Drug Den

It's a job almost none of us would want to do - but someone has to clear houses taken over by drug users and squatters. It was fascinating to film and photograph with the team who do this. I helped put together an online story and a radio version too.

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Doncaster Drug Raids

South Yorkshire Police have raided houses in Doncaster suspected of being involved in the growth and supply of illegal drugs. The crackdown on organised crime is called Operation Duxford. There have been thirteen arrests, with more than two hundred cannabis plants seized during a series of warrants.

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Doncaster Rovers' Celebrations

I've been to see Doncaster Rovers celebrate winning the League Two title. There was a big event at the Eco-Power stadium and it was an absolute pleasure to be there. The story was also covered on the BBC News website.

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Harworth Miners' Service

The contribution made by mine workers at the old Harworth Colliery has been celebrated at a special church service. The colliery near Doncaster opened in 1919 and was mothballed in 2006. All Saints' Church has a stained-glass window commemorating generations of coal mining. 

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Shoplifting

Shoplifting is on the rise in South Yorkshire. According to police data, there were more than fifteen thousand reports of shoplifting in South Yorkshire in 2024. That's up more than a thousand on the previous year. Conversely, in Doncaster shoplifting is down in the same period - but some shop owners are not convinced and say thieving is worse than ever.

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Doncaster Cold

We've been filming in Doncaster where charity workers that provide support for struggling families say they've been really busy since the cold weather hit. They've been handing out blankets, hats and gloves for those who are struggling to afford to heat their homes. Meanwhile a local GP says there's been a big demand for their services with covid, winter flu and Norovirus causing problems. 

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Stainforth Flood

I've been reporting from Stainforth in Doncaster this week where a mother and two daughters have been flooded for the second time in five years. Lavina Raywood and her children were about to move back into her house in Stainforth after flooding devastated the property in 2019. But it's now been flooded again.

This was my quick report for our lunch bulletin...

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Doncaster Prison

This week I reported from outside Doncaster prison where a ten hour police operation to stop drugs and other banned items getting inside did not trace any contraband among 120 visitors or more than a hundred and fifty prison staff yesterday. However, Following searches of fourteen prison cells, illicit items were found including cannabis, spice, tobacco, USB sticks and charging devices.

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Recycling Doncaster

There's a growing problem of residents putting the wrong things in their recycling bins. In Doncaster contamination of recycling in bins has gone from 10% in 2020 to 16% now. I've been to look into the problem.

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Food Thief

Earlier this week I filmed a story at a church food and clothes bank in Doncaster that's been targeted by a thief for a seventh time. That's despite the food and clothes that've been stolen - from St John The Evangelist Church in Balby - being free to anyone who needs them. After seeing the story on Look North last week a security company in Leeds has offered its services for free to act as a deterrent.

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Alan Bocking

I had the pleasure of filming with a 95 year old man from Doncaster who was given a terminal cancer diagnosis over a year ago has raised £20,000 for charity. Alan Bocking, who has stomach cancer, was told he had 2 months to live in August last year but is still walking everyday to fundraise for Macmillan Cancer Support. You can donate by clicking here.

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Doncaster Airport

The final flight took off from Doncaster-Sheffield last night. The 10:55pm departure to Katowice in Poland, operated by Wizz Air, was be the last to take to the skies for the airport before it closes. Last month, owner Peel Group said operations would wind down at the airport from the end of this month as it was not financially viable. 

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Terri Harper

I had a really enjoyable evening filming with Doncaster boxer Terri Harper who's been announced as an ambassador for the Club Doncaster Foundation, the charity linked to Donny Rovers. The WBA and IBO super welterweight champion was coaching youngsters before a Rovers match.

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Dialysis at Home

A woman from Doncaster who uses a dialysis machine at home to help keep her alive is calling for the NHS to cover the cost of her increasing electricity bills. Dana Holmes has chronic kidney disease and says her health has improved since using her dialysis machine at home rather than in hospital and is convinced it saves the NHS money. Dana gets £96 a year from the NHS to cover the electricity costs of using the machine but she says since energy prices have shot up, it's leaving her more than £20 a month out of pocket.

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Ukraine Donations

This week I reported on the thousands of donations of clothes, food and medicines have been collected at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Bentley in Doncaster for Ukranian refugees fleeing to Poland. They have had four lorry-loads worth of items donated. I found it a very uplifting experience to witness the generosity of people and the enthusiasm of the volunteers who were sorting through the donations.

This was my report for our lunch bulletin...

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Doncaster Stabbings

I went to Doncaster to cover the sad story of a teenager and man being stabbed to death. I reported for BBC Look North, the BBC website and BBC Radio 2's news bulletins.

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Roll On 2021

I had such a good time filming this story with a really inspirational man called Fraser Lamb. He's raising money for the hospital that saved his life. Fraser was born with spina bifida and had life-saving surgery at Sheffield Children's Hospital when he was twelve years old. He's clocking up 2,021 miles around his village of Bawtry in Doncaster in the year 2021 to raise money for the hospital charity. My story was on BBC Look North and BBC Breakfast...

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Since the story was broadcast, Fraser has raised a further £8,000 for the charity. You can donate here.

Flood Insurance

A family from Bentley in Doncaster who were flooded a year ago are still not back in their home. Lorna Ulyett says the stress caused by a series of problems they've had with their insurer has torn their family apart. They've been living in a caravan in their garden for 12 months.

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South Yorkshire Floods Anniversary

I've been busy re-visiting some of the places that were devastated by flooding in South Yorkshire twelve months ago to . Last Autumn was the wettest on record here. It led to 1,200 homes having to be evacuated. Since then the Environment Agency has spent twelve million pounds bolstering flood defences in the area but is warning that the risk of flooding is going up because of climate change. I enjoyed travelling around filming people's stories to make this report.

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Sheffield Children's Hospital Fundraiser Carmel

A woman from Doncaster whose life was saved by Sheffield Children’s Hospital nearly sixty years ago is raising thousands of pounds as a way of saying thank you. Carmel Proctor was born with a severe type of spina bifida but survived thanks to the expertise of the team at Sheffield Children’s. 

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