Police are appealing for information to help find a wanted man from Corby.
William Little, 30, previously of Butterwick Walk, is being sought for a breach of court order as well as in connection with an alleged robbery.
Anyone with information about Little’s whereabouts should call Northamptonshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
On Friday (March 9) news emerged about a pensioner passing away at NGH after waiting for nine hours in the accident and emergency department.
In a leaked email sent to staff - which the hospital has since said was speculation rather than fact - medical director Dr Matthew Metcalfe said the elderly man's death was a direct result of emergency department pressures.
Gemma Cotman said on Facebook: "I work at the hospital in a different department and everywhere is under immense pressure.
"The wards don’t even have enough nurses or healthcare assistants half the time either.
"I’m very sorry to hear of this poor man's death and my condolences go to his family but it isn’t the fault of the staff it’s down to the Government and people using the A&E department like it’s a drop-in GP.
"This is why they don’t have enough time to properly diagnose other patients half the time."
The 85-year-old is reported to have arrived at the emergency department at around 4pm on Thursday (March 8) with stomach pains. He was taken into triage and assessed an hour-and-a-half later as anaemic with a possible cardiac problem. The hospital had planned to give the man a blood transfusion.
But NGH revealed the man died just before 1am after his condition deteriorated.
A statement from NGH said a 30 per cent year-on-year rise in the number of people presenting at the emergency department had had an impact on patient safety.
Rosemary Chandler said on social media: "I was at A&E on Tuesday night [two days before the incident] and I’ve never seen it so busy. I take my hat off to all the nurses and doctors who were run off their feet but always maintained a smile.
"Maybe the Government need to be there to see what they have done to our NHS."
The leaked email from Dr Metcalfe said: “Last night, a patient died due entirely to the dangerous overcrowding of the department. The risk we have all been aware of, but may have felt hypothetical, has just happened.”
Marie Newberry was among several readers who said they had seen direct evidence of the overwhelmed accident and emergency department that day.
She said: "We were sent to A&E by the doctor for our little boy early on in the day [on the day of the incident] and even then there were elderly and others in beds in the halls.
"I feel for the family and friends of this gentleman and also for the department and the staff because they are so overrun.
"While 111 helps - people [ should] not ring 999 at the same time.
"They [doctors] have always sent us to A&E even when I've asked to see out of hours doctor etc, which is why I'm no longer using that service. With the cuts and lack of support from Government, we as patients, need to help our service as much as we can."
A man has been arrested on suspicion of arson following a major fire at a Daventry warehouse.
At its peak, more than 50 firefighters were in attendance at the warehouse in Parsons Road, Drayton Fields Industrial Estate in the early hours of this morning, March 12.
A man has been arrested on suspicion of arson in connection with the fire at a unit, which is used by delivery firm DHL.
Roads in the industrial estate remain closed while firefighters continue to tackle the fire and work closely with the police and other agencies to maintain public safety.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer David Harding, from Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We expect to have fire officers at the scene for at least the next couple of days while we continue efforts to extinguish the fire.
“This was an extremely large building on fire which required more than 50 firefighters, 10 pumping and two aerial appliances along with other specialist vehicles, to tackle it during the early hours of this morning.”
It will be some time yet before investigators can gain access to the building however, police have launched an arson investigation and would like to speak to anyone who may have information about the fire or who may have witnessed anyone acting suspiciously near to the warehouse late last night.
Anyone in the area affected by smoke from the fire is advised to close doors and windows as a precautionary measure.
Witnesses or anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
A Northamptonshire village's only school could be closed down due to a shortage of pupils.
The future of Great Creaton Primary School, which has only 30 pupils, is uncertain after an email sent home to parents yesterday (March 12) announced the school could face closure.
It comes as the county council forecasts the school will have only one Year 6 pupil in 2019, and could bunch all its children - no matter their age - into a single class by next year.
If the county council agrees at a cabinet meeting tonight, the public will be asked whether they think the school should close or not.
An email to parents from the council's capital programme manager Chris Wickens reads: "The proposal to begin consultation on this matter has been by NCC, in liaison with the school, due to concerns over the small number of pupils attending the school and its impact on the school’s long-term viability.
"Full consideration has also been given to the challenges such low pupil numbers represent to the school in terms of effective curriculum delivery and the impact this may have on the pupil outcomes realised by those children attending Great Creaton Primary School."
The cabinet still has the option to vote against launching the consultation, in which case the school will not close.
The school, which teaches children aged between 4 and 11, operates with two mixed-aged classes for its total of 30 pupils, and has been undersubscribed for years. Only seven of the school's children are currently from Creaton.
Nearly half of Creaton Primary's pupils have special educational needs and disabilities,
It was criticised in an Ofsted inspection - published in February - for having a "generous" evaluation of itself and was rated as "requires improvement" in its last two visits.
Northamptonshire Police has arrested nine people and seen reductions in burglary, robbery and vehicle crime offences in the first week of an operation tackling serious acquisitive crime.
Launched last Monday (March 5), Operation Crooked is targeting known and wanted individuals for these offences, with increased patrols and crime prevention activity in the key areas of Kettering, north-east Northampton and south-west Northampton.
During the first five days of the operation, all three areas recorded reductions in serious acquisitive crime offences against 2017 figures, and five new wanted appeals have been issued as the second week of activity gets underway.
Op Crooked wanted appeals during week two include:
Simon Armstrong, 41, is being sought in connection with three vehicle crime offences in Rushden and east Northamptonshire. He is also being sought over one fraud offence and failure to appear in court
Miles Connors, 18, is being sought in connection with three burglaries in Daventry and south Northamptonshire
Dean Ingram, 32, is being sought in connection with two robberies in Northampton, and is also wanted on recall to prison
William Little, 30, is being sought in connection with two robberies in Corby
Isaac Roudette, 19, is being sought in connection with a robbery in Wellingborough
Superintendent Chris Hillery, Head of Local Policing and operation lead, said: “The first week of Operation Crooked has seen some great results, including a reduction in serious acquisitive crime in our main target areas.
“However, offenders are still operating in these communities, so I urge people to follow our crime prevention advice and report anything suspicious to us on 101 or online.
“We are also still keen to speak to anyone with information about the whereabouts of the individuals we have issued wanted appeals for. We are dedicated to disrupting criminal activity across Northamptonshire, so anyone involved in serious acquisitive crime should be expecting to hear from us soon.”
Throughout Operation Crooked, officers are proactively sharing crime prevention advice, supported by patrols by special constables and members of the Northamptonshire Emergency Services Cadets.
The operation is also targeting the sale of stolen goods, with people asked to report any information about those selling high-value items at low prices, and warned to be suspicious of deals which seem too good to be true.
Supt Hillery added: “If you’re offered a bargain price on a second-hand computer or tools worth thousands of pounds new, then you should be asking questions about where those items have come from.
“If they are stolen, there’s a victim involved and if you buy these items, you’re essentially profiting from someone else’s misery. Please don’t inadvertently become involved in crime in this way, and report any suspicions to us or to Crimestoppers.”
Anyone with information about serious acquisitive crime should call Northamptonshire Police on 101, or call Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555111.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of any of the above should call Northamptonshire Police on 101, or call Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555111.
Motorists using the A508 from Roade to Old Stratford have been warned of severe delays on the A5 roundabout after an accident
The RAC is reporting that one lane is closed on the roundabout after the accident and there is very heavy as a result. The last update was just before 5pm.
There are no details as to any injuries or the nature of the accident.
A Northampton man who climbed a Polish mountain in nothing but shorts and a hat has launched a workshop over the benefits of breathing, yoga and cold showers.
Daniel Beckitt, 35, from Overstone, who was recently spotted doing yoga in the snow during Storm Emma, says he can teach others how cold therapy and breathing exercises can help chronic pain and disorders.
He is the Midlands' first instructor of the Wim Hof Method, based on the theories of a Dutch extreme athlete with 26 world records, and is launching the workshop out of a Kingsthorpe Yoga Studio.
Daniel said: "I recently qualified as a 'Wim Hof Method' instructor. Part of the course involved climbing Mount Szeska in Poland for two-and-a-half hours in minus 20 degree wind chill temperatures in just shorts and a hat.
"I struggled with chronic asthma for years but after 10 months on the Wim Hof method, this was the year I threw all my medication away."
He claims the Wim Hof Method - a combination of cold showers and "controlled hyperventilation" breathing exercises - teaches the body how to relax and be comfortable in the cold, theoretically bolstering the immune system and teaching positive thinking.
Now, Daniel has launched one of the UK's only Wim Hof workshops in Northampton.
The five-hour group session teaches breathing techniques, the history behind the method and ends in an optional complete-immersion ice bath.
Daniel said: "It can help people with auto-immune diseases and conditions such as chronic asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, M.S, anxiety, depression, bi-polar and PTSD. It has significantly improved my own chronic asthma. It also creates more focus, creativity, peace and well-being.
"I'm hoping to eventually approach the Northampton Saints to invite them on the course."
Daniel launches his first workshop at the Om Yoga studio in Kingsthorpe this Sunday (March 18).
For more information on Daniel's workshop, visit his Facebook page.
Tickets for these added dates go on general sale at 9am on Thursday March 15.
Part two of the No Filter tour, sponsored by Jeep®, marks a homecoming for Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood as they continue on from their sold out European trek in the autumn of 2017.
Mick Jaggersaid: “It’s great that we’ll be playing even more UK venues where we’ve never played before. Look out Southampton and Coventry, we’ll see you this summer.”
Keith Richards commented, “Bring it on, two more shows for our UK fans. Can’t wait!!”
The Stones - No Filter tour, produced by Concerts West/AEG Presents, kicks off in Dublin (Ireland) on May 17 and then heads for the UK – two shows at the London Stadium, Southampton, Coventry, Manchester, Edinburgh, Cardiff, a third London show at Twickenham Stadium, plus Berlin, Marseille, Stuttgart, Prague & Warsaw.
For all information visit www.rollingstones.com
The Rolling Stones tour promoters AEG/Concerts West have confirmed that there will be no more shows on this tour.
The Rolling Stones urge fans to avoid secondary ticketing sellers and to only head for www.rollingstones.com where plenty of tickets will be available for purchase.
The Rolling Stones fan club presale begins 9am Tuesday Marc 13h. Fans already signed up to the mailing list will receive their pre-sale code before it goes on sale tomorrow morning.
In the UK, an American Express® presale will run from 9am on Tuesday 13 March to all American Express Cardmembers. For more info please visit axs.com/amexpresale. T&Cs apply
A limited number of VIP packages will be available for purchase. Package offerings can include a prestigious selection of tickets – including tickets in the ultra-exclusive No Filter Pit – limited-edition lithographs, custom VIP merchandise, and much more. Fans can also enjoy a variety of travel packages that will be available in all cities. For more information visit www.rollingstones.com
Northamptonshire Police is appealing for witnesses following the incident in Harlestone Road, on Monday, March 12.
The victim was walking from St James to the Bants Lane roundabout, close to the Argyle House Care Home, sometime between 6.35pm and 6.50pm.
The robber tried to grab her bag and then pulled out what the victim believed to be a knife shouting, "Give me your bag or I'll stab you".
The victim screamed loudly and the suspect then walked away towards St James.
A police spokeswoman said: "He was white, about 5ft 10 inches, and was wearing dark clothing and a beanie hat with white markings on it. He was clean-shaven."
Anyone with information should call Northamptonshire Police on 101 or ring Crimestoppers, in confidence, on 0800 555111.
Banking group Santander have issued a warning to their customers after being notified of a scam that is in operation.
Some users of the bank have reported receiving a text message from a fake account pretending to be Santander, asking them to click on a ‘secure link’.
Santander have used their social media accounts to urge everyone who receives the text to not click the link.
Several people commented on the Facebook post, saying that they had received the message. E
Along with the warning, the banking giants have also offered this advice:
- Never share a Santander One Time Passcode (OTP) with another person. Not even a Santander employee.
- Never download software or let anyone log on to your computer or other devices remotely following or during a cold call.
- Never enter your Online Banking details after clicking on a link in an email or text message.
Hop Fest will return this summer for another three days of live rock, metal and punk.
Following the success of the event last year, promoters House Of Pain will be taking the event to Rushden in at the end of June.
HOP promotions founder Skye Bertram James Day said: “This year we're looking to build directly off of the hype from last year and we hit up the crowd straight after the festival and even during it to see if anyone wanted to pick up early bird tickets.
“To even our surprise, there was a decent amount of interest.
“We want to get our full line up out but there will be a few last minute surprises, should everything go our way, which will be announced nearer the time. Psychostick was actually a late addition.”
Psychostick will be headlining the Friday which will also feature sets by Stormbringer, Outright Resistance, The Darkhorse, Everyday Sidekicks, Healer and Ashborn.
The Saturday will be headlined by Carcer City with support by Sworn Amongst, Trueheights, acts from the Metal 2 the Masses competition, Haema and Acolytes.
The final day will be headlined by Oceans Ate Alaska with sets by Kingdom Of Giants, Shields, Dead Man’s Chest, From Eden To Exile, Crow, Sharkteeth Grinder, Confessions of A Traitor, Asphodel, Casket Feeder, Life Against Time and King Abyss.
While last year, HOP Fest took place at the Prince Of Wales in Kettering, this year, this year the event is heading to the Athletic Club in Rushden.
Skye added: “Rushden wasn't our first choice I must confess, but it's somewhere we plan on keeping for the next couple of years.
“The venue, the town and surrounding areas really took to the idea of HOP fest being there.
“We've access to a huge room with full stage and lighting as well as the garden area where we plan on hosting a range of stalls for the event.
“We're actually still looking for stalls at this point for the event, so if anyone who has a small independent business and think they could do well at the festival please get in touch.
“We've already got the likes of Meat4Music and JewelzApparel booked in but we are on the look for a few niche stalls to be at the event.”
Skye added this year he hoped to improve on the timings and the running of bands during the day buy said with the venuee will provide significantly more room for bands to and organisers to work in.
Early bird and VIP are now sold out but standard tickets for the weekend cost £35.
He added: “The support we receive day in day out from this county is phenomenal, at no point could I ever have imagined myself doing what we're attempting to this year.
“If you're thinking about coming along to the festival, make sure you get your tickets early, there will be no way of holding tickets back for the event. If it sells out, that's it folks.
“Last but by no means least, I want to take this chance to thank everyone involved throughout the year and especially the amount of support we receive day in day out.
“We get very few occasions to publicly thank you all, but this feels like one of them.
“It's a pleasure and a gift that keeps giving year in year out to run these events in Northamptonshire, and it means to world to the entire team.”
HOP Fest runs from June 29 to July 1 at the Athletic Club in Newton Road, Rushden.
Day tickets cost £20, full weekend tickets cost £35.
For full details and to book tickets, visit https://tickets.hoppromotions.com/e/24/hopfest-2018
The Sex P Dolls will be playing some of punk and rock’s biggest hits as well as their own material at the Roadmender on Friday - a day before electronic industrial icon Gary Numan headlines the venue.
The Sex P Dolls exploded onto the scene late 2014 and have been wowing audiences and festivals with their edgy, high octane performance of classic rock and punk mixed in with their own original tracks.
They played on the main-stage at the Isle Of Wight Festival last year and have also performed at the British Grand Prix and shared stages with the likes of Texas, Rod Stewart, Razorlight, and The Kaiser Chiefs. They are back on the road following last year’s critically acclaimed Daughters Of Anarchy tour. Doors open at 7.30pm, tickets cost £13 in advance before fees.
Numan’s latest album, Savage: Songs From A Broken World, was released last year through BMG and earned some of the best reviews of his career. The album entered the UK charts at number two and Numan was also awarded the Inspiration Award for songwriting and composition at the Ivor Novellos. The album was produced by long-term collaborator Ade Fenton, with recording sessions split between Numan’s own studio in LA and in the UK. Since the album’s release, Numan has been playing across the world with his band which includes Northampton’s Tim Muddiman whose band will open for Numan alongside LA shoegazers Nightmare Air. Tickets are sold out.
Rock four piece Milk Teeth bring their Go Away tour to the Craufurd Arms on March 21.
Last year saw the band establish themselves as one of Brit-rock's brightest new hopes. Their two Roadrunner Records UK EPs Be Nice and Go Away received a flurry of upbeat reviews, three Rockest Records from Daniel P Carter at Radio 1 and further daytime airplay from the station.
They’ve also toured relentlessly, most recently as support to Good Charlotte which concluded at the O2 Academy Brixton.
The EPs showed the growing depth and diversity of Milk Teeth’s sound with highlights including the grunge-meets-power-pop anthem Owning Your Okayness and the rapid assault of Nearby Catfight. Following this tour, the band head out with Lower Than Atlantis for more gigs across the UK.
Support is by Fangclub and Nervus. Tickets cost £9, doors 7.30pm.
www.craufurdarms.com
Iconic Irish folk band The Dublin Legends bring their foot-stomping hits back to The Core in Corby on March 23.
In 2012 The Dubliners celebrated 50 years on the road but, following the sudden death of founding member Barney McKenna and John Sheahans’ decision to retire, it was agreed that The Dubliners, as a touring band, would come to an end and The Dublin Legends were born.
The band’s current line-up of Sean Cannon, Eamonn Campbell, Paul Watchorn and Gerry O’Connor have a combined total of more than 60 years of performing with The Dubliners. They released their latest album The Dublin Sessions last year and continue to play all the classic songs and ballads including Whiskey In The Jar, Dirty Old Town, The Wild Rover, Seven Drunken Nights and many more.
Tickets cost £19 before fees. Music from 7.30pm.
Parliament is set to vote on plans to impose an income threshold on families currently receiving Universal Credit today.
According to figures released by the Charity the Children's Society Labour has claimed the move could impact 17,000 children "currently eligible" for school meals in Northamptonshire, who they say would lose out if the threshold were to change.
Both of Labour's Parliamentary candidates for Northampton, Gareth Eales and Sally Keeble, have written letters to their Conservative counterparts urging them to vote against the party whip today.
In their letters, they write: "Imposing an income threshold on families currently receiving universal credit will not only potentially leave children without a hot meal, but the policy will create a cliff-edge, meaning some local parents could be better off either reducing their hours, or not taking additional hours or pay rises, because moving just above the income threshold would leave them hundreds of pounds worse off for each child affected."
Labour says the policy directly undermines the Government’s aim of Universal Credit, to make work pay.
But Northampton North MP Michael Ellis claims the story has been "debunked."
Under the current system, children are entitled to free school meals if their parents are claiming universal credit, regardless of how many hours their parents work.
But today the Government plans to change the rules so that if your family earns more than £7,400 from part-time work a year, your children will no longer be entitled to free school meals if they’re in Year 3 or above
Channel 4 News carried out a fact-check on this story in an article entitled “Labour aren’t telling the full story about free meals”.
The article states the policy “is not a case of the Government taking free school meals from a million children who are currently receiving them. It’s about comparing two future, hypothetical scenarios.”
No child currently receiving a free school meal will lose out from the proposed changes, according to the Conservatives, people who will be subject to the means test are future Universal Credit claimants. No child who currently gets a free meal will have it snatched from them.
Michael Ellis said: "It is clear that Labour have been caught out again making misleading claims about free school meals as a way of scoring party-political points.”
But the Labour candidates say the income cap will have a big impact on the county's families in the future.
Gareth Eales, Labour's candidate for Northampton South at the next election, said: “If Andrew Lewer votes to literally take hot dinners away from the children of his constituents, I don’t know how he will be able to hold his head high in our town."
And addressing her counterpart Michael Ellis, Sally Keeble, Labour’s candidate for Northampton North, added: “The vote on Tuesday gives him an opportunity to show just whose side he is on; the poorest children in his constituency, or the Tory government of which he is a member."
A Land Rover crashed into two parked cars in a Northampton neighbourhood this morning.
Oliver Street, off Kettering Road, in Kingsley, was blocked this morning after the collision at around 7.20am today (March 13).
Traffic was disrupted while police dealt with the crash. The road reopened at around 8am.
Officers investigating a chicken shop assault in Northampton have released CCTV images of four men they want to speak to.
The assault took place at a Sam's Chicken in The Drapery, Northampton, between 5am and 6am on December 16.
A 29-year-old man was assaulted and required hospital treatment as a result of the incident.
Officers would like to speak to the four people pictured as part of their enquiries into the incident.
Witnesses or anyone with information about this incident can contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Gary Lark, 59 of East Hunsbury signed up to Weight Watchers in January 2017, after he was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation - an abnormal heart rhythm - and was referred to a cardiologist.
At the time, the data input clerk weighed 29st 10lb and was told by doctors that he would lead a shorter life if he did not choose to lose weight.
Gary, who has now lost seven stone since last year, said: "Mobility had been a big issue with me as I suffer from gout and arthritis in my feet and knees, limiting what I’ve been able to do.
"Due to the blood thinners required because of the heart condition, I was unable to take any anti-inflammatories to aid with arthritis."
But in October 2017 Gary had an operation to correct the heart condition and two months later he was able to come off the blood thinners and start on medication to aid his arthritis.
He added: “After a lifetime of yo-yo dieting and an unsuccessful gastric band procedure six years ago, this was the kick in the butt that I needed."
This, in turn, inspired his 24st 2lb partner, Peter Jerret, 48, to change his way of life too.
Security guard Peter lost five stone after deciding to change his eating habits after suffering from diabetes and narcolepsy - which meant had to inject himself with insulin four times a day.
Peter said he used to feel self-conscious before his weight loss but is now growing in confidence.
He said: "At first, I felt very withdrawn. I had no confidence and in public, I would disappear into my shell.
“It was tough at times, but we stuck with it. Now when I look back I would never have dreamed we could have made such a change together - we are both still on our weight loss journey, but I have now said goodbye to 70lb forever.
"Gary and I regularly go out walking our border terrier. Something that in the past was just not possible. I no longer feel the need to disappear into my shell in public. As the weight has come off, I have grown in confidence. I am looking forward to the time that I can come off medication for good.”
Recent blood tests have shown that Peter now has the lowest blood sugar levels in the last six years and is needing to take minimal doses of medication.
Peter added: “I love rummaging about in my wardrobe looking for those clothes that had retired, unloved into the back. I used to do the shirt test - I would sit down in the shirt. If the shirt bulged open, it went back into the back of the wardrobe.
"However, these days the shirt test makes me smile and gives me a much-needed boost. I sit down, and they no longer bulge open.
"Last year at work, I had reached the point where my uniform had become so tight that I needed to ask for a larger size. Now I need a smaller one.”
Harrison was sent off in the 67th minute of last Friday's 13-12 Anglo-Welsh Cup semi-final defeat at Bath for striking prop Nathan Catt with the head.
The incident proved costly for Saints as Josh Lewis kicked the resulting penalty to book Bath's place in Sunday's final at Kingsholm.
And Harrison will now hope to avoid further punishment at the hearing in Coventry tonight (start time 7pm).
Saints have five more games remaining this season, all of which come in the Aviva Premiership.
Their next match is at St James' Park, against Newcastle Falcons, on March 24.
And that will be followed by fixtures against Saracens, Leicester Tigers, Wasps and Worcester Warriors.
Kids of the 70s, 80s and 90s will remember them well with a nostalgic tear in their eye but here are 10 great outdoor games we used to play that our children have probably never heard of.
Now spring looks to have finally sprung with warmer weather and lighter evenings on the horizon, we will all be getting out a lot more than we have been over the last few months.
Nowadays it seems the only games children play are on their consoles or iPads.
So parents might need to turn the clock back to show their kids the true meaning of fun.
Here are 10 of the best outdoor games we used to play that our kids have probably never heard of.