AN eyewitness has captured the scene minutes after a blast at Fox's Biscuits today.

To view the video, visit http://youtu.be/dWzwcRr5q1o

For the latest on the blast, see tomorrow's Batley and Birstall News.

]]> 1.4274582 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:04:11 +0000 http://www.batleynews.co.uk/no_easy_life_on_probation_1_4252494

It’s safe, it’s warm, but it’s hardly a five-star hotel.

West Yorkshire Probation Service’s ‘approved premises’ temporarily house offenders from all walks of criminal life, from those subject to community orders to others who have served long jail terms for serious violent crimes.

Tenants are given a bed for the night, two square meals a day and, to various extents, freedom to live their lives, but all under the watch of trained probation officers.

Janine Hines manages the premises in Dewsbury. She said: “We can’t stop people coming out of prison. Our role is risk management and at the core of that is public protection and giving people the means to stop offending.”

There are two approved premises in Kirklees – the other is in Cleckheaton – and two more elsewhere in West Yorkshire, including one for women only.

Daily life for the young men at the Dewsbury premises varies depending on individual circumstances,

All tenants will meet with their link worker at least once a week, or more often if they have just left custody, and also have meetings with their probation officer.

There are regular groups which tenants must attend, covering topics such as alcohol awareness and money management. Some residents have extra groups dealing specifically with their offences or personal issues.

The rest of the time, tenants are encouraged to spend time finding work or training, and accommodation so they are ready to move out of approved premises after 90 days.

They pay their own rent – £42 a week if they are working, £26 if not – do all their own washing, find their own lunch, keep their rooms tidy and stick to the approved premises rules, including any curfews they may have.

All tenants have to be in by 11pm, but others may have extra restrictions. If they are classed as high risk, they might have to report back every two hours.

When a curfew is missed, senior probation officers like Janine can inform the home office and police will be sent out to find the offender and put them back in prison.

“In my experience, it doesn’t take them that long to find them,” she said.

At the Dewsbury premises there is a canteen, a lounge and a pool room, but tenants can’t become couch potatoes.

There are beds for 24 residents, plus a bedroom for staff staying overnight and a spare room for if a tenant is ill and needs privacy.

Some tenants share bedrooms and all share bathrooms with around half a dozen others. All of the bedrooms have bare concrete walls, single beds and a small amount of cupboard space.

The average bed in an approved premises costs the taxpayer £19,400, compared with £45,000 for a prison bed, which is value for money as far as Janine is concerned.

She said: “It’s a safe environment, which is important. It’s an environment where staff support residents and engage them as part of their rehabilitation.

“These offenders are no different to you or I, in that if you build up positive relationships, you are more likely to succeed.”

AROUND 16 travellers have arrived at Dewsbury’s railway station car park today.

The five vans had been turned off a site in Leeds Road, Huddersfield, earlier in the day.

One of the travellers, a man named Jerry, said the group aimed to be in Dewsbury for ‘a day or so’ and was en route to Appleby horse fair in Cumbria.

He added that they were prepared to pay for being on the pay-to-park site. “We don’t want anything giving,” he said

SIX people are now being treated in hospital after an explosion at Fox’s Biscuits today.

Contractors were draining and cleaning three diesel tanks at the back of the Batley factory on Wednesday morning when a spark caused one to catch fire.

Eyewitnesses described how a burst of flames was seen coming from the site, followed by clouds of thick smoke.

Aneela Zaman, who lives opposite the yard, said she saw people running from the factory, screaming.

One man was rushed to Pinderfields Hospital with burns to his legs, and five other people were taken to Dewsbury and District Hospital as a precaution.

Keep checking this website for updates, and video footage of the aftermath of the explosion.

Check out this week’s Batley and Birstall News, out tomorrow, for the full story.

The Mayor of Kirklees will test his nerve when he leads the way during a sponsored abseil.

Coun Eric Firth and dozens of volunteers will abseil down the University of Huddersfield’s main building on March 8 to raise cash for the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice.

Coun Firth (Lab, Dews East) said: “I said that this year I wanted to combine fundraising with fun. I think that’s the way to get more people involved.

“I’ve never abseiled before but I’m looking forward it.”

Among those stepping up for the eight-storey abseil is Mike Field, a partner at the West Riding pub in Dewsbury.

Mr Field said he did not hesitate when the mayor asked.

He said: “I took about two seconds to think about it. If I’d taken four, I would have said no!

“I had a head for heights when I was younger but I don’t know if I do now.”

Meanwhile, staff at the Reporter Series hope readers will get behind three of our own team.

Managing director Helen Oldham, editor Hannah Ridgeway and photographer Jake Oakley will all be taking part.

Coun Firth said: “We’ve got lots of volunteers and the intention is to raise lots and lots.

“If it does raise as much as I expect, it would be fantastic.”

To join in, contact the mayor’s office on 01484 221904.

KIRKLEES Council has published changes to its plans for creating thousands of homes and jobs over the next 20 years.

The updated Local Development Framework (LDF) policies have been published on the council’s website ahead of an extraordinary council meeting on Tuesday March 6.

During the meeting at Huddersfield Town Hall, councillors will vote on whether to formally adopt the plan.

The key principles were agreed back in November, but a working party has been looking at issues where further discussion was needed.

Click on the link to the right of the story to read the new document.

Anyone wishing to speak at council meeting must register by Friday March 2.

Deputations will be limited to five minutes and new issues which have arisen since the November meeting.

Email andrea.woodside@kirklees.gov.uk or phone 01484 221715 to register.

THREE people have been injured in an explosion at Fox’s Biscuits in Batley.

Emergency services were called to the Wellington Street factory this morning, after reports there had been an explosion involving a storage tanker in a yard.

Two of the three people injured were described as ‘walking wounded’ by a fire service spokesman.

The Health and Safety Executive has sent a team to the site to begin enquiries.

No-one from Fox’s Biscuits has been available to comment so far.

Keep checking back for updates and see tomorrow’s News for the full story.

- Did you see the incident? Call the newsroom on 01924 472121 or email batleyeditorial@ywng.co.uk.

MORE couples are getting married at council register offices as figures show its registrars have been getting busier every year.

In 2009/10, 530 couples got married in a council register office. That rose to 540 couples in 2010/11. This year looks set to be busier still, as 438 couples were married by a Kirklees registrar between April and December 2011.

Clare Moorhouse, owner of To Have And To Hold bridal shop in Mirfield, said: “This year seems to be a busy year. Maybe with the economic downturn people want a bit of good news, and weddings are always something to look forward to.”

Kirklees registrars are also conducting more and more weddings at ‘approved venues’ not owned by the council, such as hotels or public halls.

In 2009/10 there were 382 Kirklees weddings in such venues, 430 in 2010/11, then 400 between April and December last year.

Civil partnerships are getting more common, with Kirklees registrars conducting 19 ceremonies in 2009/10, 24 the year after, and 39 between April and December last year.

In April, Dave Housecroft married long-term partner Lynn Hood at Dewsbury Register Office. He said: “We had both married before but this marriage was the most special and most important simply because we had been together 10 years.”

Mr Housecroft thinks more couples are getting married because they are rushing into it, which means higher divorce rates and more second marriages.

He said: “Back in the day people wanted to get married on next to nothing and start from scratch, whereas these days a lot of people get married for a lot of different reasons.

“It’s easier to get in to a marriage and it’s easier to get out of it, whereas before people would have stayed together.”

A MAN from Hull has been fined £100 for dropping litter in Dewsbury.

Mike Erno, of Spring Bank, was no more than two metres from a litter bin when he was seen dropping a wrapper in Foundry Street on August 31.

He did not pay a £75 fixed penalty notice so he was prosecuted by Kirklees Council using environmental legislation.

Kirklees magistrates found him guilty in his absence last Thursday and fined him £100 with £15 victim surcharge and £175 costs.

IF you’re mad for all things fashion related and want some work experience, then a new project may be for you.

Passion 4 Fashion Kirklees aims to help unemployed people gain skills, from clothing design and sewing to budgeting and teamwork, to help them find jobs or further training.

From Monday up to 80 people will start working with local designers to create their own catwalk outfit from recyled clothes on a budget of £20 per outfit.

Advisers from Jobcentre Plus, Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing and the Citizens Advice Bureau will also be there offering advice.

The project will culminate in a fantastic fashion show at Huddersfield Town Hall on April 26, opened by the Mayor of Kirklees Coun Eric Firth.

The new designers will model their creations to an audience of hundreds, and entertainment will be provided by groups from across the district.

Coun Jean Calvert, Cabinet member for Health, Wellbeing and Communities, said: “Passion 4 Fashion gives local people the chance to take part in something new and exciting – it’s not every day that you get to model in a fashion show!

“The participants will also gain skills which will stay with them in the long term and hopefully help them gain employment or training opportunities in the future.”

Groups working on the project include Connect Housing, Kirklees Council, Together Housing, Deighton and Brackenhall Initiative, Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing, Sadeh Lok and Headrow Limited.

Places are still available at workshops running in Dewsbury and Batley. Anyone with an interest in fashion who is over 16 and currently out of work can get in touch with Valerie Wartelle, Kirklees Council Area Neighbourhood Team, on 01484 221709 or at area.neighbourhoodteam@kirklees.gov.uk. No previous experience is needed.

The organisers are also still looking for volunteers to help support the participants as they create their outfits at workshops across Huddersfield, Dewsbury and Batley.

Anyone who can sew or help out in another way is encouraged to contact Ms Wartelle or for more information visit www.facebook.com/Passion4FashionKirklees

A ROYAL sapling has taken root at Oakwell Hall to kick-start the district’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Volunteers at the Birstall country park planted 105 donated trees last week, including one grown from a seed collected from one of the royal household estates.

And many more schools and community groups across North Kirklees are keen to plant trees in honour of Her Majesty.

The initiative, organised by woodland conservation charity the Woodland Trust, is aiming to see six million saplings planted across the UK in 2012 as part of its Jubilee Project.

Across the UK, sixty Diamond Woods – comprising of at least 60 acres – will be created, alongside hundreds of smaller Jubilee Woods.

Landowners, communities and individuals can all pledge to plant a tree.

Oakwell Hall countryside ranger Emma Crowley said: “It’s incredible to think that in just five years our trees will be as tall as us. The fruit from the trees will be available for us and the Oakwell wildlife to harvest.”

Coun David Sheard (Lab, Heckmondwike), cabinet member for Streetscene, said during the Civil War, Oakwell Hall’s Batt family were staunch royalists.

He said; “Tree planting is a good way to mark the jubilee in our local area and we hope the trees will help to attract wildlife and make a real difference to everyone who sees them.”

Free tree packs for school are also up for grabs from the trust to help communities continue the green project.

Each pack contains a special royal sapling and planting is set to continue until spring 2013, with schools across the district already signed up.

Community groups and friends groups from local parks are also joining in, with some planting hundreds of trees in their areas.

Earlier this month the Queen and Princess Anne planted a native English oak at the Sandringham Diamond Jubilee Wood.

Are you planting a tree for the Jubilee? We want to hear your plans. Contact our newsroom using the details on page two.

SPECIAL arrangements have been put in place for Kirklees Council’s budget setting meeting tomorrow (Wednesday).

The meeting clashes with the Mrs Sunderland Music Festival.

Members of the public who want to go to the meeting should use the entrance in Ramsden Street, where they will be shown to a seat.

Musicians and spectators for the Mrs Sunderland Festival should use the entrance in Corporation Street. Stewards will be on hand to direct anyone.

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