Police are appealing for witnesses after thieves broke into a car in Wellingborough and stole several items.
A red Renault Scenic parked in Strode Road was broken into sometime between midnight on Thursday, April 13, and 5.30am on Friday, April 14.
A police spokesman said CDs and an empty cash box were stolen.
Any witnesses or anyone with information about the incident can contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
Children from a Northamptonshire nursery have been taught a special song to help them understand how they can get in touch with emergency services.
The toddlers at the Rocking Horse Day Nursery in Greens Norton, dressed in police hats and coats, sang the 999 song to the tune of ‘If You’re Happy and You Know It’.
PCSO Charlotte Morris was delighted to see that the children knew the meaning behind the song, and that they had an understanding of which emergency service to call.
Rocking Horse Day Nursery manager Kim Espiner said: “Following the children’s interest in the emergency services, nursery practitioners Lucy Brown, Rachael Gulliver and I planned a topic around 999 and found a song that was easy for the children to learn and ran alongside other activities we were doing at that time.
“The children had great fun learning about the emergency services and how they can help them should they ever need to call.”
A car was damaged while parked near a community centre in Kettering.
Police have said the car parked in Orchard Crescent, close to the community centre, had its doors and rear panel scratched sometime between midnight on Friday, April 14, and 5pm on Saturday, April 15.
A police spokesman said: “Officers would like to speak to anybody who saw any suspicious activity in the area between the times mentioned above or who saw a car being damaged.”
Anybody who has any information about the incident is asked to contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
Police have released this CCTV image of a woman who may have information about an incident in Corby.
Officers in Corby want to speak to the woman pictured as they believe she may have information about a theft from a shop.
The alleged theft happened at about 1pm on Monday, April 10, at the BP service station in Cottingham Road.
The woman, or anyone who recognises her, is asked to contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
A gritty new documentary that saw film crews gain unparalleled access to Northampton General Hospital is set to give warts-and-all account of life as a junior doctor in the NHS.
Confessions of a Junior Doctor, set to premiere on Channel Four tonight, follows the plight of the hospital's 210 young medical professionals as they go about their working day.
Show producers claim the hospital bosses opened their doors to the film crews to show how the hospital – and the juniors they support – are working "against the odds" amid increasing pressures on the NHS.
A spokeswoman for Northampton General Hospital said: “We believe the series portrays the reality of being a junior doctor in today’s NHS and gives a human perspective on how it feels to be a doctor in training.
"Through the series, one can see that, as they deliver healthcare, our junior doctors are also provided with support to learn, grow and develop.
"At the same time the series does portray a hospital under immense pressure – there is no hiding the reality. This clearly impacts on everyone but we believe the series shows that, even when the hospital is incredibly busy, the team on the ground keeps patients safe.”
Series director, Will Lorimer, said: "It was staggering to see how hard these doctors work and the pressure they are under.
"Everybody knows the NHS is stretched, but these doctors are the ones right there at the coal face.
"This series is very timely because these young people are the consultants of tomorrow – what happens to them will affect all of us.”
Executive producer Grace Reynolds, added: "Junior doctors have been in the headlines a great deal over the past year, but this has come with much confusion and with little understanding of the real life stories behind these headlines.
"What is the day to day life of a junior doctor like? And what are the debates surrounding their job founded in?
"We are very grateful to Northampton General Hospital for giving us the opportunity to tell their crucially important stories at a time when there is so much concern about the state of the NHS."
There are currently more than 60,000 junior doctors working in NHS hospitals across the country, with many as young as 23-years-old and many facing a working week of up to 75 hours.
Channel Four says that the documentary was shot over four months "at the height of the 2016 junior doctor crisis" and follows the lives of three young doctors at different stages in their career.
Dr Sam Pollen, who works on the Collingtree Ward, said he agreed to be filmed as he believes the NHS to be under a "very real and significant imminent threat".
Speaking about his daily routine the young doctor said: "Often, if it’s a good day, and you’re rattling things off, you can get through things quite quickly.
"But with the level of understaffing and the sheer volume of patients that we have, and the velocity with which people come into hospital, you end up, at the end of the day, finding yourself with loads and loads of leftover jobs.
"If you don’t do those jobs, they’re not going to get done, and your patients suffer as a direct result of that. So you have to stay behind to complete all of those jobs."
The show is set to air tonight at 9pm.
Two men, aged 45 and 47, and two women, aged 41 and 44, were arrested yesterday on suspicion of slavery, servitude, forced labour and human trafficking.
A 17-year-old child was safeguarded, with one of the men having been arrested on suspicion of engaging in sexual activity with a child and attempted rape, in addition to the offences above.
The arrests took place on a 'day of action' as part of a pre-planned operation by Northamptonshire Police.
Detective Sergeant Johnny Campbell, who led the investigation, said: "Northamptonshire Police are committed to keeping people safe and tackling this despicable crime.
“Research suggests there are up to 13,000 victims of slavery across the UK, so there will be victims in Northamptonshire and we are committed to locating them, safeguarding them and bringing offenders to justice.
“We need people across the county to be aware of the signs to look out for which may indicate somebody is a victim of human trafficking or modern slavery.
“This could be multiple occupancies at a property with people being collected early in the morning and brought home late at night.
“It could be that you notice workers are not dressed appropriately for outdoor work including gardening, washing cars or in agriculture.
“It could be that somebody is working as what is sometimes called a ‘modern-day Cinderella’ in domestic servitude or being made to work in the sex trade in ‘pop-up brothels’ against their will.
“Often victims don’t have any ID documents or cash and they are effectively trapped. Any vulnerable person can be a victim of human trafficking, it could be somebody who doesn’t speak English but that’s not necessarily the case – it can happen to anybody who has some form of vulnerability.”
For help and advice visit www.modernslavery.co.uk or call the helpline number 0800 0121 700
To report call Northamptonshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 111 555.
In an emergency always call 999.
Dylan Hartley says he will keep his head down and keep grafting after missing out on Lions selection.
The Saints star skippered England to two successive Six Nations titles as well as a series win in Australia, but was overlooked by Warren Gatland for the Lions’ tour of New Zealand.
Ireland’s Rory Best, Wales No.2 Ken Owens and Hartley’s England deputy, Jamie George, were the men preferred for the hooker role.
That means Hartley is set to skipper England in Argentina this summer, with Eddie Jones’ men facing two Tests against Los Pumas in June.
Two Saints players did make it into the Lions squad, with Courtney Lawes and George North both selected.
And Hartley tweeted: “Congrats to all selected, especially @George_North @Courtney_Lawes . Head down, keep grafting, work to be done in Argentina #firgun.”
England are to name their squad for the Argentina trip on Thursday.
And Steve Borthwick, who is forwards coach for England and the Lions, has indicated that Hartley will be present for the two Tests.
“I know Dylan will be very disappointed not to be selected,” said Borthwick.
“He’ll have an England tour to Argentina to work towards. He’ll undoubtedly be very, very disappointed, but what’s struck me is how resilient he is.
“He’s bounced back from a lot of things and there’s no doubt that’s exactly what he’ll do now.”
Up to 1,000 jobs are at risk after Burger King franchisees, which run branches across the country, were forced to call in the administrators.
Two firms which run 36 Burger King outlets across the UK have entered administration putting the jobs at threat.
Nick Cropper, Ryan Grant and Catherine Williamson of business advisory firm AlixPartners were appointed joint administrators over Millcliffe Ltd and CPL Foods Ltd earlier this month.
It is understood administrators were appointed after the businesses experienced cash flow pressures, thought to be down to delays in developing and opening new stores.
At present all 36 branches are remaining open and trading while administrators examine “all possible options for a sale of all or parts of the business”.
They will also work closely with franchiser, Burger King Europe GmbH, in finding suitable interested parties.
The administrators said: “Our priority now is to work closely with the business and determine the optimum route forward for the companies as we continue to serve our valued guests throughout the UK.”
“We are confident that the companies are an attractive proposition for a range of potential buyers and, as such, we expect and welcome contact from interested third parties.”
London Midlands is advising Northampton passengers to avoid London Euston tonight if possible.
No trains are running in and out of London Euston due to a line-side fire near South Hampstead, which has damaged signalling equipment.
Network Rail has engineers on site trying to restore services as soon as possible.
As a result of the fire, the power supply to Euston station was temporarily cut. This led to the evacuation of the station.
Train services running from Euston to the West Midlands and North West will be cancelled, delayed or revised. Some stations between London Euston and Stafford will not be served.
London Midland tickets can be used on the following alternative routes but these services are becoming very busy:
- East Midlands Trains between London and Wellingborough in both directions
- Great Western Railway between Worcester and London in both directions
- Chiltern Railways between London and Birmingham in both directions (please be aware there is disruption affecting some of their services)
- Cross Country between Birmingham, Reading, Leicester and Derby in both directions
- London Buses between Zone 1 and Watford Junction
The advice is to avoid travelling on these routes if possible
Courtney Lawes savoured ‘a day to remember’ after being named in the Lions squad for this summer’s tour of New Zealand.
Lawes and Saints team-mate George North are part of a 41-man group who will make the trip.
It is just reward for the lock’s fine form for club and country this season.
And Lawes was delighted to have received the call.
“Thank you everyone for your kind messages,” Lawes wrote on Instagram. “It’s an honour to be selected for the tour to NZ And made even more special as it’s on my sons birthday, I could not be happier #ADayToRemember.”
Messages of congratulations have been flooding in on social media.
Former Saints star Samu Manoa tweeted: “Congrats 2my Bruh @Courtney_Lawes on Makin Da Lions Squad. Well Deserve Cuhz hope Da Famz Well #SmashBrothaz✊.”
And current Saints lock Christian Day tweeted: “Big congrats to @Courtney_Lawes and @George_North on their Lions selection. Some fine players not getting on that plane... #javelin #banger.”
My Baby rounded off their UK tour in the region last week with a night of hypnotic funk-infused blues at Esquires in Bedford.
The trio, which comprises Dutch brother-sister duo Sheik and Cato van Dyck on drums and vocals respectively, and guitarist Daniel Johnson, released their third album Prehistoric Rhythm earlier this month.
In recent years, the band have toured the world, played seven different stages at Glastonbury in 2015 and toured with Seasick Steve.
Playing to a packed Esquires, My Baby tore through a mesmerising set which saw singer Cato switch between playing a violin and guitar throughout.
Having recently criticised a certain shoegaze trio for sounding puny, My Baby were polar opposites, with a massive sound which reverberated around Esquires.
Blending blues, folk soul and funk, there was a certain ‘American south’ characteristic to My Baby’s sound which whipped the majority of the Esquires crowd into a frenzy with many happy to dance the night away.
A road accident has been reported in Holcot Road near Brixworth.
The incident was first reported at around 4.30pm and traffic is building both ways at Scaldwell Road.
Twins Max and John Slatter are closing shop at Slatter & Sons ironmongers after working there for 48 years.
Max said: “We did the gates for the crematorium in Milton Malsor. We like to think when we go, we’ll pass through our own gates.”
The 62-year-old brothers’ wrought-iron gates can be seen across Northampton, including at the Holy Sepulchre Church in Sheep Street and the All Saints Church in Earls Barton.
Their father opened the workshop in Spencer Bridge Road in 1958 and employed his sons when aged 15.
“We asked him after four years if we would ever get a holiday. He replied with ‘I don’t pay you enough to get holidays’.
“One of the best jobs we ever did was a safety rail for the Watney Manns brewery narrowboat. They would bring us a bucket of beer every day.
“We had to install a lot of fire escapes on the sides of buildings. We used to have a beer for Dutch courage as we didn’t have scaffolding then.
Slatter & Sons will close its doors in early May.
Max added: “It’s been a good life. The work’s enjoyable but the heavy-lifting gets harder as you get older.
“We’ve educated our children so they don’t have to do this sort of work. We’ve got on with it, but it doesn’t pay well.
“The industry has gone from Northampton. But unlike Timkin and the Shoe & Boot quarter, we’ve at least had the choice to close.”
The brothers plan to enjoy their retirement with their grandchildren and keep their hands busy fixing classic sports cars and tractors.
Fabio and Grooverider are bringing their ‘25 years of Drum and Bass’ tour to the Roadmender.
Forming a lethal tag team for the past quarter century, the duo spawned an underground cultural movement that has grown into the vibrant and fertile global drum and bass scene we have today.
To celebrate, the duo are touring worldwide inviting some of their favourite artists to play alongside them.
Joining Fabio and Grooverider at the Roadmender will be Dillinja, Randall and Garry K with MCs Felon and Ayah Marar.
All play the Northampton venue on Saturday, August 19.
Doors open at 10pm and music is until 4am.
Early bird ticket cost £10 before fees with first release VIP tickets costing £15 before fees.
For more information and to book, visit www.theroadmender.com
Lanes two and three have been closed and emergency services are on the scene.
One person has been severely injured.
Delays of up to 40 minutes have been reported.
The incident was first reported around 2.50pm.
Another vehicle has reportedly stalled on the Lumbertubs Way Interchange eastbound, resulting in one lane being closed and slow traffic.
Striker Michael Smith is fit and available for the Cobblers squad for Saturday’s crucial relegation battle at fellow strugglers Bury.
Town need a point to guarantee their Sky Bet League One safety regardless of other results, and the return of the Portsmouth loan man increases the attacking options for boss Justin Edinburgh.
On the downside, it has been confirmed loanees Luke Williams (hamstring) and Gregg Wylde, who has undergone surgery, have both been sent back to their parent clubs as their seasons have been ended early by injury.
The Cobblers will also travel to Gigg Lane without the suspended Dave Buchanan and John-Joe O’Toole, which means changes will have to be made to the team that drew 1-1 with Shrewsbury Town on Easter Monday.
Edinburgh will be least pleased to see Smith recover from the injury that forced him off in the first half of the 3-0 Good Friday defeat at Millwall, and says the absence of Buchanan and O’Toole means chances for others to impress.
“We have to look forward to Bury and making changes which we will do,” said the Cobblers boss.
“We are missing two players (Buchanan and O’Toole) who have been excellent for me since I have come in.
“But as I always say that gives somebody else an opportunity to come into the team, put a performance in and show me their value to this football club.”
The Cobblers know a point or a win at Bury will guarantee their survival, regardless of results from elsewhere, but they could also be safe on Saturday evening even if they lose, providing other results go their way.
If Town were to slip to defeat to Lee Clarke’s side, then they will be safe if if Port Vale lose against Bolton Wanderers or Shrewsbury Town lose against Southend United.
If the Cobblers lose, and both Vale and Shrewsbury win, the battle will move on to the final day of the season, providing Vale beat Walsall in their game in hand next Tuesday.
A big crowd is expected at Bury, who have reduced admission prices to just £5 for adults (£1 concessions) in a bid to attract supporters through the turnstiles for a game the Shakers need to win.
Clarke’s side are one place and two points above the bottom four with two matches of the season remaining.
They are five points adrift of 16th-placed Cobblers.
Teenager Shaun McWilliams could be in line for his first Cobblers start in Saturday’s crucial Sky Bet League One clash at relegation rivals Bury.
With John-Joe O’Toole suspended for the trip to the north west following his red card in Easter Monday’s 1-1 draw with Shrewsbury, Town boss Justin Edinburgh will be forced to reshuffle his midfield pack to take on the Shakers.
Sixfields youth product McWilliams, who is just 18, has been a regular on the Cobblers bench in the past few weeks, and has come on and played on three occasions.
The past two times he has been sent into the firing line, against Sheffield United and the Shrews, Edinburgh has preferred the youngster to the more experienced Jak McCourt.
With O’Toole out, Luke Williams injured and Hiram Boateng having failed to truly impress, it could be that McWilliams is handed his full debut.
And although it will be a high intensity, high pressure occasion. Edinburgh admits it is something he is seriously considering.
“Shaun is very much in the forefront of my mind,” said the Cobblers boss.
“We have bedded him in, and I think as long as he doesn’t get carried away, and we will make sure he won’t, and works hard then he has got a chance.
“He is certainly somebody that will come into my thinking going into Saturday’s game”
McWilliams is certainly match ready as he spent a large chunk of the season playing in the Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division at King’s Lynn.
Since being recalled to Sixfields, he has has clearly impressed Edinburgh, not only with his first team preformances when called up as well as his efforts training, but also with his attitude,.
And the Town boss believes a good attitude is absolutely crucial.
“Shaun is the modern day player, he is athletic, he is competitive and is comfortable in possession of the ball as well,” said Edinburgh.
“He has a bit of everything, and we have to make sure that we continue to ground him which is the big thing for me for young players these days.
“Unfortunately, what we are getting is that players make one or two substitute appearances and feeling they have become a seasoned professional, and that’s where I feel it’s going wrong.
“That won’t happen here with Shaun, and as long as he continues to do what he is doing, then he has a real chance.”
It could be that McWilliams and McCourt are both recalled to the midfield, with McWilliams doing a good job on the left flank in front of emergency left-back Aaron Phillips to stem the Shrews attacking flow following Dave Buchanan’s sending off on Monday.
That would then open the door for McCourt to play in the centre alongside Matt Taylor.
Phillips is again likely to take up the left-back spot in Buchanan’s absence, the first time since May, 2015 that Buchanan has not been available to start a Cobblers game!
“I thought Aaron did well when he came on against Shrewsbury, and he is somebody we will look at for the weekend to go in there,” said Edinburgh, who was himself a left-back as a player.
So, from experience, is it easy for a full-back to switch flanks?
“It’s not something that is familiar, but it is something that you can deal with,” said the Town manager.
“I think that Aaron would be able to deal with it if he was called upon to play there.”
Northamptonshire Police have released details of the 15 suspected criminals on the run in the county for the longest amount time.
The details come after this newspaper made a Freedom of Information request, detailing each criminal’s name, age, offence, town, year of offence and police mugshot.
Chief Supt Mick Stamper said: “There are a number of steps we take when someone is wanted, or when a court issues a warrant for someone’s arrest.
“Initially, we look at the severity of the offence and the danger the individual poses to the public.
“ We will always prioritise our focus in searching for the people wanted for the most serious offences.
“Officers will visit the person’s last known address to make the arrest and take them to the court.
“However, in many cases the person has moved on and so work then takes place to try and find them using all of the investigative powers available to us.
“This can include adding the person’s details to the Police National Computer, making all our officers aware that they are wanted and contacting other forces and agencies which may have information about the person that could help us to locate them.
“Despite our best efforts, in some cases people wanted by the courts prove very elusive and we do not find them quickly.
“However, that does not mean we stop looking for them.”
Screen Northants is holding open auditions for its modern day adaption of Macbeth, which will be set in Northamptonshire and shot over the school summer holidays.
Adorned with cherubs, masks and royal crests, the Sessions House is 322 years old and one of the newest buildings erected following the devastating great fire, which wiped out Gold Street and other areas of the town in 1675.
During a mid-morning tour around the historic building, Roger, who has worked at County Hall since he was 17 years old spoke of how the building once operated under the authority of the High Sherriff.
“If you couldn’t pay your debts, you would be locked up,” Roger said. Northamptonians were often lunged down the stairs and into the prison holding cells if they couldn’t cough up what they owed.
The courthouse cost £1800 to construct (now £4m) and played host to magistrates and London judges who would try criminals on 250 offences, including "consorting with gypsies" and witchcraft.
Residents didn't have to commit serious crimes to be hanged and defendants would often bribe clerks and judges to let them off with a cash sum, but there was no guarantee they would listen...
The last two women to be hanged for witchcraft were Elinor Shaw and Mary Phillips of Oundle who were executed in 1705.
Roger has never heard of tales of haunting in the building but said if defendants were tried in courtroom two - Crown Court - there is a loose-lipped gargoyle on the ceiling whose tongue would wag if criminals in the dock were thought to be lying... it was later discovered this was being pulled by a rope by a person who boasted zero conscience.
Trials were often considered as entertainment and rooms would pack in over 1000 spectators to see men, women and children - who were old enough to walk.
Large numbers of criminals were then shackled together in handcuffs, dragging their feet as they would trek the 'walk of shame' to a condemned cell where they would wait up to one month before they would be barbarically 'hanged by their necks' in the execution yard, while families watched on dressed in their Sunday best.
At the Sessions House still remains the 10ft long exercise yard, where criminals shacked up in groups of four in poky cells could ring a bell and ask to stretch their legs in the space only about arms-width.
Upon death, up to 20 people per day would traipse the gallows, located infront of the jail block where other criminals awaiting their fate would watch on while spectators would throw rotten food at them behind bars.
If they were lucky they were taken to the Bantam & Cock pub for their last drink if they were fortunate enough to be hanged in Kettering Road.
It's understood one mum shouted while her son was being executed, "save his shoes, they are worth 2p."
In 1664, Quaker, Joseph Maidwell was held in a cell for 70 years for not swearing allegiance to the monarch. His graffiti still remains carved in stone in the back yard, "Joseph Maidwell in prison for not swearing 1664."
Why so many savagely cruel hangings? "People have said to me it might have been population control," Roger said.
The last public hanging took place around the back of the Sessions House in 1852 just before Northamptonshire bought the building in 1889 and removed the burly wooden door from the centre of the building and shifted it to the far right to shake off the stigma.
Following the new move to Angel Street, the remaining parts of County Hall will be maintained by the county council for its democratic function – namely the council chamber – and a small number of staff and plans have been approved for Northampton Museum and Art Gallery to extend back into the old jail block.
It would be fair to say this building, which has been the site of many a brutal act could tell a few tales...