Editing Pontefract (section)

==Amenities and services==
The secondary schools in the town are [[Carleton High School]] in [[Carleton, West Yorkshire|Carleton]] and the [[King's School, Pontefract|King's School]] on Mill Hill Lane, both for pupils aged 11–16. A sixth-form college, [[New College, Pontefract]], is located on Park Lane.

The old Pontefract General Infirmary on Southgate (pictured) was a general hospital; it is the place at which serial killer [[Harold Shipman]] began to murder his elderly patients. Beneath this building is an old [[Pontefract Hermitage|hermitage]], open to the public on certain days. [[Pontefract Museum]], from which the hermitage schedule can be obtained, is in the town centre, housed in the former [[Carnegie library]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/Documents/libraries/free-public-carnegie-library-pontefract.pdf |title=Free Public Carnegie Library - Pontefract |website=wakefield.gov.uk |access-date=3 October 2022}}</ref>

A new hospital was built on Friarwood Lane and opened in July 2010, with the new name of [[Pontefract Hospital]]; there is now a modern hospital building. Near to the hospital is Friarwood Valley Gardens, a rose garden, a sensory garden, a pinhole camera (formerly an aviary and earlier a Georgian gambling den) and an avenue of cherry trees.

[[File:Pontefract Fire station (geograph 5674705).jpg|thumb|Pontefract Fire Station]]
[[File:Luke William House, Pontefract (23rd May 2020).jpg|thumb|Luke Williams House. The [[Horsefair flats]] were designed by [[John Poulson]] and dominate the skyline in the east of the town]]
The local police force is [[West Yorkshire Police]], with the town's neighbourhood policing team  situated at the new fire station on Stumpcross Lane. The original police station in Sessions House Yard has been demolished since the divisional headquarters for the Wakefield District opened in Normanton and the neighbouring magistrates' court has moved to [[Leeds]], following the closure of the Wakefield and Pontefract courts.

Fire cover is provided by [[West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service]], with one pump (sometimes two) based at Pontefract Fire Station. Formerly located on Stuart Road in the town centre, the station has moved to a new site at Stumpcross Lane, by the A645 at the town's eastern edge. The new fire station provides cover for Knottingley; that town's fire station having been closed as part of the merging of fire cover for Pontefract and Knottingley.

Ambulance cover is provided by [[Yorkshire Ambulance Service|Yorkshire Ambulance service]], whose depot is situated in neighbouring town, [[Castleford]].
[[File:Barracks Business Centre - Wakefield Road - geograph.org.uk - 997478.jpg|thumb|right|[[Pontefract Barracks|Barracks Business Centre, Wakefield Road]]]]
The Territorial Army, Army Cadets and Air Training Corps all have a presence within the town and are based at the historic [[Pontefract Barracks|Barracks]] building on Wakefield Road. It now houses a Rifles Regiment Recruitment team.