Police officers have made several arrests following a series of arson attacks across Worksop.
Officers worked with Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue teams on an investigation into a spate of incidents over the last couple of weeks where public land and property have been targeted.
Yesterday evening (19) at 7.30pm, reports came in that an abandoned building – St Anne’s Veterinary Centre in Newcastle Avenue – was set alight.
Emergency services quickly worked to ensure the area was safe and the help of CCTV footage, four suspects were tracked down and arrested within a matter of hours after the incident took place.
A 13-year-old girl, 15-year-old girl and 44-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of arson with the intent to endanger life and remain in police custody.
A 10-year-old boy was also arrested on suspicion of arson with the intent to endanger life and has been released on police bail.
Four suspects were tracked down and arrested by police last night
These developments come after a 13-year-old boy was arrested on Friday, May 16 on suspicion of six counts of arson, and another boy, 12, was arrested yesterday afternoon on suspicion of arson.
Grassland and trees on Kilton Forest Golf Course, Blyth Road, were set ablaze on separate occasions across May 7, May 9, May 12 and May 13, alongside playground equipment at Prospect Park, Northwood on the evening of May 12.
The two suspects remain on police bail as the investigation into the series of attacks continues.
Inspector Robert Harrison, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “These incidents were reckless and thankfully no one was injured, but there is always the potential for fire to spiral out of control.
“Understandably they have caused a degree of local concern, and we hope this quick action shows how dedicated we are to keeping Worksop safe.
“Whilst our investigation is ongoing, additional officers have been carrying out extra patrols in the affected area, we’ve been trawling through CCTV footage and have been working closely with our partners.
“We take incidents like this extremely seriously and will continue to dedicate whatever resources are necessary to bring those responsible to justice.”
Bassetlaw’s neighbourhood policing team’s Inspector Robert Harrison has provided an update on how they have progressed on tackling crime across the district during and April and what the priorities will over the next three months.
Inspector Harrison said: “This is the first of a series of regular updates to inform residents about what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, and the impact we are having across our communities.
“I’ll also be highlighting some great work by your local officers and informing you about significant local trends and anything else I think you need to be aware of.
PICTURED: Inspector Robert Harrison
Current priorities in Bassetlaw
The inspector said: “I’d like to remind you about our key local policing priorities, which are agreed quarterly after consultation with the public and local partners.”
antisocial behaviour and crime in Worksop town centre
Rural crime in East Bassetlaw
Actions on our priorities
ASB and crime in Worksop town centre
Inspector Harrison said: “Over the past few months, I have received numerous complaints about antisocial behaviour and crime in the town centre.
“We’re talking here about things like shop thefts, public drinking and drug use, and the inevitable antisocial behaviour that comes with it.
“We know that many of these offences are being committed by a relatively small group of people living with some very complex needs like substance addiction and mental ill-health.
“Whilst we sympathise with people who are struggling and will continue to work with partners to ensure they are getting the help they need, we absolutely will not tolerate the kind of behaviour we have been seeing in the town centre.”
“I want Worksop to be a pleasant place to live in, work in, and visit, and will not allow a small number of people to damage the town in the way they have been,” he said.
“That’s why we’ve increased the number of local foot patrols over recent weeks and have been very assertive in the way we deal with these individuals.
“To this end we have made multiple arrests, returned prolific offenders to prison, and brought several suspects to court.”
Inspector Harrison said residents and retailers can expect to see an enhanced police presence going over the summer and want them to make contact if they see issues or behaviours of concern.
“I would ask them to contact us without delay,” he said.
“We are also working to secure criminal behaviour orders (CBOs) against some of our most prolific offenders. These orders allow us to prevent people from entering certain areas of the town and from doing certain things – such as entering shops in possession of bags. Any breaches are themselves a criminal offence and will quickly land offenders in prison and off he streets.
“These orders have been used to good effect elsewhere and we expect to see similarly positive results in Worksop.”
Drug supply
Drug dealing and drug related offending are major drivers for the anti-social behaviour issues I have updated on,” the inspector said.
“Many of the anti-social behaviour offenders are both using and selling illegal drugs on our streets. Most of those people are not major players in the drug market, but they are a public nuisance, and they are damaging our town.
“We have been disrupting that behaviour in exactly the same way we’ve been tackling anti social behaviour – with boots on the ground and a concerted effort to get up close and personal with offenders.
“Our council colleagues are also proving a great help with their comprehensive CCTV coverage, which is being shared in real time with officers on the ground. This approach recently led to the jailing of a prolific local offender who was caught in the act of dealing drugs.
“Local intelligence also led us to execute a warrant in Knanton Road on April 23, which uncovered a significant cannabis grow and has led to criminal charges for two suspects. A further warrant was executed at an address on Lincoln Street on April 24 where two suspects were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply.
“For obvious reasons I will not share the details here, but Bassetlaw Today readers can also expect to see a few more doors going in over the next few weeks as we execute more court warrants.”
Rural crime in East Bassetlaw
In his update, The Inspector said: “A huge part of Nottinghamshire’s rural community call Bassetlaw their home, and we have continuously welcomed an open dialogue with our farmers and residents so we can understand what issues they are facing, and what we can do as their local police team to crack down on rural crime.
“Some key problems we are working hard to target include off-road bikes and quads, theft and poaching. We want to reassure you all that we take rural crime extremely seriously, and we are working with other teams across the force – including our road bike team, drone team and roads policing – to run targeted cross border operations. We’ve also helped secure farmer’s sites recently.”
“I also want to take this time to highlight our rural crime and wildlife officers that you will find working hard in each of our neighbourhood policing teams. We are continuing to invest in training for them and we encourage anyone with any concerns or questions to get in touch.”
John Street explosion
“As you will all be aware, Worksop was the scene was a major incident last month when a house exploded in John Street, damaging several neighbouring properties and claiming the life of man who was later recovered from the wreckage.
PICTURED: The house on John Street after the explosion (PHOTO: Notts Police)
“As investigations into what happened continue, I would thank all the members of the neighbourhood policing team who worked so hard in the aftermath of this incident to identify witnesses and maintain the scene. That was very labour-intensive work and had a considerable impact on many of the other things we have wanted to do over the last few weeks.”
Reform UK has chosen its deputy leader and cabinet members after taking control of Nottinghamshire County Council.
In the May 2 election, Reform secured a sweeping victory, taking control of the authority from the Conservatives with a clear majority, securing an initial 40 out of 66 available seats.
This has since fallen to 39 after Desmond Clarke, who unseated the Conservative Party’s Keith Girling in Newark West, resigned a week after the election. A by-election will now take place for his seat.
The Conservatives previously held the authority with 34 seats, but now sit as the main opposition with 17 councillors.
The new Nottinghamshire Reform group announced Cllr Mick Barton, who represents Mansfield East, as its leader on May 12.
Dr John Doddy, who represents Stapleford and Broxtowe Central, will become the deputy leader of the council.The new Nottinghamshire Reform group announced Cllr Mick Barton, who represents Mansfield East, as its leader on May 12.
Documents have now been published confirming the deputy leader and cabinet members, ahead of the ruling group’s first Full Council meeting at Oak House on Thursday (May 22).
Dr John Doddy, who represents Stapleford and Broxtowe Central, will become the deputy leader of the council.
He was expelled from the Conservatives after he stood independently against the party for the Broxtowe constituency in the 2024 General Election, before becoming the County Council’s first Reform councillor earlier this year.
A majority of decisions about council services are made by the cabinet, as well as the setting of a budget each year and the council’s policies.
Each member has a designated department, such as transport and environment, finance, social care, or education.
The new cabinet, which will be confirmed on Thursday, is as follows:
Cllr Martin Wright – Cabinet member for business management.
Cllr Barry Answer – Cabinet member for adult social care, alongside his deputy Cllr Kelvin Wright
Cllr Rory Green – Cabinet member for children and families.
Cllr Dawn Justice – Cabinet member for communities and public health.
Cllr James Walker-Gurley – Cabinet member for economic development and asset management
Cllr Hana John – Cabinet member for education and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
Cllr Stuart Matthews – Cabinet member for finance and resources, and he will be deputised by Cllr James Rawson
Cllr Bert Bingham – Cabinet member for transport and environment.
A further two of the 66 seats, in Mansfield North, are yet to be decided following the death of Trade Union and Socialist Coalition candidate, Karen Seymour, before the election.
A by-election is expected to take place there on June 12.
Work to revamp an outdoor gym will begin this week at The Canch in Worksop.
Bassetlaw District Council said it wants to create a more accessible, community friendly outdoor gym at the green space.
Work is getting underway this week to remove most of the existing exercise equipment in the Adizone area and replace it with eight brand new pieces, including a PowerSmart hand bike, seated shoulder press, a recumbent bike, new surfacing and the creation of a new floor painted workout area.
Costing £50k, it has been designed by the Great Outdoor Gym Company and work will begin on installation this week with an area fenced off for safety purposes.
The equipment being replaced has been at The Canch since 2010A computer-aided design of the new-look outdoor gym
Cllr Darrell Pulk, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods said: “This is an exciting project to revamp part of one of our much-loved parks and make it more accessible for the whole community.
“We hope it provides an additional opportunity for people of all ages to be able to socialise and enjoy time exercising together.”
The equipment being replaced has been at The Canch since 2010 and as well as coming to the end of its service life, replacement parts are no longer available for some of the pieces.
The new equipment has been made in accordance with Inclusive Fitness Initiative (IFI) guidelines, which recognises products designed with accessibility in mind, and includes an app people can download to log and track their own workouts.
The investment forms part of the councils Vision 2040 Healthy District ambition which includes a commitment to maintaining high quality local exercise options.
Meanwhile essential repairs are continuing at the splash park with work starting this week.
The Co-op could soon stop selling Israeli products after board members voted in favour of a boycott.
The non-binding motion was passed at the convenience giant’s AGM on May 17.
Nearly three quarters (73%) of members supported the motion, which urged the board to demonstrate “moral courage and leadership” by removing Israeli goods from the shelves.
Although the motion is advisory, the board confirmed it is actively reviewing its sourcing policies, to “ensure that they reflect both our values and principles and the views of our members, which they have made clear today”.
It is understood that, if implemented, the boycott could take effect as early as this summer.
The motion was first submitted last month by Co-op members, who pointed to the retailer’s stance in 2022, when it became the first UK supermarket to boycott Russian products following the invasion of Ukraine.
Members have urged the business to adopt a consistent approach in light of the ongoing war in Gaza, which the motion said had “completely destroyed” the region.
Campaign group Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), which supported the motion, hailed the vote’s result as a “landmark moment” and called on the retailer to take action.
A spokesperson for PSC, Lewis Backon, said: “The Co-op AGM vote shows ordinary people in this country are committed to the cause of justice and freedom for Palestine in their everyday lives and refuse to support Israel’s apartheid economy.
“The Co-op must now listen to its members and implement the motion by taking all Israeli goods off the shelves.”
However, the motion has sparked sharp criticism from UK Lawyers for Israel, who wrote to the Co-op opposing the motion and claiming it included “false and defamatory statements”. It accused it of promoting “racial hatred of Israelis and Jews”.
The Co-op already maintains a sourcing policy which excludes goods from Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories – a position it has held since 2007.
Images created with a hidden meaning using ultraviolet (UV) light, which is invisible to most people, have gone on show at a Retford venue.
Photographer Alan Withington is presenting ‘The Invisible Light’ exhibition at Bassetlaw Museum which features photos of well-loved places he’s captured over the past five years using long exposure times, ranging from 45 minutes to over four months.
The process blends ancient photographic methods with digital elements and uses paper negatives and avoids darkroom chemicals.
Alan Withington said: “This exhibition is the first time my unique alternative process photographic work will be seen on public display anywhere.
The exhibition has gone on display at Bassetlaw Museum
“These long exposure photographs are created with a fusion of ancient and modern methods. I can’t wait to show these images to visitors to Bassetlaw.”
Kasia Wosiak, Collections Officer at Bassetlaw Museum said: “We’re inviting visitors to see this unique exhibition, a must-see for anyone interested in the art of photography.
“Alan Withington’s distinctive work combines alternative photographic processes with innovative techniques he developed himself. His photographs reimagine everyday objects and places as dreamlike and surreal scenes.
“Each photograph is framed in reclaimed wood, ranging from old farm fencing to parts of his former workbench, adding a special, personal dimension to the display.”
The exhibition runs until the 21st July at Bassetlaw Museum, Grove Street, Retford. The Museum is open four days a week on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday between 10am and 4:30pm (Closed Mondays and Thursdays except during school holidays.) Admission is free.
Police are appealing for help after a man was seen trying car doors in a residential street in Worksop.
Officers launched an investigation after it was reported a man was walking along Albert Street trying car door handles.
It was reported the man tried to open a number of cars in the street at around 3.55am on 12 April and that similar attempts had been made in the same area earlier that month.
Police have released footage of a man trying car doors in a Worksop street early in the morning. Readthe full story on Bassetlaw Today #fyp #foryou #worksop #bassetlaw #notts #news #crime #cartheft
He was spotted on a Ring Doorbell cam trying car doors in Albert Street
They have been carrying out local inquiries and are now in a position to release doorbell camera footage of a man they want to speak to.
PC Chris Clayton, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Reports of this nature can be concerning for people living in the area and I’d like to reassure residents we are working hard to trace the offender.
“We’re now in a position to ask for the public’s help in identifying a man who we are keen to trace in connection with this investigation.
“If you know who this man is, please get in touch.
“Likewise, if you have any other relevant information or footage which could help with our investigation, please contact us.”
Anyone who can assist should call police on 101, quoting incident number 25000223945, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Asda has announced it plans to scrap its 5% Blue Light Card discount for emergency workers, NHS staff, teachers and members of the armed forces later this month.
The supermarket giant, which has stores in Retford and Worksop, said it was cutting the benefit so it can shift its focus ‘to provide all customers with value’.
The Blue Light Card scheme was first introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The scheme will officially end on May 31, 2025.
The 5% discount, which applies to fresh food, bakery items, dairy products and fruit juice, was the only one of its kind offered by a major UK supermarket.
It has been in place since 2020 and was most recently integrated into the Asda Rewards app in 2023, removing the need for eligible customers to show their Blue Light Card at checkout.
An Asda spokesperson said: “Our focus now is on providing all our customers with outstanding value every time they visit our stores or shop with us online.”
The latest moves comes amid the supermarket chain’s attempt to double down on a value-for-all position, with the aim of restoring its competitive edge in a tight market.
Earlier this year, the grocery retailer brough back its Rollback pricing proposition, under returning boss Allan Leighton.
Plans to update Retford’s Town Hall to create a £1.2 million food hall are one step closer after plans were submitted to the district council.
In February 2025, Bassetlaw District Council announced its plans to create an “exciting new culinary experience” at Retford’s Buttermarket.
The Buttermarket refers to a ground floor area of the Grade II-listed Retford Town Hall in which the new food court is proposed to be in.
While the council submitted its plans – to update the town hall to make way for the project – to its planning portal in April 2025, plans were formally validated today (May 12).
The Buttermarket refers to a ground floor area of the Grade II-listed Retford Town Hall
Planning documents say “minor alterations” will take place to the internal space, replacing toilet fixtures and the kitchen as well as creating new partitions for the separate food vendors.
An accessible toilet will be added to ensure the food court can be used by all.
The project will cost £1.2 million, host six street food outlets and seat up to 60 diners.
Cllr Steve Scotthorne, Cabinet Member for Identity and Place said: “These are exciting proposals, which if given the go ahead, could attract more people into the Buttermarket and the wider town.
“As well as giving the much-loved historic building a new lease of life it’ll also create exciting opportunities for several food retailers in Retford.”
The Buttermarket is currently used as a space for traders to sell craft items.
A petition, called ‘Save Our Buttermarket’ was created in March on Change.org, asking the council to reconsider its plans to change the use of the space.
If given the go-ahead, the scheme will be paid for through government funding, including from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
The plans will be decided by the council at a later stage, after which the authority says the search for an operator to manage the food outlets will start.
A man has appeared in court after a string of shop thefts across Bassetlaw.
Pokémon cards worth £400, a £700 ring, and an array of men’s clothing were amongst the items reported stolen from shops across Worksop and Retford from 3 May to 11 May.
Following inquiries between the East Bassetlaw and West Bassetlaw neighbourhood policing and response teams, a suspect was tracked down on CCTV and arrested by police on Sunday (11).
During the arrest it was alleged an officer was assaulted.
Jonathan Downes, of no fixed address, has been charged with five counts of shop theft, occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault of an emergency worker.
The 40-year-old appeared in Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday and has since been remanded in custody. He is next due in Nottingham Crown Court on 27 May.
Sergeant Sam Pearson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Shop theft has a significant impact on local businesses and residents, and this was a great example of joint work between our East and West Bassetlaw neighbourhood policing and response teams as they continue their relentless work to put suspects before the courts.
“Over the past few weeks we have arrested and charged multiple suspects with shoplifting offences, and will continue with high visibility and plain-clothed patrols as we work to crack down on this issue.”
