Good News, Local Voices & Community Stories : Bassetlaw News Highlights from the Last Week

Local News that Matters from Bassetlaw's Favourite Newsletter. No Ads, No Paywall .... Just News

Well that's the end of another busy week of news from around Bassetlaw and the surrounding area - as usual we've taken a selection of our published content and shortened them, where possible into one catch-up newsletter.

Why not grab a Sunday morning brew, grab a bourbon and take ten to catch up on our shortened highlights from this week's Bassetlaw Today newsletters.

Covering all things Bassetlaw the full articles can be accessed in our daily newsletters 100% FREE on https://bassetlaw-today.ghost.io/ .

I hope you enjoy the read, please email us if you have a story for us and have a great weekend wherever you are.

Justin Doddy, Editor

P.S. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter here if you haven't already and remember to forward our newsletter to your friends and family.

Storage containers gang jailed for combined 100 years

Members of an organised criminal gang have been jailed for a combined 100 years after using storage containers on an industrial estate to stash guns, drugs and cash.

An investigation by detectives found the group were storing firearms and selling heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine, MDMA and cannabis to street dealers, predominantly in the Mansfield area but also as far away as Hertfordshire and parts of Wales.

When they conducted warrants and opened up the containers, officers found five viable firearms and a huge quantity of ammunition.

Three of these weapons were handguns and included a Broomhandle Mauser.

The gang's ringleader, Jamie Smith, was handed a jail sentence of 22 years and eight months after the judge condemned his possession of these 'lethal weapons' which were 'highly susceptible to falling into the wrong hands'.

Councillors see outdoor education in action during special visit

A group of senior Nottinghamshire county councillors have seen first-hand how outdoor education is helping young people build confidence, develop new skills and enjoy new experiences during a special visit to three of the council’s educational centres.

The centres form part of the county council’s flagship outdoor education service, Notts Outdoors, which provides schools and young people with meaningful learning experiences away from the traditional classroom environment.

During their visit to St Michael’s in Hathersage, the councillors met youngsters from Ranby Church of England Primary School in north Nottinghamshire who were taking part in activities as part of their residential experience.

The group also met members of the Notts Outdoors team and saw some of the activities available to children and young people, while learning more about how the centres provide opportunities to develop independence, resilience, teamwork and a greater appreciation of the natural environment.

STOLEN CAR RECOVERED AND SUSPECTS IN CUFFS WITHIN AN HOUR

Nottinghamshire Police have advised that a stolen car was recovered and five suspects arrested less than an hour after the vehicle was reported missing.

The Ford B-Max was reported stolen from an address in South Leverton at 11.40am on Monday 21 September.

Officers travelling in a van were alerted to the presence of the stolen vehicle in the area and soon spotted it in Retford.

As the vehicle waited at the Sutton Lane railway crossing shortly before 12.30pm, the officers pounced, causing multiple suspects to flee.

Four were chased down and detained in a field, while another was found in a nearby garden.

Five boys, aged 17, 16, 16, 16 and 15, were arrested on suspicion of burglary and theft.They have since been bailed and an investigation into what happened is continuing.

A new partner is being sought to design and build the A46 Newark Bypass scheme, just months after the Government said it wanted to cancel it.

By: Joe Locker, LDRS

Towards the end of June, the Government announced plans to save £700 million in a bid to boost defence spending.

This prompted National Highways to cancel its £297 million contract with Skanska, which had been intending to help deliver the bypass scheme.

As such, plans to widen the bypass, which have been 15 years in the making, are now under threat of total cancellation.

The A46 bypass, as well as improvements to the A38 in Derbyshire, were the only two projects in the country deemed “not immediately vital” by former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s government at the time.

However, a new construction contract opportunity has been published by National Highways via The Construction Index, stating the organisation is seeking “to procure a design and build partner to deliver the A46 Newark Bypass road scheme.”

“This Preliminary Market Engagement Notice is issued by National Highways and invites suppliers to participate in market engagement activities to inform the development of the commercial and procurement strategy for the A46 Newark Bypass scheme,” the notice reads.

It also adds: “National Highways are aware the Government are consulting on proposed changes… and that includes this project. No decisions have been made at this time.”

Bassetlaw District Council’s Parks and Open Spaces team recognised with a community award

Retford Civic Society have presented Bassetlaw District Council’s Parks and Open Spaces team with a community award at their Retford in Bloom awards.

The award was in recognition of the wonderful displays of flowers throughout the town and the high standard of maintenance of Kings’ Park.

The award was collected on behalf of the council by Cllr Malachi Carroll, Retford Town Mayor.

Tougher crack down needed on Nottinghamshire’s ‘menace’ illegal e-bikes and scooters

By: Lauren Monaghan, LDRS

Nottinghamshire councillors have backed a call for local authorities to have more involvement in tackling illegal e-bikes and e-scooters.

Illegal e-bikes and e-scooters have been a growing debate topic in recent years as more and more of the vehicles grace the country’s streets and walkways.

In the UK, private e-bikes are legal on public land as long as they are ridden by somebody over 14 years of age, have pedals that work to propel it, are not powered by the motor if travelling faster than 15.5mph and do not have a “continuous rated power output” of more than 250 watts. They also do not need to be registered, taxed or insured.

Private e-scooters are classed as motor vehicles, cannot be insured and are illegal to ride on land which is not private, including roads, pavements and parks. The maximum speed for one is also 15.5mph and government data estimates there are around 1.2 million in the UK – the majority being used illegally.

Police force crackdowns on these illegal vehicles are growing, where data obtained through FOI requests by the Press Association recently revealed 7,049 e-bikes were seized in the UK in the 12 months to May 19, compared with 3,858 in the same period before – an 83 per cent rise.

The calls for tighter control over these vehicles have continued, where Nottinghamshire County Councillors voted unanimously on Thursday (September 24) to establish a multi-agency ‘task force’ to tackle the “menace” of vehicles, while calling for “ambiguity” on the police’s handling of them to be removed.

Don't toy with safety

As squishy toys continue to grow in popularity, Nottinghamshire have provided some important safety advice for parents and guardians.

Over recent weeks a number of squishy toys have been found to lack a UKCA or CE safety mark. The UKCA or CE mark shows that the manufacturer declares the toy meets relevant UK safety requirements and one must be included on all toys sold in this country. Products without a UKCA or CE mark may pose a safety risk.

If you cannot find a UKCA or CE mark stop using the toy and report it to your local Citizens Advice Consumer Service (CACS) or Trading Standards.

Even if a product does display a UKCA or CE marking, it may still be unsafe. There have also been reports of some squishy toys giving off a strong petrol or chemical smell when squeezed, which could present a health risk with prolonged handling.

If a squishy toy has a strong petrol or chemical smell, causes irritation, does not have clear instructions or labelling in English, or raises any other concerns, please stop using it and report your concerns to Citizens Advice Consumer Service (CACS) or Trading Standards.

The Citizens Advice Consumer Service (CACS) can be contacted on 0808 223 1133. If you suspect any toys or products are unsafe for your child, please keep them away from children until their safety can be confirmed

Worksop Dock Road Demolition

A set of buildings on Dock Road in Worksop, known as the former Builders Yard, have started to be demolished using Bassetlaw District Council’s emergency powers.

Bassetlaw District Council have stated that following an inspection of the site, the structure of the buildings there are dangerous, present a serious risk to safety, and need to be brought down.

The Council is in contact with the owner of the site and discussions on the current condition of the site and any future developments will be considered.

Residents Back Gilbert Avenue Playing Field Improvement Project in Tuxford

People in Tuxford have chosen improvements to Gilbert Avenue Playing Field as the project they would most like to see delivered in the town.

Residents shared their views through consultation as part of the Tuxford Streetscaping Project, which asked them to rank a range of possible improvements, with 70% backing Gilbert Avenue Playing Field improvements over the creation of a new skate park.

Tuxford Town Council has supported the results and agreed to the next steps, including looking at delivering the preferred scheme.

A copy of the consultation report can be found here:
https://bit.ly/Tuxford-Streetscaping-Consultation-Report

Ollerton canine treat thief in the doghouse

A dog food thief behind a shoplifting spree has been sent to prison.

Karl Hanifin stole from stores across Ollerton on 11 occasions over a six-week period.

The 41-year-old targeted four shops – most of them numerous times – between 10 August and 23 September.

Each theft saw Hanifin brazenly walk in, make a beeline for the shelves, grab whatever he could get his hands on and then make for the exit.

Dog food and dog treats were the most popular target of his thieving, with headphones, coffee and chocolates other products he stole more than once.

Having visited all four Ollerton shops and reviewed the available footage, officers from the Sherwood neighbourhood policing team were able to identify Hanifin as the culprit.

Neighbourhood officers ultimately managed to catch up with the shoplifter on Friday (25 September) – two days after his final offence – and bring him under arrest.

Hanifin, of Sycamore Road, Ollerton, was then made to attend Nottingham Magistrates' Court the next day, having been charged with 11 counts of shop theft.

Guilty pleas across the board then followed, as did a 12-week custodial sentence. Hanifin was also ordered to pay £1,290 in compensation.

New 'Your Notts Directory' launches to connect residents with support, services and community activities

A new online directory bringing together thousands of support services, activities and information resources from across Nottinghamshire and Nottingham City has officially launched.

Your Notts Directory, delivered in partnership between Nottinghamshire County Council and Nottingham City Council, provides a single, easy to use platform where residents, families, carers and professionals can find local support, advice, community groups and services all in one place.

Designed to simplify searches, the directory offers information across a wide range of topics including childcare, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), health and wellbeing, housing, education and training, money and finance, work and volunteering, and things to do in the local community.

Residents can search directly for the support they need or browse through themed categories, making it easier than ever to access trusted local information and services. The directory also enables organisations and community groups to list their activities and services, helping people discover support available close to home.

Visit Your Notts Directory at: www.yournottsdirectory.org.uk

Worksop business secures first Pride in Place business support grant

Worksop’s Pride in Place programme has awarded its first grant to help a local business develop and grow.

Lync Wellbeing, based at Bridge Place, has received a £3,000 grant from the Worksop Together Board, in partnership with Bassetlaw District Council. The funding will help the business develop its website and improve its social media presence.

The grant has been awarded through the Pride in Place High Street Business Support Fund. It supports micro and small businesses with up to 49 employees that are working with an adviser through the council’s High Street Business Support programme.

Two arrested after oil theft report

Two men were arrested after a van carrying what is believed to be stolen cooking oil was pulled over near Ollerton.

Officers were alerted to a theft of oil from a commercial premises in High Grounds, Worksop, shortly after 3am on Tuesday 29 September.

As several units made their way to the area, a van was spotted travelling at speed south along the A614.

The vehicle was pulled over and found to contain multiple drums of oil.

Two men, aged 45 and 23, were arrested on suspicion of theft.

Newark Half Marathon runners raise more than £12,500 for Beaumond House

The money will support the charity to continue providing vital hospice care for patients and families across the region

More than £12,500 was raised for Beaumond House Hospice Care through supporters running the Newark Half Marathon in aid of the charity.

A total of £12,600 was raised by over 30 runners who represented Beaumond House, taking on the 13.1 mile challenge around Newark on Sunday 16 August.

The funds will allow the hospice to continue providing supportive palliative and end of life care to patients and their families across North Nottinghamshire, including In-patient Care and Hospice at Home.

Among those taking part in the half marathon was Mel Scott-Avis, who ran in memory of her husband’s grandmother, Pat, who was cared for by Beaumond House during the final stages of her life. After seeing first-hand the positive impact the charity has on patients and families at one of the most difficult times in their lives, Mel was inspired to give back.

Friends, family and former colleagues of a woman murdered in Ollerton have rallied together to help raise funds to return her body to her homeland of Poland for burial.

Anna Zukowska, 52, was found dead at her home in Ollerton in September.

A man was later charged with her murder.In the wake of the tragedy, Anna's sons launched an online fundraising appeal to cover the costs of taking their mother back to Poland, where they hope to lay her to rest and 'give her the burial she deserves’.

Anna was a much-loved member of staff at the WHSmith store at Doncaster Sheffield Airport before its closure, and former colleagues have been among those backing the fundraising campaign.

One former colleague told Bassetlaw Today that the team had remained close to Anna even after the airport store shut its doors.

"If sunshine was a person, it would be Anna," they said."She had a bright yellow energy surrounding her. She was an absolute light, beautiful both inside and out.

"Her family now just need the last few pounds to reach their target and get her home."

Police were called to an address on James Close in Ollerton shortly before 8pm on Sunday, September 6, where Anna was found.

Jozef Zbigniew Oleszek, 60, has now been charged with Anna’s murder and remains in custody.

The fundraiser was set up by Anna's son, Marcin, to help fulfil the family's wish of returning her body to Poland. Donations can be made at https://tinyurl.com/2wy9yps5 (Content in Polish and English)

Cake Shed Consultation Underway

A series of drop-in events for Bassetlaw District Council's cake sheds consultation are taking place over the next few weeks.

Bassetlaw District Council is asking cake shed operators, residents, and local businesses to share their views on how cake sheds and cupboards should be considered as part of its Street Trading Policy.

The Council has launched a consultation to further understand the broad range of opinions on cake sheds and cupboards, which will be used to help the Council make a final decision on the policy as part of a future meeting of Licensing Committee.

Retford Market – Saturday 3rd October, 12.30pm to 2.30pm.

Harworth and Bircotes Town Hall – Thursday 8th October, 10am to 12noon.

Tuxford, Museum of the Horse – Thursday 15th October, 2pm to 4pm.

Worksop Market – Saturday 17th October, 10am to 12noon.

NOTTINGHAM UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS: ‘Heartbreaking disappointment’ over lost maternity data

By: Lauren Monaghan, LDRS

Families involved in the largest NHS maternity scandal say they are ‘playing whack-a-mole’ with a hospital trust after more than 200,000 records of mothers and babies were lost.

In September, Nottingham University Hospitals Trust (NUH) revealed that a “human error” on August 18, 2026, had caused the accidental loss of some maternity data relating to women and babies who received care at the trust between September 2011 and November 2022.

The trust, which runs Queen’s Medical Centre and City Hospital, said that during routine technical work, an error had occurred while creating a copy of a radiotherapy database for reporting purposes. The process used a set of pre-written computer instructions that had previously been utilised for a different hospital system.

A setting that should have been changed before the process was run was missed, resulting in the process being carried out on a maternity database – concerning records relating to women and babies who received care between September 2011 and November 2022 – instead of the radiotherapy database.

This caused the records to be overwritten, NUH said.

The trust previously confirmed it had restored information needed to support patient care, including clinical notes, observations and test results, but that it was not able to restore the complete history showing who viewed the maternity records during this period – what are known as access logs.

Families involved in the recent Donna Ockenden Maternity Review – the largest in NHS history – have previously said the news of the lost access logs “devastated” and “frustrated” them.

Councils begin preparation for new Minerals Plan for Nottinghamshire

Residents, businesses and community organisations will soon be able to have their say on the preparation of a new Minerals Local Plan for Nottinghamshire.

Nottinghamshire County Council and Nottingham City Council have formally given notice of their intention to begin preparing the plan under the Government’s new plan-making system.

The Minerals Local Plan will set out the strategic vision, spatial strategy and planning policies needed to ensure Nottinghamshire has a sufficient supply of minerals to support homes, businesses and infrastructure – while helping to protect the environment.

It will help guide decisions on where future mineral development could take place across the county and how sites can be restored once mineral extraction has finished – including opportunities to enhance biodiversity and create valuable new habitats.

The first opportunity for people to get involved will be through a scoping consultation, which will run from 12 October to 9 November 2026, and will seek views on what the Minerals Local Plan should contain, the key issues it should address and how people would like to be involved in its preparation.

More information about the notice, timetable and how to get involved is available on the county council’s website.

Extra support is being provided for Nottinghamshire victims who are affected by or worried about the Government's early prison release scheme.

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire has been awarded £195,000 by the Ministry of Justice UK to help provide extra capacity within local support services over two-and-a-half years, including specialist domestic and sexual abuse support services.

The services being uplifted are:

Nottinghamshire Victim CARE, delivered by Remedi: Restorative Services

Nottinghamshire Domestic Abuse Helpline, delivered by Juno Women's Aid

Male Domestic Abuse Helpline, delivered by Equation

LGBTQ+ Domestic Abuse Helpline, delivered by Equation

Nottinghamshire Women's Aid Ltd

Nottinghamshire Sexual Violence Support Services (Notts SVSS)

The Government is introducing changes to prison release arrangements through the Sentencing Act 2026, to help ensure there is enough space in prisons, while making sure there is tough supervision of offenders when they are released to keep victims and the wider public safe

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