A special celebrity cricket match will be played at a Northamptonshire private estate later this month featuring former England players and ex-Saints rugby stars.

The game, hosted by Earl Spencer on his private cricket pitch at Althorp House and organised by Northamptonshire Steelbacks’ Steven Crook, will take place on June 24, and the day will also feature an auction, evening entertainment and first class hospitality.

As well as the Steelbacks, players confirmed so far include famous faces such as Paul Nixon, Monty Panesar, Chris Rogers, Devon Malcolm and Allan Lamb, with Saints and rugby stars including Paul Grayson, James Grayson and Mike Hayward.

“We have an incredible list of players that include celebrities from sports, screen and stage. It’s going to be another fantastic day, we really hope you can join us and help make a difference to local families,” said Crook.

“We’re very proud and honoured to be the Northamptonshire County Cricket Club official Players’ Charity.

“Working alongside the playing staff, and with help from everyone associated with the club, we’re raising money for Alfe’s Cause to support the incredible work they do across Northamptonshire.”

Also taking part are Oliver & James Phelps – better known as The Weasley Twins from the Harry Potter films – star of Merlin, Rupert Young, as well as Olympians Derek Redmond and Ellie Robinson.

General admission tickets are available on the day at a minimum of £5 donation per adult, and a family ticket is available for £10. Children under 16 are free.

Tickets are available on the day, and will include a variety of concessions stalls and entertainment such as a bouncy castle, summer BBQ, Prosecco van, face painting and more.

For more information visits www.runs4funds.org.

The Northamptonshire man seemingly cured of type 1 diabetes has provided an update on his condition, as doctors continue to analyse his test results.

Dan Darkes, from Daventry, discovered he had type 1 in 2010 shortly after leaving the Army, but he stopped taking his insulin injections earlier this year after tests showed his blood sugar levels were below average/average to low.

Mr Darkes went to the United States in March this year for further tests, after which scientists put the probability of his potentially miraculous recovery being genuine at 80 per cent.

Since returning from America, Mr Darkes’ results have been analysed by doctors at Northampton General Hospital, and he has been visiting the hospital every week for two months.

“My tests indicated that doctors found a rare gene in my results and that has acted as a ‘backup’ immune system.

“This has led to insulin being reproduced in my pancreas.”

He added: “The gene has basically recharged my immune system and pancreas, kicking into action beta cells which have laid dormant for the time I have had type 1.

“The consultants haven’t ruled out the possibility that me staying active and running was the trauma or shock which triggered the healing process.”

Other type 1 diabetics have contacted Mr Darkes - nicknamed Miracle Dan by his friends - as a result of the publicity he has received since his health turnaround, and are as eager for answers as he is.

Many are hopeful that he might hold the key to finding some sort of cure for the disease in the future, and Mr Darkes is anxious for his results to be finalised so that definitive conclusions can be drawn.

“Further analysis is being carried out and it is taking a bit longer than I thought,” he said.

“It is frustrating, I’ve found it hard waiting around because I want the answers too.”

Mr Darkes has covered many miles as a long-distance runner, which the scientists believe could have been behind his recovery, and he continues to do so today.

“I am still off insulin and have been now for seven months,” he said.

“I am still doing my running and am currently training for an ultra marathon.”

The early exit polls predicting the Conservatives would lose their majority in Parliament put the cat among the pigeons in several seats in the county.

But in the end, the situation remained stable, with the people voting for the Conservative candidate in every constituency in Northamptonshire.

There were furrowed brows and worried glances between candidates and party representatives throughout the night from when the polls closed at 10pm until the final local vote was declared in Northampton at around 4.30am.

In each constituency across Northamptonshire, both the Labour and Conservative candidates gained votes. The everywhere but Northampton the Liberal Democrats made steps forward. The Green Party also struggled, going into reverse in many places.

However, it was UKIP that saw the most dramatic turn-around of the evening.

UKIP had candidates in all constituencies, other than Kettering where a deal had been done with the Conservative's pro-Brexit Philip Hollobone.

Where UKIP did field candidates, they saw their number of votes tumble - in some cases fall off a cliff.

It is hard to tell where the UKIP vote moved to - in places the drop in UKIP votes mirrors the number of extra Labour votes. In others, UKIP's woes seem to be linked to growth in the Conservatives' performance. Elsewhere those leaving UKIP seem to have divided up between the other big and smaller parties.

Going into this snap election the county had seven Tory MPs. After weeks of campaigning, it emerged from the election with seven Conservative MPs.

For an election that was called by the PM to clarify her position and that of the UK, it appears not to have fulfilled that promise.

Not wishing to be outdone by their Long Buckby colleagues who decorated their Station Road factory for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977, the ladies of Andrew McLaren’s sewing department on the High March estate in Daventry bejewelled themselves in attire befitting a Royal occasion.

As well as featuring babies, squaws and schoolgirls, the ladies dressed four of their number as the Royal Family.

Jean Rogers played Queen Elizabeth II, and next to her is Anthea Wright as Prince Phillip.

Gale Prince became Princess Anne for the celebrations and Marlene Edwards dressed as Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales.

With the whole party looking like the Royal Family and Commonwealth Conference delegates, the group boarded a coach and set off to show the Andrew McLaren ladies of Long Buckby their outfits.

Elsewhere in the town, on Jubilee Road aptly, a street party was held in celebration.

The centrepiece of a Jubilee exhibition put on by pupils at The Grange Infants School was a replica of the Queen’s state coach, which was constructed by both teachers and children from the school.

The average Brit is still in touch with five friends from their school days - and over a third remain close to their very first best pal.

The study of 2,000 UK adults found the bonds formed in primary school can last a lifetime - with 35 per cent revealing their first best mate shaped who they are today.

On average UK adults met their best pal from childhood aged seven - going on 38 adventures, overcoming 14 fall-outs and experiencing 13 life-changing events together.

However, respondents typically drifted apart from their first best mate age 15 years old - with moving house and going to different schools the most common reasons why.

While a fifth admit their relationship with their childhood friend is now limited to Facebook and other social media.

Commissioned by kids TV show, Kate & Mim-Mim, airing on CBeebies every weekday at 8.50am, the research also found half of those no longer close to their first best friend wish they still knew them.

Kirstie Brockett, brand manager for Kate & Mim-Mim, said: “Friendships formed in childhood can have a huge effect on our lives and it’s great to see so many of these are lasting well into adulthood.

“Many of us drift apart from friends made during our formative years however the research suggests that bond has played a significant part in who we are today.

“For many of us, the moments experienced together in that time will stay with us forever and hopefully be looked back upon with great fondness.”

Fifty-two per cent of people met their best friend at primary school - while almost a quarter met because they were neighbours or lived close-by to each other.

Among the adventures most commonly shared with best friends are bike rides, building dens and exploring the woods.

Other precious shared-adventures with pals included searching for ghosts, being chased by farmers and sleeping under the stars.

Almost a fifth of respondents are still tight with an entire group of friends they first met in nursery or primary school.

Respondents typically had six close friends at nursery, seven at primary school, eight at secondary school and eight between the ages of 16 and 18.

While 15 per cent of Brits said they didn’t have a best pal during their years as a child and one in 10 people had an imaginary friend when they were younger.

Respondents’ imaginary friends included a frog, a dragon called Peter, a goblin - and a giant teddy bear named George.

On average UK adults have four close friends and over half currently have someone they consider to be a best friend.

Respondents also revealed some of their favourite toys from early childhood - with some of the more peculiar ones including a hot water bottle and a camera case.

Parenting Consultant and author, Eileen Hayes MBE, said “We are born as social beings - even as babies, right from the start, we are social and want to communicate.

“Small children are also intensely interested in other small children when they start to meet them - almost leaping out of the push-chair in their excitement - and they love to play and socialise.

“We see from the Childhood Friends survey results, the importance of these early friendships and how they shape the adults we become - even if we are not actively in-touch with them.

“So it’s important for parents to do everything they can to encourage positive friendships for our children.”

Overweight children have more unreciprocated friendships and “frenemies” than thinner kids the same age due to “fat shaming,” according to a new study.

Researchers say their “alarming” findings suggest fat youngsters are “excluded” from friendships due to their weight.

And such “negative social interactions” can increase the risk of overweight youngsters suffering from loneliness, depression, poor eating habits and illness

A survey of 504 pre-teen kids in The Netherlands found that overweight children are not only shut out of friendships, but call classmates friends when the feeling is not mutual and are disliked by their peers.

And overweight children also dislike more classmates than their thinner peers, according to the findings.

Researchers say such heightened negative relationships take a “mental, social and physical toll.”

Study lead author Doctor Kayla de la Haye, of the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC), said: “Our finding is alarming because if we continue to have social environments where fat shaming is the norm, these kids will continue to be ostracised.

“Those adverse interactions increase the risk of loneliness, depression, poor eating habits and illness.”

Although overweight children, on average, listed as many people in the “friend” category as children with healthy weight, they were 1.7 times more likely to be disliked and 1.2 times more likely to dislike their peers.

Dr de la Haye said the combined tendencies indicate that overweight children are generally involved in more unreciprocated friendships and mutual frenemy relationships.

The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, included 714 students, 210 of whom were nominated as friends but did not take the survey.

Dr de la Haye said: “Research by others has shown people who chronically feel isolated, lonely or socially disconnected experience greater inflammation and reduced viral suppression.

“We’re not sure if that’s at play here, but a consistent body of research shows that negative social relationships can go under the skin and affect health.”

Worldwide, childhood obesity has increased by 31 per cent in a little over two decades with around 42 million overweight or obese children in 2013, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The study was based on questionnaires that 504 pre-teens answered in The Netherlands when they were aged 10 to 12.

Participants in 28 classes listed their best friends and their enemies. On average, 26 students participated per classroom.

Children were assigned weight categories based on their body mass index (BMI). Around one in six of the participants (16 per cent) were overweight.

Researchers controlled for gender because it can steer friendships and omitted children who had skipped a grade or who were held back a grade.

On average, children were listed as a friend by five of their classmates and as an enemy by two.

But overweight kids typically were considered a friend by just four classmates and were disliked by three.

Dr de la Haye said: “This social environment characterised by fewer friendships and more antipathies is likely to put overweight youth at increased risk for psychosocial maladjustment.

“The resulting social isolation may also promote unhealthy behaviours, such as excessive food intake and decreased participation in sports and physical activities, which can lead to further weight gain and thus a cycle of poor physical and social outcomes.”

Dr de la Haye said that, unfortunately, it seems overweight children tend to have fewer friends and be friends with less popular kids who also tend to be overweight.

She added: “We want to reduce the stigma of being overweight.

“We have anti-bullying campaigns based on sexual identity, race and ethnicity. We should do more to integrate obesity in our anti-bullying repertoire.”

The following people were sentenced at Northampton Magistrates’ Court:

APRIL 19:

Jamal Luke, aged 33, of Maidencastle, Northampton, caused someone to fear violence would be used against them; community order made to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work. Damaged a front door, porch and driveway; community order made to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay compensation of £600.

APRIL 20:

Casey Edwards, aged 18, of Ruskin Road, Northampton, carried an offensive weapon without good reason; jailed for 28 days, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £115.

Jamie Cooke, aged 32, c/o Berkeley House, Horsemarket, Northampton, breach of a court order; fined £40. Begging, in breach of a court order; fined £40, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30.

APRIL 21:

Craig Ahearn, aged 21, of Firbank Close, Northampton, failed to give information relating to the identity of a driver accused of an offence; fined £120, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Samuel Duah, aged 60, of Ethel Street, Northampton, driving without due care and attention; fined £220, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 90 days.

Steven Hunter, aged 32, of Stony Hill, Paulerspury, driving at 100mph in a 70mph zone on the A43 near Gaydon; fined £80, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Alison Hoyland, aged 54, of Grasscroft, Long Buckby, no insurance; fined £346, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £34 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Asadullah Muhammad, aged 54, of Baukewell Court, Northampton, driving at 51mph in a 30mph zone; fined £152, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Dorel-Alin Popa, aged 30, of Earl Street, Northampton, driving without due care and attention; fined £233, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Geoffrey Bye, aged 70, of Greenhill Road, Long Buckby, failed to stop at an accident; fined £80, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with five points. Failed to report an accident to a police officer; fined £80.

Jaroslaw Kackzmarksi, aged 35, of Glasgow Street, Northampton, failed to give information relating to the identity of a driver; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Adam Nasser, aged 64, of Reynard Way, Northampton, driving while using a mobile phone; fined £146, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with three points.

Constantin Racu, aged 20, of Cranstoun Street, Northampton, no car insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £66 and costs of £85. Driving without due care and attention; fined £660, licence endorsed with nine points.

Prince Sodipe, aged 56, of Lower Meadow Court, Northampton, no car insurance; fined £346, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £34 and costs of £86, licence endorsed with six points.

Katie Surgener, aged 39, of Whistlets Close, Northampton, driving without due care and attention; fined £338, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £33 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Daniel Teague, aged 23, of Langsett Close, Northampton, failed to give information relating to the identity of a driver accused of an offence; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Valerie Thurlow, aged 72, of Sheffield Way, Earls Barton, failed to stop at an accident; fined £73, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and licence endorsed with five points. Failed to report an accident; fined £73. Driving without due care and attention; fined £36 and ordered to pay costs of £85.

Tomasz Urban, aged 29, of Farnborough Drive, Middlemore, Daventry, driving without due care and attention; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with seven points.

Ronald Wills, aged 50, of Cardigan Close, Dallington, breach of a court order; community order made, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £85 and costs of £85. Failed to surrender to custody; no separate penalty.

APRIL 24:

Alina Radu, aged 33, of Vernon Walk, Northampton, assault; community order made, ordered to pay compensation of £100. Damaged a door at Market Square Mini Market; community order made, ordered to pay compensation of £150. Possession of cannabis; community order made.

Dominika Rychlik-Wojciechowsk, aged 34, of Shelford Close, Northampton, failed to notify the borough council of a change in circumstances relating to housing benefit; conditional discharge for 15 months, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £20 and costs of £105.

Dean Sturgess, aged 37, of Kingsland Gardens, Northampton, dangerous driving; community order made to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £85 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 12 months. Failed to stop at an accident; community order made to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work. Using a hand-held phone while driving; no separate penalty.

Edgard Balazs, aged 27, of Spencer Road, Northampton, stole a digital camera; fined £300, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85.

Tuyen Bui, aged 52, of Marriott Street, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 47mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; fined £400, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £40 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 36 months.

Kayne Dempster, aged 22, of no fixed abode, possession of cannabis; fined £200, ordered to pay a surcharge to

victim services of £30 and costs of £85. Drunk and disorderly in St Peter’s Way; fined £200.

Sunil Patel, aged 21, of Buckingham Road, Brackley, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 47mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; fined £355, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £35 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 14 months.

Andrew Bodsworth, aged 54, of Orchard Rise, Long Buckby, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 116mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; community order made to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £85 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 27 months.

Noel Majores, aged 26, of Waynflete Close, Brackley, using a counterfeit £20 note; jailed for 84 days concurrent suspended for 12 months, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £115 and compensation of £20.

John Morgan, aged 51, of Cardigan Close, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 126mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; ordered to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work, ordered to

pay a surcharge to victim services of £85 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 33 months.

Steven Warren, aged 31, of Wade Meadow Court, Northampton, stole a laptop worth £250, jailed for 126 days suspended for 12 months, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £115, compensation of £526 and costs of £85.

Steven Wilkinson, aged 25, of Cissbury Road, Northampton, had two knives in a public place without good reason; community order made, ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, pay a surcharge to victim services of £85 and costs of £85.

APRIL 25:

Grant Harding, aged 24, of High Street, Kingsthorpe, Northampton, failed to comply with supervision; fined £120 and costs of £60.

Wendell Cuffy, aged 55, of Colwyn Road, Northampton, breach of a court order; fined £120, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85.

Mohamed Abdelaal, aged 37, of The Medway, The Grange, Daventry, no car insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with eight points. Driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £220.

Stephen Abel, aged 41, of Minster Road, Daventry, drove at 52mph in a 30mph zone; fined £184, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Paul Baicoana, aged 34, of Flaxlands Court, Northampton, driving at speeds exceeding 30mph; fined £293, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Andrew Blooman, aged 31, of Langdale Road, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with eight points. Driving not in accordance with a licence fined £220.

Andrie Cantaragiu, aged 38, of Crestline Court, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with eight points. No test certificate; fined £220.

Tracey Carwardine; aged 49, of Rosewood Close, Daventry, failed to give information relating to the identity of a driver; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Tejay Cook, aged 21, of Forskitt Court South, Northampton, driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £220. No insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with eight points.

New Scarcity Index identifies most valuable £2 coins.

Search under the sofa and check your pockets because the first ever Scarcity Index to identify the UK’s most valuable £2 coins.

Worth more than what meets the eye, the most recently released £2 coins from The Royal Mint feature in Change Checkers top 10 Scarcity Index – First World War Navy £2 (2015), The Great Fire of London £2 (2016) and the Shakespeare Comedy and Tragedy £2 (2016).

The Scarcity Index, which already has a Scarcity Index for £1 and 50p coins, uses a combination of mintage, collecting and swap data to identify which coins are the most collectible.

Commonwealth games coin most valuable

With less than 2,500,000 coins issued, the Commonwealth Games £2 coin tops the Scarcity Index.

“The Scarcity Index does not necessarily equate to value but it is certainly an effective indicator,” says Change Checker. “ For example, the Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland £2 coin commands a premium of 15 to 20 times face value of eBay.”

The coin comes in four different designs – which can only be identified by each of the UK’s constituent nations flags – Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England. As a result, instead of 2,500,000 coins being issued, the mintages range between 485,500 and 771,500, adding to their value.

Change Checker adds, “As for the more recent issues that have made the top 10, it is perhaps too early to tell. But what is clear, is that more and more of the British public are checking their change in the hope of finding interesting or rare coins in their pocket – perhaps even the Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland £2 coin – you just have to be sharp-eyed.”

A shocking eight out of 10 British motorists say they have fallen victim to road rage in the past year.

A poll of 2,000 UK motorists found that more than a half (61%) of those suffered either a verbal or physical attack in the last 12 months.

Three-quarters of those quizzed said they had a experienced seeing a threatening gesture from a fellow motorist.

The poll by Tyreshopper.co.uk found that the average driver was the victim of road rage three times in a year.

With just over 38.6 million licence holders registered on the UK’s roads and statistics may explain why 66% of traffic fatalities are believed to be due to aggressive driving.

The poll however found that motorists are reporting just 6% of road rage incidents, with one in five motorists being left too scared to get back behind the wheel.

Two years ago, Hull motorist Ronnie Pickering became an internet ‘sensation’ when his foul-mouthed outburst at a motorcyclist was captured on video and went viral - being viewed more than 100,00 times across the globe.

The new research showed that men were the worst offenders, with 4 in 5 abusers being men with an average age of around 37.

When it comes to the victims of road rage, both genders are equally as likely to receive abuse from male drivers.

However, women are almost twice as likely to suffer three or more incidents of road rage in a single year (35% compared to 25% of men).

So it will come as no surprise that female drivers are more hesitant to get back behind the wheel of a car (28%) than men (14%).

Half of those surveyed said they felt incidents were common at junctions, while 47% said they’d been abused most on main roads.

And if you want the safest retreat, it’s best to stick to country roads, where just 1 in 10 people have experienced an angry motorist behind the wheel.

Meanwhile bus drivers seem to be everyone’s chum on the carriageway, with just 7% of motorists reporting feeling threatened by one.

Jack Underwood, digital marketing executive at Tyreshopper.co.uk, said: “It’s no wonder road rage is rife in Britain, given the number of congested roads and ongoing roadworks around the nation’s motorways.

“But with busy lives to lead, people can get impatient behind the wheel, leading to incidents I’m sure they later regret. It’s key for drivers to stay calm and composed on the roads - after all, it’s better to take a little while longer to get from A to B than arrive frustrated albeit a few seconds quicker.”

Wine prices have reached an all-time high since the Brexit vote - and further rises are expected to follow, according to industry experts.

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association said that the referendum result is to blame for the increase, which has seen the cost of a bottle rise more in the past three months than in the previous two years.

The average price now stands at £5.66, a three per cent rise in the 12 weeks to the end of March.

Previously, the rise was just one per cent over two years, not including a 3.9 per cent rise in alcohol duty in the spring Budget.

The WTSA pointed out that despite a healthy domestic market that produces 5m bottles per year, of the 1.8 million bottles of wine consumed in the UK annually, 99 per cent are imported.

Citing a weak pound causing import costs to rise, WSTA chief executive Miles Beale said: “Unfortunately, for both British businesses and consumers, we are clear that this is not a one-off adjustment, but rather that wine prices will continue to rise.”

Seven scouts from Byfield have enjoyed adventures by the sea using public transport without any adult help.

The boys made their own way to Brownsea Island and Swanage in Dorset last weekened.

To achieve the Scouts Expedition Award, Byfield Scouts needed to organise and plan their route for their chosen adventure and the scouts in Byfield set themselves a brave and fantastic challenge.

Sally Huband, of 1st Byfield Scout Group, said: “They did brilliantly to make their way without any adult help, using a combination of public transport and hiking, to get all the way from Banbury to Swanage in Dorset for an ice-cream on the beach via an overnight camp on Brownsea Island.

“After catching the train in Banbury the scouts caught a bus to Poole and hiked to the quayside before catching the Ferry over to Brownsea Island.”

She saidBrownsea is now owned by the National Trust and is where Lord Baden-Powell the founder of the Worldwide Scout movement held the first ever camp for 20 ‘lads’ in 1907.

“A couple of Byfield Scout leaders joined them there for dinner and a campfire before the scouts set off again this time catching two ferries to the mainland and then hiking along the South West Coast path to Swanage.

Scout Max Sewell said: “We knew it would be a long walk – and it was!

“But we kept going because we knew we’d get double ice-creams on the beach at Swanage.”

They got their ice-creams and were awarded their badges on Tuesday at the scout hut in Byfield, next to the pavilion.

Talented dancers from LoveBallet in Daventry took to the stage of the Royal Albert Hall in London to perform Stars in The Round.

Nearly 60 dancers travelled to London for the performance, which was their tribute to George Michael.

Lorraine Day, principal of LoveBallet, said: “They performed their piece in front of thousands and danced beautifully on stage.

“It was a wonderful experience for the pupils to dance in such an iconic venue in the Round; it is something parents and pupils will always remember and we are very proud of our dancers.”

Lorraine has just started up an ‘Inclusive Dance Class’ for disabled children and those with special needs.

“We run various classes across Northants, but have a large school in Daventry at Nene Hall, The Grange. We teach ballet, modern, street and acro gym in Daventry, but have always wanted to branch out to offer our lessons across the board and be inclusive to those with special needs and disabilities.”

The first lesson took place on Tuesday at Nene Hall.

For more information about LoveBallet Dance Company and the classes it offers visit www.loveballet.co.uk or email Lorraine@loveballet.co.uk

There’s fun for all the family at the launch of the Northants and District Junior Grand Prix.

The big graded junior tournament is being held by Northants Squash Rackets Association on June 24 at Daventry Squash Club, Stefen Hill.

Mike Broadbent, chairman of Northants County Association, said: “The event is for all those who have been involved this year in interclub matches – with the potential for 90 or more children playing throughout the day.

“The bar will be open, there will be a bouncy castle outside to keep the younger players amused between matches and a barbecue. It’s a chance to get together all the juniors, their parents, and their coaches for a great big celebration of squash.”

Organisers say although the tournament is for established junior players representing their respective clubs, parents are invited to bring their children along to experience squash. and meet the coaches.

Mike added: “We’ve been running graded junior tournaments all season between Northants clubs and some just over the border in Buckingham and Market Harborough. Next season we will formalise these events into the Northants and District Junior Grand Prix, designed to give match practice to every junior in the county irrespective of their ability, as well as to identify those who have the potential to play in a county squad.

“This launch event is a great opportunity for lifelong friendships to be made and for our young players to experience the thrill of a big tournament. Anyone is welcome to come along and find out about squash in Northants and how they can sign their children up for junior coaching in the county.”

The tournament kicks off at 10am until 4pm.

A Long Buckby musician “thrilled” judges when he took part Northamptonshire Festival of Performing Arts.

Will Gold won both the Bassoon Open Class and the Clarinet Open Class before going on to win the Woodwind Award.

His rendition of Jindrich Feld’s Sonatine for Bassoon was described by adjudicator David Saint as “thrilling” and “fiendishly difficult” and his performance at the subsequent Celebration Concert earned him the overall winner’s trophy, The Excelsior Cup.

Will, 17, said, “I chose this piece because I wanted to challenge myself to play something which is very different from the repertoire I usually play in orchestras.

“It’s an avant-garde piece which is demanding for both the performer and for the audience I loved playing it.”

Will, who said he was pleased with his awards, also plays the clarinet and bass guitar.

It was heaven for motorcycle fans in Daventry at the weekend with the return of an annual festival.

The family-friendly Daventry Motorcycle Festival took place on Saturday around the town centre, which was packed with different kinds of entertainment.

It began when more than 300 motorcycles of all styles and ages, including the Daventry-built Heskeths, rode into Daventry from Daventry Town FC.

After they completed a short designated route into the town, led by the town’s mayor, the motorcycles lined up along High Street and connecting roads for all to admire.

The riders and families were then able to wander about and look at the variety of bikes and take in the all-day entertainment on offer including local bands, street entertainers and numerous free fairground attractions.

Pictures by Sharon Lucey.

A Daventry charity has been selected as a recipient of The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Daventry Area Community Transport (DACT) has been given the award, which they say is the equivalent of an MBE for volunteer services.

Rob Kinning, chief executive at DACT, said: “This represents a tremendous achievement for DACT, but more importantly reflects the contribution that volunteers have given to make this organisation what it is today.

“We are immensely proud of the recognition that this award represents and I just want to say how much we have appreciated the support of the Daventry Express and Northampton Chronicle and Echo.

“I am so proud of all our DACT Volunteers past and present who have made this award possible and I believe it is just reward and recognition for all they do – ‘for the community, by the community’.

“The wide-ranging services provided by DACT have a major impact upon thousands of grateful residents of the Daventry district and surrounding areas.”

A signed certificate from Her Majesty the Queen (to be presented by the Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire at a date to be arranged) will be displayed here in the DACT Office together with an English Crystal with the QAVS insignia in due course.

Inspectors say East Midlands Ambulance Service still ‘requires improvement’, but is on the way to making significant improvements.

The EMAS NHS Trust was rated as ‘requires improvement’ in 2015 when checks were made into services, including response times falling short of the national target.

Now a new report has been published today (June 13) following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in February 21, 22 and 23 and on March 3 to follow up on whether improvements have been made.

CQC’s chief inspector of hospitals, professor Sir Mike Richards, spoke of the first inspection.

He said: “We were concerned that response times for some identified calls fell short of the national target which meant patients were not receiving care as quickly as they should.

“There were variable standards of incident investigation and a lack of learning at an organisational level in relation to those incidents.

“Staff did not always know their responsibilities with regard to the Duty of Candour regulation.

“We found pockets of concern about potential bullying and harassment of staff, and instances where policies and procedures relating to staff wellbeing were not followed.

“The trust was also not compliant with the requirements of the Fit and Proper Persons regulation.

“We have told the trust where further work is required to ensure patients receive the service they should be able to expect.

“The trust leadership knows what it needs to do to bring about improvement and our inspectors will return at a later date to check on what progress has been made.”

Following the November investigation, the trust was told to make significant improvements and ensure there were sufficient staff and vehicles available as well as staff receiving appropriate training, support and appraisal to carry out their roles.

These improvements had been made when CQC next inspected.

The watchdog looked at specific areas to check on whether improvements had been made and made checks into safety and effectiveness of the Emergency and Urgent Care Services, Emergency Operations Centres and whether the service provided was safe, effective and well-led.

While the overall rating for the trust remains unchanged, inspectors found a number of significant improvements had been made.

He added: "On our return to East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust our inspectors found significant improvements had been made, and there were a number of areas of outstanding practice, but we still had some concerns.

"We found action had been taken to increase the number of frontline staff, standards of cleanliness had improved and the majority of equipment and vehicle checks were appropriately completed.

“The number of vehicles delivering emergency and urgent care services had increased and potential risks to the service were anticipated and planned for.

“There had been improvements in training and development opportunities and there was a high level of confidence in and respect for the acting chief executive.

“Staff were caring, professional, compassionate and patient-focused in challenging circumstances."

A new school in Daventry for pupils with special educational needs is appealing for raffle prizes.

Daventry Hill School is holding an International Summer Fayre on June 23, from 1.15pm to 2.45pm, at the school in Ashby Road, Daventry NN11 OQE.

There will be stalls and activities to get involved in, including a chocolate tombola, raffle, cake sale, face-painting, a book and game sale, hook a duck and a plant sale.

At the international fayre, organisers are hoping to raise funds for not only Daventry Hill School but also funds for their partner school, Snehalaya in India.

The school hopes to develop students into active global citizsens. If you’d like to donate email s.stretton@daventryhillschool.org.uk

Funds are being raised for a community group in Daventry which helps to support those with mental health problems and anxiety.

Green Health Summer Open Day will feature a wide selection of potted plants in return for a small donation to Rethink.

It takes place on Tuesday, June 27, noon - 4pm, at Daventry Community Gardens, to celebrate the arrival of summer.

Guests can enjoy afternoon tea, homemade cakes and salads, soft drinks, tea and coffee, along with musical entertainment and the gardens.

The Green Health Project is a partnership between Daventry District Council, Daventry Town Council and Green Health at Daventry, a local community group which is supported by Rethink Mental Illness, the UK’s leading mental health charity.

For further information on the open day or Rethink, contact Sanchia Redston on 07562 457968 or greenhealthgroup@rethink.org

Historically, Northamptonshire's school pupils have long been underfunded. For the 2015/16 year, the county was allocated £4,293 per pupil, compared with Westminster, which was awarded £5,872 per pupil and Brent with £5,357.

But a report at yesterday's county council cabinet meeting has revealed that four more schools did not stay within budget in the 2016/17 year than in 2015/16.

The nine schools in total - which the county council has chosen to keep secret - missed their budgets by a total of £180,000 and could be forced to make redundancies in order to balance their books.

Speaking at the cabinet meeting, Councillor Danielle Stone (Lab, Abington and Phippsville), said: "We've got a situation where schools are facing rising costs every which way they look - and yet their funding is being reduced.

"I think it is bad that we have gone from five to nine schools in deficit.

"I am sorry, but the situation is only going to get worse unless we get a better settlement from the Government."

Councillor Stone called on the recently elected Conservative MPs in Northamptonshire to put school funding at the top of their agenda.

School deficits occur due to a number of factors, the main one being falling pupil numbers.

This results in a reduced budget allocation, due to the way the school funding formula works. Any school with a deficit at the end of the financial year is asked to produce a report showing how it will balance the books.

Other factors are the reduced 6th form funding allocations from the Government for secondary schools, and school staff and governors not actively planning for changes in future income.

A recently redrawn National Funding Formula kicked in at the start of April and saw the county council allocated an extra £7.44 million from Whitehall.

However, 90 county schools lost out on a combined share of £2.6 million. Of them, 67 were primary schools, 19 are secondary schools and four are all-through schools.

Head of education at UNISON, Jon Richards criticised the way the formula had been calculated in february - stating the new allocations were a poor substitute for extra funding. “Schools that are already underfunded will get much less than they’d hoped for," he said.

Cabinet member for finance at County Hall, Councillor Robin Brown, (Con, Woodford and Weedon) said: "The concerns that are being raised will form part of the way we tackle the issue of central Government funding."