Saints’ shareholders have agreed to pump £1 million into the Franklin’s Gardens club to boost the playing squad ahead of next season.

Northampton Saints plc, the parent company of Northampton Saints, has announced the significant cash injection into the Aviva Premiership club.

The Saints’ existing major shareholders have between them pledged £1m to be invested into the club’s playing effort ahead of the 2017/18 season.

Saints have been profitable for each of the past 16 years without external investment, but chairman Tony Hewitt says that the announced further investment is important in helping the club achieve its ambitions on the pitch, with the increased player salary inflation and the increased salary framework.

“We’re very proud of our commercial record at Franklin’s Gardens, which is unparalleled in the Aviva Premiership,” said Hewitt .

“It has been based on Keith Barwell’s original belief in establishing a club that could stand on its own two feet and ensure a lasting legacy for generations to come.

“However we are under more pressure in a league which is more competitive than ever and are having to accommodate the massive increase in player salary inflation within an increased salary framework.

“This is why our major shareholders have pledged £1 million to help us achieve our ambitions of being in the top four of the Aviva Premiership.

“The majority shareholders and senior directors want the club to be as successful as we can and we are delighted that they have chosen to make this investment.”

The investment will be facilitated by a private share placement, which in turn has to be approved by a majority of Northampton Saints plc shareholders.

Shareholders will shortly receive a letter with full details of an extraordinary general meeting to be held at 10am on Wednesday, March 22 at Franklin’s Gardens.

A consultation process is underway into plans to build a cinema in Daventry and local people are being invited to take part in an online survey to establish what they would like to see in their cinema.

As Daventry’s population is set to almost double by 2021, Daventry District Council is working in partnership with a range of organisations to deliver its Town Centre Vision, a regeneration programme aimed at improving the town’s amenities and economic and social vitality. As part of these ambitious plans to create a sustainable, thriving town, there is the potential for the inclusion of a cinema.

Royal & Derngate, Northampton, and the Errol Flynn Filmhouse are working with Daventry District Council and its development partner, Henry Boot Developments Ltd, to progress plans which will see the inclusion of a cinema in the proposed redevelopment of Daventry Town Centre, and are leading the consultation process to find out more about local people’s film-going habits and what they would look for in a new cinema for the town.

The online survey can be found here

There are also opportunities for people to give their views in person at an ongoing series of events. The survey team will next be in the foyer at Daventry Leisure Centre on Wednesday 22 February from 10am till 12noon, and in Market Square on Tuesday 7 March from 12noon till 2pm, with more sessions to follow in due course.

Plans for the cinema will be developed in response to this consultation and the needs of the local community, but there is the expectation that the new filmhouse could include up to three screens showing a mix of mainstream and independent films.

Weedon’s historic depot looks set to get a permanent visitor centre thanks to a Lottery grant.

The Royal Ordnance Depot in the village received a £66,300 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to support creating the centre.

Work is expected to begin on the new centre next month.

Michael Chittenden, the site’s owner said “The site is of national interest and part of Britain’s cultural heritage so we are delighted to have received the support of the HLF so we can revive and share some of the amazing history the site has to tell. The rejuvenation of historic buildings is crucial to the development of local economies and our aim with this project is to breathe new life back into the site and enhance the neighbourhood by creating new jobs and opportunities for local people.

“By putting Weedon Bec, firmly on the tourism map for anyone interested in Britain’s military heritage we further aim to boost the local economy.’’

The new visitors centre will focus on The Depot’s rich military history and will provide an exhibition of historic wartime artefacts, audio interviews and recordings from local people and a programme of regular talks and events.

There are also plans for a café in a double decker bus, patio area, an exhibition tent and even a green area for a chicken run and a herb garden for producing home grown produce.

The remaining structures and buildings of the depot once formed part of an extensive military complex purpose built in the early 19th century and located in the ‘Heart of the Country’ to protect the British Army’s supplies from the threat of conflict with Napoleon.

The depot featured in all of the major conflicts including WWI and WWII up until the 1960’s when it was decommissioned.

Ordnance Depot Ltd will work with volunteers and a new member of staff to interpret the site’s history and man the visitor centre ready for its official opening in early 2018.

A Daventry man has been nicknamed ‘Miracle Dan’ by friends after seemingly being cured of type 1 diabetes.

Daniel Darkes, 30, has been a diabetic for the past seven years but, since last month, has ceased taking his insulin injections.

After undergoing tests, results showed that his blood sugar levels are below average/average to low, suggesting that his pancreas may have started functioning properly again.

Daniel, who will fly to St Louis in America next month for further tests, said: “Everyone is very shocked and surprised, especially friends at work who have come up to me and called me ‘Miracle Dan’.

“I am 30 and I’ve kept fit with my running and healthy eating.

“I don’t feel much different now as to what I did before.

“In fact I feel better now than I’ve ever been. I’ve had diabetes for six years but I’m sleeping better, I’m more alert, and I have more energy.”

Daniel discovered he had type 1 diabetes in 2010 shortly after leaving the Army.

He realised that something was not right when he experienced the symptoms of tiredness, thirstiness and blurred vision while at his new engineering job.

After collapsing at work Daniel was taken to hospital and diagnosed a week later, becoming one of the 3.5 million people in the UK who have diabetes.

But how is it possible that Daniel could have reversed the effects of the illness, particualrly as this is usually only witnessed with type 2 diabetes patients?

He thinks his healthy lifestyle might be the contributing factor. Daniel has covered many miles as a long-distance runner, raising money for Diabetes UK and the Royal British Legion in the process.

He said: “The doctors aren’t sure really, it could be because I do a lot of running.

“They reckon a lot of vitamin C and D can also cause cells to be reproduced in the organs. I’ll get a better picture once I’m over in America.”

Daniel will spend four days in St Louis where tests will be conducted on him and his pancreas, which will determine how much insulin is being produced, and whether or not he can stay off the injections.

There is no known cure for the illness so if Daniel no longer needs to take insulin injections it would be an extremely rare case as people are normally insulin dependent their whole lives.

A CCTV image has been released after a woman paid with a fake £20 note at Daventry’s McDonalds.

Northamptonshire Police want to speak to the woman pictured in connection with the incident at the restaurant in Vicar Lane.

The incident took place between 5.20pm and 5.40pm on Friday, January 20. Northamptonshire Police released the details today, February 22.

Police say the CCTV shows a woman placing a food order for which she attempts to pay for using a counterfeit English £20 note.

However, she is challenged by staff and leaves the restaurant.

The woman is described as white, pale, with long dark hair. She was aged in her late 30s and was about 5ft 8in with a medium build. She spoke with an Irish accent.

Anyone with information about the incident should contact Northamptonshire Police on 101. Alternatively, they can call independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Nearly £600,000 will be spent in Northamptonshire to help both male and female victims of domestic violence, it has been announced.

The money, secured by the Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner and the county council from government funds, will help an estimated 850 victims across the county over the next two years. More staff will also be recruited to help give advice and support.

Other plans include :

* A new, bespoke male refuge to support 68 male victims of domestic abuse;

* 15 extra safe places of accommodation to support approximately 60 women and their children;

* support for 132 people with complex needs, including residential and community placements;

* additional security measures in 300 properties across the county;

* assistance to an extra 300 women and children who are in need of help and support; and

* advice for 1,000 vulnerable people in the county.

Police and Commissioner for Northamptonshire, Stephen Mold, said: “This is fantastic news for the county and I’d like to thank the passionate team of people who personally worked on the bid to secure funding that will genuinely change the lives of people in the Northamptonshire.

“Protecting people from harm is one of the main themes of my Police and Crime Plan and I am determined to help the most vulnerable people in the county. This grant will help us do exactly that.

“While we celebrate this award we also know that there are thousands of people in the county who are in need of help and support following crime but do not access support services. On a week where we are raising awareness of Voice, our support service for victims and witness of crime, through #MyVoice Week, I would encourage anyone who has been affected by crime of any nature to come forward.”

Councillor Heather Smith, Leader of Northamptonshire County Council, added: “I’m delighted that our partnership bid for funding has been successful. One of the key functions of the county council is to protect and support the most vulnerable members of our community and this grant will enable us to do just that.

“We know there is a real need for appropriate support for families in Northamptonshire to reduce incidents of domestic abuse and tackle its impact on children and young people in the household, and so I look forward to working with the Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner and our other partners to implement these new support services.”

The bid was put together by the PCC and NCC in conjunction with Eve, Northampton Women’s Aid, Northamptonshire Sunflower Centre, Borough Council of Wellingborough, Corby Borough Council, Daventry District Council, East Northamptonshire Council, Kettering Borough Council, Northampton Borough Council, South Northamptonshire Council and Northamptonshire Police.

Anyone who is looking to access support services following crime can call Voice on 0300 303 1965 or visit VoiceNorthants.org. Support is free, confidential and you don’t have to have reported a crime to the police.

A petition has been launched to return a “racist” Walking Dead t-shirt to Primark stores after a Methodist minister’s complaint saw the garment pulled from shelves.

Now, a shopper angry at the removal of the infamous “Eeny Meeny Miny Moe” t-shirt is calling for its return - and wants others to back her campaign.

Jasmine Williams, who has kicked off the petition, says Ian Lucraft, the minister who sparked the row, should “not be taken seriously” and that the shop “should not give in to white people claiming racist remarks when they are not.”

Launching her petition protest on the change.org website, she wrote: “Primark have stopped the sale of The Walking Dead “Eenie Meenie Miny Moe” shirt due to a customer claiming the shirt is highly offensive and racist.

“I, as a consumer and fan of The Walking Dead feel that this is not the right response.

“The complaint called it “racist” despite the fact that those buying the shirt are buying it for the sake of the show as it is an officially licensed product.

“The original Eenie Meenie Miny Moe song had the lyrics changed to “tiger” over 40 years ago and only those older than this know the original which he falsely claims “everyone knows how it ends.”

Yesterday, Mr Lucraft got the high street clothing store to remove the t-shirt and admitted he was “very pleased” with the chain’s decision.

He wrote to the firm’s Chief Executive Paul Marchant calling for the shirt, which also features a blood drenched baseball bat to be dropped, saying the origin of the slogan had “racist” origins and encouraged violence against black people.

Mr Lucraft and his wife Gwen had visited Primark to buy a present for their grandson when they spotted the white t-shirt with the slogan from the hit US TV show about zombies ruling a post apocalayptic world.

He said: “The slogan is “Eeeny meenie miny moe…..” It stops there, but of course we all know what the original said: “catch a n***** by his toe.”

In the scene, Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) bludgeons a character to death using a barbed-wire rapped baseball bat while uttering the phrase. However, in the clip, he uses the word “tiger” rather than the N-word.

The petition added: “Also, the man complaining is WHITE. He is taking a mild mannered shirt and taking it way out of context and is dictating what is and isn’t racist on behalf of a group of people, of which he has no right to speak on behalf of.

“Complaints like this should not be taken seriously and it should be down to those whose actual race/ethnicity are involved to speak up and corporations should not give into white people claiming racist remarks when it is indeed not.

“If Eenie Meenie Miny Moe is indeed so horribly racist as this man claims then maybe we should stop children singing it in our playgrounds or maybe I should get arrested for using it to choose which socks I’m wearing today.

“I’m just shocked that a retail corporation could panic so much on the complaints of one ill minded customer speaking as if he himself is black!”

The UK is set to shiver and get soaked, as Storm Doris hits the country on Thursday.

With the weather system officially named, Doris is expected to bring strong winds, rain and even some snow to the UK on Thursday.

A deep low pressure system arriving from the Atlantic is expected to hit Northern Ireland, northern England and Scotland on Thursday, bringing with it winds of up to 80 mph, along with heavy rain and snow on higher ground.

An Amber National Severe Weather Warning has been issued for wind with gusts expected to reach 60-70 mph in northern England and Wales with the chance of some isolated gusts of up to 80mph.

And a Yellow weather warning is in place for central England and Wales where wind will arrive in widespread gusts of 50-60 mph.

It is also likely there will be snow in the far north of England and much of Scotland which has led to a Yellow weather warning in these areas, as well as a Yellow warning for rain in Northern Ireland over Wednesday night and into Thursday when rainfall totals could reach 20-30 mm.

Chief Meteorologist Steve Willington said: “We have named Storm Doris as we expect winds of up to 80mph, heavy rain and some snowfall to cause disruption across some central and northern parts of the UK on Thursday.”

RAC Traffic Watch spokesman Rod Dennis advised motorists in the north east and MIdlands to take care. “Be prepared to reduce your speed, allow plenty of room between your car and the vehicle in front and be wary of aquaplaning where water accumulates on the road,” he said.

However, although there is a chance of hail and lightning in the northwest on Thursday night and Friday morning, most of the UK will see much drier, calmer conditions towards the weekend.

The Met Office has warned Northamptonshire could be hit with strong winds and rain as the storm sweeps southwards across the country tomorrow (Thursday, February 23).

A deep low-pressure system arriving from the Atlantic is expected to hit Northern Ireland, northern England and Scotland on Thursday, bringing with it winds of up to 80 mph, along with heavy rain and snow on higher ground.

The East Midlands, including Northamptonshire, has been placed on amber alert.

The Met office states: "Some very strong winds are expected on Thursday in association with storm Doris with gusts of 60-70 mph likely, and 70-80 mph on coasts and hills.

"Whilst the strongest winds look to be only short-lived, damage to structures, interruptions to power supplies and widespread disruption to travel networks are likely, with a danger of injury from flying debris.

"Trees are also likely to be damaged or blown over. Heavy rain is also likely through Thursday as well as some snow over high ground as the system clears eastwards. These may prove additional hazards. The warning has been updated to extend the at-risk area southwards."

RAC Traffic Watch spokesman Rod Dennis advised motorists in the north-east and Midlands to take care. “Be prepared to reduce your speed, allow plenty of room between your car and the vehicle in front and be wary of aquaplaning where water accumulates on the road,” he said. "However, although there is a chance of hail and lightning in the northwest on Thursday night and Friday morning, most of the UK will see much drier, calmer conditions towards the weekend."

Daventry Town Football Club is offering Gusher readers free admission to their next home game on Saturday, March 4.

The match sees them take on Stewarts & Lloyds Corby at Communications Park at 3pm.

Following a similar initiative last year the club is keen for supporters to come down and support the Purple Army in their push for promotion from the United Counties League Division One.

Having been relegated from the Northern Premier League last season, Town are determined to seal a return to the division and seem set to do so as they sit at the top of the table.

Daventry’s last game, away to Thrapston on Tuesday, saw them win 3-1, thereby maintaining their undefeated run which stretches back to December 17.

Grab a copy of next week’s paper (March 2) to find out more about the free admission day.

A health shop in Daventry has installed a clothes rail with coats available for borrowing and lending to those who need them in cold weather.

The rail sits outside the Sheaf Street Health Store and was inspired by an image which went viral in the United States at the start of the year.

The photo was shared on the Daventry Express Facebook page and was spotted by Dean Ronnie, who approached the store’s owner Shaun Higgs.

Mr Higgs, from Welton, said: “Dean, who does a lot of work with homeless people and charities, contacted me and asked if we would like to do something together.

“Dean got hold of the rail for us and we did all the signage. We went around the charity shops and bought a few coats to start it off, and it’s gone on from there.”

The scheme has been popular particularly after the recent spate of cold weather which hit the county this month.

Mr Higgs, who opened the store in September 2016, said passers-by expressing their support for the initiative in the form of a thumbs up aimed at him through the window.

He said: “It has attracted a lot of attention, even from people just walking past.

“It is something for the community.

“We pride ourselves on helping the community and being a hub, so it was a little thing we thought that we could do.”

Mr Ronnie, from Daventry, said he was happy to see that the coat rail had been a popular addition to the town.

He said: “There was quite a bit of negativity in the comments on Facebook and I asked on there whether any businesses would be interested in putting this outside their premises, and that I would be happy co-ordinating this.

“I think it’s a fantastic idea and thought that it would work in Daventry. I didn’t get much response from that until I posted something similar on my page.

“Within a few minutes a friend of mine suggested I get in touch with Shaun, and it went from there.”

Mr Ronnie, who volunteers for the homeless charity Crisis, is hoping that the initiative will spread further after its success locally.

He said: “I am thinking of doing it in other locations.

“I’ve already spoken to a friend of mine in Kettering, who has set one up there off the back of this.

“I think it would be a good idea to set more up and I plan to speak to businessess in Northampton.”

Residents across Northamptonshire are being urged to unplug a range of faulty tumble dryers - after some of them started to EXPLODE.

Manufacturer Whirlpool has admitted there is a fault with a range of up to 5.3 million Hotpoint, Indesit and Creda dryers and they should be switched off immediately and the company will offer a free modification.

This comes after fire chiefs warned in October that owners of the faulty dryers must stop using them, after one of the machines was found to be the cause of a huge blaze in a tower block in London.

Whirlpool initially insisted the faulty machines were safe to use so long as they were not left unattended. But they have now backtracked and updated advice on their website after receiving enforcement notices from Trading Standards officials.

Various dryers made between April 2004 and September 2015 are subject to a safety notice about the fire risk, which is caused by excess fluff coming into contact with the heating element.

The Whirlpool website now states: “Trading standards confirmed, following an internal review by independent experts, that the modification programme remains the most effective way of resolving this issue. “As a result, we will continue with our efforts to provide consumers with a free of charge modification as quickly as possible. The modification programme will continue.

“If your tumble dryer is affected by this issue then you should unplug it and do not use it until the modification has taken place.”

There are delays on the M1 on the Northamptonshire/Warwickshire border after a vehicle overturned.

Traffic is crawling along between Watford Gap services and junction 19 for the M6 with delays in both directions.

The slow traffic is also affecting part of the M6 and is causing extra vehicles to use the A5 between Weedon and Lutterworth.

Delays are expected to last until around 1pm.

London Midland is warning rail passengers not to travel today after a number of incidents due to Storm Doris.

A spokesman said: "The company has lifted ticket restrictions so that passengers can delay their journeys and travel tomorrow (Friday)."

He added that while high winds wereaffecting rail services across the region London Midland train tickets can be used on any of the following services:

Virgin Trains between London - Birmingham - Chester - Liverpool

Chiltern Trains between Stourbridge - Kidderminster - Leamington - London Marylebone

Cross Country between Reading - Birmingham - Manchester - Nottingham

Arriva Trains Wales between Birmingham - Chester - Shrewsbury

Merseyrail between Liverpool South Parkway - Liverpool - Chester

East Midlands Train between Stoke-on-Trent and Crewe

Southern between Milton Keynes - Watford - Shepherds Bush

NXWM on all routes.

London Buses between Watford - London Euston

London Overground between Watford - London Euston - Shepherds Bush

The spokesman added: "A 50 mile per hour speed restriction is now in place across the network until at least 1600 hours. This means fewer trains can run and some journeys will take longer to complete. Individual lines are being blocked by falling trees and debris. The Cross City Line between Birmingham and Lichfield is unlikely to re-open today."

For the latest information go to www.londonmidland.com/travel-information/live-information/service-disruption

Vehicles were damaged and access to a primary school affected after Storm Doris brought down branches in a village.

The high winds blew the branches down in Church Lane, Harlestone.

They landed on nearby parked cars, but no one was injured.

Sgt Sam Dobbs reported that the road was closed due to the problem and that parents who will be picking their children up from the primary school along the road are advised they will be able to pick them up from the pub instead.

And proposing the massive cuts at County Hall today, which will see children's centre spending cut from £9.8 million to around £2 million, dementia cafe's funding withdrawn and 130 staff made redundant, cabinet member for finance Councillor Robin Brown admitted the council will probably need to increase its tax precept by the full amount over the next two years to make up for an £80 million year-on-year shortfall.

Labour's alternative budget - which looked to trim back consultancy fees, cut down the council's £7 million a year private taxi bill and stop any further investment in Chester Farm until the proposed tourist site can be afforded, was turned down for being too "vague."

The opposition group's alternative budget proposed to cut just £5.7 million.

There were impassioned speeches by more than a dozen public speakers, calling on the authority to re-think the cutbacks, which will see £25 million taken out of adult social care alone.

Mark Jones of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said moves to get rid of a special Technical Rescue Vehicle (TRV) based at Mereway fire station could endanger lives.

He said: "This council's budgetary decisions will be will be taking 12 full-time posts away from the fire and rescue services.

"This doesn't make for a stable Northamptonshire."

Stephanie De Vally, whose father's dementia cafe will be cut from April as part of the proposals, said: "Your cuts might work on your spreadsheet, but they aren't good value for people."

Unpaid carer Linda Walton said her 96-year-old mother's dementia will be greatly affected when the council scraps its contract with the specialist Drayton Centre facility in Kingsthorpe.

She said: "Specialist day centres such as the Drayton Centre give carers a break.

"We know that moving people with dementia causes them much confusion."

And on the growing difference in care standards between the state and self-funded, she said: "Does this council want there to be a two-tier day care system?"

Save Northants Services (SNS) campaigner Ron Mendel said people have been left exhausted because two weeks of successive protests and a swell of opposition to the cuts during the consultation process have failed to divert the Conservatives from their course of cuts.

This year's cuts come a year after the council ceased the Nourish school meals service, shut the Ecton Brook care home

He said: "Sometimes I feel like I'm speaking to you from a parallel universe.

"I'm speaking and I cannot get across. There is no dialogue."

Paul Crofts, of SNS made a plea to the Conservative group to repeal the Drayton Centre closure.

"Someone needs to propose an amendment and re-think the closure of the Drayton Centre.

"We are closing a centre of excellence and send people to TurnFurlong which is no improvement."

But the Conservative group voted through the proposals.

It means the council tax changes will see a Band D property's annual bill rise to £1,166.

Councillor Andy Mercer (Con, Rushden South) even went as far as saying some councillors had received "death threats" in recent weeks on the basis of the cuts.

Councillor Andre Gonzales de Savage, on the cuts to the fire service, said alternative options being considered were shutting five fire stations, adding the move to get rid of the Technical Response Vehicle at Mereway and begin merging control rooms with Warwickshire was the "lesser of two evils."

Cabinet member for finance, Councillor Robin Brown, lambasted Tory colleagues in Whitehall for reducing funding to local councils in his speech.

But he claimed the £58 million worth of cuts will still see the most vulnerable protected.

He said: "This will help support high-value services for our adult population.

"Our budget is balanced and moving towards sustainability, furthermore it is deliverable.

"We have cut out waste, but that will need to continue.

"This budget ensures we have a fair and equitable use of our resources. It will ensure those in need get the spending they require."

From road closures and damage being caused by the high winds, here is a comprehensive round-up of incidents affecting Northants, Milton Keynes, Bucks, Beds, Herts, Warwickshire and Oxfordshire.

Northants

Storm Doris: How it is affecting Corby, East Northants, Kettering and Wellingborough

Storm Doris causing disruption to trains from Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough

Several trees felled by Storm Doris on major Northampton roads

Cars hit as branches fall from tree in Northamptonshire village

Long queues on M1 after vehicle overturns

WATCH: Tree snaps in town centre

WATCH: Trees felled in Delapre Crescent, London Road, as Storm Doris blasts Northampton

WATCH: Fallen tree at home in Daventry

Milton Keynes / Bucks

Roads blocked by fallen trees

Storm Doris causes school and road closures in Milton Keynes

Commuter Warning: Do NOT travel on London Midland today

It’s Doris Day! Strong winds from Storm Doris sweep through the Aylesbury Vale

STORM DORIS: Police issue advice for residents as storm batters Aylesbury Vale

LATEST INCIDENTS: A list of incidents caused by Storm Doris in Aylesbury Vale and a warning from transport chiefs

Herts

Storm Doris causes train chaos between Dacorum and London

Full rail service expected on London Midland on Thursday, despite Storm Doris

Warwickshire

Fallen tree damages church wall in Warwick

Storm Doris forces closure of Kenilworth Castle

Storm Doris causing major disruption on trains

Fallen branch partially blocking main road out of Leamington towards Kenilworth

Kenilworth market cancelled due to fears over Storm Doris

Long queues on M1 after vehicle overturns

Beds

Fire officers out in force because of Storm Doris

TRAVEL ADVICE: Storm Doris affects roads across Beds

Storm Doris sends tiles smashing through Leighton Buzzard roof

Rushmere Park closed due to Storm Doris

Oxfordshire

Tree narrowly misses a Banbury classroom

Storm Doris damages Banbury United clubhouse roof

Police are advising people to ensure their homes are secure after a spate of burglaries across the Daventry district.

Officers said there have been almost daily burglaries so far this month.

Residents are being reminded to secure garden equipment and tools and to preferably leave them in the house rather than an insecure shed or in the garden.

Northamptonshire Police said homes with no security measures are five times more likely to be burgled than those with simple security measures. Good window locks and strong deadlocks can make a huge difference.

They added that offenders usually gain entry by forcing a lock – so ensure your door is robust and the locks are fit for purpose. Glass is another entry point for burglars who are quite happy to use your garden implements to smash glazed panels to gain entry. Most DIY stores sell a film that sticks to windows which makes it extremely difficult to break. They also sell inexpensive key operated locks that will fit most kind of windows.

Further advice is to ensure side gates and rear access points are secure with sliding bolts and padlocks. Trellis on top of the gate or fence is a huge visual deterrent to any seasoned burglar.

Remember to lock your doors and windows every time you leave the house. Burglar alarms also act as an effective deterrent against burglars.

Northamptonshire Police said its officers are responding robustly to the current number burglaries in order to disrupt offenders, detect crime, recover stolen goods and bring offenders to justice.

If you have any information that could assist the police, you can do so anonymously by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or use their online form.

Main train lines around Northampton have been reopened after debris such as bins, trampolines and greenhouses were cleared from the tracks.

The lines between Northampton and Birmingham and Northampton and London Euston have been reopened.

Francis Thomas, head of corporate affairs for London Midland Trains, said: "We have been able to clear the lines between Northampton and Birmingham as well as Northampton and London Euston.

"Our advice is to delay your journey until tomorrow if you can. If you have a train ticket marked for today, it will be valid tomorrow as well.

"If you absolutely must travel today, our advice is to board any train you can going towards your destination, regardless of what route your ticket says, and we will get you home.

"In high winds, all sorts of debris can get blown onto the tracks. today, we've cleared everything from bins to trampolines and even greenhouses."

London Midland train service have delayed and cancelled services across the country today (February 23) as Storm Doris batters the nation

A Daventry path was covered in dog poo on Wednesday prompting the council to appeal for help in finding the culprit or culprits.

A dog warden flagged 50 piles of canine excrement on February 22 along a path off Hood Road, Southbrook.

If you have any idea who could be responsible for the debris of defecation you can fill in an online form here