Gibson, who looks hugely likely to be named player of the season at tonight's end-of-season awards, was unable to force his way into the back row picture.

Instead, England have immediately handed Brad Shields a call-up, with the Hurricanes back row forward joining Wasps this summer.

Saints' other most likely representatives in South Africa, Dylan Hartley and Courtney Lawes, are not considered for selection as both are injured.

Hartley has concussion, while Lawes is recovering from a knee injury.

Harry Mallinder was also not considered for selection.

England will play South Africa in three Tests in Johannesburg (June 9), Bloemfontein (June 16) and Cape Town (June 23).

And England boss Eddie Jones said: "It will be the most exciting challenge for us as a group since 2016.

"We have an opportunity to create some history next month and win the Test series, something no England side has done before.

“There are a number of players out injured or not selected so it provides a big opportunity for others.

“With three weeks to prepare for the first Test in Johannesburg I am expecting players to come into camp with the right mind-set and we will be looking for them to break the mould in terms of being more assertive and on the front foot in everything we do.

“We will need to be physically aggressive and tactically smart against the Springboks who we know will be combative and reinvigorated by their new coaching setup.”

Three Saints players have made it into the 31-man squad which will train in Brighton next week ahead of the tour and England’s Quilter Cup match against the Barbarians.

Paul Hill, Teimana Harrison and Piers Francis will all be involved ahead of the clash with the Barbarians at Twickenham on Sunday, May 27.

Following the conclusion of the Premiership semi finals next weekend, a final training squad will be confirmed to prepare for the match.

England squad for South Africa Tour
Backs
Full backs
Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Elliot Daly (Wasps)
Nathan Earle (Saracens) *
Jonny May (Leicester Tigers)
Denny Solomona (Sale Sharks)
Inside backs
Danny Cipriani (Wasps)
Owen Farrell (Saracens)
George Ford (Leicester Tigers)
Alex Lozowski (Saracens)
Cameron Redpath (Sale Sharks) *
Dan Robson (Wasps) *
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Ben Spencer (Saracens) *
Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
Forwards
Back five
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks)
Ben Earl (Saracens) *
Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs) *
Nick Isiekwe (Saracens)
Maro Itoje (Saracens)
Joe Launchbury (Wasps)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)
Brad Shields (Hurricanes/ Wasps) *
Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens)
Jack Willis (Wasps) *
Mark Wilson (Newcastle)
Front row
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)
Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers)
Jamie George (Saracens)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens)
Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs)
Uncapped *

Not considered for selection
Backs
Danny Care (Harlequins)
Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby)
Harry Mallinder (Saints)
Joe Marchant (Harlequins)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)
Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath Rugby)
Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby)
Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens)
Forwards
Jack Clifford (Harlequins)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Tom Dunn (Bath Rugby)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby)
Dylan Hartley (Saints)
James Haskell (Wasps)
Nathan Hughes (Wasps)
George Kruis (Saracens)
Courtney Lawes (Saints)
Will Spencer (Worcester Warriors)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby)

England training squad, Brighton (week commencing May 14)
Backs
Full backs
Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Joe Cokanasiga (London Irish) *
Ben Loader (London Irish)*
Jonny May (Leicester Tigers)
Denny Solomona (Sale Sharks)
Jason Woodward (Gloucester Rugby)*
Inside backs
George Ford (Leicester Tigers)
Piers Francis (Saints)
Ollie Lawrence (Worcester Warriors) *
Cameron Redpath (Sale Sharks) *
Marcus Smith (Harlequins) *
Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors)
Ben Vellacott (Gloucester Rugby) *
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
Forwards
Back five
Josh Beaumont (Sale Sharks) *
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks)
Tom Ellis (Bath Rugby) *
Teimana Harrison (Saints)
Josh McNally (London Irish)*
Zach Mercer (Bath Rugby) *
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)
Jono Ross (Sale Sharks)*
Elliott Stooke (Bath Rugby) *
Front row
Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers)
Paul Hill (Saints)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
George McGuigan (Leicester Tigers)*
Beno Obano (Bath Rugby) *
Nick Schonert (Worcester Warriors) *
Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins)
Jack Singleton (Worcester Warriors) *

Just a few weeks ago, David Ripley's men were well beaten by Warwickshire, losing by an innings and 48 runs at the County Ground.

But they have not had to wait long for a chance to turn the tables on their conquerors, with rivalries renewed this week.

"We want to go to Edgbaston and play better than we did against them a few weeks ago," said County head coach David Ripley.

"We need to put in a better performance."

That is, of course, easier said than done against a Warwickshire team that top the embryonic division two table following two wins and a draw from their opening three matches.

White the league leaders have had some luck with the weather, Northants saw their favourable home fixture against Durham washed out completely due to rain at the County Ground.

And that means they now sit bottom of the table, having also lost to Middlesex, on the opening day of the campaign.

"Durham came back very well and beat Leicester but at the time we were playing them, they'd also lost their opening game, to Kent, and we were strong at home last year so we were looking forward to it," Ripley said.

"But we can only control what we can and if it rains, what can we do?

"We move onto the next game and just want to play a lot better than we did last time we played Warwickshire.

"When we played at Lord's against Middlesex, I didn't think we played as badly as the final score suggested,but the Warwickshire game, we were poor, well beaten.

"The fact we're playing them so close to that game is good because we can go there, play better and show we're a better team than they played a couple of weeks ago."

The County start their 50-over bid at home to Leicestershire on May 17, but pace ace Gleeson will not be available.

The 30-year-old is set to have a second scan on an elbow injury, and head coach David Ripley fears he could miss a big chunk of the competition.

Northants will play all eight of their One-Day Cup fixtures by June 8, meaning there is limited recovery time for Gleeson, who has enjoyed a rapid rise to prominence.

He caught the eye for the England Lions in the Caribbean and also excelled in the Champion County match against Essex, taking a hat-trick in that fixture.

However, Northants will now have to do without him for some crucial clashes, starting with the County Championship Division Two encounter at Warwickshire, which starts on Friday.

"Ric has unfortunately got a bit of a problem with his elbow and we've got to shut him down for a couple of weeks," Ripley said.

"He's got to have a scan and we will see what the result of that second scan is.

"At the moment, he's got a problem with his elbow and it's unfortunate.

"One of the disappointing things about last year's campaign - we didn't play well so I don't want to make excuses - was that we had players with injuries when the 50-over competition was on and it's not like they just miss one game, they miss the whole competition.

"We just hope that Richard will be able to come back towards the end of the competition and give us a bit of a lift, but he is out for now.

"Tom Sole is out with an injury and Nathan Buck is a couple of weeks away from returning so those are our three injuries at the moment."

It will involve all 12 Gallagher Premiership Rugby clubs in a format including a new derby-day round.

With total prize money of more than half a million pounds, the new competition will be played over four pool rounds, including the derby day, semi-finals and final.

It will be a replacement for the Anglo-Welsh Cup as the Welsh regional teams have ended their 13-year involvement in the competition in favour of a new under-23 tournament.

“We are sad that our friends in the Welsh Regions will not be involved next season but we have been discussing for some time that they need to move a new structure, prioritising an under-23 format," said Premiership Rugby chief executive Mark McCafferty.

“The (Anglo-Welsh) Cup has been a highly successful competition in recent years in helping develop the best new Premiership and England players, in front of big crowds and TV audiences.

“The pathway for young players is now clear linking the Under-18s League, the A League and now the Premiership Rugby Cup into one strong route towards Gallagher Premiership Rugby, European competitions and Test matches.

“Many Test players including Owen Farrell, George Ford and Maro Itoje all made their senior debuts in the Anglo-Welsh Cup and some of the most recent breakthrough players of the year have been Jack Nowell, Jonny May and Adam Radwan.

“In addition, the competition has seen many different club coaches taking responsibility for the cup team and developing their experience and skills in charge.

"This focus on new playing and coaching talent will continue in the new cup format with young players and coaches experiencing the challenge of bigger crowds and TV exposure.

“This season has seen record TV audiences throughout the competition and success in the final for Exeter Chiefs to support their quest for another Aviva Premiership Rugby title.

“More than 1.3m fans watched live coverage of the cup on BT Sport this season, a 37 per cent increase year on year.

"This competition is fundamental to developing young players for Premiership action in front of big crowds and more intense atmospheres.

The Premiership Rugby Cup will comprise three pools of four teams each and will kick off with the first two pool rounds starting on the last weekend of October and the second two starting at the end of January.

One of the second two rounds will see derby-day clashes for the 12 teams before the cup moves into the knockout phase with the three pool winners and the best runner up moving into the semi-finals.

The pool draw for the new Premiership Rugby Cup will be announced at the BT Tower on July 6.

The NHS will be banning free prescriptions for some ‘over the counter’ medicines such as constipation and athletes foot by the end of this month.

The NHS will be banning free prescriptions for some ‘over the counter’ medicines such as constipation and athletes foot by the end of this month.

NHS England is hoping to free up almost £100 million for frontline care each year by bringing in the changes.

The NHS will no longer be funding medicines such as cold treatments, paracetamol, probiotics, cough mixture, eye drops and laxatives.

However, the rule changes will not affect the prescribing of over the counter items for ‘longer term or more complex conditions’, NHS officials have confirmed.

NHS England have said that curbing these routine prescriptions for minor conditions, many of which will cure themselves, will free up vital funds.

The NHS announced the move at the end of the March and the new guidance to GPs across the country will start from May 31.

NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens said: “Across the NHS our aim is to: ‘Think like a patient, act like a taxpayer’.

“The NHS is probably the most efficient health service in the world, but we’re determined to keep pushing further.

“Every pound we save from cutting waste is another pound we can then invest in better A&E care, new cancer treatments and much better mental health services.”

The NHS have said that some of the products can be purchased over the counter at a lower cost than that which would be incurred by the NHS.

The new guidance will curb the routine prescribing of products for self limiting conditions that do not require any medical advice or treatment.

These conditions, including sore throats, coughs and cold, will clear up on their own.

It will also apply to conditions that are suitable for self care which can be treated with items that can easily be purchased over the counter, such as indigestion, mouth ulcers and warts and verrucae.

NHS England have said that the guidance will not apply to people with long-term or more complex conditions who will continue to get their usual prescriptions.

However, people who receive free prescriptions will not automatically be exempt from the guidance.

Once CCGs have adopted the new guidance locally, it will apply to everyone who is not covered by the general or condition-specific exceptions listed in the guidance document.

According to the Mirror, these are the conditions affected by NHS prescription crackdown

• Acute sore throat

• Infrequent cold sores of the lip

• Conjunctivitis

• Coughs and colds and nasal congestion

• Cradle Cap (seborrhoeic dermatitis – infants) • Haemorrhoids • Infant colic

• Mild cystitis

• Mild irritant dermatitis

• Dandruff

• Diarrhoea (adults)

• Dry eyes/sore (tired) eyes

• Earwax

• Excessive sweating (Hyperhidrosis)

• Head lice

• Indigestion and heartburn

• Infrequent constipation

• Infrequent migraine

• Insect bites and sting

• Mild acne

• Mild dry skin

• Sunburn

• Sun protection

• Mild to moderate hay fever/seasonal rhinitis

• Minor burns and scalds

• Minor conditions associated with pain, discomfort and/fever. (e.g. aches and sprains, headache, period pain, back pain)

• Mouth ulcers

• Nappy rash

• Oral thrush

• Prevention of dental caries

• Ringworm/athletes foot

• Teething/mild toothache

• Threadworms

• Travel sickness

• Warts and verruca

Last month, the then secretary of state for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid, announced that he was likely to send commissioners into the council, following the publication of the damning Best Value Inspection report.

Secretary of state James Brokenshire MP has now drafted in two government-appointed commissioners who will work at the One Angel Square headquarters overseeing finance and governance.

In a written ministerial statement to Parliament, the communities secretary said the commissioners would be led by Tony McArdle, former chief executive of Lincolnshire County Council. He will be supported by Brian Roberts, former deputy chief executive of Leicestershire County Council.

The commissioners will be at the council alongside a new independent improvement board agreed by the council’s cabinet yesterday, which will challenge and oversee improvements at the council.

The commissioners are due to be in place until March 31, 2021 and will update the Secretary of State every three months on progress.

Councillor Matthew Golby, leader of the county council, said: “We very much welcome the intervention by the government in overseeing financial and governance arrangements at the council as this goes a long way in allaying uncertainty for staff and partners organisations.

“We are very much committed to working with the government to ensure that we deliver the best services for the people of Northamptonshire, whilst being mindful of providing value for money for the taxpayer.

“Both the council’s new-look cabinet and the senior management team see this as an opportunity to bring improvements and we look forward to implementing some positive change.”

In his statement in March, Sajid Javid also said that local government reform was needed in the county and has invited a restructuring plan to be submitted by the end of July.

Councillor Golby said: “I am keen to continue the work we’ve already begun to reform local government in the county in full partnership with our district and borough council colleagues and with our local MPs. Another priority for me is to begin rebuilding trust with our communities and residents.”

Ministry of Justice figures show that 659 prisoners were crammed into just 600 spaces at the prison in March.

Campaigners say that the unchecked rise of the prison population is responsible for the huge increase in assaults on staff and other inmates - a situation described last week as a "national emergency".

The Prison Service measures its own capacity in terms of Certified Normal Accommodation - the number of prisoners it says it can accommodate in the "good, decent standard of accommodation that the service aspires to provide all prisoners".

However, with the majority of prisons overcrowded across England and Wales, they also have a separate measure called Operational Capacity. It is the maximum number of prisoners the Prison Service says each institution can safely handle while maintaining control and security.

In March, Rye Hill's population stood at 99 per cent of this capacity.

Prisons contain a number of one and two-person cells. In overcrowded prisons, more inmates will be put in cells than they were originally designed to hold.

Figures released last month showed that 159 assaults were recorded at Rye Hill in 2017, 59 per cent higher than the number in 2012. Of those attacks, 78 were on staff.

There were also 408 cases of self-harm recorded in the prison last year. In 2012, there were just 128.

The director of the Prison Reform Trust, Peter Dawson, said: "Overcrowding isn't simply a case of being forced to share a confined space for up to 23 hours a day where you must eat, sleep and go to the toilet.

"It directly undermines all the basics of a decent prison system, including work, safety and rehabilitation.

"Despite a virtually permanent programme of prison building, overcrowding has been an unchanging reality of our prison system since 1994. Building prisons isn't the solution - breaking our addiction to imprisonment is."

Across the country, assaults have more than doubled in prisons over the last five years, and cases of self-harm have increased by 93 per cent.

Frances Crook, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said last week: "This shameful rise in violence and self-injury is the direct result of policy decisions to allow the number of people behind bars to grow unchecked while starving prisons of resources.

"This is a national emergency, and the government must respond boldly and urgently."

A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said: "Prison numbers can fluctuate, which is why we have robust plans in place to ensure we always have enough prison places for those sent to us by the courts.

"We will always ensure there are enough cells across the prison estate, and manage this in a way that gives taxpayers the best possible value for money.

"We are investing £1.3 billion to build modern new establishments, with up to 10,000 new prison places and better education facilities."

A new stationery shop is opening in Northampton's Grosvenor Centre next week.

Smiggle will be bringing its trademark bright and bold store to the centre on Friday May 18.

John Cheston, managing director of Smiggle, said: “We’re delighted that Smiggle fans in Northampton now have a store of their own, bringing our total UK portfolio to 130 stores.

“I’m sure new customers in Northampton will be equally charmed when they visit our fantastic new store, with its colourful design and unique range of products.

“There really is nothing that compares to Smiggle. We promise to continue to innovate and expand our product range and to deliver smiles and giggles to every fan across the UK."

The two troubleshooting commissioners set to oversee Northamptonshire County Council’s financial dealings for the next three years have long records in local government.

Tony McArdle was the former £100k-per year chief executive of Wellingborough Council for seven years until the mid-2000s before he moved to Lincolnshire County Council.

He announced he was to leave his £206,383 post as chief executive of Lincolnshire County Council in January this year after 11 years at the helm, although he said he would continue to see through several key schemes in the county.

He has recently spoken to the Local Government Chronicle about his views on unitary authorities.

He was credited with transforming Lincolnshire County Council, along with council leader Cllr Martin Hill. When he took over the former leader had been jailed for corruption in public office and his successor had been debarred from standing for public office.

His fellow commissioner Brian Roberts is a former deputy chief executive of Leicestershire County Council and is described as ‘an expert in financial management’.

Last year he was paid £91,000 in his role as corporate resources director at the authority.

He is listed as a former president of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy.

They say that his previous jobs include roles at Staffordshire County Council, Hampshire County Council, the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Hart District Council and Merseyside County Council.

He qualified as an accountant in 1980 and was a member and past president of the Society of County Treasurers. He was also an LGA core finance adviser and past president of the Association of Local Government Treasurers.

Their website also states he’s a national council member and a trustee of the Centre for Public Scrutiny.

Read more here

Sywell-based flyers, The Blades, have been picked to headline a top UK airshow.

The Blades, who are said to be one of the world’s most exhilarating aerobatic flying display teams, will headline this year’s Farnborough International Airshow.

Their top billing was announced by Airshow hosts Michael Underwood - who also hails from Northampton - and his wife, The One Show presenter Angelica Bell.

Founded by ex-Red Arrows pilots, the fast-paced and dynamic Blades team will dominate the sky with a bespoke, close-formation aerobatic display that has been designed especially for the Farnborough Airshow.

It is set to feature never-seen-before manoeuvers by the team, a high velocity solo display by Blade 4 and heart-stopping head-to-head flying.

Flying Extra EA-300s, the four-strong team will, for the first time, use pyrotechnics as part of their display.

Blade 1 and Team Leader, Andy Evans, said: “This year will be the fifth time The Blades have displayed at Farnborough International Airshow.

“As the headlining act for 2018, the team is bringing a new look, new pilots and a brand new, bespoke display – a routine just for FIA’18.

“Spectators can still expect to see dynamic and exhilarating flying but on a more creative level with the unique addition of pyrotechnics.”

Group Marketing Director for Farnborough International, Andrew Pearcey added: “The Blades are a world-leading aerobatic act that will bring speed, dynamism and incredible skill to this July’s Airshow.

“This will be our best-ever show, with as much action on the ground as in the sky.

“The Farnborough International Airshow is a great-value weekend full of activities, fun and engagement - from history to space travel.”

The Blades will be at the heart of more than ten hours of flying displays, from the Flying Bulls through to the Harrier Jump Jet.

To see The Blades in action on July 21/22 go to www.farnboroughairshow.com

Northamptonshire taxpayers will foot the £1,500 per day bill for two commissioners drafted in to run the county council’s finances.

The ‘lead’ commissioner, Tony McArdle, will be given £800 per day, and his co-worker Brian Roberts will receive £700 per day for any work they carry out for the county council.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has confirmed that the commissioners will be working betwee one and two days per weeek. Expenses will also be paid.

It was announced this lunctime that commissioners have been sent in to the beleaguered Northamptonshire County Council to combat its long-running financial troubles.

The duo, who both have long backgrounds in local government, are set to ensure that the county council’s finances are ship-shape during the proposed transition to a unitary local government setup in the county.

In a letter to Northamptonshire County Council, Alex Powell, the Deputy Director of Local Government Stewardship said: “The Secretary of State is mindful of the need for Commissioner remuneration to represent value for money for local taxpayers. In recognition of the nature and scale of the intervention, he has determined fees of £800 a day for the Lead Commissioner and £700 a day for the Finance Commissioner.

“The Secretary of State also expects the Commissioners to be paid reasonable expenses in accordance with the rules for senior officers set out in your Authority’s staff handbook.”

The Government minister who has appointed two commissioners to run Northamptonshire County Council’s finances says the council was ‘unlikely’ to be able to solve its own problems.

In a statement, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government James Brokenshire MP said that the county’s failures were not down to a lack of funding, but because the authority failed to get a grip on its own finances.

He also said he is not ruling sending in more commissioners to help out.

The pair who were appointed today (Thursday, May 10) will be paid £1,500 per day.

James Brokenshire’s statement says: “As Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, seeing strong, effective and sustainable local government is a priority for me.

“When I was appointed to the role just over a week ago, I knew I would have to make tough decisions – just as I did when I was Northern Ireland Secretary.

“One of the first was the decision to appoint commissioners to oversee Northamptonshire County Council.

“My predecessor had sent in an independent inspector when serious concerns were raised about the council’s finances and its ability to deliver the best value to the people of Northamptonshire.

“The inspector reported that legitimate questions from councillors had gone unanswered, key meetings were unrecorded and concerns raised, within the council and externally, were ignored.

“Councils have faced many challenges in recent years, but the inspector concluded that Northamptonshire’s failures were not down to a lack of funding or because it is uniquely disadvantaged compared to other local authorities.

“He said that it had failed to get a grip on its finances for several years and the Council was unlikely to solve these problems itself.

“It was clear from his report that we had to act. It’s therefore with regret that I am sending in commissioners to help turn the situation around.

“The commissioners will run large parts of the council, drawing on their considerable expertise. One is a long-serving and effective council chief executive and the other is a financial expert. They will be in post as long as is necessary and I have not ruled out appointing extra commissioners.

“In doing so, I want to reassure the community essential services will continue to be delivered. This will not be an easy process, but I am confident that this decisive action will result in a stronger, better Northamptonshire that’s fit for the future.

“I am keen to work with the council to stabilise the situation and, in line with the inspector’s report, see it move on and reorganise in a way that really works for residents.

“So I am inviting Northamptonshire County Council and the district and borough councils in the area to submit proposals that meet the criteria for local government restructuring: namely that they improve local government, are based on a credible geography and command a good deal of local support.

“I expect these proposals to be informed by a broad public consultation to ensure that the area’s future is led by the local community.

“Effective local government is the backbone of our democracy. Northamptonshire needs a fresh start and that is exactly what I have given it.”

Northampton Borough Council was warned to add emergency strapping to the crumbling Eleanor Cross monument in November but did not do so, a hidden report has revealed.

In recent years the historic monument in London Road has fallen into disrepair with both the borough and county councils claiming it was not their responsibility to repair.

The stalemate seemed to have reached a conclusion last year when the borough took on responsibility for repairing the 13th-century structure.

The authority commisioned Cliveden Conservation to "winterproof" the 700-year-old cross last October by carrying out minor repair work.

But the cabinet meeting at Northampton Borough Council on Wednesday night heard how experts had advised the council to carry out emergency structural repairs as far back as November.

An independent report by the company Clarendon, the meeting heard, advised "strapping" be added to the cross as it was at risk of collapse. The details of the report only came to light after a Freedom of Information request by a member of the public.

Historians now fear the listing 13th-century monument, one of three remaining in the UK, will "fall to pieces" after finding new cracks in the stonework.

Speaking at the cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Councillor Julie Davenport (Independent, Delapre and Far Cotton) questioned why the council didn't act on the report in November.

She said: "Unknown to everyone, Northampton Borough Council carried out a survey in November.

"Clarendon said it needed work doing to do it immediately and needed immediate strapping done to it.

"However, this work was never carried out.

"If you did not take the remedial work required by that report there must be a reason. We need to know.

"Now it can be called the leaning tower of Delapre."

Northampton Borough Council says it aims to begin work on the cross by autumn and is seeking funding from Historic England to do so.

The cross, situated at the southern end of London Road close to Delapré Wood, was commissioned by Edward I between 1291 and 1294.

Each of the original twelve monuments marks one of the nightly resting places of his wife, Queen Eleanor of Castile’s, funeral procession between Harby, near Lincoln, to London.

Councillor Davenport says that money must now be found to carry out the emergency work.

"I have had so many residents contact me," she said.

"They can't understand that for Abington Museum they can find millions, but unless an Historic England grant can be found the work to the Eleanor Cross can't be done."

Responding at the cabinet meeting, leader of the council, Councillor Jonathan Nunn, said: "I don't think the cross is leaning like you say.

"I don't think there is subsidence.

"Ther is some suggestion of cabinet member involvement or skullduggery of some sort.

"That is not the case. Historic England has had to approve everything that happens.

"You can't do anything without their step-by-step approval."

Regeneration consultant at the council, Rick O' Farrell, told the meeting that he was not sure why the report was not acted upon at the time. He only assumed the regeneration role in January.

However, he said the strapping work will be carried out ahead of the full restoration programme in autumn.

A Northampton man, who lost his sister to an incurable disease, has handed over the proceeds of a fundraiser to the hospice which cared for her throughout her life.

Adam Walter arranged ‘The Charlotte Trophy’ at the Dallas Burston Polo Club in Warwickshire, where he works.

The 26-year-old’s sister, Charlotte, had Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) - a severe muscle wasting disease - and was cared for at Helen & Douglas House from the age of four.

Charlotte was 18 years old when she died in 2013 and her family were supported by Helen & Douglas House with bereavement counselling.

The special polo tournament, which included a ticketed afternoon tea VIP package and a raffle, raised £1,007 - £507 through the raffle and a further £500 donated by IXL Events.

Adam said: “My sister Charlotte was so brave and persistent.

“Our family were all so excited to be able to be a part of celebrating her life and recognise that Helen & Douglas House was a big part of our family.

“My employers at IXL Events noticed now much the charity means to me.

“Helen & Douglas House has given amazing support to our family including respite care for my sister and our family.”

He added: “My sister used to live by the motto ‘until I try, I’ll never know’ and she managed to try as much as she could with the help and the hope that Helen & Douglas House provided.

“Staying at the hospice enabled Charlotte to make new friends and helped her embrace life rather than shy away.

“Our whole family enjoyed staying there and it helped us make the most of our time together.

“Helen & Douglas House meant so much to her that she demanded to go in her last weeks.”

Adam is hoping to make the event an annual fixture.

A Victorian mother of the upper classes had certain expectations of her future son-in-law's background - and being found in a handbag as a baby was probably not high on the list.

This quirky scenario is the story at the heart of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, which is currently enjoying its latest staging at the Royal & Derngate.

And the play, which is now considered a classic piece of comedy, is certainly a barbed attack on the artifice and shallowness of marriage and relationships in the late 19th century - albeit dressed up as a witty and elegant farce.

Despite its fame, age and popularity, I have somehow never seen The Importance of Being Earnest performed on stage, but I welcomed the opportunity to approach a play without a great preconception of the characters.

For those unfamiliar with the story, Jack (known as Earnest when in town), is in love with the beautiful Gwendolen, but cannot convince her mother, Lady Bracknell, that he is a suitable suitor - particularly as the only thing he knows about his parentage is the type of handbag he was abandoned in.

Meanwhile, his friend Algernon (who takes on the name Earnest for his trip into the country) forms a relationship with Jack's 18-year-old ward, Cecily.

With so many Earnests, so many fiancées of Earnests and such a big parental mystery to uncover, the tale descends into an irreverent but always exquisitely articulated farce, with plenty of slapstick and physical comedy along the way.

Former Coronation Street and Duty Free star Gwen Taylor takes on the role of the fearsome Lady Bracknell and I thought she played the part with great charisma. I had heard it said by one critic that she brings too much warmth to the role, but I felt she created a very real character - someone who understands the reality of the world but is so forthright she believes she can bend all around her to do her bidding.

In a cast full of strong performances, another name worth mentioning is that of Louise Coulthard as Cecily Cardew, who prompted many laughs by emphasising the slightly manic side to a girl capable of completely fabricating a relationship via her diary.

Downton Abbey star Thomas Howes is also brilliant as the morally dubious Algernon, balanced perfectly by the calmer but equally duplicitous Jack (wittily played by Peter Sandys-Clarke).

For fans of traditional theatre done well, the play is a must-see, and a decent reflection of Wilde's laughter-packed work.

The Importance of Being Earnest will continue in Northampton until Saturday, May 12. Visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk to book tickets.

Tom Stephenson has become the latest Saints player to agree a summer switch to London Irish.

On Wednesday, the Exiles announced the signing of experienced fly-half Stephen Myler.

And now it has been confirmed that Stephenson will be linking up with Myler and another former Saint, prop Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi, at the Championship club next season.

The centre, who recently skippered the Wanderers to Prem Rugby A League glory, was offered a new contract at Saints, but he was desperate for a fresh start and to secure more game time.

He should get that at Irish as they look to return to England's top division at the first time of asking.

And Stephenson, who made 54 appearances for Saints, helping the club to a Premiership and Challenge Cup double in 2014, said: "From speaking to Danny, who I’ve played with at Northampton and in the England Under-20s team, there is an exciting set-up at London Irish.

"I’m really enthusiastic about being part of the club’s future under Declan Kidney.

“I feel that I’m ready for a fresh challenge and hopefully I can hit the ground running when I arrive at Hazelwood in the summer.”

The director of children’s services at Northamptonshire County Council is leaving the post.

Council leader Matt Golby made the announcement today (Thursday) that Lesley Haggar, who has been in post for two years, will be leaving NCC.

The county’s children’s service department has just undergone an Ofsted inspection and the results will be made public in the coming weeks.

It has been in the requires improvement category since 2016 and was criticised at the time for using agency staff to plug a shortage of social workers.

Cllr Golby made the announcement at the Northamptonshire Health & Wellbeing Board.

The children’s service has just undergone a rebrand and is now being called Children’s First Northamptonshire.

The county council is assessing the potential to turn the children’s services into an arms length company, and has created a shadow board which will be trialled for six months to ‘test the benefits of working through an arms length organisation.’

The county’s other two arms length companies Olympus Care and First for Wellbeing, which were established two years ago, have now been brought back in-house after not delivering good enough results.

The companies were part of NCC’s previous chief executive Paul Blantern’s plan for a next generation council which would massively reduce staffing numbers and hope to deliver services for a profit.

The move to turn the children’s department into an arms-length organisation was questioned at the meeting by Assistant Chief Constable at Northamptonshire Police James Andronov, whose officers work closely with the county authority’s children’s staff.

He said: “Is this really a trial?

“If the trial does not work are we really going to be able to undo all of the work?”

Cllr Golby responded by saying: “There has been some really good work gone into this.

“We have set up area based teams across the county which is really positive.”

Lesley Haggar joined the county council in 2016 after being asked to undertake the role by the Department for Education.

She has 30 years’ experience of working with children and families and worked for NCC for 16 years before moving onto other roles at different councils.

Northamptonshire Scout groups are booming after latest membership figures revealed another year of growth for the youth association.

The Scouts in the county recorded an eleven per cent increase in volunteers, according to the annual survey.

Following a call for more adult volunteers across the county in 2017, 252 signed up in the last 12 months.

These new adults have supported the growth of 184 new youth members, with a total of 2,460 adults and 6,336 young people enjoying adventure and learning valuable skills for life.

The strong volunteer growth also coincides with new research conducted by The Scout Association, highlighting the overwhelmingly positive impact volunteering has on the lives and mental wellbeing of those who volunteer.

The research showed that the majority of volunteers reported having improved life satisfaction (70 per cent) and self-esteem (66 per cent) since beginning volunteer work, as well as having reduced feelings of loneliness (42 per cent) and stress (33 per cent).

Nearly two thirds (65 per cent) of volunteers also stated that since beginning volunteer work they have developed useful work skills; with 59 per cent saying they feel more confident and 54 per cent feeling more motivated in their jobs.

Lee Jones, Lead Volunteer for Northamptonshire, said: “It is great to see such strong growth for Scouting in the Northamptonshire, both in youth members and volunteers is a huge achievement - and much of this is down to our amazing volunteers.

“We’re acutely aware of the importance of all the volunteers in Northamptonshire who give up their time every single day to help others.

“A majority of Scouting volunteers say they feel more motivated, confident and more skilled as a result of the work they do with us, so it’s not just those they’re helping who benefit.

Boateng Opoku-Yeboah, a former Northampton Academy pupil, has outshone dozens of other entries to be pitching as one of the final six Southampton University student startups at Saturday's event.

The third-year aerospace engineering student is one of three entrepreneurs that make up Cluttr.

“We want to create apps and products that improve people’s day-to-day lives,” said Boateng.

“Turning an app into a business requires one to do more than just coding in your room though and this has got me to start thinking like an entrepreneur.”

The Future Worlds Dragons’ Den show will feature ideas from engineering, medicine, mathematics and computer science students.

They will pitch their fledgeling businesses on May 12 in front of a live audience and four dragon investors as they seek to build on the £250,000 that has been pledged on stage to University of Southampton startups in the event’s previous three incarnations.

Computer science graduate Tunde Alao and third-year mechanical engineering student Lando Vago-Hughes are Cluttr's other two members.

“The ongoing problem-solving and quick-paced environment of startups gets me out of bed every morning,” said Lando, who will make his second appearance in the competition, after pitching solo for his Igglu app in 2017.

Tunde has previously applied his skills to the SotonTab student housing website and is looking forward to creating a buzz for his new team startup.

“I’ve been building things for as long as I remember,” he said.

If given the green light, the multi-use games area (MUGA) - with perimeter fencing - will replace some of the existing car parking spaces at The Life Centre in Spring Boroughs.

But plans say the benefit to the local community is considered to outweigh the decrease in parking provision.

Councillor Danielle Stone (Lab, Castle) said, if approved, the games area will improve the quality of life led by young people who live on the estate.

She said: "I am delighted with the plans for a new multi-use games area in Spring Boroughs. It is something that Springs Family Centre has been pushing for over many years.

"Our youth badly need an outdoor area to meet, to play sports and enjoy life.

"The area will be overlooked by local residents and will be monitored by the centre. It will be safe and welcoming and just what our youth need. I couldn’t be more pleased."

The plans - which has been consulted on by Northamptonshire Police and residents - also includes proposals for floodlights.

Papers add: 'The perimeter fencing enclosure for the proposed MUGA will provide a level of security and also prevent ball loss during use, thus protecting other pedestrians, the nearby buildings and prevent issues with the neighbouring road - A508 Horse Market.'