Daventry District Council approved an increase in residents’ council tax at a meeting on February 23.

The yearly budgets for the 2017/18 tax year were set with the council tax requirement for the district council’s own purposes totalling £4,512,771.57.

Band D homes in Daventry will be charged £1,605.95, increasing by £66.94 compared to the 2016/17 charges.

Northamptonshire County Council’s precept was set at £1,116.59 for a Band D property, and the Police and Crime Commissioner has set its precept at £209.04, also for Band D properties.

Included in the county council’s figure is an additional three per cent, or £54.72, which is ringfenced for adult social care costs.

Special expenses were applied to Byfield, Daventry, Long Buckby and Weedon with households in those parishes being charged an average of £18.49, £45.73, £14.08 and £8.17 respectively.

Weedon will pay £1,674.10, the highest in the district.

The parishes with the lowest Band D rates are Althorp, Brockhall, Canons Ashby, Clay Coton, Cottesbrooke, Elkington, Fawsley, Haselbech, Holdenby, Kelmarsh, Stanford upon Avon and Sulby which will all pay £1,513.25 because their parishes are choosing not to levy a precept this year.

These 12 parishes were also ranked the lowest in the district last year when they paid £1,449.14.

The town and parish council precepts for 2017/18 total £2,240,638.01, with Northamptonshire County Council setting its total budget at £35,827,402 and the Police and Crime Commissioner requiring £6,468,626.

The district council also increased tax last year, when it added a £5 increase on its annual council tax precept for 2016/17, as well as in 2015 when it raised its tax level by 1.99 per cent, which equated to an extra £2.50 per year for a Band D home.

Boredom in Britain is at an all-time low - thanks to our our SMARTPHONES.

A survey of 2,000 Brits over 35 found that eight in 10 are rarely or never bored, because with their phone nearby there’s always something to do.

Twenty per cent say they are “never” without their phones, and three quarters reckon their lives are better because of it.

Greg Tatton-Brown, from online gaming site Casumo.com, said: “In the last 20 years or so we’ve seen this explosion in mobile phones, with smartphones a vital part of everyday life in the 21st century.”

“Our survey found that people today are bored far less often than they were 20 years ago, which is clearly linked with smartphones and the internet.”

Over 60 per cent of respondents said they’re less bored today than they were 20 years ago, and attribute that directly to having a smartphone.

The Casumo survey, conducted by OnePoll, revealed just six per cent think they’re bored more often today than they were in decades past.

Two-thirds of people said they’re simply too busy to be bored, with the average time that an adult can “switch off” from chores and errands being 5:40pm.

On average, people unlock their phones, stare at the screen and then put them away again without accomplishing anything more than 10 times a day.

And in the morning, checking the phone comes ahead of brushing teeth, eating breakfast and even giving a partner a hug or a kiss.

Brits also admit to checking their phone 18 minutes after waking up, 28 minutes into a work meeting, 32 minutes on a date and 29 minutes after sex.

Greg Tatton-Brown said: “It’s great to see that the country is less bored than ever before, and that many people have their smartphones or computers to thank.

“With any luck, in another 20 years boredom may be gone completely.”

More anti-boredom busting tips at https://www.casumo.com/en-gb/blog/

THE 10 MOST POPULAR BOREDOM-BUSTERS

1. Watch TV

2. Read a book

3. Look at phone

4. Go on a computer/laptop

5. Listen to music

6. Go for a walk

7. Watch a film

8. Use a tablet

9. Complete a puzzle

10. Take a nap

An actor whose catchphrase is at the centre of a “racist” t-shirt row has blasted the Methodist minister who got Primark to ban the garment after he complained.

Walking Dead star Jeffrey Dean Morgan has now waded into the row and blasted Ian Lucraft as “stupid” as calls grow for the high street chain to lift its ban on the “eeny meeny miny moe” t-shirt.

The star, who plays Negan in the hit US show, took to Twitter to hit out at the chain’s decision to stop selling the t-shirt, which also features a blood-stained, barbed wired wrapped baseball bat after Mr Lucraft sent a stinging letter to store bosses describing it as “fantastically offensive” and “racist.” Tweeting a link to the story to his 370,000 followers, the star wrote: “Holy cr*p, people are stupid.”

The tweet has retweeted 4,300 times and been liked more than 2,000 more. The row erupted earlier this week after Mr Lucraft and wife Gwen spotted the shirt on sale at the firm’s branch in The Moor in Sheffield city centre. It features Negan’s signature Lucille baseball bat and his victim-selecting rhyme, “Eeny meeny miny moe.” Mr Lucraft said the rhyme has racist origins, even though in the show, the actor uses the word “tiger” instead of the N-word, which the Methodist minister said the t-shirt was based on.

Primark apologised and instantly pulled the shirt, saying: “The T-shirt in question is licensed merchandise for the U.S. television series, The Walking Dead, and the quote and image are taken directly from the show. Any offense caused by its design was wholly unintentional and Primark sincerely apologises for this.” But calls are now growing for Primark to axe the ban and more than 700 people have signed a petition calling for it to be reinstated.

Jasmine Williams, who launched the campaign at change.org said: “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.”

Storm Doris battered the UK yesterday and much of it was captured on video.

From planes struggling to land to trees falling in roads and narrowly missing motorists and paddling pools and trampolines taking flight we look at 10 of the most viewed Storm Doris videos on YouTube.

Pictured above are members of the Daventry Rotary Club celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Rotary movement.

The photo was taken exactly 37 years ago, on February 25, 1980, at the event at the John O’Gaunt Hotel, Daventry.

The gentleman on the far left is Lieutenant Colonel John Walkelyne Chandos-Pole OBE, alongside his wife Mrs J Chandos-Pole.

The Lt Col was at the time the Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire. He held the position for 17 years from 1967 until 1984.

The Rotary International movement, founded in 1905, boasts a global membership of close to 1.22 million people.

Its stated purpose is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian services and advance goodwill and peace around the world.

Daventry District Council voted to approve the creation of a community lottery at a meeting on Thursday night.

The local lottery will help raise money for good causes in the Daventry area and had been discussed in detail at a strategy group {http:// http://www.daventryexpress.co.uk/news/councillors-back-plan-for-community-lottery-in-daventry-district-1-7825926|earlier this month.}

The introduction of the initiative was keenly debated on Thursday with some councillors worried that promoting a form of gambling was not in the council’s best interests.

However, it was also argued that playing the lottery was not as addictive, if at all, particularly when compared with betting on horse racing, sports or in casino.

Tickets will be priced at £1 each with 40p going to good causes, 10p going into a pot for community grants, 30p to the prize fund, 17p to the lottery operator, and 3p on VAT which the council can claim back and use to fund the licence and advertising.

An “unpaid army” of grandparents are saving UK families billions in child care costs every year according to the latest research from The International Longevity Centre (ILC-UK) think tank.

With the price of child care increasing 20 per cent recent years (2011- 2016) grandparents have become vital support for UK parents and according to the study are providing child care worth £1,786 per annum. This equates to £16.1 billion across the UK.

The research, carried out on behalf of insurance company Ageas, explored the contribution of grandparents in the UK using new survey data and analysis to investigate the financial, care-giving and recreational support they offer.

The study also shows that nine million grandparents across the country are spending an average of 11.3 unpaid hours a week looking after their grandchildren.

Biggest source of childcare

“It is clear that grandparents have become the biggest sources of childcare after parents themselves, allowing more parents to work and thereby reducing the costs of childcare,” explains Baroness Sally Greengross, chief executive of ILC-UK.

“Nevertheless, how we support and reward this growing unpaid army and how we reconcile an increasing need to work longer for the over 50s, 60s and 70s and shape and expand family friendly policies for all, remains subject to debate.”

The research also discovered that one quarter (23 per cent) of grandparents even pay for babysitting, so that parents, and perhaps grandparents themselves, can take a break from child care duties.

No reimbursements

Grandparents are also receiving little to no reimbursement for their time or expenses with only one in ten being reimbursed, however, 52 per cent of grandparents say they just enjoy the time they spend with their grandchildren.

New console launches are always exciting even if we have seen a fair share of complete flops over the years, mentioning no names (Mega CD, Atari Jaguar, Sega Dreamcast.... need I go on).

Well the Nintendo Switch is looking good and is due to launch on March 3, here’s eight things you must know about the new console.

8) There are three ways to play: you can play it on your TV when the console is docked. You can play it in tabletop mode with the attached kickstand or as a portable device. You can put your own memory cards in and they will not be region locked.

7) Battery life: perhaps one of the biggest disappointments as Nintendo announced it would last between 2-6 hours depending on the game. Batteries are not removable so any problems and they will need to be manufacturer replaced.

6) The controllers: Released initially in three colours, grey, blue and red and feature gyro-motion and ‘HD rumble’ which Nintendo claims to be ‘surround sound for touch’.

5) Games: Launch titles include a new Zelda game which looks stunning, a Mario Kart 8 port with a true battle mode, 1-2 Switch, which uses the motion controllers and a few others while a new Mario game is also on the horizon.

4) Online: this will be free initially as a trial but then a paid for subscription thereafter. You can obviously play other people as well as download games and there will be a monthly free download of an old SNES or NES game - which you only get to play for the month and it will disappear.

3) Game hardware: the games are cartridges and are slightly bigger than the PS Vita or Nintendo 3DS and the game box resembles the long, narrow PSP game box. Games will cost around £45.

2) Accessories: Pro controller, charging grips, docks, steering wheels and extra joy cons are a must for the serious Switch gamer but will set you back a fair few pounds as they don’t come cheap.

1) Tech and spec: The Switch will retail for £279.99 in the UK and for that you get the main Switch console, a dock, a pair of Joy-Con controllers (one left and one right), a Joy-Con grip (to connect the controllers together), wrist straps, and an HDMI cable and AC adapter. The Switch runs a Custom Nvidia Tegra CPU, Nvidia GPU and boast a 6.2in LCD touchscreen.

Men who drink more than a pint of beer a day over several years may increase their risk of heart disease by prematurely ageing their arteries, new research suggests.

The study shows that drinking too much alcohol can affect the elasticity of the arterial walls and prematurely age the arteries, interfering with blood flow.

And researchers found that men who used to drink heavily were at risk for accelerated rates of arterial stiffness compared with moderate drinkers who were in early old age.

But booze didn’t have the same effect on women, although the researchers pointed out that 73 per cent of the 3,869 participants in the study were men.

The researcher, who looked at boozing habits over a 25-year period, wanted to find out how much alcohol is too much, and at what point does alcohol start to cause damage to the arteries.

Participants ranged in age from their 30s to their 50s, with adjustments made for age, and anyone with a history of heart disease were excluded from the study.

Few of the participants were current smokers, however 68 per cent of the men and 74 per cent of women failed to meet recommended weekly exercise guidelines.

Among both the men and women, one in 10 had Type 2 diabetes.

Men were more likely to be heavy drinkers compared with women, but there were twice as many stable non-drinkers and former drinkers among the women than the men.

Researchers compared the participants’ alcohol consumption with carotid-femoral pulse wave artery velocity (PWV) measurements, or pulse waves between the main arteries found in the neck and thigh.

The greater the velocity, the stiffer the artery. Alcohol intake was measured periodically across 25 years and the researchers looked at how those long-term consumption patterns were associated with pulse wave velocity and its progression over a four to five-year interval.

Consistent long-term, heavy drinking was defined in this British study as more than 112 grams (3.9 ounces) of ethanol per week - roughly equivalent to seven pints of beer or cider or seven double whiskeys, vodkas or gins.

Participants reported the number of glasses of wine, pints of beer or cider, and measures of spirits or liqueurs consumed in the week preceding each assessment.

The values were then converted into ethanol volumes. In terms of conversion ratios, 8 g of ethanol was assumed for each measure of spirit and 16 g for each pint of beer/cider.

The findings were published in Journal of the American Heart Association which defines moderate alcohol consumption as an average of one to two drinks per day for men, and one drink per day for women.

One drink is considered as 12 ounces of beer, four ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits.

Excessive boozing increases cardiovascular risk factors including high blood pressure and obesity, stroke, certain types of cancer, suicide and accidents.

Study lead author Doctor Darragh O’Neill, an epidemiologist at University College London, said: “It’s been suggested alcohol intake may increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels - the good cholesterol - or decrease platelet stickiness.

“Conversely, heavier alcohol intake may activate certain enzymes that would lead to collagen accumulation, which could, in turn exacerbate the rate of arterial stiffening.

“Based on these findings, the research team wants to look at multiple groups of people - since this study was limited to a single group that was mostly male - and identify the relationship that drinking patterns over time have with other indicators of cardiovascular disease.”

A TOWIE-style fake tan really does make men much more attractive, according to scientific research.

A study found those who took bronzing pills for a Joey Essex style look were 50 per cent more likely to be described as ‘hot’ just 12 weeks later.

But the research also warned that taking the tan pills did nothing for the mens’ well-being - even though they looked ‘much fitter’.

It shows people are turned on by outward signs of health - rather than actual health, according to the findings published in Behavioral Ecology.

In January a survey revealed the number of young British men using fake tans has doubled in only a year - imitating stars of The Only Way Is Essex and a host of other celebrities.

Earlier research has also found tanned Brits have more sex than their paler pals.

Now the first experimental evidence of the pigment beta-carotene’s effect on attractiveness and health suggests the tanning chemical is sexually selected in humans.

The natural pigment gives many fruit and vegetables - such as carrots and pumpkins - their colour and in high doses adds a yellow or orange glow to the skin.

So Dr Yong Zhi Foo looked for links to the “signals of health” from the carotenoids and real health by giving 43 heterosexual white men beta-carotene pills for 12 weeks and a dummy treatment to 20 controls.

Afterwards 66 heterosexual women, also white with an average age of 33, were asked to rate before and after photographs of all the participants, aged around 21, who were also tested on their health at the same time.

This included their level of oxidative stress, immune function and quality of semen.

As expected the beta-carotene supplements increased overall ‘tanning’ of the skin - but not lightness.

And these faces were 50 percent more likely to be chosen as attractive - as well as healthier looking - compared to the pre-photos or the placebo group.

The researchers said the pills significantly boosted attractiveness and appearance of health, but did not affect any health functions.

They said this disproves the popular argument that carotenoid-based colouration is an “honest signal” of health and is associated with acting as an antioxidant.

One proposal is people are attracted to signs of health in a desire to reproduce and those who display these have a greater chance of survival, greater fertility and providing genes that promote healthy offspring.

Dr Foo, of Western Australia University, said: “Carotenoids are known to be responsible for the striking mating displays in many animal species.

“Our study is one of the first to causally demonstrate carotenoids can affect attractiveness in humans as well.

“It also reaffirms the results of previous studies showing that what we eat can affect how we look.”

He called for further research on the influence of carotenoid coloration on mammals - in particular to discover if the findings are replicated in women.

Dr Foo said some people are more attractive as mating partners than others and one characteristic that plays an important part is carotenoid-based colouration.

Two years ago a survey found 87% of people think they are more attractive to the opposite sex when they’re browner - leading to 65% thinking they actually get more nookie when they are glowing.

When asked which celebrity’s tan would make them feel the sexiest, 32% voted for bronzed Kelly Brook followed by Jennifer Anniston (27%).

And last month another study found one in three young men use bottle bronzer - up from one in six a year ago.

More males are plumping for TOWIE orange than women of the same age.

Incredibly, one in four - inspired by the healthy glow of stars from Hollywood heart-throb Ryan Reynolds to Strictly Come Dancing favourite Ed Balls - booked a session in a self tanning booth, compared with one in five young women.

B&Q has issued a safety warning following concerns being raised over a range of light fittings.

The DIY giant have found that the lamp shade rings on some models of the ranges of lights may fracture, which can cause the shade to fall from the fitting and present a risk of injury.

The company advise anyone who has purchased one of the affected products, which use the shade ring, to remove the shade and ring immediately on any affected light fittings, using the original tool supplied - ensuring the lights are cool first.

If this is not possible, customers are advised to avoid the potential fall zone until they have been able to organise removal of the lampshade/s.

Once the shade rings and shades have been removed the ceiling light fittings are safe to continue using as normal.

Customers having difficulty removing the shades or identifying the rings contact the helpline on 0300 3034482.

The full list of affected products, were offered for sale between February 2014 and February 2017, reads as follows:

April 3 light semi flush - BARCODE 5052931672769

Areto 1 light table - BARCODE 5014838507643

Areto 3 light semi flush - BARCODE 5014838508725

Areto 5 light pendant chrome - BARCODE 5014838507605

Areto 5 light semi flush chrome - BARCODE 5014838507582

Ashby 1 light wall - BARCODE 5014838673683

Ashby 3 light semi flush - BARCODE 5014838673447

Borrello 1 light table lamp - BARCODE 5052931475476

Borrello 3 light semi flush - BARCODE 5052931475599

Borrello 5 light pendant - BARCODE 5052931475544

Borrello 5 light semi flush - BARCODE 5052931475582

Borrello 1 light table lamp - BARCODE 5052931672875

Bromley 3 light ceiling lamp - BARCODE 5052931683826

Bromley 3 light semi flush - BARCODE 5014838615775

Bromley 5 light semi flush - BARCODE 5014838615782

Cloe 2 light wall lamp - BARCODE 5052931672738

Cloe 2 light wall lamp gold effect - BARCODE 5052931672776

Cloe 3 light ceiling lamp - BARCODE 5052931672745

Cloe 3 light semi flush gold effect - BARCODE 5052931672783

Cloe 5 light semi flush - BARCODE 5052931672950

Cloe 5 light semi flush gold effect - BARCODE 5052931672790

Kapista 1 light spot chrome - BARCODE 5397007176599

Kapista 3 light spot round chrome - BARCODE 5397007176070

Kapista 4 light spot bar chrome - BARCODE 5397007176582

Tempest 6 light semi flush - BARCODE 5014838458105

Men are living an average of eight years longer and women almost four years more than just 25 years ago, according to official figures.

And at least half of us can now expect to live well into our eighties for the first time.

In England and Wales for the period 2007 to 2011, the most common age at death was 85.6 for men and 88.3 for women - an increase of 8.2 years and 3.8 years respectively since 1982 to 1986.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also show that the age at which half of the population is expected to be still alive had reached 81.8 for men and 85.3 for women. It stood at 74.7 and 80.7 respectively in 1982 to 1986.

The ONS figures show that In 2007 to 2011 the most common age at death for the men and women classified in the higher managerial and professional occupations was 86.8 and 89.4 - 2.4 and 2.7 years higher than men and women in other jobs.

Since the early to mid 1980s, the change in the most common age at death for men was much larger in the routine occupations compared with the higher managerial and professional occupations, ranging from 9.2 years (75.2 to 84.4 years) in the former and 7.4 years (79.4 to 86.8 years) in the latter.

Asim Butt, of the ONS, said: “In England and Wales, deaths for men peaked at age 85 which is an increase of eight years since the 1980s, while for women they peaked at age 88 and an increase of four years.

“These increases are important to consider for both pension provision now and in the long term and also for health and social care need.”

Nokia has relaunched its classic 3310 mobile phone as the tech firm revealed a new line-up in an attempted revamp of the company.

An updated version of the 3310 - first launched in 2000 - complete with the classic mobile game Snake and a month-long standby battery life is to go on sale later this year, new manufacturer HMD Global confirmed.

The company said the device, which will not have internet connectivity, will cost 49 euro (£41) and is aimed at those looking for a second or so-called “burner” phone to make calls and send texts.

Having once been the world’s largest mobile phone manufacturer, Nokia has since slipped behind all its major rivals and was sold off by previous buyers Microsoft last year.

As well as the 3310, Nokia also revealed a new line of mid-range modern smartphones - including the Nokia 6 the company released in China at the start of the year, as well as a limited edition gloss version called the Arte Black - alongside the new Nokia 5 and Nokia 3.

New phone models by Nokia are displayed on a screen during the presentation of the new models “Nokia 6”, “Nokia 5”, “Nokia 3” and “Nokia 3310” (Photo: AFP)

All four devices are made from aluminium, with each device shaped from an individual block of metal.

Each also runs the latest version of Android - Nougat 7.0 - while Nokia has confirmed pricing as starting at 139 euro (£117) for the Nokia 3, rising to 229 euro (£194) for the 6 and 299 euro (£253) for the Arte Black version.

HMD Global chief executive Arto Nummela said the new line-up of phones would build on Nokia’s reputation in the industry.

“Nokia has been one of the most iconic and recognisable phone brands globally for decades,” he said.

“In the short time since HMD was launched into the market, the positive reception we’ve had has been overwhelming; it seems everyone shares our excitement for this next chapter.”

During the announcement at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Nokia also confirmed the new phones would all become available globally in the second quarter of 2017.

“Today’s consumers are more discerning and demanding than ever before and for us they will always come first,” Mr Nummela said.

“Our efforts in bringing together world class manufacturers, operating systems and technology partners sees us proudly unveiling our first global portfolio of smartphones with a Nokia soul, delivering the very best experience to everyone.”

People gathered in Daventry town centre on Saturday afternoon as traditional pancake races returned after years of absence.

The event in Sheaf Street featured live demonstrations, pancake flipping, pancake time trials, as well as free pancakes.

Also featured at the Daventry Town Council event was a mascot race which saw Spencer the Rabbit from Cynthia Spencer Hospice take on a minion and a lorax from Kuni’s, and Bee Active from Everyone Active.

Prizes were handed out to the winning adult and child of each pancake race, that included a signed football, a family ticket to Northampton Town’s match against Charlton Athletic on March 4, a healthy hamper from the Sheaf Street Health Store, and a gift voucher from Michelow’s Treasures.

Pancake races were once an annual tradition in Daventry, however, an event such as this one had not been organised in more than a decade.

Oakman Inns & Restaurants has had its exceptional staff policies and HR record recognised in the influential Sunday Times 100 Best Companies Awards 2017.

Oakman, the firm behind The Navigation at Thrupp Wharf, Cosgrove, has jumped up to eighth place in the ranks of the Top 10 Best Companies To Work For in the UK for the first time and is the highest ranked in the hospitality sector.

The methods of data-gathering and analysis employed in the quest to find the country’s Best Companies to Work For mean that the lists are widely acknowledged as the most extensive research into employee engagement carried out in the UK each year. All the scores and ratings that are assessed to compile the lists are based on employee opinions, and each year the questionnaires are revised and updated to reflect current workplace concerns.

For the last three years, Oakman Inns has always been highly regarded as an employer, both inside and outside the industry. While consistently achieving a Top 50 ranking year on year, 2017 has seen the company also scoop the ‘Best Improver Award’ in the mid-sized category with their new overall Top 10 placement.

Peter Borg-Neal, Oakman Inns’ chief executive, who founded the business in 2007 with his first pub, The Akeman in Tring, Herts, said: “I am incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved. To reach the top 10 in ‘The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For’ is a credit to every one of our team, not only in Hertfordshire but also across our entire estate.”

Key commendations that contributed to their high ranking included:

Oakman employees appreciate their bosses’ openness and honesty (86%, fifth)

The company’s “Oakmanology” training scheme, (an online software system specifically designed for and by Oakman’s HR department) which, staff say, is of great personal benefit, scoring 82% positive (fourth among mid-size companies).

Employees finding their jobs good for personal growth (85%, eighth).

Managers regularly showing appreciation for good work (85%, third)

Caring about staff job satisfaction (82%) and

Motivating teams to give their best every day (79%).

Jill Scatchard, who has been Head of HR at Oakman Inns for five years said: “Much of this success is down to Oakmanology, our in-house training scheme which is delivered via an online software system specifically designed for and by Oakman. We started work on it almost four years ago and since we released it just over a year ago, our staff have overwhelmingly claimed it to be of great personal benefit (82%). Oakmanology involves everyone, and its skill development modules are taken by everyone from the main board down. We want them to be passionate and proud about what they do, to really care about their attention to detail and for their acquired knowledge and their extraordinary skill sets to positively impact on our customers’ experience.”

Alex Ford, Oakman Inns’ operations director, said: “We are above all else a people business and this award recognises our commitment to our growing number of employees and personal development programmes which ultimately result in a team which wants to give our customers the best experience they can.”

All Oakman’s sites close for Oakfest, the company’s annual music festival, and pub teams organise their own nights out. Employees have plenty of fun together (87%) and say they feel a sense of family (83%).

A man was left with an injured forehead after being hit over the head with an object as he walked in an underpass in Daventry.

The man was walking from the town centre towards the Grange estate through the underpass on Staverton Road, close to the ambulance and fire stations, between 1.30am and 2.2am on Saturday February 25.

The victim was hit over the head with an object, possibly a bottle, sustaining cuts and grazes to his forehead.

Witnesses, or anyone with information, are asked to contact Northamptonshire Police on 101. Alternatively, they can call independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

The incident happened at around 2pm on the northbound carriageway between junctions 16 (Flore) and 17 (for the M45).

The crash appears to have happened just south of the Watford Gap services, and queues have already built up back to junction 16.

Highways England says that those stuck in the jam can expect to be delayed for an hour currently and that the incident is expected to be cleared by 4.45pm this evening.

Traffic is also already building up on alternative routes including the A5.

A planning consultation is underway on proposals for a retail scheme to the north-west of Daventry town centre.

Daventry District Council’s development partner Henry Boot Developments Ltd is seeking detailed planning permission to build a food hall-style store and retail units on land in the Chaucer Way/Waterloo area of Daventry.

Outline permission to build a pub, hotel and fast food restaurant with a drive-through at the location, known as Site 5 in the council’s Town Centre Vision, is also sought.

The proposals, submitted this month, also include 487 parking spaces as well as associated engineering, drainage and infrastructure works.

A three-week statutory planning consultation on the proposal is underway and comments from the public and other consultees are invited.

The planning application – ref: DA/2017/0123 – and all supporting documents can be viewed {http:// www.daventrydc.gov.uk/planningsearch|here|}.

Anyone who wishes to comment on the proposals must do so by Wednesday March 22.

This can be done via an online form available when you access the application online, by emailing planning@daventrydc.gov.uk or in writing to: The Development Control Manager,

Daventry District Council, Lodge Road, Daventry, NN11 4FP

A well-known furniture store is relocating this weekend due to traffic problems in Northampton.

The Sofa King showroom is moving to the Royal Ordnance Depot in Weedon and will open to the public at 10am on Saturday, March 4.

Plans have recently been submitted to demolish the Far Cotton store in order to build 40 flats with associated car parking spaces.

Owner, Mark Kypta said: “I chose this location as it's easy to get to, easy to park and beautiful.

“The old showroom in Far Cotton has helped the company grow into one of the UK number one sofa specialists but traffic at weekends is a real problem and when we are trying to deliver sofas the next day it can be a nightmare, not just for our delivery drivers but for customers that travel miles to see and try the new designs.

“Luckily most customers now choose to buy on our website but traffic jams are not nice for those that like to test out sofas and beds before they buy.”

The demolition of the current store on Towcester Road has sparked concern among residents in the area who believe the plans for new homes, known as, Tivoli Court, 'will put a higher strain' on limited parking.