Industry

Four theatre companies in West Yorkshire have become the first amateur actors in England to perform Les Misérables.

While the professional production has been staged in 53 countries since its premiere in 1985, this is the first time in Les Misérables' 40-year history that amateur groups have been granted the rights to perform a full licensed version of the musical.

The BBC went behind the scenes of rehearsals for the Leeds Grand Theatre show.

"It has been a lifelong ambition to be part of Les Misérables," Mike Porter, the retiring chairman of Leeds Amateur Operatic Society, says.

The production is a collaboration between LAOS Musical Theatre Company, LIDOS, Wakefield West Riding Theatre Company, and Bradford's Buttershaw St Paul's AODS.

It was on a cold morning in January last year when Mr Porter received the call informing him of the granting of special permission from producer Cameron Mackintosh and Musical Theatre International to take Boublil and Schönberg's story to the stage.

"You could have knocked me down with a feather," he recalls.

"I never answer my mobile phone to numbers that I do not recognise and for some reason, I picked the phone up and decided to answer it.

"To be in the choir is just fantastic."

The Leeds production features a 17-piece live orchestra, a 20-person choir and 50 costumed performers.

Casting took place in October following 400 auditions.

One of those who was successful is Kirsty Townend, who plays Fantine.

"As an amateur performer, you do not think you would get to do this," she says.

"It has been stressful because it is such a big show and you want to do it justice.

"It is really exciting."

As the world's longest-running West End musical, Les Misérables has been seen by more than 130 million people since its premiere at London's Barbican Theatre four decades ago.

It came to Leeds in 2022 as part of a world tour. Eleven cities have been given the rights to an amateur show.

Each production has been supported by members of the show's West End and international creative teams.

Rachel Hirst Marshall, WWRTC executive chairman, says it is an "honour" to be part of the groundbreaking project.

"I've been involved in musical theatre since I was 15 years old. This production is incredible really. Amateur dramatics suffered through Covid so this is really exciting."

The LAOS chair, Paul Hopkins, has been involved in amateur theatre for 45 years and adds that the production is "unprecedented".

"I never thought I would see this in my lifetime as an amateur performer."

Les Misérables – Let The People Sing at Leeds Grand Theatre runs until 12 April .

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A man who hit a friend on the head with a wrench because he suspected he was in a relationship with his estranged wife has been jailed.

Alan Westwood, 58, struck at his victim's home in Peel on 31 August.

Douglas Courthouse heard Westwood hit the man with a tool that had been in his car.

He was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison, and given a restraining order banning him from contacting the victim.

The court heard Westwood and his wife had first become friendly with the victim in 2020 and had often met for a drink.

But the 59-year-old had stopped going out after giving up drinking alcohol.

Two weeks prior to the attack, his wife had told him their marriage was over, and he began to suspect she was in a relationship with the other man, the court was told.

'Premeditated and unprovoked'

The court heard she was having a drink with the other man when she received a message from Westwood at 19:45 BST saying he was going to visit him at his home in Peel.

The pair had returned to there to wait for him.

Doorbell camera footage shown to the court showed the victim beckoning Westwood to come in through the back door.

After a brief exchange, Westwood hit the man on the head with the wrench before the pair began grappling on the sofa.

The police were called and Westwood was arrested.

He later pleaded guilty to attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent.

Prosecutors said it had been a "premeditated and unprovoked assault" that had left the victim with a headwound that needed six staples.

Westwood's advocate said he had only noticed the wrench in the footwell of the car when he arrived at the house, and had not deliberately taken it with him.

Handing down the jail term Deemster Graeme Cook said: "You could have killed him."

A woman whose father died when she was 10 said it inspired her to help children who found themselves in foster care.

Sheena, from Lancashire, lost her husband in a crash when her children were aged 10 and 12.

Foster carer Sheena said enduring personal tragedies means she has been able to help others though trauma. Lancashire County Council said despite being a foster care for only a year she has transformed the life of a young girl.

The 57-year-old said: "We have come through some tough times as a family and this is why l wanted to foster to give hope, love and happiness to another child."

Sheena added: "It was hard for my children, but l was able to help them through it by talking about it and not keeping feelings inside.

"We have photos up all over the house of both my dad and my husband.

"We have come through some tough times as a family and this is why l wanted to foster to give hope, love and happiness to another child.

"l have had enough trauma to help children through theirs."

'Showered' with affection

The county council she has made a "huge difference" to an eight-year-old in her care.

Emily – not the girl's real name – had lived in several different homes before living with Sheena.

She has now settled in school and has gone from being unable to read or write to enjoying reading books and practising her spellings.

Sheena said: "What Emily really needed was stability and a family to be there for her.

"She has needed one-on-one time and support to help her at school and it's made a world of difference.

"Her behaviour has also improved, and I think having rules, boundaries and a structure has been the making of her."

Sheena added: "What she's really craved is love and affection, which we've showered her with.

"Emily tells us she loves being part of a family of her own, and as a tomboy she enjoys playing football with my son.

"This older-brother relationship is a great benefit."

She said her daughter and her daughter's partner would look after Emily to give Sheena a break so she could see her friends.

Her daughter also does extra tutoring with Emily.

Last year, Lancashire became one of nine regions across the UK to open the Foster With Us Hub, with the aim of local authorities working together to help recruit, share resources and provide more support for foster carers.

In turn, it is hoped more people will be willing and able to foster.

According to the latest government data, there was a 4% drop in foster carers in north-west England in the last year.

A World War Two veteran who served aboard HMS Fratton during the Normandy campaign and suffered serious injuries has celebrated his 100th birthday.

Stan Ford, a long-time resident of Bath and survivor of the D-Day landings, was honoured on Saturday at a community gathering in Keynsham Masonic Hall.

Mr Ford suffered a fractured spine and injuries to both legs when the ship was hit by a torpedo and sunk off the coast of Normandy on 18 August 1944.

The attack saw 31 people lose their lives, while 38 crew members survived.

'Remarkable'

Mr Ford continued to be active in efforts to commemorate those who served in the war.

He was named an Ambassador for the British Normandy Memorial in 2022, and his image featured in a life-sized banner as part of the Standing With Giants project.

The banner is being displayed at The Guildhall in Bath to coincide with national events marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

The centenary celebration was attended by family, friends, and local officials, including Councillor Kevin Guy, Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council, and Councillor Karen Walker, Chair of the Council.

They presented Mr Ford with a Bath Aqua Glass paperweight as a gesture of recognition for his military service and continued community involvement.

Councillor Walker described the milestone as "a truly remarkable achievement" and acknowledged Ford's contributions over the years.

Councillor Guy called the event "a special and unforgettable celebration."

Mr Ford's 100th birthday was marked not only as a personal milestone but also as an opportunity to reflect on the experiences of veterans and the importance of preserving their stories for future generations.

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A woman says she has been left unable to walk after she was accidentally trampled by players participating in an annual Easter Monday tradition.

Alexie Winship said she was among spectators watching the Hallaton bottle kicking event in Leicestershire, where players attempt to wrestle wood kegs through a field to win.

The 23-year-old was caught up in a scrum and seriously injured. At hospital, she was found to have suffered a neurological injury and a bleed on her spine, which has left her without most feeling below her waist.

Ms Winship, who remains in hospital, said she could not remember much of what happened.

I was on the outskirts [of the players], just watching when a beer keg came flying out in my direction," Ms Winship said.

"I couldn't get out of the way. I was with friends who said I got kicked in the head, knocked out, and then trampled on.

"It was like a stampede. One of my friends pulled me out and I was blue-lighted to hospital."

Bottle kicking takes place in a field between neighbouring villages Hallaton and Medbourne. It has few rules, but is won when players are able to carry two of three barrels across a stream back to their village.

Two of the "bottles" contain beer, while one is completely wooden – painted red and white – and is referred to as the dummy.

Organisers have said local legend suggested the event, preceded by a procession through Hallaton in which hare pies are scattered, can trace its roots back 2,000 years.

Ms Winship told the BBC she had planned to run a half-marathon on Sunday, but her injuries had "thrown a spanner in the works".

She added while she was a spectator, she "never intended" to get involved in the action.

"I can't feel anything below my waist. I can't walk," she said.

"I don't know what's going to happen and that's the scary thing. I'm an active, fit and healthy person."

Ms Winship, who works in retail, has been told she will recover, but that it would be "a long-term thing" and that she was facing "months" using a wheelchair.

She added she wanted people to be aware of the risks of attending the event.

"I wasn't standing particularly close," she said. "We were a few metres away but it surged so quickly towards us.

"They [the players] were looking at the keg, not where they were going. I know it was an accident.

"Maybe they could have marshals to make it safer."

ITV has announced that its ITVBe channel will close in June 2025, and be replaced by a new channel focusing on quiz and game shows.

Launched in 2014, ITVBe has primarily been the home for reality and unscripted programmes, such as The Only Way Is Essex (Towie).

The reality shows currently airing on the channel, including Towie and the Real Housewives franchise, will now move to ITV2, the broadcaster said.

It has not been announced which programmes will populate the schedule for ITV Quiz.

However, the network said it planned to use the channel slot to "draw on ITV's popular, market-leading UK quiz and game shows".

Popular quiz and game shows broadcast on ITV include The Chase, Tipping Point, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, The 1% Club, Deal or No Deal, Catchphrase and Jeopardy!.

ITV said Towie's move to ITV2 would mark a homecoming for the programme, as the show originally launched on that network in 2010.

Viewing figures for the show have dropped in recent years, but its move to ITV2 could give ratings a boost.

The broadcaster said Towie remained one of the most popular titles on its streaming service ITVX.

It added that programmes such as Towie and Real Housewives would be at home alongside the network's other reality formats, including Love Island and Big Brother.

Manx police have urged visitors and local people to "respect our roads" and drive within their limits during this year's Isle of Man TT festival.

An influx of 50,000 visitors to the island are expected for the famous road-racing fortnight which begins on 26 May.

Isle of Man Chief Constable Russ Foster said he wanted to continue "the track record of no fatalities" on open roads during motorcycle festivals seen on the island in the last three years.

He said he also wanted all visitors to enjoy the event, but added "the message is simple – know your limits".

The races begin with qualifying sessions on 26 May and continue until 7 June.

Riders and drivers have been warned to stick to speed limits and not to enter closed roads as part of the force's annual safety campaign.

The A18 Mountain Road, between the Ramsey Hairpin and Creg Ny Baa, will operate as a one-way system during the TT, while cycling is not permitted on this section of the road throughout the event.

Mr Foster said 85% of those seriously injured in crashes during 2022 to 2024 festivals were men over the age of 50.

Stickers in a number of languages have also been produced to remind motorists to keep to the left on Manx roads.

It comes after the force reported an increase in international visitors riding on the wrong side of the road, which led to two incidents in 2024.

Insp John Mitchell, who heads up the Roads Policing Unit during the festival fortnight, said there was "no excuse to break speed limits and no excuse to drink alcohol or to take drugs whilst driving or riding".

He said: "Those actions put others innocent road users at great risk."

Officers would be out in marked and unmarked vehicles to "robustly target anyone who is breaking the law", he added.

A charity that provides mentoring to young people who have previously been involved in anti-social behaviour has benefitted from a grant funded by money reclaimed from criminals.

Didcot-based charity Train Youth was successful twice in 2024 in acquiring a grant from the Thames Valley community fund, which is organised by the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).

The fund relocates proceeds raised through the sale of items seized from criminals to community groups and charities across the region.

Ben Drabble, the charity's chief executive, said he "can't think of a better use" for the proceeds than "reinvesting them in community in organisations like Train and helping young people".

Georgina Dawson, who is a mentor with the charity, said it was "really helpful" to show the "wider community and our young people" where the funding has come from.

"We can actually break down any sort of stigma there is between the police and young people," she said.

"It's turning something that came from crime into something really positive and that has further impact."

More than £200,000 of grants have been awarded to 38 organisations as part of the latest round of funding announced earlier this year.

Matthew Barber, Thames Valley PCC, said communities would benefit from the most recent round of funding through "projects which align with a number of key policing priorities".

Among others selected to receive between £250 and £10,000 are The Slough Job Creation Hub, Windsor Christian Action Homeless Project and Youth Challenge Oxfordshire.

Train, which received two grants in 2024, also runs youth clubs across south Oxfordshire and has about 600 young people engaging with its services each year.

Mr Drabble said there were "fewer and fewer spaces available" to young people, meaning that having a place like Train where they "can't get into trouble" and can "interact with positive role models" was "vitally important".

Teenager Ellie, who uses Train, said it had made her "more confident and happier".

"It made me feel like I could talk to somebody and be myself, and I quite liked that," she said.

Fellow teen Louie added that it was "just good vibes", as there were "people here you can talk to about literally anything".

The owner of one of Grimsby's oldest surviving businesses has announced it is to close.

G Hewitt & Son jewellers, in Victoria Street, was founded by George Hewitt in 1871.

His great-grandson, Jonathan Hewitt, who has worked at the store since the age of 16, said he was hanging up his jeweller's loupe after 50 years.

"We've had an astonishing run, 154 years is not a bad innings," he said.

Commenting on the closure, Mr Hewitt described it as the end of an era.

"It's been an absolute privilege to be part of, and also such an integral piece of Grimsby's high street history, but it is the right time for us to close the doors," he said.

"We've been fortunate to have an amazing team that's played a crucial role in our success over the years."

Mr Hewitt said his great-grandfather, who was a local farmer and renowned horseman, started the venture due to his keen interest in clocks and pocket watches.

He was very well-respected in the trade, Mr Hewitt said.

"We were one of the first Rolex retailers in the UK, with our records showing Rolex sales as early as 1919."

It was also rumoured that his great-grandfather met Hans Wilsdorf – the founder of Rolex and Tudor.

The family's collection includes two Rolex watches, dating from 1919 and 1933, that both bear Rolex and G. Hewitt & Son on the dial.

The shop, which was originally located at 80 Victoria Street, moved to larger premises at 10 Victoria Street in 1939, shortly before the outbreak of World War Two.

At the time, Mr Hewitt said two of his uncles went to war, one joining the RAF and the other the Royal Marines. His father, Arthur, the youngest of the boys, helped run the business with his mother, who was left in charge due to her husband's ill health.

More recently, Mr Hewitt's daughter, Christina, worked as head of operations at the family-run firm.

Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds latest episode of Look North here.

Thousands of students across Yorkshire are in the middle of their exam periods, sitting their GSCEs and A Levels. The BBC spoke to teachers and pupils who share their tips for keeping a cool head during a challenging time.

"We are open and honest about how tough it will be, it's tough for the staff and it's tough for the students," said Liz Fairhurst, principal of Trinity Academy Grammar.

The secondary school, in Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, has more than 1,000 pupils and about 200 of them are taking exams at present.

"We want the very best for them, so we put everything we can in place to support them," Ms Fairhurst said.

"Primarily we support them not only with a positive outlook for their wellbeing and mental health but also in the academic side of the things."

Hafsa, a 15-year-old pupil at Trinity Academy, said there was a lot of support including counselling and one-to-one guidance.

"I think it's really good," she said.

She said she had developed a routine to prepare for revision and tried to ensure she got a good night's sleep before an exam.

"First thing I do when I go home is make sure I am in a good mood, no stress, make sure I've eaten properly."

She said she then watched a show or read a book and – once in a focused mood – began her revision.

Fellow pupil Daniel, 16, said he had been anxious ahead of his first exam.

"I was kind of stressed at first, but then after the first one I found it was a bit less."

He said he had also found the preparation the school provided from Year 7 beneficial.

"We do period sixes, which is like revision sessions, exam workshops and then we get taught to do flashcards.

"From Year 7 to Year 9 we got taught to do flashcards and mind maps for homework."

Jasmine, 15, said she revised most evenings but still made time for dancing to help "de-stress".

"I have a timetable around dance and school has helped me fit around it."

Ms Fairhurst said building students' resilience ahead of the exam season began in Year 7 and continued through to their exams.

"How to cope with stress, what to do and what not to do during the exam period.

"Get enough sleep, eat well, drink a lot of water etc."

She said the school also gave out goodie bags, through partnerships with local businesses, which include educational materials alongside snacks and treats.

Ms Fairhurst said helping students navigate through exam season was a "huge responsibility".

"We all absolutely buy into the fact that positive wellbeing, positive mental health means young people have more chance to thrive and flourish and achieve at school," she said.

At Wales High School, at Kiveton near Rotherham, pupils do not take traditional study leave at home and remain in school during the exam period.

Head of Year 11 Matthew Day said that keeping pupils in school gave them the "best possible chance to work with our specialist subject teachers".

"Also where we've got students that need perhaps some emotional or mental health support, we've got counselling and other systems in place that they can access while they are in school."

He said he was not convinced pupils would get the same level of support that could be offered in school if they were at home.

Mr Day said staff used mock exams to help identify students who might need additional support and they then put together a specific team support them.

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Nikki Bloomer, a pastoral support assistant for Year 11 pupils at Wales High School, said a lot of her work involved helping pupils relax.

"This is a time in your life that's really important but we are all here – mum, dad, carers, teachers – we want you to succeed as well. It's not just on you."

She added that parents also needed to avoid putting too much pressure on their children.

"They might not need to revise at that moment, they might just need that bit of down time, it's not all about 'push, push, push'.

"It's important to have that off time, to go out and have some fresh air and feel relaxed, so they are prepared for that exam the next day."

West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds