Chronicle chief reporter Jack Tolson takes a look back at what was making the news in February 1980

EVERY DOG HAS ITS DAY

EVERY dog has its day.

Spenmoss Fancy Pants was a nervous wreck 15 months ago - and was offered for sale to a ‘good home’.

But love and devotion have put ‘Sam’ on top of the dog world - at Crufts.

The dog is probably the best Skye Terrier in the land after carrying off the ‘Best of Breed’ award at the top dog show.

Mr and Mrs Peter Priestley, Grays Road, Carlton, took pity on ‘Sam’ and bought him for £75 fifteen months ago.

Yet the dog would not walk on a lead and his coat was shorter than normally accepted for show dogs.

Then Mrs Margaret Priestley, a plant cleaner, at Lyons Bakery, started work on him.

For months she devoted her life to him, gaining his confidence and teaching him everything expected of a show dog.

Even so Sam’s progress was not exactly smooth.

At one early show he just refused to move, even when the judge carried him out of the ring and into a quiet corridor.

But Sam still won first prize.

But Fancy Pants was at his smartest at Cruft’s last weekend when he took top honours at the first attempt.

Mr Priestley, an engineer also employed by Lyons Bakery, said: “We don’t know what made Sam as nervous as he was when we bought him but someone told us he had got caught in an escalator.

“He was certainly a wreck.

“But Margaret persevered with him and he has never really let her down.”

ROAD SAFETY CLOWN TO VISIT TOWN

PIERRE Pickton, the famous road safety clown, will be creating havoc in a good cause in Barnsley schools.

Pierre, who first started his clowning career as assistant to the famous Coco the Clown, has been teaching road safety to children for more than 25 years and will be making appearances at 20 schools starting at Thurnscoe The Hill Junior and Infants’ School.

He will be doing four shows a day and teaching road safety in a fun way to try to impress on Barnsley children the need to take care on the roads and how important it is to use the Green Cross code.

Coun Trevor Naylor, Barnsley Council’s public services committee chairman, said: “We are delighted to welcome Pierre to the town.

“It is an interesting and fun way to push home the very serious message of road safety.”

TOWN LASHED BY HURRICANE WINDS

BARNSLEY was this week recovering from the effects of hurricane winds that roared through the town ripping off slates and uprooting fences and causing severe damage.

Barnsley Fire Service reported that the town centre was worst hit by the gales which, at times, were over 75mph.

Local firemen were called out several times to deal with two dangerous chimneys on Day Street and Queen’s Drive and to inspect a dangerous roof in Laurel Avenue, Kendray.

A section of Higham Common Road, Higham, was sealed off after roof slates landed on the footpath and pedestrians and motorists were threatened when safety panels being used in demolition work on New Street flew off.

Many sheds and fences were also badly damaged throughout the areas.

And a lime tree ripped from the ground, blocked the A637 Huddersfield Road, West Breton, for two hours until local joiners could saw it up and remove it.