A South Yorkshire couple are celebrating after receiving the keys to their new home.

Julie Morgan and her partner, Trevor Gibbs are delighted to have moved into their new two-bedroom home at Keepmoat’s Amaranthus development in Wincobank, Sheffield.

The development has been so popular that Keepmoat has just unveiled a new phase of two and three-bedroom homes, which are ideal for families, professionals and first time buyers.

Julie and Trevor have lived in their three-bedroom home in Shirecliffe, Sheffield for eight years but their families have grown up and moved on. They decided to downsize and are the first buyers on the new phase at Amaranthus.

Julie, aged 54, said: “We are thrilled to receive the keys to our new home and are just delighted to have moved in. We specifically chose this development due to its fantastic location but also the quality and range of homes available. Everybody is really happy and friendly and it’s just a nice place to live.”

Julie, a clinical support worker at the nearby Northern General Hospital, and Trevor, who is retired, used Keepmoat’s Easy Key service.

Easy Key helps new home buyers to buy and sell their properties and in Julie and Trevor’s experience, everything was completed within five weeks of signing the paperwork.

Julie said: “I have already highly recommended this service to one of my friends who has also just bought a new home here at Amaranthus and I am looking forward to being neighbours with them.”

Julie and Trevor have moved into a two-bedroom Beech home which included brand new carpets throughout, fully fitted bathroom and a fully fitted kitchen with integrated appliances. It also includes a ten-year warranty.

Prices for a two-bedroom Beech home start at £91,996 on FirstBuy, a Government-supported shared equity scheme through which buyers only need to initially fund 80% of the asking price, with a 20% equity loan funded by Keepmoat and the Government making up the rest.

The Birch, Elm, Ivy, Hazel and Pine properties all offer three bedrooms and range in price from £95,996 to £103,596, all on FirstBuy.

Visit the show homes at Hyacinth Road, Sheffield, S5 6GH between 10am and 5pm Thursday to Monday, call 0114 244 3992 or visit www.keepmoat.com.

AN AWARD has been won by a member of the editorial team at the Driffield Times and Post.

Steve said: “It was an interesting night and the award obviously is a reflection of the efforts of the whole team. Social media now gives us a great deal more scope and we can reach people that we never could have reached before. The feedback we are getting back is unprecedented.”

For a full report on the evening see the Driffield Times and Post out on Thursday March 21.

First generation farmers were among a number of high calibre speakers who addressed the Institute of Agricultural Secretaries and Administrators’ (IAgSA) 44th Annual Conference held in York earlier this month.

Their tales of determination to succeed inspired members with a positive attitude to what is possible, both in personal and work life.

Howard Petch CBE, a former president of the Driffield Agricultural Society, chaired the conference with his clever ability to entertain whilst conveying a serious message on the challenges ahead for feeding the world.

Amongst the other speakers we heard from Martin Redfearn of Barclays Agriculture, and IAgSA Patron The Right Honourable Sir Jim Paice MP.

Local farm and rural administrator Christine Thompson and her team pulled out all the stops to create a thought provoking and enjoyable weekend.

Trace Wright, of Tumby Woodside in Lincolnshire, beat 11 other finalists to win the Elizabeth Roe Award for best Continual Professional Development submission in 2012.

The judges were impressed with the high standard of all the entries.

Both Tim Cartwright and Cathy Meredith were awarded a Fellowship for their services to IAgSA, this was especially given in recognition of their efforts in helping to produce the Farm Office Handbook and bespoke IAgSA Farm Accounting and Business Administration Training Programme.

The IAgSA represents and supports hundreds of farm and rural business administrators across the UK. 

As a professional body, IAgSA promotes excellence in farm business accounting and administration.

KILHAM-based rider James Cowton has joined the KMR Kawasaki team for the 2013 season.

KILHAM-based rider James Cowton has joined the KMR Kawasaki team for the 2013 season.

He has signed up on the back of an impressive 2012 that saw him claim a dominant victory in the Lightweight Newcomers Manx Grand Prix and a stunning fourth in the main Junior race where he posted a hugely impressive lap of 115mph.

Classed as one of the brightest young talents on the road racing scene, Cowton a 650cc ER6 Kawasaki Supertwin for the team and will make his international debut at the North West 200.

Team principal Ryan Farquhar said: “I’m delighted to welcome young James to the team and he’ll ensure we’ll have further presence at both the International and National road races during the course of 2013.

“His signing further highlights our team ethic of bringing on young riders and at just 21 years of age, he fits the bill perfectly.

“He’s already shown tremendous potential and the Supertwin will be the ideal machine for him to make his debut at the North West 200 and is sure to take him to strong results at all other meetings.

I’m confident he’ll be a tremendous acquisition to the team and, alongside Jamie Hamilton and Connor Behan, we have three good, young riders who have everything in place to enjoy a successful 2013.”

Cowton said; “To be joining the new KMR Kawasaki team is like a dream come true for me and a huge honour. I’ve really taken to the roads so far and that’s where I see my future so to have someone like Ryan guiding me is brilliant.

“His achievements over the years are staggering and I couldn’t wish for a better person to help and advise me whilst his bikes are always superb.

“Last year was a really good season for me and, with Ryan’s knowledge and expertise, I’m aiming to continue with my progression and make the most of this wonderful opportunity. When it comes to the Supertwin class he’s the master and I can’t wait to get out on the ER6.”

Cowton’s first outing for the team will be at the Ian Watson Spring Trophy meeting at Oliver’s Mount in Scarborough on Sunday April 21.

SUCCESS was enjoyed by Wolds Village guest house at an awards evening last week.

At the Remarkable East Yorkshire Tourism Awards (REYTAs) Chris and Sally Brealey, of Wolds Village, Bainton collected an first-place award in the Remarkable Bed and Breakfast category.

The event, in the Mercure Hull Grange Park Hotel, Willerby on Thursday March 14 was attended by more than 400 people and celebrated the best in East Yorkshire tourism.

Chris and Sally received their award from Jenna Lakhdari and Sarah Roustoby, of award sponsors Strawberry.

Chris, who is the owner of Wolds Village, said: “We are delighted to have won the award. All our rooms are decorated to different parts of history, such as the Edwardian, Tudor or Victorian era and look out over the East Yorkshire countryside.

“It is a wonderful prize for all our staff and we have some wonderful staff who have been with us for many years.

“It means a great deal to us.”

Wolds Village opened in 1995 and has over the past 18-years developed and expanded to include a restaurant, gift shop and art gallery.

Andy Gray, VHEY’s tourism manager, said: “All our awards are now aligned to the Visit England awards, which will allow our winners to progress to the national finals.

“Each category has been keenly contested and our mystery shoppers have had an incredibly difficult task in selecting our winners this year.

“Congratulations to all our REYTA winners and finalists. The quality and variety of the finalists was exceptional and reflects the strength of the tourism industry in Hull and East Yorkshire.”

The awards are run by Visit Hull and East Yorkshire (VHEY) and was hosted by BBC Radio Humberside presenter Phil White.

Councillor Jane Evison, cabinet portfolio holder for economic development, tourism and rural issues at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “Tourism plays a vital role in our local economy, bringing visitor spend to the area and providing employment for thousands of people.

“I would like to commend all the finalists, whose hard work and commitment highlight the high calibre of our area’s tourism offer, and congratulate the category winners who can take great pride in their award and coveted title.”

The Pipe and Glass restaurant’s owner and chef James Mackenzie also won an award for Remarkable East Yorkshire Passion.

See page 31 for your chance to win a three course meal with wine at the Pipe and Glass.

YOUNG people aged between 12 and 18 living in Driffield could win a £100 prize in a poetry competition.

Run by East Riding Library Service, the competition is free to enter and will be judged this year by one of the UK’s leading poets, Jackie Kay.

The closing date for entries is Monday, 15 April, and competition leaflets and application forms are available at local libraries.

A TRAVELLING salesman targeted Driffield home owners who wanted aerial photographs of their property and stole more than £3600 from their bank accounts.

Anthony Cordingley, 33, travelled from Leeds to Lowthorpe, hoping to make a killing by selling large aerial photographs of farms and detached houses, Hull Crown Court heard.

He took orders for £39 each from Woodlands House and Outgate Farm – persuading one buyer to leave the payee details blank.

Householders signed the cheques,then Cordingley change the payment amounts - in once case from £39 to £339 and in the other case to £3,339.

He banked them both and spent the lot.

None of the money has been recovered.

Crown barrister Robert Stevenson said the homeowners realised something was wrong when they saw their bank statements.

He said a combination of detection work by the homeowners and the police led to Cordingley’s arrest.

Cordingley told police he had fallen on hard times and did not know what he had spent the money on.

Cordingley, of Temple Green, Rothwell, near Leeds, appeared at court on Monday March 11 and pleaded guilty to two charges of fraud by false representation.

Both offences happened on August 8 2012.

Barrister Narrinder Radhour, mitigating, said: “These are desperate times and he resorted to desperate measures.

“He was working on a commission-only basis and it was costing him £40 a week in petrol.

“He had no initial intention to carry out this fraud, he just had both cheques in his hand at once and decided to put them in his bank account.

Recorder George Lowe, QC, told Cordingley: “Although the victims were distressed their trust had been abuse in this way the real loss here is to the banks. That is not to say the banks deserved to take the loss.”

He ordered Cordingley should complete a 12-month community order and 150-hour-unpaid work in the community.

A NAFFERTON man is climbing the 8,848 metres of Mount Everest in aid of the Motor Neurone Disease Association - on a stepping machine.

On Friday 22 March Jon Wortley, 41 will take to the gym in Carnaby to attempt the ascent.

Mr Wortley expects to spend six to seven hours on the stepping machine, but says it will all be worth it to raise money for the association and there is a collection box at Nafferton Post Office.

He said: “My main problem will be boredom for hours without a break, but the guys at the gym have offered to Sherpa me some drinks through the day.”

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/jonwortley

SWEET toothed customers are in for a treat as staff at the town’s Tesco get ready for a charity cake sale.

The bake sale is to be held on Thursday March 28 from 10am in the foyer of Tesco, in George Street, Driffield.

Proceeds will go towards the company’s charity of the year - Diabetes UK.

For more information contact Rebecca Bell at the store on 01377 349507. Visit www.diabetes.org.uk

AN EASTER raffle is currently being run by the town’s Tesco store.

Tickets can be bought from the customer service desk at the George Street Store, Driffield and are priced at 50p each with proceeds going towards the company’s charity of the year, Diabetes UK.

A charity car boot sale is also planned at the store’s car park from 9am on Sunday 31 March. Traders can come from 8am, £6 a pitch.

AMBULANCE workers are set to hold a one day strike in a dispute between Unite the Union and the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

However Driffield Town Councillor Steve Poessl has criticised the 24-hour strike to take place on Tuesday 2 April resulting from the issue of patient safety and the trust’s derecognition of Unite the Union.

Coun Poessl said: “I can understand why they are upset because of wages being cut back but I think it is a retrograde step from them.”

Stephen Moir, Deputy Chief Executive at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: “We would like to provide assurance that the Trust has plans in place to avoid any disruption to patient care if Unite the Union members decide to go ahead with the industrial action they have outlined.”

Unite regional officer Terry Cunliffe said: “Unite calls for the management to open constructive negotiations.”

Police are hunting a motorist who was abusive to a cashier at a petrol station on the outskirts of Driffield - and then threw something at her.

The incident happened at around 11am on Sunday March 10 when a man entered the Armstrong Massey garage on Beverley Road to pay for some fuel. He then appeared to become angry.

Hurricanes were full of confidence going into the second game and appeared to give Driffield an extra pair of legs.

With only one sub available on the energy zapping wet pitch this spurred them on to produce an exciting game. With Andy donning the gloves, he made several outstanding saves to keep out the Hessle attack. The back two of Thomas Bradley and Riley Overfield snuffing out the danger. The midfield three of Ewan Johnson, Jack Stabler and Morgan Cuthbert all putting in a hard worked shift. The lone striker of Isaac Smith who worked hard all game was not giving the defenders a moment’s peace, and with Morgan Cuthbert’s excellent movement from set plays, the defence were having a torrid game. The only real chance of the half came when Isaac Smith saw his goal-bound effort brilliantly blocked. Into the second half Isaac Smith made way for Harry Pudsey. It was the Hessle side that struck with a fine strike that left Andy with no chance. The Hurricanes continued to go forward in search of the goal their play deserved but unfortunately they couldn’t find an equaliser. The Hurricanes matched the Hessle side but this team of young Driffield footballers won hands down for enthusiasm and work ethic.

HUMBERSIDE police are investigating two separate incidents of theft in Lund.

During the early hours of Sunday 10 March the oil was stolen from the storage tank of a property on North Road.

The oil heating system’s storage tank is located at the side of the house approximately three or four metres from the road side.

A police spokeswoman said: “The tank is behind a hedge and cannot be seen from the roadside unless in a high vehicle. At some point during the night the garden was accessed either through the hedge at the front from the main road or via the fields at the rear.

The cap to the tank was removed and some heating oil siphoned off before the cap was replaced. The alarm to the tank was activated which may account for only a small quantity of oil being removed. The suspect/s then left the scene taking the oil with them and leaving nothing behind.”

If anyone saw or heard anything suspicious early that morning in the area please contact the police and quote crime reference 1962117.

Police are also investigating the theft of two go carts from a farm, also on North Road, Lund.

Between 9am on Thursday 14 March and 6.50pm on Friday 15 March unknown offenders approached the outbuildings to the rear of the farm and removed a tarpaulin from a vehicle trailer. They then removed two petrol go carts from within the trailer.

A spokeswoman for Humberside police said: “The suspects made a lot of effort to move heavy items to get to the two go karts.

One of the Karts was later found. The outstanding go kart is red, has a red chasis, 3 bearing axel, 47 number on front, Knight brand frame, black plastic engine cover, smaller fuel tank about 3 litres, standard smooth clutch, silver metal floor, red fully covered seat, rear loose spare.

If you have seen this distinct go Kart please contact the police and quote crime reference 1963097.”

A JUBILEE ball to celebrate 25-years of work done by St Catherines Hospice raised £4,000 for charity.

The festivities saw 140 people attend the Driffield Showground and enjoy a four-course meal before dancing the night away at a disco.

The hospice was founded by two women: Margaret Thompson and Gill Ullyott, and provides care to people diagnosed with terminal diseases.

The money raised will go towards funding the care provided by the hospice and the celebration was part of a year of fund-raising for the hospice during it’s silver anniversary year.

Gill said: “We are absolutely delighted - it is brilliant. We worked hard but we couldn’t have wished for a better evening. If anyone had told me 25-years-ago we would still be going in the 2013 I wouldn’t have believed them.

“The support from Driffield people has been amazing. What we work for is to help other people and I would like to thank everyone for their support.”

For more information visit www.stcatherineshospice-nyorks.org

Concern has been voiced by a parish council fed up with the state of rural lanes in their area.

Garton Parish Council have said local people and farmers are increasingly unable to use green lanes in the village because the surface has been churned up by vehicles.

A green lane is classed as a public right of way but is often unsurfaced.

Councillor Eric Biggins, chair of Garton Parish Council, said: “What should be a local resource is no longer useable by local people bcause it is being used by others who are spoiling it.

“This parish council is concerned at the current state of the green lanes in our area, the apparant result of use by four-by-four vehicles, ATVs and trail motorbikes often in numbers and generally from out of area. In this we are unlikely to be alone with other areas suffering just as much.

“Many villages in the East Riding are, like Garton, based along quite major roads and the green lane network is a very useful safe resource for walkers with or without dogs, runners cyclists and horseriders.

“There seems to have been an increase in usage over a number of years now by these off road vehicles which has left much of our local network in a parlous state.

“The lanes are being denuded of grass, heavily rutted sometimes to the depth that makes walking or horseriding dangerous if not impossible.”

Councillor Steve Poessl, of Garton Parish Council, said: “It has been discussed quite a few times but it has got worse. The four wheel drives are tearing up the green lanes.

“They are just making such a mess of it, people can’t walk down there and farmers are having trouble too.”

A spokesperson from East Riding of Yorkshire Council said: “I have spoken to our asset strategy team and there are a couple of issues at work here.

“There are 160 kilometres of green lane in the East Riding where vehicles like four-by-fours have permission to ride down.

“Obviously at the moment the ones in and around Garton I assume fall into that category - we can’t actually stop four-by-fours from using them.

“What we are doing is speaking to the local access forum which have members on it from four-by-four groups, ramblers, horse riders and we are trying to adopt a more sustainable approach to the preservation of the surfaces.

“We are aware that there is an issue and we are tring to solve it through the local asset forum.”

Two planning applications made by East Riding of Yorkshire Council look set for approval after consideration this week by a committee.

At the meeting of the Eastern Area Planning Sub-Committee on Monday 18 March the applications - one for 10 houses on St Martin’s amenity land in 1 St Martin’s Drive, Burton Agnes, and another for four houses on land in 2 St Martin’s Drive, were deferred and delegated for approval by an East Riding Council officer.

The applications are subject to a set of conditions including a landscaping requirement and a commuted sum for off-site affordable housing.

The applications are not expected to return before the sub-committee’s next meeting on Monday 8 April.

A planning application to build a dwelling on land in North Frodingham has been deferred.

Following a meeting of East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Eastern Area Planning Sub-Committee on Monday 18 March, the decision was made to defer the application for a site visit.

The proposal refers to an application to build a dwelling on land west of 24 North Townside Road, North Frodingham, and has been strongly objected to by parish councillors.

The application was previously considered by the committee on Monday 28 February, and although recommended for approval members of the committee voted to refuse the application.

The meeting on Monday sought to clarify the reasons behind members’ refusal of the application, and a site visit will be paid to the land in North Frodingham before a final decision is made.

The application is thought to return before the committee at its next meeting on Monday 8 April.

From March until April 7, children can enjoy an Easter trail around the magnificent grounds of Burton Agnes Hall, solving clues while exploring the extensive gardens. Once the puzzle has been solved, every child will receive an Easter treat.

On Easter Sunday and Monday, children can seek thousands of chocolate Easter eggs hidden in the Hall’s woodland by the Easter Bunny, and even meet the bunny himself,

Vandals have struck at Driffield’s town council-run allotments, causing damage and smashing eggs in pigeons lofts on the site.

During their fortnightly meeting on Tuesday, town councillors were told there was little that could be done to improve security at the Cemetery Lane site.

Coun Steve Poessl, the allotment committee chairman, said: “Unfortunately, it is sad, but we had some more vandalism on Friday night.

“They attacked some of the pigeon lofts and smashed some of the eggs in one of the lofts.

“It is purely mindless. I cannot believe why someone would want to do that.

“I cannot get my head around it - it’s absolutely crazy. Unfortunately it is something that goes on around the country, we are not the only people to suffer from it.”

Coun Poessl added: “As for security, really it’s difficult. If people want to be in they will be in regardless of what we do. They go to other sites which are very well secured and they still get in and cause vandalism. I just think it is the mentality of some of the people today.”

Allotment rents rose from £15 to £20 per year from April last year and the town council was told that rents must be reviewed with a possibility of a rise in April 2014.

The allotment committee wants to implement some major infrastructure improvements in the next couple of years, which means a rent increase will need to be considered.

The council has obtained examples of rents charged by other councils which show that currently Driffield’s are very reasonable and that a rise would be justifiable.