Saints skipper Dylan Hartley admits New Zealand have landed a telling psychological blow in the build-up to the 2015 World Cup by completing a 3-0 series whitewash over England.

Stuart Lancaster’s men slumped to a 36-13 defeat at the Waikato Stadium in what was comfortably their worst performance of the tour.

The rivals collide again at Twickenham in the opening match of the autumn series and Hartley fears World Cup favourites New Zealand have gained a crucial edge over the hosts.

“There was more to this series than the results, there was also that psychological battle that we’d have liked to have won,” Hartley said.

“The next time the All Blacks come to Twickenham it will be in their favour. That psychological battle ahead of the World Cup is key.

“If we’d picked up a result or had another good performance like we had in the last few Tests, that would have been nice going into Twickenham.”

England’s ambitions of recording only a third Test victory in New Zealand were effectively over by half-time after the All Blacks had built a 29-6 lead.

Wing Julian Savea and scrum-half Aaron Smith helped themselves to two tries a piece, but a more determined England emerged for the second half.

“Unfortunately that last Test is what we’ll be remembered for. The first two Tests don’t count because you’re only as good as your last game,” Hartley said.

“It’s holiday time now and we have four weeks and a whole pre-season to dwell on our last game, which was that.

“In that first half we were just chasing shadows. Every opportunity they took and they played quickly and with intensity.

“All I remember is a wave of intensity and it was quick. I felt like every time we were in our 22 we conceded.

“It’s a disappointing finish to what was otherwise a good tour, a good first two weeks.

“To opt out in the last game, in that style, in that fashion is pretty painful.

“Everyone is carrying different niggles, but that’s not an excuse, especially after the way we have turned up and performed in the last two weeks.

“We can’t suddenly say that this week we’re tired. It just didn’t go our way on Saturday.”

”I don’t know how much I have actually affected it,” says Lee Daggett, giving out a hearty laugh at suggestions he is Northampton ‘s sporting good luck charm.

Daggett swapped Northants for the Saints last summer, with silverware following the former seamer to Franklin’s Gardens.

Fresh from helping the County with the T20 competition for the first time, the 31-year-old moved across town to take up a role as a physio.

And, 12 months later, he can now reflect on another season of success, with Saints having collected a double, winning the Amlin Challenge Cup and Aviva Premiership.

“Winning the T20 was a great way to finish at Northants and it’s been nice to be involved at the Saints this year as well,” said the unsurprisingly upbeat Daggett.

“I’ve been lucky in the last 12 months to be at a couple of places that have been pretty successful. I’ve enjoyed it and it’s been great.

“A few people have joked with me about it (being a good luck charm), but they (Saints) have done amazingly well this year.”

Daggett can no longer affect what happens on the field, as he did at Northants, but the bowler, who turned out for Brixworth on Tuesday night, says he doesn’t miss playing top-level cricket.

Instead, he is happy to play a key role behind the scenes, ensuring the likes of George North, Luther Burrell and Kahn Fotuali’i are fit and firing.

“There were a good bunch of guys at Northants and I enjoyed being out there, but I’ve not missed cricket at all to be honest,” said the 31-year-old.

“I’ve had a lot on my plate with the rugby and that’s kept me very busy.

“I’ve not missed it at all, but I’m looking forward to getting back out there and having a game at the weekend, with not as much pressure as there normally was.”

Instead the pressure comes in the form of preparation.

Daggett’s physical strain is replaced by mental exertion, but he is no stranger to hard work, having used his cricket off-seasons to earn a degree from the University of Salford.

And when the offer came at Saints last summer, he couldn’t refuse the chance to enjoy the longevity his new career would bring.

“I could be 68 by the time I’m retired and that’s another 37 years so I’m going to be a physio for a long time,” said Daggett, who did a student placement at Saints in 2011.

“The older you get, the harder it becomes to learn your trade and bed in and I really feel I’ve got the opportunity to do that with Saints. It’s been really good.”

Cobblers assistant manager Alan Knill expects his former club Bury to be among the leading contenders for the Sky Bet League Two title this season.

But Knill feels the division will be wide open, mainly because of the promotion at the end of last season of two of the biggest financial powers - Chesterfield and Fleetwood.

Bury had an excellent second half of the 2013/14 campaign under manageer David Flitcroft, putting together a run of form which took them from a relegation scrap to comfortable safety and start the season as the bookies’ favourites for promotion.

They were resounding 3-0 winners at Sixfields in March and have made one of the most eye-catching singings of the close season in veteran striker Ryan Lowe.

“They (Bury) have recruited well and they’ve spent well,” said Knill, who was in charge at Gigg Lane between 2008 and 2011.

“Ryan Lowe is a very good signing and Nicky Adams from Rotherham is a very good signing.

“They finished the season very well and you would expect them to be up there.

“Portsmouth and Shrewsbury have made some good additions as well.

“I think it’s going to be a really tight league.”

Town find themselves in mid-table in betting terms and can be backed at 5/1 to win the League Two title.

They were given an early boost with the release of the fixture list on Wednesday and a home game against Mansfield Town on the opening weekend.

“It’s a benefit to be at home first and if we can get off to a good start that will set us up nicely for the rest of the month,” he said.

“I don’t think there’s a stand-out team.

“Last year you had Chesterfield and Fleetwood and you knew they were going to spend money and had good budgets.

“I’m not sure that this season you’ve got teams like that in there. I think it’s going to be pretty close this year.

“It will be really competitive and a lot of teams will be able to beat a lot of other teams.”

A man is planning to run the London Marathon, two half marathons and a military obstacle course for a motor neurone disease charity on behalf of his mother.

Peter Malin, of Balmoral Road in Kingsthorpe, Northampton, is raising funds for Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) after his mother, Mary, was diagnosed with the degenerative disease last year.

Originally from Acre Lane in Kingsthorpe, Mrs Malin, aged 70, is in Cynthia Spencer Hospice after doctors said last weekend that she may have only days left to live.

Mr Malin, aged 44, said: “It’s too late for my mum, but it’s important to support research that could help others in the future.

“There is no known cause or cure for the disease, but that doesn’t mean we should stop trying to find them.”

In this aim, Mr Malin will be running the London Marathon next April, the Northampton Half Marathon in September, the Leighton Buzzard Half Marathon in November, and the Burghley House “Dirty Weekend” next May.

He is already almost £2,000 into raising his minimum target of £3,000 and has been helped by his stepdaughter, Megan, and his father, Ken.

Mr Malin said: “We are a close family and it’s sad to know that mum and dad might not make their 50th wedding anniversary this year.”

Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a progressive disease that attacks the motor neurones, or nerves, in the brain and spinal cord. This means messages gradually stop reaching muscles, eventually causing paralysis.

MND most commonly affects adults aged 50-70. Statistically, one in every 50,000 people will be affected, with cases occurring twice as often in men than woman.

To help Mr Malin’s efforts to support Northampton-based charity, MNDA, visit www.justgiving.com/petermalin

A 51-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a woman was shot in Northamptonshire on Sunday night.

The incident happened in Teeton, near Ravensthorpe, at about 5.50pm.

A police spokesman said: “The woman sustained serious but non-life threatening injuries and was taken to Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham by air ambulance.

“The man was arrested shortly after midnight this morning following an extensive police search that involved police officers from across Northamptonshire, additional support from the East Midlands Operational Support Unit and the police helicopter.

A biker who left a 15-year-old motocross rider seriously injured after a crash on wasteland in Far Cotton in being hunted by police.

The boy suffered suspected chest and abdominal injuries after the incident at 2pm Sunday. A spokesman for Northamptonshire Police said: “two off-road bikes collided on a piece of wasteland behind Main Road in Far Cotton, close to KFC.

“The rider of one of the bikes, a 15-year-old boy, suffered serious injuries in the collision and had to be airlifted to Birmingham Children’s Hospital for treatment.

“He had been riding a black and purple pit bike made by Stomp. The other rider was on a white, red and black trials bike and was wearing scrambling clothing.

“The rider of the white, red and black bike did not stop at the scene following the collision. Instead he put his bike onto the back of a white Transit tipper van and drove away.

“His van had distinctive wheels with blue inserts on them,” he added.

A spokesman for Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance said: “A rapid response vehicle from East Midlands Ambulance Service was first on the scene and a call was also made to Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) to help the patient and transfer him to the nearest major paediatric trauma centre.

“WNAA received the call at 3.37pm and landed at the scene of the incident 13 minutes later.

“The patient was immobilised with a collar and placed on a scoop stretcher. He was given advanced pain relief, anti-sickness drugs and medication to help with blood clotting. The patient was then airlifted, along with his mother, to Birmingham Children’s Hospital for further treatment.

“The crew landed at the hospital at 4.40pm. The patient’s current condition is unknown,” he added.

Anyone with any information, or who witnessed the collision, is asked to call the Drivewatch hotline on 0800 174615.

A 15-year-old cyclist had to be put in a medically induced coma by doctors from the Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance (DLRAA) after he was involved in a collision with a car in Kelmarsh.

The teenager was riding a silver pedal cycle when he was in collision with a blue Volkswagon Caddy, being driven by a 26-year-old woman at 6.20pm on the A508, at the junction with the Arthingworth turn.

Air ambulance doctors sedated him before placing him in a medically induced coma at the scene. A pelvic binder was also applied to the patient before he was airlifted to University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire for further treatment.

The teenager’s current condition is unknown.

The female driver was taken to University Hospital Coventry by land ambulance where she was treated for minor injuries.

Police would like to speak to anyone who may have witnessed this collision or who may have any information regarding it.

Anyone with information or who witnessed this incident is asked to call the Drivewatch Hotline on 0800 174 615.

Northants skipper Stephen Peters admitted that Steven Croft and Ashwell Prince ‘ground us into the dirt’ as Lancashire dominated day one of the LV= Championship clash between the sides at Old Trafford.

Croft and Prince both made big centuries as Lancashire’s batsmen enjoyed their best day of the season to date.

Coming together with their side poorly placed on 33 for three in 14th over, Prince and Croft added 332 for the fourth wicket and put the bowlers to the sword in merciless fashion on the opening day of the clash.

Having batted for two minutes short of five hours, Croft was dismissed seven overs before the close for a career-best 156 but Prince remained undefeated on 161 as Lancashire ended the day on 384 for four and virtually certain to earn a maximum five batting bonus points for the first time this season.

Croft and Prince’s partnership was Lancashire’s highest in first-class matches against Northamptonshire and the biggest ever fourth-wicket stand at the ground.

It was also the county’s third-highest stand at Manchester and Lancashire’s biggest partnership for any wicket since 2003.

And Peters said: “Given that we had two spinners in the side we’d have liked to have won the toss, but we started nicely and brightly.

“We were probably only one wicket away from winning the session at lunch but after that Prince and Croft played very well and it was one-way traffic.

“We dropped a catch but then those two guys ground us into the dirt all afternoon I’m afraid.”

The brutal slaughter of the visitors’ bowling in the final two sessions was a far cry from the atmosphere in the first hour of play when the Northants attack had made good use of early moisture in the Old Trafford wicket and made three breakthroughs after Lancashire had won the toss and elected to bat.

Alex Davies was lbw when barely half forward to Lancashire old boy Steven Crook for 14 in the 12th over of the innings and Usman Khawaja followed him to the pavilion six balls later when Azharullah brought one back off the seam to trap the Australian in front.

The visitors’ success continued in the next over when Paul Horton edged a lifting delivery from Crook to wicketkeeper Ben Duckett and few in the crowd can have guessed then that they were about to witness the making of two centuries and the rewriting of the record books.

However, as the wicket eased and the new ball lost most of its hardness, Croft and Prince settled into their task with ominous ease.

Croft was given a life on 34 when dropped by wicketkeeper Ben Duckett off Azharullah.

But the pair added 172 runs in only 35 overs in the afternoon session with Croft reaching three figures for the second time in four innings with a pulled four off spinner James Middlebrook, while Prince followed his partner four overs later with a clip to midwicket for two off the same bowler.

Having hit 15 fours and two sixes, Croft eventually fell when his tired prod at a ball from Andrew Hall only edged the ball to Middlebrook at slip.

Like Croft, Prince returned to a standing ovation but the South African is still there to torment Northamptonshire on the second morning. Prince has so far hit 17 fours and three sixes and faced 234 balls in his 332-minute innings.

Crook ended the toughest of days as the most successful of the Northants bowlers with two for 63.

Croft said: “When we got together the main aim was just to repair the innings.

“The new ball was swinging quite a bit and it wasn’t easy. We were in a tricky situation which is why it is even more pleasing. It was nice to get past the 100, then the 150 and it kept going.

“It was very pleasing to get the 300. I hadn’t been there and Ashwell told me he hadn’t done it either so it was pleasing to be the first with all the experience he has got in the game.

“It was disappointing to get out just before the close, but Ashwell is still there.”

Horton House stayed in touch with leaders Peterborough at the top of the Hevey Building Supplies NCL Premier Division with a six-wicket win over Saints.

The win means that House stay fifth in the table, but they are only 30 points adrift of Peterborough, who saw off inconsistent Old Northamptonians.

At Horton, Corbyn Dolley scored 94 in the Saints’ 225 for seven, and support came from Elliott Patterson with 54 and Harry Groome, who hit 30.

For Horton, the pick of the bowlers was Will Smith who claimed three for 54.

The villagers knew they would have to bat well to win, and they did, with Leo Carter steering them home with an unbeaten 102 from 122 balls.

Backing him up were Akash Shah who scored 40, and Charlie MacDonnell who made 36, with Horton getting home with almost five overs to spare.

Christian Davis hit an unbeaten century as morning leaders Rushden maintained their title push.

The former Northants all-rounder hit 105 as Rushden overcame Stony Stratford at Campbell Park.

In pursuit of Stony’s 244, of which Hayden Mullins hit an excellent 128, Rushden lost wickets at regular intervals but Davis’s steady hand enabled them to sneak over the winning line with just one wicket in hand.

Despite their victory, Rushden were squeezed into second place by Peterborough who picked up maximum points with a 26-run defeat of ONs.

Rob Sayer made 107 and Callum French 58 as the visitors posted 238 for five (Tom Heathfield 2-39, Aiden Fowkes 2-67), and this proved to be enough as, despite a number of decent contributions from their top order, the ONs fell short.

In the runs for the Billing Road side were Tom Webb (30), Rob White (37) and Mobushar Khawaja (47), but Paul McMahon picked up five for 62 with his off-spin as the hosts were dismissed for 212.

The struggle goes on for both Burton Latimer and Wollaston as they were beaten by Finedon Dolben and Oundle respectively.

At Hall Field, Burton were brushed aside by Finedon with the margin of victory being 107 runs.

Ben Howgego top scored with 52 in the visitors’ 214 for seven, Damon Hanney taking five for 73, and the wickets were then shared around as the home side crumbled to 107 all out.

Meanwhile, at Milton Road, Wollaston suffered their seventh reverse as Oundle claimed a four-wicket success.

Harry Ramsden was the pick of the Oundle attack with four for 37 as Wollaston totalled 190 for eight (Matthew Jones 63) and this was passed in the 43rd over, Phil Adams top scoring with an unbeaten 46.

Leg-spinner Daniel Bendon had a good day as Rushton got the better of Brixworth by three wickets.

Bendon recorded figures of six for 41 as the hosts were dismissed for 182, and although nobody made a sizeable score in the reply, the victory target was achieved in the 50th over.

A shotgun has been found in some bushes near a residential street in Northamptonshire.

Police were called out to a street in Hemmingwell, Wellingborough, at about 11.50am on Sunday after finding the weapon which was taken away for forensic analysis.

Police would like to speak to anyone who may have seen people acting suspiciously in the Hemmingwell area of Wellingborough, or who may have any information about the gun.

Witnesses or anyone with information are asked to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

A Northampton shopkeeper has denied attempting to sell more than 100 items of out of date food, including a mouldy sausage roll, at his store in the town.

Kulasingatharmarasa Nimalathasan, aged 36, of Greenfield Avenue, Spinney Hill, in Northampton, appeared at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Monday after he allegedly displayed items that were past their use by date in the Nisa Local shop in Birchfield Road East, Abington.

Nimalathasan has been prosecuted by Northamptonshire Trading Standards after officers allegedly found a Heritage Jumbo Sausage Roll with mould growing on it when they visited on October 2 last year.

It is also alleged trading standards officers found a Heritage steak and gravy pie, a cheese salad sandwich and 102 other items that were past their use by date.

Nimalathasan pleaded not guilty to four charges of selling food after its use by date and a charge of selling food not of the nature or quality demanded by the purchaser.

Nimalathasan, representing himself, pleaded guilty to selling an apple flavoured rice dessert which was past its use by date by a day.

He will appear in Northampton Magistrates’ Court again for a trial in September.

Thieves have stolen a large amount of jewellery, including a gold bangle which was of particular sentimental value, from a house in Northampton.

It is believed the property in Park Lane, Duston, was broken into at about 11.30pm on Tuesday, June 17.

After getting into the house, the burglars took jewellery and electrical items,

Witnesses or anyone with information is asked to contact the police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

A pool of water gathered in the hole dug for the Francis Crick statue in Abington Street, Northampton, was not the result of a burst main the borough council says.

This morning shoppers noticed a dug-up section of pavement outside the Marks & Spencer store had filled with water, with many taking to social media to say the site looked like a ‘swimming pool’.

Workers have been on site there over the past week digging foundations for the 25ft tall Francis Crick statue to be placed, after it was recently moved from further along the street to make way for works to de-pedestrianise the area.

The borough council says contractors did not ‘cause’ the water leak however.

A spokesperson for the authority said: “We have been advised by the contractors that the water that has gathered has not been caused by the work taking place and is likely to be from a leak that has been there for some time.

“Anglian Water has been informed and will deal with this appropriately.”

The spokesperson added: “Work to reopen Abington Street to traffic is set to finish in November and the sculpture will be moved as soon as this issue is resolved.”

A man was punched in the head and stomach by a gang who robbed him as he walked along a Northampton footpath in the early hours of the morning.

The man was walking along a path at the back of Coppice Drive in Parklands at about 4am on Saturday June 21 when he was punched in the back of the head.

Two men then approached him from the front and punched him in the face and stomach.

The man then fell to the ground and one of the thieves stole his wallet.

The three attackers were all black and aged between 23 and 25.

Witnesses, or anyone with any information about this robbery, is asked to contact the police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Lancashire’s batsmen broke more records and their bowlers made significant inroads into Northamptonshire’s order as Glen Chapple’s men strengthened their grip on the LV= County Championship Division One match at Emirates Old Trafford.

Replying to the home side’s 650 for six declared, the eighth biggest total in Lancashire’s history, Northants were 113 for seven at the close of play and now seem to have merely a mathematical chance of avoiding the follow-on target of 501.

This was another depressing day for Stephen Peters’ side as they were worn down by the relentless batting of double-centurion Ashwell Prince, who made a career-best 257 not out, and torn apart by the attacking strokeplay of Jos Buttler and Tom Smith.

The visitors’ batting then proved itself incapable of resisting a Lancashire attack led by Chapple, who claimed four wickets on a wicket offering a little extra bounce from the Pavilion End.

In the first half of the day Lancashire extended their overnight 384 well into the afternoon session before Chapple declared, effectively requiring Northants to bat two-and-a-half days to save the game.

Prince’s 500-minute innings was the second double-hundred of his career, as well as being the 14th highest score by a Lancashire batsman in the county’s history and the biggest since John Crawley made 280 not out, also against Northants at Old Trafford, in 2001.

However, the highlight of the morning session was the clean hitting of Buttler, who scored a further 74 runs off 67 balls before he was caught behind by Ben Duckett off Andrew Hall for 87.

England’s limited-overs wicketkeeper hit three sixes in four balls off Graeme White and Steven Crook and he went from 37 to 87.

Striking the ball straight down the ground with enormous power and deploying a variety of reverse sweeps, Buttler could not be contained by the Northants bowlers until Hall moved one off the seam in 114th over of the innings.

His fifth-wicket stand with Prince yielded 138 runs in 24.5 overs and Lancashire scored 174 runs in the morning session.

Even then, the suffering did not end for Peters’ attack. Smith made 79 and joined Prince in a stand of 140 for the sixth wicket, the third successive century stand of the innings.

Northamptonshire’s reply could scarcely have got off to a worse start as Peters was brilliantly caught in the gully by Usman Khawaja off the third ball of the innings and James Middlebrook edged to Smith at slip, both openers falling to Chapple without scoring.

Matthew Spriegel then top-edged Simon Kerrigan to Buttler for 14 and Smith removed Rob Newton and Ben Duckett in the space of three balls, Newton chopping on and Duckett edging to Prince at slip. That left Northants on 54 for five but Richard Levi and Hall then provided the only prolonged resistance with a stand of 44.

However, Chapple claimed the wicket of Levi for 59 and then removed David Willey for two, both batsmen being caught at short leg by Alex Davies.

The Lancashire captain finished the day with figures of 4 for 42.

Chris Wilder believes the Cobblers have got a ‘tough start’ to their Sky Bet League Two fixtures but that their close-season recruitment will make them a team other sides in the division fear playing.

Town kick off their 2014/15 campaign with a home game against Mansfield Town but then face difficult-looking trips to York City and Portsmouth.

York have signed Anthony Straker, Jake Hyde and Dave Winfield to bolster a squad that reached the play-offs last season, while Pompey have made one of the most eye-catching acquisitions in the division by recruiting Craig Westcarr after his release from league one Walsall.

Such reinforcements will make both those teams tough nuts to crack, but Wilder feels his own transfer work at Sixfields - where big hitters Marc Richards and Zander Diamond have signed up - will also cause some concerns for their opponents.

“You look at it from a lot of different aspects, the travelling and a few other things,” he said.

“I think we’ve got a tough start but there will be teams that are fancied that have a slow start themselves.

“It works both ways and you have to take each individual game on its merit.

“It’s a tough start but we’re looking forward to it.

“People will be looking at our game and thinking they’ve got to play Northampton and that we’re a lot better than we were last year.

“We’ve worked within the budget and we’ve ticked a lot of boxes - the players that we’ve got in all want to be successful.

“A lot of different aspects go into it - formations, having left-footers or right-footers, we don’t just sign players because they’re good players, they have to fit into the group.”

The area around the University of Northampton’s main campus has the second highest level of student-relevant crimes out of the nine institutions in the East Midlands, latest figures show.

Data collected by The Complete University Guide reveals the level of burglary, robbery and violence and sexual offences in the three-mile radius of Park Campus is one of the highest in the region.

The University of Northampton is ranked eighth out of nine in the East Midlands with a figure of 8.98 in a 1,000 victims of burglary, 1.40 in a 1,000 victims of robbery and 13.08 victims in a 1,000 of violence or sexual offences.

However, the East Midlands has a significantly lower student-relevant crime rate than the London region.

The East Midlands is also below the West Midlands, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber.

Lee Johnson, Security Supervisor at the University of Northampton said the security and safety of students was taken “extremely seriously.”

He said: “The University and the Students’ Union, in partnership with Northamptonshire Police, frequently share crime prevention and personal safety advice with our students. I

“In recent months, the University has held a number crime awareness events on campus, where students and staff have been able to take advantage of free security advice, including bike and possessions security marking schemes.

“It is important to remember that these crime statistics correlate crime and population for the area falling within three miles of the main University campus, including parts of Northampton Town. The statistics cover incidents of crime in the local area, not just those crimes directly involving students.”

The gardens at Lamport Hall will be the setting for an afternoon of traditional jazz on Sunday July 6.

An award-winning band called Annie Hawkins’ Jazz Men will be performing traditional New Orleans jazz.

A spokesman for Lamport Hall said: “This has become an established fixture in the local jazz scene – and a very relaxing way to spend a lazy summer afternoon in the grounds of one of our beautiful country houses. And even if it rains the show will go on, as there is a marquee booked just in case!”

The band will be performing between 2pm and 5pm. Gates open at 1pm. Discounted tickets can be obtained in advance on 01604 686272 – adult £10, OAP £9, children (5-18) £7. Tickets on the gate (cash only) will cost adult £12, OAP £11 and children (5-18) £9.

Meanwhile, the gardens will also be the setting for William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy The Merchant of Venice on Saturday July 5.

This entertaining play will be performed by the Rain or Shine theatre company, starting at 6.30pm.

The spokesman added: “If it is a fine summer’s evening then visitors will be able to enjoy the play on the lawn surrounding the Hall, but there is a marquee on standby in the event of rain.”

Discounted tickets can be obtained in advance on 01604 686272: adult £13, OAP £12, children (5-18) £7. Tickets on the gate (cash only) will cost: adult £15, OAP £14 and children (5-18) £9.

The former Chronicle & Echo building in Upper Mounts, Northampton, is close to being completely knocked down.

Demolition crews have been on-site for about two months as they bring down the building to make way for plans for a new Aldi supermarket.

The video, taken by Chron sports editor Jeremy Casey, shows the part of the wall on the Earl Street side of the building being knocked down. The front of the building is due to demolished within the next week.

Dozens of people have been watching progress, including former staff and passers-by.

Aldi bought the land from the Chron’s owners, Johnston Press, in August last year and are due to go out to public consultation on their plans for the site later this year.

Artist’s impressions have been released of two men police in Northampton would like to speak to in connection with a robbery at a charity shop in Kingsthorpe.

The robbery happened on Tuesday, June 3, between 4.30pm and 4.50pm, at the Mind charity shop in Alexandra Terrace.

Two men entered the store and grabbed money from the till.

A police spokesman said the offenders may have been Eastern European. One was around 5ft 3in with a stocky build and dark-brown receding hair. The other was about 6ft with a slim build and dark-brown hair.

Anyone who recognises either of the men in the artist’s impression or anyone with information about the robbery is asked to contact Northampton CID.

Witnesses or anyone with information about this incident should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.