The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response Police are investigating after a dead swan was found at a Huddersfield beauty spot which has been plagued by a spate of antisocial behaviour There have been several recent incidents at Meltham Mills Reservoir which is home to wildlife and a popular fishing and walking spot signage and bins as well as the discovery of the dead swan and most recently a fire was lit In a warning issued by those who help maintain the area they said: "We’re really disappointed to report a number of recent incidents of vandalism around the reservoir and track — including damage to fencing It’s not just a beauty spot — it’s home to swans and other species that rely on the environment being left undisturbed we’ve also found a deceased swan this week under suspicious circumstances which is now being looked into by local wildlife authorities and the police We’re asking everyone to please respect the area and report any anti-social behaviour to the police or directly to us." Get all the latest and breaking Huddersfield news straight to your inbox by signing up to our daily newsletter here. The incidents have left those who use the area furious Such a beautiful peaceful area that has had generations of swans come and go There's so much vandalism going on the area currently and it's very disheartening." I spent most of my childhood playing near this res and woodlands and never even in my teens was anything vandalised or damaged what on earth they think this achieves is beyond me." And another resident posted that a fire was lit and had to be attended by the fire service on Thursday evening. They added: "Please, Please have a word with your kids not to light fires in the open. It’s dangerous and illegal. Also putting themselves at risk as well as all the wildlife The Fire service could have missed an urgent life threatening call." Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right National Route 689 connects Meltham on the edge of the Peak District National Park with Lockwood Rail Station in south-west Huddersfield via a dismantled railway line This route is the first section of the popular Meltham Greenway - running along a disused railway line for about a kilometre from Cobble Street near Meltham Morrisons to Huddersfield Road It connects with the wonderful Pennine Cycleway, on National Route 68 Download your free guide to easy, traffic-free routes on the National Cycle Network in your area. We have taken all responsible steps to ensure that these routes are safe and achievable by people with a reasonable level of fitness all outdoor activities involve a degree of risk Sustrans accepts no responsibility for any accidents or injury resulting from following these routes Walking and cycling routes change over time Weather conditions may also affect path surfaces Please use your own judgement when using the routes based upon the weather and the ability experience and confidence levels of those in your group Would you like more route inspiration? Sign up to our newsletter. Route 689 is part of the National Cycle Network Your donation today will help keep the Network safe and open for everyone to enjoy Sign up now to hear more about our latest news Sustrans is committed to fundraising in a way which is legal, open, honest and respectful. Read our fundraising promise Sustrans is a registered charity in England and Wales (326550) and Scotland (SC039263) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England (1797726) at 2 Cathedral Square Principal Trombone of the Halle Orchestra is helping to inspire young players to take up and enjoy playing brass instruments in the heart of her local community The next generation of young players in the small West Yorkshire town of Meltham are being inspired to take up brass playing by one of the UK's leading orchestral stars Principal Trombone of the Halle Orchestra lives locally and volunteers to provide regular tuition to around 40 youngsters at one of its primary schools With a background in brass banding in Kirkby Lonsdale in Cumbria she is passionate about enabling young players to enjoy music making One of them is 6 year old trombone player Luke Spittlehouse (above) who has really been impressing Katy with his progress Luke's mum plays with Meltham & Meltham Band who won the Brass Category of the 1996 BBC 2 'Young Musician of the Year' told 4BR: "It's about making links in the community and helping increase awareness so that the Music Hubs and local bands can also benefit Meltham has such a rich brass band history and so I want to be able to help give local children the same opportunity that I enjoyed I can't change the National picture of declining funding for music but if I can facilitate some children learning an instrument who couldn't otherwise afford it Katy added: "Brass bands should be in the community Without starting at my local band in Kirkby Lonsdale and having access to free peripatetic lessons at school I would not have won the BBC Young Musician Brass Final and the chance to learn it to a high level should be available to everyone who has the interest Katy was pictured with Luke at Meltham & Meltham Mills Band's famous bandroom TAGS: Meltham & Meltham Mills 4barsrest continues to be a proudly independent voice There are no paywalls to overcome to be able to enjoy what we do to keep our journalism at the heart of the brass banding world Support us with a one-off donation or subscribe from just £2.50 per month May 6 • The British Open Spring Festival will be held in Birmingham in 2026 May 6 • The incredible live sounds of Mike Lovatt's 'Brass Pack' can now be enjoyed following the release of their new album May 6 • The music making will go on long into the night in Stavanger on Friday with a special Midnight Brass treat from Manger Musikklag May 6 • Whitworth Vale & Healey capture the essence of victory as there are also wins for Delph Dobcross Silver and St John's Mossley in Buxton Saturday 10 May • Winter Gardens Complex May 6 • Midlands Area Champions IBB have an opening for an experienced percussionist Ambitious and enjoying a varied concert/contest program we are looking forward to the third section finals 2025 May 6 • Midlands Area Champions IBB have an opening for a full-time Bass player (position negotiable) Ambitious and enjoying a varied concert/contest program IBB are looking forward to the third section finals 2025 Rehearsals Mon/Thu in Coalville near M1 J22 May 5 • Ocean Brass are inviting applications for our Principal Cornet position as we prepare for an exciting schedule of concerts and contests in the second section through 2025 and beyond Posted by | Oct 12, 2023 | | 0 A growing family business is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year with a fully-let portfolio of commercial space – and a waiting list for some properties was founded by Stuart and Lucy Bamforth in April 1988 The company started when Stuart and Lucy bought a significant portion of J.I Within four years the whole site had been developed into an industrial estate and was fully occupied by 38 individual companies Stuart passed away in 2002 aged 55 after a battle with cancer Lucy was managing director for 26 years before she was succeeded by the couple’s son Dan in 2014 the company has continued to grow and the Meltham Mills site now has 400,000 sq ft + of space with approximately 50 tenants the company purchased a site from Allied Breweries in Netherton which became Crosland Road Industrial Estate That was followed in 1993 by the purchase of what was known as the ‘S Block’ from the Case Corporation This became a standalone warehouse and is now Concept House home to emergency vehicle manufacturer Rosenbauer UK Towndoor bought land in Bent Ley Road in Meltham which was developed into Bent Ley Industrial Estate over the next nine years Towndoor made a significant investment in the local community by taking ownership of Meltham Mills Reservoir making improvements and investing £750,000 in a new spillway The reservoir has become a crucial source of firefighting water for Meltham Mills Industrial Estate Towndoor’s acquisition of a 1.2-acre site in Lockwood in 2015 was a significant milestone for the company The location meant it would make an ideal commercial estate and an investment of £2 million created eight high-spec trade counter units What became known as The Dyeworks was completed in 2016 Towndoor acquired and developed a £1 million state-of-the-art children’s day nursery at Armitage Bridge which was previously the site of the Big Valley Garage Coming right up to date and in 2020 Towndoor embarked on a new development project to revamp a disused part of Meltham Mills Industrial Estate formerly known as The Business Park, became the site of Lu’s Place The project was delayed due to the pandemic but the premises finally opened in March 2022 Run by Towndoor’s sister company Bamforth Leisure Ltd the café has become a popular meeting place for the local community Managing director Dan said: “My family and I are immensely proud of Towndoor and our team Our range of commercial properties to suit all size and budget requirements paired with our superior ‘one stop shop’ service without the need for any agent or third party makes us stand out from the crowd “Our obsession for detail and keeping our sites immaculately well maintained including our older properties sets us apart from competition Our properties are let on a part repairing and renewing basis which is a little different from the commercial norm “We want to take the hassle away from our tenants of having to maintain their property we do all that for them – allowing them to really focus on their business “We pride ourselves on honest and meaningful relationships with our clients whether it’s just a simple annual check in to see both the condition of their unit and business or working with them on a more regular basis to find a larger/smaller space with us as the needs of their business changes “Towndoor’s entire portfolio is currently fully let with a waiting list for some size properties “We are not the typical agent or landlord that hands out a set of keys in exchange for a signed contract “We are there for the duration whenever a client might need us Some of our tenants have been with us 30 plus years with others moving into a small unit but now occupying several “Nothing makes me smile more than driving by a vacant property owned by a greedy landlord with weeds and rubbish all over – our market is strong and if you offer quality affordable space with five-star service Posted by | Jun 25, 2024 | | 0 Our Quilt is a community textiles project created with residents of Meltham Helme and Wilshaw to represent and celebrate what people love about where they live 100 handmade fabric squares representing and celebrating features of the four villages have been made by the community and stitched together into a colourful quilt that will go on display at the Carlile Institute in Meltham on Saturday July 6 The project was initiated by Meltham town councillor Ann Jurczyszyn who was inspired by the ‘Speak Their Name’ memorial quilt that had been exhibited at the Carlile Institute last year The project delivery team also includes local residents from Meltham Quilters The Crossroads Shop and the Community Haberdashery brings together many textile techniques including knitting the imagination and the quality of the work is overwhelming,” said Clr Jurczyszyn Many local businesses are represented and 22 scenes from local landscapes have been interpreted in textiles Animals also feature throughout the quilt in addition to local churches representing the popular Meltham Scarecrow Festival that takes place each spring and three David Brown tractor squares reflect the importance of that legacy to this day a trustee of The Crossroads Project and a contributor to the quilt said: “It is a tribute to the strength of the community that all project packs made available for collection from the central pick up location at the Crossroads Shop “Although we stipulated that the subject matter should celebrate a local feature of village life we have had submissions from residents past and present including one from a previous resident now living in Australia!” The quilt will be on display in the Jubilee Room of the Carlile Institute HD9 4AG on Saturday July 6 between 12.30pm and 4pm for Meltham Memories Retro Weekend The quilt will also be on display alongside the Holmfirth Artweek Fringe as follows: July 9-11 (12noon-7pm); July 12 (12noon-8pm); and July 13 (12noon-2pm) Following this the quilt will go on tour and be displayed in various venues in the villages including Greenacres Care Home To host Our Quilt on tour, or for more information about the project, please email julia@upcycle-fashion.co.uk What’s on in Huddersfield in July 2024 with Huddersfield Comic Con, monster trucks, beer tasting, comedy, music and more We talk to the principal trombone of the Halle Orchestra to find out more about her musical life and her commitment to ensuring the next generation of youngsters get the same chances she had to enjoy music making on their own terms Can't see the audio player below? Visit soundcloud.com/4barsrest 4BR is joined for out latest podcast interview by Katy Jones — principal trombone of the Halle Orchestra A former winner of the BBC 2 Young Musician of the Year title her journey to becoming one of the UKs leading professional orchestral trombonists has not been quite what people may have expected — and perhaps what makes her commitment to inspiring the next generation of young brass players in her local community even more interesting We caught up with her to find out more about her early brass banding life her decision to study pharmacy at university before moving into full time professional playing and her passion and commitment to teaching music to the next generation of brass band players through her link to Meltham & Meltham Mills Band and the Halle Orchestra's innovative outreach programmes Posted by | Sep 26, 2023 | | 0 Meltham-based commercial property company Towndoor Ltd has been chosen as the Eaton Smith Solicitors’ Business of the Month. Towndoor is a family-run business set up in April 1988 and started when Stuart and Lucy Bamforth acquired a significant portion of J.I Towndoor are one of West Yorkshire’s leading businesses for commercial property lettings The company’s success is a testament to the family’s unwavering dedication to providing high-quality commercial property solutions to businesses in the region a purpose-built café nestled within the heart of Meltham Mills this establishment was designed with a particular vision in mind – to offer a warm and welcoming space for the community to gather Lu’s Place also went on the win the Business of the Month Award for July Towndoor executive director Jack Dixon said: “We’re delighted to be chosen as Business of the Month “Our recent and ongoing business efforts span property upgrades refining internal systems and enhancing our tenant experiences We’ve also focused on staff training to boost job satisfaction Awards like this motivate our team to keep excelling.” said: “We were really excited to read Towndoor’s application It is a brilliant story of a family run business continuously expanding over the years “They have worked on some really exciting projects including fellow Business of the Month winners We are very excited for what the future holds for Towndoor Ltd.” Deborah Melluish chaired the judging panel and was joined by Rachel Helliwell (Yorkshire Children’s Centre) Martin Hathaway (Mid Yorkshire Chamber) and Annie Bradley (Department of Business & Trade) To apply for the Business of the Month Award go to www.businessofthemonth.co.uk/ Posted by | Oct 10, 2021 | | 0 Meltham Shoebox Campaign is giving the most precious gift of all to children living in dire poverty this Christmas … a smile But it needs YOUR help to make that happen Since 2006 the Meltham Shoebox Campaign based at St James’ Church in Meltham Mills has filled shoeboxes with goodies and sent them to children living incredibly deprived lives in eastern Europe Over the years they have sent an average of 10,000 shoeboxes a year It doesn’t just happen – it’s a major operation involving 100 kind-hearted volunteers who are determined to bring a little joy into the lives of children aged three to 14 facing bleak winters Each box is different and the kind of things that can go in them include toys People can make up their own shoeboxes and take them to the church – and children may want to get involved to help youngsters living such bleak lives in the poorest European countries Work is already underway getting the boxes ready but the campaign starts on Monday November 1 and runs for a couple of weeks although organisers would like the boxes in the first week as the second week is taken up packing them ready for the journey READ MORE: Badge of honour for volunteers who were the pride of Meltham The shoeboxes can be taken to St James’ Church on Huddersfield Road between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday from November 1 to 5 If you are struggling to get them there phone Judith Powell West Yorkshire Regional Coordinator and Team Leader at the Meltham Shoebox Campaign on 07954 784317 and she’ll be able to help Put the items in the box and then wrap the bottom of the box and the top separately in Christmas paper and then pop an elastic band around it as every box needs to be opened and checked at the church It is then sealed before its journey to eastern Europe Add a piece of paper in the top saying if the gifts are for a boy or a girl and the age range which can be 3-5 People can pop a photo of themselves in too with their names so the children can see who has sent it The Meltham campaign now comes under a larger charity called T4U (Teams For You) set up in Wrexham In 2019 T4U sent 64,061 shoeboxes and 48,756 last year despite Covid Meltham Shoebox Campaign media officer Christopher Dronsfield said: “People can either fill shoeboxes all wrapped up for us or donate individual items or cash If your shoebox isn’t full then don’t worry as we can add things to it from our stocks “Our aim is to make a difference in the lives of children around the world who find themselves in desperate and hopeless situations “These gifts don’t fix the problems in their lives but they make a difference “Each box is just a gift to brighten their day and make them feel special We are all doing our best to give a child a reason to smile.” The shoeboxes go to the eastern European countries of Romania They go to children who have lost parents or been abandoned some who have been forced to leave their homes due to conflict and those who face discrimination in their own countries and are forced to live on the outskirts of their societies READ MORE: Why lockdown dogs meant boom time for author Linda Whitwam In Belarus more than 20,000 children live as registered orphans and are cared for by the government in institutions that house between 100 and 150 children Many have additional physical or learning needs and few are ever adopted The project leader for shoeboxes in Romania said: “In 2020 I distributed over 10,000 shoebox gifts into dozens of towns and received thousands of smiles from children I’ve never known The joy hidden in these little colourful and sparkling gifts can only be told by the children who waited for them with expectation and emotion One boy even told me he thought his gift came directly from heaven.” The shoeboxes are packed into large cardboard boxes which contain about 12 shoeboxes each The large boxes are then loaded onto large lorries and taken to ports for transport across the North Sea The boxes then travel by road to their destination with T4U contacts in the countries making sure they get to the children who need them most * Written by former Huddersfield Examiner Head of Content ANDY HIRST who now runs his own Huddersfield-based agency AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/) specialising in press releases blogging and copywriting for business in Yorkshire and across the UK Posted by | Jul 19, 2023 | | 0 Lu’s Place in Meltham has won Eaton Smith’s Business of the Month Award for June 2023 Lu’s Place boasts an industrial yet stylish aesthetic and everyone is welcome including dog walkers dog and horse water troughs and a sheltered cycle store Planning permission was granted in 2019 and the groundworks began in 2020 The £1 million purpose-built café finally opened in March 2022 said: “We are incredibly proud to receive this recognition and add this Business of the Month award to our collection which puts us as one of the 12 finalists for the next Business of the Year awards “It’s fair to say there’s nothing quite like Lu’s Place in our area and our multiple awards serve as validation of the unique experience we offer to our valued customers “Having witnessed the construction of Lu’s Place from the ground up it really is inspiring to see the business thrive as it does today “The success of Lu’s Place is a direct result of the unwavering commitment and abilities of everyone within the team and they should all be tremendously proud of this achievement.” said: “Lu’s Place are worthy winners of this month’s award “The judges were particularly impressed by their contribution to the local community and their focus on creating a sustainable and environmentally friendly business “Lu’s Place opened in March 2022 and has demonstrated impressive growth they thoroughly deserve recognition as our Business of the Month.” James Burgess chaired the judging panel and was joined by Richard Ralph (Foresight Group) Sarah Agar-Brennan (University of Huddersfield) Martin Hathaway (Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce) and Annie Bradley (Department of Business & Trade) You can apply for the Business of the Month Award at https://www.businessofthemonth.co.uk/ The world’s biggest archive on brass bands is in Huddersfield … and it’s open for people to explore its thousands of items The archive is owned by Brass Bands England and now housed in Heritage Quay on the University of Huddersfield campus in the town centre The ever-growing archive consists of well over 8,000 music sets Brass Bands England archivist Danni Spargo said: “This collection is a goldmine for enthusiasts and historians alike.” Notable items range from a first purpose 19th century performing jacket from the award- winning Black Dyke Mills Band to a rare echo cornet believed to be owned by well-known player Harry Mortimer created thanks to funding from the Scottish Power Foundation can be quickly turned into a pop-up exhibition if any organisations want to host one Brass band history is being discovered all the time Tony Clarke (above) has been in Meltham and Meltham Mills Band since 1958 has played almost every instrument in the band over the years and is now in the third cornet seat He has unearthed a hidden collection of handwritten original scores from the band’s most successful period in the late 19th and early 20th centuries The Meltham and Meltham Mills Brass Band’s early history is closely tied to the prestigious British Open Brass Band contest the world’s oldest music competition which began in 1853 The band’s first major victory came in 1873 and it went on to achieve the first-ever treble by winning three consecutive years from 1876 to 1878 This remarkable feat has only been matched by six bands in 170 years of competition Tony said: “In 1997 we managed to put an upstairs in our band room to give us more storage space Our music library was in an old 7ft tall cupboard at the time like an old wardrobe in the corner of the room and had been there since the band room was bought in 1952 “I was the band’s librarian at the time so I went to empty the cupboard to re-home the library upstairs It was only when I’d completely emptied the cupboard that I realised there was a removable base in it I lifted this up to find loads of old music about two thirds of it just completely disintegrated when it was picked up but I managed to salvage the rest I was amazed to find scores handwritten and signed by the legendary brass band conductor John Gladney and the actual music that was used on stage when Meltham and Meltham Mills were the best band in the world after winning the triple at Belle Vue brass band contest in 1876 “It’s such a unique glimpse into the band’s musical past and it’s a mystery how the music had been preserved before 1952 We can only surmise from the information we have that when The Brook Company passed the ownership of the band’s equipment back to the band that the music was part of this It must have been stored in someone’s garage or loft between 1939 and 1952 when we finally got our band room.” The archive is publicly accessible to researchers brass bands enthusiasts and anyone else hoping to learn from over a century of banding heritage People can access the archive catalogue online at The Brass Bands Archive | Brass Bands England (bbe.org.uk) or visit the reading room by appointment on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 9am and 5pm Visitors need to pre-book an appointment to view original documents in the research room Heritage Quay also offers online research appointments and all appointments can be booked through their booking form which can be found on the Heritage Quay website at Heritage Quay | What will you discover? If anyone wants to host the pop-up exhibition then contact at archive@bbe.org.uk Written by ANDY HIRST who runs his own Yorkshire freelance journalism agency AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/) specialising in press releases copywriting and ghost-writing autobiographies What’s On in Huddersfield in October 2024 with Huddersfield International Market, Jeff Stelling, Halloween events and a spooky sleepover Into the Spotlight, sponsored by Huddersfield-based Scriba PR is a weekly feature which highlights some great businesses This week we feature Meltham-based Lu’s Place a new cafe that’s opened to great reviews A stunning £1 million café delayed by the pandemic finally opened last week and is rapidly making up for lost time Lu’s Place on the edge of the Meltham Mills Industrial Estate in Meltham is a high-end The impressive glass-fronted new-build caters for everyone from business people couples or family groups with young children to dog walkers It serves breakfasts – including the trademark Lu’s American pancakes – and lunches Local suppliers include Hinchliffe’s Farm Shop and Dixons Milk Ices The café is dog and walkers friendly and there’s even a boot wash outside there’s also a wooden hitching post where riders can tether their horses while they pop in for a quick takeaway Lu’s Place is the brainchild of businessman Dan Bamforth managing director of Meltham property company Towndoor It’s named in honour of Dan’s mum Lucy and the café’s giraffe-themed logos and décor is taken from Lucy’s love of all animals great and small Dan’s executive assistant Meg Anderson said: “Dan had the vision to create Lu’s Place back in 2019 but then the pandemic struck and the plans were delayed READ MORE: Into the Spotlight profiles a great business every Thursday – here’s our archive of stories then October and then Christmas and we finally opened on March 31 “We had a soft invitation-only launch the day before we opened for friends and family and since then it’s been manic “We’ve been so busy we are now encouraging people to book and not just at weekends We’ve been so busy we’ve had to turn people away which is not something we want to do.” It has a great vibe and its style is industrial chic perfect for people stopping off during a walk – or ride – around Meltham Mills Reservoir or the nearby Honley Woods a glass-fronted eating area with a retractable roof and windows that lower ready for the summer weather Dogs are allowed in the Glasshouse and there’s a doggy menu too There’s also a cool VIP Pod which provides private dining for up to eight people and can be hired for special occasions and celebrations oval-shaped oak-framed pod has an in-built Bluetooth music system It has amazing 360-degree views and is THE place to see – and be seen Outside – and again for the better weather – there are swing benches and terrace tables It is hoped in the future to offer the whole venue for private hire and also to extend opening hours into the evening for bistro nights Lu’s Place opens Wednesday to Saturday 9am-5pm and Sundays 10am-4pm For more go to https://lusplace.co.uk/ or search for Lu’s Place on Facebook All the images are courtesy of: MARK FLYNN PHOTOGRAPHY This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page A JUDGE told a wife whose husband was murdered by her former lover ‘not to blame herself’ Judge Peter Benson made his thoughts clear as he jailed callous killer Kenneth Bill for life for the murder of John Hay – and said Bill must serve at least 22 years He told the court Mrs Carol Hay should not feel guilty because she could never have thought a 63-year-old man of previous good character would behave in that way murdered builder and former police officer Mr Hay before disposing of his body on a bonfire which burned for three days During a three-week trial at Bradford Crown Court the jury was told how Bill had rekindled his relationship with Mr Hay’s wife Carol more than 30 years after they had been a couple But when she ended the secret affair in February he became obsessed with the relationship and plotted to kill her husband Bill was unanimously found guilty of Mr Hay’s murder on Thursday and showed no emotion as the sentence was passed yesterday Judge Benson told the packed courtroom: “It seems to me that you were obsessed with Mrs Hay and ruthlessly The court heard how Bill lured Mr Hay to meet him on March 15 with the promise of work after disguising his voice in a phone call to him Judge Benson continued: “You lured him into your car and took him to a unit in Meltham Mills “You bolted the door and then you killed him “Whether the steps used were as you intended it’s not clear Initially Bill had considered disposing of his victim’s body in barrel of sulphuric acid but instead he bound his arms and legs with duct tape and placed the body inside a canvas builders’ bag before transporting it in a horsebox to his secluded home in Upper Hagg Road The judge continued: “You continued to cold-bloodedly and ruthlessly burn the body “You then attempted to make it look like suicide.” Bill drove Mr Hay’s car to the Humber Bridge and left it abandoned before returning to Meltham by train The jury heard Bill said the Lord’s Prayer as the body burned on the bonfire and he stoked the fire several times Judge Benson said ‘chilling evidence’ showed CCTV footage of Bill disposing of the body remains at local waste tips He continued: “You were so keen to indulge your own emotions that you carried out this wicked murder “Not only did you murder him but by disposing of his body in the cold-hearted way you did you have robbed his family of the chance of giving him a decent burial.” He said the Hay family had understandably been distraught at John’s disappearance and Mrs Hay phoned Bill twice to ask if he knew anything “You lied through your teeth saying you had never met John Hay.” The judge said Bill had never once told the truth changing his account for a second time when it dawned on him that forensic evidence could link him to the crime He then claimed it had been an accident and Mr Hay had fallen down the stairs The judge described Mr Hay as a hard-working family man who was a loving husband He said two aggravating features in the case were the amount of pre-meditation as Bill had talked indiscreetly to his colleagues about his murderous plan and the destruction and concealment of the body But the judge said his age and his previous good character were mitigating factors He sentenced Bill to a minimum of 22 years imprisonment A total of 181 days in custody will be deducted from this Mrs Hay and her children said they were pleased it was over and that they had at last got justice for Mr Hay Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.