Tuesday Edition - Stolen Motor Bikes, Chinook Helicopters, Discarded Litter Art, Badgers & More
Happy Tuesday readers. A damp start to the day across Bassetlaw but thankfully its expected to stop raining mid-morning. Today's edition covers all things Bassetlaw and of course - your daily puzzle fix.
Todays thought for the day ... "The secret of getting ahead is getting started." — Mark Twain
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
P.S. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter if you haven't already and remember to send us your pictures from around Bassetlaw, we may feature it on our newsletter.
Nottinghamshire Police seize stolen motorbike from address in #carltoninlindrick
Officers from the Bassetlaw North Beat Team on 28/05/2026 seized a stolen motorbike from an address on Canterbury Walk, Carlton-in-Lindrick.
The bike was confirmed as stolen from Sheffield in April 2026 and has now been recovered.
In a Neighbourhood Policing update the Beat Team also advised that they are aware of ongoing reports of nuisance motorbikes in the area. They reassured residents that officers will continue to take proactive action, including patrols and targeted operations, to identify, locate, and seize vehicles being used anti-socially or illegally.
If you have information about nuisance bikes or related activity, please report it.
Amazing News as Chinook Flypast Announced for Armed Forces Weekend
Worksop Armed Forces Weekend Event 2026 has announced that the Joint Aviation Command will be coordinating a flypast by an RAF Chinook helicopter at this year’s event on Saturday 27th June between approximately 10:30am and 10:45am.
The Boeing CH-47 Chinook isan iconic, heavy-lift, tandem-rotor military helicopter used by 20 defense forces worldwide. Primarily utilized for troop transport, artillery emplacement, and disaster relief, it operates from both land and sea into diverse environments.
Key Specifications & Features
- Speed & Altitude: Can reach speeds up to \(160\)–\(170\) knots and operate at altitudes up to \(20,000\) feet.
- Capacity: Can carry up to 55 troops or approximately 10 tonnes of cargo (including vehicles).
- Design: Its signature tandem (front and rear) rotor design provides stability in high winds and allows for a convenient rear ramp without tail-rotor hazards.
The Royal Air Force (RAF) operates the largest Chinook fleet outside of the US Army, with dozens of aircraft serving primarily out of RAF Odiham in Hampshire and RAF Benson in Oxfordshire. They are continuously maintained and upgraded in the UK through partnerships with Boeing.
Retford Man charged with interfering with badger setts
Officers investigating the tampering of active badger setts near Newark have charged two suspects.
Reports came in that a sett had been disturbed in woodland in Rolleston on 30 November 2025.
On arrival, officers found seven of the eight entrances were blocked.
Steven Reynolds, 37, and 33-year-old Jacob Whalley have now been charged with four counts of interfering with badger setts.
Reynolds, of Snowfield View, Wirksworth, Derbyshire, and Whalley, of Kennel Drive, Retford, appeared in Nottingham Magistrates' Court on 21 May.
They have since been released on bail and are next due to appear at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on 26 November.
PC Gareth Nicholls, of the Newark neighbourhood policing team, said:
"Tackling wildlife crime helps preserve the countryside for future generations and ensures protected species can thrive.
"Badgers and their setts are protected by the Protection of Badgers Act, making it a criminal offence to damage or obstruct them.
"We work closely with landowners and partners to ensure harm to wildlife is thoroughly investigated and those responsible are brought before the courts."
Our three interesting facts for today ....
The 'coffee break' was invented in 1952 by the American Coffee Bureau
The bookshelf was invented by Christopher Columbus's son
Wonder Woman was created by the inventor of the lie detector
DVLA warning over driving scams rise
The DVLA has issued a warning to drivers in Bassetlaw about the growing number of driving licence and vehicle scams.
Latest figures show that in 2024, almost 20,000 customers called DVLA’s contact centre to report fraudulent activity.
They say criminals are employing more complex methods to deceive motorists, making vigilance and awareness of the signs of such scams more crucial than ever.
The DVLA took to social media to warn motorists of the potential scams.
They said:
"Scammers are targeting drivers with fake texts and emails pretending to be DVLA.
Think before you click
Don’t share personal info
Always use http://GOV. UK
"Protect yourself with DVLA’s top tips."
They stressed that motorists should only access the DVLA's official information and services via the gov.uk website.
Any other websites might charge more for services that are less expensive or even free on gov.uk, and some may even be fraudulent, the DVLA stated.
The DVLA also warned against sharing driving licence or vehicle information online, as scammers often use these details to steal identities or even clone vehicles.
This can result in victims receiving penalties for parking, congestion, or speeding violations they did not commit.
The DVLA cautioned:
"Both documents contain key identifying details that scammers can use to steal your identity or even clone your vehicle.
"Fraudsters are known to send unsolicited emails or text messages, asking recipients to confirm personal details, like bank or payment information.
"These may sometimes propose that the recipient is eligible for a significant vehicle tax refund.
"We would never ask for bank account details nor request confirmation of payment details."
"Any vehicle tax refunds are issued automatically and never through an email with a link," they added.
Recipients of such emails or texts are advised not to click on any links but to report them to the National Cyber Security Centre and delete them immediately.
The DVLA further cautioned about scam websites impersonating the DVLA.
These deceptive sites often charge extra fees for services obtainable at a lower cost or free on gov.uk.
Such services include driving licence applications, vehicle tax transactions, and Clean Air Zone (CAZ) payments.
Motorists are always advised to search for these services on gov.uk.
If individuals encounter these scams or any suspicious activities, they can help combat fraud by reporting phishing emails to the National Cyber Security Centre, online scams to Report Fraud, and misleading adverts to search engines.
Lucky shopper wins £1,500 in Beaumond House raffle
A spontaneous raffle ticket purchase in support of the local hospice charity resulted in a win for one local shopper
A trip to buy a bottle of wine turned into an unexpected cash prize for Mike, who has been named first prize winner of a charity raffle organised by Beaumond House Hospice Care.
Mike purchased the winning ticket during a visit to Ann et Vin, a local independent wine shop and wine merchants based in Newark. As a keen supporter of local causes, Mike agreed to take part and has now won a £1,500 cash prize.
Reflecting on the moment he won, Mike said:
“When I got the call, I genuinely thought it might be a small prize, so to hear I’d won £1,500 was a real shock.
“Having experienced hospice care in other areas, I know how important those services are for families, so it’s great to know that I’ve helped to support something so valuable in the community by taking part.”
Mike plans to use the winnings to treat his family to a holiday in Cornwall, where he will be joined by his son and grandchild.
He added:
“It means a lot to be able to do something special with the family. It’s not something I ever thought would happen from buying a raffle ticket, but I’m really grateful.”
The raffle raised over £10,000 for Beaumond House Hospice Care, a charity that provides personalised palliative care to patients and families across North Nottinghamshire, ranging from In-patient care and Day Therapy to Hospice at Home services and bereavement support.
The money raised from the sale of each raffle ticket will allow Beaumond House to continue providing care and emotional support to patients and their families across the county at one of the most difficult times of their life.
Andrea Ward, Individual Giving Fundraising Manager at Beaumond House, said:
“The raffle was created as a way to bring the community together while raising vital funds to support our hospice services. We’re always looking for accessible ways to get people involved and, at just £1 a ticket, the raffle really is open to all.
“This year, providing care and support to patients and their families is expected to cost Beaumond House a total of £2.8 million. As hospice care isn’t fully funded by the NHS, around £2.2 million of this will need to be raised, so initiatives like this make a real difference.
“Mike’s story shows how a simple decision to support a local charity can turn into something special. Every ticket purchased helps us to be there for those who need us most, whether that’s through clinical care, wellbeing support or bereavement services.
“We’d like to thank everyone who bought a ticket, as well as the local businesses like Ann et Vin who sold the tickets in their shops. And a big congratulations goes to Mike!”
Beaumond House Hospice Care is a registered charity committed to providing free supportive palliative care to patients and their families living in Newark, Sherwood, Mansfield, Ashfield and Bassetlaw.
To find out more about Beaumond House call 01636 610556 to speak to a member of the team.
New exhibition reimagines litter into art
Discarded litter is being reimagined as art in a new photography exhibition taking place at Bassetlaw Museum.
Frank Tomlinson, an established photographer known for his fine art, commercial work and for a documentary body of work capturing the industrial North of England, has turned his lens towards an issue he could no longer ignore.
He has been collecting litter, photographing it, and transforming fragments into images that demand to be seen.
Frank Tomlinson said:
“I came up with the concept of an exhibition after seeing the sheer volume of litter being strewn along the side the road. Out walking one day I spotted a can that had been run over so many time it was almost embedded in the tarmac. Taking it home and photographing it I became fascinated by the form it had taken.
“The exhibition is an attempt to raise awareness of the amount of rubbish being deposited in the lay-bys and adjacent woods, and highlight the damage being caused to the environment.”
Frank began this latest work following his shock over the growing amount of litter he was seeing and concerns about its environmental impact, so he decided to transform it into a form of documentation.
Kasia Wosiak, Collections Officer at Bassetlaw Museum said:
“Frank Tomlinson’s exhibition is unlike anything we’ve shown before, and it challenges us, in the best possible way, to think about our relationship with the environment.
“His images are both unsettling and beautiful. By drawing attention to individual discarded objects, they deliver powerful reminders of the broader environmental challenges we face.”
The Litter Art photography exhibition runs until Saturday 18th July at Bassetlaw Museum, Grove Street, Retford.
The Museum is open four days a week on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday between 10am and 4:45pm (Closed Mondays and Thursdays except during school holidays). Admission is free.
Can you figure out today's puzzle?
First figure out the nine letter solution and then find as many words as you can in today's panagram that contain the letter G.
Our last panagram was OPHIOLOGY. Read our next newsletter for the solution to today's puzzle.
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
P.S. Your feedback about this newsletter is important to me. You can email me your feedback to news@bassettlawtoday.co.uk
