Latest news with #Maltby
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Mystery of schoolgirl sexually assaulted & murdered while waiting for bus 60 years ago…here's why it may NEVER be solved
SCHOOLGIRL Anne Dunwell was on her way to catch the bus home when she was snatched from the streets and murdered. The body of the 13-year-old - who vanished on May 5 1964 in Maltby near Rotherham - was found the next day dumped at the foot of a manure heap on the side of the road. 8 8 8 She had been stripped naked, sexually assaulted and strangled with her own stockings. Chillingly, more than 60 years later - her killer remains on the loose in what is one of Britain's most notorious cold cases. Sadly, Anne's father died without ever seeing anyone held responsible. Her heartbroken older sister Irene Hall has previously said "somebody does know" what happened and has pleaded for witnesses to come forward. The case is among those regularly reviewed by South Yorkshire Police's Major Incident Review Team - and via The Sun the force has appealed for any new information with the murder no closer to being solved. The unit's workload is mainly sexual assaults but also high-profile murder cases, with the aim to use modern technology, such as DNA analysis, to crack cases from as early as the 1960s. It comprises part-time investigation officers who have returned to after the end of their police service. A force spokesperson told The Sun this week: "A murder investigation was launched immediately following Anne's death, and hundreds of dedicated officers have worked on the investigation in the years since, revisiting the case as developments in forensic technology have enabled new leads to be pursued. "A large number of men have been traced and eliminated from the enquiry. "The case has been reviewed on a number of occasions in the past and new lines of enquiry identified. Sadly, these did not lead to the identification of Anne's killer." They added that the force will investigate any new information "that comes to light". There have been a number of theories over the years, including a link to Peter Pickering, known as The Beast of Wombwell - though cops have since ruled him out as a potential suspect. Anne's disappearance Anne had left her aunt's home in Brampton around 9.15pm to catch a bus home to nearby Whiston, where she lived with her grandmother. She had originally planned to spend the night there but decided to keep her gran company due to her grandfather working a night shift. Less than 24 hours later, a labourer found her body as he walked to work on Slade Hooton Lane. Police questioned more than 30,000 people following Anne's killing. As a senior officer announced at the time: "We have a beast at large who has killed once and will possibly try to kill again." In 2002, a break came when police carried out extensive re-testing of evidence found at the scene. The knots in Anne's stockings and bacteria found on her underwear suggested the killer had a sexually transmitted disease. 8 8 8 But officers have since established the substance came from the manure heap where Anne's body was dumped. Despite the years passing, witnesses continued coming forward to help get justice for the tragic teenager. One led cops to reveal in 2003 they were hunting a mysterious chain-smoking Scotsman. The man had been seen drinking in The Ball Inn just yards from the bus stop where Anne was last seen alive a week before she was taken. His van had also been spotted in the area on the night Anne disappeared. The witness said he smoked Craven A cigarettes, which he kept in a silver case, and wore a ring with a blue-coloured stone on his left middle finger. He spoke about psychology while drinking brandy and had a soft Inverness accent. The appeal was put on Crimewatch and circulated by police but the well-educated stranger was never located. As to his involvement, police are still stumped. A force spokesperson previously told The Sun: "It is uncertain whether he was ever strongly suspected or just a person that was seen in the pub near where Anne was last seen. "Therefore, we cannot comment on the importance of this individual to the investigation." For Anne's family, the lack of justice in finding her killer has been torture. Her sister Irene said previously: "You learn to live with the pain and heartache but it never goes away. "I appeal to those who, for their own reasons, have kept information to themselves for so long. "It is possible that the person responsible may now be dead but did they admit what they had done? "My father always wanted to know who could do such a thing before he passed away, but he never got to know. "I'd like to see the killer brought to justice too, but I'm not getting any younger. If I don't then the burden will fall to my children." Anyone with information should contact South Yorkshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111. 8 8
BBC News
03-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Derelict Maltby housing blocks set for demolition
An application to demolish two derelict housing blocks likened to properties in a "war zone" has been Ltd wants to flatten the buildings on Maltby's Little London estate in order to build 15 new people living nearby having campaigned for improvements to the site, 20 objections were lodged, raising concerns about loss of potential community space and whether the development would lead to long-term a meeting on Wednesday, council planning officers said it was a comprehensive plan that would remove unsafe buildings and improve the area. Councillors visited the site ahead of making a decision before granting outline permission for the development, which will span multiple plots on Churchill Avenue, Greenland Avenue, Morrison Avenue, and Greenland Avenue to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, several residents voiced concerns about the impact of derelict buildings on health and McGrath, of Greenland Avenue, told the meeting: "For over ten years I have been working to bring these derelicts down because of the amount of harm they are doing to the health and wellbeing of our communities."The site has been a persistent source of vermin, damp, mould and anti social behaviour. "Michael Staples, from Morrison Avenue, branded the site a "stain" on the face of Maltby and said: "Day after day, week after week, I saw rats running in and out of those derelicts, into residents' gardens and into their homes."I've seen many neighbours develop the kind of respiratory problems that are a result of living around so much toxic black councillor Adam Tinsley said parts of the estate had been "left to rot," adding: "Three years ago, these houses were wide open with live gas and electric still connected. These homes now resemble something from a war zone."The application, submitted by Rivergrove Ltd, which owns 64 of the 138 properties on the estate, includes 15 two-storey houses across three sites, with a fourth area designated as public open developers have been told they must submit landscaping details within one year and begin work within two years of full approval. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
BBC News
26-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
'NHS exercise and rehab course in Rotherham saved my life'
Former miners are among the patients being given a new lease of life by an NHS exercise and rehab class for people with chronic lung conditions. Breathing Space, an NHS service for the management of respiratory diseases, runs the 12-week course at Maltby Leisure Centre near "pulmonary rehabilitation pilot" is a special programme that combines exercise and education for sufferers of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and who have taken part so far said it has had a dramatic impact on their health and daily patient Mandy Hempshaw, 65, said the course had kept her out of hospital and "saved" her life."I was suicidal at one point, using a wheelchair, I couldn't get washed and couldn't get dressed," she said. Breathing Space took the decision to extend what had previously been an eight-week programme in an area where many people worked underground until the closure of Maltby Main Colliery in Peters, clinical team lead for pulmonary rehabilitation at Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, said: "These people want to make changes and they see the benefit, they can walk to the shop and play with the grandkids without being breathless, but it's only an eight-week programme."I needed a better opportunity for patients to keep going with their self-management within the community."The trust partnered with Places Leisure, which runs the sports centre in communities manager, Hollie Webb, said: "This is more of a community programme, we want people to more physically active independently."We want them to build their confidence. It's nothing too strenuous, with a bit of cardio and strength-based work."Ms Webb said delivering the course in Maltby was important."It's one of the more deprived areas in Rotherham, it's an ex-mining community so this is the right place to run a pulmonary rehab course." One of the ex-miners who has seen his health improve is Reg Croft, 72, who worked at the pit for most of his said: "I've got COPD and 40% lung function. My lungs are about shot, walking uphill almost cripples me."When I heard about this course I was first in the queue. I feel a lot better, I couldn't walk to the shop before without getting breathless but I can now."Rose Oxley, 61, has given up a long-term smoking habit since joining the programme and has lost weight."I'm not into gyms - I'd never been inside one before."I love it here now. Having a group really helps - it's hard work but you have to put it in to get better."Mrs Hempshaw echoed her thoughts about the benefits of group exercise. She recently underwent surgery to fit valves in her lungs."I'm not really a sociable person, but it's become a family here."Alongside the operation and my medication, this saved me. My husband still has his wife and my son still has Mum."When the group finish their course, they are invited to become full-time members of the gym at the centre with a 30% patients have successfully completed the programme so far, with another 21 currently participating or starting in the next few pilot will run until October 2026. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
BBC News
12-05-2025
- BBC News
Two men arrested after gun reportedly fired in Rotherham
Two men have been arrested after a gun was reportedly fired in Yorkshire Police said armed officers attended Highfield Park, Maltby, at about 22:45 BST on Sunday. A gunshot was reported an hour later on nearby Hayhurst Crescent, the force said, with no reported injuries. A 23-year-old was arrested for firearms and Class A drug possession offences, with a 35-year-old held on suspicion of possessing firearms with intent. The force said officers would carry out high-visibility patrols in the area in the coming days. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'It's important these graves are visited'
"I think it's really important that all of these graves are visited and that people know their stories." That's what Megan Maltby of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission told Radio Surrey about the largest war cemetery in Britain. Brookwood Military Cemetery, which covers a 37-acre site near Woking, is home to 1,601 burials for people who died in World War One and 3,476 for people who died in World War Two. The nationalities of people laid to rest at the Surrey site include Commonwealth countries, wartime allies, as well as Germans and Italians. The land began as a civilian cemetery in the 19th Century but expanded into a military cemetery after WW1 broke out. One of the youngest people known to be buried at the site is South African soldier Thomas Knowles, who Ms Maltby said is believed to be "part of a musical band that was travelling with the South African army". The 15-year-old died of influenza "like so many others in 1918", she said. Brookwood Military Cemetery is also the resting place of 27 Indian soldiers, whose graves were moved from a different cemetery nearby in 1968 after vandalism incidents. Among the names commemorated on the Brookwood 1939-1945 Memorial is Anglo-French spy Violette Szabo, who worked on behalf of the UK's Special Operations Executive in WW2. The Allies trained Szabo as a field agent and sent her to France during its occupation to feed back useful information. Ms Maltby said: "She was with some resistance fighters at the time they were stopped by a German patrol. "She was captured by the Germans, she was interrogated, she was tortured, she was sadly put to death at a concentration camp." Szabo is one of only four women to be awarded the George Cross after she was posthumously given the gallantry medal. Virginia McKenna portrayed the spy, who married a member of the French Resistance, in 1958 film Carve Her Name with Pride. Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Spy medals 'should stay in UK' More than 70 WW1 names added to memorial 'An affront to those who served' Commonwealth War Graves Commission
