Burton Mail
Residents now divided on dog classes at site of failed bid to build houses
PLANS for a dog agility course on a village field - subject to numerous attempted housing plans - have divided residents. Sarah Blackshaw has outlined plans to South Derbyshire District Council to convert an agricultural field in Fishpond Lane and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘We could not be prouder of our students and their fantastic achievements’
PRINCIPAL Laura O’leary said that John Port Spencer Academy, in Etwall, was celebrating its best-ever GCSE results ‘with students achieving outstanding success across a wide range of subjects.’ This year’s cohort achieved a pass rate of over 80 per...
Read Full Story (Page 3)
Actor to feature in film alongside stars of stage, screen and sport
WEST End star Rob Madge, of South Derbyshire, is among 30 LGBTQ+ celebrities and high-profile allies appearing in a new film for charity The Proud Trust. Rob, raised in Swadlincote, stars in the #Deservebetter campaign film alongside the likes of pop...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Town’s greatest treasure finally back in Burton after 40 years
NATIONAL pressures impacting waste sites across the country are continuing to affect Leicestershire. The temporary closures at four recycling and household waste sites have been extended until further notice at Bottesford, Lutterworth, Oadby and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
£75 fines for drivers ‘that throw litter’ from vehicles
COUNCIL chiefs have introduced new penalties for drivers littering from their vehicles. The move comes amid an increase in rubbish being thrown from vehicles across East Staffordshire. Drivers caught littering from their vehicles will receive a £75...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Town centre car park is set to be transferred to a new operator
AN agreement has been reached which will free East Staffordshire Borough Council from its responsibility for the upkeep of a Burton car park. The transfer was approved as the rooftop car park on Burton Place is viewed as posing a ‘significant longterm...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Overnight work to resurface a busy town road starts next week
WORK to resurface the A5121 Derby Road in Burton will take place overnight from next week. This £2.3 million highway reconstruction scheme, delivered by Staffordshire County Council, involves resurfacing the route between the Derby Turn island and the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
College students are celebrating their outstanding results
STUDENTS at Burton and South Derbyshire College (BSDC) were celebrating yesterday after receiving their Level 3 applied, technical, and vocational qualification results. These results mark an important milestone, with many now progressing to...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Families support plan to reopen passenger trains on historic route
AS fresh hope rises for the return of a railway station in a part of Derbyshire reliant on buses and cars, residents next to the historic route have spoken out. It has been more than 50 years since the Ivanhoe Line from Burton through Castle Gresley...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
What an amazing FEET!
A WOMAN from Burton has been crowned Toe Wrestling Champion 2026 after winning the world title last month in Ashbourne. Abigail Beech, 26, who goes by the competing name ‘A-big-nail,’ won the women’s world title at the annual championships on...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Agencies told to ‘do more’ to tackle child sex abuse in families
AGENCIES in Staffordshire have been told to do more to tackle child sex abuse in family environments. Inspectors found that organisations respond in a ‘timely and effective’ way to initial concerns over abuse within families, with practitioners being...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
600 call-outs for fire crews across county in one month just ‘shocking’
FIREFIGHTERS in Staffordshire have been called out to an average of 20 incidents a day as demand soared last month. Throughout July, crews were called out to roughly 600 outdoor fires. Now Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service has branded the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Wildfires and droughts pose risk to wildlife across county
STAFFORDSHIRE’S wildlife is facing increasing pressure as drought conditions and a growing risk of wildfires take hold across the county. The warning comes from Staffordshire Wildlife Trust after the Environment Agency declared drought in the West...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Have your say on local plan in borough for next 20 years
RESIDENTS across the region have been invited to help shape East Staffordshire’s future in a new Local Plan consultation. People living in East Staffordshire are being urged to have their say on how the borough should develop over the next two...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Record high as 4,750 potholes filled in county during July
HIGHWAYS crews in Staffordshire filled in a record number of potholes last month. The county council says its workers have been making the most of the dry and fine weather to fill as many potholes as possible, “improving conditions and creating...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘Crossroads of doom’ now set to be upgraded in £200k scheme
SOUTH Derbyshire’s “crossroads of doom” are set for improvement as part of a wide range of upgrades to tackle some of the county’s biggest – and most notorious – roads. Funded by developers, Derbyshire County Council is set to “draw down” more than...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Burton set to stage first celebration of culture over 9 days
BURTON’S diverse communities will take centre stage from this weekend as the town hosts its first-ever Cultural Celebration. The nine-day programme, running from August 8 to 16, has been shaped by local community organisations working alongside East...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Shake-up will ensure social housing goes to those most in need
COUNCIL chiefs are set to slash the housing register by more than half - as demand for social housing continues to outstrip supply. East Staffordshire Borough Council will also make it harder to join the register. In June this year, 9,423 households...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
DISCOUNTS OF UP TO 75% OFF
4 DOOR OSAKA WARDROBE IN EITHER WHITE OR LIGHT OAK HIRST GLASS TOP TABLE WITH 4 CHAIRS
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Call for ‘roving’ collection in bid to help combat fly-tipping blighting 4 areas
A SENIOR councillor has called for a roving waste collection service to address the problem of fly-tipping. It comes as a review is set to suggest that the majority of waste dumping happens in a few areas of East Staffordshire with a high proportion...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Shake-up at tip set to increase parking spots and ‘rubbish storage’
A SOUTH Derbyshire tip is being improved to allow more rubbish to be stored and to increase parking spaces for visitors. Derbyshire County Council is due to change the layout of the Bretby Household Waste Recycling Centre, off Main Street in Newhall,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
ADAM WINS BRONZE
ADAM Ramsay-peaty broke down in tears after being forced to settle for a bronze medal in the men’s 100 metres breaststroke final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The 31-year-old was pipped by Australia’s Sam Williamson and 18-year-old Filip...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Top honour for Molson Coors’ UK brewing HQ in Burton
A RESTORED former brewery workshops building that has become Molson Coors Brewing Company (UK) Ltd’s new headquarters has received Burton Civic Society’s top architectural honour. The Horninglow Street headquarters, below, has been awarded an...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Parkrun set to celebrate a milestone moment
A JUNIOR parkrun is preparing to celebrate its 500th event next month – marking 12 years of the free weekly 2km run/walk for children in the community. The anniversary event will be marked as part of the Swadlincote Junior Parkrun on Sunday, August 2,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Anger at litter blighting beauty spot in Burton
OVERFLOWING litter bins at Burton’s Washlands have prompted renewed calls for action from a regular visitor, who says the problem is persistent. Keith Butlin, who lives in the town, walks his dog at the councilowned park every day and said he has...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Bike thief jailed after two-week crime spree
A MAN stole two bicycles, an e-scooter and an e-bike during a two-week spate of thefts in Burton-upon-trent. Michael Hughes admitted two counts of theft of a pedal cycle, two counts of theft of conveyance other than motor vehicle or pedal cycle, one...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Cash boost to help stage a ‘cultural carnival’ in Burton
FIVE community organisations in East Staffordshire will receive grants to help stage cultural celebrations across Burton this year. The money is part of a pilot project to deliver an event or series of events during the celebrations. The five...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
New PCSO pay offer in a bid to avoid strike action
THE county’s police chief has backed an offer to support PCSOS who will lose pay due to controversial shift changes. Police community support officers voted in May to take industrial action over Staffordshire Police’s changes to their shifts, which...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
County force ‘inadequate’ in responding to public
INSPECTORS have found Staffordshire Police ‘inadequate’ in how it responds to the public. His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) said the force was not attending priority incidents within its two-hour target...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
First responders celebrating their anniversary with a call-out milestone
A VOLUNTEER emergency response team is celebrating its first anniversary after reaching a remarkable milestone of 1,000 emergency call-outs in just 12 months. Burton Community First Responders marked its first year on Wednesday, July 15, having hit...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
250,000 extra appointments to see your GP every year
PATIENTS across Staffordshire are set to benefit from around 250,000 extra GP appointments each year following investment to modernise doctors’ surgeries. The Staffordshire and Stoke-on-trent Integrated Care Board (ICB) said 19 GP practices have...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Pre-school is among best in the country after Ofsted grading
A SOUTH Derbyshire pre-school has achieved one of the strongest Ofsted results in the country and is among the UK’S best after being rated ‘Exceptional’ in three areas of its provision. Woodville Preschool, near Swadlincote, is celebrating after being...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Families urged to reduce water usage after a day of record demand
WATER company bosses are urging customers to reduce the amount of water they are using every day as demand hits record levels. Bosses at Severn Trent say they experienced the highest single day of demand for water ever recorded across its region on...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Town park flagged up as one of country’s best
CLAYS Lane Park has been named one of the country’s best parks after winning the Green Flag Award for the bestmanaged parks and green spaces. The Branston-based park achieved the international quality mark for parks and green spaces as part of the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
New ‘all-age’ special school in pipeline as part of major £28m plan for county
A NEW all-age special school could be built in Staffordshire - to help more children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities get support closer to home. Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet will be asked to approve £28.6...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
250 local jobs safeguarded & more are in the pipeline after plan sanctioned
PLANS for a major £100 million distribution centre which will safeguard 250 jobs have been approved by councillors. They sanctioned an application, submitted by Prologis, to create a new national headquarters for Palletways, bringing together the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Rail travellers warned about delays as £5m scheme starts
PASSENGERS using rail services through Burton and the surrounding area are being warned to expect disruption over the next two weekends as a £5.1 million programme of railway improvements begins. Network Rail will carry out work at several locations...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Mum hits out as delays leave 6-year-old son without school support
SEND delays are leaving children without vital support in mainstream education, a mum from Burton has claimed. Sarah Hall says long delays in Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPS), poor communication and funding issues are affecting children with...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Firm’s boxing clever!
A KING’S Award-winning Derbyshire manufacturer is expanding its defence work after delivering its first products supporting production of the new Boxer armoured vehicle for the British Army. Melbourne-based Acres Engineering has completed and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
County council in vow to fix 40,000 potholes during the next 272 days
HIGHWAYS crews at Staffordshire County Council are looking to fix 40,000 potholes by the end of March 2027. The blitz will see defects across the county targeted by workers, including 14 new crews undertaking the crucial task of fixing the county’s...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Rogue landlords fined more than £224k for having no licences for HMO
A LANDLORD has been ordered to pay more than £18,000 after losing an appeal against a financial penalty for operating an unlicensed house in multiple occupation (HMO) in Burton. East Staffordshire Borough Council’s HMO Licensing Team successfully...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
106 new houses locked in after Branston scheme gets the go-ahead
PLANS for 106 new homes on the Branston Locks development have been approved - despite concerns that some properties fall below national space standards. Councillors at East Staffordshire Borough Council unanimously approved the plans. The Branston...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
BOOM! Burton festival is set to expand with live music nights
SONIC Boom Festival is expanding beyond its annual free town centre event with two new live music nights celebrating Burton’s heritage. The festival returns to the town centre on Saturday, September 12, with indie band Pale Waves confirmed as...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Burton-based solar firm set to take on 80 staff to meet demand
A BURTON-BASED solar firm is creating 80 new jobs across the UK as record demand for home installations is expected to continue throughout the summer. Bosses at Project Solar said most of the new roles will be in sales following a sharp rise in...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Shock as firm has to appoint administrators
A STAFFORDSHIRE metal finishing specialist that has served UK industry for more than four decades has fallen into administration. Pym & Wildsmith (Metal Finishers) Limited – which traces its roots back to 1979 and operates from Bramshall Industrial...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Teen Evie gives up her dream of seeing pop star to help animals in need
A BURTON teenager gave up her dream of seeing Billie Eilish after spending £160 she had saved for concert tickets on food and supplies for animals in need at the RSPCA instead. Evie Dyer, 15, had been saving for around six months to buy expensive...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
22 incidents of dumped waste uncovered in a day with joint ops
A JOINT day of action targeting fly-tipping and environmental crime in Shobnall uncovered 22 incidents of illegally dumped waste and dozens of other issues requiring further investigation. Officers from East Staffordshire Borough Council’s...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Proposal for new forest school for kids – right behind their care home
BURTON could be home to a new forest school under plans submitted to East Staffordshire Borough Council. Bayleaf Care Ltd submitted the proposals, which, if approved, would see provision for six pupils. The school is set to be located on land behind...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Student Ruth scoops award after ditching childcare to be a plumber
AN apprentice plumber at Trent & Dove has been named Adult Learner of the Year after being praised for her dedication, professionalism and resilience in a traditionally maledominated industry. Ruth Binks, 52, received the accolade at Burton and South...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Man arrested in murder inquiry after woman is found dead
A MAN has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the death of a 72-year-old woman in South Derbyshire. Police were called to reports that a woman had been found with stab wounds at a property in The Crest, Linton, Swadlincote, at just after...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
14 new repair teams launched for big summer blitz on potholed roads in county
EXTRA highways crews will be in place to help tackle road defects across Staffordshire over the summer. A total of 14 extra repair teams will be up and running by the end of June, with the crucial task of fixing the county’s potholes and other...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Couple ‘channel stillbirths pain’ to repay charity for its support
A HILTON couple are tackling a gruelling 100km ultra challenge this weekend to raise money for a charity that helped them through the loss of two babies. Hollie and James Langton will take on the North Yorkshire Ultra Challenge today and tomorrow in...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
New ‘taskforce’ is launched now to help families ‘feel proud of where they live’
ACOUNCIL has launched a new Love Your Neighbourhood Taskforce – focusing on areas in need of support, tackling issues that matter most to residents and helping to create cleaner, safer, and more welcoming neighbourhoods. Working alongside local...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Huge town estate to finally get shop 11 years after plan was first proposed
PLANS for a shop on a huge Burton housing estate have finally been approved – more than 11 years after first being proposed. Now, a Sainsbury’s convenience store is set to be constructed on Upper Outwoods Farm. The estate was first proposed in 2013,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Parents and kids urged to walk to school as part of a day of action
A COUNCIL is urging parents and children to walk to school in Burton as part of its support for Global Action Plan’s Clean Air Day tomorrow. East Staffordshire Borough Council says the air quality in the region has shown a steady improvement in recent...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
MP in call for a lifeline VAT cut for hospitality businesses in the area
THE MP for Burton and Uttoxeter has called on the Government to reduce VAT on hospitality firms from 20 per cent to 10 per cent. Jacob Collier’s call follows the launch of a VAT’S The Problem campaign, spearheaded by chef and publican Tom Kerridge and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Search is on for people with a passion for poetry
THE search for the next Staffordshire Poet Laureate (2026–28) and Young Poet Laureate (2026–27) has been launched. The two posts are seen as playing an important role in supporting creativity, inspiring communities and raising the profile of poetry...
Read Full Story (Page 3)
Creating new play den is child’s play for students!
CONSTRUCTION students at Burton and South Derbyshire College (BSDC) have designed and built an imaginative outdoor play den for pupils at Anglesey Primary School in Burton. The project began after Anglesey School launched a “Junk Project” challenge,...
Read Full Story (Page 3)
Medium to the stars moves her podcast from London to Uttoxeter
A MEDIUM and podcast host has moved her growing operation from London to Uttoxeter – bringing celebrity guests and a communityfocused vision with her. Chloe Smith, presenter of the Chloe Mediumship podcast, says the move felt like a natural step, with...
Read Full Story (Page 3)
U-turn means top private school is now set to remain open
A PRIVATE Staffordshire school has been saved from closure. Abbotsholme School, near Rocester, had been due to shut on Monday, June 22 after being purchased by Abbotsholme 2026 Limited. But the decision sparked outrage among parents and staff had not...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
YOGA STUDIO PLAN FOR OLD SCHOOL
A HISTORIC former village school could be turned into a yoga studio, cafe, deli and wellness centre, putting to rest fears of housing. The former Willington Old School, in The Castle Way, next to the canal and opposite Derbyshire County Council’s...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
£180k boost as 6,000 explore new Staffy Trail
MORE than 6,000 people are estimated to have explored the Staffy Trail since its launch - generating an early boost of up to £180,000 for the county’s visitor economy. The popular public art and heritage trail has already attracted almost 3,000 app...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
£200k fund to help people in need of instant fuel bills support
A STAFFORDSHIRE council is preparing to spend £200,000 on a fuel voucher service and energy adviser to support struggling residents. East Staffordshire Borough Council hopes to launch the service, which will last for two years, at the start of...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Stalker jailed after jumping into woman’s car in Burton
A MAN from Burton-upon-trent has been jailed after he stalked and harassed a woman for more than a year. Mohammed Qasim Ali, 25, was jailed for two years and eight months at Stafford Crown Court on May 28, after he admitted stalking involving fear of...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Plans unveiled to turn vacant town boozer into a mosque
PLANS have come forward to turn a vacant Burton pub into a mosque and community centre. The Hanbury Arms, in Sydney Street, has been closed since the end of December 2024, the application form submitted to East Staffordshire Borough Council...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Council launches fly-tipping probe after complaints about lake litter
FRESH concerns have been raised over worsening litter and anti-social behaviour at a fishing lake in Stretton – with residents claiming the problem has escalated during the summer period. A Stretton resident, who previously complained about the issue...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Row about just how many potholes have been filled on roads across the county
REFORM UK councillors have hit out at “false” claims that fewer potholes are being filled in across Staffordshire. Philip White, below, Conservative group leader at the county council, said that “deciding to pause new pothole repairs last summer has...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
80 new staff are ‘loving it’ as restaurant finally opens
A NEW Mcdonald’s restaurant has finally opened its doors after surviving a rejected planning application more than two years ago. The restaurant, which will seat nearly 200 diners and has created around 80 new jobs, opened on Wednesday on The Castle...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
MP in pledge of support for pubs and breweries in constituency
THE MP for Burton and Uttoxeter has shown his commitment to supporting the pub and brewing industry after hearing directly from operators about challenges facing the sector. Throughout the day, Jacob Collier MP spent time at The Blacksmiths Arms in...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Retailer insists it’s ‘business as usual’ despite roadworks
A BURTON furniture retailer has reassured customers it is “business as usual” – despite ongoing £2.3 million roadworks on Derby Road. Neighbouring stores Coytes Bed & Sofa Shop and Coytes Carpets are both based on Derby Road, close to the stretch...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Top award for ‘hero’ cop who rescued OAPS from vehicle inferno
HERO traffic officer Mike Riach helped rescue two elderly people from a blazing car after a crash. Now Mike, from Uttoxeter, has received a Chief Constable’s Award from Leicestershire Police for his efforts at the scene of a collision on the A453 near...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
MP calling for more Sunday train services at two railway stations
TRAIN passengers in Tutbury and Uttoxeter are being urged to have their say as their MP steps up a campaign for better Sunday rail services across the area. The campaign, led by Burton and Uttoxeter MP Jacob Collier, is aimed at improving connectivity...
Read Full Story (Page 1)