Chronicle chief reporter Jack Tolson takes a look through the Chronicle Archives from January 1991
NAUGHTY GNOME RETURNS HOME
NAUGHTY garden gnome Fred has returned to his Worsbrough Dale home - with Gemma, the garden figure he has had a round-the-world fling with.
Since Fred went missing in October, his owner Norman Hardy has received postcards supposedly sent by Fred from all over Britain and from Australia, including one saying he had fallen in love with Gemma.
Fred and Gemma turned up at Barnsley Council binman Norman’s home last week in a parcel wrapped up for Christmas left on his dustbin.
But Norman, aged 40, does not approve of Fred’s taste in women.
He said: “I’m delighted to get Fred back but I am surprised he fell for Gemma because she is ugly.
“As soon as I got back from work and saw the parcel on the dustbin I knew it was Fred.”
LOSS OF SUNDAY BUS DISMAYS RESIDENTS
RESIDENTS at Shafton have been dismayed to discover that yet another of their buses to Barnsley is to be taken off from this weekend.
The number 53 bus which made eight trip to Barnsley on Sundays will follow the number 50 which was taken off something months ago.
A Yorkshire Traction spokesperson said: “The number 53 is a commercial services which we have been running for about two years but it has become not viable so it has to be terminated.
“We feel that Shafton is adequately serviced on Sundays by the 342 and 339 which provide eight trips between 11.50am and 6.50pm.”
Mrs Barbara Green does not agree.
She said that there are roughly 100 old people’s bungalows in Shafton Green and a lot of old people who do not have cars.
She believes that the bus services should be better.”
BRUNO WINS BEST OF BREED AT CRUFTS
MEET Bruno the champ, a two-year-old old English sheepdog which won ‘Best of Own Breed’ at Crufts last Wednesday.
For Bruno, and proud owner housewife Kathryn Pickering of Dodworth, it was their very first time at the prestigious national event.
Bruno has won only local shows previously but qualified for Crufts at a champion show in Blackpool last year.
Kathryn said: “I’m not a dog breeder, Bruno is just a pet.
“I’ve entered him in local shows where he did very well so I thought I’d have a bash at Crufts.
“I was absolutely speechless when Bruno was chosen as ‘Best of Breed’.”
Kathryn manages to fit Bruno’s training in with looking after her family and spends two hours every other day grooming Bruno to keep his luxurious coat in tip top condition - and her patience has paid off.
