Drivers have been warned of severe delays on the M1 in Northamptonshire after an accident involving three lorries and a car.

The accident happened near Junction 15 of the M1 at Northampton on the northbound carriageway.

Two lanes have been closed for the recovery of the vehicles. No details have been given on any injuries. Congestion, at 5.15pm, was reportedly back 11 miles to junction 14 at Milton Keynes.

All lanes of the motorway are due to reopen at 6pm.

Emergency support is being provided to rough sleepers as temperatures are set to drop below freezing.

Through the SWEP scheme, Northampton Borough Council is working in partnership with NAASH and the Hope Centre to protect vulnerable people and keep them safe during the expected cold spell.

Homeless people who need help can come to the Hope Centre between 10pm at night and 7am the next morning, to be given emergency accommodation, heating, bedding and food to support them through the severe weather.

When the weather improves, Northampton Borough Council will help those people find homes or other assistance they need.

Councillor Mary Markham, Northampton Borough Council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “Working with our partners we will be offering vulnerable people a chance to get the help they need.

“With temperatures set to drop below freezing over the next few nights we will be making sure that everyone has the chance to keep warm, eat a good meal and stay safe at night.

“It is also an opportunity for us to show what support is available and how we can help them get back on their feet.”

The Severe Weather Emergency Protocol is a partnership agreement between Northampton Borough Council, the Hope Centre and NAASH to provide a warm place for rough sleepers to spend the night when the temperature falls below freezing (zero degrees) for three consecutive nights.

If you know of or see anyone who could benefit from this scheme, please contact Northampton Borough Council’s homeless team on 01604 629804.

A woman who called 999 after finding a man in Northampton with life-threatening injuries said she did all she could to help him.

The woman, who the Chronicle & Echo has chosen not to name, was taking her seven-year-old son to a Martial Arts class in The Mounts at 5.15pm on Friday when she saw a man by the railings in Barrack Road outside the Izeez restaurant.

The woman said a lot of people were walking past the man but she stopped to help him as he looked like he may be injured.

After talking to him she immediately rang 999 for an ambulance.

The eye-witness said she was on the phone to the operator for 11 minutes and helped cover the man’s wounds. She said her son helped direct police officers to the scene of the incident.

An ambulance crew and police officers then arrived at 5.25pm and the man was taken to hospital.

She said: “I was really shocked. I did all I could to help him.”

George Pisi has revealed family and potential finals were his main motivations for snubbing advances from elsewhere to stay at Saints.

Pisi was strongly linked with a switch to Top 14 side Castres, with French money an increasing pull for Aviva Premiership players.

But he opted against moving back to France, where he spent time with Clermont Auvergne before joining Northampton in the summer of 2011.

Pisi was handed a new deal at Saints, signing on along with Stephen Myler, James Wilson and Tom Stephenson in a pre-Christmas announcement.

It was a sizeable boost for boss Jim Mallinder as one of his prized assets, the 2011/12 player of the season, showed his commitment to life at Franklin’s Gardens.

And Pisi is certainly comfortable with life at the club, admitting he is desperate to add more silverware to the trophy cabinet following last year’s double delight.

“It’s good here,” said the ever-smiling Samoan centre. “My family’s here: my wife and my son. It’s a good club, a family-based club and I enjoy my rugby here.

“We’re looking forward to winning more championships and that’s one of the main reasons why I wanted to stay at this club.

“You still want to play some good rugby.”

Pisi does, of course, also have family on the field when he runs out at the Gardens with his sibling, Ken, also making a name for himself at Saints.

And George - who jokes “I’m sick of that” when the subject of playing alongside his brother is brought up - has also formed close bonds with the other polynesian players at the club.

Salesi Ma’afu and Samu Manoa are among a group of men with Islander heritage, though both of those big-hitters weren’t able to refuse a move across The Channel.

And Pisi says he understands why his team-mates, and close friends, have 
opted to swap Saints for moneybags European champions Toulon.

“It’s a bit tough, but they’re doing what’s best for their family,” he said.

“Financially, if they can get better offers elsewhere and they think their family can benefit from it more then all credit to them. It’s different for different people.”

For Pisi, the time wasn’t right.

He is an established favourite at Saints, for whom he’s scored 25 tries in 91 appearances.

That record and his blockbusting midfield performances have made him a sought after talent.

And the 28-year-old added: “There were offers elsewhere and in the end it was what was about what was best for my wife and son.

“Staying put was right and we’re just enjoying our time here.

“We’re established and it’s a bit easier than moving somewhere else.”

Chris Wilder has confirmed he will keep the faith in his Cobblers starting line-up as he prepares to name the same side for a third successive game.

The 11 which beat Exeter City last weekend was the same as the one which faced Southend at Sixfields on January 3 - the first time this season that has happened.

It means teenage striker Ivan Toney and influential centre-back Zander Diamond may have to settle for places on the bench after returning from suspension and injury respectively.

To leave out Diamond would be an especially big call by Wilder, who gave the Scotsman a three-year deal in the summer which suggests he is being seen as the long-term partner for Ryan Cresswell, who also penned a three-year contract after being bought from Fleetwood in August.

“There won’t be any changes - it’s a case of you go again and let’s have more of the same, please,” said Wilder.

“Zander Diamond is a big player for us but the lads who played in defence at Exeter last week did well and I’ve got to respect good performances like that.

“The pressure is on those players to keep the shirts and I’ve said it all along that we need some consistency in the team, especially in defence.

“You might want to change things or tweak things in attack depending on the team you’re playing, but in defence you don’t want to be making any changes.

“We’ve had to do that because of injuries but we need a settled unit there now.

“Nothing would delight me more than for that back four to keep their places for a run of games.”

A heroin addict who threatened a Northampton man with a knife after she was caught burgling his home said jail would be the best place for heard.

Cherise Winfarrah, of no fixed abode, was given a three year prison sentence at Northampton Crown Court yesterday for charges of robbery and burglary, which relate an incident on May 21 last year.

Prosecuting, Rachel Law, said the 33-year-old was seen standing outside a man’s home in Northampton shouting obscenities on the night in question and alleging that the man was a ‘paedophile’.

When Winfarrah discovered the man was not inside the property, she forced open the bottom panel of the door and crawled through.

Miss Law said that two witnesses living nearby saw her go through the man’s fridge, before crawling back out with a carrier bag of food.

However, as she was leaving the house, the man who lived there returned and an altercation ensued.

“She kept shouting to him ‘give me your phone’,” Miss Law continued. “The man sat down on the sofa and the defendant struck him with both hands to the forehead and the bridge of his nose.

“She hit him again with her fists and he continued to bleed.

“Witnesses heard the defendant say ‘I’ve got a knife’.”

Miss Law said Winfarrah, who has 24 convictions from 50 offences, was last seen leaving the property with the carrier bag.

The sentencing hearing yesterday had been adjourned by Judge Rupert Mayo in October, to give her a chance to continue her progress with a probation drug rehabilitation course.

But the court heard she had relapsed into heroin addiction since October.

“You had every opportunity to prove yourself,” Judge Mayo said,” but you haven’t taken it.

“I have no choice but to rip up the deferred sentence provisions.”

Defending for her, Maxine Krone, said Winfarrah was “sorry” for what she has done and said she had relapsed because her mother and a friend had died since October.

Mrs Krone said: “She was struggling, she was back on heroin and methadone.

“She accepts that she will be going to prison but acknowledges that is the best place for her to get the help she needs.”

Police arrested three people after an alleged attack on a man in Northampton town centre.

CCTV control room staff called police to George Row at 3.47am on Tuesday after they saw three men allegedly assaulting a man, who had been knocked to the floor.

Officers arrived and arrested three men on suspicion of assault and took another man to Northampton General Hospital.

George Row was closed between 3.47am and 6.30am while police conducted forensic tests.

The alleged victim has since been transferred from NGH to a hospital in Coventry.

A Northampton delivery company has invited former City Link employees who were made redundant on New Year’s Eve to apply for jobs at the firm.

Action Express, which has been based in Northampton since 1982, has so far recruited two additional drivers and an administrative assistant from the stricken courier company City Link, which announced it would be going bust on Christmas day last year.

Now Action Express is looking to make a further six appointments in the coming weeks.

The Liliput Road courier is part of APC Overnight, which announced in December that it was making up to 100 roles available to former City Link staff.

Managing director at Action Express, Elaine Harries, said: “It was a big shock when we heard about the collapse of City Link on Christmas Day and our hearts went out to all of the staff members and families affected.

Since then we’ve been down to the former City Link depot here in Northampton a number of times, providing support and advising on job opportunities.

“We’re now looking to recruit an additional six drivers, to cope with the increased demand from local businesses and are keen to hear from anyone interested in one of these new roles.

“Having been based in Northampton for more than 32 years we’re able to invest in our staff members so for those drivers that currently have a Category C licence we’re happy to pay for them to achieve Category C+E to drive larger vehicles.”

Kettering Surgical Appliances, based on Overstone Road, was one of those businesses affected by the collapse of City Link.

The company, which provides medical supplies to hospitals and doctors surgeries, was left without a courier company following the announcement that City Link was going into administration.

Managing Director, Paul Wolstenholme said: “We found out about the news of City Link going into administration on Christmas Day.

“Fortunately, we had already arranged most of our December deliveries; however, this left us without a way of delivering our products in January - a key time for the medical market due to the number of accidents caused by inclement weather.”

“With surgeries and hospitals often needing next day delivery on medical supplies we needed to organise a replacement as soon as possible. Luckily, Action Express was on-hand and we were quickly able to arrange deliveries through APC Overnight, without losing business.”

For further details on the current job vacancies at Action Express, or to arrange a delivery call 01604 700400.

Plans for Northampton College’s new £6.5 million building in Daventry will be put on display to the public later this month.

The plans are being developed following the college’s successful bid to the South East Midlands Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) for £6.5M of funding from the Local Growth Fund for a completely new centre in the town that will offer vocational training for young people and adults.

The college is currently developing a planning application to build a completely new centre on its existing site at Badby Road West.

This option has been deemed most appropriate to enable the college to retain sports facilities on site, develop an enhanced campus and provide a better learning environment for students.

The government grant was awarded on condition that the college invests match funding from its own resources and to achieve this, an additional planning application will be submitted to re-develop part of the current college site for residential purposes.

Construction is due to start in September 2015 and it is planned that the new centre will open its doors in autumn 2016.

The centre will provide places for 700 students, including 200 Apprenticeships, and will focus on developing the skills identified as central to the local economy.

The public consultation exhibition on the housing development aspect of these plans will be open at the college’s current location in Badby Road West on Friday, January 30, between 4pm and 8pm and Saturday, January 31, between 9am and noon.

Members of the development team and college managers will be available to answer visitors’ questions. Comments on the plans will be collected at the event or via the college website and can be submitted to daventryplans@northamptoncollege.ac.uk at any time.

Principal Pat Brennan-Barrett said: “As a college, our ambition is to be the first choice for training and education in Daventry and our plans demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the town and the local community.

“We now have exciting plans to share with the community and we hope that local people will come and see our plans for themselves. We want to hear their views on our proposals to help us prepare a detailed planning application”.

A total of 23 drivers have admitted using their mobile phones, including some that were filming and taking pictures of the scene, near a serious crash on the M1 in Northamptonshire,

All the motorists were prosecuted after they were spotted by Northamptonshire Police officers who were dealing with a collision between four cars and a lorry that closed the northbound carriageway between junction 15 and 15a for five hours on August 22 last year.

One of the passengers in one of the cars involved in the crash was a four-year-old girl who suffered serious head injuries Northampton Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday that 23 motorists, who were all men, were subsequently arrested for using their phones near the crash scene.

Their cases were all heard yesterday after they were charged with not being in a position to have proper control of their vehicle because they were “holding a phone in one hand and pointing it in the direction of the collision.”

A number of the men claimed they were not taking photographs of the crash but were using their phone for other reasons such as searching the internet or using sat nav.

However, Patrick Mulford, aged 28, of Rushden, admitted that he had been taking photographs and said he was “utterly embarrassed” and disappointed with his actions. He received three points on his licence and must pay £90 fine, £85 costs and victim surcharge of £20.

Gabor Pluhar, aged 25, of Baron’s Court Road, Hammersmith and Fulham, also admitted that he had taken pictures and he said he was “ashamed and embarrassed”. He also received three penalty points and must pay a fine of £115, £85 costs and victim surcharge of £20.

Ravindran Soosaipillai, aged 47, of Caulfield Road, London, admitted that he had taken a video of the scene on his phone. He was given a £50 fine and must pay costs of £85 and victim surcharge of £20.

-Robert Stables, aged 38, of Willow Crescent, Nottingham, was disqualified from driving for seven weeks as the three penalty points meant he had 12 on his licence. He was also fined £290 and must pay costs of £85 and victim surcharge of £29.

-Other drivers who pleaded guilty, who all received three penalty points on their licence, at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Friday included Shalim Ahmed, aged 35, of Uckfield Close, Brighton and Paul Austin, aged 51, of High Street, Hitchin. They both received fines of £185, costs of £85 and victim surcharge of £20.

-Laurs Aivars, of Cheshire street, Market Drayton, was fined £155 and must pay costs of £85 and victim surcharge of £20.

-Ionut Danes, aged 34, of Shaftesbury Avenue, Harrow, was fined £135 and must pay costs of £85 and victim surcharge of £20.

-Sayed Kadri, aged 27, Donaldson Road, Leicester, was fined £170, must pay costs of £85 and victim surcharge of £20.

-Andrei Lascu, aged 31, of Swadlincote, Derbyshire, was fined £165 and must pay costs of £85 and victim surcharge of £20.

-Piotr Kucybala, aged 37, of Chigwell Lane, Loughton, Essex, was fined £180 and must pay costs of £85 and victim surcharge of £20.

-Dean McDonald, aged 47, of Mersey Close, Bletchley, was fined £240 and must pay costs of £85 and victim surcharge of £24.

-Nadir Minar, aged 36, of Crown Walk, Wembley, was fined £135 and must pay costs of £85 and victim surcharge of £20.

-Dr Kashif Mirza, who works as a dentist, aged 43, of Market Square, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria, was fined £335 and must pay costs of £85 and victim surcharge of £33.

-Ryan Nelson, aged 29, of Martlesham Walk, Barnet and Carl Neville, aged 30, of Cordy Lane, Brinsley, Nottingham, were both fined £200, must pay costs of £85 and victim surcharge of £20.

-Christos Papadopoulos, aged 61, of Manor Drive, London, was fined £20 and must pay costs of £85 and victim surcharge of £20.

-Ismael Patel, aged 56, of Cowper Street, Dewsbury, was fined £65 and must pay costs of £85 and victim surcharge of £20.

-Andrew Pope, aged 51, of Shipbrook Road, Northwich, was fined £200 and must pay costs of £85 and victim surcharge of £20.

-Richard Ranger, aged 31, of Bullbanks Road, Belvedere, was fined £155, must pay costs of £85 and victim surcharge of £20.

-Paul Shelton, aged 58, of Griffiths Road, Purfleet, was fined £115 and must pay costs of £85 and victim surcharge of £20.

-Daniel Stanciuc, aged 33, of Pickett Croft, Stanmore, was fined £200 and must pay costs of £85 and victim surcharge of £20.

The new managing director at Silverstone has proposed lowering race day ticket prices for the British Grand Prix.

Patrick Allen, who was appointed new boss of the F1 circuit this year, wants to reduce race day ticket prices by up to £56 in a bid to boost spectator numbers.

He told the BBC: “What I would like to do is see ticket prices falling for the British Grand Prix,” Allen told BBC Look East.

“In my mind I have the benchmark of a £99 admission ticket. I think that’s what customers deserve.”

Mr Allen plans to balance out the reduction with an increase in concession sales, but not until the 2016 race at the earliest.

The former marketing expert said: “I would much rather see better ticket offers and once people are here, do more for them.

“If you want to get more people here every year, you don’t do that by putting the ticket prices up. We are desperately trying to bring the ticket price down.”

General admission raceday tickets for the 2015 Grand Prix for adults are priced at £155. The full list of prices are as follows:

Sunday (race day) £155-£340

Saturday (qualifying) £87.50

Friday (practice) £67

Weekend £175-£465

Mr Allen took over the role of running Silverstone Circuit Limited from Richard Phillips. The company manages the track on behalf of the British Racing Drivers Club (BRDC), who attempted to sell it until a deal fell through in May.

But Mr Allen expects the current owners to remain committed. He said: “Yes it’s true they tried to sell the circuit. That didn’t happen for whatever reason.

“They are very much concentrating now on making this a successful venue. You can ever say never, but for the foreseeable future we have to build this business.

“Right now my remit from the BRDC is very clear, which is to make this a profitable, blue riband venue.”

Police are today searching the area where a 35-year-old man was ‘fatally wounded’ in Northampton.

The man died in hospital less than an hour after the attack near Lazeez restaurant in Barrack Road in the town centre at around 5.30pm on Friday.

Police have remained at the site this morning, keeping it cordoned off, and a search team have begun to inspect the area by digging through drains outside the restaurant.

A nearby resident, who lost her own son after a similar incident some years ago, said: “It’s absolutely terrible, and it’s very frightening so close to where we live.

“That man was somebody’s son, or somebody’s brother. I’ve been there and this has brought all those feelings back.

“The amount of crime that goes on in this area of town is unbelievable, so I can’t say I’m at all surprised that something like this has happened, but I hope they catch the person or persons responsible soon.

“It’s amazing that it happened so early in the evening; for the one woman that stopped to help the victim, plenty more must have just walked past.”

Emergency services were called out to the scene at 5.25pm yesterday and the call was categorised as “immediately life-threatening”.

An ambulance spokeswoman said: “The caller reported an incident on Barrack Road, Northampton. Our emergency operations centre categorised the call as immediately life-threatening and sent an ambulance to respond.

“The crew arrived on scene within eight minutes of the call being picked up and took the patient to the Northampton General Hospital.”

Bedfore they arrived, a passerby and her young son attempted to help the man by delivering first aid.

Police were also called to the scene of the incident and taped off the area, but the restaurant remained open.

They have urged anyone with information to call Northamptonshire Police on 101 or, alternatively, Crimestoppers, anonymously, on: 0800 555111.

Alex King has warned Saints they must shackle Ospreys’ half-backs if they are to win in Wales this weekend.

Scrum-half Rhys Webb and fly-half Dan Biggar have been the driving force behind their side’s ascent to the top of the Guinness PRO12 pile.

The Wales internationals were not allowed to pull the strings when Saints smashed Ospreys 34-6 at Franklin’s Gardens back in October.

And attack coach King wants his men, who sit top of Pool 5, to stifle the dangerous duo in a similar manner at the Liberty Stadium.

“Ospreys are top of the PRO12, had a good win last week and they’re still in touch for qualification, but we’ve got to concentrate on ourselves,” said King.

“We’ve got an opportunity to really take control of the pool this weekend.

“They’re a good team, their half-backs have been strong all season; I’ve been really impressed with Rhys Webb and Dan Biggar as a combination.

“We shut them down when we played them here and we need to do the same again on Sunday.”

And he added: “Rhys Webb is one of those players who can take opportunities when they present themselves, quick tap penalties, spotting a gap around a ruck.

“Dan Biggar is good at controlling the game, he’s got good experience and he’s an incredible goalkicker as well as someone who gets his backline moving.

“It’s going to be a good surface there so hopefully we’ll see an open game and we’ve got a good referee as well so there’s all the ingredients for a cracking European tie.”

George North scored all four Saints tries in the most recent meeting between the two sides.

The Wales wing also dotted down in last season’s Heineken Cup clash between the teams at the Liberty Stadium.

And when asked whether North raises his game against his countrymen, King said: “You’d have to ask him, but his record this season has been spot on, so more of the same on Sunday.”

A Northampton Borough Councillor who suffered a serious back injury last August has been disqualified from the local authority after she failed to attend any official meetings for more than six months.

Joy Capstick (Lab, Talavera) has been automatically removed from the council with immediate effect under the rules of the Local Government Act after she failed to attend a Full Council meeting or any other committee meetings during the last six months.

A by-election cannot take place as the election is less than six months away so the councillor position for the Talavera ward will remain vacant until May.

Councillor Capstick, who was in hospital for three months last year after she fell down the stairs, said she had been planning to attend Monday’s full council meeting.

She said: “Last year I suffered a heavy fall which resulted in very serious injuries including a broken back and punctured lung. Thanks to the skill and care of the doctors and nurses at Northampton General Hospital, I pulled through and am now some way along my long path to recovery, albeit as a wheelchair user.

“Throughout this process, I was repeatedly assured that my absence at Full Council meetings was allowable in view of the circumstances.

“I was aware that another councillor who was very ill had been given special dispensation by the council for her non-attendance and that was a cross party decision.

“I am very sorry that I have been unable to represent my constituents in Talavera ward recently. I had hoped to start my full duties as a borough councillor on Monday, however, this is obviously no longer possible.”

Councillor Capstick said she intends to stand again for her seat at the elections in May.

The Conservatives have also tabled an urgent item on the agenda for the full council meeting on Monday to debate the attendance records of Labour Councillors Geraldine Davies, Gareth Eales, David Palethorpe and Sivaramen Subbarayan.

Councillor Palethorpe (Lab, Billing), the Labour Chief Whip, has not attended a Full Council for more than six months and Councillors Eales (Spencer) and Councillor Davies (Delapre) have attended one each.

Shadow Cabinet member Sivaramen Subbarayan (Lab, Headlands) has not attended any Full Council meetings or any committee meetings since July 2014. He has only attended one panel meeting on litter picking in that time.

Councillor Mackintosh said: “The situation with Labour councillors has got so bad now that one of them has been automatically expelled, with four others close behind.

“Full Council and the other committees do important work in the interests of the town’s residents, and all elected councillors are expected to pull their weight.

“This disgraceful situation raises some serious questions about the calibre of people Labour have been putting forward to stand for them in Northampton, and how they behave if they are elected.

“For Sivaramen Subbarayan to only attend one minor meeting on litter picking in six months is a complete disgrace and he should resign from the Council. Labour continues to support these councillors and do not seem to think this is a problem.”

“One of these councillors is the local Labour Party Chairman, and Cllr David Palethorpe is the Labour Chief Whip, whose job it is to monitor attendance and keep discipline. He has clearly failed to even manage his own attendance, and should resign in shame.

“Over the last six months they have continued to claim allowances from the tax payer that they simply have not earned. If they had any decency they would pay it back, and I hope Labour do not put any of these absent councillors forward for election in May or we will keep reminding the electorate of their damning record.”

Councillor Les Marriott, leader of the Labour group on Northampton Borough Council, admitted that his party could have monitored things better but said he thought it was “sad” that more allowances had not made for someone with a serious injury.

He said: “It is extremely unfair. Councillor Capstick has worked very hard for constituents. When a Conservative councillor was ill in the past, measures were put in place to make allowances for her.

“Councillors might have missed full council meetings because they were acting on behalf of their constituents.”

In response to Councillor Mackintosh’s comments, Councillor Eales said it was “typical gutter level tactics that the electorate would see straight through.”

He said: “It is evident this proven philistine is lashing out petulantly, due to being sore about my retort to his syrupy analysis of 2014 and it being good for Northampton - something which remains delusional.

“For the record, any council meetings I have been unable to attend I have always had sufficient reasoning and issued apologies in advance. However, it is important to emphasise attending meetings is a fraction of what a councillor does.

“I will always unashamedly prioritise working within my ward and representing my constituents and I stand by that particular record. The Chronicle & Echo has covered many a news article over the years demonstrating my level of pro-active campaigning, so I’m confident my constituents know the hard work I do.”

Councillor Palethorpe said decision to remove Councillor Capstick was “spiteful and petty” and accused the Conservatives of “playing politics” before the election.

He said: “I think you will find the attendance records of some of the Conservative councillors could also be highlighted.

“Councillor Capstick was extremely ill and in intensive care and this has been highlighted one day after the six month period.

“I think she could have been given some leeway.”

Councillor Mackintosh said: “If Councillor Palethorpe wants to play politics he should come to the council chamber more.”

Members of the public living in the Talavera ward are advised to contact Councillor David Mackintosh (Con, Ecton Brook) leader of the council with any issues they may have until a replacement councillor is elected in May.

Police have named the victim who died from stab wounds in Barrack Road, Northampton, as a father-of-two from the town.

Jon Casey, 35, from Ecton Brook, in Northampton died after the incident on Friday.

Paramedics were called to the scene near Lazeez restaurant at 5.25pm and transferred Mr Casey to Northampton General Hospital where he died of his injuries an hour later.

A passer-by and her young son tried to help Mr Casey with first aid before the emergency services arrived.

His family have been informed and a post mortem investigation was being carried out today by a Home Office pathologist in Leicester.

Det Insp Mark Brayfield, from Northamptonshire Police, said detectives were now following a number of lines of inquiry.

He said: “This was a brutal and ultimately fatal attack and we would urge anyone in the area at the time and who may have seen anything suspicious to come forward.

“We are very keen to know of Mr Casey’s movements in the hours leading up to his death,” he added.

Anyone with information should call Northamptonshire Police on 101 or, alternatively, Crimestoppers, on 0800 555111

Luther Burrell is ready to produce a ‘big reaction’ against Ospreys after admitting his disappointment with his own performance against Sale.

Burrell and Co were well beaten by Steve Diamond’s side last Saturday, suffering a 20-7 defeat at the AJ Bell Stadium.

It was a sobering experience and one they will be desperate not to repeat when they run out at the Liberty Stadium this weekend.

And with a Champions Cup quarter-final place and a spot in England’s Six Nations squad, which will be announced this week, up for grabs, Burrell is ready to step things up.

“I was disappointed with my performance last week and there’s going to be a big reaction from me and the team this weekend,” said the centre.

“I want to have a good couple of weeks in Europe and then think about England after that.”

And he added: “Last week lost a few key players and conditions didn’t really help.

“You have days like that as a team and luckily for us we don’t have them that often.

“I wouldn’t say I took my eye off the ball, I just hold my hand up and say I had a poor game and there’s no shying away from that.

“I need to put in some big performances in the next couple of weeks, which I hugely intend to do.”

A Good Samaritan who gave first aid to a murder victim after an attack in Northampton town centre has paid tribute to the actions of her seven-year-old son.

Kellie Harrison, 29, and her seven-year-old son, Thomas, tried to give first aid Jon Casey, 35, of Ecton Brook, after they discovered him by the railings in Barrack Road near to the Lazeez restaurant on Friday evening.

Speaking to the Chronicle & Echo, Mrs Harrison, told how many people had just walked past Mr Casey before they stopped to help him.

On the Chron’s Facebook page, Mrs Harrison said: “My seven-year-old that helped me try to give first aid last night, decided he wanted to use his pocket money to buy flowers for the sadly passed man - RIP Jon Casey.

“We’re overwhelmed by the all the help and support we’ve received. Such kind words from you all. We did what anyone else would humanely do.

“I’m immensely proud of my child’s courage and bravery. He conducted himself calmly throughout the whole ordeal. He followed instructions and directed the police officers to the scene.

“My sincere condolences go out to his family and friends. I cannot imagine the anguish & torment there going through right now, it doesn’t bear thinking about.

“My heart goes out to his children. What a cold, callous and calculating thing to do.

“A man lost his life. His mother and father lost their child. His children lost their daddy.”

Police have launched a murder investigation into the attack, which happened at about 5pm on Friday.

Kellie Harrison, 29, was taking her seven-year-old son to a Martial Arts class in The Mounts at 5.15pm on Friday when she saw a man by the railings in Barrack Road outside the Izeez restaurant.

Ms Harrison said a lot of people were walking past the man but she stopped to help him as he looked like he may be injured.

After talking to him she immediately rang 999 for an ambulance.

Ms Harrison said she was on the phone to the operator for 11 minutes and helped cover the man’s wounds. She said her son helped direct police officers to the scene of the incident.

An ambulance crew and police officers then arrived at 5.25pm and the man was taken to hospital.

She said: “I was really shocked. I did all I could to help him. I wish I could have done more.”

Det Insp Mark Brayfield, from Northamptonshire Police, said detectives were now following a number of lines of inquiry.

He said: “This was a brutal and ultimately fatal attack and we would urge anyone in the area at the time and who may have seen anything suspicious to come forward.

“We are very keen to know of Mr Casey’s movements in the hours leading up to his death,” he added.

Anyone with information should call Northamptonshire Police on 101 or, alternatively, Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111

Wayne Burnett says Dagenham were their ‘own worst enemy’ in their 1-0 defeat to the Cobblers at Sixfields on Saturday.

Town outclassed the Daggers throughout the match to record their second successive win, albeit by a slim margin due to Ricky Holmes’ 61st-minute goal.

The result extends a winless run for the Essex club against Northampton which now stretches to 10 games and they also become only the second team to fall to two defeats to the Cobblers this season, with the other being Exeter City.

Burnett’s side have only scored once in seven games and the manager admitted it was always going to be difficult for them to take something from the game at Sixfields.

“Northampton are a very good side, with the calibre of player they have it was always going to be difficult for us,” he said.

“We were under a bit of pressure early on although they didn’t cause us too many problems as the game went on but at times we were our own worst enemy, especially for their goal.

“We made the wrong decisions at crucial times and it was disappointing not to keep another clean sheet.

“But we haven’t scored in the last four games, Jamie Cureton hasn’t scored for five games, so it was always going to be difficult at a place like Northampton.

“I played with three players in midfield to try and screen the defence because Northampton have some very good players like Marc Richards, John-Joe O’Toole and Ricky Holmes. They had better players on the pitch than we did today and that’s why they won.”

Dagenham slipped into the relegation zone as a result of their loss at Sixfields, but Burnett said: “I know we’re back in the relegation zone but I’ve no doubt we will pick up the points we need to get out of it. We’ll keep battling on, as we always do.”

Ricky Holmes made the headlines for the Cobblers on Saturday but this was a complete team performance in which all 10 outfield players made important contributions.

The on-loan Portsmouth winger scored an excellent goal to win the game and is playing like a man with a point to prove; which, given the nature of his Fratton Park exit, is not exactly surprising.

In this game he was a whirling dervish of a player, a ball of energy both in and out of possession and a constant menace to the visiting Dagenham defenders.

And he wasn’t the only one - Lawson D’Ath, a player of similar stature and hairstyle, albeit with a less impressive beard, provided good industry on the opposite wing.

D’Ath also plays like someone with something to prove and the Cobblers are benefiting from both players’ determination to be an effective player despite doubts being cast from others far from Sixfields.

Their attacking play is what catches the eye but they are both very good at closing down their full-backs, and in this regard the team is now one which is capable of ‘defending from the front’, as the old cliche goes.

This higher-tempo approach might be the key change in the January alterations. It certainly felt like it on Saturday.

D’Ath and Holmes were well supported by the players being them, Brendan Moloney at right-back and Evan Horwood at left-back, both of whom like to overlap and both of whom are capable of producing good crosses.

This is an important strand of the team’s functionality; while Gregor Robertson and Ben Tozer are capable and solid players, they will not add the attacking dimension from full-back that the current holders of the jersey do.

It is a curious fact that, despite being more attack-minded as a team, the Cobblers have collected back-to-back clean sheets and have not conceded since Shaquile Coulthirst capitalised on a Matt Duke error to score for Southend at Sixfields a fortnight ago.

Duke himself had virtually nothing to do against Dagenham, whose attack was toothless or either constantly offside. It was noted with only partial humour that the only time Rhys Murphy was onside was after he had been substituted and was sat in the away dug-out.

Only sporadically did they visit the Northampton half and the home side could easily have won by more than their single goal - they almost scored three times in the first 10 minutes of the match.

There was a clear gulf in class between the sides and while you would never rule anything out, on this evidence Northampton do not belong in the same bracket as league two’s struggling sides.

It is surely only a matter of time before their league position bears that testimony.

Player ratings

MATT DUKE

One first-half misjudgement aside, this was almost an afternoon off for Duke, who didn’t have a meaningful save to make all day ...7

BRENDAN MOLONEY

Has been a breath of fresh air at right-back, where he provides an attacking threat, a good delivery and defensive resilience ...8 STAR MAN

RYAN CRESSWELL

Will feel he should have scored in the first 10 minutes of the game when he twice had efforts cleared off the line and then headed wide when he should have done better ...7

LEE COLLINS

Made a couple of uncharacteristic errors in possession but was solid otherwise and part of a well-functioning offside trap which paved the way for another clean sheet ...7

EVAN HORWOOD

Played some excellent crosses into the box and, like Moloney on the other side, got forward as well as getting back and getting his challenges in ...8

LAWSON D’ATH

Another very good performance, full of energy right up until the final minute of the game. If there is a negative, it’s that he really should have scored in the first half ...8

JASON TAYLOR

Has been a vital addition to the midfield and is bringing the best out of Byrom, with the balance in that department of the team looking very good ...7

JOEL BYROM

Did not enjoy the same level of dominance he did at Exeter in the previous game but was still an influence and is producing some lovely passing play at the moment ...7

RICKY HOLMES

Showed very good footwork to evade a couple of defenders and find space for the shot which settled the game and was running hard with the game in injury time ...8

JOHN-JOE O’TOOLE

This is the player the club thought they had signed in the summer and he is getting better with every game. His back-heeled volley at goal would have been a truly special goal ...8

MARC RICHARDS

Although he did not score, he still had a big influence on the game, often playing as the false nine and dragging defenders out to make space for O’Toole ...8

Substitutes:

CHRIS HACKETT (for O’Toole 84)

IVAN TONEY (for Holmes 90)

Not used: Snedker, Robertson, Carter, Tozer, Diamond

Alex King believes returning skipper Dylan Hartley will be hugely motivated to steer Saints to a vital Champions Cup win at Ospreys this evening.

Hartley has missed his club’s past three matches through suspension after seeing red in the victory over Leicester Tigers at Franklin’s Gardens last month.

Mike Haywood has stepped up in the absence of the England hooker, who was punished for elbowing Tigers centre Matt Smith.

But Hartley is back in the Saints starting line-up this weekend and King knows he will be desperate to put in a big performance at the Liberty Stadium.

“It’s been a frustrating few weeks for him not being able to play but those are the rules and we move on,” said the attack coach.

“He’ll be motivated because he’ll want to put in a couple of big performances before, hopefully, he goes off to the Six Nations.”

And King has no concerns about possible wind-up tactics from the Welsh side, stressing that Hartley will handle the occasion.

“Dylan is now of the age where he needs to take that self-awareness and responsibility,” he said.

“I’m sure he’ll go onto that pitch and not let anything distract him from his rugby performance.

“His team-mates will help him out and make sure he doesn’t give the opportunity for the referee or anyone to make a decision against him.

“It’s time to concentrate on the rugby now and we move on.”