CABLE thieves have disrupted 57 trains in Barnsley for more than ten hours in four separate incidents since the beginning of August.

The crime had been down in the run-up to the month with no problems for a year before the cable cut at Ossett caused a power failure at Horbury junction. This subsequently disrupted services between Wakefield Kirkgate and Barnsley.

Daniel Snee, from Network Rail, said: "A theft in South Yorkshire could mean a train arriving late as far away as Plymouth. Cuts miles away could affect Barnsley's trains."

In the last five years, theft-related incidents in the Barnsley area have caused 21,514 minutes' delay and cost more then £218,000.

However, new laws to clamp down on thieves selling ill-gotten cable have cut offences as sellers have to prove their identity.

Rail bosses have renewed their warnings that cable theft is not a victimless crime and thieves will be jailed if they're caught.

A CONVICTED smuggler who used a rented unit to hide millions of cigarettes has been successfully extradited from Spain and has now begun a four-year jail term.

Malcolm McGowan, 61, fled the UK 12 years ago after being found guilty of smuggling 28.3 million cigarettes into the country.

He was part of a gang that had carefully chosen and rented a storage facility in Wath as a quiet location where their activities would go unnoticed and which was close to the motorway network.

McGowan fled the UK and was sentenced in his absence in December 2001. He was finally arrested at a swimming pool in Valencia on the Costa Blanca last month by Spanish police and brought back to appear at Sheffield Crown Court from where he was sent to jail.

His Honour Judge Julian Goose QC, said: "You sought to evade justice and have been on the run for 12 years. You will now serve the four-year sentence you were given in 2001."

Around the time of McGowan’s arrest in 2000 a number of consignments of cigarettes were seized. In February 2000, customs officers examined three 40-ft containers at Tilbury Docks which had arrived from India, destined for Blackpool.

The contents were declared as ceiling tiles - but concealed 21 million smuggled cigarettes.

In the same month two lorries arrived at the unit in Wath which had arrived at Dover Ferry Port from France. The contents were declared as beds and concealed more than 3.3 million cigarettes.

The following month a container addressed to the same consignee in Blackpool was intercepted at Southampton Docks on its arrival from China. The contents were again declared as ceiling tiles, but concealed a further six million smuggled cigarettes.

AN award-winning market is coming to Barnsley from September 25.

There will be an opportunity to purchase items from all over the world as global traders offer an array of products typical of their region.

Items on offer include a range of exotic meats from crocodiles to impalas, and a host of Italian traders offering authentic biscotti, breads and nougat.

Following the success of last year's market and this year's in April, the crowds are set to flock to Cheapside once again.

The market runs from September 25 to September 28 and is open from 9am-5.30pm.

AN eccentric pub landlord will open his art gallery to the public for the next four weeks.

Anthony Youel, 52, who has featured in BBC Three show Boom Town, plans to display his exhibits in the gallery at his pub, The Monkey, from 1pm on Sunday.

He will also take part in a live installation between 2pm and 6pm at The Monkey on Sunday.

"I'm going to be in situ, I'm going to be in the zone," Anthony said about the four-hour live exhibit.

"If the exhibition is successful, I'll open it once a month."

The gallery will also be open for the following three Sundays.

THERE has been good news for shoppers as latest figures have revealed there are fewer empty shops in Barnsley than the national and regional average.

Not only are more shops trading in the town centre than elsewhere, but more of them are independents - meaning the town has a more varied selection of stores.

"I believe the reason we don’t suffer from empty shop blight is because we're not another clone town offering exactly the same as every other," said Cllr Roy Miller.

"Not only is our market an amazing asset, it provides a huge amount of choice, as does our high street."

Over the past month five units held by Barnsley Council in the main retail area of the town centre have been let. The council has also reviewed empty units under the old Central Offices, which are due to be demolished as part of the markets redevelopment, and two of the larger units on May Day Green have been offered for short-term lease.

The council says this will not impede the redevelopment, but it will help satisfy demand for new premises.

One of the new tenants, Chris Barton, who runs Barnsley Pet Supplies on May Day Green, will also be occupying the largest unit, the former Quit Shop, selling household goods.

"In a difficult economic market, Barnsley Council has given me the confidence to grow my businesses," he said.

What do you think to the town centre's selection of shops? Have your say below.

A POT of cash waiting to be spent on community projects is standing idle - because a new Area Council has not decided how to share it out.

Central Area Council - a new ‘mini’ council which can carry out projects in Central Barnsley, Dodworth, Kingstone, Stairfoot and Worsbrough - has assigned less than £35,000 out of its budget but has more than £65,000 left to spend.

At the Central Area Council meeting last Monday, officer Gerry Green told members: "At this time of year I would expect about £60,000 of the total £100,000 to be committed but we're running at only £35,000. We need to focus on this over the next four to five weeks to play catch up."

Mr Green described the area council as ‘substantially behind schedule’. There were some projects involving highways and engineering services that were now on the cusp of required lead times for getting projects completed.

The area councils meet once every six weeks and some members said this was not enough.

Cllr Tom Sheard, representing Kingstone, said: "We must push on with the priorities, working alongside officers."

However, Central Area Council was told that its spending so far ‘compared favourably’ with other area councils.

IT has been another successful year for Barnsley in the Yorkshire in Bloom awards.

Barnsley scooped seven awards, including gold in the City Centre Award, which was piloted this year.

For this award, judges not only looked at what floral and green space opportunities there were in the towns and cities they visited, but how both the residents and business communities were getting involved to enhance and promote their town centre for its residents and visitors.

The results in full were:

Barnsley Council - City Centre Award - Gold

Barnsley Hospice - Charitable Organisations - Gold

Oxspring Primary School - Youth Enterprise Award - Silver

Darton Primary School - Youth Enterprise Award - Silver

Wilthorpe Junior School - Youth Enterprise Award - Bronze

Elsecar Park and Local Nature Reserve - Country Houses, Parks and Gardens - Gold

Cannon Hall Gardens - Country Houses, Parks and Gardens - Silver

In evaluating Barnsley’s entry, judges were full of praise for the new museum, saying: "The heritage of Barnsley is seen to be important to the borough, and supported by the Lottery Fund, Experience Barnsley is a major project, using the Town Hall to create a hands-on museum and archive centre.”

They were impressed by the town’s floral displays and well-maintained grass areas, which they said contribute to a positive ambiance, to the benefit of all concerned.

Areas of note were Churchfields Peace Gardens, the area around Becketts Island, the gardens at Barnsley Town Hall and Pinfold Steps. They also commented on the good level of sponsorship and business support.

A feeling of safety and wellbeing was also picked up on: "An important environmental aspect is the way the market area, Alhambra Centre and adjacent underpasses are managed," its judges said.

"The area projects a feeling of safety and openness, and is well used by a wide variety of people being a major pedestrian traffic route - it is clean and free from any feeling of aggression."

Cllr Roy Miller said: "It’s great to see that even in times of economic hardship for both Barnsley residents and the council itself that officers and community groups have been working hard to make Barnsley beautiful.

"This has not only been recognised by Yorkshire in Bloom but in turn has rewarded us all with some truly stunning areas of the borough. My thanks go out to everyone involved."

A DERELICT chapel has been fitted with new windows courtesy of a generous company.

LNS Turbo, of Valley Way, Wombwell, donated time and materials towards installing new windows and it moves the Friends of Wombwell Cemetery group one step further towards realising their dream of transforming it into a visitors' centre.

Switzerland-based LNS Turbo Group, which is in its 40th year of trading, is celebrating by undertaking one day's work per employee for the benefit of the community.

In addition to its labour, the company has designed and donated eight Perspex windows and protective grilles for the church, which is being slowly restored by the group after years of neglect.

Sill covers were also manufactured and fitted beneath the windows to support memorial plaques.

"That's the company's gift to the people of Wombwell," said Friends chairman Mike Bretton. "The original windows had been broken and boarded up for a number of years but they've now been restored."

The group now aim to have a a kitchen and toilet installed in the former chapel and hope to secure funding to replace the rose window, which is currently boarded up, with a design commemorating those who died in the First World War.

A NEW food bank is to open this Friday.

It's set to open in Cudworth Library for the first time between 3pm and 5pm and it will be the first food bank to open in MP Michael Dugher's constituency.

"I have huge admiration for the amazing volunteers who have worked so hard to set up the food bank in Cudworth, especially for Rev David Nicholson and local councillors," Mr Dugher said.

"Their compassion and community spirit is truly inspirational, but it's absolutely shameful that in the seventh richest country in the world we have to open food banks in Barnsley to help people feed their families."

Any donations are being asked to be taken to Grimethorpe's Asda, Shafton ALC, shops in Cudworth and Cudworth Primary School.

This is the first food bank in the Barnsley East constituency and the second in Barnsley, the first being the one at Gateway Church.

A MUCH-LOVED NUM banner has gone missing.

Members from the National Union of Mineworkers are appealing for the safe return of the Goldthorpe branch banner which bears the words 'Coal Not Dole' and an image of miners at work.

NUM member John 'Inky' Thomson said the banner was last seen about 18 months ago in the Dearne Community Theatre in Goldthorpe where the NUM had been running advice surgeries.

"They can remember someone borrowing it but nobody signed it out and they din't fetch it back," he said.

The NUM appealed for information and although some people came forward, the leads went nowhere.

"It could be that it was borrowed for a celebration or a gala and then inadvertently it wasn't returned," Mr Thomson added.

"It might be rolled up in someone's garage or attic and we're desperate to get it back because it's part of our heritage for future generations."

A TEENAGE girl has been sent into detention for six months for refusing to carry out unpaid work.

The 17-year-old did not turn up for sessions because she did not get on with the person supervising her, Barnsley Youth Court was told.

The teenager had made things worse for herself when she stole a bottle of cider from Carlton Service Station, said District Judge John Foster.

Mr Foster said the Carlton girl had been given a youth rehabilitation order for offences which included a confrontation with householders during a break-in.

Joanne Lewis Crooks, prosecuting, said the teenager was identified on CCTV when she stole the cider.

Jack Danaher, defending, said the girl was intelligent and had potential. She was due to start a course in veterinary care.

He said: "It appears she doesn't get on with the person who supervises her when she's supposed to do unpaid work."

The girl admitted theft and breaching a youth rehabilitation order.

THE region's firefighters will strike next Wednesday in a row over pensions.

The four-hour strike will take place on September 25 between 12-4pm.

Almost 80 per cent of firefighters nationally had voted in favour of industrial action in a ballot that ended earlier this month.

"This initial strike is a warning shot to the government," said Matt Wrack, from the Fire Brigades Union. "Firefighters could not be more serious about protecting public safety and ensuring fair pensions.

"It's ludicrous to expect firefighters in their late 50s to fight fires and rescue families - the lives of the public and firefighters themselves will be endangered.

"None of us want a strike, but we cannot compromise on public and firefighter safety."

Jamie Courtney, South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue's chief fire officer called on the public to test their smoke alarms.

"The best way people can keep themselves safe is to take care to prevent fires from happening in the first place," he added.

He warned the service the brigade could provide would be ‘considerably depleted’.

Firefighters pay some of the highest pension contributions in the UK and have seen increases for two consecutive years.

The majority of firefighters already pay almost 13 per cent of their salary in contributions with further increases due next year. That will mean some firefighters now face an increase six years in a row.

THE number of young people in Britain who have tried legal highs while they're out at night is the 'highest figure in Europe', according to a new study.

The study, conducted by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), found that one in twelve people aged 15 to 24 (670,000) have tried potentially harmful legal highs at gigs or in nightclubs.

Perhaps more worrying is that new figures also indicate that deaths involving legal highs in England and Wales are on the rise, with 52 last year versus 29 in 2011.

In this year's Mixmag Drug Survey, 12 per cent of UK clubbers said they had bought a legal high in the past year - and 22 per cent had purchased drugs over the internet.

A BARNSLEY man has died following a car crash.

The 26-year-old, who has not been named, was travelling along Hemsworth Road in South Kirkby in a Peugeot 206 last Wednesday afternoon.

There was a collision with a Kia Carens and its driver was also taken to hospital, but the injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

Any witnesses are being urged to contact the major collision enquiry team on non-emergency number 101.

A HORSE breeder has received a nine-week suspended jail term after an animal in her care died and others were kept in filthy conditions.

Deborah Thomson, 53, was also banned from owning horses for ten years after pleading guilty to seven counts of animal cruelty.

Thomson, of Lee Lane, Royston, was visited by animal welfare officers following a complaint made to the RSPCA after a person found a dead horse in a field.

Sajeda Khalifa, prosecuting, said inspectors found Thomson's 80-strong herd were covered in faeces and urine, as well as suffering from sores, dehydration and malnutrition.

"The dead horse had been down in its position for some period of time," said Miss Khalifa. "It appeared to have died of malnutrition."

Thomson's herd was seized by inspectors - and a further horse later died because of its condition.

Despite her solicitor claiming neglect was committed rather than cruelty, magistrate Dale Kendrick handed Thomson a nine-week prison sentence, suspended for a year. 

Thomson was also ordered to pay costs of £2,968 and an £80 victim surcharge.

WORKERS at a Barnsley glass factory have called off their strike - following an improved pay offer.

Employees at Ardagh Glass factories in Burton Road, Monk Bretton called off the threatened action after managers made an improved, six per cent pay rise offer.

Having rejected a 5.5 per cent deal previously, a strike looked to have been set.

Unite said industrial action has been called off while its members vote on the offer, with the ballot closing on October 6.

Tas Sangha, Unite's deputy regional secretary for Yorkshire, said: "Unite and the GMB union had intense talks with the firm on Friday which resulted in an improved pay offer.

"Unite is recommending its members accept this offer. In the meantime, industrial action and overtime bans have been called off."

An Ardagh spokesman said: "We welcome the outcome of extensive discussions and thank the trade unions for working with us to outline a two-year pay proposal, which they will now recommend to their members in a ballot."

A HOUSING developer is helping RSPB Old Moor's cause by giving it a £5,000 donation.

Yorkshire's division of Bellway Homes has made the donation which will be used for the wildlife charity's 'Giving Nature a Home' campaign, encouraging the nation to create one million homes for nature in their own gardens and outside spaces.

Craig Hartley, visitor services manager at the RSPB's Old Moor site, said: "Bellway has supported us well over the years and we're delighted they've chosen to support us in this very important campaign.

"It's through this kind of generous donation that we're able to continue delivering the very best for birds and wildlife across the UK."

Paula Murdoch, Bellway's Yorkshire sales manager, said as a home builder it has a responsibility to protect wildlife and the environment surrounding its sites, and offers a helping hand where and when it can.

"We've worked closely with the RSPB over a number of years, most notably when they've relocated animals whose habitat has been affected by building work, and we're delighted to be able to provide this financial support for such an important project," she said.

A NEW 12-mile cycling route has been approved by Barnsley Council.

It's hoped the route will boost tourism in the Peak District National Park and has been awarded £5million for the construction of its four paths. 

One of the four, the Little Don Trail, will link Wharncliffe Woods to Winscar Reservoir, via Langsett and Dunford Bridge.

It will become part of the Trans Pennine Trail.

Cllr Roy Miller, spokesman for environment, said: "This is a great move for the local area. It will make cycling easier and more enjoyable."

Recycled tyres will be used to complete the route's surface, which will be created along the disused railway which skirts Underbank Reservoir.

Funding for the new route has come from the Department of Transport.

THE town's PC World could be making way for a new B&M Bargains store.

An application has been submitted to Barnsley Council on behalf of the retailer to move to the store on Harborough Hills.

The discount store has seen a rapid growth in the last few years and, according to its application, wants to sell DIY goods, carpets and gardening tools.

Mark Wood, of MWA, which has submitted the application, said 40 new jobs would also be created for local people.

Mr Wood said PC World wants to offload some of its stores and the location was suitable for B&M's expansion.

TWO men have been bitten by a police dog which was being taken for a walk in Barnsley by his off-duty handler.

One of the men, 44, suffered a serious hand injury and the second, 19, received a minor injury to the leg, according to police.

An internal investigation has begun following the incident which happened on Lund Avenue on Saturday shortly after 5pm.

The force's professional standards department is investigating.

EXPERIENCE Barnsley has welcomed its 40,000th visitor since its June opening.

The museum, inside Barnsley Town Hall, opened on June 27 but has already been hugely popular.

Lyndsey Woodger, who visited the museum with her two-year-old son Nathan, was presented with a certificate entitling her to a meal for two at the Experience Barnsley café, a £10 voucher for the visitor centre and a goody bag when the milestone number of visitors was reached.

"This is a return visit for us - I just thought I’d pop in as I was in town picking Nathan up from nursery," said Lyndsey.

With an original target of attracting 10,000 visitors per month, the museum is exceeding expectations.

Cllr Roy Miller, cabinet spokesperson, development, environment and culture for Barnsley Council, said: “It doesn’t surprise me that we’ve now welcomed 40,000 visitors to Experience Barnsley. There’s so much to see - it appeals to everyone.

"It’s a real gem at the heart of Barnsley town centre in such an iconic building, and something I know that many people in Barnsley are proud to be a part of.

"Coupled with the beautiful gardens and fountains outside in the Barnsley Pals Centenary Square, it’s a wonderful visitor experience."

A BABY girl who has undergone open heart surgery twice in her first five months of life has inspired two family members to take to their bikes.

Little Ava Fletcher's dad, Rob, 26, and his sister, Lisa, 37, are set for a coast-to-coast bike ride to raise money for the unit that saved her life.

The Way of the Roses route from Morecambe to Bridlington stretches for 170 miles and Rob, of Frederick Avenue, Barnsley, hopes the duo will complete the ride in just two days.

"Luckily, Ava pulled through and we're so grateful to Leeds Children's Cardiac Unit and its staff," he said.

For more information of the siblings' cause, click here.

A FREEDOM of Information request has shown the financial perks of being a police boss.

Sir Norman Bettison picked up a package of more than £70,000 a year on top of his six-figure salary as the chief constable of West Yorkshire.

Mr Bettison, who lives on Keresforth Hall Drive, Barnsley, also received an allowance of more than £36,000 a year to buy and run a car as well as up to £15,000 for security at his home.

Other perks also included £9,148 for health and well-being - including private health cover and gym membership - and £7,318 for continuing personal development activities in the UK or overseas.

Mr Bettison, who resigned last year amid controversy over his involvement in the Hillsborough tragedy, was also provided with a company car and driver, a credit card for expernses, reimbursement for telephone expenses and any 'professional fees' and a uniform.

A MOTHER-OF-TWO wept in the dock as she was jailed for growing cannabis worth £16,500 in her attic.

Hayley Crossland, 29, was given an eight-month prison sentence at Sheffield Crown Court after the police raided her home on Southfield Road, Cudworth, on February 14.

Crossland, who is a married mum-of-two, was subsequently arrested and told police of her cannabis habit - costing around £40 a day.

Judge Roger Keen QC, said: "I realise if I send you to prison this will have a devastating effect on your children, your husband's employment and life in general but that's not my fault, it's yours.

"I was hoping I could suspend the prison sentence but I can't."

FIFTY firefighters worked around the clock when molten glass began leaking from a furnace at a Barnsley company.

Crews were faced with molten glass leaking from a furnace at Ardagh Glass in Monk Bretton when they were alerted on Sunday night.

Up to 280 tons of molten glass was at risk of escaping, firefighters said.

The crews used 12 water jets to stop the leak and to solidify the liquid glass.

"It was like lava from a volcano," said South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue's Steve Green. "The temperature in the furnace was 1,300C."

An Ardagh Glass spokeswoman said: "We would like to thank South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue for their support in bringing this incident quickly and safely under control."  

The company, who employs 400 people at its Monk Bretton site, made £65million in pre-tax profits in 2012 and has recently been involved in a pay dispute with its workers.

A MAN has been given a six-year jail term after being found guilty of abducting and engaging in sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl.

Steven Dex Kerley, 25, of Cemetery Road, Grimethorpe, was said to have taken advantage of the girl, who was described as 'vulnerable' at his hearing at Sheffield Crown Court.

Although the girl wasn't supporting Kerley's prosecution, he admitted child abduction but said he thought she was 17.

He had denied sexual touching and said the girl had pursued him.

THE Reds returned from a long away trip empty handed last night after a 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth.

Barnsley had made a strong start with Chris O'Grady and Steven Dawson striking the same post in the first half.

However, a 78th-minute goal from Mark Pugh for the home side sealed the points and sent Barnsley to their fifth defeat in seven Championship matches.

"I told the players to give it everything and they have done," said David Flitcroft. "They put everything I asked of them into a football match and it wasn't good enough to get anything out of the game.

"Certainly in the first half I was delighted with the way we played and in the second half they got on top of us and we couldn't stop them at times.

"I can't ask anything more from that group of players - they work hard for each other and give it everything."

Next up for the Reds is a tough match against Watford on Saturday. What do you think to this season's performance so far? Are you still optimistic? Have your say below.

THE town's health and social care is to be given an overhaul because the current system isn't fit for purpose or sustainable.

Barnsley Council has approved plans to transform health and social care by bringing the town's four main service providers together under one umbrella.

That means the council, Barnsley Hospital NHS Trust, South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SWYFT) and the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) will join up their services to provide more seamless care.

It's part of the Stronger Barnsley Together programme - a new way of delivering health and social care in the borough - and will be used to inform the work and practice of professionals across health and social care, including public health.

The council and CCG believe this united approach - focussing on prevention rather than cure - will mean fewer hospital admissions, fewer people placed in residential or nursing care and more people cared for at home for longer.

Subsequently, this will result in lower costs and greater savings for health and council budgets.

Council leader Sir Steve Houghton said the current system is inefficient, disjointed and needs to become more seamless.

"When people come into the health and social care system they have got to deal with four different providers of services for different things," he said.

"GPs do their bit, the hospital does its bit and SWYFT deals with community based services while the council deals with public health.

"So you have four different organisations providing four different elements of care needs and it's disjointed.

"What we need to do is join it all up and bring it all under one umbrella, but not one organisation."

The new system will aim to help residents support themselves and their families within their communities for as long as possible, rather than being drawn in to the formal system.

A TOP gymnast from Barnsley has been selected to represent Great Britain at the European Championships.

Ilisha Boardman, 17, from South Hiendley, is hoping to jet off Portugal in October to fulfil her dream.

Ilisha, will be joined by partner Yasmin Harper, 13.

Ilisha has been involved in the sport since the age of ten and trains at Thornes Park in Wakefield six times a week, four hours a day.

Already having a host of medals to her name including three golds which were won in Bulgaria in 2010, Ilisha says it's an 'honour' to be chosen.

"Being chosen for the team is a great honour and a dream of ours," Ilisha said.

"Our dream comes with a large price tag of up to £1,500 per person just for the competition itself and the bill is all left down to parents to pay for.

"Being parents they will do the best they can do to try and come up with the money but their efforts are not always achievable."

Ilisha said any help to allow them to compete would be much appreciated.

MAJOR reviews are being carried out into how the police manages child sexual exploitation offences.

The Police and Crime Commissioner Shaun Wright has asked Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary to conduct a review of the process and structures in place to investigate such allegations.

He has also asked the Chief Constable to set up an additional team of detectives and other specialists to investigate allegations of historic child abuse in South Yorkshire.

Mr Wright said: "I made this my priority in my manifesto when I was elected nine months ago."

Mr Wright said he's determined to continue to do everything he can to stop abuse from happening and to review historic cases which, for whatever reason, didn't lead to a prosecution.

"I believe the approach taken today by South Yorkshire Police in investigating allegations of child sexual exploitation is vastly improved and bears little, if any resemblance, to the approach taken in the past.

"I'm also aware of a number of ongoing criminal investigations that will see a number of defendants in the dock charged with serious sexual crimes.

"But I want to be certain that the approach, the processes and the systems used by South Yorkshire are right, and HMIC will be providing me with an independent perspective."

A MINING mogul whose former reign over the UK’s pits earned him the nickname ‘King Coal’ has been declared bankrupt.

Richard Budge, who bought up the bulk of the British Coal industry when it was privatised in the 1990s, had a court order issued against him after a creditor’s petition.

The 66-year-old now faces a probe into any overseas assets that could be sold to pay off undisclosed debts, according to insolvency practitioners Mazars.

A number of businesses linked to Mr Budge have previously hit difficulties, with three going into administration when he was a director.

The businessman, who is chairman of the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation, is scheduled to be discharged from bankruptcy on September 3, 2014.

WORKERS at a glass factory will strike after rejecting the firm's pay rise offer.

Employees at Ardagh Glass in Monk Bretton refused their 5.5 per cent, two-year pay deal - and the company's refused to budge on their offer.

There has been a 24-hour strike on different shifts starting this week and a 24-hour stoppage on September 21.

An overtime ban will also commence from September 16-23.

Tas Sangha, from the union Unite, said: "This is a highly profitable company and could well afford to be more generous."

The company, who employs 400 people at its Monk Bretton site, made £65million in pre-tax profits in 2012.

A spokesman for the company said: "We're disappointed by this outcome. We respect and value our employees and currently pay typically double the UK's average wage to our factory employees."

THE police are appealing for witnesses after a supposed deliberate fire at a tyre recycling plant.

At 5am on September 6, police received reports of a fire at the plant on Springvale Road, Park Springs, Grimethorpe.

Once the fire had been extinguished by South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, police began a full investigation into the cause of the fire.

No one was injured during the incident, but officers believe that the fire may have been started deliberately.

They're encouraging anyone who may have witnessed any suspicious activity to contact South Yorkshire Police on 101 quoting incident number 130 of September 6.

A MAN was found on the street with life-threatening head injuries.

The 46-year-old man was found on Acre Road, Cudworth, at approximately 5.05am on Tuesday morning.

He was conveyed to Sheffield Hallamshire Hospital where his condition is described as life-threatening.

Police are investigating however there do not appear to be any suspicious circumstances at this time.

STUDENTS and staff lined the street as the funeral cortege of a Barnsley College music teacher went by.

Richard Tolson, affectionately known as Rich T, died on September 2 at the age of 40 after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in February.

He had been at the college for 18 years and was the head of music and performing arts.

Many were in tears as they released coloured balloons when the cortege paused outside the college on Church Street last Tuesday.

Former student Jack Leach, of Moor Bank Close, Wombwell, was taught music technology by Rich for two years.

He is now studying music production in Leeds and had no idea Rich was ill and was shocked to learn of his death.

"He was a really kind, fun person who always tried to make things interesting and fun," Jack, 19, said.

"He taught me everything I know."

Abbie Wheeler, 16, of Priory Road, Lundwood, added: "Mr Tolson's wife has taught us and we wanted to show our respect. She's helped me a lot at school. She's devastated."

POLICE are hunting a man in connection with an armed robbery.

The man, allegedly in possession of a knife, went into Rhythm and Booze on Barnsley Road, Cudworth, at around 10pm last Tuesday.

He's believed to have brandished the blade and demanded money from the till, before fleeing with a small amount of cash.

The man is described as white and in his early 20s, wearing a dark scarf over his face, a hoody and black tracksuit bottoms.

Information can be given by calling 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111, quoting incident 1197 of September 10.