Stories for 10 May 2003

Bingley,Bradford,Shipley,Spen Valley News

Second chance in boundary shake-up

Families living in a tiny town were celebrating today after the Boundary Commission said it might make a U-turn over proposals to "move" them into another area.  more...

Bradford,Bingley,Shipley,Spen Valley Business

On the right lines with £10m dig

A piece of Bradford's transport history has been unearthed as workers dig in on a new £10 million improvement scheme.   more...

650 jobs go

Abbey National, which has its northern headquarters in Bradford, is to axe 650 jobs by closing its car finance business. Two thirds of the staff at First National Motor Finance, in Surrey, will lose their jobs by the end of the year. It said it would close FNMF to new business as soon as possible. Abbey National's chief operating officer Stephen Hester said: "We would clearly have preferred to find a future for the business that would have offered security for our staff, but sadly that has not proved possible."   more...

Under sail

Visitors to a Skipton restaurant will be shaded from the sun when they dine al fresco this summer - with the aid of a sail from a trans-Atlantic racing yacht.  more...

Water firm is top for satisfaction

Bradford-based Yorkshire Water has been ranked number one in a national customer satisfaction study. In the fourth Water Customer Satisfaction Survey commissioned by the Energy Information Centre, the water company was ranked joint first for water supply and topped the list for its work removing industrial waste and effluent. More than 120 businesses nationally were asked to rate how their local water company faired in a number of areas, including customer service, water quality, supply continuity, problem solving and bill clarity. And the report concluded: "Yorkshire Water...continues to please its customers. As previously, its customers give it a very high overall rating. Its customers also give it high ratings for many of the items judged." Yorkshire Water Commercial director Paul Wynn said: "When we came first in the survey last year I promised that we would not let complacency set in and we would work hard to maintain our position. I think this year's result shows we have kept to that promise."   more...

Bradford,Bingley,Shipley,Spen Valley News

Letters to the Editor

SIR - Listening to the news recently, I was surprised to hear that smacking a disobedient child was illegal. What nonsense.  more...

Cot keeps sick tot in the pink

A Bradford scientist and a sunbed-maker have teamed up to design a life-saving cot for a toddler with liver failure.  more...

Men in claret and amber play a desert stormer

It was one battle Sergeant Martin Shackleton didn't mind losing.  more...

Rivalry 'led to car shooting' court told

A gunman known as "Killer" shot a rival in the leg as he sat in a friend's sports car after a two-day intimidation campaign, the Old Bailey heard yesterday.  more...

Poet returns to start book festival

Comic poet John Hegley returned to his old stamping ground last night to kick off the annual Bradford Book Festival.  more...

Second theft at mum's grave

A man branded thieves "scum of the earth" after they pilfered his mother's grave twice within two months of her death.  more...

Accused surgeon 'has heart attack'

A surgeon accused of lying to Bradford hospitals bosses about his expertise and experience on his CV suffered a suspected heart attack while his case was being heard by the General Medical Council, according to his wife.  more...

Materi-ale girl gets it all into the groove

Madonna's penchant for real ale has led to Keighley brewery Timothy Taylor taking boatloads of the stuff down to the Capital.  more...

Anger as gun couple walk free

A couple caught with a loaded automatic handgun in their Bradford pub have walked out of court with a £400 fine.   more...

Education firm criticised as director quits

The sudden resignation of a highly-respected schools chief prompted criticism today from a head teachers' leader.  more...

Appeal as TV crew plan gala shoot

A BBC film crew plans to visit this year's Keighley Gala to shoot scenes for a documentary.  more...

Vroom at the top for reluctant pupils

Students who could not settle in formal school lessons have proved themselves a roaring success at a top international classic motorcycle show.  more...

Dad walks to raise cash for Amber, 3

A Bradford-born man is hoping to raise £40,000 to pay for life-changing treatment for his three-year-old child.  more...

Car park charges driven up

Bradford's Kirkgate Centre car park charges are going up by at least 10p an hour next month.  more...

Official complaint about voting box

Bradford's election returning officer has received an official complaint about a broken seal on a box containing postal votes.  more...

Creative pupils love art contest

Bradford pupils are putting their hearts and souls into an exciting art competition being run by the Telegraph & Argus and Education Bradford.  more...

On This Day

In 1863, US Confederate General `Stonewall' Jackson died after being shot by accident by his own troops.  more...

A triumph for people power?

People power does work sometimes. The residents of Denholme have not yet gone as far as forcing a change of heart over plans to move the township out of Bingley Rural ward and into Bradford West along with Thornton, but they have at least persuaded the Boundary Commission to have a rethink about the proposal.  more...

Bradford,Bingley,Shipley,Spen Valley Sport

Robbie promises: No slacking!

Robbie Paul has one key word for tomorrow's home game against Castleford Tigers: Vital.  more...

Myers is Gillingham target

Andy Myers is being linked with Gillingham.  more...

Sweet 16-ball spell from Sidebottom

CRICKET: Yorkshire would have been in a sorry mess yesterday without Ryan Sidebottom, who was a cut above the other bowlers on the first day of the Championship match against Derbyshire at Headingley.  more...

Withers feels bullish after op

Bradford Bulls full back Michael Withers, who feared he might be ruled out for the season after a stomach operation, is now hopeful of only missing two months.  more...

Gymnasts jumping for joy

SCHOOL SPORT: St Bede's Gymnastics Club have maintained their proud tradition - begun seven years ago when they were formed - of producing county champions.  more...

Knight time for Cougars

RUGBY LEAGUE: Beware the wounded Knight, was Keighley coach Gary Moorby's warning to his players ahead of tomorrow's National League Two home game with York at Cougar Park.  more...

Shipley,Bradford,Bingley,Spen Valley News

£1,500 nurse wins £7,000 for unfair sacking

A nursing home worker sacked after a resident left her cash in his will has won her case for unfair dismissal.  more...

Spen Valley,Bradford,Bingley,Shipley News

£10,000 boost for school

A Cleckheaton school's drive to raise £50,000 for a specialist college bid has been boosted by £10,000.  more...