession of crack cocaine, cocaine and heroin. He made no plea to the charges when he appeared at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court and the case was referred to Leeds Crown Court. He was given unconditional bail.

www.facebook.com/ThePressNews Samantha Crossland... her parents scooped £1.2m on the lottery close to Crossland before the thefts.

She said: “I feel really relieved that I’m finally going to get closure now that the court case has finished and the money taken has been repaid in full.

“I’m happy that justice has been served after what has been a very difficult year.

“But I still have no idea why she did this to me – why a good friend would betray me like this.”

Do you know purse-lifter?

THIS is an image of a suspected thief who stole a purse at a Heckmondwike supermarket.

It follows an incident on April 10 when a 74-yearold woman had her purse stolen at Morrison’s.

A thief picked up the purse, which was left on a till, and used a bank card from it.

Cash was withdrawn and items bought in Heckmondwike, Dewsbury and Leeds before the card was cancelled.

Anyone with information can call Chris Birkenshaw at the Batley and Spen NPT on 101.

Tip-offs about the suspect can also be made in confidence to CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.

DEWSBURY: A man who died when he was hit by a train had been discharged from a psychiatric unit. Nathan Oates, 31, of Huddersfield, was struck at the railway station last Tuesday night.

He suffered from paranoid schizophrenia but was released from Dewsbury District Hospital on April 13. His mother Joanne, 50, claimed he had told staff he was going to take his own life and threatened to hurt others.

Officials at the South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust are investigating. A spokesman said: “We are in contact with the family and very much want that dialogue to continue.”

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ThePress

News In Brief Drugs in sweet tin CLECKHEATON: A man admitted possessing skunk cannabis and handling stolen goods.

Jack Trotter, 23, of Dewsbury Road, was jailed for four weeks after appearing at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court.

The hearing was told police found 17 selfseal bags of skunk cannabis in a sweet tin at his home on August 21 last year. More bags of the drug and a £2,700 motorbike stolen in a burglary were also found.

Drugs co-accused Andrew Morton, 20, of Bradford, was sentenced to a day in custody after pleading guilty.

Friday May 1, 2015

ELECTION 2015

Argy-bargy over claims Cox lives on Thames boat

Miliband

Court drunk warned THORNHILL: A solicitor had to warn his client after he attended court drunk – for a case about wasting police time.

Lee Matthewman, 29, of Park View, was banned from Kirklees Magistrates’ Court last Friday. He was due to appear on a charge of making a false report of an incident that happened at his home on March 20.

Matthewman boozed while waiting for the case to be called. It was adjourned until Wednesday.

Solicitor Paul Blanchard said: “He has been given clear advice that this behaviour cannot be tolerated.”

Band’s double date SPEN VALLEY: An award-winning brass band is to make two appearances in the district this month.

The Clifton and Lightcliffe Brass Band will first appear at a free May Day Fair in Little Gomersal on Monday, May 4 at the Wheatsheaf on Gomersal Lane (1-4pm), organised by Little Gomersal Community Association.

The band will also appear at Cleckheaton Town Hall for a VE Day event on Saturday, May 9 (doors open 1.15pm). Tickets are free from the Town Hall today (Friday).

Houseboats on the Thames A ROW erupted in Batley and Spen this week about whether an election candidate is “local”.

Tories accused Labour’s Jo Cox of “cynically misleading” voters over where she lives.

The former Oxfam head of policy was also said by the Tories not to be registered to vote here.

It rested on claims that Mrs Cox lives with her family on a houseboat moored on the River Thames.

Tories said checks showed fees for the “exclusive” London site were as high as £5,210 a month in October, 2013.

In response, Labour said Mrs Cox lives in Roberttown and that she is on the electoral register here.

As a result, the Tories partially retracted a statement sent to the media on Tuesday.

But they maintained an attack on the former Heckmondwike Grammar School pupil as being in conflict with Kirklees Council.

The statement said: “Mrs Cox was parachuted into the constituency as part of an all-women shortlist against the wishes of the local Labour Party.

“And (she) has found herself in constant conflict with Labour-controlled Kirklees Council, where half of the cabinet, including the leader of the council, represent wards in the constituency.”

Tory candidate Imtiaz Ameen is from Dewsbury and was the candidate for Blackburn in 2010.

Mrs Cox’s LinkedIn page states that since becoming Labour’s nominee she has worked for two international charities.

She was an advisor to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation from September last year to March.

And from January to September, 2014, she was an advisor to anti-slavery campaign group The Freedom Fund.

A spokesman for Mrs Cox said: “That’s what’s at the heart of this malicious attack – the Tories are suffering from candidate envy.

“As the Tories have been told already, Jo is currently living in Roberttown, where she is registered to vote.

“And she makes no secret of the fact that she has been living on a barge for the past few years.

“If elected she’ll split her time between her home here and the Commons, like every other MP. “She has lived and worked all over the world and makes no apology for having a successful career.

“This anti-aspirational attack by the Tories doesn’t show Jo’s weaknesses but her strengths.”

By Danny Lockwood LABOUR leader Ed Miliband launched an attack on “parttime” Tory MP Simon Reevell yesterday (Thursday).

Mr Miliband spoke – briefly – to local newspaper journalists before taking questions from ‘undecided voters’ at Dewsbury Town Hall.

He pledged a review of plans to downgrade some services at Dewsbury District Hospital if elected.

Mr Miliband also laid into a Conservative plan to make Dewsbury an enterprise zone.

He said: “So after five years of failing Dewsbury, seven

days before the election they suddenly have a plan.”

He referred to Labour manifesto pledges to freeze business rates and create more apprenticeships.

But he focused mostly on Mr Reevell’s record and said: “We just have a better plan and it’s one which puts Dewsbury people first.”

Promising to “review the NHS proposals” and back Labour candidate Paula Sherriff ’s opposition to the hospital plans, he added: “Her Conservative opponent appears to be supporting the downgrading.

“I can’t think of anyone better (for Dewsbury) than Paula Sherriff. She works in the NHS

and has led the opposition (to the hospital downgrading).”

He added: “Do the people of Dewsbury want Paula Sherriff, who would be a fulltime MP, or someone who does not seem to spend much time in Dewsbury or to care much about it?”

Mr Miliband said a Labour government would not see councils like Kirklees used as “a soft touch” for funding cuts “which this government has”.

He promised that Labour, trailing in the latest polls, would protect schemes like Surestart to help poorer families.

He denied a recent pledge to make Islamophobia an “aggravated race hate crime” was a cynical attempt to

Tory fumes after exclusion from

By David Miller A CONSERVATIVE activist claims he was told to leave a residents’ meeting in Dewsbury because he is an election candidate.

Mark Eastwood said he agreed to do so last Wednesday having gone to Shaw Cross Community Centre.

The Tory, standing in Dewsbury East at next week’s council

election, heard about the meeting while canvassing around Fieldhead Gardens.

He went after checking it was okay with a tenants’ and residents’ association (TRA) member.

But Mr Eastwood claimed he was told during a break it was “inappropriate” for him to have attended.

Coun Eric Firth (Lab), seeking re-election next week, was there but seemingly not asked to leave.

He explained it was the Shaw Cross TRA’s annual general meeting (AGM) and added TRA meetings are not ‘public’ events.

Coun Firth said: “It’s true that I was there.

“But I didn't have my candidate’s hat on – I was there as a councillor.”

He added of Mr Eastwood’s exclusion: “There was no ulterior motive. It wasn’t a hustings.”

At the AGM a new committee was elected and issues such as dog-fouling were discussed.

Coun Firth added no other candidates were there – and for Mr Eastwood to stay, all of them would have had to have been invited, which they were not.

He added of TRA meetings: “If you’re from Earlsheaton or Chickenley, even if you’re a tenant, you wouldn’t have been

ThePress

Friday May 1, 2015

ELECTION 2015

turns his fire on Reevell

Labour candidate Paula Sherriff with Ed Balls at a Mirfield nursery and, right, inspecting potholes around West Park Street with Michael Dugher

‘Chicken’ jibe as Sherriff misses TV debate

By David Miller

appeal to electorates with large Muslim populations, as in Dewsbury.

“Whether it is Islamophobia or antiSemitism, we are seeing a growth in some of these hate crimes,” he said.

“We should work across all government departments to tackle the problem ...

I don’t think we are doing enough.”

Mr Miliband did not specify what would be different about his new version of ‘aggravated’ Islamophobia, or define what the actual offence would be.

Asked if it was targeted at winning votes in towns like Dewsbury he said: “Not at all. We have been saying (this) throughout this campaign.”

The audience was

invited because they had supposedly told Ms Sherriff’s campaign team they were ‘undecided’.

Questions ranged from the spare room subsidy, which he pledged to axe, to school class sizes, tax avoidance and help for first-time house buyers.

On education, he said Labour would ring-fence the entire budget from cuts, including early years and FE colleges.

When asked about the NHS he said: “I can’t think of anyone better to fight for your local health services than Paula Sherriff, who has led from the front on this issue.

“She is such a contrast with your Tory part-time MP who has been a supporter of these changes.”

residents’ AGM able to attend.”

Mr Eastwood complained about his exclusion to umbrella group the Kirklees Federation of TRAs (KFTRA).

He said: “It was a public meeting in the sense that it was advertised on every door in the Shaw Cross estate.

“Why should the candidate of one party be allowed to attend but not one from another party?

“It shows how the

Labour Party works.

They don’t seem to want anybody else operating on what they consider to be their ‘patch’."

A KFTRA spokeswoman said they are looking into the claims but declined to comment in detail.

She said: “Mr Eastwood has issued KFTRA with a formal complaint and we now need to fully investigate without prejudicing the outcome.”

AN ELECTION candidate was accused of being “chicken” for not taking part in a TV debate in Thornhill last Sunday.

Labour’s Paula Sherriff pulled out of a chance to quiz Tory incumbent Simon Reevell due to what is believed to be a family commitment. She was yet to reschedule as The Press went to print – with online criticism coming from Mr Reevell.

He wrote on Twitter on Tuesday that the lack of response was “disappointing and predicable”. Mr Reevell told The Press: “She’s going round telling everybody she’ll fight fearlessly for Dewsbury. But you have to wonder about that when she runs chicken from a debate. I offered any other time to suit but heard nothing.”

Dewsbury TV is an internet community channel which had planned an election special. Rival candidates were due to interview each other, with Ms Sherriff and Mr Reevell due to go head-to-head. Instead Mr Reevell took on UKIP’s Mark Thackray but said he would still debate with Ms Sherriff if she is available.

Previously, the Virgin Care dermatology service manager challenged Mr Reevell to a debate on the NHS. On Tuesday, Ms Sherriff

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took part in a BBC Radio Leeds debate on the future of healthcare. Dewsbury-born Beth Prescott, the Tory candidate for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford, was also on the panel.

Meanwhile, Labour continued throwing everything at Dewsbury and Mirfield in a bid to win. Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls visited a

playgroup at St Andrew’s Church in Mirfield on Tuesday. The following day, Shadow Transport Secretary Michael Dugher saw pothole ridden roads around West Park Street in Dewsbury. And Tory Justice Secretary Chris Graying is set to visit Dewsbury and Grange Moor today (Friday), with the promise of more ministerial visits to come.

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ThePress

Friday May 1, 2015

Sherriff Paula looks set to carry the big gun in Dewsbury HINGS look good for Dewsbury’s Labour candidate Paula Sherriff.

For starters there have been no reported sightings of Shahid Malik ‘helping’ her campaign, so she should be in with a decent shout.

You wouldn’t want Malik throwing you a lifebelt if you were drowning. It would probably turn to concrete upon touching water.

The disgraced ex-Labour MP lost another ‘earner’ last week when corrupt Tower Hamlets mayor Lutfur Rahman was thrown out of office. Malik was on his books as a consultant.

Another Malik wheeze, ‘Tell Mama’, lost government funding after being accused of mischievously misrepresenting race-hate crimes. I wonder how Ed Miliband views that, given that he wants to make Islamophobia an aggravated race crime.

I asked Ed Mil about it yesterday (see page 4/5). I might as well have been talking to the wall.

Just what Malik consulted the Tower Hamlets dictator on is best not speculated on.

T

Malik’s pal bites the dust – corrupt mayor Lutfur Rahman Suffice to say that Rahman was found guilty of rank electoral fraud and corruption.

If there’s any justice in the world a prison cell will await Rahman who, when questioned about handing out lucrative contracts to his pals, would say that “answering the question would infringe my human rights”.

You really couldn’t make it up, could you?

I can’t imagine that being a spokesman for terrorists’ families, as Malik was with the Munshi crew in Savile Town, pays very well. Never

mind Shahid, there’s always room for another burkha shop in Dewsbury if you fancy a change of direction!

I did wonder what Kirklees Council chief executive Adrian Lythgo made of the Lutfur Rahman verdict, which ruled the election illegal and ordered it to be rerun. Squirm a bit, Aidy? Feel just a tad uncomfortable about the way you have thrown fire blankets over the regular electoral fraud in Dewsbury?

And not to change the subject, but has Coun Abdul Patel paid back any of those tens of thousands of pounds his Muslim Burial Committee defrauded local taxpayers out of yet?

Yes? No? Cat got your tongue?

Thought so.

HE Electoral Commission are reputedly monitoring the upcoming elections in Dewsbury, not least because of Abdul Patel winning Dewsbury South for Labour with the assistance of postal votes which he, family and friends

T

LIFE IN BLACK AND WHITE Danny Lockwood

went door to door collecting.

Kirklees police chief Tim Kingsman wasn’t in situ when officers laughingly ‘investigated’ those complaints, resulting in just three criminal cautions being issued.

And because the criminal charges which should have been brought weren’t, the police didn’t have to divulge exactly which of Patel’s family/friends admitted the offences.

These people have no shame, do they? Not the police, nor the fraudsters.

I remember driving up to one ‘address’ in the shadows of the Markazi Mosque, where a large number of voters were registered. There was no building. It had been demolished.

Meanwhile in 2015 the usual complaints are being bandied about in playground he-said, she-said fashion, but with nothing – at least nothing that’s surfaced yet – on the scale of recent years.

Rival candidates of Lib Dem Shehzad Hussain in Dewsbury West complained about an emblazoned van he has parked outside the North Road polling station in Ravensthorpe, but both the council and police have given that the thumbs-up.

There’s word, as ever, that Muslim voters are being told it’s their Islamic duty to vote for a brother, whether by Ameen and Zaman in Batley, or the two Hussains in Dewsbury, but that’s neither illegal nor surprising.

Politics is partisan by nature.

Compared to the shenanigans we regularly see, it’s something and nothing.

I mean, we’re only talking about democracy here, that’s all. And as Adrian Lythgo has proven time and again, there’s

It’s a telly bonanza ’LL be glued to the telly next Thursday night as the election results come in, but also on it – as part of a really important debating panel. No, not talking political rubbish, but discussing a vastly more important subject on Rugby League Backchat (Premier Sports, Sky Channel 428 – it’s a subscription channel, but Backchat is free-to-view).

In honour of the election, I am musing whether or not to appear wearing a kilt, in ‘traditional’ style. Perhaps host Dave Woods could introduce me as Nickerless Sturgeon…

I

HE end is nigh at last for the promise-a-minute politics of Cameron, Clegg and Miliband. It seems my prediction of Dave offering a portion of legover-and-chips with Sam if we’re good enough to vote him back in won’t come to pass.

I didn’t have time to ask Ed Mil yesterday if he’d considered it, while in the Clegg household I suspect it would have been Mrs C renting Nick out. Just one more week then before the sandcastles of promises are washed away in the tide. That’s if we have a government to call one. I suspect we might not.

T

one version of democracy for us, and a more flexible one for the Muslim community.

FINAL word on Shehzad Hussain, who received a suspended jail sentence for selling counterfeit clothing online under the trading name ‘TwinTowers11’.

Hussain explained that as being a reference to his charity fundraising and his birthday – September 11.

It was unwise at best, crass at least. But what I didn’t like was Hussain rounding on his critics saying “Would the reaction have been the same if I hadn’t been a Muslim?”

Not that old hokum again.

More importantly, the reaction wouldn’t have been the same if it hadn’t been Muslims who massacred those thousands of people – or if he hadn’t used such an inflammatory tag with which to break the law.

A

DEWSBURY Moor, Westborough, Ravensthorpe, Westtown and Earlsheaton might not be die-hard Tory patches, but I’d have thought they’d merit the occasional Simon Reevell poster.

I saw nary a single one this week. Not even on Bywell Road, which I would have thought potential Tory territory.

There were a few blue boards up Hanging Heaton and that was that. Mr Reevell likes his cash, so perhaps he’s already cutting his losses.

After the shortest so-called press interview with Ed Miliband in my long career (approx 3-4 minutes for three journalists) he nervously asked how Labour was doing in Dewsbury.

“You’ve got it all stitched up,” I replied.

He didn’t ask what I meant by “stitched up”.

Good job, really, all things considered.

Seems like charity begins at home T WILL be interesting to see if Batley Tory candidate Imtiaz Ameen turns up at a so-called ‘charity’ event allegedly being staged in his honour on Monday night at the Pakistan and Kashmir Welfare Association in Mount Pleasant.

Tickets are apparently being touted at £20 a head, although they were being handed out for free with gay abandon this week.

Why do I term it a ‘socalled’ charity event? Well, the ticket doesn’t name a charity, let alone a charity number.

Some people were told it’s to raise money for Nepal – but the tickets were going around before the earthquake struck.

Maybe it’s for the charity run by Imtiaz Ameen’s puppetmaster Terry Zaman, who is reputedly staging the event.

The tickets tell us food will be served – despite police apparently still interviewing Imtiaz, plus Sayeeda Warsi, Robert Light and others over

I

Jo Cox – home from home the Al Hikmah Centre banquet a few weeks ago.

Terry Zaman created the Zaman Foundation more than three years ago but has never submitted any accounts.

The ones from 2012/13 are 455 days overdue. And counting.

Have you ‘given’ to Terry’s charity? Any idea where your money went?

Meanwhile I almost choked on my cornflakes when receiving an email from Coun

Andrew Palfreeman of the Batley and Spen Conservatives, complaining loudly that Labour candidate Jo Cox actually lives on a houseboat in London, not at her parents’ in Roberttown.

Wakey, wakey Andrew! Not only is that not news, it’s a big so-what?

Terry Zaman is not only Dewsbury’s Labour fixer-inchief conveniently using the ‘moral Muslim bribe’ strategy on behalf of a Tory candidate, but he’s a complete wrong ‘un.

He employs people in death trap buildings; he hires illegal immigrants; he’s a slum landlord and he whips up racial unrest with his mosquebuilding activities, as he did in Westborough.

And you’re happy with him effectively running the Tory candidate’s campaign?

Not much moral high ground there, Andrew.

PS: Imtiaz’s agent David Hall says he won’t be attending the PKWA affair.

We’ll see, we’ll see...

ThePress

Friday May 1, 2015

Sir Elton’s goody bag boost for kids’ charity

By David Miller POP legend Sir Elton John has donated a goody bag for an auction in Mirfield in aid of a children’s charity.

He donated items including a signed photograph after he was contacted by Lower Hopton mum Victoria Wallin.

She told Sir Elton how the Sick Children’s Trust in Sheffield was instrumental in saving her one-month-old son’s life.

Louie and twin Leo were born six weeks prematurely last November and were in hospital for nearly a month.

After being allowed home, Louie was found looking blue in the face in his cot on the morning of December 1.

Frantic efforts by Victoria and husband Rory kept the tot alive before medics rushed

Rory and Victoria with daughter Scarlett (front) and twins Louie (left) and Leo him to Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax.

He was diagnosed with a chronic lung infection and transferred to Sheffield for specialist care.

Tiny Louie fought for his life for four traumatic days at the city’s children's hospital.

The Sick Children’s Trust

provided rooms for the couple and 21-month-old daughter Scarlett so they could stay by Louie’s side.

To say thank you, Victoria and Rory will host a charity auction at the Airedale Heifer pub in Mirfield on Sunday May 24 (7pm).

Victoria explained this to Sir Elton -– and he not only replied but sent a goody bag for the auction.

Stunned Rory joked: “We never expected him to reply. but if you don’t ask you don’t get.”

Other prizes include tickets for the Legoland Discovery Centre and Sealife attraction in Manchester and the Miss Saigon musical in London.

The cast of TV soap Emmerdale sent a goody bag, while there are also passes for horse racing at Ripon and Wetherby.

Loner alcoholic attacked children AN ALCOHOLIC with mental health problems attacked two children he plied with booze and cigarettes.

Clerk Appleyard, 52, of Mirfield, admitted two charges of assault following an incident on January 30.

Kirklees Magistrates’ Court heard Appleyard punched a girl, 12, in the head and burned her with a cigarette at his Lower Hopton flat.

He then grabbed a 14-yearold boy by his clothes and around his throat.

Laura McBride, prosecuting, said Appleyard would befriend children by offering them alcohol and cigarettes.

The girl stole some cigarettes and the defendant, described as a loner, gave chase. Ms McBride said he punched the girl three times and kicked her. When he

grabbed the hood of her coat, a cigarette he had in his hand burned her clothes.

She suffered a cut forehead, bruising and a lump to the back of her head.

Appleyard was told to undergo six months of alcohol treatment as part of a community order.

He must also pay £85 costs, £60 victim surcharge and £75 compensation to the girl.

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Friday May 1, 2015

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Judgement day for health service Dear Sir, The General Election campaign is getting into shape and is at its peak.

There have been many arguments regarding the campaigns by all the parties, but an important issue is the National Health Service, both locally and nationally.

I, as a GP for over 35 years would not be serving my patients if I did not speak up against the outrageous changes locally to downgrade Dewsbury Hospital, and creeping privatisation in general.

The Health and Social Care Act by the Coalition Government of

Letter of the Week: Dr H Thimmegowda, Mirfield 2012, which allows private care to be awarded to any qualified bidder, is worrying for many people, thus causing concern of eroding the very principle of the National Health Service.

Local commissioning groups have a free hand to commission from any qualified bidder and there is a dearth of accountability all around.

The funding of the NHS is also worth looking into. We in the UK spend around eight per cent of

No point in voting for the Big Three From: Name and Address Supplied Dear Sir, A couple of weeks ago your front page headline read ‘We’re all to blame’, which I understood as an ironic reference to the claims emanating from Savile Town to the effect that certain political, social, and cultural aspects of living in Britain were the primary catalysts that propelled Dewsbury teenagers Hassan Munshi and Talha Asmal to travel to Syria to fight for the ISIS cause.

And I can see where you were coming from.

That said, isn’t it the case that we really are all to blame?

Britain (and the rest of Europe) isn’t as it is by accident. Of course not everything can be predicted, but if not ourselves, who else should we blame for our refusal to learn the lessons of history?

Britain is as it is because politicians have made the decisions they’ve made; we are in this sorry state because this is where successive governments of whatever shade since 1945 have been leading us.

It gets more obvious with every week that passes – isn’t that why now there’s nothing of substance separating the three main parties? Isn’t that why now they are increasingly known as the LibLabCon? It’s no good complaining about the decline of our country and then voting for those whose actions have brought about that decline.

Talk about turkeys voting for Christmas – with the emphasis on the turkeys!

It really is impossible to take seriously anyone that favours one faction of the LibLabCon over another.

The Labour Government under Blair and then Brown was a disaster for the British people, as was the Conservative/ LibDem government under Cameron.

The reality is there for everyone to see – what makes them think anything will be different under whatever LibLabCon permutation is given the responsibility for governing the country on May 7?

I’d no more put my trust in the establishment parties than I would in a rattlesnake. They’ve been given our trust and abused it every time – and it’s time for a change.

That’s why I’ll be voting for UKIP come the general election. It is time for a change.

We’ve had enough of the duplicity, incompetence, and crookery of the big three – they’ve had their chances and they’ve failed miserably.

And whatever criticism can be levelled at UKIP, they certainly cannot be blamed for the mess that Britain has become.

That’s the responsibility of the

GDP, which is far less compared to other countries, eg France, which spends around 11 per cent, and in reality we spend less than Spain and Portugal in spite of the UK being the second biggest economy in Europe.

All the parties have promised to improve funding to the NHS, amongst other promises on the economy, housing and education etc.

The NHS was created by the Labour Party and they have inherit-

LibDem, Labour, and Conservative Parties, otherwise known the LibLabCons.

Reconsider plans From: Alison Chambers, Thornhill An open letter to the North Kirklees Clinical Commissioning Group Dear Sir, I’m writing with regards to the proposed downgrading of Dewsbury and District Hospital A&E to a minor injury centre.

On Friday April 10 at about 3.30pm in the afternoon, I had to avail myself of their services.

Whilst playing football in my front garden with my son, I had the misfortune to have an accident which resulted in me dislocating my left shoulder.

This accident left me in a lot of pain, to which my family had to ring for an ambulance as I was unable to move for my husband to take me in our car.

When the ambulance/paramedics arrived, I was so relieved due to been in so much pain.

All concerned were marvellous, they treated me with dignity and care and reassured me.

Because they couldn’t administer drug relief I had to endure the journey to Dewsbury Hospital in a lot of pain.

If I’d have had to gone to Pinderfields A&E in Wakefield, as is the proposal, then my journey would have been more stressful on top of my injury.

When I arrived at Dewsbury A&E, again the staff there were marvellous, I couldn’t have wished for better care.

They were all kind and considerate to my needs and kept me informed as to what would be happening and dealt with me quickly and efficiently, I couldn’t praise them high enough.

The reason for this letter is to ask why should residents of North Kirklees, ie Dewsbury, Batley, Mirfield and the Spen Valley districts, have to travel to an A&E out of their area (as is the proposal) when we have a very good one on our doorstep.

I resent the fact that, as I live in Kirklees and we have two hospitals and both are linked with other hospitals out of the area, we may have to travel miles away to Wakefield or Halifax, as is the case with the Calderdale and Huddersfield hospitals.

Please can this proposal be reconsidered for the safety and wellbeing of all North Kirklees residents and let Dewsbury and District A&E continue doing the fantastic job they are doing.

Trio are a sad loss From: Pat Crisp, Batley Dear Sir, We’re losing three local figureheads in our community this month.

It’s devastating they’re moving Insp Neil Money after all these years, he’s so well-known and respected by everyone in the area. A first-class policeman. No

ed the principal to support the National Health Service.

The campaigners trying to save Dewsbury Hospital petitioned with over 30,000 signatures, and all the local councillors in Kirklees and Wakefield, as well as the MP for Batley and Spen, supported the campaign against downgrading the hospital.

But the MP for Dewsbury and Mirfield on the other hand failed to support the local people in their campaign.

problem’s been too big or small, he’s there directing his staff to your needs.

Mike Wood MP is retiring, he’s worked so hard for our community also a gentleman.

Coun Peter O’Neill is also retiring, again he worked hard for Kirklees. We haven’t always agreed on local issues but we stayed firm friends thoughtout.

I would like to thank them all for their help and support they gave me as a community activist with the neighbourhood watch and other groups I’ve work with.

It’s a sad day, we will all miss them.

I hope their replacements will work just as hard and get out and about in our community. They’re hard acts to follow.

Market needs help From: Paula Dyson, via email Dear Sir, It’s no wonder stall-holders are leaving Dewsbury Market, have you seen it?

How much money was spent on it years ago, but it’s been left again to ruin.

It has no soul so it’s not attracting the public. The rents are far too high for the stalls. A good example of that is the curtain man leaving. He can get a shop with parking for a third of what he’s paying in a dead market.

Surely Kirklees Council wants people to shop in Dewsbury, but the market is putting us off. The rents for stalls are too high so there’s going to be no traders.

They can’t pay the rent if they are not getting the customers. The only halfdecent stalls on there are the Print & Frame and the pet stall facing.

Give your heads a shake, Kirklees Council, and try to earn a honest living by trying to run a market stall before Dewsbury turns into a ghost town.

Full-timer needed From: Andrew Hutchinson, 2010 parliamentary candidate Dear Sir, What attributes make for the best Member of Parliament?

Honesty goes without saying, one would think.

I would suggest that firstly, the best candidate should be just that, regardless of gender or ethnicity. I do not agree with being given a choice that was based on the best woman or member of an ethnic minority who may have been imposed on a local party from on high, in this misguided politically correct world.

Secondly, I would suggest the prospective MP should be in their 40s, in order that they have lived a reasonable measure of adult life, hopefully worked outside of politics and lobbying and preferably had a family, so they understand the needs of parents and children.

Thirdly, I would ask that within rea-

When the people were asked, many of them did not know the name of the Dewsbury MP or which party he belongs to.

People are sceptical about the current MP, saying he has been in office for five years and that they are not sure what he has done for Dewsbury.

Therefore May 7 is judgement day, and let the people make the decision regarding a change of direction for their local MP. I am sure that the majority of

son, the MP should put the people of the constituency before party politics.

Fourthly, I say that we need a fulltime MP who is dedicated to the needs of his/ her constituency, above often petty party politics and personal profit.

I recall that during a political debate at Shelley College between me, Shahid Malik and our current MP, Mr Reevell was drawn into a heated exchange when challenged by Mr Malik to ‘go on, admit it Simon, you’ll still be a barrister and a part-time MP, if you win.’

Mr Reevell, clearly flustered and in front of the audience, answered that he’d be ‘a full-time MP and put the people of Dewsbury first’ or very similar words to that effect.

I am adamant that a constituency like ours needs a full time MP. I don’t accept the argument that the MP might lose his seat and therefore needs to keep a toe in the water, let alone match his pay almost pound-for-pound, working in the private sector.

Let’s not forget the gold-plated resettlement allowance that provides an MP with a year’s pay in order that they can go look for another job. Which other job gives a redundancy payout of that proportion?!

When voting, please look for the best candidate who states unequivocally that he or she will be full-time and put the people, not private profit first.

And if they let us down? Show them the door and they’ll pick up a generous golden goodbye payout. Simple.

Staggered so far From: Aleks Lukic, UKIP parliamentary candidate for Batley and Spen Dear Sir, When I decided to stand in the upcoming election I had little idea what to expect.

All I knew was my thirst for real change, my uncompromising attitude to integrity and my dedication to these towns and villages.

To make a stand in politics I could never settle for less than UKIP. No other party believes in a free and independent Britain governed by and for all its people.

But I have been utterly staggered by the sheer number of people telling me they too aren’t settling for less any more.

This hunger being awakened knows no boundaries. It crosses the old Labour/Tory class divides. It inundates all corners of the constituency. We are taking our country back from this political class, and we are doing it together.

As I write this message on Anzac Day, I am moved to remember the half a million Commonwealth forces from overseas who made the ultimate sacrifice during the two world wars.

These men and women stood shoulder to shoulder with us having come from Australia, New Zealand, the Indian subcontinent and other seemingly far-flung places.

people agree that the NHS must meet the needs of everyone from cradle to grave, that it be free at the point of delivery and be based on clinical need and not the ability to pay.

Without their valour we simply would not have all the things we love and the things we love to hate about our great country today.

The peoples of these lands deserve our unending recognition and loyalty.

Your vote counts From: Peter Moreland, Heckmondwike Dear Sir, It’s the most important election in years, but who do you vote for?

Labour? The wrong brother and the man you would not buy a used car from.

Conservatives? Dodgy Dave and Gormless George.

It is unlikely either will get a working majority and that we will have another coalition with either Liberal Democrats or UKIP. Apart from the non-manifested samesex marriage bill the Liberal Democrats have been effective in preventing the Tories from introducing any controversial legislation.

UKIP are the real unknown – they swept the board at last year’s European elections and in Nigel ‘mine’s a pint’ Farage have a leader who many voters can relate to.

It’s vital though that everyone goes to vote, it does count.

Scaremongering?

From: Name & address supplied Dear Sir, It appears that whilst canvassing in the Shaw Cross area recently the Labour candidate, Paula Sherriff, has been giving the impression that unless Labour is elected locally Dewsbury Hospital could close.

In view of the pressure on Pinderfields Hospital, and the amount of money spent on Dewsbury over the past few years, I feel this is very unlikely.

However, if Mrs Sherriff has any evidence that any party has plans to close Dewsbury Hospital, then she should make it public; this type of scaremongering campaigning does nothing for the credibility of Mrs Sherriff, the Labour Party, or indeed politics in general.

Town council row From: David Pinder, Independent Mirfield Town Council candidate Dear Sir, For the last two elections the Mirfield Labour Party has declined to present candidates for the town council, because it does not believe the town should have a town council.

This is of course the view of the Kirklees Labour councillors (and sever-

Continued on page 9

ThePress

Friday May 1, 2015 gladly accept all the refugees, irrespective of unsustainable demands on our infrastructure, either in furtherance of an absurd Marxist ideology or an unrealistic sense of responsibility.

Continued from page 8 al of the senior non-elected officers) who see town and parish councils as unwelcome and awkward obstacles to the vision of a Greater Kirklees.

Kirklees Council has a so-called cabinet system. This undemocratic nonsense means that a cabal of nine Labour councillors take all the decisions – despite Labour not having an overall majority.

Initially, when Kirklees was pressed on devolving powers, chairman Sheard went on record to state that, where town and parish councils existed, the powers would come to them.

However, realising that Labour did not control a single one of those councils, the idea was quietly dropped in favour of reorganising the area committees so that all but one of them was dominated (and chaired)

by Labour.

Typically when these new larger area committees first met they had no idea what they were supposed to do – but neverless their first act was to vote the new chairs a whopping increase in their ratepayer-funded allowance!

Mirfield Labour Party’s renewed interest in Mirfield Town Council has nothing to do with democracy or working in the interests of the town.

It is a blatant attempt to muzzle democracy and ensure that a Labourdominated Town Council quietly obeys the instructions of the Kirklees politburo.

If you want the high street to resemble Dewsbury; if you want to lose Mirfield facilities and amenities to fund Huddersfield and Dewsbury VOTE LABOUR!

Stand up and be counted From: Ms Aisha Rawat, Batley Dear Sir, The white community can get any councillor or MP they want. They are in the majority.

However, political analysts say that it is the Asian vote that matters in this area because they go out to

Immigration is key From: Graham Turner, via email vote, in masses, and in the majority vote for the party that their ‘community leaders’ tell them to vote, for which results in block votes.

Why else are the MP and council candidates, Jo Cox and Amanda Stubley particularly, schmoozing the ‘leaders’ for all their worth and making outrageous promises that only benefit them and their community and no-one else.

Once voted in, they will do their bidding to say thank you no matter what the issue are. This unhealthy relationship need to be broken.

I am urging you not to vote for the Labour Party, the Conservative Party or the Liberal Democrats.

They are all involved in this unhealthy relationship with Asian male ‘leaders’.

These are practices brought over from the sub-continent. We need our politicians and our council officers to be hard-working, transparent and promote the law and council policies that are good for us all and protect us all.

We worked hard to establish them and we do not need people who work behind the scenes trashing them.

You could vote for any of the smaller parties and if the majority that are out there who didn’t vote did, there could be a coup.

Apparently, 50,000 did not vote last time. They alone could determine who gets in.

Do they not know that they have the power? Do they not know that this is the only time that they have any power in reality?

Please get up, stand up, be counted. Otherwise the bad status quo will carry on and you will have no right to complain.

Unfortunately, it is likely that Labour will still get in but if the majority has been decreased, at least

it will let them know that we are watching them.

Brown’s fault From: Maureen Scatchard, Batley Dear Sir, May I point out to Jo Cox, our Labour candidate, that “disastrous Tory cuts” were not responsible for Dewsbury Hospital debts.

Gordon Brown, the Labour Chancellor, is responsible for arranging PFI financing.

It’s unsustainable From: Alec Suchi, Bradford Dear Sir, Mr John Appleyard expresses concerns that Europe seems reluctant to accept refugees fleeing across the Mediterranean Sea from Libya, and certainly relief must be provided for those rescued (The Forum, 24/4/2015).

Unfortunately western involvement in Libya, Iraq and Syria has caused instability, as the secular rulers who had ruthlessly provided law and order have been overthrown.

The power vacuum had allowed disparate groups to seek control, including radical Islamists.

Ironically the many Christians who have lived in the Middle East for centuries, had lived in relative safety under the secular rulers, but now face great dangers from the Islamists, including Islamic State.

Meanwhile we will be confronted with increasing numbers of refugees.

It would seem that people like Mr Appleyard favours open borders and unlimited immigration and would

Dear Sir, On May 7 it is time to have a say on who run our great country, so please go out and vote.

You don’t have to vote for the political elite who never deliver.

I voted in 1975 to join the European Common Market, it is now a political union, in which over 50 per cent of laws, rules and regulations are made by unelected bureaucrats, not our own 650 MPs. Most parties would like to control immigration, but while we are in the EU it will not be possible.

Two of the parties will not give the the electorate a say in a referendum on Europe, they know best.

The other will try to renegotiate a better deal and promised to reduce immigration to the tens of thousands.

Well last year, taking into account people retiring and working abroad, net migration was 300,000, which is unsustainable for this country.

Migrants have made a huge contribution to this country, and with their skills will always be welcome, but it must be controlled, using a pointsbased system, similar to that which Australia uses.

Put the Great back in Britain, BELIEVE in BRITAIN.

Keen to share my expertise From: Nick Whittingham, Green Party candidate for Mirfield ward and candidate for Crossley ward (Mirfield Town Council) Dear Mr Lockwood, Thank you for promoting me in your column (Ed Lines, April 24).

You have pointed out that 25 years

9

ago I was campaigning against the Poll Tax, and I’m proud to have done so – now with this government I am campaigning against the Bedroom Tax. You also pointed out that I am a lawyer who stands up for people suffering discrimination – you mentioned a well-known case relating to religion/belief and I have also assisted clients who have been bullied because of their race, gender, sexuality or disability.

I run a free local advice service which helps some 20,000 Kirklees people each year.

As you have done your research on my time in Birmingham, you will also know that in Moseley, which is similar to Mirfield in size, I set up a farmers market and craft market to bring people in to the town and use local shops, and a community development trust to support local community groups and businesses.

This is exactly what Mirfield needs and I am keen to share my expertise if elected.

You might not like our politics, but Green councillors get things done, and I would suggest that my skills and experience make me the best candidate for Mirfield.

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Friday May 1, 2015

News In Brief Burglary warning NORTH KIRKLEES: Residents are being warned not to leave doors or windows insecure after a spate of burglaries.

Seven homes in Birstall and Heckmondwike have been hit by thieves over the last fortnight.

In each case, doors or windows were left open or unlocked overnight or for part of the day.

Police said some of the burglaries are believed to have been committed with the theft of car keys in mind.

A spokesman for the Batley and Spen NPT said: “Criminals need only seconds to enter your home and steal valuables – and the results can cause havoc.”

CLECKHEATON LITERATURE FESTIVAL

Something for everyone in first ‘friendly festival’

By David Miller

Bike yob ticked off

THE LINE-UP for the first Cleckheaton Literature Festival offers something for everyone.

Big names like Joanne Harris and Andy Kershaw have grabbed headlines – but there is plenty more on offer.

The four-day event starts on Thursday, May 7 at 10am, with a Bronte walk to Whitechapel Church.

Walkers will meet the woman who discovered the grave of a long-lost relative of the famous literary clan.

Children’s poetry and a sci-fi and fantasy writing workshop at the library kicks off Friday, May 8.

West End Park is the venue for a children’s story time the following day, while travel writer Horatio Clare closes the festival on Sunday, May 10.

In between there are meet-theauthor events, performance poetry and a look at TV screenwriting.

Festival director Karen Nayor, of the Cleckheaton Writers’ Group, said the aim is to cater for as many interests as possible.

BATLEY: A yob was stopped from riding an off-road bike on playing fields last Wednesday.

The 23-year-old received a warning for using his green Kawasaki in an anti-social manner on Carters Fields, off North Bank Road.

He was told that if stopped again over the next 12 months his bike will be seized.

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Joanne Harris will talk about her latest novel, The Gospel of Loki

She said: “Ours will not be highbrow and fanciful, but a friendly festival for the whole family.

“We want to celebrate the sheer pleasure of reading, of getting lost in that other world and being transformed by it.”

Joanne Harris will discuss her new book, The Gospel of Loki, at Cleckheaton Library at 1pm on Saturday, May 9.

Broadcaster Andy Kershaw brings tales from his career to Whitcliffe Mount Business and Enterprise College at 7.30pm that night.

His music journalism has taken him to some of the world’s most dangerous places.

Karen, herself an aspiring novelist, added: “More seriously, we are aiming to bring the love of reading to those not normally engaged.

“We see this building into an opportunity for families to learn of, or revisit, the delights of reading and reading together.”

Some events are free , while for others there is a small charge.

Tickets are available from www.cleckheatonliteraturefestival.ticketsource.co.uk.

See http://cleckheatonlitfest. wix.com/cleckheaton-litfest for more details or on Facebook and Twitter (@LitfestCleck).

Travel writer’s seafaring tales bring the curtain down on four days of events AWARD-winning travel writer Horatio Clare will bring the festival to a close.

He is set to talk about his latest book, Down To The Sea In Ships, at the town’s library on Sunday, May 10.

The book features unusual tales from his time travelling the world with crews on giant cargo ships.

Horatio, creative writing fellow at the University of Liverpool, is a contributor to BBC Radio 4.

He won the Somerset Maugham Award in 2007 and has also been Foreign

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THE LINE-UP All events at the library unless stated.

Writer of the Year.

His latest separate teen Thursday May 7 A Daily Telegraph travel thrillers, The Corridor, Deadly 10am-noon, Bronte trail (outdoor writer, also published by the Mission and Ghost Bell, are event). likes of the Sunday Times, out now.

10am-noon, Screenwriting workshop with Steve Moore. he is not the only major fig1.30-3pm, Meet author and playwright ure on the bill.

Jason Hewitt.

Aside from Joanne Harris 4-6pm, Creative writing workshop and Andy Kershaw, there is author Martyn Bedford.

6.30pm, Poetry night with Talking also Doctor Who author Zebras and the Cleckheaton Library Mark Wright.

Poets.

He will be at the library at 7.30pm, Talk by author Lauren Owen 3.30pm on Saturday, May 9, Friday May 8 with an interactive event that 10am-noon, Children’s poetry with poet and novelist John Irving Clarke.

‘Whovians’ are sure to love.

1-3pm, Sci-fi/fantasy creative writMark has written many ing workshop with Justina novels, short stories, Robson. comic strips and audioAndy Kershaw... at Whitcliffe Mount 3.30-5.30pm,

Performance poetry with Luke Wright.

6.30-8pm, Crime panel with Helen Cadbury, Alison Taft and Leigh Russell.

Saturday May 9 10-11am, Children’s activity with children’s author Gillian Rogerson.

11am & 3.30pm, Children spin a silly story and story trail (West End Park).

1-3pm, Joanne Harris.

1-3pm, Tell Tales outdoor interactive event (West End Park).

3.30-5.30pm, Dr Who event with author Mark Wright.

7.30pm to late, Andy Kershaw (Whitcliffe Mount School).

Sunday May 10 10am-noon, Life writing workshop with author Alison Lock.

1-3pm, Sci-fi/fantasy creative writing workshop with Ian C Douglas.

3.30-5.30pm, Horatio Clare.

PLANNING APPLICATIONS Mr Shepherd, c/o agent, 4-6 Cross Crown Street, Cleckheaton, alterations to convert offices to two flats.

Shammy Cheema, The Brighton Hotel, 99 Brighton Street, Heckmondwike, erection of eight dwellings.

Batley Birstall Gymnastics Club, 620 Bradford Road, Batley, Change of use of Warehouse/Distribution (B2) to Gymnastics Club (D2).

Mr S Patel, 54/56 Manor Road, Westtown, alterations and extension to Mullaco Dewsbury Supermarket, Slaithwaite Road, Thornhill Lees, erection of canopy.

Mrs B Broadfield, 78A Westgate, Cleckheaton, work to TPO(s) 57/92.

Mr F Bahadur, 34 Laithe Croft Road, Soothill, extensions to side and rear and dormer windows to front.

T Clough, 12 Moorland Drive, Birkenshaw, side and rear extension.

Mr N Kola, 41 Warwick Road, Batley, extension and dormer windows.

Mr A B Patel, 125 Oxford Road, Dewsbury, certificate of lawfulness for proposed erection of fence.

Leeside Junior Infant & Nursery School, Leeds Old Road, Heckmondwike, erection of three

non-illuminated signs.

M Fletcher, Malvern Lodge, 10 Old Hall Road, Upper Batley, demolition of existing dwelling and erection of dwelling and detached garage (within a Conservation Area).

Mrs S Latif, 115 Lees Holm, Thornhill Lees, erection of extensions and outbuilding to rear.

Tesco Extra, Bradford Road, Batley, erection of extension and canopy.

Mrs R Ashraf, 24 Broomer Street, Ravensthorpe, two-storey extension and formation of basement access.

Messrs Y & R Patel, 11 Headfield Road, Savile Town, demolition of existing dwelling and erection of dwelling.

PP Profiles Ltd, Springfield Works, Stocks Lane, Batley, variation condition 2 (approved plans) on previous permission 2013/93110 for erection of single storey extension.

Mr Y Patel, 12 Clarence Terrace, Savile Town, extension and alterations to second floor and raising of main roof.

Thornhill Lees CE Infant & Nursery, Slaithwaite Road, Thornhill Lees, extension to main entrance and erection of nursery entrance extension.

M Beanland, 316 Hopton Lane, Upper Hopton, first floor extension and enclosed balcony.

Perfect Fried Chicken, 38A Northgate, Dewsbury, installation of shop front and associated works (within a Conservation Area).

S Taylor, 9 Sherwood Avenue, Gomersal, two-storey extension.

Hopton Primary School, Woodend Road, Lower Hopton, raising the height of part of existing boundary fence.

Saeed Hazi, 26 Park House Drive, Thornhill, erection of extensions.

M Ingram, 128 Healds Road, Dewsbury, outline application for erection of one dwelling.

A Latif, 38 Milton Road, Liversedge, front extension.

N Dadhiwala, 29 Park Close, Batley, front extension.

Elite Residential Developments Ltd, C/O Dransfield Hill Farm, Liley Lane, Upper Hopton, variation of conditions 3 (roofing materials), 7 (foul, surface water and land drainage) and 8 (contaminated drainage) on previous permission no.2014/91994 for erection of extension to existing dwelling and re-use and extension to existing out buildings to form two dwellings.

Physical Resources and

Procurement, Staincliffe C of E VC Junior School, Staincliffe Hall Road, Staincliffe, two-storey extension.

Mr S Mayet, 6 Carlton Avenue, Staincliffe, two-storey side extension.

L Jones, 24b Bond Street, Dewsbury, prior approval of proposed change of use from office (B1) to three flats (within a Conservation Area).

R Jarratt, 8 Moorville Drive, Birkenshaw, two-storey rear and single-storey side extension.

Greene King Amenity Restaurant, Whitehall Road West/Heathfield Lane, Birkenshaw, discharge of conditions 13 (highway works), 18 (construction plan), 19 (landscaping), 20 (drainage), 23 (surface water) on previous permission no.

2014/92644 for erection of class A3/A4 amenity restaurant and three manager/staff apartments, office and storage with associated access, car parking and landscaping.

A Firth, 51 The Maltings, Mirfield, single-storey extension.

Mr M Mamaniat, 30 Purlwell Avenue, Batley, extensions to front and rear.

Mr M Zulfran, 37 Cemetery Road, Heckmondwike, side and rear

extension and raising of roof to create rooms in the roof space.

Ishaq Dawud, 29 Soothill Lane, Soothill, certificate of lawfulness for proposed erection of car port (within a Conservation Area).

Dewsbury And District Hospital, Halifax Road, Staincliffe, singlestorey extension and replacement/upgrade of existing windows.

Z Sharif, 189 North Road, Ravensthorpe, discharge of conditions 3 (roofing materials), 5 (Phase II Intrusive Site Investigation Report) and 7 (Remediation Strategy) on previous permission no.2014/90814 for demolition of existing property and erection of two semi-detached dwellings.

P Holderness, 24 Clumber Drive, Gomersal, non-material amendment to previous permission 2013/91245 for erection of twostorey and single-storey extensions.

Netto Foodstores Ltd, Horncastle Street/Northgate, Cleckheaton, non-material amendment to previous permission 2012/93101 for extension to time to previous application 2009/92638 for outline application for erection of A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, B1 and C2 development.

Friday May 1, 2015

ThePress

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ThePress

Friday May 1, 2015

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Memoirs of an ex-con top the Amazon chart

News In Brief Order breached CLECKHEATON: A sex offender breached a court order by searching online at the town’s library. Tony Spencer, 37, of Westgate, was given a sexual offences prevention order in May 2011, banning him from accessing internet sites relating to children under 16.

But Kirklees Magistrates’ Court was told a librarian discovered Spencer had searched online using the word ‘children’.

He was given a one-year community order, with activities monitored by probation.

Police appeal

By David Miller MEMOIRS by a reformed criminal from Dewsbury have topped book charts just a week after being released.

Dave Ginnelly, 61, has written a frank account of his life called Wellies and Warders.

It details the fall and rise of a good Catholic boy from Westtown expected to pass the 11-plus and go to grammar school.

Instead Dave, now of Nuneaton, ended up homeless, in prison and psychiatric hospitals.

Over the years he was convicted of more than 20 offences, from muggings to drugs.

But he went on to become a union steward at British Steel in the 1980s and is now a community youth worker.

Dave, who apologises to all

of his victims in the foreword, found salvation in jail.

He studied Russian classics and said: “One thing you’ve got in institutions is access to the best education in the world.”

Dave, who grew up on High Street, Westtown, was in trouble from an early age.

He ended up homeless, first in London at the age of 14 after making a failed search for the mother who abandoned him.

Having returned north he slept rough in Dewsbury in the public toilets, at the Town Hall and the former ABC Cinema on Crackenedge Lane.

His book topped the Kindle True Crime Biographies category on Amazon within days of publication.

Wellies and Warders is available online and as a paperback. See amazon.co.uk.

DEWSBURY: Police are appealing for a man who reported voyeurism at the bus station toilets to come forward.

A 66-year-old Wakefield man was arrested and is on bail after claims of an incident last Friday. It was reported to police at around 1.15pm but the complainant left the scene. Police want him to contact Dewsbury and Mirfield NPT on 101.

Cabbie slashed CLECKHEATON: A cabbie’s hand was slashed with a knife by a robber who fled emptyhanded.

The victim picked up a fare in Dewsbury and drove to Whitcliffe Road last Thursday night. When he reached the destination his passenger pulled out a knife and demanded money.

A 20-year-old suspect was arrested but police enquiries are continuing.

Friday May 1, 2015

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Friday May 1, 2015

‘Bodged’ boiler caused holiday deaths A GRIEVING mother accused tour operator Thomas Cook of negligence over the deaths of her children.

Sharon Wood told an inquest on Tuesday that routine safety checks on a holiday bungalow would have averted tragedy.

Wakefield Coroners’ Court heard that daughter Christi, seven, and son Bobby, six, of Horbury, died

CHILDREN DIED FROM CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING IN CORFU TRAGEDY in October, 2006.

The youngsters were in Corfu when they suffered carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty boiler.

It emerged that previous guests were still in hospital with the same condition when they arrived with dad Neil Shepherd and stepmother Ruth.

As a result their room

was not ready and they were put up elsewhere in a complex served by the same boiler.

The court heard it was a “botched and bodged” system that had been incorrectly installed.

Lethal carbon monoxide seeped into the children’s bedroom through holes in the walls.

YOUNGSTERS discovered their hidden talents at an arts festival at Dewsbury Minster last Saturday.

Spoken word specialist John Irving Clarke was one of many attractions at a day-long festival backed by arts group Creative Scene.

There was face-painting, handbell ringing and storytime from staff at Dewsbury Library, plus a variety of stalls.

Other attractions included elt flower expert Cassandra Kirkbride and ukelele musician Rachel Warlop.

KAREN’S 40S SHOW BOOST FOR CHARITY End musical star, is doing 1940s shows at Thornhill’s Savile Arms on Saturday, May 9, and Earlsheaton Conservative Club the next day.

Meanwhile, her theatre connections have secured Strictly Come Dancing star Ian Waite for an event in Earlsheaton.

He will lead a fit-step dancing class for Karen’s business, KC Fitness, at Manor Croft Academy on Sunday, June 28 (2.30pm).

Ian is one of the professional dancers on the hit BBC show.

Tickets cost £12 and are available from Karen on 07973 242684.

negligence and ultimately my children paid the price with their lives.”

She asked if safety checks should be done by “untrained, unqualified travel reps who know nothing more than we do”.

“We want to know why they feel they should put their profits over the lives of holidaymakers.”

Arts festival fun

Karen with Strictly dance star Ian Waite

A WARTIME-themed event in Ossett raised nearly £1,200 for Leeds-based children’s charity Candlelighters.

Entertainer Karen Curtin brought a 1940s show packed with songs from the era to the town’s community centre.

The show was inspired by care given to the eight-year-old daughter of one of Karen’s friends.

Ella Rigg, formerly of Earlsheaton, suffers from a rare cancer of the chest and abdomen.

Candlelighters helped Ella’s family during a traumatic time.

Karen, a former West

The problems were missed due to Thomas Cook employing health and safety inspectors without qualifications.

Sharon said: “I want to know why those gas boilers were not identified and why they were not serviced regularly. This isn’t just a difference of local standards abroad. This is gross

School reunion

Face-painting raised a laugh at the arts festival at Dewsbury Minster

A 40th anniversary reunion is being planned for former pupils of a defunct Mirfield school.

The class of 1975 at Mirfield Secondary Modern are invited to an event at Lower Hopton WMC on Friday June 26 (8pm).

It is for any pupil at the school who is aged 56 between September 1 last year and August 31 this year.

For details, e-mail Sue or Rachel at reunion2015mirfieldhigh@ outlook.com.

ThePress

Friday May 1, 2015

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ThePress

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Friday May 1, 2015

The Royal world awaits F YOU’RE reading this after the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s second child, then apologies.

But as The Press went to print, Royal-watchers from around the world were still waiting for news of the impending new addition to the house of Windsor.

Royal baby number two is already several days overdue, according to Whitehall sources, prompting speculation that Kate Middleton may have her labour induced in the next few days.

Her due date was apparently Thursday April 23, and one parent whose children were born in the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington said: “The doctors don’t normally wait for more than a week.

“They will probably already have been in touch with Kate and talked about which day would suit her best to go in and be induced if the baby doesn’t arrive in the next couple of days.”

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s second child will be delivered by royal gynaecologists Guy Thorpe-Beeston and Alan Farthing. The two men helped deliver Prince George, who reportedly arrived three days late in July 2013.

Fewer than one in 20 women give birth on their due date. On the NHS, induction is offered to women who go two weeks overdue.

Alice is currently the bookies’ favourite name for the new baby, followed by Charlotte and Elizabeth, with seven out of the top 10

I

predictions going to female names.

Phillip has overtaken Henry as the third favourite boy’s name, with James and Arthur in first and second place.

The chance of the baby arriving on the same day as the General Election – May 7 – is put at 16/1.

Bookmaker Paddy Power said one customer has placed a £5,000 bet on a May Day birth at odds of 9/1 and stands to win £50,000 if the gamble proves correct and Kate delivers a son or daughter today (Fri).

Royal ‘superfans’, some of whom have been camping outside the Lindo Wing for weeks, have also received a special treat from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who arranged a delivery of croissants and Danish pastries from a local patisserie.

Kensington Palace said: “The Duke and Duchess were aware that they had been out there for a long time and just wanted to do something for them.”

The boxes of pastries were reportedly wrapped in a pink ribbon, prompting speculation that Kate and William were hinting at the gender of their unborn child.

In a sign of the times and a nod to the internet age, news of Prince George’s baby brother or sister’s arrival will be Tweeted to the world.

In keeping with age-old conventions, an official announcement will then be posted on the easel behind the gates of Buckingham Palace, in a bid to retain the “the theatre” associated with a royal occasion.

Prince George’s birth on July 2013 was first announced to journalists in an emailed press release. A formal notice signed by the doctors who delivered him was then taken by police escort to Buckingham Palace and displayed at the gates of the palace.

The thoroughly modern Duke and Duchess have turned to Twitter in the past to make formal announcements. The confirmation of their engagement in October 2010 was made on Twitter the following month.

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ThePress

Friday May 1, 2015

Simon Reevell’s

Notes from the campaign trail Fascinating to watch politics come alive in the last few weeks T THE beginning of the campaign I took my boots to be resoled and today I’m dropping them off again with the right foot worn through.

No complaint of the work done, just many hours walking in the four weeks since then.

I have enjoyed the campaign not least because of the welcome. It has also been fascinating to watch politics come alive.

The arrival of the SNP as a political force has brought real interest in the question of who should govern.

The issue of fairness with the possibility of Scottish MPs forcing issues in England has been a frequent talking point.

Nigel Farage telling UKIP supporters to think carefully about who to support in Conservative/ Labour marginal seats like

A

ours so that Labour don’t get in by the back door showed real political maturity.

The hustings have also been interesting. I have already written about that really good evening in Savile Town.

Have a look at ‘Made in Leeds’ website for the debate that included all the candidates.

On the website for ‘Dewsbury TV’ you’ll see a different format where I interview the UKIP candidate and he interviews me.

This should have been Labour and me but their candidate withdrew. (I’m more than happy to rearrange any time before the election. So is Dewsbury TV).

There have been some positive announcements during the campaign.

This week G e o r g e Osborne announced there will be

an Enterprize Zone for Dewsbury if he is Chancellor in a week’s time.

This would be a huge boost. All over the country these zones have a proven record of bringing in business and boosting areas.

They bring concessions on investment and businesses are exempt from business rates for 5 years.

They are designed to encourage enterprise and they work.

The announcement of £21 million of investment for Dewsbury Hospital came just before the campaign started, although from some people’s literature you wouldn’t think so!

We have achieved a lot in the last five years.

There is more to do. If you lend me your vote again I will carry on getting the job done.

Very best wishes,

Simon

FOR MORE ELECTION NEWS, SEE PAGES 4 & 5

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ThePress

Friday May 1, 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.

SATURDAY MAY 2 OSSETT VIA THE CANAL (NK) Meet 10.30am Gawthorpe Maypole WF5 9PL GR SE 273 221 9/10 miles (M) No dogs please Leader: Geoff Tel: 01422 379921

May Sketches and songs from St Mary’s Day magic BATLEY-BASED St Mary’s Theatre Group are preparing to present an evening of fun and entertainment with their new variety show ‘Bits and Pieces’.

OAKWELL HALL is the place to be for a traditional May Day celebration on Monday.

Visitors can watch maypole dancing demonstrations by pupils from St Patrick’s School in Birstall.

There will be a chance to enjoy some country dancing with authentic 16th to 18th century music played by the Leeds Waits.

Visitors can also see some traditionally-decorated horses.

The free event has been organised by the Friends of Oakwell Hall, who will be running a tea stall alongside the activities on the front lawn of the hall on Nutter Lane.

The maypole dancing demonstrations will take place at 1pm, 2pm and 3pm.

Country dancing takes place at 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm.

Officials at Oakwell are also launching an exciting new venture this month – an Artisan Emporium showcasing some of Yorkshire’s finest produce, crafts and gifts.

The emporium will be open 12noon until 4pm every Sunday from May 3 until the end of August, and admission is free.

Each week visitors will be able to browse a selection of stalls, ranging from locally produced food, preserves and crafts to hand-made jewellery, paintings, vintage and much more.

The emporium will be situated in the Courtyard of the Visitor Centre, where Oakwell’s newly-refurbished shop will complete the experience.

The shop’s new ranges of stock not only reflects the history of Oakwell Hall and the beauty of the Country Park but also includes quirky 17th Century ceramics, food from local makers and delicate artist-painted wildlife mugs.

Any artisan producer wanting to take part should contact Sandra Hirst by calling 01484 221000 or emailing sandra.hirst @kirklees.gov.uk.

The production includes comedy sketches, a selection of popular songs and features the group’s own live rock band.

Chairman Steve Walker said: “The show has got a bit of everything, from rock and roll to George Formby, and we have had some great laughs at rehearsals.

It should be a great night out for a good cause.”

As usual the money raised goes to a local charity, and this year all ticket and raffle money on the first night will go towards roofing repairs at St Mary’s Church.

Evening performances at St Mary’s Hall, on Melton Street, take place at 7.30pm on Friday May 15 and Saturday May 16.

A bar, raffle and refreshments will be available at both performances.

Tickets priced £4 are available from St Mary’s Hall/Social Club and Batley Resource Centre, or by calling 01924 478394.

The St Mary’s Theatre Group band

JADE’S REVEALING ALL HER SECRETS...

RISING musical star Jade Helliwell releases her eagerly-awaited debut album on Monday.

The album, ‘Secrets’, has been over two years in the making and showcases Batley-based Jade’s beautiful song-writing as well as her incredible voice.

Jade said of the release: “As this is my first album, I’ve taken the time to really get it exactly as I want it.

“I am very, very proud of what we’ve ended up with and can’t wait for people to hear the finished product.”

Fans will have heard many of the songs performed acoustically at Jade’s live gigs locally for some time, but the album features them with full arrangements played by her own band.

It includes the recently released single ‘Still On My

Maytime Melody from choir BATLEY Central Methodist Choir presents a ‘Maytime Melody’ concert featuring Huddersfield Wind Band and Batley Parish School Choir on Saturday, May 9.

Taking place at Batley Central Methodist Church from 7.30pm, admission is £7 for adults and £3.50 for children.

All are welcome.

Mind’, which smashed all records for requests at online radio station CORadio, and is currently in its fourth week at number one in their Unsigned Charts.

The album will be released on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and many other digital outlets worldwide on Monday, May and will also be available on CD from Jade’s website and popular, local stores, as well as Amazon On Demand.

There is a launch event to celebrate the album’s release on tonight (Fri) at Warehouse 23 in Wakefield, where there will be performances from the talented Rupert Stroud, and the Spirit Of Smokie.

The night’s final performance will be Jade and her band playing the new album in full.

Advanced tickets to the event are priced at £5 and are available from Warehouse23’s website at www.warehouse23.co.uk, or from Jade’s own website at www.jadehelliwell.com.

Tickets will also be available on the night at the door for £6.

Another triumph for Gilbert and Sullivan group Review by Malcolm Haigh IT’S MORE than 100 years since two shows created by Gilbert and Sullivan first hit the stage, but they were as fresh and entertaining as ever when presented at Batley Town Hall by members of the Batley Gilbert and Sullivan Society last week.

During the past century the operettas have established certain modes of character, and the Batley society members fulfilled the prototypes in abundance in both acting and singing.

Leon Waksberg, who appeared as the defendant in the shorter operetta Trial by Jury, also emerged as Able Seaman Ralph Rackstraw, who makes the apparent mistake of falling in love with his captain’s daughter in HMS Pinafore.

But to both roles he brought talent which created convincing characters, a fine voice and the persuasion of youth.

Alongside him in both shows was the very convincing Richard Buxton, who played the learned judge in Trial yet switched easily to the character-filled role of troublemaker Dick Deadeye in Pinafore.

Robert Thurman was also prominent as he used his upper-crust skills in both to dominate proceedings, and all were backed up convincingly in both by David Hall and David Parker.

While the male characters carry the task of moving the stories along, they can only do so by the presence and understanding of female partners, portrayed by Liz Blount as the Plaintiff in Trial and Anna Trent as the

vivacious captain’s daughter Josephine in Pinafore.

Stephanie Roe and Rebekah Barker also gave full rein to their talents in Pinafore as Little Buttercup and Hebe, and Carol Parkinson as the counsel for the Plaintiff.

But as in all Gilbert and Sullivan operettas the consummate attraction of the show is displayed through the talents of the chorus work, and there was plenty to applaud as the delighted audiences showed.

I’m not a supporter of the traditional idea of performing these two shows on the same night – especially when, as in this case, the members of the cast play almost identical characters in the two shows.

It can be confusing, and that can be

magnified if individual actors do not distinctly pronounce words – both spoken and sung – in such poor acoustic surroundings as the Town Hall.

But this performance – their 67th – was another triumph for the group and was received with delight.

Musical director was Nicholas Whitaker, the producers were Stephanie Roe and Becky Gregson Flynn and John Hall was accompanist.

Members of the chorus were Stephen Briggs, Alison Burton, Helen Carbutt, Clive Daniel, Jennifer Day, Lyndsey Hall, AJ JnoBaptiste, Rita Jno-Baptiste, Tony Johnson, Roger Middleton, Debbie Moores, Martina O’Rourke, Deirdre O’Shea, Eoin O’Shea, Catherine Roberts, and Kathryn Thurman.

MONDAY MAY 4 MAYBE BLUEBELLS? (NK) Meet 1pm Oakwell Hall top car park WF17 9LG GR SE 219 270 6.5 miles (M) No dogs please Leader: Kathleen Tel: 01924 471473

Donal hands over reins TONIGHT’S Crown of Lights Acoustic Night in Heckmondwike will be the final one run

by Donal O’Driscoll.

Launched in 2007, the monthly music event has been organised and presented by Donal from the outset, with lots of help from Peter Earnshaw and Dalton Wright among others.

“I knew this was coming for some time now due to a change in my work commitments which means I’ll be working away a lot more when the new season starts this October," Donal said.

T a l e n t e d Liversedge artist John Hetherington will be taking over from Donal presenting the acoustic nights, at the Comrades Club on Regent Street.

Donal added: “We approached John months ago about this and I’m really looking forward to seeing John develop his take on the event.

"We’ll both be there doing a dual presentation on Friday. I hope people can make it down. I’ll continue managing the future artist bookings with John.

“It’s probably hard to believe now but when I started this there was very little original live music taking place around here. Now it’s everywhere and I’m delighted by that.

People are actually spoilt for choice now.”

Performers tonight (Fri) include Joe Solo from Scarborough and Boss Caine/Daniel Lucas and Holly Taymar from York.

There’s free entry at the Comrades Club, and doors open at 8pm.

Friday May 1, 2015

ThePress

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20

ThePress

Friday May 1, 2015

A new look but the same warm greeting at Batley Irish Democratic League Club...

Hear Ann across the BBC radio network and on Ent News (UBC Media Showbiz online)

Why is Elaine Paige feeling a pain in the neck after years of singing?

EST END nightingale Elaine Paige’s 50 years in showbiz have apparently taken their toll on her body, and she’s considering surgery to correct what’s known as ‘singer’s neck’, which she claims makes her look like ‘duck face from the side’.

Elaine is currently promoting her ‘I’m Still Here’ 50th anniversary farewell concert, Having met the diva up close, she looks and sounds as great as ever ... keep the memories, Elaine.

W

The newly refurbished concert room at Batley Irish Nash

Céad míle fáilte*

Advertising Feature

E

STABLISHED 133 years ago and still going strong, Batley Irish Democratic League Club has been a central part of the town for generations.

Now the club, known to most as ‘The Nash’, has completed the refurbishment of its much-loved concert room and wants locals to feel free to call in and have a look.

With a specially-designed harp logo incorporated in the new carpet, the room’s style, fixtures and fittings reflect the Nash’s commitment to quality.

The club have used local firms to complete the refit and financial secretary Andrew Murphy said: “The room is exceptional and fit to serve our diverse needs hopefully for another decade.

“Our concert room is available for private functions, so please get in touch if you have a party or event you’d like to host with us.”

As well as being geographically at the very heart of the town, the Nash is central to many local groups’ fundraising efforts, which over recent years have raised more than £30,000 for local charities.

Mr Murphy continued: “The support we receive from both our members and guests is second to none – an obvious key ingredient to the secret of our continued success.

“We’ve recently supported Batley Boys Under-14s by sponsoring their new rugby kit.”

One of only a handful of local clubs that still provide regular weekly entertainment, the Nash’s committee work hard to bring quality acts to the area.

The first of a number of major acts to perform are The Stones, Europe’s number one Rolling Stones tribute band, on Friday, May 8.

Tickets are limited but the last few still remain, priced at only £7 from the bar.

Other equally talented bands have also been booked and the entertainment schedule is available on the club’s website and Facebook page.

The Nash really has prospered and flourished over the generations and its founding fathers would be proud to see the club as it stands today.

For more information visit www.thenash.co.uk.

*A HUNDRED THOUSAND WELCOMES

“As well as being geographically at the very heart of the town, the Nash is central to many local groups’ fundraising efforts, which over recent years have raised more than £30,000 for local charities...”

AL MURRAY is going to be the subject of a new documentary about his attempt to become an MP. The comedian is standing against UKIP’s Nigel Farage in South Thanet. Let’s hope that it proves more successful than his new book ‘Let’s re-Great Britain’ which has failed to sell at all, despite numerous plugs on TV and radio.

HARRY HILL’S Stars in Their Eyes has been axed by ITV after a single series. Harry, who also lost out in London when his X Factor musical flopped at the Palladium last year, is stunned. He told a source: “I thought we may have gone with another series, but sadly it’s not to be, which is a shame.”

FORMER Big Breakfast stars Zig and Zag are set for a return to TV after CBBC ordered an animated series starring alien puppet duo. If successful, a longer run will also be booked and a new cartoon series is in the pipeline too.

EASTENDERS actor Danny Dyer is taking a much-needed break with a family holiday in the Caribbean after his filming schedule left him exhausted.

The Cockney actor, 37, has proved such a hit that he has been written into as many episodes as possible. He tells me: “I love the show but I never expected this level of interest in it.”

TOP OF THE POPS may be making a comeback. Insiders tell me that the show is in line for a few specials, and if they’re a hit then it could return on a regular basis. As yet there’s no word on who would host the show, but it won’t be like the old days when it was fronted by Radio One DJs...

VICTORIA WOOD has said she hates comedy panel shows – comparing them to zoos and saying she’ll never go on one. “I just think they are not that funny and it’s all

Ann Montini and Elaine Paige so scripted, whereas in the old days you all ad-libbed off each other and it was a genuine fun fest,” she commented. “It’s so not like that now.”

THE BBC have unveiled three new dancers for Strictly Come Dancing, with Russian-born Gleb Savchenko, Italy’s Giovanni Pernice and South African Otlile Mabuse joining the line-up, alongside regulars including Anton Du Beke, Brendan Cole and Kristina Rihanoff. The show returns in August.

DENISE VAN OUTEN has claimed that offers of TV presenting work have dried up for her now that she has hit 40. The former Big Breakfast host, who turned 40 last May, reckoned that she has noticed a decline in opportunities as she has got older.

She said: “I think acting is the direction I wish to take and I hope that I get a chance to appear in a period drama one day too.”

JANE MCDONALD is purring with delight after landing the lead in hit stage musical Cats – at the age of 52. The role has previously been played by younger women like glamorous US star Nicole Sherzinger, who is a mere 36, and Kerry Ellis, 35. She tells me: “I am not bothered I am the oldest. I mean, it’s a cat, they have nine lives don’t they? But what great company to be in too...”

FORMER EastEnders actor Shaun Williamson has admitted that he would like to get a part in another soap. The actor, known for his role as Walford’s Barry Evans, said: “I do miss being on a soap, and it’s great fun, plus the regular money is not bad too, so yes if the opportunity came up, why not?”

TOM JONES has no idea if he will return to The Voice again as a judge. “I do enjoy the show, but we don’t get

Maycon Pictures

offered contracts straight after the series is ended, so hopefully something will pop in the post,” he said. “I would like to, so take it from me it’s a yes.”

CORONATION STREET actress Claire King tells me she broke down in tears at the shock revelation of her new storyline. “It’s explosive and I adore that about soaps, but also a big shock to me as it’s close to my heart,” she said. “I can’t give much away, but let’s just say that Erica stuns a few residents in the street, for sure.”

DOWNTON Abbey’s Rob James-Collier tells me he is sad at the end of the show, but is hopeful there will be a movie spin off. “I think it could be very successful and the producers would be silly not to see this, but who’s to say my character would stay in the show? We can only hope can’t we?!” he laughed.

AMANDA HOLDEN is proving a difficult sell for ITV after her new series Give A Pet A Home, which featured celebrities looking after animals in an RSPCA centre, failed to rate highly. Now the remainder of the series may be moved to a different time slot.

CRAIG Revel Horwood wants Dermot O’Leary to join the next series of Strictly Come Dancing. He tells me: “Caroline Flack came on after being axed from the X Factor and now she got her job back, so it could just work again ... but seriously I think he would be a great addition, and why not just give it a go?”

ACTOR Jason Merrells says he was pleased that his Emmerdale character Declan Macey wasn’t killed off. “I thought it would be very clichéd if he was and I like the fact he could reappear at any time, as no-one knows if he is dead or not,” he said.

ThePress

Friday May 1, 2015 GARDEN Seven 5 3/4 ft used fence panels, £50, good condition, buyer collects. Tel 01924 493233 (Mirfield) (1673)

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-metre lengths 4 x 1 timber, 20 pcs £20. Tel Batley 472043. (1681) Men’s crown green bowls, Thomas Taylor Grippa, plus yellow jack and bowls bag £30. Tel 01924 264330.

(1677) Men’s crown green wooden bowls, plus jack and bowls bag £20. Tel 01924 264330.

(1677) Ladies crown green bowls, Thomas Taylor’s £25. Tel 01924 264330. (1677) Round dining table with extending leaf and four chairs £80 ono. Tel 01924 470866. (1678) Daewoo microwave, in silver. Good working order £15. Tel 01924 470866.

(1678) Large square mirror, 3ft square £10. Tel 01924 470866. (1678) Long coffee table with two nest tables underneath £14.

Tel 01924 470866. (1678) 24-piece dinner service, cream with fruit edge pat-

Press at 31 Branch Road, Batley WF17 5SB and pay by cash, cheque or debit card (30p surcharge).

3) Post your advert to us at The Press with details of your name and a contact number. Include

cheque for payment.

ADVERTS must be no longer than 50 words. When your item(s) are sold ring 01924 470296 to cancel.

All unsold adverts will stay in the paper for a MAXIMUM OF TWO MONTHS.

tern £20. Tel 01924 470866.

(1678)

521931/ 07535 508436.

(1653)

Teak-coloured 3ft bedroom unit, single wardrobe, top cupboard, three drawers and illuminated mirror, plus three-drawer matching bedside cabinet, very good condition £25. Tel 01924 407400. (1679)

Tomy baby bed rail with extensions for double bed, £14. Tel 01924 521931/ 07535 508436. (1653)

Gas fire, black with brass frame and fender. Living flame coals to fit into fire opening 17 inches wide by 22 inches high; fittings for balance or vertical flue.

Removed for house makeover, £35 ono. Tel 01924 462494. (1680) CHILDREN’S GOODS Pine wood child’s bed, with safety mattress. Rarely used, good clean condition £20. Tel 01924 609015. (1668) Mamas & Papas Long island cot/bed. Includes kit for kids’ mattress. 4ft 7” x 2ft 6”, in mint condition. Cost new £350, accept £150. Tel 01924 521931/ 07535 508436.

(1653) Mamas & Papas baby changing unit includes mattress, mint condition. Cost £300 new, accept £150. Tel 01924

Mamas & Papas rear-facing car seat with carry handle.

Suitable from birth.

Immaculate condition £25. Tel 01924 407400. (1648) ELECTRICAL Various old computer items; main frame, three printers, keyboard, mouse and monitor £10 the lot. Tel 01924 402931.

(1670) Mini hi-fi system; CD, radio, double cassette player/ recorder, turntable, twin speakers. As advertised nationally @£190, never used £80. Tel 01274 861904. (1671) Frigidaire fridge/freezer, white, in perfect working order; two years old £95 ono. Tel 01924 505834. (1666) FABRIC/FASHION Blue two-seater sofa in very good condition, £30 ono.

Collect Soothill, tel 07842 487833. (1672) 10 x 1,000 reels of

Guttermans cotton, fawn shade £6 for 10, shop price £3.99 each. Tel 01924 609015.

(1668) Scotch-guarded round tablecloth, never used. Approx. 52” diameter, in pastel coloured check £2.50. Tel 01924 609015. (1668) Men’s size eight black leather dance shoes, worn twice, like new £25. Tel 01924 520130.

(1658) Ladies’ black full-length Windsmoor winter coat, size 16 £10 ono. Tel 01924 470866. (1639) FURNITURE 4ft circular drop leaf pine table £25. Tel 07794 291160.

(1675) Jaybe blue, metal bunk bed, single top bunk, double bottom; to include side table attachment £80. Tel 07794 291160. (1675) Light oak extending table with four modern, brown leather effect chairs. 1m 9” x 32”, extends approx. 36”. As new, only six months old. Paid £500, accept £100 ono, buyer collects. Tel 01924 505379.

(1669)

PRICE SYSTEM ITEM bands

Up to £7 £8 - £25 £26 - £50 £51- £100 £101-£200 £201-£500 £501-£1450 £1,451 plus Solid dark oak round table with centre pedestal, 3ft diameter x 2ft 6in high £55.

Tel 07880 855684. (1662) Solid dark oak chairs £7.50 each. Tel 07880 855684.

(1662) Walnut display cabinet £60, glass shelves, mirrored back, 3ft wide, good condition. Tel 07796 352612 (Dewsbury area). (1660) Rocking chair, cane back and bottom, in good condition £40.

Tel 07796 352612. (1660) Brass tone bed head for double, really nice, like new £25 (worth at least double). Tel 01924 520130. (1658) Medium oak extending table + 6 chairs 35” x 45” (ext 60”), excellent condition £80. Buyer collects. Tel 07970 267077 (1654)

Cost per item

£1 £2 £3 £4 £5 £7 £9 £11 Nest of tables in excellent condition £20. Buyer collects.

Tel 07970 267077. (1654) Four pine dining chairs, ladder back, as new £60 inc seat pads. Tel 01924 485972.

(1655) Next solid wood display cabinet. Two glass front doors with wine rack at bottom.

Beautiful piece of furniture, in immaculate condition. Cost £399, accept £125. Tel 07796 927000. (1656) 4ft 6in double divan bed and mattress. 15 months old but only three months’ use £100.

Tel 01924 609060. (1647) Corner TV unit, polished wood, glass doors, two shelves.

Compartments for CDs etc; 18”/46cm (h), will take up to 42” TV. Very good condition £40 ono. Tel 01924 462494 (1644)

21

Lightweight with carry handles, folds flat, £15 pair. Tel 01924 462494. (1657)

Oblong cast iron garden table, 4ft long x 2ft 6in high £45. Tel 07880 855684. (1662)

Single size inflatable mattress and electronic inflator with attachments, suitable for camping, £15 both. Tel 01924 462494. (1657)

Well-rotted horse manure (no straw) five bags £10, free delivery. Ring Ken on 01924 409540 or 07922 186721.

(1616)

Wood fire surround complete with splashback, and electric fire with removable coals. Like new £100. Tel 01924 410973/ 07519 725771 (1652)

JEWELLERY Gold locket, never been worn, still in box £200 ono. Tel 07796352612 (Dewsbury area). (1660)

MOTORING Power craft 250kg electric hoist with mounting brackets etc, 250 volt, ideal diesel engine hoist, as new, £35 no offers. Tel 01924 451024.

(1676)

MISCELLANEOUS Remote control electric fire with flame effect; approx 2ft square; suitable for building into a wall or will free stand.

Can be seen working £35 no offers. Tel 01924 451024.

(1676) Twyford white toilet £10. Tel 07794 291160. (1675) Astronomical telescope reflector £25. Tel 01924 402931.

(1670) Carlton shopping trolley with cover, on four wheels to aid balance. Good, clean condition £10. Tel 01924 609015. (1668) Tri-walker with brakes, aids walking and balance. Folds flat for transportation.

Excellent condition £10. Tel 01924 609015. (1668) Domestic multi-purpose/ camping trailer, approx. 3ft x 4ft x 30in deep, complete with lid and all electrics. Fits imperial tow ball (provided), £80.

Tel Batley 01924 475406/ 07963 390424. (1665) Timber slats 47” long x 4” wide x 1” thick. 20 pieces £10. Tel Batley 472043. (1663) Two steel folding chairs, designed for outdoor use, waterproof green covers on aluminium frame, suitable for camping, fishing etc. Still with labels as purchased new.

Mercedes flat faced 5 stud wheel; fitted with 19570/14 Pirelli tyre, as new £35. Tel 01924 451024. (1676) MUSICAL Electric organ, small with stand and instruction manual, plus disc and Teach Yourself to Play book. Bargain £40. Tel 01924 520130. (1658) New Alba 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) SPORTING/ FITNESS/ Carrera Vulcan mountain bike, as new, used once; 24 speed, 18” frame in black & green.

Cost new £349 from Halfords, accept £200. Tel 07831 186571. (1659) Leisure Wise treadmill, mint condition £30. Tel 01924 521931/ 07535 508436.

(1653) Leisure Wise stepper, mint condition £10. Tel 01924 521931/ 07535 508436.

(1653) Health walker, double leg suspension.

Mint condition £50. Tel 01924 521931/ 07535 508436.

(1653)

22

ThePress

Friday May 1, 2015

EASY ways to book your advert:

1) Ring us on

01924 470296 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) FLOORING

2) Fax your details to 01924 472561

3) E-mail classified at advertising@thepressnews.co.uk

4) Post or bring your details to: The Press, 31 Branch Road, Batley WF17 5SB

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GOODS VEHICLE OPERATORS LICENCE

GOODS VEHICLE OPERATORS LICENCE

DREEM BEDS LTD of BLOCKS B+D ALEXANDER MILLS, ALEXANDER ROAD, BATLEY, WF17 6JA is applying for a licence to use BLOCKS B+D ALEXANDER MILLS, ALEXANDER ROAD, BATLEY, WF17 6JA as an operating centre for 4 goods vehicles and 4 trailers.

Owners or occupiers of land (including buildings) near the operating centre(s) who would believe their use or enjoyment of that land would be affected, should make written representations to the Traffic Commissioner at Hillcrest House, 386 Harehills, Leeds, LS9 6NF, stating their reasons, within 21 days of this notice.

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

DIVINE SLEEP LTD of RIVER HOUSE, WATERGATE ROAD, DEWSBURY, WF12 9QB is applying to change an existing licence as follows To keep an extra 1 goods vehicle and 0 trailers at the operating centre at LAND ADJOINING 135 HUDDERSFIELD ROAD, DEWSBURY, WF13 2RP Owners or occupiers of land (including buildings) near the operating centre(s) who would believe their use or enjoyment of that land would be affected, should make written representations to the Traffic Commissioner at Hillcrest House, 386 Harehills, Leeds, LS9 6NF, stating their reasons, within 21 days of this notice.

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

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ThePress

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ThePress

Friday May 1, 2015

HEAVY WOOLLEN SUNDAY LEAGUE FOOTBALL

CRICKET

Heaton can’t prosper as rain closes in

By Mike Popplewell Cricket Correspondent sport@thepressnews.co.uk

HANGING HEATON CC go to East Bierley tomorrow (Sat) reflecting on the disappointment of just an eight-point haul from their abandoned First Division Bradford League game at New Farnley.

Nick Connolly was out without scoring and skipper Gary Fellows made just 21, but a fourthwicket stand of 172 between Ben Elvidge (111) and Ian Philliskirk (97) guaranteed maximum batting points before former Hanging Heaton skipper Mark Lawson helped his side to maximum bowling points with a 6-62 return.

Lawson opened the bowling with his leg spin and he was backed up with a wicket from 37year-old off-spinner James Middlebrook, who promptly found himself called up by Yorkshire for their game against Warwickshire and took 582.

This included his 50th wicket for Yorkshire – 14 years after taking his 49th!

New Farnley made 53-1 before the rain, but with Hanging Heaton hitting 300 in 48 overs East Bierley would doubtless love to have paceman Mohammed Azharullah back in their ranks.

Three years ago Azharullah was the leading wicket-taker for Bierley but the Pakistani-born bowler is now playing county cricket for Northamptonshire.

The Bradford League has long served as an unofficial feeder system for county cricket and has provided the opportunity for players moving in the other direction to share their experience to the benefit of the younger players coming through.

Reigning champions Cleckheaton, for example, have benefitted enormously from the captaincy of former Durham and Lancashire bowler John Wood.

He originally went to Durham after spells with Hanging Heaton and Spen Victoria – before returning to Bradford League cricket and steering the Moorenders to the most successful era in their history.

After a disastrous opening day at Bingley, the rain spoiled what was otherwise looking to be a superb day for Cleckheaton in their game, at home to Pudsey Congs, as Andy Gorrod (103) and Tim Jackson (109) put on 213 for the first wicket.

Weather permitting a first win of the season could be on the cards tomorrow when they make the short journey up the A58 to Lightcliffe.

While clubs across the board were cursing the weather for wrecking chances of victory, Gomersal were cursing the fact that the rain held off at Scholes, where the league newcomers managed to record the only win of the day, in two divisions, when they beat Gomersal by 111 runs to take maximum points.

A brilliant 128 off only 81 balls from Hasnain Abbas, which included 16 fours and 7 sixes, proved Gomersal’s undoing after James Russell had made early inroads with the ball. Chasing a Scholes total of 265-7 Gomersal were all out 154 in reply.

Next up for Scholes is a trip to Idle while Gomersal entertain Yeadon, Spen Victoria are at Bowling Old Lane and Hartshead Moor are at Windhill.

Superb team effort EAST BIERLEY GC progressed to the fifth round of the National Golf Club Team Championship by winning at Woolley Park in another very close finish.

Having already beaten South Bradford, Cleckheaton and Selby in very close games in earlier rounds East Bierley needed another sudden death play-off to win on Sunday.

After the five singles matches, the team of Kevin Asquith, Matty Crabtree, Andy Newby, Jules Thomas-Bell and Russ Simpson were tied at 2 1/2-2 1/2.

This then required a sudden death play-off between one player from each side to decide the game.

East Bierley’s Russell Simpson birdied the first play-off hole to seal victory. It was a superb team effort away from home.

Premier title race all but over ST JOHN FISHERS all but confirmed the destination of the Heavy Woollen Sunday League PREMIER DIVISION title after they beat bottom side Battyeford 9-0, while their main rivals Birkenshaw lost 1-0 at Millbridge WMC. Rob Bordman, Dominic Simpson and Rob Hiscox all fired doubles for Fisher, who also had Ricky Newman, Anthony Doran and Irfane Khan on the scoresheet.

Liam Fox hit the game’s only goal as Millbridge WMC all but ended Birkenshaw’s defence of the title.

Fisher lead by three points and have a far superior goal difference, whilst Birkenshaw have only one game remaining.

Woodkirk Valley ended their CHAMPIONSHIP season in second place following a 2-0 win at Hartshead thanks to goals from Will Clapham and Stuart Dodd.

Heckmondwike Sports Club finish fourth after goals from Craig White, Ashton Vahovic, Ross Palframan and Richard Hartley saw them win 4-3 against St John Fisher Reserves, who had Jake Gibson (two) and Charlie Frear on target.

In DIVISION ONE, secondplaced Deighton WMC closed the gap on leaders Navigation to just

two points after they beat them 53.

Dale Joy fired a brace for Deighton, with goals also coming from Paul Krol, Daniel Stuart and an own goal.

Navigation replied through Bobby Campbell, Dave Blakeley and Daniel Stephenson.

Ravenwharfe slipped out of the top two after they went down 5-2 at the hands on Birkenshaw Reserves.

Duane Fascione hit both goals for Ravenswharfe, but Jack Rogerson (two), Tom Smith, Alex Brown and Harry Saville ensured the three points went to Birkenshaw.

Town Rangers lie fourth after a hat-trick from Joe Wills, plus a goal from Scott Thornton saw them win 4-1 at Punch Bowl (Josh Wood).

Bay Horse East Ardsley ended their season with a win after strikes from Kyle Walker, Declan

Hidle, Michael Varley and Danny Carroll saw them win 4-2 against Battyeford Reserves.

Meanwhile DIVISION TWO leaders Scholes Athletic suffered a rare defeat, going down 3-2 at home to Clifton Rangers Reserves despite goals from Nathan White and Gareth Jones.

FC Liversedge lie a point behind Scholes in second place after thrashing Snowdon 12-3.

Kyle Smith led the way with four goals, Lee McKewn bagged a hattrick, with Andrew Filio, Matty Normanton, Danny Stocks, Daniel Fawcett and Liam Downes also finding the net.

Shakeel Pandor hit a brace in reply for Snowdon.

Hanging Heaton Cricket Club finish in third place after they won 6-1 at St Ignatius thanks to a Mark Inwood hat-trick, a brace from James Keen, plus a Dave Hall strike. Robert Smith replied for St Ignatius.

NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Albion sign off with loss EVO-STIK LEAGUE FIRST DIVISION NORTH

OSSETT ALBION MOSSLEY

0 2

at Queen's Terrace

OSSETT ALBION ended their season in defeat after Mossley scored a goal in each half to take all three points.

The first half was fairly even, with very little in the way of football to cheer.

The talking point of the half came on 29 minutes when a ball over the Albion defence found two Mossley forwards running clear.

Albion shouted for offside, but it was not given, and although the resulting shot beat Neil Bennett, defender Dominic Riordan made a valiant effort to clear the ball.

In the process he collided with the post and the ball fell to Sam

Adam Hirst

Ossett Albion’s Luke Sharry, Adam Jones and Ross Hardaker defend against Mossley Robinson, who fired it into the net to give the away side the lead.

The second half saw Albion

come out in determined mood, and although they had the better of the play, they were unable to create

any real chances.

Adam Muller had the best chance when Liam Flynn in the Mossley goal saved a hard shot one-handed. From the resulting corner Adam Jones tried to force the ball into the net, but it was headed off the line.

On 70 minutes a back-pass by a Mossley defender from the edge of the six-yard box gave Albion a free kick, but it was saved.

With time running out, Albion were awarded a penalty when Daniel McDonnell pushed Connor Brunt. Connor Bower took the kick but placed it to the goalkeeper’s left and was saved.

In added time Mossley got their second.

The visitors went up the right wing, and when the ball came to Charlie Anderson he made no mistake, wrapping up the points for the visitors.

Cleckheaton face Gomersal in Priestley Cup THE BRADFORD LEAGUE’S 2015 Sovereign Health Care Priestley Cup competition gets underway on Sunday, with last year’s losing finalists Cleckheaton hot favourites to progress after being handed a firstround draw at Second Division Gomersal.

Cleckheaton, the reigning First Division champions, have made a stutter-

ing start to the season but Gomersal’s inconsistency makes them clear underdogs.

The return of last week’s centurion, Andy Gorrod, to Oxford Road, will not encourage a home attack often lacking penetration.

In 2013 Hanging Heaton lost to Lightcliffe in the final, and skipper Gary Fellows will be hoping to at least jump the

CRICKET first hurdle this time as his side also prepare to face a Second Division outfit with Baildon visiting Bennett Lane.

Making their Priesley Cup debut are Second Division newcomers Scholes, who make the short trip to Oakenshaw where they will face First Division giants Woodlands.

Despite winning the First Division title in six of the last 10 seasons Woodlands have been surprisingly unsuccessful in the cup – with only one win (2006) to their credit.

However, it is hard to see Scholes marking their first game in this historic competition with a win.

East Bierley, three times winners in four years between 2009 -

2012, have an all First Division tie at home to New Farnley that is very hard to call and likewise at Keighley who have an all Division Two clash with Spen Victoria.

The full draw is: Farsley v Pudsey Congs, Undercliffe v Idle, Yeadon v Windhill, East Bierley v New Farnley, Keighley v Spen Victoria, Woodlands v Scholes, Gomersal v Cleckheaton, Hanging Heaton v Baildon, Bowling Old Lane v Brighouse. Byes.

Hartshead Moor, Pudsey St Lawrence, Bankfoot, Bradford and Bingley, Morley, Lightcliffe and Saltaire.

Heckmondwike knockout CYCLE SPEEDWAY HECKMONDWIKE took part in the Northern Knockout Cup in Sheffield on Sunday, with eight teams competing from all over the north of England.

With excellent weather and track conditions, racing was fast with plenty of action.

Heckmondwike, along with Hull, were knocked out in their round, meaning that that Stockport and Astley &

Tildesley went on to the finals.

Results: Heckmondwike 28; Hull 37; Astley and Tildesley 48; Stockport 48.

Heckmondwike scorers: Darren Kent 5; Pavel Idziorek 12; Mick Knowles 7; Justin Naylor 4.

Heckmondwike’s next race is on Sunday May 10 (2pm) at Firth Park against Hull.

Training continues on Wednesday nights from 7.30pm. For more information contact Justin Naylor on 07799 367370.

Pawel Idziorek gets in a tangle with Hull’s Lewis Aylmer

ThePress

Friday May 1, 2015

JUNIOR RUGBY LEAGUE

Knights are no match for Sharks Under-14s DEWSBURY MOOR U-9s kept their unbeaten of nine matches going in a hard-fought win over Whinmoor.

Opposition man of the match Sam Beety scored three tries, whilst other scores came from Tom Lay, Shaun Fennel, Joe Maloney and Zain Ajmal.

Man of the match went to Lay, magic moment was Adam Ajmal, with man of steel going to Fennel.

SHAW CROSS SHARKS U-12s continued their good start to the season with an impressive 30-0 win over Normanton Knights.

Jack Turton opened the scoring after very good work from Elliot Watson to find space and release Turton to go over.

Great support play from Taylor Bowman then found himself racing to the tryline. Harris Brereton finished off the scoring in the first half.

Dylan Goodward was exceptional in directing the Sharks around the field, with defence being the key to Shaw Cross’ success.

Luke Barlow (two), Arion Woods, and a first try for James king finished off the rout. Rye Ward picked up man of the match award.

THORNHILL TROJANS U12s welcomed Chapel Town Cougars in an outstanding game.

Thornhill started strong with runs from Dylan Cooper and Scott Naylor.

Jake Buckley received opposition man of the match award for a fantastic all-round game.

Noah Ellis shone at hooker, distributing the ball well for Thomas Hiscocks and Ben Moorhouse to make good ground, and then Ryan Turner broke well to score.

Zak Harrod claimed the magic moment for a great weaving run to score a fine try, while Ben Pritchard received top tackler.

Brandon Hargreaves bagged a hat-trick and was awarded man of the match and parents’ player.

The Trojans U-12s also visited Batley Boys in the Gary Talbot Cup. Thornhill played their best

Action from Thornhill Trojans U-12s’ clash with Batley Boys in the Gary Talbot Cup game to date ,with a fantastic first half performance.

Strong defence came from forwards Tom Darley and Jake Buckley.

Batley were the first to score, quickly followed by Reece Fisher with his first, when he broke from a kick to score under the sticks.

A last-minute try from Batley was the dividing score to put the home team just a head at full-time.

THORNHILL TROJANS U-10s Warriors visited Hunslet Warriors and showed immense skill and team spirit to end Hunslet’s unbeaten run.

Taking both opposition’s player and man of the match awards was Kye Hodgson, while Finlay Ratcliffe won the 100 per cent award and Scott Walker made good yards with powerful running.

Connor Hickling was a worthy

parents’ player for relentless tackling and two tries.

Felix Ellis was top tackler and scored a hat-trick.

Kyle Lister also crossed and took the magic moment award for a perfectly timed try-saving tackle.

THORNHILL TROJANS U-9A hosted Ovenden and continued their good form, coming away victorious.

Leading from the front were Toby Lumb, William Frain and Tyler Jowitt all producing man ofthe-match performances.

Lumb scored a hat-trick, while Jowitt and Frain both scored a brace.

Also on the scoresheet were William Lister, Mason Haigh, Ethan Purcell and Charlie Blacka.

Alfie Howley yet again proved hard to stop, beating several defenders to score a try.

THORNHILL TROJANS U-8s recorded only their second victory of the season as they played Oulton. Parents’ player was awarded to Lewis Bates in his first game for the Trojans.

Joshua White and Benjamin Longley both helped keep the defence strong, while Rhian Llewellyn managed a massive 36 tackles to earn himself the top tackler award.

Man of the match went to Ethan Richardson, with Bailey Bennett and Dylan Stanley earning the magic moment award.

THORNHILL TROJANS U-7s played exciting rugby as they took on Whinmoor. Magic moment award went to Archie Barclay, with Frankie Firth picking up top tackler.

Lewis Brook was awarded 100 per cent award for his performance and a well-deserved parents’ player award was given to Benjamin Conn.

Shaun Brown took home the player of the match with some fantastic team play from Seth Harkin, Olivia Wilson, Deacon Walker, Frankie Summers, Jack Archer, Mason Hampson, Joshua Martin and Nathaniel Broadhead.

25

U-16s down Hunslet, U-14s compete well DEWSBURY MOOR U-16s produced a convincing win as they beat Hunslet Warriors 34-20.

Moor played the better attacking game, with Alex Hollingsworth grabbing two tries.

Archie Bruce, Bradley Samme, Elliot Sheard and Joseph Haywood also got a try each.

The goals were kicked by Hollingsworth (three), Bruce and Thomas Firth to complete the scoring.

Even though Hunslet got 20 points on the board, the win never looked in doubt for the home side.

DEWSBURY MOOR U-14s entertained top-of-the-table West Hull, who brought a large number of supporters to Heckmondwike Road.

The Hull team were impressive as they cruised to a 20-0 lead at half-time, but Moor stemmed the tide and kept West Hull scoreless in the second period.

Dewsbury produced a brave fight back with 18 unanswered points in the second half to stage a late comeback.

It was too little, too late for Moor as they were just pipped at the post.

Moor tries came from Jack Broadbent (two), and Brad Martin. Stand-off Billy Jowitt kicked three conversions.

Joe Wilkinson, Brad Kitcher and Finlay Bruce had good games for the Dewsbury Moor in what was a close encounter.

Bragging rights for Celtic in Boys derby win DEWSBURY CELTIC U-14s travelled the short distance to Batley Boys for a local derb, and went home with the bragging rights and a 30-4 win.

A much-improved and more physical Batley side pressured Celtic for the opening 10 minutes, as the Green and Whites fiercely defended their line from repeat sets.

The early pressure was momentarily relieved when Charlie Heaton intercepted deep in Celtic territory, running the length of the field, but he was tackled short of the line.

Alex Bond then went close in the left-hand

•Thornhill Trojans Ladies celebrate their 24-20 victory over Selby in the Selby District Challenge Cup Final at Featherstone on Saturday

corner but was bundled into touch by the corner flag following some valiant Batley tackling.

The home side finally broke the deadlock five minutes short of the break with a try in the corner after Celtic conceded yet another penalty for offside on their own 10-metre line.

The arm wrestle continued 10 minutes into the second period, before prop George Bussey finished off with his memorable first try for the Green and Whites.

With the scores level, the marauding Celtic forwards began to penetrate deep into Batley territory as they enjoyed an improved spell of possession.

Cameron Berry went in under the sticks for a try 13 minutes into the second half with Heaton adding the extras for a 10-4 advantage.

The forwards set up a platform once again for centre Ryan Birch to go over tight in the right-hand corner for a well-finished try just minutes later, extending the Celtic lead.

Lewis Teale added another try when he found his way over to give the Green and Whites a healthy 18-4 advantage.

Celtic were still looking assured in attack when prop Jacob Carr broke through the Batley defensive line wide out on the leftflank, barging over in the corner after storming down the touchline from 30 metres out.

Heaton converted from the touchline.

Liam Metcalf bagged a well deserved try in the closing minutes after yet another strong and courageous carry down the middle of the park.

Heaton goaled to complete a fantastic second half team performance from a much improved Celtic side, running in deserved winners.

Celtic travel away to play New Earswick All Blacks on Sunday (May 3).

• Adam Watson races away for Birstall Victoria Under-14s Mark Lockwood

• Scarlett Hartley in action for Birstall Victoria Under-9s against Toll Bar Mark Lockwood

DEWSBURY BRIDGE CLUB RESULTS: TUESDAY APRIL 21: 1 J Paxton and D Hannam; 2 M Belk and L

Mallinson; 3 M Watson and G Bloom; 4 J Hey and P Sellwood.

ThePress

26

Friday May 1, 2015

LONDON BRONCOS

KINGSTONE PRESS CHAMPIONSHIP

LONDON RAMATHON KINGSTONE PRESS CHAMPIONSHIP

LONDON BRONCOS DEWSBURY RAMS

16 20

David Ballheimer at The Hive

DEWSBURY RAMS became the first Championship team to lower the London Broncos’ colours at The Hive.

It was a scrappy, defensive contest, filled with messing about at the rucks, slowed-down play-theballs and a defensive lines that were rarely more than eight metres from the man playing the ball.

Both teams had multiple sets of six in possession, but the defences stepped up in these cases and held out – often because of mistakes by the team with the ball.

They were also not helped by a surprisingly slippery pitch that had players falling over without being touched.

London took the lead in the seventh minute when Iliess Macani made a break, passed inside and sent Ben Hellewell over. The full-

back was 50 metres out, but he had no-one to beat to the line.

The Rams hit back in the 19th minute, when Karl Pryce went over from 20 minutes, brushing aside two poor tackles.

That was the end of the first-half scoring because both sets of defences were dominant and players made mistakes in possession.

The second half started horribly for London as Wes Naiqama’s kickoff went out on the full.

On the fifth tackle of the following possession, Callan Beckett ran onto a Matty Wildie grubber, misplayed by a Broncos defender, and grounded the ball.

It would not be until the eighth minute of the half that London would get their hands on the ball, but on their second possession, in the 51st minute, Macani took a pass from Naiqama to score.

Naqaima’s conversion tied things up, but 11 minutes later the Broncos were caught offside when a high Anthony Thackeray kicked was fumbled forward.

Kieran Hyde kicked the short range penalty to give the Rams a lead they would never relinquish.

In fact, they extended it three minutes later when Brett Seymour and Thackeray combined to send in Aaron Brown.

Dewsbury’s defence wasn’t put under too much pressure apart from one Naiqama break, when he was stopped inches short of the line.

Macani scored his second try with 75 seconds remaining.

Naiqama rushed his conversion, and it went wide of the uprights.

It left the Broncos 20 seconds to snatch a miraculous point-saver, but there wasn’t enough time and Dewsbury held on for a thoroughly deserved victory.

Dewsbury coach Glenn Morrison said: “I am very happy with that. It was a massive game for us.

“With both teams on the same number of points and the Broncos yet to lose at home, we knew it would be very tough. But we came through.”

SHAW CROSS 30 MILFORD MARLINS 10 at Leeds Road

DESPITE trailing 10-4 at half-time, Shaw Cross managed to get the win over Milford after five second-half tries.

Sharks winger Jack Gledhill opened the scoring after just six minutes with a try in the corner, before Milford hit back with two tries from James Barker and Josh Nathaniel and a goal from Ryan Oxtoby.

It was a different story in the second half as the Sharks’ forwards took control and rattled in three tries in 10 minutes which stunned the visitors.

It began when James

Davies plunged over the line for the first, which Danny Flowers goaled to level the scores at 10-10.

Within minutes, Sharks wingers Gledhill and Ross Roebuck raced through for further tries on the flanks to make it 18-10 and Milford had no answers to stem the Sharks’ raids.

Strong forward play, both in attack and defence from Ben Gledhill, Greg Wilby, Matthew Byatt and John Rourke snuffed out the Marlins, as the home side continued to dominate play with further tries from centre Robbie Byatt and standoff half Andy Fawkes to give them a well-deserved win.

Shaw Cross play at home again tomorrow (Sat 2.30pm) as they take on Crosfields.

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

SUBS: Ray Nasso Erjon Dollapi Toby Everett Jamie Thackray

6 6 7 7

DEWSBURY RAMS Kieran Hyde Dale Morton Callan Beckett Karl Pryce Jason Crookes Brett Seymour Anthony Thackeray Ryan Hepworth Tom Hemingway Paul Jackson Rob Spicer Tobi Adamson Luke Adamson

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

SUBS: Matty Wildie Aaron Brown Byron Smith Makali Aizue

DELIGHT: Beckett bagged his first try of the season

sink Celtic NATIONAL CONFERENCE LEAGUE DIVISION THREE

LEIGH EAST DEWSBURY CELTIC

7 7 6 7

LONDON BRONCOS Tries: Hellwell (7), Macani (51, 79).

Goals: Naiqama 2/3.

DEWSBURY RAMS Tries: Pryce (19), Beckett (42), Brown (65) Goals: Hemingway 1/1, Hyde 3/3.

Penalty Count: 6-8 / Referee: Martin Woodhead / Attendance: 663 Half-Time: 6-6 / / MOM: Hyde (Rams)

Celtic U-18s edge Moor

Shaw Cross see off Marlins Leigh East NCL DIVISION ONE

Ben Hellewell Rhys Williams Ben Farrar Wes Naiqama Iliess Macani Joe Keyes Tom Gilmore Rhys Lovegrove Brad Dwyer Jon Wallace Daniel Harrison Matt Garside Elliot Minchella

68 16

at Ledgard Avenue

DEWSBURY CELTIC conceded 12 tries as they were outclassed by a dominant Leigh East side.

Celtic only trailed 22-16 at the mid-way point but were blown away by the ruthless home side in the second period.

Danny Lee, Danny Crabtree and George Sykes crossed for Celtic, with Pat Foulstone adding a couple of goals.

However, it was never going to be enough to stop a Leigh side who had a hat-trick performance from Kori Barber and two-try showings from Billy Alred, Tommy Gaughan and Lee Rowley.

Danny Grainey and Josh Adudwumaa also crossed the whitewash with Adam Holland touching down and landing 10 goals, as Leigh cruised to a 68-16 victory.

DEWSBURY MOOR Under-18s took part in a tough encounter at near neighbours Dewsbury Celtic but just lost out 16-14.

Tempers were high as the sides clashed which resulted in Moor being reduced to 12 men.

Dewsbury Moor struck with half-time approaching when Cameron Adleigh spotted a gap and went under the Celtic sticks to score.

Ben Ross added the goal and Moor led 6-0 at the interval.

For 20 minutes in the second half Celtic had a purple patch and scored three tries, two of which were converted, to lead 16-6.

Despite this Moor hit back and showed spirit as Tom Haye scorched 50 metres to score and get his side back in the game.

Shortly afterwards full-back Max Vernon showed pace to get on the scoresheet with a well-taken try, but Celtic held on to take the win and the bragging rights.

Hunter-Paul shines as Stags beat Bentley YORKSHIRE MEN’S LEAGUE

BENTLEY MIRFIELD STAGS

20 42

at Bentley ARLFC

MIRFIELD Stags continued their perfect start to the season after an emphatic 42-20 victory at Bentley.

Full-back Ross Hayden bagged five tries, with the Stags’ powerful pack laying a platform for their outside backs to shine.

Injured stand-off Francis Maloney coached the Stags in the absence of Richard Silverwood, and former New Zealand international Robbie Hunter-Paul captained the side on his debut.

Hunter-Paul played a starring role as the Stags raced into an early 24-0 lead with four unanswered tries during a totally onesided opening quarter.

Great work from Mirfield put Elliot Smith through Bentley’s backline in the opening nine minutes. Smith was involved again as

FIVE: Ross Hayden touches down

he drew the opposing full-back, before offloading to Hayden to score under the posts.

Forward Ben Mather came off the bench to crash over and increase Mirfield’s lead, before winger Oliver Rounding essentially wrapped the game up during the next set.

Hunter-Paul saw an opportunity down the blindside and created

the space for Rounding to race clear and score from 40 metres.

The hosts quickly replied with their first try when Gareth Burns touched down.

Minutes before half-time Bentley seemed to be back in the game, as winger Ben White scored.

However, the elusive Hayden completed his hat-trick shortly before the interval, reacting quickest to pounce on a HunterPaul bomb which the hosts had failed to deal with.

Bentley continued to show great fight and hit back again when stand-off Jack Craswell scooted over from the play-theball close to the Stags’ line.

But it was game over when Hayden bagged his fourth and fifth tries of the afternoon, either side of the 70-minute mark.

The first saw Hunter-Paul make a 50-metre break, from a superb Smith offload, before producing a kick for Hayden to dive over in the in-goal area. The full-back

LEGEND: Robbie HunterPaul takes on the Bentley defence Steve Horsfall

kicked the goal to take his tally to a perfect six from six.

Then a Bentley dropped ball, close to Mirfield’s own line, allowed Hayden to scoop it up and run 80 metres unchallenged,

taking his personal haul for the game to 32 points. Hunter-Paul added extras. Bentley had the final say when Nick Pownall nipped over for a consolation try in the dying seconds.

ThePress

Friday May 1, 2015

PLAYER RATINGS LEIGH CENTURIONS Jonathan Pownall Adam Higson Greg Worthington Tom Armstrong Liam Kay Martyn Ridyard Ryan Brierley Tom Spencer Bob Beswick Sam Hopkins Andrew Dixon Kurt Haggerty Sam Barlow

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

SUBS: Lewis Foster Jamie Acton Oliver Wilkes Jake Emmitt

7 7 7 7

BATLEY BULLDOGS Jacob Morgan Wayne Reittie Alex Bretherton Shaun Squires Shaun Ainscough Cain Southernwood Alistair Leak Keegan Hirst Luke Blake Sean Hesketh Lee Mitchell Brad Day Joe Chandler

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

SUBS: Matty Fozard Adam Gledhill Tom Lillycrop Tom Thackray

8 7 8 7

LEIGH CENTURIONS Tries: Brierley (2, 4, 30), Kay (6), Higson (19, 47), Armstrong (21), Pownall (28, 66), Dixon (62).

Goals: Ridyard 8/10.

BATLEY BULLDOGS Tries: Ainscough (16), Fozard (73).

STATS Referee: Joe Cobb / Penalties: 11/12 / Half-Time: 38-4 / Sin-Bin: S Barlow, Jake Emmitt (Leigh) / Sent Off: None / Attendance: 3,036 / Weather: Dry and mild

27

KINGSTONE PRESS CHAMPIONSHIP

CONVINCING CENTURIONS TEACH BATLEY A LESSON Paul McCarthy

KINGSTONE PRESS CHAMPIONSHIP

LEIGH CENTURIONS BATLEY BULLDOGS

56 8

Steve Manning at Leigh Sports Village

LEIGH CENTURIONS continued their winning run with a convincing victory over an occasionally hapless Batley.

The game was virtually won after only six minutes as Leigh took an 18-0 lead.

Centurions scrum-half Ryan Brierley scored two of the three tries and gave a masterclass with ball in hand, and with the boot, with three tries in all and five try assists.

Leigh were exciting and clinical in attack and led 38-4 at the break. Their defence was mean as well and the game got fractious at times, with two Centurions sin-binned.

Batley battled manfully though with Cain Southernwood, Alistair Leak, Keegan Hirst, Sean Hirst, Tom Lillycrop and Matty Fozard taking the game to the hosts, while Wayne Reittie was a constant menace.

TACKLE: Fozard gets to grips with the Leigh attack Every Centurion player performed on the day, showing the advantage of a full-time environment, with forwards Sam Barlow, Sam Hopkins, Jake Emmitt and Andrew Dixon laying the foundations for victory.

Batley had a half-chance on the opening set but that was the last time

they touched the ball for nine minutes.

Barlow and Martyn Ridyard combined and found Brierley, whose arcing run saw him through a large hole to go under the posts on two minutes for Ridyard to convert the first of his eight goals from 10 attempts.

On the next set, Ridyard’s cut-out pass found Adam Higson who sped down the right wing and found Brierley who went under the posts to double the lead.

From the restart, Tom Armstrong raced down the left channel, passing outside to Liam Kay who went 55 metres under the posts.

On 16 minutes, Batley responded and a Leak cross-field bomb was palmed by Shaun Squires to Shaun Ainscough who touched down in the corner.

That stung the Centurions into action. Three minutes later, Brierley’s wide pass found Higson who went in unchallenged in the corner.

On the next set Leigh scored from 80 metres: Kay sped down the wing before unselfishly passing inside for Armstrong who went under the posts for a 28-4 lead.

The visitors were chasing shadows and they conceded two more quick-fire tries.

On 28 minutes Jonathan Pownall scored out wide and two minutes later Brierley swapped passes with Pownall to streak in under the posts for his treble.

Barlow was then sin-binned after conceding back-to-back penalties for high tackles.

Batley began brightest in the second half until the Centurions struck again on 47 minutes: Brierley put in a cross-field bomb which Higson took to score in the corner.

The expected scoring avalanche didn’t materialise, though, through a combinations of scrappy play, knock-ons and penalties.

On 62 minutes, Brierley found Andrew Dixon and he marched through a static Batley defence to score. Three minutes later, Pownall went over for his double.

Batley had the last word: from a quick play-the-ball Fozard crashed over out wide while Leigh’s Emmitt was sin-binned by referee Cobb late on for fighting.

Birstall bounce back to beat Beverley YORKSHIRE MEN’S LEAGUE

BIRSTALL VICTORIA BEVERLEY

32 16

at White Lee

AFTER a heavy defeat against Thornhill, Birstall returned to form to beat Beverley, as the players showed real character in what was their third game in seven days.

Three players returned and made a massive impact, second-row Jonny Parrish put in a faultless display in attack and defence, forward Matthew Gowland continued his excellent form, while hooker Jonathan Stainburnís support play was unstoppable.

Birstall gifted Beverley an early lead on six minutes after forcing the play out wide and knocking on, allowing the Beverley winger to pick up and race 60 yards to score.

Beverley were back in striking range again when their stand-off had a clear run to score in the corner, but

CHARGE: Phil Hartley makes a run centre Braden Hunter made a superbly-timed cover tackle to save a certain try.

This lifted the home side and it was them who scored next through a converted try from hooker Stainburn.

However Beverley hit back with a lovely timed pass for their centre to score. Birstall ended the half with a

Hunter penalty, making the score 108 to the visitors.

Birstall came out for the second half in confident mood, strong running and great defence throughout the team, gave them the field position for half-backs Brendan Sheridan and Callum Tolson to take control.

On 48 minutes scrum-half Sheridan put a sublime little chip over the defence for full-back Sam Thornton to score.

Only two minutes later great hands from loose-forward Ryan Jackson and Parrish resulted in Stainburn scoring his second of the game.

Forward Gowland scored on the hour mark and Stainburn completed his hat-trick 10 minutes later with more great support play.

Beverley completed the scoring with a consolation try, but Victoria held on to seal a 32-16 victory.

Next-up for Birstall Victoria is a trip to Milford Marlins tomorrow (Sat).

Mark Lockwood

NATIONAL CONFERENCE LEAGUE THREE

DRIGHLINGTON THORNHILL TROJANS

WIBSEY WARRIORS DEWSBURY MOOR MRNS

22 56

at High Street

After a somewhat slow start and going behind in the early stages, Dewsbury Moor won 56-22 against a battling Wibsey.

The home side were the first to strike when Wibsey centre Nick Fontaine went over.

Scrum-half Luke Hellawell added the conversion as the Warriors took an early lead.

Moor quickly countered with Danny Wardman, Jordan Foster and Bradley Foster making inroads for Peter Robinson to score the Moor’s opening try.

Jacob Flathers converted.

Despite hard tackling by Cameron Bruce, Wibsey’s Fontaine was proving to be a handful, and he made the break which sent in Jimmy Waddington to put Wibsey further ahead.

Hellawell made it 12-6 with the goal.

Wibsey maintained their go-forward, and Anthony Boardman saved Moor by diving bravely on a dangerous grubber kick.

Dewsbury Moor weathered the storm, and after Jordan Foster joined into the counter-attack James Eatherly powered over, Flathers converted.

The lively half-back pairing of Robinson and Dean Arundel was opening gaps for Moor, and good centre play by James Leatherly resulted in winger Flathers going

2 18

at Wakefield Road

GROUNDED: Braden Hunter attempts to break-free

Moor start slow but destroy Wibsey NATIONAL CONFERENCE LEAGUE DIV THREE

Haigh leads Trojans win

over on Wibsey’s left – and he coneverted his own try.

Brad Foster then sent Tobias Richardson through a gap, he offloaded to full-back Jordan Foster for Moor’s fourth try.

Flathers goaled.

As half-time approached the elusive Jordan Foster made a break which led to him going in for a fine individual touchdown. Moor led 28-12 at the interval.

At the resumption of play Wibsey had a mini-revival, as they came off the ropes and caught the Moor napping with a try by James Morton. Hellawell goaled to keep his side in the game, trailing only by 10 points at 28-18.

Good play from Arundel saw Andrew Robinson then storm over for another converted try.

Then good team passing allowed Boardman to sprint over.

Flathers adding the extras.

Flathers then was in the action as he out-sprinted the would-be tacklers with a 40-metre sprint to the line.

He also goaled to make the score to 46-18.

A lack of concentration let Wibsey’s Danny Conroy in for an unconverted try, but the Maroons came again as Ash Boddy scored and Flathers added the goal.

Moor had saved the best effort until the end as they sat deep inside their own half.

Robinson threw a long pass to find Leatherly, he then showed pace and determination to go 80 metres for a fine individual effort to bring the game to an end.

THORNHILL’S defence proved too strong as they restricted Drighlington to just two points in their National Conference Division three encounter.

It was the home side who took the lead from the boot of Michael Sanderson after 15 minutes.

The Trojans then took control, and on 24 minutes Richard Bostock beat several tacklers, but was held up over the line.

Just before the half-hour mark man of the match Luke Haigh powered over to put Thornhill for unconverted try.

A break by Joel Gibson then allowed the full-back to pass to Jordan Lowther, who beat several would-be tacklers to touch down.

Gibson converted and put Thornhill 10-2 in front at the interval.

Drighlington made a determined start to the second half but Thornhill looked the more dangerous outfit with the ball in hand. The break through didn’t come until Bostock powered over from close range to put the visitors 12 points in front.

As the clock ran down Liam Morley attempted a drop goal, which drifted wide. With seconds remaining, Mindaugas Bendikas went over to score in the corner for an unconverted try, confirming Thornhill’s victory.

• BATLEY BULLDOGS will host the Pennine League’s cup finals on Bank Holiday Monday, May 4.

At 11am Eastmoor Dragons play Ovenden in the Supplementary Cup, followed by Siddal v West Leeds in the Andrew Bennett Cup. Lastly Doncaster Toll Bar play West Bowling in the Presidents Cup (3.30pm).

HALF-BACK WOES

Mills facing Morrison Southernwood out as Leatherbarrow returns for ‘Haven on a mission

By Joseph James Sports Reporter sport@thepressnews.co.uk

AS PLAYERS return for Batley Bulldogs yet another has been ruled out, with Cain Southernwood the latest to be sidelined.

The half-back was taken off with an ankle injury in Batley’s heavy defeat to Leigh and will miss this weekend’s clash against Whitehaven at Mount Pleasant (Sun, 3pm).

Bulldogs coach John Kear confirmed Southernwood was awaiting the results of a scan, to measure the extent of his injury.

“He won’t feature in the near future,” Kear said.

Better news for the ‘Dogs is that scrum-half Scott Leatherbarrow is set to return against the Cumbria outfit.

“I didn’t want him coming back and replacing Cain but he’ll go through

training and should come into the side for the weekend,” Kear added.

Batley have only managed to pick-up three wins this season, as their squad continues to be hampered by injury.

Free-scoring Johnny Campbell, centre Ayden Faal and James Craven are all out. However full-back Craven could return to the side for Sunday’s game.

Whitehaven make the trip to West Yorkshire with James Coyle’s side sitting 11th in the Championship table.

‘Haven have only picked up two wins so far, with victories at home to Doncaster and London Broncos.

But Kear says his team are still wary of their opponents.

“It’s going to be a tough contest, they are an improving side,” he said.

“Look at the game against Featherstone, they were winning at half-time.

We know it’s going to be hard.

BLOW: Southernwood joined Batley from Whitehaven “Whitehaven have made full use of the loan and the dual-registration system.

“They’ve got two players from Leigh, a lad from Wigan in the centres and a player from Widnes

at nine.”

In last week’s defeat to the Rovers, Whitehaven’s line-up included Jonny Walker (Leigh), Grant Gore (Widnes) and Wales international Rhodri

Lloyd (Wigan).

The visitors will come to Batley full of confidence, as they have beaten the ‘Dogs in their last three encounters.

The Bulldogs will hoping to get back to winning ways at the Mount after they became the latest team to suffer defeat at the hands of the Leigh Centurions.

Kear side went down 56-8 at Leigh Sports Village, and the Batley boss said: “It quite simply wasn’t good enough.

“We got walloped, it’s as simple as that and Leigh demonstrated their ability, as they have all season.”

Despite Shaun Ainscough’s first-half try, Batley were 38-4 down at the interval.

“I told them preparation for next week starts now, do what you can to stop them scoring any more points and simply try and improve,” Kear added.

“A postive is that some players stood up as leaders.”

Rotating Rams look to stop Leigh DEWSBURY RAMS coach Glenn Morrison says “It’s a good time to be at the club” after his side became the first team to defeat London in the capital.

It was the Rams’ sixth win of the season and moves Morrison’s side up to fourth in the Championship table.

“It’s a fair reflection. Before the season we aimed for six wins after 10 games and that’s where we’re at,” the Rams boss said.

“Being honest, we could have got a few more, but we’re sitting in fourth.

“We just want to build and improve on last season’s finish.”

Morrison will be looking for further improvement as he prepares his team for Leigh Centurions, who come to the Tetley’s Stadium on Sunday (3pm).

Leigh are unbeaten this season and have knocked Salford Red Devils out of the Challenge Cup. Paul Rowley’s side have scored 421 points and conceded just over 100, as they look to secure back-toback league titles.

Rams coach Morrison says his team are in for a difficult game.

“We know it’s going to be tough, they are a quality full-time team that want to be in Super League.

“We have to prepare well and try to break them down. You never know, they may come here not on their game, and we could turn them over,” he said.

Dewsbury could make changes for Sunday’s clash as Morrison continues to rotate his team.

“It’s about having a good squad in this league, you need that to be competitive. It’s not always about the best 17,” Morrison added.

“We put out the best players for the job, and the best to beat the opponents in front of us.

“We’ve rotated in recent weeks, and we may rotate again and bring some players back.”

In this win over the Broncos Brett Seymour and Callan Beckett came into the team, and their coach says places in the side will become even tougher when players return from injury.

“James Fieldhouse isn’t too far off – we brought him in as an attacking full-back.

“Shane Grady is three weeks away, Sam Wood and Steve Nash are recovering and Greg Scott has already played for the reserves – it’s looking good.”

Head coach Morrison said even though he hasn’t been full satisfied with his team’s performances, it’s good to see the Rams still picking up wins.

“It’s certainly a positive because we know we’ve got more in the tank.

The win at London was our fifth straight victory on the road, and part of that is down to the away supporters.”

• DEWSBURY hooker Wayne Godwin, who is on loan at Salford, suffered damage to his teeth in the game against Castleford, and is ruled out for the Red Devils.

Steve Horsfall

RETURN: Grady has missed the last three games

By Mike Popplewell Cricket Correspondent sport@thepressnews.co.uk

HOPTON MILLS CC could find themselves with more than they bargained for when they go to free-scoring Northowram Fields tomorrow (Sat) for a Central Yorkshire League Championship clash as Dewsbury Rams coach Glenn Morrison prepares to swap his tracksuit for his whites and turn out for the home side.

Northowram followed their 252-3 against Liversedge on the opening day with 264-6 against Wakefield St Michaels before rain intervened with the visitors on 19-1.

Dru Patel took 114 off the St Michaels attack, for his first CYL century but Morrison was the man at the other end who nursed him through his nervous 90s - finishing on 22 not out himself.

Morrison said: “This is my second season at Northowram Fields, I live at Lightcliffe so it isn’t far away. I always played cricket and rugby league growing up but there a came a point when I had to choose and I let go of cricket.

“Funnily, Darren Wright, my best mate from being a kid, faced the same choice but he dropped rugby for cricket and is now the head coach at Hobart Hurricanes.

“It is sometimes difficult fitting everything in with my job at Dewsbury Rams but cricket on a Saturday is a day I can just forget about rugby and relax.”

As for Mills, they were denied victory in their last game, against a Liversedge side who finished third last season, when the visitors had the rain to thank for saving them from a possible second successive defeat. Bradley Drake’s fine 5-51 return had Liversedge struggling on 104-7 chasing 202.

The visit of Oulton to Roberttown Lane, to play Liversedge this week, promises to be interesting for they were bowled out for just 45 by Azaad on the opening day then hit 279-9 against Caribbean CC in their last game.

Having opened the season in glorious sunshine, round two of the league campaign saw an almost complete washout, with Buttershaw’s Kevin McDermott facing particular frustration after making a superb 121 not out against Mirfield Parish Cavaliers at St Paul’s Avenue. Buttershaw’s innings closed on 278-7 but Parish made only 21-1 in reply before the rain hit.

The only Premier Division finish came at Batley, where Marcus Walmsley took 6-62, bowling unchanged from the start of the innings, as Batley slumped to just 105 all out on the way to a ninewicket defeat at Mount Pleasant.

After two successive defeats, promoted Batley will be looking to turn the tide when they go to Wakefield Thornes this week while Ossett go to Carlton in run-scoring mood.

They followed a victory over Buttershaw on the opening day with 265-7 in their game at Wrenthorpe as Javed Umarji making 104 not out.

Birstall, at home to Townville this week, were rained off with their game at Altofts interestingly poised with their score on 58-4 chasing the 184 posted by the home side.