Weapons, Drugs, Worksop Lidl, New Council Rangers & More

Good morning readers, its another Wednesday already and a huge welcome to our new newsletter subscribers - Thank You !

We have another full newsletter for you today so it's that time again - feet up for ten, kettle on and see what biscuits are in the cupboard.

Today's Quote of the Day -"The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated." — 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 here if you haven't already and remember to send our newsletter to anyone that you think may be interested in 100% FREE local news without an advert to be seen.

‘Clean and Green’ Rangers spring into action

Two new teams, created by Bassetlaw District Council, are springing into action to help improve the look and feel of the district, making it cleaner, safer, and a more welcoming place for residents and visitors alike.

Clean and Green Rangers will work alongside Housing Estate Officers, helping to boost the look and feel of our public green spaces and housing estates.

They will strengthen the existing service being delivered by the council and will carry out a range of environmental maintenance tasks including; tidying and maintaining communal drying areas, edging and restoring footpath lines, spraying and managing overgrown vegetation and reporting incidents of fly‑tipping, graffiti, and other environmental issues

Cllr Darrell Pulk, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods said:

“The work carried out by the Clean and Green Rangers will support cleaner, safer and more attractive public spaces for residents and visitors alike.

“Making sure we provide resources to the things that matter most to local people, including the upkeep and appearance of our housing estates and town centres, is among our priorities outlined in our Vision 2040.”

Alongside the Clean and Green Rangers, new Housing Estate Officer roles are also being introduced to carry out inspections, identify environmental and safety issues, and work proactively with residents to improve local areas.

They will work closely with the Clean and Green Rangers, Environmental Health and Waste Management teams, to help tackle issues such as fly-tipping, and graffiti across the district.

Cllr Lynne Schuller, Cabinet Member for Housing and Estates said:

“We know that people want to feel proud of where they live. We are working with our tenants and are keen to allow them to have better environments.

“By dealing with small issues before they become bigger problems it will help make neighbourhoods cleaner, safer and more welcoming for everyone.”

The council also has a dedicated Housing Estates Team committed to keeping neighbourhoods clean, safe and welcoming for residents.

It includes caretakers providing a visible presence on housing estates, maintaining communal areas, reporting problems and supporting tenants.

Update given on new Lidl supermarket in Worksop

By: Joe Locker, LDRS

At the beginning of March, Bassetlaw District Council’s planning committee approved plans for the new budget supermarket and 89 homes.

Plans for a Lidl on the site off Carlton Road in Worksop have been in the pipeline since at least 2017.

A similar proposal put forward by the supermarket chain was refused in December 2020, while a follow-up planning application for 71 homes and the supermarket was again refused in January 2023, prompting a re-think.

The approved plans mean that a previously proposed coffee shop and drive-through have been shelved, with the space now being used to develop more homes and improve landscaping.

A Lidl spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service:

“Since councillors approved proposals for a new Lidl store in Worksop in March, we’ve been working with Bassetlaw District Council to finalise planning permission.

“We expect to finalise the contract details soon so we can begin preparatory works.

“We know local residents are eager to see the new Lidl store open and truly appreciate their patience and support.”

The development is expected to create 40 new full and part-time jobs, and a new traffic light junction and pedestrian crossing will be installed on Blyth Road.

Two buildings on Blyth Road, purchased by Lidl, will be demolished to create appropriate access to the site.

Their demolition had been a point of contention, with concern the development could damage the town’s heritage, due to the site being situated within the Mr Straw’s Conservation Area.

Mr Straw’s house, in Blyth Grove, is an Edwardian semi-detached villa preserved by the National Trust as an untouched 1920s “domestic time capsule” containing thousands of family possessions

The amended plans will help reduce traffic from the proposed development during peak hours, in part due to the removal of the previously planned drive-through.

The site was first earmarked for retail development when planning permission for a new Tesco food store was granted in 2011.

“It’s been a long journey to get to this point and we know the local community will be relieved to hear we’re a step closer to delivering investment, well-paid jobs, shopping choice, and much-needed new homes to Worksop,” Lidl said previously.

Exciting Improvements Planned for Bassetlaw's Parks & Play Areas

Bassetlaw District Council are investing in the future of our local play spaces and giving residents the opportunity to help shape these exciting plans.

The Council is seeking community feedback on proposals to refurbish play areas at The Canch, Sandy Lane, and Valley Road.

The proposed improvements include:

✅ Creating high-quality, accessible play opportunities for all children at The Canch, ensuring every child can play, learn, and develop together.

✅ Relocating the Sandy Lane play area to a larger, more visible location, providing a safer and more engaging environment for children aged 4-12.

✅ Modernising outdated equipment at Valley Road to create an exciting, inclusive, and welcoming play space for local families.

This is a fantastic opportunity to have your say and help shape the future of these important community spaces.

👉 Share your views and learn more here: http://bit.ly/4yXsCyq

How detectives brought down a criminal gang who hid their drugs and guns in Mansfield storage containers

An organised criminal gang who used storage containers at a Mansfield industrial estate to store guns and deal drugs are set to be sentenced.

The investigation found that members of the gang were given access to different storage containers depending on their position in the group.

They were then peddling Class A and B drugs such as heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine, MDMA and cannabis to street dealers, predominantly in the Mansfield area but also as wide ranging as Hertfordshire and Wales.

Detectives worked tirelessly to dismantle the gang's activity following a lengthy investigation which began in August 2025.

Members of the gang were making multiple trips to the storage containers, where they were observed delivering and collecting packages, boxes and cash.

One of the key players, Leah Hopkinson, was seen attending the site, sometimes up to four times a day during a three month period handing items to both Anthony Lumley and Brennan Hayes and latterly Lee Shipman after the arrest of both Hayes and Lumley.

The investigation believes that Hopkinson was dealing up to 600 wraps a day of Class A and B drugs to street dealers.

Hopkinson, who worked as a community care co-ordinator, was often seen in her carers uniform, carrying out these drug deals between working appointments.

Other members of the gang included ringleader Jamie Smith as well as Justin Gibson and Kieran Rimmer who moved items from container to container.

Smith was also seen moving large amounts of cash.

In November 2025, moments before a warrant was executed by police, Smith was observed moving firearms between two storage containers.

During the warrant on all five containers, officers seized a large quantity of cash and drugs, five firearms, ammunition, knives including a machete, and drug dealing equipment including a drug press, scales, mixing agents, and packaging consistent with wholesale amounts.

The defendants' properties were also searched.

At the home address of Smith and his partner Shannon Lee Shaw in Breckbank in Mansfield, evidence was located including a drugs line phone.

Overall officers seized a large quantity of cash, mobile phones and sim cards, firearms, a machete, and a hoard of designer clothing along with thousands of pounds of motorbikes.

They also located a mobile phone, wrapped in clingfilm and hidden behind a fence, which exposed the drugs line in Smith's messages.

In total, £48,038 of cash was recovered from the five containers and the addresses and an estimated £746,000 of drugs on enforcement day alone.

Gibson, who also made trips to the containers, was detained with more than £15,000, which was recovered from his vehicle after an exchange was made with another man in Ware, Hertfordshire.

Jack Smith was also arrested where police uncovered cocaine, MDMA and cannabis in his own container at the yard.

Lumley and Hayes were arrested after leaving the container yard and running from police. Hayes was detained with crack cocaine and heroin along with the drugs phone.

Business continued that day when the calls from drug users was immediately diverted to Lee Shipman and his driver.

Lee Shipman was stopped with more than £500 in the company of his chauffeur as they were on their way to the containers. However, police had already taken control of all the units.

Detective Inspector James McDonagh, who leads the serious organised crime task force at Nottinghamshire Police, said:

"This was a complex and sophisticated operation.

"The gang used five storage containers, with different levels of access, depending on the person's role within the gang.

"For example, one of the containers was used to store money, another was used for storing drugs and firearms, and the others to package the drugs and deal from.

"They hoped that being able to offer the gang different levels of access would ultimately help them protect their drug and money supply and inevitably evade arrest.

"But they were wrong. Our team of experienced detectives were able to foil their plans and build up an overwhelming case against them.

"Hopkinson was a key player and would often turn up to the storage containers in her carers uniform, handling drugs at the same time she should have been looking after the community. Instead, she was financially gaining from the most vulnerable drug users.

"Smith, who was one of the ringleaders, is now living a very different lifestyle to the one he had before our enforcement activity.

"Drugs destroy communities and the gang showed no remorse for the lives they will have undoubtedly ruined in Mansfield as a result of this operation, fuelled only by greed.

"We now await the judge's sentencing on September 23 and 24."

Defendants:

Jamie Smith, aged 37, of Breckbank in Mansfield, pleaded guilty to:

Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs x 3 - cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin

Conspiracy to supply Class B drugs - cannabis

Possession of a shotgun without a certificate

Possession of a firearm without a firearm certificate (self-loading rifle)

Possession of a prohibited firearm x 3 (pistols)

Possession of ammunition without a firearm certificate or authority

Shannon-Lee Shaw, aged 30, of Breckbank in Mansfield pleaded guilty to:

Acquiring criminal property

Justin Gibson, aged 36, of The Rushes, Mansfield, pleaded guilty to:

Conspiracy to supply Class B drugs - cannabis

And was found guilty after trial for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs

Leah Hopkinson, aged 31, of The Rushes, Mansfield, pleaded guilty to:

Conspiracy to supply Class B drugs - cannabis

And was found guilty after trial for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs

Kieran Rimmer, aged 37, of Seventh Avenue, Clipstone, pleaded guilty to:

Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs x 2- cocaine and crack cocaine

Matthew Bryan, aged 35, of Elm Tree Avenue, Mansfield, pleaded guilty to:

Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs x 2- crack cocaine and heroin

Anthony Lumley, aged 50, of Shelley Avenue, Mansfield, pleaded guilty to

Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs x 2- crack cocaine and heroin

Brennan Hayes, 22, of Portland Crescent, Mansfield, pleaded guilty to:

Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs x 2- crack cocaine and heroin

Stefan Houston, aged 39, of Third Avenue, Clipstone was found guilty after trial of:

Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

Josh Harmieson, aged 33, of Elm Tree Avenue, Mansfield, pleaded guilty to:

Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs - cocaine

Conspiracy to supply Class B drugs - cannabis

Jack Smith, aged 24, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to:

Possession with intent to supply Class A drugs x 2 - MDMA, cocaine

Possession with intent to supply Class B drugs - cannabis

Lee Shipman, aged 39, of Main Street, Shirebrook, pleaded guilty to:

Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs x 2- crack cocaine and heroin

5,298 false alarms responded to by NFRS last year

NFRS published their Annual Statement of Assurance for 2025/26 this week, and the headline numbers are worth a look:

In 2025/26, NFRS attended 12,259 incidents, compared to 10,910 in 2024/25.

In 2025/26, NFRS On-call appliance availability reached 83.3%, placing them among the best in the country.

In 2025/26, NFRS carried out 16,048 Safe and Well Visits, providing vital safety advice and support to people across our communities.

In 2025/26, crews attended 666 incidents / road traffic collisions, up from 628 in 2024/25.

In 2025/26, NFRS responded to 5,298 false alarms, up 2.4% on 2024/25.

While many alarms turn out not to be emergencies, every call is treated seriously to help keep communities safe!

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