Get the white wine warming nicely, put some Demis Roussos on the record player and prepare those peculiar cheese and pineapple sticks. It can mean only one thing - the touring version of Abigail’s Party, which was a delightfully pleasant affair.

Beverley and husband Laurence are throwing a party for their newlywed neighbours, Tony and Angela. Joining them is highly strung Susan who’s been banished from the party of her teenage daughter Abigail. As tensions rise and tempers flare the sheen of respectability is torn away by the warring couples with hilarious and potentially disastrous consequences.

My previous experience of Mike Leigh’s seminal work was hazily remembering watching the original while I was at university probably while consuming the same amount of alcohol as Beverley, and a later touring production which was unfortunately sub-par.

But I was delighted that my fears were unfounded as it was a superb ensemble packed with dark uneasy humour.

The charming Jodie Prenger is clearly relishing playing the part of Beverley with a deliciously overt sexuality while making sure the character is the monster that we remember fondly from Alison Steadman’s portrayal.

It’s a tour de force from Prenger but at no point does she outshine her companions on stage. Daniel Casey gives life, humour and a general weariness to Laurence while newlyweds Angela and Tony, played by Vicky Binns and Calum Callaghan with plenty of politeness but more than a hint of danger in their relationship.

In many ways, the part of Sue could perhaps be the least interesting, but Rose Keegan gives it plenty of polite Englishness in spite of the horrid line of questioning from the guests.

There is a lot to like about this production with a set that draws the audience into the drama and the narrowing of space which adds a claustrophobic dramatic element to the production.

It would be easy to have this as a straight piece but by everyone giving it a just the slightest hint of melodrama, it makes the whole thing a much richer experience and one with both laughter and drama in equal measure.

* Abigail’s Party can be seen at Royal & Derngate in Northampton until Saturday March 9. Tickets for the show can be booked by calling the box office on 01604 624811 or visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk

The show can also be seen at Aylesbury’s Waterside Theatre from Monday to Saturday March 18 to 23. Tickets for the dates can be booked by calling the box office on 0844 871 7607 or visit www.atgtickets.co.uk/aylesbury

For a fourth year independent pub group Oakman Inns - which operates a host of family-friendly pub-restaurants in Herts, Beds, Bucks, Northants, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire - has been awarded the highest Three Star accreditation in The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For 2019.

Oakman, which started life at founding pub-restaurant The Akeman in Tring, Herts, now has 26 venues and counting (see venue map).

The Three Star award signifies extraordinary levels of workplace engagement and follows an in-depth, anonymous and secure survey, that allows Employees to accurately and honestly reveal their views on their work.

The organisers then analyse the information and generate a score reflecting the overall level of employee satisfaction. An engaged workforce is more motivated and productive because people take pride in what they are doing and have faith in those around them. This leads to better working relationships, greater collaboration and ultimately a more successful organisation.

Oakman Inns’ HR Director, Jill Scatchard, said: “In the context of the hospitality industry, Oakman believes that it is vital that both front and back of house staff feel connected to each other and to Oakman’s aims and ethos. The teams’ belief in a shared purpose and the recognition of the important part that each member plays in fulfilling it – their engagement - means that our people are always prepared to go that extra mile for our customers. I am delighted that their work and dedication has resulted in this rewarding accolade.”

According to Oakman Inns’ results, under the heading of personal growth, 84% of staff agreed with the statement: “The experience I gain from this job is valuable for my future”.

Oakman’s renowned dedication to working with their communities and supporting local activities prompted the following response under the heading of ‘Giving Something Back’. 89% of staff agreed with the statement, “My organisation encourages charitable activities”.

Every Oakman Inn supports at least one local sports club, as well as numerous local charities including Herts Air Ambulance, SpecialEffect and the Hospice of St Francis.

Oakman Inns’ CEO, Peter Borg-Neal, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to retain our three-star rating for a fourth year and to remain in the top 25% of such an illustrious list of employers who care. During 2018, we went through a period of aggressive growth, opening five new sites, including our largest investment to date, The Royal Foresters in Ascot, and increasing our team numbers by some 30%. In the context of that activity, it is a huge testament to the skills and commitment of my senior team - especially Jill Scatchard, HR Director and Alex Ford, Operations Director.”

Having scored one and created the other during Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Crewe Alexandra, Cobblers winger Daniel Powell hopes his impressive performance at Gresty Road will convince manager Keith Curle to hand him more starts.

The 27-year-old has become a bit-part player this season, so much so that Saturday’s game at Crewe was his first start since December 15 and only seventh in all competitions since Curle was appointed in October.

But he justified his manager’s decision with a match-winning display, heading in Town’s opener on 28 minutes and then supplying the cross for John-Joe O’Toole’s second four minutes later.

“I’m not known for my headers but I think that one was harder to miss! And then John-Joe got on the end of the second one, I thought it was a good ball in,” said Powell.

“I felt it was just a good all-round team performance. They had a lot of the ball so we were doing a lot of chasing in the second-half but I thought the team worked really hard and we got our rewards.”

Curle revealed afterwards that he picked Powell due to his impressive performances in a couple of recent behind-closed-doors friendlies, and now the former MK Dons man is hopeful his starring role at Gresty Road will lead to more starts as Town aim to continue their recent good form against Exeter City on Saturday.

“We have a big game this week,” he added. “If we can have a good week in training, we’ll take Exeter on. I’m always looking for a starting place and I always work hard in training so it was nice to get on the pitch against Crewe.

“We’re on a good run at the moment and confidence is high. I think the next few games are winnable as well so if we can just take one match at a time, we can keep looking up.

“We want to get it right at home. We’ve been so good away from home for the last few weeks and if we can take the confidence from that into our home games, I think we can go on a good run.”

Despite early reports that the restaurant in the Morrisons car park on Kettering Road would begin before February 1, work is yet to start as of today (March 5).

Last month, McDonald's said they would start work on the site in March with 'completion planned for early in the second half of 2019'.

It comes as a raft of minor changes to the restaurant and how it will affect the Morrisons car park were put to the borough council's planning board this week.

It includes tweaks to nearly every aspect of the plan so far, including the site layout, the 'goal post' height restrictors at the entrance to the car park and the placement of the children's playframe.

McDonald's has been contacted for a comment.

Northampton Borough Council gave the fast-food giant the green light in July 2018 despite 85 letters of objection from residents.

Nearby residents raised concerns the restaurant would put pressure on traffic and the ability of existing highways to cope.

However, McDonald's were told they could not open between midnight and 6am as part of the planning conditions, thwarting the franchise’s plan to open for 24 hours.

Jesse Bishop, aged 21, of Kingsland Avenue, Northampton.

Alin Cotojman, aged 27, of Seymour Street, Northampton; fined £100, surcharge £30, costs £85.

Alex Croitoru, aged 25, of Louise Road, Northampton.

Nicolata Enache, aged 23, of Birchfield Road East, Northampton

Arturs Engelis, aged 21, of Freehold Street, Northampton

Aurel Fenechiu, aged 25, of Cecil Road, Northampton

Oana Furascu, aged 21, of Beeston Avenue, Northampton

Arian Gheorghe, aged 19, of Sharman Road, Northampton

Grzegorz Klimek, aged 31, of Duke Street, Northampton

Virgil Linca, aged 18, of Derby Road, Northampton

Rehaldol Liutkevicius, of Clare Street, Northampton

Quanshui Long, aged 31, of Newington Road, Northampton

Gegor Luckoski, aged 54, of Profance Court, Northampton

John Marsh, aged 46, of Herbert Street, Northampton

Kiera Marsh, aged 36, of Herbert Street, Northampton

Paula Mercier, aged 46, of Nethermead, Northampton

Cornel Mitea, aged 39, of Derby Road, Northampton

Farah Mohamed, aged 38, of Cyril Street, Northampton

Andra Muntean, aged 21, of Brookland Road, Northampton

Ryan McKann, aged 24, of Pembroke Close, Northampton

Elaine Naidoo, aged 39, of Greenside, Northampton

Brendon O’Brian, aged 42, Dryleys Court, Northampton

Lucian Radulescu, aged 35, of Merthyr Road, Northampton

Jeremy Richards, aged 24, of Collyweston Road, Northampton

Sean Sibley, aged 24, of Clee Rise, Northampton

Doina Sotir, aged 35, of Fulford Drive, Northampton

Vasile Udila, aged 40, of Kettering Road, Northampton

Andrei Vasile, aged 22, of Station Road, Northampton

Jade Williams, aged 21, of East Paddock Court, Northampton.

Lukasz Zaborski, aged 27, of Somerset Street, Northampton

Hani Zazhome, of Bosworth Independent College, Northampton

More than 36 people fined for littering EVERY DAY in Northampton, since strict new enforcers started work

Northamptonshire County Council says it will seek to recover the millions it has overpaid to care providers.

Internal auditors found there had been big failings in the council’s adult social care department which has seen £3.4m overpaid to providers and in some cases residential care homes have continued to be paid after a resident has died.

READ MORE: Another payments fiasco for Northamptonshire County Council as it overpays care providers by millions

In a catalogue of errors the auditors found that in almost every aspect of the procedure, from assessment to management sign-off and invoicing, there were significant problems.

The authority was also not charging some people who had chosen to top up their package and receive a more expensive service. And even when it had overpaid residential care home providers it was not routinely invoicing providers to get the funds repaid.

The audit looked at the period from April last year to November and gave the authority a limited assurance rating, which is the worst possible rating.

A spokesman for Northamptonshire County Council said: “This internal audit was requested by the service director to ensure that the organisation has appropriate expenditure controls around independent care and was acting in a timely way to recover any money due.

“Since the audit, comprehensive improvements have been implemented which have strengthened controls within the service.

“The council has also taken steps to bill and recover £2.2m of the outstanding care contributions from either clients or third parties.

“There is a residual amount to recover of £400,000 from providers who are providing care to other clients and we are currently working through how we might offset that against future payments to avoid causing small providers cash flow or financial difficulty that will put them at risk.

“The council will however seek to recover the amount in full.”

The matter will be discussed by councillors at the audit committee meeting being held at County Hall on Thursday.

Sarah Ward, Local Democracy Reporting Service

A magical little masterpiece.

The Nintendo Switch is a truly marvellous little machine made all the better now it has added gorgeous side-scrolling puzzle platformer Trine 2 to its roster.

Puzzle game fans will already know about the brilliant Trine series.

The games have been universally critically acclaimed since Frozenbyte released the original on PC back in 2009.

It has spawned even better sequels and now Trine 2 has been released on the Nintendo Switch.

T2 allows three players to play the iconic roles of a wizard (Amadeus), a thief (Zoya), and Pontius the knight in a simultaneous cooperative mode.

Players use the skills of the three heroes to navigate each level. As with the first game, the mystical “Trine” has bound the three characters together into one common entity which - if playing solo - you controls one at any time switching between their unique abilities to solve the puzzles and progress.

Amadeus can use magic to grab onto certain objects in the game world and conjure boxes and planks to be used to navigate to higher ground or the next section of the level. Zoya can strike at objects with her arrows, and grapple onto certain surfaces and Pontius is strong in combat against foes, can smash through walls and deflect projectiles with his shield.

You will need to call on all three to complete each stage in the game’s world.

Characters have individual life bars, and if one dies they cannot be used until the next checkpoint is reached. If all three characters lose die you start back at the last checkpoint.

Magical vials are key to the soft RPG progression element in T2. For every 50 you collect the player receives a skill point, which can be used to gain abilities through a skill tree for each character. These skill points can be used collectively for each of the three characters, and can also be traded between them.

It is co-op mode that T2 really shines on Switch, though, with each player controlling a character. It is undoubtedly Trine 2’s crowning achievement and is only aided by the beautiful simplicity of the Switch.

Beautiful is word that comes to mind when you play Trine 2 too.

The visuals are simply stunning, enchanting and charming. Whether it is the lush forests or the shadows of the caves to the beaches, T2 is brimming with colour and detail and basks in superb lighting effects.

It looks truly magical.

The gorgeous visuals, the fun, addictive puzzle solving and soft RPG element make this super slick platformer a superb experience from start to finish whether playing solo or co-op.

The story may be a bit old hat and lacking in originality but that is literally the only slight negative about this little masterpiece.

An empty unit in Stafford Place, in Moulton Park estate, could be converted into 'The Karate Academy' under the new proposals.

It would see the vacant former office space renovated into a 186-square-metre dojo and fitness centre.

'The Karate Academy' could create up to four full-time and nine part-time jobs at the empty unit and offer more fitness options to customers in Moulton Park.

The plan has been submitted by martial arts company The Combat Academy, which runs full-time centres in Barnsley and Chesterfield.

The academy would hold classes teaching martial arts, personal development and nutrition, with small classes for ages ranging from four to 18.

former Peterborough United and Leyton Orient defender Simon Clark has joined the Cobblers Academy staff.

The 51-year-old takes up the role as the lead youth development phase coach at the PTS Academy Stadium, overseeing the development of players in the Town Academy from the age of 13 to 16.

He comes to the club as a replacement for Mark Lyons, who left a similar role last month to take up a post at Premier League Leicester City.

As a player, Clark made nearly 300 senior appearances for the likes of Posh, Orient, Colchester United and Stevenage Borough.

He has since moved into coaching, and has earned a UEFA A qualification.

Clark has worked in the Lincoln City centre of excellence, as well as coaching the Imps first team, and enjoying a short term as caretaker boss at Sincil Bank in 2009, and has also been the Peterborough centre of excellence co-ordinator.

He has also worked in non-League management with a variety of clubs, with his most recent role being as manager of King’s Lynn Town.

Head of Academy Kieran Scarff, who only started his role in January, is delighted to welcome Clark to the club, and said: “Simon is an excellent appointment for us.

“He has a wealth of experience as a player and as a coach and he has a fine record of working with young players.

“As I found when I arrived a couple of months ago, Simon will find an Academy in excellent shape with a first class infrastructure that is strengthening further and an environment to help young players become the best they possibly can be.

“We have seen seven current or former Academy players play for the first team this season so the pathway is open, and Simon will be tasked with helping us build on the excellent work that is already taking place.”

You could do a lot worse than book in you and your friends for a cocktail masterclass at Revolution in Northampton.

Our group of four blokes (a modest number, you can book parties of 20 plus) were invited along to sample the experience - and the drinks - and far from just sitting and watching while the mixologist does his thing, it is fully hands-on and great, messy fun.

First things first; there is a lot of alcohol involved if you want to have the full experience. Two of us were driving so had to have the 'virgin' versions of all the cocktails, or just a small sip, but the other two had by far the best time.

We knocked back six or seven drinks each, and a couple of shots, within the two-hour time frame as we got caught up in the flow of each activity.

So not something for those who get tipsy on a sniff of vodka, even if the value is cracking at £25 per person.

Emerson, our host for the evening, welcomed us behind the plush VIP curtain towards the back of the Bridge Street bar, and after we climbed onto our stools, talked us through our evening.

The first round entailed us being invited behind the bar one at a time and learning to make a cocktail of Emerson's choice - Cosmopolitan, a Mojitos for the boozers, a Smooth Talker and Frozen Daquiri for the abstainers - followed by a second round making one from the Revolution menu.

It's trickier than it looks and a top tip is to make sure you concentrate when the mixologist is naming the different receptacles and instruments. If you keep on picking up the Boston tin shaker instead of your fancy glass, for example, it can make you look either a bit dim or a bit drunk. (Also, if you're thinking of lighting the orange zest to impress your watching friends, make sure you dry your thumbs first.)

But the satisfaction of pouring your creation smoothly through the strainer into your ice-filled glass is worth it, especially when it tastes not half bad.

In between rounds you can either sip away at your drink, hoover up the included bar snacks, or tap into Emerson's secrets of the mixologist's craft.

He's very happy to answer questions, including how to tell which cocktail someone is going to order by looking at them, what the ladies' favourite is and which order is most likely to make you unpopular with the entire bar (a round of Bloody Mary's, apparently, because it takes for-bloody-ever).

The activities then came thick and fast. There was a hilarious speed round where you have to put you arms around a mate and use one hand each to measure and pour the ingredients faster than the other teams. If you're both right-handed, like we were, it gets very messy remarkably quickly and I'd like to bet the finished result was rather more boozy than the version on the menu.

We then staggered onto the create-your-own-flavourful-cocktail round where, with slight guidance from Emerson, we invented our own drinks. Although I'm biased, me and Al's winning drink was pretty delicious, scoring an 8.5 out of 10 from Emerson. (It had pineapple juice, parma violet-type flavours, a bit of apple something, Mr Whippy vodka and topped off with a touch of sour vodka. I won't tell you what we named it for fear of offence.)

Finally, and not a little blearily, we were lined up for the finale contest, which was trying to knock a row of precariously-balanced vodka shots into pint glasses. Oh, did I mention we were 15ft away and had to knock them in domino-style using cubes of ice? Not easy, especially half-a-dozen cocktails down but Paul managed it after a few goes, plus a few wayward efforts that give the curtain a good thwacking.

Our reward? The deposited shots, of course.

All in all, we had a very enjoyable two hours, replacing the wisdom contained in the brain cells we annihilated with fresh knowledge about how to get drunk more successfully. You can't ask much more from a night out than that.

Irish pub O'Neills in Drapery reopened its doors yesterday and has become one of the first bars in Northampton to have cocktails on tap - with Espresso and Pornstar martinis as well as Mojitos on tap. The pub has seen a full refit including the bar, seating and the garden area and has installed eight upgraded televisions, which can be seen around the pub, in the booths and outdoors. The new look O’Neill’s Northampton offers an entire new food menu for visitors to enjoy in the 'easy-going Irish tavern', including freshly made stone-baked pizzas, mix and match tapas including 'drunken mushrooms', fried chicken bites and cheese ‘n’ bacon fries. Speaking about the refurbishment, general manager, Kirsty Barnett, said; “It’s been fantastic seeing the pub come together over the last couple of weeks. "We can’t wait to welcome everyone back and see our guest’s reactions over the coming days. There have been some big changes and we’re confident they’ll go down well the people of Northampton.“Being ideally located, right in the heart of Northampton, our pub is the perfect spot to get together with friends, family or colleagues to relax and unwind over good food amongst a warm and welcoming atmosphere.” Following the extensive refurbishment and significant investment made at the pub six new jobs have been created for local area, with the team ready to pull pints and serve delicious food to guests. On Saturday the pub is having an official launch day and will be screening the Six Nations match, with entertainment from Irish dancers, live band Odd Child and followed by a live DJ. Plans are in the pipeline too for St Patrick's Day - with a live Irish band at lunch time, live music at 3pm from Joe Church, more Irish dancers and Unit 4 are performing at 4pm. The pub welcomes children will host live music every Friday and Saturday. O'Neills opens from Sunday to Thursday from 9am to 11pm and on both Friday and Saturday it opens its doors at 9am until 1am.

The incident happened at about 10pm yesterday evening (Monday) near the roundabout at The Lumbertubs pub.

Eyewitnesses reported the area being totally closed off while Northamptonshire Police and East Midlands Ambulance Service attended the scene involving a male cyclist.

A spokeswoman for East Midlands Ambulance Service today said: “We received a call at 10.13pm on March 4 to Lumbertubs Lane in Northampton.

"The caller reported that there had been a road traffic collision between a car and a pushbike.

"We sent a crewed ambulance and one patient was taken to Northampton General Hospital.”

A spokeswoman for Northamptonshire Police confirmed the cyclist sustained facial injuries.

The coffee shop and drive thru is now open at the Sixfields Retail Park, off Gambrel Road, after months of building works.

A spokeswoman for Whitbead, which owns Costa, said: "A total of 22 jobs will be created by the opening.

"As the nation’s favourite coffee shop brand, we look forward to being an active part of the local community, getting involved with events; providing the store as a meeting place and helping with fundraising."

A number of new markings and lanes have also been added to the car park to help cope with the extra cars at the retail park which includes Boots, Poundland, M&S Food, Next and TUI.

Costa has won Best Branded Coffee Shop Chain in the UK and Ireland by Allegra Strategies for eight years running (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017).

Saints centre Fraser Dingwall looks set to be sidelined for six to eight weeks with the ankle injury he picked up at Saracens last Saturday.

The 19-year-old was forced off after just 20 minutes of the Gallagher Premiership game, which Saints went on to lose 36-17.

And he now looks set to require surgery, which could keep him out for the rest of the season.

"Fraser's got a high ankle sprain and he's probably going to require surgical intervention which will keep him out for a reasonable chunk of time," said Saints boss Chris Boyd.

"He'll probably be out for six or eight weeks and the likelihood now is that his goal will be to get that right so he can go away and play for England Under-20s at the Junior World Cup."

But there is better news on fly-half James Grayson, who was forced to withdraw during the warm-up at Allianz Park last weekend.

"He didn't train today but we're pretty certain he'll be right for the weekend," Boyd said at Tuesday's media session.

"He took a blow on the hip and was a bit tender but there's every indication he'll be available for the weekend."

Prop Paul Hill was replaced midway through the first half last weekend due to concussion.

But ahead of Saturday's Premiership clash with Bristol Bears at Franklin's Gardens, Boyd said: "Hilly's fine.

"He failed his concussion based on his actions on the field but he hasn't had any symptoms at all.

"He looks to be fine."

And more good news comes in the form of Piers Francis, who was forced off with concussion against Bath on February 23.

"Piers is available for selection," Boyd said.

"He's cleared out all his injury concerns and he'll certainly be available."

Saints have been without the influential Teimana Harrison since he was replaced inside the first 10 minutes of the Premiership Rugby Cup semi-final against Newcastle Falcons on February 9.

And Boyd said: "T is 50/50 at this stage.

"That hamstring has been a little bit more problematic than we'd hoped.

"But we've been lucky that our loose forwards have been going pretty well and if T returns it will be a great bonus. If not, we've got plenty of soldiers in that space anyway."

Several players picked up injuries on the artificial surface at Saracens last weekend, with scrum-half Alex Mitchell posting a picture of his badly grazed leg on social media.

So what does Boyd think of pitches like the one at Allianz Park?

"They are what they are - they're a sign of the times and a modern approach," he said.

"We're pretty pleased that at Franklin's Gardens we play on grass and that would be our preference.

"It would be fair to say a couple of guys have got some pretty nasty burns from the weekend, but life goes on."

Visitors are invited to see the work taking place to keep the Northampton arm of the 200-year-old Grand Union Canal open at the open day this Saturday and Sunday at Lock 17, off Old Towcester Road.

A specially-erected viewing gallery will be built for visitors to see what waterways charity The Canal and River Trust are doing to keep the historic canal open and alive.

Meanwhile, on Saturday (March 9) visitors can try their hand at paddle boarding and will have a chance at winning a free boating holiday.

On Sunday, free fishing taster sessions will be on offer and a supersized fish tank will be on display. A lucky few may even get to take home a free fishing starter kit.

Stuart Gadsby, regional construction manager for the Canal & River Trust, said: “We’re delighted that we’re able to hold an open weekend on this historic part of the canal in the centre of Northampton, it’s really exciting to be able to show everyone all the hard work that’s gone into the repairs all along the Northampton Arm.

"The canal offers an amazing, tranquil space, where everything slows down even in the town centre. We know from research that people are happier and more relaxed when they are by water, and the activities the canals support means they can help contribute to improving people’s mental and physical well-being.”

The ongoing work by the Canal and River Trust are part of a £38million, five-month programme of repairs all along the Northampton Arm.

Parking and on-site refreshments are being provided by Carlsberg Sports and Social Club, located off Towcester Road.

It comes after children walking between Malcolm Arnold Academy and Kings Heath have been approached in distressing circumstances at least five times since September.

One group of school girls were approached by a man who was performing a sex act in Thornton Park and others have been approached or verbally abused by drivers travelling along Mill Lane.

The build-up of incidents has led parents to start a petition calling for a bus service to connect the estate to the school.

Vicki Cussen, who has an 11-year-old at Malcolm Arnold said: "It's a bit frightening for the kids and it's happening more and more.

"It's a long, 45-minute walk anyway but it's getting dangerous."

She added on the petition: "I feel physically sick for two hours a day waiting to hear if my chidl has arrived at school safely, and this is not good enough."

The parents group have talked with school leaders, bus company Uno and Northamptonshire County Council, who have been supportive but have warned lack of funds may be an obstacle.

Kings Heath was served by the number 31 but the route ceased more than five years ago.

The change.org petition has amassed more than 150 signatures, with a target of 200.

Public Health England has today launched a major campaign in the East Midlands ‘Cervical Screening Saves Lives’, to increase the number of women attending their cervical screening.

The campaign will encourage women to respond to their cervical screening invitation letter, and if they missed their last screening, to book an appointment at their GP practice.

Around 258 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the East Midlands each year and around 69 women die from the disease.

It is estimated that if everyone attended screening regularly, 83 per cent of cervical cancer cases could be prevented.

Agnes Belencsak, screening and immunisation lead, Public Health England (PHE) East Midlands, said: “It’s worrying to see a decline in women attending for their screening appointments and there maybe a number of reasons that women put off going for their appointment, including embarrassment or concerns over the procedure itself.

“A smear test is the best way to detect abnormal cells in the cervix and early detection and treatment is vital so abnormal cells don’t turn into cervical cancer.

"I would encourage anyone who is invited for screening who have concerns to talk to their nurse at their GP’s beforehand. No question is silly or a concern too small and they will make you feel more at ease with the process.”

New research from Public Health England shows that nearly all women eligible for screening (90 per cent) would be likely to take a test that could help prevent cancer, and of those who have attended screening, nine in 10 (94 per cent) would encourage others who are worried to attend their cervical screening.

Despite this, screening is at a 20-year low, with one in four eligible women (those aged 25 – 64) in the UK not attending their test.

The screening rate for the East Midlands is 74.5 per cent, below the national standard of 80 per cent.

The new PHE campaign provides practical information about how to make the test more comfortable and gives reassurance to women, who may be fearful of finding out they have cancer, that screening is not a test for cancer.

Regular screening, which only takes a few minutes, can help stop cervical cancer before it starts, as the test identifies potentially harmful cells before they become cancerous and ensures women get the right treatment as soon as possible.

The PHE research shows that once women have been screened, the vast majority of women feel positive about the experience, with eight in 10 (87 per cent) stating they are glad they went and that they were put at ease by the nurse or doctor doing the test (84 per cent).

Dr Dawn Harper is supporting the campaign: “Cervical screening is one of the most important things women can do to protect themselves from the risk of cervical cancer. Screening can stop cancer before it starts and saves thousands of lives every year.

“Some women are nervous or embarrassed about the test and put off having it done. While it’s not the most enjoyable experience most women say it wasn’t as bad as expected and were glad they did it. The tests are usually done at your GP surgery by female nurses who are trained to make women feel more comfortable and talk them through the process. I cannot stress how important it is not to ignore your screening letter – it’s a five minute test that could be lifesaving.”

Chhaya, 42, from Northampton is just one example of a woman who has benefited from cervical screening. "I had an abnormal result for my cervical screening test results and was successfully treated. I’m so glad I had the test.

"Since then, I religiously book my appointment when I receive my invitation and just tell myself that even if it is uncomfortable, that five minutes of discomfort could save my life. I’m pleased this campaign is raising awareness of the importance of cervical screening and I hope more women - including Asian women - will be encouraged to book an appointment if they missed their last screening test."

The campaign is also being supported by leading charities across England including Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust. Activity includes new advertising on TV and other channels, together with the cascade of information through GP surgeries and pharmacies.

For further information about cervical screening, please search ‘NHS Cervical Screening’ or visit www.nhs.uk/cervicalscreening.

Delegates from Whitehills and Spring Park Residents' Association (WASPRA) met officials from both the county and borough council in order to convince the authorities that traffic will increase to intolerable levels if the current proposals are approved.

WASPRA believes the county council's own data shows general traffic in the Kingsthorpe area will increase by up to 87 per cent.

A spokesman for the residents' association said Guildhall representatives seemed persuaded by their arguments.

He said: "NBC promised during the meeting to take away and analyse the figures provided by us. They considered them to be highly concerning and quite an eye-opener."

The borough council will now look at the numbers in detail before giving feedback to WASPRA.

Guildhall officials rejected the idea of a scrutiny panel, but indicated they would begin to consult with specialists such as the Road Haulage Association, the emergency services and the Northampton forum of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.

Sean Brady, co-chair of WASPRA, said: “We are, following this meeting, cautiously optimistic that finally the necessary council representatives have recognised the severity of our concerns regarding the NWRR impact.

"We hope that if the analysis by NBC regarding our figures brings them to the same conclusions as us – that the road (NWRR) will be disastrous for Kingsthorpe North in no uncertain terms – that necessary actions will be taken to avoid this potential nightmare for traffic in the area, and that an alternative option can be identified.

"Northampton is overdue a completed dual carriageway orbital road from the A45 south of Junction 16 of the M1 and the A43 near Sywell“.

The 21-year-old had a strong opening season in English cricket, scoring 608 first-class runs and a further 103 in the white-ball competitions.

Those performances saw him head into the winter as Northants' young player of the year.

But Vasconcelos has not been resting on his laurels, heading to South Africa to put in plenty of hours of hard work.

"Mostly I was training at the Wanderers with a coach called Bongani Ndaba, who had been my coach at school and through my age groups," Vasconcelos explained.

"It was good to work with him again and get a fresh pair of eyes on my game and I felt really good leaving South Africa.

"It's been tough back in the indoor school because I was outdoors the whole time in South Africa.

"It's been a bit of an adjustment - the bounce is different as it's a hard floor, not grass, and it was a baptism of fire when Blessing (Muzarabani) is running into you as the first bowler you've got to face! There's definitely some extra bounce then - he doesn't hold back in the nets!"

Muzarabani has made an obvious impression on Vasconcelos, who feels the Zimbabwean will add something different to the Northants bowling attack and ask plenty of questions of opposition batsmen.

"All of our other bowlers are a similar height, so the ball is released from a similar point," he said. "So someone like Blessing can throw you off because you've got to look at a different place where the ball is being released from.

"He also bowls a different length, which is a different challenge, and with someone like Sando (Ben Sanderson) bowling from the other end it's going to help that kind of partnership.

"If he gets on song it's going to help everyone."

Reflecting on 2018, Vasconcelos says that at the start of the year thoughts of any awards recognition was far from his mind.

But now he has had a taste of first-team cricket he wants to build for the future.

"When I first came over I didn't think I'd be playing first team cricket in my first season," he said.

"Through injuries I got my chance, fortunately I took it and I was in the side for the rest of the season.

"This year as a team we're looking to push on in all three competitions, especially promotion in the four-day competition, and I want to hit my run targets.

"I scored 608 last year and so I'm aiming for 700 or more than that this year.

"Having competition is healthy and good for the side. It means we've got a strong squad and someone can always come in and do a job.

"It's going to push everyone to be even better and it's a good thing for everyone."

The latest monthly revenue monitoring report shows that the county council is currently on track for an overspend of £900,000 for the end of the financial year by March 31.

While it is only a £500,000 improvement from the last monthly update, it remains significantly smaller than the £30.1m projected overspend that was included in the July section 114 notice, which banned new expenditure.

At a recent full council meeting, cabinet member for finance Malcolm Longley has said he was ‘confident’ that the budget would balance at the end of 2018/19, but would make ‘no promises’.

This latest report states: “Further improvements in the financial position are still expected by the end of the financial year but savings are not being reported until they are ‘in the bank’.

“Some of the initiatives being actively pursued, include increased scrutiny of the Shaw PFI contract, ensuring maximised utilisation that may release savings within independent care.”

The proposed savings could also include a review of the management structure in adult social care, and a review of how directorates can work closer with Public Health.

Further news includes that the deficit for 2017/18 has now been settled with external auditors at a sum of £41.5m. That is due to be wiped out after the Government granted the council special dispensation to use £70m of capital funds to clear the revenue deficit. It will also allow them £20m to replenish some of the reserves that were depleted in trying to recover financial stability. Any extra cash is set to be used to mitigate any unachieveable savings in the council’s stabilisation plan.

The report adds: “The closing position for 2017-18 cannot be confirmed until the audit of the 2017-18 accounts has been concluded. At the present time, conversations with the external auditor suggest there will not be any material changes to these figures.”

The monthly report is due to be discussed at next Tuesday’s cabinet meeting (March 12).