Eight-year-old Kayla, from Northampton, is fundraising £60,000 for post operation rehab that will change her whole life.

Born prematurely at 30 weeks, Kayla Eales spent the first seven weeks of her life on the special baby unit and was rushed to see an out-of-hours doctor just two weeks later with a cold.

The doctor assured Kayla's parents, Gemma and Anthony, that it was all 'upper airway noise and her chest was clear' and with that advice no further action.

Sadly, she was suffering with more than just a cold and she ended up being rushed to A&E where she had no oxygen to her brain for three minutes. In the time it took Kayla to be hooked up to the ventilator, unfortunately this resulted in brain damage, which led to cerebral palsy.

Her mum, Gemma, said: "Kayla has been accepted for a life-changing operation called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR), which will relieve her of the spasticity that is crippling her body.

"The possibilities of SDR mean we, as parents, can fulfil her wishes to be able to walk, play and dance like other children.

"With all of this she still lights up the room, always has a smile from the moment she wakes up.

"Kayla has an infectious personality and is loved by all who she meets."

Now, at eight years old, Kayla, from Thorplands, is still unable to walk without the use of her walking frame.

Having cerebral palsy causes her body to be very stiff and she has to perform painful stretches each day.

The £60,000 raised will fund three years of Kayla's post-operation physiotherapy, therapy and any equipment she will need.

"Kayla has been through so much in her life but is the happiest girl you will ever meet," Gemma added.

"The money would mean that we can give her 100 per cent chance of walking and that’s all she ever asks for. She just wants to do the simple things in life, free from pain."

In 2013, when Kayla was just two years old, she was caught in a house fire, suffered burns and was left in a coma.

If you want to donate click here.

The Cobblers could be boosted by the return of four key players from injury for Saturday’s Sky Bet League Two trip to Stevenage.

Shay Facey and Jordan Turnbull are all back in training after missing last weekend’s 0-0 draw with Crawley Town due to niggles, while Sam Foley is also close to a return having recovered from a back spasm that has kept him sidelined since the 3-0 win over Carlisle United on January 12.

Loan striker Marvin Sordell, who has been suffering with a knee strain, is also knocking on the door of a first team comeback having to date played just once since his deadline day loan signing from Burton Albion.

“We are getting back to a competitive squad,” said Cobblers boss Keith Curle, talking ahead of training on Tuesday afternoon.

“Sam Foley is back and field based in his training, Shay Facey is also field based in his training now, and Jordan Turnbull is back on the pitch as well.

“It was touch and go as to whether or not he was going to make it on Saturday, but unfortunately he just failed a fitness test.

“Marvin Sordell will today finish his course of injections, he is having his third of three, so we will leave that to settle down for 24 hours, 48 hours, and he may be available this weekend.

“So to have four players added to the squad for Saturday would be excellent news for the squad and excellent news for the changing room, because they are starting to thrive on competition.”

One player who will still be missing though is George Cox.

The left-back, signed on loan from Brighton in January, hasn’t played since damaging ankle ligaments in Town’s 3-2 defeat at Cambridge on January 19.

The youngster has stayed in and around the Town squad rather than go back to his parent club, but Curle admits he still has a long way to go before he will be playing again.

“We are waiting for the update, as George had to go and see specialist to find out whether it is going to be a course of injections and rehabilitation, or whether he is going to have to need an operation,” said the Cobblers boss.

“The pleasing thing with George is that has still been up here and been involved with the players, because he wants to be a part of it, and that is massive for a loan player.

“He hasn’t just come here and played a game and then gone back, he still wants to be involved and still sees himself playing and performing for the football club as soon as he is fit.”

Unions fighting for better pay and conditions for Northamptonshire County Council staff have had a victory this week but say they still have a long way to go.

The council’s chief executive Theresa Grant announced to staff yesterday (Feb 18) that they would now be paid their first day’s sick pay, a benefit that was taken away five years ago.

A spokesman for the authority said today (Feb 19) the move was ‘reflective of the continued hard work by staff to help turn the organisation around.’

Unions have welcomed the move but still say more is needed. They want a two per cent pay rise for staff, incremental pay rises returned and better long term sick pay conditions. Staff at Northamptonshire County Council have worse terms and conditions than at neighbouring local authorities.

Northamptonshire Unison assistant branch secretary Lorna Smith said: “We are glad that the council have responded to one of our demands on behalf of members. There is however still a long way to go to return staff to the nationally agreed terms and conditions they are entitled to. We will continue to speak up for members who this year haven’t even had a cost of living pay rise.”

The council angered staff at the start of this month when it said that despite making huge headway in its finances it would not be able to give a pay rise to staff. After the announcement unions Unison and GMB said they would be holding an emergency meeting and said industrial action would not ruled out if that is what staff wanted.

The authority’s workforce has not had a pay increase of above one per cent since 2010.

At the county council’s budget meeting being held this Thursday (Feb 21) the council’s Liberal Democrat group will put forward an amendment to the budget for the 2019/20 financial year which would allow for a two per cent pay rise for staff. The pay rise would equal £2.1m, roughly the same amount the council will set aside in a contingency fund.

Group leader Cllr Chris Stanbra said: “This is the right thing to do. The council’s staff deserve a pay increase in 2019-20. They have worked hard throughout some very difficult times over the last year. It’s time they were rewarded for their hard work. Time after time at budget scrutiny recently when senior officers were asked what the barriers were to recruiting and retaining staff, levels of pay were given as one of the main reasons. The council must do something about this now.”

Deputy leader of the Lib Dem group Cllr Dennis Meredith added: “I’m delighted that we are putting this budget amendment forward. I’m asking all my colleagues at the council, of all parties and none, to support this amendment and support the council’s hard working staff.”

At the meeting the council will vote to approve a council tax increase of just under five per cent. This is estimated to bring in an extra £5.8m for the council.

A planning application has been submitted to create a house in multiple occupation to replace a closed restaurant.

Imperial in Castilian Street is vacant and the owners - the same people who own Sazerac nightclub - want to convert it to a three-bedroom property.

The proposal - written by LMR Designs - says the plans will not impact on the Derngate Conservation Area.

It says: "The proposal has been developed to reflect the characteristics of the existing building and as such is believed to be in-keeping with the area.

"Northampton town centre is currently undergoing redevelopment in order to attract people to the area. With this building being vacant, creating a sustainable use can only help with its longevity whilst creating much-needed housing in the area."

The building footprint will not be extended, only a new front door will be installed.

Inside, partitions will be added to create separate rooms. Existing restaurant toilets would become shower areas, with the storage areas to become a kitchen.

Soundproofing work will also be carried out on Sazerac if the proposal is approved.

LMR Designs says: "The building is in a very popular location and utilising an empty building can olnly help with its prosperity as well as that of the town centre."

Saints have confirmed that Luther Burrell will leave the club at the end of the season.

The 31-year-old is set to return to rugby league, having spent almost seven years at Saints.

Burrell has made 158 appearances for Northampton since joining the club from Sale Sharks in 2012.

He was a key figure in the double-winning campaign of 2013/14 and has also notched up 15 England caps during his time at Franklin's Gardens.

But he will now switch back to rugby league, in which he started out at age-grade level with Huddersfield Giants.

He then crossed codes to join Leeds Carnegie in 2009 before joining Sale two years later.

But it is at Saints where he has truly made his name.

And Burrell said: “Leaving this great club has been an incredibly hard decision for me to make, but the time has come for me to move on.

“I’ve loved every minute of my time here and will sorely miss running out at Franklin’s Gardens – I feel very fortunate to have been a Northampton Saint for the last seven years and bringing up 150 Saints appearances earlier this season was a huge honour for me.

“I’m firmly focused on finishing my time here as strongly as possible and I’m putting everything I have into helping the squad fulfil our potential this year as I’m excited to see what we can achieve.

“I would like to thank all the players, coaches, medical team and support staff who have made my time at the club so very memorable, and especially all the Northampton Saints supporters who made me feel loved every time I ran out onto the field.”

When Saints took their recruitment to the next level in the summer of 2013, the signings of players such as George North and Kahn Fotuali'i caught the eye.

But during the sensational campaign that followed, it was not just the so-called big names who shone.

No, other men, who were not afforded such fan fare, also stood up to be counted.

And Luther Burrell was certainly one of them.

An under-the-radar signing from Sale Sharks during the previous summer, Burrell's progression during his early years at Saints was stark.

So much so that in the space of just 12 months he had become a key feature of a team that went on to win an incredible Premiership and Challenge Cup double.

Burrell was the midfield wrecking ball that perfectly complemented Samoan star George Pisi.

And that formidable partnership was the fulcrum of a Saints side that swatted opposition outfits with superb regularity.

Burrell's signing was certainly not greeted with the excitement that the likes of George North and Kahn Fotuali'i were to enjoy a year later.

But he was no less important during one of the greatest eras at the Gardens.

He was eventually recognised by England, going on to win 15 caps for his country.

But his treatment by the national team, notably his omission from the 2015 World Cup squad, hit him hard.

In fact, he admitted it left him 'broken'.

Stuart Lancaster's strange decision to pick Sam Burgess ahead of him to this day remains tough to take.

And for someone who can really be considered a confidence player, that setback was huge for Burrell.

And as Saints struggled to live up to the standards they had set during perhaps the best year in the club's history, things started to slip a bit for Burrell.

He received some criticism from the club's fans as fortunes started to change.

But under Chris Boyd this season, he has looked much more like the Luther Burrell of old.

He is now well and truly over that World Cup heartache and he is bouncing back to his best, with his magic white scrum cap making him stand out more than ever.

Burrell's qualities may have been in doubt when Saints picked him up from an injury-ravaged spell at Sale.

But the relationship between the black, green and gold and the player turned out to be the perfect match.

They brought the best out of each other and when Burrell heads for the exit doors at the Gardens for the final time this summer, he will do so with his head held high.

He - and everyone who has watched him play for Saints - will know just what kind of part he has played in the club's success.

They will know he should have been handed more recognition for taking Saints back to the top.

And they will know that little more could have been asked from a man who has been a class act on and off the pitch.

Put simply, Burrell might not have been greeted with much acclaim at the Gardens, but he will certainly leave with plenty.

A job advert has gone out for the next headteacher at one of Northampton's best-performing schools.

Northampton School for Girls is inviting experienced candidates to apply for its most senior role with current head Julia Harley set to retire.

The school says it wants Mrs Harley's replacement to inspire pupils to be successful women.

It says: "We require a headteacher who shares our values and will champion girls' education.

"In a world where the agenda for women has progressed but is also still evolving, we want to equip our students with the self-confidence, creativity and resilience to become the inspiring women of the future.

"Looking forward, your vision and ambition could empower change within our school for the benefit of our next generation of talent."

The secondary school is regularly in the top handful of schools for attainment and exam results and is currently rated Outstanding by Ofsted.

Mrs Harley has been at the helm for a decade and her successor will be NSG's tenth headteacher.

In a letter to parents last month, Mrs Harley said: "Whilst sad to be going, I am looking forward to starting retirement and all the possibilities that brings.

"The Governors will be leading the appointment process and I know they will ensure that the school is placed in the care of an exceptional candidate."

Closing date for applications is Sunday, February 24.

Thieves made off with two cars after breaking in to a Kettering home and stealing the keys.

Between 10pm on Saturday, February 16, and 7.15am on Sunday, February 17, the burglars broke in to the house in Kenilworth Drive.

Once inside they stole two car keys and made off with both vehicles.

One car, a silver Vauxhall, has been recovered butthe second vehicle, a black Honda Civic with the registration FE10 PYL, is still missing.

Witnesses, or anyone with information, should call Northamptonshire Police on 101. Alternatively, they can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

The 27-year-old has agreed a new one-year deal, keeping him at the club until at least the end of the 2020 season.

Cobb joined Northants from his native Leicestershire in 2015 and quickly established himself as an integral member of the squad in all formats of the game.

Cobb's exploits in Twenty20 cricket have earned him a place in the record books.

In the 2016 final against Durham his knock of 80 from 48 balls helped the Steelbacks to victory and earned him the man of the match award.

He had claimed the same accolade in the 2011 final with Leicestershire, making him the first player to achieve the feat twice.

In 2018 he joined the elite group of batsmen - along with Lance Klusener, Richard Levi and David Willey - who have scored a T20 century for Northants, hitting 103 against the Birmingham Bears.

To date, Cobb has made more than 120 appearances for the County in all competitions.

"I've thoroughly enjoyed my first four years with the club," Cobb said.

"We've been competing for and winning trophies in three of the four years I have been here.

"After a tough test last year, I'm looking forward to us getting back on track this season and delighted to have extended my time at Northamptonshire."

Northants head coach David Ripley is delighted to keep hold of Cobb.

Ripley said: "It's great news that Josh has signed a new deal. His white ball cricket has been outstanding since joining us, one of the most consistent in the country.

"He backs his explosive batting up with economic off spin, excellent tactical knowledge and a very safe pair of hands in the field.

"I know there is more consistency to come in red ball cricket, where he can turn a game around very quickly."

A drug dealer has today been found guilty of ‘hunting down’ a Northampton man through the streets of Kingsley and stabbing him to death.

Daniel Quinn, 28, from Wolverhampton, has been convicted by a jury at Northampton Crown Court for murdering Daniel Fitzjohn in June last year.

The jury ruled Quinn chased Mr Fitzjohn down and stabbed him twice in the abdomen in Randall Road on June 14 last year despite the victim saying he had he had ‘got the wrong man'.

Quinn was then driven away from the crime scene in a grey Mini by Parminder Sanghera, 25, from Wolverhampton, who the jury also found guilty of manslaughter.

The stabbing in June came after a scuffle outside the Fairfield News shop in Kingsley, during which Mr Fitzjohn punched Quinn to the floor.

But Quinn responded by collecting Sanghera from a nearby house, arming the pair with a machete and a knife and chasing down Mr Fitzjohn and his friends.

In evidence, Quinn claimed he only took the knife and the machete to ‘scare off’ the group. He admitted to stabbing Mr Fitzjohn but claimed he was ‘truly sorry’ and ‘never meant to kill him or cause him serious harm’.

But after deliberating for three days, the jury found him guilty of murder at around 3.45pm this afternoon (February 19).

Sanghera claimed that he did not know his ride with Quinn in his grey Mini would end in violence. He was charged with conspiracy to murder. Today, the jury convicted him of manslaughter.

Nearly all of the events that led up to Mr Fitzjohn's death - including the stabbing - was captured on the dashcam of a brave Northampton taxi driver who chased after the pair in his cab.

The pair will be sentenced this Thursday, February 21.

Reinach was down for some time before eventually getting up and walking from the field in the 55th minute of the 67-17 Gallagher Premiership success at Franklin's Gardens.

But Boyd says he was always planning to replace Reinach at that point and the South African star, who has scored 13 tries in 19 appearances this season, has trained this week.

"We were going to substitute him anyway," said Boyd ahead of Saturday's home game against Bath. "Alex Mitchell was ready to go when that happened.

"He had a minor neck or shoulder sprain but he's trained today so there's no issue there."

Teimana Harrison missed last Saturday's win following the hamstring injury he sustained in the victory against Newcastle Falcons a week earlier.

And Boyd said: "T's problematic as he still has a hamstring injury so we're not sure where he'll end up, but he's pretty close."

David Ribbans was also ruled out against the Sharks due to a hand problem.

"He had a little bit of gangrene in the fingers there but he's better than 50/50 so he's pretty close," Boyd said.

Dylan Hartley has not played for Saints since the win at Worcester Warriors just before Christmas and he has been unable to feature for England in the Six Nations so far.

But he continues to work hard as he bids to return from a 'grumbly' knee injury.

"That grumbly knee is still grumbling," Boyd said.

"He's been working incredibly hard in the gym but he's not at the running stage yet.

"He's working away and when he's ready to play he'll don the Northampton Saints jersey again."

Hotel owners who were ordered to take down a roof extension labelled an 'industrial eyesore' and remove a new timber barbecue area have won their battle to keep both in place.

The bosses of Westone Manor Hotel were given planning permission to extend the north wing of the former stately home in 2017 by a single floor.

But the resulting metallic looking extension gave the appearance of being two storeys high and was deemed out of keeping with the rest of the building - parts of which date back to 1914.

Nearby residents signed a 150-name petition against the extension and labelled it an 'industrial eyesore' last year - prompting the council to order hotel owner Harry Sookun to take the extension down.

Shortly afterwards, he was also ordered to submit a retrospective application for a 61 square metre, timber-clad barbecue shelter in the grounds, which was built without planning permission.

But both plans have now been given the go-ahead by the borough council on appeal, providing Mr Sookun makes alterations to the materials used.

The authority said a line of fir trees bordering the hotel car park would continue to act as a sufficient screen to reduce the visual impact of the extension.

"The development is not unduly harmful to the living conditions of the occupiers of the adjoining properties in terms of overbearing impacts, overlooking, loss of privacy or visual intrusion," reads the appeal decision.

However, the council says Mr Sookun has agreed to 'soften' the appearance of the metal cladding by amending the external materials.

Similarly, he now has just under a month to fit the barbecue shelter with 'horizontal oak timber', in order to make it more in-keeping with the rest of the site.

"The latest addition of a barbecue shelter, ‘The Manor BBQ’, in the ground is the natural progression and the way forward." said Mr Sookun, who has invested more than £1 million into the site in Fir Tree Walk since 2013.

"It is opening on 31st March, 2019, to provide alfresco grill dining, giving a wide array of opportunities to the hotel’s guests and the community at large."

The hotel is also offering a half-price menu on the opening day of the barbecue area.

Mr Sookun said he now wanted to work 'in harmony' with residents in the surrounding streets, many of whom had lodged complaints about the north wing extension.

"The hotel management strongly feels that the hotel is in the community for the community," he said.

"The door is always open to welcome everybody whether you want a quick bite, a quiet dinner or weekend barbecue or a celebratory meal."

The government is currently planning for every possible outcome including no deal and has issued a number of technical notices and publications on how individuals, organisations and businesses can prepare for leaving the EU.

Businesses can visit www.gov.uk and answer seven simple questions to find out if they need to take action before March 29.

Firms can use the online tool to find out:

- What their business may need to do to prepare for the UK leaving the EU

- What’s changing in their industry

- Information on specific rules and regulations

The guidance will cover a range of topics including selling goods in the UK and doing business abroad, employing EU citizens, funding and data protection.

After answering the questions businesses will be provided with all the information that has been published so far to help them prepare for EU exit. Firms will also be able to sign up to receive emails when new information is published.

Go to www.gov.uk/business-uk-leaving-eu to use the tool.

A 23-year-old man from Northampton has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

Two 18-year-old men from Kettering, and three boys, one aged 14 from Corby, one aged 15 from Wellingborough and a third, aged 17, from Northampton, were arrested yesterday on suspicion of attempted murder. All five have all been released on police bail with conditions.

Police were called to reports of a 17-year-old boy having suffered stab wounds in Waingrove, Blackthorn, shortly after midnight yesterday.

The boy was taken to hospital where his condition is described as being serious but stable.

Anyone with information should contact Northamptonshire Police on 101.

Alternatively, they can call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Northampton Athletic Club was established in January this year by ex-coaches, athletes and volunteers of Rugby and Northampton Athletics Club.

And within just eight weeks it has already gained more than 100 members and 34 coaches.

Among their talented cohort, 14-year-old Lily Carlaw is one athlete destined for success - having already claimed the UK title in under 15 girls shot put.

Lily said: "There’s a lot of stigma around shot put. You have to be a certain weight, certain size and certain gender, but once you really get into it you start to see it’s not about that.

"I do feel like there is the typical, bulky male shot-putter and really what I would like to do in the future is try to break that and bring a group of strong throwers through the ranks who are not only female but male as well."

Lily spends six days a week in the gym, or at the track, working on her discipline but it was never love at first sight for her and throwing.

"I tried it at first and I really didn’t like it," she said. "I started off as a sprinter and then when I got injured I came into shot put with my dad.

"Once I found my love for it I built up my training more and more.

"I got supported by loads of people and obviously the atmosphere I’m in now pushes me and drives me to where I want to be."

Northampton Athletic Club - with roots associated with the former Northampton Pheonix Athletic Club - has moved back to the town after ten years. Some of the members used to train at the Cobblers' track.

"We have a nucleus of really talented people here," coach Stuart Carlaw said. "If you add it all up we have one of the most successful small clubs in the country, already in months.

"That just says to us, from a coaches point of view, that we can develop children when they come into our club, at a very young age, with a very mixed level of ability right the way through to the top of the tree.

"That aspirational part of the club is really important for the children to train and see UK number ones and children in Team GB outfits... and that’s in little old Northampton.”

Whether you are an eight-year-old or a 68-year-old the club says it will welcome all with open arms and work hard to find every athlete’s niche.

Club co-founder Dawn Exley helped to establish the club in December 2018. She said: "It’s completely inclusive, it’s friendly and we welcome all athletes of all ages from all backgrounds.

"We want complete diversity in the club and that’s the whole ethos of what we are creating, and building.”

For information about where to train, times and how to join the club click here.

The following people were sentenced at Northampton Magistrates’ Court:

NOVEMBER 22

Douglas McFarlance, aged 43, of Bladon Close, Northampton, used threatening or abusive words or behaviour; fined £220, surcharge £30, costs £85.

Rares Paunescu, aged 31, of Longland Road, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 44mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; fined £500, surcharge £50, costs £85, banned from driving for 12 months.

Peter Stearnes, aged 36, of Gladstone Road, Northampton, produced cannabis; fined £80, surcharge £30, costs £85.

Darryl Emmerson, aged 47, of Birdlake Meadow, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 107mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; fined £150, surcharge £30, costs £85, banned from driving for 24 months.

Kelly Hunter, aged 38, of Lennox Walk, Northampton, used threatening or insulting words or behaviour; conditional discharge for 18 months, surcharge £20, costs £85.

John Loftus, aged 37, of Perry Street, Northampton, stole coffee worth £75.30 from Spa garage; conditional discharge for six months, surcharge £20, costs £50.

Sean Sye, aged 44, of no fixed abode, stole five bottles of alcohol worth £27.38 from Morrisons; conditional discharge for 12 months, surcharge £20.

William Yates, aged 18, of Clare Avenue, Daventry, driving not in accordance with a licence; fined £40, surcharge £30, costs £85.

Szymon Sieczkiewicz, aged 34, of Park Crescent West, Northampton, assaulted a police officer; fined £294, compensation £50, surcharge £30, cost £400.

Dominic Dispenza, aged 20, of Freehold Street, Northampton, harassment; jailed for 14 weeks, surcharge £115.

Suhel Ahmed, aged 41, of Alfred Street, Northampton, no insurance; fined £245, surcharge £30, costs £200.

NOVEMBER 23

Reece Cooke, aged 25, of Hervey Street, Northampton, stole a bike; community order made, compensation £350, surcharge £85, costs £85.

NOVEMBER 26

Daniel Stratford, aged 38, of Mitchell Close, Duston, failed to comply with a supervision order; fined £40, costs £60.

Sergejs Aleksejevs, aged 30, of Campbell Stret, Northampton, drunk and disorderly; fined £125, surcharge £30, costs £85.

Karl Green, aged 29, of Ellfield Court, Northampton, drunk and disorderly; conditional discharge for 12 months, surcharge £20, costs £85.

Matthew Riely, aged 32, of Alcombe Road, Northampton, possession of cannabis; fined £40, surcharge £30, costs £85. Possession of cocaine; fined £120.

Levi Griffiths, aged 20, of no fixed abode, stole face cream and electric razors worth £490 belonging to Boots; community order made, surcharge £85, costs £85.

Lydia Nixon, aged 25, of Eskdale Avenue, Northampton, damaged a window at the Auctioneers; conditional discharge for 18 months, compensation £150, surcharge £20.

James McDonagh, of Kirton End, Northampton, failed to give information relating to the identity of a driver; fined £150, surcharge £30, costs £150.

Jamie Doris, aged 29, of Crikley Crescent, Northampton, harassment; fined £400, surcharge £40, costs £85.

NOVEMBER 27

Nigel Wise, aged 50, of Arbour Court, Northampton, breach of the Education Act; fined £120, surcharge £30, costs £120.

Hayley Adams, aged 35, of no fixed abode, assault; conditional discharge for 12 months, compensation £100, surcharge £20, costs £85.

Samuel Earl, aged 26, of Woodcote Avenue, Northampton, damaged an emergency light on a police vehicle; fined £80, surcharge £30, costs £85.

NOVEMBER 28

Matteo Polifonte, aged 35, of Poplar Court, Northampton, assault; fined £500, compensation £100, surcharge £50, costs £85.

Ryszard Bienias, aged 64, of Shard Close, Northampton, assault; community order made to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work, compensation £100, surcharge £85, costs £400.

Cameron Blooman, aged 26, of Park Walk Northampton, stole drills and a jetwash worth £300 belonging to B&Q; conditional discharge for 12 months, compensation £287. Stole laminate flooring; conditional discharge for 12 months, compensation £270.

Bartosz Kordecki, aged 34, of Lasham Court, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 62mcgs of 100mls of breath; fined £460, surcharge £46, costs £85, banned from driving for 17 months.

Patrick Green, aged 27, of Flaxwell Court, Northampton, drunk and disorderly; surcharge £85, costs £85. Resisted arrest; community order made to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work. Assault; commununity order made to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work.

James Shelton, aged 33, of Queen’s Road, Northampton, assault; jailed for 16 weeks. Assault of another person; jailed for 16 weeks concurrent, ordered to pay a surcharge of £115.

Clinton Pearce, aged 30, of The Stour, Daventry, driving at 79mph in a 60mph zone; fined £84, surcharge £30, costs £85, licence endorsed with three points.

Beth Slade, aged 32, of Staverton Road, Badby, driving at 93mph in a 60mph zone; fined £807, surcharge £80, costs £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Nicholas Young, aged 44, of Milburn Drive, Northampton, no insurance; fined £680, surcharge £68, cost £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Alexander Barron, aged 26, of Billing Road, Northampton, driving without due care and attention; fined £660, banned from driving for six months.

Neil Harvey, aged 63, of Middle Greeve, Northampton, driving at 35mph ina 30mph zone; fined £169, surcharge £30, costs £85, licence endorsed with three points.

Darren Love, aged 50, of Langley Close, Northampton, failed to stop at an accident; fined £253, surcharge £30, costs £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Alexander Barron, aged 26, of Billing Road, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, surcharge £66, costs £85, banned from driving for six months.

Belinda Moreton, aged 26, of Firecrest Walk, driving at 43mph in a 30mph zone; fined £440, surcharge £44, costs £85, licence endorsed with four points.

NOVEMBER 29

Sergiu Harea, aged 23, of Kingsland Avenue, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 85mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; fined £500, surcharge £50, costs £85, banned from driving for 22 months.

Matthew Varga, aged 34, of Greenfield Avenue, Northampton, produced cannabis; community order made, surcharge £85, costs £85.

John Green, aged 48, of Brookside Meadows, Northampton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 73mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; fined £484, surcharge £48, costs £85, banned from driving for 17 months.

Levi Griffiths, aged 20, of Clousham Street, Northampton, stole two bottles of vodka worth £32 belonging to Morrisons; conditional discharge for 18 months, surcharge £20, costs £85.

Victoria Lockhart, aged 38, of Thorpe Road, Earls Barton, drink-driving with a breath test reading of 71mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath; fined £120, surcharge £30, costs £50, banned from driving for 17 months.

Chandrika Raja, aged 67, of Skipton Close, Northampton, driving without due care and attention; fined £423, surcharge £42, costs £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Kevin Coleman, aged 26, of no fixed abode, assault; jailed for four months, surcharge £115.

Adrian Oakey, aged 59, of Highfields Road, Daventry, in charge of a dangerous out of control dog; fined £400, compensation £100, surcharge £40, costs £85.

Students from Northampton College fought off competition from across England to win the 'most creatve design' and a runner-up spot in the competition.

The teams had to come up with their own design and marketing campaign for a brand new six-inch sub or flatbread.

One team, made of students Asieduwa, Chloe, Chiara and Weonika won 'most creative design' with their #Subnergizer sandwich, made with chicken tikka, lettuce, peppers. cheddar cheese, tomato and honey mustard.

Budding sandwich engineer Chloe Walden said: "We’ve really enjoyed the competition from start to finish. It was great to put the business skills we have been learning into practice with a brand that we all know and love. It’s been a brilliant learning experience; pitching in front of the panel from Subway was really nerve-wracking, but such great preparation for the future."

Meanwhile, students Bethany and Lucienne scored a runner up prize for creative design for their Selector Sub, made from chicken tikka, lettuce, cucumber, mayonnaise and tomato.

The teams from Northampton college went up against four other shortlisted teams to pitch their marketing and advertising campaign to a panel of Subway experts on February 11 at Cambridge University.

The winning design, Eat Equilibrato, from Norwich High School, will be brought to life in over 200 Subway stores across England in spring.

Karin KeirBucknall, business studies co-ordinator at Northampton College, said: “Both teams thoroughly enjoyed getting to grips with the challenge, it offered them a fantastic opportunity to put the business and marketing skills they have been learning in the classroom into practice in a real-life business environment.

One man died in temporary accommodation in Bedford Mansions, and another, aged 22, died at Northampton General Hospital on Monday (February 18) .*

Stan Robertson, who runs the Project 16:15 which provides free hot breakfasts, said both had at some point been sleeping rough.

He said: "In my opinion, [both of the deaths] were linked to being homeless. The homeless lifestyle decreases your life expectancy."

Mr Roberston offers an informal grief counselling service for homeless people, which has been in demand since the deaths of Chris Matthews in Victoria Gardens in June 2018, and Jerica Richardson in St James on New Year's Day 2019.

He said: "The free breakfast is really just a way to get to know them, we do quite a bit more on top, including helping them cope emotionally with things like this.

"We just get them to share stories and memories, hearing what they have to say. There's no outlet for them except the bottle or drugs, so it's a way that helps.

"After Chris died, I had grown men sobbing in my arms."

All three men had past rough sleeping in common but they also lived full lives.

Mr Robertson is keen for them not to be considered statistics, but simply human beings who have died too soon.

He said: "These are real people. If you talk about the homeless, it sounds like a 'problem' and you lose sight of the fact they are individual people.

"It's all about humanising people."

Anyone who would like to share memories of the two men can call us on Northampton 467033.

*The Chron had reported earlier that a third man died in the past week while in temporary accommodation provided by NAASH. While correct, it is not now thought that his death was connected with rough sleeping as he had been in temporary accommodation for some time.

At Northampton Crown Court today (February 19), drug dealer Daniel Quinn, 28, from Wolverhampton, was unanimously found guilty of murder for stabbing Mr Fitzjohn to death in Randall Road last June.

Parminder Sanghera, 25, of Wolverhampton, who drove Quinn away from the scene of the stabbing and was also caught on CCTV wielding a machete, was found guilty of manslaughter.

Senior Investigating Officer, detective chief inspector Ally White, said: “This was a sustained attack on an innocent man who was heard by eye-witnesses to protest repeatedly to Mr Quinn that he’d got the wrong person. Despite this Mr Quinn not only stabbed him once, but then chased him and stabbed him again.

“Daniel Fitzjohn was by all accounts, a very decent, mild-mannered man with no history of involvement with the police or with drugs. He was simply caught in the wrong place at the wrong time by a drug dealer who stabbed him to death in a fit of anger.

“I am very pleased that we have managed to get justice for Mr Fitzjohn and his family and I would like to take this opportunity to commend them all for the bravery they have shown throughout the trial – the things they have seen and heard, including the moment Daniel was stabbed will have left a mark that will never fade.”

During the trial, the jury heard how the trouble started with a scuffle outside the Fairfield News shop in Kingsley between Quinn and a customer who regularly bought drugs off him.

But Mr Fitzjohn - who had never taken drugs in his life and had met the customer that evening on a trip to the pub - saw Quinn go to hit the man with a large branch and intervened to punch him to the floor.

That should have been the end of it - but instead, Quinn collected Sanghera from a nearby house, armed the pair with a machete and a knife, and went out to 'hunt down' Mr Fitzjohn and his friends.

When they found them in Brookfield Road, Sanghera led the charge with the machete and the pair ran at them.

In the foot chase that followed across Kingsley, Mr Fitzjohn was separated from his friends.

A witness told the court last week they heard the foot chase and a man - Mr Fitzjohn - saying ‘I don’t know you, you’ve got the wrong guy’ in a panicked voice.

When Quinn caught up to him, he stabbed the 34-year-old twice before escaping in a grey Mini driven by Sanghera.

Members of the public rushed to help Mr Fitzjohn, but sadly, he died in hospital less than half an hour later.

Mr Quinn then went on the run from police, hiding out in Wales for a few days. But police were closing in and on 19 June, 2018, he handed himself in and was subsequently charged with murder. Mr Sanghera handed himself in on June 25 2018.

In court, Quinn even claimed he stabbed Mr Fitzjohn out of 'self-defence' when he thought he was going to swing a beer can at him. Prosecutor Mary Loram QC called this 'a blinding lie'.

Quinn and Sanghera are due to be sentenced at Northampton Crown Court on Thursday, February 21.

Burrell played age-grade rugby league for Huddersfield Giants before moving to union with Leeds Carnegie in 2009.

He joined Sale Sharks two years later before heading to Saints in the summer of 2012.

The 31-year-old has gone on to rack up 158 appearances so far for the black, green and gold, scoring 29 tries in the process.

And he is now heading back to where it all began, in rugby league.

Burrell said: “My background is predominantly in rugby league as I grew up in the north, in Huddersfield, surrounded by the sport and playing it at school.

"It’s never really left my blood; I guess my aim was to always try my hand at it one day and I’m buzzing to get involved with rugby league and the Super League.

"I’m excited about the challenge ahead as it’s fresh for me.

"I’ve had some great times in rugby union, and I’ve had some adverse times, so for me to have this opportunity to play rugby league and see how far I can get with a great team is exciting.

“The Warrington club is run amazingly well.

"(Warrington head coach) Pricey (Steve Price) was unbelievable when I met him; it was exciting from the first meeting.

"I know a couple of the boys too. I know Josh Charnley from his time in union and I’ve been speaking to him; his message was about how great the club is and from the outside you can see it has aspirations.

"I’ve watched rugby league throughout my union career so to join a club like Warrington, who were finalists last year and have a fantastic squad this season, is exciting as it is a club that is going places.

“I know I will need to earn the trust of my team-mates first and foremost.

"I also hope to bring some physicality, that edge and the ability to break the line.

"I’ve had the opportunity to play for England in union and to play on some of the biggest stages in finals.

"I’d like to think I can transfer the experience I have gained into rugby league.

"I’m not here to make up the numbers, I’m coming over and I mean business.

“I want the fans to get to know me for themselves.

"I’m a northern boy and I’m looking forward to meeting everyone in the squad and getting in the mix with the Wire fans as I know it’s a big rugby town.”