THE worst communities in Barnsley for ‘excess’ winter deaths have been revealed by health experts - with relatively prosperous areas showing a bigger problem than neighbourhoods traditionally recognised as disadvantaged.

Figures for death rates higher than might otherwise be expected in the winter months are worst in the Wombwell, Darton East and Rockingham council wards, with the latter including the communities of Birdwell, Hoyland Common and surrounding areas.

They score substantially worse than some districts associated with poverty and deprivation and a councillor has now called for the authority to probe the reasons behind the statistics.

Barnsley’s overall death rate goes up in winter by an average of 31 per cent, with that rise attributed to all types of winter conditions affecting health, but there is a huge disparity between different communities.

Figures can be broken down in several ways, but in council ward areas Darton East fares the worst with an increase of more than 47 per cent, followed by Wombwell at more than 39 per cent and Rockingham at more than 37 per cent.

By contrast, the increase in the St Helen’s ward is less than five per cent, with Old Town and Royston each scoring increases below seven per cent.The Dearne area is associated with poverty, but the Dearne North area’s increase is below 22 per cent and Dearne North achieves a better result than Barnsley’s overall average.

Coun Chris Lamb, who represents the Rockingham area told colleagues: “We need to probe this. St Helen’s is the lowest but it is not one of the most affluent areas.

“But almost all of St Helen’s is council housing, so it will be of a reasonable standard.

“Is there something going on which is having a massive impact on winter deaths? If it is a housing issue, it is really significant.”

Diane Lee, the council’s head of public health, said: “Housing is absolutely part of it - fuel poverty, people living on their own.”Details emerged at a meeting of Barnsley’s South Area Council.

Members wanted an update on the most pressing health issues in the district to help guide their work.

Both Rockingham and Wombwell fall in the council’s South Area.

Overall, Barnsley has an average of 227 ‘extra’ deaths in winter each year.The meeting was told Wombwell has a high prevalence of private rented housing.

Such properties are not always maintained to the same levels as homes let by local authorities.

Overall, men in the South Area can expect to live to an average age of 78.4, slightly ahead of the Barnsley average of 78.1, though the situation is reversed for women, whose average lifespan across Barnsley is 81.9 years, compared to 81.7 in the South Area.

* Provided by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A MAN who pleaded guilty to growing several cannabis plants at his home will re-appear in court later this month - after claiming he was producing the drug for his terminally ill wife.

Colin Tait, 57, of Brierley Road, Grimethorpe, had 17 cannabis plants seized from three tents in an outbuilding on April 5, 2018, along with stocks of plant food, soil and a water filtration system.

Barnsley Magistrates’ Court was told on Wednesday that if the plants had grown to full maturity, they would have been worth £17,850 on the open market.

But John Evans, defending, said Tait had been growing the cannabis for his own personal use and that of his wife, who has terminal cancer.

Mr Evans added: “He told police he was aware it was an offence, but he had been told by a friend he could grow nine plants for personal use.

“Is anybody going to send a man to jail for growing cannabis for his terminally ill wife?”

The case was adjourned until November 21 to allow Tait to provide medical evidence to the Probation Service for its pre-sentence report.

AN ELDERLY man has died after being struck by a car.

The 81-year-old man was hit by a Ford Ranger four-by-four on Manchester Road, Millhouse Green, on Friday morning.

Emergency services were called at around 11.40am but despite efforts to save him, the man died at the scene.

His family are now being supported by specialist officers.

Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the collision, especially those who have dash-cam footage.

Anyone with information is advised to call 101 quoting incident 346 of November 1.

A FUGITIVE goat has been adopted by a local farm after he was found wandering the streets of Sheffield.

The goat, nicknamed ‘Billy the Kid’, was found by South Yorkshire Police roaming Greenland Road, Darnall, at about 8pm on Wednesday.

He was taken into the back of a police car to a nearby station and the unit took to Twitter to appeal for the owner to come forward.

The owner was identified and confirmed that the goat had escaped from an allotment but he didn’t want Billy back and the RSPCA picked up enquiries.

Wigfield Farm, based on Haverlands Lane, Worsbrough, offered to take the goat on, naming him Clyde.

Rose Whatley, the farm’s site manager, said: “We were delighted to work with South Yorkshire Police and the RSPCA to apprehend this fugitive.

“He has been renamed Clyde, after Bonnie and Clyde, and has been checked by the vet, given some good food, a manicure and been wormed so he’s doing well.

“People can follow his progress through regular updates on Wigfield Farm’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages or come and see him.”

POLICE are searching for a man in relation to an attempted robbery at a Subway sandwich shop in Barnsley.

CCTV images have been released by South Yorkshire Police after an unknown offender entered the shop on Market Street at around 5.30pm on Friday October 25, demandng the shop assistant opened the till.

The man claimed he had a gun.

Detective constable Steve Ramsbottom, investigating, said: “Bravely she refused and managed to lock herself in the shop toilets to call 999, staying there until officers arrived.

It is reported that the offender left the store empty handed and went in the direction of Pitt Street.

“This has understandably been a highly distressing incident for this young woman. Our enquiries are continuing, but we have now released a CCTV picture of a man that we think could hold information about what happened.

“If you recognise him, please call 101 or contact my team on 01226 736476 quoting crime reference number 14/162049/19.”

Anyone with information can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

PRIMARY school pupils have created a remembrance memorial using recycled plastic.

Craft Club pupils from Parkside Primary Academy, on Midland Road, Royston, have collected, recycled and reused plastic bottles since September to make their own ‘Waterfall of Poppies’.

The pupils wanted to create their own memorial to display at the school as a tribute to those who have lost their lives or have been affected by war.

Rachel Ward, headteacher at Parkside, said: “We are so proud of how hard our children and teachers have worked to create this fantastic design.

“We’ve called the memorial ‘Parkside Remembers Them’ and it is a lasting reminder created to show how grateful we are to those who sacrificed their today for our tomorrow.”

Coun Pauline Makinson said: “It was a pleasure to go down and see the fruits of their labour. They worked very hard and and it’s a wonderful display which sits prominently a the entrance.

“Well done to the group for putting the effort in.”

OFFICERS in Barnsley have issued a warning to shoppers after several incidents of purse thefts in the town centre, and have introduced a way for people to ‘hear’ their purse.

‘Purse bells’ have been introduced by South Yorkshire Police and are available for people to pick up at the front desk in Barnsley Police Station.

Sergeant Steph Coverley said: “It’s the time of year when our high streets across South Yorkshire start to get busier, with people beginning their Christmas shopping.

Unfortunately, it’s also the season where we see an increase in thieves targeting people for their purses and valuables.

“This week two elderly people have had their purses taken in Barnsley town centre, which is clearly upsetting and can have a bigger emotional impact than people think.

“We know that the types of people carrying out this activity often work in teams and operate by distracting vulnerable members of the public, so please keep your eyes peeled for this type of behaviour.

“Often the simplest methods of crime prevention are the best that’s why we’ve got purse bells available for anyone who would like one. If you pop along to Barnsley Police Station and speak to the front desk you can pick one up for your mum, grandma, friend or yourself.

“You can always speak to any of our officers or PCSOs that you see on the beat, in fact we’d love to have a chat, so bear this in mind too.”

There will be two police engagement stalls are at Barnsley Market on Wednesday from 1pm to 3pm and Thursday at Barnsley Library between 10am and noon.

FRIENDS and family members gathered to release balloons and pay their respects to a teenage mother who died in a car crash.

Jordan Williams, 18, died on last Saturday after a car in which she was a passenger collided with a wall and flipped onto its roof on Burton Road, Monk Bretton.

Her sister, Katie Zuppinger, and Jordan’s best friend, Elisa, organised a balloon release on Sunday, one week on from the crash.

The emotional tribute was staged at a field behind her parents’ house on Crown Avenue, Cudworth. Jordan’s grandmother gave a poignant speech at the balloon release in addition to Elisa, who thanked people for attending.

During the balloon release a collection for Jordan’s funeral costs and supporting her one-year-old son, Riley-Jay Harrison, raised £440.

Elisa said: “Thank you every one who came to the balloon release on Sunday and donated. It was overwhelming to see everyone and I know Jordan will be surprised at how many people turned up and how generous people were.”

On Sunday a fundraising event will be held at Darfield Road WMC from 1pm which has been organised by Christian Whiteley-Mason, also known as ‘Lady Bacardi’.

Steppin’ Time School of Dance will be performing in addition to a Mrs Brown’s Boys lookalike, a raffle and an auction.

THE family friend of a little girl who died from a rare form of cancer tackled a 24 mile walk and raised more than £1,000 for charity.

Richard Appleton, who is originally from Darton but now lives in Belgium, walked from Sheffield Children’s Hospital to Dodworth, raising funds in memory of Aalish Naylor.

Aalish was just eight when she died last year after losing her battle with neuroblastoma – a type of cancer which affects the nerve tissue.

Richard and his family were very close with the Naylor family, and his daughter Kadie, 13, was best friends with Aalish.

The walk saw Richard start from Sheffield Children’s Hospital and finish at Aalish’s grave in Dodworth.

He raised more than £1,000 for Aalish’s Ride the Theme Dream charity, which was set up by Aalish’s mum Joanne Naylor.

The charity will offer children with the rare form of cancer and their families time away from the hospital to be able to enjoy theme parks.

Richard, who is a sergeant for the 2nd Battalion in The Yorkshire Regiment, said he ran most of the journey and completed it in less than three hours, despite the pouring rain.

He also said the journey was ‘very emotional’.

“It was very wet so I ended up running most of it,” said Richard.

“I struggled with the amount of water and had to run through large puddles which wasn’t nice.

“However, the walk itself was very emotional as this was Aalish’s last journey. And as much as it was a difficult journey, I kept saying to myself ‘I am not going to be in as much pain as that little girl would have been’.

“I just ran straight to her resting place, bent down and gave her a kiss. “This charity is something that is very close to my heart and I want to do things like this for as long as I can.”

To donate to Aalish’s Ride the Theme Dream, search the charity’s name on Facebook.

AN under-fire rail operator has been urged to reduce fares for commuters in Barnsley after it was revealed that its ageing fleet of trains will continue to serve the borough until next year.

A letter – jointly sent by Barnsley MP and Sheffield City Region Mayor Dan Jarvis – expresses ‘deep disappointment and frustration’ and says passengers have the ‘right to expect a reliable, quality service’ from operator Northern.

Its much-derided ‘Pacer’ trains – which were originally constructed from the bodies of decommissioned buses in the early 1980s – were intended to be a short-term solution to bulging passenger numbers but have served Barnsley and its surrounding areas for almost 40 years.

Northern had promised that Pacers would be phased out entirely by the end of this year, but delays have been encountered in the replacement trains’ manufacturing process, meaning some will continue to be used.

Dan said: “This is yet another example of rail passengers in the north being treated like second-class citizens – it’s unacceptable that people will have to continue travel on these relics, which should have been consigned to a transport museum long ago.

“A reduction in fares on affected routes, throughout the period that passengers have to travel on what are essentially buses on rails, is the very least that could be done.

“I expect Northern to do the right thing and compensate its passengers.”

Northern, owned by Arriva Rail North, previously said it was ‘working hard’ to scrap all Pacers having pledged to replace them with a new £500m fleet.

A spokesman said: “As a result of further delays in the construction and delivery of our new trains from manufacturer CAF, a small number of Pacer units will need to be retained for a short period of time in 2020 to deliver the planned daily timetable with the right capacity for our customers.

“This situation is not unique to Northern. The introduction of new trains from July meant the first Pacer was retired in August, with the majority of Pacers still planned to be removed by the end of this year.

“We agree the north deserves the best possible rail service and are working hard to improve performance and reliability for customers.”

A MULTI-MILLION pound transformation of Barnsley Hospital’s emergency department is expected to ramp up later this month as part of a raft of changes announced by its ruling trust.

The work, which will create a new look to the hospital on its Gawber Road side, will cost £3.5m and is expected to last for up to two years before it’s completed in spring 2021.

A co-located children’s emergency department and child assessment unit will provide an ‘improved patient experience’ and enable the hospital to free up its capacity – a 50 per cent increase in major bays – to treat adults in the current emergency department.

There will also be a new ambulance entrance and associated engineering works for traffic management due to the placement of the new building on the front of the current emergency department.

Associate director for estates and facilities, Rob McCubbin, thanked patients and visitors for their patience ahead of the work, which has already seen workers arrive at the site.

He said: “We’re working hard to minimise disruption for visitors during these works and ask people to check our website for the latest updates about car parking.”

The main entrance to the emergency department remains open, and there is access for dropping people off in cars or taxis, but from the middle of November arrangements for patient drop-offs to the emergency department will be improved, with more space for cars and smoother flow of traffic.

Work is necessary, according to a hospital report, to reduce the number of patients being admitted for a stay when they could be treated with less disruption in the child assessment unit (CAU).

Currently, Barnsley has a children’s assessment unit and ward area which is separate to the children’s emergency department, but the new plans will see staff caring for children in two areas of the hospital instead of three, meaning more time can be spent with patients and less time walking between departments for both patients and staff.

The report added: “The service’s opening hours will increase from a 12-hour pattern from Monday to Friday to a 24-hour, seven-day service, reducing potentially avoidable ward admissions when a CAU service was not operating.

“Patients will also be treated in the vicinity of the emergency department for both their initial and pathway care without the need for a disruptive transfer to the paediatric ward unless it is absolutely necessary.

“The new scheme is aligned with regional and national ambitions to future-proof local hospital services.”

The existing emergency department was designed to cope with about 150 patients a day, but has had to cope with up to double that in recent months before the plans were announced.

Ben Brewis, Barnsley Hospital’s deputy director of operations, added: “Regionally, 85 per cent of children stay in hospital for less than 48 hours with many needing less than a 24-hour stay.

“These children are often admitted to an inpatient paediatric unit, however a significant number of them might most appropriately be seen in a CAU or short-stay unit.

“Bringing together the children’s emergency department and children’s assessment unit into a co-located integrated model will deliver a better patient experience for children and families accessing urgent care.

“It will also improve privacy and dignity for emergency department patients and allow our teams to work together more closely.”

A MAN who is accused of masturbating in Barnsley town centre’s library last year will return to court next week.

Michael Barrett, 40, of Cope Street, Barnsley, will enter a plea on Wednesday having not attended court on his last scheduled appearance.

The incident is alleged to have happened on October 27 of last year at Wellington House.

A MOTHER keen to help families with a new born has opened a baby bank to help parents in need of essential baby items.

Rachel Toesland, 26, is the mother of Tobias Davies, who is nearly two.

The teaching assistant understands how hard it is to purchase essential items with a new baby and as her son began to grow out of things, she found she had several clothes and toys that were in need of a new home.

Rachel said: “I’m quite a bargain hunter and when Toby was born I brought a lot of his clothes second hand. Babies grow so fast and he was never in his clothes for more than two minutes.

“I tried selling some of items on Facebook and I was even selling bundles of clothes for £1 but I had so many bags full of clothes and I just kept thinking that a baby could be wearing these right now.”

Rachel decided then to open Tiny Toes, a baby bank dedicated to providing clothing, toys and baby essentials to families in need. Tiny Toes is currently based at Hope House Cafe, on Blucher Street.

Rachel said: “I want to help low income families who struggle to provide clothing for their babies. I know first-hand how quickly babies grow and I have plenty to give. In addition to this, toys and books are essential for babies development so to provide parents with that too I feel is important.

“I’m asking for donations of clothes, toys, books and anything else you can spare that a family can use. We are not taking monetary donations we are simply after baby essentials that low income families can utilise.

“The plan is that people bring clothes and swap them for clothing for their child’s age to keep the baby bank running.”

Tiny Toes will be accepting donations of clothes from newborn to age 11. They will also be accepting toys and other items such as highchairs, pushchairs and blankets.

Tiny Toes will be at Hope House Cafe on Thursdays and Fridays from 10am until noon.

BARNSLEY Hospital will be on TV screens again for a third series of the documentary Casualty 24/7.

The programme, which is filmed in the hospital’s casualty department, has been deemed popular, has meant Channel 5 has commissioned a third series.

Episodes are expected to air again during the prime time evening slot of 9pm.

The series will run for 12 episodes lasting an hour each and is expected to be on air next year.

Filming for the next series will take place during the hospital’s upcoming winter period and will feature a variety of patients being treated, showing the care that hospital staff provide every day.

A spokeswoman for the hospital said: “This is an excellent chance to showcase the hard work of the Trust and something it is proud to be taking part in.”

SMOKERS in Barnsley spend on average £2,050 a year on tobacco, a public health report has revealed.

In Barnsley smoking costs society around £62.4m, the report said, including factors such as lost productivity, the cost of social care and smoking-related house fires.

It added: “When net income and smoking expenditure is taken into account, 8,326 households with a smoker fall below the poverty line.

“If these smokers were to quit, 2,140 households would be elevated out of poverty.”

Smoking prevalence in Barnsley continues to fall as part of the council-led ‘Breathe 2025’ initiative, which is aiming to make the habit invisible, and resulted in the council joining forces with Yorkshire Smokefree as part of last month’s ’Stoptober’ scheme.

Coun Jim Andrews, cabinet spokesman, added: “In 2016, 79.4 per cent of Barnsley’s adults didn’t smoke, and in 2018 that figure increased to 82.6 per cent. “That’s a fantastic improvement, but we want this year to be our best year yet.”

ROYSTON’S long-awaited Aldi store will open in February next year, it has been announced.

The store – which will create up to 50 jobs when it opens – is being built on High Street.

The date was announced this week, despite the German retailer submitting plans recently to alter the site’s layout which is currently the subject of a consultation phase.

Coun Caroline Makinson said: “People are eager to see this in the village as it will bring more jobs and more choice for shoppers. It received a lot of support in the consultation so I’m happy it’s on its way.

“It will also mean a vacant site will be brought back into use – that’s always a positive thing.”

CREATIVE children are being invited to take part in a competition to win a trip to Westminster and art supplies for their school.

To mark a £57.5 million investment, The South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Integrated Care System is inviting local primary school children to get creative and create posters to share their vision for the ideal hospital or healthcare centre of the future.

The investment is being put into new GP surgeries, new nurse-led clinics and new pharmacies, which will modernize and improve services for local patients. This means that the public will be able to access care more quickly and closer to home.

The art competition, named ‘Your NHS’, is open to primary school children across Barnsley and South Yorkshire.

As well as the chance to see their artwork on display, the winner will receive £500 in art supplies for their school and a trip to Westminster for a very special day out.

Every entrant will receive a certificate and sticker to thank them for taking part.

Sir Andrew Cash, Chief Executive of the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Integrated Care System, said: “The investment is helping us to develop primary and community care in South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw at pace, to help deliver our ambitions for providing high quality health and social care as close to people’s homes as possible.

“Patients and the public repeatedly tell us that good access to fantastic health and care services in their communities is what they want from their NHS, and this money is supporting our ability to deliver just that for people across South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw, also supporting us to be able to provide more modern, state of the art facilities for our patients.

“The art project is a great way for the community to play a part in exciting health centre developments, and we’re really looking forward to seeing some brilliant and imaginative art.” The competition will be supported by a range of school resources, helping children to learn about the history of the NHS and how medicine is changing.

The competition closes on November 15, with regional winners and shortlisted pupils announced shortly after.

To find out more and enter the competition, schools should contact: yournhs@fourcommunications.com

A PUB will be hosting a night of entertainment with all the proceeds going to three local schools.

The Rose and Crown, based on Barnsley Road, Hoylandswaine, will be hosting a Halloween night and donating 100 per cent of the ticket profits to Thurgoland C of E Primary School, Silkstone Common Junior & Infant School and Hoylandswaine Primary School.

Brendan west, who owns the Rose and Crown, said: “My children attend Thurgoland Primary and we love to help the school out where we can.

"I have staff members who have children that attend the other two local schools and I thought this event will be a fantastic way to get the community involved, have an enjoyable night and raise money for the schools.”

The event, which is on November 1, will have a private marquee with entertainment including a fire blower, magician and stilt walkers including a DJ.

There will also be a fancy dress competition running and a pumpkin carving competition.

Tickets can be purchased from the Rose and Crown and the event begins at 7pm.

TWO men have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after an elderly man was found with severe head injuries on Sunday morning.

Emergency services were called to Dobie Street at around 7am on Sunday following reports that a man had been found with severe head injuries.

The 69-year-old man was taken to hospital, where he remains in a critical condition.

Two men, aged 26 and 30, who were previously arrested on suspicion of assault and subsequently bailed, have been re-arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

A 48-year-old woman from Barnsley has also been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Murphy said: “I am interested in speaking to anyone who has information about this incident, particularly if they saw anything suspicious in the early hours of Sunday morning in or around the Dobie Street area.

“If know anything, or saw anything, however small, please contact 101 quoting incident number 337 of October 27. You can also speak to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

TWO youngsters in a park stirred up a storm on social media - but it was for all the right reasons.

Primary school pupils Katie-May Garrity, ten, and Lacie Clay, 11, were spotted at the Valley in Grimethorpe, donning rubber gloves as they cleared the park of rubbish - with a photo on Facebook seen by hundreds of people.

The pair’s parents said they were surprised when the girls came home from school one day and asked where the bin liners were - with Sally Clark, Katie-May’s mum, saying they were role models for other children in the area.

“I asked why, is it an organised thing with school, and she said they were doing it themselves,” said Sally, 40, of Park Road.

“They were out there for a couple of hours, and Katie-May’s never really done anything like that before. She’s only just starting playing out.

“It makes you think you must be doing something right as a parent. Most of the time kids around here get talked about for being naughty, it’s nice when they get recognised for something good.”

Lacie’s mum, 32-year-old Lois Dyson, of Sycamore Avenue, added: “It’s brilliant, I thought she’d get bored and come back in ten minutes but she’s been out three times since that photo was taken.

“I gave her a bit of pocket money, but she said she wasn’t doing it for that.

“It’s good for her, and good for Grimethorpe.”

Katie-May and Lacie are currently at Ladywood Primary School, where head teacher Clare Grainger said pupils of all ages had been looking into the environment as a school project.

“We started looking at respect as a theme, and it was actually the pupils who turned us onto respecting the environment specifically,” said Clare.

“We were blown away at how much the kids clearly understand about the world around them, they really ran with it.

“The two girls are part of a small group who are taking what we have done in school out into the community, and we are very proud of them.”

A FIRE-HIT former care home in Monk Bretton could be demolished in order for up to 82 new homes to be built on its site in the future, planning documents have revealed.

Applicant Anthony Lidster, whose family business owns the former Belmont care home, off Lamb Lane, is seeking outline planning permission from Barnsley Council.

It comes after the derelict building was targeted during a spate of arson attacks earlier this year, which saw the council and police threaten to pursue court action against the firm due to worries about youngsters entering its weakened structure.

A pre-application enquiry was subsequently made in April, a planning document said, which reveals a disused farmhouse near the site - known as Garden House Farm - could also be flattened.

Although still in its outline stage - which means anyone wishing to seek full planning permission would have to submit another plan before any work is done - the document states that the Lidster family have been left with ‘huge financial losses’ due to the arson attacks.

“During 2018 and 2019, Belmont and the farm have been repeated targets of vandalism and arson,” the planning statement said.

“The proposal is to demolish them and redevelop the site for housing.

“Although no bedroom numbers were included with the pre-application enquiry, the education officer has calculated that the development would generate a pupil yield of 17 primary and 12 secondary pupils, requiring a contribution of £403,059.

“Having reviewed historic records there are no obvious historic remains likely to be within the site.”

The care home was erected in the late 1960s and it was originally used as a residential facility for elderly people but in June 1999, Barnsley Council’s asylum and migration service welcomed 180 humanitarian evacuees from Kosovo to the building which was then called Belmont Induction Centre.

“The proposed dwellings will respect the heights of the adjacent existing buildings,” the planning statement added.

“The remaining properties to the southern boundary are bungalows but due to the levels on the site being lower, two-storey houses would be suitable in scale in these locations.

“We have considered the existing vehicular entrance to Belmont and have discounted it and propose a new entrance, further along Back Lane. We also propose a footpath along the north side of Back Lane.”

Comments can be made on the council’s website until November 5.

A GREEN-FINGERED four-year-old is celebrating after growing a bumper crop of pumpkins at her allotment.

Charley Saunders is just four years old but has already caught the gardening bug. She helps out on her dad’s allotment and her hard work growing pumpkins has led to a bumper crop for the tot.

“We’ve had our allotment for just over a year,” said Charley’s dad Paul, 35.

“Her granddad has a greenhouse so she was already used to planting seeds and she got stuck in straight away.

“We’ve planted cucumbers, beans, sweetcorn and loads of other veg but I think the largest amount was our pumpkins which were all Charley’s doing.

"She has a trampoline down at the allotment but she is more interested in tending to her plants than she is playing on her trampoline.”

Charley grew 22 pumpkins which have since been given to friends and family and also to Charley’s school, Hunningley Primary.

“She was absolutely amazed, she couldn’t believe how many she had grown,” said Paul, of Bank Street, Stairfoot.

“She planted all the seeds herself and watched them grow. She used to say they weren’t pumpkins because they were green but we told her that they will become orange when they are ready.

“I think now she is looking forward to carving one of her pumpkins for Halloween and I suppose this means we will have to find a way to cook the pumpkin so it doesn’t all go to waste.

“She loves working at the allotment and I hope she will carry on being green-fingered as she gets older.”

FIREFIGHTERS tackled a fire which started in a town centre Chinese restaurant.

The fire, believed to have started accidentally in the China Moon restaurant and takeaway on Peel Street, saw two crews from Barnsley station and one from Cudworth called at 1.10pm today.

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said the fire was extinguished within minutes of the firefighters’ arrival, and cleared the building of smoke.

The spokesman added no injuries had been reported.

POLICE have appealed for information after a pensioner was found with severe head injuries.

Emergency services were called to Cope Street, Barnsley, at about 7am on Sunday morning, police confirmed.

The 69-year-old man was taken to hospital where he remains in a critical condition. A police spokesman said: “Detectives are appealing for witnesses after a man was seriously injured in Barnsley over the weekend.

“Two men, aged 26 and 30, both from Barnsley, have been arrested on suspicion of assault and remain in custody.

“Enquiries are ongoing to establish exactly how the man suffered his injuries and officers would like to speak to anyone with information.

“We are particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have seen something suspicious in the early hours of Sunday morning in the Cope Street area.

“If you were in the area at the time and saw what happened, call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 quoting incident number 337 of October 27.”

A BARNSLEY man says he ‘would have died’ in the fire which all-but destroyed his childhood home if not for his faithful dog and the heroics of his neighbours to help him and his father escape the smoke and flames.

Ian Stubbs has lived in the house at Hall Street, Wombwell, for more than 46 years - but as he approaches his 60th birthday, he will have to think about rebuilding his life.

It could’ve been much worse, had Ian’s four-year-old border collie Sam not been so relentless in waking him up in the early hours of Monday morning.

“If he hadn’t woken me up I would’ve been dead,” said Ian, 59.

“The smoke must’ve been up to the ceiling, the fire alarms were going off but neither me nor my father heard them.

“The dog was scratching at my arms and face and I kept knocking him down saying ‘go to sleep, it’s too early’.

“He started again really frantically so I threw the quilt off and I noticed the bedroom was dark.

“I thought it’d been a power cut, but as soon as I got off the bed my throat started burning and I saw this thick, acrid black smoke.

“I shouted my dad and said ‘get up, we’re on fire’.”

Ian lives with his 82-year-old dad Ken and Sam. His mum died around Christmas last year, with photographs of her and the cross-stitches she spent much of her time on once adorning the walls of the home - but Ian says these are now ruined.

Firefighters from Dearne, Cudworth and Barnsley stations were called to the house at 4.30am on Monday and spent more than two hours at the scene, with the fire believed to have started after a fault in a fridge freezer.

But it was the actions of Ian’s neighbours that meant he and Ken were safely out of the house by the time they got there.

Ricky Jackson lives next door and was woken up by his girlfriend to hear shouts and alarms from his neighbour’s home.

"I jumped straight out of bed as fast as I could,” said Ricky, 23.

“I could hardly get through the smoke it was that thick but I could see Ian at the top of the stairs as he’d gone up to get his dad.

“The adrenaline made me go in. I could hear them shouting and just thought I had to help them.”

Ricky and another neighbour had to drag wheelchair user Ken, bruised and bloody after falling several times, out of the house.But as he and his son recovered in the garden, Ian realised his dog Sam hadn’t followed them out.

“I was shouting ‘come out you bloody idiot’,” said Ian.

“I said ‘he’s not saving our lives and dying’. This dog deserves a medal the size of a dustbin lid.

“And I can’t praise the neighbours enough, they were all brilliant.”

BARNSLEY Independent Alzheimer’s and Dementia Support (BIADS) has been chosen as Charity of the Year for four organisations.

The group have announced that Norfolk Property Services (NPS) have chosen BIADS as their Charity of the Year for a third consecutive year and that the organisation has also been selected by Marks and Spencer, Berneslai Homes and Primark as their charity of the year.

Sue Hunter, development manager at BIADS, said: “Our members are absolutely thrilled that NPS will be supporting us again and also that Berneslai Homes, Primark and Marks and Spencer are on-board.

"We are so very grateful to all four organisations for their support. We are looking forward to forging great relationships with Berneslai Homes, Primark and Marks and Spencer over the coming months and continuing our excellent relationship with NPS.”

Primark held a tombola stall in the Alhambra Centre, had a cake bake sale and are selling tickets for a raffle. Marks and Spencer have BIADS’ collection boxes by each till in the store and are planning an in store sale of raffle tickets for a hamper.

There are volunteers needed in the store to carry out bag packs when BIADS’ volunteers will be there. NPS held a Golf Day in June raising £6,500.

They will also be holding a race night event in February 2020. And Berneslai Homes organised a sponsored Ben Nevis climb and held cake bake days in their offices.

All money raised will be used by BIADS to continue their work of providing advice and support for families in Barnsley whose lives are affected by dementia.

For more information on BIADS, search for them on Facebook.

MORE than 200 council houses will be included in a £1.2m replacement heating scheme, according to a report to be discussed by Barnsley Council’s ruling cabinet this week.

Berneslai Homes is seeking approval for the project, which will involve houses in Wombwell, New Lodge and Cudworth, to modernise the existing heating pipework which has reached the end of its 30-year life expectancy.

In Wombwell, 80 houses on Aldham Farm and Hudson Haven will receive work in 2019/20 while in New Lodge, 92 houses on Marston Crescent will be modernised in 2020/21 before 53 houses on Rose Tree Court, Cudworth, complete the project in 2021/22.

The report said: “The total estimated capital costs for works of the project total £1,252,000.

“It makes considerable sense to replace the underground heating distribution pipework. New pre-insulated systems have extremely low heat loss.

“The hot water supplied from the heat source to buildings can maintain the supply temperature, ensuring a high level of energy efficiency ensuring environmental, economic and social benefits for the business and customers.”

ALMOST 200 people between the ages of 18 and 25 have been interviewed for watching live or catch-up TV without a TV licence, according to figures released this week.

TV Licensing, responsible for clamping down on the offence, focused on addresses where occupants have ignored previous attempts to make contact.

A total of 183 Barnsley residents were interviewed in the year to September and a spokesman said the majority were students studying in the town.

STAFF from Barnsley Hospital are thanking the public for donating items to their Rainbow Baby Appeal.

The term ‘rainbow baby’ refers to a baby born into a family after the loss of a baby due to health complications, miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal/infant death, and the hospital put out the appeal for items that could be made into packs for families who have had a ‘rainbow baby’ to recognise and celebrate the birth.

Lisa Rich, specialist bereavement midwife, said: “I cannot believe the amazing response we have had to our Rainbow Baby Appeal.

We have had the most beautiful rainbow blankets, hats and cardigans donated. I am so grateful for the generosity that people have shown both in terms of the time and money involved in creating these beautiful garments.

“We intend to create ‘Rainbow Baby packs’ from all the items donated, which will be presented to parents at the birth of their subsequent baby after a loss – their ‘Rainbow baby’.

“These packs will be so precious and meaningful, and we hope the items will help bereaved families who are grieving the loss of a baby to recognise and celebrate the birth of their Rainbow Baby.

“Rainbow pregnancies can be full of fear and anxiety for parents who have had the joy of pregnancy and birth stolen from them in the most unimaginable way and will sadly always fear the worst.

“Thank you so much to everyone who has given their time and money to donate all the beautiful knitted items we have received so far.”

Jane Mills, charity development manager, said: “Our supporters are amazing whether it be donating gifts such as this or vital funds for the charity. They always rise to the challenge and we can’t thank them enough.”

The appeal is still open. People can drop items into the main reception at the hospital or post them to Barnsley Hospital, Gawber Road, Barnsley, S75 2EP and stating it is for the Rainbow Appeal.

A YOUNG man with a provisional driving licence has been disqualified from driving after he was involved in an accident driving his friend’s car.

Jordan Michael Lee, 22, of Pennyfields, Bolton-upon-Dearne, was driving a car which was struck by another vehicle at 10.30pm on Carr Lane in March.

The driver of the other car left the scene, and police came to and found Lee in a Renault Clio. When questioned at the scene, Lee admitted to not having a full driving licence and that the car belonged to his friends so he was not insured to drive the vehicle.

Lee was arrested and a drug test was taken and he was found to have cannabis in his system.

Barnsley Magistrates’ Court was told how Lee was mixing with the ‘wrong crowd’ at the time of the offence and the incident had been a wake up call for him.

He confirmed that he had pulled away from the crowd and he had since got a new partner, home and job and was no longer taking cannabis.

Lee, who previously had his licence disqualified in 2017, pleaded guilty to driving while over the controlled drug limit, using a vehicle without third party insurance and driving other than in accordance with his licence.

He was disqualified from driving for 12 months and fined £415.

A RETAIL unit will be built on the former Goldthorpe Primary School site after planning permission was awarded this week.

The High Street site, which has been derelict since the school’s demolition in 2016, lies within Goldthorpe’s centre and was originally earmarked for five smaller retail units – a scheme which was dropped in favour of one 15,000sq ft store.

Barnsley Council’s planning board met on Tuesday to discuss the proposals, which will result in Home Bargains occupying the unit and a 116-space car park being created.

Senior planning officer Andrew Burton said: “This plan would bring a currently vacant site back into use and secure a national retailer as an anchor store for the centre.

“The additional car parking with a maximum stay time of two hours would encourage linked trips enhancing Goldthorpe’s vitality and viability.”

The board said up to nine electric vehicle charging points, with four initially and five more to follow, will also be included at the site.

Coun David Greenhough added: “It’s an opportunity to develop the site and open up employment, so I see it as a win-win. I don’t see any downsides to this and it’ll encourage people to go into Goldthorpe.”

A MOTHER has paid an emotional tribute to her daughter who was killed in an early morning car crash - leaving her one-year-old son to grow up without a mum.

Jordan Williams, also known as Jordan Zuppinger, 18, died on in the early hours of Saturday morning after she was involved in a collision on Burton Road, Monk Bretton.

She was a passenger in a red Renault Clio which crashed into a wall at 5.05am and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The tragedy echoes the death of Jordan’s friend Macey-Jay Frudd, who died in a collision on Broadway in January.

Nathan Williams, a fire-fighter at Cudworth Fire Station, was the first emergency responder on the scene and at the time had no idea it was his niece in the car.

Jordan’s mother, Kat, told the Chronicle how Jordan had always made her laugh and family meant the world to her.

“It may sound strange to some but Jordan was an absolute nutter,” said Kat, of Crown Avenue, Cudworth.

“She was so bubbly and funny. She did live life in the fast lane but she loved everyone, especially her family and her son Riley.

“She was an army child and spent time living in Germany, Cyprus and Edinburgh before we came back to Barnsley. Her death has come as a shock to so many people as she was a very impressionable person.

“She had just passed her theory test and she was looking forward to booking her driving test.

“The last conversation we had was her asking me to put her on my car insurance.”

Jordan, who had just landed a job working for ASOS, gave birth to her one-year-old son Riley on Mother’s Day last year. She had also recently been a bridesmaid for her mum and step-dad Scott, who got married in September.

“She adored Scott. All of Scott’s family live on our estate and she quickly attached herself to them, she wasn’t one to shy away.

“She also loved a Mayo Chicken from McDonald’s.

I tried one the other day because she always spoke about how good it was but I’d never had one myself.

“One thing she did always do when she left the room was say ‘love you’. Even if she was going upstairs, she had to say it.”

The family have come together in the wake of her death, with her grandmother Lesley Ann Hallsworth creating a fundraising page to help with funeral costs and to open a trust fund for Riley.

Kat said: “We want to give her the best send off and ensure that there is something for Riley when he grows up.”

In addition to this, a charity bike ride took place yesterday from Grimethorpe to Nottingham and today (Sunday) at noon a balloon release will take place behind Kat’s house.

A fundraising event will also take place on November 3 at Darfield Road WMC which will be hosted by Lady Bacardi from 1pm to 6pm.

Kat said: “I can’t thank everyone enough for their kind donations, it means the world to us as a family.

“Jordan was not just my daughter, she was my best friend. We will miss her dearly.”

A spokesman from South Yorkshire police said: “The driver of the vehicle, an 18-year-old, was arrested at the scene and has been bailed pending further investigation.”

Officers ar keen to speak to anyone who may have seen the Clio in the area on Saturday morning - or a white Citroen C1 which is believed to have been travelling in front of the Clio.

"Anyone with information is urged to call 101 quoting incident number 173 of October 18.”

HUNDREDS of postal workers in Barnsley are expected to take part in the industry’s first national strikes in a decade, after staff resoundingly voted in favour of industrial action.

The vote by members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) has been fuelled by disputes between workers and Royal Mail over pay, job security and employment terms.

Graham Clough, secretary for the CWU South Yorkshire and District branch, said hundreds of union members at sites across Barnsley were expected – along with tens of thousands of their colleagues across the country – to walk out after an agreement reached with management last year has seemingly been threatened.

CWU members and Royal Mail bosses signed an agreement 18 months ago based on ‘four pillars of security’ – an updated pension solution, shorter working week of 35 hours rather than the current 39, extended legal protection for workers and mutually beneficial operational changes – with changes set to be made by 2022.

But the CWU has claimed the deal previously agreed is under threat following the recent appointment of Royal Mail chief executive Rico Back, and its members voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action – with a turnout of 76 per cent, and more than 97 per cent of these backing the strike.

“The new chief executive is coming in with a new style of leadership and appears to be reneging on the agreement previously signed,” said Graham.

“The vote is in favour of a change of culture within Royal Mail offices. We want staff to be treated with dignity, not in the way they have been – and still are being – treated.

“The vote shows the strength of feeling among members.

“Any strike is about causing maximum disruption to management, it’s not a decision taken lightly.

“Members have been forced into this situation and sympathise with the public. It’s always better to talk than to walk.”

There are around 400 union members in Barnsley, covering not just postal workers but also office and call centre staff, who may walk out if further talks between the two parties are unsuccessful.

Postal worker and union member Johnny Wood, from Cudworth, said staff had been ‘pushed to the brink’ by management and appealed for them to listen to their voices.

“Royal Mail should be looking at the severity of things and the amount of people who voted, and realising they need to get around the table and talking to the people who do the job and the union,”

said Johnny.

“I don’t think there’s ever been a vote as big as this. Nobody wants to take action, especially at this time of year. We give a service to the public and we’re proud of that.

“We have a good rapport with the public here, so rather than ruin that we just want to do our job in a safe way and know we have that security.”

A statement released by Royal Mail stated the firm was ‘very disappointed’ at the results of the ballot, but said it wouldn’t necessarily lead to industrial action.

“We want to reach agreement,” the statement said. “Industrial action – or the threat of it – is damaging for our business and undermines the trust of our customers.”

Dates for any action are yet to be announced, but strikes could fall in the run-up to Christmas or over the busy festive period.

A THREE-YEAR-OLD who is smiling his way through gruelling cancer treatment and his family are encouraging people to get involved in a campaign to support other children with the illness.

George Singleton was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma when he was two years old, and was initially given a 30 per cent survival rate as doctors started immediate treatment.

The youngster from Penistone is in the midst of 18 months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, but his family – who have recently hit their fundraising target for an end-of-treatment trip to Disneyland in Paris for George, his sister Polly-Anna and brother Deacan – are encouraging others to support a scheme to make sure other children survive cancer.

Give Up Clothes for Good, run by Cancer Research UK in partnership with clothes shop TK Maxx, sees clothing, accessories and homeware collected by TK Maxx and sent on to the charity.

Mum Claire Denton, 29, said she hoped the family could encourage others to get involved in the ‘vitally important’ campaign.

“Now we are counting down the days until early next year when George finishes all his treatments and can hopefully get back to being just like any other little boy and enjoy his trip to Disneyland.

“And we know that it will be thanks to research which developed these treatments that will help him do just that. That’s why we know raising money for Cancer Research UK is so important.

“George and all of us will be having a good clear out at home and finding clothes and items to donate to our local TK Maxx store in Barnsley, including lots of Polly-Anna’s baby clothes as she is growing so fast.”

George’s tumour has shrunk and his survival rate has been raised to 50 per cent, and while it is now stable it’s currently inoperable as it’s wrapped around a main artery.

He has around five months of treatment left to kill any remaining neuroblastoma cells. People can donate at the TK Maxx shop in the Alhambra centre, with each bag of clothing potentially raising £30 for Cancer Research UK.

TV presenter Sam Nixon brought home the money after winning big on a celebrity version of The Chase.

Sam, 33, appeared alongside long-time friend and showbiz partner Mark Rhodes, on a celebrity episode of ITV’s The Chase which was shown on Saturday.

Mark’s team outran Vixen to take home £100,000 which was divided between the four players. Sam chose to donate his £25,000 quarter to Barnsley Hospice.

Sam said: “I am born and bred in Barnsley. I wanted to give something back to the town because everyone has been so supportive of me over the years. The hospice is a great cause and I was happy I won so much for them.”

Sam made it through to the final part of the show to join comedian Jimmy Carr, former politician Ann Widdecombe and Mark but almost lost out on the chance after admitting he was lucky to guess the right answer to one question.

“Being there and having The Chaser stare you down was really nerve-wracking.”

To watch Sam search for ‘The Chase’ on ITV Player.

DOZENS turned out to watch the unveiling of a memorial gate dedicated to the only Barnsley man to ever receive a Victoria Cross for his act of bravery in the First World War more than 100 years ago.

Pupils from St John’s C of E Primary, Parkside Primary and Churchfield Primary were among those to attend the service of the unveiling at St John the Baptist Church, Royston, on Monday.

The Mayor of Barnsley Coun Pauline Markham opened the service alongside the Bishop of Wakefield Tony Robinson, Coun Caroline Makinson, Coun Joe Hayward and military representatives were also in attendance, in addition to relatives of Albert Shepherd.

Albert Edward Shepherd was enlisted in the army aged 17, and took part in the Battle of the Somme in 1916 and the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917.

On November 20 1917 at Villers Plouich, his company was held up by a machine gun at point-blank range.

Private Shepherd volunteered to rush the gun and although ordered not to, ran forward and threw a Mills bomb killing two gunners and capturing the gun.

The company, continuing its advance, came under heavy fire again, this time firing across the line of advance.

When the last officer and NCO had become casualties, Private Shepherd took command of the company and ordered the men to lie down. He then went back some 70 yards to get the help of a tank which was used to give cover to their advance.

His heroics were published in the London Gazette and he was awarded The Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy. The medal now rests at the Royal Green Jackets museum in Winchester.

The former gate in Albert’s memory was removed due to decay and the Royston Ward Alliance, Friends of Royston Cemetery, Barnsley Council’s bereavement services, SR Wesson Memorials and the North East Area team helped to fund the project.

The project has also seen support from the Leeds Diocese and St John’s Church. John Nyland and volunteer from the Community Workshop constructed the new memorial gate.

Coun Makinson said: “We are delighted that it has finally come to fruition and I am proud that the ward alliance was able to contribute to the last memory of Albert Shepherd.

“We have been planning to replace this gate for years and it is lovely to see so many people here honouring this Royston man.”

Beverley Oakley, the granddaughter of Albert, said: “We are very proud of our granddad for what he achieved and he will be commended for ever more. This memorial has been wonderful.”