A Daventry district village was targeted by thieves who broke into a church, a village hall and a private house during their spree, breaking a stained-glass window dated to the 1700s in the process.

In the early hours of June 15, the robbers entered the church of St Peter and St Paul’s in Watford village via the smashed window, wrecked the interior of the church in an act of vandalism, made their way to the vestry and into the safe to steal the small amount of church silverware that had been donated in 1720 by Sarah Clerke.
The church safe was in fact taken into the churchyard where it was hacked open, seemingly with a pickaxe.
Having robbed the church the thieves then broke into the village hall and a private house where they were disturbed and chased off.

“As for the actual cash value of the items, we are still getting that assessed by insurers,” said the church’s vicar Reverend Graham Collingridge.

“But in terms of historical value they are irreplaceable because they were donated by Mrs Clerke back in 1720.

“They were an important part of the heritage of the church.”

He added: “The Clerkes were an important family in the village.”

The silver items were used during all the worships at the Watford church, and Reverend Collingridge has had to make do with temporary items since the break-in.

He said he had not heard from the police since first reporting the theft, and that after the incident took place another break-in had occurred, although nothing was taken because, in the words of Reverend Collingridge, there was “nothing left to take.”

A fundraising page has been created by Watford resident Dan White to help cover the costs of repairing the broken window.
This is not the first time the church of St Peter and St Paul’s has been the target of thieves. On April 11 last year at 2am, lead from the roof was stripped and thrown into the churchyard, damaging the gravestones.
The 2016 theft caused £30,000 worth of damage.

Harrison Ballantyne, 11, died after sustaining serious electrical burns near a rail depot in Daventry on Tuesday (June 27).

Emergency services were called to the scene at 5.20pm, but sadly nothing could be done to save him.

In a statement released today (June 30), Harrison’s parents said: “Harrison was our beautiful son. In less than 12 years he filled our lives with happiness. His lively character lit up the room.

“Harrison was a kind and thoughtful boy who shared everything and always thought of others.

“He was a talented sportsman and had developed into a great footballer who was well-respected by his teammates.

“Harrison was an outgoing boy and loved to be active and outside exploring, climbing and getting muddy. Life was an adventure that he sought out to the full.

“Harrison is not only a son, he was a brother, grandson, great-grandson, nephew, great-nephew, cousin and friend.

“His cheeky smile and witty humour keeps us smiling and a huge piece of all of us has gone with him, never to return.

“His innocence and inquisitive nature led him to the railway track, stealing him from this world so soon after he arrived. We will struggle to live without him.

“Tributes have poured in and we realise now just how wide his circle of influence has reached.

“We pray that this is not the end and he is able to see in some way how much he is loved and cared for.

“Harrison, we will love and miss you always and will carry you with us forever.”

Family liaison officers continue to support Harrison’s family and enquiries into the circumstances surrounding his death continue, although they are not being treated as suspicious.

Superintendent Chris Hodgkiss from British Transport Police (BTP) said: “Our thoughts are with Harrison’s loved ones and we are working very hard to give them the answers they need at this difficult time.

“Understandably, his death has come as a great shock to everyone who knew him. His friends who were at the scene have all now been spoken to and offered support, as have pupils at his school. Officers have also been patrolling the area around the line to ensure children stay away.

“Following Harrison’s death and the incident earlier this month where a teenager suffered 40 per cent burns to his body after getting onto the tracks in the West Midlands, we cannot stress enough the dangers of the railway.

“If you haven’t already, please speak to your children about the hazards and help us prevent further deaths and injuries this summer.”

Last year, BTP officers came across more than 555 children on the tracks and recorded around 8,200 incidents of trespass. More information can be found at the BTP's reality check website here.

Network Rail's website contains more details about the electrification of the railway.

Harrison’s family continue to ask for their privacy to be respected and no further statement will be made at this time.

The family of a 53-year-old man from Daventry who died in a motorbike accident have paid tribute to him.

Adrian Bolton suffered head injuries when his red BMW motorbike and sidecar was in collision with a blue Fiat Panda on the B4386 Yockleton to Stoney Stretton road around 9.50am on Saturday, June 24. He later died from his injuries.


In a tribute, his family said: “Adrian - known as Ady to his friends and family - was a life-long classic motorbike enthusiast, devoted husband, father and granddad who will be sorely missed.”


Investigations into the collision are ongoing and officers are continuing to appeal for witnesses who have not yet spoken to police to come forward.


They are particularly keen to speak to anyone who was in the area or who saw the vehicles and the manner in which they were being driven prior to the collision.


Anyone with information is asked to call PC Steve Wootton on 101 quoting incident number 250S of June 24.

The roof of St Augustine’s Catholic Church in London Road, Daventry was accessed by thieves who stole an undisclosed quantity of lead earlier this week.

The theft took place at some point between 7pm on Monday, June 26 and 9am on Tuesday, June 27.

Police would like to speak to anyone who may have witnessed this incident or who may have any information regarding it.

They would also like to speak to anyone who may have seen people acting suspiciously in the area in recent weeks.

You can contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Young unsung heroes have been honoured at a special ceremony in the Northamptonshire Youth Ambition Awards 2017.

The awards, organised by Northamptonshire County Council, were presented at a special event at Wicksteed Park on Wednesday (June 28) to recognise some of the fantastic achievements of children and young people across Northamptonshire.

Winners include a team of young people who have created a social group for LBGTQ teenagers and a young musician who is encouraging his peers away from gang crime and into music.

County council deputy leader and cabinet member for children’s services Cllr Matthew Golby said: “These annual awards are a wonderful opportunity to recognise some of the incredible things young people are doing across Northamptonshire.

“This year’s winners have all demonstrated how they have excelled in some way and made a real difference to others.

“It was very difficult to choose our winners from such a strong collection of finalists and I hope everyone who was shortlisted for an award will feel proud to have been recognised for their contribution.”

The winners

Young Apprentice of the Year Award – Kizzy Minter

At a young age, 17-year-old Kizzy became interested in mental health and worked to pursue a career in this area by becoming an apprentice with Teamwork Trust, a charity that helps people with additional needs.

Graham Marshall, who nominated Kizzy for the award, said: “Kizzy throws herself into every task, whether that’s organising deliveries or helping members with the work, and just lifts the whole centre when she’s around through her enthusiasm and happiness.”

Project or Campaign of the Year Award – Hide and Seek LGBTQ Group

Aged from 14 to 16, this dedicated group of young people are working together to provide social opportunities, run community events, and provide resources and support for other young people from the LGBTQ community.

The Young Role Model of the Year Award – Austin Major-Howard

Fifteen-year-old Austin is a young carer for his mum and helps to look after his five siblings, all while working to achieve his ambition to become a motor sport technician.

He has managed to secure a place to study engineering at Tresham College’s Silverstone centre and is funding his studies there by running his own car washing business at weekends and school holidays.

The Taking Charge of Your Life Award – Emma Cormack

Emma, 17, had a difficult start in life and was separated from her family at a young age. She is in foster care and has overcome many barriers to get her to where she is today.

Emma is working hard at an apprenticeship in childcare where she shows passion, dedication and care.

The Arts Award – Y Not Arts volunteers

These six young volunteers give up their Saturday mornings to support children and young adults with disabilities to take part in music and drama sessions at Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust.

A parent of a young person who attends the sessions nominated the young volunteers, describing them as “absolutely wonderful and deserving of recognition for their efforts”.

The Get Active Award – Tom Judd

Despite being diagnosed with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, 16-year-old Tom refuses to let his health issues hold him back and is currently taking part in a sports leadership programme as well as volunteering at sports clubs for primary school aged children and tennis coaching.

The Health and Wellbeing Award – Elaina Falvey

For over a year, one of Elaina’s close friends has suffered from seizures.

Elaina has taken a lead role in assisting her during her seizures, getting help and also working with other students and staff to help them understand what to do.

The Special Recognition Award – Karl Glover and Thomas Hollick

Care leaver Karl is a talented musician who uses his skills as part of a youth project to get young people off the streets and give them a focus and outlet through music, using his experiences of growing up in care to make improvements for other young people in care.

Thomas has been committed to pursuing his love of sports, despite undergoing chemotherapy and brain surgery.

Even when he did not feel well enough to take part, he attended fixtures to support his team-mates. Since Thomas’ nomination, he has sadly lost his battle with cancer.

The manager of Daventry’s Lloyds Bank, Charles Foster (centre), and his deputy, Gordon Richards (right), were rewarded for their bravery after they foiled a gunman in the bank in December 1972.

A year later, in October 1973, at a presentation ceremony at Newnham Hall, the two men received their Queen’s Commendations for brave conduct from Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire Lieutenant Colonel John Chandos-Pole (left).

Mr Foster, of Braunston, became suspicious when the man called the bank nearly half an hour late for his appointment, as the doors were about to shut.

At the time of the incident Mr Foster told the Gusher: “There was something a bit fishy about the reason for the appointment, and when he didn’t turn up until the bank was about to be closed for the day I became more suspicious.

“I tipped the wink to my deputy to be ready and took the caller into my office, and I stood by my desk.

“I saw he had a pistol in his briefcase and as he started to take it out I dived at him. Mr Richards immediately dashed in and we overpowered the man and held him until the police came.”
The man was given an 18-month suspended sentence.

Daventry pub landlords and their punters raised £350 to help replace items stolen from a local group a week before their scheduled open day.

Caroline and Neil - who run the Early Doors micropub in Prince William Walk - helped out Green Health, a group consisting of people affected by mental illnesses, carers, and people who share a common interest in gardening.

They meet in Daventry’s community gardens to grow fruit and vegetables, and every year they invite the general public to join them for lunch, tea and cakes.

Sadly, just a week before the open day, thieves came and stole a large number of plants that had been carefully placed in pots and hanging baskets ready for guests.

Sanchia Redston, from Green Health, said: “It was so disappointing. People had worked so hard to make it look beautiful for our guests.”

But help was at hand in the shape of park ranger and gardening expert volunteer Tony Newby, who told Caroline and Neil about Green Health’s unfortunate situation.

The money was raised in a week and used to replace the lost items, and Sanchia said that the generosity of those who donated restored her faith in human nature.

The open day went ahead as planned and expected, and Sanchia said it had been a successful event.

“We were absolutely thrilled,” she said.

“We would like to thank everyone that contributed.

“The open day was a great success. We had the deputy chair of the council in attendance, Daventry Mayor Lynne Taylor, and people from other groups in the area also attended too.”

Anybody interested in joining Green Health can contact Sanchia on 07562 457968 or email greenhealthgroup@rethink.org.

Next time you withdraw money from a hole in the wall, consider singing a rendition of happy birthday.

By Bernardo Batiz-Lazo, Bangor University

This article originally appeared in The Conversation

For on June 27, the Automated Teller Machine (or ATM) celebrates its half century. Fifty years ago, the first cash machine was put to work at the Enfield branch of Barclays Bank in London. Two days later, a Swedish device known as the Bankomat was in operation in Uppsala. And a couple of weeks after that, another one built by Chubb and Smith Industries was inaugurated in London by Westminster Bank (today part of RBS Group).

These events fired the starting gun for today’s self-service banking culture – long before the widespread acceptance of debit and credit cards. The success of the cash machine enabled people to make impromptu purchases, spend more money on weekend and evening leisure, and demand banking services when and where they wanted them. The infrastructure, systems and knowledge they spawned also enabled bankers to offer their customers point of sale terminals, and telephone and internet banking.

There was substantial media attention when these “robot cashiers” were launched. Banks promised their customers that the cash machine would liberate them from the shackles of business hours and banking at a single branch. But customers had to learn how to use – and remember – a PIN, perform a self-service transaction and trust a machine with their money.

People take these things for granted today, but when cash machines first appeared many had never before been in contact with advanced electronics.

And the system was far from perfect. Despite widespread demand, only bank customers considered to have “better credit” were offered the service. The early machines were also clunky, heavy (and dangerous) to move, insecure, unreliable, and seldom conveniently located.

Indeed, unlike today’s machines, the first ATMs could do only one thing: dispense a fixed amount of cash when activated by a paper token or bespoke plastic card issued to customers at retail branches during business hours. Once used, tokens would be stored by the machine so that branch staff could retrieve them and debit the appropriate accounts. The plastic cards, meanwhile, would have to be sent back to the customer by post. Needless to say, it took banks and technology companies years to agree common standards and finally deliver on their promise of 24/7 access to cash.

The globalisation effect

Estimates by RBR London concur with my research, suggesting that by 1970, there were still fewer than 1,500 of the machines around the world, concentrated in Europe, North America and Japan. But there were 40,000 by 1980 and a million by 2000.

A number of factors made this ATM explosion possible. First, sharing locations created more transaction volume at individual ATMs. This gave incentives for small and medium-sized financial institutions to invest in this technology. At one point, for instance, there were some 200 shared ATM networks in the US and 80 shared networks in Japan.

They also became more popular once banks digitised their records, allowing the machines to perform a host of other tasks, such as bank transfers, balance requests and bill payments. Over the last five decades, a huge number of people have made the shift away from the cash economy and into the banking system. Consequently, ATMs became a key way of avoiding congestion at branches.

ATM design began to accommodate people with visual and mobility disabilities, too. And in recent decades, many countries have allowed non-bank companies, known as Independent ATM Deployers (IAD) to operate machines. The IAD were key to populating non-bank locations such as corner shops, petrol stations and casinos.

Indeed, while a large bank in the UK might own 4,000 devices and one in the US as many as 12,000, Cardtronics, the largest IAD, manages a fleet of 230,000 ATMs in 11 countries.

Bank to the future

The ATM has remained a relevant and convenient self-service channel for the last half century – and its history is one of invention and re-invention, evolution rather than revolution.

Self-service banking and ATMs continue to evolve. Instead of PIN authentication, some ATMS now use “tap and go” contactless payment technology using bank cards and mobile phones. Meanwhile, ATMs in Poland and Japan have used biometric recognition, which can identify a customer’s iris, fingerprint or voice, for some time, while banks in other countries are considering them.

So it’s a good time to consider what the history of cash dispensers can teach us. The ATM was not the result of a eureka moment of a single middle-aged man in a bath or garage, but from active collaboration between various groups of bankers and engineers to solve the significant challenges of a changing world. It took two decades for the ATM to mature and gain widespread, worldwide acceptance, but today there are 3.5m ATMs with another 500,000 expected by 2020.

Research I am currently undertaking suggests that ATMs may have reached saturation point in some Western countries. However, research by the ATM Industry Association suggests there is strong demand for them in China, India and the Middle East. In fact, while in the West people tend to use them for three self-service functions (cash withdrawal, balance enquiries, and purchasing mobile phone airtime), Chinese customers consumers regularly use them for as many as 100 different tasks.

Taken for granted?

Interestingly, people in most urban areas around the world tend to interact with the same five ATMs. But they shouldn’t be taken for granted. In many countries in Africa, Asia and South America, they offer services to millions of people otherwise excluded from the banking sector.

In most developed countries, meanwhile, the retail branch and the ATM are the only two channels over which financial institutions have 100% control. This is important when you need to verify the authenticity of your customer. Banks do not control the make and model of their customers’ smartphones, tablets or personal computers, which are vulnerable to hacking and fraud. While ATMs are targeted by thieves, mass cybernetic attacks on them have yet to materialise.

I am often asked whether the advent of a cashless, digital economy heralds the end of the ATM. My response is that while the world might do away with cash and call ATMs something else, the revolution of automated self-service banking that began 50 years ago is here to stay.

Folklore and fairy tales like Robin Hood, King Arthur and the Loch Ness monster are in danger of dying out - because parents aren’t passing them on to kids, it has emerged.

Researchers who carried out a detailed study among 2,000 adults found two thirds have no intention of regaling their children with stories of fictional heroes’ derring-do.

Even more worryingly, one in four of those who took part admitted they were unable to name any traditional tales.

A large percentage of those who were familiar with the story of Robin Hood said their knowledge was based on films, rather than learning from their parents.

And despite the existence of thousands of stories which helped shape British history, the average person can name just THREE.

A spokesman for Center Parcs, which commissioned the study to mark the 30th anniversary of their Sherwood Forest park, said: “Storytelling is a great way to bring families together, sharing tales with one another and bonding as they re-live family favourites.

“In the year we celebrate our Sherwood Forest anniversary we’re particularly sad to hear that the future of folklore is in jeopardy.

“We want to help people re-discover tales they might have forgotten, not only keeping the legendary history of our nation alive, but also helping to build family relationships around the almost forgotten art of storytelling.”

The study also found half of adults claimed they haven’t heard a folklore spoken about in over six years.

Three in five said they haven’t heard a single folklore story in over two years.

And 54 per cent of people admitted their knowledge of folk traditions that have developed over the centuries is minimal.

The confusion about folklore comes as only four in ten adults remember being told folklore tales as a child.

Of those who have heard of certain tales, 56 per cent say they are unsure about which folklore is fact and which is fiction.

But despite the findings, seven in 10 people DO think there is a place for folklore in modern society.

More than half think these traditional tales have inspired some of the very best books and films, including Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and Game of Thrones.

And two thirds strongly believe listening to these stories help to develop children’s imaginations.

Working with British local lore expert Jeremy Harte, a committee member of The Folklore Society, Center Parcs has created a folklore map of Britain to encourage families to tell these once-famous stories to one another again and keep the heritage of the nation alive.

Jeremy Harte said: “Countries aren’t just made up of rocks and rivers. They’re also made up of the stories we tell each other, about the places we know.

“There are stories about heroes and heroines like Robin Hood in Sherwood and Lady Godiva in Coventry, tales of mermaids around the coasts, giant warriors on the mountains and hidden treasure in the earth.

“These tales give a special character to our homes, and poetry to our landscape.

“However, we’ve seen from this research that our rich folkloric tradition may be slipping through our fingers, which is deeply saddening and an issue we are passionate tackling alongside Center Parcs.

“While there is a wealth of information about folklore on various tourist, council and heritage organisation sites, there clearly may be decline in stories being passed from generation to generation in the traditional way.

“By curating this map, we hope to remind people of the fabled history in their local areas, and hope to see these stories re-told for generations to come.”

New parents are electing to name their children after politicians - with Corbyn the hottest new baby-naming trend, a study has found.

More than half of parents are now considering using the name Corbyn for their next child following the Labour leader’s post-General Election popularity surge.

The name had soared 50 per cent in popularity between 2014 and 2015 - the last year naming data is available - but is set to see an even sharper rise over the next 12 months.

The study found more than a quarter of parents are now inspired by politicians when choosing a name for their baby.

Four in 10 claim May is a definite option, although only four per cent intend to call their new-born Theresa.

Cameron is the next most popular name, liked by a third of parents, followed by Jeremy, enjoying fresh popularity with 15 per cent of families.

However, only five per cent will consider naming their baby Boris or Diane, six per cent Donald and just one per cent believe Nigel will become a fashionable name again.

Nicola is becoming a more popular name in Scotland, with 13 per cent of mums and dads claiming they would use the name, compared to 12 per cent of parents choosing Leanne in Wales.

Across Britain, 1,305 parents were asked which names were increasing in popularity in their local area.

The fastest-growing up-and-coming trends revealed in the poll by parenting site ChannelMum.com include Muslim names going mainstream.

Six per cent of parents quizzed revealed more non-Muslim families using Muslim names.

The most commonly-used Muslim monikers include Zane, Zahra, Ayesha, Farah, Anila, Omar and Jana.

One in ten has seen an increase in babies with ‘tough names’ including Axl, Maverick and Diesel, and by contrast, Unicorn names including Rainbow, Twinkle, Sassy, Sparkle and Princess are also beginning to gain popularity.

Football ace Paul Pogba and Towie star Sam Faiers have helped to re-popularise the name Paul, with one in 25 parents seeing it used again.

There is also renewed interest in others 70s names including Michelle, Susan and even Gary.

And Viking and Scandi names are on the march, with Magnus, Agnes, Linnea, Freya, Annika, Astrid and Britta more popular, according to 13 per cent of parents.

Meanwhile, the more bizarre name phenomenons include text-message abbreviation names like Ily - meaning I Love You - spotted by one per cent of parents - and three per cent who have seen US place-names including Texas, Miami, Arizona and Tennessee used as baby names.

However, the most common current trend is surnames as first names.

Two thirds of parents report this is on the rise in their area, with top names including Cooper, Grayson, Parker, Quinn, Jones, Carter, Mason, Jackson, Hunter, Riley.

Traditional but not twee English names are undergoing a revival, with 61 per cent of parents embracing monikers including Sarah, Penelope, Emma and Lucy.

The rise of gender-fluid culture means Gender Neutral names are becoming more popular. Alex, Charlie, Elliott, Ellis, Max and Sydney are among the names spotted more often by 41 per cent of parents.

And while it may be the least-used letter of the alphabet, X names are in-vogue, with Jaxxon, Xanthe, Xander and Jaxton the most picked for new babies, and voted more popular by 35 per cent of parents.

Meanwhile, 16 per cent of mums and dads have seen a flood of babies with water names including River, Lake, Delta and Coast, while 13 per cent report meeting tots named after the film Frozen, such as Elsa, Kai, Anna and Olaf.

However the study also showed the most disliked baby name trend is text-message names, shunned by 71 per cent of parents, followed by double-barrelled names such as Lily-Mae, which half of parents refuse to use.

A further 44 per cent wouldn’t name their child after a sports team while 38 per cent loathe unusual or unique spellings. And the Kardashian trend of using the same first letter for each child was turned down by 27 per cent of families.

Siobhan Freegard, founder of ChannelMum.com, said: “What’s in a name? Well rather a lot.

“Names reflect both changing fashions and our changing society, such as the rise in use of many beautiful Muslim names.

“With 70 per cent of families believing their child is judged on their name, a vast amount of love, care and attention is poured into picking the right moniker

“Corbyn is the stand-out naming trend this year and a strong name encompassing both the surname as first name and political name trend.

‘’We expect to see lots of babies conceived at Glastonbury or over the election period named after the Labour leader.

“But remember a week is a long time in politics and your child will have to have that name for a lifetime, so make sure you are sure before naming them after any politician.”

The following people were sentenced at Northampton Magistrates’ Court:

MAY 8:

Darrell Taylor, aged 43, of Harefield Road, Blackthorn, Northampton, stole groceries worth £174.78 from Morrisons; conditional discharge for 12 months. Damaged a shirt belonging to another person; conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay compensation of £25. Used threatening or abusive words or behaviour; conditional discharge for 12 months. Failed to surrender to custody; fined £120, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85.

Simon Barnett, aged 34, of St Luke’s Close, Spratton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 78mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; fined £250, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 17 months.

Mohammud Cali, aged 32, of High Street, Upton, driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £62. No insurance; fined £186, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85 and licence endorsed with eight points.

Peter Chanda, aged 38, of Charnwood Avenue, Northampton, failed to stop when asked to do so by a police officer; no separate penalty. Drink-driving with a breath test reading of 117cmgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; community order to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £85 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 24 months. Driving without due care and attention; no separate penalty. Driving not in accordance with a licence; no separate penalty.

Stephen Hart, aged 31, c/o Chantelle Court, Headlands, Daventry, possession of cannabis; fined £85, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85. Used threatening or abusive words or behaviour; fined £40.

Debra Hewitt, aged 43, of Merthyr Road, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 70mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; fined £265, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 20 months.

Daniel Keenan, aged 34, of Paget House, Kings Heath. Northampton, possession of cannabis; fined £133, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £33 and costs of £85.

Peter Kimpton, age 34, of Helmdon Crescent, Kingsthorpe, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 46mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; fined £120, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 16 months.

Aiden Mandley, aged 18, of Chalcombe Avenue, Northampton, driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £40. No insurance; fined £120, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with eight points. Using an unlicensed vehicle; fined £40.

Rodney Neal, aged 36, of Shadowfax Drive, Northampton, stole three pairs of Jam Classic speakers worth £60 belonging to Asda; conditional discharge for 12 months, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £20 and compensation of £60 and costs of £85.

Paul Spiers, aged 35, of Axe Head Road, Northampton, resisted a police officer; fined £200, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85.

Edvinas Bortnikas, aged 22, of High Street, Wootton, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 59mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; fined £300, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 12 months.

Matthew Robertson, aged 27, of Templar Drive, Northampton, drunk and disorderly in a public place; fined £166, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85.

MAY 9

Daniel Binns, aged 33, of Harrowden Road, Northampton, stole two bottles of Jack Daniels worth £50 belonging to Morrisons; jailed for 28 days. Failed to surrender to custody; jailed for seven days consecutive. Stole several packs of meat products worth £41 belonging to Iceland; jailed for 28 days concurrent and ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £115.

Shaun Bolger, aged 25, of Great Holm Court, Northampton, assaulted a police officer; jailed for 56 days, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £115. Failed to surrender to custody; jailed for 14 days consecutive.

Julian Mabbutt, aged 46, of Stanley Road, Northampton, stole four red sports tops worth £191.99 belonging to DW Sports; jailed for 28 days concurrent, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £115. Stole fuel worth £35.15 belonging to Shell petrol station; jailed for 28 days concurrent.

Askor Ali, aged 23, of Alcombe Road, Northampton, faulty road lamp; fined £220, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and costs of £85.

Tomas Dockevicius, aged 24, of Earl Street, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Tanausu Gutierrez, aged 32, of Charlecote Way, Middlemore, Daventry, no insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points. No test certificate; fined £220.

Theo Harley, aged 36, of South Holme Court, Northampton, driving at speeds exceeding 30mph limit; fined £220, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with three points.

Paul Harvey, aged 37, of Berry Lane, Northampton, driving at speeds exceeding 30mph; fined £150, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with three points.

Alison Hoyland, aged 54, of Grasscroft, Long Buckby, faulty tyres; fined £440, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £44 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with three points.

Florentin-Adrian Ilie, aged 21, of Wheatfield Terrace, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points. Not wearing a seat belt; fined £220.

Lukas Karpinskas, aged 23, of Lodore Gardens, Northampton, no insurance; fined £280, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points. No test certificate; fined £93. Driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £93.

Eric Kimbowa, aged 32, of Byfield Road, Northampton, driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £100. No insurance; fined £300, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Bogdan Lung, aged 20, of Dell Crescent, Northampton, no insurance; fined £250, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points. Driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £83.

Marcia Makiwa, aged 20, of St John’s Street, Northampton, not wearing an adult seatbelt; fined £220, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and costs of £85.

Sam McBarrons, aged 22, of Edith Street, Northampton, driving at 51mph in a 30mph zone; fined £230, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Marius-Dan Mirica, aged 27, of Abington Square, Northampton, not wearing a seatbelt; fined £220, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and costs of £85.

Claudiu-Ion Miteata, aged 27, of Wheatfield Terrace, Northampton, not wearing an adult seatbelt; fined £220, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and costs of £85.

Idukun-Oluwa Olaitan, aged 19, of Boughton Green Road, Northampton, not wearing an adult seatbelt; fined £146, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and costs of £85.

Tayla Poulton, aged 20, of Hedgeway, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Daniel Preece, aged 22, of Spinney Hill Road, Northampton, driving not in accordance with a licence, fined £220, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with three points.

Raul Rusu, aged 21, of Dell Crescent, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points. Driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £220.

Edgars Samuilis, aged 29, of Lutterworth Road, Northampton, not wearing an adult seatbelt; fined £220, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and costs of £85.

Serge Tchatchoua, aged 32, of Humber Close, Northampton, drove at 60mph in a 50mph zone; fined £220, licence endorsed with three points. Driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £440, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £44 and costs of £85.

Ilie-Alexandru Tudor, aged 20, of Wheatfield Terrace, Northampton, not wearing an adult seatbelt; fined £220, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and costs of £85.

MAY 10

Jareth Conway, aged 26, of The Stour, the Grange, Daventry, damaged a window worth £300; conditional discharge for 12 months, ordered to pay compensation of £200.

Mihkail Dron, aged 21, of Prestbury Road, Northampton, assault; community order made to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work. Damaged a Converse shoe worth £30; community order made to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work. Assault; community order made to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £85 and costs of £85.

Adam Reid, aged 31, of Reedway, Northampton, harassment; community order made to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £85 and costs of £85.

Vasiligs Volosous, aged 35, of Kettering Road, Northampton, assault; community order made to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £85, compensation of £100 and costs of £85.

Consumers are being warned of a fake invoice from BT which aims to install banking malware on their computer.

Action Fraud - the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime - has received reports of the scam, which aims to gather personal details and ultimately steal cash from customers’ bank accounts.

The emails entitled ‘New BT bill’ contain a link that automatically downloads a malicious file called ‘BT bill.zip’ once clicked.

What makes this scam email unusual and more dangerous is the Dridex malware starts downloading without a webpage being opened.

Once installed, the Dridex malware is designed to steal personal information such as usernames and passwords by eavesdropping, with the goal of getting into bank accounts and stealing cash.

BT have warned customers who receive one of these emails to not click on any links. Instead, they should go to the BT website directly and log in from there to view bills - pointing out that BT would never send out an email with an attachment.

They add: “Remember that fraudsters can “spoof” an email address to make it look like one used by someone you trust. If you are unsure, check the email header to identify the true source of any such attachment or link.”

Two sauce kits which are on sale at supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda and Morrisons are unsafe to eat and have been recalled.

Geeta’s Foods has recalled two sauce kits as they have been found to contain milk powder produced in an unapproved premises which means that they may be unsafe to eat.

The affected items are both 155g packs, of Makhani Butter Chicken Sauce Kit and Royal Korma Sauce Kit. The recall affects all batch codes and Best Before dates

The London-based company’s goods are available in high stores such as Sainbury’s, Tesco, Asda and Morrisons.

A company statement read: “If you have bought any of the above products do not eat them. Instead, return them to the store from where they were bought.”

No other Geeta’s Foods Ltd products are known to be affected.

Almost half of office workers fantasise about having relations with a colleague, according to new research.

Of those, 11% fancy their boss, while 42% want to canoodle with colleagues or clients.

The poll into office romances by Printerland.co.uk, showed that a quarter of staff have slipped under the sheets with a workmate - with a shocking 30% admitting to having an affair.

But it seems their rendezvous don’t go unnoticed, with 40% of workers suspecting their colleagues are in a relationship.

Drunken nights out and social media accounts are to blame for much of Brits’ lip-locking but most staff make advances during the brew run instead.

And while some staff are keen to show off their new beau, many try to sneak under the radar because they’re already romantically involved, according to the survey.

Only 68% of those who began an office relationship were single at the time - 12% were already dating, 16% were hitched, 2% engaged to be wed and 3% recently divorced.

A staggering 43% have kept a tryst hush-hush for fear of getting fired, while 38% confided in one fellow comrade or a select few.

Of the one in four respondents who have ended up dating someone they work with, 39% have gone on to tie the knot.

But for others, getting it on with a colleague is a mere pipedream, with 62% of men admitting to fantasising about a work relationship, compared to just 34% of women.

However, blokes were also far more likely to keep their romance under wraps (48%) than their female counterparts (39%).

The survey also revealed that men are most likely to end the relationship as they didn’t like working with someone they were dating.

Workers in Sheffield are getting the most boudoir action, with 31% claiming to have slept with an aide, while Aberdonians are least likely to get lucky with a colleague.

Catherine Bannan, HR manager at Printerland, said: “Working so many hours compared to our European friends, it’s unsurprising that so many people are getting together with colleagues. It’s nice to see so many of the nation’s secret office relationships have resulted in marriage!

“But remember if you do get involved with someone at work and the relationship ends badly, you may have to work with that person for a long time, which could lead to a whole host of problems.”

The average relationship between British work colleagues lasts 11 months, while nearly half survive 18 months or more.

In the USA, employers can ask that dating workers enter a ‘love contract’, in order to indemnify the company if the relationship fails and avoid a sexual harassment lawsuit being filed.

‘Wedding season’ sets the average adult back almost £800, a study found.

Research revealed the typical adult will attend three ceremonies this year, spending a total of £266 each time on accommodation, gifts, drinks and travel.

Grandparents will end up with the largest bill, around £430, while the best man will end up with a £313 dent in his bank balance.

The study also found four in ten have gone over budget at a wedding.

However, the value of seeing loved ones walk down the aisle far outweighs the cost for many, with two thirds saying they feel it’s a real honour to be asked to attend a wedding.

Paul Stokes of M&S Bank, who commissioned the study of 2,000 adults, said: “We know the privilege of attending a wedding far outweighs the cost for many of us, but with wedding season totalling nearly £800 on average, we wanted to look at the costs and see where guests could make some savings.”

Buying gifts was one of the most expensive elements of attending a wedding, costing guests an average of £79 a time, with people most likely to spend more on their best friends than siblings.

Proud mothers of the happy couple will spend £307 on a new outfit, including more than £100 on a new dress, £51 on shoes, £30 on jewellery and £59 on hats and fascinators, as well as other accessories.

Paul Stokes added: “Despite the cost, being part of a loved one’s special day is hugely important to most of us, so we wanted to show how guests can make the experience a little more affordable.”

New M&S Current Account customers who switch using the Current Account Switch Service will receive a £125 M&S gift card, which can be used to cover the average cost of a wedding outfit, or a gift.

Determined ramblers from a Daventry housing association completed a gruelling 90-mile trek to raise more than £2,500 for Shelter.

The intrepid explorers from Futures Housing Group walked across canal paths from Ripley in Derbyshire to Daventry as part of a tenth anniversary fundraising challenge for the homeless charity.

Walk organiser and gas surveyor Jason Topley said: “Every single person who took part and supported us in our effort has helped to raise an amazing amount for such a worthy cause.

“It was incredibly gruelling and everyone who joined showed great determination – it was worth every blister and aching limb.”

The walkers followed the Grand Union Canal for 40 miles through Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire. Walkers completed a total of 608 miles – the same as walking around the M25 five times,

To donate £5 to Shelter text FHGT80 £5 to 70070.

The council has identified the need for 1,500 new affordable homes in the District between 2011 and 2029, to meet housing requirements.

It beat its target for the 2016/17 financial year, after 186 new homes were built against an objective of 100. This means 469 affordable homes have now been constructed since 2011, ahead of the council’s target of 383.

The new Monksmoor development in Daventry, together with developments in the villages of Flore, Moulton, Woodford Halse, Crick, Long Buckby and West Haddon all contributed towards the number of new affordable homes in the last year.

Councillor Mike Warren, Daventry District Council’s health and housing portfolio holder, said: “There are many younger people who cannot afford to remain in the community they grew up in, while older people may want to downsize to a smaller, more manageable house or bungalow.

“That’s why the provision of affordable housing is one of our main priorities, and we are working proactively with a range of organisations in order to meet the needs of our residents.

“We are very pleased to have beaten our target so comfortably in the last year, and we will continue to work hard to secure new affordable housing of the right type and size, and in the areas where it is needed most.”

The council is also working with partners to create rural exception schemes – small scale housing developments that would not normally be permitted, but which are allowed specifically to meet local housing needs.

Built by affordable housing providers and supported by local parish councils, the schemes tend to provide a mixture of affordable rent and shared ownership properties for local people.

The council committed £176,000 towards the latest scheme, at Maple Close in Braunston, which was officially opened by the Northamptonshire Rural Housing Association on July 3 as part of Rural Housing Week.

Also contributing to the council's local housing needs is an agreement with Futures Housing Group, which will see the company build 150 new affordable homes across the district over the next decade, 15 of which are on former garage sites on The Grange and The Headlands estates in Daventry, regenerating those sites and helping to reduce anti-social behaviour.

The chief executive of Northamptonshire County Council has been criticised for failing to apologise to a family of a vulnerable young person let down by the authority.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman said the county council showed "scant respect" for the family after it was criticised twice for failing to provide the young woman with proper school transport, home care and respite.

In 2016, following an initial complaint by the family that was upheld by the ombudsman, the council had promised to improve the services it offered.

A spokesman for the ombudsman said: "In that complaint, the girl’s mother told the Ombudsman the problems they encountered meant the daughter lost at least six months’ of education in her last year at school. This contributed to setting back her progress towards adult life, including being able to move on to post-18 activities and education.

"Following that complaint, the council promised to apologise to the family, pay them a financial remedy and liaise with the family to find out whether they could be offered any additional services to help the daughter make up lost progress.

"Despite the council’s agreement to carry out the Ombudsman’s recommendations within a three-month deadline, the chief executive failed even to apologise," the spokesman said.

It was not until the family complained again to the Ombudsman in 2017 that the council began to provide the previously agreed remedies, the spokesman added.

Michael King, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said: “I have issued this report against Northamptonshire County Council because I take any breach of an agreement with my findings seriously.

“The county council had ample time to honour its remedies with this family, and their failure to do so has only amplified the injustice.

“People can only have trust in their local councils if they carry out actions which they have promised to do, without prompting.

“While the council has now put in place three of my four recommendations, and is working on providing the fourth, I am disappointed this only took place after further intervention from me.”

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s role is to remedy injustice and share learning from investigations to improve local public, and adult social care, services.

In this case, to remedy the complaint, the council will contact the family about the previous recommendation to consider whether it could offer anything more to help the daughter make up lost progress. It will also pay the daughter £150 and the mother £250 in recognition of its failure to provide a timely remedy. It has also agreed to monitor its new procedure for dealing with Ombudsman recommendations.

A spokesman for the county council said: “We would like to offer a full and frank apology to the family for the way in which their case has been handled, and to the Ombudsman.

“We are now in the process of implementing all of the recommendations set out by the Ombudsman and these will be fully complete within the timescale set out.”

Strictly Daventry 2017, presented by Kate Fisher Dance Academy, took place at Everyone Active Daventry Leisure Centre on Saturday, July 1.

Hundreds of spectators watched on as Ian Southon, owner of C2 Gents Stylist in Daventry, and dance partner Georgia Owen won.

Judges on the night were All England Dance champion Kerry Dennehy, winner of the UKA Stars at Blackpool competition Libby Williams and John Malone of KIPA Professional Haircare who judged presentation.

Organiser Kate Fisher said: "I would like to thank everyone involved in this year's event, all the experienced dancers, the helpers, Everyone Active Daventry Leisure Centre, Alpine Carpets, KIPA Haircare and to the competitors who went from complete beginners to putting on fantastic good quality performances in eight weeks.

"You are all amazing and it's been a privilege to work with you all."

The judges' scores and audience votes were added together to find the winner, and Ian and Georgia won in both categories.

Second place went to Daventry town councillor Aiden Ramsey and his partner Lottie Mann, with third place going to Daventry College centre coordinator Jo Davies, who was partnered by Sheldon Kane. Each couple performed one Latin and one ballroom dance

The audience was treated to show dances from children from the academy, as well as a special performance from top competing couole Jamie and Selina.

Strictly Daventry has so far raised £4,502 for Friends of Danetre Hospital and Helping Harry, with donations continuing to come in.

Barby CE Primary School is on the up after being judged ‘good’ by a government inspector.

New headteacher Jody Toone is leading the way with positive changes at the school.

She said she is particularly proud of the children in the school.

Mrs Toone said: “As headteacher at Barby I am extremely proud of our school, we strive to provide an amazing foundation for children to learn, make friends and become part of a community.”

Ofsted praised the fact that children leave Barby CE School with “standards above others nationally. Pupils are thoughtful, reflective and communicate well.”

Inspectors also praised the way that pupils value their learning and the enrichment activities offered.

Mrs Toone said she has big plans for the future.

“We are a growing school and it is important to me that we maintain our village, country feel,” she said.

“We have had visits from new born lambs, hatched chicks and seen caterpillars change into butterflies this year.

“Next year, with the help of Cummins over the summer, we will be transforming our spinney into a Forest Schools area.”

She said it will enable children to build dens, hunt for mini beasts, work together and learn the joys of being outdoors.

“We will also be reviewing our curriculum to ensure that it is broad and engaging for all pupils based around key challenge questions,” added Mrs Toone.

“These include would a dinosaur make a good pet? What is in space? What lives in our school grounds? We think that this will excite children and foster the love of learning that we are always striving to create.”