Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) hosted a 24-hour 'tweetathon' from its emergency operations centre to give the public a glimpse of what it handles during the hectic Christmas season.

From 9am on Friday, the service tweeted about the different 999 calls it received through the course of the evening and early hours - one of the festive period's busiest for ambulance staff.

One tweet reads: "Female unconscious through drinking in York city centre. Know your limits. #madfriday #YASEOC #YAS247."

Another says: "It's 6 o'clock and we've already dealt with 558 emergencies #madfriday #YASEOC #YAS247."

The tweetathon was also a chance to highlight that the service should be used for genuine emergencies only.

For example, one reads: "Someone's got a bunion on their foot in Doncaster, called 999, we won't be sending a ambulance to this one. #inappropriate #YASEOC #YAS247."

Staff at the centre on Brindley Way, Wakefield, even helped women in labour: "That's the 2nd baby delivered tonight, a healthy gorgeous girl. Good work emergency call taker Joe #YASEOC YAS247."

The online event followed a successful tweetathon carried out by YAS last August.

Executive director of operations Dr David Macklin said: “Opening up our emergency operations centre through Twitter is a great way of giving everyone an insight into what happens when you call 999.

"Our staff deal with a huge variety of calls, as we showed in our last tweetathon where in the space of 24 hours we tweeted about everything from assisting the delivery of a baby over the phone to sending support to road traffic collisions.

“We will always respond to people with serious or life-threatening illnesses or injuries that need time-critical medical assistance."

To learn more about the calls staff took, visit the YAS Twitter page at www.twitter.com/YorksAmbulance, or use the hashtag #YAS247. The tweetathon finished at 9am on Saturday, December 19.

By all means, deck the halls with boughs of holly.

By all means, tuck into your turkey, figgy pudding and mince pies.

By all means, jingle your bells, rest ye merry gentlemen and look out on the feast of Stephen with Good King Wenceslas.

But whatever you do, don’t miss the King George! That’s the Christmas gospel according to Silverwood.

Kempton’s annual Boxing Day showpiece, which has been graced by greats such as Desert Orchid and Kauto Star, has always been a captivating highlight of the festive season. However, this year’s William Hill-sponsored renewal promises a feast to match even the most scrumptious of Christmas dinners. Wherever you are at ten past three on Saturday afternoon, make sure a TV screen is within viewing distance and make sure it’s tuned in to Channel 4 or Racing UK.

The withdrawal, because of injury, of Cheltenham Gold Cup hero CONEYGREE has robbed the race of one of its fascinating facets. But the line-up still oozes quality, bringing together the likes of Willie Mullins’s superstar VAUTOUR, the highest-rated chaser on the planet, DON COSSACK, the revitalised CUE CARD, the sparkling winner of the Hennessy Gold Cup, SMAD PLACE, and the reigning King George champion, SILVINIACO CONTI, bidding for a Dessie and Kauto-type hat-trick in the race. And we haven’t even mentioned another class act (and another grey) on the comeback trail, AL FEROF.

Salivating at the mouth yet? You will be once Smad Place bounds away in a bold bid to repeat his front-running masterclass at Newbury, closely pursued by the freewheeling Cue Card, with Vautour and the Don in close attendance and Silviniaco handy too, revived possibly by the first-time fitting of blinkers.

Working out how the £200,000 blockbuster might unfold is a perilous business, especially as all five of the chief protagonists are not averse to making the running. But it’s Christmas, a little flutter is essential and it falls on us all to try and work out the likely winner.

Ladbrokes are already tempting us with a money-back offer if the SP favourite wins. Although apparently generous, it’s also clever because it’s far from clear what will start favourite.

At present, Don Cossack holds the call, and the eight-year-old has begun to look the real deal since fluffing his lines in the Ryanair Chase, sponsored by his owner, at the Cheltenham Festival in March. The grim, glum faces of connections in the unsaddling enclosure that day are etched in the memory, but so are the stellar performances he delivered at Aintree and Punchestown weeks later when he twice thrashed Cue Card and dismissed Gold Cup runner-up Djakadam for more readily than Coneygree had at the Festival.

Not many horses can take in all three major spring festivals and come out the other side intact. But Don Cossack, beaten just that once in his last nine starts, has shown no ill effects in two smooth, routine wins this term and he goes to Kempton at the peak of his game.

Trainer Gordon Elliott believes Vautour is his horse’s biggest danger. While Mullins and owner Rich Ricci believe Vautour, breathtaking winner at each of the last two Cheltenham Festivals, could be better than their Champion Hurdle machine, Faugheen.

The six-year-old must overcome some sizeable question marks, however. The King George is usually won by a horse with lots of Grade One chasing experience, and over 3m. Vautour has run just five times over fences and has never tackled this trip. Furthermore, he was far from convincing on his seasonal re-appearance at Ascot when struggling to fend off an inferior stablemate of Silviniaco Conti, despite receiving weight.

By his lofty standards, Silviniaco himself has been a laboured disappointment in two outings this term. But he’s been troubled by wart-like skin tumours, and trainer Paul Nicholls is sure to have him cherry-ripe on Saturday at a track he relishes. Stamina is his forte and in a race sure to be run at a relentless gallop, it’s not folly to envisage him picking up the pieces.

Twice in this contest, Nicholls’s charge has seen off Cue Card (and Al Ferof, who just might be better over 2m4f). Yet Colin Tizzard’s popular nine-year-old turned the tables in the Betfair Chase at Haydock last month and returns to Kempton for another crack, seemingly blessed with new-found reserves of stamina after a breathing operation.

A similar op has also helped to unlock improvement from Smad Place. He now needs to find more as he steps out of handicap company, but don’t rule it out. His exhibition at Newbury was a revelation.

It all adds up to a race truly fit for a Christmas King. After much head-scratching, I reckon the Kempton throne is reserved for the crowning of Don Cossack.

Racing pundit Tony McCormick from.irishbigracetrends.com presents his 2015 ‘Racing Ahead’ Awards.

Hero Of The Year - Jockey Bryan Cooper for his quick-thinking in saving Robbie Power from ‘disaster’ in November. Cooper was riding Gunnery Sergeant at Gowran Park on Saturday when his horse fell along with Neverushacon, who had Power on board. Power became tangled up, leaving him hanging by his left foot, as his horse attempted to speed off from the fall, only for Cooper to spot the danger and intervene, calming Neverushacon into submission.

Horse Of The Year – Winner of the Dante, The Derby, The Eclipse, The Irish Champion Stakes, The Arc, millions in prize money, as well as helping his shy retiring jockey back in to the headlines. Ladies and gentlemen, the John Gosden-trained, Frankie Dettori-ridden, Golden Horn.

Jumps Ride Of The Year – Well behind at the ninth fence, mistake at the 11th, still behind and 10th with three to jump. Hard ridden, eight lengths behind and still ninth two out, his young jockey never gave up hope as he made headway jumping the last in sixth to stay on strongly up the Sandown hill, as Sean Bowen and the Paul Nicholls-trained Just A Par won the Bet365 Gold Cup by one-and-a-half lengths.

Flat Ride Of The Year – I was lucky enough to be invited to York in August to watch the Darley Yorkshire Oaks, won by Pleascach, to pay tribute to Sir Henry Cecil in a race named in the great man’s honour and to see filly Besharah beat a strong field to take the Group 2 Lowther by two-and-a-bit lengths. Highlight of the day was, though, the cool under pressure ride George Baker gave to his mount Chil The Kite, being behind his 17 rivals, meeting trouble, before coming wide to get the six-year-old’s head up on the line.

Rising Star: Flat Jockey - ‘’He is a good ‘un, he has got great hands’’ told to myself by the legendary Peter Easterby following the win of Strong Man, ridden by Nathan Evans, in the fifth running of the irishbigracetrends.com Handicap at Beverley.

Rising Star: Jump Jockey – 16-year-old Jack Kennedy is certainly one to watch. Jack has emerged as a truly remarkable jockey and a record-breaker; as a 13 year old, back in 2012, he claimed the title of Irish Field National Champion Jockey. He caught my eye finishing second in this years Ebor on Wicklow Brave at York, he has since gone on to ride 15 winners for trainer Gordon Elliott, including a treble at Navan in November.

Rising Star: Flat Horse – The Aiden O’Brien-trained Minding, looked a late developer when beating stablemate Ballydoyle in September, but caught everyone’s breath when winning the Group 1 Dubai Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket in October by fourand-a-half lengths.

Rising Star: Jump Horse – Many eye-catchers for me here, but it has to be Gordon Elliot’s Tombstone. A serious horse, that is well talked up, in the right circles.

For more details on the ’12 RACES OF CHRISTMAS’ go to irishbigracetrends.com

Blackgrass has become the arable farmer’s nightmare. The weed has been prevalent in East Anglia for years but during the past decade it has gradually increased in proliferation further north.

A problem with tackling it has been a lack of new chemistry sets coming to market that are devoted to its eradication.

Patrick Stephenson is an independent crop consultant based in Pickering. He worked in Suffolk and Bedfordshire before coming back to the north of England in the 90s and has seen the blackgrass problem grow.

He’s currently working with Will Atkinson of Beck Hill Farm, Scorton near Catterick, on how the weed can be recognised early enough so that it can be dealt with each year, controlled and hopefully eradicated in the long term.

The pair are combining the use of drones, Nir infrared cameras and satellite technology in their quest to quell the menace.

“We’ve a generation of farmers who’ve been used to going to a cupboard, opening a door, getting a can and putting it into their sprayer. Every now and again a new tin has arrived because the old product is no longer as effective, but there’s nobody arriving with a tin anymore,” says Patrick.

There are no new products arriving because the UK market and other areas of northern Europe where blackgrass is also a problem are not deemed big enough in terms of acreage for the chemistry set people to earn enough in return for their research and development when they can develop products for markets that are much larger. Patrick doesn’t see that changing soon.

“Over time blackgrass, like any other weed, becomes immune to a chemical and products become redundant. It happened with Isoproturon and it’s been happening with Atlantis. Without an effective chemistry set available you need to look at the action you can take and that’s where Will and I are now starting to make headway, initially tackling the problem on his farm but then aiming to roll it out across the county.”

Will demoed a drone on his fields earlier this year having seen his farm’s blackgrass infestation grow from one or two acres to around 10 per cent of his 1,000 arable acreage. The results should bring about a major cost saving on his own field application.

“On a typical 10-hectare field the drone is capable of taking 100-150 images that are then stitched together to form what is known as an orthamosaic. The Nir infrared camera is best positioned around 70-110 metres above the crop and takes four to five images of each section of the field.

“The infrared signatures, which are beyond our visible limitations, then allow us to recognise blackgrass or any weed via a computer-screen reading that shows the areas that are infected by use of red dots.

“This allows us to identify the areas where we have a problem and treat them immediately. By finding out this information early in the growth of the weed, at ‘one true leaf’ stage there are still chemistry sets available that are effective.

“We’ve moved away from using Atlantis as for us it is so expensive and with other associated costs works out at £150 per hectare and because of its diminishing effectiveness. At best it will stunt the weed but not destroy it. We’re taking a glyphosate approach and now planning to use Roundup in those key areas. Our control costs will be down to £20 per hectare as a result.”

Patrick believes the drone and other new technology is part of the answer but that other basic principles of farming would help too.

“In world terms blackgrass is a bit of a baby and by putting in two spring crops, as many farmers are now doing, you can really nail it down. The product that is being used more at present is Avadex.

“From my experience once Atlantis has been applied three or four times in the same field its level of control is at most 15 per cent. Other than that there is no clear alternative chemically, which is why Will and I are excited about developing the use of the drone.”

Will recognises on his farm where problems with blackgrass may have started: “Like many other farmers we’ve been stacking the crop rotation pretty small – wheat, rape – and blackgrass has become immune. We’ve essentially produced a weed that’s good for our climate but nothing else.

“That’s why I’ve tried to take the bull by the horns and tried to find our own answer. The drone and the field mapping it gives is certainly a step in the right direction.”

A drug addict has been found guilty of manslaughter after he violently attacked an elderly man on Christmas Day.

Wayne Muirhead barged into victim Stephen Starkey’s home and punched him in the face before knocking him to the floor and breaking his collarbone.

The retired caretaker died after being violently attacked and robbed in his home in 2014.

Muirhead, of Batemoor Road, Batemoor, denied manslaughter and two offences of robbery but was convicted by a jury at Sheffield Crown Court.

Muirhead, aged 41, stole around £1,500 cash, a PlayStation and a mobile phone.

He then left Mr Starkey, 61, who lived alone, to seek help from a neighbour.

Mr Starkey, who weighed less than seven stone, died in hospital five days later.

On November 7, 2014, Muirhead also stole £280 from Mr Starkey after barging into his house.

Mr Starkey kept around £11,000 at his home.

Muirhead returned on Christmas Day morning to rob him again.

In a 999 call Mr Starkey said it was the same man who attacked him a few weeks earlier.”

A witness saw Muirhead running from the street ‘in a state of panic.’

Muirhead bumped into a neighbour and gave the man £20 to ring for a taxi to his girlfriend’s in Rotherham, the court heard. He was seen to count ‘rolls of money’ in the cab by the driver.

When police went to arrested Muirhead on December 31, the day after Mr Starkey died in Northern General Hospital, he was found hiding in a kitchen cupboard.

Mr Starkey had been a heavy drinker which had taken a toll on his liver.

He was given paracetamol to relieve pain while in hospital and it was thought he was well enough to be discharged.

But he reacted badly to the drug and suffered acute liver failure before dying from paracetamol toxicity on December 30.

Bryan Cox QC, prosecuting, said Muirhead’s attack ‘started the chain of events that led to Mr Starkey’s death’.

Muirhead – who will be sentenced next year – said he was on a ‘desperate’ search to buy drugs at the time of the attack on Mr Starkey’s death.

He said during his trial he was ‘in agony’ because of back pain, which led to him becoming addicted to morphine and later Class A drugs.

A funeral service was held at St Andrew’s Church, Bainton on Tuesday December 15, for Mrs Jill Byass of Bainton who died peacefully at home on December 4.

The service was conducted by the Rev Robert Amos and the organist was Mr Peter Maw.

Jill was born on November 27, 1947 to Leonard and Bunty Megginson of Wold View Road in Driffield, she enjoyed a happy childhood with her brother Richard. She attended primary school in Driffield then went on to Bridlington High School before going to Teacher Training College in Doncaster.

She majored in French as part of her training and spent summers in France on exchange and this proved a blessing when the family took holidays in France.

She came back to Driffield and taught at the Junior School where she had been a pupil.

It was around that time she met her husband to be Stephen Byass at the Highfield Country Club and they married at All Saints’ Parish Church in Driffield on October 2, 1971. They went on to have two children Michael and Mary and later grandchildren Catherine, Sarah, Rachael, Isobel and Eleni and she was very proud of them all.

Their first home was in Tibthorpe where they made many friends and had a great social life. She was very creative and was wonderful at fancy dress outfits. She was a member of the Driffield Players and later after they folded she joined the Middleton players. She helped produce a wonderful Wizard of Oz for Garton School.

She was very involved with the WI at Bainton, she was a driving force for tableaux for Driffield Show and the Floats for the Gala Day.

They moved to live at Bainton Burrows Farm in 1980 and started doing bed and breakfast, she enjoyed meeting new and different people and saw some characters come and go. She also started writing a book. She was interested in art, enjoyed theatre trips, especially Stephen Joseph Theatre in the Round in Scarborough, she also enjoyed going to the cinema, eating out and was a great cook, she loved nature and animals and had an eclectic taste in music of the 60s and also Mozart. She also enjoyed rugby, golf and snooker.

She will be greatly missed.

Family mourners: Stephen Byass (husband), Michael and Lisa Byass (son and daughter in law), Mary and Mark Roulston (daughter and son in law), Catherine and Sarah Byass (granddaughters), Richard and Sandra Megginson (brother and sister in law), Chris Megginson (nephew), Margaret and David Robertson (in-laws), George Robertson (nephew), Ruth and Alan Marsland (in-laws), David Marsland and Emma Revis (nephew and partner).

Others present: Charles Byass, Alison Hales, Mr M Lakes, Lynne Taylor, Susan Lowes rep Joan Heppinstall, Sue Dawson rep Richard Dawson, Mrs Freda Watt, David and Yvonne Watt rep Christopher and Natasha, Mrs J Byass, Anna and Chris Richardson rep Jen Cochrane (WI), John and Sue Johnston rep Mr and Mrs David Kell, Mr and Mrs B Wilson rep Mrs Mavis Cooper, Janet Robinson rep Mr and Mrs B J Stephenson,Mr and Mrs A Duggleby rep Mrs I Benson, John and Ann Southwell, Sarah Sellar rep Mark Ullyott, Yvonne Platts, Mrs Pat Nessfield.

Francis and Jennifer Richardson, Laurie Pickering rep Winn Pickering, Mr and Mrs A Cage, Marion Forster, Elaine Watson, Mr and Mrs John Christie, Mr W Train rep Mrs Joyce Train, William and Jill Lamb, Gwynneth and Keith Clark rep Maureen Scholes, Joan Wilkie, Mr and Mrs R Verity, Bill and Sue Briggs rep Jen Martin, Judy Burdass, Rose Newlove, Norman Colley rep the family, Margaret Adderley rep the Board of Trustees WI), Moira Atkinson, Giles Sanderson rep David Sanderson, Jim Clark rep U3A (French), Len Clubley, Edward and Ann Huffington, Mrs J Banks, Judy Plummer rep David Plummer and Liz Sadler.

Simon Dawson rep Angela Dawson and Graham and Joanne Megginson, Trish and Alan Porter, Don Laing rep John and Ruth, Mr and Mrs John Beachell, Catherine Conner rep the family, Maurice Robson rep Jill Robson, James and Tiffey Hopper, Jean Forster, Janet Megginson rep Simon and Andrew, Simon Minns re Janet Minns.

Anne and Rob Farnsworth, John Atkinson rep Patrick and Ann Farnsworth, Mary Huxtable rep Heather McIntyre, David and Jon Megginson, Vivienne Whittaker, Derek and Trish Megginson, Pip and Joyce Megginson, Jane Wheatley, Mrs J Brown rep Mr P Brown.

Andy Dove rep Gary Johnson and Miss Ruth Bemrose, Gill Butler, Jean Gaskin, Alice and James Brailsford rep Middleton Post Office, Sally Brearley, Maureen Holmes, Melissa Glenister, Robbie Megginson, David Atkinson rep Jane Waite, Oliver Megginson, Rachael Megginson, Gill Tyrrell, Linda Morris (WI), Freda Grant, Mrs Dot Knight, Yvonne Beachell rep Eddie and Joan Gaskell, Mr and Mrs J W Swallow rep Mr and Mrs A Grice, Mr and Mrs John Watt rep Sarah Watt, Ron and Marian Tolhurst rep Mrs Carol Wilson.

Mrs M Kirby rep Mr William Richardson, Stephen Gray rep Jane and Terry Gray, Andrew Scott rep Driffield NFU, Paul Fletcher, Pat Hodgson, Susan Ullyott rep Ruth Pickles, Claire Buxton, Valerie Drayton, Liz Dewsbury, Ed Hutchinson rep Anne Hutchinson, John Stephenson, Michael Jackson, Mr and Mrs R and B Kitteringham, June and Mike Sellers rep Hazel Conner, Judy Wilson rep Barbara Ball and Kilham WI, Patricia Reynolds, George Walker, Joan Stephenson, Anne and Steve Wild, Kate Snowden, Margaret Snowden rep Carolyn Drury, Lynn Neill rep Mr and Mrs I Dodds, Mr and Mrs S Richardson, Philip Metcalfe.

Liz Taylor, David Cornwell rep Kate Cornwell (Goddaughter), David Richardson rep Anne Richardson, Mrs E Barraclough, Mr and Mrs B Smith, Mrs J G Wood rep Mr G Wood,.

Mavis Bulmer rep Angela Prescott, Marian Holmes (Chairman of East Yorkshire Federation WI), Jane Baker rep Mrs E Shipley, Heather Young rep the family , Jackie Harrison rep the family, John Calvert rep Kath Calvert, John and Margaret Simpson, John and Christine Sawdon rep Jennie Geere and Katie Sawdon.

Trish Hall rep Anthony Hall and Rachel Howard, David Walford, Fiona Oakes, Sarah Rawlings, Sarah Green rep Nanette Harrison, David Harrison and Patti Pern, Peter and Rona Rimes, Paul Newlove rep Brian and Caroline Lees, Mr and Mrs S Beaumont, Caroline Dyson,Fred Wilkinson, Andrew and Mary Barraclough, Mr and Mrs Fullam.

A funeral service was held at All Saints’ Parish Church on Wednesday December 9 for Mrs Celia Broadley, of Kelleythorpe, Driffield, who died in Hull Royal Infirmary on the November 24. She was aged 68 years.

The service was conducted by the Rev Jacki Tonkin and the organist was Mr Martin Salter.

Celia was a very special lady. She was a dedicated hard worker and a wonderful wife and mother. She had been married to George for 50 years and was very committed to her family. She only returned to work when Sally was older and that was at the garage just next door to home at Kelleythorpe. She loved working at the garage, right through from the days of serving petrol, cleaning the cars and serving in the shop, unfortunately after suffering a stroke in 2012 that forced her reluctant retirement. She was a dedicated grandma and great grandma and a beloved friend to Kate and Peter.

She was a very good cook and loved baking, her jams and chutneys were given freely and you never left empty handed if you went to visit her. She enjoyed going to groups in the OT Department and it was there she got into card making and had just completed a number of Christmas cards for friends and family which the family will be proud to send out.

She will be greatly missed.

Chief mourners: George Broadley (husband), Sally and Steve Cowton (daughter and son in law),Cameron Hornsey (grandson), Pam and Antony Nixon (sister and brother in law), Stuart and Alison Towse (nephew and wife) also rep Lucy and Matthew Towse, Richard and Ellie Towse (nephew and wife), Callum and Sam Towse (nephew and wife) also rep Tialli Towse, John and Edna Broadley (brother in law and wife) also rep Linda and Iain Broadley and Pauline and family, Keith Broadley (brother in law), Mark Broadley also rep Olliet and Libby Broadley, Darren Broadley also rep Jane, William, Lucy and Anna Broadley, Kate and Peter Thurlow also rep Nancy Thurlow, Jill and Jane Thurlow also rep Ashleigh, Dury and Hattie, Josh Riggs rep Rhi Harness, Leanne Thurlow and Ollie Cooper, Pat Cowton also rep Martin Cowton, Rachael Crilly and Elivia also rep Richard and Jessica, Ben Cowton also rep Louise.

Others present: Gordon Nixon, Paul Hornsey, John and Freda Hornsey rep Brian and Carol Hornsey, Pat Jibson, Liz Warkup, Wendy Slater, Heather Downs,Colin Addison rep Doreen, Paula Dilks, Matthew Hill, Margaret Kirby, Richard Lount, James and Tiffy Hopper, Mrs Elizabeth Collier,Margaret and Robert Dodgson rep the family, Deborah Duke, Monaand Peter Strangeway, Julie Ringrose, Graham and Sharon Jude Tom and Joan Miller, Julie and Grant Hood, Rob and Anne Farnsworth, Jane Dixon, Shelagh Pleth, Rachel Marshall, Nicola Clark, Tanya Thurlow, Hayley Thurlow, Mrs P Angus, Faith Stephenson and Carol Sellars rep NHS, Mr and Mrs C Hara rep Philip Hara, Gary Johnson, John Musgrave,John and Jill Seaton, David Sissons, Paula Wilson rep Mark Booth.

Reader Emma Horne shared this picture of her parent’s house in Driffield – complete with the sleigh built by for Father Christmas by her dad.

Terri and Martin Horne deck out their home in Wold View Road with fabulous lights every year.

Emma said: “This is highlight of the year in the Horne household.

“It makes me and my sister so happy – even if we are 27 and 30 years old!”

A funeral service was held at the East Riding Crematorium on Monday December 14, for Mr James Vint (formerly of Nafferton) who died peacefully at the Woodlands Care Home on November 28, after a long illness.

He was aged 80 years.

The service was conducted by Georgina Pugh.

James went to school at Campbell College, Belfast and Trinity College, Dublin University.

He worked briefly for Shell in Indonesia and later for Northern Foods in Hull as group personnel manager for over 30 years. He then worked in the careers department at Hull University until he retired aged 69 years.

He married Jill in 1966 at Boxford, Suffolk.

He enjoyed playing golf especially before he had his family of four children, gardening, classical music and travel, especially in Italy.

Family mourners: Jill Vint (wife), Colin Vint (son), Clare Vint (daughter), Helen Vint (daughter), Louise and Rafael Pachon (sister in law and husband), Simon and Penny Russell-Ross (brother in law and wife), Charles Russell-Ross (nephew), Fiona and Duncan Ramsey, Susan and Harriett Glover, Alison and Sarah Parker, Rosina and Colin Clarkson, Karen, Andrew and Rachael Hadjitofi, Alan Mcgregor rep Mary Mcgregor (sister).

Others Present: Mike and Beryl Morgan, Tim and Sue Cartwright- Taylor, Piers and Vicky Cartwright-Taylor, Miranda Kennett, Caroline and Chris Bedford, Michael and Marlene Davidson, John Groome, Colin and Jane Seabrook rep Sue and Richard Dawson.

Jenny Milner, Julian Wild, Mary Lamplough rep Derek, David and Penny Wigglesworth, Tim and Maureen Lound rep Sara Taylor, Victoria and Charlotte, Elizabeth Altman, Peter and Jenny Greenhough, Chris and Gilda Haskins, Robin Robb, Chris Edley, William Wilkinson rep Ann and Family and Helen Waddington and family, Pat, Ken and Donna Jarvis, Joan and John Gledhill, Peter and Eileen Hurrell, Christine Watson, Barbara Vincent rep Rachael Martin, David Cawthorn, Rosemary Crawford rep the family, Barry and Vera Wyse.

Mary Palmer, Brian and Marion Cherrill, Ross Weekes rep Liz and Sally, George and Rita Riggs, Margaret and James Brennand rep Christine Bristow, Victoria Small rep Robin, Ed Smith, Stephanie Bridle, Brian Dixon rep Carol, Michelle Revitt, Jane and Miles Mizon, Tanya Santoro, Kathy Gowthorpe, Kathrine Vessey, Ken Melton, Adam Ross, Peter Cruskin, Elizabeth Foster, Lauren Berry, Tom Armstrong rep Lisa Armstrong Woodlands, Megan Saywell, Amy Leonard, Amy Covey and Jack Bollingham (all rep Woodlands).

As grain traders across the UK wearily returned to their desks on 2 January at the start of this year, the value of feed wheat for delivery in November 2015 was £140/T.

By the end of the month, maize harvesting was well under way in Brazil, a large exportable wheat surplus was entering the market place from Australia and yields throughout the Southern Hemisphere were certainly surpassing initial expectations. As a result, the value of feed wheat for delivery in November 2015 had fallen to £125/T by the end of March, a decline of £15/T in just over eight weeks.

A late spring came and went, while Northern Hemisphere crop uncertainties, Black Sea political tension and changes to China’s import requirements all added short term volatility to the market.

On July 1, a new trading season commenced and for many Northern Hemisphere areas, grain harvesting was now well under way.

However, it is important to recognise at this stage that prior to any new season stock being accounted for, an estimated 212m tonnes worth of unallocated wheat globally was to be carried over into the current trading season.

This is more than 45m tonnes higher than the five year average; an amount which would take the UK alone around four years to produce.

News of plentiful harvests throughout the Black Sea, across Central Europe and key growing areas in the US arrived thick and fast and UK wheat values, as evident in the attached (above right) began to plummet.

The graph is the value of London wheat for delivery in November 2015; it begins on 2 January 2015 and ends at the end of November. The UK harvest period takes place within the highlighted red box.

Closer to home, I think it would be fair to say that this year’s Yorkshire grain harvest was perhaps an initially difficult but ultimately successful couple of months.

Huge volumes of wet grain were moved off the farm as quickly as logistically possible, although with local ex-farm values approaching the £100/T mark, it was a reluctant sell for many.

In hindsight, the majority of wheat yields more than compensated for the comparatively low ex-farm values when compared to harvest 2012.

DEFRA believes that this year’s total UK wheat crop achieved a record 8.82 tonnes per hectare, giving a total wheat crop of a provisionally estimated 16.2m tonnes (final figures are forecast to be in the region of 17m tonnes).

By early September, the London LIFFE wheat future for November 2015 had further retreated to £110/T.

But what should we expect for 2016?

The Northern Hemisphere has enjoyed another successful winter drilling period this autumn, although we are beginning to see some concerns emerge regarding the extremely mild winter experienced across Europe so far. Crops were well established prior to the cooling of temperatures and there are very few reports of either poor establishment or crop damage.

As for the Southern Hemisphere, this season’s harvest looks promising and a large exportable surplus is expected to enter the market place in the New Year. However, when we look back at the price trends of 2015, the peaks and troughs cannot be directly attributed to physical supply and available demand; they are linked to the market’s perception of the two.

For example, the peaks evident in the build up to harvest did not occur because of a physical decrease to stock availability, they occurred because of Russian politics, the instability of the Euro and changes to Chinese import requirements; all of which could have potentially altered the balance between supply and demand.

At the start of 2015, global supply and demand figures pointed towards a decline in grain values and they were right; spot ex-farm values have declined almost £40/T by the end of the year.

But, it is important to recognise that ex-farm values didn’t progressively fall in a straight line, they were constantly challenged by various issues which questioned the initial figures.

‘Over-supplied’ appears to be the current buzz word for global grain stocks as we head into the New Year and the latest supply and demand figures would suggest a further decline to ex-farm values should be expected.

But what about the peaks and troughs of next year’s graph? What about the weather? Will the dry weather in South America impact final yields? Will political uncertainty in Egypt, the world’s biggest importer of wheat, or elsewhere in the world change the supply and demand dynamic?

Will the ever changing sterling, Euro or dollar exchange rates move the value of UK wheat relative to that of other supplies around the world?

Are the numbers being quoted as ‘the fundamentals’ in the market even correct?

They have in previous years occasionally been wrong.

So if your target is to sell wheat above £120/T ex-farm, barley above £100/T ex-farm and OSR above £270/T ex-farm, are you necessarily wrong?

Well, some would say that Father Christmas does not exist, but for millions of children around the world he arrives every year. Merry Christmas!

They say Christmas is for giving, so racing can hardly be accused of shirking its duties over the festive holiday.

Top of the Yuletide menu was a William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton that lived up to its pre-race billing, decorated by a thrilling finish and an immensely popular winner in the revitalised CUE CARD. But the feast was supplemented by a range of other treats, not least a ding-dong (merrily on high!) duel the following day between former 2m champions chasers SPRINTER SACRE and SIRE DE GRUGY.

Also at Kempton, Lizzie Kelly made racing history by becoming the first female jockey to win a Grade One race over jumps in the UK when steering home staying novice chaser TEA FOR TWO.

And across the Irish Sea, master trainer Willie Mullins was raising a glass to two of his superstars who unleashed tremendous performances to whet the appetite for the Cheltenham Festival, which is now only ten weeks away. Champion hurdler FAUGHEEN reminded us of his imperious best when bossing the big trial at Kempton for the second year running, while novice chaser DOUVAN was so electric in one of many top-class races at Leoparstown’s four-day Christmas extravaganza that he looks nigh-on unbeatable in the Arkle in March.

For most of the King George, Mullins looked sure to be celebrating another major winner as VAUTOUR led a top-class field a merry dance for most of the second circuit at Kempton, travelling and jumping like a champion.

However, that nagging pre-race doubt about his stamina, in his first try at 3m, proved his downfall when he was collared on the line by Cue Card in a heartstopping finale. It would be wrong to say that Vautour failed to stay, but to surrender a contest that was at his mercy hardly inspired confidence in him conquering 2f further and a stiffer track in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. His Festival hat-trick bid is more likely to revolve around the 2m5f Ryanair Chase now.

In stark contrast, Cue Card, once accused of similar stamina-limitations, marches towards the £1m bonus offered by Jockey Club racecourses for any horse to complete the Betfair Chase/King George/Gold Cup treble. At the fourth attempt, he found Kempton’s Christmas cracker in his stocking to provide yet more success for the wonderfully genuine and down-to-earth West Country yard of Colin Tizzard.

Tizzard is often taken lightly for his ‘country bumpkin’ demeanour. A man born in a caravan on a farm in a tiny Doreset village and who was once vice-captain in a youth cricket team skippered by none other than Ian Botham. But in Cue Card, he has worked wonders to rekindle a flame that has already burned brightly at two Festivals (in the 2010 Bumper and 2013 Ryanair).

Given that he had also twice been thrashed by DON COSSACK in the spring, by 26 lengths at Aintree and by 15 lengths at Punchestown, supporters of the King George favourite had every right to feel aggrieved. Especially as those races came BEFORE Cue card’s celebrated breathing operation, which has been attributed as the reason behind his revival, and especially as he had just headed Tizzard’s nine-year-old when coming down at the second last.

Considering how strongly Don Cossack was staying on at the time, it has to be considered that he may well have won, particularly as Cue Card managed to reel in Vautour despite not meeting the last fence on a proper stride. However, even if he had done so, it certainly wasn’t the performance many were expecting from Gordon Elliott’s charge, who normally travels with classy aplomb but had been under the cosh for a long way. After diving through the top of the last on the first circuit, he lost his pitch and rhythm and never loooked comfortable thereafter.

One last thought on the King George, which surely laid to rest the ludicrous assertion, growing in some quarters, that horses should be disqualified if their jockeys break the whip rules. Had this been enforced on Boxing Day, the distant third, AL FEROF, would have won the big race and punters would have let rip with unprecedented uproar, not only at a packed Kempton but also in Christmas party living rooms across the land.

The disqualification advocates say the whip rules wouldn’t be broken if the ultimate deterrent was in place. They they also seem to be under the illusion, though, that jockeys aren’t punished for their misdemeanours, yet winning rider Paddy Brennan suffered a hefty ban and fine that will lose him considerable business. Punishing punters, owners and trainers too would be more of an injustice than a deterrent.

Racing pundit Tony McCormick from.irishbigracetrends.com presents his weekly column, with the news ITV will have exclusive terrestrial rights to show horse racing from January 2017.

As Channel 4 Racing had just signed off from their first broadcast of the year from Cheltenham on New Year’s Day, news broke that ITV would become the sport’s new terrestrial partner and the next home of The Grand National, The Derby, Royal Ascot and the Cheltenham Festival.

ITV are said to be paying in the region of £30m over the next four years, twice as much as Channel 4 Racing paid for their four-year deal. As mentioned in this column months ago, Channel 4 Racing was, unfortunately, a sinking ship. Since acquiring the BBC’s flagship meetings, Channel 4 has managed to somehow lose half the viewers Royal Ascot used to command, figures for the Epsom Derby in 2015 fell to a record low, while British Champions Day at Ascot dropped from 1.1m in 2012 to 367,000 last year.

ITV will show at least 34 fixtures on ITV1, with a further 60 meetings switching to ITV4, with a magazine preview programme shown each Saturday morning on the same channel. Richard Fitzgerald, chief executive of Racecourse Media Group said ITV had shown unprecedented interest in screening the sport last seen on the channel 31 years ago.

The last time ITV showed racing was a wholly different challenge that will face the company in 2017. Back then the channel had the programme World Of Sport going head to head with BBC’s Grandstand. Racing had the ITV7 accumulator bet that brought together grandparents, parents, once-a-week punters and serious punters alike. It was not-to-be-missed TV and most of all fun.

Not many sports could go head-to-head with racing in those days. The 1,000 Guineas used to be up against the British Table Tennis Championships or the Giant Slalom on grainy film from Reykjavik.

As far as the presenters are concerned, only Tony McCoy, who has clearly being rushed through a whirlwind media training course, and Emma Spencer are expected to survive from Channel 4 Racing. At The Races Matt Chapman and Racing UK’s Oli Bell look to be vying for the lead presenter role.

Don’t rule out some bright spark at ITV suggesting apparent racing fan, Jeremy Kyle, being part of the team, God forbid. If ITV want to stick with their stable stars, they could do a lot worse than asking enthusiastic racing fans Ant and Dec to co-present their Grand National coverage – think of the ratings.

There has been no mention of Clare Balding for the new channel, but fans can be rest assured she can still be caught, no doubt, on various other TV shows, on radio, in newspapers, in magazines, on podcasts, in books and she was even rumoured to be seen delivering pizzas in Wetwang over Christmas.

Those of us old enough to remember the ITV 7 in the days of ‘World Of Sport’, presented by Dickie Davies, received an unexpected nostalgia surge as 2015 morphed into 2016.

For it was announced that ITV has seized, from Channel 4, the TV rights to show racing in a £30 million deal spanning four years.

Memories of John Rickman, Brough Scott, Lord Oaksey, Raleigh Gilbert and Co will be rekindled from January 2017 when the channel revisits a sport it last broadcast back in 1985. And it’s a fair bet that the ITV 7, or something similar, will play a central role in their coverage.

However, this isn’t a development that demands too much looking back. It’s one that helps to shape the future of racing, and the need to ensure the sport remains in the public spotlight.

The Racecourse Media Group (RMG) deserves enormous credit for brokering a deal with Britain’s second biggest mainstream channel -- and doubling the value of the previous agreement. It underlines the healthy position the sport finds itself in, only a few years after it was brandishing its begging-bowl and actually paying Channel 4 to cover races. Even Sky Sports has been waiting in the wings this time to embrace racing if the ITV partnership faltered.

The decision to jump TV ship from Channel 4 has been driven by viewing figures, which have plummetted in the last three years. For instance, the audience for Derby Day at Epsom has shrunk to a record low, while an average of only 367,000 viewers watched Qipco British Champions Day last year, compared to 1.1 million on BBC 1 in 2012.

Such figures have provoked a stormy debate within the racing media that has been depressingly one-dimensional and simplistic. Viewing figures alone should not be the sole consideration. Audience share is a key statistic too. For example, if only 500,000 watched the Grand National on TV, there would be much collective wailing and gnashing of teeth. But if such a figure represented 50% of the entire audience watching TV at that time, it would be regarded in a very different light.

Furthermore, the spread of the digital revolution, combined with changing lifestyles and habits, cannot be ignored. The fact is that fewer and fewer people are watching TV, particularly the terrestrial channels. We can catch up with our favourite shows or films on our laptops, our tablets and our phones, while competition from the satellite and specialist channels is fierce.

Racing is blessed to have two of those specialist channels, and few of its followers would not have access to Racing UK or At The Races these days. Long gone is the need to be glued to terrestrial TV on a Saturday afternoon to find out how bets have fared. Results can be found at the push of a button, wherever fans might be, and races from every meeting in the UK and Ireland can be reviewed later in the day via any platform they choose.

And yet, against such a backdrop, racing continues to thrive. Attendances at courses are soaring, while betting interest and turnover remain robust. C4’s viewing figures have had not one jot of a negative impact on the sport, so it is hugely encouraging to hear RMG negotiators accept that TV audiences are eroding and fragmenting, and that the need to explore digital growth, as well as audience reach, was an important factor in the decision to join forces with ITV.

Channel 4 can be proud of the commitment it has shown to racing. The decision in 2012 to ditch the Highflyer production team, replace it with IMG, and jettison presenters such as John McCririck, Derek Thompson, Alastair Down and Mike Cattermole was widely criticised and alienated many viewers. But I’m far from convinced this debate should be about personalities. OK, one or two members of the current team should not be allowed near a TV studio, but the likes of Clare Balding, Nick Luck, Graham Cunningham and Jim McGrath are brilliant operators. And OK, while ‘The Morning Line’ now receives more stick than viewers, the critics conveniently forget that at the time Highflyer lost the contract, which also coincided with the departure of the popular John Francome, the show had become painfully stale and sterile.

In contrast, much of IMG’s slick coverage has yielded award-winning broadcasts. It’s just that in a rapidly-changing TV world, C4 cannot hope to compete with the likes of ITV. It cannot hope to reach out to the same numbers. To reinforce the point, let’s return to audience share. In 2014, its share of the total TV audience was 10%. ITV’s was 21%. BBC’s was 33%.

Such figures explain why racing has reached for the remote and switched to ITV. The volume and diversity of its audience are irresistible. And although some worry that 60 of the 94 racedays earmarked for coverage will go out on ITV 4, it makes palpable sense to concentrate most efforts on the showcasing of racing’s crown jewels on the main station. Most current devotees of the sport were hooked initially by one of those crown jewels, be it a Grand National or a Cheltenham Festival. Attracting new followers by means of the same process of engagement is surely more logical than throwing blanket wall-to-wall coverage at them.

Racing has almost certainly backed a winner with the ITV deal. Nevertheless, the landscape within the media world (newspapers as well as TV) is complex and evolving all the time. Evidence is growing that the importance to the sport of terrestrial TV coverage is being overplayed. Both football and cricket are jogging along very nicely thankyou without a lot of terrestrial exposure. It’s vital that racing also looks at the bigger picture.

HORSES TO FOLLOW

Here are ten horses to have caught the eye over the Christmas and New Year holiday. Follow them until the end of the season.

BALTIMORE ROCK (David Pipe novice chaser)

CLAN DES OBEAUX (Paul Nicholls juvenile hurdler)

HESTER FLEMEN (Nicky Richards novice chaser)

IMAGINE THE CHAT (Rebecca Curtis novice chaser)

IVANOVICH GORBATOV (Aidan O’Brien juvenile hurdler)

KILLULTAGH VIC (Willie Mullins novice chaser)

O’FAOLAIN’S BOY (Rebecca Curtis staying chaser)

THISTLECRACK (Colin Tizzard staying hurdler)

UP FOR REVIEW (Willie Mullins novice hurdler)

ZULU OSCAR (Harry Fry handicap hurdler)

Driffield Town Council has agreed to donate £600 to the annual Old Folks Tea at Driffield School.

The sum was decided with a view to covering the insurance needed for the event so that Driffield School could allow it to be held. Additionally, it was intended to help towards entertainment costs and transportation costs.

Old Folks Tea is held every year for people over the age of 70 and turned 70 itself in 2015. It was held on 11 December last year and was attended by Driffield mayor, councillor Matt Rogers. Coun Rogers said that the event was great and that the people there “loved me dishing out the teas.”

National Lottery operator Camelot said it expects to sell 200 tickets a second during the hour before today’s draw.

The huge pot has eclipsed the previous highest jackpot of £42 million shared by three winners in 1996.

The biggest cheque won on a single Lotto ticket was £22.5 million shared by work colleagues Mark Gardiner and Paul Maddison from Hastings in 1995, and the biggest ever individual Lotto winner is Iris Jeffrey from Belfast who won £20.1 million in 2004.

Wednesday’s jackpot is the result of 13 consecutive rollovers and follows the number of balls in the draw increasing from 49 to 59 in October, reducing the odds on a player’s six numbers coming up from around one in 14 million to one in 45 million.

Camelot has claimed the “enhancements” actually give a better chance of winning and better odds of becoming a millionaire but the move has not been popular with all players.

However if no-one wins the jackpot today or Saturday, Camelot will enact new regulations which stipulate that it must be shared out.

The rules say that the jackpot has to be won in the first draw after it reaches £50 million, meaning that if no players match all six numbers the prize will be shared between winners in the next tier where there is at least one winner, most likely those who have just five main numbers and the bonus ball.

Camelot said this would make it “some of the best odds players have ever had to win a multi-million pound life changing jackpot”.

A National Lottery spokeswoman said: “The National Lottery is all about millionaire making and Wednesday’s jackpot has the potential to make one of the biggest in our history.

“Don’t delay getting your ticket as giant jackpots and millionaire making on this scale mean it is going to be one of our most popular draws ever. And remember each and every ticket sold helps raise more money for National Lottery Good Causes.”

But Dr John Haigh, emeritus reader in mathematics at the University of Sussex, warned players not to get too excited.

The odds of winning the jackpot on Saturday by getting six numbers or five and the bonus ball would be around one in 6.5 million, he said.

“People get excited by looking at the sum of money involved. But that excitement is somewhat dampened when you look at the odds involved.

“I’ve never bought a ticket and I’m not going to break my record now.”

What the newspapers and websites are saying today, Saturday January 9, 2016

DAILY MAIL

Real Madrid have entered the race to sign Everton's John Stones - on the recommendation of Rafa Benitez.

Arsenal - previously linked with Troy Deeney - are considering a move for his Watford strike partner Odion Ighalo.

Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce is prepared to sell his first and second-choice goalkeepers, Costel Pantilimon and Vito Mannone.

Bournemouth have lodged a club-record £12m bid for Wolves striker Benik Afobe.

Walsall have rejected a bid in the region of £650,000 from an unnamed Championship club for striker Tom Bradshaw.

DAILY MIRROR

Pep Guardiola has been accused of letting down Bayern Munich by focusing too much time on Manchester City.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has made Bayern Munich's Mario Gotze - his former Borussia Dortmund protege - a £37m summer target.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has put Watford striker Odion Ighalo on his transfer hit-list.

DAIL STAR

Manchester United have made a stunning approach for Paris Saint-Germain manager Laurent Blanc.

Southampton face a battle to keep Manchester United target Sadio Mane, according to Alan Pardew.

THE SUN

Ryan Giggs has persuaded Louis van Gaal to put the fun back in Manchester United's training sessions.

Crystal Palace are prepared to meet a £22.5m buyout clause to sign Sporting Lisbon's Algeria striker Islam Slimani.

West Brom boss Tony Pulis is planning a shock move for Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor.

Alan Pardew has told Southampton boss Ronald Koeman he could be powerless to stop Sadio Mane from moving on.

Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthaus believes Pep Guardiola is guilty of "double crossing" the Germans.

Real Madrid could break the £100m barrier to snatch the Juventus star Paul Pogba from under the noses of Manchester City and Barcelona in the summer.

DAILY EXPRESS

Mauricio Pochettino has pledged to Ossie Ardiles and other club legends that he and chairman Daniel Levy will sing a duet at White Hart Lane if he wins the FA Cup with Tottenham this season.

A funeral service was held at the East Riding Crematorium on Tuesday, December 29, for Claire Mills of Driffield who died suddenly at home on Thursday, December 17.

She was aged 52 years.

The service was conducted by Colin Nolan.

Claire was born at the Alfred Bean Hospital on April 9, 1963 to Paul and the late Joy Richardson and spent the first part of her childhood at the family home in Lund.

She began her schooling at Lockington, at the nursery school that her mother was instrumental in setting up.

Her sister Sarah joined the family in 1965 and then her brother Toby in 1970. In the late 1960s the family moved to Kings Mill Road which remains the family home to this day. Claire continued her education at the Church of England Infant School on Cross Hill, prior to attending other Driffield Schools.

The children were very close and they had many happy times when they visited the chalet the family took each year in Bridlington and the many holidays they took on the family boat on the Norfolk Broads.

When Claire was a teenager, she enjoyed a trip on the Thames and a holiday to France.

Claire’s very early friends were Lesley and Sally Rowland who moved next door with their parents and they spent many happy years together.

After completing her education where Claire played the violin and enjoyed the more practical classes she worked as a sales assistant at Phillips Shoe Shop, a very well respected family business in the town, she also worked as a nanny for a family in Kelk as she adored children.

In her early 20s she met Martin who she married at St Mary’s Church in Kirkburn on the July 4, 1987.

They settled in Bridlington where Claire worked for a time in her father’s business. Her daughter Laura was born on June 30, 1988, and Claire was a wonderful parent. During the early nineties her marriage broke down but she went on to find happiness again when she met Phil and they spent 12 years together.

She moved to a bungalow where she spent her last 18 months and was very happy and comfortable there.

Throughout her life her family were very important to her, in particular her daughter and her niece Kate. She was a very kind person who would help anyone and she will be greatly missed.

Chief Mourners: Laura Mills (daughter), Paul Richardson (father), Sarah and David Wadsworth (sister and brother in law), Toby Richardson (brother), Julie and Brian Thompson (aunt and uncle) also rep Dominic and Elaine Thompson (cousin and wife), Michael Whitham (uncle), Sophie Thompson and David Warkup (cousin and husband), Rebecca Whitham and Rob Dean (cousin and partner), rep Robin and Katie Kellock.

Others present: Jack and Beth Bartlett, Mrs Ann Beal, John Taylor, Mike Phillips rep Liz Phillips, Julie Hepworth, Mrs Susan Hepworth, Ross Weekes, Irene Fenton, Andy and Heather Mayo, John Lea, Mark and Andrea Lea, Janet Ringrose, Jane and David Hyde, Cathy, Simon and Samantha Spence, Carla Bekker, Deborah Okey.

Mr and Mrs M Mills, Mrs Hazel Mills, Mr and Mrs David Evans, Jackie Armstrong rep Rebecca Armstrong and Tracey Braithwaite, Richard Armstrong, Gill Stevens rep Tom and Jane, Mark and Beverley Richardson rep Pamela Lynn, Martin Richardson and Beverley D’Arcy, Myrtle Wadsworth rep Kim and David Dervey and Tracey and Adrian Bennison, Linda Shipley, Kath Hodgson, John and Jane Sharp, Rosemary Newlove rep Terry, David and Janet Richardson, Angela Shaw, Eric and Pat Littlefair, Angela and Charles Wiles (great aunt and husband) also rep the Richardson family, George and Rita Riggs, Daniel Richardson, Keith Britain, Peter Bentley, Philip Brooksby,Kirsten Hornshaw rep Mrs Wilken, Sheila Towner, Sally and Mark Short, Dorothy Rowland rep Lesley and Alan and Sophie and Chloe, Georgina Dean, Stuart Clark, Andrew Danby, Catherine Sneddon.

The Highways Agency’s following summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week is correct and could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances.

All its improvement work is carried out with the aim of causing as little disruption as possible.

M1 Junction 32 Thurcroft to Junction 35a Stocksbridge

The hard shoulder is currently closed in both directions as part of the smart motorway scheme. There will be narrow lanes and a 50mph speed limit until the project is completed in winter 2016.

The northbound side of the motorway will also be reduced to a single lane overnight for two nights on Monday 11 January and Wednesday 13 January. The northbound side of the motorway between the slip roads at junction 35 will be closed overnight on Monday 11 January.

The northbound side of the motorway between the slip roads at junction 32 will be closed overnight on Saturday 16 January. The northbound entry slip road at junction 33 will be closed overnight on Friday 15 January.

The northbound side of the motorway between the slip roads at junction 34 will be closed overnight on Wednesday 13 January. The northbound exit slip road at junction 34 will be closed overnight for two nights from Monday 13 January and then for a further two nights from Thursday 14 January.

The southbound side of the motorway will be reduced to a single lane overnight for six nights from Monday 11 January. The southbound exit slip road at junction 33 will be closed overnight for two nights from Monday 13 January. The southbound side of the motorway between the slip roads at junction 32 will be closed overnight on Sunday 17 January. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

M1 Junction 39 Denby Dale to Junction 42 (M62 interchange)

The hard shoulder is currently closed in both directions at junction 41 to junction 42 as part of the smart motorway scheme and a 50mph speed limit in place for the whole section until the project is completed in spring 2016.

The southbound exit slip road at junction 40 will be closed overnight on Friday 15 January.

The southbound entry slip road at junction 40 will be closed overnight on Wednesday 13 January. The northbound carriageway from junction 39 to junction 40 will be fully closed overnight for two nights from Thursday 14 January. The southbound exit slip road at junction 41 will be closed overnight on Monday 11 January. The northbound carriageway from junction 40 to junction 41 will be fully closed overnight for two nights from Monday 11 January. The northbound carriageway will be fully closed overnight on Wednesday 13 January. All closures are for smart motorways works. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

M1 Junction 38 to 39 Denby Dale

The southbound carriageway will be closed overnight for six nights for resurfacing work from Tuesday 12 January. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

M18 Junction 3 Doncaster

The southbound exit slip road at junction 3 will be closed overnight for seven nights from Monday 11 January for bridge works. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

M62 Junction 22 Saddleworth to Junction 23 Huddersfield

The westbound side of the carriageway will be reduced to a single lane for four nights from Monday 11 January. The eastbound side of the carriageway will be reduced to a single lane overnight on Friday 15 January. This is for resurfacing works. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am

M62 Junction 32 Castleford

The westbound entry slip road will be closed overnight on Tuesday 12 January for technology works. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

M62 Junction 27 to Junction 28 Tingley

The westbound side of the carriageway will be reduced to a single lane overnight on Wednesday 13 January for technology works. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am

M62 Junction 26 to Junction 27 Gildersome

The eastbound side of the carriageway will be reduced to a single lane on Sunday 17 January for technology works. The closures will take place between 5am and 10am.

M62 Junction 26 Bradford (M606 interchange)

There will be narrow lanes and a 30mph speed limit in place until a project to add an extra lane to the roundabout at the junction is completed in autumn 2016. The slip roads and roundabout will be reduced to a single lane overnight, between 7pm and 6am, from Monday 11 January for five nights.

M606 Junction 0 to Junction 3 Staygate

The southbound side of the carriageway will be fully closed overnight for resurfacing works from Monday 11 January. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

M621 Junction 5 Tunstall

The anticlockwise exit slip road at junction 5 will be closed early AM for routine works on Saturday 16 January. The closures will take place between 5am and 10am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

M621 Junction 4 Hunslet

The clockwise exit slip road at junction 4 will be closed overnight for electrical works on Friday 15 January. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

M621 Junction 1 to Junction 3 Holbeck

The anticlockwise side of the carriageway will be fully closed overnight for four nights from Tuesday 12 January for resurfacing works. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

A1M Junction 34 to Junction 35 Wadworth

The southbound side of the carriageway will be closed overnight for two nights on Monday 11 January for barrier works. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes

A61 Tankersley

The A61 will be closed in both directions between Westwood roundabout and McDonald’s restaurant for roundabout improvement work from Monday 11 January for four nights. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

A63 Western Interchange

The eastbound entry slip road at Western Interchange will be closed overnight for carriageway repairs on Monday 11 January. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion route.

A63 Brighton Street

The westbound entry slip road at Brighton Interchange will be closed overnight for carriageway repairs on Tuesday 12 January. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion route.

A64 Fulford to Askham Bryan

The eastbound and westbound side of the A road will also be closed overnight for five nights from Monday 11 January for bridge works. There will be narrow lanes and a 30mph speed limit until the project is completed in spring 2016. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

A64 Pickering

The westbound side of the A road between the slip roads will be closed overnight for two nights from Monday 11 January for carriageway repairs. The eastbound exit slip road will be closed overnight for three nights from Wednesday 13 January for carriageway repairs.

The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

A180/A160 Immingham, Humberside

There will be narrow lanes on the A180 and A160 along with a 50mph speed limit while work takes place to improve access to the Port of Immingham, including upgrading the A160 to a dual carriageway. The project is due to be completed in autumn 2016.

The westbound exit slip road and eastbound entry slip road at Brocklesby Interchange will be closed until August 2016.

A new website has been launched for East Yorkshire based gardeners groups and horticultural speakers.

The website, garden-club-listings.webnode.com, allows gardening club speakers to list their services and lets local groups to promote themselves to new members.

The person behind the new website is passionate gardener and gardening club chairperson Justine Dixon.

She said: “We are constantly on the lookout for new speakers to keep our programme fresh and interesting, but where do you find new speakers?

“That was when the idea of launching a website for speakers to promote their talks came to mind.”

Over the next week prepare to have it drilled into you that the “most depressing day of the year” is on the horizon – but should we really battening down the emotional hatches?

The very concept of Blue Monday, which this year falls on January 18, riles up scientists and media commentators as being a blatant falsehood and nothing more than pseudoscience.

But it is difficult to argue that the start of a new year is often a bit of a come-down. The weather is terrible, the highs of Christmas are replaced by the lows of credit card bills and the days still seem way too short.

It’s easy to dismiss the random labelling of Blue Monday, based on the claim there is an equation that takes into account variables including things like ‘weather’ and ‘time since Christmas’ that are believed to negatively influence mood. It is not based on any significant research.

The idea of Blue Monday is, however, something that is pounced upon by charities and health organisations to spread key messages about mental health – it may be a questionable concept but it does at least have some worthy by-products.

For example seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a depressive illness thought to be triggered by a lack of sunlight in winter that affects the body’s hormones, affects around two million people in the UK.

Dr John Nehaul, consultant psychiatrist at Spire Leeds Hospital, believes it is easy to hit an emotional slump in January and feels giving yourself things to look forward to can help stave off negative thoughts.

“It’s important to remember that when things feel bad there are always opportunities,” he said. “We just need to keep an open mind to see them. So the January blues could be used to make positive changes.”

Research at the University of Exeter’s Mood Disorders Centre (MDC) has yielded evidence-based advice for those who are feeling glum in the new year.

Dr Ed Watkins, director of the MDC, said: “There is good evidence that being more active, physically and mentally, connecting with other people, getting absorbed in interesting activities, becoming more concrete and specific in your thinking – by asking how – rather than thinking about meanings and implications – asking why – all help people to feel better.”

Nevertheless if January does seem to have an adverse impact on your mood, it is immensely important to recognise the difference between feeling down and more serious issues like depression.

Symptoms of depression include fatigue, apathy, disturbed sleep or becoming withdrawn.

For those experiencing more constant issues, more than a mere bout of winter blues, you should visit your GP.

Top tips to boost your mood in 2016

- Consider the achievements of the previous year – build on the past for the year ahead.

- Set ambitious (but achievable) targets to work towards.

- View the new year as a time to shine and a fresh opportunity.

- Eat well and exercise more after indulging over the festive period.

- Be patient and know that you are moving towards where you want to be.

- Always have something to look forward to – book a break or tickets to see a band.