A NAFERTON stalker who harassed his former partner has been given a 20 week suspended prison sentence to hang over his head for two years.

Benjamin Dare, 27, could not accept his partner of more than five years no longer wanted him. Despite her taking out a non-molestation order to keep him away he bombarded her with telephone calls.

He was arrested and imprisoned for breaching the order after Sam Thompson told police Dare had come to her home when she was just about to drop their five-year-old and pushed the front door open. She claimed he said: “Don’t wind me up. I will follow you, when you drop him off, I will kick your f***ing head-in - so no man will ever look at you.”

Dare of Wansford Road, Naffterton, appeared in custody at Hull Crown Court on Monday (February 18) to be sentenced for breaching the restraining order imposed by York County Court on January 4. He denied threatening to petrol bomb her home when she was away.

Crown barrister Simon Waley said Dare was prevented from going within 100metres of Ms Thompson’s home, making threats, or inciting other people to make threats.

Mr Waley said: “The Crown say he behaved in a way which breach all three.”

Defence barrister Claire Holmes said Dare admitted he had breached the order. “There were threats made. He accepts it was repeated.”

She said what he denied was the extent of what was alleged to have been said in front of his son. She said he had been in prison since his arrest on January 19.

Recorder Gary Cook told Mr Dare he had spent enough time in custody and gave him a 20 week suspended prison sentence which would allow his immediate release.

DRIFFIELD Rotary Club have spoken of their delight as bargain hunters flock to their pop-up charity shop.

The pop-up shop which is residing in the vacant Kathy’s Crafts shop on Middle Street South opened on Monday February 11 and was originally due to open for one week only.

But with the kind permission of the building’s owners the Rotary Club are now able to keep the shop open until this coming Saturday (February 23).

The shop will open each day from 10am - 4pm and stocks a range of good quality second hand produce from crockery and glass wear to clothing.

Driffield Rotary Club member Robin Langhamer said: “People are still dropping things in and they’re are selling very very quickly - whatever it is that is being sold it is still making a profit and that’s great.”

The Rotary Club have thanked all those who have donated items to and supported the shop.

Member of Parliament for Beverley and Holderness, Graham Stuart has welcomed the recommendation for a Chief Inspector of Hospitals for the National Health Service.

Mr Stuart said: “For too long our hospitals have been governed by a ‘tick box’ culture driven by the target led obsessions of the previous government.

“The Prime Minister has announced that he will appoint a Chief Inspector of Hospitals who will have sweeping powers to check the care provided to patients in hospitals. Every patient, regardless of age or infirmity, should be treated with care and compassion as well as competence and efficiency. A health service without kindness at its heart is one that has lost its way.

“I’m concerned that so many warnings were ignored so often and for so long. Ministers and officials in the last government need to think long and hard about their role and how such disasters could happen on their watch. My constituents write to me in despair at the lack of contrition from those at the top of organisations, and consequences for them, when things go wrong. They ask why no one ever seems to pay the price for wrecking a bank or presiding over hospitals in which hundreds of people die for want of the most basic care.

“Robert Francis’s report was commissioned after failings at Stafford Hospital but its findings will resonate with patients in hospitals across the country who demand better patient care.

“The Government will study every one of the 290 recommendations made in the report and will respond in greater detail shortly.”

When A Discovery of Witches was published last year, it didn’t so much arrive on the scene as explode in a myriad of star-spangled reviews.

There could not have been many readers and critics who weren’t bowled over by University of Southern California professor Deborah Harkness’s irresistibly sexy blend of history, mystery and truly spellbinding paranormal romance.

Almost inevitably there were comparisons with Stephenie Meyer’s bewitching Twilight saga but Harkness served up passion with a capital P... this was definitely a series for grown-ups rather than teenagers.

But what really set apart her mind-blowing tale of daemons, witches and vampires was its impressive historical and scientific backdrop which helped to raise the fantasy fiction genre to dizzy new heights.

‘Discovery,’ the first book of her All Souls Trilogy, introduced us to historian Diana Bishop, descended from a line of powerful witches, and the handsome, brooding vampire Matthew Clairmont whose forbidden, love-fuelled relationship set thousands of hearts aflutter.

In Shadow of Night, the much-anticipated second instalment of this epic tale, the action moves back in time to London in 1590 where Professor Harkness’s academic prowess in the science of Elizabethan England begins to work its own alchemical magic.

When Diana discovered a significant manuscript, Ashmole 782, in Oxford’s Bodleian Library, she sparked a struggle in which she became bound to Matthew, son of a vampire overlord and a notable academic who recognises that 782 might reveal why the population of vampires is dwindling.

But their relationship threatens the fragile coexistence of witches, daemons and vampires so, desperately seeking safety, Diana and Matthew travel back in time to Elizabethan London where they soon realise that the past may not provide the haven they hoped for.

Reclaiming his former identity as poet and spy for Queen Elizabeth, the vampire Matthew falls back in with a group of radicals known as the School of Night. Many are unruly daemons and heretics, the creative minds of the age, including Sir Walter Raleigh, playwright Christopher Marlowe and astronomer and mathematician Thomas Harriot.

But Diana is in serious danger. London is full of perilous creatures who can sense her extraordinary, latent talents, and the devious devil Marlowe is becoming obsessively jealous of her.

Together Matthew and Diana scour the city for the elusive Ashmole 782 manuscript, and search for the witch who will teach Diana how to control her remarkable but erratic witching powers. It’s a quest that will take them to the court of the Holy Roman Emperor in Prague, and into a deadly struggle to return to the future...

Shadow of Night is a stunning follow-up to ‘Discovery’ – an intelligent and enchanting romp through a world that is inherently supernatural and alien, and yet recognisably factual in its construction of authentic historical figures operating in a tangibly real Tudor setting.

Harkness’s gift is to convince us that these two worlds can collide and to do it with such power, presence and starry-eyed panache that we suspend belief and allow ourselves to be swept away without pausing to question the whole, fantastical premise of the story.

A big, beautiful adventure with a final chapter that can’t come too soon...

(Headline, paperback, £7.99)

A LOCAL dog training class is set to restart after flooding at Driffield Showground meant they has to be cancelled.

Pawsitive dog training classes will now return to the Market Hall at the Showground, following weeks of cancelled classes due to heavy rain and snow melt causing the Gypsey Race to overflow and flood the Showground.

Qualified dog trainer and behaviorist PJ Kennedy who runs Pawsitive dog training classes has thanked staff at Driffield Showground for their hard work in getting the Hall up and running again.

PJ said: “The snow and the flooding prevented us from using the Market Hall for training but now thanks to the efforts of the wonderful people at the Showground classes can start again.”

Pawsitive classes provide simple obedience training and socialisation skills to dogs and their owners with the aim of building foundations to prevent unacceptable behaviour in dogs such as barking, jumping up and running off.

Ms Kennedy added: “With the new dog laws that now extend to cover incidents on private property it is more important than ever to train your dog.

“Training helps form a bond between dog and owner and any dog regardless of age or breed benefits from basic obedience training.”

Classes are held on a Wednesday evening at the Market Hall on Driffield Showground.

Training is available for puppies and fun basic obedience and one to one training classes are open to dogs of all ages.

For more information contact PJ Kennedy on 07890901947 or at pawsitivedogs@hotmail.co.uk

A car was stolen from Francis Terrace, Driffield, between 5.30pm on Tuesday, February 12 and 5.30hrs on Thursday February 14.

A police spokeswoman said: “An unknown person approached an unattended blue fiat punto active sport which had been left on a residential street outside the owner’s home address and stole it by unknown means before making off.

“If anyone saw anything suspicious in the area between these times or knows the where abouts of this vehicle please contact the police by telephoning 101 and quote crime number 1958095.”

A thief was arrested at Tescos, Drffield, on Monday February 18, after he was spotted nicking goods from the shelves.

A police spokeswoman said: “A known male was seen by security staff to enter Tesco’s supermarket several times during the day. Security suspected that he was stealing items from the store and watched.

“On one occasion he was seen with a carrier bag, going from aisle to aisle and filling it before attempting to leave the store with no offer of payment. When challenged by security he put some of the items back on the shelving before started arguing with the security staff.

“He then left the store with the bag and a bottle of cider which he hadn’t paid for. Moments later he came back without the carrier bag and continued to challenged and argue with the staff. Police were called and the male was arrested.”

There’s been a pregnant pause since Sam Binnie’s wry and funny debut, The Wedding Diaries, turned out to be one of last year’s best-loved chicklit novels.

She’s been busy giving birth to The Baby Diaries, her follow-up to the pre-marital adventures of Kiki Carlow and Thom Sharpe, and preparing for the real-life arrival of her third child (all in the name of research of course!) And it’s good to be able to report that both the new book and the mother-to-be cum author are doing exceedingly well.

There are no prizes for guessing that the latest chapter in the lives of the fictional husband and wife ‘double act’ sees them hurtling towards parenthood. The other good news is that the account of their journey to the labour ward is even better than their trouble-strewn path to the register office.

Whether you are expecting, not expecting, never plan to expect or expected many years ago, this is one pregnancy you won’t want to miss. Full of her now trademark sardonic humour and knockabout fun plotlines, The Baby Diaries still offers up moments of subtle poignancy and gritty reality.

After all, having a baby is not all laughs... as Kiki and Thom soon discover.

Of course, it should never have happened so soon. Kiki has hardly come down to earth after the wedding ... in fact, she was still worrying about whether they had paid all their wedding bills and said all their thankyous when she saw the giant glowing plus sign on her pregnancy testing kit.

They both wanted kids but why did it have to happen just now, particularly as Kiki has just got her hard-earned promotion at Polka Dot Books and Tom has started his mind-bogglingly poorly paid job as a trainee English teacher.

Thom, ever the optimist, is thrilled to be expecting a ‘honeymoon baby’ and can’t wait to hear the patter of tiny feet. Kiki, on the other hand, considers that getting pregnant so soon is ‘tacky’ and worries that she’ll be the only one of her friends changing her name to ‘Mummy.’

But this is just the beginning. There’s a lot to get through now they are going to be parents... Kiki’s To Do List includes ‘Grow baby, Have baby, Raise baby’ on it, and the minefield of an ever-expanding waistline, nausea, heartburn and stretchmarks has yet to be negotiated.

There are also the not inconsiderable hurdles of her nightmare absent boss, being stalked by her also pregnant childhood ‘friend’ Annie and an army of London’s Smug Mothers who seem far more grown up than Kiki.

There are moments of hope, like the realisation that this isn’t the Seventies and she won’t have to wear huge frilly tents and give up her job, but will she survive this pregnancy and has the life she loved gone forever?

Witty dialogue, clever plotlines which include hilarious script-style exchanges, diary entries and literary allusions, add an extra sparkle to Binnie’s quirky, warm and enchanting story.

Nine months of drama and hours of reading fun...

(Avon, paperback, £6.99)

A money-saving proposition to share fuel facilities in the East Riding has been agreed by East Riding of Yorkshire Council and Humberside Police.

Under the new agreement, both parties, who have various operational vehicles in their fleets, including patrol cars, waste collection vehicles and gritters, will be able to make use of each other’s fuel facilities, reducing the need to use commercial forecourts.

The deal allow both parties to access a cheaper rate of fuel.

The Driffield Committee of Action Medical Research held its annual meeting on Thursday February 21 and announced that they raised a total of £12136.00 in 2012.

Particular thanks go to the Luncheon Club members for their support throughout the year and to all who have supported the many events. Action Medical Research specialise in raising money for medical breakthroughs for babies and children and have been involved with the eradication of Polio and helping to pioneer the use of ultrasound.

World War II veterans will be able to apply for funding for a second commemorative visit under the Heroes Return 2 programme, the Big Lottery Fund has announced.

More than £25 million has been awarded to more than 52,000 Second World War veterans, widows, spouses and carers across the country for journeys in the UK, France, Germany, the Middle East, and Far East. Veterans will be able to apply for funding to go a second time.

A SPRING plant fair will be held at the Kelleythorpe showground on the outskirts of Driffield on Sunday March 24.

The event will run from 9.30am to 3.30pm and admission is £2 for adults and free for children.

Running in conjunction with the event will be an RSPCA dog show. To enter, telephone 01377 252361.

For further information about the plant fair, telephone 01262 488350.

* Read the Driffield Times & Post weekly gardening round up page 29.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council is launching a grant scheme aimed at helping organisations which provide targeted support for children and young people who have a disability.

The scheme is intended to help groups or organisations which provide direct support for young people, enabling them to access social and leisure activities.

Call (01482) 396691 for info.

A MAN appeared at Beverley magistrates court on Monday in connection with a series of burglaries at churches.

Christopher Coulthard, 50, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to four burglaries and one theft offence.

He was remanded in custody and will appear for sentence at Hull Crown Court on March 25, when he is expected to ask for more than 30 other offences to be taken into consideration.

There’s a mission to get young boys reading... and authors, illustrators and publishers are conjuring up some creative magic to keep the pages turning.

The campaign has gained momentum since a 2011 Boys’ Reading Commission by the National Literacy Trust revealed a glaring gender gap in reading attainment.

Girls outperformed boys on all National Curriculum reading tests, with differences appearing from the earliest years. At the age of five, there was a staggering gap of 11 percentage points between boys’ and girls’ achievement in reading, and differences continued throughout the rest of their schooling.

The commission also found that boys just don’t seem to enjoy reading as much as girls and are attracted to different reading matter, preferring newspapers and comic books to fiction.

So, with the battle lines drawn and armed with the knowledge of just what boys do and don’t like, there are some exciting, adventurous and ‘boyishly’ funny books out there just waiting to be read!

Here are some of the best:

Age 2 plus:

The Cautionary Tale of the Childe of Hale by Rachel Lyon

It’s never too early to engage boys with books and St Helens born author Rachel Lyon’s unmissable ‘tall’ story inspired by the adventures of real-life giant John Middleton born in Hale near Liverpool in 1578, really is the stuff of legend. Told in simple but charming rhyming verse, the antics of the allegedly 9ft 3in tall giant become an exciting, action-packed, cautionary tale about the pitfalls of greed and ambition, and the value of kindness. The Child of Hale is made extra special by Vanina Starkoff’s bold, colourful illustrations which beautifully convey all the passion and pathos of the Childe of Hale.

(Maverick, paperback, £6.99)

Age 6 plus:

Captain Valiant and Me: Revenge of the Black Phantom by Adam Britten

What young boy can resist the madcap and side-splittingly funny adventures of a new superhero family? Adam Britten captures all the anarchy so adored by fun-loving boys in the daring escapades of Mark Taylor who seems to be an average schoolboy but is really Dynamic Boy. Only trouble is he hates his name, his costume makes him look like an electric bee and even his super power is pretty rubbish. His dad, Captain Valiant, is a total embarrassment and having superhero tasks to do doesn’t excuse him from maths homework. So it’s a good job he enjoys saving the world from baddies! Illustrated throughout with hilarious pictures by Arthur Hamer, this is a book pitched perfectly at boys who are learning to read alone and need some action-packed pictures to keep the pages turning.

(Piccadilly, paperback, £5.99)

Arthur and the Earthworms by Johanne Mercier

A more down-to-earth hero is seven-year-old Arthur, the star of a fun new series and a boy who’s brilliant at, well, being a little boy who loves his family... and sharing his adventures. Full of understated humour which is so appealing to growing boys, Arthur narrates his own stories and brings the straightforward, rational world view that comes from being only seven. When he visits his grandparents’ house by the lake, more often than not, he becomes entangled in a new adventure, which he must solve with the help of his pet duck and useless dog and hopefully without too much help from eccentric Cousin Eugene. Brought to life by Clare Elsom’s quirky illustrations, the witty, wonderful adventures of Arthur and his merry ménage look set to run and run.

(Phoenix Yard Books, paperback, £4.99)

Age 7 plus:

Oliver Fibbs: Attack of the Alien Brain by Steve Hartley

Lancashire children’s author Steve Hartley is one of the writers leading the way in the battle to get boys reading, and Oliver Tibbs (better known as Oliver Fibbs) could be just the anti-hero to make those reluctant young males turn over a new leaf. Oliver isn’t brilliant at anything except telling fibs and his hair-raising adventures, played out in hilarious comic strip style, are full of crazy, knockabout humour. Oliver is a boy that many youngsters can identify with. Everyone in his family seems to be super-clever at something except him, so he’s been telling his class about his adventures as a Defender of Planet Earth and everyone loved it (except his teacher!). With its accessible text design and comic content, this inventive new series is the perfect way to keep boys glued to the story well beyond the first page.

(Macmillan, paperback, £5.99)

Action Dogs: Danger on the Ice by Steve Barlow and Steve Skidmore

As if six daredevil dogs who fight crime with their bare paws and a range of super dooper hi-tech gadgets weren’t tempting enough, a free pack of game cards will surely clinch the deal! Welcome to the thrill-filled world of Action Dogs, the crime-fighting canines who take the ‘ruff’ with the smooth. Aimed at new readers and full of hilarious heroes and villains, these are ideal books to capture young imaginations and come from the pens of two top children’s authors. In this third book in the series, the heat is on when killer cats start clawing for world domination. It’s time to unleash the Action Dogs! Easy to read, brimming with adventure and superbly illustrated, these dogged detectives are pack leaders in the early reading stakes.

(Usborne, paperback, £4.99)

Awful Egyptians by Terry Deary and Martin Brown

Twenty years ago the Horrible History books sparked a revolution in children’s publishing. For the first time, history books became funny must-reads for children. Terry Deary’s brilliant words and Martin Brown’s illustrations, bursting with the wit of the sharpest broadsheet cartoonist, burst off every page. And now they are back for a new generation, serving up the foulest folk from history but with bright and airy pages and in an eye-catching, chunky format to appeal to reluctant readers. Irreverent and gory, the Horrible Histories are lapped up by boys in particular and have the added bonus of helping them to engage with history. Fronting the new books, from Awesome Egyptians to Vile Victorians, is Rattus Rattus, the humble rat who has observed every era of history and is our roving rodent guide to history and all its nasty bits!

(Scholastic, paperback, £6.99)

My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish by Mo O’Hara

Finding Nemo meets Shaun of the Dead! Boys will be diving in to enjoy Mo O’Hara’s two laugh-out-loud stories about an evil big brother, a best friend who comes to the rescue and an amazing zombie goldfish. Billed as ‘a big fat punchy concept,’ this hilarious, action-packed tale of Frankie, a zombie goldfish with hypnotic powers, is just the job for boys who like books with plenty of bold, busy pictures. Tom’s big brother is an Evil Scientist who wants to experiment on Tom’s new goldfish Frankie. When Frankie is zapped with a battery, he becomes a zombie goldfish and the fun starts when he becomes bent on revenge. Lively illustrations, flip-book artwork and a quirky text design make these books highly accessible and appealing to boys learning to read alone.

(Macmillan, paperback, £4.99)

Age 9 plus:

Bone Quill by John and Carole E.Barrowman

For sheer imaginative, storytelling power, Bone Quill, the brilliant follow-up to Hollow Earth and the work of actor and presenter John Barrowman and his teacher sister Carole, offers mystery and excitement in spadefuls. Twelve-year-old twins Matt and Emily Calder are ‘Animare’ – they can bring art to life and enter paintings at will. They must do everything in their power to prevent a breach in Hollow Earth, a supernatural place that holds all the demons, devils and creatures ever imagined. They are getting closer to finding the Bone Quill, the key that would release the beasts and which must be protected at all cost, but a newcomer is threatening to ruin everything. As well as delivering a cracking story, Bone Quill provides important lessons for growing boys in the subtle interactions between the twins and their relationship with other characters.

(Buster Books, paperback, £6.99)

Age 10 plus:

The Battles of Ben Kingdom: The Claws of Evil by Andrew Beasley

Imagine the thrill of a book that offers a cinematic mash-up of dark history, rich fantasy, steampunk innovation and action-packed adventure? Debut author Andrew Beasley has incorporated all this and more in The Battles of Ben Kingdom, his epic, coming-of-age series set in Victorian London. The stories centre on one boy’s quest to end an ancient war raging above and below the city. Ben Kingdom appears to be just a cocky street urchin but, in truth, he’s the saviour of mankind. Mere mortals are unaware that beneath them lurks the Legion, an evil gang determined to unleash Hell on London. But above the rooftops soar the Watchers, a band of orphans, mystics and spies, dedicated to protecting the city. When Ben is flung into the midst of the battle, he must choose between an army of angels and the Claws of Evil. A rip-roaring adventure for daredevil boys.

(Usborne, paperback, £6.99)

Goblins vs Dwarves by Philip Reeve

Philip Reeve can’t put a foot wrong when it comes to children’s books. The award-winning author has a magical link to young minds and in the sparkling follow-up to Goblins he introduces readers to a vast and exciting fantasy world before promptly turning all preconceptions of the genre on its head! The action revolves around a group of anarchic anti-heroes who must fight dark forces and solve astonishing mysteries. Skarper and Henwyn have restored some order at Clovenstone castle, a safe home for reformed goblin tribes, but something is stirring underground. An army of dwarves is infiltrating the fortress, hell bent on stealing the precious metal from which new goblin hatchlings are born. Humour and fantasy are in perfect harmony in this witty and warm-hearted adventure which packs plenty of story power to fire young imaginations.

(Scholastic, paperback, £6.99)

Early teens:

Waiting for Gonzo by Dave Cousins

Early teen years are a reading minefield. Where best to pitch a boys’ book? Dave Cousins marries affairs of the heart with action and crazy humour in the satirically titled Waiting for Gonzo, featuring a pretty standard teenage boy getting to grips with the frustrations of everyday life. Oz has got a talent for trouble but his heart is always in the right place (well, nearly always). Uprooted from his friends and former life, Oz finds himself stranded in a sleepy village. When a joke backfires on the first day at his new school, Oz attracts the attention of Isobel Skinner, the school psycho. But that’s just the beginning of a series of disasters. Packed with action, that irreverent brand of teenage humour, a frisson of romance and some serious life issues, this is the ideal book to tempt laidback teens.

(Oxford University Press, paperback, £6.99)

Member of Parliament for Beverley and Holderness Graham Stuart welcomes the launch of a new service to tackle fraud.

Mr Stuart said: “By April, all non-emergency fraud reports currently taken by the Police will be transferred instead to an organisation called Action Fraud.

“Sadly, we hear too many stories of people having lost their life savings to fraud; more and more people are being targeted by these criminals, and many of the scams are carried out through the internet. We all receive scam-emails into our in-boxes and it’s easy to see how some people fall for them. The problem is growing each year and we have to get a grip on it.

“This new service will record scams and frauds, offer fraud protection advice and victim support as well as tackling the increasingly sophisticated fraud networks.

“If you have been a victim of fraud or have been targeted by fraud then please make contact with Action Fraud, the national reporting service by telephoning 0300 123 2040 (local call rates apply) between 8am to 9pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm at weekends, or through the internet at www.actionfraud.police.uk 24 hours a day.”

Animal Management students at Bishop Burton College have welcomed a new arrival - a Green Tree Python.

Currently 2ft long, the juvenile male python will eventually grow to around 5ft.

Characterised by its bright green skin, the College’s newest resident will join an already varied collection of exotic creatures, including a Royal Python and Boa Constrictor. Although slim, the greater part of this snake’s body mass is muscular, enabling it to stretch out unsupported and move from branch to branch amongst trees.

Clare Reed, Animal Management Curator and Unit Manager at Bishop Burton College, said “The Green Tree Python is another species for students to get experience with and is a first for the College as we’ve never had one before”.

A large audience welcomed popular speaker Paul Schofield who gave an illustrated lecture on “Beverley Town Trail; Medieval Guilds and Trades”.

Paul explained that he frequently accompanied groups along the Town Trail, both adults and school children, to explain details of the trades and crafts, and their role in the development of the town.

His comments were entertaining and accurate, and his detailed photographs were warmly received by his appreciative audience.

Mrs. Berna Moody gave a vote of thanks on behalf of members and guests and expressed the view that on a cold dreary day everyone had enjoyed a `virtual walk` through the streets of Beverley.

A money-saving proposition to share fuel facilities in the East Riding has been agreed by East Riding of Yorkshire Council and Humberside Police.

Under the new agreement, both parties, who have various operational vehicles in their fleets, including patrol cars, waste collection vehicles and gritters, will be able to make use of each other’s fuel facilities, reducing the need to use commercial forecourts.

The deal has a number of benefits, with both parties accessing a cheaper rate of fuel at one another’s sites and police vehicles will be able to refuel at council sites if they are away from their operational base.

Councillor Stephen Parnaby OBE, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “This is an excellent initiative by the council and Humberside Police and is a good example of how two public services can work more closely together during these uncertain economic times.

“Not only will this agreement save money, it will also improve the operational efficiencies of our respective fleets, enabling them to do what they do best, serving the residents of the East Riding.”

Phil Goatley, assistant chief officer at Humberside Police, said: “As a response to the financial challenges which local public bodies are facing, we continue to explore, together, opportunities to make savings particularly in those areas which allow us to protect frontline services to the public.

“On 1 February 2013 Humberside Police and East Riding of Yorkshire Council signed an agreement which enables both organisations to share each other’s vehicle fuel supplies. This will mean that 39 police vehicles will have access to council facilities in the East Riding as their primary fuel source and a further 43 police vehicles will be able to use the facilities as a contingency supply when away from their main operational base.

“The joint agreement will save the force an estimated £124,000 to provide four additional diesel fuel facilities across the East Riding of Yorkshire and a site maintenance cost of around £4000. In addition, we estimate that we would save, based on the current difference in price between what the council fuel will cost and local garage prices, £4,000 per annum on the cost of fuel used.

“This is something that is starting in the East Riding; however the force expects to sign a similar agreement with North Lincolnshire Council by the middle of March 2013.”

Paul Robinson, deputy police and crime commissioner, who is working to develop partnership opportunities, said: “Encouraging this type of collaboration is one of the main priorities in my role. It is about the police, local authorities, the health service and the other emergency services working together to make us more efficient. We all need to deliver a good service at a time of reducing central funding.”

CARPETS in the Beverley Leisure centre’s Tony Zone are be replaced, with work starting on Tuesday, March 5 at 11pm.

Work is anticipated to last three days and will see the Tone Zone reopen at 8am on Saturday, March 9.

In order to carry out these works, engineers will have to dismantle some of the exercise equipment and store it in the Sports Hall, while the carpet contractors take up the old carpet and prepare the floor to lay the new carpet tiles.

The East Riding of Yorkshire Council will also take advantage of this closure to replace the rubber flooring in the heavy weights area.

Both the Tone Zone and Courts 4, 5 and 6 will therefore be unavailable during this period.

Beverley Leisure Complex apologises for the short team disruption these works will cause, but that they are being carried out in order to maintain the quality of service provided to customer.

For further information or to make any enquiries, call (01482) 395231 or visit www.beverleyleisurecomplex.co.uk