These are the coronavirus death figures for each Doncaster estate and village - and here is why they vary so much

Armthorpe was the home to Markham Main Colliery until 24 years ago. Since then, the former pit site has been redeveloped into a major housing estate, now home to thousands.

Thorne was close to Thorne Colliery, at Moorends, which stopped work in 1986, before finally being capped in 2004.

For both major regeneration projects have taken place since the end of their mining eras

Yet despite their similar histories, figures obtained by the Doncaster Free Press show them to be on opposite ends of the scale in the Covid 19 figures.

Government figures, which divide Doncaster into 39 postcode areas, detail all the deaths in the borough between March and June.

Armthorpe North is revealed as the only one of those regions to record no Covid 19 deaths at all. The other half of the village, Armthorpe South, recorded three deaths.

However Thorne emerged as the area of Doncaster with the highest death rate, with 21 coronavirus deaths over the same period. Neighbouring Moorends has only one.

It is one of a number of former mining villages showing many deaths.

Carcroft and New Rossington recorded 14 each.

High numbers were also recorded in the area described as Belle Vue and Town Fields, with 15 deaths; and in Hexthorpe and Balby North, also 15.

When experts looked at the percentage of all deaths that was made up of Covid 19 cases, they found the highest level was Hexthorpe and Balby North, where it was 36 per cent.

But despite the contrasting figures across the borough’s towns, villages and estates, Doncaster’s director of public health, Dr Rupert Suckling, says that beneath the figures, there is a common link between the areas recording high death rates.

And that is the number of care homes for the elderly in the areas.

Dr Suckling said: “We have looked at the number of deaths that have come through Covid 19, and looking at the deaths across Doncaster, they vary quite a lot.

"Thorne and Hexthorpe have many more than a lot of areas, like Armthorpe and Edenthorpe for instance.

"Then we stripped out the deaths in care homes, and you get a much flatter picture. There is still variation, but by nowhere near the same amount.

"After that you are looking at areas like the Town ward, Wheatley Hill and Intake as the highest areas.

"Thorne in particular saw a care home which recorded quite a few deaths in May – it fits with the data.”

In total, Doncaster has seen over 250 coronavirus deaths, but the rate has now plunged following the borough’s lockdown efforts.

Dr Suckling said deaths and infection rates had followed similar patterns to the national situation. They included issues such as population density, people living in crowded accommodation with no access to a garden, and deprivation, as well as the number of key workers in the population.

However, he said the borough did not appear to have followed the national trend of seeing a higher number of deaths in the Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community.

"We think this is because the BAME population in Doncaster is younger than some areas, and therefore not in as high a risk group,” he said.

He added: “You can wash your hands as much as you like, but if you’re sharing a small flat with a lot of people with no garden, you will be more at risk.”

Coun Mark Houlbrook, who represents Thorne on Doncaster Council, said he was aware of deaths in care homes in Thorne. He said the number of deaths across Doncaster had fallen in recent weeks.

"My thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones,” he said.

Fellow Thorne ward Coun Susan Durant said she was aware Thorne had a lot of care homes, and said her thoughts were with the bereaved.

She added the staff at those care homes deserved great praise for their work over lockdown, going above and beyond expectations in very difficult circumstances

In Armthorpe, Nigel Berry, a trader on Doncaster fish market and one of the former mining village’s parish councillors said he had been unaware of the figures, but felt that people in Armthorpe had followed the lockdown well.

He added that like in many areas of Doncaster, the community had rallied to support those who were at risk. He said many in the north of rhe village were elderly people who may have been self isolating.

"During lockdown, the streets of Armthorpe looked like an apocalyptic movie – completely empty. I think the village also has the advantage of being quite rural.

"I think people listened to the warnings, and the parish council did a lot for the vulnerable, delivering meals. The Wheatsheaf pub was taking meals out to people too, as were some of the cafes.

"I think part of the low death rate is down to doing the right thing, but some is also probably good luck.”

Covid 19 deaths in Doncaster, by locality, from March to June.

First number: Total covid deaths.

Second number: Total deaths

Third number: Percentage of all deaths that is down to Covid

Moorends 1, 15, 6.7%

Askern Campsall & Norton 10, 37, 27.0%

Thorne 21, 77, 27.3%

Stainforth 4, 36, 11.1%

Carcroft 14, 53, 26.4%

Hatfield West 8, 36, 22.2%

Kirk Sandall & Barnby Dun 4, 33, 12.1%

Hatfield East 13, 45, 28.9%

Adwick le Street & Woodlands 8, 41, 19.5%

Bentley & Toll Bar 6, 30, 20.0%

Edenthorpe & Mere Lane 4, 23, 17.4%

Scawthorpe 6, 26, 23.1%

Bentley Rise 2, 15, 13.3%

Armthorpe North 0, 38, 0.0%

Wheatley Hills 8, 39, 20.5%

Cusworth 2, 16, 12.5%

Intake 6, 27, 22.2%

Belle Vue & Town Fields 15, 58, 25.9%

Cadeby, Hickleton & Hampole 2, 16, 12.5%

Sprotbrough 3, 30, 10.0%

Central Doncaster & Hyde Park 3, 16, 18.8%

Hexthorpe & Balby North 15, 41, 36.6%

Cantley Park 4, 24, 16.7%

Bessacarr Bawtry Road 12, 56, 21.4%

Old Cantley, Auckley & Finningley 2, 20, 10.0%

Bessacarr Grange & Lakeside 5, 28, 17.9%

Balby Carr 5, 22, 22.7%

Balby South 4, 35, 11.4%

Mexborough East 7, 21, 33.3%

Mexborough West 6, 46, 13.0%

Conisbrough North 5, 24, 20.8%

Warmsworth, Braithwell & Stainton 5, 20, 25.0%

Edlington 5, 30, 16.7%

Conisbrough South 6, 27, 22.2%

Rossington 3, 23, 13.0%

New Rossington 14, 45, 31.1%

Bawtry, Austerfield & Hayfield 2, 19, 10.5%

Tickhill & Wadworth 9, 33, 27.3%

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