Three Middlesbrough mums raise £1,500 by crocheting poppies

When three mums started crocheting poppies for their friends, they could never have imagined it would turn into a poppy frenzy.

Three months, 20 balls of wool and £1,500 in donations later, they are ready to do it all again next year.

Sisters Barbara Rumsey and Hilary Morley, and friend Toni Highfield, have spent every free minute since August with a hook in their hand after demand for their product went through the roof.

Barbara, from Linthorpe, works at the Middlesbrough branch of Marks and Spencer and started crocheting last year with colleague Toni, from Normanby.

At the time, they asked for donations from people but did not think to keep track of what they were raising.

This year, they decided once again to make poppies but never expected what came next.

Mum-of-two Barbara said: “I had my poppy on my blouse and a customer remarked how nice it was and asked me if she could buy one.

“The next thing we knew, a friend told a friend who told a friend, and before we knew it, everyone in the shop wanted one.

“People would leave orders in M&S for 10 or 20 at a time and one woman wanted mine off my blouse so much that in the end she donated £10 to have it.”

By September, demand was so high that Barbara asked her sister Hilary to come to the rescue.

Mum-of-two Hilary, 49, said: “I came to the rescue but we had to get quicker to keep up with the orders coming in.

“We have made about 1,000 poppies over the last three months and every single penny is going to the Royal British Legion.

“I haven’t even had time to cook for the last few weeks so my husband Ray has really helped out by making my dinner and bringing me cups of tea.”

Toni, 50, who has two children, added: “I have been crocheting in between looking after my dad who is in hospital, so it has been stressful at times,

“Next year we plan to start earlier so that we don’t get as stressed.”

Each mum has created their own individual pattern and have noticed that while men prefer the traditional poppy, women prefer the more modern look.

Next year the women plan to do it all over again and are currently discussing a new, original design.

Boosbeck attack victim Harry Campbell now in 'stable' condition in hospital

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The victim of a “vicious” attack in East Cleveland is now in a ‘stable’ condition in hospital.

Harry Campbell, 66, was taken to Middlesbrough’s James Cook University Hospital after being found with serious head injuries in his flat in Brookside, Boosbeck, on Saturday, October 25.

Police investigating the attack believe Mr Campbell’s yellow Ford Fiesta registration number NX13HBK may have been stolen.

Two local men aged 37 and 40 have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and have been bailed pending further inquiries.

Anyone who has any knowledge of the incident or where the car might be is asked to contact DI Matt Murphy-King on Cleveland Police’s non-emergency number 101 or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Fewer than one in three fines imposed by Teesside courts are paid by end of financial year

Fewer than one third of all financial penalties imposed by courts in Teesside are paid by the end of the financial year.

Figures released by the Government showed that only 32% of so-called “financial impositions” imposed by the local criminal justice board in the financial year 2013/14 had been collected by start of the new financial year in April.

Some 60% were still outstanding, while the rest were cancelled.

“Financial impositions” include any financial penalties levied on a defendant - things like court fines, prosecution costs, victim surcharges and confiscation orders.

Only three areas - Cheshire (51%), North Yorkshire (51%) and Surrey (55%) managed to collect more than half of the financial impositions imposed in 2013/14 by the end of March.

The worst-performing area was South Yorkshire, which collected just 28%.

Home Office minister Michael Penning, who released the figures, said: “The government takes recovery and enforcement of financial impositions very seriously and remains committed to finding new ways to encourage payment of impositions, and to trace those who do not pay.

“That is why there has been a year-on-year increase in the amount of financial penalties collected in the last three years.”

Due to the way to Home Office accounts for fines, the figures include penalties imposed late in the financial year that were not due to be paid by end of the financial year. It also includes accounts being paid in agreed instalments.

Billingham Stars restore their pride as they recover to sting rivals

Billingham Stars director of coaching Terry Ward says his side got their pride back after finishing a chalk and cheese double header against Sutton Sting on a high note.

The Ultimate Window-sponsored Stars suffered a resounding 8-1 defeat at IceSheffield on Saturday but rebounded on Sunday night to claim a hard-fought 2-0 victory at Billingham Forum.

Saturday’s trip down the M1 could not have got off to a worse start for the visitors when former Sting forward Chris Sykes was ejected from the game after just 21 seconds, leaving the Stars to defend a five-minute major penalty.

Billingham defended deep and eventually succumbed with little over three minutes gone when James Spurr found Simon Offord free in front of James Flavell’s net.

The Sting doubled their lead through Spurr as they again capitalised on having the man advantage, and two goals in two minutes from Vjaleslavs Movko and James Goodman widened the gap to 4-0 before the 27-minute mark.

Just past the halfway point, Thomas Stuart-Dant finally got the visitors on the score sheet when he tipped in a rocket shot from Garry Dowd.

The Stars joy was short-lived as Nathaniel Rose fired straight through Flavell for 5-1 in the 34th minute.

Reece Cairney-Witter hit Sutton’s sixth when the puck bobbled unkindly in front of Flavell.

And the Billingham defence went missing when Mark Watson went in goal for the third period, allowing Rose to tap in his second of the game.

Spurr then made it a miserable journey home for the Stars, the final score being a reflection of an inadequate away performance.

The Stars needed a massive reaction on Sunday and from the first drop of the puck it was apparent that Billingham meant business

The home side tested Sutton netminder Dmitri Zimozdra with 15 shots, although it It took the Teessiders until the 24th minute to get the go-ahead goal.

Man-of-the-match Stuart-Dant converted a rebound from the tightest of angles into the Russian keeper’s top corner.

After some sustained Stars pressure, Scott Ward was set up beautifully by captain Paul Windridge in the 31st minute, and his superb finish increased Billingham’s lead.

Andy Munroe stung Zimozdra’s glove in the 45th minute, and further chances went begging at both ends.

Stars director of coaching Ward was pleased to see more passion and pride from his players after the manner of Saturday’s defeat.

“We changed the lines around like we said we would and we changed our whole outlook,” he said.

“We were at our worst on Saturday, possibly the worst we’ve ever been.

“We had to put a bit of pride and passion and a bit of aggression into Sunday and I think we did that. The passion was there, and it will be there for the rest of the year.”

Billingham take on EPL opposition in the British Challenge Cup on Sunday when they face Sheffield Steeldogs at the Forum (6.30pm).

Police helicopter called in to join search for 'men with firearm' at Kirkleatham Woods

Police carried a search of the Kirkleatham Woods area after receiving reports of men with a suspected firearm.

Cleveland Police received a report about men on a motorbike - possibly with the weapon - at around 11.30am today.

The police helicopter searched an area around Kirkleatham Woods in Redcar.

Ground units also took part in the search.

But officers were stood down after police were satisfied no one was in the area.

Yarm jeweller's raid: Car used in Market Cross armed robbery is found abandoned by police

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A car believed to have been used in a raid on a Yarm jewellers was found abandoned at Yarm Cricket Club.

Detectives continue to investigate yesterday’s armed robbery at the Market Cross Jewellers on Yarm High Street.

Officers confirmed that four offenders entered the store just before 5pm and that they were armed with what are believed to be bladed or edged weapons.

However at this stage, police believe that there were no firearms involved.

Det Insp Mark Dimelow, of the Major Crime Team, said: “We know that the suspects left the scene in a silver coloured Audi A6 motor vehicle. This was found abandoned a short time later near to Yarm Cricket Club on Leven Road, Yarm.

“A dedicated team is making every effort to trace those responsible and we are following a number of leads.

“This was a brazen robbery at a busy time of day in a busy town high street. We know there were many people around at the time, both pedestrians and passing motorists.

“We have spoken to a number of witnesses already but would urge anyone who has not yet spoken to police and who saw anything suspicious in or around the High Street either in the hours before this took place or as the men left the scene to get in touch.”

Nobody was injured in the raid, in which suspects took a large number of high value watches and pieces of jewellery however shop staff were badly shocked by the incident.

Anyone with information can call Cleveland Police on 101 or alternatively contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Ex-champ Ian Horn: This could be my last ever rallycross meeting

Ian Horn from Stokesley will be back on track at Croft this weekend - but says it could be his last ever rallycross meeting.

The former BRDA and BTRDA national title winner quit the sport in 1997 when his twins were born, but returned to action in 2003.

However his most recent rallycross was last winter’s BTRDA 75th Anniversary Meeting at Croft and now he’s says his comeback, 12 months on, could also be his last hurrah.

Horn will line up at the wheel of his Vauxhall Nova GTE in a Red 5 Motorsport production class which also includes Ingleby Barwick’s Martin Peters (Citroen Saxo).

He’s been kicking his heels for most of the year because championship regulations meant his car was too old for one series and too new for another.

Now he says he’ll use this Sunday’s meeting at his local track to see if he still has the desire to keep competing in rallycross.

“This could be my last rallycross event,” revealed Horn, “I’ve lost heart in it, to be honest.

“I know it’s part and parcel of the sport, but in my last event there were a lot of drivers bumping into me.

“The sport isn’t what it used to be and a lot of the young kids seem to struggle to get round the corner.

“I find I’m getting more satisfaction out of rallying these days so maybe I’ll concentrate on that in the future. I don’t know.

“I’m going to do this meeting and then see how I feel. It’s an opportunity to see if I still have an appetite for rallycross.

“There’s another BTRDA meeting at Blyton at the end of the month but whether I do it or not depends on how this weekend goes.

“I’ve got someone who wants to buy my car so if I do decide to give up rallycross, I’ve got someone to buy it.”

Horn won’t be lost to motorsport though and says, whatever his decision, he intends to compete in the two traditonal winter single venue rallies at Croft, the Christmas Stages and the Jack Frost Stages.

And with a change of regulations allowing him to track his car at British Championship level again next year, he says he’d be up for an assualt on the title should he decide to continue in the sport.

Sunday’s event also sees action from the supercar, supermodified, Mini, BMW Mini and autocross car classes.

Kevin Procter (Fiesta Mk 7) and Andy Grant (Focus) are expected to be at the head of the supercar field but Barnard Castle’s ‘Mad’ Mark Watson is also fired up for a tilt at the trophy in his comeback meeting at his home track.

Watson has spent almost a full year off track rebuilding his Citroen Xsara.

During that time he’s picked up sponsorship from Mend-A-Hose of Castleford which will enable him to compete in the British Championship, European Challenge and World Championship rounds in 2015.