Who struggled most and did anyone impress at the PTS? Find out with James Heneghan's player ratings - scroll down and flick through our picture gallery to see how each player performed.

The Cobblers have lost games by bigger margins over the past 18 months but it’s possible they have not lost one in such embarrassingly inept circumstances as this frankly terrible 2-1 defeat to relegation-threatened, crisis-hit Port Vale.

For 44 minutes, it was all going so well. The Cobblers had not been devastating but they were in control and in command, leading through Sam Hoskins’ early opener and a man up thanks to Leon Legge’s cynical pull back on Andy Williams.

They looked certain to capture three points and collect a fifth win in seven games, keeping alive faint play-off dreams in the process and maintaining a positive vibe as the season approaches its conclusion.

But then it all unravelled in spectacular fashion. What followed in the subsequent 46 minutes was a stark reminder of the work manager Keith Curle must still do. He’s made progress, no doubt, but not nearly enough to satisfy supporters in the long-term.

Clueless and static in possession and shapeless out of it, Town were run ragged by 10-man Port Vale. This is a team that quickly runs out of ideas when the onus is on them to attack and take games to the opposition. If you were watching from afar, you’d have thought Vale had the extra man such was their superiority in the second-half.

Northampton’s recent eight-game unbeaten run was all well and good but it gave a false perception of how good this current squad is and the amount of changes that are required in the summer. On the evidence of Saturday, a mass clear-out and major overhaul is desperately needed.

As for dissecting this game, where do you start? Factoring in circumstances, opposition and the notion players are playing for their futures, it was as bad as it gets. The scoreline will not grab headlines but there’s a case to be made this was Town’s worst, most incompetent defeat of the season.

They began brightly enough but Sam Hoskins’ fifth-minute opener was not built on in the way it should have been. While the better side, Northampton stuttered and stumbled their way through the opening half, creating only one real moment of note when Jack Bridge started and ended their best move, only to slash wide.

Legge’s red card – a simple decision for referee Neil Hair – should have encouraged the home side further but it had the opposite effect. It lifted the visitors and Cobblers, suddenly with more time and space on the ball, had no idea how to react. They panicked.

With the first-half almost up, Marvin Sordell lost possession on halfway, Vale broke and David Worrall was allowed to race between David Buchanan and Aaron Pierre before slotting past David Cornell.

Still, Northampton had an extra man and could regroup at half-time so surely everything would be fine? Far from it. A disastrous second-half laid bare their shortcomings. So poor were the Cobblers, they never remotely threatened a second goal, either before or after Tom Pope’s spot-kick with 15 minutes to go. For Vale, a vital win. For Town, plenty of food for thought.

The key to playing against 10 men is keeping possession, remaining patient and dragging opposing players out of position by passing and moving. The Cobblers did none of that. The passing was either overly cautious or inexcusably wayward, making life extremely comfortable for the 10-man visitors.

The fact that visiting goalkeeper Scott Brown did not have a save to make, either before or after half-time, told the story. Bridge slashed wide and Pierre scuffed a close-range effort but, other than Sam Hoskins’ early goal, Vale’s defence enjoyed a relatively straightforward afternoon.

The problem of creativity and ingenuity in the final third is not a new one. It was an issue when Matt Crooks and Kevin van Veen were at the club and their exits have only exacerbated it. Unless Bridge conjures up something all by himself or an opponent makes an error, Town are far too reliant on set-pieces.

Curle’s post-match interview was one of a manager who has reached the end of his tether with this group of players. He has largely remained measured, patient and protective in the media but Saturday’s performance and result was the end of the line. It was simply indefensible.

There were no lighthearted remarks or attempts at humour. He never once tried to put a positive spin on it. That would have been an impossible task in any case. An overhaul has always seemed likely in the summer and Curle’s words on Saturday only made that more inevitable.

While he deserves credit for steadying the ship and steering Cobblers into mid-table, the next challenge will be to lead a promotion challenge. Even accounting for the expected overhaul in the summer, Saturday’s dismal defeat suggested they are a long, long way short.

Cobblers boss Keith Curle has already decided who will stay and who will leave this summer and says he’s now ‘shopping’ for upgrades despite six games of the season still remaining.

A summer clear-out has always looked on the cards once the season comes to an end in May and that was only made more inevitable by Saturday’s abysmal 2-1 home defeat to 10-man Port Vale, after which a visibly frustrated Curle laid bare his side’s shortcomings.

Up until Saturday, Curle had opted for a more restrained, measured approach during his post-match interviews, whether they were in victory or defeat, but he looked a man reaching the end of his tether following the loss to Port Vale.

And few could blame him given the dismal manner of his side’s performance as they somehow slipped to defeat against struggling Vale despite the visitors having a man sent off when trailing 1-0 with 44 minutes gone.

Goals from David Worrall and Tom Pope turned things around, and now the futures of the vast majority of Town’s squad look in serious doubt beyond the end of the current season, particularly after Curle’s forthright interview.

“We need a starting point in the changing room and the starting point is that the personnel in there aren’t right,” said the Town boss.

“It was nowhere near good enough and I think I can sum it up by saying there are certain things in certain players that I can change and part of my job at the club is changing those players for the better.

“But as for the players that I can’t change, I’ll change (replace) them and I’ve already made my mind up.

“I’m already out shopping now. Myself, the coaching staff and the head of recruitment, we are out looking for improvement.

“If you can’t change players, you change players. It’s not a threat, it’s a realisation. For me to be successful at this club, I will need better players.”

With six matches still to go until he can get stuck into the transfer market, Curle will now need to lift his players for next weekend’s trip to second-bottom Notts County, who are fighting for their Football League lives.

“There’s a massive thing in football – you do well and if you perform, you will get rewards,” he added. “If you don’t perform and if you don’t play well, you don’t get rewarded.

“What you will get is negativity and my job is to be in and around it and dilute the negativity which is in the group and I will make sure the focus is on the players representing themselves, representing the football club and representing me.”

Saints once again threatened a stirring second-half comeback at Stade Marcel Michelin - but Chris Boyd's men were eventually beaten 61-38 by Clermont Auvergne.

The black, green and gold had roared back after the break at the same ground in January, eventually being edged out in 48-40 in the Challenge Cup pool match.

And it was a similar if more comprehensive story on Sunday evening as Clermont eventually got over the line in style to book their place in the semi-finals.

Saints had been 37-10 down during the second period, but they roared back to just six points behind with 14 minutes remaining.

That only served to sting Clermont into life though as the Top 14 giants racked up a total of eight tries on the night.

Saints scored five of their own, with some sublime efforts among them, but they were outgunned by a formidable Clermont side who will fancy their chances of going all the way to glory in the Newcastle showpiece.

Saints were under pressure from the off as Damian Penaud did brilliantly to claim the Clermont kick-off and they quickly won a penalty, which Morgan Parra landed with ease.

But there was almost an immediate response from Saints as Dan Biggar gathered an overthrown lineout and charged towards the line before Clermont did brilliantly to hold Api Ratuniyarawa up in front of the posts to win a turnover.

Saints kept coming though and after some superb work down the left wing by Taqele Naiyaravoro, Cobus Reinach charged over the whitewash, only to be deemed to have been held up by some brilliant last-ditch defending from Peceli Yato.

It was a huge let-off for Clermont as Reinach had looked certain to score, but Saints did at least come away with three points after winning a penalty at the resulting scrum.

The men red and white were showing plenty of belief with ball in hand, but the dangers going in the opposite direction were obvious, with Alivereti Raka and Apisai Naqalevu proving particularly hard to stop.

And it was Naqalevu who opened the door for Clermont's first try, sending Peter Betham away down the left and, despite the best efforts of Teimana Harrison, the centre was able to dive over the line in dramatic fashion.

Parra missed the conversion from the touchline, but Saints were now rocking and Clermont had their tails up.

It was soon three scores for the home team as referee George Clancy handed them a penalty try after Naiyaravoro was yellow carded for a no-arms tackle on Arthur Iturria when the onrushing flanker was five metres from the line.

That put Saints 22-3 behind and with Clermont now rampant, there appeared to be no way back.

There was huge escape when James Fish failed to find his man from a lineout as hooker Benjamin Kayser knocked on with the line in sight.

The Saints lineout really wasn't functioning at all, giving Clermont possession time and again, leading to Fish being replaced by Reece Marshall before the break.

Saints desperately tried to summon a response, but George Furbank was flung into touch at the last from a promising position.

Clermont were 22-3 up at the break, and it was soon 25-3 after the restart as Parra landed another penalty.

Saints were dealt yet another blow when Courtney Lawes was forced off just six minutes into the second period.

And it wasn't long before Clermont had their fourth try of the game as they again shut Saints out before piecing together a quick break, which ended with Betham holding off Tom Collins and stretching out an arm to score.

Parra missed the conversion but his side were now well clear and Saints opted to empty their bench in a bid to freshen things up and with two key Premiership games coming up in the next two weeks.

And Ahsee Tuala made an immediate impact after coming on for Biggar, putting the finishing touches to a flowing Saints move.

Rory Hutchinson, now on kicking duties, converted, but Clermont were straight back at Saints after catching the kick-off, and Penaud scored.

Greig Laidlaw added the extras to make it 37-10, but Saints then threatened to mount a stunning comeback.

Luther Burrell produced a tidy finish after Saints had taken a quick tap penalty and then Alex Mitchell, who had just delivered a superb tackle on Yato, finished off another slick move.

Hutchinson added the extras on both occasions and Saints were starting to believe again.

That belief grew when Hutchinson scooted through a wide open Clermont defence to get the nerves jangling in the stands.

The centre kicked the conversion to bring Saints to just six points behind with 14 minutes remaining.

But that finally stung Clermont into life and after Laidlaw landed a scrum penalty, Raka's great work down the left gave them the territory to score through a neat finish from full-back Tim Nanai Williams.

Laidlaw kicked the conversion to make it 47-31 with seven minutes to go, extinguishing the Saints fightback.

And it was to get much worse as Penaud and Betham both scored again before Saints had the final say thanks to a Moon try and Hutchinson's conversion.

Clermont Auvergne: Nanai Williams (Grosso 76); Penaud, Betham, Naqalevu, Raka; Lopez, Parra (c) (Laidlaw 58); Falgoux (Kakabadze 73), Kayser (Ulugia 58), Slimani (Simutoga 58); Timani, Jedrasiak; Yato, Iturria (Lapandry 58), Lee.

Saints: Furbank; Collins, Hutchinson, Francis (Burrell 54), Naiyaravoro; Biggar (Tuala 54), Reinach (Mitchell 50); Waller (c) (van Wyk 50), Fish (Marshall 35), Hill (Franks 50); Moon, Ratuniyarawa; Lawes (Gibson 46), Ludlam (Brüssow 54), Harrison.

Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)

Crafty Yoshi at his charming best.

Four years on from the brilliant Yoshi’s Woolly World, Nintendo have finally crafted a successor - Yoshi’s Crafted World.

The Yoshi games are a direct rival to the likes of Little Big Planet, playing brilliantly on the arts and craft element.

When I fired up Yoshi’s Crafted World on the Switch I wasn’t expecting to become quite as addicted as I did.

The format is very Mario-esque but my goodness have Nintendo hit a real sweet spot when it comes to mixing simplicity with charm and collectable moreishness.

It is a side-scrolling platformer in 2.5D - whereby you are able to move and interact in 3D by following certain paths into the foreground and background as well as having the ability to throw eggs at scenery and other elements. You use Yoshi’s tongue to eat enemies or store objects (such as bombers or shells) which you use to solve puzzles or unblock a pathway.

Co-op mode is super cool and Nintendo keeps up its record of nailing multiplayer for platform games.

The objective is to restore peace by hunting down gems to place back in the Sundream Stone artefact, which possesses the power to “make anyone’s wildest dreams come true”.

Kamek and Baby Bowser attempt to steal the stone sending the gems flying across the Crafted World. And that means only one thing, you have to find them.

On each super colourful and beautifully designed level you have a number of smiley flowers to collect - think big coins in 2D Mario or Power Moons in Mario Odyssey. You must also collect a certain number of regular coins and 20 red coins per level too. Do that and you achieve perfection for that level. There are then added missions which see you revisit the level on the ‘flip side’ to catch puppies, find certain crafted items and the like to achieve true perfection.

This is where the ultra addictive bug bites and truly is the crowning achievement of YCW; that sense of satisfaction at achieving ultimate completion and collecting everything. On the flip side (see what I did there?) you don’t necessarily have to if that’s not your bag? You will need to collect a certain amount of flowers to unlock the next level set, but you don’t HAVE to collect everything to finish the game.

YCW is a comfortable play through and the puzzles are not too taxing. That means it is great for all ages while not being too simplistic. The controls are just that, though, wonderfully simple and easy to get to grips with even when using a single Joy Con each in co-op mode.

YCW is another superb and gorgeous addition to the Switch stable which plays great on big or small screen and in solo or multiplayer modes.

Dripping in classic Nintendo charm, it won’t test your gaming skills to breaking point but you will be hooked almost instantly.

The following people have been sentenced at magistrates courts in the county:

Daniel Graham Weeks

Victoria Street, Kettering. Age: 45

On 26/01/2019 in Kettering assaulted a female by beating her.

Plea: Guilty. Discharged conditionally for 12 months, to pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £20, costs of £85.

Barry Anthony Hartnett

Churchill Avenue, Irthlingborough. Age: 34

On 04/02/2019 in Daventry assaulted a female by beating her.

Plea: Guilty. Restraining order prohibits defendant from 1) contacting victim directly, indirectly, or via third party, including via social media, and not to encourage anyone else to make contact 2) attending a named street in Daventry. This order lasts until 19/08/2020. To pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £85, costs of £85.

Matthew James Gallagher

Occupation Road, Corby. Age: 25

Between 10/02/2019 and 14/02/2019 in Corby, without reasonable excuse, you contacted a female via social media which you were prohibited from doing by a restraining order imposed by Wellingborough Magistrates’ Court on 28/01/2019.

Plea: Guilty. Fined £100, surcharge to fund victim services of £30, costs of £85.

John Paul Philp

Pevrel Place, Desborough. Age: 26

On 28/12/2018 drove a Peugeot in Gordon Street, Jubilee Street and others, Rothwell, while banned from driving; without insurance.

Plea: Guilty. Fined £184, surcharge to fund victim services of £30, costs of £85, banned from driving for three months.

Chereen Gloria Scotland

Townsend Close, Wellingborough. Age: 22

On 19/02/2019 stole clothing, to the value of £50, from New Look, Northampton.

Plea: Guilty. Jailed for 20 weeks, to pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £115.

Henri Clark Selfe

No fixed address. Age: 26

On 11/10/2018 had with you, without good reason or lawful authority, in a public place, namely Lancaster Road, Kettering, an article which had a blade or was sharply pointed, namely a Stanley blade.

Verdict: Guilty.

On 11/10/2018 in Kettering had in your possession a quantity of cannabis; on 29/10/2018 failed without reasonable cause to surrender to custody at Northamptonshire Magistrates’ Court, having been released on bail.

Plea: Guilty. Jailed for six months, to pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £140, costs of £300, Stanley blade to be forfeited and destroyed, cannabis to be forfeited and destroyed.

Patrick Edward O’Neill

Chancery Lane, Thrapston. Age: 32

On 11/09/2018 without lawful excuse, damaged pot plants to the value of £14 at Sainsbury’s, Kettering, intending to destroy or damage such property or being reckless as to whether such property would be destroyed or damaged; attempted to steal alcohol to the value of £72 from Sainsbury’s, Kettering.

Plea: Guilty. Discharged conditionally for 18 months, to pay compensation of £14, surcharge to fund victim services of £20, costs of £250.

Shane Paul Richardson

Brooke Green, Wellingborough. Age: 30

On 09/09/2018 in Wellingborough, with intent to cause another harassment, alarm or distress,used threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour, thereby causing that person or another harassment, alarm or distress.

Plea: Guilty. To have treatment for alcohol dependency for six months, to carry out unpaid work for 40 hours, to pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £85, costs of £85.

Scott William McKellican

Avondale Road, Kettering. Age: 34

On 22/07/2018, failed to provide a specimen of breath for analysis in the course of an investigation into whether you had committed an offence when suspected of having driven a vehicle.

Plea: Guilty. Fined £269, surcharge to fund victim services of £30, costs of £85, banned from driving for 13 months.

Dean Beeby

Judes Court, Kettering. Age: 33

On 30/06/2018 in Kettering, stole a car battery to the value of £30.

Plea: Guilty. Fined £120, compensation of £30, surcharge to fund victim services of £30, costs of £85.

Sean Martin Davies

Minerva Way, Wellingborough Age: 32.

On 21/05/2018 in Wellingborough assaulted PC Watts in the execution of her duty; assaulted PC Taylor in the execution of his duty.

Verdict: Guilty.

To have treatment for alcohol dependency for three months, to pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £85, costs of £250.

It was obvious from the moment Keith Curle opened his mouth that the tone of this post-match interview would be different to any other he has delivered during his 35 games in charge of the Cobblers.

Usually so considered and careful with his words, either in victory or defeat, and always quick to leap to the defence of his players even when they play poorly, Curle’s patience finally run out after his side were embarrassed by 10-man, crisis-hit and relegation-threatened Port Vale on Saturday.

Leading 1-0 through Sam Hoskins’ early goal and a man to the good following Leon Legge’s red card, the Cobblers simply fell apart as David Worrall and Tom Pope condemned them to a dreadful 2-1 defeat.

Curle arrived at Northampton with the reputation of a no-nonsense, straight-talking manager and we were seeing why here. Just two days shy of his six-month anniversary in the Northampton hotseat, and with the summer transfer window fast approaching, there was no more Mr Nice Guy

“As I told the players, I will protect them,” he said. “But, let me tell you, this is me being protective because I’ve seen exactly what the supporters have seen and it’s not good enough and I can assure you the players know that.”

Speaking after a defeat is nothing new for Curle this season but whilst he has previously taken a more lighthearted approach to his interviews, there was no sign of that on Saturday, clearly feeling now was the time to unleash his frustration and lay bare his side’s shortcomings, though the bluntness of his words was still surprising.

“The worrying thing is, the players think they are good enough but they’re nowhere near where they need to be,” he said. “It’s just not good enough.

“We’ve had to step back our training in terms of where we want to go because players can’t do the simple things and the basic things and they think they’re too good when you pull them up.

“I say to them that we need to play basic football - get the ball down and pass and move. We don’t control the ball with meaning and purpose of where we want to go.

“We take too many touches on the ball. We need to move it quicker but we don’t and we have players in that changing room that think they’re good players but they don’t do the basics and that’s the message to the players on Saturday.

“You get the feeling that some of them think the season is over. Well, every day next week we’re in at 9am, every day - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday - because this season isn’t over. It’s not over for me and it’s certainly not going to be over for the players.”

He didn’t stop there, either. “We had players at half-time saying they had fatigue after 45 minutes,” continued Curle. “It’s 45 minutes and you’re telling the physio that you’re fatigued? No chance.

“There were times in the second-half when we had possession inside our own half and we passed the ball out of play. Why go and get on the ball if all you’re going to do is pass it out? It’s shocking. We don’t play the ball forward with purpose and with appreciation.

“Everything about the day was right; the atmosphere, the build-up, the information, even the start of the game.

“We got on the front foot at the start, we did the simple things and did them well and we enjoyed doing them but then we start running with the ball, we start turning down forward passes, we start standing still, we start waiting for other people to make things happen rather than being on the move.

“We were static, we didn’t move the ball and we didn’t have that creative edge that we want to go and exploit teams. How many crosses did we put into the goalkeeper’s hands? How many times did we take the option of just putting the ball into the box rather than finding the pass? I’d love to say a lot more.”

The following people were sentenced at Northampton Magistrates’ Court:

JANUARY 28

Andrew Davidson, aged 40, of Wheatfield Road South, Northampton, went through a red light; fined £220, surcharge £30, costs £85, licence endorsed with three points.

Lucian Dumitru, aged 38, of Booth Meadow Court, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, surcharge £66, costs £85, licence endorsed with eight points.

Robert Jurca, aged 27, of Lower Meadow Court, Northampton, driving at 43mph in a 30mph zone; fined £440, surcharge £44, costs £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Amanda Kushniruk, aged 51, of Spratton Road, Brixworth, driving at 35mph in a 30mph zone; fined £220, surcharge £30, costs £85, licence endorsed with three points.

Tinotenda Makonese, aged 22, of Friars Court, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, surcharge £66, costs £85, licence endorsed with eight points.

Luke Meakins, aged 27, of Cowper Street, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, surcharge £66, costs £85, licence endorsed with eight points.

Adrian Munteanu, aged 30, of Pembroke Road, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, surcharge £66, costs £85, licence endorsed with eight points.

Edgrs Preiksis, aged 31, of Corran Close, Northampton, driving while using a mobile phone; fined £220, surcharge £30, costs £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Bharat Shah, aged 55, of Lindsay Avenue, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, surcharge £66, costs £85, licence endorsed with eight points.

Allan Toney, aged 53, of Milton Street North, Northampton, not wearing a seat belt; fined £220, surcharge £30, costs £85.

Tracy Townsend, aged 35, of Stoneyhurst, Northampton, not wearing a seatbelt; fined £220, surcharge £30, costs £85.

Szilaro Virag, aged 28, of Semilong Road, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, surcharge £66, costs £85, licence endorsed with eight points.

Henrieta Zahorska, aged 47, of Tintern Avenue, Northampton, no insurance; fined £660, surcharge £66, costs £85, licence endorsed with eight points.

Scott Cherry, aged 31, of Baukewell Court, Northampton, stole a quantity of timber decking; fined £525, compensation £991.65, surcharge £53, costs £85.

Claire Cooke, aged 41, of Grovebury Dell, Northampton, harassment; Criminal Behaviour Order made, fined £240, surcharge £85, costs £85.

Leslaw Darocha, aged 39, of Cloutsham Street, Northampton, failed to identify a driver; fined £660, surcharge £66, costs £625, licence endorsed with six points.

JANUARY 29

Olegs Jermolajevs, aged 29, of Overstone Road, Northampton, failed to comply with a community order; fined £100, costs £60.

Benjamin Robinson, aged 31, of Stocks Hill, Silverstone, failed to comply with a community order; fined £95, costs £60.

Sebastian Frankiewicz, aged 36, of Dee Walk, Daventry, stole toiletries from Boots; jailed for 12 weeks.

JANUARY 30

Nomalanga Chatambudza, aged 30, of Badger Lane, Northampton, failed to provide a breath test; fined £323, surcharge £32, costs £85, banned from driving for 12 months.

Carl Valentine, aged 39, of Ransome Road, Northampton, fraud; community order made, compensation £330.28, surcharge £85.

Fionnuala Abraham, aged 35, of Belfield Close, Northampton, failed to identify a driver; fined £660, surcharge £66, costs £85, banned from driving for six months.

Simon Burgess, aged 56, of Drywell Court, Northampton, failed to identify a driver; fined £660, surcharge £66, costs £85, banned from driving for six months.

James Gibbon, aged 48, of Hunsbury Green, Northampton, driving at 50mph in a 30mph zone; fined £588, surcharge £58, costs £85, licence endorsed with six points.

Shahid Harris, aged 35, of Church Close, Milton Malsor, driving while using a mobile phone; fined £144, surcharge £30, costs £85, licence endorsed with six points.

James Lucas, aged 76, of Main Street, Church Stowe, driving at 35mph in a 30mph zone; fined £54, surcharge £30, costs £85, licence endorsed with three points.

That is what Highways England promised as they announced work on a smart motorway – with “all lanes running” – on the M1 between Northampton and Milton Keynes.

So far, however, all the scheme and its speed-limited roadworks and electronic signs has done is frustrate large numbers of drivers. And, as the Chron’s research shows it has coincided with a significant rise in disruptive incidents such as accidents and breakdowns.

So far this year, Highways England has reported 15 major incidents between junctions 14 and 15.

Last year in the same period there were only two.

The dangers seem to be split into two categories; those related to the loss of hard shoulder and those caused by the narrowing of lanes.

And there is no shortage of drivers keen to share their tales of running the gauntlet on a daily basis.

Frankie Chase said: “Last Wednesday morning it took me an hour and a half to travel from junction 15 to 14 because of a broken down lorry in the middle lane, closing two lanes and an accident after that closing another lane. All avoidable if there was a layby.”

And Elaine Rivers-Jolly said: “[Smart motorways] are the worst things ever invented. I have been on the M1 when fire, police and ambulance cannot get through to an accident because people won’t and cannot move.”

The fifteen serious incidents between Jan 1 and March 27

January 23 - All lanes blocked southbound

January 25 - Two lanes blocked after accident.

January 25 -Separate accident

February 1 - Lane 1 closed, broken down van

February 3 - Lane 1 blocked, multi-vehicle collision

February 14 - Several crashes southbound in roadworks area

February 26 - Lanes 1 and 3 “compromised” after crash

March 4 - Lane 1 blocked by broken-down vehicle

March 4 - Number of accidents, eight miles of congestion

March 7 - Closed southbound due to crash. Traffic “at a standstill”.

March 8 - Lane blocked after road traffic accident

March 19 - HGV broke down, two lanes closed

March 19 - Collision

Mar 26 - Lane closed due to two-vehicle accident

March 27 - One lane closed after crash

Northampton North MP Michael Ellis has promised to ask the Government to make the junction 14 to 15 stretch safer.

He said: “I’m concerned about these reports.

“There’s no doubt there’s extra challenges in heavy traffic, especially in those prolonged works.

“I’ll be contacting the Highways Agency to ask what it can do to mitigate and reduce accidents.”

But the Conservative member rejected the suggestion that drivers not responding to smart motorway signs in the right way was the source of the problem.

Mr Ellis said: “I don’t think that’s the case.

“It’s more about sometimes the lanes being reduced in width.

“It’s not about the drivers, it’s about how the roadworks are laid out.”

Highways England says it wants drivers to feel safe.

A spokesman said: “We have and will continue to make some changes to the design of motorways. This includes making emergency areas more visible; introducing systems that detect stationary vehicles; and raising awareness of the need to comply with lane closures.”

Three-year monitoring reports on other smart motorways show the casualty rate has reduced by 27 per cent compared with the motorways they replaced.

In the meantime, Northampton motorists will hope long-term safety is worth the current rate of accidents and disruption.

Emergency services were called to Ellfield Court in Lings at about 8.30pm last night (Sunday), after reports that a smoke grenade had gone off in a communal area.

A Northamptonshire Police spokeswoman said: "A few moments after the smoke grenade had been thrown, smoke started to filter through internal doors and set off the smoke detectors.

"The fire service recovered a smoke grenade from the top floor landing, which was seized."

As a precaution, an ambulance was called and a one-year-old boy was taken to Northampton General Hospital due to concerns he could have inhaled some smoke. It is understood he was not harmed.

The spokeswoman added: "Police are currently investigating the incident with an open mind and as a potential arson attempt - anyone with information should call us on the usual numbers."

An Armed Response Vehicle squad car was dispatched to the A45 Eastbound between Barnes Meadow and Riverside last week after reports of 'a head in the road'.

There were reports that a vehicle had even 'clipped' the object and sent it flying into the central reservation after swerving to try and miss it.

The squad arrived on the busy road at 4.40pm on March 28 fearing the worst.

But instead, what motorists had really seen was a plastic doll's head from a mannequin.

The 'head' was safely recovered.

The officer from @NorthantsARV shared the find on Twitter and said: "Getting a report of ‘a head in the road’ was slightly worrying.

"Luckily it wasn’t as bad as we feared, but still absolutely terrifying..."

Northampton businesses are being asked to give their views about how they support people with dementia and their carers as part of a new university survey.

The survey – led by Kathleen Mortimer, senior lecturer in the Faculty of Business and Law, and Alison Ward Faculty of Health and Society researcher – contains 20 questions that will paint a fuller picture about local business’ knowledge and understanding of dementia law, and their duties and responsibilities as employers.

Researchers are looking to make the town more ‘dementia friendly’ – being aware of and how to act on the needs of customers affected by the condition.

There are approximately 850,000 people living with a diagnosis of dementia in the UK and that figure is set to increase to 2 million by 2025, of which 40,000 have young onset dementia and are aged under 65 years – also known as working age dementia.

In Northamptonshire, the number of people predicted to have dementia will rise from 6,935 in 2008 (of which 65 per cent are female) to 11,899 by 2025.

The university is engaged in a number of projects aimed at understanding the effects of dementia and to help the county be more dementia friendly. This includes co-running the county’s first dementia centre – UnityDEM – where people with dementia and their carers can access support at the same time.

Being a dementia friendly organisation can bring a number of benefits. It can support people with dementia and their family carers to remain an active part of their communities and workplaces. It can help develop an inclusive and empowering culture within the workplace which may help with staff retention, productivity and quality of service.

It also works towards businesses fulfilling legal requirements under the Equality Act 2010.

Organisations can already take simple steps to becoming dementia friendly. This may involve giving customers more time or having a friendly person on-hand who understands how they might be feeling. This can be achieved by accessing free dementia friends training for staff.

The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete and the questions include:

If the organisation has provided any staff training on assisting customers with dementia and their carers

How prepared the organisation is for working with customers who have dementia and their carers

The type of dementia training would they find useful.

The survey can be completed online here.
For more information, email Alison Ward: alison.ward@northampton.ac.uk

Pro-skaters and an all-female roller derby team graced the ramps at Kings Heath’s new skate park for its officially opening.

The Kings Heath skate park is a multi-use facility suitable for skate boards, bikes and small scooters and open to all budding skaters looking to practice their tricks and kick flips. The design of the skate park was chosen by young people in the area who attended the Kings Heath Fun Day in July last year and was joint-funded by Sport England and the Mick George Community Fund for a total of £75,000. Housing organisation Northampton Partnership Homes (NPH) and Northampton Borough Council’s Community Safety Team are also behind the project.Helen Town, assistant director for assets and regeneration at NPH said: “We are continuing to invest in the community at Kings Heath including homes and neighbourhoods. "It’s a priority for us to address communal facilities in the area and offer more activities for young people to do locally. "We’re currently regenerating the shop fronts on Park Square and working with Northampton Borough Council and local youth organisations like Free 2 Talk CIC, we want to continue to provide more opportunities for young people here." Housing organisation Northampton Partnership Homes and Northampton Borough Council’s Community Safety Team are also behind the project. Councillor Anna King, Cabinet Member for Community Engagement and Safety at Northampton Borough Council, said: “Our residents’ views are really important to us so we’re really excited to be opening a new facility in Kings Heath, which will not only help keep young people engaged and active, but also meets the community need.” Skate boarding was recently recognised as an Olympic sport and will feature for the first time in Tokyo’s 2020 Olympics.

A 16-year-old boy was left with serious injuries after being stabbed in Kettering.

The incident took place in High Street, near McDonald’s, at about 6pm yesterday evening (Sunday).

The victim was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

A police spokesman said he appears to be recovering well.

The spokesman said: “We believe his condition is not life threatening.

“The two suspects are described as two black males.”

The suspects made off down Meadow Road.

Witnesses or anyone with information should contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

While the Cobblers succumbed to a disappointing home defeat to Port Vale on Saturday, their various loan players were enjoying a much better time of it up and down the country.

Billy Waters came off the bench to score what was effectively the winning goal during Cheltenham Town’s 3-1 victory at Crewe Alexandra, left unmarked to head home Chris Hussey’s cross with 16 minutes to go.

Joe Bunney played an important role for Rochdale who extended their unbeaten run to four games with a 1-1 draw at Gillingham. Bunney’s well-worked free-kick saw Ian Henderson strike first at Priestfield before the home side replied to keep Dale inside the League One relegation zone.

Northampton’s young players also enjoyed a successful weekend by and large, although goalkeeper Bradley Lashley and striker Jack Daldy both started for Wellingborough Town as they were beaten 2-0 by Oadby.

Camron McWilliams and Jack Newell featured for Corby Town, who secured a play-off place in Division One Central of the Southern League with a 3-1 victory over Berkhamsted, while Matthew Slinn helped Cogenhoe United overcome Holbeach United 3-2 in the United Counties League.

And it was also an excellent day for striker Joe Iaciofano who both scored and assisted for Banbury United during their 3-0 victory over St Neots Town.

Residents in Hawksmoor Way, Rye Hill, awoke last night (March 31) to find an abandoned Audi A3 in blazes on a nearby roundabout.

A fire crew arrived at 12:15am to battle the flames, which had engulfed the car and damaged a nearby lamp post.

Residents told the Chronicle and Echo: "I looked out the window when I heard the tires popping.

"The flames were so high they reached the lamp post.

"I could hear someone shouting nearby, who I guess was whoever started the fire.

"I was just concerned there was someone still inside."

The wreckage of the burnt-out Audi A3 is still sat on the small roundabout this morning (April 1).

Northamptonshire Police now believe the car was set on fire in a deliberate arson attack and was ignited using an accelerant such as aerosol or lighter fluid.

Video courtesy of Scott Chegg of Montague Crescent.

Chris Boyd says Saints didn't make Clermont work hard enough for their win on Sunday evening.

The black, green and gold shipped eight tries as they fell to a 61-38 defeat in the European Challenge Cup quarter-final at Stade Marcel Michelin.

Saints did manage to score five tries of their own, bringing the score back to 37-31 with 14 minutes to go.

But again some poor defending and individual errors cost them as Clermont pulled away once more to secure their place in the semi-finals.

"It's a bit of deja vu really - 180 points over two games and we scored enough points to win a game," said Boyd, who had seen his side lose 48-40 at Clermont in the pool stages.

"But even with the amount of risk we're prepared to take you can't afford to be that inaccurate and you have to make them work much harder for their points.

"We had some big defensive lapses that came back to bite us.

"The killers are getting a kick-off, dropping the kick-off and the guy runs through about eight tackles to score under the posts.

"You sit and think 'they haven't had to work very hard for that'.

"We had some lapses in individual skill execution, whether that was because the players were under physical or mental fatigue will be interesting to find out when we have a chat about it.

"At the end of the day, some of our process and individual skill didn't stand up under scrutiny and that was disappointing."

When asked whether the occasion got to his young team, Boyd said: "I'd be surprised if that was the case.

"We didn't really have a lot to lose.

"They were firm favourites but we talked about needing to control the tempo of the game, control the hall and impose ourselves on them, which we were unable to do.

"They put us under pressure immediately.

"I'd back Cobus (Reinach) to score that try early doors 99 times out of 100 but he got flipped on his back.

"Those were the little moments we lost.

"Credit to our guys for coming back and making it a six-point ball game - at that point I thought maybe we could keep applying that pressure, but it wasn't to be."

The University of Northampton’s brand new Waterside Campus is the subject of 'new beginnings', a two-week showcase of work from second years on the photography degree course.

The undergraduates have spent the past few months documenting the campus, which opened its doors to students in September 2018. New Beginnings is now in its fifth year and has seen students document the changing face of Northampton town centre. This year’s exhibition will also include images taken of the town centre in previous years.

One of the exhibition organisers, student Rob Ambidge, said: “It has been wonderful to be able to continue this ongoing departmental project and be a part of an ever-growing visual record of the town’s regeneration. The move to Waterside has had a huge impact on so many people, and our key focus was to celebrate the good that the new site can bring to Northampton.”

Students taking part in the exhibition are Katie Lynes, Victoria Jacob, Inga Püschel, Holly Charlton, Britta Burgstaller, Katie Bebbington, Maria Henry, Ethan Stapley, Joshua Roston, Joshua Hayers, Polly Baxter, Rob Ambidge, Sarah Donagain, Thomas Lambert, Oluwadara Olorunshola, Kira Lockett, Charlotte Galbraith, Matt Burke and Jordan Barnard.

New Beginnings is open to the public and runs from Friday 5 to Thursday 18 April, on the ground floor of the Learning Hub, Waterside Campus, NN1 5PH.

Peter Ormerod visits ZSL London Zoo - and finds himself challenged and enthralled

Zoos have come a long way since I was a child. Then - that is, the 1980s - the emphasis tended to be on the animals' funny ways and shapes; they were there for our amusement. Bar some exceptions, little thought was given to the broader context, and quite what it meant for these remarkable creatures to find themselves in provincial corners of drizzly England. As with the circuses of the time, the unthinking use of wild animals for entertainment was commonplace.

So any self-respecting zoo these days has to do things differently. And London Zoo certainly does. It impresses not only in its scope and breadth, but in its imagination, sense of purpose and general upkeep: not a square foot of this venerable institution feels tired, and most importantly of all, not a single animal seems unloved.

The zoo is run by the Zoological Society of London, a conservation charity; and while it is a visitor attraction of the highest order, at its heart is education. It's impossible to spend more than a few minutes on the vast site in Regent's Park without being persuaded of the urgent need to protect vital habitats. Every enclosure carries detailed information about how endangered its species are, and the man-made threats to their survival. The effect is chastening: it's one thing to see on television the calamitous effects of humans on wildlife, but coming face to face with such animals makes the unfolding tragedy feel yet more real.

This is not to say that a visit to London Zoo is in any way depressing. Above all, it's tremendously enjoyable, a colourful, mind-expanding, curiosity-fulfilling, horizon-broadening day out to delight anyone of any age. There is of course plenty to enthral children, but my wife and I are both in our 40s and found it a most rewarding visit.

Our day began with In with the Lemurs, in which the charming little critters are free to roam around the visiting humans; on our visit, the animals were huddled together in the spring sunshine. Then it was Rainforest Life, in which sloths sleep overhead, various primates scurry and great tortoises plod. The adjacent Nightlife brings visitors close to mysterious and rarely-seen creatures, including the almost supernatural-looking aye-aye. Then it's back outside to greet animals with which we are all rather more familiar: meerkats and otters.

Nearby is an array of striking African wildlife. There are the endearingly placid yet imposing giraffes and strikingly beautiful zebras, but perhaps the most remarkable to behold was a pack of African hunting dogs, which exuded a sense of mischievous menace as they frolicked and play-fought.

By now it was feeding time (for us, that is). It being a sunny Saturday, the place was packed. But the zoo's restaurant coped admirably with the numbers, thoughtfully organised to keep queues as short as possible. The food was better than might be expected from such an exercise in mass catering, but perhaps an organisation so keen to promote care for animals and the environment could do better with the sourcing of its meat, which meets no more than the Red Tractor standard, when one might expect free-range pork and organic produce. After a satisfying pizza and salad, we made our way to the nearby Penguin Beach, where the adorable waddlers and graceful swimmers seemed to having a marvellous afternoon.

Next up were the grandest, showpiece attractions. Tiger Territory is quite something, telling a sometimes heartbreaking story of a tiger's day while one of the magnificent cats prowls fearsomely; it is an awesome sight. Gorilla Kingdom is quite an epic experience in itself; few of the primates were visible on our visit, but feet away from one of our species' closest cousins proved quite moving. Most impressive of all though is Land of the Lions, a superbly conceived and exquisitely executed attraction which is pretty much worth the admission fee in itself. It transports visitors to India's vibrant Sasan Gir, complete with street food stalls, witty Bollywood-style posters, clanking railways, floral shrines and all. But delightful as it is, this spectacle is no match for the Asiatic lions themselves, their grace and grandeur quite spellbinding.

All that should be enough to constitute a packed day. But the zoo features much else besides: houses for reptiles and insects, an aquarium, the Butterfly Paradise and an assortment of other animals from around the world.

There is so much to commend about London Zoo. Endearing touches abound: it even uses its more antiquated buildings imaginatively, the Blackburn Pavilion bedecked with cod-Victorian silhouette portraits of the birds housed within, a recently built clinking and clanging mechanical clock at its entrance. There is a discussion to be had about the role of zoos in the 21st century (and the naturalist and broadcaster Chris Packham has insightful thoughts on the matter), but London Zoo gives a strong impression that it understands this and presents a convincing case for itself. It bridges the gap between humans and animals in bold, bright and intelligent style. It certainly offers food for thought - but not at the expense of fun.

* ZSL London Zoo is open every day except Christmas day. Visit www.zsl.org for details.

* ZSL London Zoo is inviting children to become zookeepers this Easter - at Mini Keepers, a fun packed role-playing experience for junior animal lovers. From Saturday April 6 to Sunday April 21, youngsters will be able to step into the role of a zookeeper, during a packed Easter of immersive family events celebrating their work. Visit www.zsl.org for details.

A ‘diabetes van’ will visit three county towns this week to help residents find out more about the condition.

The events will be held in Corby, Daventry and Northampton as part of Diabetes Prevention Week which runs today (Monday) to April 7 and aims to raise awareness of the causes and complications of Type 2 diabetes, particularly amongst groups at higher risk.

There are more than 35,000 patients in Northamptonshire who are diagnosed with diabetes and it is estimated as many as 11,000 more people may be undiagnosed. In addition, it is estimated that a third of the population is at increased risk of developing diabetes.

The Diabetes Van will be available on the following days and locations:

Thursday April 4, 10am - 5pm. Tesco, 15 New Street, Daventry, NN11 4BT

Friday April 5, 10am - 5pm. Morrisons, 26 Victoria Promenade, Northampton, NN1 1HB

Saturday April 6, 9.30am - 5pm. Corporation Street, Corby Town Centre, Corby, Northamptonshire

Dr Sanjay Gadhia, diabetes clinical lead for Northamptonshire’s CCGs, said: “Having Type 2 diabetes potentially increases your risk of serious problems with your eyes, heart and nerves. This is why we are keen to prevent as many people as possible from developing the condition, and to identify earlier those who do develop it as this massively reduces their risk of complications.”

Sarah Barnes, commissioning lead for diabetes for Northamptonshire CCGs, said: “Across Northamptonshire we now offer the ‘Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme’ to all patients at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. There is strong evidence that individuals taking part in this programme significantly reduce their risk for developing Type 2 diabetes, and the changes also reduce their risks for heart problems. It helps people take control at a critical moment in their lives.”

Professor Jonathan Valabhji, national clinical director of diabetes and obesity, said: “Around two thirds of adults and one third of children are now overweight or obese, driving higher and higher rates of Type 2 diabetes that we are now focusing huge efforts to address, as outlined in the NHS Long Term Plan.

“I’m delighted that our work so far in this area has been producing really positive results. This weight loss and glucose reduction is promising – we hope to help many more of those who are at risk of Type 2 diabetes to not get it in the first place.”

Northampton-based Brian Mitton, 76, had wrestled with his health and weight for over two decades. So, when a blood test revealed he was borderline diabetic, he didn’t hesitate to join the Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme in the hope of making long-lasting changes.

He said: “I didn’t need an incentive to join. My brother-in-law died from diabetes-related complications and the thought of not being here for my family spurred me into action.

“I had a heart attack in 1999 which led to me dieting for 20 years.

“Whenever I’ve reached a healthier weight by eating well and being more active I’ve always felt much better. Consequently, I know a lot about what’s healthy so I needed a mind-set adjustment more than anything else.”

Delivered by health services provider Ingeus, the programme aims to support those at high risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes so they can reduce that risk, delay it, or even eliminate it.

Brian said: “The educator Henna is really good. She takes the time to listen to everyone and is really positive. She talked about being mindful and gave us suggestions for alternatives to comfort food.

“An added bonus was my wife accompanied me to the sessions. It meant she was on the same page and we could support each other.

“I’ve lost around 7lb (3kg) so far and have made more positive choices around food and activity like cycling while on holiday and taking the stairs whenever I can.

“The group had some good ideas for fitting in activity throughout the day like getting up when the adverts are on and walking around - it’s really that simple. It’s the small changes that are more sustainable.

“I know that families can influence each other and many members of mine struggle with their weight. As a father I want to enjoy my grown-up children and my grandchildren - and I want to be an example, to show that there’s a better way.”

Ingeus educator, Henna Parmar, said: “Brian understands the impact diabetes can have on individuals, and their families, and he’s doing really well to incorporate small changes into his lifestyle. This means he has more chance of making his healthier lifestyle last long-term this time. It all adds up and it’s certainly well worth it.”

If you feel you may be at risk of diabetes or have any concerns, visit the diabetes van for an informal chat or make an appointment with your GP.