Marquis produced a cool finish after 53 minutes which proved enough for Rovers to end their run of away games without victory at 11.

It was largely deserved after they dominated the first half hour of the game, competed well in difficult conditions and defended well after taking the lead.

Rovers started the game much the better, pressing high up the pitch and forcing errors in the Cheltenham defence as the rain poured down at Whaddon Road.

The intensity of their play was impressive, seeing them quicker to every loose ball and ensured they remained largely on the front foot for much of the first half hour of the game.

As they latched onto rushed clearances, they worked the ball well into the feet of strikers John Marquis and Andy Williams, with an all-action midfield four finding plenty of space.

But, as has proved to be a trend so far this season, good build-up play failed to produce clear cut chances.

READ MORE Darren Ferguson 'absolutely delighted' with performance at Cheltenham

The first opportunity came as James Coppinger latched onto a poor clearance and fed Williams whose shot on the turn was tame for Cheltenham keeper Russell Griffiths to handle.

Williams was on the end of their best opportunity of the half. Good pressing saw the ball run through to the Rovers striker who shot for the far post, drawing a fine shot from Griffiths who tipped wide.

Tommy Rowe smashed the ball across goal and it took a sliding block from Daniel Parslow to take the ball away from danger.

Marquis should have done much better after carrying the ball 20 yards into the box only to fire well wide from a good position.

Cheltenham fired a warning shot just after the half hour mark with a rapid break. Harry Pell sent a superb pass out to James Drayton who cut inside and curled a left-footed effort just wide from the corner of the box.

The game began to even out and Cheltenham began to find possession in the Rovers half.

And they had the best opportunity of the opening period four minutes from half time.

Another good through ball sliced Rovers open, giving Billy Waters clear sight of goal only for Marko Marosi to produce a superb one-handed stop to keep out the powerful drive.

YOUR SAY: Vote for your Rovers man of the match

Cheltenham started the second half the brighter with a driving rain at their backs.

But it was Rovers who opened the scoring, eight minutes in.

Coppinger fed Marquis on the edge of the box with the striker darting into space before a composed finish into the bottom corner.

Cheltenham enjoyed the better of the attacking play after the goal but Rovers defended resolutely, denying the hosts clear cut chances.

Koby Arthur twisted and turned into space but fired high and wide.

Rovers threatened on the break and it took a fine block from Daniel O'Shaugnessy to keep out a rasping drive from Rowe from the left corner of the box following Matty Blair's smart cutback.

Substitute James Jennings smashed a low shot at the near post which Marosi got down to claim. And Jennings flicked a header on goal deep into injury time but Marosi snatched with ease.

Rovers really should have doubled their lead deep into injury time.

Griffiths went up the field for an O'Shaugnessy long throw and Rovers broke through substitute Liam Mandeville. But as the youngster looked to roll a ball through to Marquis, he put far too much on his pass and the chance was gone.

But Rovers had done enough for the win.

Cheltenham: Griffiths, Suliman (Hall 51), Parslow, O'Shaughnessy, Cranston, Waters, Whitehead (Jennings 63), Pell, Drayton, Wright, Arthur (Smith 75). Subs not used: Kitscha, J Rowe, Lymn, Barthram

Rovers: Marosi, Lund, Wright, Butler, Evina, Blair (Mandeville 80), Coppinger (Middleton 87), Houghton, T Rowe, Marquis, Williams. Subs not used: Etheridge, Amos, Pugh, Fielding, Calder.

Referee: Mark Heywood (West Yorkshire)

Attendance: 2,923 (367 away)

Doncaster Rovers picked up their first away win in eight months thanks to John Marquis’ second half strike at Cheltenham Town.

We want you to select your man of the match from Whaddon Road so please make your selection in the poll below.

And we’ll bring you the results on Monday.

READ MORE

On-the-whistle report: Cheltenham Town 0 Doncaster Rovers 1

Darren Ferguson ‘absolutely delighted’ at performance in Cheltenham win

Darren Ferguson declared himself 'absolutely delighted' after seeing his Doncaster Rovers side pick a deserved win at Cheltenham Town.

John Marquis' second half strike was enough to separate the two sides and see Rovers earn their first away win since January.

As he left Whaddon Road with a three points, a clean sheet and no new injury worries, Ferguson was pleased with the performance of his side.

"I'm delighted with the win," Ferguson said.

"I'm delighted with the clean sheet against a side that haven't lost at home for 17 matches. Cheltenham will win games at this place, the way they play.

"I'm absolutely delighted, it was a really good win for us."

READ MORE: Match report: Cheltenham Town 0 Doncaster Rovers 1
Ferguson added: "I felt we started the game well. The first 30 minutes we were very strong. The only thing that I was disappointed in was that we should have been a couple of goals at least up.

"I said to the players make sure you concentrate because the last five minutes of the first half I thought they had a couple of chances, which I didn't want.

"We knew we'd have to weather periods where they would throw the ball in the box but I thought we did that very well.

"It was a good goal, we should have had more, a clean sheet, the second on the bounce which is vitally important.

"I thought in the first 30 minutes we showed our strengths and played some really good stuff, caused them all sorts of problems and just needed that goal. John has got us the winner again."

YOUR SAY: Vote for your Rovers man of the match

A homeless charity has warned of a crisis after a man sleeping in a doorway was left fighting for his life after an alleged night-time assault.

Carl Notely, aged 52, was taken to the Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, after the incident in the early hours of Wednesday, August 10, and was in a coma after the incident outside the British heart Foundation Shop on Printing Office Street. Today it emerged that he had been made homeless from his council home after being hit by the so-called bedroom tax.

It was also claimed he had been thrown out of his home due to rent arrears.

Mr Notely was injured in the doorway of the shop where he had been sleeping, and the incident has sparked concern for the safety of homeless people in the borough

The M25 housing charity, which helps homeless people across the borough, has warned Doncaster was facing a “deepening problem” as a result of the lack of availability and provision of advice and support services to some of the town’s most vulnerable people.

Joyce Foster, executive director of the M25 Housing & Support Group, said: “The current rise in the number of people affected by homelessness in Doncaster is truly alarming.

This...also comes at a time when public attention is being diverted on to problems in Doncaster’s town centre with street begging.

“What happened to Carl was a direct result of his vulnerabilities that come with a life on the streets. This...had nothing whatsoever to do with street begging. Unless urgent actions are taken that hold statutory agencies with responsibility for homelessness services to account to improve access to advice and support for people affected by homelessness, I really fear that what happened to Carl will increasingly happen to other vulnerable people on Doncaster’s streets – there is a real risk that this...becomes commonplace and accepted.”

A Doncaster Council spokesperson, said: “We have made significant investment to support homeless people in Doncaster. In 2015, we commissioned a homeless accommodation and support service, provided by Riverside Care and Support, which includes 24/7 support at two hostels, Wharf House and Open House Plus, and an outreach service where Riverside proactively engage with rough sleepers with a view to supporting them into accommodation.

“We will continue to work with our partners to address the issues of homelessness.”

A spokesman for St Leger Homes said: “We are genuinely sorry to hear of the situation that Mr Notley is currently in.

“St Leger Homes works proactively with tenants and partners to prevent our tenants getting into debt; we also provide extensive support to those who struggle to pay their rent and will only ever carry out an eviction as a last resort.

“We support tenants by carrying out income assessments, advising on benefits and assisting with benefit claims. We also provide debt advice and guidance for those struggling with multiple debts through various mechanisms. We also recognise and provide tailored services to tenants with vulnerabilities.

“For those affected by welfare reform, we have been proactive in providing financial help for the under-occupancy charge while helping tenants to find a long-term solution, for example, moving to a smaller property, or finding work.

“Further to this we administer the council’s ‘No Homelessness’ process which is designed to put in place an additional safety net for tenants at risk of losing their home due to the under occupancy charge. We make offers of appropriate alternative accommodation to those affected and work in partnership with a range of agencies to provide any support needs.

“Mr Notley was provided with all the necessary support, advice and assistance at the time in an attempt to prevent the eviction and subsequent homelessness. A small number of tenants each year are evicted for non-payment of rent as a last resort.

Anyone who has concerns about difficulties paying their rent can call 01302 862862.

Statement from Joyce Foster: M25 Housing & Support Group:

“Doncaster is facing a deepening problem as a result of the lack of availability and provision of advice and support services to some of the town’s most vulnerable people. With that comes an ugly dehumanising effect. Increasingly some local people are acting to disregard the value of the lives of other human beings.

Carl Notely is a 52 year old local to Doncaster street homeless man that is now lying in the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield.

That’s a headline that covers a much deeper story of the poor state of statutory advice and support services in Doncaster. Mr Notely, a former tenant of St Leger Homes of Doncaster was evicted by them due to rent arrears that had arisen as a direct result of the contentious bedroom tax.

“This would be the start of a dramatic downward spiral in his life.

Access to homelessness support is narrowing as local statutory services move closer towards digital and telephone service. Research published by Shelter this week highlighted the growing risk of homelessness facing millions of people in the UK today due to financial stresses. Mr Notely had no financial means to act independently through access to any personal phone or computer.

Access to face to face advice services in Doncaster is shrinking due to the closure of specialist services and a reduction in the value of advice services contracts commissioned by Doncaster Council.

Mr Notely is also a man with the additional vulnerabilities that occur in people with multiple health problems. Mr Notely has insulin dependent diabetes and physical disability issues so severe that he qualified for Disability Living Allowance payments. Mr Notely is well known to Doncaster Council and St Leger Homes of Doncaster having presented on numerous occasions to the Homelessness Support Unit based in the Civic Building. Mr Notely was also previously discharged from Doncaster Royal Infirmary in March 2016 after a hospital stay of around a week due to insulin management problems due to his homeless status. The pressures on NHS services are

well known and this is yet further evidence of the consequences of failures to provide any safety nets of support to those known to be especially at risk.

Mr Notely would then go on to access current Homelessness service support that would further worsen his ongoing health problems. He was accommodated by Riverside ­Doncaster Council’s contracted Homelessness service provider in March this year. This involved access to an emergency bed for three nights only (maximum length of stay) before being sent out to the Parramore Hotel.

Mr Notely attended the M25 Housing & Support Group for help in July 2016 having been forced to return to a life of rough sleeping for two months as a result of delays or failures in the processing of welfare benefit and housing benefit payments. These were being challenged by M25 Housing and Support Group Specialist Advice services prior to this assault. The M25 Housing and Support Group is Doncaster’s local Homelessness Charity that is continuing to provide advice and support to homeless people without any funding from statutory services.”

The following were convicted at Doncaster, Barnsley and Sheffield magistrates’ courts.

Doncaster

All addresses Doncaster unless otherwise stated.

Malcolm Stevens: aged 38, of Baxter Avenue, Wheatley, theft, £85 costs.

David Donkin: 61, of Victoria Road, Bentley, drug production, community order with curfew requirement, £85 costs.

Michael Gleadall: 21, of Fairfield Road, Cusworth, drug possession, community order with 200 hours’ unpaid work supervised.

Leonardo Van Helden: 24, of Auckland Road, Mexborough, possession of an offensive weapon, community order with 50 hours’ unpaid work supervised, £85 costs.

Daniel Abell: 24, of Edlington Lane, Warmsworth, criminal damage, 12-month conditional discharge, £50 compensation, £85 costs.

Mihail Croitoru: 26, of Childers Street, Hyde Park, theft, £150 fine, £85 costs.

Mark Whitehead: 48, of Bank Street, Mexborough, drunk and disorderly, 12-month conditional discharge, £85 costs.

Austin Hallam: 29, of Woodlea Grove, Armthorpe, assault, community order with rehabilitation activity requirement, restraining order imposed, £50 fine, £100 compensation, £300 costs.

Craig Meakin: 40, of Durham Road, Wheatley Park, drug production, community order with 120 hours’ unpaid work supervised, £85 costs.

Colin Simpson: 44, of Highfield Crescent, Thorne, assault, community order with rehabilitation activity requirement, £85 compensation.

Aiden Sinnott: 19, of Shadyside, Hexthorpe, criminal damage, community order with rehabilitation activity requirement.

Wayne Besley: 35, of Haig Road, Moorends, theft, 12-month conditional discharge, £9 compensation, £85 costs.

Benjaim Lawrence: 24, of Chaddesdon Walk, Denaby, vagrancy, community order with curfew requirement, £85 costs.

Aaron Green: 32, of St James Street, Doncaster town centre, theft, community order with rehabilitation activity requirement, £40 costs.

Martin Meaney: 33, of Laughton Road, Hexthorpe, theft, 12-month conditional discharge, £16.50 compensation, £85 costs.

Robert Metcalf: 31, of Doncaster Road, Tickhill, drink-driving, £120 fine, £85 costs, 20-month driving ban.

Jay brooks: 29, of Laughton Road, Hexthorpe, theft, community order with curfew requirement, £55 compensation, £85 costs, £100 compensation.

Stefan Burcea: 44, of Salisbury Road, Hexthorpe, assault, community order with 180 hours’ unpaid work supervised, £200 compensation, £100 costs.

Jaime Coll: 25, of St James Street, Doncaster town centre, theft, four months’ jail suspended for 12 months, £78.10 compensation.

Tony Howley: 33, of Adwick Court, Mexborough, drunk and disorderly, 12-month conditional discharge, £85 costs.

Stuart Pearson: 39, of Oak Road, Shafton, Barnsley, drug possession, four months’ jail suspended for 12 months, £85 costs.

Gavin Coltart: 35, of Marshland Road, Moorends, breach of community order, community order with rehabilitation activity requirement, £75 costs

Jordan Morris: 22, of Newmarket Road, Cantley, breach of community order, community order with seven hours’ unpaid work supervised, £75 costs.

Jamie Lock: 30, of Alexandra Road, Balby, theft, two weeks’ jail, £151 compensation.

Graham Austin: 39, of no fixed address, theft, community order with drug rehabilitation activity requirement.

Danny Jameson: 29, of Wellington Road, Hatfield Woodhouse, theft, community order with 50 hours’ unpaid work supervised.

John Kataryna: 37, of Drake Road, Wheatley, breach of community order, community order with 20 hours’ unpaid work supervised, £75 costs.

Anthony Grant: 54, of Honeysuckle Close, Bessacarr, drink-driving, community order with 160 hours’ unpaid work supervised, £85 costs, two years’ driving ban.

Joshua Kreidie: 21, of Smith Street, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, theft, 12-month conditional discharge, £85 costs.

Richard O’Brien: 30, of South Crescent, East Dene, Rotherham, drug possession, 12-month conditional discharge, £85 costs.

Nathan Smith: 27, of Alston Road, Bessacarr, drink-driving, community order with 160 hours’ unpaid work supervised, £85 costs, two years’ driving ban.

Barnsley

All addresses Barnsley unless otherwise stated.

Kelly Ackroyd: 32, of Worsbrough Road, Blacker Hill, drink-driving, three months’ jail suspended for 12 months, £85 costs, 30-month driving ban.

Richard Benson: 28, of Dearne View, Goldthorpe, driving while disqualified, three months’ jail suspended for 12 months, 18-month driving ban.

Claire Tinker: 37, of Copeland Road, Wombwell, 12-month conditional discharge.

Sheffield

All addresses Sheffield unless otherwise stated.

Liam Deakin: 21, of Cemetery Road, Wath-upon-Dearne, Rotherham, harassment, £450 fine, £85 costs.

Stephen Hodgson: 38, of no fixed address, theft, two months’ jail.

Jmaie Gibson: 39, of no fixed address, criminal damage, two weeks’ jail.

Jordan Kopyto: 20, of Fern Lea Grove, Bolton-upon-Dearne, Barnsley, driving without insurance, £660 fine, £85 costs, six points’ on licence.

Keith Standage: 58, of Thorne Road, Doncaster town centre, driving without insurance, £660 fine, £85 costs, six points’ on licence.

Tia Scott: 31, of no fixed address, theft, four months’ jail suspended for 12 months, £85 costs.

Virdaru Catalin: 27, of Alexandra Road, Balby, driving without due care and attention, £220 fine, £85 costs, three points on licence.

Sharna Cooper: 21, of Broadway, Dunscroft, driving without due care and attention, £65 fine, £85 costs, three points on licence.

Joshua Verhees: 26, of Camellia Drive, Kirk Sandall, driving without insurance, £660 fine, £85 costs, six points on licence.

Daniel Clegg: 26, of Winterwell Road, Wath-upon-Dearne, Rotherham, driving without insurance, £660 fine, £85 costs, six-month driving ban.

Oliver Clarkson: 30, of no fixed address, assault, two months’ jail, £50 compensation.

Injury-hit Doncaster staged a magnificent comeback to beat Keighley Cougars 26-24 in a thrilling League One Super 8s clash at the Keepmoat Stadium.

With York City Knights losing at home to Hunslet, the Dons climbed into fourth place knowing that one win from their last three games would be enough to secure them a play-off spot.

But the club’s play-off bid looked like going down to the wire when they trailed 24-12 midway through the second half and showing few signs of being capable of mounting any sort of challenge to a Keighley side who were in a do-or-die situation coming into the game.

But they managed to conjure up two converted tries to level the scores and after both teams had failed with drop goal attempts, full-back Tom Carr won the game with a pressure penalty kick three minutes from time.

The Dons started brightly and took an early lead when stand-off Jordan Howden put Brad Nicholson over from close range for a fifth-minute try converted by Carr.

Connor Scott did well to nail hooker James Feather after he had broken clear inside the Doncaster half but quick hands from the resulting play-the-ball saw second-rower Charlie Martin cross out wide and Danny Lawton levelled the scores when adding the extras.

Cougars showed their teeth again on 19 minutes when winger Andy Gabrial squeezed in at the corner after some snappy handling in the Doncaster 20.

Lawton missed the resulting conversion but made amends three minutes later when kicking a penalty.

The Dons regained the momentum and drew level on 28 minutes when winger Louis Sheriff had the simple job of touching down in the corner from Howden’s clever kick and the ever-reliable Carr converted from touch to make it 12-12.

Keighley returned to the attack and stand-off Adam Brook almost dummied his way over.

They were not to be denied, however, and grabbed an 18-12 interval lead they probably deserved when full-back Ritchie Hawkyard scored out wide from close range for on 39 minutes and Lawton again converted.

Hawkyard went close to a second ten minutes after the restart, just failing to ground the ball from a kick before it ran dead.

When Aaron Ollett touched down from close range for another converted try the writing looked to be on the wall for the home side.

With Keighley well on top it probably would have been but for some dogged defence and the fact that the visitors missed two shots at goal during spells of sustained pressure.

Prop Mark Castle, virtually impossible to stop so close to the line in full flight, threw the Dons a lifeline with a 68th minute try Carr converted to reduce the deficit to six points.

The Dons were level two minutes later when Australian scrum-half Jordie Hedges – finally playing in front of his parents for the first time in the British game - shot over from close range for a try in his first game for six weeks.

Dons: Carr, Foggin-Johnson, Jones-Bishop, Doherty, Sheriff, Howden, Hedges, Castle, Kesik, Scott, Walton, B Nicholson, Milton. Subs: Cross, Paleaaesina, Pickets-O’Donnell, M Welham.

Manufacturer Dunelm has identified a potential safety issue where the sewn in care label can be pulled off which is then a choking hazard for small children.

The affected products are the White Dumbo Comforter with barcode 5050390072731, and the Winnie the Pooh Comforter, barcode 5050390072892, sold in the UK through Dunelm stores and www.dunelm.com from September 2015.

Anyone having purchased either of these items is advised to return this product to their nearest Dunelm store for a full refund.

The company added that where a child has become attached to their comforter, no replacement would be available with only only offer a full refund on offer. However, removing the full care label and date pip (the small label underneath) would make the product safe.

More information can be obtained by emailing customerservices@dunelm.com or calling 0333 234 0870.

Darren Ferguson will this week hold discussions with the Doncaster Rovers board as he contemplates whether to bring in at least one defender on loan.

Ferguson is to continue his hunt for a pacy forward but admits he is now considering adding to his defensive ranks with injured players not yet close to making a return.

The Rovers boss was forced to name teenagers Joe Pugh, Reece Fielding and Danny Amos on the bench for the win over Cheltenham Town on Saturday, something he says hammered home the lack of depth in his squad due to the long injury list.

And he says he is contemplating whether to bring in more loan players than he can use in any one game. Regulations permit only five loan players can be named in any matchday squad.

“The decision I’ve got to make now is whether I bring in another loan,” he told The Star.

“The ones that are injured are still going to be another four weeks.

“We’ll probably look at that this week. You saw the bench we had on Saturday and it was quite a young one and I think we need to have a bit more cover than what we’ve got.

“I’ll speak to the chairman and Gavin [Baldwin, CEO] and we’ll discuss it properly, where we’re going to go with it.

“It may be a case of having to bring in more than five loans, given the circumstances. We’ll wait and see.

“But from what I’ve seen over the last week, I’m really pleased with the players.”

Rovers currently have Riccardo Calder, Jordan Houghton and Niall Mason on loan, though the latter will be out for two months due to a medial ligament issue.

Mason will remain on loan with Rovers however as the deal runs for six months due to the ending of the emergency loan market.

Ferguson said: “Because of the new rules, for him to go back to Villa would make no sense because he can’t go anywhere else.

“We’ll still get a good three months out of him.”

A Doncaster college which trains people to work in the horse racing industry has been praised in an official report.

Ofsted has rated the Northern Racing College as good overall after an inspection carried out earlier in the summer.

It was judged as ‘outstanding’ for the personal development, behaviour and welfare of the students at its Rossington Hall site, between Rossington and Bawtry.

The report said: “Trustees, leaders and staff are highly committed to providing high-quality provision that prepares young people very successfully for a career in the horse racing industry.

“They have created a culture of high expectations where staff use their high levels of skills and knowledge to motivate learners and apprentices.

“This has resulted in learners on intensive study programmes and apprentices making rapid progress in developing the skills and knowledge they need to do well in their chosen career.”

It added apprentices acquire a wide range of very good workplace skills and many gain riding licences and progress from point-to-point to novice races, with a significant minority going on to ride race winners.

The Northern Racing College is a charitable organisation limited by guarantee and was established in 1984.

Rainbows beamed over attendees at this year’s Doncaster Pride – with record-breaking crowds of 12,000.

Despite some showers, devoted revellers danced in the rain at the event, which marked its 10th anniversary this year.

Organiser Jen Dewsnap said that, according to police estimates, around 2,000 people joined the parade and more than 12,000 people attended the main event in Sir Nigel Gresley Square.

She said: “The weather wasn’t so kind to us in the morning, but the 12,000 turn-out over the course of the day makes this the biggest Doncaster Pride ever.

“All the organisers are thrilled with how well things have gone and so proud of the event’s success.

“For the second year running, we’ve had people dancing in the rain.”

But it wasn’t all bad weather for the event, which celebrates the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in Doncaster, headlined this year by ex S Club 7 singer Jo ‘Meara.

When the sun beamed through summertime drizzle, attendees were treated to a plethora of rainbows – the universal symbol of the LGBT community.

“It was very special,” said Jen. “When the rainbow appeared over the Cast Theatre, it really was a magical moment for everybody.”

She added: “Everything we set out to achieve with this event, we have. It was a fitting celebration to mark 10 years of Doncaster Pride.”

Motorists are experiencing delays this morning because of an accident.

There is queuing traffic and one lane closed on the M1 southbound between junction 32, M18 (Thurcroft) and junction 31, A57 (Sheffield), because of an accident.

There is also congestion on the M18 to junction 2 A1(M).

Plans have been drawn up to stop people sleeping rough in a doorway where a Doncaster homeless man was attacked.

Karl Notley was left in a coma after suffering serious injuries as he spent the night in the doorway of the British Heart Foundation Shop on Printing Office Street in Doncaster town centre.

Now planning notices outside the building reveal proposals to seal the space off with a metal barrier which would keep rough sleepers out.

An official report beforeDoncaster Council town planning officers states that the recessed entrance has been subject to antisocial behaviour.

A document lodged with planning officers states: “The Building is Grade II Listed.

“The Planning/Listed Building Application is for provision of security gates to the recessed shop entrance doorway – to prevent ongoing problems with homeless persons using the covered area for overnight accommodation, toilet facility, and drug use (which has to be cleaned up by BHF staff on a daily basis).

“The building trades as a charity shop, open to members of the public, selling furniture and electrical goods.”

It would see ‘lattice’ type gates put in place on the site, which dates back to 1938 and is one of Doncaster’s best examples of art deco architecture.

Police were called out on Wednesday August 10 after Mr Notley was found with serious head injuries after the incident which happened in the early hours of the morning.

A man was later charged with grievous bodily harm after the incident and appeared at Donaster Magistrates Court.

Well wishers have since set up an appeal to raise money to make sure that 52 year old Mr Notley has somewhere safe to stay when he comes out of hospital.

They have already passed their original target of £200.

n Anyone wanting to donate to the Just Giving page can visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/for-karl

The vast majority of UK’s airports are failing to provide adequate support for autistic travelers, according to a recent report.

30 of the busiest departure points for air travelers were deemed to fall short in their provision for the estimated 700,000 people in the UK with the disability, following the survey by sensory equipment specialists Experia and the National Autistic Society.

Autistic travellers can often find air travel a difficult experience due to large crowds, noise, invasive security checks and disruption to familiar routines. But despite this being a widespread condition, just 11 out of the 30 airports contacted (37 per cent) provided evidence of having worked with autism charities to improve the knowledge of their staff.

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The research also found that information is not always easily available for autistic passengers - only 10 out of 30 airports (33 per cent) answered the phone the first time when contacted or had a section on their website dedicated to hidden disabilities such as autism.

And none of the airports had a designated quiet or sensory area for autistic travellers, while only seven (23 per cent) provided a specialised guidebook for autistic passengers.

The UK’s busiest airport, London Heathrow, was found to have only limited information, and staff on the Passenger with Restricted Mobility desk were unable to provide full details of the support available when initially contacted by phone.

However, Manchester Airport has some of the most comprehensive services to support autistic flyers, offering an awareness pack that includes guidebooks and videos for each individual terminal. It also offers the passenger a wristband which discreetly alerts airport staff to the disability, allowing the person and their group to fast-track queues without drawing unwanted attention.

According to the research, 13 out of 30 airports (43 per cent) did not immediately offer assistance to find a quieter area of the airport. In some cases, airports replied that they would offer assistance through check-in and then leave it to the relevant airline.

In general, the research found that larger airports provided the most comprehensive services. However Liverpool Airport was notable for providing a dedicated section on their website, a guidebook for autistic passengers and an Autism Awareness voucher to enable a fast track through security.

And staff at a number of smaller airports such as Inverness and Belfast International had undergone specialist autism training.

Jane Harris, Director of External Affairs at the National Autistic Society, said: “Autistic people can easily get overwhelmed by too much information in public places, and noisy, bustling airports can pose huge challenges.

"If you’re autistic, sounds such as flight announcements combined with the high pitched beeping from access vehicles and machinery can cause you extreme distress and pain. Many also struggle to cope in crowds and queues and with unexpected events like flight delays.

"Small changes like clear information available online and designated quiet spaces would help autistic people to manage their anxiety and their sensory sensitivities.

“We’re currently working with several airports committed to improving the travelling experience for autistic people so great work is underway, but we need all UK airports to make the small changes that would mean more autistic people feel well supported and able to travel solo or with their families.”

Pets are a welcome companion for over 50s but they keep their owners on their toes and can cause chaos in their homes, according to analysis of Saga Home Insurance claims data.

Animal damage includes tortoises knocking over heat lamps and dogs walking paint through the house

Here are more unusual animal related home insurance claims Saga has handled over the last year:

Troublesome tortoises

One Saga customer was relaxing at home when her husband starting shouting for her help in the hallway. She leapt up and discovered that there was a fire in one of the rooms. After putting out the fire and investigating the damage the customer realised that her two pet tortoises had knocked over the heat lamp which had started the fire. Luckily the tortoises were unharmed but the damage cost more than £6,000 to repair.

Disaster dog

One policyholder was at home looking after her daughter’s puppy when the next door neighbour’s cat strolled through the garden. The dog leapt up to scare the cat away but didn’t realise the patio doors were shut and charged straight through them causing the glass to shatter everywhere. It cost over £2,000 to repair the damage.

Cat-astrophe

When a Saga customer returned home after a long day shopping she noticed that all her favourite antique ceramic ornaments were smashed on the floor. At first the customer was worried that she had been burgled but then she saw her next door neighbour’s cat sitting among the chaos. The clumsy cat had knocked the items over and it cost more than £500 to replace them.

Decorating dogs

One policyholder asked his wife to take their dog out for a walk while he did some decorating. When his wife got home she let the dog off the lead forgetting that her husband was doing some painting. The dog ran straight through some wet paint leaving white paw marks all over the house. It was a costly mistake and they had to replace all the carpets.

Hungry husky

One customer wanted some peace and quiet so took his hearing aids out and placed them on the coffee table. However, as he got up to make himself a cup of tea his dog jumped up and thinking he was pinching a tasty treat swallowed them whole. Having made a dogs dinner of the hearing aids it cost almost £2,000 to replace them.

Saga communications director Paul Green, commented: “We are a nation of pet lovers, but even the best behaved dog or cat can leave you with a big bill. Animal accidents in the home can cost thousands to put right. This is why it is important that pet owners protect both their pets and their homes so they ensure that they can get back to normal as quickly as possible. Accidental damage cover is essential for any pet owner to protect themselves against any pet mishaps.”

There were some cracking goals in the games involving our clubs this weekend, but which one was best?

Will it be Jay O'Shea’s cool finish for Chesterfield against Shrewsbury, or Alfie Mawson’s towering header for Barnsley against Huddersfield. Or maybe Stefan Scougall, John Marquis or Danny Ward?

With summer holidays coming to a close, South Yorkshire parents can't help but notice back to class adverts across TV, shops and websites.

While families spend an average £70 on school uniforms, Provident asked 2,024 parents in the UK to list all outgoings involved.

As the new academic year approaches, parents can expect to pay approximately £1,519 to send a child to school with Yorkshire and The Humber geographically cheapest in the country.

Main costs throughout the year include:

Ø Childcare: £220

Ø Uniform: £70

Ø Tech: £85

Ø After school clubs: £106

Ø Packed lunch: £585

Ø Commuting: £60

Ø School social events: £55

While the costs in general don’t seem much, there are quite a few to consider. A third of parents surveyed said they buy their child two replacement trousers, 10% said they buy three pairs of shoes, and just over 14% purchase over four shirts a year.

As parent can expect to fork out over £100 on school shoes, uniform and sports kit at the start of the academic year, the price increases as parents claim to spend over £50 throughout the year just on replacement uniforms.

When looking at the overall cost of sending a child to school (Year 1 – 11) costs vary around the UK. The average cost of sending one child to school for parents in the UK is £17,374, this increases to £21,298 for children in London.

Ø East Anglia - £15,312

Ø London - £21,298

Ø North West - £16,507

Ø Scotland – £15,714

Ø South West - £14,505

Ø Wales - £15,573

Ø West Midlands - £15,526

Ø Yorkshire and the Humber - £14,107

Will this be the most expensive academic year for your child?

When doing a cross comparison of prices across different academic years, prices for school trips tend to hit three figures for children in years 8-11. It seems the most expensive academic years are 8 and 11, as yearly prices hit slightly over £1,700 per child.

One mum that knows the struggles all too well is Katie Humphrey, mum to 5“This amount surprises me and actually seems quite low. Once kids hit secondary school age the costs of specialised equipment, books, trips and sports kits etc. really sends the costs spiralling. When you have more than one child the costs can be unaffordable, especially when they often need more than one thing at a time. I cringe when they all come home with letters, wondering how much I need to spend that week!”

Zoe Grant from Suffolk thinks that there should be more support for parents “I think there is quite a lot of pressure on parents to ensure their children always have all the school equipment, join social school clubs and events and take part in extracurricular activities”

Find out how much your child will be costing this academic year with providentpersonalcredit tool.

After being made redundant Debbie saw a huge gap in training for the community and along with a colleague she set about providing this.

Debbie Stacey, 49, has been working as a director of Riverside Training in Gainsborough for nearly 11 years.

Along with a colleague Debbie was made redundant from a training company and the pair saw a gap in the market.

Debbie said: “The challenges of the role are to find funding streams that meet the needs of what the local community want.

“We take pride in delivering quality support and training to a wide range of people in many aspects of their life. Finding the correct funding stream for this can be tricky.

“Other challenges are meeting the demand in numbers. There are so many people out there who want our help and to access our training that we are frequently oversubscribed.

“The rewards of the roles constantly outweigh any of the challenges.

“Seeing the difference we can make in someone’s life is always a humbling experience.

“This could be from providing training for a new job, building their confidence or supporting them through our Pathway to Wellness programme if they have been suffering from anxiety or depression.

“It gives you a warm feeling that you have helped this person to improve their lives and also those of their families.”

Debbie says that many who have enrolled on recreational courses such as the floristry and art classes have told her how much fun they have had and also what good value they are.

She said: “This is due to the funding that we work hard to secure to keep the costs at a reasonable price so they are accessible to everyone.

“Juggling my time is also a challenge as I am the vice-chair and treasurer for Gainsborough Uphill Community Centre.

“With this it is good to see the community centre being used more for the local residents and community.”

Previously Debbie has worked in banking and provided coaching and training to staff.

She said: “From this I realised how much I enjoyed helping people develop their skills and knowledge.

“When I left the bank I knew that I wished to deliver training in some way but was not sure what sector.

“Working with adults is very fulfilling and rewarding. The main surprise was having my own training company and business but the opportunity was there and I believe that you need to take these opportunities as they arise or you may never get the chance again.”

Debbie says her biggest achievement, other than starting the training company from nothing to engaging with more 900 people a year, has to be the weekly Skills and Social Huddle.

She said: “We started this project last year to provide a drop-in service to reduce loneliness and isolation within the community.

“Every week a group of people gather in the centre to have a coffee and chat usually doing some kind of fun craft activity.

“It provides a relaxed atmosphere for everyone and they can come and go as they please without having to book sessions.

“Seeing how those who attend have learnt new skills and gelled as a group is marvellous.

“Looking to the future I would like everyone to be able to access support and training that will help them in their own personal goals.

“So many people do not realise the level of services that they can access to either update and improve their job opportunities or access support for personal/life issues.

“On a personal level, eventually I would like to live in Italy. I have been many times and it is such a beautiful country, the people are so friendly and the food is fabulous.”

Debbie also enjoys gardening, eating out and she has recently started cycling.

Isle students made the grade and are celebrating receiving a record set of A Level results.

The pass rate for pupils at Hill House School was an impressive 99 per cent. Of this, 47 per cent were graded at A* to B, with 74 per cent graded at C or above.

Westwoodside twins Conor and Kallum O’Hara managed six A Levels between them, at the same time as pursuing successful football refereeing careers and, for Conor, singing in the national choir of the year Rainbow Connection. Kallum has won a place at Liverpool University to study avionics, while Conor moves on to stage school in Guildford.

Headmaster David Holland was delighted with the successes, saying: “This reflects a lot of hard work and talent from both students and teachers.

“Both boys have been a great credit to the school, and will do really well in the future.”

John Leggott College also had a 99 pass rate, with 46 per cent of grades at the A*-B top grade level.

This year’s results were characterised by continued remarkable performance in the college’s two largest curriculum areas, science and mathematics and visual and performing arts.

Isle student Tom Wright achieved and A and two B’s and is now going to the University of Manchester to study geography. he said: “I really enjoyed my time at John Leggott, the help I was given with my UCAS application made all the difference.”

Lily Tuplin got a B and two D*’s and will now be heading to Nottingham to study adult nursing. “I’m really pleased with my results, I worked hard to get a B in Science and that got me into my preferred uni,” she said.

Off to study maths at Durham is Steven Lawson after achieving three A*s, he said: “I’m very proud of results, I put a lot of hard work into my A Levels and it paid off. The teachers at college put a lot of effort in, gave up their time and went the extra mile to help.”

Jade Smith got an A* and two D*s and will now study fine art at Sheffield Hallam, she said: “The college was amazing and very supportive.

“I’m so happy about my results, I’m absolutely gobsmacked.”

Raising a cuppa and cash were Isle coffee lovers recently.

Haxey resident Gill Snow organised her fourth coffee morning which was all in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society, and said there was a brilliant turn out.

She told the Bells/Advertiser: “We made a total of £2,657.43, half of which will go to help fund the research for a cure of the disease the other half is to help present day sufferers and their carers in our area.

“I would like to thank everyone who donated prizes and baking for the cake stall, the support was amazing. I also received some generous donations and raffle prizes from local businesses which did help towards the success on the day.

“Lastly a big thank you to everyone who helped with the planning and worked so hard on the day, without them it wouldn’t be possible”

If you are organising a fundraiser then why not let us know? Get in touch with the news team via email editorial@jpress.co.uk or leave a message on our Facebook page.

There will be no waste and recycling collections on bank holiday Monday, August 29 across North Lincolnshire. All collections will move back one day.

For example, if your collection falls on Monday August 29, your collection that week will move to Tuesday August 30. Tuesday collections will move to Wednesday and so on through to Friday collections moving to Saturday.

To make sure you don’t forget your bins and boxes this upcoming bank holiday please check you collection calendar.

If you don’t have a collection calendar, check your collection dates online at www.northlincs.gov.uk or call the Customer Contact Centre on 01724 297000.

The Household Recycling Centres will be open as usual over the bank holiday period.