YOUNGEST EVER: Alexandria Crystal. Photo: Stephanie Thornton.

Teen sets sights on Miss England final

A WORSBROUGH Village teenager has made history by being named as the youngest ever contestant to qualify for the Miss England event next year. Alexandria Crystal is currently 15, but will celebrate her 16th birthday just a few weeks before the semi-final which takes places at Viva, Blackpool, on April 7. She has automatically qualified for the competition as the judges’ wildcard choice - and a win would mean she’d compete at the coveted Miss...

Disabled-friendly playground idea receives support

POLITICAL allegiances were cast aside after councillors agreed to a motion which will ensure every new playground built in Barnsley in the future will be disabled-friendly. Liberal Democrat Couns Hannah Kitching and Will Fielding submitted the motion, which was approved at last Thursday’s full council meeting, to ensure that all future playgrounds in Barnsley are designed to be inclusive. It comes after a charity - Scope - urged the government to effectively ringfence cash for...

Tributes paid to young biker

THE grieving parents of a ‘selfless’ young dad who has donated his organs to save others say their hearts are ‘exploding with pride’. Heartfelt tributes have been paid to Aaron Smith known to his friends and family as AJ after he died following a road accident last week. AJ, 25, was taken to hospital last Wednesday following a collision involving a silver Toyota Yaris and grey Honda motorcycle on Park Road, Worsbrough. He died a...

Burglar sent to jail

A BARNSLEY burglar who committed a string of offences has been jailed. Lewis Merritt, from Station Road, Bolton-upon-Dearne, pleaded guilty in June to charges of burglary and fraud and was given a 25-month sentence at Sheffield Crown Court last Friday. The court was told how over the last six months, Merritt and his accomplice - Rotherham’s Shane Walker - targeted addresses in the Brampton and Manvers areas, stealing various items including electronics, children’s toys, bank...

Planning permission sought for new school

PLANNING permission is being sought to bring a state-funded school to the town centre. An application was initially submitted in April - from Compass Schools - to turn an office building, on Victoria Road, into a new school for up to 24 pupils. However, following public consultation and a discussion by the council’s planning board, the proposals were rejected on the grounds that the development did not enter any pre-application discussions with the local authority....

Hassell candidate as Reds want permanent director of football by New Year

BARNSLEY are hoping to have their first permanent director of football in place by the end of 2023 and one of the candidates is legendary player Bobby Hassell who is doing the job on an interim basis. The Reds are restructuring their backroom set-up as chief executive Khaled El-Ahmad is due to join MLS club Minnesota United from Friday of next week. His departure – after more than two years in the role – was...

Talking points from cup loss at Blackpool

Analysis of Barnsley's 2-1 loss at Blackpool which saw them exit the EFL Trophy in the first knock-out round. John McAtee put the Reds in front at half-time but they were poor after the break. A DEEPLY DISAPPOINTING GAME FOR FALTERING REDS THIS visit to Blackpool in December provided few illuminations from a Barnsley point of view as the problems which have dogged Neill Collins’ side all season persisted. Defensive frailties, key players underperforming...

Collins rues second half in cup loss

Neill Collins rued Barnsley’s second half performance in their 2-1 EFL Trophy loss at Blackpool on Tuesday and is ‘very disappointed’ to be out of all the cups. The Reds took the lead through John McAtee but conceded twice early in the second half. Collins told the Chronicle: “The first half was very positive and we deserved to be ahead. “If anything we could have been further ahead with the opportunities we had....

Reds out of trophy

Barnsley are out of all the cups this season after a 2-1 defeat at Blackpool in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday. John McAtee netted just before half-time but Blackpool netted twice early in the second half. The Reds were on top before conceding and should have been further ahead but Blackpool took control of the game after the break. Neill Collins made three changes from the last league game. Devante Cole and...

Reds chairman on various issues

What Barnsley chairman Neerav Parekh said about various issues when he addressed the media and fans this week. OWNERSHIP COMPOSITION “I am at about 55 per cent, the Crynes have about 23 per cent, Julie Anne (Quay) and her husband are about ten per cent and I believe Paul Conway and Chien Lee combined are about 13 per cent. It is entirely up to them (former co-chairmen Conway and Lee) if they participate in...

Tweets by ChronOnline

Called-for crossing finally set to arrive...

LONG-MOOTED plans to introduce a safety crossing in Great Houghton are finally set to pick up pace next week - and local councillors have praised the late Dorothy Higginbottom MBE for her dedication to the project. In recent years, Barnsley Council has worked in partnership with Great Houghton Parish Council to ensure that residents have a safe place to cross on Rotherham Road. Following a consultation, which was held by Couns Ashley Peace and Dorothy...

Youngsters back safer roads bid

LOCAL schoolchildren joined South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard and Barnsley-born Olympic gold medalist Ed Clancy to support Road Safety Week in a bid to reduce the number of people killed or injured as a result of a collision - following a recent spike in deaths on the town’s roads. Organised by the charity Brake, the theme for 2023 was ‘speed’ and members of the South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership (SYSRP) helped highlight the dangers of...

Hundreds of businesses shut up shop

HUNDREDS of businesses closed their doors for good in Barnsley in 2022 according to shock new figures - with rising costs and shoppers’ changing habits blamed for the exodus. Office for National Statistics figures show 970 businesses in Barnsley ceased trading in 2022 - up from 945 the year before. Some 7,550 businesses were active in the town last year, meaning the ‘business death rate’ - the percentage of businesses that closed - has grown...

Partnership aims to find next superstar

BARNSLEY College has partnered with Barnsley Women’s Football Club to launch a new academy aimed at finding future stars - and potentially even the next Bethany England. The side, who play in the FA Women’s National League Division One North, have made the move to reinforce their existing relationship with the college - which has already seen girls aged ten to 16 progress through the club’s Emerging Talent Centre (ETC). The Barnsley Women’s FC Academy,...

Elderly residents given apology after heating loss

DOZENS of elderly residents were left without heating over the weekend as temperatures plummeted across the town - but Berneslai Homes have confirmed they are working to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Over the weekend, around 30 residents at the Woodhall Flats on Barnsley Road experienced a district heating boiler breakdown. It’s believed it was triggered by a nearby water leak, which left a number of residents in Darfield without water for a number of...

Barnsley runners take on snowy Gravy Pud race while others enjoy success abroad

ATHLETICS PENISTONE Footpath Runners battled snowy conditions at the Gravy Pud fell race – one of the few sporting events to take place this week. It is held in Tintwistle in Derbyshire and is five miles long with 800 feet of climbing. The route was challenging with steep hills and rough terrain along with a covering of snow. George Parr was the first Penistone runner back, claiming a top ten finish in sixth place. ...

Dearne Valley stay top with big home win in rare game

ALMOST all sport was called off over Barnsley this weekend - except for Dearne Valley RUFC’s match in Bolton-on-Dearne. They won 69-12 at home to Sheffield Oaks in the South Yorkshire Merit table, which kept them top with eight wins from eight. Sam Oxley scored a hat-trick, there were two each for Jack Duggan and Andrew Thorpe with the other scorers being Luke Robinson, Joe Patterson – with his first try for the club –...

Dearne women only senior team to play over wintry weekend

DEARNE and District Women are the only senior football team from Barnsley known to have completed a competitive game over the weekend. They drew 1-1 at Mexborough Athletic in a top of the table clash in Division Three of the Sheffield and Hallamshire League. Manager Jack Crookes said: “I woke up, looked outside and thought ‘this game isn’t going ahead.’ “But Mexborough asked for some time to get the game on and we were happy...

Simpson’s eyes are on the prize but he is forced to wait until 2024

CALLUM Simpson will have to lay in wait for his chance to become the town’s fifth British champion but now has the title in his crosshairs. The 27-year-old super-middleweight is firmly in the queue to contest the Lord Lonsdale belt but he will have to be patient. Current champion Jack Cullen, from Bolton, dethroned Mark Heffron in September and his first defence will be on January 20 against Londoner Zak Chelli. The British Boxing...

Lance is proving to be a star in stripes for Dearne

AN American walks into a club in Goldthorpe... There’s no punchline. It is actually happening this season with Lance Friedrich a long way from home. The 20-year-old is originally from the beachside town of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. But he now finds himself playing in the small Dearne village and he could not be happier. Asked if he is enjoying the season, he said: “Definitely. It’s a lot of fun playing with the lads....

Wanted man sought by cross-border police

POLICE in Kirklees are appealing for information to help locate a Barnsley man who is wanted in connection with burglary and fraud offences. Tony Evans, also known as Tony O’Brien, is wanted in connection with a burglary at the home of an elderly victim in Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, on November 1. Anyone who knows of the 29-year-old’s whereabouts or has information that can help locate him is asked to contact West Yorkshire Police by calling...

Light at the end of the tunnel for troubled bar

PLANS to reopen The Salt House which was repossessed by Barnsley Council after the owner fell behind on his rent payments to the tune of more than £100,000 are now well underway - after its new owner got the keys to the unit on Wednesday. Luke Stone, 32, from Manchester, made his name through his dad’s VIP coach company to the stars and Premier League footballers - but it’s always been his dream to open...

Cannon Hall’s roof work set to pick up pace

WORK is set to pick up pace on essential repairs - costing £900,000 - to Cannon Hall’s Georgian roof after a planning application was submitted to the council. In March, the council received almost £1m to repair the Grade II*-listed building. The iconic building, which is home to an outstanding museum collection of fine and decorative art, has been awarded the money by the Museum Estate and Development Fund. Adaptations and improvements will be made...

Vicar toasts new role

A STALWART of Barnsley has taken his position as the vicar of two local parishes. Blair Radford was inducted as the head of St Peter and St John the Baptist as well as the parish of St Mary Magdalene yesterday by the Bishop of Wakefield, Rt Revd Tony Robinson. His new title signifies the end of an eight-year-long journey, where Fr Radford has trained with and shown his dedication to the church following him stepping...

Unemployed set to be helped by new taskforce

THOUSANDS of unemployed residents in Barnsley are set to receive help - after global experts were enlisted to identify new ways of fast-tracking them back into jobs. Leaders from the Pathways to Work Commission met with local businesses to explore how more people in Barnsley can benefit from local jobs on Wednesday. The conversation - held at Evri in Hoyland - focused on how employers can create good work opportunities and celebrating examples of good...

Reds look to minimise mistakes after cup exit

CHAIRMAN Neerav Parekh says Barnsley are trying to ‘minimise’ the number of mistakes made by the club after a series of high-profile gaffes, but urged fans to also consider the things that have been done right in recent years. The Reds were ejected from the FA Cup last month having played an ineligible player, Aiden Marsh, in their replay at Horsham. It was the latest bizarre behind-the-scenes saga under Parekh’s tenure as chairman. A...

'Wembley within sight' as Reds travel to Blackpool

Barnsley return to competitive action from 7pm tonight when they visit fellow League One club Blackpool in the EFL Trophy. The Reds won their first two group games at home to Grimsby Town and Manchester City under 21s but were thrashed 5-1 last month at League Two Bradford City who finished above them at the top of the group. Blackpool topped their group with three wins - over League Two clubs Barrow and...

Khaled to leave this month, Hassell acting director of football

Barnsley FC have confirmed Khaled El-Ahmad will leave as chief executive on December 15 with Reds legend Bobby Hassell becoming director of football on an interim basis. El-Ahmad had been due to leave for Minessota United but the date had not been confirmed until now. Hassell, who played 299 games for the club, is currently the academy manager. The Reds are looking for a director of football for the first time in their history and...

OAKWELL ROUND-UP: Seaside trip, Youth Cup win and Oxford off

A round-up of Barnsley FC related stories. REDS SET FOR CUP GAME AT BLACKPOOL Barnsley will look to win their first EFL Trophy knock-out game since they won the final in 2016 when they visit Blackpool from 7pm tomorrow. The Reds won their first two group games at home to Grimsby Town and Manchester City under 21s but were thrashed 5-1 last month at League Two Bradford City. They are expected to play...

Returning Connell hailed as ‘great character’

TUESDAY’S player of the match Luca Connell has made a miraculous recovery from a mystery illness in recent weeks – and head coach Neill Collins can’t praise the Irish midfielder enough. The 22-year-old made his return to the squad in the club’s first round FA Cup replay against seventh-tier Horsham last month, after he was struck down with an illness which kept him out of action for 158 days. His performance against Wycombe Wanderers on...

Football yobs handed banning orders

BANNING orders will continue to be dished out to yobs engaging in football-related violence according to the police - after a group of Barnsley fans were sentenced following disorder in the town centre. On May 19, officers attended Church Street following reports a group of men were involved in disorder prior to the Reds’ League One play-off semi-final clash with Bolton Wanderers. Following the match - which saw Barnsley win 1-0 - further incidents were...

Council vow to fill empty shops after M and S departure

BARNSLEY Council bosses have reiterated their commitment to invest elsewhere other than the Glass Works after Marks and Spencer ended its 90-year presence in the town centre this week. The retail giant announced last year that it would close its Queen Street store and was readying a move to Peel Retail Park, on Harborough Hill Road, where it will open a foodhall store with 60 per cent more space. The town centre unit officially closed...

Police probe terrifying armed robbery

ARMED robbers assaulted two Post Office workers in Cudworth before fleeing the scene with £25,000 last week, prompting a police investigation to start. On Friday, at 9.15am, officers responded to reports that masked offenders had gained entry to the premises on Barnsley Road. It is alleged the offenders physically assaulted two staff members while inside, brandishing weapons, before fleeing the scene with over £25,000 in cash. The staff members suffered minor injuries and are bein

Crumbling hall’s future given a boost

AMBITIOUS plans to bring one of Barnsley’s oldest buildings back into use following 50 years of neglect have received fresh support from an MP and conservation officers in Parliament. Grade II-listed Grimethorpe Hall - which was built in 1670 for Robert Seaton and his wife Theodicia Adwick - has long been the subject of a series of failed bids to bring it back into use. Stephanie Peacock, the MP for Barnsley East, recently met with...

Ill youngster’s police dream comes true

A YOUNG boy with terminal cancer had his ‘dream come true’ last week as he visited South Yorkshire Police’s Ring Farm in Cudworth. Ely Fearnley, aged three, has a terminal, incurable brain tumour - but has a love for all things the police. After being diagnosed with his brain tumour last year, he has been making memories with his friends and family - and last week he travelled to Cudworth to meet with some of...

Noah's double for Barnsley Schoolboys at Wolverhampton

Noah Joynes’ brace set Barnsley Schoolboys under 12s up for a 4-0 win at Wolverhampton in the National Cup. The other goals came from Tom Edgar and Elijah Brown. The under 14 boys blitzed Harrogate 8-0. Elsewhere in junior football, ACER French’s two goals for Penistone Church under 12s helped them power to a 6-1 win against Brampton Rovers. Kai Bamforth, Jake Evans, Sebastian Wilson-Smith and Declan Chadburn also netted. Oxspring...

Away win for Houghton Main

Houghton Main earned a 2-1 win away at Swinton Athletic thanks to goals from Isaac Barnes and man of the match Lewis Easterbrook. Goals from Ryan Hallsworth, Reece High, Jack Lenthall and Jack Moore ensured a 4-1 win for Premier Division Penistone Church Reserves at Hemsworth MW Reserves. Dodworth MW drew 2-2 at Hepworth United with James Ryder and Sam Scrivens scoring. Barnsley Town kept up their perfect start to the campaign...

Why marathon man Gareth keeps on running...

HAVE you ever seen a man out running in a blue t-shirt in all weathers and thought: ‘who’s that mad bloke?’ Well, it was probably Gareth Cooke. Because every day since November 30, 2015, he has been running, running and running and, unsurprisingly, he’s not bad at it. He does not have Christmas Day off. He runs on holiday. Runs in the snow, rain and shine. Runs when ill and when injured....

Tennis club celebrates year of development and wins

Barnsley Tennis Club’s trophy cabinet was boosted at the weekend with three picked up at the Sheffield and District awards night. Two of the club’s junior teams also won trophies for winning their respective leagues this season. The club’s late summer Ladies’ team were Division Four champions and the late summer Mixed A team topped Division Three. Barnsley also won the Winter Plate knockout tournament. The Ladies’ B team finished runn

Wombwell Main pick up point on the road

Wombwell Main were the only local team to pick up a point on the road last weekend as they drew 1-1 at Stocksbridge Park Steels Reserves. Jordan Burman got Main’s goal but goalkeeper Dale Crossland kept the visiting side in it with a string of saves. Main are currently seventh in the top-flight. Elsewhere in the Premier Division, Houghton Main went down to a 3-0 loss at Oughtibridge. North Gawber lost...