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Debate rages as ‘giant willy’ wood carving appears in West Yorkshire park

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 14th June 2022

People have been arguing about a sculpture that's been... ahem... erected in a West Yorkshire park.

The woodland carving was created out of a large tree trunk in Beaumont Park in Huddersfield.

The incredible carving captures local flora and fauna, with rabbits, birds and a hedgehog etched into the wood.

And while no one can deny the beauty of the carvings themselves, it's the overall shape of the sculpture that's set tongues wagging.

https://twitter.com/JoviGirl_1980/status/1508157591326801923

Some people have said it looks like a 'giant willy' and questioned whether the shape - a large, dome-topped cylinder - was really the best option.

On the Friends of Beaumont Park Facebook page, someone asked: "It does look like one tbh! They could of flattened off the top or put a figure on it. Even my 11 Yr old said it looked like that n that's bad if kids think that."

https://twitter.com/NickThompson3/status/1478007189340053507

Another person commented on the new addition to Beaumont Park: "Beautiful carvings on it but definitely looks like people will start rubbing it to aid fertility."

One user said: "To be fair the shape wasn't best thought out was it. It has some beautiful carvings on there but the first thing I see is a giant willy from a distance and it makes me giggle."

Someone wrote: "I must admit that was my first reaction when I saw it. The carvings are so well done but the shape of it……."

Read more: UK’s Best 50 Gastropubs announced and two are only an hour from Leeds

But most people are full of praise for the new installation, which has turned a collapsed tree into a piece of free art for everyone to enjoy.

Someone wrote on Twitter that it was a 'fantastic use of a tree that has died'.

Another said: "It's a beautiful piece of art."

And one person wrote: "The art work is beautiful and appreciated by everyone who visits."

Featured image: Facebook, Friends of Beaumont Park

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Ilkley crowned the best place to live in the north by The Sunday Times

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

The beautiful spa town of Ilkley has been crowned the best place to live in the north of England by The Sunday Times.

The results are in, and our very own Ilkley has taken the top spot for the north and north-east category.

The list posted but the Sunday Times every year, features 72 locations across the UK that they deem are the best spots to settle down in.

Judges visited each location to take in the atmosphere, explore the history and chat to the locals to find out what made each place so special.

Images: The Hoot Leeds

It's not the first time the wonderful spa town of Ilkley has been praised, having been the national winner back in 2022 it's no stranger to taking home the trophy.

The judging panel said about Ilkley: “It’s not just the fresh air, fantastic scenery, excellent schools and direct trains to Leeds that make Ilkley this year’s pick of the north and northeast. It’s the get-up and go of a community that tackles every challenge with gusto.” 

"It's hard to imagine anywhere with more opportunities for youngsters."

Images: The Hoot Leeds

Also getting a mention in the regional category was Horsforth, which was recommended for its transport links, brilliant local schools and thriving social scene.

The guide said: "The city is Yorkshire's economic powerhouse - but for something a bit greener, a bit more family friendly, it's hard to better Horsforth's streets of sandstone houses."

Elsewhere up north, Sheffield got a special shoutout where the judges said: "Burgeoning creative industries and judicious regeneration are igniting interest in previously overlooked postcodes ... Hipsters and happy families alike are celebrating, welcoming, embracing, loving this city-wide vibe."

So if you fancy escaping the hustle and bustle of the city centre, then why not hop on a train and visit the best place to live up north and see for yourselves what the fuss is all about.

Read more: 24 hours in Ilkley | An insider’s guide to one of Yorkshire’s beloved spa towns

Featured image - The Hoot Leeds

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Adolescence tops Netflix charts with more than 24 million views in four days

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

New British series Adolescence has shot right to the top of Netflix’s most-watched TV charts after more than 24 million people tune in.

Hitting the streaming platform just last Thursday, Adolescence is a four-part limited series about a 13-year-old boy who is accused of murdering one of his classmates, with each episode remarkably being filmed in one unflinching and continuous shot. 

This truly gripping story unfolds in real time as the main characters search for answers in the wake of a shocking tragedy. 

Who is actually responsible? Why did it happen? And could it have been prevented?

Image: Netflix

Co-created and written by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, with Graham starring alongside an ensemble cast of accomplished actors such as Ashley Walters and Erin Doherty, as well as screen newcomer Owen Cooper as the young boy Eddie Miller, accused of murder, the show tells the story of how a family’s world is turned upside.

“We could have made a drama about gangs and knife crime, or about a kid whose mother is an alcoholic or whose father is a violent abuser,” Stephen Graham said ahead of the show‘s release. 

Image: Netflix

“Instead, we wanted you to look at this family and think, ‘My God, this could be happening to us.’ And what’s happening here is an ordinary family’s worst nightmare.”

Over the course of the four intense one-shot episodes, the show shines a uncomfortable spotlight on and examines key themes such as male rage, the dangers of social media, cyberbullying, incel culture, and more.

The latest viewing figures show that Adolescence undoubtedly has been a runaway hit, with a whopping 24.3 million views amassed in its first four days of availability, making it the streaming platform’s top show for the week of 10-16 March.

Image: Netflix

As the show continues to garner universal acclaim, standing at 98% on notable critic website Rotten Tomatoes, those viewing figures are set to clock up thick and fast as the days go on.

While Adolescence and Jamie’s story isn’t based on a real person or event specifically, Graham, Thorne, and director Philip Barantini have confirmed that the idea for the series did spring from reports that co-creator Graham had heard about on the news of young boys being involved in knife crimes – particularly the shocking 2021 murder of Ava White in Liverpool.

Much of Adolescence was filmed in Pontefract in West Yorkshire, with the casting of Cooper in the role of Jamie ultimately influencing where the show was shot.

“We knew it was going to be set somewhere in the North of England, and we also knew it would be from somewhere around wherever our Jamie was from – in this case near Warrington – because it would have been unfair to make him do an accent,” explained director Philip Barantini. 

All four episodes of Adolescence are now available to stream on Netflix.

Featured Image – Netflix

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