Deaths on the A1, Love Parks Week, Dangerous Potholes & More

Good morning readers, its another Wednesday already !

We have another full newsletter for you today so it's that time again - grab a cuppa and dig out the chocolate digestives.

Todays thought for the day ... “Life has got all those twists and turns. You’ve got to hold on tight and off you go.”— Nicole Kidman

Enjoy the read, please email us if you have a story for us and have a great day wherever you are in Bassetlaw.

Justin Doddy, Editor

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‘Pothole’ was not big enough to repair before woman tripped in it and died

By: Joseph Connolly, LDRS:

Image for reference purposes only - Not the road / pothole in question

A ‘pothole’ which caused the death of an elderly woman after she got her walking frame caught in it and fell over was not big enough to repair, an inquest has been told.

Beryl Barrett was crossing the road in Church Street, in Warsop, near Mansfield, on December 19 last year, when her wheel lodged in a broken section of the road.

The 87-year-old lost balance, fell over and broke her hip in the incident, before being taken to A&E at King’s Mill Hospital in Sutton-in-Ashfield.

She died six days later on Christmas Day.

But her inquest – which took place at Nottingham Coroner’s Court on Monday, July 20 – was told that the defect on the road surface was “not actionable” at the point of the fall and was “not considered to be an active defect”.

Ms Barrett’s death was first reported in the press after Mansfield Labour MP Steve Yemm raised the issue in parliament in January.

He told former PM Keir Starmer that Ms Barrett had died after she “tragically fell into an unrepaired pothole”, and asked him if it was “time the council took action to repair our roads”.

At the inquest, evidence was heard from Steve Walton, pre-construction director at Via, the firm which looks after Nottinghamshire’s roads on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council.

He explained that Church Street was reviewed by inspectors on a monthly basis at the time of the incident, and had been inspected on October 2, November 3 and finally on December 1, before Ms Barrett’s fall.

No defects were identified on any occasion.

To be actionable, as per guidelines set by the UK Roads Leadership Group, a defect must be 20mm deep if it is on a pavement or crossing, or 40mm deep if it is on a road.

After Ms Barrett’s ultimately-fatal incident, video footage from the December 1 inspection was reviewed by Via’s highways inspection risk manager.

Mr Walton told the hearing that the footage showed one of the defects on the pedestrian crossing that Ms Barrett had used which should have been flagged for repair.

But it wasn’t, because the inspector was wrongly looking for 40mm defects, due to the area being on a road, rather than 20mm defects as he or she should have been because it was a crossing.

It was thought that this was the pothole that caused Ms Barrett’s fall.

But later in the inquest, Coroner Nathanael Hartley identified that it was in fact a much smaller defect in the surface that had caused the fall – one less than 20mm deep, so which didn’t require repairing.

The coroner ruled Ms Barrett’s death as accidental.

He concluded it had resulted from pneumonia, but that she would not have contracted it if she hadn’t fallen, as her immobility in hospital would have been a risk factor for the build up of fluid in her lungs.

Ms Barrett was also suffering from COPD, ‘severe’ heart disease and diabetes when she died, the inquest was told.

Paying tribute, Beryl’s family said:

“She loved life. She was independent – she went out every day, she couldn’t stand being in. She played bingo several times a week, went out with friends to Skegness. We had family holidays together.

“She was involved with the community and the church and local old people’s places. She was active, she was fit, she kept herself going and she had no interest with any healthcare. Within days of coming out of hospital she’d be sacking carers as said she could do it herself.

“Even going into hospital she was in good spirits. For us that’s the worst bit. If she’d gone in because of her COPD and just died it would’ve been the end naturally. We feel this wasn’t a natural way to go.”

The coroner said that, despite his findings, he still had two “areas of concern” after hearing the evidence.

The first was that Nottinghamshire County Council and Via do not a have a process in place to ‘triage’ pothole reports from members of the public and push them up the priority list if they are suspected to have caused an injury.

It took nearly two weeks, albeit over the Christmas period, for the pothole suspected to have caused Ms Barrett’s fall to be repaired on January 2.

The second concern was that there was no reference in national road repair guidelines to road users such as those using walkers or scooters.

The coroner said he would be issues a Prevention of Future Deaths notice to Nottinghamshire County Council, Via and the UK Roads Leadership Group.

Free Summer Activities Return for Thousands of Nottinghamshire Children

Families across Nottinghamshire are being encouraged to take advantage of free summer holiday activities for eligible children through the popular Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme.

Funded by the Department for Education, the scheme provides children with access to exciting activities throughout the school holidays, alongside a healthy and nutritious meal at every session. The programme is available to children aged 5 to 16 (or 4-year-olds in Reception) who receive benefits-related free school meals and live in Nottinghamshire. With more than 25,000 places available, including dedicated SEND provision, there are opportunities for children across the county to enjoy a fun-filled summer.

Activities on offer this year include:

Karting

Horse riding

Performing arts

Football

And many more exciting experiences

The programme is designed to give children opportunities they might not otherwise have access to, while also helping to reduce isolation and food insecurity during the school holidays.

One parent said:

“It has been a lifeline. I can see my children come out after having had fun new experiences that I could never afford for them to do. They mix with other children they would normally not get to meet. The staff have been brilliant. I feel that they are looked after.”

Another added:

“As a single parent with no immediate family locally, the activities allowed me to continue working and know my son was in a safe environment.”

Councillor Rory Green, Nottinghamshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Children and Families, said:

“Every time this programme runs, we see the difference it makes for children and families in our county. HAF is an amazing programme, offering holiday clubs, healthy food and exciting activity sessions to those who need them most.

“The programme really makes a difference. Young people build confidence, learn important social skills and get to try new things. Many children on the programme also start to engage more with school and find hobbies that keep them active and learning.

“I recall growing up accessing such activities myself. For that I am truly grateful. I believe in these experiences as they left a mark of positive memories, as well as the stability my family needed.

“If your family, or someone you know, would benefit from the programme, I’d encourage you to take a look at the activities on offer near you and book a place. Being free to families, the funded places remove extra financial pressure of children enjoying fun activities from qualified providers.

“There is also dedicated SEND provision, so you can be confident in the care your child gets at these clubs.”

Bookings for the summer holidays and October half-term are now open, with places expected to fill quickly https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/.../holiday-activities... .

Bassetlaw Celebrates Love Parks Week 2026

Bassetlaw District Council is encouraging everyone to celebrate their local parks and open spaces as part of the annual ‘Love Parks Week’.

Organised by Keep Britain Tidy, Love Parks Week takes place across the country between 24 July and 2 August to celebrate the important role that green spaces provide for physical and mental wellbeing, bringing communities together, as well as wider environmental benefits.

We recently announced that Langold Country Park, The Canch in Worksop and Kings' Park in Retford, each picked up Green Flag awards for 2026/27. And as part of this week of celebration, we’re asking residents to share their favourite bits with us through a photo competition, with a chance to win two great prizes.

Cllr Darrell Pulk, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said:

"Love Parks Week is a chance to celebrate the fantastic parks and green spaces we have across Bassetlaw and the important role they play in our communities.

"We are incredibly proud of our parks, which provide welcoming spaces for people to relax, enjoy nature, spend time with family and friends, and support their health and wellbeing. They are valuable community assets that help make our district such a great place to live, work and visit."

In addition to Love Parks week, there will be lots of free children’s events and activities taking place over the summer, including Panto in the Park by TaleGate Theatre at Kings' Park in Retford, Learn to Ride sessions by Clancy Briggs Cycling Academy, also at Kings' Park, alongside an Extreme Wheels Roadshow drop-in event at The Canch in Worksop.

They are also home to relaxing walking routes, showcasing the parks' beauty spots and hidden gems, as well as art and sculptures, play areas and splash parks.

With this in mind we are encouraging people to submit photos of their favourite parts of our parks with a chance to win an Acorn Pass for Clumber Park (admission for two adults and up to six children for one visit) and a swimming pass for two adults and two children at Worksop, Retford or Bircotes leisure centres.

Go to https://bit.ly/Love-Parks-Week-Photo-Competition for more information about the competition and how you can submit your photos.

Our three interesting facts for today ....

Jupiter is known to have 79 moons

The first Sony Walkman had two headphone jacks in case it was thought to be antisocial

Queen Victoria owned a bulletproof umbrella

Two motorcyclists have died after a road traffic collision in Bassetlaw

Emergency services were called to the A1 southbound at Tuxford shortly after 3.30pm on Monday (20 July) following reports of a three-vehicle crash.

The collision involved a Harley Davidson Trike motorcycle, a Vauxhall Grandland and a Scania flatbed lorry.

Despite the best efforts of paramedics, a man and woman in their 60s – who were riding the Trike motorcycle – died at the scene.

The road was closed in both directions for investigation work to take place. The northbound carriageway reopened at 10.50pm and the southbound carriageway reopened shortly after 1am.

Detective Constable Liah Lane, of Nottinghamshire Police’s serious collision investigation unit, said:

"Two people have tragically lost their lives following this incident and our thoughts are with their family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.

"We are working to understand what happened in the moments leading up to this collision and have already spoken to several witnesses.

"We ask anyone with additional information to come forward – particularly those with dashcam footage leading up to the collision."

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting 26*429653.

Residents invited to have their say on proposed improvements for Tuxford

Bassetlaw District Council is inviting residents to share their views on proposed improvements to community spaces in Tuxford.

Consultation is underway on two major project options, improvements to Gilbert Avenue Playing Field or the development of a new skate park, with residents being asked which option they would prefer.

It’s in partnership with Tuxford Town Council and is being funded by the government’s Town Streetscaping fund which aims to improve where people live, create employment opportunities and boost community facilities.

Cllr Steve Scotthorne, Cabinet Member for Identity, Planning and Place said:

“This is an exciting opportunity to invest in facilities that will make a real difference locally, whether that is by improving Gilbert Avenue Playing Field or creating a dedicated skate park for young people.

“We want residents to help shape which project is taken forward, so I would encourage people to complete the survey or attending the consultation event and tell us what matters most to them and their community.”

The proposed skate park would give teenagers and young people a dedicated place for skating, scootering, BMX riding and informal socialising.

The location has not yet been confirmed, but Ashvale Road is considered as a possible site with the design being accessible and safe, while also respecting the surrounding environment.

Plans for Gilbert Avenue Playing Field include creating a more inclusive, high-quality space for sport, fitness and community use. This would support local teams and encourage more grassroots participation, including through improved drainage of the football pitch.

The proposals also include modular pods with accessible changing rooms and toilet facilities, a new access gate, improvements to the base of the existing outdoor gym and social area, and tree planting.

If there is any funding left over after the chosen major project is delivered, it could be used to support smaller improvements. This could include solar panels for the Depot and Scout hut, improvements to the wall at Tuxford Working Men’s Club, brown signage and a Heritage Trail, green and nature improvements at Linden Avenue Play Park, or repairs to the clock at St Nicholas’ Church, which has not been working since November 2025.

An online consultation survey will run until 26^th August to take part visit https://bit.ly/Tuxford-Streetscaping-Consultation

Residents can also find out more and share their views at a consultation event on Wednesday 22 July, from 3.30pm to 6.30pm, at the Museum of the Horse.

Meanwhile, work on the second mural on the A1 underpass in Tuxford, also funded by the government’s Town Streetscaping fund, is due to get underway on 4^th August for three weeks.

The first side was completed earlier this year with works on the second side delayed due to artist availability and revised road safety measures.

Thanks so much for reading our local newsletter and for supporting us. We’re committed to providing Bassetlaw with the quality local news service it deserves, but sustaining this work may come with some challenges. Our team is currently discussing how to make Bassetlaw Today financially viable in the long term, and one option we’re considering is introducing a subscription model to help cover our costs.

We want to be open with you about these conversations so you’re aware that a fee may need to be introduced in the future. If that happens, we hope you’ll continue to stand with us and support the publication.

Have a great day and I look forward to seeing you read our next newsletter.

Justin Doddy, Editor