Latest news with #Castleton
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
Peak District walks with 'breathtaking scenery' among UK's must-visit valley trails
Two walking routes in the Peak District have been named among the UK's must-visit valley walks. Outdoor experts at GO Outdoors have revealed the top 10 UK valleys to visit this summer, using AllTrails reviews and Google search data to come up with the list. Dovedale Stepping Stones Circular in Dovedale and Castleton and Cave Dale in Cave Dale have been named among the must-visit valleys for this summer. See what GO Outdoors had to say about each walking route. GO Outdoors considered a few factors when coming up with its ranking, including the number of reviews on AllTrails and the rating given on the walking site (scored out of five), trail distance (km) and an overall score out of 10. Dovedale Stepping Stones Circular is a 5km route and has 403 AllTrails reviews and a rating of 4.6. Its overall score from GO Outdoors is 7.2. The Castleton and Cave Dale walk is slightly longer at 5.5km and it has 469 AllTrails reviews with a rating of 4.4. Its overall score issued by GO Outdoors is 5.97. Located near Ashbourne, AllTrails says the Dovedale Stepping Stones Circular route is 'moderately challenging' and takes an hour and 32 minutes to complete, on average. It added: 'Parking is free in a lay-by, followed by a small walk down the road before getting into the fields to start. 'The path leads across stepping stones over River Dove, then up the steep hill of Thorpe Cloud to a beautiful viewpoint. The river can be tough to cross certain times of year, so come prepared.' The Castleton and Cave Dale walk is an 'out-and-back' route near Castleton and takes an average of one hour and 56 minutes to complete. All Trails said ramblers can expect 'breaktaking scenery' when looking at the limestone cliffs. It added: 'This is a lovely trail exploring Castleton and taking you through the beautiful limestone valley of Cave Dale in the Peak District National Park.' Sam Chadwick, blog author and outdoor enthusiast at GO Outdoors, said: 'When visiting valleys, it is best to wear comfortable and supportive footwear as there is often uneven terrain. Recommended reading: 5 circular walks you can do near Bolton this spring including 'beautiful' route Peak District walk with nearby pubs named best UK hike from a train station Best spots to watch the sunset and catch 'stunning' views in the Peak District 'On more difficult hikes, such as Coire Gabhail, it may be a good idea to take supportive equipment such as walking poles. 'This will help you stay steady on your feet and make the experience of tougher hikes more enjoyable. 'It is always important to check how you feel throughout any walk. If you feel out of breath, or that a walk is too hard, turn back.'
The Independent
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Subpostmasters say their fight is still on as they are made OBEs
A former subpostmaster was in tears as she described going from 'convicted criminal to an OBE' but said the 'fight is still on' for justice despite the recognition. Seema Misra was eight weeks pregnant with her second child when she was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment in 2010. She has been campaigning for Horizon scandal victims since having a conviction overturned in April 2021, in which she had been accused of stealing £70,000 from her post office in West Byfleet, Surrey. Reflecting on her journey at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, where she was made an OBE by the Princess Royal, she said: 'Going to prison, that's like a shameful thing. 'I'm OK to fight the Post Office day in, day out but it's just prison I was still coming to terms with.' The former subpostmaster said she would continue to fight to see 'real culprits go behind bars' for the scandal. Ms Misra was made an OBE along with fellow former subpostmasters Lee Castleton, 56, and Chris Head, 37. All three said that, while the honour was special, the fight for compensation and accountability is still on. Mr Castleton, from Bridlington, East Yorkshire, went bankrupt in 2004 after being sued by the Post Office over claims that there was a £25,000 shortfall at his branch which he could not account for. He said he still wants 'vindication' for the way he and his family were treated after that case. Mr Castleton said: 'As a postmaster when things are going well it's wonderful and it's very warmly received. 'But when things go wrong and you are suddenly cast out as it becomes very difficult, life becomes very, very difficult. ' People screamed 'thief' in the street at myself and my family, my daughter was spat at. 'It's so much of a fall from grace really and it's very difficult to take.' Mr Castleton, who was portrayed in ITV drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office by actor Will Mellor, launched a civil action against Fujitsu and the Post Office in March, alleging that they failed to disclose flaws in their software. He explained: 'This is not about money or what's right or wrong, this is about the original case in 2007 and getting vindication for how I was treated. 'It's very important to me, we have redress, and we have accountability but that we also have our right to be vindicated in a way that the public can see.' He said that he was 'very elated' by the OBE and that he was inspired 'to shout louder' by being recognised for his work. Mr Head was the youngest subpostmaster in the UK, aged just 18, when the Post Office pursued him through the courts for shortfalls of £80,000. He has since set up petitions calling for compensation which have received more than 550,000 signatures. Now 37, Mr Head admitted that, while he was proud, the OBE felt slightly premature. 'It would be nice if this was at the end of the process rather than strangely in the middle,' he explained. The subpostmasters said Government promises of fair compensation led to expectations rising, but they have been disappointed by the offers they received. Mr Head said: 'The Government's rhetoric all the time is that they're going to pay full and fair compensation and yet then you're saying people's expectations have risen from them words and then when the offers drop, they've been described as derisory. 'It's a battle in itself to get increases in small increments.' Mr Castleton, Ms Misra and Mr Head were all made OBEs in the King's New Years Honours list. Anne had a 'real understanding' of the campaign and had 'real empathy' for the former subpostmasters and their families, according to all three campaigners. 'She understood because she's done most of the postmasters ones, she said herself she can't understand why it (compensation) hasn't been finalised,' added Mr Head. Among the dozens of people honoured on Wednesday was the former mayor of the West Midlands Sir Andy Street who was knighted by Anne. The Conservative politician held the position for two terms before being defeated in last May's elections by Labour candidate Richard Parker.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Report: Sixers plan to sign Colin Castleton to 10-day contract
Report: Sixers plan to sign Colin Castleton to 10-day contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia The Sixers' 10-day contracts keep on coming in. The team plans to sign Colin Castleton to a 10-day deal, Jake Fischer reported Wednesday. Advertisement Castleton is a center listed at 6-foot-10, 250 pounds who's played 36 NBA games over the past two years with the Lakers, Grizzlies and Raptors. The 24-year-old played regularly for Toronto during a 10-game stretch in March, averaging 6.9 points and 7.4 rebounds in 25.9 minutes per contest. Castleton has posted 16.8 points, 9.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game in 53 total G League appearances. With their roster light on healthy players, the Sixers signed Oshae Brissett, Chuma Okeke, Marcus Bagley and Phillip Wheeler to 10-day contracts in March. Given the state of the 23-53 Sixers' frontcourt, Castleton may very well step right into some minutes. Rookie Adem Bona started the last three games at center. Guerschon Yabusele has missed the past two games with a right knee injury and Andre Drummond is out with a left big toe sprain.
The Independent
22-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Former subpostmaster ‘needs vindication' as he takes legal action
A former subpostmaster said he 'needs vindication' as he started a legal action against the Post Office and Fujitsu over the Horizon IT scandal. Lee Castleton, who is the first individual to sue the two organisations in the wake of the controversy, told BBC Breakfast: 'To be honest, I'm tired of people telling me what to do and what not to do. 'I think it's about time we were listened to.' He is seeking to have a civil action taken against him by the Post Office overturned or set aside. Mr Castleton was sued by the Post Office for £25,000 it said was missing from his branch in Bridlington, East Yorkshire, in 2007. His two-year legal fight saw him declared bankrupt following legal costs of £321,000. He said he had little faith in compensation schemes set up by the Post Office for wrongfully-convicted subpostmasters. According to the BBC, he instructed his solicitors to launch High Court proceedings against the Post Office and Fujitsu on Tuesday. Mr Castleton, who was made OBE for services to justice in the New Year Honours, told BBC Breakfast: 'The schemes aren't fit for purpose, but for me personally I need vindication. 'I need to right the wrongs of the past for me personally as well as help the group. 'You've got to do what you feel is right.' Asked about how his name has never been fully cleared, he said: 'The matter of the court in 2007 is still there. 'It still stands against me and I'd like not only to get rid of that, to overturn that, but I'd like it done in the correct way.' 'I feel to go through the compensation side of things right now without having set aside the original judgment would be the wrong thing to do,' he added. 'If you look at the claim schemes, every single point you make within your claim is then litigated without a judge. 'So every single point is asked for, with proof, and argued and denied by the other side. 'You go through this traumatic two, three, four years in some cases to get to the end of that compensation journey. 'I would like to have a judge in the middle of that for me. 'So that when I present my case, and they present their case, it's not their say-so of what is right and wrong, it's a formal, independent practitioner.' His lawyer Simon Goldberg, from Simons Muirhead Burton, said: 'Mr Castleton's case is correcting the wrongs that have been done. 'What Mr Castleton is claiming is for the judgment to be set aside, because we argue it was obtained on the grounds of fraud, and compensation for the wrongs done to him.' A Post Office spokesperson previously said: 'We recognise that many victims of the Horizon IT Scandal continue to be impacted by their experience. 'Post Office today is committed to doing all we can to help those affected get closure. 'We cannot comment on ongoing legal proceedings but once we receive the claim, we will engage fully in the process.'
Sky News
19-03-2025
- Business
- Sky News
Former sub-postmaster Lee Castleton becomes first individual to sue Post Office and Fujitsu after uncovering 'fraud'
Why you can trust Sky News A sub-postmaster made famous for being portrayed in the ITV Post Office drama is taking the state-owned body and Fujitsu to court. Lee Castleton has become the first individual former sub-postmaster to launch High Court action against the Post Office and the maker of the Horizon faulty computer software. It was the Horizon accounting software created by Fujitsu that wrongly generated financial shortfalls, making it appear that Mr Castleton owed the Post Office money. Mr Castleton wrongfully had a judgment issued against him in 2007 for taking £25,000. He is bringing the challenge against the organisations after it emerged Fujitsu withheld its error log during the prosecution. Had it been included it would have been clear Horizon contained bugs, errors and defects. 0:58 This failure to disclose means the judgment against him was obtained by fraud, he will argue. "We also believe the judgement was obtained by fraud in that the Post Office and Fujitsu knew perfectly well that the Horizon system wasn't working properly," his solicitor Simon Goldberg said. The Post Office and Fujitsu maintained there were no errors with Horizon until 2019. While prosecutions against sub-postmasters have been overturned en masse through one-off legislation, the civil judgment against Mr Castleton was not captured by the law and still stands. Uncovered fraud The revelation that information was withheld from Mr Castleton during his trial came out during the public inquiry into the Post Office Horizon scandal. The inquiry was established to create a clear account of the implementation and failure of the Fujitsu-created software. As part of the scandal, more than 700 sub-postmasters were prosecuted for theft and false accounting. Many more, like Mr Castleton, were declared bankrupt as they struggled to plug the imagined shortfalls. The judgment also destroyed his business, livelihood, and reputation in his community. It had a devastating long-term impact on his and his family's health. He was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the New Year's honours list.
