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Stories from across Yorkshire to make you smile

Fiona CallowYorkshire
PA/BBC/Supplied Three side-by-side images. On the left, a women in a red dress and red love-heart shaped sunglasses dances. In the middle, a group of women lean against a bridge. On the right, a young boy wearing running gear and a Brain Tumour charity top smiles. PA/BBC/Supplied
This week we feature a superhero-sized surprise, a Kate Bush homage and a bereavement support group

Every week in Yorkshire we cover uplifting and feel-good stories about people, places and animals across our region - and we like to shout about them.

This week we feature a schoolboy's superhero-sized surprise, a Kate Bush homage, and a walking group providing a safe space for grieving women.

Spider-Man surprise for young charity runner

Tom Smith A blond woman in a red dress, man in a black suit, and two children in royal blue do the spider man pose, extending their hands to the camera, in front of the premiere poster.Tom Smith
Oliver has raised £16,000 for the charity that supported his dad by completing nine marathons in four months

A nine-year-old who ran nine marathons for the charity that supported his dad has met Tom Holland and Zendaya at the premiere for the new Spider-Man film.

The surprise was organised by BBC's The One Show for Oliver Smith, from Wombwell in Barnsley, who raised £16,000 for The Brain Tumour Charity after his dad was diagnosed last year.

Oliver was driven to London under the guise of being interviewed by the charity but was actually taken to the five-star Raffles hotel where he met the stars of his favourite franchise.

He said: "I burst into tears because I was just so happy. It was just a really good experience."

Grief walks bring bereaved women together

The Barnsley women who walk through their grief

The founder of a walking group for grieving women says the combination of fresh air and camaraderie has helped her through some of her "darkest days".

Amy Bassinder, from Barnsley, said walking had been an "outlet" for her after her dad died with prostate cancer in 2025, and she wanted to help others dealing with their grief.

She said: "I needed to find other people that feel like I do... I thought there must be other people that feel like me and are burying their feelings."

She set up Walking Through Grief to be a space for people to have "honest conversations, talking about these people that you love and you'd lost".

It's me, Cathy (and Cathy and Cathy)

PA Media A group of people in red dresses dance with their arms in the air.PA Media
Every year, thousands celebrate The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever

If you happened to be walking in the Haworth countryside last Sunday, you may have witnessed the spectacle of hundreds of people in flowing red dresses dancing.

The group was part of The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever, where people around the world re-create the music video for Kate Bush's 1978 song Wuthering Heights, inspired by Emily Brontë's novel.

Visitors from Australia, the USA and Norway travelled to attend the "Mass Wuther" in Brontë country, with ticket sales going towards national and regional charities.

Scott Kerman came from Oregon to join in the revelry.

He said: "Where else would I want to do it? It's such a beautiful place, so it's just extraordinary to be here."

TV star buys pub her character worked in

BBC/ Carla Fowler A woman wearing glasses and a black blouse stands at a pub bar counter, with shelves of liquor bottles, beer taps, hanging mugs, and garland behind them.BBC/ Carla Fowler
Tricia Penrose now co-owns the North Yorkshire pub she filmed in for years

A former star of the TV drama Heartbeat has become the new co-owner of a village pub that appeared in multiple series.

Tricia Penrose, who played barmaid Gina Ward in the ITV show for more than 17 years, said she had joined two local businessmen in buying The Goathland Hotel in the North York Moors.

The building in Goathland was used as the Aidensfield Arms in Heartbeat, which ran from 1992 to 2010 and attracted millions of viewers.

Penrose announced the move in a post on Instagram, describing herself as a "proud owner" of the hotel, adding: "Gina's going home."

Pete Kay a boost to Hull comedy scene

Peter Kay sits on a green sofa, he wears a black knitted polo shirt under a black jacket. He has short dark hair and smiles widely at the camera
Peter Kay returned to the stage in 2022 with his first tour for 12 years

The owners of a grassroots comedy club believe Peter Kay's forthcoming shows will put Hull's comedy scene "on the map".

Kay will perform in the city for the first time with two shows in October as part of his Better Late Than Never Tour, with all profits going to charity.

Paul Hazell, co-owner of the Comedy Lounge in Hull, said: "It'll promote comedy in general.

"People do need laughter in their life, it's the best medicine you can have."

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