Northamptonshire’s district councils - responsible for things like planning applications and bin collections - should be abolished or merged with the County Council, a new report by an influential think tank has found.

ResPublica's study claims that transforming council areas into unitary authorities could result in national savings of billions of pounds and potential gains to the economy in England’s county areas of £31 billion over five years.

At the same time, it would mean improvements for Northamptonshire businesses, housebuilding, and public services that are essential to avoid the county becoming "left behind" it says.

Northamptonshire uses the ‘two-tier’ system of local government, which means that it has two separate councils - a county council and smaller district councils.

Respublica says that the "overlapping" of services - where one authority collects rubbish and the other disposes of it for example - is costing taxpayers £6 billion each year across the UK.

Phillip Blond, director of ResPublica, said Northamptonshire is a key example of a county in need of local government reform.

He said: “The needless confusion that frustrates the ambitions of business and government alike in our county areas must end now.

"With Brexit on the horizon and our city-regions already benefitting from devolution, we can’t afford the waste and complication that the current system creates. Single councils at the county scale are the future and we call on the Government to move rapidly to encourage them.”

However, the report comes two months after the leader of Northamptonshire County Council, Councillor Heather Smith (Con, Oundle) claimed there was "zero chance" of Northamptonshire becoming a unitary authority before 2020.

As Brexit legislation is set to take up such a large proportion of Parliamentary time between now and 2020, she has been told there will almost certainly not be enough time to hear Northamptonshire's bid for unitary status in the Commons.

She added that council leaders across Northamptonshire are also yet to come to an agreement as to how a unitary authority system would look.

Northampton Borough Council, for example, believes the county should be split into two unitary authorities - one council governing Northampton and another overseeing the rest of the county.

But Respublica believes Northamptonshire could save £1.3bn over the next five years by moving to a unitary system in one of two ways.

One plan would see the district councils abolished, with some of their budgets and buildings given to local parish and town councils.

Alternatively, the leaders of the District councils could become a ‘cabinet’ for Northamptonshire County Council, making decisions together.

The report will be launched at the County Council Network’s Annual Conference on Monday, November, 20.

Report author Tom Follett, policy manager for cities and devolution at ResPublica, said: “Central government finds itself struggling to deal with the complexity of the demands placed upon it, hemmed in by limited resources and national difficulties of unprecedented scale.

"Local government offers an alternative but is being called on to take up a role which is unsuited to its current structure and design.

“Adopting these reforms is a matter of urgency. Local government in the counties, as it currently stands, is simply unable to rebalance the economy, or provide the homes we need."

Daventry District Council has welcomed news that DIRFT is among the sites in the running to become one of Heathrow Airport’s new logistics hubs to support its new runway construction.

The airport recently announced that DIRFT (Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal), owned and developed by Prologis UK Ltd, is one of only five East Midlands sites chosen to make it through to the second bidding stage.

A total of 65 locations from 121 applications nationally have been selected to the next round.

Heathrow’s expansion plans involve creating four Logistic Hubs as off-site centres for the construction of the airport’s third runway.

Components for the expanded airport will be pre-built at the four hubs then transported in loads to Heathrow.

Daventry District Council has given its backing to the DIRFT bid, providing Prologis with a letter of support as part of its Expression of Interest to Heathrow.

Daventry District is at the heart of logistics in the UK with many international companies including Amazon and Hellman Worldwide locating to the area.

Councillor Colin Poole, Daventry District Council’s economic, regeneration and employment portfolio holder said: “It’s great news that DIRFT is one of the locations chosen by Heathrow to proceed to the next stage of the procurement process.

“The site is an important, strategic location within our District for both national and international logistics operations and securing a logistics hub would be a real boost for local jobs and attracting fresh investment into our District.

"We wish Prologis well in the future stages of this competition.”

Further news and information about the Heathrow expansion is available on its website.

Ciaran Cranfield's mother Phyllis was first admitted to the hospital in September after a suspected stroke, and UTIs were a known recurrent affliction of hers.

After she was moved to a different ward, 48-year-old Mr Cranfield noticed something different about his mother, and told doctors he was concerned that she might have contracted another UTI, just as she had in the past.

"For the first couple of days she was fine, but then I noticed her behaviour changed," said Mr Cranfield.

“I just wasn’t listened to."

"All I want is for this not to happen again. I don't want it to happen to anyone else," added Mr Cranfield, who said he was not after any confrontation.

He has since submitted an official complaint to NGH which is currently being investigated.

A spokeswoman for Northampton General Hospital said: “We send our deepest sympathies to Mr Cranfield at this distressing time for him.

"I can confirm that Mr Cranfield has been in touch with our complaints department to outline his concerns and we welcome the opportunity to look into them openly and thoroughly.”

Mrs Cranfield, who suffered from dementia, was admitted to Northampton General Hospital on September 7 with a suspected stroke.

She was kept on Eleanor Ward and was later moved to the Allebone Ward after her condition began to improve.

He told staff in mid-September that his mother might be suffering from a (UTI) but said his concerns were not listened to.

On October 10, Mrs Cranfield was deemed medically fit for discharge by the hospital. By that point, the staff had diagnosed a UTI and said it could be treated by a GP.

A urine test was taken and Mrs Cranfield was sent to her care home. Her son was told the sample would be sent to the hospital's laboratory for evaluation so the best course of antibiotics for Mrs Cranfield could be determined.

When Mr Cranfield paid his mother a visit at her Towcester care home the day after her discharge he "took one look at her and I could tell she was not right at all".

An ambulance was called and she was readmitted to hospital with a UTI and severe dehydration. Mrs Cranfield was placed on the general medicine Creaton ward and put on IV fluids to help rehydrate her.

When Mr Cranfield visited his mother, he discovered her urine test had not been sent to the lab - another issue he has raised in his formal complaint.

Mr Cranfield has also asked the hospital for an explanation as to why his mother was deemed medically fit for discharge but then needed to return to the hospital only a day later. He also said his mother was unable to eat or drink by herself when she was discharged.

He said staff were instructed to ensure Mrs Cranfield was taking fluids and medication in light of her dehydration, and a cup of water with a calcium tablet in it was left on her side table.

When Mr Cranfield returned to his mother's bedside the mixture had been left untouched and had hardened in the plastic cup (pictured).

Worried that his mother's infection was not clearing, Mr Cranfield spoke to a nurse on the ward in an attempt to explain that because the nature of his mother’s infection - fungal or bacterial - was not yet clear, he believed the correct antibiotics had not been prescribed to her.

“All of this could have been stopped if only I was listened to on the Allebone Ward," said Mr Cranfield.

He believes the staff were quick to say his mother’s stroke and dementia had caused her ill health, and that she had “reached her baseline”.

“I kept saying to [the nurse] this is just not right. I’ve seen these signs before."

By October 29, Mrs Cranfield was unable to keep her food down and was very poorly. Mr Cranfield raised concerns to the doctor who he says told him to let the hospital staff know as the doctor was not dealing with his mother's case. Later that day Mrs Cranfield's heart rate had shot up to 188bpm.

The following day she was rushed to the cardiology Dryden ward. “I can remember people not getting out of the way and the doctors shouting at them to move,” said Mr Cranfield.

Mrs Cranfield was put in a Critical Care Unit but she passed four days later.

He said: “From the hospital’s point of view the staff, in the main, do their utmost but they’re under so much pressure.

"I do feel if an elderly person has care home next to their name they are the first people to be moved.

The A5 in Church Stowe is closed between the junctions of Furnace Lane and Heyford Lane following the discovery of the device.

A cordon has been put in place and motorists are advised to find an alternative route.

There are currently long queues in both directions on the A5 in the Church Stowe and Upper Stowe area.

Updates to follow.

The Women’s Tour cycle race attracted 80,000 spectators and brought £1.75m to the county’s economy.

The race came to Northamptonshire in June, starting in Daventry and finishing in Kettering after a spectacular 147.5km race through the county.

Northamptonshire County Council says it brought a boost to the local economy through spectators, cyclists and media personnel spending on things like accommodation, food and drink and merchandise.

According to the official visitor survey, 61 per cent of people who watched the race also said they felt inspired to cycle more often.

A mass participation cycling event called Tour Ride Northamptonshire was held in June just after the OVO Energy Women’s Tour to capitalise on the popularity of cycling and 350 people took part.

Cllr Heather Smith, council leader at Northamptonshire County Council, which has brought the Women’s Tour to the county every year since 2013, said: “The Women’s Tour is one of my favourite events of the year and it never fails to amaze me how many people turn out all over the county to cheer on the riders.

“It is an important event for us as it promotes Northamptonshire as a tourist destination while also allowing us to showcase the fantastic health and wellbeing benefits of cycling.

“I’m incredibly proud that Northamptonshire County Council has been associated with the Women’s Tour since its inception in 2013 and am delighted to confirm that we will be welcoming it back to the county next summer.”

Cllr Alan Hills, community, culture and leisure portfolio holder at Daventry District Council, said: “We were delighted and honoured to host the Grand Depart of the OVO Energy Women’s Tour on what proved to be a very memorable occasion for our district.

“Thousands of people turned out to support the riders and take in the spectacle, and I’m pleased to see the positive effects the event had on both the local economy, and in encouraging people to take up sport.

“We’re looking forward to the Tour returning to Northamptonshire in 2018 when we hope to play another important role in the event.”

Cllr Lloyd Bunday, Kettering Council’s deputy leader and portfolio holder for community & leisure, said: “For the third year in a row, hosting a Women’s Tour stage finish on Kettering Market Place was a huge success.

“Each year it has brought thousands of visitors to the area and created an amazing atmosphere in the town.

“I’m delighted to see that the report confirms what a positive impact the event had, especially for those working in tourism, hospitality and cycling and I’d like to thank everyone who came to Kettering as well as those who lined the route through the borough.”

A Corby police officer has been sacked for drink-driving.

A disciplinary hearing at Wootton Hall, chaired by Chief Constable Simon Edens, heard PC Leanne McDaid was off-duty when she was arrested in Corby on September 29 this year.

A breath test found she was more than three times over the legal limit.

Mr Edens told the hearing the officer had developed a reputation as a hard-working officer, who had shown empathy to others, especially to the vulnerable and victims of crime, adding there was no doubt whatsoever about her honesty and integrity.

However, he said: “The public have a right to expect high standards from police officers and those standards are clear.

“PC McDaid has breached the standards of professional behaviour in which officers are required to conduct themselves in such a way as to not bring discredit on the police service or undermine public confidence in policing.

“Northamptonshire Police is here to protect people from harm and we rely on public trust and confidence to achieve that purpose.”

Dismissing her for gross misconduct, he said: “My responsibility is to safeguard the respect and confidence of the public through maintaining high standards in Northamptonshire Police and, sadly, I do not believe I would do this by retaining Leanne McDaid as a police officer.

“PC McDaid is therefore dismissed without notice.”

A commemorative mural is set to be unveiled at Northampton College’s Daventry campus on Tuesday.

It’s part of the building’s first birthday celebrations.

The unveiling takes place during an Open Event at the campus, designed to help prospective students find out more about college life and the courses available to them.

Principal Pat Brennan-Barrett said: “We are delighted to be unveiling our stunning mural – made by students, staff, local businesses and members of the community.

“This mural is a true collaboration of creativity, made up of hundreds of individually designed tiles, and is a fitting way to celebrate the first birthday of our state-of-the-art new campus.

“We are hugely grateful to everyone who has played their part and contributed not only to the mural but have also made the last 12 months so special for all of us at Daventry.”

Northampton College’s multi-million pound Daventry Campus, in Badby Road West, is home to industry-standard workshops for motor vehicle engineering, a stylish library, contemporary hairdressing and beauty therapy salons, ICT and Mac suites, teaching space for healthcare and childcare plus dedicated provision for students with learning difficulties and disabilities.

Latest statistics have revealed that 95 per cent of students at the new Daventry campus pass their qualifications, with 90 per cent going on to further study or employment.

The college is working closely with local employers in the Daventry area to ensure students are ‘workplace-ready’ when they leave the classroom.

Contact the Daventry campus on 01604 736393.

Daventry twins Claudia and Zoe Gibbons have left the UK to serve as missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Claudia and Zoe, 19, will be serving in New Zealand and South Korea.

Zoe said, “I will go, in the first instance, to Provo in America to learn Korean and will stay there for nine weeks.

“It is really important that I learn Korean so that I will be able to teach of Jesus Christ in their native tongue. I was a bit scared about learning the language because it is nothing like English, but,”

Speaking about her mission, Claudia said: “Ever since I was a child I wanted to serve a mission for the church, because I knew that the gospel message can help people be happy. There is great joy that comes from being a member of the church. Wellington is known as “The Windy City” so it will not be without challenges, but it is the weather that makes it such a beautiful place.”

They will be away from home for 18 months and say they will miss family.

Daventry schoolgirl Scarlett Powell is having 11 inches of her beautiful hair cut off to help others.

She is donating her locks to the Little Princess Trust who make wigs for children with cancer.

Scarlett, 11, loves her long hair, but wanted to do something to help others.

The cut takes place on Monday.

Scarlett said: “I’m not nervous at all.

“I decided to have my hair cut and thought it would be good to help others in the process. I also want to fundraise for the Little Princess Trust and aim to raise as much money as I can.”

Her mum, Karen, said she is really proud of her daughter.

“I’m very proud that she decided to chop 11 inches off and donate her hair to the Little Princess Trust. Scarlett is also raising money for the charity too.

“It’s at Medusa Touch in Daventry on Monday, November 20, at 4pm and we are appealing for donations. If you could spare any money to help her fundraising for Little Princess Trust, we would be very grateful.”

Staff at Medusa Touch salon are supporting the fundraiser by doing the cut for free.

For more information or to make a donation, visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/scarlett-powell

Donations can also be dropped in at Medusa Touch, Unit 9, Abbey Retail Park, South Way.

The Little Princess Trust was launched in 2006 by the parents of the late Hannah Tarplee, along with help from friends and from Hannah’s school.

A brand new indoor climbing facility will open in Daventry District next weekend.

The Weedon Project offers customers the chance to try bouldering, a form of climbing done on shorter walls and without ropes.

The centre, the only one of its kind in the area, is due to open on Saturday, November 25.

“If you haven’t climbed before you can give us a call and arrange an induction session,” said 31-year-old interior designer Cat Fox who, along with husband Rob, 30, who came up with the idea for the Weedon Project.

She added: “Bouldering is accessible to anyone.

“You don’t need to buy a climbing rope or learn how to tie a knot.”

The Bugbrooke's couple's idea comes at a time when rock climbing continues to grow in popularity and is now an Olympic sport having been announced as part of the programme for Tokyo 2020 in August 2016.

“It’s become part of the 2020 Olympics and that’s been a massive uplift for the sport," said Cat.

“The interest, from a business perspective, has grown exponentially.

“It’s really great to see the sport grow.”

Memberships for the Weedon Project are £3 for the year, with members paying £8 per session. A session is valid for an entire day.

Climbing shoes can be hired from the centre and group packages are available.

The Weedon Project is in Unit 5D at the Royal Ordnance Depot.

The number of recorded offences involving non-recent sexual abuse – where the offence is alleged to have occurred more than a year before it was reported to police – has increased from 59 in 2013/14 to 215 in 2016/17.

Across the UK more than 60,000 cases of non-recent sexual abuse against children were recorded, with a year on year increase from 10,493 in 2013/14 to 20,410 last year.

However, the children’s charity believes this steep rise may, in part, be down to high-profile abuse cases as well as the football abuse scandal which began a year ago this week and has seen a dedicated NSPCC Helpline receive more than 2,500 calls.

The NSPCC says it is hopeful the increase in cases recorded by police will reassure survivors they will be listened to.

Maria, 47, was sexually abused and raped by her biological father at a very young age and still feels the effects of the abuse now.

She said: “I don’t want to have a strong relationship with anyone. I’m also far too altruistic – I give so much of myself to feel good about myself – but I often feel worse. I have had breakdowns, have depressive episodes and I’ve attempted suicide as an adult.

“But I am determined and I’ve got dreams and ambitions. I’m strong. I went to the police to report my father when I was 25 and the conviction has helped me recover.”

The new non-recent sexual offences figures were obtained following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to police forces in England and Wales and British Transport Police. Figures were also provided by the PSNI.

The true overall number of non-recent offences against children recorded will be higher still with six UK police forces not providing full figures for all four years.

Peter Wanless, Chief Executive of the NSPCC, said:“It doesn't matter whether the sexual abuse happened a year ago or 50 years ago, it is never too late to report it. It's clear that for far too long, many people who suffered horrendously as children felt they could not speak up, were not believed or did not know who to turn to.

“Although these rising figures paint a worrying picture of widespread abuse, it is encouraging that so many are finally finding their voice in a climate today where they know they will be listened to and supported.”

“What's important now is survivors of abuse receive the support they need and that the people who carried out these vile offences are identified and finally brought to justice.”

As well victims of past abuse being able to seek support from the NSPCC, the National Association of People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) has trained staff who can speak with survivors of childhood abuse and explore the options available to them such as support groups and counselling.

NAPAC also supports the family and friends of people who are helping someone who was abused.

Any adult who is the victim of non-recent abuse is urged to report it to the police or contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 for advice and support. Children can contact Childline on 0800 1111.

This motley crew consisting of a Roman emperor, a genie and a scuba diver, among others, is in fact a collection of determined residents from a Daventry block of flats.

Nineteen years ago, in August 1988, they set out to repair their block’s bad reputation when they took to the streets to raise cash for charity.

At least 15 inhabitants of Mountbatten House, on the Southbrook estate, donned fancy dress and raised £554 for the Northampton General Hospital Cat Scan appeal, through collections in the town’s streets and pubs.

Caretaker Pauline Farrell said the group had collected from 9am on Saturday right the way through to 10pm that evening.

“We wanted to do something for charity and we wanted to get rid of Mountbatten’s bad reputation,” said Mrs Farrell.

“There were bad rumours about the place when it was first built but now there is so much good will there. It is amazing,” she added.

The group’s fundraising was their way of doing something good for the community of Daventry, and Mrs Farrell said it was only the start.

A study of middle aged and elderly people found those with sleep apnoea had a build up of proteins in their brain that trigger the condition.

The discovery could lead to a screening programme for the disorder - with sufferers given oxygen masks, or mouthguards that keep their airways open in bed.

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) affects around 2.5 million Britons, and is most common among the elderly.

Sufferers snore loudly, then stop breathing for a few seconds, then to start snoring again with a start.

The oxygen deprivation can cause low blood pressure - and the body’s catching up effort strains the cardiovascular system.

Senior study author Professor Ricardo Osorio said his findings follow recent evidence of a link between decreased REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and dementia. This is the dreaming phase, and the more there is, the more restful the sleep.

He said: “Our data support testing whether clinical interventions aimed at OSA, such as treatment with CPAP or dental appliances, could be implemented during the early phase in which tissue damage precedes clinical symptoms and neuronal dysfunction, to mitigate the progression of cognitive impairment.”

A CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine combats sleep apnoea by keeping the airways open, and forcing air in.

The study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine identified biomarkers for amyloid beta proteins in participants with OSA. These clump together in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.

What is more, they increased over time in proportion to snoring severity, meaning those with more sleep disturbances per hour had greater accumulation of amyloid over time.

Psychiatrist Prof Osorio, of New York University, said: “Several studies have suggested sleep disturbances might contribute to amyloid deposits and accelerate cognitive decline in those at risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

“However, so far it has been challenging to verify causality for these associations because OSA and AD share risk factors and commonly coexist.”

In the study of 208 mentally healthy people, aged 55 to 90, his researchers performed lumbar punctures to analyse the amount of amyloid in their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

They then used PET (positron emission tomography) scans to measure deposits of the rogue proteins directly in the brain in a subset of the volunteers.

None of the participants was referred by a sleep centre, used CPAP to treat sleep apnoea, was depressed or had a condition that might affect their brain function.

But more than half were found to have sleep apnoea - 36.5 percent with a mild form and 16.8 percent whose condition was moderate to severe.

Exactly half the original group, 104, were then followed for two years which found a link between OSA severity and an increase in amyloid deposits in the brain. This was shown by analysis of cerebrospinal fluid, and confirmed by PET scans.

Surprisingly, it did not predict cognitive deterioration in these healthy elderly adult, suggesting these changes were occurring in the preclinical stages of Alzheimer’s.

Study co author Dr Andrew Varga, a sleep expert and neurologist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, said: “The relationship between amyloid burden and cognition is probably nonlinear and dependent on additional factors.”

The researchers believe it may also be attributable to the study’s relatively short duration, highly educated participants and use of tests that fail to discern changes in cognitive abilities that are subtle or sleep dependent.

Prof Osorio said: “Recent literature in both mice and humans suggests disturbed sleep leads to higher levels of brain soluble beta amyloid peptides, which aggregates to form senile plaques, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.

“This pathological process might be present prior to cognitive decline, indicating that disturbed sleep can be both a consequence and a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.

“This longitudinal study shows that obstructive sleep apnea, very common in the elderly, can be a risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease.”

He added: “Results from this study, and the growing literature suggesting that OSA, cognitive decline and AD are related, may mean that age tips the known consequences of OSA from sleepiness, cardiovascular and metabolic dysfunction to brain impairment.

“If this is the case, then the potential benefit of developing better screening tools to diagnose OSA in the elderly who are often asymptomatic is enormous.”

Earlier this year another US team that pooled data from 14 studies showed people with sleep apnoea were 26 per cent more likely to develop dementia.

The number of tests in England to diagnose people with sleep disorders has more than doubled in a decade - from 69,919 in 2007 to 147,610 last year.

Experts said the rise may be down to more awareness about the serious health risks of sleep apnoea, which include increased chances of heart disease and stroke.

In the US, sleep apnoea affects 18 million people, or one in 15 Americans, according to the American Sleep Association.

Lane hoggers, tail-gaters and frequent lane-changers are among the most annoying bugbears for motorists, according to new research.

Nine in ten drivers get annoyed by others, with tailgating being the most popular annoyance winding up over three quarters of Brits.

The detailed report - which lists 50 driving habits most unpopular with the UK’s easily-annoyed motorists - also listed road users cutting in at the last minute, those who pull out of a junction too slowly and failing to stop for a red light also infuriate drivers.

Unsurprisingly, nearly two thirds of those polled admitted their own driving can be affected by irritants on the road, and at times they don’t drive as safely as they should themselves when trying to avoid other annoying drivers.

David Carter from Accident Advice Helpline, who commissioned the study said: “It’s understandable for motorists to get frustrated but we are all guilty of causing danger to other road users when driving.

“It’s important to not let your emotions get the better of you when other motorists are driving dangerously, as this won’t always end well.”

Drivers who ‘rev’ at traffic lights, those who are slow to pull out and taking too long to park are among the top 50 bugbears.

‘Rubberneckers’ who slow down traffic to inspect accidents annoy three in ten Brits, while four in ten get irritated by those who skip red lights and those who don’t stop at zebra crossings.

Middle lane hogs

And 54 per cent of drivers feel annoyed by others who insist on hogging the middle lane.

But it’s not just other motorists causing problems, with roadworks, speed traps and cyclists using the road instead of the purpose-built cycle lanes infuriating drivers.

For some it’s what’s going on inside the car, with passengers and their terrible music taste getting hold of the radio annoying motorists.

Of the average eight hours a week spent driving, nearly a fifth of this time is spent getting annoyed by fellow road users.

And 57 per cent said they get distracted by the poor decisions made by others.

Three in ten find they won’t drive as safely because of the behaviour of other motorists, which is resulting in six in ten having a ‘near’ miss or accident because of another driver.

And eight per cent admit the same applies as a result of their own poor driving decisions.

David Carter added: “We deal with the aftermath of accidents and know first-hand the devastating effects that car accidents can have on people’s lives. If drivers are getting irritated on the road there’s a chance that this cause an accident which can alter people’s lives”.

Even more detail can be found at: https://www.accidentadvicehelpline.co.uk/blog/driving-irriations-gets-drivers-fuming/

TOP 50 DRIVING IRRITATIONS

1. Tailgating

2. Drivers who don’t signal

3. People texting and driving

4. Drivers who leave their full beam on

5. Parking over two spaces

6. Lane hoggers

7. Slow drivers

8. Drivers who don’t say thank you

9. Drivers who use the empty lane to get to the front of a queue of traffic and cut in last minute

10. People who go through red lights

11. Cyclists who go through red lights

12. Fast drivers

13. Parking on an angle so you can’t possible park next to them

14. Traffic jams

15. Drivers who don’t stop at zebra crossings

16. Road works

17. People who fly past you when one lane is shut and try and squeeze in half a mile ahead of you when you’ve been patiently waiting in the queue

18. When lorries overtake other lorries and cause a massive tailback

19. Cyclists who ride on the road when there are purpose built cycle lanes right nearby

20. Drivers who undertake

21. People who sit in the far right lane when they aren’t overtaking

22. Breaking suddenly

23. Lane-changers

24. Sunday drivers

25. Rubber neckers/slowing down traffic to look at an accident

26. Drivers who don’t wear seatbelts

27. Hidden speed cameras

28. Getting trapped behind a bus/tractor

29. Drivers of white vans who think they’re Lewis Hamilton and do 100mph in the fast lane

30. Drivers who never let anyone out

31. People who change their speed really erratically

32. When you catch all the red lights

33. Drivers who refuse to overtake something slow like a cyclist or horse

34. Hesitant drivers who won’t pull out of a turning even though you have flashed your lights eight times and waved them out three times

35. Speed traps

36. Drivers with loud music and the windows down

37. People who have their fog lights on - in the summer

38. Drivers who leave their indicators on

39. Average speed cameras

40. 50mph signs on the motorway

41. Dithering at junctions

42. Drivers who beep

43. Drivers who stop to let cars through despite there being plenty of room

44. People who pull away really slowly

45. Drivers who ‘rev’ at traffic lights

46. Drivers who keep stopping to let people out

47. People who drive at 60mph in the middle lane and get the hump when you undertake them at 70mph in the slow lane

48. People who turn into roads really slowly

49. Drivers who take too long to park

50. When you change lane in traffic because the other lane is going quicker - and the lane you change into stops dead

While many of us are in constant touch electronically with friends and family, the old tradition of sending (and receiving) Christmas cards to far-flung places is one that we still hold dear.

But a physical letter’s journey is still subject to the delays caused by the huge distances between here and our far-away relatives and acquaintances.

So, it’s best to get your cards and presents in the post good and early, to avoid disappointment.

And Royal Mail has published its recommended latest Christmas posting dates for air mail.

Post to the Middle East and Africa should be dispatched by Saturday December 2, while cards or gifts to Australia or New Zealand should be mailed by Saturday December 9.

The last recommended posting date for the United States and Canada is December 14, while cards and presents to Denmark, Norway, Slovakia and Switzerland can be posted up to Friday 15 December.

Closest to home, letters and parcels going to the The Republic of Ireland and France have a final sending date of Saturday December 16 if they’re to arrive in time for Christmas. .

These last posting dates apply to both standard international services and those which have tracking and signature.

The following people were sentenced at Northampton Magistrates’ Court:

SEPTEMBER 27:

Peter McCarthy, aged 50, of Eton Close, Weedon, stole alcohol; jailed for two weeks concurrent, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £115 and costs of £85. Assault; jailed for eight weeks consecutive, ordered to pay compensation of £100. Assaulted a police officer; jailed for eight weeks consecutive; ordered to pay compensation of £50. Breach of a commnity protection order by entering Tesco Express in Weedon; no separate penalty.

Emanuel-Tedi Cocota, aged 38, of Eastfield Road, Delapre, Northampton, harassment; community order made to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services of £85 and costs of £85.

Christopher Aldridge, aged 49, of Perceval Close, Northampton, no insurance; fined £120, ordered to pay a surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Leon Clayton, aged 21, of Spring Gardens, Daventry, dangerous driving, no insurance, driving not in accordance with a licence; pleaded guilty, sent to Northampton Crown Court for sentence.

SEPTEMBER 29

Steven Brown, aged 30, of Valley Crescent, Little Billing, Northampton, no insurance; fined £400, ordered to pay a surcharge of £40 and costs of £85, banned from driving for six months. Driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £133.

Anne Davies, aged 51, of Lingswood Park, Northampton, driving at speeds exceeding 40mph; fined £485, ordered to pay a surcharge of £48 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Marshall Manungo, aged 41, of Orchard Court, Pattishall, no test certificate; fined £40, no insurance; fined £80, ordered to pay a surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Sam Scullion, age 28, of Regent Street, Northampton, driving at speeds exceeding 30mph; fined £100, ordered to pay a surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with three points.

Alexandru Ulara, aged 27, of Osmund Drive, Northampton, driving at 64mph in a 50mph zone; fined £96, ordered to pay a surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with three points.

Gheorghe Constantin, aged 28, of Dunster Street, Northampton, driving while using a mobile phone; fined £160, ordered to pay a surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with three points.

Ali Amir, aged 33, of Ash Street, Northampton, failed to stop at an accident; fined £293, ordered to pay a surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, banned from driving for six months. Failed to report an accident to police; fined £293.

Sam Freeland, aged 25, of Rosedale Road, Northampton, driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £146. No insurance; fined £293, ordered to pay a surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Craig Lloyd, aged 25, of Tintern Avenue, Northamptno, driving at 48mph in a 40mph zone; fined £84, ordered to pay a surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with three points. Driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £84, ordered to pay a surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with three points.

Christian Waterfield, aged 25, of St Peters Gardens, Weston Favell, no insurance; fined £440, ordered to pay costs of £85. Failed to give information relating to the identity of a driver; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to victim services; fined £66 and costs of £85, banned from driving for six months.

Paul Paterson, aged 29, of Stevens House, Grafton Street, Northampton, had a knife in a public place without good reason, possession of cannabis, had an offensive weapon in The Drapery, namely a knuckle duster, possession of cocaine; pleaded guilty, sent to Northampton Crown Court for sentence.

SEPTEMBER 30

Christopher Wilson, aged 26, of Louise Road, Northampton, used threatening or abusive words or behaviour; conditional discharge for 12 months, ordered to pay a surcharge of £20 and costs of £85.

OCTOBER 2

Susanne Barron, aged 62, of Billing Road, Northampton, no insurance; fined £307, ordered to pay a surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Rhiannon Holcombe, aged 30, of Fairfield Road, Paulerspury, in charge of a motor car with a blood test reading of 250mlgs of alcohol in 100mls of blood; fined £120, ordered to pay a surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, banned from driving for six months.

Grezegorz Dembinksi, aged 35, of Swinford Hollow, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 77 mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; fined £340, ordered to pay a surcharge o £34 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 18 months.

Jamie Kightley, aged 23, of Thornhill, Briar Hill, Northampton, damaged a window; fined £500, ordered to pay a surcharge of £50 and costs of £85.

John Brewer, aged 25, of Bickerstaffes Road, Towcester, drink-driving with a breath test reading on 46mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; fined £177, ordered to pay a surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 36 months.

Hazel Hill, aged 53, of Olympia Close, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 41mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; fined £120, ordered to pay a surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 12 months.

Jonathon Gordon, aged 32, of Brickwell Court, Northampton, driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £40. No insurance; fined £120, ordered to pay a surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, banned from driving for six months.

Eduard Gusacinschii, aged 29, of Sladeswell Court, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 108mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; community order made to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work, banned from driving for 24 months. No insurance; fined £450, ordered to pay a surcharge of £85 and costs of £85.

Charlie Ibbetson, aged 23, of Nansen Close, Daventry, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 50mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; fined £200, ordered to pay a surcharge of £30 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 12 months. No insurance; fined £200. Took a golf buggy; fined £133.

Milena O’Reilly, aged 19, of Bush Hill, Northampton, failed to provide a breath test; fined £120. Driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £40. Dangerous driving; community order to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work; ordered to pay a surcharge of £85 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 12 months. No insurance; fined £120.

Pjotrs Semjakins, aged 42, of Hunter Street, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 11mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; community order to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay a surcharge of £85 and banned from driving for 48 months. Driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £83, ordered to pay costs of £85.

Edward-Cristian Toma, aged 23, of Leslie Road, Northampton, driving while banned; ordered to pay a surcharge of £85 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 24 months. No insurance; fined £200. No test certificate; fined £66.

OCTOBER 3

Lloyd Green, aged 31, of no fixed abode, driving not in accordance with a licence; no separate penalty. No insurance; no separate penalty, banned from driving for six months. Stole various meat and shopping basket items; jailed for 21 days, ordered to pay a surcharge of £115.

OCTOBER 4

Thomas Rose, aged 29, of East Leys Court, Moulton, harassment; community order to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay compensation of £200, a surcharge of £85 and costs of £640.

Anthony Mann, aged 49, of The Drive, Northampton, breach of a court order; community order to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay a surcharge of £85 and costs of £620.

Ricky Smith, aged 26, of Simons Walk, Northampton, harassment; community order made, ordered to pay a surcharge of £85 and costs of £85.

Barry Day, aged 36, of North Holme Court, Northampton, failed to comply with a community order; no adjudication, dealt with original offence as follows. Stole various items worth £67.41 belonging to Tesco; community order made to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work, pay costs of £60.

Tyrell Testro, aged 25, of Buckfast Close, Daventry, assault; jailed for 24 weeks, ordered to pay a surcharge of £115 and costs of £500. Assault; jailed for 24 weeks concurrent. Further assault; jailed for 24 weeks, concurrent. Failed to surrender to custody; jailed for 28 days concurrent.

David Johnson, aged 50, of Clickers Drive, Northampton, failed to give information relating to the identity of a driver; fined £500, ordered to pay surcharge of £50 and costs of £50, licence endorsed with six points. Fifteen similar offences; no separate penalty, licence endorsed with six points. Driving at 57mph in a 50mph zone on the M1; fined £300, licence endorsed with three points. Driving at 61mph in a 50mph zone on the M1; no separate penlty, licence endorsed with three points. Driving at 58mph in a 50mph zone on the M1; no separate penalty, licence endorsed with three points. Driving at 59mph in a 50mph zone on the M1; no separate penlty, licence endorsed with three points. Driving at 58mph in a 50mph zone on the M1; no separate penlty, licence endorsed with three points. Driving at 59mph in a 50mph zone on the M1; no separate penlty, licence endorsed with three points. Driving at 62mph in a 50mph zone on the M1; no separate penlty, licence endorsed with three points. Driving at 63mph in a 50mph zone on the M1; no separate penlty, banned from driving for 18 months.

Kudzanayi Mapuranga, aged 21, of Middlewell Court, Northampton, failed to give information relating to the identity of a driver; fined £230, ordered to pay a surcharge of £23 and licence endorsed with six points.

A Royal Mail ad intended to raise awareness of the threat of identity theft has been banned for being too scary.

The “excessively threatening and distressing” video seen on Twitter showed a gang of men in balaclavas armed with baseball bats enter a bank shouting: “This is a robbery”.

Staff and customers in the bank were made to get on their knees with their hands held up and were threatened with the baseball bats.

One female member of staff was grabbed repeatedly by the shoulder and the wrist and asked her full name and date of birth by one of the raiders.

Throughout the scene members of the public, including a child, were shouted at aggressively by the assailants, with some appearing scared and others crying.

The ad - entitled ‘Heist’ - was seen at around 9pm one night in August on ITV Player during an episode of Coronation Street.

Seven viewers complained to watchdogs that the ad was “likely to cause fear and distress” without justifiable reason, particularly for those who had been victims of violence.

Others said it was “inappropriately placed” at a time when children could have been viewing.

ID theft

Royal Mail said the ad was intended to be the start of a wider campaign to highlight the dangers of identity fraud outlined the risks of oversharing on social media, and offered information and services to help people protect themselves.

They said that ID fraud was an area of growing concern in the UK with almost 173,000 cases in 2016, the highest level since records began in 1993, and a 59 per cent increase from 2013.

Royal Mail claimed that the level of violence depicted in the ad was “proportionate” in light of its purpose and was not excessive.

And the firm said it had instructed ITV to only show the ad after 9pm.

ITV said they had not received any complaints about the ad.

But the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) found the ad to be in breach of rules regarding harm and offence as well as responsible advertising.

Serious crime

An ASA spokesman said: “While we understood that the scenario of a bank robbery was chosen to emphasise the seriousness of the crime, we noted that this was not among the common scenarios in which identity fraud was perpetrated.

“As a result, we considered that consumers would not be able to clearly see from the ad how they could protect themselves, for example by avoiding certain actions that could make them potentially vulnerable to identity fraud.

“We noted the ads’ reference to the Royal Mail’s ID fraud centre, but it did not appear until the very end of the ad, during which time the scenario was presented without explanation or context.

“Furthermore, because the setting of the ad was recognisable and showed ordinary people, including a child, being shouted at aggressively by ‘criminals’, lying on the floor and trying to hide behind furniture, and looking visibly frightened, the impact was heightened and there was an added sense of threat.

“Because of this, we considered it to be reminiscent of other crimes or situations that people may have experienced that extends beyond the bank robbery depicted and therefore could trigger negative emotions for those who had been victims of violence.

Threatening

“We did not consider that the use of baseball bats made the ad less violent than if knives and guns had been used, as the bats were often shown held in a threatening manner by ‘the criminals’ or positioned next to ‘customers’ heads.

“We understood Royal Mail and ITV’s view that the ad served to highlight a serious and growing crime and to assist customers to find information to protect themselves.

“We noted from the results of the test sample of viewers that the ad may have increased ID fraud awareness for those who had seen it.

“We also noted that Royal Mail had amended the Twitter ad so that a warning appeared accompanying the video and that they did not intend to use the ad again.

“However, we considered that the overall presentation of the ads, as seen by the complainants, was excessively threatening and distressing to the extent that it overshadowed the message the ad intended to convey.

“We concluded the ad was likely to cause fear and distress to viewers, in particular to victims of violence, without a justifiable reason.”

He added: “We told Royal Mail to ensure that in future their ads did not cause fear or distress without justifiable reason.”

Check your pockets, piggy-banks and down the back of the couch now, folks.

A rare 50p coin featuring Sir Isaac Newton recently sold on eBay for £120 (240 times its value) - and you could have one worth £245 in your spare change without even knowing it.

That’s right, it’s worth checking the design of any 50p coins you have to see if it could be one of the rarest and most valuable ones in circulation.

While the most sought-after 50p - the Kew Gardens design - can fetch up to £245 on the likes of eBay, other rare 50p coins usually achieve a premium of around 10 to 12 times face value (£5-£6) when they are sold on.

It goes without saying, perhaps, but the rarer the coin the more it’s worth, and experts at Changechecker.org have created a scarcity index that tracks which circulating 50p coins are the most scarce and collectable.

The index uses a unique combination of mintage, collecting and swap data to give the most up-to-date picture of today’s 50p coin collecting market.

The aforementioned Kew Gardens 50p tops the scarcity list. With a mintage (the number of coins issued) of just 210,000 it is the rarest coin and, therefore, the most in-demand.

The next nine scarcest coins are all from the 2012 Olympics.

Football, Triathlon, Judo, Wrestling 50 pences will sell for between £8 and £21 on eBay or up to £33 for a set of four.

If you discover you have a rare 50p, you can either choose to sell the coin on eBay or through a specialist like ChangeChecker.org.

Hugely popular discount supermarket chains Aldi and Lidl have issued recalls for snacks over allergy fears.

Aldi has recalled its Clancy’s Barbecue Flavour Coated Peanuts because they contain cashew nuts, which are undeclared on the label.

This means the product is a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy to nuts.

While a reaction to peanuts is one of the best-known food allergies, peanuts are from a different plant family, the legumes, and in fact grow underground.

However, cashews are part of the tree nut family alongside almonds and walnuts, and have been found by some studies to cause an even more severe allergic reaction.

Of course, it is quite possible to be allergic to both types of nut - hence the product’s recall.

A company spokesperson says that the product - in a 200g pack size, with ‘Best before’ end: 07/2018, and Batch code: 7292 7291 - was only available in three regional areas (Neston, Darlington and Goldthorpe, but anyone having purchased a pack from the batch is advised to return it to the store from which it was bought.

Meanwhile, Lidl is recalling three varieties of its Alesto Snacking Pockets because the labelling is not in English.

This means the product is a possible health risk for anyone who has an allergy to cashew nuts, almonds or hazelnuts, and/or a sensitivity to sulphite dioxide/sulphites.

The affected products, all in 25g packs, are:

Alesto - Summertime Strawberry & Nut (Seriously Berry). Allergen: Cashew nuts

Crunchy Seed & Nut. Allergen: Cashew nuts, almonds

Alesto - Golden Fruit & Nut. Allergen: Sulphur dioxide, hazelnuts

The company have advised anyone having purchased the items to return them to the store from where they were bought for a full refund.

While some people may not be too bothered about their neighbours smoking cannabis in their own homes, others may find it particularly annoying.

It’s not uncommon for people to smell an illegal stench when they’re out and about but it becomes worse when it’s happening next door.

The smell of cannabis wafting over into people’s properties isn’t exactly the most welcome fragrance you can ask for.

It’s a smell that’s hard to miss and even harder to get rid of, but there are steps you can take to nip the problem in the bud.

Although some people think it is perfectly legal to smoke cannabis in their own home, it is still a Class B drug with possession punishable by up to five years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.

Police forces and partners have reaffirmed their commitment to continuing to ‘take action to improve the quality of life for communities who are affected’.

However, they have stressed that their best method of tackling the problem is by help from the public.

A police spokesperson said: “Local residents are often best placed to see on a daily basis whether their neighbours are behaving suspiciously and could be in possession of, cultivating or supplying drugs in their homes.”

But, this doesn’t mean that your neighbours will automatically know it was you that alerted police to problem. Police have insisted that will never tell people information came from a neighbour and sometimes will use the tip-off as a starting point on areas they’ll patrol.

As a result, they may smell cannabis themselves and knock on the door.

Crimestoppers have also said that people can contact them anonymously if they think their neighbours are smoking or cultivating cannabis near them.

A spokesperson said: “If you spot any of the signs that there may be a cannabis farm in your community you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or use our Anonymous Online Form.

“You will not be asked any personal details and neither your telephone number nor IP address will not be traced or recorded.”

However, if your neighbours rent their property, you can contact their landlord about this but there are constraints as to what they can do.

A police spokesperson said: “If you own or let a property you need to be aware of your responsibility to ensure cannabis is not grown on your premises.

“Consequences of allowing cannabis cultivation include reduction in property values, increased insurance premiums, hostile tenants, and up to 14 years imprisonment and a criminal record.”

If a landlord suspects the use of cannabis on their property, they can arrange a visit as long as they have warned their tenant they will be doing so. However, landlords are not bound to keep your tip-off anonymous like the police will do.