A missing dog lost for five days in Daventry was found in a nearby building site after the town’s community came together to join in the search.

On June 9 Dexter, a cockerpoo spaniel, ran off while on a walk with his owner’s sister Hannah Taylor-Slaymaker, who was looking after the dog while her brother Marc was away in America.

A missing notice was shared thousands of times on social media, and posters were stuck up around Daventry, as dozens of people joined the search party.

“The whole community was out looking for him,” said Hannah, of Welton Lane.

“Because I’d posted on Facebook and other places so many times, everyone knew about him and was searching for him.

“There were posters everywhere and when we eventually found him on the big search, there were about 40 people with us.

“It was a real community effort. It was amazing really, the reason he was found is because we kept on going.”

Eventually Dexter was rescued two minutes away from where he first disappeared, on the Monksmoor estate building site, where he was found down a six foot land drain, so there was no way of him getting out on his own.

When Dexter was finally reunited with Marc, who joined the search as soon as he returned to the UK things became a little emotional, and Dexter was so excited to see his owner again that he ripped his shirt.

“It was excellent, I couldn’t believe it when we found him,” said Hannah.

“My brother has two children and they were so upset and didn’t think they were going to see Dexter again.

“It was quite overwhelming when he was found because we’d searched for so long. People were in tears, they gathered round him and it was lovely really.”

Hannah believes Dexter had become lost because he was in unfamiliar territory, having grown accustomed to his usual surroundings at Marc’s home in Duston, Northampton.

After searching all over Daventry and in nearby fields Hannah was relieved that Dexter was found, particularly as she had been looking after him on behalf of her brother.

“I felt so responsible, it was relief when we found him. We never gave up,” said Hannah.

“I don’t think the kids would have gotten over it.”

The vet found nothing wrong with Dexter after his spell of absence and he has since settled back in to his life.

People are being invited to have their say on a planning document which will help shape the development of Crick village.

A Neighbourhood Development Plan has been prepared by a steering group with support from the parish council.

The plan includes proposals for maintaining the village’s traditional Northamptonshire character, protecting its green spaces and biodiversity, improving facilities and infrastructure, easing congestion, supporting the development of small businesses, and building small-scale new housing to meet local needs.

The plan was submitted to Daventry District Council recently and is now subject to a six-week consultation to allow people to make comments on it.

People can view the draft Neighbourhood Development Plan for Crick village at www.daventrydc.gov.uk/neighbourhoodplanning

It can also be viewed at the district council offices, in Lodge Road, Daventry, NN11 4FP and Crick Post Office and Stores, 86 Main Road, Crick, NN6 7TX.

The consultation was launched on June 16 and will close at 4.30pm on July 28, 2017. Any comments made during the period will be passed to the independent examiner appointed to inspect the plan.

Following the consultation and examination process, if the results are positive, parishioners will be asked in a referendum whether they support the proposed Neighbourhood Development Plan. The plan must receive support from more than half of those voting for it to be ‘made’ by DDC.

If made it will form part of the wider development plan for Daventry District up to 2029 and will be used to help decide planning applications in the Crick village neighbourhood area.

Chris Heaton-Harris has been chosen to fulfil the traditional role of being detained at her majesty's pleasure today.

Every time the monarch comes to open Parliament, the House of Commons sends an MP to the palace to ensure that the monarch is safely returned as part of a custom that dates back to the civil war and the execution of Charles I in 1649.

This morning Conservative Mr Heaton-Harris retweeted a BBC reporter confirming that he was the chosen 'hostage'.

The opening of Parliament and the Queen's Speech was tabled for Monday, June 19, but had to be pushed back to today, though there are a number of theories circulating around as to why.

One such rumour was that the Tories took longer than expected to receive assurances from the DUP that they would support them in a confidence and supply deal.

The Queen's speech is due to take place at around 11.30am.

Brits could be banned from going on all-inclusive holidays abroad unless they stop making fake food poisoning claims, tour operators have warned.

Travel bosses have been left ‘embarrassed’ by the huge spike in reports of holiday sickness - described as a ‘British problem’.

Travel trade organisation Abta said tens of thousands of UK holidaymakers have made claims in the last year despite reported sickness levels in resorts staying stable.

Most cases involve all-inclusive hotels, as people making a food poisoning report can claim they only ate at the place they were staying.

Abta has launched a campaign urging the government to close a ‘legal loophole’ which it said is encouraging lawyers to sign up people to insist they were ill even if they were not.

Since spring last year travel firm Tui has recorded around 15 times more illness claims than in previous years.

They are typically worth around £3,000 to £5,000 - which is more than the cost of many of the holidays involved.

In cases where tour operators make a payout, they can attempt to claw the money back from the hotels themselves.

Tui’s managing director Nick Longman told the Press Association that there had been ‘friction’ between hotels and tour operators.

He said: ‘There’s a distinct risk that if this carries on as it is unabated, the hoteliers will say to us either “We don’t want to work with the British market at all” or “We’re not going to offer you all-inclusive”.

‘I think that would be a terrible thing for the British customer. It’s just going to reduce the choice in terms of destinations and the type of holiday.’

Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer said the fraud is ‘one of the biggest issues that has hit the travel industry for many years’.

Young adults are twice as likely to suffer from hay fever as those aged over 54, according to new research.

The study showed that almost half of those those aged 16 to 24 (48 per cent) have experienced a seasonal allergy, such as hay fever or an allergy to pollen.

Sales of allergy products increased by 5.6 per in the UK from 2015 to 2016 to reach £133.7 million.

Researchers found 47 per cent of those aged 25 to 34 have experienced a seasonal allergy in the past year, compared to just one in four (25 per cent) of those aged 55 and over.

London is Britain’s current hay fever hotpsot with 46 per cent of people who live in the capital having experienced a seasonal allergy in the past year, compared to a national average of 39 per cent.

Those in need of respite from red eyes and a streaming nose should head to the North East, North West, South East or East Anglia where just 35 per cent of residents in each of these regions have experienced a seasonal allergy in the past year.

Of those who have experienced a seasonal allergy in the past year, more than half (58 per cent) have experienced a stuffy or runny nose, 57 per cent have suffered sneezing and 47 per cent have been plagued with itchy or watery eyes.

But while around a third of people (32 per cent) choose to treat seasonal allergies, one in four (26 per cent) prefer to suffer in silence.

But almost half of hay fever sufferers (47 per cent) keep track of pollen levels during the pollen season.

Lucy Cornford, head of beauty and personal care at Mintel, said: “Young adults are the most likely to have experienced an allergy in the last year, which may be due to first-time development or greater awareness of an existing allergy, in contrast to older adults who may have learned to avoid certain triggers.

“Climate change looks to be increasing instances of seasonal allergies in the UK, with warmer weather causing trees and grass to flower early, releasing more pollen and elongating the hay fever season.

“But, whilst it could be considered that those living in the countryside may be more likely to be affected, high levels of air pollution within cities - and London in particular - is only serving to exacerbate hay fever symptoms for city and town dwellers.”

But pollen isn’t the only non-food allergy to bug Brits, according to the research.

In the last 12 months, almost one in six (17 per cent) have suffered from an allergy to dust mites, while 14 per cent have suffered from an allergy to household or personal care products such as detergents and toiletries, and 13 per cent are allergic to pets.

Almost two-third of those who are allergic to household and personal care products (62 per cent) check the ingredients of these products for allergens.

Around half of all non-food allergy sufferers (49 per cent) have changed their lifestyle to avoid allergens, while 39 per cent of those who have experienced a non-food allergy in the last 12 months search online for information about their allergy, rising to 51 per cent among those under 35.

Under-35s have a significantly higher level of non-food allergies than their older counterparts with 28 per cent having experienced an allergy to dust mites, and 23 per cent an allergy to household or personal care products.

Ms Cornfood added: “While they are the most likely to suffer from non-food allergies, young adults with allergies are more likely to seek online information than other age groups, but this may expose them to a confusing array of information, as well as lead to potential issues in regard to self-diagnosis and treatment.

“An app that asks about the symptoms suffered alongside tracking activity and food intake, as well as the ability to scan barcodes in order to log the ingredients of personal care or household care products used, could help sufferers to more accurately identify allergy triggers and seek relevant treatment.”

TV chef and author Dale Pinnock will be turning the heat up at Sheaf Street Health Store when he comes to Daventry on September 21.

Dale, also known as The Medicinal Chef, will be instore cooking some of his favourite recipes and discussing how the right foods have the power to heal.

Author of 11 best-selling cookery and health titles, Dale is about to star in a new TV show called Eat, Shop, Save on ITV1, scheduled for broadcast on July 13 at 7.30pm.

Co-owner Shaun Higgs said: “Dale is a food writer specialising in the medicinal properties of food and has a number of successful cookbooks and self-help books behind him.

“He has also appeared on TV shows such as Late Lunch Live and Lorraine, and provided nutritional advice for current affairs programmes such as ITV Tonight.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have Dale joining us at Sheaf Street Health Store in September. His appearance provides the perfect opportunity to learn some fantastic cooking tips and to meet Dale in person.”

Up to 75 guests at the ticketed event will be able to see Dale in action at the store’s demonstration kitchen.

The cookery demonstration is one of a number of events at Sheaf Street Health Store to help people in the Daventry area learn about the benefits of healthy eating and having a healthy lifestyle.

Tickets are £10, redeemable against purchases on the night, available from Sheaf Street Health Store.

A new strategy to improve the lives of older people living in Daventry district is already paying dividends with the success of an initiative in Moulton.

Daventry District Council has launched its Ageing Well in Daventry District Strategy 2017-21 which was developed to help older residents lead independent, healthy and active lives for as long as possible in their own homes.

The strategy was shaped using feedback from more than 600 older residents as well as a range of different organisations, and sets out seven aims along with the actions needed to help achieve them.

They include improving access to transport and services, reducing the impact of social isolation and loneliness and helping people to lead healthy, active and independent lifestyles.

Councillor Alan Hills, portfolio holder for community, culture and leisure, said: “We want Daventry district to be a place where residents can ‘age well’ and enjoy a great quality of life in their later years.

“The Good Neighbour Scheme is just one of a number of projects being put in place in order to achieve that, and I’m pleased to see the positive impact it is clearly having in Moulton.

“Additional schemes are also being set up in Braunston and Crick and we would like to spread this right across our district, so I woud urge anyone who is keen to set up a scheme in their village to get in touch.”

One of the scheme’s aims is to reduce the impact of social isolation and loneliness, something which is already being tackled in Moulton thanks to the Good Neighbour Scheme.

Developed by the district council in partnership with Northamptonshire ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England), the scheme’s aim is to offer practical help to older people, either through befriending or assisting with household chores or transport.

It is co-ordinated in Moulton by Mary-Jane Brown, a community connector who is working alongside Moulton Parish Council and Moulton Surgery to improve health and wellbeing in the village and its surrounding area.

They have ten volunteers signed up so far, each giving between two and six hours per month to help establish the scheme and run events. They will start offering befriending and other services once the relevant checks and training are complete.

Mary-Jane said: “The Moulton Good Neighbour Scheme has a growing group of enthusiastic volunteers who are keen to befriend isolated people in our area and help out at Health & Wellbeing events in the new Community Centre.

“From serving refreshments, meeting and greeting to taking photographs and setting up sound equipment, each volunteer has different skills to offer and we work very well as a team. The scheme has strengthened ties and built up a stronger sense of community.”

Support, guidance and funding is on offer to all parish councils, residents’ groups or other kinds of community organisations in Daventry district that are interested in starting a Good Neighbour Scheme.

For more information, contact Daventry District Council on 01327 871100 or Northamptonshire ACRE on 01604 765888.

A fire at a fast food restaurant earlier this week in Daventry is being treated as "suspicious".

The fire started in the toilet area at the back of the premises in Bowen Square sometime between 3am and 4.50am on June 20.

Officers are appealing for witnesses and anyone who was in the area in the early hours of Tuesday, who may have seen or heard anything suspicious, is asked to contact police.

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

Incident Number: 17000258929

I have a confession to make. Although I’ve lived in England my whole life, I’ve never been the biggest fish and chips fan.

Up and down the country there are chippies on every high street, each dishing out the nation’s favourite and arguably most quintessentially British meal.

Still, even though it’s impossible to avoid, it’s never been one of my favourites.

Despite this, I wanted to try out the food at The Lighthouse on Wellingborough Road as I’d walked past it one evening and was intrigued by its reasonably priced offer of fish in either a classic batter or in a ‘beer of the week’ batter.

They like beer at The Lighthouse, where punters will find a range of draughts and bottled options. You can ask the staff for the guest beer too.

The space is split between the dining area and the pub area, but you can eat wherever you feel like.

There is a side entrance to the restaurant section and a convenient take out booth as well for those wanting to make a quick pit stop.

The pub features several TV screens making it an ideal spot for sports fans, and there’s a pool table in there too.

But back to the food. I ordered cod in the ‘beer of the week’ batter, chips (surprise, surprise), garden peas, homemade tartare sauce and a side salad. Also, because it was a Tuesday, the pint of beer I ordered was just £1.

The fish is delivered daily and cooked directly from fresh, not frozen, and the potatoes used are hand-picked by The Lighthouse’s supplier and come from British farms.

My cod was cooked perfectly, the chips were so typical of a high street chippy that the only thing missing was a newspaper to wrap them in. The homemade tartare was flavoursome and complemented the cod nicely.

All of this combined with the marine-themed blue and white tiling, reminiscent of ​independent ​quayside restaurants,​ meant I could almost smell the ocean.

Time for another confession - I can’t resist a sticky toffee pudding. If it’s on the menu, I’m having it.

Sadly, I don’t think it was made from scratch, but nonetheless, it hit the spot and satisfied my sweet tooth.

Award-winning Pieminster pies are also on the menu, though perhaps not for your dessert.

My total bill came to £17, which I thought was reasonable considering I’d ordered enough food for a three-course meal, and had a pint on the side too.

I’m not sure I’ll ever be a fully-fledged fish and chip enthusiast, but I would happily return to The Lighthouse for a hearty meal, a cold pint and some live sport.

Tim’s rating: 8/10

The organisation has been asking listeners choose a musical recipient for an official Blue Plaque in each BBC Local Radio station area.

BBC Radio Northampton has decided to honour former Fairport Convention singer SandyDenny by placing a plaque at Byfield Village Hall.

The singer played her final gig there on April 1, 1978, only four weeks before her death at the age of 31.

Assistant editor at BBC Radio Northampton, Marsha Ramroop, said: “Sandy Denny was one of the UKs most iconic folk singers with a sublime voice.

"She played her last ever gig in here in Northamptonshire, where she settled and wrote many songs in her barn. She still has a following and inspires music in others. It’s a real privilege to be honouring a true music legend.”

The honorary plaque was unveiled by Bob Stanley of the band Saint Etienne as part of BBC Music Day, which saw 47 of the plaques installed aroud the UK.

Sandy, whose full name was Alexandra Elene MacLean, grew up in London and started her started her career with The Strawbs.

She joined Fairport Convention in 1968 to record the band's biggest album Leige and Lief, before going on to form Fotheringay and later rejoining Fairport with her husband Trevor Lucas.

The final list of places to receive a blue plaque was whittled down from BBC local radio listeners’ ideas and those from a committee made up of music industry experts and BBC representatives.

Controller of BBC English regions David Holdsworth, said: “It is hugely prestigious to receive a British Plaque Trust Blue Plaque, usually only around two are awarded each year.

"To mark BBC Music Day across BBC local radio with 47 blue plaques is a fitting way to commemorate our listeners’ passion and pride for where they live and to celebrate our musical heritage.”

People across the country will have woken up this morning to find their cars covered in a mysterious red dust.

But what has caused this layer of muck to be deposited on car bonnets, roofs and windscreens?

The answer could well lie thousands of miles away in Africa.

The strange scenario is one that has played out a number of times before across the UK and is usually put down to an unusual phenomenon which sees sand in the Sahara Desert get sucked up into the atmosphere by huge storms.

This sand then travels for thousands of miles high up in the atmosphere before it is deposited in rain.

Over the last week much of the UK has seen temperatures soaring due to hot air funneling in from the southern Mediterranean and North Africa.

However, for many the heatwave came to an abrupt end last night with heavy downpours bringing with them the Saharan sand.

The Sahara Desert is the world’s largest hot desert spanning a number of African countries including Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Sudan.

Banner-waving children from the Grange Comprehensive School are seen marching through the streets of Daventry in protest over education cuts in February, 1980.

The pupils were supporting their teachers who were themselves at the time making their feelings known during a march in Northampton.

Armed with banners declaring ‘We don’t need no education cuts’ and ‘Cuts in education leads to a very poor nation’ the children stood outside the Conservative offices demanding action.

The protest march began at the Grange School in Badby Road West, then made its way over to Oxford Street, along New Street, through High Street, and then back to the school.

The children came up with the idea of the march as they felt they needed to speak out in support of their teachers.

Gladys Osborne watched the protest on Daventry’s High Street and told the newspaper she thought the protest was a very good idea, and that all schools should be doing the same thing.

However, she was worried that the action may have put teachers’ jobs at risk.

Parent Janet Blake said she was against the cuts because she was conscious of their affect on her future grandchildren.

A Northamptonshire man's video showing a cheeky driver's thwarted attempt to beat a queue via the hard shoulder has been seen more than 100,000 time sonline.

First aid trainer Dan Haynes was driving to a course in Reading along the M40 on Monday (June 19) when he got stuck in a lengthy jam.

The snarl up was possibly a consequence of a major crash on the M25 that had caused miles of tailbacks on connecting roads.

But Daventry man Dan's dashcam caught one person who thought they could cheat the wait.

"I captured a motorist using the hard shoulder in heavy traffic," said Dan, after he saw a silver Mercedes speed past with his hazard lights on. "The car in front of me happened to be an unmarked car which added to comedy value when his lights came on and pursued him. "

Unwittingly, the silver Mercedes sped straight past an unmarked police car that promptly picked him up.

Dan posted the video on Youtube and in just four days saw the clip reach 100,000 views.

He added: "Never a better sight... watching some Merc driving down hard shoulder on the M40 to beat the queue, then watching the car in front of me light up like a Xmas tree."

Chris Heaton-Harris has been made the Government's vice-chamberlain of the household after a recent promotion, meaning he is now the link between the House of Commons and the sovereign.

And on Monday, the Conservative politician fulfilled the age-old tradition of being taken hostage at Buckingham Palace during the state opening of parliament.

The convention dates back to Charles I's execution in1649 and is intended to ensure the Queen's safe return from her speech in the House of Lords.

But Mr Heaton-Harris said his experience as the royal family's hostage was a pleasant one.

He said: "Initially we sat in a room in Buckingham Palace drinking tea and this drink called lemon refresher, which was incredibly sweet.

"I had a Duchy's Originals shortbread and watched the Queen's speech on television.

"I have to say they treated their hostage very nicely."

Mr Heaton-Harris met the Queen on her way out of the Houses of Parliament but could not reveal what the two talked about.

The monarch is understood to have learned to ride a horse in Maidwell, near Daventry.

However, Mr Heaton-Harris did say that he has already penned two letters to the Queen as part of his new role as a conduit between the Commons and the palace.

"She reads all of them all assiduously, I have been reliably informed," the MP said.

"Every time I go to the palace she will talk about the thing I have written, so she will be marking my homework."

However, the Daventry parliamentarian has revealed he had some nerves in crafting his first correspondence with the Queen.

"Can you remember the first article you ever had published?" he asked.

"It felt very much like that.

"I wouldn't say I was terrified, but knowing the Queen is going to read something you have written - you want to make sure your grammar is in good order."

"

More than half of all Brits don’t even know their neighbours’ full names, a survey has found.

Residents across the UK are living next door to ‘thingy’ and ‘whatshisname’, after research revealed 57% don’t know their neighbours’ name.

A poll of 2,000 British householders found that almost a third of those quizzed couldn’t recall the first name of the person living just yards away.

Meanwhile just over half (51%) were in the dark when it came to surnames.

And that’s despite the average Brit living next door to their neighbour for over seven years.

The survey by DistinctiveChesterfields.com, also found that more than a quarter of people (27%) wouldn’t even bother to say ‘hello’ to their neighbours if they saw them leaving the house.

And it seems ‘love thy neighbour’ is wishful thinking when it comes to British streets, as one in five people have had an argument with someone they live next to.

Nuisance noises ranked top of the list for making residents see red (68%) followed by one in five who fume over boundaries, 13% who battle about behaviour and 12% who take their neighbours to task over gardening.

A staggering 10% of Brits went as far as to claim they hated their neighbours, with 6% resorting to legal action against someone they live next to and 2% who claimed they’ve been assaulted.

And one in ten respondents said they got so riled by neighbourly rows that they had to move home.

According to the stats, those in Worcester have the most torrid time with neighbours, with 19% of respondents relocating.

Residents in York have been branded desired dwellers as only 4% have moved home after a war with next door.

Research shows that most traditional values have been abandoned as three quarters of Brits wouldn’t even ask a neighbour to watch their house while they went on holiday.

Less than one if five (18%) gave their neighbours spare keys in case of an emergency and just 27% offering to put someone’s bins out.

On a more positive note, a third of residents say they have actually kept in touch with a former neighbour after they’ve moved home.

Steve Laidlaw from Distinctivechesterfields.com said: “It’s a shame we no longer seem to uphold the traditional values of living on a street where you know most of your neighbours.

“Gone are the days of nipping round for some sugar but it would be great to see more people getting along and looking out for each other.”

Nearly half of all animal owners confess that they’ve pulled a ‘sicky’ to pander to a poorly pet.

A poll of 2,000 pet-lovers found that 42% have lied to their boss and bagged a day off to attend to their ailing animal.

And 33% of respondents admit that on their return to ‘full health’, they sneak off during office hours to comfort their cuddly companion.

Despite feeling guilty about it, a third of people think it should be a company policy to have time off to look after their sick pets, as the average Brit forks out £75 per year on dog sitters.

The new research, compiled by animalfriends.co.uk, revealed that dog and cat owners use up 23% of their sick days to tend to their pets - amounting to 2 days every 5 years.

But it seems that men are the most honest with their gaffers, as 63% are more likely to tell them the truth compared to just 54% of women.

However, men are less likely to think their employers should give the time off for pet sickness - just 27% compared to 35% of women.

Five per cent of men admit they’ve taken as many as ten days off over five years, to mind a furry friend.

Westley Pearson, Managing Director of Animalfriends.co.uk, said: “It’s nice to know that people are so attached to their pets that they’re willing to spend so much time with them - especially when their companions are ill.

“Our stats show that the average person is only leaving their pet alone for 6.5 hours per week - getting neighbours or friends to check on them while they’re at work.”

The poll also divulged that women are more likely leave their sick pet home alone than men.

And 40% of 18-24 year olds have taken time off to care for a sick pet, compared to only 18% of over 55s.

The younger generation are more truthful than their elders too, with just 29% hiding the secret sick days versus 41%.

Children’s toy manufacturer TOMY Europe has recalled a popular product over safety fears.

The company have found that an internal part of its Lamaze Munching Max Chipmunk could break and create a sharp point which could prove dangerous.

TOMY say they have received one report of minor injury caused by the point penetrating the surface of the toy.

The recall involves toys with item number L27578 - this can be found on sewn in label near the tail. The toy is green and blue with a white clip.

The toys were sold at major toy stores and online from June 2016 through March 2017.

Anyone having purchased one of these Chipmunk toys should immediately take the recalled stuffed animal away from children and contact TOMY at recall.TOMY.co.uk, or phone the TOMY Careline on +44 (0) 01271 336155 for more information and for a full refund plus 30% of SRP.

Customers are asked not to not return the item to the store.

The Cobblers have been handed a huge financial boost with the news that Chinese company 5USport has purchased a ‘major stake’ in the club.

Kelvin Thomas announced the news on Monday saying it is ‘an exciting day for the club’, and confirmed that he will remain as chairman, and that ‘fundamentally the structure will not change’ at Sixfields.

Thomas also revealed that funds have been made available to increase manager Justin Edinburgh’s playing budget, with levels of investment being agreed to develop the east stand and other areas as well.

5USport are a sports development and education company which is based in Guangzhou in China, and CEO Tom Auyeung says the company have been striving to invest in an English club for the past 18 months.

He says no other club ‘ticked as many boxes’ as the Cobblers, and confirmed 5USport are not looking to make any chages to staffing at the club, saying he has ‘been impressed with the current leadership and staff at the club and we want that to continue’.

Auyeung says he is impressed by Cobblers’ ‘really strong fan base’, and that 5USport will ‘make an impact behind the scenes with the right strategic direction and investment’.

The partnership has been approved by the Football League, with 5USport agreeing to buy a major stake in Northampton Town Ventures Limited, who own the majority shareholding of the Cobblers.

Town chairman Thomas, who took control of the club from David Cardoza in November, 2015, said: “This is a very exciting day for the club and is part of an overall investment strategy into the club from 5USport, which covers many areas.

“From our perspective, after taking over the club during those troubled times late in 2015, it has always been our intention to ensure that the club was well positioned financially, mainly so that it would never experience those times again, but also to continue to develop.

“We have always been open about how much we had to invest but what we found, especially following promotion, was for the club to really challenge in league one and beyond it made sense to find a partner.

“What we really liked about 5USport was their vision and intention, so we are very pleased to be able to form this partnership. 5USport want to invest in all the areas of the club on a sensible basis, but with a long-term view.

“This is not a short-term investment for them and we felt that was really positive for the club.

“Getting to know Tom Auyeung of 5USport has been enjoyable and we have been impressed with the desire to see Northampton Town prosper.

“He has a very strong interest in football and loves the competition.

“Fundamentally the structure will not change at the club as the stable environment was very important to 5USport, as was the history, culture and heritage of the club.

And he added: “We have agreed initially there will be an increase in the playing budget, plus also a budget for the purchases of younger players who can be developed and improved.

“We have also agreed levels of investment into other areas of the club including the east stand and other development areas.

“We are excited to explore the emerging football market in China and help develop potential revenue streams which will benefit the club.

“We have two coaches heading over at the end of this month to begin working on that project, meeting various clubs and education facilities to introduce the club.

“We feel this partnership offers Northampton Town Football Club a very exciting future.”

Auyeung said: “We have been looking at partnering with an English football club for about 18 months now. We have looked closely at others, but none ticked as many boxes for us as Northampton Town.

“We are very excited to be able to agree this partnership with David Bower (director) and Kelvin Thomas over the past few months, and we thank them for their professionalism and honesty throughout this process.

“We are not looking at making any changes in terms of the staffing and are pleased to announce Kelvin has agreed to continue in his role as chairman.

“We have been impressed with the current leadership and staff at the club and we want that to continue. We will make an impact behind the scenes with the right strategic direction and investment.

“We have a growing football and education division within our business in China and Northampton Town’s overall education philosophy really fits well, plus the relationship with the University of Northampton is exciting for us as we look to forge links between Northampton and China.

“We are also very passionate about the community aspect of the club and enjoy seeing the positive work in this area, plus also the development of young players through the Academy.

“Northampton Town has a really strong fan base that was seen as a real positive when we were looking at clubs and we are looking forward to giving you something to cheer about on the pitch while also developing things off it.

“We want to win football matches and will be supporting Justin and his staff to help this area of the club.

“There is so much interest in football in China and we are extremely proud to form a partnership with an English club with such a long history since the formation in 1897.

“We want Northampton Town Football Club to continue to be a leading light for the community and we will work hard alongside everyone to ensure this happens.”

The following people were sentenced at Northampton Magistrates’ Court:

APRIL 28:

Ricia Jones, aged 29, of Station Road, Little Houghton, failed to comply with a give way sign; fined £73, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85.

Anna Nikolova, aged 34, of Chalcombe Avenue, Northampton, driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £93, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £40.

Edward-Cristian Toma, aged 22, of Leslie Road, Northampton, driving not in accordance with a licence; no separate penalty. No insurance; fined £350, ordered to pay costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points. No test certificate; no separate penalty. Further charge of no insurance; fined £350, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £35 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 12 months. Not wearing a seat belt; no separate penalty.

Jessica Tombleson, aged 32, of Warwick Street, Daventry, driving not in accordance with a licence; no separate penalty. No insurance; fined £440, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £44 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

MAY 2

Steven Harkins, aged 33, of Portland Place, Northampton, failed to comply with a community order; no adjudication, dealt with original offence - theft of cosmetics worth £300 belonging to Boots; community order made to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work. Other original offences included resisting arrest, theft of four bottles of whiskey worth £126 belonging to Majestic Wines, handling a stolen credit card and failing to surrender to custody; community order made to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work. Stole two Barbour jackets worth £279.90 belonging to Dychurch Lifestyle; community order made to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work. Assault; community order made to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay compensation of £75.

MAY 3

Patrick Connors, aged 22, of Marshleys Court, Northampton, failed to comply with a community order; fined £100, ordered to pay costs of £100.

Lloyd Green, aged 30, of Pembroke Road, Northampton, stole a dash cam and USB cable worth £155; jailed for 28 days consecutive. Interfered with a motor vehicle; jailed for 28 days concurrent. Stole four bottles of alcohol from Waitrose; jailed for 28 days concurrent. Stole five bottles of alcohol from Waitrose; jailed for 28 days, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £115. Possession of cannabis; jailed for seven days. Handled stolen goods namely a pair of Police sunglasses, bottole of Alien perfume, bottle of Paco Rabane Million perfume and a silver box containing earring, silver gemstone pair of gold pearl earring; jailed for 28 days consecutive. Stole headphones worth £99.99 belonging to Boots the Chemist; jailed for 28 days consecutive.

Jason Moore, aged 21, of Rushmere Road, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 46mcgs of alcohol in 100mls; fined £120, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 12 months.

Emma Willison, aged 31, of Bouverie Road, Northampton, driving without due care and attention; fined £200, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £625, banned from driving for six months.

MAY 4

Stuart Doyle, aged 33, of Fulford Drive, Links View, Northampton, failed to comply with a supervision order; fined £100 and ordered to pay costs of £70.

MAY 5

Ion Chiriac, aged 19, of Regent Street, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Vasili Florea, aged 27, of Clare Street, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Jazib Hussian, aged 22, of Thorpeville, Moulton, 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 nine points.

Nicolae Veverita, aged 26, of Clare Street, Northampton, 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 nine points. No insurance; fined £660.

Steven Auguste, aged 34, of Balfour Road, Northampton, no insurance; fined £125, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with eight points.

Tammy Bayliss, aged 25, of Randall Road, Kingsley, Northampton, failed to give information relating to the identity of the driver; fined £143, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Thio Codling, aged 28, of Milton Street North, Kingsley, Northampton, failed to stop at an accident; fined £440,ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £44 and costs of £85, banned from driving for six months. Failed to report an accident to the police; fined £440. Driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £220.

Alan Cunningham, aged 35, of Hazel Close, Hartwell, no insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £66 and costs of £85, banned from driving for six months. Driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £270.

Charles Greenaway, aged 57, of Old Rectory Mews, Church Hill, Wootton, driving at speeds exceeding 50mph on the M1; fined £432, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £43 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with three points.

Dawn Holly, aged 47, of Cypress Court, Northampton, failed to give information relating to the identity of a driver; fined £138, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Daniel Pestritu, aged 20, of Spencer Bridge, Northampton, no insurance; fined £173, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, banned from driving for six months. Driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £53.

John Simon, aged 59, of Arbour View Court, Northampton, failed to report an accident to the police; fined £1,100, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £170 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with eight points. No insurance; fined £660. Driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £220. Driving without due care and attention; fined £660.

Edvinas Griketis, aged 24, of Wellingborough Road, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 72mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; fined £250, ordered to pay a surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 18 months. Failed to surrender to custody; no separate penalty.

MAY 8

Sian Sewell, aged 23, of Billing Road, Northampton, assault; conditional discharge for 12 months, ordered to pay compensation of £100.

Alan Thomas, aged 44, of The Stour, Daventry, failed to notify authorities of changes relating to Jobseeker’s Allowance; community order made to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £85 and costs of £85. Similar charge relating to housing benefit; community order made to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.

Tristan White, aged 34, of Sladeswell Court, Northampton, intentionally exposed genitals; community order made, ordered to pay compensation of £150. Similar charge; ordered to pay compensation of £200.

Mihail Diaconu, aged 33, of Hamsterly Park, Northampton, no insurance; no separate penalty. Dangerous driving; community order made to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work, banned from driving for 17 months. Drink-driving with a breath test reading of 72mcgs 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 17 months.

Dominic Kearsley, aged 26, of Woodside Avenue, Northampton, dangerous driving; jailed for 182 days suspended for 18 months, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £85 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 30 months.

Liam Reilly, aged 42, of Louise Road, Northampton, committed fraud; community order made, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £85 and costs of £85. Commission of a further offence while on a conditional discharge - no adjudication, dealt with original offence as follows, stole five t-shirts worth £49.95; community order made.

Kamil Zgliniecki, aged 25, of Alcombe Road, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 117mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; community order made to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £85 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 28 months. No insurance; no separate penalty. Driving not in accordance with a licence; no separate penalty. Assault a police officer; community order made to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay compensation of £100. Failed to surrender to custody; community order made to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

Ryan Cleaver, aged 27, of Dumas-Cul-De-Sac, Brackley, assault; jailed for 42 days consecutive. Assault; jailed for 77 days, ordered to pay compensation of £150. Destroyed a Nexus tablet and JVC television; jailed for 14 days concurrent, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £115, compensation of £330 and costs of £400. Damaged a mobile phone and door; jailed for 14 days concurrent, ordered to pay compensation of £230. Commission of a further offence while on a conditional discharge. No adjudication, dealt with original offence of assault; jailed for 21 days consecutive. Overall length of sentence, 140 days.

Kurt Starnes, aged 32, of Charles Robertson Court, Northampton, possession of a class A drug; community order made. No insurance; no separate penalty, licence endorsed with six points. Driving not in accordance with a licence; no separate penalty.

Couch potato teenagers do as little exercise as 60-year olds, according to new research.

The study suggests physical activity among children and adolescents is even lower than previously feared - fuelling the growing obesity epidemic.

Three in four girls aged 12 to 19 - and more than half of boys - are failing to meet guidelines recommended by health experts.

Professor Vadim Zipunnikov, of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the US, said: “Activity levels at the end of adolescence were alarmingly low, and by age 19, they were comparable to 60-year-olds.”

Half of six to 11-year-old girls - and over a quarter of boys - are also falling short, according to the study.

Prof Zipunnikov said: “For school age children, the primary window for activity was the afternoon between 2pm and 6pm.

“So the big question is how do we modify daily schedules, in schools for example, to be more conducive to increasing physical activity?”

He warned the teen years represent highest risk - with many being so idle they could be compared with an adult 40 years older.

Increases in activity levels were only seen in 20-somethings, possibly because they are just beginning work.

Activity decline at 35

Starting at age 35 activity levels declined throughout midlife and older adulthood, reports Preventive Medicine.

The study followed 12,529 participants in the US who wore tracking devices for seven straight days - removing them only for bathing and at bedtime.

They measured sedentary, light or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and the findings were broken down into children (six to 11), adolescents (12 to 19) as well as 20 to 29 year olds, 31 to 59 year olds and 60 to 84 year olds.

In the UK a quarter of boys between two and 19 and a third of girls are overweight or obese.

The cause has been blamed on our modern lifestyles, including our reliance on the car, TVs, computers, desk-bound jobs and high-calorie food.

The NHS says obesity levels have more than trebled in the last 30 years and, on current estimates, more than half the population could be obese by 2050.

Prof Zipunnikov said the patterns could inform programs aimed at increasing physical activity by targeting not only age groups but times with the least activity - such as during the morning for children and adolescents.

For all age groups, males generally had higher activity levels than females, particularly high-intensity activity.

But after midlife, these levels dropped off sharply compared to females. Among adults 60 years and older, males were more sedentary and had lower light-intensity activity levels.

One hour of exercise per day recommended

The World Health Organisation recommends at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity a day for five to 17 year olds.

But the researchers say there is a growing consensus for the benefits of reducing sedentary behaviour and increasing even low-intensity levels of physical activity.

Prof Zipunnikov said: “The goal of campaigns aimed at increasing physical activity has focused on increasing higher-intensity exercise.

“Our study suggests these efforts should consider time of day and also focus on increasing lower-intensity physical activity and reducing inactivity.”

The findings follow research earlier this week that showed three in ten people across the world are overweight - 2.2 billion of the planet’s population.

They are putting themselves at increased risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

Scientists said it represented “a growing and disturbing global public health crisis.”