A LOCAL councillor has praised the work done to improve one of the main roads into Barnsley town centre The A635 Doncaster Road in Darfield was recently the subject of a new resurfacing scheme by Barnsley Council Traffic lights and road closures were set up in the area while the work took place with the resurfacing officially completed last week He said: “Darfield councillors were pleased to see the work to improve A635 Doncaster Road was performed efficiently with minimal disruption especially as it is a busy gateway to Barnsley and connects Darfield to other communities “This work is part of Barnsley Council’s £17m investment in roads through the Highways Capital Programme TRIBUTES have been paid to local footballing icon Steve Fellows - who won ‘everything’ as a player at Houghton Main - following his sudden death Steve grew up in Low Valley before moving to Darfield - but it was his love for Houghton Main that made him so popular across the borough He was an integral part of the 1974/75 side which won several local cups that campaign - including a 3-2 Montagu Cup win against Northcliffe WMC That side was managed by John ‘Jack’ Short - the former Wolves His love for Houghton Main in both the footballing and cricket world knew no bounds - and he carried on playing into his late forties His wife Dorothy told the Chronicle: “He also played for The Station “He played football since he was seven “He was at Houghton Main when he was 15 and he played well into his forties “He was a fit man and he was a hard man “In one match he got studded on the field and he was bleeding “He got up and I told him he was going to hospital but he carried on playing for 20 minutes “He’d not only had to have stitches - but he’d also broken his leg “He loved his football but he also loved us.” Steve’s funeral will take place on Thursday at All Saints’ Church in Darfield at 2.30pm with a celebration of his life being held at Houghton Main Sports and Social Club “His wish would be to carry on with Houghton Main,” Dorothy said “Everything there is wonderful - people need to know about it “When people are making a collection at the funeral I’d like it to go to the up and coming cricketers and footballers at the club “We want to give the young people something.” said that John was a true gentleman - and he always used to come round and see his dad Harry who was an important figure at Houghton Main He added: “He played football for my dad for years and years “Whenever he used to come through the village he would always come and see my dad “He played for Don and Dearne who at that time would have been the equivalent of Barnsley Boys “Anyone who knows him would have had him in their house doing something.” six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren NEW speed checking devices have been installed on a stretch of road in Darfield following concerns from residents Speed indicator devices (SIDs) promote safe driving behaviour and enhance road safety for all road users A SID gives a visual alert to road users of the speed limit in force on that road with the primary objective being to reduce speeding One of those devices has now been placed on the A635 Doncaster Road He told the Chronicle: “Following initial requests from residents who live on and near the A635 Doncaster Road in Darfield I asked Barnsley Council to make initial checks on speeding vehicles on this stretch of road “The installation of the two SIDs will both act as a visual reminder to drivers of their speed but also will collect valuable data for use in any future potential road safety schemes in the area.” A DARFIELD property which went up in flames this morning was found to house a cannabis farm back in November Five fire engines and one turntable ladder tackled a blaze at a property on Morrison Road this morning (Wednesday) police found a cannabis grow containing approximately 30 plants and subsequently arrested a 36-year-old man on suspicion of production of cannabis but he has since been released with no further action taken It was the same property that firefighters tackled this morning A police spokesperson said: “At 5.19am today (Wednesday February 19) we were called to reports of a fire at a property on Morrison Road “We responded alongside crews from South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue we responded to reports of a burglary at a property on Morrison Road “Officers responded and found evidence consistent with a break-in Inside the property a cannabis grow was discovered “A 36-year-old man was initially arrested on suspicion of production of cannabis but he has since been released with no further action taken.” PAUL Harper will be hoping the drama of Albert Square won’t rear its head at the Queen Victoria in Darfield when the pub celebrate Eastenders’ 40th anniversary next week As part of the iconic BBC show’s anniversary celebrations Queen Victoria-named pubs - in homage to the boozer on the square - up and down the country will be taking part in BBC Radio’s The Late Show Paul is the owner of the Darfield pub - and he’s looking forward to showcase the village on Tuesday He told the Chronicle: “As part of the celebrations The Late Show is visiting Queen Victoria pubs and down the country “We’ve been selected to take part “We’ve known about it for a while but it’s finally coming to fruition.” The pub will be used to pre-record interviews with locals and community groups from 4pm before the show starts at 10pm And Paul is hoping that it’ll help put Darfield on the map “I’ve involved most of the community with this,” he added “We’ve got a band coming down to do a recording and local businesses and people coming down.” WORK to alleviate flooding woes in one of the worst-affected areas across Barnsley is moving quickly is currently the subject of maintenance work by Danvm Drainage Commissioners is being done to reduce the risk of flooding in the area Low Valley has long been a problem area for flooding with residents calling for more to be done to ease their woes And Darfield Couns Kevin Osborne and Trevor Smith visited the site last Wednesday alongside members of the Low Valley Flood Group to examine the progress Couns Osborne and Smith said: “We are thrilled to see this progress - it will significantly reduce the risk of flooding and improve the safety and well-being of our community “Low Valley Flood Group engage with us frequently asking when the maintenance work will be done “As Barnsley Council’s representative on the Danvm Drainage Board Coun Osborne has been working hard to ensure Bulling Dike and Low Valley remain high on the agenda for the drainage board and this maintenance work runs in parallel with the Connected by Water initiative which brings together local authorities Yorkshire Water and the Environment Agency to deliver not only flood risk management schemes on the ground but also to plan catchment-wide measures for the future to help meet the challenges of climate change.” DARFIELD CC's women's team are the Division Three North champions after beating Wombwell Main in their final game Darfield have won all ten of their matches this season H Gill top-scored for Wombwell then Alicia Scrivener took three wickets Elsecar beat Wombwell by 26 runs the previous Thursday Nicola Pearson and Dawn Stump top-scored for Elsecar then Angela Kemp took two wickets Adele Stenton top-scored in Penistone’s win over Upper Haugh Stainborough beat Millhouses Works in Division One H White took two wickets then Leah White top-scored Amelia Williams and Laura Dainty top-scored then Megan Kilner took two wickets Worsbrough Bridge beat Stainborough by 31 runs last Thursday Leah White top-scored for Stainborough and Amelia Williams for Worsbrough PLANS to build almost 500 new homes in Darfield are set to be submitted to the council in the coming weeks - and residents have been urged to have their say many locals were shocked to see a leaflet posted through their doors from Keepmoat and Saul Homes which stated that a total of 467 homes - 267 of which will be built on one plot of land and a further 200 on a second - are in the pipeline The properties would be built south of Doncaster Road - an area of field which is currently used by dog walkers and residents alike The first phase of the plan for 267 homes will be overseen by Keepmoat and Saul Homes who are in the process of seeking full planning permission This would include areas of open space and will also include the area to the south of phase two - with an outline planning application set to be pushed forward - for a drainage basin was shocked to find none of the three councillors in the area - along with Couns Pauline Markham and Trevor Smith - had been contacted prior to the leaflets being sent out He told the Chronicle: “It was clearly disappointing to learn of the planned development and consultation event second-hand “I engaged direct with the developer and they will now formally update Darfield elected representatives in advance of the planned consultation event “The views and concerns of Darfield residents will always come first.” to ask them why they did not speak with local councillors Managing director Vikki Sykes said: “The development team had every intention on engaging with yourself Coun Markham and Coun Smith prior to the distribution of the leaflets to the wider community the leaflets have been released by a third-party distribution company prematurely and ahead of schedule and this is deeply regrettable “We do understand the importance of liaising with yourselves as the elected community representatives and we would very much welcome the opportunity to rectify this unfortunate turn of events.” A consultation event is due to take place at the Strawbridges Garden Centre Residents are being urged to attend to submit their views and representatives will be on hand to answer any questions locals may have Anyone who is unable to attend is asked to visit www.jrpassoc.co.uk/consultation where the plans can be found The website will go live after the consultation event Comments can also be emailed to info@jrpassoc.co.uk or posted to 14 Mariner Court Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article appeared about 50 to 56 miles (80 to 90 km) southeast of the boundary between the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates and part of the fault became visible at the surface because of the earthquake Thousands of smaller aftershocks occurred in the months that followed The aftershock’s depth and close proximity to Christchurch contributed to substantial shaking and liquefaction (the conversion of soil into a fluidlike mass) in the city and surrounding area Two large tremors struck the Christchurch metropolitan area during the early afternoon on June 13 which possessed moment magnitudes of 5.6 and 6.3 were located some 10 km (6 miles) east of Christchurch at depths of 9 km (5.6 miles) and 7 km (4.4 miles) The June 13 events were located farther east of the known extent of the Greendale Fault and they appeared to have been generated by strike-slip faulting rather than by thrust faulting associated with the February 22 event some seismologists have downplayed any direct association between the June 13 events and those of the main shock and February 22 aftershock suggested that stresses built up by these earlier temblors likely contributed to those of June 13 as well as to a series of shallow marine tremors ranging from magnitude 4.0 to magnitude 6.0 that shook the Christchurch area on December 23 One of the worst incidents was the collapse of the Canterbury Television (CTV) building An estimated 100 or more people had been in the building at the time of the quake Although some were rescued on the day of the quake the search for others was suspended because it was thought that the remaining victims could not have survived; further it was feared that the building’s remains were too unstable to be safe for rescue workers Both the Anglican and Roman Catholic cathedrals of Christchurch suffered serious damage Church officials believed that the latter structure was beyond repair and the spire of the Anglican cathedral collapsed Continuing aftershocks in the days after February 22 further weakened structures throughout the area and portions of several suburbs had to be evacuated and other countries also sent hundreds of search-and-rescue workers by the potential dangers posed by the aftershocks the Anglican cathedral was beyond repair and would be demolished SPORT fanatic Duncan Gawthorpe has released his latest book about sport in Darfield - and he’s hoping locals will come to see him at the library later this month The 83-year-old co-authored a book about the rise and decline of club rugby in Yorkshire a number of years ago alongside Stuart Heard coach and chairman of Barnsley RUFC has now released his first solo book - titled Darfield: A Sporting Village He told the Chronicle: “When I co-authored the book about Yorkshire rugby two or three years ago I got the bug for it “I’m a member of the Darfield History Society and a volunteer at Darfield Museum so I’m always surrounded by information from the past “I’m a sports fanatic and it’s very important to me “When I was researching I was surprised to see sports like polo played in Darfield.” Duncan spent almost two years writing and producing the book - and he said it was a proud moment to finally get his hands on a published copy earlier this month “I feel pretty good about it,” he said “It’s a really good book and the publishers have done a good job with it “On the last Tuesday of this month I’ll be giving a talk from 2pm to 5pm at Darfield Library about the book “Hopefully some people will turn up to it.” Anyone interested in getting a copy should contact Duncan directly or visit the museum on a Saturday THE principal of Upperwood Academy in Darfield retired yesterday after 29 years’ service - and he says he’s looking forward to a spot of relaxing described as a ‘legend of Darfield’ joined the school as its deputy head when he was just 28 - and he’s risen up the ranks to become principal Friday was his last day teaching at the school he loves so much The 57-year-old told the Chronicle: “I came here at 28 - it was a lovely school then and it’s a lovely school now “I’m teaching the children of pupils that I’ve taught in the past “It’s been a pleasure to support the children of Darfield for so long “I became the head in 2008 after 13 years of being the deputy - I’ve always had a lovely group of staff.” Alistair admits he’s now looking forward to taking a step away from his emails for the foreseeable future “Even parents who don’t live in the area anymore are still bringing their children here so it shows we’re doing something right,” he added relaxing and not having to look at my emails every minute of every day.” TWO Barnsley companies have been ordered to pay more than £14,000 in fines and costs after being prosecuted for food safety offences Darfield Super Store’s owner TSN Foods Ltd and Lastorders Food and Wine Ltd who own Premier Last Orders in Wombwell both appeared at Barnsley Magistrates’ Court last week They were charged under the Food Safety Act 1990 and the Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations 2013 TSN pleaded guilty to seven offences including the sale of unsafe food items and failing to comply with improvement notices The other company was also forced to pay £3,931.96 for failing to comply with an improvement notice and selling unsafe food items cabinet spokesperson for public health and communities said: “These prosecutions highlight how we take our responsibility to protect our communities seriously taking action to stop potentially dangerous products from remaining on our shelves.” A VILLAGE library is welcoming back its visitors from today following a refurbishment Darfield Library is the latest branch in the borough to benefit from the Libraries Refurbishment Programme It comes in the year that the library turns 60 The newly-refurbished and expanded library features modern A bigger children’s area has been created featuring reading hideaways a dedicated space has been created including public computers a large meeting table and increased book shelving Executive Director for Public Health and Communities said: “We’re delighted to be welcoming visitors back to Darfield Library and would like to thank residents for their patience while we carried out works to make the library offer even better than before “Whether you’re borrowing books or attending one of our exciting events or activities we hope you’ll enjoy the newly refurbished space.” For workshops and events at Darfield Library as well as for more information on opening times and facilities you can visit the Barnsley Libraries’ webpage along with the refurbishment of Goldthorpe Library which opens next week is supported by £500k from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund Dearne firefighters were called out to a deliberate rubbish fire at 7:10pm on Nanny Marr Road A car was deliberately set on fire at 10:55pm on Snydale Road Firefighters from Cudworth station attended the incident This content was last updated on January 20th Sign up for our bi-monthly newsletter to keep up to date with South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue DETAILED plans and artist impressions of a proposed 500-home development in Darfield have now gone live - and residents are being encouraged to submit their views A public consultation event on plans Darfield was held yesterday - and a formal application is currently being drawn up by the developers Keepmoat and Saul Homes are hoping to build a total of 467 homes - 267 of which will be built on one plot of land and a further 200 on a second An event was held at Strawbridges Garden Centre in Darfield yesterday afternoon where residents had their first chance to see the plans in more detail The developers say the new homes will bring ‘quality’ houses to the area whilst also making a number of improvements A report said: “This will enhance existing footpaths and ensure properties provide surveillance to those routes “This will ensure they are utilised but would avoid antisocial behaviour “The plans will protect the amenity of existing residents through increased separation and orientation of plots “There will be a strong frontage to Doncaster Road with a segregated pedestrian link within a green route with enhanced planting to the site frontage “The development responds to the scale “There will be improved vehicular access into and around the site and highway improvements proposed to Doncaster Road include a right turn lane to incorporate a pedestrian cycle crossing to link existing network opposite.” Bosses say they will submit a full planning application to Barnsley Council next month - and urged residents to submit their views in time The report added: “Following consideration of all comments from the consultation and the associated review of all technical information we plan to submit a planning application to the council in July 2024 “We value the comments and suggestions of local people and businesses particularly where this helps to refine and improve the development proposal so that the social environmental and economic benefits are maximised “There will be further opportunity to provide comments once the planning application has been submitted and validated however we welcome comments from the community in advance of the formal submission.” A PAIR of pet-loving locals have started an appeal to help make sure abandoned and forgotten animals have somewhere warm to stay this festive period Chrissy and Gary Walker run Walker’s Pet Cremation and Home Euthanasia Services in Darfield and since opening in June have seen countless grieving families come through their doors mourning the loss of their furry loved ones they’ve chosen to do something a bit more cheerful as they raise funds to support rescue shelters that can protect animals during some of the coldest months of the year Chrissy told the Chronicle: “We get customers every day who’ve lost pets and decide to start looking after rescue animals “We realise that many pet rescue services get no funding “Everything we’ve done so far is mostly through Facebook but we’re getting a really good reception “That’s raised £360 online but then customers are coming in to help as well - one woman came in and donated £300.” The service hopes to continue supporting rescue services into the new year “We’re happy to take donations of toys or pet food,” Chrissy added “Everything will be going to rescue services.” PLANS to build almost 500 homes in Darfield have been submitted to Barnsley Council - and a 40mph speed limit on Doncaster Road could be implemented to ease residents’ safety concerns A public consultation event was held in June after plans to build a total of 460 homes - 260 of which will be built on one plot and a further 200 on a second - broke cover The first phase of the plan for 260 homes will be overseen by Keepmoat and Saul Homes who are seeking full planning permission The report added that the consultation event in June was well-attended - and a number of concerns were raised by local residents These concerns included a lack of affordable homes a lack of ‘joint up thinking’ in terms of infrastructure and a potential increase in pressure on educational and medical services “In respect of a lack of facilities within Darfield the site has been allocated within the Local Plan without the addition of further shopping facilities,” the report said “The site is in a very sustainable location due to its proximity to local fare stages and rail station which provides connections to Doncaster and Wakefield that have a multitude of amenities facilities and other transport opportunities “Significant concern was raised through the consultation event in respect of Doncaster Road where it was advised that the speed is too high and accidents are experienced “A highway consultant has been employed to review the existing highway network and the junction capacity assessment These improvements include a ‘ghost island arrangement’ with a right turn lane traffic calming measures such as red surfacing and ‘SLOW’ markings and a new footway along Barnsley Road and Doncaster Road A potential 40mph speed limit on Doncaster Road is also being mooted “Further comments were raised in respect of doing more for safety,” the report added “This included discussions on the speed limit which has already been reduced from National to 50mph “The potential 40mph speed limit reduction on Doncaster Road has been discussed previously with Barnsley Council in respect to the site access and from previous meetings would not generally be supported due to potential speed limit enforcement issues “The applicant team had a Road Safety Audit carried out recommended a reduction to a 40mph speed limit the applicant is happy to continue discussions with Barnsley Council highways officers to advise that they are happy to introduce a reduced speed limit and gateway feature on Doncaster Road access scheme “This however would need to be considered appropriate by the council.” is encouraging locals to submit their views to Barnsley Council’s planning before the deadline He said: “Our intention is to hold meetings with residents at Darfield Community Centre to support and advise on making submissions to the planning application “These will be appointment-based and details will be released shortly “We will also be directly contacting residents who live adjacent to the proposed development to both inform and assist in making comments to the application where required “As Coun Trevor Smith serves on Barnsley Council’s planning regulatory board he is unable to assist in this process “Coun Markham and I are determined that the views and opinions of residents are heard “We will do our very best to maximise the opportunities for folk to comment on the application.” You are not permitted to download, save or email this image. Visit image gallery to purchase the image run by the Sheffield Volunteer Fire Brigade will be held at Peter Morrison and Liz Nattrax’s property at 329 Kimberley Rd There will be a display and demonstration by model aeroplanes along with the Christchurch Airport's Rosenbauer Panther Visitors will be able to view Roger Nees' race car Ros and Liz Bertenshaw will have their RT Valiant Charger on site There will also be a helicopter demonstration and Fire and Emergency NZ will hold a kitchen fire display The Darfield Fire Brigade will be offering rides on its Vintage Fire Engine A raffle will be run with prizes of $1000 in tyres from Kats Tyres Rolleston an Alpine Jet Thrills Canyon Safari valued at over $5000 and a 20-minute helicopter ride (Alan and Janet Mathewson) valued at $420 Entry on the day will cost $10 for an adult, and $25 a family. The event runs from 9am to 4pm TWO more Barnsley thugs have been jailed for their ‘brutish behaviour’ at the protest in Manvers last month was one of several thugs who entered the hotel during the disorder He was also caught kicking riot shields and throwing missiles at police officers Despite claiming he didn’t do anything while inside the hotel He was sentenced to two years and two months detention at a young offender institution at Sheffield Crown Court on Monday Also seen in the mob attacking police officers was Callum Smith was caught on CCTV repeatedly kicking officers’ riot shields throwing various objects and kicking a police van Smith had been wearing a balaclava to hide his identity and ensure he wasn’t held responsible for his violent crimes however footage of him arriving at the hotel showed him without the face covering leading to his arrest He pleaded guilty to violent disorder last Thursday and was jailed for two years and eight months Darfield Rugby Football Club has been able to reap the fruits of their labour with the re-opening of their clubrooms at Darfield Domain With Country Footy renowned for it’s post-match entertainment the opportunity for the club to separate their bar and kitchen into two work areas will greatly enhance their ability to cater for an ever growing club and support crew “Our kitchen was tiny and it became very hard to prepare for the after matches” said Club President Sheldon Reed “it also allowed us to separate our bar from the kitchen “Having the renovated facilities will help us to better cater for our club and encourage growth and connection across both of our junior and senior sides.” said Reed The renovation of the clubrooms went right to the wire with the final touches put on the bar right before opening with the new facility greatly received by all in attendance The re-opening also conincided with the first pre-season game of the season in Canterbury with the Ducks welcoming Hinuera Rugby from the Waikato to the domain in what has become an annual fixture in recent years for the two sides with Darfield heading north in the corresponding fixture last year with the game of three halves ending in a win a piece and even draw meaning nothing could separate the two sides before they put the new clubrooms to the test in a perfect example of what Country Rugby has to offer info@crfu.co.nz(03) 379 8300 About Canterbury RugbyTerms of UsePrivacy PolicyHealth & Safety A state of emergency has been declared in Selwyn and several roads have been closed across Christchurch as heavy rain lashes Canterbury Selwyn Mayor Sam Broughton said on Thursday morning emergency services and Civil Defence volunteers are working to help people evacuate at Selwyn Huts due to rising river levels and the likelihood the access road will be cut off A heavy rain warning remains in place for parts of Canterbury until 6pm on Thursday Darfield High and Ellesmere College have closed for the day due to flooding and road safety concerns Community sandbag stations were set up at community centres in Sheffield and Glentunnel last night Data from Environment Canterbury shows the Selwyn River at Coes Ford is flowing at 73.222 m3/s compared to the normal rate of about 1 m3/s Doyleston has been particularly hard hit with many properties under several centimetres of flood water we are asking that residents in Selwyn Huts self-evacuate from the area due to concerns of flooding from the Selwyn River," a district council spokesperson said "Several schools across the district have closed Please check-in with your child’s school to see if they are open or not "Coes Ford and other fords across the district have also been closed "Sandbags have been distributed in West Melton while Community Sandbag Stations are in place in Sheffield and Glentunnel though you will need to bring your own spade "We are encouraging Selwyn residents to conserve water until the supply can be restored "We also ask that you try and minimise water usage in Prebbleton and Lincoln as our wastewater network is becoming overwhelmed part of Fitzgerald Ave near the bridge has been closed New Brighton Rd between Rawson St and Pages Rd is closed and Avonside Drive between Wainoni Rd and Kerrs Rd is also closed Hoon Hay has also been hit hard with a section of Gainsborough St under water A contractor has been notified to fix the issue meaning that in some areas people may be experiencing 'slow' or 'no' service showers and sinks may empty slowly or in the worst cases not at all If this was to happen the council will arrange any clean up to property or the environment following being notified of overflows." part of State Highway 75 has been closed due to the high tide SH75 was closed from Birdlings Flat to Little River at 11pm on Wednesday It is unlikely to open before lunchtime today Residents with flooding or roading concerns are urged to contact the city council on 03 941 8999 Large parts of the country are being hammered as torrential rain and gale force winds set in for the next few days They include snowfall warnings around Christchurch After a very wet night in Canterbury and other parts of the country, further rain is expected todayThings remain wet across the eastern South Island, with southern parts of Canterbury seeing some easing later this evening pic.twitter.com/ZRYQ2scQjL Meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane says it has been a wet night in eastern parts of the South Island The Canterbury region has already had 100 millimetres to 150mm of rainfall over the last 24 hours with more to come "We'll be keeping a very close eye to see how things develop." April has been an "extremely interesting" weather month seeming to pack three months of events into just the four-week period "This year has been okay for the Canterbury region this rainfall is falling on extremely sodden ground and I think at any time of year this amount of rainfall would possibly cause issues." Snow fall warnings continue throughout the day for the Canterbury High country and alpine roads Porters Pass and Arthur's Pass (both State Highway 73) and the Lewis Pass (SH7) A warning for the Lindis Pass (SH8) in Otago was expected to be lifted about 8am today ❄️South Island travellers🚗Snow is on the cards for inland areas, with Road Snowfall Warnings in place for some high-level routes from late Wednesday into ThursdayBe sure to take extra care if you’re heading out pic.twitter.com/QgMNENHUTs Here are the latest road closures in Christchurch:  The following roads are closed on Banks Peninsula:  Stony Bay Rd is closed from the first cattle stop For updates on Selwyn road closures visit https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/662754c63d3745509137adbb2b426106 are expected to be lashed with gale-force southerlies over the next day moving up from the West Coast overnight and hitting Wellington with some of the strongest winds seen in a decade The wind which is also being experienced at the top of the South Island will have "a flow-on effect for the wave conditions" Wave heights have hit 6 metres by 7am today and with high tide in about two hours they will get higher Cook Strait ferry crossings have been cancelled until early Friday because of the high swells in the Strait The Interislander and Bluebridge say extra sailings will be put on over the weekend to clear the backlog of services Three fire engines attended a property fire on Nanny Marr Close Barnsley after a call was received at 7.12pm The fire was caused by a garden brazier that had spread to a shed Two hose reels were used to extinguish the fire and firefighters had dealt with the incident by 9pm Three fire engines attended a fire inside a bin store on Middle Hay View Sheffield after a call was received at 7.13pm One hose reel was used to extinguish the fire and crews came away from the scene shortly after 7.33pm A fire crew attended a car fire on Cathill Roundabout near Darfield One hose reel was used to extinguish the fire which was located in the engine bay and caused accidentally Firefighters left the scene shortly after 8.55pm A fire crew rescued a dog that had become stuck between two houses on Bennetthorpe Doncaster after a call was received at 8.51pm The crew used a water rescue pole to bring the dog to safety Two fire engines attended a car fire on Derek Dooley Way Sheffield after a call was received at 9.18pm One hose reel was used to extinguish the fire and crews came away from the incident shortly after 9.46pm A  fire crew attended a fire behind a shop on Watch House Lane Doncaster after a call was received at 11.14pm The fire was located in metal cages full of polystyrene and plastic which had been deliberately set alight One hose reel was used to extinguish the fire and the incident had been dealt with by 11.52pm with Darfield defeating Prebbleton in the dying moments 27-26 to secure their maiden title It was a game that had everything out at Ellesmere Finals Day with Darfield going undefeated in the Luisetti Seeds Ellesmere Division 1 to secure the club’s first ever Coleman Shield success with the Ducks trailing throughout the match and needing a try and the ensuing conversion in the final moments to get them over the line It was Prebbleton who had the better of the early running earning an early 17-0 lead after just 12 minutes A Darfield fightback saw the Penguins find themselves up 20-13 at the half time break before a Darfield try levelled the scores at 20-all after 50 minutes It then went tit-for-tat for the remainder of the game with Prebbleton leading 26-20 with a minute to go who ran hard over the line to give Darfield the opportunity to snatch victory at the death with the successful conversion giving the club their first lead of the match and also break those many years of hoodoo Canteen operations ceased at both schools by Friday Libelle had been providing food services to more than 60 schools and supplying around 125,000 meals daily for the Government’s school lunch programme schools such as Rolleston and Ellesmere colleges remained unaffected Darfield principal Andy England said the school quickly moved to bring the canteen in-house “It’s never good to get an unwanted disruption,” he said “We’ve spent the week setting up contracts for food supply and doing the employment processes and so on “All of that has been stretched and rushed in a way you wouldn’t normally want to operate England said the existing canteen staff have now been employed by the school England said the school was chasing some outstanding rent from Libelle our focus has been on finding a solution to getting our canteen up and running again as fast as possible,” he said Lincoln’s new arrangement has also allowed the existing former-Libelle canteen staff to stay on which had contracted Libelle to provide the Government’s free school lunch programme A new report from liquidator Deloitte shows Libelle Group owes more than $14 million to nearly 250 creditors The liquidation was the latest issue with the school lunch programme which has been fraught with a range of problems and issues with the preparation of halal meals A survey by the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) found widespread dissatisfaction with the programme Of more than 200 principals and area school teachers surveyed 80% were unhappy with the meals provided by the School Lunch Collective Among those supplied by the Compass-led group One person has died and another is in a critical condition after a two-vehicle crash in Darfield Police responded to a crash on Old West Coast Road near Pitts Road in Selwyn around 11am and found two people in critical condition One person died at the scene and another remained in hospital in a critical condition Two other people were injured in the crash The death took the unofficial holiday road toll to 11 The Serious Crash Unit had conducted a scene examination and closed the road Top Stories RSS Follow RNZ News Pupils from Darfield High School checked out the lineup of tractors that arrived for Bring a Tractor to School Day Darfield is a small rural town, population under 3500, 35km west of Christchurch in the Selwyn District of the South Island Arable and pastoral farming is a major industry in the area Darfield High School is the sole intermediate/high school in the area The school was established in 1951 as a secondary school and expanded to cover intermediate students in 1978 The difference with this school is that it runs agricultural courses for those interested in pursuing employment in the rural sector “Bring a Tractor to School Day” is a big event on the Darfield High School calendar and it has been for the past three years if you saw a convoy of 14 tractors heading to Darfield High School on Tuesday it was for a day of fun and that is exactly what the 830 students had It all started with three students who were in their final year before heading off to start an apprenticeship with local tractor firms but these three past students have turned up every year to continue supporting “Bring a Tractor to School,” day Starting at 12.30pm the tractors assembled at a neighbouring farm and travelled in convoy to the school sizes and colours and found their spot on the rugby field were treated to a healthy roll and flavoured milk courtesy of staff from Fonterra who turned out in force for this special day Watch the tractors arrive at Darfield High School’s Bring a Tractor to School Day below: There was much excitement when the judging commenced for the winners of the Fonterra “Build a Masterpiece Tanker,” competition this was a holiday project prior to the big day The entries were fantastic and creative and a lot of hard work had gone into designing and building them Local farmers and contractors gave their time to talk to the pupils about tractor safety courtesy on the road with your tractor and tractors in general - then the fun began This involved a tug-of-war with a difference with the pupils pitting their strength against a tractor as the local fire truck sent a huge spray of water across the rugby field It’s not hard to imagine that the pupils are already counting down to the next “Bring a Tractor to School Day” There’s certainly something special about country schools Ballance Agri-Nutrients worker says there a lot of anxiety over potential loss of jobs Year 11 Spring Assessment Revision Masterclasses - VIEW HERE A Barnsley primary academy has started the new school year with a new principal appointment Gemma Barr has been named as the new school principal for the Snape Hill Road-based Outwood Primary Academy Darfield moving within Outwood Grange Academies Trust from her previous role as Vice Principal at Outwood Primary Academy Littleworth Grange in Lundwood Mrs Barr qualified as a teacher in 2008 after gaining her degree from Leeds Metropolitan University (now known as Leeds Beckett University) “I am looking forward to joining a fantastic team of committed professionals at Outwood Primary Academy Darfield and to continue ensuring it is an academy where pupils their families and staff are proud to be part of.” 01924 204350 enquiries@outwood.com a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales with company number 06995649 Outwood Grange Academies Trust is an exempt charity It’s not often players will mark up 300 senior club footy games and fewer still who can say they began their days at the same club they put on boots for the very first time Blair McIlroy of Darfield Rugby Club started his rugby career at four years old he jumped straight into tackle and has seemingly never looked back McIlroy says it’s the “likeminded lads” and culture of the club that has kept him around for 34 years but they still make the effort to come out” Making his senior debut in 2003 as a teenager McIlroy has had a unique perspective of watching players grow from their own first games of rugby as a junior all the way to running alongside him on the field “They were playing midgets when I was playing senior rugby now they’re sitting beside me in the shed sharing a beer” he said McIlroy loves being part of the forwards “I quite like the physical part of rugby and there’s no better place to be than flanker to get out and about and make a few tackles” The club has seen McIlroy reach epic heights of playing for the Canterbury B team as well as continuing to play for Darfield’s Div 1 side giving back to the club that he says has given him so much over the years McIlroy and his team will go against Prebbleton in the Ellesmere final this Saturday a repeat of the 2022 match which he says his is favourite memory of his impressive Darfield career It was pretty special to be a part of that We beat them in the last part of the game with a conversion” he recalled Get along to Kirwee Domain on Saturday to watch Darfield and Prebbleton go head to head yet again for the Ellesmere Division 1 final and see first hand who will be taking home the Coleman Shield for 2024 DARFIELD made it four wins from four South Yorkshire League Division One games with a 26-run victory at home to Oughtibridge Joe Stickland made 106 not out with 12 fours in Darfield’s 231 then Saman Khursheed took five and Matt Lambert three Rockingham were dismissed for 104 chasing Wickersley’s 163 in the Championship Wath fell 106 runs short chasing 245 at Sheffield Collegiate 2nd XI Rob Barlow took four wickets then top-scored with 25 Barnsley Woolley Miners 2nd XI chased Houghton Main in a three-wicket win Barnsley’s Boeta Beukes took five wickets and Lewis Bray four Monk Bretton chased 178 at Oughtibridge 2nd XI in Division Two for a five-wicket win Scott Latimer took three for 12 off his six overs Penistone were dismissed for 71 chasing 176 at Coal Aston Higham won by 41 runs at home to Barnsley Woolley Miners 3rd XI in Division Three Alex Morris hit 72 off 75 balls with seven fours and four sixes in Higham’s 236 then Gareth Kilburn took four wickets Alex Gough took five wickets for Barnsley then Mark Kenny made 55 Worsbrough Bridge lost by eight wickets to Cawthorne 2nd XI Liam Carroll took four wickets for Cawthorne then Daniel Airstone carried his bat with 65 not out while Nicholas Lowe added 56 Kexborough were dismissed for 86 chasing 197 at Millhouses Work Wombwell Main fell 18 runs short chasing 208 against Shiregreen 2nd XI in Division Four There were three wickets for Richard Wilkinson who then top-scored with 64 Rockingham 2nd XI bowled Sprotbrough out for 91 in a four-wicket win Penistone 2nd XI dismissed Whitley Hall 3rd XI for 29 in a Division Six win Former Barnsley FC hero Scott Jones was out for 97 in Penistone’s 187 for four Green Moor won by 147 runs at home to Upper Haugh 3rd XI in Division Seven Curtis Coles hit 87 not out and Jake Sharp 52 in Green Moor’s 228 then James Christopherson took four wickets Barnsley Woolley Miners 4th XI chased 103 for a four-wicket against Norton Oakes 2nd XI Simon Grindle took six wickets as Rockingham 3rd XI dismissed Frecheville 2nd XI for 88 Elsecar 3rd XI won by 119 runs at Monk Bretton 2nd XI Elsecar made 251 with Ewan Bennett making 86 off 82 balls with 11 fours and three sixes while Richard Stump cleared the ropes four times in his 50 off 37 balls Dearne fell 59 runs short chasing 179 at home to Scholes and Harley 2nd XI in Division Nine Silkstone United 2nd XI defended 98 in a 12-run win at Eden Grove Parklands 2nd XI Linton Shore was the only Silkstone player to score more than six with 60 off 63 balls Joe Evans scored 110 as Rockingham 2nd XI beat Darfield 2nd XI in the President’s Cup with Lewis Upton adding 52 not out off 32 balls