A match in tribute to a man who “brought football to Daventry” while dedicating half a century to the sport will take place later this month.

Ken Barton was recognised for his tireless work earlier this year by the Northamptonshire Football Association during a special ceremony, and now Terry O’Neill, a friend of Mr Barton’s, has organised a charity match on Sunday, July 30.

Among Mr Barton’s achievements in grassroots football in the area were the founding of Drayton Grange FC and the creation of the Daventry & District Sunday Football League in 1975.

“A lot of people that have come into contact with Ken and who have played for Drayton Grange and also been part of Daventry Sunday League have a lot of respect for him,” said Terry.

“We thought it was a fitting tribute to the man himself because he brought football to Daventry, in many ways.

“We would love to repay him by showing our respect with a football game in tribute to him.”

Born in London Mr Barton is a lifelong Chelsea fan so, as part of the celebrations, Terry has managed to get Blues legend Kerry Dixon to attend the event at Daventry Town Football Club.

A 36-page programme is being put together which will highlight Mr Barton’s achievements and successes in football throughout the years.

“It’s all about saying thanks for his years in football,” said Terry.

“It seemed fitting for us to do this and to get a Chelsea representative to come down because he is a big fan. He used to go up and down the country to follow the Blues.

“He’s a total football man.”

The match itself will feature two teams of 15 players, and Terry said that more players are always welcome. If you want to take part in the game there is a £50 sponsorship fee.

There will be bouncy castles and face painting for children, as well as tombolas and raffles, with doors opening at 11am before the match kicks off at 2pm.

Fundraising will be carried out on behalf of Football for Charity which will donate any money raised to the British Lung Foundation and the Danetre Hospital’s Cawthorne Ward, where Mr Barton has been treated previously.

“I’m expecting a good turn out. It would be good for people that know Ken to come out and say hello to him,” said Terry.

“I’d like to thank Daventry Town FC for hosting the event.”

He added: “I’d also like to thank everybody for their raffle items and advertising in the programme.”

Anyone wishing to advertise in the programme, or wishing to set up a table top stall, or to find out more should contact Terry on terrystats@aol.com.

Daventry Country Park has once again proved to be among the best open spaces in the country by achieving the prestigious Green Flag Award for the 17th time.

The national accolade has been awarded to the park in recognition of its excellent facilities and high maintenance standards.

The park, located off Northern Way, Daventry has now received the prestigious status 17 times in the past 18 years.

Councillor Alan Hills, Daventry District Council’s community, culture and leisure portfolio holder said: “I am very pleased to say that Daventry Country Park will continue to fly the Green Flag with pride.

“To receive this prestigious award for the 17th time is a wonderful achievement. We know how much the Country Park means to residents and visitors, and this award celebrates the dedication that goes into maintaining it to such a high standard

“We have a lot of activities planned in the coming weeks and months, and I hope the community continues to support us by making the most of this wonderful park.”

The Green Flag Award is judged on a range of criteria including first impressions when entering a park, how clean, well-maintained, healthy, safe and secure it is for visitors, how well the site is managed and promoted, as well as work carried out towards encouraging community involvement, sustainability, conservation and heritage.

The Green Flag has been flying at Daventry Country Park since Tuesday morning and will continue to do so during Love Parks week.

B&M is set to get the keys for the store on Abbey Retail Park in August this year and hopes to be open in the autumn after an extensive internal refurbishment.

The store will occupy three empty units which will be converted into a single 17,600 square foot store. Leisure Lakes Bikes has already moved next door to Halfords in order to accommodate the new addition.

A spokesperson from B&M, said: “We’re excited to get the keys and kit out the store ready for customers in the autumn.

“We’re feeling really positive about the creation of even more jobs for local people and we hope customers are going to be delighted with their new store.

B&M is one of the UK’s fastest growing retailers and customers can expect to find a wide variety of branded products including toys, food & drink, pet range, health & beauty and homewares.
Councillor Colin Poole, the economic regeneration & employment portfolio holder on Daventry District Council, said: “Improving Daventry’s retail offer is an important part of this council’s vision to improve the town centre, so the announcement that B&M Stores has chosen to come to Daventry is great news.

“As well as filling three vacant units at the retail park, it will bring additional jobs to the town and give our residents greater choice when shopping. We look forward to welcoming this national retailer to Daventry."

Abbey Retail Park, based off South Way, is also home to Homebase, Pets at Home, a number of smaller retail units, and Daventry Working Men’s Club.

Opened in 2009, it was the first phase of district council's regeneration plans for the town centre.

Ice served in drinks at the three biggest fast food chains in the UK has been found to contain faecal bacteria.

An undercover investigation by the BBC’s Watchdog programme revealed that ice served at 10 randomly selected branches of McDonald’s, KFC and Burger King all contained faecal coliform bacteria.

The disturbing findings, being broadcast on BBC One tonight, Wednesday, come only three weeks after the programme revealed “significant levels” of faecal bacteria in iced drinks in three major coffee chains.

Government guidelines insist such bacteria should never be present in water for human consumption. Watchdog found evidence in three out of 10 branches of McDonald’s, in six at Burger King and seven at KFC.

Tony Lewis, head of policy and education at the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, said the findings were concerning.

“It’s extremely worrying,” he said. “When we’re finding the sorts of numbers we’re finding here, you have to look at the people making the ice, handling the ice, which they then transfer into customers’ drinks.

“And then you also have to look at hygiene failure with potentially the machines themselves: are they being kept clean?”

Responding to the investigation, all the fast food chains said they were carrying out an investigation into how the contamination had occurred.

A KFC spokesperson said: “We are shocked and extremely disappointed by these results. To reassure customers we have inspected and cleaned the ice machines in all restaurants across the UK.”

McDonalds said: “Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people and we will continue to review our procedures and training, working closely with our restaurant teams to ensure those procedures are adhered to at all times.”

A Burger King spokesperson added: “This report is an opportunity for us to emphasise our training procedures and ensure all operations and safety standards are upheld in all Burger King restaurants.”

Watchdog airs tonight on BBC One at 8pm.

A new woodland created in memory of a Northamptonshire farmer has been named runner-up in a national competition.

Ian’s Wood was planted last November by Angela Wooliscroft at the family farm in West Haddon after her husband Ian died unexpectedly in September, aged 51.

The couple had decided to sign up to the Woodland Trust’s flagship MOREwoods scheme for a project that included turning outbuildings into holiday accommodation.

Angela decided to carry on with the application for 700 trees and planted them with help from family friends and young farmers as a lasting tribute to her husband.

Earlier this year the charity launched a competition for anyone who had created woodland under the initiative and invited BBC Countryfile Diaries presenter Paul Martin to join its chief executive Beccy Speight and director of Woodland Creation John Tucker to pick their favourites.

As well as being named runner up, Angela’s 0.6 hectare wood was also given the ‘staff favourite’ title following a vote among the charity’s employees.

Paul, whose own tree-planting has featured on the seasonal Countryfile spin-off, said: “Angela’s is a beautiful human story. The wood is her balm. We loved the fact that the thought of a woodland was a real inspiration to her to carry on, and that it brought family and community together.”

Angela, who will receive a wooden plaque, said: “After Ian died, keeping busy was my only salvation so I decided that I would carry on with the grant and ordered the 700 trees and plant them as a lasting tribute.

“It was quite a daunting task for me and my three children, but I couldn’t believe it when all our friends and family and local young farmers offered to help – I was so touched.

“Ian’s parents were there to make teas and provide food and by 1pm the task was done – it looked fantastic and Ian would have been so chuffed.

“So despite going to hell and back over the last few months we have managed to bring a group of people together of all ages to plant a lasting tribute to Ian – one that will not only add to the countryside but one which will enhance and bring an even wider diversity of flora and fauna to the area.

“I visit the trees most days and it is now known as Ian’s Wood – it is great comfort to me and my family that something so beautiful has come out of such a horrible situation.”

Since it started in 2010, MOREwoods has seen the creation of more than 1,500 hectares of woodland and the planting of more than two million trees across the UK.

The care team at a Daventry district care home are celebrating its contribution to the winning of a national award for “best residential care provider 2017.”

Brampton View Care Home in Chapel Brampton is run by care home group brighterkind and in selecting them as the award winner the judges praised its focus on the quality of life of its residents.

Brampton View has “Magic Moments”, which is a varied programme of recreation, activities and entertainment, together with a “Wishing Well” scheme, which fulfils wishes for individual residents, whenever possible, to experience something they have long wanted to do or to be taken somewhere they want to visit.

The judges described these programmes, which feature in all brighterkind homes as “inspirational.”

Andrea Goodall, home manager at Brampton View said: “Our Magic Moments programme is planned to promote a sense of wellbeing and above all to be enjoyable.

"Our activities coordinators organise a varied programme including exercise classes that help to keep older people fit and mobile; musical events and sing alongs; arts, crafts and hobbies; games, entertainers and outings. We also host events for relatives and friends in the community.

The judges also commended the leadership for enabling a positive team culture and giving its people the skills and empowering them to deliver the organisational values, which are summed up in its theme of “love every day.”

The judges said: “What more could you want? Simple, from the heart; every moment matters, be happy and sort it.”

“Through our "Wishing Well" scheme we recently arranged for one of our residents Norman to have a special visit from a luxury shoe maker," said Andrea.

"Norman used to be a welter in the shoe trade in Northampton and later worked for luxury brand Church’s Shoes, training staff until his retirement at 70. Norman has fond memories of his days at the shoe company so we decided to arrange a special visit from Church's for him.

"Norman had a wonderful day and says it’s one he will never forget. A member of Church's team brought in shoes and leathers both old and new and gave a talk on the history of the trade and its significance to Northampton.”

The national award programme is run in conjunction with Health Investor magazine.

An airline passenger flying home from Ibiza sent his wife what he thought was a final text as the plane he was on plummeted towards the sea in a 40-50 degree nosedive.

Tom Miller, 39, managed to text “I love you babe” to his wife as the plane dived towards the Mediterranean ocean.

Tom said: “We were about 30 minutes into the flight when the pilot shouted ‘emergency descent, emergency descent’.

“He must have been speaking to the attendants because I remember them looking at each other and leaping into action.

“They had the snack trolleys out and the seat belt lights were off, but the staff ran flat out to put them back.

“Then the emergency masks dropped down and the plane started diving down in at least a 40-50 degrees dive.

“It seemed to go on forever but looking back it was probably only a couple of minutes. It felt like we were falling out of the sky.”

The passenger plane was flying from Ibiza to Leeds Bradford Airport with 180 passengers on board when what’s been described as a “minor fault” forced the pilot into the emergency dive.

Heating engineer Tom was coming home from a stag weekend in Ibiza with 14 of his friends who were all on the same flight.

Tom said: “You get your mask on and you panic because you think it’s not working. I had a kid next to me who was screaming, so I was making sure the kid’s mask was comfortable.

“Then I just sat there. I looked at my mates and we knew there was nothing we could do.

“Some of them were sat by the window and we looked at each other and the looks just said ‘this is how it ends’.

“At that point we just didn’t know. The plane was going down. There was nothing but sea beneath us and we were going down.

“It’s the sounds that change so much. I think that was the scariest bit.

“So I text my wife and told her I loved her. What else do you do?”

The Jet2 operated plane levelled out as soon as it reached a safe altitude and landed at Barcelona airport. The airline has since said that the flight was diverted due to a “minor technical issue”.

Tom said: “The plane eventually started to level out again and the Captain explained what had happened.

“The captain explained that there was a drop in cabin pressure and he had to get the plane down to a safe altitude.

“They didn’t tell us anything at the time though. We thought it was the end.

“It was just sheer relief really. Luckily I was with 14 of my mates so we tried to make light of it.”

The flight safely made it to Barcelona with no further issues and made an unplanned landing.

Tom said: “It’s hard but when you think about it afterwards it’s sending that text that chokes me up.

“It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.”

But that wasn’t the end of the ordeal for Tom and the rest of the passengers as the air conditioning had stopped working during the descent.

He said: “We were sat on the runway in Barcelona for what seemed like forever.

“I suppose it must have only been 40 minutes, but with no air conditioning we were all completely soaked in sweat.”

The passengers eventually boarded another plane back to Leeds around four hours later, but Tom described how some were too scared to get on it.

“I completely understand why they didn’t get back on, but I just wanted to get home,” explained Tom.

“I don’t know when I’ll get on a plane again. I don’t have to think about it at the moment because I’ve got a touring caravan holiday coming up.”

Jet2 has since apologised to those who were on the plane.

Reporting from SWNS/Ross Parry

Daventry’s Mayor has organised a family day out open to anyone wishing to attend.

Councillor Lynne Taylor’s Teddy Mayor’s Picnic will be in the park at the Hollows Recreation Ground on Saturday, August 12 from 12.30-4pm.

There will be free child-friendly entertainment featuring donkey rides, a petting zoo, a novelty dog show, crazy golf, bouncy castles and music from Dukesukes and Daventry Brass.

A Daventry Town Council spokesperson said: “The Mayor would like to celebrate by bringing together the Daventry community for a summer event on the Hollows to be enjoyed by the young and the young at heart.

“So, bring your picnic family, friends, pets and teddy bears to enjoy a good old-fashioned family day out in the park.”

Refreshments and picnics will be available for purchase on the day.

The Daventry Dog Training Club are also joining in and invite you to enter their Fun Dog Show. With a variety of categories from cutest pup to best trick, there is something to suit every pooch. Registration starts at 12:30pm with judging from 1:15pm.  

More information here.

These dramatic images capture a 1,200bhp drag racing car being engulfed in flames as it performs a ‘burn out’ on the start line at Santa Pod in Northamptonshire.

The ‘Dorris Doormouse’, a 552ci slingshot dragster, was warming up its enormous rear tyres at Santa Pod Raceway.

Amazingly, driver Dave Nelson casually held up a ‘V for victory’ sign as flames licked around him.

The dramatic effect is created by the tyres and track being doused in flammable liquid before the friction of the spinning wheels ignites the fluid.

Thankfully Dave went on to safely complete the quarter-mile sprint the ‘Dragstalia’ event on July 15.

The ambition to create 60,000 new jobs in Northamptonshire by 2026 hangs in the balance because of poor broadband connectivity, business leaders heard this week.

A company bidding for the Government funding to improve the digital options for the region, including Northamptonshire, met with business leaders in Northampton to discuss the importance of connectivity to the region.

Hosted by CityFibre, an infrastructure provider, at Franklin's Gardens, business leaders said the future prosperity of the county depended on full-fibre broadband services.

Speaking of the opportunity at the event, former MP and director at local enterprise partnership SEMLEP, Brian Binley said: “If we don’t have this infrastructure then we are running a real risk of not providing the 60,000 jobs.

“We need to make sure that the people at LGSS are listening to our plea. We need to think of connectivity as a utility, it is essential for the future growth of jobs. Bandwidth and speed are no longer a luxury; it is a necessity for those who want to run a business.”

His views were echoed by representatives from a number of businesses in Northampton.

David Moss, head of IT at Churches Shoes, said: “We’ve got the cream of the moto sport industry based in Northampton, top high-end manufacture, it should be a given that we should have the infrastructure that matches it.

"How can we have these leading manufacturers based in Northampton with poor connectivity? It quite often will drive these small businesses to grow organically.”

Also speaking at the event, leader of Northampton Borough Council, Jonathan Nunn, said: “The prosperity of the town relies on ensuring that businesses can get the facilities they need so we can retain and attract highly-skilled jobs. The ball is in our court.”

CityFibre is bidding for the contract that will cover Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes.

Daventry Town Council members held a special meeting in the wake of the district council's recommendation for funding of the Canal Arm project earlier this month.

An extensive debate took place which raised concerns regarding the proposal of Daventry District Council to commit £8.175 million of reserves to construct a mid-section of the Canal Arm.

Daventry Town Council has responded by writing to Ian Vincent, the district council's chief executive, stating that: "The project should be subject to an independent cost/benefit and risk analysis which should be carried out prior to authorising the investment of any public monies into this project."

Free pints are up for grabs in selected pubs across the county to celebrate National Pub Fortnight.

The first 15,000 people to sign up to pub company Ei Publican Partnerships’ app will be able to help themselves to a well-earned drink.

The firm, the UK’s largest leased and tenanted pub company, has carried out a study to celebrate the inaugural National Pub Fortnight, which revealed that a quarter of British adults visit the pub at least once a week, with men more than twice as likely as women to visit their local watering hole two or three times each week.

More than a quarter of the general public claim to know their landlord or landlady by name and are confident they’ll know their ‘usual’.

National Pub Fortnight takes place between July 22 and August 6.

During the fortnight free pints will be up for grabs in selected Ei Publican Partnerships’ pubs for the first 15,000 customers who sign up using the National Pub Fortnight app.

Chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association Brigid Simmonds said: “The pub is the original social network, it has evolved over the years but it very much remains a hub for the community where people share life moments.

“Pubs are much more than merely a place to eat and drink, they are the beating heart of our society, in both urban and rural areas, and we’re delighted to put the pub centre stage during National Pub Fortnight.

“The initiative pulls together the pub community from across the country, so get down and support a local pub that’s participating and enjoy a free pint.”

To access the free pint promotion and find a local participating pub visit the web-based app at www.freedrinkoffer.co.uk using a smartphone or tablet.

Participating pubs in Northamptonshire are the Hazel Tree, Greenhill Rise, Corby; the Kingfisher, Fotheringhay Road, Corby; the Shirehorse, Willow Brook Road, Corby; the Plume Of Feathers, Market Square, Daventry; the Fox Inn, High Street, Thrapston; the Bear, Sheep Street, Northampton; the Royal Oak, Chapel Lane, Blisworth; the Rose & Crown, Park Road, Hartwell; the Crown & Cushion, Wellingborough Road, Northampton; the Royal Oak, Whiston Road, Northampton; the Cardigan Arms, Stocks Hill, Northampton; the White Hart, Main Road, Northampton; the White Hart, High Street, Flore; the Melbourne Arms, Melbourne Lane, Northampton; the Carpenters Arms, High Street, Wellingborough.

Simmonds stood accused of passing on confidential information about a criminal investigation into Wellingborough MP Peter Bone and his wife Jeanette between November 2013 and May 2014.

No formal charges were brought against Mr and Mrs Bone, but Mr Simmonds, from Leicester, was later charged with breaching data protection laws.

Yesterday, following 12 hours of deliberation, a jury failed to reach a verdict on the former commissioner.

He had denied the charge of unlawfully obtaining or disclosing personal data in the three-week trial, in which both Northampton North MP Michael Ellis and former Northampton South MP David Mackintosh were called to the stand to give evidence.

The prosecution in the case asked for seven days to consider a retrial, which was granted.

Mr Simmonds was elected as police and crime commissioner for Northampton in 2012, but chose not to stand for re-election in 2016.

A Daventry district village's church with a rich history has received Heritage Lottery funding to help with repairs to its roof and drains.

Made possible by National Lottery players, the project aims to make St Peter & St Paul’s Church in Watford wind and weather tight so that it is available for future generations to appreciate.

It also aims to encourage people to engage with the history associated with the church.

Commenting on the award, Revd Graham Collingridge said: “We’re delighted that we’ve received this support thanks to National Lottery players.

"The church has connections with Watford Village going back almost 1000 years, and it’s great to know that we are a step closer to preserving it for future generations, and increasing awareness of its rich historical connections, particularly the Pilgrim Fathers as we approach their 400th Anniversary."

The news of the funding will be welcome particularly as the church has been the target for thieves in recent months.

St Peter & St Paul’s Church has rich historical connections which go back to the time of William the Conqueror in the form of Gilbert ‘The Cook’. Gilbert was Lord and Tenant-in-Chief of Watford around 1086, 20 years after the Battle of Hastings.

The church also has links with The Pilgrim Fathers, whose four hundredth anniversary is in 2020, and thirty-five million people can now claim ancestral lineage from them, which is 12 per cent of the American population.

Thomas Rogers and his wife Alice Cosgrove were from Watford village families, generations of whom had their baptisms, weddings and funerals in St Peter & St Paul’s Church.

Other history represented in the church includes Sir George Clerke, a Royalist at the nearby Battle of Naseby in 1645, and links with the Henley, Eden and Peel families who have had important roles or connections as ministers and Prime Ministers in government from the 18th to 20th centuries.

Jonathan Platt, head of Heritage Lottery Fund East Midlands, said: “Historic places of worship like St Peter and St Paul’s have fascinating stories to tell, and are often at the heart of local communities.

Thanks to National Lottery players’ we can help to address the church’s urgent conservation needs and share its heritage widely.”

Development funding of £13,400 has been awarded for the completion of the initial phase of the project, due to finish in July 2018, while a total grant of up to £218,500 could be handed to the church, should the first phase be successful, as complete restoration could take two years.

The aim is to re-cover the temporary roof covering with a steel-based alternative, repair the stonework of the chancel windows, overhaul the gutters and drains, and provide a toilet.

A range of activities will be developed to enable the public to engage with the history of the church, including a dedicated website, printed information, exhibitions about the history of the church, and workshops to train volunteers in promoting the church’s heritage as well as offering educational visits for schools.

It is anticipated the church will remain open throughout the project.

People across Daventry district are being encouraged to nominate their local sporting heroes for an award.

Back for its 15th year, the annual Daventry District Sports Awards aim to celebrate the wealth of sporting talent in Daventry District.

Club members, volunteers, individual athletes and supporters are encouraged to nominate individuals and teams for their achievements over the last year.

Councillor Alan Hills, community, culture and leisure portfolio holder at Daventry District Council, said: “Daventry District boasts a very active sporting scene with some outstanding talent, and these awards aim to recognise the wealth of sporting talent and achievements from the many clubs, teams, volunteers and individuals involved.

“This is an excellent opportunity to give recognition to a family member, fellow athlete, club member, club or local group who you feel deserves a public accolade for their achievements, so please get in touch and submit your nominations.”

Run by Everyone Active in partnership with Daventry District Council, the awards feed into the regional heats of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

They will be presented at a formal evening celebration held at Daventry Leisure Centre, in Lodge Road, Daventry on Thursday, October 19, 2017.

Nominations have now opened in the following categories:

- Local Sportsman of the Year

- Local Sportswoman of the Year

- Team of the Year

- Coach of the Year

- Young Sportsman of the Year

- Young Sportswoman of the Year

- Community Club of the Year

- Primary School of the Year

- Secondary School of the Year

- Long Time Contribution to Sport

- Young Leader of the Year

- Disabled Sports Achiever

- Volunteer of the Year

To download a nomination form and information about the awards criteria visit the awards' website.

More information is also available here, or you can phone Melanie Bland on 01327 871144 or email melaniebland@everyoneactive.com.

The deadline for nominations is Friday 22 September.

Two people have died and more than 120 have been injured in an early morning earthquake off the coast of Greek islands and Turkey.

The quake, said to have been up to a magnitude of 6.7, struck south of the Turkish city of Bodrum and east of the Greek island of Kos - areas popular with British holidaymakers.

Buildings on Kos were damaged by the tremors, which prompted a small tsunami, flooding parts of the island.

Tourists had to flee their hotel rooms when the quake hit at around 1.30am, and have been experiencing aftershocks throughout the night.

A number of Britons have spoken of their fear when they felt tremors as the quake struck.

Lauren Duffy, from Merseyside, said glass and broken pieces of marble statues were among the debris strewn near her hotel in the wake of the earthquake.

The University of Chester student, who is staying at the Atlantis Hotel in Lambi, a short drive from Kos Town which is believed to have been worst affected, spent the night outside with fellow guests as aftershocks continued to rock the island.

The 20-year-old, who is on holiday with her mother and sister, told the Press Association: “We were woken up by really aggressive shaking.

“We didn’t know what it was. You couldn’t find your balance. It was just a scary situation.”

The trio are due to leave Kos on Sunday but said: “I think if the option came up to fly home early I think we would accept it at this stage.”

Naomi Ruddock, who is on holiday in Kos with her mother Eleanor, said a staff member told her it was the worst earthquake the area had seen.

The 22-year-old from London, who is staying at the Akti Palace Hotel in Kardamena said: “The restaurant manager just said that he’s never seen anything like this ever happen ever around this area or ever in Greece. He said it was like something out of a film, and it was.”

Describing the quake she said: “We were asleep and we just felt the room shaking. The room moved. Literally everything was moving. And it kind of felt like you were on a boat and it was swaying really fast from side to side, you felt seasick.”

Former footballer Kevin McNaughton said he is near Dalaman, around 120 miles from Bodrum in Turkey.

The ex-Cardiff City player tweeted: “Jesus just experienced earthquake in turkey, literally crapped myself room shaking allover place, Just stood outside now no sure what to do.”

The effects of the quake were felt by people miles away from the epicentre. Many ran from their homes or holiday apartments with pillows and blankets, according to one Briton who is staying in Didim, around 60 miles from Bodrum.

Kristian Stevens, from Nelson in Lancashire said he felt the building he was in “shake like a jelly”.

Sophie Wild said she fled her third floor accommodation in Altinkum, around 500 miles from Bodrum, when she woke to a loud banging noise.

The 21-year-old from Canterbury in Kent said she was woken by a loud banging noise. She told the Press Association: “ When we realised it was an earthquake, we got an immediate sense to get out, we thought the building was going to crumble around us. We ran down our stairs (were on third floor).

“People were running out of rooms, banging on people’s doors to make sure they were out. Everyone just ran outside and waited for a couple of hours - it’s only now that people are starting to go back to their rooms. There are a few cracks in the walls but otherwise staff says it’s safe.”

The Foreign Office advised Britons in surrounding areas to follow the advice of local authorities and tour operators. A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: “We are speaking to the Turkish and Greek authorities following an earthquake off the coast of Bodrum and near the island of Kos.

“Any British people in the areas affected should follow the instructions of local authorities.”

A packed programme of events is offering Daventry District families an affordable way to keep children active and entertained this summer.

Daventry District Council has organised a wide range of activities during the summer holidays aimed at children aged 5 to 12, with weekly Mini-Adventures at Daventry Country Park, and Wicked Wednesday sessions at Daventry Leisure Centre

The Mini-Adventures take place at the Country Park on Tuesdays July 25 and August 1, 8, 15 and 22, running from 10am to noon.

Each session costs £1.50 per person, with different activities each week including nature trails, story-telling sessions and crafts.

And there is no need to book the Mini-Adventures - just turn up at the Visitor Centre wearing clothing and footwear suitable for the outdoors.

Wicked Wednesdays at Daventry Leisure Centre offer fun inflatable sessions in the pool at 12.30pm and 2pm on July 26 and August 16; roller discos in the hall at 1pm and 2.40pm on August 9 and 23; and a Mad Science Workshop at 1pm and 2.30pm on August 2.

They cost £2 per person per session and bookings and payment must be made in advance on 01327 871100.

Children must be accompanied by an adult during the Mini-Adventure and Wicked Wednesday sessions.

For the inflatables sessions, all children aged 7 and under and non-swimmers must be supervised in the pool at a ratio of one adult to two children.

Children aged 8 and over must be supervised by an adult at the poolside.

Everyone Active is also offering a range of Activity Camps at the Leisure Centre throughout the holidays.

The camps offer sports, team challenges and competitions delivered by qualified sports leader professionals at a cost of £14 per day, with reduced rates available for people booking five days.

Councillor Alan Hills, Daventry District Council’s Community, Culture and Leisure Portfolio Holder, said: “We have worked hard, alongside our partners at Everyone Active, to put this summer programme together - book the Wicked Wednesday and Activity Camp sessions in good time.”

For more information about Mini-Adventures and Wicked Wednesdays visit www.daventrydc.gov.uk/summer

A Northamptonshire dance group, which is touring county care homes, will showcase their talents in Daventry today.

The intergenerational project features dancers in an interactive show performed by young children and their families, taking place at Longlands Specialist Care Centre, in London Road at 11am.

Wriggle Dance Theatre’s latest project, funded by Northamptonshire Community Foundation’s Compton Fund and in partnership with Shaw Healthcare and St Crispin’s Retirement Village, will see eight community volunteers, from 9 to 57 years old, visit the care home as well as those in the north of the county.

The performance will incorporate elements for the residents to watch, and moments to interact with the performers, utilising creative movement, singing and props.

The show will be themed on the sense of touch, and how it connects people to the world.

It is hoped that the project will encourage creativity and social interaction for the residents living in the homes.

The eight community volunteer performers are parents and their children of different ages, as well as seven dancers and a musician.

Lucy Knight, from Wriggle Dance Theatre, said: “This project aims to brighten the day for service users of residential care homes.

“It will benefit both the elderly residents and community volunteers, as the groups come together to move and interact together in a shared creative experience.

“We will contribute to improving quality of life for these residents, increasing their sense of well-being by allowing participants to explore movement as well as watch others perform.

“Using props as a stimulus it will improve social interaction and will be an opportunity for creativity and self-expression.”

Jane Harris, of Shaw healthcare, added: “We’re very excited to be working in partnership with Wriggle Dance to bring their exciting performances to Shaw’s care homes.

“Initiatives like these make them a welcoming and nurturing environment, putting residents at the heart of the care.

“Social interaction and regular activities are vital when providing community care, and I have every faith that our residents will embrace and enjoy the upcoming performances.”

Daventry Table Tennis Club have celebrated their annual general meeting with an awards night.

Over 30 club members gathered to see the efforts of their last season on show, with 23 awards handed out.

The club which will next year be competing in their tenth competitive season, has had its most successful season so far with divisional titles beingwon in both the Daventry and Towcester Leagues, and a host of individual awards garnered by its younger members.

Under 16’s competitior, Benji Gatward, swept the board with six trophies in all competitions and a win rate of over 80 per cent.

The club meet at Daventry Squash Club in Western Avenue where they hold their regular Monday night practice and coaching sessions and players range from junior to senior and complete novices to more experienced players.

The Pride in Northamptonshire Awards have been launched and we are still seeking your nominations for people or groups who make a real difference in their communities or who always go the extra mile to help others.

The awards are being held on Thursday, October 19, at Kettering Park Hotel.

They are run in conjunction with our sister papers the Northampton Chronicle and Echo and Daventry Express.

This year’s Service With a Smile category is being sponsored by Waitrose.

A spokesman for the supermarket firm said: “Fresh, quality food is at the heart of what we do. As Waitrose partners, we want to know where our food comes from, how it’s been produced and what it contains.

“It all starts with long-term relationships with our farmers and suppliers, and continues with our beliefs in championing British produce, supporting responsible sourcing, treating people fairly and treading lightly on the environment. This is the Waitrose Way. But it doesn’t stop there. With your help in branch and online, our Community Matters scheme has donated £14 million to local charities chosen by you.

“Waitrose Rushden has a long standing relationship with Pride in Northamptonshire and we are pleased to be supporting it again in 2017.”

Last year’s Service With a Smile winner, which was again sponsored by Waitrose, was James Tildesley, a checkout assistant at Tesco in Kettering.

His winning ways with customers meant his checkout was always the busiest as customers wanted to be served by him.

Apart from the Service With a Smile, this year’s other categories are: Community Award (sponsored by Costa), Choice Award (Kettering Park Hotel), Inspire a Generation (Wilson Browne Solicitors), Hard Work and Determination (B&M Care Kettering). Courage and Kindness, Unsung Hero/Heroine, Apprentice of the Year (B&M Care Northampton), Young Achiever, Volunteer of the Year, Carer of the Year (B&M Care Northampton), and Fundraiser of the Year.

To find out more and to nominate your chosen person or group, visit www.prideinnorthants.weebly.com.