A garden that was so badly overgrown it was causing damage to neighbouring properties has been cleared following enforcement action taken by Daventry District Council.

Years of neglect had turned the back garden of the house in Holyoake Terrace, Long Buckby into a tangle of untamed weeds, plants and rubble that was causing adjoining fences and walls to deteriorate.

It was so overgrown that the contractor sent in by DDC to clear the garden recently spent three days there, filling five trailer-loads and a skip in the process.

The council had got involved following complaints about the state of the property from residents and first tried to persuade the owner, Patricia Russ, to tidy it up.

When that approach failed, the council served a Community Protection Notice requiring the garden to be cleared.

But when that too was ignored, DDC was left with no option but to prosecute Mrs Russ for breaching the notice.

The case was heard at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on May 2, 2017, when Mrs Russ, of Grasscroft in Long Buckby, was convicted in her absence and fined £440, plus costs of £858.15 and a victim surcharge of £44.

Magistrates also granted the council a Remedial Order allowing them entry to the garden so it could be cleared – work which was carried out last month. Mrs Russ has since been served with a notice requiring her to pay for the cost of the clean-up.

Councillor Mike Warren, health and housing portfolio holder on Daventry District Council, said: "Enforcement action is always a last resort but we have a duty to the residents whose lives were being affected by the state of the garden and, having exhausted all our other options, we had to take this matter to court.

"The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 has given councils tough new powers to act where we believe that the quality of life of residents is being detrimentally affected by the failure of householders to maintain their properties in a reasonable state.

"People should know that we are ready to use those powers where it is necessary."

Supporters of Northampton Town Football Club who use wheelchairs or who require accessible seating at games will benefit next season after a donation from the Amazon team in Daventry.

The Amazon team is helping the club to assist supporters who use wheelchairs or require accessible seating at games with the £2,000 donation.

From the start of the season, Northampton Town Football Club will mark out the accessible seating area to ensure every supporter can find a safe place to watch their team compete at Sixfields Stadium.

Speaking on the donation, Amazon Daventry general manager, David Tindal, said: “A football club is often the heartbeat of a community, giving local people something to support and be proud of.

"We’re delighted to support Northampton Town Football Club and help make sure that everyone can attend games and enjoy them safely.

"The team at Amazon in Daventry would like to wish the club the best of luck for the new season.”

The donation forms part of the ‘Amazon in the Community’ programme whereby the company supports the communities around its operating locations across the UK.

In addition to the funds to support additional seating, Amazon also provided the club with ponchos to help supporters in the area stay dry.

Caroline Lucy, commercial & marketing manager from Northampton Town Football Club added: “We met with Amazon in Daventry to learn more about their community initiatives and it became clear there was a perfect opportunity for both organisations to do something really positive for all our supporters who need accessible seating or who attend in wheelchairs.

“This is a global brand working locally, joining our community and making a real positive impact for our supporters. On behalf of everyone here at the club I’d like to thank David and his team for their generosity.”

Children enjoyed a fun morning taking part in crafts and fun trails at Daventry Country Park as part of a summer programme of activities.

Aimed at children aged 5 to 12, the Mini-Adventures take place at the park each Tuesday from 10.30am to midday, and continue on August 8, 15 and 22.

The drop-in sessions cost £1.50 per person, with different activities each week including nature trails, story-telling sessions and crafts.

Daventry District Council is also holding a series of fun activities at Daventry Leisure Centre every Wednesday during the summer holidays, including roller discos and inflatables in the pool.

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

For more information, visit www.daventrydc.gov.uk/summer.

Sara, Caroline and Lena from Germany, America and Ukraine respectively helped run the daily club for Daventry children as part of the church's Grace Project.

About 65 children attended the club, which was fish and chip shop themed.

Rachel Coupe, director of the Grace for the Next Generation organisation, said: "Everyone had an amazing time playing games, making marine crafts, hearing stories, and jumping for joy.

"The holiday club was so popular that several families changed their holiday plans so that the children could attend for longer than they'd originally booked!"

Moving creations during the week included the figure of an articulated man and a model Jesus disappearing into a cloud.

The children took part in a wet sponge relay race, parachute games and, during the goodbye party for the volunteers, a barn dance.

There is an open invitation for anyone to come to the all-age service at Daventry Methodist Church at 10:30am on Sunday, September 10 where news of the next volunteers and events for the new academic year will be announced.

The Grace Project exists to help churches to reach children. It currently provides churches in England and Wales with a full or part time professional children’s worker - someone with experience, training and the skills needed to develop and sustain a children’s work programme.

County Hall has done a u-turn on plans to cut free access times to Northamptonshire's archives after protests by campaign groups locally and across the country.

Northamptonshire County Council announced plans at the end of July to remove free access sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons from August 21. Instead, users would have had to pay £31.50 per hour.

The council said it was being forced to make the changes following "financial pressures" on its overall budget.

But the move was met with widespread outrage, not least from groups such as Northampton Heritage Hunters, which said it was concerned that "denying access to the public sets a precedence for other repositories to do the same". It would, the group said, "diminish knowledge of local and national history and heritage".

The chairman of the national Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives, Sharon Grant, had written to the county council urging it to reconsider.

"Our members are users of county records offices and other local (and national) archives, and we have noted over recent times the increasing trend for public access to archive services to be cut without any regard to the practical impact on service users that are researchers, both professional and non-professional.

“We acknowledge that these are challenging times for all local authorities but these changes have come as a complete surprise.

“They have not been subject to any form of public consultation and no alternatives have been presented for public comment," the letter said.

The protest forced a comedown from the county council. A statement released today, August 4, stated that the decision had been reviewed.

"Northamptonshire County Council has reviewed its decision to change opening hours at its archives and heritage service after listening to the views of its regular users and supporters.

"The archives service will now be open for free access on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm and the first Saturday in each month, 9am to 1pm."

The change may not be permament though, as the statement warned there would be a detailed review of the service.

"In light of financial pressures and reducing visitor numbers, there will be a review of the service ahead of the next financial year as part of the budget setting process and this will include a full consultation around any proposed changes," the statement.

The council said that in 2016, the service was visited by a total of 3,500 researchers, a drop of 50 per cent compared with 2006.

County council cabinet member for public protection, strategic infrastructure and economic growth Cllr André Gonzalez de Savage added: “Having listened to the views of our service users here in Northamptonshire and across the UK, a decision has been made to reconsider the proposed changes to opening hours.

“However, given our significant financial challenges, changes to customer behaviour and a growth in online enquiries, we need to consider how best to use our limited resources and will be reviewing the service in the coming months as part of the annual budget process.

“As part of this, there will be a full public consultation in which service users will be able to provide their feedback ahead of any changes being implemented.”

A Daventry mother of two who once weighed 21 stone has lost more than 100 pounds in 12 months with the help and support of her weight loss group.

Becci Lane-Johnson, 36, joined Weight Watchers with a group of friends because they wanted to get fitter and shed some pounds. A year later she now weighs 13st 11oz.

But things could have different for Becci after her mum died unexpectedly at Christmas from a heart attack.

“My mum was incredibly proud of what I’d lost throughout the year but then one minute she was here, the next she was gone.

“We lost her so suddenly that I could’ve gone one way or the other.

“I could’ve jacked it in and turned to comfort eating or do the old me, if you like, but I didn’t. I stuck to it rigid, signed up to any race, anything that I could do.”

Becci started running, joined a gym and signed up for Weight Watchers in Daventry, which she attends every week at the leisure centre.

She described the group’s mentor, Sue Howe, as a constant support and wonderful person without whom she would not have been able to lose the weight and complete a 50-mile charity walk in May.

The fundraising walk, which she undertook with her father at her side, was in memory of her mother, began in London and ended in Henley, and raised money for the British Heart Foundation.

Now Becci is able to enjoy an active lifestyle and spend more quality time with the younger members of her family.

“I’ve got two children, a 12-year-old and a seven-year-old, and it’s lovely to be able to go out and not have to sit on the grass and watch my husband run around with them,” said Becci.

“Every day this week we’ve got up, gone to town, gone to the gym in the morning, walked around town, gone to the park.

“It’s nice to not have to think ‘God, I can’t do this’.”

She added: “I can now live, I’ve got my life back, I’ve got my children back. We can go and be a family of four as opposed to being a family of three with mum on the bench.”

Along with the fellow members of Daventry Weight Watchers, Becci has organised a charity ball in November to raise money for the British Heart Foundation, a charity close to her since her mother’s passing, and the event has given the women a new goal to aim for.

“Of course, now we’re all trying to lose weight through Weight Watchers to make sure our dresses fit us,” said Becci.

The 36-year-old wants to encourage other women who want to lose weight to take the first step and join their local weight watching group.

“Don’t think you can’t do it just because other people say you can’t. The biggest journey you’ll make is from your door to the first meeting.

“But once you’re in that meeting don’t look back, look forward and accept the fact you’ve got a brand new family who will support you all the way.”

Daventry Weight Watchers meet every Wednesday at the Saxon Suite in Daventry Leisure Centre at 10am, 5.45pm and 7pm.

CPR Call Blocker is urging people in Northamptonshire to hang up if someone claiming to be from HMRC calls ordering them to call back or risk facing legal action.

It follows reports of a similar scam in Australia where scammers were calling people and demanding money be paid or risk facing a warrant for their arrest.

The callers leave an automated message telling the recipient they owe tax. They are then directed to make an immediate payment on their "unpaid" balance or face a lawsuit.

A spokeswoman from CPR Call Blockers said: "The manner of these calls are both intimidating and threatening. These are classic tactics often used by scammers to try to bully members of the public and this can often make people panic and pay without thinking the process through first.

“We would always strongly recommend never paying something over the phone that you are unsure of. Especially in cases like this, where the call you receive is the first time you have heard of any payment that needs to be made.

"In the meantime, if you suspect you may have compromised your account, contact your bank or card provider as soon as possible. It also advisable to check your bank and card statements regularly for unauthorised charged as a matter of course.”

Anyone who receives a phone call claiming to be from HMRC should hang up and contact the tax office through its official website.

Well-wishers joined Sandy at his local, the Globe Hotel, for a special party attended by 120 people.

The 71-year-old took up his residence at Chelsea’s Royal Hospital the following Monday after successfully applying to join the Pensioners.

During his 21 years with the First Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, Sandy saw active duty in the Second World War.

Mayor of Daventry Mavis Mathews presented Sandy with a well wishing card and a Scottish and Newcastle brewery area representative presented him with an engraved pewter tankard, a glass pint pot and an ashtray.

The Globe’s regulars also bought Sandy gifts, a stereo cassette radio and an illuminated carriage clock.

The hotel’s owner, Anne Elgey, said the Globe would not be the same without Sandy, while many others were sad to see the veteran go but appreciated that joining the Pensioners was something Sandy had always wanted to do.

The celebrations were attended by a special guest, retired Northamptonshire Regiment Major Arthur Miller.

Researchers at Aberdeen University have said that more needs to be done to stop women being forced to wear high heels in the workplace after finding direct links between wearing high heels and injury.

The warning comes after the UK Government rejected calls for a ban on enforcing high heel wear.

Dr Max Barnish, who led the research, said, “From our review it is clear that despite the huge amount of evidence showing heels are bad for individuals’ health, there are complex social and cultural reasons that make high heel wearing attractive.

“We feel the UK Government should follow the lead of other authorities who have introduced specific laws to tackle this practice rather than simply relying on existing legislation which has left the situation in this country uncertain and open to misinterpretation.

“Also, this matter has in the UK been so far addressed through UK-wide equality laws. However, there may be scope for the devolved nations of the UK such as Scotland to consider introducing further measures under devolved health legislative powers.”

Enforcing high heel wear in the office was brought to attention earlier last year when London receptionist Nicola Thorp was sent home after she refused to wear heels at work. Ms Thorp subsequently launched a petition to ban the enforcement and attracted over 152,400 signatures.

So if your boss still insists on female employees wearing a pair of heels to the office, here are six ways that they could actually be damaging your health.

The BBC is looking for contestants from our county for a new game show with a difference.

Ready or Not, which will air as a prime-time BBC One Saturday night show, aims to take contestants by surprise up and down the country - testing the knowledge and nerves of the unsuspecting people of Britain.

This six-part series is, say producers Remedy Productions, is a twist on the traditional game show.

Each week a roving team of hosts will head out to surprise members of the public in a series of quick-fire quiz ‘hits’ to win cash or prizes on the spot.

So, it’s fun and outgoing people who will enjoy being surprised who will fit the bill.

Obviously the element of surprise is key, so if you have a friend or family member you would like to secretly nominate then get in touch - email applynow@remedyproductions.tv before September 15.

And don’t forget - keep it a secret from whoever you nominate!

Headache and nausea aside, the morning after an evening of drinking can be filled with regret, anxiety and misery. But it can also be a time of humour, storytelling and emotional bonding.

This is what we found in a recent study examining the experiences of university students with hangovers. We asked them about their attitudes to being hungover – and the psychological and social effects on their lives.

Alcohol is a mood-altering drug. Intoxication can bring feelings of increased euphoria, relaxation and positivity, while reducing anxiety and tension. These effects are part of what makes alcohol one of the most widely consumed drugs in the world.

It is also a “biphasic” drug, which means it has two distinct phases of action.

The first, known as the “ascending limb” brings positive and euphoric mood as the concentration of blood alcohol increases. The second phase, the “descending limb”, occurs as blood alcohol concentration decreases and is generally accompanied by feelings of fatigue and low mood.

A small body of research has begun to study the effects of hangovers on mood and emotion. In general, these studies indicate that hangover is associated with decreased positive mood and increased anxiety.

These findings have serious implications for those who may have hangovers while carrying out caring responsibilities – parents, nurses, doctors and teachers, for example. But studies so far have been limited by simply asking individuals about their mood using questionnaires. Research using animals has been able to examine in more detail how socialisation and engagement with others may be influenced by a hangover.

A study of rodents showed that 18 hours after alcohol intoxication, the social behaviour of rats is reduced. The experiment was also able to look at differences in social behaviour between rodents of different ages. The adolescent rats engaged in more social interaction when hungover compared to the adults rats.

This finding suggests that adolescent rats might be less sensitive to the effects of alcohol hangover on anxiety and sociability. In our work researching young peoples’ experience of hangover and the relationship between hangover and drinking behaviour, along with our colleague Maddie Freeman, we found that young people had a similar kind of tolerance.

All of the students we interviewed at a university in south-west England mentioned the psychological impact of hangovers. They spoke of feeling low, irritable, angry, sad and lonely.

But they also felt that reducing alcohol consumption was not an option for minimising the effects. Hangovers were expected – and even planned for in their day to day lives. These findings are consistent with the animal research, suggesting a lesser impact for the youthful. For younger adults, hangovers may not be a powerful disincentive to heavy drinking.

We also found that some students actually considered hangovers to have a positive role in promoting group socialising. Communal experiences of hangover were presented as beneficial – of suffering the symptoms “all together”.

About last night

Hangovers were viewed as a continuation of the socialising from the previous evening, which included reminiscing about drunken activities from the night before. Similar to the adolescent rats engaging in social behaviours such as play fighting while hungover, it appears that for younger drinkers a hangover is part of the social experience of drinking.

Universities have long been thought of as places where young people learn not just about their chosen academic subject, but also the effects of drinking alcohol. For many, having a hangover is part of the university experience.

How it affects their actual studies, we cannot yet be sure. Recent research suggests that hangovers have a significant affect on how we carry out routine activities such as work and driving. On any given work day, around 200,000 British workers turn up to work hungover.

Nor is research into the social element of hangovers complete. Fittingly perhaps, the overall effects on mood and interaction are not yet clear – blurry, even.

For some, hangovers are a time of psychological discomfort, accompanied by low mood. For others, they are an enjoyable extension of social drinking – when it really does seem that misery loves company.

Sally Adams is lecturer in health psychology, University of Bath. Christine Griffin is professor of psychology, University of Bath, Paula Smith is senior lecturer in psychology, University of Bath

This article originally appeared on theconversation.com

Up to 130 drug users may have died in Britain using man-made sedative Fentanyl just since December, fear police.

And detectives fear the sedative 10,000 times stronger than heroin is being mass produced in illegal drug labs all over Britain.

Fentanyl and its event more potent analogue carfentanyl, a drug used to sedate elephants, is being created in kitchen top laboratories to sell to hundreds of drug addicts both in Britain and overseas.

Drug makers are using a supply from Chinese distributors to manufacture the drugs, which is then supplied and exported from Britain.

More than 70 deaths suspected to be related to a spike in fentanyl drug use are awaiting toxicology reports, the National Crime Agency (NCA) has revealed.

The 70 cases are in addition to 60 already confirmed deaths related to fentanyl consumption.

So far police have swooped on two home-laboratories that were exporting fentanyl and its analogue carfentanyl to more than 700 drug addicts, more than 300 of whom live overseas.

Four men, three from Leeds in West Yorkshire and one from Gwent in Wales, have been charged with importing, supplying and exporting fentanyl.

Kyle Enos, 25, is alleged to have used the dark web to purchase fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, which are more than 100 times stronger than morphine.

Carfentanyl is more than 10,000 times stronger than street heroin and 0.00002g is considered to be a lethal dose.

Users are thought to be unaware their drugs are mixed with fentanyl, which can be consumed through touch as well as being inhaled and injected.

Ian Cruxton, deputy director of the NCA, said: “Since December 2016 we have seen a number of drug related deaths linked to fentanyl and carfentanyl.

“The NCA has been working with partners, both in the UK and overseas, to take action against those drug dealers who are playing Russian Roulette with the lives of their customers by mixing synthetic opioids with heroin and other Class A drugs.

“I believe the action taken in the UK by the NCA and our police colleagues has significantly reduced the risk to the public.

“At the same time drug users, their friends and families need to be vigilant.”

Simon Bray, from the national police chief’s council, said: “We see that a substantial part of this particular drug supply operates over the internet and the dark web market places.

“In some cases we see incidences where fentanyl has been mixed with other drugs, in particular heroin.

“We see these drugs posted around the world using a variety of different postal systems.”

He added: “They are fairly small kitchen top affairs.”

Fentanyl and its analogues are Class A synthetic opioids covered under the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act.

People obsessed by their smartphones or tablets should wear special computer glasses or use screen filters to block out blue light to get a good night’s sleep.

If they use these filters three hours before bed, they will see levels of their sleep hormone increase by nearly three fifths, sleep better and nod off quicker and get an extra 24 minutes sleep a night.

The ubiquitous digital gadgets are always on hand and the temptation is to use them just before we go to bed.

The largest source of blue light is sunlight and it boosts alertness and regulates our internal body clock that tells our bodies when to sleep.

But the blue light emitted from most LED-based devices disrupts sleep by suppressing the sleep hormone melatonin leaving many tired out in the morning.

Lead author Assistant Professor Dr Lisa Ostrin said to avoid sleep disturbances, people should limit their screen time, apply screen filters, wear computer glasses that block blue light, or use anti-reflective lenses to offset the effects of artificial light at nighttime.

Some devices even include night mode settings that limit blue light exposure.

Prof Ostrin of the University of Houston College of Optometry said: “Exposure to increasing amounts of artificial light during the night may contribute to the high prevalence of reported sleep dysfunction.

“Release of the sleep hormone melatonin is mediated by the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs).

“This study sought to investigate whether melatonin level and sleep quality can be modulated by decreasing night-time input to the ipRGCs.

It gave 22 participants aged 17 to 42 short wavelength-blocking glasses three hours before bedtime for two weeks while still performing their nightly digital routine.

They also wore activity, light exposure and sleep monitors 24 hours a day during the study period.

Saliva samples were collected to assess melatonin content, sleep quality assessed by using The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and pupil dilation measured.

All had about a 58 per cent increase in their nighttime melatonin levels, the chemical that signals your body that it’s time to sleep.

And levels were even higher than increases from over-the-counter melatonin supplements.

All participants also reported sleeping better, falling asleep faster, and even increased their sleep duration by 24 minutes a night from an average six hours and 48 minutes hours to seven hours and 11 minutes.

They also had slower redilation phase.

Prof Ostrin said: “The most important takeaway is that blue light at night time really does decrease sleep quality.

“Sleep is very important for the regeneration of many functions in our body.

“By using blue blocking glasses we are decreasing input to the photoreceptors, so we can improve sleep and still continue to use our devices.

“That’s nice, because we can still be productive at night.”

She concluded: “The use of short wavelength-blocking glasses at night increased subjectively measured sleep quality and objectively measured melatonin levels and sleep duration, presumably as a result of decreased night-time stimulation of ipRGCs.

“Alterations in the ipRGC-driven pupil response suggest a shift in circadian phase.

“Results suggest that minimising short wavelength light following sunset may help in regulating sleep patterns.”

The study was published in Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics.

Mothercare has announced a voluntary recall of one of its own-brand baby bouncer chairs after it emerged that the fabric seat could become detached from the frame, resulting in a child falling through.

While the firm said that incorrect assembly could lead to injury, it also highlighted that the risk of detaching fabric was still present in correctly assembled chairs.

A company announcement read: “Bouncers with a batch date of 12/2015 onwards and with a barcode ending in 843611-3 are affected by this recall. All earlier versions are unaffected.

“If you own one of these bouncers please stop using it immediately and return your product to a mothercare store where a full refund will be given.

“If you have any queries please contact mothercare via email on: bouncerEnquiries@mothercare.com”

The organisation also apologised to customers, saying: “This action has been taken to ensure the safety and well-being of our customers and we apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.”

The following people were sentenced at Northampton Magistrates’ Court:

JUNE 12:

Ewan Bell, aged 62, of Hicks Court, Towcester, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 43mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; fined £500, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £50 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 12 months.

Alison Calder, aged 50, of Kennedy Close, Southbrook, Daventry, used threatening or abusive words or behaviour; fined £40, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85.

Celal Girgin, aged 40, of Eastern Avenue North, Northampton, damaged a car; fined £80, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30, compensation of £150 and costs of £85. Assault; fined £80.

David Kilborn, aged 27, of Lacey Court, Balfour Close, Northampton, damaged a picture frame at O’Neills pub; fined £80, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85. Resisted arrest; fined £80.

Elizabeth McKee, aged 55, of Fellmead House, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 64mcgs 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 18 months.

Jurijs Petrovs, aged 31, of Middlemore, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 85mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; community order to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £85 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 24 months. Failed to surrender to custody; fined £100.

Leroy Robinson, aged 26, of Woodside Way, Northampton, possession of cannabis; fined £150, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85.

Aakash Shah, aged 35, of Derby Road, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 78mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; fined £120, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £80 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 20 months.

Philip Sinclair, aged 35, of Admirals Way, Daventry, assault; community order made, ordered to pay compensation of £75.

Luke Spick, aged 24, of West Street, Ecton, drink-driving with a blood test reading of 186 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood; fined £330, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £33 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 20 months.

Phillip Steele, aged 44, of Glebelands, Spratton, drink-driving with a blood test reading of 141 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millitres of blood; fined £120, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 20 months.

Shane Waterman, aged 31, of Holdenby Road, Northampton, no insurance; fined £300, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with seven points.

JUNE 13

Malcolm Potts, aged 50, of Parkfield Road, Long Buckby, stole a Ford Transit van; jailed for four weeks concurrent suspended for 12 months. No insurance; no separate penalty, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £115 and costs of £250, banned from driving for 12 months. Assault; jailed for 12 weeks suspended for 12 months, ordered to pay compensation of £100.

Angela Tasher, aged 52, of Broadway East, Northampton, assault; jailed for 12 weeks suspended for 12 months, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £115, compensation of £100 and costs of £105. Failed to surrender to custody; jailed for two weeks suspended for 12 months.

JUNE 14

Mark Holt, aged 47, of Louise Road, Northampton, assault; conditional discharge for 12 months, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £20, compensation of £50 and costs of £85.

Jessica Malpas, aged 27, of Bedford Mansions, Derngate, Northampton, stole a Michael Kors Handbag and a Bag For Life worth a total of £170.98 from TK Maxx; jailed for 28 days concurrent, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £85 and costs of £85. Stole two electric toothbrushes and two razors worth a total of £122.39 belonging to Superdrug; jailed for 28 days consecutive. Commission of a further offence while on a suspended sentence; no adjudication, dealt with original offences as follows. Stole numerous leather jackets from M&S in Abington Street; jailed for 14 days.

Barry Sheehan, aged 38, of Long Mallows Drive, Northampton, stole a trolley of shopping worth £143.42 from Lidl supermarket; jailed for 42 days concurrent. Failed to surrender to custody; jailed for seven days consecutive. Commission of a further offence while on a suspended sentence; no adjudication, dealt with original offences as follows. Stole food worth £273.63 belonging to Lidl; jailed for 42 days, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £115 and costs of £85. Failed to surrender to custody; jailed for 28 days. Stole a quantity of household items worth £144.58 belonging to B&M; jailed for 42 days consecutive. Damaged a landline phone belonging to Northamptonshire Police; jailed for 14 days consecutive.

JUNE 15

Christopher Fox, aged 33, of Hester Street, Northampton, stole a bottle of Hennesey worth £39 belonging to Tesco; jailed for 63 days, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £115.

Taiye Suleiman, aged 26, of Belfield Close, Northampton, failed to comply with a commuity order; no adjudication, dealt with original offence, ordered to pay costs of £70. Possession of cannabis; conditional discharge for 12 months. Driving while disqualified; conditional discharge for 12 months.

Sara Johnson, aged 21, of Louise Road, Northampton, stole two handbags worth £299.98 belonging to TK Maxx; jailed for 28 days, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £115.

JUNE 16

Ashley Pearmain, aged 30, of Lockwood Close, Northampton, driving at speeds exceeding 30mph; fined £180, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with three points.

Rabiatu Amidu, aged 29, of Balmoral Close, Northampton, no insurance; fined £120, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Sadique Amidu; aged 41, of Balmoral Close, Northampton, no insurance; fined £900, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £90 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Helen Brain, aged 41, of Cedar Close, Daventry, no test certificate; fined £220, ordered to pay costs of £85. No insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £66, banned from driving for six months. Driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £220.

Brian Dube, aged 23, of Moat Place, Northampton, driving while using a mobile phone; fined £83, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with three points.

Joseph McDonald, aged 21, of Flaxwell Court, Northampton, driving without due care and attention; fined £167, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with five points.

Kenneth Wright, aged 72, of High Street, Spratton, failed to stop at an accident; fined £50, ordered to pay costs of £85, licence endorsed with five points. Failed to report an accident to a police officer; no separate penalty. Driving without due care and attention; fined £50, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30.

JUNE 17

Cyrella Boswell, aged 53, of Dore Close, Northampton, possession of a class C drug; fined £50, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30. Possession of a class A drug; fined £50. Possession of a class B drug; fined £50.

JUNE 19

Gary Duncan, aged 50, of Salcey Street, Northampton, no insurance; fined £120, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, banned from driving for nine months. Driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £40.

Aleksandra Kolesnikova, aged 28, of Alexandra Road, Northampton, failed to notify Northampton Borough Council of changes to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit; community order to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £85 and costs of £500. Similar offence relating to Income Support; community order made to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work.

Bianca Nyakanyanga, aged 39, of Watson Road, Long Buckby, used threatening or abusive words or behaviour; community order made, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £85, fined £250 and ordered to pay costs of £85. Assaulted a police officer at Northampton railway station; community order made.

Jake Barker, aged 25, of Horsemarket, Northampton, threatened to burn down a building; fined £390, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £39 and costs of £85. Possession of a class B drug; fined £130.

Jamie Cooke, aged 32, of no fixed abode, breach of an order by approaching people for cigarettes; jailed for seven days.

Natasha Benjamin, aged 36, of Tresham Green, Rye Hill, Northampton, damaged a shirt and a can of drink; fined £40, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30, compensation of £70 and costs of £85.

Daniel McGuinness, aged 26, c/o Tintern Avenue, Spencer, Northampton, possession of cannabis; fined £250, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85. Driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £85. No insurance; fined £250, licence endorsed with six points. Failed to comply with a red light; fined £85.

Evaldas Jurevicius, aged 36, of Marlborough Road, Northampton, knowingly entered the United Kingdom in breach of a deportation order;jailed for 28 days, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £115.

Melissa Bedford, aged 34, of Fraser Road, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 102mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; community order made, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £85 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 36 months.

Leonie Byers, aged 29, of Wake Way, Grange Park, Northampton, owner of a dog dangerously out of control; community order made, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £85, compensation of £100 and costs of £85.

Jamal Conteh, aged 18, of Newport Road, Northampton, possession of cannabis; fined £130, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85.

Levi Griffiths, aged 18, of St John’s Street, Northampton, possession of a kitchen knife in a public place without good authority; community order made to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £85 and costs of £85.

Nihat Luong, aged 58, of Dryleys Court, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 66mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; fined £150, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 20 months.

Melusi Moyo, aged 20, of Whiston Road, Kingsthorpe, Northampton, no insurance; fined £310, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points. Driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £103.

Brian Tunks, aged 52, of Derwent Drive, Kings Heath, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 53mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; fined £400, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £40 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 12 months.

JUNE 20

Aiden Johnson, aged 32, of Bouverie Walk, Northampton, failed to comply with a supervision order; fined £180 and ordered to pay costs of £60.

Daryl Stevenson, aged 30, of St Andrew’s Road, Northampton, failed to comply with a supervision order; jailed for 14 days.

Amanda Ahearn, aged 51, of Hopmeadow Court, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points. Driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £220. No test certificate; fined £220.

Mandy Ashton, aged 44, of Wheatfield Road South, Northampton, driving in breach of 50mph average speed limit on the M1; fined £220, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with three points.

Michaela Berkshire, aged 26, of Lowlands Close, Northampton, driving at 35mph in a 30mph zone; fined £220, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with three points.

Harry Bird, aged 58, of Senna Drive, Towcester, driving at 52mph in a 30mp zone; fined £440, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £44 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Aidan Boyd, aged 19, of Broadway, Northampton, no insurance; fined £300, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points. Driving while using a mobile phone; fined £100.

Pawel Bujakiewicz, aged 44, of Cross Walters Close, Northampton, rode a bike on a pathway in Wellingborough Road; fined £220, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85.

Patricia Cracknell, aged 76, of Pool Street, Woodford Halse, driving at 56mph in a 30mph zone; fined £440, ordered to pay a surcharge of £44 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Shoppers at Tesco stores across Britain will no longer be able to buy 5p ‘single-use’ plastic carrier bags from the end of the month.

In a move welcomed by campaigners, Britain’s biggest grocer will become the first major supermarket chain to ditch its throwaway bags.

From August 28, shoppers who forget their bags will still be able to buy one – but it will be a more expensive reusable one, made from thicker recycled plastic, costing 10p.

“It’s great to see major retailers moving away from disposable plastic. For too long we’ve seen plastic as something to be used once and thrown away,” said Louise Edge, senior campaigner at Greenpeace UK.

The move followed a 10-week trial in three stores in Norwich, Aberdeen and Dundee during which sales of single-use bags fell by 25 per cent. Bag sales have tumbled Tesco has given out 1.5 billion fewer single use bags since the introduction of the carrier bag charge in England in 2015, but still sells over 700 million of these each year.

The retailer hopes that removing single use carrier bags will significantly reduce the number of bags sold, helping reduce litter and bags sent to landfill.

Matt Davies, Tesco’s UK head, said: “The number of bags being bought by our customers has already reduced dramatically. Today’s move will help our customers use even fewer bags.”

Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey added: “I welcome Tesco wanting to go further and help their customers use even fewer plastic bags.”

The introduction of the 5p charge in England in October 2015 brought it into line with schemes already operating in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. About 8m tonnes of plastic makes its way into the world’s oceans each year, posing a serious threat to the marine environment. Official figures last July revealed that the number of single-use plastic bags used by shoppers in England plummeted by more than 85 per cent after the introduction.

More than 7bn bags were handed out by seven main supermarkets in the year before the charge, but this figure plummeted to slightly more than 500m in the first six months after the charge was introduced. However, while campaigners welcomed Tesco’s move they warned much work remains to be done to curb plastic pollution further – especially when it comes single-use bottles.

“The plastic bag charge has done wonders for reducing the number of bags polluting our coastlines and waters. Now we need to see the same for throwaway plastic bottles – a deposit return scheme which encourages collection,” Ms Edge said.

Today (Tuesday 8 August) has been named Fantasy Football Day, with over a million amateur managers in the UK alone expected to make their picks in what is traditionally the most popular day of the year for wannabe Mourinhos to select their fantasy football teams.

Analysis of data from one online fantasy football game Draft Fantasy shows that the Tuesday prior to the first Premier League fixture is the day most managers select their players, with the corresponding day in 2016 (August 4) having accounted for 12 per cent of all selections. In total, the week before the start of the season will see over a fifth 21 per cent of all players select their team.

With fantasy football games estimated to attract over 8.5 million players in the UK alone, this could mean that this Tuesday will see over 1.2 million teams selected.

Draft Fantasy have marked the occasion with a dedicated website – FantasyFootballDay.com – which includes hints and tips for managers, exclusive videos from football influencers and everything budding Guardiolas need to know ahead of them making their final selections.

Elie Steinbock, Draft Fantasy founder and CEO said, “We are gearing up for our biggest day ever on the site on Tuesday, including having 25 additional support and technical staff to ensure every manager can make their selections without a hitch.”

“Teamed with our unique draft offering, the biggest revolution in the game in over two decades, Tuesday 8 August is going to be momentous occasion for Draft Fantasy, and all fantasy football players across the UK.”

Check out fantastyfootballday.com for more information.

A Byfield couple completed a hike along Hadrian's Wall last week to raise money for their chosen charity.

Darren and Helen Lawson walked the entire 84-mile stretch of the Roman wall in five days, though Helen was forced to sit out on Wednesday because of her blisters.

The pair chose to fund-raise for Breast Cancer Now after Helen was given the all-clear in 2016 following her diagnosis with the illness the year before.

"To celebrate the news and to say thanks to all those wonderful people that helped us we decided to arrange a charity walk," said Darren.

"I had heard of Hadrian's Wall but never visited it and thought it sounded like a real challenge!"

He added: "It's been very hard work; we have been walking between 14-18 miles a day."

So far the Lawsons' have raised more than £1,500 for Breast Cancer Now.

The charity funds research focused entirely on breast cancer and its aim is that by 2050, everyone who develops breast cancer will live.

"We would like to say a massive thank you to everyone that has donated so far, it really does mean a lot to us!"

The Lawsons' Just Giving page can be found here.

Funds are being raised in Daventry in memory of a caring woman who collapsed and died from a cardiac arrest aged just 26.

Emily Nown, who runs the Nail Retreat in Daventry and make-up artist Candice Fuller are holding a raffle throughout August finishing with a 12-hour nailathon next month. They are raising money for CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) after the untimely death of their friend and client Amber Robinson.

Emily said: “Amber was 26 years old, in relatively good health and had no known heart conditions, when she suddenly and unexpectedly collapsed at work after suffering a cardiac arrest.

“Despite the amazing care that she received in hospital, Amber passed away four days later.

Her death was recorded as SADS (Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome).

She said Amber was kind and caring and always had a smile on her face.

“Amber was amazing,” said Emily. “She wanted everyone to be happy. She recently got engaged and was busy planning her wedding. Her death has left her family and friends devastated.”

Every week in the UK at least 12 fit and healthy young people die of undiagnosed heart conditions, cardiac screening can help save young lives, young people should have the choice to be screened.

Raffle tickets are available to purchase from either branches of the salons Wharf farm, Kilsby Lane, CV21 4PN or 9 St. John’s square, Daventry NN11 4FG.

Bookings can be made for the ‘Nailathon’ by contacting Emily 07581227121 or Candice 07961091625.

A motorcyclist has died following a road traffic collision near Staverton last night (Monday, August 7).

The Suzuki motorcycle was travelling on the A425 towards Staverton from Upper Shuckburgh when it collided with a Kia Sorento travelling in the opposite direction, at about 5.35pm.

The rider was taken to hospital with serious injuries but sadly died a short time later.

The motorist and three children who were passengers in the Kia sustained minor injuries in the collision.

Anyone with information or who witnessed this incident is asked to call the Drivewatch Hotline on 0800 174615.