With March just around the corner and the Christmas holidays now a distant memory, a prolonged break from work may seem like just wishful thinking.

But, due to the fortunate timing of Easter this year, there’s an ingenious way to enjoy an incredible 18 days off without using all your annual leave.

With Good Friday falling on Friday, April 14, most workers will be entitled to a glorious four-day weekend before returning to the office on Tuesday, April 18.

So, in order to enjoy 18 days off, workers should hand in their holidays forms on this Tuesday requesting just NINE days off.

Workers then won’t return back to work until Tuesday, May 2, thus taking advantage of the May bank holiday.

This means the standard employee will have capitalised on three bank holidays within a nine-day working calendar having used less than half of their holiday quota.

The unexpected perk comes as an added benefit of Easter having no fixed date, instead being based on the lunar calendar.

Easter feast is scheduled to fall on the Sunday that follows the full moon on or after March 21, known as the Spring Equinox.

This decision was first made by the Council of Nicaea in 325AD which also decided that Easter should always fall on a Sunday to represent the day of Christ’s Resurrection.

The next time workers can take advantage of this prolonged break will be in 2019 when Good Friday falls on April 19.

Raising the legal age of smoking to 21 or even would dramatically slash the numbers of teenagers taking up the deadly habit, researchers said.

Until 2007 British teenagers could buy cigarettes and tobacco when aged 16 but in that year this was increased to 18.

But Canadian scientists said raising it to 21 would see a quarter less smokers and urged lawmakers to change the rules to stop needless deaths and illnesses.

The call was made as new guidelines were introduced to help children as young as five quit by encouraging family doctors to take a more active role.

Nearly a fifth - 18 per cent - of children aged 11 to 18 had tried smoking but those experimenting increases with age.

Only three per cent of 11-year-old tried smoking but over a third - 36 per cent - of those aged 17 to 18 had.

And nine out of ten current smokers said they had tried smoking before they were 18.

Assistant Professor Dr John Oyston at the University of Toronto and Scarborough Rouge Hospital pointed out as the dangers of tobacco has become known, cigarette advertising and smoking in public places has been banned.

He said: “Now that we know that the addictive substance nicotine is a neurotoxin

that damages the developing brain, from foetal life to young adulthood, a new measure is needed to protect young people from tobacco.

“Increasing the minimum legal age for access to tobacco products to 21 or even 25 years would reduce smoking initiation substantially, reduce the prevalence of smoking, improve health across the lifespan, improve the outcome of many teenage pregnancies and save lives.”

He said if a man has never smoked by age 18, the odds are three-to-one he never will and by 24 the odds are twenty-to-one.

But he added: “Teenagers typically exhibit risk-taking behaviour because the prefrontal cortex, needed for planning and impulse control, does not fully mature until about age 25 years.”

Currently 201 000 teenagers aged 15 to 19 years smoke and three quarters will continue as adults.

Yet the earlier a child starts, the more they smoke over a longer period and find to hard to stub out the habit.

Half of those will die early because of smoking.

He noted when Needham in Massachusetts raised the legal age to 21, smoking rates declined 47 per cent in high schools students.

In Canada the federal minimum age is 18 but in the six Canadian provinces where it was raised to 19, the numbers of smokers reduced from 14.8 per cent to 11.7 per cent.

Critics of changing the law argue underage smokers do so before they can legally buy tobacco products but he said many get them from older friends or siblings.

Raising the age limit will stop these older smokers buying them legally.

Others argue 18-year-olds are adults and can enlist in the armed forces but he countered “smoking is more deadly” and serving Queen and country “has benefits both to the individual and to society.

“Smoking benefits no one.

“As physicians, we should spare no effort in preventing young people from starting to smoke.

“Eighteen or 19 is too young to be allowed legal access to an addictive and carcinogenic product that can never be used safely.

“Raising the minimum legal age for access to tobacco is a scientifically proven, legally and politically feasible, quick, cheap and effective way to deprive the tobacco industry of recruiting a new generation of young people as their customers.”

Dr Brett Thombs, chair of the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care which issued its first ever guideline said GPs need to intervene earlier to nip teen smoking in the bud.

Smoking by children and teenagers “is a potentially reversible driver of disease in adulthood” so doctors should question children and parents about their smoking.

He said: “The evidence suggests that low-intensity behavioural interventions based on providing brief information and advice may help to prevent and treat tobacco smoking among children and youth.

“The task force therefore recommends that primary care practitioners consider offering such interventions to children and youth aged five to 18 years.”

The guidelines and commentary were published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Jim Mallinder heaped praise on 'superb' Stephen Myler after Saints' 32-12 win at Sale on Friday night.

Myler kicked 12 points in a bonus-point Aviva Premiership success at the AJ Bell Stadium.

But it wasn't just his kicking that caught the eye, with the all round game of the Saints fly-half putting Sale under pressure.

Myler set up the fourth try with a clever inside pass to Ethan Waller, capping an impressive display.

And Mallinder said: "He was superb.

"Some of his kicks for touch were very, very accurate. He was brave with his kicks and gave us direction.

"In conditions like the ones we played in, it is hard to go through lots of phases with the ball so the kicking game is very important.

"You need a 10 like that who can just guide you around the field."

It has been well documented that Saints have been hunting a new 10 for next season as they seek to replace Munster-bound JJ Hanrahan.

But Myler, who moved to Saints from rugby league side Salford City Reds in 2006, continues to show he is worthy of holding on to the 10 shirt.

"He's a good player and that's why he's been here for 10 years and played so many games," Mallinder said.

"I guess he doesn't get as much credit as he should do because he has been very reliable and he has been a big part of our success over the past few years."

There is still a lot of work to be done, of course there is, but Saturday's win over Charlton Athletic was a hugely encouraging one for the Cobblers.

The midweek defeat against Oldham Athletic had set the alarm bells ringing, and not just because Town lost the game to slip to within four points of the relegation zone.

No, the alarm bells were ringing because for most of the second half, the Cobblers slipped into their timid, shoulder-shrugging, introspective, heads down and navel gaxing shell that had been a feature of the final couple of months of Rob Page's reign.

And a hungry Oldham team took full advantage.

The momentum built by three straight home wins under Justin Edinburgh and some encouraging away performances had, in the space of about 30 pretty inept Sixfields minutes, seemingly been stopped in its tracks.

Many fans were fearing the worst, and there was more than a hint of doom and gloom in the stands and on social media, but thankfully the Town manager and his players just looked inwards for the answers, and came up with a hugely improved performance against the Addicks.

Tuesday's loss was a sobering experience, and although the weekend win doesn't mean Town fans can start popping the Champagne corks just yet, they can probably stick a few bottles in the fridge to chill.

The victory over Charlton means the Cobblers have won four of their past five home games in Sky Bet League One, a haul of 12 points out of a possible 15, and if they can continue that sort of form over the final couple of months of the season, then safety will be assured, regardless what happens on the road.

From the first day Edinburgh took the Town job, he has outlined how important it is to get the home form sorted, he said he wanted to make Sixfelds a fortress.

Such statements always comes across as a bit of a cliche, but they are cliches for a reason, and Edinburgh has at least followed up his positive soundbites with results, and hard, solid points.

Of the four wins he has overseen as Cobblers boss, Saturday's was arguably the most impressive.

The pressure was on, Town knew they had to win, and they responded with a solid and controlled performance against a Charlton side that is currently performing well below the sum of their parts.

Edinburgh made changes, recalling Marc Richards and Luke Williams, while Aaron Phillips was also back in the frame due to the fact Neal Eardley missed the game due to his partner giving birth.

Hiram Boateng was the unfortunate loanee to miss out, as only five are allowed in a match day squad.

The diamond formation was jettisoned, and Town played a traditional 4-4-2, with Matt Taylor and John-Joe O'Toole in the centre, flanked by Williams on the right and Gregg Wylde on the left.

It was back to basics stuff.

Everybody knew their job, the team looked much more solid as a result, and enjoyied plenty of possession.

And when you have footballers such as Williams, Taylor and O'Toole in your ranks then possession will lead to chances created, and it did.

The first goal from Michael Smith was a thing of beauty, a brilliant header from an even better cross from Phillips, who did superbly to chase down the ball on the right wing before it went out and then whip in the centre.

Slack marking and soft defending from a corner, so often a problem for the Cobblers this season and still a cause for concern, led to Charlton's equaliser, but it was Town who were to shine in the second half.

The Addicks, with former Cobblers hero Ricky Holmes a constant threat, prompting and probing but ultimately shackled by Dave Buchanan, were reduced to long-range pot shots as Town controlled things after O'Toole's 61st minute strike put them in front, Phillips again the main provider.

This wasn't a perfect performance, of course it wasn't, but it was still a good one.

Town now move on to 43 points, seven points clear of the bottom four, and with 10 games remaining this season are three wins, or two wins and a couple of draws, away from securing their league one status for another season.

That is not a foregone conclusion by any means with the fixture list the Cobblers face in the next eight weeks, starting at AFC Wimbledon next Saturday, but their destiny is in their own hands.

And if Town continue to enjoy their home comforts as they have done in the past few weeks, safety should be assured - and sooner, rather than later.

Player ratings

Adam Smith - made a few routine saves, and blocked the initial shot before Charlton scored, but wasn't overly tested if truth be told. Steady - 6

Aaron Phillips - for a man that hasn't played since January 2, and was only told he was in the team on the eve of the match, Phillips produced an outstanding performance. His cross for the first goal was perfect, and he helped create the second too - CHRON STAR MAN 8

Gaby Zakuani - his afternoon was ended after just 20 minutes when he injured his hamstring colliding with Adam Smith after a communication mix-up. Hopefully it's not too serious - 5

Lewin Nyatanga - Charlton's goal aside, Nyatanga was part of a much more solid defensive performance from the Cobblers. Very steady and worked well with Diamond when the Scotsman came on - 7

Dave Buchanan - knew he was in for a testing afternoon against his old pal Ricky Holmes, and he rose to the occasion magnificently. This was the Buchs of old, and he will have loved every minute of it - 8

Luke Williams - was comfortable in possession, and gave the Cobblers team a different dimension they have been missing. His cool head and patience when gifted the ball by a slack Charlton pass led to the winning goal - 7

Matt Taylor - playing in a traditional 4-4-2 alongside John-Joe O-Toole, Taylor looked much more at home than when the team utlilises the diamond formation. His discipline allowed O'Toole to get forward - 7

John-Joe O'Toole - it's just my opinion, but I feel O'Toole is now playing better than he did at any point last season. A real powerhouse in midfield, he gets his tackles in, wins his headers, keeps possession, and scores goals, including the crucial winner here with an emphatic finish. An inspirational figure - 8

Gregg Wylde - this was an afternoon to forget for Wylde when it comes to productivity with the ball at his feet. But to his credit, he always made himself available and worked hard throughout. Felt he could have attacked his man more rather than passing inside - 6

Michael Smith - there has never been any questioning Smith's work-rate and all-round contribution to the team, all that was lacking was goals. Well, his classic header on Saturday from Phillips' brilliant cross was from the top drawer. And he worked even harder for the team after it - 8

Marc Richards - the Cobblers skipper didn't get a sniff of goal in this game, but never stopped working and hassling the Charlton defence. Along with Smith, he was Town's first line of defence and set the tempo for his team - 7

Substitutes

Zander Diamond (for Zakuani, 22 mins) - dropped for the Oldham game, Diamond was called into the action halfway through the first half due to Zakuani's unfortunate injury, and proceeded to give a near faultless display. He has been one of the Cobblers' best players this season, and he was back to his best here - 7

Paul Anderson (for Williams, 68 mins) - 6

Jak McCourt (for Wylde, 80 mins) - 6

Not used: K Anderson, Cornell, Moloney, Beautyman

Boss Justin Edinburgh says he is hoping top scorer John-Joe O'Toole will agree a new deal to to stay at the Cobblers for 'seasons to come'.

The 12-goal midfielder was Town's match winner in Saturday's crucial 2-1 victory over Charlton Athletic, drilling home from 16 yards to secure the win that has lifted the Cobblers up to 15th and seven points clear of the Sky Bet League One relegation zone.

O'Toole has now scored seven goals in the past seven Town games, and matched his goal tally from the Cobblers' league two title-winning campaign with 10 games still to play.

The 28-year-old, who has been in brilliant form since Edinburgh took over as boss from Rob Page, is out of contract at the end of the current campaign, three years after he signed from Bristol Rovers.

Edinburgh has already stated his intention to be 'pro-active' and get the futures of the club's out-of-contract players sorted as quickly as he can, and near the top of the list will surely be getting O'Toole to extend his Sixfields stay.

"I am delighted with him, and the really pleasing thing for me since working with John-Joe is just his all-round play," said the Cobblers boss.

"In the midfield, along with Matty Taylor, he really controlled the game, and I think he is getting stronger with every game as the season goes on.

"I am sure he is really enjoying his time here, and hopefully we can make sure we can keep him here for a few further seasons to come."

The Cobblers boss was in an upbeat mood following the win over Karl Robinson's side, and admitted it was crucial his team got quickly back on track after their defeat against Oldham in midweek.

Edinburgh admitted the loss to the Latics had hit everybody at the club hard, but he was delighted with the response.

"For all of our good work prior to Tuesday's defeat, we realise that if you don't get to the standards that you are used to, then that is what can happen," said the Town manager.

"For all of the steps we had made forward, I think being at home, losing to Oldham, it really did have a negative effect on the players, on the crowd, and on ourselves.

"But we have regrouped, and credit to the players because they have delivered in a big pressure game.

"We were below par on Tuesday compared to the level we have been at and what we expect of ourselves, but we got back to that intensity and competitiveness on Saturday.

"I think we were well worthy of the points. We didn't have a lot of other chances, but we really restricted them to very little on the day.

"It was a really positive performance, and a great result."

Ben Foden has been impressed with how Saints have handled the past couple of weeks.

Jim Mallinder's men have been without their Six Nations stars as well as a host of other first-team players.

They were missing four centres at Sale last Friday night, with Luther Burrell, George Pisi, JJ Hanrahan and Tom Stephenson not available.

Burrell, Pisi and Stephenson have been back in training of late, but the Sale game came too soon.

Nevertheless, Saints still managed to secure an impressive 32-12 Aviva Premiership win, their second in succession.

And they did it without influential lock Christian Day, who was ruled out, with James Craig stepping in to help ensure the set piece functioned superbly.

"Strengthening the squad was one of the big things for us and I think we've done that," said Foden, who has been skippering Saints in the absence of England flanker Tom Wood.

"Some of our results haven't really shown it, but we've got good strength in depth.

"Having someone like James Craig coming in and running the lineout with Christian Day out shows the quality of the guy and the lineout ran really well.

"We've got big players missing, but we've moved a few guys around and Nafi (Tuitavake) coming in at 13 has been a revelation.

"Me moving to the wing has allowed Ace (Ahsee Tuala) the freedom at full-back and it's worked well.

"We've had to change a few things and it helps having guys like Tei (Harrison) and Hilly (Paul Hill) coming back and putting in the shifts they do.

"You look at our squad and that's why we're so disappointed with how the season's gone so far because we feel we're a top-four side and we should be challenging for silverware."

Defender Lewin Nyatanga was delighted and relieved to help the Cobblers to their crucial win over Charlton on Saturday - but warned there are still going to be ‘twists and turns’ this season.

The Barnsley loan man helped Town see off the Addicks to move up to 15th in Sky Bet League One, and seven points clear of the bottom four with just 10 games of the campaign remaining.

It is a very handy cushion to have at this stage of the season, but Nyatanga says he and his team-mates won’t be taking anything for granted.

Saturday’s was a much-needed win for the Cobblers off the back of last Tuesday’s disappointing 2-1 home loss to Oldham, and Nyatanga says the secret for safety is going to be keeping a level head.

“The result against Oldham on Tuesday wasn’t good, while the result on Saturday was very good, but you can’t get ahead of yourself either way,” said the former Wales international.

“You have to stay neutral and keep on working.

“There are things we can improve on from Saturday, we know that, and we now look to build on the win.

“Over the remainder of the season there are going to be many twists and turns along the way I am sure, but the main thing is we can win a few games.

“Everybody loves football because of those twists and turns, and the goal is to win as many games as we can, but League football is not easy.”

And he added: “Our home form had been good against the likes of Chesterfield and Swindon, but then we slipped up the other night against Oldham, and we weren’t happy with that, so it is good to get the win.

“I felt we dug in against Charlton, but showed a bit of quality as well and we are pleased that we have got the three points.

“I think we have always kept a level head, even when the results have gone against us, and we know our destiny is in our own hands and that is the most important thing.

“There are many games left, still many points on the board to play for, and we need to stay positive, stick together and try and build on this win.”

A haul of 51 points is seen by many observers being the ‘magic number’ to secure safety, which means Town need another three wins, or a couple of wins an a couple of draws to stay up, but Nyatanga isn’t going to start worrying where those points can be picked up.

He’s just concentrating on trying to win every game the Cobblers play.

“To be honest, I think everybody is focused on winning and getting into a winning habit,” said the 28-year-old, who is on loan until the end of the season.

“If we do that then everything will take care of itself.”

The Cobblers have a free week before travelling to AFC Wimbledon on Saturday, and then hosting relegation-haunted Port Vale at Sixfields next Tuesday.

The following people were sentenced at Northampton Magistrates’ Court:

JANUARY 13

Jamie Cooke, aged 32, of no fixed abode, assault; jailed for four weeks, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £115.

Hydar Ali, aged 35, of Little Greeve Way, Wootton, non-payment of a fine of £657; court order made.

Emma Barrett, aged 42, of Romany Road, Northampton, non-payment of a fine of £686; court order made.

Paul Starling, aged 41, of no fixed abode, stole Christmas presents worth £210; jailed for 12 weeks concurrent suspended for 12 months, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £115 and compensation of £210. Failed to surrender to custody; jailed for 12 weeks concurrent suspended for 12 months. Commission of further offences while on a community order; dealt with original offences as follows. Stole electric toothbrushes and epilators worth £1,169 belonging to Boots; jailed for 12 weeks concurrent suspended for 12 months. Stole electric toothbrushes worth £348; jailed for 12 weeks concurrent suspended for 12 months. Stole a flat television screen worth £160 from Sainsbury’s; jailed for 12 weeks concurrent suspended for 12 months. Stole a Sony Bravia television worth £280 belonging to Sainsbury’s; jailed for 12 weeks concurrent suspended for 12 months. Failed to surrender to custody; jailed for 12 weeks concurrent suspended for 12 months. Stole electrical goods worth £450; jailed for 12 weeks concurrent suspended for 12 months.

JANUARY 16

Valbona Berisha, aged 40, of Warren Road, Northampton, assault; fined £150, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £30, compensation of £50 and costs of £85.

Melanie Hinds, aged 19, of Verdant Vale, Northampton, assault; jailed for 12 weeks suspended for 18 months, ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £115, compensation of £100 and costs of £775. Assault; jailed for 12 weeks consecutive, ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work. Damaged a shirt worth £20; no separate penalty.

Christopher Court, aged 22, of Overslade Close, Northampton, stole various goods worth £141.51 belonging to Tesco; community order made, ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and pay compensation of £200. Failed to surrender to custody; community order made to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work. Stole various items worth £194.89 belonging to TK Maxx; community order made to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £85 and costs of £460.

Mark Hardcastle, aged 32, of Brookside Meadows, Northampton, non-payment of a fine of £811; further time ordered to pay.

Matthew Johnson, aged 37, of Hastings Road, Kingsthorpe, non-payment of a fine of £252; court order made.

Corelia Smith, aged 40, of Longmead Court, Northampton, non-payment of a fine of £235; court order made.

Seth Langford, aged 35, of Webb Drive, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 93mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; community order made to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £84 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 48 months.

Robert Moisa, aged 27, of Hampton Street, Northampton, failed to supply a breath test; fined £200, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £30 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 20 months.

Harry Moore, aged 22, of Burcote Fields, Towcester, dangerous driving; community order made to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £85 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 12 months.

Melanie Baylis, aged 40, of Cross Lane, Braunston, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 68mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; fined £500, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £30 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 18 months.

Sean Garner, aged 30, of Sidebrook Court, Northampton, drunk and disorderly; fined £35, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £30 and costs of £85. Commission of a further offence while on a conditional discharge order for being drunk and disorderly; no adjudication, dealt with original offence and fined £35.

Jasbir Gill, aged 58, of Hampton Street, Northampton, possession of cannabis; conditional discharge for 12 months, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £20.

Tadas Puteikis, aged 28, of Alcombe Road, Northamtpon, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 71mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; fined £400, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £40 and costs of £85, banned from driving for three years. No insurance; fined £400.

JANUARY 17

Stephen Pemberton, aged 51, of Rothersthorpe Road, Northampton, possession of a class A drug; fined £120, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £30 and costs of £85.

Constantine Brown, aged 52, of Magee Street, Northampton, disclosed a private photograph of a sexual nature of someone without consent; jailed for 12 weeks, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £115 and costs of £85. Similar charge; jailed for 12 weeks consecutive.

Christopher Lewis, aged 42, of Lincoln Way, Daventry, non-payment of a fine of £2,110; further time ordered to pay.

Samantha Mutch, aged 29, of Park Drive, Northampton, non-payment of fine of £178.56; further time ordered to pay.

JANUARY 18

Luke Panter, aged 35, of Danefield Road, Northampton, damaged a fence and a car; fined £80, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £30 and costs of £85.

Gary Brown, aged 44, of St Leonard’s Road, Northampton, non-payment of a fine of £2,673; further time ordered to pay.

Sultana Parul, aged 46, of Military Road, Northampton, non-payment of a fine of £861; further time ordered to pay.

Adam Tiwary, aged 34, of Wake Way, Grange Park, Northampton, non-payment of a fine of £1,900; further time ordered to pay.

Jamie Fowkes, aged 44, of Gloucester Crescent, Northampton, failed to comply with a court order; conditional discharge for 12 months, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £20.

William Watts, aged 22, of Pyramid Close, Northampton, failed to comply with a community order; suspended sentence of 25 weeks imposed, ordered to carry out 137 hours of unpaid work and pay costs of £50.

JANUARY 19

Tekin Kaygusuz, aged 30, of Merlin Grove, Northampton, three charges relating to indecent images of children, one charge of possessing extreme pornography involving a human and an animal; pleaded guilty, sent to Northampton Crown Court for sentence.

Denis-Alexandru Evu, aged 25, of Kingsthorpe Grove, Northampton, assault; fined £200, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £30 and compensation of £100 and costs of £85.

Adam Shamsi, aged 25, of no fixed abode, possession of cannabis; fined £233. Assault; fined £408, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £40, compensation of £40 and costs of £85. Damaged a wall; fined £233 and compensation of £50.

Ashley Willmott, aged 46, of Stanley Street, Northampton, stole four Lacoste fragrances worth £140 belonging to Debenhams; jailed for four weeks consecutive, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £115. Commission of a further offence while on a community order; no adjudication, dealt with original offence. Stole 11 ready meals worth £38.58; suspended sentence of 16 weeks in jail implemented. Stole nine bottles of Persil washing liquid; suspended sentence of 16 weeks suspended for 24 months imposed. Stole meat worth £24.10 from Waitrose; suspended sentence of 16 weeks in jail imposed Stole hair straighteners worth £40 belonging to Boots The Chemist; suspended sentences of 16 weeks in prison imposed. Stole alcohol worth £76 belonging to Waitrose; suspended sentence of 16 weeks suspended for 24 weeks imposed. Stole meat worth £38.36 from the Co-Op; suspended sentence of 16 weeks suspended for 24 months imposed. Theft of meat worth £24 belonging to BP Express; suspended sentence of 16 weeks in prison imposed. Theft of two Shopkin products worth £9.98 belonging to Toys R Us; suspended sentence of 16 weeks in prison imposed. Stole meat worth £8; suspended sentence of 16 weeks in jail imposed. Stole meat worth £12 from BP Garage; suspended sentence of 16 weeks in jail imposed. Stole meat worth £12.50 belonging to Sainsbury’s; suspended sentence of 16 weeks in prison imposed. Stole meat and cheese worth £80 belonging to Co-Op; suspended sentence of 16 weeks in prison imposed. Failed to surrender to custody; suspended sentence of 16 weeks in prison imposed. Stole two Dremel 200 multi-tools worth £70 belonging to B& Q; suspended sentence of 16 in prison imposed. Overall length of sentence, 20 weeks.

Nozrul Hoque, aged 42, of St Paul’s Road, Northampton, used threatening or abusive words or behaviour; fined £100, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £30.

Kyle Linnell, aged 19, of Emerald Way, Northampton, had a kitchen knife in a public place without good authority; pleaded guilty and sent to Northampton Crown Court for sentence.

Gints Mikelsons, aged 31, of Austin Street, Northampton, assault; jailed for 28 days, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £115.

Sarah Bruton, aged 32, of Billing Road, Northampton, assault; ordered to pay compensation of £100. Assault; ordered to pay compensation of £100. Assault; ordered to pay compensation of £75.

Christopher Duke, aged 30, of Harefield, Grange Park, Northampton, stole two sandwiches worth £6.40 belonging to Upton Way Filling Station; fined £80, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £30 and compensation of £6.40 and costs of £85.

Clifford Harding, aged 57, of Stevensons Close, Hyde Close, Roade, assault; conditional discharge for six months, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £20.

George Murray, aged 45, of no fixed abode, begging in Abington Street; fined £30, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £30 and costs of £40.

Leanne Reeve, aged 51, of Braunston, assaulted a police officer; jailed for four weeks suspended for 12 months, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £115, compensation of £50 and costs of £360. Assaulted another police officer; jailed for four weeks consecutive suspended for 12 months, ordered to pay compensation of £50. Commission of a further offence while on a conditional discharge; no adjudication, dealt with original offence - assault; jailed for four weeks consecutive suspended for 12 months. Overall length of sentence, 12 weeks.

Laurentin Balanca, aged 21, of St Michael’s Mount, Northampton, stole a driving licence and European health insurance card; fined £100. No insurance; fined £200, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Lorna Garratt, aged 45, of Braemar Crescent, East Hunsbury, assaulted a police officer; jailed for eight weeks suspended for 12 months, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £115, compensation of £50 and costs of £40.

JANUARY 20

Sergiu Ginju, aged 37, of The Grange, Daventry, driving without due care and attention; fined £120, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with four points.

Ondrej Guzik, aged 32, of Dychurch Lane, Northampton, driving at 108mph in a 70mph zone; fined £233, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £30 and costs of £85, banned from driving for 14 days.

Kane Brown, aged 42, c/o Wakefield Road, Kingsthorpe, Northampton, driving at 35mph in a 30mph zone; fined £100, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £30 and costs of £45, licence endorsed with three points.

Adam Clayton, aged 30, of Abbey Road, Northampton, driving without due care and attention; fined £440. No insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points. No test certificate; no separate penalty.

Connor Harrold, aged 20, of Pembroke Road, Northampton, driving not in accordance with a licence fined £220. No insurance; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £66 and costs of £85, banned from driving for six months.

Sharon McCahill, aged 37, of Rickyard Road, Northampton, failed to give information relating to the identity of a driver alleged to have committed an offence; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Eileen McCann, aged 21, of Celeborn Place, Northampton, failed to give information relating to the identity of a driver alleged to have committed an offence; fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £66 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Leon Samm, aged 22, of West Mead Court, Northampton, failed to give information relating to the identity of a driver; fined £300, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £30 and costs of £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Deivydas Simanauskas, aged 24, of Overstone Road, Northampton, no insurance; fined £320, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services for £32 and costs of £85, banned from driving for six months. No test certificate; no separate penalty.

A bird flu panic has seen free-range eggs temporarily lose their status after hens were brought indoors.

The birds have been kept in barns since December following government orders put in place to stop the spread of the disease.

However, EU regulations state that if birds have been kept indoors for more than 12 weeks their eggs cannot be classed as free range.

To qualify as free-range,there must be unlimited daytime access to ‘runs’ with vegetation and at least 4 sq m of outside space per hen.

Usually there are four different types of eggs on sale in the UK - free-range, organic, barn-reared, and caged.

Although there is no risk to consumers, and the relabelled eggs will still taste, look and cost the same, bird flu can wipe out entire flocks - hence the ‘curfew’ on the poultry.

Existing free-range egg cartons have been stickered with the advice “Laid by hens temporarily housed in barns for their welfare”.

“The need to change labelling of free-range egg packs after 12 weeks is an EU requirement,” Mark Williams of the British Egg Industry Council told the BBC.

“However, these are all still free-range hens, but some are temporarily housed to protect them from bird flu.”

Salespeople, spreadsheet jockeys and, er, journalists will be the first jobs to hit the scrapheap due to advances in technology, according to a leading technology expert.

47 per cent of jobs in the USA could be automated within the next twenty years, an Oxford University study found.

And Shelly Palmer, named as one of LinkedIn’s Top 10 Voices of Technology, predicts that white-collar jobs will be the first to welcome our new robot overlords.

Top of the android hit-list is ‘middle-management’ - no-one’s quite sure what this job title entails, but if it involves putting numbers into an Excel then, as you can imagine, a computer could make a pretty good stab at it.

Accountancy is also in the firing line - though while manipulating numbers is a breeze for silicon semi-humans, quite how far the ethics of creatively massaging figures go is unclear. Certainly Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics never mentioned ‘cooking the books’.

Sales jobs under threat

Salespeople - of adverts, supplies etc - are also in the firing line, possibly involving laser beams. If you basically refer to a database which contains specifications, price and stock levels then, again, you’re not doing anything that a smart spreadsheet couldn’t. Though special dispensation may be made for negotiators and those with the gift of the gab - as Palmer puts it, “selling dreams and magic”.

The most unlikely job type to be replaced by unthinking, uncaring and emotion-free workers is surely that of writers - journalists, authors and ever announcers. Perhaps not (yet) skilled at producing great works of literature, machines can however be taught to read data as well as utilise text-to-speech systems, pattern-match images or video, and distil research materials into readable reports. Indeed, some media outlets already use automated systems to generate those minute-by-minute sports reports so popular on the web.

Medical advancements

Perhaps most scary, but also most useful, is the prospect of medical matters being taken over by machines. With the world’s population increasing seemingly exponentially, as Palmer says: “If everyone who ever wanted to be a doctor became one, we still would not have enough doctors.

So your local MD is unlikely to lose their job, but computers can accurately diagnose illnesses based on data analysis, and offer ultra-precise surgical skills for everything from knee surgery to vision correction.

Many professions at risk

And it’s not just the jobs mentioned that are under threat. A US government report stated: “There is an 83% chance that workers who earn $20 an hour or less could have their jobs replaced by robots in the next five years. Those in the $40 an hour pay range face a 31% chance of having their jobs taken over by the machines.”

However, Palmer offers some comfort: “First, technological progress is neither good nor bad; it just is. There’s no point in worrying about it, and there is certainly no point trying to add some narrative about the “good ol’ days.” It won’t help anyone. The good news is that we know what’s coming. All we have to do is adapt.”

Supermarket giant Tesco has recalled a children’s toy over fears that it could present a potential hazard.

The Wooden alphabet toy’s pull along cord on one batch code of the product may become frayed and unravel.

The recalled item has a batch code of 161101, which can be found on the underside of the toy.

Customers who have purchased an item from the recalled batch are advised to return the affected product to store where a full refund will be given - no receipt is required.

Further details can be obtained from Tesco Customer Services department on:

UK: 0800 505 555

Manager Justin Edinburgh praised 'relentless' Cobblers defender Dave Buchanan after the left-back came out on his top in his battle with his old pal Ricky Holmes.

Former Town star Holmes was singled out as the Addicks' dangerman ahead of the teams meeting at Sixfields on Saturday, but he got little change out of the Cobblers left-back.

Buchanan was a team-mate of Holmes for 12 months, and after many, many hours of watching him in matches and coming up against him in training, he clearly knew exactly how to keep his old mate quiet.

Edinburgh was impressed with the 30-year-old's performance, and said: "He shackled Holmes, and was fantastic.

"It is always good to have the insight of knowing somebody very well, and Buchs never gave him a kick. He was back to his real best."

Saturday's clash against Charlton was Buchanan's 98th consecutive start for the Cobblers, the defender not having missed a game in any competition since signing from Preston North End in the summer of 2015.

He is set to rack up 100 straight games in next Tuesday's Sixfields clash with Port Vale, and Edinburgh paid tribute to the player.

"He is a phenomenal pro," said the Cobblers boss.

He is relentless, always pushing himself and the team, and I am delighted to have him at the football club."

On a day of many positives for the Cobblers, another was Michael Smith scoring his first goal for the club.

he striker, who is on loan from Portsmouth, scored for the first time in 15 matches and for the first time since November 26 when he superbly headed home Aaron Phillips' delicious cross for the opening goal at Sixfields.

"I am so pleased for Smudge getting that goal," said Edinburgh.

"His performances in games have been really good, he works tirelessly, his hold up play is good, and he is always a threat in behind. The way he finished his header was brilliant.

So does he think the 25-year-old can now go a bit of a scoring run for the Cobblers?

"We always think that of strikers," said the Town boss. "He is capable, and has done it before at this level, and there is nothing stopping him doing it again."

The Cobblers have a free week before they travel to AFC Wimbledon on Saturday.

Player of the year John-Joe O’Toole has expressed his desire to extend his stay at the Cobblers.

But Town’s 12-goal top-scorer says the decision is not entirely down to him, and that he has to keep his ‘options open’.

The three-year contract O’Toole signed in the summer of 2014 runs out at the end of this season, when the 28-year-old will become a free agent.

Cobblers boss Justin Edinburgh went on record at the weekend to say he wants to keep the player at the club for ‘seasons to come’, and O’Toole says he is also open to signing a new deal.

But nothing has been sorted out as yet, with Edinburgh, O’Toole and the rest of the Cobblers team concentrating on securing the club’s Sky Bet League One future, although the Town manager has said he will be ‘pro-active’ in trying to get players’ futures sorted as quickly as possible.

O’Toole has been in fantastic form since the turn of the year, and on Saturday scored the crucial winning goal in the 2-1 victory over Charlton Athletic at Sixfields, his seventh goal in his past seven games.

Asked afterwards if he wanted to agree a new deal and stay at Sixfields, the former Bristol Rovers man said: “I always try and like to keep my options open, but with the way things are going I don’t see why not.

“It is obviously not all in my hands, and it is about what the manager wants, and what the chairman (Kelvin Thomas) wants, so I will have to see.

“But I don’t see why not.

“I get on well with the fans, and with the new manager coming in things are looking up.”

O’Toole is one of a clutch of current Cobblers first team regulars who are out of contract at the end of the season.

The others are goalkeeper Adam Smith, full-back Neal Eardley, central defender Zander Diamond and striker and captain Marc Richards, and O’Toole admits it is never an ideal situation for any player to be in.

“It can be a difficult time,” said the former Watford and Colchester United man.

“I have had a lot harder times when you are coming to the end of your contract and are struggling.

“You might not be playing as much as you want, but at least here I am playing and I have that as a positive, for people to look at you and whatever, but it can be really hard for some players.

“Luckily I am not going through that at the minute, but there is still uncertainty and you want your future secured.”

Saturday’s match against Charlton was O’Toole’s 100th start for the Cobblers, and he has also made 23 appearances from the bench, scoring 26 goals in total.

Part of the M45 in Northamptonshire is closed because of a serious collision.

The road is closed betweeen the M1 at junction 17 and the A45 near Dunchurch.

The collision happened at around 7.45am this morning and police are currently on the scene.

Those travelling around that area are being advised to follow the ‘solid black triangle’ diversion symbol and to continue along the M1 northbound until they reach junction 19.

At the junction motorists should then continue along the nearside lane onto the M6 northbound and up to junction 2.

Motorists should then exit at junction 2 and take the southbound exit onto the A46.

They should then Continue along the A46 passing through the A46/B4082 roundabout and the A46/A428 ‘Rugby Road’ roundabout to the A46/A45 Tollbar roundabout.

Those wanting travel eastbound are being advised to follow the ‘hollow black circle” diversion symbol and exit the M45/A45 Dunchurch roundabout onto the B4429 Coventry Road and to continue eastbound along the B4429 until the B4429/A45 Daventry Road roundabout.

Motorists should then take the first exit onto the A45 eastbound which goes through Willoughby and Braunston.

To re-join the M1, at the A45/A425 roundabout motorists are advised take the first exit and to continue travelling east along ‘Stefen Way’ and ‘London Road’.

Road-users should continue on the A45 through Flore and Upper Heyford to re-join the M1 at J16.

A member of the Magic Circle and the International Brotherhood of Magicians, Colin Hooton was also a member (and past president) of the Northamptonshire Magicians Club for more than 50 years and had entertained generations of local adults and children.

Since his first public show for the Wollaston and Strixton Sunday school Christmas party in 1955, through years of balloon modelling at the Chronicle & Echo’s balloon festival stand and right up to his last performance at All Hallows Church in Wellingborough just two weeks before his death, Colin put a smile on many a Northamptonshire face.

Born in Norbury, London on October 15, 1936, at the outbreak of war, he and his family returned to his father’s boyhood home of Wollaston, Northamptonshire.

Colin went on to attend Wellingborough School with his two older brothers. Every chance he got Colin was practicing magic and soon his talent started to bloom. When his National Service took him to Paris, his shows delighted fellow servicemen and Field Marshall Montgomery alike.

As well as touring the county to perform children’s magic throughout the 1960s and 70s Colin built a career in advertising. He co-founded Repete Publicity advertising agency in Wellingborough; when he used the Sex Discrimination Act to recruit an administrator he attracted national press coverage and was inundated with applicants – perfectly illustrating the power of marketing.

In the 1980s he re-focused on magic, entertaining at children’s parties, social clubs, oil companies in the Middle-East and on board cruise ships. He could even be spotted on occasion in television programmes such as Casualty, Dalziel and Pascoe and the BBC’s adaptation of Bleak House.

Colin passed away on his 80th birthday after celebrating with his two sons and their families. Neither of his sons picked up magic, but his two young grandchildren were given magic sets for Christmas. His guiding hand will be sadly missed.

Editor's note: Mr Hooton died in October 2016 and the obituary, written by the family, is published today following a request by the family.

The event, held last week on pancake day, was supporting the centre's chosen charity of the year.

Relay races between the centre management team, Cynthia Spencer Hospice and the stores throughout the shopping centre took place, with winners gaining ultimate glory, along with a goodie bag of pancake ingredients and the losers taking home their wooden spoon. Contestants had to run, flip their pancake twice and run back to their next teammates. No injuries were incurred, but a few splatted pancakes hit the floor!

A total of £178.54 was raised during the day and donated to the Cynthia Spencer Hospice, who had made a special appearance with their mascot Spencer joining in the racing fun in the morning.

Kevin Legg, centre manager at Weston Favell shopping centre, said “This was such a great event to host! It brought out the competitive side of us, but when it’s for charity, all is forgiven. Thank you to everyone who came to take part and the customers who stopped to cheer us on. Raising a little extra money for the Cynthia Spencer Hospice is always a great feeling!”

Nathan Sandhu

A survey of 2,000 ‘at home workers’ has revealed that a staggering 90 per cent admit to bunking off regularly.

Nine out of ten confessed they are regularly distracted by food, FIFA and Facebook, while working remotely.

And astonishingly, one in three work at home Brits are so slack they don’t even bother getting out of their PJs all day and just work on a laptop in bed.

With an estimated 4.2 million UK people now working out of the office, not being able to keep an eye on remote workers is becoming increasingly worrying for business owners.

Bosses would be stunned to learn that they are paying their ‘hardworking’ full-time employees for 207 hours of work per year for graft they never do - that’s an average 4.5 hours per week.

Stay-at-home snacking and surfing

The research also revealed that while employees are meant to be working, stay-at-home staff scoff snacks, watch telly, play video games and surf the net, according to the poll.

A further one in ten even admit visiting family and friends while supposedly grafting.

The survey, carried out by Printerland.co.uk, revealed that four in ten people admit to completing less work at home than what they’d usually accomplish in an office.

Almost 40 per cent of blokes squirm out of office-working by saying they can “concentrate better” at home.

Even having an office set up at home doesn’t seem to get Brits going, as 36 per cent are still doing things unrelated to their work over five times a day.

A quarter of those surveyed said they liked working from home due to the flexibility of working whenever they liked, while 20 per cent had childcare issues, which prevented them working regular hours.

Two thirds of people chose to work at home to save on commuting time and travel costs while others had sneaky plans to catch up on soaps they missed or even do a spot of knitting.

However, Entrepreneur.com listed the top homeworking benefits - from an employer’s point of view.

1. They’ll waste less time commuting.

Cutting out a commute can be both a huge morale booster and a huge time saver. Employees will also waste less money on gas or public transportation.

2. They’ll be more productive.

One Stanford study found that employees who work from home are 13 percent more productive compared with their in-office counterparts.

3. They’ll be happier.

Everyone seems to be talking about work-life balance these days, and there’s no better way to improve the work-life balance of your employees than to let them work from home.

4. It’s easier than ever.

You can be connected to the office every minute of every day if you want to, thanks to the Internet. The concept of working from home might have seemed outlandish 20 years ago, but this is the 21st century. You can find access to wifi almost anywhere, and tools like GoToMeeting and Skype make remote communication a breeze.

5. You won’t have to pay for office space.

Working from home means either no office or at the very least, a lot less office space. If you don’t want to make the switch to a completely remote environment, try staggering your employees’ work-from-home days to save on office space.

6. You won’t have to pay for office supplies.

No one likes doing bulk orders for office supplies. By having employees work from home, you can cut out a lot of these useless expenditures.

7. You won’t have to pay for office snacks.

Same goes for office snacks as office supplies. IBM has saved about $100 million annually since beginning its remote-work program.

8. No more wasting time on useless meetings.

Remember the productivity thing? Well, a lot of that comes from cutting all the useless meetings and other time wasters that are ubiquitous in an office environment.

9. You can hire the best, no matter where they are.

No office means the ability to work with anyone in the world. Freelance networks like Toptal (with its notoriously tough location-independent screening process) have capitalized on this concept by connecting top companies with the very best software developers from all around the world.

10. Your employees will be less likely to quit.

Working from home makes employees happier. Happy employees don’t quit. Simple logic.

Schools must put the mental health of their pupils at the top of their agenda, a lecturer at the University of Northampton said in a new report for the Government.

Dr Tania Hart, who specialises in mental health nursing, says pupils are suffering in silence and has issued a series of recommendations to help schools offer better support.

The report - which has been accepted and published by the Parliamentary Health Select Committee - forms part of the findings from her recently completed PhD study. Dr Hart’s research centres on the educational needs of school children experiencing mental health problems and emotional distress who, for complex reasons, often remain silent about their difficulties in the classroom and avoid seeking support.

Dr Hart said: “There are many barriers in a school environment which make these children feel isolated and excluded – for example stigma, and a limited mental health understanding from their teachers. These children are more susceptible to bullying and peer conflict. My findings have a key message; that these children do not want to stand out from the crowd or feel different from their peers.”

The report recommends a ‘whole school’ approach to mental health, where a school works to educate both pupils and staff about recognising mental health issues. She also urges Government policy makers to place an emphasis on improving teacher awareness of mental health, especially during teacher training.

“Schools need to put emotional security on their agenda,” Dr Hart added. “Every school must first create a caring and empathic, non-discriminative culture, which is aware of the importance of good mental health. Emphasis can then be placed on building stronger teacher-pupil relationships; once young people feel more emotionally and socially connected to their teachers, they will feel more able to divulge their difficulties and seek support.”

RSPCA Northamptonshire staff dressed up as Alice In Wonderland characters and opened their doors to the public in a drive to rehome the dozens of animals in their care.

Potential adopters enjoyed cake and coffee while viewing cats and rabbits in the branch's hutches and cattery.

The tea party raised £112 and saw more than 100 visitors at the centre at Mill Cottage, in Creaton Road, Brixworth.

Vicky Bayley and her son, Andrew, 10, visited the centre for tea and cake and ended up leaving with a new family pet.

Mrs Bayley said: "We're taking a playmate home for our other cat, who we also picked up from here at Christmas.It's just so nice to give them a forever home.

"We weren't expecting to take one home today either."

Andrew said: "His name is Oscar and he has a very chilled attitude and he will be good company. We think he will be a lap warmer cat."

By the end of the day, 10 cats and two rabbits had found new families.

Emma Markham, adoptions manager at the centre, said: "Today was a great success and busier than we've ever seen it. We've had people come in just for tea and cake, which is fine, but we've had some really good adoptions.

"We were hoping to reserve more rabbits just because we have so many of them. The RSPCA is looking after more than ever before and there's also a long waiting list for cats to come to our cattery.

"Thank you to everyone who came down today. It was good fun to dress up and act silly for a day."

The branch's cattery was built and opened in September 2016 after a legacy donation from a lady who sadly died.

It has twelve pens and provides 'five-star accommodation' for up to 24 cats.

Adopting an adult cat costs £70 while kittens cost £75.

Adopting a rabbit costs £45.

For more information or to enquire about adopting any animal from the RSPCA Northamptonshire Branch, email adoptions@rspca-northamptonshire.org.uk.

A business administrator voted apprentice of the year by her Northampton employer has spoken of the opportunities it has given her.

Jordan Gudgin, 25, works in business administration at Veolia at the company's Northampton branch and was picked as the firm's apprentice of the year for 2016/17.

She said she was honoured to receive the award and it had allowed her to grow professionally and personally.

"My biggest achievement has to be helping turn one of Veolia’s Commercial depots into a thriving transport hub for the region," she said.

"From the opportunity to move between different departments and various Veolia sites up and down the country. I have really experienced a lot – this diversity is something I’d recommend to anyone looking into an apprenticeship. What's next? I have just begun my Level 4 qualification through the Veolia Campus and I can’t wait to see what my future within Veolia holds.”

Estelle Brachlianoff, senior executive vice-president Veolia UK & Ireland, said apprentices were gaining the correct skills, supporting both personal and business growth.

“The latest figures show that apprentices nationwide are the most satisfied with the relevance of their training – above all other learning groups – and nearly all of the UK’s apprentices feel they’ve acquired new skills, as a direct result of their apprenticeship. This is most likely why apprenticeship participation now stands at a record level and I urge both businesses and young people to keep up this brilliant work," she added.