The Chief Constable of Northamptonshire Police will retire from the service in six months' time, it has been announced this morning.

Simon Edens, who took over Northamptonshire Police in July 2015, will have clocked up 37 years of service as a police officer by the time he retires.

In a statement issued this morning, Mr Edens said: “It has been a huge privilege and an honour to serve as Chief Constable for Northamptonshire and to have worked alongside colleagues from across the Force who do so much to protect people from harm every day.

“There have been some significant changes during my time in office here, including the design and launch of a new policing model and a drive to change the overall culture of the Force in areas such as well-being.

“We have also committed to making Wootton Hall our permanent headquarters and opened up a superb new operational facility at Kettering.

“However, I believe the time is now right for me to hand over the reins to a new Chief who will take the Force forward over the next five years.

“I will miss hugely the officers, staff and volunteers who I have had the honour of leading these past three years.”

Mr. Edens said he had been greatly encouraged by the recent HMICFRS report which had confirmed the “building blocks for more effective policing” were now in place in Northamptonshire and he looked forward to working with the Police and Crime Commissioner, Stephen Mold, up until his retirement.

Police and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold said: “I want to personally pay tribute and say thank you to Simon for all his hard work. He has made a significant impact in his role as Chief Constable, not least in leading the Force in their development of a new policing model.

“He has ensured that the foundations are now in place to better meet the challenging demands required of a modern police force and in turn make Northamptonshire safer.

“His contribution to policing for the past 37 years has been outstanding, and since 2015 he has served Northamptonshire Police and the people of the county with great distinction.

“I want to thank him on behalf of the people of Northamptonshire for his enthusiasm, determination, professionalism, and belief in policing, during unprecedented periods of challenge and change.

“I wish him every success and happiness in his retirement.”

Lyndsay Smith, UNISON Branch Secretary said: “UNISON have thoroughly enjoyed working with Simon since he joined the force.

“We have benefitted from Simon’s open and honest manner and have been able to bring many issues affecting police staff to his attention, which he has taken seriously.

“We wish him the very best in his retirement and thank him for his dedication to police staff in Northants.”

Steve Pace, Chair of Northamptonshire Police Federation, said: “The Federation would like to wish Chief Constable Edens all the very best as he embarks on an exciting new chapter with his pending retirement.

“Simon’s legacy will be his open and ethical management style, which has been highly valued by our members. We have enjoyed working with him and wish him well in the future.”

Mr Edens began his career in 1981 serving as a constable and sergeant with the Royal Ulster Constabulary before moving to Cambridgeshire Constabulary in 1991 where he served for 17 years, rising to the rank of chief superintendent.

In 2008, he became assistant chief constable at West Mercia Police and then deputy chief constable at Leicestershire in 2012.

His final day at work will be October 28.

This has prompted NFU mutual, a UK rural insurer, to urge motorists to take extra care on the county's roads after its research found a 48 per cent increase in pothole claims between 2015 and 2017.

The insurer has raised concerns about suggestions that some rural roads in a bad state of repair could be closed altogether due to a lack of funding.

“People who live and work in rural areas already face huge problems with poorly maintained roads, a higher risk of accidents and a lack of gritting during the winter months,” said Ian Flower, motor insurance specialist at NFU Mutual.

“The deteriorating state of rural roads has been exacerbated by the recent, prolonged freezes. Further flooding also poses an additional hazard as many deep potholes are disguised.”

Figures from NFU Mutual reveal a 48 per cent increase in the number of pothole claims from 2015 to 2017, with the total value of claims almost doubling over the same period.

The insurer’s figures form only part of the picture as many motorists might seek recompense directly from the local authority, while others might weather the costs themselves rather than claim on their car insurance.

“There is a double impact on a rural business, as not only might they have to replace an expensive piece of equipment but there can also be up to a fortnight’s downtime waiting for parts, which adds even more misery to their situation,” said Mr Flower.

Earlier this year the Local Government Association (LGA) called for the Government to tackle the disparity between national and local roads.

LGA analysis revealed £1million will be spent per mile on strategic road networks such as motorways, opposed to £21,000 per mile for local roads, from 2015-2020. Many rural councils are under increased pressure to deal with road maintenance.

There are also concerns that deteriorating rural roads will make access for the emergency services harder and response times longer, potentially putting rural lives at risk.

Government statistics for England report that fire and rescue service incident response times in predominantly rural areas is 10 minutes 37 seconds: an increase of 31 seconds since 2011/12. This compares with a response time of seven minutes and 43 seconds in urban areas.

Stuart Cross, senior agent for NFU Mutual in Northamptonshire, said: “The rural road network is essential for rural businesses and gives people in rural communities vital access to schools, healthcare and other services. In short, they are the arteries of the countryside and if they are unusable it will have serious implications.

“Other rural road users such as cyclists and horse riders are also at risk as they may need to take sudden avoiding action when they encounter a pothole or may ride, unsuspecting, into deep potholes which are filled with rainwater.”

Toys R Us have today confirmed the date it will close its last remaining shops, including its two Northampton outlets.

Toys R Us, which has 105 stores across the UK, went into administration after failing to find a buyer for the company as a going concern.

Nationally, 3,000 jobs are set to be lost.

The Peterborough branch in Bourges Boulevard will close for the final time on Sunday, April 22.

Joint administrators Simon Thomas and Arron Kendall of Moorfields Advisory, said: “Following the failure to attract a buyer for the business prior to administration, the Joint Administrators are conducting an orderly wind-down of the company’s store portfolio.”

A statement from Toys R Us Peterborough added: “Customers are advised to take advantage of the heavy discounts as soon as possible, as weekend sales in other stores across the country indicate that some of the most popular ranges may sell out fast.

“New and expectant parents will find the Babies R Us clearance sale particularly useful as all of the large items that can usually be an expensive purchase are discounted, including cots, car seats and prams.

“The company can no longer accept returns for refunds. This does not affect Customers’ Statutory Rights with regards to faulty merchandise.”

Gift cards are also no longer being accepted.

The full list of shops and the dates they will close in April is as follows:

Aberdeen Union Square - Thu-19

Banbury - Fri-20

Basildon - Sat-21

Bayswater - Sat-21

Bedford - Sat-21

Belfast Castle Court - Tue-24

Blackburn - Thu-19

Brent Cross - Tue-24

Brighton - Thu-19

Bristol - Fri-20

Bromley - Thu-19

Cardiff Queen Street - Thu-19

Carlisle The Lanes - Thu-19

Chester - Tue-24

Chester Broughton - Wed-18

Chesterfield - Sun-22

Colliers Wood - Sun-22

Coventry - Tue-24

Craigleith - Fri-20

Croydon - Tue-24

Derby - Tue-24

Doncaster Frenchgate - Fri-20

Dundee - Tue-24

Enfield - Mon-23

Glasgow Helen St - Mon-23

Glasgow The Forge - Sat-21

Gloucester - Mon-23

Harlow - Sun-22

High Wycombe - Sat-21

Hull - Sun-22

Ilford - Sun-22

Ipswich - Mon-23

Leeds - Mon-23

Leicester Highcross - Fri-13

Lincoln - Mon-23

Liverpool - Fri-20

Luton - Mon-23

Manchester - Sat-21

Mansfield - Sat-21

Medway - Mon-23

Merry Hill - Fri-20

Metro - Sat-21

Milton Keynes - Sun-22

Nottingham - Tue-24

Nottingham Victoria Centre - Fri-20

Northampton St James- Mon-23

Northampton Weston Favell - Sat-21

Norwich - Tue-24

Oldbury - Mon-23

Oxford- Sat-21

Peterborough - Sun-22

Poole - Mon-23

Portsmouth - Fri-20

Preston - Mon-23

Reading - Sat-21

Sheffield - Tue-24

Solihull - Sun-22

Southampton - Tue-24

Sprucefields - Mon-23

Stafford - Thu-19

Staines Elmsleigh - Fri-20

Stevenage - Thu-19

Stirling - Sun-22

Stockport - Sun-22

Stoke - Sat-21

Sunderland - Wed-18

Swansea - Sun-22

Swindon - Tue-24

Sydenham - Fri-20

Teesside - Fri-20

Thurrock - Fri-20

Uxbridge - Thu-19

Wakefield - Sat-21

Warrington - Tue-24

Woking- Sun-22

Bodies representing police staff in Northamptonshire have called on the county's commisioner to justify his claim that some officers were not pulling their weight.

Last week Stephen Mold created a Twitter storm when he told a police and crime panel meeting that some in the force were guilty of "swinging the lead".

The Conservative commissioner, first elected in 2016, had been facing a grilling over the county force's recent ‘requires improvement’ rating from the Home Office when he made the comments.

He told the panel that the force was suffering from a "cultural problem" where “people have been allowed to get away with swinging the lead or not working as hard as they should be.”

In an internal memo this week yesterday, Mr Mold clarified that he was referring to only a small amount of staff and was "in awe" of the work carried out by the county's 800-strong workforce.

But both the Northamptonshire Police Federation, which looks after the interests of serving frontline officers and Unison, which represents the majority of police support staff in the county have said they want further clarification from the commissioner.

A joint statement from the two yesterday, reads: "The comments reported in the (Chron's) article are not recognised by Northants Police Federation or Unison as they are not indicative of the hard work carried out by officers in the county, nor do they reflect the position taken by the PCC (Police and Crime Commissioner) during the regular meetings we have with him.

"While we acknowledge the follow-up message sent to officers by Mr Mold, we are seeking further explanation and evidence in respect of the comments made.

"We have talked through the comments with Mr Mold, who has confirmed that he fully supports the efforts made by our officers and will offer in writing clarity on the comments and reassurance of his support to them.

"I have also spoken to the chief constable and he has personally reassured us that he too recognises the continued focus and commitment, and the hard work each and every day that the Officers do to help keep our communities safe.

"I personally wish to thank our officers for their hard work and dedication."

The joint statement also paid tribute to chief constable Simon Edens, who announced his retirement from the force yesterday, following 37 years in the police.

“The Federation and Unison would like to wish chief constable Edens all the very best as he embarks on an exciting new chapter with his pending retirement," said the statement.

"Simon’s legacy will be his open and ethical management style, which has been highly valued by our members. We have enjoyed working with him and wish him well in the future.”

The appointment of the new chief executive officer at under-threat Northamptonshire County Council has been questioned by councillors.

The public sector experience of Andrew Quincey was brought into question at a today’s (April 12) full council meeting held at County Hall.

Opposition councillors queried whether he had the credentials to steer the ship at such a turbulent time and whether he could carry out this top role alongside his other position as director of commercial, place and health.

Labour county councillor Mick Scrimshaw said: “This council is in unprecedented times and I think we might be relying too much on business models and not working in the way that other councils do.”

His comments were echoed by fellow labour councillor John McGhee who said it had been proven that chief executives coming from the private sector did not work.

Mr Quincey joined the authority in October 2017 and has brief experience of working in central government departments.

His predecessors have been widely criticised for their management capabilities as well as the size of their pay packets.

Former interim chief executive Damon Lawrenson left his post in March by ‘mutual consent’. The consultant was paid more than £1,000 per day.

Paul Blantern, who was in post for a number of years before Mr Lawrenson, was the architect of the catastrophic ‘next generation’ model for services, which the authority has now ditched.

At the sombre meeting Cllr Matt Golby was voted in as probably the county authority’s last  elected leader. He takes on the role after Cllr Heather Smith stepped down.

Cllr Golby, who has been a councillor since 2009, said: “The challenge is very clear for us. We have got to put our house in order. There are three fundamental things that we have got to get right; relationships, trust and confidence.”

The new leader also hinted that Max Caller, the government inspector who wrote the recent damning Best Value report, could be one of the government commissioners brought in to run the council.

The authority is waiting to hear from secretary of state for local government Sajid Javid as to when the commissioners will take control.

At the meeting Conservative councillors called on the opposition to work alongside them as they attempt to steer the effectively bankrupt county authority towards a unitary model.

It is looking likely that the borough, district and the county authority will be replaced by two unitary authorities.

The fight to save 21 Northamptonshire libraries has reached the High Court after a young girl applied for a judicial review against the county council.

Specialist lawyers from Irwin Mitchell - who represent the girl, who is their client, and her family - had previously written to Northamptonshire County Council both before and after its final decision was made at the end of February, urging it not to close the libraries, or potentially face a judicial review in the High Court.

The council announced its final decision to close the 21 libraries as part of a cost-cutting exercise, with the authority anticipating that closing them will reduce council expenditure.

The local authority has not agreed to review or revise its decision and therefore judicial review proceedings were issued at the High Court in London on March 29.

Caroline Barrett, a specialist lawyer for Irwin Mitchell representing the family, which cannot be named for legal reasons, said: “We have been instructed to act on behalf of a minor and their family as they seek to challenge Northamptonshire County Council’s decision to shut 21 libraries across the county.

“Many people using the library services are children, or are elderly, disabled, or from low-income households and they may struggle to access the library provision in larger towns.

“These cuts are extensive and our client is concerned that this will have a very significant impact upon their ability to access a library service and the impact on local residents, many of whom live in rural areas. Our clients believe that, if implemented, these cuts will have a huge, detrimental impact on the local community in Northamptonshire.

“We have lodged an application with the High Court for a judicial review and an urgent hearing. Our client considers that the council failed to carry out a lawful public consultation into the proposals and has not conducted a full and lawful assessment of how vulnerable people will be affected.

“Further, the council has not considered how to promote and safeguard the welfare of local children, has not taken into account various factors that should have impacted upon its decision, and has failed to comply with its duty to ensure there is a comprehensive library service in the county. All councils must comply with this duty, and our client considers that a closure of over half the county’s libraries will not result in a comprehensive library service.”

The legal action is the third of its kind after Desborough Library and Watkins & Gunn, acting for 20 libraries, lodged their applications.

A government inspection has already been launched into the closures.

A Northamptonshire County Council spokesman said: “Our review of the library service in Northamptonshire was a necessary element of our budget-setting process for 2018/19 given the severe financial pressures the authority is facing, and is a service many other local authorities across the country have already reviewed.

“When we launched our library service review last October, we presented three options we believe each presented a comprehensive and efficient library service. These options carefully took account of value for money, geographical coverage, areas of need, usage and trends, accessibility, income generation, use of space and suitability of library premises for future development.

“As part of the decision-making process, we held a full and open 12-week consultation, during which we received feedback from more than 5,000 people, and we published Equality Impact Assessments for each individual library to consider the impact of the proposed changes.

“We will be defending the legal challenges lodged.”

In March, the Government’s culture secretary Matt Hancock announced he was considering an inquiry into the decision following a complaint from Cilip, the leading professional body for librarians.

According to Cilip, the council’s plan would leave the county with 15 libraries, eight large and seven medium branches. This would equate to one library for every 60,000 residents, which is significantly greater than the European average of one library for every 16,000 residents.

The family that is being represented by Irwin Mitchell make extensive use of one of the 21 libraries set to close, attending playgroups and children’s centre activities.

The girl's mother, who is also her daughter's litigation friend ( said: “These cuts are not fair. They will have a devastating impact on families like ourselves, but also on the most vulnerable people within our community.

“The libraries offer us so much more than just books. They offer residents access to the relevant district council’s one-stop shop, blue badge and bus pass renewal, children’s services and plenty more services that residents rely on.

“I appreciate the council is in a difficult financial position but I do not think the impact of these cuts have been properly considered by the council, and the effect that this will have on local communities.”

The report highlights the exceptional work of The Air Ambulance Service which provides the national Children’s Air Ambulance and two local air ambulances – Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) and Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance (DLRAA).

The good news will be welcomed by the Air Ambulance Service after recent Sunday Times allegations claimed its chief executive Andy Williamson had used charity resources for his own benefit. A seperate investigation was enacted by the Charities Commision last month.

In the report, the CQC - the independent regulator of health and social care in England - praised the services for being “doctor lead and highly skilled”, and refers to a “high level of paramedic critical care expertise”, supported by an effective personal development system, a range of clinical skills development opportunities and specialist clinical operating procedures.

The regulator also describes the organisation’s leaders as having the “skills, knowledge, experience and integrity needed to ensure the vital service meets patient needs”.

Mr Williamson said: "I’m delighted with this report; it clearly supports our purpose by recognising the high quality of emergency and urgent care that we deliver.

“These findings are a testament to the dedicated, professional and passionate teams that work in the delivery of our lifesaving services and to those generous people who support the charity through the giving of time or donations.

“Providing the very best care for our patients is the driving force behind everything we do and this report reflects that. Everyone involved should be immensely proud.”

During its inspection, the CQC asked five key questions across all services: are they safe, effective, caring, responsive to people’s needs and well led. Inspectors spent two days reviewing the Children’s Air Ambulance and WNAA at Coventry Airport, and DLRAA at East Midlands Airport.

Patients have access to timely and critical care treatment, the report details, while care is delivered in a “sensitive and dignified way and feedback from patients is very positive”. It also refers to the “clear vision and strategy” of the organisation.

All services are described as having an “open and learning culture which is fully focused on safe, high quality patient care”. Staffing levels and skill mix are planned and reviewed to ensure that people receive safe care and treatment at all times, and staff are fully engaged in service planning.

TAAS director of operations Richard Clayton said: “I am absolutely delighted by the CQC inspector’s findings. The published reports are a great reflection on a lot of hard work by the entire operations team that works tirelessly to provide exceptional patient care in often very challenging situations.

“It’s fantastic that the inspectors were able to see and articulate the passion and commitment that exists within everyone at The Air Ambulance Service.”

The CQC did identify areas where the ambulance service needed to improve. It found the safeguarding adults’ policy referenced out of date guidance. This was raised with the registered manager during the inspection who took immediate action to update the policy.

Inspectors also found aircraft pilots had not had safeguarding training. "We told the provider that it should make other improvements, even though a regulation had not been breached, to help the service improve," states the report.

Deputy Clinical Lead Justin Squires, who worked closely with the CQC inspector on the report, said: “Our air ambulance and rapid response services work tirelessly to save lives – it’s our absolute motivation.

“To know the services we provide have been meticulously inspected and proven to be of the highest standard is a real credit to the critical care teams and the way we are continually looking to enhance provision.

“This excellent feedback strongly supports our belief that we are doing the very best for our patients and delivering care of the highest calibre.”

The report was well-received by NHS clinical partners for both the Children’s Air Ambulance and DLRAA and WNAA services.

Peter Ripley, associate director of operations for East Midlands Ambulance Service, said: “The Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance is an integral part of the wider team with which we work to provide quality emergency care to our patients.

"This CQC report recognises the standard of care, professionalism and support offered to not only our patients but also our frontline colleagues at the scene."

Steve Wheaton, deputy chief executive for West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The local Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance has always had high quality emergency care at the heart of what it does and this CQC report offers great recognition of that fact.

“We have worked closely together for the past 15 years in providing the highest standard of critical care, within minutes, to those in greatest need.“

Dr Steve Hancock, lead consultant paediatrician at Embrace, the NHS transport team for new-born babies and children in Yorkshire and the Humber, said: We have worked with The Children’s Air Ambulance for a number of years now to transfer some of our patients quickly and safely over long distances. They have always had high quality provision of healthcare at the centre of what they do and we are delighted that this has been recognised by the CQC.”

Lead transport nurse for South Thames Retrieval Service (STRS), Karen Starkie, added: “We have worked closely with The Children’s Air Ambulance, since February 2014, to fly critically unwell babies and children in their bespoke children’s air ambulance to a preferred paediatric intensive care unit.

“The charitably funded service they provide to paediatric critical care teams, sick children and families is of a very high standard and we are delighted that this has been recognised by the CQC.”

The police commissioner's takeover of Northamptonshire's fire brigade budget is a threat to the 'neutrality' of the service, a union has claimed.

On Wednesday the Home Office gave Conservative Stephen Mold the green light to take on the responsibility for the county's fire and rescue service.

It means this autumn he will become the country's first police, crime and fire commissioner - relieving cash-strapped Northamptonshire County Council as its budgetary controller.

But the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) believes the disbanding of the 57 councillor fire authority, currently tasked with overseeing the service, is a threat to the "independence and neutrality of the fire service".

This week Mr Mold has talked of increasing the number of incidents fire and police attend together to make efficiency savings.

But Ben Selby, regional secretary of the FBU in the East Midlands, has hit out at the plans.

He said: "Many of the arguments in favour of PCC takeover of the fire service focus on “efficiency savings”.

"This model will end the independence that firefighters consider vital in order to carry out their jobs.

"This includes the ability to engage with local communities and gain access to people’s homes.

"It is widely understood, including among senior police officers, that the roles of the two services are completely different and that the ability of the fire and rescue service to engage with local communities in new ways, over the past decade, has largely been due to public awareness of this difference.”

Mr Selby believes firefighters will be hampered in the way they currently give out fire safety advice to homes by being associated with the police.

"At the moment, the public see us as a neutral service," he said, "They allow us into their homes to make sure they feel safe.

"If people see us closely linked to a law enforcement agency, they may not open the doors as frequently to us."

In the last few weeks, the Home Office has also announced plans for PCCs to take over fire services in Cambridgeshire, Staffordshire and West Mercia. Essex Fire and Rescue was taken over by the PCC there in October 2017.

The FBU says it is taking a stance against the Northamptonshire takeover to prevent others following suit.

But Mr Mold says his move to run the fire service budgets was well backed by firefighters.

“In Northamptonshire, 92 per cent of firefighters backed the proposal to transfer governance of the Fire and Rescue service to my office, as did more than 60 per cent of the members of the public who voted," he said.

“I have always been clear that this is not a merger, the two services will remain separate, there will be two chief officers and their roles and responsibilities will be distinct. The fire service budget will be ring-fenced to be spent on matters related to fire and rescue – something that does not happen in the current model where the fire service is part of Northamptonshire County Council.

“I am committed to protecting and where possible, increasing frontline services and making investments in new equipment and technology. There is currently no money set aside for maintenance and replacement of fire vehicles, and that is something that I will be addressing very quickly when the governance transfers.

“I’ve been talking to the chief fire officer this afternoon and he assures me that yesterday’s announcement was greeted really positively by local firefighters. I am looking forward to working with them and making a difference to safety in Northamptonshire.”

Two women have been sentenced for distraction theft offences after preying on people over the Christmas period in Daventry town centre.

Florica Stan, 25, and Tabita Mihai, 19, both from Ermington Crescent, Birmingham, targetted a number of victims across the Midlands and were eventually arrested in Birmingham.

Over the 2017 Christmas period, they masqueraded as charity collectors in Daventry town centre and stole from a number of people.

Daventry Neighbourhood Sergeant, Sam Dobbs, said: “These offences rightly and understandably provoked angry responses from our community given the targeting of elderly, vulnerable victims and preying on their goodwill over the Christmas period.

“However, CCTV cameras have long memories and neighbourhood officers were able to view hours of footage to find the suspects and share their images, which ultimately led to their arrest and charge.

“It’s completely unacceptable to think making money in this way is tolerable and we will always pursue the offenders of this kind of crime in order to bring them to justice.”

The first report came on December 27 when an 83-year-old woman was targeted in Bowen Square by the two women, who took £100 from her purse.

Three further offences then took place on January 5 when a 78-year-old woman, an 85-year-old man and an 84-year-old-man had cash stolen from them in distraction thefts.

Images of the two women were captured on CCTV and their images published on social media before they were arrested in Birmingham for a number of offences across the Midlands.

They both appeared before Worcester Crown Court on April 5, where they pleaded guilty to a string of distraction thefts. Stan was jailed for 16 months and Mihai for 12 months.

‘Fill up today’; that’s the advice from industry experts ahead of fears that petrol costs could soar.

Experts have warned that fuel costs are expected to rise this weekend as tensions over the Middle East escalate.

Drivers have been urged to fill up their tanks today ahead of fuel price increases.

According to a number of reports, prices at the pump are expected to increase by 2p a litre this weekend, with a further increase of up to 6p expected in the next few weeks.

Wholesale fuel costs increase by 4p a litre in less than four weeks with oil prices at a three and a half year high of almost $72 a barrel this week.

The AA have advised drivers that the weekend could see a significant price increase with unleaded potentially rising from 121p per litre to 123p and diesel increasing from 123.61p to 125.61p by Saturday.

The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), an industry body, warned drivers that the 4p per litre rise in wholesale costs will filter through to the forecourts.

PRA chairman Brian Madderson said: “President Trump’s promise that US missiles ‘will be coming’ to Syria caused the price to climb sharply amid a volley of threats between the US and Russia and an attempted Houthi air strike from Yemen targeting oil titan Saudi Arabia.

“The Houthi attacks on the world’s largest oil producer spurred global oil markets up almost 9% this week alone to the highest prices seen since December 2014.”

The AA added: “There’s a lot of concern about missile strikes and if there is a possibility that markets will be disrupted then speculators will send the price even higher.”

Daventry women are preparing to pound the pavements of the capital when they take part in the 21st Moonwalk London.

Mandy Steadman and Zoe Shackleton will wear a specially-created cowboy hat and the Walk the Walk trademark decorated bra to raise money for breast cancer.

Organised by breast cancer charity Walk the Walk, the 26 mile walking challenge takes place on Saturday, May 12.

Zoe said: “This is something that I’ve always wanted to do, but have always put off.

“Cancer is something that affects all of us on a personal level, whether it be yourself, a relative, or a friend, and this challenge is all about uniting together, showing support and raising money.”

She said more ladies have now joined their group - ‘Daventry Rack Pack’. They are Jayne Povey, Tiffany Upton and Zoë Allen

Zoe added: “I’m so glad to be taking part in this challenge with Mandy, who’s a role model for many women after battling breast cancer herself.

“As part of our fundraising, I’m selling a set of motivational prints on my Etsy page: ZoeShackletonDesigns, with a donation being made with each print sold, or if you would like to sponsor us please donate online at: https://moonwalklondon2018.everydayhero.com/uk/daventry-rack-pack.”

Dawn Branigan, 57, has been forced to spend a staggering £150,000 on renovations to the Grade-II listed building at 3-3a High Street, which dates back to 1450.

After being told to renovate the medieval building to match the town's Georgian theme in line with conservation laws, Dawn was then forced to take out a loan to cover costs but the work was delayed as she failed to find a suitable builder and was held up by the conservation officer.

'Without it I'll I have no livelihood': Daventry woman crowdfunds to help keep her store open after restoring its medieval facade

She says as a result of work over-running "due to circumstances beyond her control" she has been slapped with £17,000 worth of financial penalties, which could now see her business - First Light Photographic - fold.

"It took almost 18 months to get the planning application to be heard, which of course, was turned down," said Dawn.

"They said the half-timbered facade and oriel windows of the original frontage which we planned to restore would be 'an anomaly in a largely Georgian street-scene' and 'would detract from more important listed assets'.

"An appeal was lodged and heard by the Planning Inspectorate, who found in our favour, although we were not awarded costs.

"We had been under scaffolding for two years by this point and turnover was clearly suffering due to the unsightly nature of the scaffolding at the front of the shop.

"During that time we were unable to get a builder as we were unable to ask for any quotes, as we had no clue what we would be asking the builder to quote on.

"Were we going to be half-timbered or rendered? Were we going to have oriel windows or Georgian windows? And so the list went on.

"It had taken me a further 18 months to find a suitable contractor and I finally found a project manager in September 2016."

Dawn says during the course of the build, which began in April 2017, she was on numerous occasions visited by a council conservation officer who delayed work because they felt the project was deviating from the specifications set out by the Planning Inspectorate.

The delays meant the project overran and incurred financial penalties with the lender.

"I think the council are completely responsible for me incurring the fines," said Dawn.

"If I didn't have to carry out these restorations then I wouldn't have needed to take out the loan.

"Also all the time that was wasted and the number of times the construction was put on hold due to the conversation officer.

"That put a pause on my business and affected me financially.

"The total cost of the renovation was £150,000. It was funded totally by myself from cashing in pensions and endowments, topped up by the bridging finance, which was all that was available to me at the time, as I could no longer demonstrate affordability, due to the downturn in turnover.

"These financial penalties are horrible - I could face losing my livelihood."

Daventry District Council agreed that repairs to the High Street building were necessary, but didn't consider the alterations to be in keeping with the town centre's Conservation Area mainly 18th Century Georgian design, hence its rejection of the planning applications.

Maria Taylor, community manager at Daventry District Council, said: “The council, which consulted with both the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings and English Heritage in coming to its decision, also felt there was insufficient evidence that the installation of oriel windows was a faithful representation of how the building would have looked in the 15th century.

“After determining the application in May 2014, the council suggested the applicant submit a new proposal for the repairs only, so that this element of the work could be carried out without delay. However, the applicant instead decided to submit an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate, which was allowed following a hearing in February 2015.

“Since this time our Conservation Officer has done all they can to help the applicant meet the conditions required by the planning permission, signing off the necessary paperwork promptly and taking a flexible approach to agreeing minor changes to the work to ensure the project was not delayed.

“The council has a duty to preserve and protect the identity and heritage of the district, and our Conservation Officer attempted to work with the applicant throughout the process in order to find the best solution for everyone concerned.

"This was also the view of the government planning inspector, who concluded in his ruling that the council had behaved reasonably and properly throughout the application and appeal process.”

Dawn is crowdfunding to help her raise enough money to help raise funds to keep her business afloat, and which will be put towards opening up the second floor of her shop in order to use it as an exhibition space for artists.

Anyone wishing to donate can do so here.

This is Long Buckby woman Sheila Betts who, in March 1984, got more than she bargained for after complaining about a cheese roll.

In March 1984, Sheila moaned to a friend that there was a lack of filling in her sandwich.

As the picture shows, she got more than a mouthful back.

Sheila returned to renew the unsavoury argument at Daventry Working Men’s Club a week later.

When she showed up to the men’s club Sheila, of Mill House in Jubilee Park, was presented with a whole French baguette. It was filled entirely with Stilton blue cheese so as to keep her quiet.... but it didn’t work.

Sheila joked to the Gusher: “I thought I would have the last laugh by getting it in the Weekly Express!”

I am an immigrant. Many people worry about those like me, and those from other countries who might follow in my footsteps.

Dainis Ignatans, University of Huddersfield

Bold newspaper headlines either blame immigrants for a whole host of issues or portray them as saintly helpers in the struggle for economic well-being.

Political parties use immigration policies as key selling points, driving a division in public opinion – with either fear and hostility towards immigrants, or with unnecessary overwhelming praise. Both are equally undeserved.

And in this politically charged atmosphere, discussion of immigration has become the poster child of an era in which expertise is vilified and inconvenient truths become “fake news”. And the fewer facts we have, the more outrage there is.

A mixed picture

The reality is that as researchers, we know little about the relationship, if any, between immigration and crime. This is in part because lowbrow journalistic obsession with immigration and crime has made it somewhat a taboo topic for research.

As evidenced by the limited academic literature available, a consensus simply does not exist. In the US, areas with higher concentrations of recent immigrants have been found to actually have reduced levels of homicide and robbery.

Using police recorded data in Chicago, researchers also found that first generation Mexican immigrants are 45% less likely to commit a violent offence than third generation Americans. Similarly, a large scale European study on the effects of immigration on crime concluded that while an increase in immigration generally does not affect crime levels, it does go hand-in-hand with increased public anxiety and anti-immigration stances.

It’s all about culture

Research also shows that immigrants who come from culturally similar backgrounds to their new area, are likely to commit fewer crimes than the native population. Research on Los Angeles, for example, found that a higher number of Latino immigrants who were from culturally similar regions to the current residents, reduced the rates of violence in the area.

Similarly, research in Spain showed that Spanish speaking immigrants had a much more benign impact on crime than those of other origins. Such immigrants undoubtedly have an easier time moving to a new country where the culture reflects something like their own.

And yet, people from ethnic minority groups in Western countries are disproportionately likely to be arrested and imprisoned for most crime types.

And asylum seekers are over-represented in the crime figures in Germany and Denmark. Similarly in the UK, the impact of two waves of immigration has been examined by researchers, specifically looking at the relationship between a rise in immigration and crime levels. The analysis found that when workers from Eastern European states (that joined the EU in 2004) came to the UK, the impact on crime was minimal.

But the research also found that the wave of asylum seekers who came to the UK in the 1990s – mainly from war torn countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia – coincided with a slight increase in the total number of property crimes at the time. This was thought to be down to the fact that employment rates for this wave of immigrants was much lower than those of the average Briton.

What about multicultural areas?

Immigrant populations tend to be very concentrated, with people tending to reside in areas with existing communities. My recent research shows that throughout England and Wales, areas where immigrants from one single background make up a significant majority of the immigrant population, tend to be low in crime.

Nearly as low in crime as the areas with small immigrant populations. It doesn’t make a difference what the background of the immigrant population is, what appears to be key is that there is a cultural similarity among the immigrant population within an area. My research also found that areas with very high numbers of immigrants that are low in crime – or below the nation’s average – tend to be areas with either European or African immigrants. But my research also showed that areas where two or more cultures (other than that of the indigenous population) are prevalent, tend to be very high in crime.

This is specifically the case in areas with the highest proportions of immigrants from Asia and Europe. In these areas violent crime is 70% higher, property crime is 92% higher and vehicle crime increases by 19% compared to national average.

What to do about it

The research I have carried out shows the need to view culture as invaluable in the examination of the impact immigration has on crime.

It must also be considered that immigrant communities are less inclined to contact police and more likely to “self police” – which inevitably can result in more crime. So, policing of immigrant communities, which are becoming increasingly more concentrated, needs to be done with cultural differences in mind.

Social housing and other affordable housing initiatives must also be thought through carefully to avoid creating cultural clashes where possible. Some recent advances such as the UK government’s Integrated Communities Strategy already try to address language barriers that preclude integration.

But ultimately, more calm discussion with a view towards a safer and more cohesive world would not hurt either. Dainis Ignatans, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, University of Huddersfield This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Travel fraud is costing UK holidaymakers millions of pounds per year – and also having a severe effect on their health or financial wellbeing.

The report by Action Fraud – the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime – found that on average the amount lost per person was over £1,500, an increase of 25 per cent year on year.

However, this form of fraud has other severe effects with almost half (2,245) of victims saying that it also had a significant impact on their health or financial wellbeing.

Most worryingly of all, 575 people said the impact on them was so severe that they had to receive medical treatment ADVERTISEMENT or were at risk of bankruptcy.

The most common types of fraud relate to the sale of airline tickets (47 per cent) and accommodation booking (38 per cent). 4,700 people told Action Fraud that they had been the victim of a travel related fraud in 2017, but the actual figure is likely to be much higher, with many victims not realising that they should always report the fraud to Action Fraud.

In common with previous years, the numbers of people reporting travel fraud jumps in the summer and in December – a clear indication that fraudsters are targeting the peak holiday periods when demand will be high and availability low. The visiting friends and family market is particularly attractive to fraudsters offering fake flight tickets and package arrangements. Fraudsters may also be targeting individuals travelling home to visit family in time for public or religious holidays. Where destinations were reported by victims, 54 per cent said they had been intending to travel to Africa and 24 per cent to Asia.

In 2017, the most common types of holiday booking fraud reported to Action Fraud related to:

Holiday accommodation – fraudsters are making full use of the internet to con holidaymakers by setting up fake websites, hacking into legitimate accounts and posting fake adverts on websites and social media.

Airline tickets – where a person believes they are booking a flight and receives a fake ticket or pays for a ticket that never turns up. In 2017, flights to Africa and the Indian sub-continent were particularly targeted.

Sports and religious trips – a popular target for fraud due to limited availability of tickets and consequently higher prices.

Caravanning – Action Fraud reported a number of people reporting being the victim of fraud relating to mobile home holidays.

Top tips to avoid becoming a victim of travel fraud:

Stay safe online: Check the web address is legitimate and has not been altered by slight changes to a domain name – such as going from .co.uk to .org

Do your research: Don’t just rely on one review – do a thorough online search to check the company’s credentials. If a company is defrauding people there is a good chance that consumers will post details of their experiences, and warnings about the company.

Look for the logo: Check whether the company is a member of a recognised trade body such as ABTA. If you have any doubts, you can verify membership of ABTA online, at www.abta.com.

Pay safe: Wherever possible, pay by credit card and be wary about paying directly into a private individual’s bank account.

Check documentation: You should study terms and conditions and be very wary of any companies that don’t provide any at all. When booking through a Holiday Club or Timeshare, get the contract thoroughly vetted by a solicitor before signing up.

Trust your instincts: If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Report it: Victims should contact Action Fraud. Get free expert advice: For further advice on how to stay safe when booking or researching travel online, visit Get Safe Online.

KitKat has revealed plans to sell a naturally pink, berry flavoured chocolate bar from next week.

UK consumers will be the first in Europe to try the KitKat Ruby, after it proved a success in Japan and Korea last year.

The chocolate bar will be available from Tesco as of 16 April at a retail price of 85p, 25p more than its milk chocolate sibling.

We’ve long indulged in milk, dark and white chocolate, but now there’s an entirely new type of cocoa on the market: ruby.

Zurich based chocolate manufacturers Barry Callebaut unveiled the new variety in a launch event in Shanghai last September.

The group described the chocolate, which took 13 years to develop, as offering a totally new taste experience that is neither bitter, milky nor sweet.

The cocoa bean has a characteristic reddish colour and an intense flavour due to natural fruitiness.

The Ivory Coast, which produces 1.8 million tonnes of the global cocoa crop, is the main exporter of the ruby variety, with Ecuador and Brazil also contributing.

Nestle is promising “an intense berry-fruitiness taste without the addition of any flavour or colour” from the new bar.

Pablo Perversi, chief innovation, quality and sustainability officer at Barry Callebaut, said: “I am very pleased to see the result of our partnership with Nestle, the iconic four-finger KitKat made with our Ruby chocolate.

“Consumers across the world will be intrigued by the unique taste of this crispy delight.”

The new KitKat was first introduced earlier this year in Japan and Korea. Alex Gonnella, marketing director for Nestle’s UK confectionery business, said: “Ruby chocolate is a big innovation in confectionery and we are very proud that KitKat is the first major brand in the UK to feature this exciting new chocolate.

Chris and Samantha Curry set up the charity in 2013 after the death of their five-year-old daughter Niamh, who died battling a rare type of child cancer called neuroblastoma.

Cobblers legend Graham Carr and comedian son Alan are taking charge of one of the teams, with Katie Price and Shayne Ward in the opposite dugout.

"When I rang my dad up and said 'you wouldn't believe it, they want me to be a football manager', he almost passed out," said chatty man Alan.

"We've combined, me and my dad, against Shayne Ward and Katie Price so we’re pretty confident.

"If there’s anyone with less football know how it must be Katie."

Around 100 children are diagnosed with neuroblastoma each year in the UK, of which only around 30 per cent will survive. There is currently no government or NHS funding into the research of neuroblastoma in the UK.

"I'm patron of neuroblastoma.org so anything I can do to help out I do," said Alan.

"When they got in touch and told me about this, it was a no-brainer. It’s a lot of fun."

He added: "It’s about raising lots of money for Niamh’s Next Step and when we found out they were opening up another stand because so many people had bought tickets I was over the moon.

"It's Northampton at its best, Northamptonon people supporting a local charity and it just makes you feel very good that you can do something and give somehtng back.”

Alan of course grew up in Northampton and his parents still live in the area, so he's often in town to visit his family.

"I stay in mum and dad's spare room, they’ve taken the posters of Madonna and Prince down," said Alan.

“My brother still lives here, my mum and dad still live here so I'm usually up here once a month having a Sunday roast and taking my nephew and niece out.

"It’s not like a big come back for me, I’m always up here.”

Temperatures are starting to hot up already with predicted highs of 23C by Thursday, according to BBC forecasters.

The sunshine is set to stay well into next week with average temperatures sitting at between 17-19C.

The Met Office outlook for Wednesday - Friday states: "Cloud soon breaking, leaving a mainly dry day with sunny spells and light winds. Dry and increasingly warm through Thursday and Friday with long periods of sunshine."

Disney Pixar Animations has confirmed the details of Toy Story 4’s release.

The adventures of Woody and Buzz will be back on the big screen on June 21 2019, a year later than originally planned.

Pixar had intended for the film to be released in summer 2018 but the sequel to The Incredibles took the spot and Toy Story moved to 2019.

The fourth installment of the franchise comes more than two decades after the original Toy Story, which was released in 1995.

Few details of the film have been released, but it has been marred in controversy after creative differences at Pixar.

Rashida Jones and her writing partner Will McCormack were originally meant to be behind the film.

They quit the animations company in November 2017, saying there was a lack of prominence for women and people of colour in the creative process.

“We parted ways because of creative and, more importantly, philosophical differences,” the pair said in a statement. “There is so much talent at Pixar, and we remain enormous fans of their films. However, it is also a culture where women and people of color do not have an equal creative voice.”

If you can’t wait over a year until the next film, then Toy Story Land at Walt Disney World in Florida is set to open on 30 June this year.

Visitors to Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will feel as though they are setting foot in Andy’s garden.

Oversized versions of Woody, Buzz, Jessie and Slinky Dog will welcome fans of the film franchise. There will also be giant building blocks, game board pieces and more in the 11-acre expansion.

Toy Story Land will include two all-new attractions and one expanded favorite.

The main attraction is Slinky Dog Dash, a family rollercoaster inspired by the pooch spinoff of Slinky, the 1950s classic toy. Riders will zip around and above Toy Story Land, serving up panoramic views of the land.

Andy’s colourful creation will stretch Slinky Dog and his coils to the max – from his head to his upturned tail.

British Gas is set to increase bills by £60 a year hitting 4.1 million dual fuel customers.

The 5.5 per cent increase will affect both energy and gas bills and affect customers on the standard variable tariff (SVT).

The price increases will see a typical dual fuel customer annual bill rise by £60 to £1,161 – £30 for gas and £30 for electricity.

The price hike will come into force from 29 May 2018.

In a statement released by Centrica, the parent organisation of British Gas, credited the price increase to rising wholesale and policy costs which they said is beyond their control.

Mark Hodges, CEO, Centrica Consumer said: “We fully understand that any price increase adds extra pressure on customers’ household bills.

“We stopped selling the SVT, which has no end date, on 31 March so it’s no longer available to new customers. We are also encouraging our existing customers on this tariff to choose one of our new fixed-term deals. And by the end of 2018 we hope over 1 million more customers will have chosen to move onto one of these alternative deals.”

The price increase will not affect the 3.7 million customers on fixed-term contracts, prepayment meters and vulnerable customers.