The following people were sentenced at Northampton Magistrates’ Court:

JUNE 20:

Jamie Deer, aged 39, of Victoria Road, Cogenhoe, driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £220, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85.

John Doran, aged 26, of Blenheim Road, Northampton, no test certificate; fined £220, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85. Driving while using a mobile phone; fined £220, licence endorsed with three points.

Linda Faulds, aged 67, of The Causeway, Northampton, driving at 50mph in a 30mph zone; fined £116, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with four points.

Errol Gordon, aged 49, of Upper Cross Street, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Ryan Griffin, aged 22, of Westfield Road, St James, Northampton, driving at 50mph in a 30mph zone; fined £293, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with four points.

Karolina Jernas, aged 33, of Beckets View, Northampton, no insurance; fined £359, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £35 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points. Driving while using a mobile phone; fined £119.

Rebecca Jobber, aged 36, of Kingsley Road, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points. No test certificate; fined £220.

Amir Khan, aged 34, of Austin Street, Northampton, no insurance; fined £440, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £44 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points. Driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £146.

Aeris Kozlovskis, aged 43, of South Oval, 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.

Szebo Laszlo, aged 27, of Thornby Drive, Northampton, driving without a licence; fined £220. No insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £66 and ordered to pay costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Elis Lleshi, aged 24, of Hervey Close, Northampton, no insurance; fined £300, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Tabatha Loader, aged 27, of Glebeland Road, Dallington, Northampton, driving at 56mph in a 30mph zone; fined £600, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £60 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

M C Environmental Services, of Samwell Way, Northampton, failed to give information relating to the identity of a driver; fined £440, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £44 and costs of £85.

Craig Malloy, aged 34, of Cordon Crescent, Earls Barton, drove at 98mph in a 70mph zone on the A45; fined £502, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £50 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with four points.

Sophie Nolan, aged 27, of Bochetone, Northampton, driving at 50mph in a 30mph zone; fined £256, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with four points.

Karol Nowak, aged 32, of Rockcroft, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Michael Osei-Ansah, aged 35, of Wade Meadow Court, Northampton, driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £220. No insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

George Oteri, aged 42, of Wellington Street, Northampton, no insurance; fined £400, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £40 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points. No test certificate; fined £133.

Nikul Parekh, aged 24, of Conyngham Road, Northampton, driving at 67mph in a 40mph zone; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Kelly Park, aged 39, of Narrowboat Lane, Northampton, driving at 36mph 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.

Vanika Patel, aged 29, of Prescott Close, Northampton, faulty brake light; fined £220, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85.

Joanne Senturk, aged 30, of Wake Way, Grange Park, Northampton, driving at 53mph in a 30mph zone; fined £461, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £46 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Bogdan Sima, aged 22, of Fraser Road, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Claire Smith, aged 38, of Collingwood Road, Northampton, driving at 35mph in a 30mph zone; fined £200, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with three points.

Victoria Spalding-Hall, aged 19, of The Grange, Daventry, 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.

Alexandru Stefanica, aged 26, of Margaret Street, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Jermaine Tago, aged 30, of Sidebrook 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.

Andrea Truman, aged 31, of Hever Close, Northampton, did not have proper control of a vehicle; fined £220, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with three points. 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.

Trevor Walker, aged 55, of Tarn Croft, 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.

Kiera Watson, aged 29, of Woodside Way, Northampton, driving while using a mobile phone; fined £220, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with three points.

JUNE 21

Joseph Burns, aged 28, of Old Barn Court, Northampton, assault; community order made to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work; ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £85, compensation of £100 and costs of £85. Another assault against a different person; community order made to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay compensation of £100.

Vincent Such, aged 38, of Blake Close, Daventry, breach of a court order; fined £50.

Duane Cox, aged 32, of no fixed abode, possession of a class B drug; fined £200. No insurance; fined £200, licence endorsed with six points.

Rosie Van-Moppes, aged 27, of Holyoake Terrace, Long Buckby, assault at Northampton General Hospital, conditional discharge for 12 months, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £20, compensation of £50 and costs of £35.

JUNE 22

Colton Thornhill, aged 40, of Eskdale Avenue, Northampton, stole three bottles of Prosecco from the Co-op in Northampton, jailed for 56 days concurrent, ordered to pay costs of £600. Failed to surrender to custody; jailed for 28 days concurrent. Posession of two wraps of heroin and three wraps of cocaine; jailed for 154 days, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £115 and costs of £85.

Krzysztof Maczuba, aged 36, of Watkin Terrace, Northampton, failed to comply with a commuity order; no adjucation, dealt with original offence. Stole two pairs of socks; jailed for 28 days concurrent. Assault; jailed for 56 days

concurrent. Possession of a class B drug; jailed for 168 days. Failed to surrender to custody; jailed for 28 days. Possession of a class B drug; jailed for 168 days, ordered

to pay a surcharge to victim services of £115 and costs of £200.

JUNE 23

Shane Waterman, aged 31, of Holdenby Road, Northampton, failed to stop at an accident; fined £300. Failed to report an accident to a police officer; no separate penalty. Driving without due care and attention; fined £300, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85.

Taiye Suleiman, aged 26, of Belfield Close, Northampton, failed to stop at an accident; fined £120. Failed to report an accident to a police officer; no separate penalty. Driving not in accordance with a licence; no separate penalty, ordered to pay costs of £85. No insurance; fined £120, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30, banned from driving for six months due to repeat offending.

John Garth, aged 45, of Nene Walk, The Grange, Daventry, driving at 75mph in a 60mph zone; fined £153, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with three points.

Reece Ottaway, aged 21, of Nansen Close, Daventry, driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £120, ordered to pay costs of £85. No insurance; fined £440, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £44, licence endorsed with eight points

Morrisons is to sell the UK’s longest sausage roll – for just £1.

The supermarket has launched the Foot Long Sausage Roll, believed to be the largest in the UK.

At one foot long and weighing in at nearly half a kilogram, the store claims the sausage roll is double the length and four times the weight of some high street competitors.

Available from August 7 from the supermarket on Newland Street, the Foot Long Sausage Roll is freshly baked in-store by its Market Street bakers, made with seasoned pork meat and wrapped in a crisp, golden flaky pastry.

The sausage roll has to be served on a special tray that holds its weight, rather than being served in just the traditional paper bag.

Morrisons has created the Foot Long Sausage Roll after listening to its customers, who said that they wanted a bigger version of the British classic.

At only £1, the jumbo-sized British favourite can be bought hot and ready-to-eat from Morrisons Pie Shop counters on Market Street. It could be enjoyed as part of a picnic, shared with the family, or eaten by customers with big appetites.

The sausage roll is being launched in time for the start of the football season to be the ultimate match day pie experience.

Kissing it better really does work... thanks to a protein in human saliva, according to new research.

Injuries in the mouth heal faster and more efficiently than those elsewhere - and now we know why.

A chemical in saliva boosts the formation of blood vessels, a process that is critical in recovering from an injury.

Harnessing its power opens “a wide door” to improving the treatment of wounds, said an experts.

And it shows ‘licking your wounds’ is more than just an expression and is based on scientific fact.

Prof Vicente Torres, of the Institute for Research in Dental Sciences at the University of Chile, Santiago, said: “These findings open new alternatives to better understand the biology underlying the differences between oral and skin wound healing.

“We believe the study could help the design of better approaches to improve wound healing in tissues other than the mouth.”

The research published in The FASEB (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology) Journal revealed the salivary protein histatin-1 aids wound healing.

Prof Torres and colleagues made the breakthrough by delving into the mystifying fact mouth wounds mend better and quicker.

Until now, it was understood saliva played a part in the wound healing process, although the extent of its role was unknown.

The study examined the effects of histatin-1 on new blood vessels, a process known medically as angiogenesis.

It showed the molecule promoted angiogenesis, as well as improving the contact and migration of cells.

Prof Torres’ team carried out experiments on chicken embryos and human skin and blood vessel cells.

Using these three models, histatin-1 and saliva samples obtained from healthy donors were found to increase blood vessel formation.

The researchers have already begun using these molecules to generate materials and implants to aid in wound healing.

Prof Torres said: “Saliva is a key factor that contributes to the high efficiency of wound healing in the inside of the mouth.

“This is not only attributed to physical cues but also to the presence of specific peptides in the saliva, such as histatins.

“Histatin-1 is an antimicrobial peptide, highly enriched in human saliva, which has been previously reported to promote the migration of oral skin cells in lab animals.

“However, the participation of histatin-1 in other crucial events required for wound healing, such as angiogenesis, is unknown.

“Specifically, histatin-1 promoted skin cell contact and spreading as well as migration in the wound closure tests.

“Finally, we showed that salivary histatin-1 is required for the promigratory effects of saliva on skin cells.

“In conclusion, we report salivary histatin-1 is a novel proangiogenic factor that may contribute to oral wound healing.”

Journal editor Dr Thoru Pederson, of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, welcomed the exciting discovery.

He added: “The clear results of the present study open a wide door to a therapeutic advance.

“They also bring to mind the possible meaning of animals, and often children, ‘licking their wounds.’”

Complaints about parking charges more than doubled in the last year according to the latest figures released by consumer advice website, Resolver.

The research found that 2,748 people complained to Resolver about their parking fines in the last financial year. This was an increase of 111 per cent on the previous year (1,300).

However the latest findings do not fully depict the scale of charges of council land as individual councils are responsible for these fines.

People don’t realise they have a right to complain

With 1,405 parking fine complaints made from April 2017 alone, Resolver expects this trend to continue.

James Walker, founder of Resolver says, “We’ve seen a huge increase in complaints about private parking fees over the last few years at Resolver.

“Yet the vast majority of people we speak to still tell us that they didn’t realise they had any right to make a complaint, felt intimidated into paying up, or were just so angry about their experience they didn’t want to deal with it.”

He adds, “So if you feel that you’ve not been treated fairly due to a parking charge, don’t give up – it’s not hard to make a complaint.”

In total Resolver has received 5,663 complaints about private parking companies since the service began in September 2014.

Resolver’s private parking tips

1. Don’t stick your head in the sand. Private parking companies will increase their charges if you don’t pay up. Act quickly and tell them to suspend charges while you formally complain.

2. Don’t pay up straight away. But do tell the firm you’re going to appeal. It’s often harder (but not impossible) to get your cash back after you’ve paid. But don’t assume the firm has no right to charge you. Deal with the situation head on.

3. Gather evidence. The pay and display sign forms part of your contact with the parking firm. If it’s unclear, hidden, overgrown, vandalized, etc, you can argue you were misled. Take photos, write down everything you can remember, get witnesses if need be.

4. Give the human touch. We’ve seen shocking cases, from midwives at hospitals being ticketed while helping expectant mothers to people rushed in to hospital being charged for not being back to their cars in time. Parking firms aren’t charities. But explain why you weren’t able to pay in time or return to the car.

5. Tell the landowner. Parking companies are working for the landowner. If their contractor is being overbearing or intimidating, they need to know about it.

Restaurant chain, Nando’s, is giving away free chicken to A-level students across the UK this week.

“On August 17 anyone picking up their A-Level (or equivalent) results will be able to grab themselves a free quarter chicken or Firestarter* on that day,” a Nando’s spokesman confirmed.

“Just bring your results papers, ID and spend a minimum of seven pounds in any restaurant across the UK (excluding Scotland) and you will be eligible.

“Don’t worry Nando’s don’t need to see your grades, unless you want to brag about them!”

The deal does not include Wing Roulette or All Together Now and the offer is open to students who are legal residents of the UK with the exception of Scotland.

The offer runs until 17th August 2017 and can only be redeemed once.

For more information and the terms and conditions visit the Nandos website.

Historic churches in Northamptonshire have received grants to help pay for their upkeep.

The grants have been organised by a sponsored Ride and Stride event on the second Saturday in September for around 25 years.

This year the event takes place on Saturday, September 9, and organisers are appealing for people to take part.

Churches are open throughout the county to receive cyclists and walkers who have obtained sponsorship in relation to the number of churches they visit.

They work out their own route taking in to account the churches which are open. Half the money raised by each participant goes to the church nominated by the participant and half goes to NHCT.

In recent years, the total sum raised each year has been something over £35,000.

In 2016, NHCT made 37 grants with a total value of £55,000. Churches benefitting included St Mary Magdalene Ecton, Christ Church Northampton, All Saints Flore and St John the Baptist Quinton. Some had suffered lead thefts and now have alarms to prevent such thefts reoccurring.

The Ride and Stride gives people the chance to enjoy the beauties of Northamptonshire and its churches and to support NHCT at the same time.

Jane White, It would be great if people living in the towns and villages of our County would consider taking part. You do not need to be a church goer to value the beauty your local church adds to your community and to wish to help keep it in repair.

Any of your readers interested in taking part can obtain details from the NHCT website at www.nhct.org.uk Alternatively, they can contact Richard and Val Hartley on 01327 831162 for a sponsor form and a list of open churches so they can plan their routes.

The Home-Start Daventry and South Northants get-together saw more than 90 volunteers, families and dignitaries assemble in Daventry Country Park to mark the occasion with cake, ice cream, children activities and Olympic races all on offer.

Between 2015 and 2016 Home-Start volunteers supported 85 families across Daventry district and South Northamptonshire. These families included 203 children, 129 of which were under five years old and 74 over five years old.

The voluntary group says families reach out to them for support for a variety of reasons ranging from postnatal illness and disabilities, to domestic abuse and substance misuse.

A teenage girl will line up alongside 89 other young bikers on the Silverstone start line this month as she takes part in the selection event for the inaugural 2018 British Talent Cup.

Chloe Jones, 13, is one of just four girls chosen from the 200 applicants to be given the chance to compete in the event, which features 90 of the country's most gifted motorcycle racers under the age of 17.

Looking ahead to her big day on August 23, Chloe said the prospect of defeating the boys in the race would not only motivate her, but would also send a positive message to other girls.

She said: "I feel really good. I feel it's a great achievement just to be selected. There are four girls selected and I'm one of them.

"I hope it inspires more girls to get involved in racing and see that it's not just a boys sport, it's a girls sport as well.

"It gives me more motivation because I know the boys don't like it when they get beaten."

Currently a racer in the British Mini Bike Championship Chloe, from Daventry, only took up biking two years ago when her sponsor Les Webster got her a mini motor, but she has had an interest in the sport from a young age.

She practices every Tuesday at Whilton Mill and races once or twice a month across the country on tracks in Teeside, Kent, Wales and Cumbria.

Halfway through last year, with her sponsor begging mum Charlotte and dad Richard to get Chloe on a bigger bike, she began racing the 140cc bike she competes in today, initially "to have a try."

Chloe said: "They said to me 'if people are behind you don't block them, just let them pass.'

"We went out for the race and... I won it."

She added: "I won every race last year and came third, even though I missed half the season."

Having gone from strength to strength in the mini-motor category, Chloe now faces a different challenge on a different type of track, and the prospect of competing on the Silverstone track has mum Charlotte a little anxious.

"I'm really excited for her, it's a big opportunity," said Charlotte. "She's going to get the chance to ride a bigger bike, on a completely different track to what she's used to, with different people.

"Personally I'm scared because it's a huge track. Most of the tracks that we go to you can pretty much see her the whole time she's racing.

"When she goes to Silverstone there are going to be places where we're not going to be able to see her, we'll have to rely on marshals and everything else, so it's quite scary.

"But I'm really happy for her because it's a massive achievement to be selected, and as one of the four girls."

Chloe and the other competitors will have the whole day to prove themselves in front of the selection committee and those who qualify will be invited to take part in the Day of Champions on the Thursday before the British MotoGP Grand Prix, on August 24.

For the time being Chloe is keeping a cool head, and focusing on taking things step-by-step.

She said: "Hopefully I'll be one of the riders that they select to go onto the British Talent Cup, and then I would like to go to the European Talent Cup, and then hopefully MotoGP."

Daventry district residents are invited to sign-up to an energy switching service to help ensure they are on the best deal for their gas and electricity come the winter.

Big Switch Daventry District is a joint effort between Daventry District Council (DDC) and its switching partner iChoosr to use collective purchasing power to secure better energy deals for residents.

Everyone who registers for the Big Switch is entered into a national collective, with energy companies then invited to bid for their custom in an auction.

Because the auction is an opportunity for energy companies to secure thousands of customers in one go, the deals they offer in a bid to win that auction are often better than those advertised to the general public.

Councillor Jo Gilford, environment portfolio holder at Daventry District Council, said: “Since we launched the scheme in December 2014, it has helped over 900 households in our District switch to cheaper energy tariffs, making an average saving of £232 on their bills.

“Switching energy suppliers can be daunting, but this makes it easy, so I would encourage residents to register and find out more – it takes just five minutes, and there’s no obligation to switch at the end of the process, so you have nothing to lose by signing up.”

The sign-up process is quick and easy, with just an annual bill or indication of annual energy usage required.

Following the end of the registration period, everyone who signed up will be sent an offer indicating any savings they could make. There is no obligation to accept that offer and no fees or charges involved, whether people decide to switch or not.

The deadline for registering for the autumn auction process is 9 October, with offers sent out from 20 October, with DDC urging people to sign up soon to make sure they are on the best tariff ahead of the winter months.

The council wants to encourage people who switched providers through last autumn’s auction to register again, because their fixed-term contract will be coming to an end and this is an opportunity to secure another good deal through the scheme.

You can sign up here or phone 01327 871100 before the October 9, 2017 deadline.

Canal boats lined up long the length of the village as a record-breaking 25,000 people turned out to see bands, stalls and floating merchants.

This year featured a bird of prey display, a music stage and eight open gardens around the village.

Jane Percival, one of the festival's organisers for the Blisworth Canal Partnership, said: "There were more people this year than ever. The weather was perfect, the traders did well and the music stage was a great success.

"The village loves it every year and the team that puts it together did such a good job of organising it."

The annual festival was started in 2009 as a fundraising fete for Blisworth Canal. Since then, it has helped refurbish the village's Leggers' Hut on the Grand Union Canal and renovate the ageing wooden beams on the waterway locks.

Folk stalwarts Fairport Convention celebrated their 50th anniversary with a mammoth three-hour headline set on Saturday night at their annual Cropredy Convention.

With a career spanning set bringing the festival to a close, Fairport were joined by former members and guests who all played in front of thousands of adoring fans.

In traditional style, the band played a short acoustic set on Thursday afternoon to officially get the festival under way before Feast of Fiddles and Show of Hands followed.

The Trevor Horn Band were among the highlights of the opening day with a set packed with some of the biggest hits of the 1980s.

The former member of Buggles and notorious songwriter and producer, delighted audiences with a set including Two Tribes, Video Killed the Radio Star, t.A.T.u’s All The Things She Said and Owner of a Lonely Heart.

The band was joined by Russ Ballard for a version of God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll To You and ended with Relax by Fankie Goes To Hollywood.

Thursday headliners The Divine Comedy brought a Napoleonic feeling to Cropredy, with frontman Neil Hannon dressed as the former French emperor.

While most of their set comprised of tracks form their latest album Foreverland and 1996’s Casanova, the likes of Generation Sex and National Express were a great reminder of the band’s ability to craft indie pop gems.

The Friday was opened by BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award winners Josie Duncan and Pablo Lafuente before the Gerry Colvin Band, Quill and the GIgspanner Big Band followed.

Among the highlights of the second day was Bedfordshire’s CC Smugglers who upped the energy levels with a set packed full of fast paced folk and roots music.

Melbourne duo the Pierce Brothers followed, returning to the Cropredy stage for the second year running.

They kept the tempo going with an irresistible energy and frantic live show which saw the pair switching between drums, guitars and the occasional didgeridoo.

World renowned singer Petula Clarke followed. With a career spanning seven decades and sales of more than 68 million, Clarke opened with her 1967 hit Don’t Sleep In The Subway.

Regularly pausing to chat to the Crorpedy Crowd, Clarke’s set included the likes of Never Enough of Your, Crazy and I Couldn’t Live Without Your Love.

Her set featured covers including Blackbird by The Beatles, Fever by Peggy Lee and While You See A Chance by Steve Winwood and she finished with Downtown and Rainbow.

Closing Cropredy’s second night was former Fairport member Richard Thompson.

Initially taking to the stage to play a series of tracks solo including They Tore The Hippodrome Down and Valerie, he was later joined by Christine Collister before they were joined by Simon Nicol, Dave Pegg and Dave Matacks for the remainder of his set which he closed with Tear Stained Letter.

The final day of Crorpedy was opened by Morris On who were followed by Judy Dyble’s Band of Perfect Strangers.

The day had a rockier feel with and Cats In Space and Marillion both providing a heavier soundtrack to a sunny Saturday.

Fronted by Steve Hogarth, returning rockers Marillion treated fans to a sizable chunk of their latest album F.E.A.R before closing with King.

Scottish singer songwriter Dougie MacLean followed with a solo set of songs and storytelling, but by then the sizeable crowed were ready to celebrate Fairport’s half a century celebration.

While Fairport Convention’s headline sets at Cropredy are renowned for featuring guests and friends of the band, this year they deliberately went out of their way to ensure as many former members had the opportunity to take part in and enjoy the anniversary as possible.

With a set of more than 30 songs, the band played tracks from across their career, a handful of covers and a selection from their 1969 album Liege & Lief.

For their finale of Meet On The Ledge, guests and past members returned to the stage for one final sing along.

Cropredy will return next year, but looking back at Saturday night, it’s hard to see how Fairport Convention will top this year’s headline set.

Festival director Gareth Williams said: “The music was terrific and our crowd loved the variety of the line-up.

“During the run-up we were a bit worried about the weather but luckily the rain held off for the festival and the ground had dried out by the time we opened.

“Everybody was in great spirits, everything ran smoothly and there were no incidents to report.

“We heard a lot of great comments from people telling us how much they were enjoying themselves.”

Next year, Fairport's Cropredy Convention takes place on Thursday, August 9 to Saturday, August 11.

Daventry Soccer Sevens' second annual 7-a-side football tournament was held earlier this month, raising more than £1,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Scott Creaney's Saxons Sevens were the eventual winners as they beat Gareth Parry's Bayern Bru 2-0 in the August 6 final.

The Saxons wore Souter on the back of their shirts in memory of Dave Souter who sadly passed away last month.

Ben Hyams, who organised the event, said: "I would like to thank everyone that gave up their time to help out on the day, all teams involved, local businesses that generously donated raffle prizes and Daventry Leisure Centre who allowed us to use the facilities free of charge.

"With everyone working together we managed to raise £1,008.89 for a fantastic cause which is close to my family's hearts and so many others that are affected."

Ben reserved a special mention for lifting Room Crossfit who supported the event by running a competition on the day giving away a month's membership at their gym in Weedon's Ordnance Depot in Weedon, as well as entering their own team into the competition.

Soccer Sevens run leagues in Daventry on a Monday and Sunday evening and anyone interested in entering a team can contact Ben on 07752750582.

Work on a £4.275million primary school and nursery begins this month on the Monksmoor estate in Daventry with construction scheduled for completion next spring.

Daventry District Council (DDC) is building the school using funding contributions from Monksmoor’s housing developer Crest Nicholson as part of its planning obligations on a site within the development.

So far 300 of the 1,000 planned homes have been built, and this triggered the requirement for Crest Nicholson to provide the site and funding for the the single form entry free school.

Councillor Alan Hills, Daventry District Council’s community, culture and leisure portfolio holder, said: "It’s great news that construction work is starting this summer on the new primary school. It will play a valuable and active role at the heart of the new Monksmoor community and bring a further boost to our town’s education offer for residents.

"Improving local learning facilities is a priority for our council and we are working with partners on a range of projects towards this goal, including plans to bring the Ofsted ‘outstanding’ rated Sponne School into Daventry and enabling the Parker E-ACT to expand its operations into the former UTC building."

The construction work is being carried out by contractors Willmott Dixon Construction on behalf of the council with the school set to open its doors to its first pupils in September 2018.

Paul Short, operations manager at Willmott Dixon Construction, said: “Both Willmott Dixon and Scape Group are proud to be involved with Daventry District Council once again and the opportunity to provide an excellent educational facility for young people and the community.

"Whilst this is the first Sunesis primary school project commissioned by Daventry District Council, over the last seven years we have successfully delivered over 18,000 school places, all on time and on budget through this proven approach. We know that this project will enrich the lives of many and together we will leave a lasting legacy."

The school will be built to a high environmental standard and include a range of teaching spaces alongside general classrooms and school hall, as well as staff, welfare and administrative rooms and an outside learning area.

Andrew Dobson, managing director of Crest Nicholson Strategic Projects, said: "We have been working hard to establish a long and lasting community in Daventry and the new primary school is the next exciting chapter in this journey.’

"Crest Nicholson and Daventry District Council have been working closely in partnership to ensure the timely delivery of the land to bring forward this new facility which will be at the heart of the community.

"The school along with significant areas of recreational space will serve not only the residents of Monksmoor but also the wider community. We look forward to seeing this project come alive and launch in 2018."

While building takes place, work will continue by Northamptonshire County Council to obtain an academy operator to run the new school.

The Monksmoor development on fields off Welton Lane is one of Daventry’s Sustainable Urban Extensions (SUEs) to accommodate the town’s future growth, and has outlined planning permission for 1,000 new homes, employment and community facilities and a primary school.

The vision for the Daventry Canal Arm was presented to visitors at a waterways festival in Northamptonshire last weekend, with one district councillor suggesting similar get-togethers could be held in the town should the project be completed.

Daventry District Council (DDC) teamed up with the Canal & River Trust (CRT) to share information about the proposals at the Blisworth Canal Festival on August 12 and 13.

Visitors including industry professionals, boating enthusiasts and families, were given leaflets and the opportunity to find out more about the plans to build a two-mile destination canal from the nearby Grand Union to Daventry town centre.

The district council's economic, regeneration and employment portfolio holder Councillor Colin Poole joined CRT’s chief executive Richard Parry and South East Waterways manager Vicky Martin at the two-day event, which annually attracts an estimated 20,000 people.

Councillor Poole said: “There was an amazing atmosphere at the festival, with lots of encouraging and positive feedback about the Daventry proposals, particularly from boaters who are keen to see a new destination come to fruition beyond the existing canal network.

“We are pleased to receive the Canal & River Trust’s support and assistance in promoting our vision for a new canal to a wider audience and look forward to working more closely with the organisation as our plans progress.

“The Blisworth Canal Festival is a popular event in the annual boating calendar and the Daventry Canal could be a future destination for similar festivals and celebrations attracting thousands of people from near and far.”

The Daventry Canal received planning permission in January this year and last month councillors approved plans to move forward with preparing a business plan for the scheme, which will evaluate the cost benefit of delivering the whole canal.

The business plan will be put before full council for consideration before a final investment decision on the project is made.

For more information visit www.daventrydc.gov.uk/canal.

More than one in ten UK holidaymakers have misplaced an electronic device in their luggage, resulting in them being stopped by airport security, according to a new report.

The survey, by online retailer AO.com, asked UK holidaymakers about their habits when it came to taking tech abroad.

It revealed that wait times at airports are being increased due to travelers not knowing the rules regarding packing of electronic items.

With tighter security measures, and with more and more of us taking multiple devices on holiday abroad, Brits are consistently finding themselves at a standstill at airport security. According to the ONS, there were 70.8 million visits overseas by UK residents in 2016.

One of the situations most likely to get a tourist stopped is when a phone or tablet is buried in hand baggage, rather than being placed in the security tray.

And even if the item is ‘declared’, it must be able to be switched on to prove it is a working device.

77.2% of UK holidaymakers think it’s ok to bring a phone or tablet that has run out of battery in their hand luggage.

However, if it cannot be turned on then it’s likely that the device will not be allowed on the flight.

The survey also found that more than a quarter (28.7%) of UK holidaymakers think it’s ok to take a TASER in their hand luggage onto a plane.

The study also found that more than a quarter - 27.8% - have forgotten to put a device on airplane mode during a flight

And 21.7% of 16-24 year olds have damaged an electronic device whilst abroad

The 25-34 age group is most likely to incur a charge when using electronic devices abroad. 37.7% of those surveyed had suffered a charge, 15.7% of which came in at more than £50.

The information has been released in support of a new interactive guide for holidaymakers entitled Sun. Sea. Tech. Easy! At http://ao.com/life/sun-sea-tech. Simon Exton, Director of Consumer Electronics at AO.com,said:

“It appears many of us are still confused about the rules and regulations of taking tech with us on holiday. Nobody likes delays at the airport, and getting held up at security can be a nerve racking experience, especially if you’re unable to take belongings through with you.

“Our advice is to carefully check the airport and airline guidelines before packing your bags, and to play it safe when deciding what to take aboard with you. Remember, the vast majority of technology is permitted to travel within luggage in the hold.”

It’s not often that a murder investigation is a straightforward one.

Police can spend weeks, months or even years scrutinising every line of enquiry to catch who they firmly believe the perpertrator is.

Someimes they do and they go to prison. But sometimes they are found not guilty and sometimes, they don’t catch anybody.

In Northamptonshire, the murders of 26 people remain unsolved - but police say they will never give up in their quest for justice.

Detective Chief Superintendent Kate Meynell, head of crime, intelligence and public protection at Northamptonshire Police, said: “The murder of a loved one has a devastating impact on those left behind and we do all we can to find those responsible and help secure a conviction at court.

“Despite our best efforts, there are times when there is insufficient evidence to arrest and charge a person in connection with a murder, or a jury returns a not guilty verdict.

“These cases remain open and are reviewed regularly to establish if there are any fresh opportunities for us to investigate.”

The unsolved murder cases in question stretch back to October 25, 1952 - almost 60 years ago.

In the sleepy village of Ashton, near Oundle, popular gamekeeper George Peach (64) and wife Lillian (67) were beaten to death in the middle of the night at their home.

More than 100 men were questioned, but police could not make anything stick and the story gradually disappeared from the front pages.

No matter how old the investigation is, police will look into any new information.

Det Ch Supt Meynell added: “Any new information is responded to and we will pursue any lines of enquiry available to us.

“This can be as a result of advancements in forensic techniques or because we have received new information.

“We will never forget those people who have had their lives taken away at the hand of another and remain committed to seeking justice in those cases that remain unsolved.”

One instance where new information could have led to a conviction in the county was seen earlier this year at Northampton Crown Court.

Pet shop worker Arthur Brumhill was found dead in the basement of his Northampton shop in March 1993.

Stuart Jenkins, who worked at the shop for a month prior to Mr Brumhill’s death, was arrested at the time but was released.

He was then re-arrested and charged in 2015 after new forensic information, but was found not guilty after a trial.

But some families don’t get that close to the justice and closure they so desperately desire.

One of the biggest murder investigations in the north of the county involved the disappearance of Kettering teenager Sarah Benford, who went missing from a care home in April 2000.

It has been treated as a murder since 2003 and last year, police searched an area of woodland near Kettering ahead of what would have been her 30th birthday.

Despite pursuing more than 5,000 lines of enquiry making eight arrests, police have never solved the case.

Speaking last year, Sarah’s mum Vicky said: “As a family we are looking for closure around her disappearance and somebody must know something.

“We would ask for people to contact the police if they know anything about Sarah’s disappearance.

“As a family we need to come to terms with what has happened and won’t be able to do this until we know what has happened to Sarah.”

Other significant investigations which have recently passed a milestone include the death of three-year-old Callum Bland.

Callum died after an arson attack outside his home in the Hemmingwell estate in Wellingborough in March 2007, but despite arrests nobody has ever been charged.

Two well-known local figures were also murdered in separate attacks in Wellingborough and Corby.

In August 2011, 76-year-old Hungarian Karoly Varga was repeatedly struck in the head with an ‘axe-like’ weapon at his home in Cannon Street, Wellingborough.

Elemer Patakfalvi was arrested and charged but the CPS dropped the case against him. Mr Varga’s killer has still never faced justice.

Then, just three days before Christmas in 2012, Corby nightclub owner David ‘Les’ Ross was killed in a hotel by a blow to the head.

Many were arrested, but nobody was ever charged with the killing.

Fast forward to recent years and three murder cases from 2015 still remain unsolved in Northampton.

Jon Casey was stabbed in Barrack Road in January, but suspect Waijs Dahir is believed to have fled the UK.

The remains of Adeyemi Olugbuyi - known as ‘Big Man’ - were found by litter pickers in Billing Brook Road in June.

He was reported as missing since September 2013, but despite a number of arrests nobody has ever been convicted.

David Brickwood was 74 at the time of his death and is the county’s most recent unsolved murder.

Mr Brickwood’s life was brutally cut short at his home in Linsday Avenue in September when raiders burst in and delivered a devastating assault.

Speaking after his dad’s inquest in May this year, son Dale said: “I just want the people responsible for this to be brought to justice.

“I won’t stop until we get that.”

The police might not always find the answers, but they won’t stop either.

Full list of unsolved murder cases:

George (64) and Lillian (67) Peach. Murdered in their home. Ashton, near Oundle. 1952.

Avis West (82). Murdered in her home. Northampton. 1976.

Sean McGann (15). Strangled and body left in alleyway. Northampton. 1979.

Susan Ovens (27), Sidney Hickling (27) and Dolphus Smith (57). Shot at close range in their caravans. Rushden. 1981.

Unidentified baby (age unknown). Found in lane strangled by cloth. Northampton. 1982.

Cyril Fensome (62), Florence Pennell (60) and Stacey Darlington (7). Petrol poured in letterbox and set alight. Northampton. 1987.

Carol Baldwin (13). Stabbed in the chest in a park. Northampton. 1988.

Percy Francis (70). Stabbed and hit with object. Rushden. 1988.

John Reynolds (40). Shot whilst walking dogs. Rushden. 1993.

Arthur Brumhill (76). Found dead in shop basement. Northampton. 1993.

Albert Bowers (57). Beaten and later died of blood clot. Northampton. 1998.

Mithat Lleshi (23) and Astrit Cakoni (28). Attacked outside shop. Northampton. 2001.

Sarah Benford (14). Missing person last seen in 200. Kettering. Murder enquiry since 2003.

Callum Bland (3). Died in arson attack on his house. Wellingborough. 2007.

Mavis Clift (65). Died after house set on fire. Northampton 2008.

Abdi Leban (32). Died in suspicious fire in block of flats. Northampton. 2008.

Karoly Varga (76). Found dead at home with head injuries. Wellingborough. 2011.

David Ross (39). Found dead in hotel room. Corby. 2012.

Jon Casey (35). Stabbed outside restaurant. Northampton. 2015.

Helen Gormeley (64). Missing person since 1986. Case taken over by Humberside Police. Murder enquiry since 2015.

Adeyemi Olugbuyi (32). Remains found by litter picker. Northampton. 2015.

David Brickwood (74). Violent assault at home during burglary. 2015.

A report published by Big Brother Watch has revealed that UK police forces have spent £22.7 million equipping officers with 47,922 body worn cameras - but are unable to show how many guilty pleas or convictions have been obtained based on footage from the technology.

Northamptonshire Police has spent £6.8 million - the fourth highest amount in the country - introducing the technology.

It has also bought the tenth highest numbers of the devices across the country, 1,271.

The small cameras attached to the uniform of patrolling officers have been billed by both the police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) as critical for reducing violence and improving transparency, Big Brother watch says.

Chief executive of the group Renate Samson, said: “The police repeatedly reassure the public that body worn cameras will enhance transparency, create better relations, and improve prosecution rates, but despite 71 per cent of forces rolling out nearly 48,000 cameras, these benefits are yet to be conclusively proven.

“It says little for the approach to transparency that neither the police nor the Crown Prosecution Service could tell us how often footage from the cameras has been used in court proceedings.

“Police trials of the technology have proven inconclusive and problems have been reported with the cameras themselves.

“If the future of policing is to arm all officers with wearable surveillance, the value of the technology must be proven and not just assumed. It is not enough to tell the public they are essential policing tools if the benefits cannot be shown.”

In 2010 police across the UK had only spent £2.2million on 2,843 cameras. The Metropolitan Police has spent more than any other force since then at £15.5 million.

"With such an increase in investment, it would be logical to assume that the police had determined conclusively that the technology was indispensable," the Big Brother Watch report states.

Northamptonshire Police has been approached for comment.

Included in the £24million plans are low-energy homes, apartments, retail units and an 80-room care home which will link to several 'close care' apartments where elderly or disabled can live independently with care resources nearby.

A 40-room hotel could replace a burnt down building on the site, the former Wagon Shed.

The Royal Ordnance Depot has seen a growth in interest in recent yeas with tenants occupying its retail units rising from five to 75 last year.

Part of the challenge for award-winning architect Paul Vick in designing the new builds which will surround the eight existing Grade II* listed former military depots, is ensuring they match and respect the structures currently in place.

"Policy is very clear that you have to respect the historic buildings and one of those policies is to not be dominant," said Mr Vick.

"So one of those large eight buildings down the middle should remain dominant; they can be seen across the valley for instance.

"The presence of the site is quite clear inside and outside its enclosure, so that presence has to be retained."

One example of this is the design of single storey independent living houses, which have to sit below the height of the 14.5 feet high perimeter walls as well as the height of the main buildings.

Given the fact the whole of the site has listed status, the walls themselves cannot be ignored.

"You have to make sure the outside wall is safe and repaired so that’s great, and that will allow people to enjoy those structures again rather than being at risk," said Mr Vick.

"It’s a difficult site because listed buildings have quite a lot of constraints and significance.

"It’s now got housing around it so how do you respect that, work with that. It’s a mixed use scheme and we’ve been working really hard to make all these complimentary things, and get the dots to join up and work together in a real meaningful way.

"It will bring it back to life, that’s the intent."

The redevelopment plans follow the announcement in February this year of the site's receipt of a Lottery grant which have supported the creation of a visitor centre on the site, which dates back to the Napoleonic wars.

Mr Vick said the plans were in keeping with local needs, boosting their chances of approval, and was keen to work with policy to provide the area with what is needed.

"The draft local plans for the area identifies the need for housing, it identifies an ageing population with the need for care homes so we’ve been carefully putting this together to see how this can meet local needs, and at the same time bringing the site back to life," he said.

"Planning is there for many reasons - to control development, to get the right sort of development for the area - and planning policy includes all these sorts of statistics.

"Our approach is to work with policy and work with what they’ve found and the direction they’d like to go because we know that is what’s wanted."

Residents of a Daventry district parish are invited to have their say on a planning document which will shape how the area is developed in future.

A Neighbourhood Development Plan covering the Woodford cum Membris parish - which includes the settlements of Woodford Halse, Hinton and West Farndon - has been prepared by a steering group with support from Woodford cum Membris Parish Council.

The plan includes proposals to shape development, support the rural economy, deliver a choice of high-quality homes, promote healthy communities and conserve and enhance the built and natural environments in the parish, which counts a population of about 3,500 people.

The draft plan states: " This designation has allowed the local community to come together, through the preparation of this neighbourhood development plan, to set out how the future development of the area should be shaped up to 2029."

It continues: "This Neighbourhood Development Plan, once agreed, is a legally recognised (statutory) document which will be used to ensure that the needs, views and priorities of the local community are fully considered when assessing future planning applications and proposed development within the area."

An eight-week consultation, which launched on Monday and will close on October 9, to allow people to comment on the plan is now running and it can be viewed online here.

It is also available for viewing at the Daventry District Council offices in Lodge Road, at Woodford Halse Library in School Street, and at the Co-operative shop in Phipps Road in Woodford Halse.

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

If made it will form part of the wider development plan for Daventry district up to 2029 and will be used to help decide planning applications in the Woodford cum Membris neighbourhood area.

Lauren Mansfield, of Naseby, was out walking in the village with her boyfriend, Iowan Godfrey-Flower, at about 6.30pm on 30 August 2016 when she was hit by an SUV-style car, whose driver was momentarily blinded by the sun.

Her dad, David Mansfield, in a statement read out by the coroner at Lauren’s inquest yesterday (August 16), said the Guilsborough School pupil was a member of Broadway Belles choir – part of Northamptonshire Music & Performing Arts Trust – and played the flute.

He said: “She loved singing and playing music, she was studying for her music exam.”

Lauren also wanted to stay in full-time education and go onto the sixth form, hoping to secure a career in nursing when she grew up.

He said: “Our lives will never be the same for any of us, we now know true loss.

“Every day we wake in our house that no longer includes our daughter.

“We are so privileged to have loved you, Lauren. We wish we could have kept you safe.”

Lauren met with Iowan in a nearby park that day and agreed to go for a walk.

One witness told the court she was driving along Welford Road when she saw the couple.

She said: “I saw a young couple walking hand in hand, they were both in the road, they did not make any attempt to get out of the road.”

In a statement read out by HM coroner, Iowan said: “We were walking back to my house, the road is familiar to both of us, I couldn’t tell you how much we had walked it.”

When Iowan heard a car approaching from behind, he tried to pull Lauren out of the road. But she did not follow and was hit.

Professor Guy Rutty, a pathologist, said Lauren died from a head injury.

The driver of the vehicle involved said: “There is not a day that goes by where I do not think about the family and the deceased.”

HM coroner, Anne Pember delivered a narrative verdict. She said: “One afternoon on the 30th of August, Lauren was walking on Welford Road with her boyfriend. She was walking in the road when she was hit from behind by an approaching vehicle whose view was obstructed by the dazzling sunlight.”