There was a further blow for parents worried about educational standards in Rotherham this week. Analysis of a national education department report revealed that almost half of children in the borough are failing to reach average attainment standards in mathematics at GCSE, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Further scrutiny of the figures

A Rawmarsh woman says she is  unable to sleep `at night and  is suffering from panic attacks after receiving the devastating news that she won’t be able to get her new sofa delivered before Christmas. Maureen Todd from Ingshead Avenue ordered the  new sofa from Shit Stuff On Tick in Parkgate two weeks ago. “I

Facebook announced this week that the company is  taking steps to ban or restrict content from The Sun, Daily Star, Mirror, Daily Express and Daily Mail from being shared on the social network. The company has expressed concern about the number of ‘fake’ and made up news stories being shared on Facebook,  resulting in  members

A one legged man has confounded the critics and doubters by taking first place in an arse kicking contest. John Silver from Upper Haugh  had never done any competitive arse kicking until he lost his lower leg in a freak shark attack off the coast of Goole  two years ago.  But in a thrilling final 

A town centre vegetarian wholefood freetrade café looks set to close after attracting just two customers in its first month. The Green Carrot on High Street was started by Guy Fortesque-Brown and his girlfriend Tabatha Forbes who moved to the area last year from trendy  Shoreditch  east London for a bet. The restaurant uses only

A married working class man from Treeton has stunned friends and family by getting his own tea ready. Unemployed Roy Collins, 45 was relaxing  watching The Chase last Wednesday, when he received a text from his wife, Carol, to say she was working overtime and would be late home. “It threw me a bit at

In a dramatic and historic night last Tuesday, local offal magnate Norman Fettle swept to an unexpected victory in the Rotherham mayoral election, defeating favourite Irene Baker in the process. Regular readers will recall that it has been a hard and bitter campaign, with allegations and counter allegations flying back and forth, but when the

A 27 year old woman from Thrybergh with breathing problems was left fuming after being asked to leave the Ho Fat Chinese restaurant on Effingham Street last Thursday. Mum of five Tracey Large, who walks with the aid of a stick,  had gone to the popular restaurant with friends to celebrate a maintenance award against

A Herringthorpe plumber has stunned friends and colleagues by refusing to reveal whether he keeps any tools in his van overnight. Ted Rogers from Chaucer Road says that his tool storage arrangements are nobody else’s business, and he has absolutely no intention of putting any kind of  signage on his 2007 Renault van, informing the

Donald Trump’s surprise victory in the US presidential election has given fresh hope and inspiration to a group of Rotherham residents who felt that their life chances were for ever limited by circumstances. They are people who are often overlooked and shunned by society, but have now been handed a new lease on life. Until