STAFF and unions at Barnsley Hospital have called for the chief executive to quit after it was revealed surgical wards and theatres will close. Redundancies are expected as part of the restructure with three theatres and two surgical wards likely to go because of the department's £2.2m deficit.

WHEN the red, red robins come bob-bob-bobbing along, Jesse Davis, 72, is ready with a treat.
He started feeding the birds in Hillies fields, Wombwell, during last year's cold snap and now he has them eating out of his hand.

ALMOST £90 million of European money poured into Barnsley in ten years to help regeneration - but it is claimed 'it's difficult to see where it was spent'. Some of the money went on projects like the interchange and The Civic - but there is concern that much of it was squandered or misused.

A DARTON man is pulling his hair out over his latest role on stage as the King of Siam. Craig Alsop has not only shaved his head for the leading role in 'The King and I' but had a pony tail glued to the back of his head which he's had to wear to work all this week.

THE ONLY person from Barnsley to put himself forward to replace MP Jeff Ennis in Barnsley East has been snubbed by the Labour Party. Coun Tim Cheetham has not made the shortlist of candidates who constituency members can vote for to become the official Labour candidate for the seat.

A UNIVERSITY student from Athersley is on the hunt for glow worms. Samantha Whitworth, 26, of Upper Forest Road, wants people to contact her if they know of any sites where glow worms can be found. She is doing a study as part of her environmental conservation degree at Sheffield Hallam University.

THE Friends of Wentworth Castle is appealing for unwanted jewellery to help pay for the restoration of the Victorian conservatory.
About £3.7m is needed for the work and, although most of that will be covered by lottery money, the castle needs to raise £1m in match funding.

THREE theatre managers at Barnsley Hospital have been put on 'gardening leave' after it was revealed the department was running at a £2.2m deficit.
The senior employees have been replaced by an external management team which has been brought in to improve efficiency in theatres.

FASHION guru Gok Wan is coming to Barnsley in search of a the town's worst-dresser.
The star of How to Look Good Naked is holding auditions next month for the third series of Gok's Fashion Fix.

A SIX-year-old boy nearly died of cancer after he was sent home from the doctors with paracetamol.
Samuel Lawson had lost a lot of weight and his stomach was swollen and hard when his grandma took him to Pollock and Partners Surgery, Park Grove, in May last year.

A TRIBUTE night for musician David 'Munky' Youel will be held at the Trades Club on Friday, March 12. 'Munky' was a founder member of The X-Rippers in the 1970s. He died five years ago.

A BARNSLEY choir has helped raise £150,000 for Cancer Research UK. The money was presented to the charity on Friday following a concert at the Royal Albert Hall in October

FEARS of job cuts have erupted after council bosses were asked to consider how their departments would operate if budgets were slashed by half. Many workers now fear for their future after an e-mail, sent on Monday from the corporate communications department, warned of 'difficult financial challenges' ahead.

BARNSLEY will continue its cultural programme despite missing out on the final shortlist for the first UK City of Culture, organisers have vowed. The town failed to make the final four of the competition with Sheffield, Birmingham, Norwich and Derry picked ahead of Barnsley.

THE Duke of Kent likes Kendray - or at least that's what he told Mayor of Barnsley John Parkinson. The Queen's cousin was shown around Kendray Business Centre on Wednesday.

A SENIOR councillor is putting himself forward for the Labour Party candidacy in the Barnsley East constituency. Royston Coun Tim Cheetham, who sits on the council's cabinet, confirmed he will be submitting an expression of interest today after a special selections panel in London yesterday agreed there would be an open candidate list to choose a replacement for Jeff Ennis.

THE council has rubbished claims it has been using an illegal scrap yard run by travellers. A council van was seen at the travellers' site on Tank Row and the council was reportedly dumping scrap metal. There is a sign at the site saying 'scrap wanted'.

BARNSLEY was covered by yet another blanket of snow in the early hours of Sunday. Drivers experienced longer journey times but there were no reports of significant disruption caused by the four-inch covering, but pavements were icy on Monday morning after melting snow re-froze. Chronicle readers sent in a number of photographs of snow scenes.

A FORMER magistrate who has suffered years of anguish at the hands of his neighbour will not be bothered 'one iota' if his tormentor is jailed. Barry Roddis claims his life has been hell for years because of harassment by Barrie Barker who lives next door.

BARNSLEY Council's gypsy policy has been described as 'outdated' and 'inadequate' by a High Court judge at a planning appeal this week. The comments were made after Deputy Judge Roger Kaye QC rejected the council's challenge to a planning inspector's decision to grant permission for a travellers' site at Great Houghton.

CLOSING the only pub in Kexborough will run the community into the ground, according to residents and regulars. Kerry Fenton, manageress of the White Bear on Ballfield Lane, has been given two weeks to clear out by owner Admiral Taverns after it put the popular watering hole up for sale.

THE M1 was closed yesterday afternoon following a 'multiple car pile-up' between Dodworth and Woolley on the northbound carriageway. All lanes were open again by 5pm but a 40mph speed limit was still in place. Traffic backed-up as far as junction 35A.

A BARNSLEY market wig supplier has been providing hair pieces for the stars in reality TV shows Dancing on Ice and Pop Star to Opera Star. Sally Wilkinson, 33, of Sally's Glitz and Glam, said celebrities including Bernie Nolan and Holly Willoughby have worn them.

A BATTLE is brewing between two rival bus companies, and the 'front line' is Dodworth Road. Stagecoach started a new service three weeks ago, number 22, which goes up Dodworth Road to Dodworth and Gilroyd.

THIS week is your last chance to enter the hotter-than-ever Faces of Barnsley competition. This year's contest is more fabulous than ever before, with a red carpet awards ceremony at The Civic and a fantastic selection of prizes.

PEOPLE are being urged to give their clothes to charity shops rather than throw them away.
Barnsley Hospice is one of 100 charities backing the Donate, Don't Waste campaign which is being launched on Monday.