A DAUGHTER sacrificed her 21st birthday party to raise money for a unit which treated her mother for cancer - and raised £3,100!

Chelsey Jewkes raised the money for The Well where her mum Carol, 49, had treatment for breast cancer.

About 100 people turned up for the fundraiser at Shafton WMC.

Carol, who is in remission after being diagnosed in 2010, said: "I'm very proud of Chelsey, my family, friends and people of Shafton and Grimethorpe who supported the event."

The Well is based at The Core on County Way, Barnsley, and anyone with cancer can get six free treatment sessions.

A MOTHER has been accused of stealing £6,597 from her son's two bank accounts - as he recovered from life-threatening injuries sustained in a motorbike accident.

Joanne Stubbs, 42, of Summer Lane, Wombwell, will make her first appearance at Sheffield Crown Court on November 7.

She made no plea to a charge of fraud by false representation at Barnsley Magistrates' Court.

Jayne Ormrod, prosecuting, said Stubbs's son Matthew Baynham, 21, had been told he would never walk again. She said the money was allegedly taken between early May and mid-July.

Julian Brook, defending, said he needed time to go through details of the case with Stubbs and her family.

He said she was entitled to make no plea at this stage.

Stubbs was granted unconditional bail.

TESCO has finally started work on its new Barnsley store.

The store on Market Street, Hoyland, which will create between 140 and 200 jobs, was originally due to open by spring this year but suffered several delays.

Then it was hoped to be completed before Christmas - but now Tesco says it will instead open in January 2014.

A spokesman for the supermarket giant said they were committed to the project despite delays and looked forward to opening the store for customers.

"These developments do take an amount of time and we want to make sure the development is right for ourselves and our customers," he said.

Permission for the store was granted in July 2011 and workers started clearing the site in February 2012, but then arguments over a pedestrian crossing on Wombwell Road caused delays.

The debate was over whether it was safer to install a pelican or a zebra crossing.

However, a letter to residents from JF Finnegan, the firm tasked with managing the site, confirmed a 36-week build started on November 4.

A BARNSLEY teenager who is accused of kidnapping has been sent to Sheffield Crown Court.

Cameron Antonio Iardino, 19, faces a charge of kidnapping a teenage girl who cannot be named for legal reasons.

The alleged kidnapping was said to have happened on Peel Parade, off Graham's Orchard in the town centre in the early hours.

Iardino, of Limes Avenue, Staincross, also faces allegations including having an imitation firearm, possession of MCAT with intent to supply and failing to supply a specimen of blood. He made no pleas.

Iardino was remanded in custody after an application for bail with 'stringent' conditions by his solicitor Lesley Goodman was turned down.

He was sent to Sheffield Crown Court where he will make his first appearance on November 14.

BARNSLEY boss David Flitcroft has said there's no chance of Dale Jennings going out on loan - but things could be different for Reuben Noble-Lazarus.

Jennings, who's endured a testing start to his Oakwell career since his summer move from Bayern Munich, was sent off just five minutes into the Championship campaign against Wigan and has only made four appearances this season.

The 20-year-old was a £250,000 signing in June having arrived on a three-year deal from the German giants.

"His progress has been slower than we thought but we'll see the best of him," Flicker said. "We're putting a lot of time and energy into developing Dale and a loan spell isn't something we've discussed.

"We want to develop him in the way we play and that might not happen if he were to go elsewhere."

However, while Jennings looks set to stay, things could be a little different for Reuben Noble-Lazarus.

In October 2008 the 20-year-old made his first team debut against Ipswich Town at the age of 15 years and 45 days, becoming the youngest ever Football League debutant.

Since then he has failed to get a run of games as Flitcroft looks to convert him to a wing-back and has started just twice this season.

"If we could get Reuben out to the right team and the right mentor then I think that would be good for him," the boss added.

"It's just part of the development process because I don't think the under-21 league offers them the stimulus they need."

DICKIE Bird's statue has been raised - to stop people hanging rude items on his outstretched finger.

The sculpture has become a magnet for revellers who have hung all sorts of items on it, including condoms, pants and bras.

Dickie played cricket for Yorkshire before becoming an umpire, notching up 66 Test matches, at the time a world record.

Dickie said he didn't mind people having fun hanging items from the life-size bronze statue but worried about people falling off the plinth.

He said: "I don't mind it at all. They can take as many photographs as they like but they're climbing on to it and they might fall off."

Sculptor Graham Ibbeson said the plinth beneath the statue has been raised to about 5ft high (1.5m).

He said: "We're not going to stop it. What we're going to do is make it a little more difficult.

"On Friday and Saturday night everybody who wobbles home from the town after a few sherberts seems to gravitate towards that finger, with knickers, brassieres, condoms, whatever.

"It's horrible when people are abusing it like that. It is a bit of fun, but it's a bit inappropriate."

NEARLY 300 arrests have been made in the first month of South Yorkshire Police's drive to combat burglary and car crime.

Since the start of Operation Lockdown at the beginning of October, a total of 285 people have been arrested in connection with such crimes across South Yorkshire.

Compared with its South Yorkshire neighbours, Barnsley has had the least amount of arrests with 33. Doncaster (97), Sheffield (88) and Rotherham (67) have all seen preventative measures taken by the police, including more officers on patrol.

Chief Inspector Iain Chorlton said: "I'm very pleased with these arrests, as they're proof of the amount of dedication and commitment our staff are putting into reducing these crimes on a daily basis.

"We're also urging the public to keep their possessions safe by keeping their homes secure, locking their doors and windows and not leaving items on show in their vehicles."

Anyone with information on burglary and car crime should call South Yorkshire Police on 101. Alternatively, people can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

A CAR was found on its roof after being suspectedly stolen.

The grey MG ZR was found on Kingwell Road, Worsbrough, on October 25 at around 10.20pm.

There were no passengers or driver when police attended and police confirmed it was suspected to be stolen.

A HORSE was rescued from water after getting into difficulty.

The horse got stranded in the stream on Park Spring Road, Grimethorpe, at about 1pm last Sunday.

Firefighters from Adwick and Edlington were at the scene for two hours and used straps to lead it to safety up a steep embankment.

The horse was shaken, but not injured.

THE traffic signals and pedestrian crossings on Wakefield Road will be in operation this week.

A spokeswoman for Barnsley Council said the signals, at the junction with Old Mill Lane and the new bus corridor, are fully automated and able to adapt to varying traffic conditions via loop sensors installed within the road surface.

She said: "Resurfacing work has been carried out overnight in the river bridge area, where a number of the detector loops have been installed."

She said the council's traffic signal contractor will undertake fine tuning of the signals over several days to ensure they operate as smoothly as possible to improve traffic flow in the area.

A BARNSLEY man who risked his life and entered a burning house will be commended by the police for his bravery.

Stephen William Thacker, of Goldthorpe, noticed that a house on Jackson Street was on fire, the home was full of dense smoke and flames were visible from the outside on October 12.

The 23-year-old thought that people could have been inside the property and without any regard for his own safety entered the premises. He checked the house, cupboards and wardrobes to make sure adults and children were not hiding from the fire.

Once emergency services arrived, Stephen was able to provide information to the fire crew, which greatly assisted their efforts.

Andy Brooke, Barnsley's chief superintendent, will award Stephen with a Commander's Commendation in recognition of his courage and excellent public service on November 19.

Mr Brooke said: "Thankfully no people were in the premises at the time of the fire, yet Stephen was not aware of this and his actions were clearly courageous and without due regard for his own safety.

"I have no hesitation in awarding Stephen this award in recognition of his actions."

A DAD was found hanged - just a week before he was due in court over a domestic violence incident.

Father-of-two Andrew Jowitt, 50, had been prescribed anti-depressants only the previous day after his former partner Tracey Sylvester walked out on him when he allegedly assaulted her.

The couple had been trying to get back together but the body of Mr Jowitt was found in the hallway of his five-bedroom home.

Miss Sylvester told a Sheffield inquest she had spent most of the day before the tragedy with Mr Jowitt talking over their relationship.

She had known him since 2000 and moved in with him at his bungalow in Helston Crescent, Monk Bretton, in 2007 but left him just before Easter this year.

She told the hearing there were 'issues' between them and she had been subject to domestic violence three times at his hands, with the police getting involved.

An assault charge was due to be heard at Barnsley Magistrates' Court on June 13 but they had been talking about a reconciliation for ten days.

He had been off work for a few weeks with anxiety, stress and difficulty in sleeping.

Miss Sylvester said they went for a walk at Dearne Valley Country Park and Mr Jowitt went on about depression before saying to her: "Have you ever thought about doing something to yourself?"

He then told her he was 'scared' before he reverted to being positive again and talked about how they could make their relationship work.

That evening on the settee he began stroking her eye where she said he had given her a black eye at Christmas. She said: "He said he couldn't live with what I have done to you."

She responded by telling him that she had forgiven him.

But Mr Jowitt was found dead late at home the next day, June 5, after his daughter Stacey could not get in and phoned the police.

Stacey said he had become depressed after being charged with assault and he was also under stress over buying a house.

"I have never seen my father so down," she said in a statement. "He said he didn't want to be living on his own at 50."

Sheffield coroner Chris Dorries said he had carefully examined the evidence and it was clear Mr Jowitt intended to end his life.

OVER 250 jobs are set to be created as Aldi has been given the go ahead to build a new store.

The scheme, east of Sheffield Road, was given the green light. It includes 88 parking spaces and landscaping and involves demolishing existing units on the vacant brownfield site.

Aldi property director Mark Taylor said his company had worked hard with Barnsley planners on developing the scheme.

He said: "Birdwell is a unique location at the gateway to Barnsley but it doesn't have a food store and residents have to travel outside to get their shopping."

The store will create 35 retail jobs and 250 construction jobs. Mr Taylor added it was Aldi's policy to recruit all these locally.

The site has had retail planning consent since 2010, and in April Aldi sent out 850 invitations as part of a public consultation asking if people wanted the store.

"Ninety three per cent were in favour with comments saying it would offer them a much needed place to shop locally," Mr Taylor added.

He added the empty site was currently 'untidy' and the new store represented positive regeneration of the area.

Cllr Robin Franklin said he was concerned about the impact of commercial vehicles going in and out of the site and suggested a time restriction might be placed on deliveries.

Cllr Dick Wraith agreed that Sheffield Road - as one of the main roads into Barnsley from the M1 - was busy at peak times but welcomed the development.

He said: "There is a need for a supermarket. We only have a little Co-op nearby in Hoyland Common."

A BARNSLEY man who has been accused of two rapes from about 20 years ago is set to make his first appearance in court.

Jason Woodhall, 38, also faces four indecent assault allegations from 1993.

He was sent to Sheffield Crown Court and will make his first appearance on November 4.

Philip Howard, defending, indicated at Barnsley Magistrates' Court that Woodhall would deny the allegations.

Woodhall, of Lilydene Avenue, Grimethorpe, was granted unconditional bail.

JIM O'Brien's second-half strike earned Barnsley a deserved away point at Ipswich on Friday night.

The hosts, managed by Barnsley-born Mick McCarthy, took the lead through Daryl Murphy's powerful header just before the break.

O'Brien, who came on as a substitute, levelled with a 70th-minute volley to earn the Reds a point.Four minutes from time, Jason Scotland had a chance to win the match for Barnsley but his shot could only find the side netting.

"I felt for a few weeks that we were on the verge of a good run," David Flitcroft said.

"Our defending is improving and we have had a settled team which has certainly helped."We went toe-to-toe with a quality team in Ipswich and deserved a point, if not more.

"Jim O'Brien was the catalyst for us to get on the front foot. He has trained excellently and he has supported the side while being out of the team. I was delighted with his performance."

Next up for the Reds is a home match against South Yorkshire rivals Doncaster on Saturday.

BARNSLEY Football Club are planning to change their club badge.

Chairman Maurice Watkins revealed in his Chronicle column that the new design will be decided by fans this season and chosen out of a selection put forward by the club.

The new crest will feature on next year's shirts.

Watkins said it will be 'respectful of the past but seek to give a new look for the future'.

A COMMUNITY centre had to close to prevent an outbreak of legionella - the bacteria which causes the potentially fatal lung infection, Legionnaires' disease.

Berneslai Homes, which oversees the Lew Whitehead Centre in Ward Green for Barnsley Council, shut the centre last Monday.

A Berneslai Homes spokesman said it had carried out a planned risk assessment for legionella, which is found in sources of water, as part of a bi-annual inspection and revealed the concerns.

"The report identified a number of issues with the domestic hot and cold water system that require attention in order to prevent the possibility of legionella.

"As a precautionary measure while we assessed the scope and cost of works required, the centre was closed. No outbreak of legionella has occurred."

The matter causing most concern from the report was the fitting of a back flow device. Such devices protect water supplies from contamination from 'back flow', usually from contaminated groundwater.

The spokesman said this problem would be 'rectified immediately' so the centre could reopen.

MOBILE speed cameras will operate on the following roads from Monday.

A61 Park Road, Barnsley

A628 Barnsley Road, Penistone

A628 Barnsley Road, Silkstone

A628 Cundy Cross to Shafton Two Gates

A629 three-kilometre stretch, Wortley

A633 Rotherham Road, Athersley South

A633 Rotherham Road, Monk Bretton

B6096 two-kilometre stretch, Wombwell to Snape Hill

B6411 Houghton Road, Thurnscoe

Brierley Road, Grimethorpe

Pogmoor Road, Barnsley

A6023 Doncaster Road, Mexborough

A6022 Rowms Lane, Swinton

A633 Sandygate, Wath-upon-Dearne

Melton Green, West Melton.

A MODEL who was diagnosed with a curved spine is overcoming the condition to fulfil her ambition of appearing in fashion magazines.

Leanne Roberts, 18, would spend ages in front of a mirror trying to self correct her posture and stand up straight after being diagnosed with scoliosis two years ago.

She feared it would end her modelling dreams - because she thought nobody wanted to look at a wonky model.

"I was diagnosed when I was 16, I was at the age where I was really impressionable and it affected me really badly," she said.

"It was awful how much time I would spend crying and I was terrified of what would happen to me. I was paranoid I would end up looking awful and would end up in a wheelchair."

Leanne, of High Balk, Barnsley, has a double S-shaped curved spine.

She first noticed aching pains when she was 14, but put them down to growing pains.

It was only when she started to suffer agonising shooting pains that she mentioned it to her mother and went to see her GP.

She was told by a consultant she would need surgery but discovered through Scoliosis SOS how simple exercises could avoid surgery and make a huge difference.

"I was ecstatic and I couldn't wait to start the treatment. I think everyone should consider exercise before putting themselves through a risky operation.

"I could feel the difference in my back after the first few days and I could see the difference. As long as I keep up with the exercises I shouldn't suffer from pain and my scoliosis should stabilise.

"I feel like I'm back in control again."

The condition is likely to get worse, but Leanne is smiling again and, having appeared on fashion websites, has thrown herself back into modelling and is looking to win a host of new contracts.

"I feel I can now finally look forward," she added.

A MAN'S attempts to pick fights with people ended in failure because he was so drunk - and ended up having six stitches after a fall.

Andrew Harrison, 20, could hardly stand as he made a nuisance of himself in Peel Square, said Jayne Ormrod, prosecuting, at Barnsley Magistrates' Court.

She said Harrison tried to evade police but was unsuccessful. He fell over and needed six stitches in his chin.

Mrs Ormrod added that officers were alerted by someone whom Harrison had tried to hit.

Harrison, of Stotfold Drive, Thurnscoe, admitted being drunk and disorderly and was not represented by a solicitor. He had nothing to say about his behaviour.

He was fined £110, ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

BARNSLEY's highest paid headteacher is to oversee two struggling secondary schools next year.

Interviews for the new so-called 'super head' to oversee both Carlton Community College and Shafton ALC are to be held in November - with a six-figure salary on offer.

The Academies Enterprise Trust (AET), which sponsors both schools, says it wants top teachers to come forward for the role.

The substantial salary is being offered for the post to attract the best candidates as well as 'a generous benefits package and relocation expenses'.

The job was advertised on October 10 and interviews will start on November 4.

The successful candidate will start in April, with the schools becoming academies next spring.

The executive principal is needed to rapidly bring about school improvements and raise standards of teaching and learning across both academies, AET says.

AET spokesman Mike Barnett, said the model had been used in other areas to help schools through a significant period of change.

"Shafton ALC and Carlton Community College are going through a significant period of change. We would want to place the job at a sufficient level to get a really good candidate in place by going for that extra responsibility that can attract a first class candidate, and the salary reflects that responsibility."

Both schools remain in special measures - Ofsted's lowest school grading. 

But Shafton ALC celebrated its best GCSE results this summer since it opened - with 41 per cent of pupils achieving five A* to C grades - passing the government target of 40 per cent.

Carlton Community College narrowly missed the benchmark with 39 per cent, but marked its best GCSE results since it opened.

"There's no doubt these schools are improving," Mr Barnett said.

A FARMER died from a gunshot wound - less than three weeks after his wedding day.

Ben Hinchliff, a former barrister, was found dead at the farm where he lived on Barnsley Road.

Police said they're not looking for anyone else in relation to the death.

The 46-year-old married wife Emily at St John's Church, Midhopestones, at the end of September.

His death, on October 18, is the latest tragedy to affect the Hinchliff family after his younger brother Adam, 43, suffered a fatal heart attack on Silkstone Golf Course in July 2011.

Ben, who previously worked as a barrister in London, began running the family's Nether Mill Farm following his brother's death, which Adam took over from Peter, their dad, when he died in 1995.

Barbara Beever's late husband Barry was farm manager for the Hinchliffs for a number of years.

She said: "Ben was a highly intelligent man who was always courteous, always pleasant and from a lovely family.

"He always had a smile and was always very friendly which is why all this came as a big shock. He was a lovely, lovely man."

A family member, who did want to be named, said: "With his father dying and his brother dying we seemed to have drifted apart.

"If I saw him locally, we'd stop and talk, probably for half an hour.

"It's a personal tragedy and I don't want to say anything that would upset the rest of the family. I think they've had enough grief without me saying anything."

An inquest was opened and adjourned in Sheffield on October 22.

MANY of you have noticed that a familiar town centre statue is missing.

Don't worry, the Dickie Bird statue hasn't been stolen - he's safe and sound with its sculptor Graham Ibbeson, who has plans to raise the plinth.

Dickie, 80, played cricket for Yorkshire before becoming an umpire, notching up 66 Test matches, at the time a world record.

He received an MBE in 1986 and has received honorary doctorates from Leeds and Sheffield Hallam universities, as well as being awarded the Freedom of Barnsley.

His life-size bronze statue has been in its position in St Mary's Garden since June 30, 2009, and will be re-installed on Sunday, November 3.

A BARNSLEY man has been charged with burglary and aggravated theft of a vehicle following a spate of burglaries.

Mark Anthony Corbett, 31, from Goldthorpe, was charged on Thursday following a series of thefts in Doncaster.

At around 4.30am on October 30, officers were called to an address in Sprotbrough following the report of a car being stolen.

Corbett was arrested near the address and appeared at Doncaster Magistrates' Court.

He is now on remand in custody until sentencing at Sheffield Crown Court in November.

HAVE you seen this missing Barnsley man?

Officers are growing increasingly concerned for Peter Jackson, 35, who was last seen around Barnsley Hospital at around 1.30am on Thursday morning.

He is believed to have connections in Barnsley and Doncaster.

Peter is described as white, 5ft 4ins tall and of medium build. He has short black hair and was last seen wearing a black leather jacket and jeans.

Police are encouraging anyone who has seen Peter, or knows his whereabouts, to contact 101 quoting incident number 64 of October 31.

Officers would also like to ask Peter to contact South Yorkshire Police to let them know that he is safe and well.

A CYCLING club has been ticked off - after members illegally took part in time trials on the Trans Pennine Trail.

Penistone East councillor Paul Hand-Davis told Penistone Town Council about the issue last Monday.

Use of the trail has been an issue recently with a number of disputes between the different users including dog walkers, cyclists and horse riders.

"Tarmacing has speeded the whole thing up," said Cllr Hand-Davis.

"A cycling club has been time trialling on there but we stopped that because it’s illegal."

Cllr Hand-Davis said putting signs on the trail was one idea being discussed.

THE police have appealed for witnesses following a collision which left a 44-year-old Barnsley man with serious injuries.

At 2pm on October 30, it's reported that a grey Ford Focus driven by the man was travelling on the A635, Doncaster Road, near the junction with Portland Street.

It's believed the Ford Focus was then involved in a collision with a wall.

The driver was taken to Barnsley Hospital where he's currently in a stable condition undergoing treatment.

Anyone who witnessed the collision, or who may have seen the vehicle as it drove along the A635, is asked to call South Yorkshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 544 of October 30.

A MOTORCYCLIST has died following a collision in Barnsley.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident which happened in Boulder Bridge Lane, Carlton, near to the junction with Shaw Lane, at about 12.50pm on October 30.

A 27-year-old man was riding an off-road blue and black Yamaha motorbike when the bike left the road and was in collision with a wall.

The man, from Cudworth, was taken to hospital where he later died.

Officers would like to hear from anyone who witnessed the collision, or who saw the off-road motorcycle being driven in the area at the time, to contact South Yorkshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 447 of October 30.

AT 89 years of age, Edwin Bower Price is the oldest market trader in Barnsley!

He established Edwin B Price fruit and veg stall in Barnsley Market in 1955, having returned from Australia where he had emigrated a few years earlier with his wife Doreen and daughter Maria.

"It's funny how we got into it," he said. "When we came back from Australia, someone charged my wife a crown for a cauliflower which was quite a bit of money then.

"I told her we should look into it, as someone must have been making a bit of money."

Edwin, of Green Croft, Hood Green, visits the stall whenever he can, though it's now run by his son, Stephen, 60.

Edwin has a little stool and lots of people come to talk to him because he has been there so long.

"We've had the stall for many years and I'm the oldest market trader. A lot of people know me."

Edwin has lived in Hood Green all his life and when he returned from Australia bought the farmyard where his bungalow is now, demolishing the older buildings and building a more modern property.

As a young man he worked at the blacksmith's at Wentworth Castle where he enjoyed 'shodding' horses - fitting their shoes.

TWO cars were involved in a collision on Racecommon Road last night.

Emergency services were alerted to the incident at around 8pm on Wednesday evening.

The road was closed for a while as one of the cars ended up on its roof.

Police confirmed no serious injuries were sustained.

'MOVEMBER' is set to take the nation by storm again and Barnsley Hospital's staff are getting involved!

Funds raised by the staff will be going to the hospital's cancer services department.

The month-long Movember campaign, now in its 11th year, has grown into a worldwide phenomenon and sees men across the globe growing their 'taches through November.

On the last day of the month the hospital's staff will upload a picture of their moustache to the Barnsley Hospital Charity Facebook page.

There will be three prize categories for the staff for the bushiest, most exotic and the best looking! 

Its cancer services department provides care for many patients with different needs, but one element it can't provide without the charity is confidence after the loss of hair.

A spokesperson from the department said: "Hair loss can be a distressing side effect of cancer treatment and one that many of our patients find themselves suffering.

"We have worked with our specialist team to ensure that our patients have access to professional wigs and hairpieces at no cost to themselves."

For more details on the hospital's Movember campaign, click here.

THE owner of a pony who had its fringe and mane hacked off by strangers is warning others to be on their guard.

Elizabeth Harmer, from Shafton, says it will take years before Benson's hair grows back and she will be able to take him to shows.

She also keeps two horses in the fields off Blacker Lane and says her horse, Arthur, had his mane chopped and a plait put in it - which she thinks is a way for horse thieves to identify an animal they want to later steal.

But when Elizabeth, 51, contacted the police she said she was told it was not a crime to cut the animals' hair.

"I know there are far more important things than my pony's looks, but I just feel there's been total indifference," said Elizabeth.

She believes youths are responsible but doesn't believe police will patrol the area even though they said they will step up their presence in the area.

"I just think it's pretty cruel. It's utterly and totally anti-social behaviour," she added.

A police spokesman said: "Police have been made aware of an incident involving horses and a pony in Shafton.

"Local officers have visited the owner of the animals and we continue to liaise with them. The Safer Neighbourhood Team is now also encorporating the area where the horses are kept into routine patrols."

A BARNSLEY Hospital nurse has been cautioned after stealing medication.

Staff nurse Beverley Jayne Roberts admitted taking prescription and controlled drugs and equipment over two and a half years.

She was sacked by the hospital after a disciplinary hearing in November 2011, but although the matter was reported to the police, the charge was withdrawn by the Crown Prosecution Service.

A Nursing and Midwifery Council panel found her fitness to practise was impaired by her misconduct and imposed a three-year caution order - although she is still allowed to nurse.

Roberts was discovered in September 2011 when her estranged husband called the trust saying she had trust medication and equipment at her home.

Roberts, who has had an otherwise unblemished career since qualifying as a nurse in 2007, had taken prescription and controlled drugs including fluconazole capsules, paracetamol, codeine phosphate, zopiclone, buscopan, doxycycline, furosemide, ondansetron, diclofenac and tramadol.

She had also taken an old blood pressure monitor and an electric heat pad.

She said she would often put the medication in her pockets as she cleared patients' lockers following their discharge from hospital.

She put them in a drawer at home and 'forgot' about them. When she noticed, she said she returned the medication and had no intention of using it.

Roberts claimed she had taken the heat pad after suffering from a stiff neck and and the blood pressure monitor after her husband complained of feeling faint.

She had planned to return it as soon as she had used it.

In her evidence, Roberts apologised and accepted her actions were 'completely inappropriate'.

Roberts said she had let her colleagues down and abused the position of trust in which she had been placed.

She said she would never behave in such a way again.

The panel accepted Roberts' assurances that she had learned from her experience and was unlikely to repeat her misconduct.

But it found she had breached a fundamental tenet of the profession, bringing it into disrepute and imposed the caution order which it felt would be sufficient to mark the seriousness of the misconduct.

CAMPAIGNERS against the so-called bedroom tax met with affected residents last week.

Dearne councillor Ralph Sixsmith, who was at the meeting at the Golden Nugget Club, Goldthorpe, says he believes the government have been on a mission to 'vilify people on benefits' and that the bedroom tax is an extension of that.

And he warned people there is a discretionary payment for people who are struggling.

"The discretionary payment is there for people. We know what people can't afford but we need to know what they can afford," he said.

"The main problem is that people aren't talking until they've got into real problems but I understand that, that's human nature."

He added they had been told of one story where a disabled woman was being taxed for an extra room.

"The spare room was tiny and used for charging up her wheelchair. We got it squashed but the information came from David Cameron's office, not locally."

Another woman, who attended the meeting, but didn't wish to be named, said that she's been forced to resort to visiting food banks in the 'heat or eat' dilemma that has been brought about.

Campaigner Dave Gibson, of Barnsley Trade Council, helped organise the meeting. He said: "We welcome Barnsley Council's decision to oppose the bedroom tax and to call for its abolition but we think they need to do more.

"We want to see them declare a policy of no evictions for tenants in arrears because of the bedroom tax, and we would like them to declare that all so-called spare rooms smaller than 70 square feet should not count as bedrooms.

"The Tories are losing the argument over the bedroom tax. They wanted to use it to divide us between what they called strivers and skivers.

"But we believe our campaign is changing public opinion."

A BOY of just 12 has been left an orphan after his dad was killed in a road accident - just six weeks after his mum died from cancer.

Lewis Clough is now being looked after by his dad's fiancee at the home they shared in Hoyle Mill and from where they planned to marry next year.

A tearful Dawn Porter vowed: "I will give him all the love and support that I can because he needs it and he deserves it - because I love him."

Friends and neighbours are planning a massive farewell to 44-year-old Ian Clough, who was killed on his way to work on the night shift at Premdor in Darton last Thursday.

Ian, a popular and well known regular at the Corner Pocket, had been in a relationship with Lewis's mum, Mandy Kay from Lundwood for 18 years.

The couple split up less than two years ago, but earlier this year Lewis moved back to live with his dad and his fiancee Dawn in Pontefract Road, Hoyle Mill, when Mandy, who had been diagnosed with cancer, became ill.

Dawn said: "Of course it was very hard for Lewis when his mum died. We tried our best to help him, we tried to give him the stability and love any child would need in those terrible circumstances."

Dawn, 46, has five grown up children, and says Ian and Lewis had together already picked out her wedding dress.

She said: "Their relationship was growing stronger and stronger every day and we were all looking forward to our wedding.

"Now in the space of less than two months Lewis will have been at both his parents' funerals. That is quite something for a young boy to cope with, but I am determined to ensure he has all the love he needs and the people around here have been so very very kind and supportive."

Dawn says she knew the night Ian died that 'something terrible' had happened when he failed to text her as he did every day to say he was safely at work and about to start the night shift.

"I knew before the police turned up to knock at the door. I loved Ian so much and we were planning the rest of our life together as a family. I'm heartbroken but I have to be strong for Lewis because he needs me," she said.

It was last Thursday night at 9.35pm when Ian's blue Yamaha motorbike was travelling on the A637 Barnsley Road towards Darton when it was involved in a head-on collision with a silver Citroen Xsara Picasso.

The vehicles collided on a sweeping bend near to Bence Lane. The motorbike left the road and ended up down an embankment. Ian suffered fatal head injuries and died at the scene. The 82-year-old car driver, also from Barnsley, is believed to have escaped uninjured.

Police want to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the manner of driving prior to the incident or anyone who saw the collision.

Witnesses are to call 101 quoting incident number 1263 of October 17.

A CHRISTMAS tradition will be abandoned this year - because too many people are feeling the pinch.

For the last six years Andy and David Cole have run the 'Sponsor a Bulb' campaign on behalf of the High Street Committee in Wombwell.

Residents usually pay a pound to sponsor a Christmas light bulb are entered into a prize draw.

But David, of Cole Bros Café, said the committee was abandoning the scheme this year as he can no longer bring himself to ask people for their money.

He said: "There are always people who will give you whatever money they have for a good cause and Wombwell has always been really good for that.

"But I know how short I am at the moment and I don't want to make people around here even shorter.

"There are people who have been coming here for 18 years who've recently lost jobs, whose husbands have lost jobs and whose kids can't get a job. I just can't ask them for a pound now."

He added if anybody did wish to make a donation, they could do so in the café.

However, he said people don't need to worry about the lights as the committee was in the process of securing alternative funding for next month's switch-on.

Last year the number of Christmas lights were reduced by half and replaced with older lights after the committee had a 50 per cent cut in its funding from the council's community support fund.

This fund is now the devolved ward budget for the South Area Council, which is composed of councillors from Wombwell, Hoyland Milton and Rockingham wards.