Pay-TV giant Sky is to make its full service of 270 channels available without the need for a satellite dish for the first time, as it looks to win back customers who have defected to rivals such as BT.

The groundbreaking launch is expected to be rolled out in 2018, and will see households who cannot - or will not - have a satellite dish enjoy SKY TV, with the service delivered via a box over broadband.

It follows a successful response to Sky Q with more than one million boxes in around 600,000 homes in the UK, leading to customers watching 10 per cent more TV compared to those with Sky +.

“This is the first we have been able to offer the full Sky TV service without a satellite dish,” said Sky group CEO Jeremy Darroch. “It is a big moment for the business.”

The initiative comes after Sky saw an 18 per cent drop in profits at its UK business in the last six months of 2016, thanks to spiralling Premier League rights costs.

Sky also announced a new My Sky app for customers, which will allow customers to check their bills, broadband speeds and other account options, as well as receive customer support and How-To videos and articles.

“This year is about giving our customers even more quality, choice and value,” said Stephen van Rooyen, Sky UK’s Chief Executive.

“We’re planning to launch our Sky TV service without the need for a satellite dish for the very first time, giving millions more homes the chance to enjoy TV with Sky Q.

“We are continuing to build our European TV production studio, with 100 original series going into production. And with innovations like the My Sky app, we are finding new ways to make our customers’ lives simpler.”

Sky Q launched on February 9 last year, bringing more on-demand content and a new, image-led user interface to viewers.

As well as putting more focus on catch-up and downloadable content, Sky Q allows users pause content on their main TV and start playing it again exactly where they left off on a second TV or tablet.

It was also Sky’s first service to offer Ultra-High Definition (UHD) content with movies and live sports available to watch in 4K.

A warning has been issued to parents nationwide by police today about children using the live.ly app after a serious sexual offence was committed in front of a group of English primary school children online.

The incident took place last week when a number of children from a Leeds school were taking part in a group chat via social media.

It was reported that a man who was not known to them joined the chat and went on to expose himself before performing a sex act.

It has now emerged that it was not the first incident involving the live.ly video streaming platform to be reported in Britain and parents nationwide are being asked to be vigilant.

What is the live.ly app?

Parents were urged to check whether their children had downloaded the app to their phones and ensure it was deleted.

A notice to parents explained: “Whilst the app is only supposed to access contacts on the user’s phone, it appears that quite quickly, friends of friends of friends are able to join the group chat whom your child does not know at all.

“It is therefore an unsafe app for children to use, as it risks either an incident such as happened yesterday, or opportunities for your child to be groomed online and therefore at risk of sexual exploitation.”

It went on to advise parents to talk to their children about the importance of telling them if someone’s online behaviour made them scared or uncomfortable.

Anyone with concerns about a specific incident should report it to local police via 101.

Think you could be the next Richard Branson or Bill Gates? The Apprentice is now looking for entrepreneurs to win Sir Alan Sugar’s next big investment.

Now approaching its 13th series, the BBC One reality show is seeking contestants from across the country to battle it out in the business world to win a huge £250,000 investment from Sir Alan Sugar.

Successful applicants will be called to an interview via email on a date from 6th February to the 26th February 2017 in one of two choices of location, followed by a second interview in London.

Lord Sugar has already invested over £1,250,000 in business start ups and last year’s winner, Alana Spencer, went on to secure £250,000 investment from Lord Sugar in her luxury cake business, Ridiculously Rich by Alana.

To apply for The Apprentice visit www.apprentice.fremantlemedia.com. The deadline for applications is Monday 20 January 2017.

Drug companies are profiteering from the NHS to the tune of £1 billion because they have unjustifiably hiked prices of cancer medicine, experts warn.

Cancer patients are let down by greedy drug companies who delay availability of well-established treatments and raise the prices beyond what the NHS can afford, academics said.

They pointed out the prices of 14 cancer drugs - which cost just pennies to make - have increased by more than 1,000 per cent over the past five years.

Treatments for cancers including leukaemia and breast cancer can be produced for less than one per cent of the prices charged in Britain.

But the NHS pays more because health bosses fail to contest the price or challenge the firms.

Dr Andrew Hill, senior researcher Liverpool University’s Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics says the price hikes are “particularly worrying”.

He said: “We were surprised to find several companies consistently raising the prices of cancer treatment.

“Twenty treatments have shown rises of over 100 per cent in the last five years, and in two - busulfan (used to treat leukaemia) and tamoxifen (breast cancer) - prices have increased by over 1,000 per cent.

“We have found that some companies take over the supply of some generic cancer medicines and then raise the price progressively.”

The amount paid by the NHS was “under the radar” and added: “This figure will probably be in the high hundreds of millions of pounds per year, or possibly £1 billion.”

He said: “They are not negotiating well enough, they should be looking at any company that starts raising the price of any drug.”

Cancer patients are now living longer as the disease becomes chronic rather than acute and access to drugs - produced for pennies - improve lifestyle quality and extend life expectancy.

Dr Hills and co-author Melissa Barber were unable to calculate the exact cost to the NH.

But they told the 2017 European Cancer Congress in Amsterdam the NHS paid £380m more in 2015 than it had five years earlier because of greedy drug companies.

In their report Hills and Barber say the price of chemotherapy drug melphalan rose by 230 per cent in the UK, rising from 55p for 2mg in 2011 to £1.82 in 2016.

In stark contrast, the Italian authorities fined the South African drug company Aspen millions when in 2014 they threatened to stop supplying ovarian cancer drugs if healthcare chiefs did not agree to a price hike of up to 1,500 per cent.

In their report Dr Hills and Barber said: “The negotiation strategy adopted by Aspen was so aggressive as to reach the credible threat of interrupting the direct supply of the drugs to the Italian market.”

Ms Barber said: “Tamoxifen, used to treat breast cancer, can be manufactured for less than two US dollars per month of treatment, and imatinib, used in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia, can be produced for $54 per month.

“Showing that certain cancers could be treated for very low prices could transform the future of people with these cancers in very low-income countries where there are usually few or no treatment options.”

Professor Ian Banks, chair of the Patient Advisory Committee, said: “Research presented at the ECCO Congress covers the whole of the cancer field, including important policy issues like those raised in these abstracts.

“The availability and pricing of treatments are of great interest and concern to cancer patients, and we consider it important to encourage the widest possible debate on them, as well as on other issues that affect patients’ quality of life.”

The British Generic Manufacturers Association called for competition and claimed the prices were hiked by companies because there was only one supplier.

A spokesperson said: “That is because the total market size is too small to be attractive for generic companies to enter, since they would not recoup the million-pound plus costs of developing, testing and registering a new generic medicine.”

A woman has died after a collision in a village near Daventry.

The collision happened at about 11.30am on Friday, January 27, at the junction of Kilsby Road with Nortoft Lane in Barby.

Northamptonshire olice say that a grey Vauxhall Insignia, driven by a 54-year-old man from Rugby, collided with a pedestrian.

The pedestrian, who has been formally identified as 32-year-old Anna Hodgkins from Barby, was taken to University Hospital Coventry with serious head injuries and sadly died some hours later.

Officers from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit are appealing for witnesses to the collision and anyone with any information is asked to contact Northamptonshire Police on 101 or call the Drivewatch Hotline on 0800 174615.

Two mothers have set up a successful childcare business in Naseby to meet the demand of local parents.

Katie Shepherd and Vanessa Griffin provide a before and after school service to the children of Naseby Primary Academy and the wider community.

They also provide popular holiday clubs, which are open to the public.

The venture began when the friends were approached by the school in May last year.

Katie said: “We were asked if we would be interested in providing a before and after school service, knowing that we were both considering returning to work full time, ourselves having to navigate the difficulties associated with doing so with small children.

“We discovered we would not only be satisfying this local demand but also providing ourselves with a great business opportunity, and being able to be with our own children before and after school, in the absence of childcare ourselves.”

WRAP Club Ltd (Weekly Routine Assisting Parents) was launched last year and is based at Naseby Village Hall.

It is open between 7.30am-8.30am and 3pm-6.30pm, daily, term time and 8am-6pm during holidays.

Professionally, Katie and Vanessa, have in excess of 25 years each working in business.

“It has been a long road getting to where we are today but we’re both really enjoying it,” added Katie.

“We’ve been really well supported and residents liked the idea of seeing the children in their WRAP high viz vests being crocodiled to and from school.

“The additional revenue for the hall and the benefits thereof were not in question.”

The setting opened on September 5 last year and has run one holiday club over October half term with activities including Kung Fu, crazy science day, drama club, den building, cookery club and Lego construction workshops. Future holiday clubs and bookings are being taken already.

The next holiday club is February half term, which caters for children from reception - 13 years.

Katie said: “As a happy sideline to this, our village hall is reestablishing itself at the heart of the community.

“We have a Facebook page @WRAPClubLtd, website is due to be launched soon and can be reached on Twitter @Wrapclub1.”

For more information about WRAP Club, telephone 07973 884717 or 07472 929393.

Ikea has recalled a chair following reports that people have been injured using it.

The Swedish furniture giant is urging anyone who has bought a MYSINGSÖ beach chair to return it to any store for a full refund.

The company has received reports that the chair may post a risk of falling or finger entrapment.

It has been found that after washing the fabric seat it is possible to re-assemble the chair incorrectly.

This can cause the chair to collapse, leading to the injury risks which have been reported five times already.

A company statement read: “Upon receiving the reports a full investigation was initiated. This lead to an improved design to further mitigate the risks of incorrect re-assembly and injuries.”

The updated model will be available in IKEA stores from February 2017.

For more information, contact IKEA Customer Services 020 3645 0000.

Creative students, businesses, staff and local artists are being asked to design a special tile to add to a giant mural celebrating Northampton College's new Daventry Campus.

The mural, which will be made up of hundreds of individually designed tiles, will be in development at the official launch and open day of multi-million pound campus on Tuesday, February 7.

College staff and students have already been designing their own tiles and guests at the launch event will be invited to get creative and play their part in the giant mural, which will take centrestage inside the new campus’ reception.

Sam Cope, photography tutor and visual arts technician, said: “Our students are already hard at work getting creative and we would love our guests and VIPs to also get involved. You don’t need to be a skilled artist or sculptor, everyone is simply free to create something that will become part of the college for many years to come.”

As part of their project called ‘Surfaces’ art and design students have been getting ready for the launch event by creating colourful tiles that incorporate different techniques and materials such as string, clay tools and bubble-wrap to create indents into the clay with different textures and feels.

Jasmin Haines, 16, is a Level 2 Art and Design student at the new Daventry Campus. She said: “My tile is inspired by hair and beauty, one of the college’s subject areas. I have taken the concept of plaits, pressing braided pieces of string into clay to create an interesting imprinted effect. I can’t wait to see my tile become part of this giant mural. This new building has a fantastic atmosphere and it’s exciting to be a part of its history.”

Liam Robertson, 17, Level 2 Art and Design, said: “I am proud to have my work on display because for me being an artist is really about showing others what you see, and transposing that onto a canvas or in this case a tile.

“I definitely think the new building is more spacious and impressive and as a result everyone feels more mature and the vibe is more sophisticated.”

Facilities at the new campus include industry-standard workshops for motor vehicle engineering, state of the art library facilities, contemporary hairdressing and beauty therapy salons, ICT and Mac suites, teaching space for healthcare and childcare plus dedicated provision for students with learning difficulties and disabilities.

The new campus is also home to a new Digital Academy, teaching students software and coding, web development, games design and social media.

The Daventry Campus Open Event on February 7 is from 3.30pm to 6pm and is open to the whole community.

Pat Brennan-Barrett, principal, said: “Come and see inside our new campus for the first time and let us show you around. This is the start of a new chapter for Daventry so play your part and join us for this event. There is no need to leave Daventry for post 16 education – it is now right here on your doorstep.”

More than 9,000 people in Northamptonshire have signed the petition calling for President Trump's State Visit to the UK to be scaled back.

The petition, which was launched on the official Government website by Graham Guest, has amassed more than 1,300,000 signatures, easily breaking the threshold of 100,000 which triggers a debate in Parliament.

It states: "Donald Trump should be allowed to enter the UK in his capacity as head of the US Government, but he should not be invited to make an official State Visit because it would cause embarrassment to Her Majesty the Queen."

In response, Downing Street has dismissed the calls for the State Visit to be scrapped and says the visit will carry on as planned.

A geographic breakdown of the petition supporters is available online and showed, as of noon on Monday January 30, the numbers of people who had signed it from the seven Parliamentary constituencies in Northamptonshire.

The details were as follows:

Daventry: 1,325

South Northants: 1,673

Northampton South: 1,182

Northampton North: 1,185

Wellingborough: 1,111

Kettering: 1,108

Corby: 1,357

PC Antony Pettinger is accused of breaching the force's code of conduct and will face a disciplinary panel at Wootton Hall on Monday, February 6.

Between February 2015 and March 2016, PC Pettinger’s conduct is alleged to have breached professional behaviour standards in respect of his relationship with a "vulnerable female he met in a professional capacity."

Between May 24, 2015 and June 22 of that year the constable is alleged to have carried out searches and "accessed confidential information" relating to the woman and another individual without authority and "other than for a policing purpose."

It is alleged the officer's conduct amounted to gross misconduct as it was a "serious abuse of his position" that could bring the force into disrepute.

Twelve seats will be available for members of the public at the hearing, which will start at 10am.

The Mayor of Daventry joined special guests at the relaunch of a hotel following a £2 million makeover.

Holiday Inn Northampton West at Flore, owned and managed by Splendid Hospitality Group, celebrated the official relaunch of their new look hotel with a party in their Open Lobby.

Guests in attendance included the Mayor of Daventry, Cllr Glenda Simmonds, Christian Day and Jamie Elliott of the Northampton Saints rugby team as well as many members of local business and civic communities.

The hotel now has 66 newly decorated rooms and an Open Lobby design in the hotel’s reception area.

Seb Waring, general manager at Holiday Inn Northampton West, said: “It was an amazing night and it was great to share the efforts of our hard work with everyone who lives and works in the area. We want everybody local to think of this as their neighbourhood hotel.

"The new Open Lobby is an incredible space, it’s no longer just somewhere for arrivals and departures but is a comfortable, colourful and vibrant place for guests to spend their time.”

Philip Bolson, group director of operations at Splendid Hospitality Group, said: “It was a wonderful evening and I think a lot of fun was had by all. We were proud to showcase our new look hotel to everyone and share the impressive transformation that it has undergone.”

Guests enjoyed live music by Mango Acoustic Duo and the magic of Steve Dimmer. There was also a charity raffle, with top prizes up for grabs including tickets to a Northampton Saints rugby game and a night’s stay for two at the Holiday Inn Northampton West.

Cyclists in Daventry are being urged to sign up for a climb of a lifetime charity ride up the famous Mont Ventoux in France.

Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance is organising the tough fundraising challenge to tackle the legendary Tour de France mountain in the Alps three times, by three different routes, in just one day - but it needs more riders take part.

About half the places on the Ultimate Ventoux Challenge are filled on the challenge from June 23-25 but there’s still chance to take part.

The charity will pay your air fare and accommodation but cylists need to pay a £250 registration fee and commit to raise more than £750.

World champion duathlete and triathlete Helen Russell, 41, from Evesham is among those taking part in the expedition which will raise money for Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance and its sister charity, the Children’s Air Ambulance

Helen, a winner of national, European and world age group championships in triathlon and duathlon, said: “The challenge, whilst tough is achievable for regular recreational cyclists so I would urge people to sign up.

“Also by cycling up Mont Ventoux three times in one day each rider that completes the challenge will receive membership of the prestigious Cingles Club. There is plenty of time to train for this amazing challenge.”

Visit https://theairambulanceservice.org.uk/fundraising-challenges/ultimate-ventoux-challenge/

Northamptonshire Police is trying to trace Ryan Lee, previously of the county, who is wanted on a recall for failing to adhere to his post-sentence supervision requirements.

Ryan, aged 29, was sentenced at the end of 2016 and is currently on a probation post-sentence provision order until October 10, 2017.

A police spokeswoman, said: "He was released on licence but failed to attend arranged appointments or abide by the conditions of his release and, as a result, he is wanted on recall."

Anyone with information can contact Northamptonshire Police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.

Across the country last night Britons took to the streets to protest Donald Trump’s ban on people from seven majority Muslim countries entering the United States.

The goal was to apply pressure on Theresa May to rescind an invitation to the US President to make a state visit to the UK. With tens of thousands on the streets, the message was a serious one – but that didn’t stop demonstrators inserting a little local colour into their signs.

Marathon man Matthew Finch has set himself the gruelling task of taking part in five races.

He is raising funds for Breast Cancer Care in memory of his mother-in-law Sue Jones, who died from breast cancer aged 55.

Matthew, who lives in Daventry, said: “My amazing mother-in law was originally being diagnosed with breast cancer.

“Sue had received all the relevant treatment and given the all clear.”

In 2010, Sue developed a severe cough along with other symptoms and was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer, which had developed in her lungs, liver and spine.

Matthew said: “Later this also progressed to her breast again and lymph nodes.

“Over the course of five years, she received various forms of chemotherapy and medication along with other procedures, including surgery after being nearly paralysed from the neck down from finding an abscess on her spinal cord during October 2015.”

In April 2016, Sue started a more aggressive form of chemotherapy due to the ever changing cancer in her body.

“Along with this, she developed issues with her breathing and liver functions which unfortunately meant she was not as mobile from summer 2016. However, this did not damage Sue’s spirit, courage or strength and she was still giving everyone her beautiful smile until she sadly passed away in November 2016.”

Matthew is taking part in: Silverstone Half Marathon, March 12; Brentwood Half Marathon, March 19; Milton Keynes Half Marathon, May 1; Stanwick Lakes Half Marathon, June 11; Birmingham Black Country Half Marathon, July 1 and Birmingham International Marathon on October 15. Visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Matthew-Finch9

A new partnership has been launched between Daventry Town Council and Citizens Advice Daventry in response to the introduction of Universal Credit and the subsequent rise in the number of people with personal debt.

The Town Council is providing a grant to Citizens Advice to recruit volunteers to become specialist advisors within the field of benefits and debt.

Rugby Mayor Glenda Simmonds said: “We are delighted to support Citizens Advice to enable them to help our residents with free impartial specialist advice when needed.”

The Chair of the Citizens Advice Trustee Board, John Donovan, said: “We are really grateful for the support of the Town Council and look forward to continuing to develop the relationship for the benefit of the residents of Daventry.”

Citizens Advice operates at The Abbey, Market Square, Daventry, NN11 4XG, on a Monday, Tuesday Wednesday and Friday from 10am - 3pm. There is no need to make an appointment.

Picture shows Town clerk Deborah Jewell, John Donovan, chair of the Citizens’ Advice Trustee Board, Daventry Mayor Glenda Simmonds, and Dave Berry, chief officer of Citizens’ Advice Daventry.

A total of 67 people were arrested in Northamptonshire in December during the annual crackdown on drink and drug-driving.

This was a fall of 15 per cent compared with 2015, where 79 people were arrested for drink or drug-related driving offences.

The 2016 Christmas drink-drive campaign saw a total of 1,458 breath tests carried out.

Officers also carried out 10 drugs tests, of which six were found to be positive.

PC Chris Gray from the joint Safer Roads Team said: “The work we do as part of our December campaign is so important in reminding people about the danger of this kind of driving behaviour.

“The majority of people we stopped had not had any alcohol before they got into their car, which is the only way to make sure you will not be caught drinking and driving.

“We’re determined to reduce cases of drink and drug driving in Northamptonshire, so I’m pleased to see the number of people we caught over the festive period is lower than last year.

“This suggests our message is getting across to drivers.

“However, 67 positive tests are still too many and we will continue to crackdown on those who continue to ignore the message and get behind the wheel after having a drink or taking drugs.”

Drivers found guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol could face a 12-month driving ban, a large fine, up to six months in prison and an endorsement on their licence for up to 11 years.

A driver convicted for drug-driving could get a minimum one year driving ban, an unlimited fine and up to six months in prison.

Causing death by dangerous driving under the influence of drugs is a prison sentence of up to 14 years.

Anyone who has information about people who drink or take drugs and drive can still contact the Drivewatch Hotline on 0800 174615.

Family and friends joined the chairman of South Northamptonshire Council at Buckingham Palace to witness The Prince of Wales present her with an MBE.

During the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations in 2016 it was announced that Cllr Caryl Billingham would be recognised for her 40 years’ service to the community of Brackley.

On Friday, January 27, she travelled to Buckingham Palace with her partner John Cooper, and two members of her extended family: Tracey Philbey and Nichola Philbey Nash.

At the palace she joined a group of around 100 people, including celebrities Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, who were also to receive their honours from Prince Charles.

Cllr Billingham said: “Prince Charles asked me about raising money for charity through my various community involvements over the years, and I stressed my long-term involvement in local government which I think surprised him a little.

“The Investiture is clearly a process that has been honed to perfection, but His Royal Highness was affable and charming. He gave no sense I was just one of many.

“The staff also made you feel very special and were friendly and warm. There was no sense of artificiality and they all wished us a wonderful day.

“Since last summer, when the award was announced, what has been most special is that people genuinely seem pleased for me, and I continue to say that without the support of so many local people, and their reactions to what I have done over many years, I would not have continued. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Brackley and its people who have encouraged me, and kept me going for so long.”

Cllr Billingham is currently serving for the second time as chairman of South Northants Council but first entered the world of local government as a 24-year-old university graduate when she joined Brackley Town Council in 1975.

She went on to serve as the Mayor of Brackley on five occasions and now has 26 years unbroken service for SNC after winning her seat as an independent in 1990.

Additional commitments to the town and district include: board member for the South Northants Homes housing association, trustee for the Home-Start Daventry and South Northants charity, Chairman of the Brackley United Feoffee Charity, President of Brackley Players, Chairman of Brackley & District Band, a member of the Rotary Club of Brackley, and executive committee member of the Northamptonshire Yeomanry.

Cllr Billingham was brought up helping out in the newsagents and tobacconist founded by her grandmother in 1904, which, during her youth, delivered newspapers to 70 per cent of the homes in the town.

She was educated at the High School for Girls in Brackley and then took a degree in Modern Languages at Coventry University, a course which included spells at the Universities of Toulouse and Granada.

In 1977 she joined the contact lens manufacturing firm Cantor and Silver as a 'temp' for one month, retiring from the firm in 2011 as a director after 34 years.

Badby Lodge Farm, the base for Hybrid Bootcamp's UK operations, was hit by an arson attack in the early hours of January 3 this year.

Hybrid Bootcamp operates a retreat at the building, which has space for around 15 to 20 people, who stay at the centre for fitness and weight loss boot camps.

Owner Lee Andrew said: "We get people coming from all over the world - Israel, Dubai, all over. They come and spend a week here for the boot camp, where we can control the whole environment.

"The arson has taken out our UK operation. The camps we do in other countries are unaffected, but this was our UK base. It also happened at the start of January so I've missed out on that post-New Year rush. January has been our busy time of the year.

"Whoever did this must have been watching the property. Usually, there's always someone in the building, but that night we were all away.

"Whoever did it used a lot of accelerant say the police, so I think they must have had a van or other vehicle to transport it in.

"We have local staff that have been affected, and we used to take our clients out to local places like village pubs, so it's bad for the wider economy as well."

An anonymous person has now offered a reward for up to £20,000 for information leading to a conviction.

Northamptonshire Police say the fire was started at around 3.15am on January 3. Four engines were called to the scene.

Witnesses or anyone with information about this incident can contact Northamptonshire Police on 101.

Motorists in Northamptonshire are being warned by police after a number of ‘cash for crash’ incidents.

In recent weeks, police say that a number of alleged incidents in the Daventry area have been shared on social media where fraudsters may have taken advantage of motor insurance companies which often pay off small, uncontested, or difficult-to-defend claims from drivers of cars shunted from behind.

By making such uncontested claims, claimants can often receive considerable sums of compensation, sometimes up to £1,000 at a time.

Sergeant Sam Dobbs, from Daventry’s Safer Community Team, said: “In the Daventry cases, we suspect the fraudsters removed the brake lights from the entrapment car which was then driven in a way to cause a following vehicle to collide with it from behind.

“Most reasonable drivers presume that if they collide with a vehicle from behind, it is automatically their fault. The fraudsters will feed on this presumption, and attempt to claim against the innocent driver’s insurance for damage or personal injury, or both.”

While not able to discuss the tactics typically used by fraudsters, Sergeant Dobbs said they often conducted several scams in one area, such as Daventry, before moving elsewhere.

The tactics employed by the offenders also means that the true identity of the people who own the cars involved can never be established.

Although the current spate has ceased in Daventry, police have issued advice to motorists countywide.

Dashboard cameras can provide video footage which help the innocent collision victim.

If you are in a collision, use your mobile phone to capture as much photographic evidence as possible, providing it is safe to do so.

Alert your insurer at the earliest opportunity if you think you are a victim of crash for cash. In these circumstances, check with your insurer they will not automatically pay out a claim without a proper investigation.

While police cannot always attend minor collisions, do insist that a police incident is recorded so that you can report vital information, if you think you have been victim of this type of crime.

For more information, you can also find advice from The Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) which works with insurers and the police to identify where the trends are.