Spain is the holiday destination where you are most likely to fall ill or have your passport or money stolen, according to new research.

Almost a quarter of all UK trips to Spain end up in some kind of mishap.

France emerged as the European holiday ‘car crash capital’, while most activity-based accidents befall Brits in Austria.

The holiday hazard hotspots emerged in a poll of 8,000 UK people by comparethemarket.com, which created a ‘mishap map’ to highlight the tourist traps.

Research revealed that more than one in ten UK holidays to Europe involve setbacks like illness, injury or loss or theft of property.

Spain topped the chart for overall mishaps, followed by the Canary Islands, Greece and Italy.

You are also most likely to lose or have property stolen in Spain, ahead of the Canary Islands and France.

Spain also topped the list of countries where people were most liable to fall ill, followed by the Canary Islands and Greece.

The poll revealed that almost half (47 per cent) of Brits avoid certain foods while abroad because of a fear of food poisoning.

For some unlucky travellers, trouble begins before they even get on the plane - thanks to flight delays or cancellations.

Russia emerged as the destination most likely to be plagued by flight issues, followed by Spain and the Canary Islands.

Russian flight operators emerged as the likeliest to lose your luggage.

Sam Grant, Head of Travel at comparethemarket.com, said: “No one wants their holiday to be blighted by a mishap - big or small - so it’s always worth taking the necessary precautions.

“Keep an eye on your belongings, use a hotel safe and don’t fall asleep in the midday heat of the Spanish sun.

“Obviously some incidents are completely out of our hands, like flight issues, or getting ill.

“But it’s always sensible to ensure you have valid travel insurance so if the worst does happen, you’re covered.”

To see the full interactive map go to https://www.comparethemarket.com/travel-insurance/content/travellers-mishap-map

An organic food retailer has recalled a line of tahini because salmonella has been found in the product.

E E Wholesale’s Equal Exchange Organic Dark Tahini has been found to contain traces of the bug, which can cause fever, diarrhoea and abdominal cramps.

The affect product, which comes in a 270g jar, has a Best before end date of April 2019 and Batch code 7097 L4.

No other Equal Exchange products, which are sold in most health shops, are known to be affected.

A company spokesperson said: “If you have bought the above product do not eat it. Instead, return it to the store where it was bought for a full refund.”

A review of services for children in Northamptonshire with special educational needs has praised the effectiveness of the support on offer.

Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission inspected how health, social care and education partners in Northamptonshire are meeting their responsibilities to disabled children and young people, and those with special educational needs.

Northamptonshire County Council, Nene Clinical Commissioning Group and Corby Clinical Commissioning Group have welcomed the inspection report, published on Thursday, June 22, which highlights the commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people who have special educational needs.

Northamptonshire County Council cabinet member for children’s services, councillor Matthew Golby said: “I’m delighted that the inspectors have recognised our efforts to provide high-quality support for children and young people with special educational needs.

“We have worked closely with health and social care providers to set realistic yet aspirational targets for our children and young people in special education, and to help them achieve those targets.

“This report identifies areas of good practice across the county and offers us the opportunity to build on areas identified for development.”

The report also praises the close collaboration between service providers and the children and families involved to ensure services meet their needs and continue to improve.

Inspectors found:

- Education, health and social care partners work effectively together to keep children and young people who have special educational needs and/or disabilities safe.

- Work to improve services is suitably focused and is making a difference.

- The local area’s approach to identifying children and young people’s special educational needs and/or disabilities is increasingly effective.

- Children and young people who have special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve well in the area’s special schools, all of which are at least judged to be ‘good’ by Ofsted, and a high proportion outstanding.

- Agencies work well together to ensure that children’s needs are identified and assessed quickly and suitable provision is put into place.

- The voice of the child is typically captured well in education, health and care plans.

- The report also makes a number of suggestions for further improvement, including more work to help young people secure post-16 education and training.

A spokesman for Nene and Corby Clinical Commissioning Groups said: “Nene and Corby CCGs welcome the SEND report and would like to formally thank all the teams, families and young people for their input during the assessment process and in the positive development of local services in the county.

“We look forward to continuing to work in partnership with Northamptonshire County Council in driving the SEND agenda to continue to improve outcomes for our population.”

Three Daventry organisations have been thanked for their support in staging the national start of the OVO Energy Women’s Tour in the town centre.

Everyone Active - which runs Daventry Leisure Centre - Moulton College, and housing provider Futures Housing Group teamed up with Daventry District Council to sponsor the Grand Depart of the international cycling race on 7 June.

Several hundred spectators, including the district’s residents, schoolchildren and cycling enthusiasts flocked into Daventry town centre to watch the elite female cyclists set off on their first stage of the tour through Northamptonshire.

Councillor Alan Hills, portfolio holder for community, culture and leisure on Daventry District Council, said: “We were delighted to host the Grand Depart of the Women’s Tour, which was a great success and really brought our town centre to life and placed our district firmly on the international sporting stage.

“I’d like to thank Moulton College, Everyone Active and Futures Housing Group for their support in hosting the Grand Depart, a great example of local organisations at the heart of our community coming together to make a difference.

“It is also important to recognise the excellent efforts of the district council’s officers and members, who worked tirelessly with partners including the race organisers Sweetspot and county council highways to make the event such a success.”

Representatives from Moulton, Everyone Active and Futures Housing Group were thanked for their support by the council with the presentation of commemorative plaques at the start line.

Lynn Aston, director of customer service at Futures Housing Group, said: “It was a privilege for Futures to support such a great event in Daventry. There’s so much good work going on to promote the town and the area so securing events like the Women’s Tour is a great coup for the district and helps put us on the map.”

Two new pieces of public art for Daventry’s Middlemore estate have been chosen by residents.

A sundial and a rain tree will be installed on the estate after winning the public vote during a consultation.

The sundial consists of a ring of stones and solar-powered lights and is interactive, requiring a person to stand in the middle in order to cast a shadow.

The rain tree will see ‘droplets’ of fused glass suspended on steel cables from a framework hidden in the branches of a tree.

Artist Wendy Briggs is currently working with officers from Daventry District Council and members of the Middlemore Residents’ Association to determine the best spot for each piece of art, ahead of submitting an application for planning permission.

Councillor Alan Hills, portfolio holder for community, culture and leisure on Daventry District Council, said: “Wendy has worked hard with the community throughout this process to come up with some wonderful designs, seeking help from local schoolchildren as well as residents.

“The two designs chosen were clear winners in the public vote, so I’m sure these pieces of art will be enjoyed and cherished for years to come.

“There will also be further opportunities for people to take part in creating the artwork in the coming months, so please look out for these and get involved if you can.”

People will have the chance to make some of the glass rain droplets that will be included in the rain tree design during sessions at the Middlemore Fete on Sunday, July 23.

The art project is being funded by three of the housing developers who built Middlemore, as part of their planning obligations, and is being overseen by the district council’s community projects team. The money provided can only be spent on a piece of public art.

Wendy has been keen throughout the project to involve local people directly in her design work, with the sundial and rain tree designs chosen following a public display at the Middlemore Farm Pub during May.

Sainsbury’s has removed 13 of its own-brand sandwich fillers from its shelves following the discovery of food bug listeria in them.

The items from the supermarket’s Deli Fillers range were withdrawn after listeria monocytogenes was found in some of the products.

The products, which cost £1.40 for 220g or £2.10 for 385g, include both sizes of its Cheese & Onion Deli Filler, Egg Mayo Deli Filler, Coronation Chicken Deli Filler, and Tuna & Sweetcorn Deli Filler.

Also included in the recall were 220g tubs of Chicken & Sweetcorn Deli Filler, Chicken Tikka Deli Filler, Egg & Bacon Deli Filler, Seafood Cocktail Deli Filler, and its Be Good To Yourself Tuna & Sweetcorn Deli Filler.

All have a use by date of July 4, 2017.

Those who have bought any items in the range are urged not to eat the sandwich fillers but return them to get a refund.

A Sainsbury’s statement read: “Routine testing has detected Listeria in a limited number of the above products.

“As a precautionary measure, we are asking all customers who have bought any of the above products not to consume or use them, but to return them to their nearest Sainsbury’s store, where they will receive a full refund.

“If you have eaten this product and need further advice, please contact your health care professional.

“No other products or date codes are affected by this issue, and we apologise for the inconvenience this has caused.”

Anyone having bought any of the products listed is advised not to eat it; instead, returning it to the store from where it was bought for a full refund.

The Food Standards Agency said of listeria: “Symptoms caused by this organism can be similar to flu and include high temperature, muscle ache or pain, chills, feeling or being sick and diarrhoea. However, in rare cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications, such as meningitis.

They added: “Some people are more vulnerable to Listeria infections, including those over 65 years of age, pregnant women and their unborn babies, babiels less than one month old and people with weakened immune systems.”

A yellow weather warning for heavy rain has today been issued by the Met Office for Northamptonshire and the surrounding region.

The Met Office said: “there is an increasing risk of heavy rain, with thunder possible, developing over southern England on Tuesday afternoon before spreading northwards during the evening and overnight.

“Many places will miss the worst of the rain, but there is a low likelihood of flooding of homes and businesses as well as disruption to transport.”

The warning is in force for between 4pm on Tuesday June 27 and 9am tomorrow, Wednesday.

The Met office’s chief forecaster added: “There is much uncertainty with the forecast for this period and some places could even stay dry. However, heavy and thundery rain could produce 20 to 30 mm rain in an hour and very locally 40 to 60 mm in 6 to 12 hours.

“Should this occur then some flooding is possible, especially across urban areas. Overnight rain should gradually start to ease and by early Wednesday morning may be confined to parts of the East Midlands and East Anglia.”

Police have named a man who died in a three-vehicle crash on the A605 at Elton.

Paul Cooper, 51, of Spencer Road, Long Buckby, was driving a white Peugeot Partner which was involved in a collision with a white Suzuki Vitara and a black Peugeot 208 at around 5.40pm on Sunday (June 25).

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Anyone who witnessed the collision or any of the vehicles in the moments leading up to it are asked to call the Road Policing Unit on 101 quoting cc-25062017-0477.

Ain 11-year-old boy has sadly died after he sustained serious electrical burns at a rail depot near Daventry.

Officers were called to the Daventry International Rail Freight Depot shortly before 5.20pm today and attended alongside paramedics from the East Midlands Ambulance Service.

A spokesman for British Transport Police said: "Upon arrival, a young boy was discovered at the scene with serious electrical burns. Paramedics, including the air ambulance, worked on the young boy but he was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

"His death is being treated as unexplained whilst extensive enquiries are made to understand what happened."

Detective Inspector Gareth Davies British Transport Police, said: “Our thoughts are with the family of this young boy during what must be an incredibly difficult time. I have specially trained officers supporting the family as they try to come to terms with this awful news.

“Our focus is now fixed on understanding exactly what happened and how this young boy came to receive these awful injuries. Therefore, I would be looking to hear from anyone who may have seen a young boy enter this depot at around 5pm.

"If you were in the area or have any information, no matter how small, please do get in touch as soon as possible. The family will be desperate for answers and we will be working tirelessly to get them answers they will be seeking.”

Anyone with information is asked to get in touch by sending a text to 61016 or call 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 367 of 27/06/2017.

A claimant is seeking compensation from Northamptonshire County Council after tripping over a scooter at school, with another injured while washing their hands.

That’s according to information released by the council after a Freedom of Information request revealed the compensation claims made this academic year.

Of the seven claims made, the council is yet to pay out – although five are still under investigation.

The two claims which have been rejected include an injury suffered in manual handling at a school in Northampton.

A child also lost a claim against a Corby school after they were injured using play equipment.

Five claims are still under investigation and include an injury suffered after a finger was trapped in a door at a school in Wellingborough.

Someone at a school in Northampton is seeking compensation after tripping over a scooter, while a pupil at a school in Wollaston is seeking a payout after another pupil threw an object at them.

The council is also investigating a claim made by someone injured at a school in Northampton after a child pushed a locker on to them.

Another claimant at a Northampton school is seeking compensation after they were injured while washing their hands.

A spokesman for Northamptonshire County Council said: “The majority of claims involving minors will come through a solicitor, who will act on behalf of the child and family but we also, on some occasions, get claims direct from the parents.

“The process for investigating claims involving minors is exactly the same as it would be for adults, in that we have an initial period of 40 working days from receipt of the claim to make a decision on liability.

“Some will be rejected, but we have to keep them open for a period of six months following this decision, in case the outcome is challenged.

“In cases where we settle the claim, we have to obtain medical reports in order to evaluate the appropriate level of compensation.

“In most cases whatever settlement is agreed between the parties has to be approved by the courts.

“The agreed settlement is paid into court by us and then paid out with interest upon the child’s 18th birthday.

“Once we’ve paid the compensation payment into court our involvement with the case effectively ceases.”

A Daventry charity football tournament will return for its third edition next month, raising money for Kenyan schools in the process.

The DHL Tyre Team charity football tournament on July 29 is raising money for the Little Faces Schools charity with the hope of surpassing last year’s fundraising total of £475, and doors open at midday.

There will be a barbeque, a bar, and a live prize raffle, as well activities for children including a bouncy castle and face paiting.

The competition, organised by DHL Hankook Tyres, will see teams from DHL bases around the Daventry area take part.

Daventry Town FC will not only host the day’s matches but the evening charity disco ball too from 7.30pm.

Tickets are £20 for the dance, which includes food, and there will be a silent auction. Email leonie.eaton@dhl.com for tickets.

Little Faces Schools in Kenya is a charity set up to improve the lives of children in Kenya through education and feeding programmes.

A Daventry woman has put her house up for sale, but not in the conventional manner.

Kirstie Searle has created a prize draw where entrants can pay £2 and answer a question to be in with a chance to win her property on Lang Farm.

After a discussion with her father, who lives at the family home with Kirstie’s husband and four children, Kirstie came across a similar initiative in Lancashire, and decided to go ahead with her idea.

“House prices are so expensive and the thought of owning a house without a mortgage would be such a weight off someone’s mind,” said Kirstie.

“With university fess and everything else the chances of happily buying a house and not having those arguments about affording things, I thought it would be so nice for someone to have that.”

She added: “I just thought it would be so nice for someone not to worry about whether they’re paying the mortgage this month.

“There are just so many grotty things when you listen to the news that it would just be great for someone to get something nice.”

The house is situated on a Lang Farm development, is a five bedroomed detached home with a generous lounge and dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility and downstairs cloakroom, two en-suites and a family bathroom.

There is also a storage garage, off road parking for three cars, a rear garden on a corner plot and UPVC double glazing and gas central heating.

To enter the draw participants must answer a question before paying a £2 entrance fee.

The draw will run until midday on November 1 2017, and in order for it to be finalised there has to be a minimum of 500,000 paid tickets bought.

Kirstie said: “It sounds like a lot but the person that’s moving will not have anything to pay.”

This will help cover the variety of costs involved in the sale including stamp duty, solicitors, marketing, payment processors, and the website fees.

If the minimum target is reached, Kirstie and her family will be making a £10,000 donation to each of the following charities: Cancer Research UK Kids & Teens, Alzheimer’s Society, and Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance.

You can visit www.winthishouse.co.uk for more information about how to enter, including the the terms and conditions of the deal and an FAQ section, once the site has launched in the coming days.

A new study looking into the growth of home education in Northamptonshire has revealed that since 2006, there are now 375 more pupils now being taught at home.

Research obtained under the Freedom of Information Act reveals that there were 32 children home-educated in Northamptonshire in 2006 and within 10 years that number has escalated to 407 students in 2016, an increase of 375 people.

Northamptonshire County Council is in the top five councils in England for increases in home education, with a rise of 1,172 per cent in the last ten years.

Opposistion education spokeswoman for the Labour party, Danielle Stone (Castle) said: "Families home educate to protect children from pressures implicated on them at school and because they are not happy with the narrowness of the curriculum.

"Teachers and children are subjected to more pressures, there is an increase in mental health in primary children, anxiety features quite a lot and there is an increase in depression, they feel they need to meet targets at school.

"I'm sad that so many families think they can't find an appropriate place for their children in schools but I'm not surprised."

One mum from Wellingborough, who wishes to remain anonymous, has her son work from home and says a lot of parents are fed up with being dictated to by schools and the Government.

She said: "There are lots of children now diagnosed with complex issues such as autism, ADHD to name a couple along with anxiety.

"And more often than not schools don't always provide the needs that that particular child requires without a lot of hassle. Some children are late in getting assessed and during which time the child can become increasingly distressed due to the school environment. So the parent may just feel school isn't the best place for them.

"Quite often the schools are not geared up to deal with children with complex needs or for those that just don't fit into the 'normal' box. They are often impatient and just don't understand the needs of that child. From a parents point of view when a child is so distressed by school 'home educating' seems to be the way.

"With home education, there is so much more flexibility. You can holiday when you want to, go on day trips etcetera, and reduce the hours of working to probably three or four. It is something we have considered a lot and still do. But for us the social side of things is important as home educating can be lonely, but it does have great success. I take my hat off to anyone who makes that decision as it is never done lightly."

A spokesman for Northamptonshire County Council said: “The county council follows national guidance regarding home education but we would always encourage parents that their children receive a mainstream education which has many advantages.

“In cases where parents opt for home education, our role as the local authority is to ensure parents provide a suitable education for their child’s age, ability and aptitude, however that may be delivered.”

Southampton City Council (2,327%) Hertfordshire County Council (1,846%) Liverpool City Council (1,507%) have seen the largest rises, with Northamptonshire County Council trailing closely behind.

The only councils to respond to the Freedom of Information request and reported a decrease in the number of children registered as home-educated were Rutland County Council (-58%), London Borough of Wandsworth (-24%) and Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (-17%) between 2011 and 2016.

Oxford Home Schooling’s top tips for parents considering home education is:

- Make contact with your local home education group and share skills and knowledge.

- Make sure your child attends activities outside of home education groups - they will get to meet other children and socialise in a different way to the home education groups. It also gives you the chance to get involved and engaged in the local community.

- Investigate all the different varieties of home education, from autonomous education to school at home. Different things are right for different families and even different children at different points in life.

The body of Ashley Hayes, 46, from London, was found at around 2:10am on January 10 on the M1 northbound near Whilton, Northamptonshire. Evidence suggests he was hit by multiple vehicles and suffered "catastrophic" injuries.

A post-mortem found cocaine and MDMA in his system and he was last seen by a family friend running away on the motorway after being involved in a car crash near Toddington services, in Bedfordshire.

At his inquest held at Northampton County Hall on June 28, the coroner heard how Ashley had phoned a family friend to come pick him up from the Icon Hotel in Luton at around 1am on January 10.

The friend, Peter White, said in a statement read out by the coroner: "When I picked Ashley up, he seemed smashed. He was very disturbed and kept screaming about how 'they were coming to get him'. We drove off in his car and I reassured many times that there was no one else around.

"He asked me to drive him to Milton Keynes and it was a constant battle all the way there. He just kept shouting that people were coming to kill him, and he tried to get out the car three different times. It was terrifying."

The coroner heard that at around 1am near Toddington services, Ashley had punched Mr White in the head and seized the wheel. They crashed into the central reservation on the M1 northbound.

Mr White last saw Ashley running away along the motorway. He then called the emergency services.

Ashley was killed on the M1 near Whilton about an hour later on an unlit stretch of road.

Police believe at some point he had climbed on the back of a lorry cab at Toddington services. He was driven around 35 miles northbound along the motorway, holding on for around 30 minutes, before he fell and went under the wheels of the trailer.

Following the incident, the northbound carriageway was closed between junction 16 and 18 from 3am until 2pm the next day.

The coroner said it was unlikely the lorry driver would have even known Ashley was on his vehicle.

An 11-year-old boy who died after he was electrocuted at a rail depot near Crick has been named.

Rescue crews dashed to the Daventry International Rail Freight Depot, just before 5.20pm on Tuesday, June 27 and found Harrison Ballantyne who had suffered severe electrical burns.

Despite paramedics from the East Midlands Ambulance Service desperately trying to save him, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

His death is currently being treated as unexplained as enquiries continue.

It is thought Harrison may have jumped up onto a parked engine and hit overhead cables while trying to retrieve a football.

Dave Warner, 30, who lives in the nearby village of Crick, said: “He was apparently trying to retrieve a football when he was electrocuted.

“God only knows what he was doing in the rail depot, it’s in the middle of nowhere really but there are fields at the back of the depot so maybe he was playing in there.

“My local paperboy is best friends with Harrison. I’m told a group of them all walked along a bridleway on their way to Kilsby.

“The rail line runs next to the bridleway so he must have strayed onto that. It’s tragic and a real cloud has descended over the village.

“From what people have said in the village, Harrison was a lovely, funny and popular lad. It’s so awful his young life was just snuffed out just like that.”

Harrison was a pupil at Guilsborough Academy School, Superintendent Chris Hodgkiss for British Transport Police confirmed.

Detective Inspector Gareth Davies, of British Transport Police, said: “Our thoughts are with the family of this young boy during what must be an incredibly difficult time.

“I have specially trained officers supporting the family as they try to come to terms with this awful news.

“Our focus is now fixed on understanding exactly what happened and how this young boy came to receive these awful injuries.

“Therefore, I would be looking to hear from anyone who may have seen a young boy enter this depot at around 5pm.

“If you were in the area or have any information, no matter how small, please do get in touch as soon as possible.

“The family will be desperate for answers and we will be working tirelessly to get them answers they will be seeking.”

The officer leading the investigation into 11-year-old Harrison Ballantyne's death on railway lines near Crick could not confirm rumours that the youngster was retrieving a football.

Emergency services were called to an area of a bridleway around a mile away from the village of Crick at about 5.20pm last night.

An 11-year-old boy had strayed onto a branch line heading into the Daventry International Rail Terminal and suffered 'significant electrical burns'. Despite the best efforts of emergency services at the scene, the young boy lost his life.

Speaking at the site of the tragedy today, Supt Chris Hodgkiss confirmed the youngster as Guilsborough Academy pupil Harrison Ballantyne.

However, he said it was too early to say whether the youngster, who was with four friends at the time, was retrieving football from Bridge D of DIRFT south.

He said: "We consider this to be unexplained as to why he is deceased.

"It is too early to give any more information."

However, he added that the youngster had come into 'contact' with the overhead electrical wires.

Supt Hodgkiss said Harrison 'was an 11-year-old popular young male in this local area' before adding it must be "an extremely difficult time for his friends, his family and the local community".

"Our officers will be supporting Harrison's family during this investigation while we establish exactly why Harrison and his friends were on a non-public area of the railway."

Various people have arrived at the remote scene to place flowers today while officers continue to conduct inquiries in the local area. A report will be prepared for the coroner following the investigation.

On the four friends who were with Harrison at the time of his death, the superintendent said: "It's a difficult time for them."

"They are currently being supported by specially trained officers, who are visiting them and consulting with them.

"But also in terms of supporting his friends in terms of them being witnesses and the difficult things they may have experienced yesterday.

"This really does highlight the dangers of being on a railway track and being on non-public areas of the railway.

"It is really a case of highlighting to parents to be extremely vigilant around where children are going during the six-week holidays and evenings.

"But also if you live in the community near a railway track to be vigilant as well.

"If you see people on non-public areas of the railway absolutely contact police and we will respond appropriately."

Anyone with information about the incident is being asked to call the British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40.

Pupils and staff at a Daventry school which was in special measures three years ago are celebrating following their latest Ofsted inspection.

During a two-day visit from Inspectors, Falconer’s Hill Academy was rated ‘Good’ across all categories, including leadership and management; teaching, learning and assessment; personal development, behaviour and welfare and outcomes for pupils.

Under its former guise of Falconer’s Hill Junior School it had been placed in special measures, before a change of leadership saw Matthew Reetz take over as head teacher.

Recognising the changes that have taken place since then, inspectors noted that they are “capable and committed leaders who are determined to improve all aspects of school life so that outcomes of all pupils rapidly improve.”

Inspectors were impressed with pupil’s behaviour around school. The report stated: “The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are very caring and considerate in the need of others.”

Since joining the David Ross Education Trust, the academy has benefitted from “effective support.”

The report said: “The trust has organised a range of training opportunities, to ensure leaders’ and teachers’ skills are developed in line with the school improvement plan.”

The report, which was published this week, also highlights the schools “welcoming and inclusive environment.”

Among many positive comments, inspectors noted that:

The school is a welcoming and inclusive environment where pupils are reminded daily about their mission of ‘flying high.’ Pupils are determined to do their best and are proud of their school.

Teachers plan lessons effectively.

The governing body is highly skilled. They are a capable and astute team who have high aspirations for the pupils and staff. Pupils are confident learners because they know what is expected of them. They know what skills they need to become confident and proficient learners.

The behaviour of pupils is good. Around school, pupils are very polite to visitors as well as each other and to staff.

Pupils’ attainment in writing in 2016 was above the national average.

Teachers promote the love of reading through extensive class book reviews. Consequently, pupils make good progress in reading.

There was some criticism of the school, however.

Teachers do not always have the highest expectations of pupils, the inspectors said, and they do not insist pupils use the correct spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Teachers also do not always demand from pupils the highest standard of presentation in their workbooks.

Mr Reetz said: “This is an incredible achievement and I am so proud of everyone’s efforts in creating a happy and caring school where pupils are keen to learn.

“Our wonderful staff and pupils have worked tirelessly to secure our ‘Good’ status, and I would like to thank them all for their hard work to ensure we fulfil the needs of our school and the community.”

Daventry Museum has been shortlisted for the People’s Choice Award at the prestigious Northamptonshire Heritage Forum Awards 2017.

To support the town’s museum and recognise its volunteers for their work, those wishing to vote must do so s 2nd July.

Voting forms are available at the museum or you can request a form by emailing museum@daventrytowncouncil.gov.uk. Voters must be aged 16 and over.

Over the last year the museum has put on a range of informative and engaging exhibitions including Daventry Businesses Past and Present, celebrating the businesses of Daventry; Daventry in 100 Objects, featuring artefacts from the museum stores that have rarely been seen before; Collect-o-Mania showcasing individual collections owned by members of the public; Law and Order telling the story of law and order in Northamptonshire and punishments imposed on criminals from the 1800s onwards; and our latest Transport exhibition, inspired by the town’s involvement in the transport industry featuring various forms of transport, some of which were made in Daventry.

The museum does not charge an admission fee and all events and activities are provided free of charge, such as the award-winning British Science Week Event which included a series of family friendly and hands on activities, attracting 140 visitors in March this year.

The museum not only caters for schools and families but welcomes other community groups.

The winner will be announced at the Awards ceremony on 20th July at Sulgrave Manor, Sulgrave.

Contact Daventry Museum on 01327 301246 for more information. You can also reach the museum via museum@daventrytowncouncil.gov.uk or by post at Daventry Museum, Daventry Town Council, 3 New Street, Daventry, NN11 4BT.

Northamptonshire County Council paid claims totalling almost £3,500 in one month to drivers affected by one pothole-ridden road.

A Freedom of Information request by this newspaper revealed 767 claims were made by drivers between May 2016 and May this year.

Of those, just 34 were successful – but 16 of those were paid after damage caused by potholes on the B569 between Irchester and Wollaston between January 20 and February 18.

They included one claim for £756.90 and one for £695.53.

A spokesman for Northamptonshire County Council said the bad weather made the potholes worse and speeded up the deteoration process.

The spokesman said: “The defect on the B569 was reported at a time when temperatures were varying between normal and freezing regularly.

“This speeds up the deterioration process of any defect and what was classed a Category 2, four-month repair, rapidly became worse.

“We constantly review and improve the process for inspecting inquiries, particularly repeat reports, and addressing defect inquiries.

“All insurance claims are assessed on a case by case basis.

“We are committed to maintaining the quality of the county’s roads and we carry out regular inspections to see what maintenance work needs to be carried out.”

Other claims for damage caused by the potholes on the B569 ranged from payouts of £35 to £333.

In total, the claims reached £3,477.91 – almost half of the council’s county-wide payout total of £7,371.57 across the same 12 months.

Other roads across the county which saw large payouts included Broughton Road near Old (£662.34), Blakesley Road near Towcester (£419) and Folly Road in Wicken in the south of the county (£410.21).

Less than five per cent of all claims made were successful.

The council spokesman added that they are not liable to pay if they have repaired road defects in a reasonable time and carry out regular inspections.

The spokesman said: “Section 58 of the Highways Act 1980 provides the county council with a statutory defence against claims where it can establish that reasonable care has been taken to ensure that the part of the highway to which the action relates was not dangerous to traffic.

“This is dependent on there being a systematic process of highway safety inspections, intervention and repairs.

“In other words we are not liable for compensation claims when we have acted within a reasonable timeframe to repair road defects and have also carried out regular inspections to ensure the road surface is safe.”

Northamptonshire received £1,171,000 in funding to tackle potholes for 2017-18.

But despite the cash boost it has remained a hot topic of conversation and the state of the county’s roads have come under heavy criticism.

In April county councillor Mick Scrimshaw (Lab, Northfield) got so frustrated with potholes in Kettering he placed a rubber duck in each one he came across before sending a picture to the council.

Last month a pothole on the A509 between Wellingborough and Isham was earmarked for a repair job just 10 days after it was originally fixed.

Corby resident Ian Duncan has also complained about the quality of repairs along Vian Way and Fotheringhay Road in the town.

He said: “Within two days of them [Highways officers] leaving two holes that were supposedly repaired again, they failed when all of the filling came out of the holes.

“The junction also started to fail where all the bodged holes were again suffering damage.

“I reported the issue again but with no response, eventually after six weeks, they once again returned and again bodged the repairs.”

A total of 7,518 potholes were reported to the county council over the 12 months – an average of 20.5 per day.

Have you been affected by potholes or issues with the roads in our county? Email us at newsdesk@northantsnews.co.uk

A Daventry charity has made its biggest single donation as it handed over a cheque of £10,000 to the town’s first special needs school this week.

Ian Spencer, one of the four trustees of the Pete Spencer Helping Hands Memorial Fund, was at Daventry Hill School where fellow trustee Claire Lister presented headteacher Charlotte Whysall with the charity’s generous donation.
Ian, son of Pete Spencer who sadly died while on a trip to Euro Disney which he had organised for seriously ill and disabled children through the fund, has been determined to continue his father’s work to help local children.
“We were very happy to donate the sum of £10,000 to the Daventry Hill School,” said Ian.
“As always a very big thank you to everyone that has supported us in the past, today, and in the future.
“Our wish is to continue dad’s work.”
The Helping Hands Fund was established in 1980 and operates within a 12 mile radius of Daventry.
The fund offers support to children with serious illnesses and disabilities, providing specialist equipment, and organised activities.
For more information on the Pete Spencer’s Helping Hands Memorial Fund charity, visit their website.
Daventry Hill School is a co-educational all-through school for pupils aged four to 18 with special educational needs in Daventry. The school, on Ashby Road, will grow each year until full in 2019 with a total of 175 children.