Sheffield and South Yorkshire have seen a range of interesting stories this year, some quirky and some bonkers. From a Doncaster groom wearing a black T-shirt and grey jeans to his wedding in February, to two teenage friends filming what they believe was a “big cat” in the Peaks in October, the region really has seen some interesting stories emerge this year.
The bizarre saga surrounding the Willy Collins headstone makes the list in what really was a strange he-said, she-said debate, as well as Rotherham police launching an investigation after a couple were caught having sex in broad daylight in the Minster Gardens. Johnny Depp’s surprise appearance at Sheffield City Hall with pal, Jeff Beck, will go down in the history of bizarre celeb appearance because he had just finished six-weeks in court for his headline-hitting libel case and jurors were still deliberating their verdict.
There were multiple Sheffield-based TikToks to go viral this year too, including one from Sheffield University in June, where students posted a prank pregnancy warning notice signed by a “Mike Rotchburns” in their student halls. Another viral TikTok was the ‘Sheffield Stompers’, which was posted in August and has amassed an incredible 7.2million views to date.
There were also stories like a Sheffield woman who found bacon in her McPlant burger from the fast food chain McDonald’s, and, incredibly, a young boy slapped with a bus lane fine in September, even though he was not the one driving the car and was in fact 12-years-old.
Take a look through the gallery below for a recap of these unusual stories.
1. Johnny Depp performs at Sheffield City Hall whilst jurors deliberate in the US
Hollywood star, Johnny Depp, surprised Sheffield crowds when he performed on stage in Sheffield, after leaving proceedings in Virginia where jurors where deciding on a verdict for his high profile libel trial against his ex-wife, Amber Heard. Photo: Image courtesy of @theemilycarroll
2. Doncaster Groom marries in t-shirt and jeans
In February, a viral tiktok video showed a Doncaster groom had opted to get married to his new wife wearing a Palm Angels t-shirt, grey washed jeans and casual trainers, whilst his bride pulled out all the stops in a mermaid style wedding gown. Photo: Tiktok
3. 'Big Willy' Collins' 37-tonne headstone
What a saga! After Willy Collins' tragic death in 2020, his family unveiled a 37-ton monument in his memory in Shiregreen Cemetery this year. The following months were filled with a back and forth between his family and Sheffield City Council about whether the monument was approved or not and the fine details of the planning. Most recently, it was revealed they two parties are still "unable" to agree over the future of the headstone. Photo: Scott Merrylees
4. Couple caught having sex in broad daylight
Readers were left astounded in May after it was reported South Yorkshire Police were launching an investigation after a couple were caught having sex in the Minster Gardens in Rotherham in broad daylight. Photo: Google