A Retford-based paint firm has played a magical part in one of the world’s most anticipated TV shows.
Paintman Paint Ltd has supplied the paint used on the brand-new Hogwarts Express, which will feature in the upcoming Harry Potter HBO television series set for release next year.
The historic locomotive No. 6989 Wightwick Hall has been transformed to take on the iconic role of the Hogwarts Express – and the paint produced by Paintman Paint helped bring its instantly recognisable deep red finish back to life.
Beth Pensom, operations director at Paintman Paint, said: “We’ve been keeping this secret for quite some time, and we’re incredibly proud to finally share it. To know that our paint will be seen by millions of fans around the world is an unbelievable moment for a small company like ours. It means a great deal to our whole team.”
The cast of the new Harry Potter show being made by HBO (IMAGE: HBO)Paint Man Paints unit on Trinity Park in Retford
Wightwick Hall, a 1948 Great Western Railway locomotive, has been repainted ahead of filming and will appear in its new starring role when the highly anticipated Harry Potter series launches. Filming and production have been underway throughout 2024, with the series expected to air in 2026/7.
For Paintman Paint, which specialises in high-quality hand-mixed paints used for heritage vehicles, classic restorations and historic preservation, the project has been a milestone moment.
“Paintman Paint has always been about craftsmanship and heritage,” said Beth.
“The Hogwarts Express is a cultural icon, and to contribute to its appearance in this new chapter is something we’ll never forget.”
The company now hopes this achievement will shine a spotlight on the skills and talent found within local manufacturing.
Retford bus operator, Stagecoach East Midlands, has announced that free travel will be available on all its bus services for serving military, cadets, and veterans on Remembrance Sunday, November 9, and Armistice Day, Tuesday, November 11.
The offer applies to any serving military or cadet in uniform, those with a military ID card, and veterans wearing medals or badges, attending remembrance services.
Matt Cranwell, managing director of Stagecoach East Midlands, said: “Remembrance Day, Armistice Day, and the Poppy Appeal are causes close to the hearts of many of our colleagues and customers and we are very pleased to be making this commitment that will hopefully help people attend memorials.
“We have thousands of ex-forces colleagues working across our business, and our Veterans Network allows us to build on the work Stagecoach has led over many years to identify how else we can support those veterans already working for us and those that may want to come and join the Company.”
Stagecoach’s dedication to offering free travel for the Armed Forces is supported by its employee-led Veterans Network. This network was established to unite Stagecoach employees, giving them a platform to drive positive change, raise awareness, shape business decisions, and implement new initiatives that enhance the company.
Stagecoach has been a member of the Armed Forces Covenant since March 2015. The Covenant recognises the value of serving military, regular and reservists, veterans and military families across the country. The Company is also a Gold employee award holder, as part of The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, for its commitment to the armed forces community
A ‘beloved grandad’ who died after a helicopter crashed after taking off from a Retford airfield has been named as Peter Smith, aged 70.
The family have today paid tribute to him in a statement released by police.
The aircraft had taken off from Retford Gamston Airport shortly before it crashed in the Doncaster suburb of Bentley, off Ings Lane, just after 10:00 GMT on Thursday (October 30).
Peter Smith, aged 70, suffered serious injuries in the crash and despite the best efforts of medical staff, was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
The pilot, a 41-year-old man, and two other passengers, a 58-year-old woman and a 10-year-old boy, received minor injuries.
PICTURED: Peter Smith, 70
Peter’s family have shared the following tribute: “We as a family sadly lost Peter in the most tragic of circumstances when he was involved in a helicopter crash in Bentley, Doncaster.
“Peter was a beloved husband, father and grandfather and we are all devastated by this sudden loss.
“Peter was one of the smartest men who liked to spend his time making and fixing things. He had a real passion for aviation, and this was something he shared with his family.
“He particularly liked to spend time with his grandchildren doing crafts and playing. He was a proud family man who spent a lot of his time with his son both working with and socially. Peter loved to have meals out with his wife and had a particularly sweet tooth.
“We understand that a parallel investigation is currently underway between The Air Accidents Investigation Branch and South Yorkshire Police which we are supporting, and we ask members of the public to not speculate on the circumstances surrounding the accident.
“We would like to ask for privacy during this incredibly difficult time to allow us to come to terms with what has occurred and grieve for the loss of Peter.”
Police are asking for anyone with information to get in touch. They are particularly keen to hear from those with footage of the helicopter leading up to the crash.
A Retford father and his daughter who died in a fire at a caravan park on the Lincolnshire coast were killed by smoke inhalation, an inquest heard last week.
Lee Baker, 48, and daughter Esme Baker, 10, from Retford, died at Golden Beach Holiday Park, in Ingoldmells, near Skegness, on April 5.
In a tribute, their family said last month they had been “excited to be spending the first weekend of the holidays together” .
Lee Baker, 48Esme Baker, 10
The inquests into their deaths were opened at Lincolnshire Coroner’s Court and adjourned until October 5.
Mr Smith confirmed post-mortem examinations had been carried out on April 11 and the medical cause of both deaths were “inhalation of the products of combustion”.
Mr Baker had worked as a self-employed plasterer and was originally from Doncaster but had been living in Retford, the coroner noted.
Following an investigation into the blaze, Lincolnshire Police said the fire was “accidental”.
West Nile virus has been detected in the UK for the first time after being found in mosquitoes collected from the River Isle near Retford
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) identified fragments of the virus’s genetic material in mosquitoes collected from wetlands near Gamston during July 2023. The findings, published today (21) came through the Vector-Borne RADAR programme which tests mosquitoes for emerging threats.
The virus was detected in two out of 200 pooled mosquito samples, each pool containing ten Aedes vexans mosquitoes. While the remaining 198 pools tested negative, the result marks the first recorded presence of West Nile virus in mosquitoes in the UK.
West Nile virus is primarily a bird disease transmitted by mosquitoes. It can occasionally be passed to humans or horses through mosquito bites. Most human cases show no symptoms, but in rare cases it can cause serious illness including encephalitis.
To date, there have been no human cases of locally acquired West Nile Virus in the UK. The main risk of West Nile Virus for UK residents continues to be travel to overseas areas, including parts of Europe, which have already been affected by the disease.
UKHSA said there is no current evidence of the virus circulating in birds or mosquitoes in the UK, and the public health risk remains very low. But they have issued advice to health professionals to test for the virus in cases of unexplained encephalitis.
Dr Meera Chand, Deputy Director at UKHSA, said: “While this is the first detection of West Nile Virus in mosquitoes in the UK so far, it is not unexpected as the virus is already widespread in Europe. The risk to the general public is currently assessed as very low.”
The infected mosquitoes were found near the River Idle, where seasonal flooding and poor drainage encourages a large number of Aedes vexans mosquitoes. This species is native to the UK and is known to cause nuisance biting in areas such as those villages bordering the river.
Dr Arran Folly, lead of the Vector-Borne RADAR project, commented: “The detection of West Nile virus in the UK is part of a wider changing landscape, where, in the wake of climate change, mosquito-borne diseases are expanding to new areas.
“Only through continued surveillance can we assess the risk to animal and public health.”
What is West Nile Virus?
West Nile Virus is a disease usually found in birds, and typically circulates through bird-biting mosquitoes.
Occasionally, mosquitoes may bite both birds and humans or birds and horses, and in rare cases can transmit the virus to humans or horses.
Most people infected with West Nile Virus show no symptoms or present with mild influenza-like symptoms such as fever, headache or myalgia, swollen lymph nodes and a rash. While most recover from the infection within a few days, a small number of cases (under 1%) can cause more severe illness.
West Nile Virus is endemic in various regions across the globe, including Europe, Africa, the Middle East, West and Central Asia, and North America, as well as South America, USA and Australia.
Inmates at HMP Ranby prison near Retford are living in ‘dilapidated’ conditions and a quarter have developed a drug problem after going inside.
The damning findings are in an HM Inspectorate of Prisons report on the conditions of HMP Ranby.
The report, released yesterday (May 19) follows the watchdog’s inspections at the site, near Retford, between February 10 to February 20 2025.
HMP Ranby is a category C training and resettlement prison for adult men. It had a population of 1,087 at the time of inspection.
The results highlight 14 key concerns, with six noted as priorities.
A sink in house block one. (PHOTO: HM Inspectorate of Prisons)Flooring in house block one (PHOTO: HM Inspectorate of Prisons)A cell in houseblock two. (PHOTO: HM Inspectorate of prisons)
Among the six is the fact almost a quarter (24 per cent) of men said they had developed a drug or alcohol problem while in the prison – rising to 38 per cent across three specific blocks – with 61 per cent of surveyed prisoners saying it was easy to get drugs.
The report also details “dilapidated and dirty” buildings, with damaged facilities, graffiti and mould.
Some prisoners were “struggling” to get basic necessities such as bedding, cleaning items and prison clothing, it adds.
Key concerns at the facility also surround the lack of promotion of positive behaviour, persistent rule breaking going unchallenged by officers and medicine administration taking too long.
A lack of support for prisoners developing their employability skills and communication about their resettlement arrangements was also observed.
Cleaner conditions in house block four cell – (PHOTO: HM Inspectorate of Prisons)House block 2 at HMP Ranby prison (PHOTO: HM Inspectorate of Prisons)
The 700 prisoners who live in houseblocks one to three and five “had a pretty bleak existence” according to inspectors.
The report says: “[They are] living in accommodation that was now badly dilapidated, and with many cells lacking basic furniture and almost no self-cook facilities.
“By every measure things were worse for these men, the regime was much more limited, cell bells took longer to be answered and there were more drugs available.”
However, the conditions in houseblocks four, six, seven and eight had cleaner facilities, with more activities for prisoners to do and better workshops and training on offer.
Around one third of men in the prison (300) were found to not be in purposeful activity and “were lucky if they got out of their cells for two hours a day”.
The report does note positive practice within the prison, such as the use of drones for insight into prisoner movement and illicit packages, good mental health support and leaders investing in a “proactive resettlement officer”.
It states since this role has been in place “[the officer] had made over 340 telephone or video calls to local authorities and community housing” since May 2024, with this leading to a reduction in the number of prisoners leaving the prison without any accommodation.
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “The Government inherited a prison system in crisis – overcrowded, with drugs and violence rife – and this report once again demonstrates that.
“We are investing £220 million in prison and probation service maintenance in 2024-2025 and up to £300 million in 2025-26 to improve conditions and keep prisons safe and secure.”
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.”
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.
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.
Fraud investigators have issued a warning to Retford residents after a series of scam calls from people claiming to be police officers.
The victims, all of who are elderly and living in the Retford area, have been contacted by a person claiming to be a police officer.
That person has then engaged the victims in conversation before asking for money or financial details.
A police investigation is currently ongoing and any additional victims or their relatives are asked to contact officers without delay.
Detective Sergeant Tara Clapperton said: “This appears to be a brazen and sinister scam committed by an individual or individuals who can expect a visit in the near future from a real police officer.
“No genuine officer would ever ask for financial details for money over the phone, so anyone receiving such a call from contact us without delay.
“Our investigation into these incidents is ongoing and we will leave no stone unturned as we seek to identify the person or people responsible.
“As always our priority is to protect the public from harm, which is why we are now issuing this public warning.”
Anyone with relevant information should call us on 101 quoting incident 675 of 24 April 2025.
