Chief reporter Jack Tolson takes a look back through the Chronicle archives to see what was making the news in May 2008.

LABOUR GETS CLOSE CALL AT ELECTION

NATIONAL issues such as immigration and the abolition of the 10p income tax rate are being blamed for Labour’s close call at last week’s elections.

The number of votes cast for the party across the borough was down by about 20 per cent on the previous year and only a Labour gain in Central, where former Lib Dem leader Ian Guest retired from his seat, prevented a hung council.

The turnout was only up by one per cent to 34 per cent and Labour’s share of the vote fell to 29.9 per cent.

So where did those votes go and who benefited from the backlash?

The Barnsley Independent Group went up by seven per cent and it won two seats.

BIG took one in Worsbrough and the North East.

The Conservative vote rose by 14 per cent and the party claimed back the Penistone West seat.

But the biggest increase in vote was for the BNP, which failed to win any seats but increased its ballot by 32 per cent.

The BNP’s popularity grew most in Monk Bretton, where are extra 272 voters came out in support.

SPEED TEEN ON TRACK FOR GLORY

SPEED teen Jac Ellis and her bashed up Mini are on track for success.

The 15-year-old Darton High pupil won the Yorkshire Shield ministox event on Monday, a victory which also made her the regional points champion.

She has only been racing for a year and was given a handicap for the three heat competition but she still won more points on the day than anyone else.

Jac, who will soon move up to Formula 2 class, works on the car herself and hopes to take mechanical engineering alongside law when she starts college later this year.

Proud day Chris says racing is a family love.

The only problem is finding sponsorship.

Jac, of Kexborough, attends events around Britain and fuel costs are spiralling.

SUSAN’S BIG BREAK INTO SOAP

A BARNSLEY woman has landed a character role in the soap Coronation Street and will make her debut on screen on Wednesday night.

Susan Mitchell, of Barugh Green, has filmed only one episode so far but is hoping her character, Tina’s mum, will be back soon.

Susan has been a working actress for about 13 years.

She has done a lot of theatre work and was in an episode of Emmerdale last year.

She said: “Corrie is one of those programmes that we’ve all grown up with, everybody knows it, so in that way this is one of my highest profile and best jobs I’ve done.

“I enjoyed it.

“All the cast and crew were absolutely brilliant and made me feel so welcome.

“You would have thought I’d been there for years.

“It is just one episode for now but hopefully I will be doing more.”