PICTURE the scene, a closely fought football match between Gargrave and Barnoldswick.

Both teams were undefeated and on equal points at the top of the Craven League, so feelings were running high, especially when the referee's decisions started going against the Gargrave side on its own turf.

Gargrave supporters booed and hooted, things got progressively worse and following a narrow 5-4 win to the visitors, an angry mob invaded the pitch and the police had to called to escort the referee safely from the ground.

And when did this shameful event happen? 117 years ago on January 11, 1907.

Under the headline 'Football referee mobbed', the Craven Herald reported how angry Gargrave supporters entirely filled Church Lane following the match, 'booing and hooting' all the way to the team changing room at the Mason's Arms Inn - it must have been quite the thing in the village.

By all accounts, the Gargrave supporters took against the referee pretty early on. Can't have helped he spent the whole match wearing a top coat - something by all accounts had never happened before at a match.

The Herald reported: "The referee's decisions gave great dissatisfaction to the home club's supporters, who were quick to show their disapprobation by booing and hooting as the game proceeded.

"His off-side rulings against the home team when he was not in a proper position to judge came under severe criticism, and it was freely remarked that it was the first occasion in which a referee had gone through an entire game at Gargrave in a top coat; he also kept at too great a distance from the play instead of being in the midst of it to be judged correctly."

The Herald continued: "The narrow win, five goals to four, made matters more acute, but a climax was reached when the game was concluded as the referee was at once surrounded by the indignant crowd, who booed and hooted and assumed such a menacing appearance that the club's officials and the police at once escorted him off the field.

"The mob, which entirely filled the Church lane, followed booing and hooting all the way to the dressing room at The Masons Arms Inn."

In what could be described as a 'busy news week', the Herald also reported on an inquest into two men who died after falling off scaffolding while building the new Ilkley Town Hall.

The inquest heard that timber used in the scaffolding had been affected by recent frost. The inquest jury found that the fatalities were due to an accident and made recommendations to do with scaffolding poles to the Home Office Commission dealing with accidents on construction sites.

In the same week, the Herald reported on the sudden disappearance of a married man with 'several children' who vanished leaving just his fishing tackle at the side of the River Aire at Cross Hills.

There was also much disquiet about improvements taking place to Skipton High Street - and changes to the setts. 

There was, said the Herald, an 'under-current of dissatisfaction among a section of the rate payers at the revolutionary change taking place' which included the removal of the setts in front of the town hall.

But, said the paper: "It may alleviate anxiety to state that, so far as the streets and buildings committee are concerned, there is no doubt in the members' minds of the expediency of the scheme generally.

"When finished, High Street will be practically one gradient, in keeping with the widened and lifted causeways and sett pavings, and will present an appearance of cleanliness and neatness, such as would gladden the eyes of townspeople."

Some 'strong feelings' had been expressed at the 'folly' of taking up the existing setts in front of the town hall, reported the Herald.

"To the non expert eye, it certainly looks a sheer waste of money; but when the levels are taken into consideration, a different aspect is placed upon the matter. To bring the town hall front into unison with the general improvement, it was necessary to raise the pavement by eight inches - a fact that, in itself, should remove all doubt as to the expediency of the work.

"Further, the cost of this work, when compared with the total, is insignificant, and on the whole, the committee is to be congratulated upon carrying out the work with a thoroughness that spells efficiency, and in the long run, economy."

Covering national news, the Herald reported on an earthquake in Jamaica, which resulted in the deaths of 1,000 people, and how the building of a tunnel to join England with the Continent was to be discussed in Parliament.

The Herald reported: "It seems to be generally admitted that a majority of our military experts consider that the dangers to be anticipated from the passage under the sea would more than outweigh the advantages, and therefore it is not likely that Parliament will sanction the scheme."