Warning to women after 24-year-old was left in tears following flight to Amsterdam to be reunited with her holiday lover - only to be told he’d been playing a cruel ‘pull a pig’ game.

Devastated Sophie Stevenson was stood up by cruel Dutchman Jesse Mateman, who sent her a message: “You were pigged”.

He added two pig emojis and followed up with another cutting message: “It was all a joke.”

Stunned Sophie, 24, broke down as she came to terms with her rejection alone in Amsterdam.

Sophie, who had forked out £350 for the trip, managed to reply to him: “How could you be so cruel though!” before she was blocked.

Humiliated bar supervisor Sophie, who hails from Staffordshire, had been so excited to be reunited with hunky Jesse, 21.

They had slept together after meeting in Barcelona in August, when they endured the emotional trauma of the terrifying terror attack.

Sophie, who travelled 500 miles to Holland before being brutally dumped, said: “All my friends and family cannot believe someone could be so cruel.

“It’s one thing to have a joke, but this goes well beyond banter.”

She and Jesse clicked after being caught up in the Barcelona atrocity which killed 13 people and injured 130, on August 17.

Holed up with their pals in the Pension Solarium - a one minute walk from the attack - the group struck up a relationship and Sophie and Jesse paired off.

She said: “I went to Barcelona with my friend Michelle and we arrived the day before the terror attack.

“We were staying really close to where the attack happened.

“On that day, we were so lucky, we’d just nipped out to buy some drinks and food and were sitting on the terrace when we started hearing gunshots.

“When we looked over we saw people running everywhere, it was really scary.

“The hotel was on lockdown after that and everything was shut for the day, so we stayed in and that’s when we met Jesse and his three friends.

“We were there for four more days, and felt safe while we were with them, so we hung out loads.

“It was a proper holiday romance for Jesse and me.

“We slept together in Barcelona and when I came back to the UK, we carried on talking every day.

“We talked about having a long distance relationship.”

Back in the UK, Sophie carried on messaging and calling Jesse, and they discussed giving things a go.

The pair planned for her three-day visit and she forked out £350 for a hotel and flights to see her flame.

Sophie booked a flight from Manchester to Amsterdam on September 29.

Jesse was messaging her minutes before her departure - but when she arrived in Amsterdam he ignored her calls.

She said: “We had talked about me coming to visit, and he knew I’d booked flights, that I’d paid for a hotel and he was going to meet me when I arrived at 5pm on Friday.

“We were talking up until I got on the plane. But when I arrived, he wasn’t there to pick me up.

“I called him a bunch of times, and he answer. I waited at the airport for two hours and I hadn’t heard anything, I was really starting to panic about being abandoned.

“There was a free shuttle bus to the hotel, so I made my way there and six hours later he finally messaged me - on Snapchat.”

Sophie told of her horror at reading how Jesse taunted her with pig and laughing face emoticons.

She said: “’Pulling a pig’ is where a guy tries to pull the fat ugly girl.

“When I saw that message, I wanted to be sick.

“I was in a foreign country, on my own and the guy that I liked had just abandoned me.

“I replied and said ‘how could you be so cruel’ and all he did was block me. I just couldn’t believe it.”

Sophie added: “I had no way of contacting him.

“I was petrified being in Amsterdam all on my own.

“I was so upset about what happened that I changed my flights so I could head home the next morning.

“I am furious that this happened and it’s so dangerous.

“I want people to know what happened to me so that this never happens to anyone else.”

Sophie, who has been unable to contact Jesse since the incident, said her friends and family are mortified for her.

She said: “Given the circumstance of how we met, you’d think that he’d be slightly more sensitive.

“I can’t believe this has happened to me.”

However, Mateman has claimed that the allegations are untrue. Speaking to Dutch website Metro, he said: “That whole story is... invented”, adding “It’s a witch hunt.”

This is the shocking moment a thankfully empty child’s buggy was ripped apart when it rolled across a railway platform and into the path of an oncoming train as footage is released to serve as a warning to parents.

Video footage shows the pink pushchair, which had shopping bags attached to it, slowly drifted away from the mum, who was holding her child in her arms.

The empty pushchair hit the side of the train and was smashed to bits as the shocked mum watched on in horror.

The 1.03-minute video ends with the mangled buggy and its contents strewn across the platform on Nuneaton Train Station, Warks.

Footage of the incident, which happened back in July, was this week released by the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) as a warning to parents.

Paul Leach, the RSSB’s lead human factors specialist, said: “The best way of keeping you, your children and your belongings safe is to keep hold of your pram, fully applying the brake where possible.

“We know that anyone looking after children will have their hands full and may feel they can’t keep an eye on everything and everyone at once.

“But the CCTV at Nuneaton shows just how important it is to keep control of a pushchair.

“For its part, the rail industry will always want to work to make things safer for passengers.

“We are working closely with Network Rail, passenger and freight train operators and other rail bodies on the issues.

“Our research on aerodynamic risks have informed better standards for companies to follow, to help reduce risk to passengers on trains and on stations.”

Six Facebook accounts are being investigated by Northamptonshire Police’s online paedophile team.

Parents have been asked to ask their child whether they have been contacted by any of the named accounts.

If they have and if they have then gone on to communicate with any of them, they should contact their school on 101, or contact police on 101 quoting incident reference number 134 of October 10.

The account names being investigated are: Sophie Brooks, Sophie Sofiaa, Jessica Sofia, Jess Jones, Jessica Jones and Vanessa Brown.

Parents have been told they should not be alarmed but police are ‘thoroughly investigating’.

A letter to parents from the force said: “We are all aware of the need to continuously monitor and safeguard children in their use of the internet and social media.

“It is imperative they understand the dangers of communicating with strangers who may not be who they say they are.”

The joint venture with Norse Commercial Services is a 10-year agreement which will launch on June 4, 2018, immediately after the council’s current deal with Enterprise/Amey ends.

Norse, owned by Norfolk County Council, already provides services with 15 other authorities, including Wellingborough, and the new contract will see both parties share ownership and control.

Councillor Jo Gilford, environment portfolio holder at Daventry District Council said: "The Enterprise contract was a traditional contract and it’s difficult to implement changes. Going into this new groundbreaking Norse partnership it means we retain influence to effect changes should the public be aware of anything that’s not going quite right.”

Norse managing director Dean Wetteland said: "It’s a genuine partnership, the board is split between the council and Norse Commercial Services. There’s a full say by the council in what we want to do with the services which gives it the flexibility.

"If you go to a complete outsourcing option then you have a contractual arrangement, you’ll sit there for seven years trying to change that contractual arrangement which can be very difficult or very costly. Under this arrangement, if the council needs to make a change it can and we can agree it together.”

He added: “It’s not just if things aren’t going right, it’s if things change. Recycling changes, new technology comes up or new ways to recycle or new disposal streams. By having this arrangement we can adapt around them at a quick pace.”

Also part of the deal is the capacity to trade and go after additional work, which can bring external income in which Norse would share with the council.

Daventry Norse will be introducing new waste and recycling collections to all households when the new contract starts next summer. Under the new 1-2-3 collection service, food waste will be collected weekly, a two-weekly wheelie bin collection for co-mingled recycling will be introduced to replace the weekly box collections of sorted recyclables and the black bin will be collected every three weeks. Households will also be able to opt-in to a fortnightly garden waste service for an annual fee.

District residents will see their recycling boxes replaced by 240-litre bins which have a similar base size.

The new-look service was agreed by the council in July last year following public consultation and a wide-ranging review of future waste and recycling options launched in summer 2015.

Cllr Gilford said the system is a lot easier because it got rid of the boxes, which residents had complained about often being to small.

“Through consultation, we can look at what’s best for Daventry and come to the most suitable arrangement to do so," said Mr Wetteland on whether or not a change to the 1-2-3 system could be made in future.

The venture will also involve investment in facilities and equipment for environmental services, including a fleet of brand new vehicles, machinery and equipment.

The redevelopment of the environmental depot and offices at High March Daventry is already underway and will see significant changes made to the transfer station on the site.

Further details on how collections will change for residents will be available early next year.

Mr Wetteland said: “There’s a transition period so there’s going to be some flexibility. If for the first couple of weeks people still leave their box out we’re not just going to leave it behind, we are going to pick it up, we are going to empty it.

"There will be a point in time where we’re going to have to say no but we will work with and assist people as much as we can to give them time to get it right.”

The new venture will deliver the following services:

- Waste and recycling collections for households and businesses

- Street cleaning – litter picking and street sweeping on public roads and paths, emptying litter and dog bins

- Grounds maintenance, such as cutting grass and maintaining trees, bushes on roadsides and Council land and maintaining play equipment

- Clearing fly-tipping and removing graffiti in public areas

- Maintaining Daventry Country Park

- Operating Daventry Market and public toilets in Daventry town centre

- Preparing burial plots

In the annual inspection of the local authority’s accounts for 2016/17, external auditors KPMG issued an "unqualified audit opinion" - meaning the accounts are fairly and appropriately presented and comply with accounting principals - concluding the council had "in all significant respects…proper arrangements to ensure it took properly informed decisions and deployed resources to achieve planned and sustainable outcomes for taxpayers and local people".

The report also noted DDC’s "strong record of meeting efficiency savings against a worsening national picture" and that the local authority had been planning ahead its finances by "modelling for significant reductions in government funding in its budget forecasts".

Councillor John Shephard, resources portfolio holder at Daventry District Council, said: “We are pleased that the auditors have concluded that the council is achieving value for money for residents.

“Like all other local authorities we are continuing to face financial pressures and uncertainties but we are planning ahead and pursuing a strategy that aims to reduce our reliance on the grant funding we receive from the Government.”

Councillor Wendy Randall (Drayton, Lab) said: "If you ask the majority of people in Daventry they will say how much money the council waste. It's not good value for money."

The audit, which cost £59,606 to undertake, found that for the 2016/17 financial year DDC had money left over from its general fund.

It reported a surplus on the provision of services of £5.8m, which is lower than in 2015/16 when the total stood at £6.3m.

The council's general fund balance increased by £0.4m to £20.7m in 2016/17.

Chloe Westley, campaign manager at the TaxPayers' Alliance said: "At a time when most councils are not running a surplus it is encouraging to see that Daventry District Council has bucked this trend.

"That said, Daventry taxpayers were subject to an increase in council tax this year in a period where the cost of living is high. Perhaps the council could pass on this surplus to residents by reversing the increase to their tax."

The auditors’ findings were presented to the council’s Corporate Governance Committee on September 28 and can be viewed on Item 4 of the meeting agenda.

An entrepreneurial mother has taken the next step in her craft business by setting up a base at her Lower Boddington home for workshops.

Paula Milner quit her job in 2015 to follow her dream of teaching craft and after finding success with a touring workshop, she now has her own space to host individuals, parties and families.

The 34-year-old business woman has a number of workshops gearing up for Christmas, where people can make their own wreaths or crackers, from November 25.

Paula said she has always loved craft and believes it should be an enjoyable experience.

“For me, craft should be something that’s not exclusive to people who know how to it do it,” she said.

“It should be a sociable, relaxing time, not a stressful experience.

“You’re learning a new skill but it’s also about meeting like-minded people and having time out. I find it quite therapeutic.

Paula was working at the Barry Callebaut chocolate factory in Banbury before making the decision to go part-time and see if craft could be a career for her.

She started out working at a craft television channel in London before setting up the Crafty Lass workshops.

The birth of her son Freddie put a bit of a hold on the business – she still helped promote an app for mother’s to meet up called Mush in Banbury and Brackley though.

The family moved from Brackley to the Northamptonshire village in May and have converted an outbuilding into a workshop for Paula.

She also does commissions for weddings, birthdays and more events, plus greetings cards and lots of other cute creations.

Paula is more able to balance her work and looking after Freddie now and feels much better off for it.

“It was quite difficult deciding to quit my job but I just thought you only live once,” she said.

“Now I don’t really feel like I’m working when I’m doing the craft and my work-life balance is great.

“I’ve had a lot of support from all my friends and family too, everyone has been really supportive as I’ve had to dedicate all the time I can to the business.”

For more information about Paula and how to book the workshops, visit www.thecraftylass.com.

Four rogue traders have appeared in court charged with conning vulnerable and elderly residents in Northamptonshire out of thousands of pounds.

The four men – John Lee, Charles Michael Hugh Doherty, Michael Rooksby and Charles Doherty – cold-called at homes, claiming that work needed to be done to the house, in most cases roofing repairs. Often the work was unnecessary or the price would be over-inflated.

Northamptonshire County Council Trading Standards identified 26 victims across Northamptonshire, surrounding counties and as far as Norfolk who were tricked out of a total of £138,000. One victim was conned out of more than £30,000. The investigation was supported by Northamptonshire Police.

At a hearing at Northampton Crown Court on Monday (October 9), Lee, Rooksby and Charles Michael Hugh Doherty pleaded guilty to fraudulent trading, while Charles Doherty admitted two counts of fraud.

The court heard how the men would operate under various business names including Storm Shield, Roofing Solutions, Alpine General Builders and 1st Choice Property Maintenance, and dishonestly and falsely represented that they were legitimate contractors with the appropriate skills to carry out the work.

County council cabinet member for public protection, strategic infrastructure and economic growth Councillor André Gonzalez de Savage said: “These rogue traders would deliberately target the homes of elderly and vulnerable people with the primary aim of defrauding them by tricking them into paying for unnecessary, poor quality and overpriced home repairs.

“Our advice to homeowners is never to pay for goods or services from a doorstep trader. If you do need work carrying out, Our Buy With Confidence scheme will help you to find a reputable tradesman who has been approved by Trading Standards. Further information can be found at www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/approvedtraders.”

The men are due to be sentenced on Monday, October 30.

Engineers have transformed a Nissan GT-R into the world’s ultimate radio controlled racer - capable of 196MPH - and raced it around Silverstone.

British firm JLB Design fitted the Nissan with four robots to operate the steering, transmission, brakes and throttle.

A dual-shock Sony PlayStation controller, with a range of 1km, can then be used to drive the car at almost three times the motorway speed limit.

Nismo racing driver and Gran Turismo gamer Jann Mardenborough was then given the controller and told to lap Silverstone.

Mardenborough, 26, sat in the cockpit of a helicopter as he tailed the Nissan GT-R around the home of racing on the Bucks and Northamptonshire border.

He managed to complete a lap of the circuit in just 1 minute 17 seconds - averaging 76mph and reaching a top speed of 131mph.

The life-size remote control car was just 7mph slower than a human driving the GTR.

Nissan says the car’s performance is not restricted by the radio controls so in the right conditions it is capable of a staggering 196mph - with no one in the driver’s seat.

Mardenborough described it as ‘once-in-a-lifetime, truly epic stuff’.

He said: “The GT-R /C has brought my two worlds together – the virtual of gaming and the reality of motorsport – in a way I never thought possible.

“The response from the car when using the controller was far more engaging than I thought it would be.

“Steering, acceleration and braking were all intelligently configured, allowing for controlled application so I could really get a feel through the corners and hold it steady down the fast straights.

“Driving a full-size, remote-control GT-R to 131mph at Silverstone whilst chasing it down in a helicopter was an unforgettable experience.”

In 2018, the Nissan GT-R /C will be used in a tour of primary and secondary schools in the UK to promote future careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects.

James Brighton, JLB Design Ltd, added: “The GT-R /C presented some unique challenges and a number of engineering firsts for us.

“We had to ensure the robotics would operate effectively during fast acceleration/deceleration as well as high cornering g-forces, deliver realistic and reassuring control of the car at all speeds, and maintain a robust connection between the car and the DualShock over variable distances and with minimal latency in robot response times.

“I’m delighted to say all these challenges were overcome but it is testament to Jann’s unique skillset that he was able to master the vehicle’s operation in a very short period of time whilst delivering some truly impressive lap times.”

‘Be the Change’ is a new intervention designed to initially help 100 homeless and unemployed young people who are going through particularly difficult times in their lives.

It is based on Mayday’s Personal Transitions Services (PTS), an ‘assets-based’ approach that focuses on identifying people’s strengths and then providing the personalised support they need to achieve their aspirations. It uses 'normal' housing rather than hostels or supported accommodation, in the belief that this helps the young people to live more independently.

The programme has been commissioned by First for Wellbeing CIC, a social enterprise set up as a partnership between Northamptonshire County Council, Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Northampton.

Janet Doran, managing director of First for Wellbeing CIC Limited, said: "We are looking to empower individuals and rebuild the lives of over 100 people through this project, supporting each individual to effectively manage their own wellbeing, prevent them from becoming involved in crime, rough sleeping, and substance misuse and thus reducing long-term dependence on other services.”

Its aim is to improve the long-term health and wellbeing of the people of Northamptonshire by streamlining existing services and testing new approaches.

Aaron, who has requested anonymity, used Mayday as an alcoholic ex-offender whose drinking had resulted in him being kicked out of the family home - he had since been sleeping rough for several years.

He said Mayday gave him a place to live, but also worked with him to identify what he would like to do in the future. He has since completed IT qualifications, lives independently, and is getting treatment for his addiction issues.

He said: “Instead of drinking to escape the daily life I had before, I’m doing new things to fill my time with that I enjoy. I no longer need to escape reality because actually, reality is quite nice now.”

This contract – which was structured with support from Numbers for Good, a specialist social finance advisor, and supported by the Big Lottery Fund using National Lottery funding – will operate on an 'outcomes basis', with Mayday receiving payments when it moves the young people into stable accommodation and finds them employment.

To deliver the project, Mayday will receive up-front funding and support from Bridges Fund Management via the Bridges Social Impact Bond Fund, which now backs 19 outcomes-based programmes.

This programme is intended as a pilot initiative; if successful, Mayday and Bridges hope to roll it out further.

There comes a time when the official channels no longer work. A time when the people need to take a more direct form of action.

With Northamptonshire’s budget cut to the bone by Government, now is that time.

Our members of Parliament have asked nicely for a fairer deal based on the size of our population today rather than several years ago.

Delegations from County Hall have pointed out the £134 per person per year disparity between well-off Surrey and Northamptonshire.

What has Whitehall done about it so far? Patted us on the head, closed the door and forgotten us.

Even when the Chron contacted the latest minister in charge of council purse strings, Sajid Javid, his response was... well there was no response.

Directly on social media, in the old-fashioned way via telephone to his office; nothing.

Mr Javid is not available for interview at this time

This should make us feel, at the very least, disappointed.

Government funding for services has always been important. It pays for new roads and repairs old ones. It foots the bill for community health care and children’s social services. It makes sure our elderly are looked after.

But now it really looks like the wheels are coming off.

Northampton General Hospital needs millions of pounds more to help unblock it’s beds, with the whole place in 12 months-a-year crisis.

Care homes can’t bridge the gap between how much it costs to properly look after elderly people and the money they receive to cover basics.

Fire Brigades Union bosses are adamant that cuts have led to slow response times to recent house fires in the county. That alone is scary.

And it feels like we are fast arriving at a crisis point.

Last month, County Hall leaders took the unprecedented step of issuing a statement saying enough is enough, the cuts have gone as far as they can. A Tory council virtually begging Tory MPs to join with it to squeeze some blood from the stone of Conservative austerity is utterly desperate stuff.

And as if further confirmation of our dire predicament were needed, last week off went chief executive Paul Blantern into the sunset.

Just as then council leader Councillor Jim Harker said in more explicit terms as he retired from a potless County Hall in 2015, Mr Blantern was in effect shrugging: ‘I’ve done all I can with what we have.’

But we must move forward, not ruminate on the past. The question is, what do we do about it.

Yes, we need a fairer deal for all our essential services, which means more money from the top.

But first, we need to make them listen.

For too long Northamptonshire officials have been easily ignored, with mandarins all too aware that kicking up a public fuss is not in the long-term interests of bigwigs at the NHS or local authority. With Brexit occupying everyone in Whitehall to an infuriating degree, the same story is slowly repeating itself again.

But the ones who can make a scene, the ones whose interests are served by making a huge row, is us, the people, and you, our readers.

Today, we’re asking you to take a minute of your day to sign a petition that forces the Government to tell us why we are constantly underfunded.

The petition’s title is ‘Review the ​share of Government money spent on Northamptonshire services.’ You can find it at this link or under the Chron’s postcode NN1 3NR.

Urge everyone you know to sign it.

If we as a county get 10,000 signatures, the Government must respond. If we reach 100,000 - one seventh of our total population - the issue must be considered for a full Parliamentary debate.

This, we know, is just the first step.

Having a debate doesn’t lead directly to a huge grant increase. But what it does is let ministers know we won’t be dismissed, that we won’t sit quietly and watch money go to better-off counties while Northamptonshire suffers.

Governments listen only when enough people speak.

It’s time to raise our voices.

The Daventry Food Bank is at risk of being moved out of its premises as a result of rising lease costs, according to a statement published on its social media feed.

The Vineyard Community Church, the food bank's home, has occupied 23 High March home for more than four years. Prior to that the property was unoccupied for three years and was in poor condition as a result of flood damage.

As well as operating the food bank, the church also runs or provides other services such as budgeting courses, cooking on a budget classes, family parenting support groups, contact time for fractured families, Alcoholics Anonymous Group, a youth club, wider community social events like cinema nights, murder mystery nights, quiz nights, comedy nights and dinner events.

The statement on the Daventry Food Bank Facebook page said: "Earlier this year, DDC started to market the property as available for sale/rent, which means that VCC, Food Bank and all the related services and community benefits could come to an end within the next 6-12 months.

"VCC have been offered the opportunity to lease the property but they would need to raise significant amounts of funding to be able to afford it."

The Daventry Food Bank has been a support service for the past seven years and has provided emergency food aid to thousands of families and individuals throughout the district.

Cllr Chris Millar, leader of Daventry District Council, said: “The council recognises the positive contribution of the Food Bank within our local community and has provided rent-free accommodation for several years now. This was always provided on the mutual understanding that if market conditions changed the situation would have to be reviewed.

“We are having discussions with colleagues at Vineyard Church and will certainly continue that dialogue to explore alternative options. Once all the circumstances are clear the council will consider the facts to reach a decision on a way forward. This will take a little time and I am able to confirm that in the meantime the current arrangement can continue.”

The Daventry Food Bank have been approached for comment.

The new surgery, at the Barratt Homes Saxon Rise development on Northampton Road, will feature a range of consulting and treatment rooms as well as a health education room, and have capacity for approximately 7,000 patients.

Developed by healthcare property specialist Assura, the build is expected to be finished by summer 2018 and will replace the existing Brixworth Surgery building on Northampton Road, providing facilities for the growing number of residents in the area.

Bob Chattaway, chairman of the Brixworth Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, said: “It is important to realise that the existing surgery had become too small to cope with the existing population, which had almost doubled since it was commissioned, let alone with more patients from further developments. The new surgery will, however, enable the Saxon Spires Practice to provide care for current residents, plus residents of the new Barratt development.”

The new surgery is being constructed with full compliance of all modern NHS design guidance and will have additional capacity for GP training and additional space for dispensary.

Sandra Attwood, Chairman of Saxon Spires Patient Participation Group (SSPPG), said: “We are very pleased that work is starting on the new building for Brixworth Surgery. The much needed larger premises will allow more care to be provided nearer home for the increasing population of Brixworth and the surrounding villages.

“On behalf of all patients, the SSPPG would like to thank everyone who has been involved with the planning and negotiations of this project. We look forward to watching the progress of the new building with eager anticipation. Our congratulations and sincere thanks to all concerned.”

This surgery building is a collaboration between Barratt Homes Northampton, Brixworth Parish Council, represented by the Neighbourhood Plan Group, Daventry District Council, the NHS and Saxon Spires Practice.

It will be funded solely through developer contributions rather than tax payer’s contribution.

Councillor Alex Coles, chairman of Brixworth Parish Council, said: “Securing such a significant and much-needed improvement to Brixworth's amenities is a fantastic achievement and testament to the excellent working relationship forged between all parties involved.

“I would particularly like to thank the members of the Brixworth Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group whose tireless dedication drove this project forward on behalf of Brixworth Parish Council.”

Marking the milestone alongside Cllr Alex Coles, Mrs Atwood and Mr Chattaway were Cllr Chris Millar, leader of Daventry District Council; Assura’s senior development manager, Simon Gould; Saxon Spires Practice’s Dr Simon Twigg and practice manager Kathryn Baines; Daventry MP Chris Heaton-Harris; development director Ian Young and marketing manager Michelle Hollis, from Barratt Homes Northampton.

Cllr Millar said: “This was an excellent example of great teamwork from a number of partners to deliver a community facility.”

Simon Gould, Assura’s Senior Development Manager, says: “Ensuring that primary care infrastructure keeps pace with new housebuilding is an issue for communities all over the country – both for patients and for practices under pressure to serve ever-growing patient lists, without the space they need to do so. This new surgery building is a great example of what can be achieved when developers, communities and GPs come together.”

Andrew Swindell, Managing Director at Barratt Homes Northampton, said: “As a leading homebuilder we not only care about building quality new homes, but ensuring the wider area is a fantastic place to live.

“With homes and local schools nearby, it’s important that we provide vital facilities such as this that the existing community and the new residents can benefit from.”

Saxon Rise is a 240 home development with a collection of three, four and five bedroom properties.

A union representing some 8,000 health workers across Northamptonshire says the departure of the county council’s chief executive is a “watershed moment” for plans to split the authority into a set of mutual trusts.

Unison now believes Dr Paul Blantern’s shock departure from his £180,000-a-year post should prompt the authority to ditch plans to become a ‘next generation council’.

Those moves, first announced in 2014, will eventually see the council’s functions transferred over to a set of four mutual trusts in order to save money.

Opponents say the move is effectively an “outsourcing” of a public body to private organisations, though County Hall officers has maintained the trusts would be fully accountable and has effectively already set up two of them, one of which, NASS is in the process of taking over the functions of the adult social care department.

In a letter penned to council leader, Councillor Heather Smith, Unison branch secretary Penny Smith, said: “The resignation [...] provides a potential watershed moment for the county council and the incoming chief executive, whoever that may be, to seriously reconsider the future operational and financial arrangements for the county council.”

Northamptonshire County Council says the letter is full of “misleading statements.”

A spokesman said: “The council has delivered a balanced budget every year despite the significant financial challenges it has faced caused by ever-declining funding from government and soaring costs of services.

“At this time we need to pull together as a county in the interests of the people we serve,” the spokesman added.

Semi-retired Julie Arnull, 58, from The Inlands, had to rush four-year-old Lakeland terrier cross Millie to the vets after she suffered life-threatening injuries at the jaws of a Bordeaux mastiff on the Southbrook estate when husband Rob took her out for a walk.

After updating people of the August 30 attack on two Daventry Facebook groups, one person unknown to Julie started a fund-raising page called Prayers for Millie to help with the vet bill, and members of the community sent messages of encouragement and support at a time when it looked as if Millie might not make it.

“The response I got was just amazing," said Julie.

"People were contacting me and helping me through it. These people are complete strangers and I was amazed how kind they were.”

Fellow dog owner Becky Sanderson, from Daventry, started the crowdfunding page which raised £250 which Julie will put towards the £9,000 vet bill.

“I felt sorry for her and knew she would be facing enormous vet bills, so I took it upon myself to start the page," said 29-year-old Becky.

“I think when things like this happen the community comes together to help, especially given the state Millie was left in.

“The people’s response was amazing. Weeks went by and they were still contacting Julie and seeing how she was doing, trying to support her and help her get through it.”

Millie was initially taken to the Daventry Veterinary Clinic where she was stabilised, but the vets soon told Rob and Julie their dog was very ill and needed to be seen by another clinic.

The Arnulls rushed Millie to VetSavers in Duston, Northampton. Millie had wounds on her hips where the Bordeaux mastiff’s teeth had bitten her, and she suffered severe internal injuries which were causing her to bleed out.

Her stomach muscle had been ripped and it eventually became infected, leading to an internal abscess.

Millie had to have two blood and plasma transfusions, and she lay for six days on a drip.

With her condition failing to improve, Julie and Rob were told Millie would have to be moved to the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, part of the Royal Veterinary College.

“What an amazing place, it’s the best in the country,” said Julie. “They saved her life, they were fantastic.”

Things were looking bleak on a couple of occasions for Millie with Julie having to sign two Do Not Attempt Resuscitation (DNAR) forms, which she found extremely difficult and heart-wrenching to do.

“At the end of the day this is my little dog who had just gone for a walk, and I thought I was going to lose her," she said.

“We didn’t think we would get through. We thought her heart was going to stop. I think that was the hardest part of the whole thing.”

Julie and Rob were at their Inlands home while Millie underwent her life-saving operation on September 6, and subsequent recovery, but Julie found it difficult to be apart from her pet.

“I had not seen her for three days and I said to Rob ‘I can’t stand this, I’ve got to go and be with her.’

“So we booked a hotel five minutes away from the vet and we stayed there until we could bring her home.”

Millie had to be fed through a tube for the next few days before having her stitches removed on September 15.

Julie said Millie had recovered well though she and Rob were worried what she would be like around other dogs.

Her body still bears the scars from the attack but she is groomed every eight weeks, and Julie hopes that even though her hair is growing back slowly, eventually the scarring will be hidden by fur.

“We took her up Borough Hill and she loved it up there. I think it's early days but I think she will be alright.”

Daventry District residents, groups and businesses are invited to put forward their ideas for new community leisure activities at Daventry Country Park.

From kayaking to bushcraft, leadership courses to wildlife study – the possibilities for leisure programmes are wide-ranging.

The district council wants to hear from experienced applicants who can bring activities which will improve the Green Flag award-winning park, off Northern Way.

Other activities could include inflatable play, orienteering, volunteering, holiday programmes, disability or equal opportunities group work and coaching sessions.

The council is welcoming ideas for other leisure sessions that have proved popular with the public and have been successfully run by the organisation or individual putting them forward.

Applicants must have a proven track record of putting on popular, value-for-money activities safely. They must also provide evidence of a risk-management strategy, be insured up to £5 million for public liability, comply with all the regulations or approved practices related to their activities and ensure they have appropriately trained staff.

It is expected the new licence would begin in March 2018 and run for three years with the potential to extend, depending on the needs of the licensee and what they are offering.

Application forms can be requested by e-mail from procurement@daventrydc.gov.uk

The closing date for submissions is midday on Friday 3 November 2017.

A Flore woman with beautiful long tresses is saying goodbye to her hair in memory of her Grandad.

Chelsea Doe is holding The Big Chop at 2pm on Saturday and is appealing for donations.

She said: “I will be having a severe haircut with a huge 14 inches cut off my hair.

“I will then donate my hair to the Little Princess Trust where they will make a free wig for a child going through hair loss from chemotherapy. I am also asking for sponsors and am hoping to raise £1,000 (£500 for Macmillan Nurses and £500 for the Cynthia Spencer Hospice).”

Her Granddad John Martin died of a brain tumour in August.

Chelsea said: “It was very quick and unexpected. Just this year my Granddad abseiled the lift tower in Northampton, went wreck diving and went cage diving with sharks! He wasn’t your typical Granddad. I am hosting this event in his memory.”

The hair cut will take place at Whilton Locks Garden Village.

“It’s being done by Ellie McMullan, who had a special place in her heart for my Grandad and is always talking about him and his famous chocolate cake.

“Whilton Locks Garden Village ware kindly hosting this event. They are offering 14% off of all their giftware and Christmas products on this special day.”

www.facebook.com/events/986176051520957/?acontext={“ref”%3A”106”%2C”action_history”%3A”null”

Oakman Inns & Restaurants which operate venues across Northants, Bucks, Beds, Herts, Oxon, Warwikshire and beyond has announced that trading over the first half of financial year 2017/18 has been buoyant.

Like For Like sales for the 26 weeks ending Sunday 1st October were up 8.6% with total group sales up 27.5% at £13.5m.

Oakman was founded by restauranteur Peter Borg-Neal in his hometown of Tring and now boasts 20 pub-restaurants across nine counties with three more on the way in 2018.

Mr Borg-Neal said he as ‘absolutely delighted’ with the company’s performance over the first half of the year.

He said: “We have a real sense of momentum as we approach the vital Christmas trading period. The recent acquisition of The Anchor in Hullbridge and the reopening of The Betsey Wynne have added to that momentum – both are trading ahead of expectation. We are now on-site at the Beech House, Amersham, The Cherry Tree, Olney and The Royal Foresters, Ascot – all of which will open in the first half of 2018.”

“The key challenge we are experiencing is the increase in input prices driven by sterling weakness. We have seen a large increase in food prices whilst being very wary of passing them on to the consumer. However, the biggest impact on us is being seen in our capital expenditure costs. Items such as kitchen equipment and building materials have increased dramatically. When this is set against some of the other challenges to our trading it seems to us very likely that, without Government intervention, there will be a significant slowing of investment in our industry. We need action on a number of fronts including addressing the absurd level of Business Rates, a streamlining of Planning law and the removal of the unfair tax on food. Furthermore, I think Landlords need to recognise that there have been some structural changes to the sector business model and they will have to be more realistic about rent expectations. Equally, I call upon industry colleagues to think about the level of rent they are prepared to sign up to.”

“The strategy for Oakman remains the same with a focus on quality, great people and excellent sites. We were particularly delighted to have become the first pub company to be awarded the Princess Royal Training Award for training excellence.”

The Oakman Collection:

Hertfordshire:

Kings Arms, Berkhamsted

Banyers House, Royston

Beech House, St Albans

The Red Lion, Water End

The Akeman, Tring

Bedfordshire:

White Hart, Ampthill

Buckinghamshire:

Beech House, Beaconsfield

Dog & Badger, Medmenham

The Akeman Inn, Kingswood

Betsey Wynne, Swanbourne

Essex:

King’s Head, Chipping Ongar

The Anchor, Hullbridge

Northamptonshire:

The Navigation at Thrupp Wharf, Cosgrove

Oxfordshire:

The Crown & Thistle, Abingdon

The Old Post Office, Wallingford

Blue Boar, Witney

Warwickshire:

The Globe, Warwick

Four Alls, Welford on Avon

West Midlands:

Beech House, Solihull

Berkshire:

Walter Arms, Sindlesham

OPENING FIRST HALF 2018:

Beech House, Amersham

Cherry Tree, Olney

Royal Foresters, Ascot

John Evans was cutting back a hedgerow in December 1975 when his axe clouted a bit of old scrap metal.

Clearing away the rubbish he realised it had just bounced off a 50lb German bomb.

It gave him quite a surprise, but his mother got an even bigger shock when he proudly showed off the explosive to her in the kitchen of Bush Hill Farm in Flecknoe.

“She wasn’t very pleased,” said John, describing his mother’s fear that the bomb could go off at any second, though he was less convinced.

“I’d brought it back two miles in the Land Rover and it hadn’t gone up, but I suppose she was right,” he said.

The explosive, packed with gelignite, was dealt with by an Army bomb disposal unit where it lay in a nearby field.

An Army spokesman said that despite much of the casing rotting away, the bomb’s end which was still intact could have been lethal.

John’s mother Ruth, meanwhile, was not impressed with the whole episode.

“John came in with this bomb in his arms and said: ‘Look what I’ve found!’

“I told him to take it out at once – when I got my breath back!”

The bomb is pictured in its new resting place... 200 yards away from the farm.

South Northamptonshire residents' dislike and disapproval of the HS2 project were reiterated at a community information event held at Sulgrave Manor on Thursday evening.

And those people may hold similar concerns to Daventry District residents in and around the Byfield area, less than two miles from where the high-speed line is set to run.

The event was part-organised by two Sulgrave's Lucy Apperly and Ken Cristy to offer residents the chance to pose their questions and put their concerns to HS2 Ltd representatives.

Of particular interest were the effects on the amount of traffic and the travel routes to Brackley, Banbury and other nearby towns when diversions are put in place as a result of the A4525 being intersected by the railway line.

Some residents were also concerned about the emergency services' access to villages and hospitals in light of the diversions and increased presence of HGVs, while others retained long-standing complaints about the negligible benefits to the area and its landscape.

“None of us like it, none of us want it," said South Northamptonshire Councillor for the Washington ward Peter Davies.

“It doesn’t have any benefit. It will disfigure some beautiful countryside.

“Another thing is all of the plans I’ve seen show ever-escalating costs, not a penny of which will be returned whatsoever until the project is complete.

“If they had gone to improve the existing railway system, that could have been done in less time and at a fraction of the costs."

In terms of the impact on Sulgrave, the proposed line cuts across a major access road, the B4525, which would impair residents' access to amenities and transport connections in Brackley and Banbury.

Simon Matthews, interface manager at HS2 contractors CEK, said that any new roads that are created for diversions will be a similar or higher standard than the ones currently in place.

In response to the concerns of residents, Mr Matthews explained that in order to create a diversion a due process had to be followed which would include looking at the effects the new route would have on things such as access to the likes of Brackley and Banbury.

He spoke about a traffic liaison group which will be made up of businesses, the emergency services, the highway authority and other involved parties, and they will assist in making decisions on when the diversions would be put in place, with an eye on the effects they will have.

He said it was highly unlikely that the highway authority - who have the final say on diversions - would approve a new road or diversion if it posed a risk of isolating villages from hospitals and other amenities.

One disgruntled resident - who did not want to be named - called the HS2 project outdated, claiming that people were more than happy to conduct business meetings via video links nowadays, whereas the high-speed project had been concocted with the aim of bringing firms in London closer to Birmingham and Manchester with reduced travel times.

He said that thanks to advancements in technology the need for face-to-face meetings have been reduced.

Uma Shanker, project director at HS2 Ltd, was keen to highlight the grants available to the community and businesses who would be affected during the construction phase.

Applications for up to £75,000 can be made with the money put towards things like a village defibrillator or community transport buses, both relevant if emergency services and existing transport routes are disrupted by construction.

It can also be put towards developing, improving or refurbishing of pedestrian, equestrian or cycle access; sports and recreational facilities; access to public open space; and historic buildings or monuments.

It’s official ... ‘man flu’ DOES exist - because men are more likely to call in sick with a cold than women are, according to new research.

A detailed study found that men go to the doctor with common cold symptoms more frequently than women.

One in 12 men admits to having visited the doctor with a runny nose, the poll of 2,000 people found.

But despite men taking more time off work for the common cold, 84 per cent claim to ‘battle through’ a cold as much as possible without letting it affect day-to-day life.

Further bad news for blokes is that women reckon their partners embellish their ‘illness’ when suffering from man-flu.

More than half the women who took part (55 per cent) said their bloke regularly ‘exaggerated’ the symptoms and 49 per cent went as far as to say this sparked arguments.

The study also found 63 per cent of men claim to ‘battle through’ flu, but experts believe they are actually more likely to be suffering from the sniffles.

Nick Thayer, Pharmacist at Well Pharmacy, which commissioned the survey, said: “When suffering from a cold, it is feasible that a person can keep going and power through their symptoms.

“However, it’s a misconception that people can ‘battle through’ flu, as symptoms are too severe and can last for weeks.

“Only 56 per cent of men in this survey called in sick to work and only 55 per cent cancelled social plans when they thought they had flu, which would suggest to me that they probably just had a particularly nasty cold rather than flu, where symptoms of fever, fatigue, vomiting and muscle pain are likely to leave you bedridden with little choice in the matter.”

Compassion fatigue

Cases of ‘man flu’ are resulting in women being less compassionate, with just half of women showing signs of sympathy compared to 66 per cent of males.

And any sympathy mustered lasts just 33 hours on average.

With that said, females are more likely to take care of their loved one with 61 per cent topping up medication and generally making their partner feel comfortable.

Nearly 40 per cent of women said their partner refuses to do anything due to sickness, and reported feeling under pressure to do more around the house as a result.

Perhaps unsurprisingly then, the study conducted by OnePoll.com, found over a third of those polled agreed illness caused arguments in their relationship.

And 10 per cent admitted they won’t even come near each other for fear of getting sick.

Despite flu having a significant impact on the quality of life of those surveyed, nearly half had never had a flu vaccination.

Just under two fifths of Brits haven’t had the vaccination because it hasn’t been explicitly recommended to them by a healthcare professional with one quarter under the impression it’s mainly for the elderly.

And one third believe they are healthy and therefore don’t need one.

Nick Thayer from Well Pharmacy continued, “This research highlights the fact that people usually only get a flu jab if a medical professional has told them to. If the jab hasn’t been recommended for them, then fit and healthy adults often don’t get one.”