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Saints make four changes for Dragons clash

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Harry Mallinder comes in at full-back for Saints' Anglo-Welsh Cup clash with the Dragons at Franklin's Gardens on Saturday evening (kick-off 5.15pm).

Mallinder replaces George Furbank, who suffered minor ankle and knee injuries after bravely gathering a high ball in the 43-28 defeat at Exeter Chiefs last weekend.

The rest of the back line remains unchanged, with Stephen Myler again steering the ship from fly-half.

But in the pack, Saints have been forced to change both locks, after James Craig and Christian Day picked up injuries at Sandy Park last Saturday.

Michael Paterson comes into the team, with Sam Dickinson, who is the captain once again, switching from No.8 to the No.5 shirt.

Mitch Eadie takes Dickinson's place at No.8, making his first start since suffering a knee injury in the Aviva Premiership opening-day defeat at Saracens.

Jamal Ford-Robinson replaces Paul Hill at tighthead.

The Dragons have named a side that contains a mixture of Academy and first-team players.

Former Saints centre Pat Howard, who spent a year at Northampton between 2015 and 2016, starts in the No.12 shirt.

Saints: Mallinder; Estelles, Hutchinson, Stephenson, Pisi; Myler, Reinach; Van Wyk, Marshall, Ford-Robinson; Paterson, Dickinson (c); Wood, Nutley, Eadie.

Replacements: Haywood, Beesley, Hill, Moon, Harrison, Mitchell, Grayson, Foden.

Dragons: Goodchild; Rosser, Thomas, Howard, Hewitt (c); Robson, C Davies; Garrett, Belcher, Fairbrother; Screech, Landman; Wainwright, Roach, Worthington.

Replacements; Ellis, T Davies, Harris, Andrews, Greggains, Leonard, O’Brien, Warren.


Northampton Saints v Dragons: Tom Vickers' match preview

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Fixture: Northampton Saints v Dragons

Competition: Anglo-Welsh Cup (pool stages - game two)

Venue: Franklin's Gardens, Northampton

Date: Saturday, November 11, 2017

Kick-off time: 5.15pm

Television coverage: None

Saints: Mallinder; Estelles, Hutchinson, Stephenson, Pisi; Myler, Reinach; Van Wyk, Marshall, Ford-Robinson; Paterson, Dickinson (c); Wood, Nutley, Eadie.

Replacements: Haywood, Beesley, Hill, Moon, Harrison, Mitchell, Grayson, Foden.

Dragons: Goodchild; Rosser, Thomas, Howard, Hewitt (c); Robson, C Davies; Garrett, Belcher, Fairbrother; Screech, Landman; Wainwright, Roach, Worthington.

Replacements; Ellis, T Davies, Harris, Andrews, Greggains, Leonard, O’Brien, Warren.

Outs: Saints: George North (knee), David Ribbans (ankle), James Craig (concussion), George Furbank (knee/ankle), Christian Day (leg)

Referee: Mike English

Most recent meeting: Saturday, January 25, 2014: Dragons 16 Saints 34 (Anglo-Welsh Cup)

Tom's preview: On Saturday evening, some light should appear at the end of the Saints tunnel.

That is because after a run of games against some of Europe's toughest sides, Jim Mallinder's men finally meet opposition who should be meat and drink for them.

That is not to totally discount the Dragons, but the Welsh region have won just three of their 10 games this season.

Saints have only won four of their 10, but the opposition they have faced has been stronger.

And Mallinder's men have to be confident of slaying the Dragons on Saturday evening.

If they don't, it would be a sizeable shock and one that would leave Saints reeling ahead of the resumption of Aviva Premiership action at Worcester seven days later.

The green, black and gold require a timely shot in the arm ahead of the trip to Sixways, which will be followed by a game against Sale Sharks at the AJ Bell Stadium.

Newcastle Falcons will visit the Gardens in early December to complete a key block of three Premiership games before the Champions Cup makes its pre-Christmas comeback.

And there is no doubting the importance of the next four weeks to Saints' season.

If they can defeat the Dragons and then win at least two of their three league games, they will be in decent shape in two competitions.

If they lose this weekend and things don't get well against Worcester, Sale and Newcastle, the groans around the Gardens will be deafening. And rightly so.

Saints set high standards and they are expected to compete with and beat the sides in front of them.

There is no doubt that things will not be easy, especially for a team that has lost its past five matches and has seen the September swagger disappear in recent times.

But now is the time to regain it.

Saints simply have to get back on track this weekend and deliver a big performance for the fans who turn out to watch them.

Nothing less will be acceptable and nothing less will be expected by the players and coaches themselves.

They have been hurt by the recent run of defeats as they believe they can compete with Europe's elite.

Results have shown otherwise in October and November so far, and now the rebuilding process begins.

Tom's prediction: Saints 42 Dragons 18

James Heneghan’s Oxford United v Northampton Town preview

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Fixture: Oxford United v Northampton Town, Sky Bet League One

Date/time: Saturday, November 11, 3pm kick-off

Venue: Kassam Stadium

Forecast: 9C, cloudy

Outs and doubts: Oxford: Mike Williamson (knee), Gino van Kessel (hamstring), Ricardo (calf), Agon Mehmeti (hamstring). Cobblers: Sam Hoskins (leg), Alex Revell (groin), Aaron Phillips (thigh), Regan Poole (intentional duty), Leon Barnett (Achilles).

Betting: Oxford 17/20, draw 11/4, Northampton 3/1

Form guide: United LLLDD, Cobblers DDWWDL

Possible line-ups: Oxford (4-4-1-1): Eastwood; Ribeiro, Nelson, Mousinho, Tiendalli; Henry, Ledson, Ruffels, Mowatt; Payne; Thomas. Northampton (4-3-3): Ingram; Moloney, Taylor, Pierre, Buchanan; McWilliams, Grimes, O’Toole; Waters, Powell, Long

Man in the middle: Kevin Johnson

Last time out: Oxford United 3 (Payne 2, Hall) MK Dons 4; Northampton Town 3 (Foley, McGugan, Taylor) Southampton U21s 3

Most recent meeting: Saturday, March 25, 2017 - Northampton Town 0 Oxford United 0

Record v Oxford: P31 W14 D3 L14

Opposition view: “Northampton came up alongside us and I see a similar project,” Pep Clotet, Oxford United’s manager, told the club website this week. “I am sure they will be very solid on Saturday and they are starting to get results and a little momentum.

“They are an effective mix as a squad and eventually they will be higher than they are at the moment. I like that there’s a little bit of history between the clubs: anything that gives that little energy to the players and to the fans is a good thing.”

Cobblers connection: Now riding high in the Championship with boyhood club Sheffield United, Chris Wilder first came to people’s attention when he led Oxford United from mid-table in the Conference to the top of League Two. Wherever you look and however far back you go, Wilder’s record as a manager stands up to just about anyone, so much so that, from first club Alfreton Town in 2001 to the Blades in the present day, he has never been sacked. Whatever he goes on to achieve in his career, however, it will take a lot to beat his achievements at Northampton where he took a club from the brink of extinction to title-winners by 13 points.

James Heneghan’s preview: After back-to-back cup draws and three successive games at Sixfields, the Cobblers make their return to league duties with tomorrow’s trip to a ground that brings back fond memories from recent years.

The Kassam Stadium has set the scene for two of their most famous and thrilling wins over the past couple of seasons, and if they can complete the hat-trick at the home of out-of-form Oxford United on Saturday, it will represent a significant step forward on their steady path to recovery.

Though those wins may have been similar in style, with second-half goals from Marc Richards the difference in both, including a dramatic stoppage-time winner on Boxing Day of last year, their importance in the context of Town’s seasons were in stark contrast.

First time around, the skipper’s emphatic spot-kick fired Town to another victory en route to the title two years ago, while last season’s victory, achieved in thrillingly last-gasp fashion, helped arrest their steep descent down the League One table and turned out to be the final win of Rob Page’s tenure at Sixfields.

With Oxford again failing to net in the following meeting – a goalless draw in April – they come into Saturday’s game without as much as scoring against their cross-border rivals in nearly 400 minutes of football, suffering three 1-0 defeats in succession prior to April’s drab affair.

There is a difference this time around, however, and that is the man in the opposing dug out.

The absence of Michael Appleton, who took charge for all four of those previous games against Northampton, will be keenly-felt by both sets of supporters, not least for his often amusing, spicy pre and post-match comments.

Appleton left in the summer to join Craig Shakespeare at Premier League Leicester City, with Spaniard Clotet going the way way; from assistant at Swansea and Leeds to manager in his own right.

The 40-year-old is still relatively young in the world of management but he’s already at his sixth club having started at Spanish third division outfit Cornellà in 2001, and his arrival at the Kassam Stadium has so far coincided with a rather odd season for Oxford that is not immediately straightforward to make sense of.

They started like a train, losing just one of their first six league games to enjoy a very brief stint as League One’s top dogs, but a subsequent run of no victory in four, including three straight defeats, sent them tumbling down the table, only for three consecutive wins to propel them back up again.

Once again, however, their form has tailed off and they go into Saturday’s game against the Cobblers without a win in five games in all competitions, sitting 10th in Sky Bet league One, including cup defeats to MK Dons and League Two Port Vale in their latest two outings.

In contrast, Town are unbeaten in five having somehow salvaged a draw against Southampton U21s on Tuesday when three goals in 18 minutes saw them come from 3-0 down and nick a 3-3 draw.

After a previous win over Blackpool and a draw against Scunthorpe United, both teams who, like Oxford, were in the top 10 at the time, there is reason for confidence in the Cobblers camp heading into Saturday, and Cotlet too is certain they’ll be higher up the table come May.

The injury situation provides further optimism. John-Joe O’Toole, Matt Crooks and Brendan Moloney are all in line to at least be in the squad tomorrow, although Regan Poole (international duty) and Alex Revell (groin) are absent.

That might mean Shaun McWilliams, impressive at right-back of late, is pushed back into midfield to take Poole’s role with Moloney slotting into the back four.

The loss of Poole, such a key and effective figure in midfield of late, is a blow but it is one softened by the tantalising prospect of O’Toole and Crooks finally playing in the same team. So far this season, either one or both have been injured, robbing Hasselbaink of the chance of pairing arguably his best two players together.

The duo have the guile, physicality and quality to significantly strengthen any team in this division, and both also have the potential to provide important goals from midfield, something that is much-needed given the persistent struggles of Town’s strikers.

A month ago tomorrow’s clash between Oxford and Northampton would have been a foregone conclusion in favour of the home side but, such has been the turnaround in both teams’ form since, this game is now a tough one to call.

Both teams will view it as a window of opportunity: the Cobblers to keep their run going and get out of the bottom four; Oxford to end a five-game winless streak.

Prediction: Oxford United 1 Northampton Town 1

County council cuts place more than 200 jobs at risk in Northamptonshire, authority reveals

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Plans to slash the number of libraries in Northampton and halve the Trading Standards workforce place more than 200 jobs at risk, Northamptonshire County Council has revealed.

Last month, bosses at One Angel Square announced plans to cut £9.6 million from next year's budget by potentially handing all medium and small-sized libraries over to community groups, by reducing winter roads gritting and by losing 16 employees from the organisation that sifts out rogue traders in the county, among a raft of other measures.

Today the authority has confirmed the proposals place 203 staff members at risk in the First for Wellbeing service, the limited company that oversees the county's libraries.

Of that number, 192 are library staff and 11 work at the council's smoking cessation service, which is set to be reduced under the proposals.

It effectively means just over a quarter of the 778 staff at First for Wellbeing are at risk of redundancy in the weeks running up to Christmas.

A Northamptonshire County Council spokesman said: “We have been very clear that due to the unfair settlement from central government and a huge growth in demand and costs of services, we are now in a position where very difficult proposals have to be considered. These proposals are currently subject to a full public consultation period.

“We want to use this consultation to have dialogue with the parish councils, district and borough councils and local communities to see what role we can play together in finding the solutions.”

However, the Liberal Democrats group on the county council believe there is a realistic prospect of about 67 jobs being cut.

Buried on page 58 of the appendix to a lengthy cabinet report on the closure of library services, officers state losing the 21 small and medium libraries would result in the loss of 47 full-time posts.

There are 16 jobs likely to be cut from Trading Standards and four other areas where staff reductions are proposed, one being in roads maintenance.

If all of those four services were to cut at least one staff member, the council would be looking at slashing about 67 jobs at the start of the next financial year in May, according to Councillor Chris Stanbra (Lib Dem, Oakley).

"When you have to make savings on this scale - inevitably people are going to lose their jobs," he said in a barbed comment against the controlling Conservative group.

"It's awful - it is not much of a reward for people that have worked hard in a slimmed down organisation."

What is Black Friday and who has promotions in Northampton?

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The US custom is very much a fixture in the UK calendar now but which Northampton stores are taking part in this year’s Black Friday sales on November 24th?

Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving in the US and is regarded as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season in America.

A PWC report from last year showed 27% of Brits planned to buy something on Black Friday or Cyber Monday last year.

The shopping craze started in the UK in 2013 with US-owned Asda (Wallmart) and hit national headlines with chaos in shops as shoppers battled for goods.

Northampton stores taking part:

Argos

Boots

B&Q

Mothercare

Currys

New Look

Online stores taking part:

Samsung

Microsoft

Amazon

Acer

eBay

Groupon

La Redoute

ASOS

Very

Last year, following negative headlines previously, ASDA didn’t do black Friday and they are joined by some other big names opting out for 2017.

List of stores NOT taking part:

Asda

Next

Primark

Homebase

Ikea

Apple

One of the world's best archers wins Northamptonshire Sportswoman of the Year award

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A Northampton archer who is one of the best in the world has spoken of her pride after being awarded the title Northamptonshire Sportswoman of the Year.

Susan Corless was given the honour at the Northamptonshire Sport awards last night, November 9.

A member of Northampton Archery Club, this follows a hugely successful season in 2017, including representing her country at the World Archery Championships in Mexico during October.

Susan said: “I am incredibly proud to have won this award and really completes the outdoor season for me."

As well as sporting achievements, Susan works full-time as a client manager but still manages to find time for her sport. She is a member of Northampton Archery Club. She suffers from Chronic Lower Back pain and excels at competing alongside others who are in good health.

FACTFILE:

Between September 2016 and October 2017, Susan has accomplished the following achievements:

* Northamptonshire Local Sportswoman of the Year 2017

* Northampton Local Sportswoman of the Year 2017

* Represented Great Britain at the 2017 World Championships in Mexico

* ArcheryGB National Series Finals – Sept 2017– Finished 4th

* British National Indoor – December 2017 – 1st Place (Crowned British Indoor Champion 2016)

* Represented GB at World Ranking Event Veronica’s Cup in Slovenia – May 2017 – Finished 3rd

* Represented England at Commonwealth Euronations Event – July 2017 – 1st place team, 3rd place individual

* ArcheryGB National Series Leg 3 – July 2017 – 1st Place

* Represented England at Home Nations Event – August 2017 – 1st place team

* ArcheryGB National Series Finalist – September 24 2017

Emergency repairs on M1 causing delays near Crick

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One lane of the M1 southbound has been shut due to emergency repairs.

The inside lane between J19 A14 and J18 A428 is expected to clear shortly after 3pm and motorists are advised to expect slow-moving traffic.

Highways England are carrying out temporary repair work to the road surface during the day, and will undertake full repairs tonight.

Meanwhile, severe delays of 31 minutes are also being reported further north on the M1 Southbound between J20 A4304 Lutterworth Road and J19 A14. Average speed five mph.

Saints star Lawes scoops local sports personality of the year prize

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Saints star Courtney Lawes was crowned sports personality of the year at the Northamptonshire sports awards on Thursday evening.

A total of 21 prizes were handed out, with Lawes claiming the honour at the end of a busy evening at Sywell Aerodrome.

Awards and winners...

Sports personality of the year: Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)

Young sportswoman of the year: Emily Williams

Young sportsman of the year: Tom Symons

Local sportswoman of the year: Susan Corless

Local sportsman of the year: Michael Smallwood (Daventry Dolphins Swimming Club)

Coach of the year: Andy Sharp (Northampton Swimming Club)

Community coach of the year: Rob Sharp (Daventry Dolphins Swimming Club)

Young leader of the year: Ella Jennings

Volunteer of the year: Rob Burgess.

Primary sports school of the year: Overstone Primary School

Secondary sports school of the year: Lodge Park Academy

Primary PE premium impact: Our Lady's School, Corby

Community team of the year: Towcester Roses ladies rugby team

Performance team of the year: Northampton Swimming Club

Active workplace of the year: East Northamptonshire Council

Disabled sportsperson of the year: Maisie Summers-Newton (Northampton Swimming Club)

Community club of the year: Kings Heath Amateur Boxing Club

Sports project of the year: Pitsford Pumas Football Club

Sports photo of the year: Adrian Howes

Lifetime contribution to sport: Frank Hobbs (Daventry Town Football Club)


Stars of Northampton pantos join in the festive celebrations at the town's Christmas lights switch on

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Northampton will be transformed into a "snowy Lapland" for the annual Christmas town centre celebrations, the borough council has announced.

A series of family-friendly activities are planned throughout November and December, starting on Saturday November 18 with the Christmas lights switch-on.

Taking place on the Market Square, festivities start at 2pm with fun performances from the casts of the Royal & Derngate’s Aladdin, the Deco’s Peter Pan and the Looking Glass Theatre’s Beauty and the Beast pantomimes.

Panto stars Jaymi Hensely and Lydia Lucy will later join two of the Leisure Trust’s recent Sports Award winners, as they switch on the Christmas lights at 5pm. Emily Williams, the Young Sportswoman of the year and Susan Corless, the Local Sportswoman of the year, will have the honour of switching on the town’s lights.

The festive celebrations continue on Sunday, December 3 with the annual Frost Fair and Christmas parade returning to the Market Square. Stalls at the fair will be offering unique gifts, handmade cards and decorations and a range of seasonable food and drink between 11am and 4pm. The Christmas parade will begin at The Deco Theatre at 1pm and will follow Santa’s journey around the town centre, before completing his rounds on the market square stage, ready for a good old sing-song.

Families will also get an icy surprise on December 3 as the Igloo Cinema opens in the Grosvenor Centre at 11am. The 360-degree cinema will showcase three fun and educational Christmas films, every day until December 22. Santa will be on hand each Saturday too, to welcome people to the cinema hub and pose for a selfie or two.

There will be plenty of opportunities to get into the Christmas spirit during December weekends. Festive food stalls will take up residence in Abington Street from Saturday, December 2, offering delicious snacks such as roasted chestnuts, hog roasts and hot dogs to help fuel your shopping trips. In addition, local community groups, church choirs and bands providing musical entertainment on the market square, every Saturday until December 16.

Abington Park museum will also be offering a range of events and workshops during the festive period, including a Christmas wreath making workshop, a Victorian Christmas celebration and a one-man play of a Christmas Carol. The will also be a two-day Christmas Fair opening on November 25, offering artisan produce and gift ideas.

Councillor Anna King, cabinet member for community engagement and safety, said: “We have been busy, working with partners to provide a jammed packed itinerary of family-fun in the town centre this Christmas.

“From lively entertainment and delicious food, to creative workshops and our fun new Igloo Cinema, there will be something to suit everyone this festive season.

“We hope to see lots of people out shopping and enjoying the events and entertainment, which all kick off with our fantastic light switch on.”

Visit our Christmas website for a full list of events and to book free cinema tickets. Or search #CelebrateNorthampton on Twitter.

BREAKING NEWS: Family of victim 'disappointed' at sentence of 'Jekyll and Hyde' Northampton man jailed for rape and blackmail

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A Northampton man who used rape, blackmail, indecent assault and physical beatings to control the lives of two women has been jailed.

Winston Reid, 55, refused to appear at Northampton Crown Court today (November 10) where all his "repugnant" crimes were read out before he was sentenced to 20 years.

But the family of one of his victims said they are "disappointed" with the 20-year sentence, as it could mean Reid will be out of prison in as little as eight years.

The court heard how Reid used "a campaign of rape" and threats of publishing indecent photos of his victims.

Reid's defence counsel, Andrew Howard, said: "Mr Reid still continues to deny the offences. There's really nothing I can put forward to mitigate his sentence."

Reid was arrested in 2015 following an appeal on BBC One's Crimewatch after a number of sexual assault allegations were made against him.

He was found guilty on 17 counts by a unanimous verdict at Northampton Crown Court in October.

In an impact statement read out by prosecutor Jonathan Dee, one of the victims said: "The [guilty] verdict means I can begin to feel more like a survivor than a victim.

"I have lost my faith in men. It will always make me question if I can trust a man again. I hope they can put him away so he can never hurt me again."

In his defence, Reid, who chose to represent himself, claimed all the allegations against him were "concocted" by the two women, and any sexual activity was "consensual".

His Honour Judge Tregilgas-Davey said: "One can only imagine the terror these girls went through.

"We heard from friends how one of the victims became 'a wreck' and 'a shell of herself'."

For his abuse of the two victims, Reid was sentenced to 20 years in prison and handed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

But the family of one of the victims said they were "disappointed" with the result, as it could mean Reid will be released on license in just eight years."

Judge Tregilgas-Davey said he believed the overall jail term was "the correct sentence".

VIDEO: Former boss caught on camera vandalising Kettering woman’s car

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This is the chilling moment a Kettering woman’s former boss was caught on CCTV scrawling the word BITCH on the side of her car in a bitter revenge attack.

Footage shows Christopher Stanton, 59, approaching the silver Volkswagen Golf, before painting the abusive word across the vehicle’s passenger-side windows.

Suzanne Brogan, 49, of Kettering, was left stunned when she discovered the insult on her car on December 29, 2014.

The corporate sales manager was then “terrified” when Stanton returned a month later to douse the car in red paint, which was again caught on camera.

The pair worked together at Welcomm Communications in Market Harborough for five-and-a-half years.

However, their relationship turned sour when Miss Brogan was suddenly sacked in December 2013.

She took Stanton to an employment tribunal claiming unfair dismissal and was awarded £33,500 in damages.

Earlier this year Stanton was convicted of two counts of criminal damage when he appeared at Northampton Magistrates’ Court.

He was ordered to pay fines of £4,615 and received a restraining order banning him from contacting his victim.

He immediately launched an appeal but dropped it on October 6 – just two days before the case was due to be heard.

Expressing her relief that he had finally dropped his appeal, Mrs Brogan said: “I couldn’t believe it when I saw the car.

“The whole thing is almost just too far-fetched to believe.

“I just woke up that morning, and I had ‘bitch’ written on the side of my car.

“Because I live in the middle of town, I thought that it might have been kids as well, especially as it was that silly season between Christmas and New Year.

“So I went up and looked at all of the other cars to see if anyone else had been targeted but no, it was just me.

“I really hoped that it was just some silly drunken incident, but feared the worst.

“I thought it might have been someone from Welcomm because of the animosity following my dismissal, but I didn’t know that it was Stanton himself.

“When the penny dropped and I realised that it was him, I just couldn’t believe it at all. It was jaw dropping.

“I’m not a shrinking violet, as you could imagine, but I was scared.

“I viewed the CCTV, slowed it right down and recognised his walk, even though he was wearing a disguise, because he had a distinctive walk.

“That was why the CPS didn’t push the charges, because there wasn’t enough of a distinction to his walk.

“About seven days before my husband and I jetted off to our honeymoon in Thailand, he painted the car a second time so I had to employ a security company to check on the house to make sure that he didn’t burn it down.

“In March 2015 Northamptonshire Police sent five officers over to Market Harborough to arrest him, but he’d gone on holiday.

“The CPS were just shocking during the whole thing.

“The police sent him a court summons to appear in court, then the CPS dropped the charges.

“I appealed against the decision and had to appeal again afterwards.

“I met with two prosecutors from London where an interview was recorded for around two-and-a-half hours.

“I had to go through everything, and detailed things about his distinctive walk, the way he moved his hand and how he held the paintbrush. They were all his mannerisms.

“After the whole thing, they decided that yes, there was enough to prosecute, and we went ahead with the case which happened on January 13.

“Afterwards I went off to New York for a few days to get my head together, and then came back to the devastating news that he’d appealed against the conviction and we’d have to go through the whole thing again.

“We were due to appear back in court on October 9, but on October 6 I heard from Northampton Court services that he’d actually dropped the appeal.

“I think he realised that the evidence was too compelling.

“The more he resisted the conviction, the more I wanted him to get done for it.

“I was just over the moon when he finally dropped the appeal and accepted the conviction.

“I’d spend so long fighting for that, and it was an enormous relief.”

Elderly Northampton travellers arrested on suspicion of slavery offences released pending further investigation

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Two members of a Northampton traveller community who were arrested yesterday on suspicion of slavery offences have been released pending further investigation.

In total, seven people were arrested at traveller sites yesterday as part of a Northamptonshire Police bid to tackle modern slavery.

The five men and two women were taken into custody by officers during raids at three locations in the yesterday, Thursday, November 9.

A 73-year-old woman and a 76-year-old man were arrested at Lower Ecton Lane in Northampton.

Two men aged 22 and 33, as well as a 23-year-old woman, were arrested at Justin Park near Market Harborough, while two men aged 20 and 29 were arrested at Greenfields in Braybrooke.

All seven were taken into police custody and have since been released under investigation while enquiries into the alleged offences continue.

Six people located by police during the course of the operation have been safeguarded by officers working with the National Crime Agency.

Hasselbaink says discipline crucial as Cobblers head for Oxford

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Boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink says the Cobblers are going to have to be disciplined in their shape to ensure they stand up to Oxford United’s patient passing game.

Town travel to Grenoble Road for their Sky Bet League One encounter on Saturday (ko 3pm), and Hasselbaink is anticipating a testing afternoon against Pep Clotet’s team.

The Spaniard has instilled a patient, possession-based game at Oxford since taking over from Michael Appleton in the summer, and the Cobblers manager says it is vital the team keep their shape to counter the home side’s efforts.

“Oxford set out to pass the ball, to really pass through the thirds, through the lines with short passes, trying to get players between the lines,” said Hasselbaink.

“They try to get your players out of position, so your shape is out, and then they can have the space to penetrate and get two-on-one opportunities in wide areas, and in the middle of the park.

“It is going to be very important for us to keeP our shape for as long as possible, and to work from our shape.

“Then we have the ball, we also have to try and hurt them and have the calmness and braveness to keep the ball, and try to give them a lot of problems.”

The Cobblers go into the game off the back of a five-match unbeaten run, and having claimed their first away win of the season at Gillingham three weeks ago.

That was a big moment for the players, and Hasselbaink admits it was a relief to finally break their duck on the road.

But he says it means nothing ahead of the trip to Oxford, who will pose a very different threat to the teams they have played on their recent run of good form.

Asked about the effect of sealing that first win on the road against the Gills, Hasselbainl said: “It will help, it will help to make the players believe that they can do it.

“But the match starts from scratch, it starts from nothing, and you have to start all over again and advance the battle.

“You have to be ready for whatever comes to you, so you can adapt and handle it.”

BREAKING NEWS: A45 closed westbound in Northampton after accident

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Drivers are being warned of severe delays on the A45 in Northampton after it was closed following an accident at about 5pm on Friday.

Highways England reported that the A45 westbound between the junctions of the A508 Northampton and the M1 was closed following the accident.

They reported that the road was expected to clear "between 6.15pm and 6.30pm" but delays were expected to last until about 7.30pm.

There are no details as to the nature of the accident.

Northampton car crash survivor, 19, thanks emergency services who rescued him

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A Northampton lad who survived a major car crash on a country road this week wants to thank the emergency services who rescued him.

Michael Shortland, 19, from Little Billing, was driving on Sywell Road on Monday (November 6) at 9.15pm when a deer ran out into the road.

In a panic, he swerved off the road and crashed into a tree. His car rolled six times and came to a rest on the driver's side.

Michael said: "I absolutely terrified. I just kept rolling and I had know idea when I would stop.

"My arm was pinned under where the wing mirror should have been. I remember looking up throught the passenger window and see the sky.

"I don't know how long I was lying there. It could have been half an hour but it felt like hours.

"It began to set in that I might not get out of there. I was thinking, 'this is how I'm going to go'".

But then, two members of the public, driving in opposite directions on Sywell Road, came upon Michael's crash and rang 999.

Michael said: "The police were there in minutes, then the fire brigade and then the ambulance.

"One of the police officers just kept talking to me the whole time Iw as there, just reassuring me everything would be alright, and to keep me awake.

"It was only when they found me that I started to cry. It was overwhelming, knowing that someone knew where I was and they would get me out of there."

The fire service cut Michael from the car and he was rushed to hospital.

"It's incredible really. I hadn't broken anything. I had a massive lump on my head and some bad bruising but that was it. I've come away with my life."

Now Michael, who starts at the London Ambulance Service in 2018, wants to meet the crews and teams who rescued him and thank them in person for looking after him.

He said: "I just was to say a massive thank you. They spoke to me as a person and reassured me that it would be okay."

The East Midlands Ambulance Service is now arranging to reunite Michael with the ambulance crew who treated him on Monday.

John Coyles, Ambulance Operations Manager at East Midlands Ambulance Service said: “We wish Michael all the best in his recovery. Our clinicians are trained to deal with a wide range of emergencies. They can be in the warmth of a patients' home, or outside in the rain helping someone like Michael who has experienced serious injuries from a road traffic collision.

"By working with other emergency services we were able to rescue Michael and give him the care he needed. We appreciate his thanks and are hoping to arrange for him to meet the crew who helped him.”

Operational response lead for Northamptonshire Police Chief Inspector Dave Lawson said: “I’m very pleased that Michael was happy with our response and I hope he’s recovering well after his accident on Monday.

“Every day, our officers across Northamptonshire attend a wide range of incidents. Their primary role is to protect people from harm so it’s great to see them getting recognition for the work that they do.”


Northampton holiday park pitch price rise leaves caravan owners 'outraged'

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Caravan owners at a Northampton holiday park are up in arms after the site owners opted to put pitch fees up by three per cent just before Christmas.

And the residents of Billing Aquadrome, who cannot live on the site all year round, are also angry about a recent ruling that has seen them now required to pay for an expensive gas safety inspection.

Pitch fees at the Crow Lane holiday park are set to rise by three per cent when caravan owners return from the January winter break.

But residents say the rise cannot be justified, when there has been numerous complaints concerning the way the grounds have been maintained in recent months.

One owner, who has been there for six months and pays £4,200 a year in ground rent, will have to find an extra £260 a year and also needs to fork out £114 for a gas inspection.

He said: "People are outraged about this, especially to announce it so close to Christmas.

People don't have £114 to spend on a gas inspection, they are furious."

Several residents have taken to the Facebook group "Billing Aqua Chat" to voice their dismay at the price rise. The gas inspection can only be carried out by one of Billing Aquadrome's approved contractors.

Others have contacted the Chron to state how they feel the rent rise cannot be justified when many maintain their own plots.

Recent reviews on TripAdvisor complain at the state of the park.

"Just cut our three-day break here short and returned home after two," wrote Julie F From Gloucestershire in September. "Place is unloved, uncared for and in a poor state."

Our source, who did not wish to be named, said; "They are not being specific about why they need to raise the price - they are just saying they are going to do generally more maintenance.

"They say they are going to be filling a few potholes in. But they should be doing that anyway."

Several calls were made to the Billing Aquadrome owners Pure Leisure Group yesterday, but the Chron was told that no one was available for interview.

Life in the Armed Forces and back in Northamptonshire during two world wars

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Old photographs of Corby during the Second World War have come to light – thanks to a local clothing company!

Realm & Empire, a contemporary menswear brand based in Market Harborough, creates collections inspired by the findings they uncover in the Imperial War Museums archives.

During one of brand manager Lauren Park’s recent research trips to the IWM archives in London, she came across some images and information relating to her home town of Corby.

She said: “As a brand we gain access to the Imperial War Museum’s private archives every single season, searching through old uniforms, artefacts and artwork created on the frontline to inspire pieces for a new collection.

“We’ve even taken inspiration from a notebook that we found in Churchill’s bedroom in the war rooms, underneath 10 Downing Street, which we visited after hours.

“I was looking through 1940s military training photographs for our new PT range, when I came across the snapshot of the Corby Boys Club.

“I’ve always been so proud of my town; its strong heritage of steel-making and its hard-working, good-humoured people.

“However, growing up, I didn’t learn much about its early history, so I was excited to share this positive snippet from the Second World War!”

Among the images was a photograph of Corby Boys’ Club members climbing ropes during a physical training session in a gym in 1944.

The original caption states that “the boys are very keen on PT and have won the National Fitness Shield four years in succession - the only club to have done so”.

Another picture shows boys relaxing by playing chess or reading in the library, while a third shows a group of girls inspecting their pet rabbits at the Girls’ Club in Corby.

Rabbit keeping was just one of the many activities carried out by members of the club.

Other photographs relating to the county which Lauren has discovered include one of men of the US Army Air Corps joining in singing the hymn Lead On, O King Eternal during a Thanksgiving service at Cransley, also in 1944.

Also pictured are an American sergeant and his English girlfriend watching bombers return to Chelveston on May 5, 1944, and, from July 1941, the crew of a Boeing Fortress Mk I of No. 90 Squadron RAF putting on electrically-heated flying suits at Polebrook, before taking off for a high-altitude bombing attack.

There are even photographs from the First World War of men of the Northamptonshire Regiment, including troops of the 1st Battalion resting in a front-line trench at Molain on October 17, 1918.

A Realm & Empire spokesman said: “We engineer garments that are built to last and age with character.

“Our aim is to create honest, original garments that offer modern fits with strong historical links.

“With a strong background in technical and military garment supply our team have a genuine enthusiasm for scouting out interesting pieces of the past, while the authority of the IWM archives ensures all our apparel is authentically sourced and inspired by real history and heritage.

“It’s a unique collaboration that we’re extremely proud of.”

Still improvements to be made at Northamptonshire Police despite watchdog's 'good' rating, commissioner says

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Northamptonshire's police and crime commissioner has welcomed a government watchdog's "good" efficiency rating of the county force - but says it cannot allow the blue-light service to get complacent.

Each year HMICFRS rates each police force in England and Wales on their "effectiveness", "efficiency" and "legitimacy" by giving them judgments of "outstanding", "good", "requires improvement" or "inadequate".

Yesterday, the watchdog gave Northamptonshire Police a "good" rating for keeping people safe and reducing crime - through it said it requires improvement in the way it uses its resources. Only two forces, Durham and Thames Valley, received the top "outstanding" rating overall.

But police and commissioner for Northamptonshire, Stephen Mold, who has previously spoken out about cuts to police nationally, said: “While this report is welcomed we cannot afford to be complacent and we remain on a journey to continually strive to provide better services for people across Northamptonshire.

“Earlier in the year, I provided the chief constable with an additional £2million of funding to support more frontline roles. This will assist the force in addressing some of the comments made by HMICFRS in relation to better using its resources.

“I am confident that the force’s new operating model and this additional funding will ensure the force has the resources to make Northamptonshire safer for all."

However, the watchdog found Northamptonshire Police to be "under-resourced" in some areas.

It is running a number of recruitment campaigns - particularly in its cybercrime division - "but these would be more effective if it had a detailed understanding of its current skills and gaps," inspectors said.

"The force recognises that it is not making the best use of its technology and has plans to address this," it continues.

Chief constable of Northamptonshire Police Simon Edens, added: "I accept the report, it confirms the fact that the force is improving, and I thank everyone in the force who

has worked so hard to bring about the improvements noted by HMICFRS.

"I am pleased with the overall grade and we will focus on the areas for improvement so that we make best use of the public money we are given to protect people from harm.”

Saints sticking together as they seek to end losing streak

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Jim Mallinder says sticking together is key for Saints as they bid to end their five-match losing streak.

The players and coaches have come in for some criticism from supporters after defeats to Gloucester, Saracens, Clermont Auvergne, Wasps and Exeter.

Saints had won four games in a row in September, but they lost all of their matches in October and started this month with a 43-28 Anglo-Welsh Cup defeat at Exeter last Saturday.

Mallinder's men will look to get back on track by beating the Dragons at Franklin's Gardens this evening (kick-off 5.15pm).

And the director of rugby said: "We are in a bit of a bubble here and we can't dictate or change the way people perceive us or the way people talk about us - that's happening out there.

"What we can do is concentrate on our performance and we stick closely together and we work as a team, so that's coaches, S&C (strength and conditioning) and also the players.

"We work hard together to make sure we stick together and look to improve all the time."

Saints were hugely impressive when beating Leicester and Bath at the Gardens back in September.

But they have struggled to match those performance levels since.

"Those wins showed what we can do when we play well and we get our act together," Mallinder said.

"It is disappointing to see the difference in performance and the inconsistencies, but that's what we're really striving towards achieving.

"It's probably not about getting new ideas, sometimes it's new emphasis on the way we're doing things.

"Particularly with something like defence, you've got to look at different ways of defending.

"Even though we set our principles out at the beginning of the season, sometimes you've got to put more emphasis on certain other areas."

Chinese exchange teaches lead masterclasses at Northampton primary school

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Maths lessons at a Northampton primary school are being led by two Shanghai exchange teachers this week.

Mr Chen Jianjun and Miss Leng Shahua have travelled to Northampton from China to school pupils at Castle Academy, in St George's Street, off Barrack Road.

The masterclasses in maths for Year 3 and Year 6 come as part of an exchange programme by the Department of Education.

Head of maths Cat Stone said: "The lessons are going great and the students are learning lots.

"They teach differently to most teachers in the UK but it's very effective. They really go into the structure of maths and break every lesson down into very small pieces."

The two exchange teachers, known as Mr Chen and Mrs Leng to the children, are in Northampton until November 17. In that time, over 15 other schools will visit Castle Academy to see the two Shanghai tutors in action.

Mrs Stone said: "We will absolutely continue this programme in the future. We've really enjoyed having this opportunity to teach our children in a new way."

The exchange programme was arranged by the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Maths, based in the Denbigh School in Milton Keynes.

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