MEET the Newton family, the main characters of Profit and Loss, the forthcoming commemorative play to mark the 170th anniversary of the Huskar Pit disaster. The play looks at their lives through the eyes of Ann, who lost a daughter in the disaster.

CRAIG Wragg knew he could rely on his family and friends to get him through when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour in September 2007. And no one more so than his girlfriend Deborah Porter who took him to hospital daily for treatment. But in a cruel twist of fate in the middle of his treatment Deborah, 42, was tragically killed in a car accident in December.

AN 11-YEAR-OLD diving sensation is celebrating after scooping two gold medals and a silver medal. Catriona Fraser of Windermere Road, Penistone, won the one metre and five metre dive and came second in the three metre competition beating off 18 other contestants in her age category.

A FOOTBALL fan will be scarred for life after being slashed across the face leaving him with a gaping wound that needed more than a dozen stitches. Owls fan Simon Hance of Westfield Avenue, Thurlstone, was in Blackpool for Sheffield Wednesday's away game on Saturday when he was was cut from his ear down to his mouth in an unprovoked attack.

AN investment company is so incensed by the sale of Penistone recreation ground that it's making an application to the High Court to try to overturn the council's decision to dispose of the land. Yorkshire Land Limited says the ground, part of which is public open space, should be kept for the growing needs of the community and if it is sold compensatory land should be provided.

FORGET traditional football derbys: this will be a rivalry to match all others - Penistone Grammar School pupils versus teachers. Student William Mott has organised the charity match for a second year running to raise money for Prostate Cancer Research after his dad was diagnosed with the disease in November 2006.

A ROYAL Marine killed in an explosion in Afghanistan on Sunday has been hailed a hero by his family. David Marsh, 23, originally from Thurgoland, died when the patrol car he was in was blown up in the Helmand Province.

THURGOLAND Local History Group is celebrating after securing a £38,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to restore the village pump. The money was awarded to the group on Monday and will be used to renovate the pump on the A629 Halifax Road and extend the footpath and hand rail around it.