Joe Gilbert has spent three years fighting back to fitness after a horrific accident on the Swirral Edge ridge in March 2016. Now, after undergoing 11 operations, he is joining a group of friends on a cycle ride to Paris in support of the volunteer rescuers who went to his aid.
Mr Gilbert, who grew up in Oundle and whose family owns the Beans Coffee Stop in the town, was walking on Helvellyn, in the Lake District, when he fell 200m.
He said: “I broke my neck, kneecap, ankle, foot, shoulder, hand and most of my ribs. I also dislocated an ankle and shoulder and collapsed a lung.
“Over the next eight hours, the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team somehow managed to keep me alive on the side of the freezing cold mountain.
“It took two helicopters, 19 Patterdale members and countless hours of medical and practical experience to save my life. Without them I simply wouldn’t be here.”
During the next two years, Mr Gilbert had “countless hours of physio” and eventually went back to visit the team at Patterdale to say thank you.
“It was a very humbling day,” he said. “The team is driven, dedicated, knowledgeable and seriously hardworking. The amount of their free time they give to help others is incredible.”
Mr Gilbert, who now lives in London, will be joined on his ride by former Prince William School friends Ben Norwell and Simon Felton, from Oundle, Olly Cogan from Northampton, and George Cliff from London, plus Matt Randell, from Crewe.
They will set off on Saturday, May 11 and aim to complete the ride within four days, raising as much funds as they can to buy equipment for the mountain rescue team which is run by volunteers and relies on donations.
Anyone wishing to donate to his cause can visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/joe-gilbert3

A tribunal panel heard that Dr Abdelkarim Mohamed was acting as a locum registrar at NGH in June 2016 when the incident happened.

On June 22, during a consultation with patient B, the panel heard that Mohamed performed an intimate examination of her with excessive force and in a rough manner.

The tribunal judgement says: "Dr Mohamed demonstrated a disregard for basic hand hygiene, performed Patient B’s vaginal examination with excessive force and in a rough manner, clearly hurting Patient B to the extent that she had to move up the bed in an attempt to get away from him."

Patient B’s reaction was so marked that the midwife instinctively put her hand on Dr Mohamed’s wrist to stop him.

But Dr Mohamed failed to stop despite requests from both Patient B and the midwife.

The judgement adds: "Further, Dr Mohamed failed to apologise to Patient B for hurting her, when it was plainly apparent that he had."

The incident was one of three that made up the General Medical Council's case against Mohamed.

On the same day, Mohamed is also accused of carrying out another vaginal examination without introducing himself appropriately or wearing an ID badge, and did not answer 'Patient A's' questions.

And the incident comprising the third allegation happened on February 2016 at Altnagelvin Hospital in Northern Ireland when Mohamed amended 'Patient C's' consent form after she had signed it, adding the words 'trial of forceps delivery' - showing he had not listened to her concerns.

A panel back in 2018 had already ruled that Mohamed was guilty of misconduct.

But a fresh hearing that took place this week decided that the doctor had still not gained insight into his conduct.

Adding to his existing suspension of nine months, Dr Mohamed was banned by the panel for a further year.

The chair of the panel said: "Given that Dr Mohamed has already been suspended for a period of nine months and has demonstrated persistent lack of insight and provided limited evidence of remediation, the tribunal also considered that a 12-month suspension would allow Dr Mohamed sufficient time to further reflect on his misconduct, demonstrate full insight and remediate that misconduct."

The unit, in Harborough Road, Kingsthorpe, used to be an HSBC bank until it closed in July 2016.

An application submitted to the Guildhall would see the unit divided into two separate shops on the ground floor with two apartments above.

A letter from estate agents Underwoods says that, although they eventually found a buyer in February las year, they had struggled to interest potential tenants in the entire unit.

It says: "Marketing has since continued on a leasehold basis but no interest he been generated in the unit that would have seen the continuation of the premises in its current planning use.

"General feedback from applicants has been that the premises is too large and the first floor accommodation would be surplus to any requirement of a ground floor user."

A decision on whether the proposal goes ahead will be taken by councillors at a public planning committee meeting in the coming months.

An single vehicle accident has closed a road between two Daventry District villages.

The collision on West Haddon Road was first reported at 7.35am this morning (March 16).

A fire service spokeswoman said one casualty was cut out from the vehicle and left in the care of the ambulance service.

The road between Cold Ashby and West Haddon has been closed both ways, as has Church Lane.

Firefighters were called to a blaze at a property above a shop in Kingsley Park Terrace at 10.30pm on Friday (March 16).

The road remains closed in both directions.

A spokesman said: "Six crews were called to the fire at Kingsley Park Terrace at about 10.30pm.

"No one was injured in the fire and residents were evacuated from surrounding properties.

"East Midlands Ambulance Service and Northamptonshire Police also attended the scene.

"The fire has been extinguished, but crews will remain at the site today while a fire investigation team continues its work."

Peter Holman lives next door to the flat that caught fire and was at home with his partner, their five-month-old daughter and four children who they were babysitting at the time.

All were able to escape after smoke started seeping into their property.

"My partner woke me and said there was a smell of smoke coming through the wall," said Mr Holman.

"I looked outside the window and I could see lots of smoke coming from next door.

"I had to rouse all the kids and get everyone out of the building."

He added: "The flat below was already smoke filled so it was a case of getting out as quickly as possible.

"The flames hadn't broken through but the moment we got outside we could see them and the fire was out of control."

Mr Holman said a crowd had gathered on Kingsley Park Terrace after noticing the flames.

"There was a couple down the street who looked after the kids and my partner," said Mr Holman.

"In true British style, they put the kettle on.

"They didn't know us from Adam but they took us in and we were there until 1am."

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue were called to the incident on West Haddon Road at 10.22am today (March 16).

They assisted other emergency services in getting the driver out of the van.

The road linking West Haddon and Guilsborough is closed.

The vigil was led by the Hope Centre, on the steps of All Saints Church on Friday (March 15), where Robin Burgess, CEO of the Hope Centre, paid tribute to those who have died, which was shortly followed by prayer from the rector of the church, Father Oliver Coss.

All those who have died were each remembered by their own sign, which were held up by members of the public.

Robin Burgess said: "The key point about all of these people is if you look at the ages of all of them the oldest is Eddie P (senior). He was 65, occasionally he used to sleep rough behind this church and was well known to us.

"But the youngest here, who died only a few days ago, Kristian was only 22 when he died.

"Every single one of these deaths is preventable and it is premature, and as a result we must work harder to prevent these deaths from happening again in the future. Every one of these lives deserves to be remembered. Every single one of these lives mattered."

Among those who died was 46-year-old Richard Campbell, who passed away in July 2017 through an accident caused by drinking.

Known as ‘mother’, Richard had worked in the beauty and make-up industry in stores like Harrods and had once done make-up for Kylie Minogue. Many service users attended his funeral.

At the time of his death, Hope was looking at how they could support him and another service user in setting up a small social enterprise out of Hope, providing beauty services.

After Richard's death The Hope Centre started a memorial garden and have recorded each death on a stone.

Kristian O was 22 years old and passed away in February 2019.

Kristian was a well-known figure in town and busked to support himself, rarely taking advantage of services through fear of deportation and, as a Lithuanian, lacking access to housing.

Steven C died in November 2018.

A long-term rough sleeper, Steven suffered from a number of health issues, including type one diabetes. Other health problems and related street behaviours eroded his resistance to disease and he eventually died in hospital.

He had been housed in a hostel prior to his death and his winning personality meant that he endeared himself to people and was well liked.

Jerica was 38 years old when she died in early 2019.

Originally from the USA, Jerica was living rough in the St James area and was well known.

Many people reported stopping and talking with her.

Once again, she engaged in various risky behaviours that reportedly led to her death. She left behind children from whom she was separated.

Graham F was 44 when he died in February 2018.

Graham was hit by a car while wandering in the street and died in hospital.

A long-term rough sleeper, he had been excluded from the night shelter for alleged drug use the day before he died.

Fabien B was 48 years old at the time of his death in July 2018.

A Big Issue vendor supplied by Hope, Fabien died in his tent from health issues directly arising from long-term alcohol problems, which had caused his body great damage.

He died shortly after celebrating his birthday.

Though he was known for selling the Big Issue here and also in Milton Keynes, he was also well-known to people beyond the homelessness community.

Eddie P (senior) was 65 when he died.

Eddie had been housed and had somewhere to live but he had been homeless and a rough sleeper previously.

Even after he was housed he continued to sleep rough regularly because he had grown used to that lifestyle.

A very well-liked man, Eddie had been involved in the music business.

His son, also known as Eddie, sadly died from similar causes two weeks after his father’s death, though he was not homeless.

The blustery conditions clearly didn't help matters and in the end the howling wind came up trumps as the two teams combined for just two shots on target across the entire 94 minutes.

Chances were equally hard to come by, despite the visitors edging the second-half, and in the end a draw - Town's 16th of the season - was a fair outcome. It keeps the Cobblers 11th in League Two, still six points away from the play-offs.

The biggest positive was in defence where Northampton were again solid and goalkeeper David Cornell untroubled in keeping his fourth clean sheet in six games.

For the second time in three games Town manager Keith Curle named an unchanged starting line-up as Andy Williams kept his place up front ahead of Marvin Sordell, who returned to the bench.

The gusty conditions sweeping across the ground was hardly conducive to a high-quality game of football and the opening stages were riddled with mistakes, although the first 45 minutes were not completely devoid of chances.

A wind-assisted free-kick caused mayhem in the Grimsby box and the ball so nearly fell to Sam Foley on just three minutes before a defender intercepted while Wes Thomas was off target from 20 yards for the home side.

Jake Hessenthaler's long-range piledriver also whistled not far wide of the post and Andy Williams almost turned in Foley's cross-shot, but that was about the sum of the action in an unsurprisingly scrappy first-half.

It was more of the same in the second period and it took until the midpoint of the half for either team to muster a shot of note with Embleton a fraction wide from the edge of the box

Curle made a bold change when sending on Sordell for Daniel Powell and going two up front, but his team came under pressure with 15 minutes to go when Aaron Pierre, Jordan Turnbull and Ash Taylor all made crucial clearances.

Town finished on top and Pierre slashed wide from a tight angle with three minutes remaining before Sordell nearly scrambled in during three minutes of stoppage-time, but this game was always destined to end goalless.

Grimsby: McKeown, Ring, Ohman, Collins (c), Hessenthaler, Cook, Woolford, Embleton (Vernam 77), Davis, Hendrie, Thomas (Dennis 85)

Subs not used: Hall-Johnson, Clifton, Rose, Russell, Whitmore

Cobblers: Cornell, Goode, Taylor, Pierre (c), Buchanan, Turnbull, Foley, O'Toole, Hoskins, D Powell (Sordell 68), A Williams (Bridge 87)

Subs not used: Coddington, J Williams, Elsnik, J Powell, Bowditch

Referee: Ollie Yates

Attendance: 3,890

Cobblers fans: 398

Cobblers boss Keith Curle again praised the 'battling' qualities on display from his players during Saturday's goalless draw at Grimsby Town, but he admitted there was a sense of disappointment that they didn't take all three points.

Town's unbeaten run hit eight games but their winning streak was ended at four as they battled valiantly without success in extremely windy conditions at Blundell Park.

Clear-cut chances were non-existent throughout the 90 minutes and neither goalkeeper was ever really troubled, though results elsewhere meant the Cobblers remain 11th and six points adrift of the play-offs.

Curle said: "There wasn't a lot of quality today but I think it's a good sign of how far we've come when you walk into the changing room and there's disappointment that we've only picked up a point away from home with a clean sheet.

"It was difficult out there because you're trying to judge the wind and trying to put the ball into areas with quality but neither team were able to have any fluidity in their play.

"There was plenty of honest endeavour, plenty of willingness, challenges and application and also an understanding of what was required as a minimum to give us a platform to build from.

"It shows when you've got those things in place you're able to grind it out and be horrible to play against. On another day, with some of the possession we had in the final third, there's a bit more quality.

"But, overall, it was a fantastic battling performance away from home and we showed good desire to keep a clean sheet and not get beat."

Professional organiser and declutter expert Karen Taylor – founder of Declutter Angel – is home-by-home helping people get their clothes, shoes, paperwork and everything else in order.

Karen, who swapped a stressful corporate job for her new venture, believes there's a strong link between having a tidy home and tidy mind.

"When people are struggling with a lot of emotional stuff going on it's difficult to juggle all the plates," said the 43-year-old.

"Once they declutter they have more headspace to manage things better."

"If you reduce down all those items you can start to feel energised; it clears the mind," she added.

Since the KonMari method hit UK TV screens thanks to Netflix's Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, charity shops have seen an increase in donations. And with decluttering a big trend in America it's starting to catch on in the UK.

Karen said: "Like our friends across the pond, here in the UK, we are accumulating more stuff and in turn, the space around us is shrinking with the clutter preoccupying our minds and starting to take over our lives.

"The need to declutter our possessions is growing and it's time to take back control of our lives and get organised, after all, if we were stuck on a desert island how many chipped old ceramic mugs would we actually need?"

The good news, says Karen, is you don't need to tackle the challenge of getting started on your own.

Based in Wellingborough, Karen works with clients in Kettering and Northampton.

"The most powerful question I find can be do you love it? Because if you don’t, the chances are you are not going to wear it or use it and someone else then could make good use of it.

"I always work with my clients at their pace and would never make them discard anything they didn’t want to.”

To help you get organised Karen recommends the following advice - here are Declutter Angels's top ten tips to tidy:

1) Break down areas so it's a more manageable task, Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was all that clutter collected in a day - so why expect yourself to get through it all so fast? Breaking down the task into smaller goals allows us to see the progress we are making.

2) Always start with an area which is bothering you the most. Perfect to get a positive feeling of accomplishment by braving the most irritating area first and seeing the progress.

3) Once you get started, start moving items into logical piles of recycle, rubbish, wrong place but I need it (i.e. should be in the bathroom/kitchen etc), charity and to sell (but only if you are going to commit to selling it soon).

4) Try and only keep what you use or will need in the short to medium term and avoid storage where possible

5) If you are struggling and have a 'not sure' pile really question, when did you last use it? Do you love it? This should help guide you to a decision...

6) Also think, would you buy it now? If you wouldn't, you probably don't need/want it! (this is a great one with trying on clothes you haven't worn in a while!)

7) If you can't manage a whole task at once, then try just 10 mins a day, chipping away makes a huge difference, imagine if you did 10 mins a day in 2018? What would it look like now in 2019?

8) Like the hare and the tortoise slow and steady wins the race, try tackling just a drawer or cupboard

9) Play music to keep you motivated, it might just make the whole experience more enjoyable

10) The Golden Rule: Think more about your purchases next time, every time think 1) do I love it? and 2) do I need it - buy it only if you answer yes to both and you will prevent more clutter entering your life...

For more help getting started you can contact Karen Taylor, Declutter Angel at: www.declutterangel.com or on mobile: 07948 529587 for a free no obligation chat.

Cobblers saw their four-match winning run ended by a goalless draw at Grimsby Town on Saturday.

On a day when the wild weather came up trumps, who kept a cool head for the Cobblers? Find out with James Heneghan's player ratings - just scroll down and flick through the gallery to see how each player performed.

JANUARY 9

Dwayne Francis, aged 34, of no fixed abode, assault; community order made, compensation £30, surcharge £85.

Sean Hamblin, aged 29, of no fixed abode, assault; community order made, surcharge £85, costs £85. Damaged two car tyres, community order made, compensation £220.

Rhea Day, aged 31, of North Holme Court, Northampton, stole items worth £196; fined £80, compensation £40, surcharge £30, costs £85.

Robert Hewlett, aged 33, of Rosedale Road, Northampton, breach of Sexual Offences Act; pleaded guilty sent to Crown Court for sentence.

Olaide Ojo, aged 39, of Stimpson Avenue, Northampton, assault at NGH; fined £180, surcharge £30, costs £620.

Lindani Ncube, aged 35, of Greatmeadow, Northampton, no insurance; fined £276, surcharge £30, costs £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Marc Turnbull, aged 43, of Ellis Way, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, surcharge £66, costs £85, licence endorsed with eight points.

Pavan Manneru, aged 28, of Great Ground Walk, Northampton, driving at 108mph in a 70mph zone; fined £553, surcharge £55, costs £85, banned from driving for 28 days.

JANUARY 10

Jasbir Gill, aged 60, of Hampton Street, Northampton, possession of a class B drug; fined £80, surcharge £30, costs £85.

Alexandru Indoitu, aged 24, of Thornhill, Northampton, drink-driving; fined £253, surcharge £30, costs £85, banned from driving for 20 months.

Reece Kipping, aged 22, of Byfield Road, Northampton, drink-driving; fined £230, surcharge £30, costs £85, banned from driving for 20 months.

Constantin Marin, aged 29, of Delapre Street, Northampton, drink-driving; fined £346, surcharge £34, costs £85, banned from driving for 20 months.

Vladimir Turcanu, aged 41, of Hedgeway, Northampton, drink-driving; jailed for 12 weeks suspended for 12 months, surcharge £115, costs £85, banned from driving for 36 months.

Ouranios Savva, aged 23, of St Leonards Road, Northampton, assault; community order made, compensation £650. Intentionally touched a woman in a sexual way without consent; community order made.

Vedo Nongmo, aged 36, of South Holme Court, Northampton, failed to give a breath test; fined £438, surcharge £43, costs £85, banned from driving for 17 months.

Zydrunas Mockus, aged 49, of Wellington Street, Northampton, drink-driving; community order made to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work, surcharge £85, costs £85, banned from driving for 36 months.

Jamie Tidy, aged 29, of Farmfield Court, Northampton, assault; community order made, compensation £50, surcharge £85, costs £85. Stole cookies; community order made.

Johnathan Luck, aged 29, of Ashpole Spinney, Northampton, drink-driving; fined £415, surcharge £41, costs £2,227.25, banned from driving for 12 months.

Asher Edwards, aged 24, of Cloutsham Street, Northampton, assault; jailed for six weeks suspended for 12 months, surcharge £115, costs £500.

JANUARY 11

Charles Brooks, aged 27, of Lyttleton Road, Northampton, no insurance; fined £750, surcharge £75, costs £200, licence endorsed with six points. Driving without due care and attention; fined £500.

Kyle Matthew, aged 18, of no fixed abode, assault; community order made, compensation £40, surcharge £85, costs £85. Damaged a table and door handle; community order made to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work. Assaulted a police officer; community order made.

Joshua Hawkins, aged 27, of Colwyn Road, Northampton, damaged a car park barrier and CCTV camera; fined £360, compensation £1,820, surcharge £36, costs £85.

Declan Colvil, aged 19, of Swaine Court, Northampton, stole a Nationwide bank card; conditional discharge for 18 months, compensation £164.86, surcharge £20, costs £85.

Christopher Coupe, aged 39, of Brookside Meadows, Northampton, drink-driving; fined £120, surcharge £30, costs £85, banned from driving for 12 months.

Nathan McBain, aged 27, of St Pauls Road, Northampton, stole a bicycle; community order made, compensation £330. Stole another bike; community order made.

John Russell, aged 20, of Melbourne House, Melbourne Road, Northampton, failed to comply with a community order; community order to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.

JANUARY 12

Sherry Bruce, aged 34, of Northwood Road, Northampton, damaged a door panel; conditional discharge for 12 months, compensation £40, surcharge £20, costs £50.

An updated local plan for Northampton that will determine how land in the area is used for planning purposes is expected to go out for public consultation later this year.

A paper on Part 2 of the Local Plan is set to go to the borough council’s cabinet in Spring before the six-week public consultation.

The council is legally bound to provide an updated version of the original Northampton Local Plan, which was adopted in 1997. The second and updated plan will set out the vision, objectives and strategic policies for delivering growth for the borough up to 2029.

The news was confirmed at the full council meeting of the borough on Monday (March 11).

Questions were raised on the issue by Liberal Democrat and Labour councillors Brian Markham and Les Marriott respectively, with the duo asking for an update on the progress of putting together the plan.

Responding to Councillor Markham, the deputy cabinet member for planning Councillor James Hill said: “The current situation is that the Local Plan Part 2 will be brought to cabinet in late spring for approval for public consultation over a six week period. The results of this consultation will be used to inform the submissions version of the plan, which will be brought back to the council for approval to submit to the secretary of state in late 2019.

“The plan would then be subject to an examination in public, the timing of which is not within the control of the borough council.”

As well as identifying where new development will go, the Local Plan would also set out policies to protect open space, green infrastructure, heritage and environmental assets.

Part 2 of the Local Plan would replace the remaining saved policies from the Northampton Local Plan (1997), and consider whether some of the policies of the Central Area Action Plan need to be updated.

It will also complement the West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy Local Plan (Part 1) which was adopted in 2014, and also sets out its vision up until 2029.

Ahead of the likely move to unitary authority status next year - which would see the borough and district councils in the west of the county merge - Daventry and South Northamptonshire have already produced draft Local Plans of their own for submission.

In his written question to cabinet member Councillor Tim Hadland, who is responsible for regeneration, Councillor Marriott said: “Given that NBC is due to be encompassed into an unwelcome western unitary, why has this plan not been completed yet? As the other authorities have completed theirs this failure will undoubtedly place Northampton at a disadvantage.”

But Councillor Hadland responded: “The borough council has had to review its Local Plan Part 2 timetable on several occasions, particularly in light of ongoing housing delivery when compared against the Core Strategy trajectory, which has delayed the drafting of the Plan.”

It would be a little unfair to describe this goalless draw as two points dropped but, so small is the margin for error in Northampton’s improbable play-off pursuit, they must grasp every opportunity that comes their way.

In isolation, any point picked up on the road, especially one earned in extremely difficult conditions, is not to be sniffed at. But when time and games are running out and when you’re playing catch-up with several teams above you, wins and not draws are needed.

Draws have become Northampton’s speciality this season. Saturday’s was their 16th in the league, more than anyone else in the EFL bar Stoke City, although it was sufficient in shifting them back up to 11th place having briefly dropped to 12th due to Newport’s win on Friday night.

A hefty 20 teams have lost more games than the Cobblers in League Two this term and yet only the bottom six have won fewer. Turn some of those draws into wins and a play-off spot would be within grasp. Saturday was another example of two points getting away, even if a draw was no disgrace.

The Cobblers were three-quarters of the way to a textbook away performance at Blundell Park. In a defensive sense, they were particularly excellent en route to a fourth clean sheet in five games.

The back four and goalkeeper, plus the two central midfielders, adapted to the difficult conditions expertly to barely cough up a chance. David Cornell was quick off his line to make two key blocks in the first-half but, that aside, he was reduced to a watching brief as his defence, led by the dominant Aaron Pierre, were in stubborn mood to keep Grimsby under wraps.

Northampton were also good in possession during the second-half. Whilst an error-strewn opening period was relatively even, only one team ever looked like winning it during a second 45 minutes dominated by the visitors, at least in terms of possession and territory.

The problem they had came in the final third. Despite getting into some good positions, a lack of quality and composure meant home stopper James McKeown was only called into action once – and that was from Sam Foley’s speculative 45-yard shot.

The stats make for pretty grim reading with the two teams combining for just one shot on target apiece, but that doesn’t tell the full story. Several times the ball dangerously bounced around Grimsby’s box. Had it fallen a little kinder, the visitors might well have been celebrating another hard-fought three points.

The Cobblers deserved to win this game more than they deserved to win Tuesday’s encounter with Newport County but football is a game of fine margins. Where Joe Powell’s thunderbolt snatched victory in midweek, Aaron Pierre’s late chance on Saturday whistled wide.

The visitors did at least go for it. There’s little point playing for draws at this stage of the season and the decision to send on a striker, Marvin Sordell, for a midfielder, Daniel Powell, and go two up front with 20 minutes to go showed intent, as did the purposeful way Town ended the game.

The overwhelming positive for Northampton is that they continue to look impressively resilient and solid in defence, making it increasingly difficult for opposing teams to create clear chances. With that the case, all it takes is one moment of fortune or a touch of quality – as Joe Powell showed in midweek – to turn one point into three.

That moment never arrived at Blundell Park on Saturday but that’s not to say Town didn’t have their opportunities. Whilst clear-cut chances were kept to a bare minimum, Pierre slashed wide from a tight angle, Foley’s cross-shot only needed a touch and Marvin Sordell looked certain to score when the referee’s whistle pulled play back.

So the game ended goalless. Despite favourable results elsewhere, it feels as if Town have just left themselves a little too much to do in trying to hunt down a play-off spot.

Their recent resurgence has been commendable and impressive, and it bodes well for next season, but it looks to have come a little too late to sneak into the top seven, though their hopes shouldn’t be written off just yet.

Failure to make the play-offs shouldn’t detract from their excellent performances in recent weeks. Even a top-half finish would represent a fine effort given the depths they’ve sunk to at times earlier in the season.

After losing 4-0 at home to Colchester, you’d be labelled a madman and carted off to the madhouse if you predicted the Cobblers would not lose any of their next eight matches. Add in five wins and only four goals against and there are plenty of reasons to be positive.

Cobblers boss Keith Curle says there are no issues with Shaun McWilliams despite leaving him out of the last four matchday squads, revealing the midfielder missed Saturday’s game at Grimsby Town with a ‘hamstring’ injury.

McWilliams, a product of the club’s youth academy, first broke into the team as an 18-year-old when Justin Edinburgh was manager two years ago and he impressed enough to become a regular thereafter, making 22 appearances for the Cobblers last season.

An injury picked up on the opening day kept him out for the first two months of this season but he battled his way back to fitness and became a starter again at the end of October, making 14 successive starts in all competitions up until Christmas.

The 20-year-old has featured in only seven games since the turn of the year though, not even making the matchday squad in any of Northampton’s last four games as Curle has opted for a first-choice midfield of Jordan Turnbull and Sam Foley, with the likes of Timi Elsnik, Dean Bowditch, Jay Williams and Joe Powell preferred on the bench.

When asked about McWilliams at Crewe earlier in the month, Curle sighted his omission as a ‘selection decision’ and he was again questioned on the issue after the midfielder was nowhere to be seen for Saturday’s trip to Grimsby, which ended goalless.

“Shaun had a slight hamstring strain for Saturday and he was unavailable,” said the Town boss. “He sustained that doing extra work and that shows the mentality and the work that goes on behind the scenes.

“Even players who aren’t playing every week, they don’t sit around and sulk. They work hard because they know, when they get their opportunity, they have to hit the ground running.

“That shows that those players are putting in the work behind the scenes.”

Foley and Turnbull were both praised by Curle for their performances at a blustery Blundell Park on Saturday as Cobblers extended their unbeaten run to eight games.

“The clean sheet is pleasing,” added Curle. “It shows a good understanding of roles and responsibilities from the back five and also then the protection in front with Jordan Turnbull and Sam Foley.

“They gave us the backbone of the team and again I thought we were solid. Grimsby have a good home record so we had to make sure they didn’t have any fluidity in their play, which I thought we did.”

Shocking dashcam footage captures the terrifying moment a lorry driver pulls out into the middle lane of a motorway and smashes into a car.

The hair-raising video shows Zbigniew Kaczorowski, 55, driving in the slow lane of the M1 between Northampton and Milton Keynes before he begins to indicate.

But as he pulls out he ploughs into the back-left corner of a white VW Sirocco already in the middle lane.

The car is spun round the front of Kaczorowski's HGV and then is smashed between it and the verge.

Debris from the obliterated vehicle can be seen flying all over the road as the lorry swerves past it.

As the ruined VW comes to a halt across the motorway lanes, another lorry can be seen striking it as it attempts to stop.

The two people in the white car miraculously survived with non-life threatening injuries.

The driver of the other HGV was uninjured.

The crash resulted in two junctions of the M1 being closed for three hours on March 7.

Zbigniew Kaczorowski, 55, from Poland pleaded guilty at Milton Keynes Magistrates' Court to careless driving on March 11.

He was disqualified from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay £207 in fines and costs.

Posting the video on social media, a spokesman for Thames Valley Police police said: "This dashcam footage will shock you.

"On 07/03, Zbigniew Kaczorowski, 55, from Poland pleaded guilty at Milton Keynes Magistrates' Court to careless driving after he crashed into a VW Sirocco on the M1.

"Thankfully, the driver and passenger of the VW didn’t suffer life-threatening injuries.

"Please be careful of your blind spots."

It was a perfect 10 for Saints as they ended a long wait for silverware by beating Saracens 23-9 in the Premiership Rugby Cup final at a sold-out Franklin's Gardens.

Tries from Teimana Harrison, Tom Wood and Ahsee Tuala ensured Saracens' nine-match winning streak against Saints in all competitions would come to an end on Sunday afternoon.

James Grayson added five points with the boot and Piers Francis three on a windy day as Saints claimed their first trophy since beating Saracens in the 2014 Premiership final.

A huge roar greeted the final whistle as Saints supporters celebrated some long-awaited success and first trophy under new boss Chris Boyd, who arrived at the club last summer.

Saracens, captained by former Saints flanker Calum Clark, had struggled to really trouble the black, green and gold, only registering three Max Malins penalties.

And in the end it was a hugely deserved victory for Northampton, who had played at a great tempo and with real intensity throughout.

The teams had emerged to a great noise, with the Saints fans massively outnumbering and outsinging their Saracens foes.

When the battle on the field began, the breakdown scrap was hugely intense, with both sides competing ferociously, exchanging penalties as they fought for supremacy.

And it was Saints who struck first as Grayson's superb flat pass found Naiyaravoro and he released Harrison, who charged down the left wing before finishing brilliantly.

Saints had been down to 14 men when scoring the try as Luther Burrell took a big hit in midfield, and it was an injury that saw the centre helped from the field.

Rory Hutchinson was introduced after Grayson had sent the touchline conversion just wide.

Saints led 5-0 but they soon gifted Saracens three points after fluffing a lineout in their own 22 and going on the concede a penalty, which fly-half Malins kicked.

Malins then got a huge slice of luck, firing a penalty that looked likely to go dead before it took a big bounce left, hit the flag and gave Saracens a lineout five metres out.

They were rightly denied a try by the TMO from the resulting lineout, but after Ben Earl put pressure on following a scrum, they won a breakdown penalty, which Malins kicked.

But Saints were not deterred and after big carries from Hutchinson and Taqele Naiyaravoro, the ball was moved with real speed to the right, where Wood was waiting to finish well.

Grayson hit the post and bar with the conversion but the ball bounced back out, leaving Saints 10-6 up.

But the home side were soon reduced to 14 men as Paul Hill was shown a yellow card for taking Malins out in the air.

Malins soon landed another penalty, conceded by Harrison, to reduce the deficit to a single point.

But Saints were stung into life once more, scoring with 13 men as Hill was in the bin and Francis was down injured.

Grayson pulled the strings and Tuala showed his strength, emulating Wood by powering over in the same corner.

Grayson kicked the conversion superbly, drawing a huge roar from the home fans, and Saints were playing at a hugely impressive pace.

Saracens responded with a huge scrum, winning a penalty, but Malins missed for the first time in the match.

The men in red threatened to score their first two two minutes before the break as Malins charged down the right, but he was stopped at the last by the resilient George Furbank.

Saints then stood tall as Saracens continued to apply some pressure through the forwards, winning a penalty that relieved the pressure and kept the score at 17-9 at the break.

Saints had a chance to extend their lead at the start of the second half after winning a penalty at a Saracens scrum, but the strong wind proved problematic as Grayson's kick fell well short.

But Grayson made amends with 25 minutes to go after Saints swarmed all over Saracens to win another penalty.

Naiyaravoro was wreaking havoc, bouncing former Saints youngster Rotimi Segun off at will with some incredible carries.

The game then became slightly scrappy as both sides made plenty of changes, but the next points would go the way of Saints as the impressive Francis landed a penalty.

And from then on it looked inevitable that the men in black, green and gold would get the job done.

They saw it out in style continuing to put the pressure on their opponents until the last as they drew a huge roar from their supporters on an important afternoon for Boyd's men.

Saints: Furbank; Tuala, Burrell (Hutchinson 9), Francis, Naiyaravoro (Collins 75); Grayson, Mitchell (Reinach 59); Waller (c) (van Wyk 62), Marshall (Fish 62), Hill (Franks 62); Moon, Ratuniyarawa (Craig 73); Wood (Gibson 68), Ludlam, Harrison.

Saracens: Gallagher; Crossdale (Lewington 50), Bosch, Morris (Griffiths 56), Segun; Malins, Whiteley (Taylor 62); Barrington (Adams-Hale 50), Tolofua (Gray 50), Judge (Thompson-Stringer 62); Kpoku, Day (Isiekwe 43); Clark (c), Refell (Vailanu 50), Earl.

Referee: Ian Tempest

Attendance: 15,249

Tries from Teimana Harrison, Tom Wood and Ahsee Tuala helped the black, green and gold to beat Mark McCall's men 23-9 at a sold-out Franklin's Gardens on Sunday afternoon.

It was the first chance for Boyd, who arrived in Northampton from the Hurricanes last summer, to steer his new club to a trophy.

And he managed to do it, helping Saints to secure their first silverware since beating Saracens in the Premiership final in 2014.

"We're chuffed for the long-suffering supporters here," Boyd said.

"It's great for the young boys in the team and it's great for the old boys as well.

"Everyone's happy.

"It's a great club, it deserves some silverware and we're really pleased to have got it."

Saints were largely dominant, only allowing Saracens to register three Max Malins penalties.

And Boyd said: "There were some really good performances from us.

"I was a bit disappointed our discipline allowed them to stay in the game, but we're pleased to get the win.

"This competition has given opportunities for young guys to test themselves under pressure in meaningful games and it has unearthed some players.

"Guys like George Furbank have shown form in this competition that has carried them through to more first-team appearances.

"It's the same with the likes of Alex Moon, James Grayson and Alex Mitchell."

Right to Buy was introduced by the Margaret Thatcher government in 1980, offering council tenants who had lived in their home for up to three years the chance to buy it for a third off the market value.

Today, homeowners receive a 35 per cent discount at least if they have been a public sector tenant for between three and five years.

But a study by the BBC Shared Data Unit has found 523 council homes bought under Right to Buy here in Northampton since 2000 have since been sold on - with one seller profitting £148,000.

Tenants who bought their houses netted an average fo £50,000 by selling them on in the open market, having purchased them at the discounted price.

The data also shows that, in 2003, one buyer owned the property for just 27 days before selling it on at a £27,500 profit.

Supporters say Right to Buy has given millions of people the chance to get on the housing ladder and secure their families’ financial future.

But opponents blame the policy for distorting the housing market and for a huge reduction in the amount of social housing stock.

Among them is Paul Dossett, head of local government at financial services firm Grant Thornton UK LLP.

“The Right to Buy scheme has resulted in a huge shortage of social housing, with a staggering number of homes being sold off but not replaced," he said.

"Analysis from the Local Government Association shows that just one new home is built for every five sold."

Tenants who exercise their Right to Buy must repay a portion of their discount to their council if they sell the property within the first five years.

The discount repayment is based on the resale price and ranges from 100 per cent in the first year to 20 per cent in the fifth year. In addition, tenants who wish to sell their property within 10 years of purchase must offer their local authority first refusal to buy it back.

However, housing market commentator Henry Pryor said that far too many people had 'simply profited from a scheme that had much bigger social ambitions' through Right to Buy.

Here in Northampton, latest figures show that 85 new council properties are due to be built by the end of 220.

But Right to Buy sales are depleting the stock at a rate of around 145 a year. Currently, around 3,250 people are on the housing waiting list, most of whom are looking for one-bed apartments.

Northampton social housing campaigner Norman Adams, a longstanding Right to Buy opponent, agrees that the 1980-implemented policy needs an overhaul.

"What I have been saying for years is now becoming the mainstream view," he said. "Right to Buy is wrong.

"It's helping the few but affecting the many."

In 2016, Northampton Partnership Homes announced plans to build 1,000 new social homes over the next 10 years in the borough.

But the Chartered Institute of Housing says the only way stocks can remain at a good level is if Right to Buy is suspended.

A spokesman for the Institute, said: “We think the time is right to suspend it in England to stem the loss of homes for social rent – which are often the only genuinely affordable option for people on lower incomes.

"Not only are we failing to build enough homes for social rent – Right to Buy means we are losing them at a time when millions of people need genuinely affordable housing more than ever.

“Our analysis shows that we have lost more than 165,000 homes for social rent in just six years and that figure will reach 199,000 if we don’t take action now."

Counillor Stephen Hibbert, Northampton Borough Council cabinet member for housing, said: “Right to Buy was introduced in 1980 and has since allowed many families who would otherwise have struggled to get on the housing ladder an opportunity to own their homes.

“One of the consequences is indeed a reduction in the amount of social housing we have available, which is why we – with Northampton Partnership Homes – have introduced an ambitious programme of house building which we are confident will see around 1,000 new homes delivered within ten years.”

The Premiership Rugby Cup may not be the competition all of England's top division teams want to win, but it has not lacked meaning for Saints this season.

And the outpouring of emotion after they lifted the trophy at a largely jubilant Franklin's Gardens on Sunday afternoon was there for all to see.

It might not be the Champions Cup or the Premiership, but it is still a piece of first-team silverware.

And winning it this year is a huge shot in the arm for Saints.

Why?

Because it was a first trophy for new boss Chris Boyd at the first attempt.

Why?

Because it gives substance to the style the team has shown this season.

Why?

Because it brings back a trophy-winning habit that has been gone for too long (almost five full years to be precise).

Why?

Because it has helped the black, green and gold finally end a nine-match losing streak against Saracens.

Why?

Because it is a huge boost for the young players who have impressed so much this season.

It shows they can not only win things for the Wanderers - as they did in 2017 and 2018 - but they can win things for the first team.

All in all, becoming Premiership Rugby Cup champions will rarely have meant so much to a club.

It is a key moment during a new journey that began when Boyd arrived in Northampton last summer.

What has happened since has really helped to restore the Franklin's Gardens feelgood factor that dissipated when things started to go wrong after the 2014/15 table-topping season.

Saints have played with a swagger, and they have won with it, too.

On Sunday, they always seemed in control.

Their young players, just as has been the case during the entirety of the campaign, showed no sign of nerves.

They have been given real belief by the coaches - and they have repaid them in real style.

From half-backs Alex Mitchell and James Grayson, who pulled the strings, to Alex Moon and Lewis Ludlam, who provided the team with an engine, there were impressive performances across the board.

There was talk that Saracens had picked a young team whereas Saints had picked a first team.

But the fact is, Saints' first team is now a young team.

So many of their Academy graduates have not only staked their claim this season, they have cemented a starting spot.

They have demonstrated that they can drag Saints up with youthful exuberance and no shortage of talent.

And now many of the young men who have grown up watching Northampton lift trophies have shown they can lift one themselves.

How they rated...

GEORGE FURBANK

Has been consistently excellent this season, and this display was no different. Did everything he had to superbly well... 9

AHSEE TUALA

Showed great composure and power to finish the opportunity that came his way and caused Saracens constant problems with his footwork... 8

LUTHER BURRELL

Didn't have any time to make a real impact as he made a huge carry that left him grounded before being helped from the field. Was able to enjoy the win eventually though.

PIERS FRANCIS

A gargantuan display from the centre, who was hugely impressive in defence and attack, capping his showing with the penalty that truly put the game to bed... 9

TAQELE NAIYARAVORO

A massive showing from a massive player, who caused real problems for former Saints wing Rotimi Segun, the youngster who had the tough task of trying to stop him... 9

JAMES GRAYSON - CHRON STAR MAN

Another extremely accomplished fly-half showing that contained moments of real class. His passing game was superb and he played a key role in Saints' scores... 9

ALEX MITCHELL

Was too hot for Saracens to handle as he constantly made his way through gaps to gain Saints some vital ground... 9

ALEX WALLER

The co-captain came up with his best performance of the season so far as he refused to let Saracens get a grip on the game in any department... 8

REECE MARSHALL

Full of energy throughout, the hooker celebrated getting engaged on the eve of the game with a cup triumph... 7

PAUL HILL

Delivered a tireless effort, full of desire, but his determination did go a step too far as he took out Max Malins in the air to receive a yellow card... 7

API RATUNIYARAWA

Continually pushed Saracens back with some brute force as he proceeded to show his worth to Saints once again... 8

ALEX MOON

Received some rave reviews after this performance as he hammered away at Saracens, delivering a fantastic second row showing... 9

TOM WOOD

Was a constant menace for the Saracens half-backs, refusing to give them a moment to breathe. Showed huge determination to score in another big display... 9

LEWIS LUDLAM

Just did not stop working for his side, continually flying into tackles, carrying well, pushing Saracens at the breakdown and eventually celebrating a victory... 9

TEIMANA HARRISON

Was part of a monstrous back row effort, which all began with the returning No.8 powering over for his team's first try... 9

Replacements (who played more than 20 minutes)

RORY HUTCHINSON (for Burrell 9)

Came off the bench early on and showed his class once again as his offloading game and ability to find space proved key... 8

COBUS REINACH (for Mitchell 59)

Didn't have too long to make an impact but did little wrong as he helped Saints to close the game out in a comfortable fashion... 7