Archive

  • Fears for billiards' future after budget is slashed

    Mark Hirst, Bradford's only player on the world billiards circuit, fears for the future of the sport now that the governing body has drastically slashed its support. The 39-year-old world No 18 explained: "The World Professional Billiards and Snooker

  • Haeck has Hatton plans of his own

    Jurgen Haeck is coming to England to hijack Junior Witter's dream. The Belgian defends his European Union light-welter belt against Bradford ace Witter in Manchester on April 5. It is Witter's final action before he hopes to step in the ring with Ricky

  • Gibb: No panic to sort out Law's future

    Gordon Gibb will not be rushed into new contract talks with Nicky Law. The highly-regarded City boss has reached the halfway point of his three-season deal which has another 15 months to run. While Law is building for the future by bringing in several

  • Cash boost for rundown play areas

    RUN-DOWN play areas across Aireborough are set to benefit from a share of nearly £400,000. The money has been generated as a result of various housing developments gaining planning permission in Yeadon and Guiseley - and an Aireborough community organisation

  • Cub leader to pound the streets of Paris

    A cub scout leader is preparing to pound the streets of Paris - to raise money for pack headquarters. Trevor Oates, cub scout leader at the 2nd Otley Scout Group, will tackle his first ever marathon in Paris on Sunday, April 6. And for the 22-year-old

  • Carnival needs support from community

    Retailers and schools in Aireborough are being urged to back this year's Yeadon Carnival to make it a big success. The annual event is being organised by Steve Maw and this year he has big plans to put it on the map by encouraging local youngsters to

  • New campaign issues go slow message to motorists

    CAMPAIGNERS fighting speeding traffic in Guiseley are launching a number of go slow initiatives. Fed up residents are to be given the chance of using an anti-speeding radar gun, signs are to be improved and children shown the dangers of speeding. With

  • New Sainsbury's plan gets mixed reaction from council

    A SAINSBURY'S store in Otley would attract people to the town, it was claimed this week. Sainsbury's representatives also stressed smaller shops would not suffer and no building would start until new homes were found in the town for the fire station,

  • Unofficial sales may get the big boot

    AN investigation is underway about the impact of Otley's unauthorised weekly car boot sale on the town. One has taken place more or less every week at the former Bridge End auction mart site for four years. But residents complain that it attracts an enormous

  • Creating a stink over boot rubbish

    AN Otley councillor is threatening to go to the ombudsman over rubbish burning on a car boot sale site. Councillor Phil Coyne claims rubbish burned at Bridge End every week after the Sunday sales cause noxious fumes that spread over homes in nearby Billams

  • Yeadon man 'stabbed his wife'

    An inquest has heard how a 'devoted' Yeadon man strangled his wife and stabbed her in both eyes. Gillian and David Oates were described by police as 'a devoted couple' when the inquest into her death opened at Leeds Coroners Court last Thursday. The inquest

  • Students take to the town in anti-war protest

    OTLEY teenagers staged an anti-war protest in the town centre on Sunday. Following the temporary suspension last week of Prince Henry's students for trying to stage a school walk out, pupils held an alternative protest outside school hours. After meeting

  • 'Look out for dangerous fake whisky'

    Trading standards and environmental health officers are warning Ilkley shoppers to beware of buying dangerous, fake whisky. Following recent alerts about counterfeit Valkonov Vodka, a new notice has gone out about two fake brands of whisky which contain

  • Woodland felling upsets residents

    Ilkley residents are accusing Bradford Council of hypocrisy over its handling of tree protection within the town's conservation area. Queens Drive Lane householders are angry that while strict restrictions have been placed on what they can do with their

  • Wind turbines would blow the view from Ilkley, claim

    FEARS that eight 300ft wind turbines planned for North Yorkshire will ruin the view from Ilkley have been expressed by parish councillors. Ilkley Parish Council's plans committee recently told Bradford Council it objected to the principle of constructing

  • The Grumbleweeds have it down to a fine art

    Graham Walker and Robin Colvill, of the comedy band The Grumbleweeds, were joined by former member Maurice Lee (left) when they officially opened the spring exhibition of the British Society of Painters in Ilkley at the weekend. They had a 700-strong

  • Swimming pool safety rule change hits families

    NEW rules at Ilkley swimming pool have left parents angry that they can no longer take their children swimming. All children under four years old have to be accompanied 'one to one' by a person over 16, and children between four and seven years old on

  • Fears at plan for store on arts site

    A controversial proposal to build a supermarket on the site of Bingley's art centre has raised fears among the town's residents. About 40 people attended a meeting of Bradford Council's regeneration and culture scrutiny committee at the arts centre last

  • Otley all set for ten mile road race

    On Sunday morning, four members of Otley Athletic Club participated in the East Hull 20. Over a mainly flat course but in blustery conditions with very little shelter from the strong wind, Ian Fisher won the race for a successive year in 114.38. Mark

  • Otliensians unlucky to lose in Bradford Salem mudbath

    Bradford Salem 13, Otliensians 0 Otliensians were unlucky to lose this closely fought Yorkshire Three match by a goal and two penalties to nil. On a pitch with mud and surface water at the start and which inevitably churned up into a runny, muddy liquid

  • Pool are under par but they continue their run of wins

    Kirk Deighton 0, Pool AFC 2 POOL continued their run of West Yorkshire League victories in the same style that they have shown for a couple of months - playing below their best but picking up three points each time. For much of this match Kirk Deighton

  • Shirley breaks ground by being elected first female president

    SHIRLEY Poland has broken new ground at Rawdon Golf and Lawn Tennis Club by becoming the first lady in the club's 107 year history to be elected club President. Mrs Poland is an Honorary Life Member of the club based at Buckstone Drive and has been playing

  • Otley Ru seek to avenge a defeat by Bedford

    OTLEY RUFC will play host to Bedford on Saturday in a National Division One game. Coming off the back of a home defeat by title chasers Rotherham Bedford sit comfortably in tenth place in the table, 14 points above Otley and with a game in hand. Otley

  • School put on alert after mystery visit

    A mystery woman has sparked a security alert at a primary school. She was reported to have approached three older boys at Low Ash school in Wrose before classes started on Tuesday. Initial reports suggested she had been posing as a social worker or a

  • Youngsters to pass on valuable skills

    A team of young people will learn valuable skills and how to pass them on to other youngsters. Bradford South Youth Team was launched this week with an induction for the 18 participants. The young people, aged between 18 and 25, were chosen from 152 applicants

  • Family fear return to war-torn Congo

    A family who fled war-torn Congo to settle in Bradford say their lives are at risk if they have to go back. Ben and Congosi wa Mussangu fear they could be slaughtered, like so many of their friends and colleagues, if forced to return to the chaotic Eastern

  • Painting the town Comic Relief red

    Bradford is gearing up to paint the town red in celebration of Comic Relief. Volunteers at the Darley Street Oxfam shop will be donning wigs, noses and fancy dress on Friday to raise money for good causes in Africa and the UK. Pictured sporting red noses

  • New malaria risk as city feels heat

    Warmer winters and wetter summers, expected in the district over the next few years due to global warming, could bring outbreaks of malaria, an environment chief has warned. Bradford Council's senior policy officer (environment) John Bibby will tell the

  • Police raid luxury home

    Vice police arrested an alleged high-class madam at her luxury home following a probe into a suspected Bradford brothel. Officers held the woman and seized about £10,000 and catalogues of photographs following an investigation into a massage parlour called

  • Pupils have designs on old school

    A group of Bradford students have grand designs about following in the footsteps of their school's famous former pupil Linda Barker and become interior designers. But whereas Linda, one of the stars of BBC's Changing Rooms transforms one room, these future

  • Dad of girl, 13, 'shook with fear'

    A man in his thirties became so obsessed with a 13-year-old girl he plagued her home with nuisance phone calls, unwanted letters and gifts, a court heard. James Edmundson even left roses in the garden and was found sitting on the doorstep of the family

  • Ilkley's Minis enjoy being in thick of the action

    Ilkley U-12s 28, Wetherby 14 Ilkley Under-12s began this match unprepared for the barrage thrown at them by the opposition, and were pinned down on their own five metre line for the first five minutes. Only superb defensive work from the whole team kept

  • Precious points for Ilkley in relegation dogfight

    Ilkley 31 Pocklington 15 Two tries from Simon Smith and one each from Dan Nulty and Anthony Cadman were enough to give Ilkley new hope of league survival and condemned their plucky opponents to life in the lower division next season. Pocklington needed

  • Letters to the Editor

    SIR - Re your report on the "appalling" distress Council staff had to put up with when certain social services functions were transferred to NHS care. How does Bradford Council deal with this "major" problem? It pays £40,000 of taxpayers' money to the

  • Determined

    SAINSBURY'S is pushing ahead with its plans to build a new store in Otley and this time - it first withdrew the plan two years ago - it seems to be determined to get the scheme through. Its representatives are talking to as many people as possible, from

  • Three words that mean Ilkley loses out again

    IT started with a smile, as the song goes. A promise that this would be an improved service. No, of course, you will not be losing anything. In fact, things can only get better (in the words of another song). However, we've seen and heard it all before

  • Noble puts faith in rookies

    Brian Noble admitted today he may have to dip into the Academy side to get through this weekend's clash with Widnes. The Bulls head to the Halton Stadium on Saturday for the Challenge Cup quarter-final without as many as ten first-team players. The injury

  • Cards will foil young drinkers

    students in Aireborough are to be given 'proof of age' cards in a move to curb under-age drinking. The initiative - launched by West Yorkshire Trading Standards and backed by the Aireborough Community Involvement Team - will also enable retailers to escape

  • New pleasure boat operator still not found for river

    A NEW operator to run the pleasure boats at Otley's Wharf-emeadows Park has still to come forward. With just more than a month before the start of the traditional boating season, Leeds City Council has not managed to find someone to take on the boating

  • Pauline's 'Chinese torture'

    A MUM of three from Wharfedale is to endure a 'Chinese torture' to raise money for a cancer charity. Pauline Brown, 43, is in training for a 100-kilometre sponsored walk along the Great Wall of China in May. Mrs Brown, who works at the Cancer Research

  • 'Pie in the sky' proposal criticised

    DELICATE negotiations over the future of Otley Civic Centre have suffered a setback, it was claimed this week. A furious chairman of the town council's Civic Centre Committee Councillor Ray Dunn accused opposition members of electioneering by giving the

  • Church of England School has no place for vicar's son

    A PARISH vicar is considering appealing after his son was refused a place at the town's only church school. The Reverend Graham Buttanshaw, vicar of Otley's All Saints Parish Church, had expected his son, Timothy, to start at All Saints CoE Primary School

  • Seat belts really can save lives

    When seat belts were first introduced, many years ago, there was a lot of controversy about them. Many people were reluctant to use them as they feared that in an accident they might be trapped and unable to escape from their vehicle if, for example,

  • On This Day

    In 1900, British forces took Bloemfontein in the second Boer War. In 1961, Pablo Picasso, aged 79, married his model Jacqueline Rocque aged 37. In 1972, Clifford Irving admitted fabricating the autobiography of Howard Hughes. From the Telegraph &

  • Textiles' big step forward

    The district's textile industry is set to get a boost with the launch of a new million pound initiative. Regeneration agency Yorkshire Forward and the Regional Innovation Strategy Board for Textiles and Clothing have teamed up to launch the scheme - Textiles

  • Do we want to cock a snook at Westminster?

    Last week, Burley-in-Wharfedale Labour MP and Local Government Minister Chris Leslie told MPs that the new Local Government Bill on its way through Parliament allowed extra cash to be levied on Council Tax payers. This would be used to fund the administration

  • Police launch new blitz on car key burglaries

    ILKLEY'S large houses and high value cars are making the town a prime spot for burglars, police have warned. West Yorkshire Police this week chose Ilkley's Craiglands Hotel for the official launch of its new Key Safe to reduce car key burglaries - house

  • More groups answer Ilkley festival call

    THREE more organisations have answered the call to make the first Ilkley Summer Festival a memorable event. Organisers plan to launch the event on Yorkshire Day, August 1, and co-ordinate events run by a number of groups and organisations within Ilkley

  • Hospital fight gets television airing

    Ilkley's fight to save the Coronation Hospital was beamed to homes around the country this week when television crews rolled into town. A production team from BBC2 show Daily Politics travelled to Ilkley yesterday to talk to local GPs, patients and MP

  • Letters to the Editor

    Planning 'yes' ignores water threat SIR, - David Blake's article on the proposed East of Otley developments has my full support. Planning is a misnomer here, there has been no thought on water displacement, the water table is very high in the proposed

  • Letters to the Editor

    Campaign song to save the 'local' SIR, - As usual, The Gazette has been on the ball with its reporting of the threat to the continuing existence of our village pub, the Wheatley. However, I understand that your inquiries about its future have been met

  • 'Shot drug man killed instantly'

    A drug dealer shot twice in the head at close range with a shotgun had no chance of surviving his injuries, a jury heard. Philip Smith was killed when he met Nicholas Hickson at an isolated lay-by in Tong Lane, Tong, Bradford. Hickson, 32, of Royds Avenue

  • Golden girls make it a day to remember in national championship

    OTLEY Rhythmic Gymnastics Club members Emily Gibson from Burley-in-Wharfedale, Debbie Wilson from Beckwithshaw and Deborah Bate from Kirkstall beat off competition from across the UK to win gold in the National Rhythmic Gymnastics Duets and Trios competition

  • Strengthened Saracens overpower Yarnbury

    Otley Saracens 38, Yarnbury 0 SARACENS, with a week off from Merit Table games, arranged a pool fixture with Yarnbury firsts and produced a workmanlike performance in difficult conditions to run out comfortable winners. After news had spread across Yorkshire

  • Young swim star nets grant

    Twelve-year-old swimming star Emily Cryan has gained a £250 training grant from the Sport Aid Foundation. Menston St Mary's School pupil Emily swims for the City of Leeds Swimming Club. Her gruelling programme involves training six nights a week and one

  • Guiseley pay the penalty

    North Ferriby 3, Guiseley 1 FOLLOWING a string of three successive defeats Guiseley it can be said have well and truly ended any remote chance they may have had of getting into the promotion play-offs. Manager Neil Parsley is however confident that his

  • 'Lost form' could end in barn's demolition

    A Bingley businessman is at loggerheads with Bradford planning bosses who have demanded the demolition of his barn. Company director and farmer Neil Crosswaite was ordered to knock down the building in Walsh Lane, Bingley, after planners said he did not

  • Stone tribute to brave policeman

    A memorial marking the bravery of a Bradford policeman was rededicated 22 years to the day after he was murdered on duty. Sergeant Michael Hawcroft was stabbed to death after he spotted two youths trying to steal a car in Low Moor, Bradford. The memorial

  • Survivors' hospital reunion

    A Bradford couple who survived a fatal car crash have had an emotional reunion in hospital. Mark Mahomet and his wife, Kath, from Queensbury, are recovering in separate wards in the Calderdale Royal Hospital after the smash in Boothtown, Halifax, as they

  • 'We must ensure peace in the city'

    The Bishop of Bradford urged people to fight for peace through prayer as the Iraqi crisis threatens to spiral into war. His chat about faith and crisis was the first of a series of six Lent Conversations at Bradford Cathedral, to which anybody is invited

  • Competition hots up for young tennis players

    Junior competition is hotting up at Ilkley Lawn Tennis and Squash Club following their recent Performance Centre LTA accreditation. Providing more competitive opportunities is one of the key elements in attaining performance centre status and the junior

  • Ben Rhydding Ladies are dealt a blow

    Timperley Ladies 2 , B Rhydding 1 Ben Rhydding Ladies' hopes of the league title and a place in the National League play-offs were dealt a crucial blow with defeat by Timperley at the weekend. The result leaves Ben Rhydding in second place, needing maximum

  • A gritty Addingham continue their quest for promotion

    Masham 1, Addingham 3 Addingham continued their quest for promotion to the Premier League with a gritty, determined display against a confident and resolute Masham side. Buoyed by six straight wins Masham were looking to avenge their early season defeat

  • Trojans Reserves end season on a disappointing note

    Trojans Reserves 1, Spa Athletic Reserves 4 WITH their first team without a game Burley Trojans Reserves took the spotlight but they ended their league campaign with a performance which summed up their season. After a bright opening they lost their way

  • Ilkley cast Kirkby aside to move into semi-finals

    Kirkby Malzeard 1, Ilkley AFC 5 Having elected to move the fixture to their opponents ground late on Saturday morning because of waterlogged conditions at West Holmes Ilkley AFC demolished title-chasing Kirkby Malzeard for the second time in three weeks