A man from Newnham who killed himself on a railway track had been driven to depression by loneliness and issues with his mother’s care home fees, his brother said.

Trevor Buswell died after being hit by a train at Dodford Road, Dodford, in May this year.

An inquest at Northamptonshire County Hall on Wednesday, October 22 heard the 74-year-old had no history of mental health illness.

His brother Stephen told the inquest that he believed Trevor had been driven to depression after Northamptonshire County Council (NCC) made investigations into the costs of looking after his mother. She had been staying at a care home in Earls Barton

Mr Buswell had visited his doctor and said he had been left feeling “isolated”, “lonely” and “stressed” in the weeks before his death and was prescribed anti-depressant medication. However, his GP, Dr Seow, said that he had appeared “more positive” and “forward thinking” when they met for an appointment on May 19, the day before he died.

During the inquest, Stephen said his brother was a skilled carpenter and ukelele player. He said: “Trevor visited our mother every week and took responsibility for all her financial affairs. However, when savings ran out, the county council confirmed they would cover the costs of her care, but later took this back, saying that too much had been spent on her personal expenses.

“They threatened to pursue Trevor to cover the costs, which left him very stressed and I took over the responsibility. I believe that the council’s actions made my brother feel depressed and guilty, as though he had let the family down. If I had known how bad his state was, I would have done my utmost to help him.”

Coroner, Anne Pember, said: “Mr Buswell became depressed and, though he sought help, made a firm decision that he no longer wanted to live.”

NCC declined to comment on the inquest.

Motorists are being advised to avoid the M1 northbound between junction 15a and 16 after a road traffic collision this morning.

Three lorries collided just after 4am resulting in one man sustaining serious injuries.

The outside lane has been re-opened, however it is likely to be late morning before all three lanes are fully open due to a significant diesel spill.

Motorists are advised to find an alternative route if they are planning to travel northbound between junctions 15a and 16.

A diversion is in place taking traffic off at junction 15a, on to the A45 and back on the M1 at junction 16.

There is significant congestion around junction 15a and the A5 as a result of the road closure, so motorists are also being advised to leave plenty of time for their journey.

A team of five people who work for the leisure team at Staverton Park put their running shoes on and took part in a half marathon.

Beth Hillier, Andrew Gibbins, Matt Sumpter, Dan Hughes and Connor Sale were five of 20,000 participants in the Bupa Birmingham Half Marathon. The event was held in the country’s second city on Sunday October 19.

The team decided to take on the fundraising challenge in support of Mr Hughes.

He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis four years ago and the group raised funds for the multiple sclerosis charity.

Mr Hughes was grateful for the support of his colleagues saying: “For me personally this was to raise money but also raise awareness. The team at Staverton have been a great support to me.

“People around me both at home and at work are now a lot more aware if the challenges MS can have on your life.

“I would like to thank my four colleagues for running for this great cause and everyone that has sponsored us.”

He completed the 13.1 mile race in two hours and 30 minutes despite the multiple sclerosis taking over his legs as he reached the ninth mile.

This was a first half marathon for all five of the participants.

MS affects the central nervous system and causes a wide range of symptoms.

The team is hoping that between the friends, family and members of the leisure club at Staverton Park, they are hoping to raise approximately £1,000 for their efforts.

An 87 year-old woman sat alone in the window of a charity shop in Daventry on Monday to highlight the affect of loneliness on the elderly.

Pensioner Caroline Vass worked as a volunteer at Age UK on Bowen Square for four years with her daughter 
Donna Haddon, who manages the store.

Mrs Vass, a former hotel manager from Weedon, said she hoped to highlight the isolation some people experience in their later years.

She said: “I’m at a place where I’m not going out and there isn’t a lot of activity going on. I love people, I love to be with people, I can’t help it.

“I used to work on the till and I loved coming in and talking to people, but life can now be lonely sometimes.”

Age UK is one of the country’s largest charities working to support older people. The charity provides friendship and outreach programmes, advice phone lines and local support services across the country.

In particular, Age UK aims to tackle the issue of loneliness, which according to researchers affects more than one million elderly people in the UK, with many not having any contact with the outside world for over a month.

The living exhibition forms a part of the ‘The Big Bag Challenge’, a four-week campaign to increase store donations.

Age UK stores are aiming to gather more than 200,000 bags of stock to increase store profits for the charity.

The campaign was launched this week, gaining the support of celebrities including Lord Alan Sugar and Barbara Windsor.

Store manager Mrs Haddon has worked in both retail and nursing and is passionate about the role Age UK can play in supporting older people.

She appealed for Daventry residents to donate their unwanted items to the store. She said:“It is hard to get people to donate. I am lucky if I get 10 bags a week. People come in and seem to think we get our stock for free, but I had to buy 175 bags of stock this week.

“Each bag is a matter of one of our volunteers being able to give an older person a phone call and taking them out to dinner or leaving them alone.

“Even two items can make a hell of a difference.

“We have many volunteers who work for us for free, but there are lots of peripheral costs. These include phone bills and petrol.

“We really want to get more younger people into the shops. We have really good stock, we don’t put out substandard stuff. Our store offers a great choice of branded items in great condition.”

Age UK volunteers will be taking part in a number of activities during the campaign, including handing out bags outside Waitrose on November 5. Some intrepid volunteers will also be dressing up in Viking outfits made of donation bags on November 8.

Plans for a new storage and distribution centre in Daventry were delegated for approval by officers at a meeting last night (Wednesday).

The 27,662 sq m (297,966 sq ft) warehouse would be located on the site of the disused Ford Sports and Social Club on the Royal Oak Way North, just a mile from the town centre. Its construction could see the creation of up to 760 new jobs.

The land, which has remained unused since the club closed three years ago was purchased from Ford by Gazely UK Ltd in 2012 after the company acquired outline planning permission.

As well as a large 16-metre tall warehouse, the proposed development would include addition offices and parking space for 230 cars, 120 heavy goods vehicles and 64 bikes.

The proposal includes plans to mitigate the visual impact from the west, which is a special landscape area.

Council officers recommended the application for approval. The report from planning officer Richard Lambert states: “The site is located in a sustainable location, with good transport connections.

“It is not considered that the development will have an unduly adverse impact on the character of the locality, the amenities of the residents nor on highway safety. The site is presently derelict.

Because the development would see the loss of sports facilities, draft proposals would developers making contributions towards replacement sports facilities and playground equipment as well as CCTV, a new bus stop and enhanced walking and cycle links along Royal Oak Way.

Ford will also be looking to develop land along Leamington Way.

For more updates on the planning application, visit www.daventryexpress.co.uk/.

Logistics company Eddie Stobart has agreed a deal to take on a 420,000 sq ft distribution centre at Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT).

According to the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership, the move could create up to 500 jobs.

The new purpose-built 420,000 square foot rail-connected distribution centre will have a dedicated canopied rail platform along one side of the building.

William Stobart, CEO, Eddie Stobart, said: “We already occupy a number of buildings at DIRFT, and we know it is an excellent location for many of our customers,”

“This new building will further our rail capability and is a significant investment in the continuing success of our business.”

The new building, which will be cross-docked, has been designed to achieve BREEAM ‘excellent’ accreditation and an EPC A rating. Construction will begin in November, with completion scheduled for next summer.

Andrew Griffiths, managing directora at Prologis UK, said: “This is the first building we have let to Eddie Stobart, and we are delighted that we can meet the company’s requirements.

“DIRFT II is now complete, but with our ongoing investment in DIRFT III, we can continue to offer our customers the best opportunities in the market for rail-served distribution facilities.”

Prologis owns and manages approximately 23 million square feet of logistics and distribution space in the UK as of September 30, 2014.

An artist has opened his new exhibition at the Evergreen Art Cafe in Daventry.

Paul Horton was at the cafe to showcase some of his work on Saturday last week. He was also on hand to talk about his work to visitors. One of the many visitors to the event was Lily Cartlidge, eight, pictured showing her pictured entitled Basket of Fruit to him.

A cafe in Daventry will be hosting a new exhibition by a artist at a special event on Saturday.

Silverstone based artist Kealey Farmer comes to the Evergreen Art Cafe in Sheaf Street from 11am to 3pm.

Visitors will be able to chat to Kealey about her work and enjoy an exhibition of her latest collection of stunning original and limited edition paintings.

She has been working as a full time artist since 2003. and has more than 25 years painting, drawing and personal study.

Born and raised in Derbyshire but now living in Silverstone with her husband, Kealey has been a full time artist for over 10 years.

Describing her work, Kealey said: “My work is mostly about sentiment and when I am putting together a piece of art, it is something I am very influenced by.

“It is also inspired by happiness and the feeling that it is good to be alive.”

She also works in a variety of different mediums but it is a surprising source material which has bought her the greatest success.

Kealey added: “I work with mixed media, including acryllics , resins and elements of 3D.

“I like as much bling as possible in my work and one of the things that I really like to use is the Swarovski crystals and I really like the effect that it will have on the finished painting.

“If you look at something like a traditional oil painting then it is always going to look as it does from a different angles.

“Because of using the crystals and the metallic paints I use, when it goes up on the wall it will look very different when the light hits it and I really like that quality it has. I also like that it will be different every time that you look at it.”

She has been working hard to produce the latest collection which will be on show at the event on Saturday.

Kealey said: “All of the work that I have produced is brand new for the show but I wanted to make sure that it was all new for the display.”

Kealey will include a personal dedication on the back of any pieces purchased during the exhibition.

She was also full of praise for the cafe which she will be visiting.

Kealey said: “I discovered it for the first time a few weeks ago and think it is a wonderful venue.

“I think art galleries can be very difficult to go. This place is a very relaxing environment to be able to enjoy art.

“I think it is a good match for the work that I do as well.”

One of the pieces sold is called Key to My Heart and money raised from its sale will be donated to the British Heart Foundation.

For further information about the artist visit her website visit www.kealeyfarmer.com.

To find out more about the cafe, call 01327 878117 or visit www.evergreenart.co.uk.

Two sheep were seriously injured during a dog attack in Crick on Saturday, with one of the animals having both of its ears bitten off.

The attack occurred sometime between 6.15pm and 6.45pm on October 25.

Another sheep was also seriously injured in the attack, which is believed to have been carried out by two lurcher-type dogs.

It is believed that two men took the dogs into the field and officers investigating the attack are keen to trace them.

It is an offence for a dog to worry livestock and both the owner of a dog and the person in charge of it if they are not the owner, can be prosecuted.

Anyone with any information about this incident, or who has been a victim of livestock worrying, can call Northamptonshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

A teenager was left with serious injuries after he was involved in a collision with a car in Flore.

The 16-year-old was riding a motorcycle along the A45 at about 11.30pm on Tuesday, October 28, when he was involved in a collision with a white Range Rover outside the Holiday Inn hotel.

The teenager was taken to University Hospital Coventry where he is now being treated for a number of injuries.

Witnesses to the collision, or anyone with any information about it, can call Northamptonshire Police’s Drivewatch hotline on 0800 174615.

A blind national service veteran from Daventry has thanked a national charity for helping to change his life.

Les Darby, 78, said Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision impaired ex-Service men and women, has enhanced his life since he began receiving the charity’s emotional and practical support.

He was called up to join the RAF for National Service in 1954 and served for three years – one year more than was required under the National Service Act.

More than 50 years after leaving the RAF, Les started to notice that he was having problems with his sight.

He was diagnosed with glaucoma, a condition which has slowly robbed him of his sight. Les is now completely blind in his right eye and has only five per cent vision in his left. He said: “Losing my sight was incredibly difficult in the early days – blindness changes your whole life. Thankfully, I was eligible for help from Blind Veterans UK and they have given me very good support to make the most of my remaining sight.”

Through Blind Veterans UK, Les has received specialist equipment to help him around the home and he has been able to build friendships and learn from other vision impaired veterans at the charity’s service centre in Brighton.

He added: “Blind Veterans UK has enhanced my life and shown me that I don’t have to manage my sight loss on my own – there is support out there for veterans with sight problems.”

“The best part of it has been meeting other blind veterans – you think you’re the only person in the world with a problem, but meeting others who are going through the same thing as you is a huge help.

“I’d call on anyone who has been in the Services and is struggling with their sight to contact Blind Veterans UK to find out if you’re eligible for their free services and support.”

The charity’s No One Alone campaign estimates there are more than 68,000 ex-servicemen and women with sight loss entitled to help but don’t realise. If you know someone who served in the Armed Forces, including National Service, battling severe sight loss call 0800 389 7979 or go to 
www.noonealone.org.uk.

An opticians in Daventry has donated high-visibility vests to children at an school in the town.

Specsavers in Bowen Square handed the vests to pupils at The Abbey Academy on Friday last week as the firm got behind Road Safety Week which runs from Monday November 17 to Saturday November 23.

The vests will help make sure they are seen when walking to and from school as well as when they are out and about on school trips.

Steve Richardson, store director at Specsavers in Daventry, said: “With the clocks having gone back this weekend and the evenings getting darker, it is more important than ever that children can be seen clearly.

“Hopefully, the vests will give teachers and parents some peace of mind.”

The school were incredibly grateful to the opticians for its donation.

A spokesman said: “We were delighted to receive the vests from Specsavers and the children have loved receiving them.”

There was also two officers from police in Daventry who came along to talk to the children about road safety and ways of staying safe when out and about.

The youngsters were also given free booklets about staying safe and a copy of the highway code.

To support the road safety activity the store is also challenging children to demonstrate their creative skills with an artistic competition, run during the half term week

Children aged from five to 10 can enter the poster design competition – which needs to convey a message about road safety. Every child that enters will receive their own high-visibility vest.

The closing date is Sunday 2 November, with the winning child receiving a family voucher to the Riverside Hub in Northampton, which includes lunch.

Specsavers is the co-sponsor of Road Safety Week, the UK’s flagship road safety event, which is organised by charity Brake.

It’s an opportunity to help raise awareness about the importance of protecting people on bikes and foot as well as raise funds for a worthwhile cause.

Visit www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk for more information.

Friends and coaches of Josh Granfield have handed over £1,500 to the Northamptonshire Air Ambulance raised at their seventh memorial match.

Organised by friend and DRFC player Sam Dudgeon, the rugby match, which took place on August 23 at Daventry Rugby Football Club, saw friends and teammates of Josh, who died in 2007, challenge a senior team selected by coach Dave Brown.

To date Josh’s XV have won all but one of the games with Coach’s Choice solitary success coming in 2012. This trend looks set to continue, with Coach’s Choice unable to match Josh’s XV.

Dave Brown said: “It’s a win-win situation for me. I am enormously proud to be able to play against my former charges and see their game develop as seniors. Every year I try and pick a side that can challenge them but once again we fell short this year”.

Despite the Coach’s Choice side losing to Josh’s XV, there were winners all round with the biggest beneficiary being the Northamptonshire Air Ambulance who received a donation of £1,500.

An additional £1,500 was also raised for Daventry Rugby Club to help them continue the development of rugby for local youngsters. But there was also fun for all the family at the grounds with stalls and other activities.

Sam Dudgeon said: “I can’t thank the Daventry public enough for their generosity, especially the players that made up the Josh XV for all getting individual sponsors.”

Josh Granfield, from the Headlands in Daventry, died aged 16 in September 2007 after falling through the roof of a warehouse. The air ambulance was called out to help him.

Friends and former teammates have since gathered for a memorial match each year, with the next taking place in August 2015.

Bugbrooke’s community cafe has received a cheque for £500 from developer Bellway Homes.

The cafe, which opened in Bugbrooke’s Sunday School rooms last year, is to use the money to purchase new equipment.

Gerry Mitchell, sales Advisor for the Church Fields site, presented the cheque. She said: “Bugbrooke has a very strong community spirit, which really shines through at the Community Cafe.

“We are delighted to have been able to support such a fabulous initiative, and hope that people in the village will continue to enjoy everything it has to offer.”

Bugbrooke Community Cafe is open on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings from 9am – 12.30pm to serve breakfasts and light snacks, the cafe is also open on Fridays from 9 -1.30pm and Saturdays from 9am till 2pm to offer lunches too.

There was a strong turnout at Daventry District Council’s town cleanup event on Thursday, last week.

A few residents aided by over 30 volunteers from Tesco, Waitrose and McDonald’s and other businesses took to the streets to tackle dirt, grime, posters and refuse blighting the town centre.

The clean up follows a number of revelations in the Daventry Express as part of our Tidy Up Daventry campaign. So far the paper has drawn attention to poor maintenance of the Twinning Shield display and ongoing issues with the service provided by Enterprise, the contract holders for grounds maintenance in Daventry.

Volunteers met at 10 am at Daventry Town Council’s offices where they received gloves, high visibility jackets, litter pickers and bin liners provided by Enterprise.

McDonald’s employees and Enterprise workers with road sweepers helped to clear the lots behind the High Street businesses of weeds, junk and other refuse, while workers from local supermarkets targeted litter and abandoned glass bottles on New Street Recreation Ground and the Hollows Playing fields.

In New Street Recreation Ground litter pickers were joined by children and staff from St James Infant School, who were out gathering fallen leaves for their Autumn display.

Mrs Chapel, who is 88, lives in Woodford Halse and regularly visits the New Street recreation ground to walk her dog after shopping in Daventry. She said: “I think the cleanup is a lovely idea. I have always come to Daventry to do my shopping and I like this park. The grass is always cut. The town can really be an excellent place to go. ”

Volunteers at the park said they were shocked by the amount of discarded glass bottles and other potentially hazardous material found just a short distance from Daventry’s Skate Park and a children’s’ play ground.

Geoff Southern, business manager at McDonald’s, Daventry has in the past championed the fast food chain’s ‘Love Where You Live Initiative’, which in July saw volunteers doing their bit to help clean up parts of the Southbrook Estate in July.

“We asked how we could help and get involved,” Mr Southern said. “It is good to see all the principle business in Daventry involved.”

It has emerged that abandoned items found behind high street businesses include a sofa and cooker, with volunteers assembling a mountain of weeds and other refuse.

Cllrs Catherine Lomax and Deanna Eddon, and Alan Hills also took part in the clean up, covering areas including High Street, Sheaf Street and Bowen Square.

“It was good to see people out here on the day,” said Mr Hills, but a lot of people I have spoken to seem to think doing things like litter picking just isn’t their job.”

Ms Eddon added: “Until we can change attitudes and get people to pick up their own litter events like this will have to happen again.”

Paul Knight, Environmental Health Manager at Daventry District Council also took part in the cleanup, removing weeds from flower beds outside Waitrose to make way for new plants that could be provided by the supermarket.

He said: “There were enormous amounts of vegetation and weeds cleared from the area at the rear of Bowen Square. In addition, flower beds in Bowen Square and Foundry Court were prepped ready for planting.

“The New Street Recreation Ground was litter picked, as was The Hollows and I would like to thank all 40 of the volunteers who gave up their time as well as our partners for making the day such a success.”

On Saturday, October 25, residents on the Grange Estate took part in their very own community clean up.

Cllr Wendy Randall, who organised the litter pick, said: “It was a huge success. We had over 40 volunteers and what was especially lovely to see was that 15 of them were children.

“I would like to thank The Grange School for advertising the event in their newsletter, the landlords of The Pike and Eel for providing free hot drinks, DDC for loaning us the equipment, Amey staff for collecting all the rubbish sacks and the major supermarkets for supplying bags.”

Cllr Randall urged residents who see any maintenance issues or rubbish in need of collection in the Grange area to report it on the Grange estate’s Facebook page .

More than 100 Primary Schools across the county were represented at the Primary PE and SchoolSport Conference organised by Northamptonshire Sport this week.

The theme for the Conference held at Highgate House in Creaton was developing an inclusive approach to physical education, school sport and physical activity for every child with a range of keynote speakers and workshops. Young Paralympian Julie Rogers captivated the audience with an inspirational keynote speech about her journey to the London 2012 Paralympics.

Julie qualified to represent ParalympicsGB in sitting volleyball only two years ago despite only getting involved in the sport for fun. Julie said: “My experience of the Paralympics was overwhelming but I had some negative experiences in my initial introduction to PE and school sport due to my disability and social exclusion to an extent.

“I used to have various excuses to avoid taking part and I encountered bullying. I was introduced to gymnastics which was a turning point, then I discovered wheelchair basketball. Sitting volleyball changed my life, I grew in confidence and made new friends very quickly.”

For the latest opportunities visit www.northamptonshiresport.org/schools.

Sheep owners have been urged to keep an eye on their animals following a number of attacks by dogs in the Daventry area.

Officers have received several reports of sheep either being killed or chased by loose dogs.

In one incident in Dodford on September 14, a sheep was found dead in a field following a suspected dog attack. Then on September 30, two sheep were attacked by a dog in Kislingbury and one died. Another incident saw a shepherd report that a dog walker had let their pet loose in a field of sheep in Nether Heyford.

PC Chloe Radford-Gardner from the Daventry Rural Safer Community Team said: “These type of incidents cause distress to the owner of the livestock, who may find their animals badly injured, suffering or dead. It can also cost the owner in veterinary bills and in some cases affects their livelihoods. Sheep do not cope well with stress and it is known for them to die days after the incident from the shock. In some circumstances it can also cause distress to the dog owner or the person in charge of the dog who has not gone out intending for his dog to chase livestock but due to lack of control, loss of control or disobedience such an incident occurs.”

It is an offence for a dog to worry livestock and both the owner of the dog and the person in charge of the dog if not the owner can be prosecuted. Anyone with any information can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

A proposal for 450 new homes on Mickle Well Park has been backed by Daventry Town Council at a meeting on Tuesday, October 27.

The decision followed a presentation by Landform, the developers behind the proposal, in which they reported on the results of their consultation events in the community.

As a statutory consultee DTC cannot give planning permission, but their backing of the scheme will be taken into account by planning officials when the proposals come before DDC planning committee.

Erik Pagano, managing director at Landform Development Ltd, said: “We are very happy they have chosen to support us. I think it is obvious that overall people see the benefits of having a scheme like this and that we have all put a lot of work into the proposals. What we have here is something of high quality.”

“People have in the past not been a part of the consultation process. But this has been important in what we are trying to do.”

While Mr Pagano acknowled Mickle Well Park was a speculative application, he said one of the advantages of the Mickle Well park proposals was that it would help Daventry District achieve is requirement of a 5-year land supply while bringing more substantial community benefits in section 106 agreements compared to ‘piecemeal’, smaller developments.

Section 106 agreements are agreements between developers and planning authorities for the contribution towards local infrastructure.

But Miranda Joseph, vice chairwoman of the Mickle Well Park Opposition Group said that the issue of piecemeal development in rural areas was simply ‘scare mongering’.

She said: “By raising the issue of piecemeal housing dotted around villages, Landform imply that their proposal is actually delivering rural housing. If that is the case, their proposal is not a solution to a shortfall in Daventry Town neither is it within Daventry’s planned Sustainable Urban Extension (Church Fields).

“Hopefully the District Council and Planning Council will be better informed and able to see the bigger picture rather than just a ‘shiny presentation’ for yet another huge estate weighing heavily on a town that is already struggling to provide the infrastructure for today’s residents.

As brand new Christmas lights appear across the town, this week The Gusher can reveal Daventry’s Christmas Lights Festival is to take place on Saturday November 22.

The festival will kick-off from 1.30pm in Bowen Square and the organisers are promising a fun-filled afternoon featuring performances from a number of local groups and bands before the lights are officially switched by a special guest.

There will be stage performances from Breaking Point, a well known local band featured in The Gusher earlier this year after releasing their new album entitled Independence for free.

Other groups such as Benj & Benji will also be performing, while young people from The Phoenix Centre will be singing a number of songs from their upcoming performance of Snow White.

A comedy magician will be in attendance to impress with some mix and mingle magic while the crowd will also be treated to dance performances from Performers Academy, Scorpion Dance Academy and Academy No. 1.

The festival will also feature a number of crafts stalls, while a number of shops in the town will be showing a little festive spirit, with a number of promotions and special events throughout the day.

A caricaturist will also be in attendance and hot chestnuts will be available to buy while Anthony Church MBE -Daventry’s Town Crier, who has just been awarded the ‘Prestigious Grand as Owt Trophy for 2014/15’, will be announcing events around Town throughout the afternoon.

Deborah Jewell, town clerk at Daventry Town Council (DTC)said the festival will be an important opportunity to showcase the £10,000 new Christmas lights in the Daventry, which this year gives different parts of the town a different colour scheme.

There will be a white and gold colour scheme in Bowen Square and hanging bulbs in Sheaf Street to reflect the more traditional character of the area.

The bright blue lights of the previous design are being phased out in favour of more festive colours.

“Daventry Town Council has had a lot of comments this year about the hanging baskets, and this is a similar idea.

“We are hoping to promote the town an encourage more civic pride. Britain have had a depressing few years. Now we are coming out of it the council feels it is time to promote civic pride.”

“Everyone at the council has put a lot of work into the festival.”

“We wanted to get local groups involved, and this festival will be an opportunity for them to promote themselves and encourage people to participate.”

The Christmas Lights Festival is currently being organised by DTC communications officer Lynn Scott.

Youngsters from an school in Daventry have taken part in a harvest festival.

The youngsters from the primary and nursery site of the Danetre and Southbrook Learning Village held an assembly for the harvest festival on Friday October 17.

Parents, grandparents and carers were all invited to take part in an assembly to mark the event.

A spokesman for the academy said: “The children at the DSLV had great fun and performed songs and poems with the theme of the harvest festival.

“There was also a great display of tinned food and this will be donated to Daventry Foodbank to help the people who are less fortunate than ourselves at this time of year.

“The children really enjoyed themselves and the harvest festival was beautiful.”