Ben Foden’s World Cup dream looks to be in tatters after the Saints full-back was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury.

Foden will be forced to undergo surgery after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the 12th minute of the 20-9 Champions Cup win at the Liberty Stadium on Sunday.

Saints boss Jim Mallinder had initially been hopeful of a swift return, saying “hopefully he’ll be back this week.”

But Foden was sent for a scan on Monday and given the bad news, with the 29-year-old later tweeting: “So today is suppose to be the most depressing day of the year.........? #YouDontSay.”

It means Foden, who has 34 England caps to his name, will have limited recovery time before the World Cup starts in September.

And with the Saints star already behind Harlequins man Mike Brown in the pecking order, it will be a tough ask for Foden to stake his claim.

After the news was announced, he tweeted: “Thanks for the support, not gonna lie its a hard pill to swallow. I guess it’s the nature of the beast #gutted #shouldhavekickedit #onwards.”

The number of shoppers in Northampton town centre increased by 135,000 during the Christmas period, latest figures have shown.

According to footfall figures released by Northampton Borough Council, 1,685,000 people came into Northampton during the six-week period covering Christmas and New Year.

This is an 8.7 per cent increase on the same time last year when 1,550,000 visitors chose to do their Christmas shopping in Northampton.

The number of people parking in the town centre in the Christmas period also increased by 10,000. In total, 50,000 cars used the council’s multi-storey car parks, an increase of over 27 per cent on 2013.

Councillor David Mackintosh, Leader of Northampton Borough Council said: “This year we have worked hard to make the town centre offer even better with regular entertainment and the traditional German Market.

“We also invested in radio and billboard campaigns to bring in shoppers from across the region to promote our expanded free parking offer. And through our Business Incentive Scheme we have brought even more shops and businesses into the town centre, filling 20 previously vacant units.

“Shoppers have really responded to this. We have seen over 130,000 more people come into Northampton ready to shop, eat and enjoy our town centre. This can only be good for our town centre businesses and as we bring more visitors to Northampton.”

The windows of a bus and a car were smashed after bricks were thrown from a footbridge of the A14 in Northamptonshire by a group of teenage boys.

Police are investigating three seperate vandalism incidents on the A14 on Monday.

The first incident happened at about 1.30pm on the A14, near the junction with the A6, when a brick landed on a car windscreen and cracked the glass. It is believed the brick was thrown from a footbridge over the A14. Three young boys were seen on the bridge at the time.

Two further incidents happened in Polwell Lane, Barton Seagrave, at about 8.30pm on the same day.

A teenager was standing in the middle of the road as a bus approached. As the bus slowed down, the teenager ran to the pavement throwing a brick while he ran. The brick hit a side window causing it to smash.

A couple of minutes later, another brick was thrown at another bus travelling down Polwell Road, also causing damage.

In both incidents a second boy was standing at the side of the road.

Sergeant Scott Little said: “These were extremely irresponsible and potentially dangerous acts of vandalism, which could have resulted in serious injury to the drivers or passengers on the bus.

“Officers will be carrying out extra patrols in the area today and will be speaking to local residents and potential witnesses to try and identify the people involved.

“Anyone who witnessed the incidents or saw anyone hanging around in Polwell Road yesterday evening or on the A14 footbridge yesterday lunchtime is urged to contact Kettering police on 101.”

Witnesses or anyone with information are asked to contact Northamptonshire Police on 101. Alternatively, information can be given anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Plans to build 2,300 new homes on green space near Hardingstone and Collingtree have been labelled ‘insanity’ by villagers, as they backed a Northampton Borough Council objection to the scheme.

The authority voted unanimously in favour of lodging a formal objection to policies N5 and N6 of the West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy at last night’s full council meeting.

The major planning blueprint, which began to be formed in 2007, shows which areas are suitable for housing expansion in the west of the county and was ratified in December.

But villagers in Collingtree and Hardingstone have strongly objected to the strategy since it first emerged - with 1,500 signing a petition against building on the green areas between the villages.

Last night, Councillor Tim Hadland (Con, Duston), cabinet member for planning and regeneration, said the council would throw its weight behind efforts to get the strategy amended.

He said: “Quite clearly Collingtree is not sustainable, in terms of educational provision, pollution, flooding, you name it.

“Anyone who has experienced the traffic infrastructure in that bottom right hand corner of Northampton knows that the traffic really is creeping and beginning to effect the economy of Brackmills businesses.”

Several Collingtree and Hardingstone residents spoke during the meeting to commend the council on its objection.

In relation to the 1,000 homes plan at Collingtree, considered as a ‘sustainable urban extension’ in the strategy, Rod Sellers said: “The same basic issues about this have been raised time and time again. There are few economic benefits.

“You could not find a site more likely to encourage the use of a car - it’s hemmed in on all sides.”

Housing developers Bovis, has already submitted plans to build 1,000 homes on the Collingtree site.

But the council also objected to what the authority has called the “limited provision for a north-west bypass,” set out in policy T7 of the Joint Core strategy.

The proposed plan would only see a single carriageway road start from New Sandy Lane, but stop less than two miles away near the Windhover pub in Chapel Brampton.

Councillor Hadland said: “Who in their right mind would propose building a bypass starting in the middle of the proposed route.

“It’s effectively a road from nowhere to nowhere.”

Councillor Hadland said the council could support the rest of the joint core strategy providing the Collingtree and Hardingstone sites were removed and the bypass route amended.

A 23-year-old man suffered severe concussion and facial injuries after he was assaulted near a KFC restaurant in Northamptonshire.

Police today launched an appeal for any witnesses to an assault that happened near the restaurant in Silver Street, Kettering, between 2am and 2.10am, on New Year’s Day.

Witnesses or anyone with information are asked to contact Northamptonshire Police on 101. Alternatively, information can be given anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Jim Mallinder says Saints know they can beat Racing Metro in the crunch clash at Franklin’s Gardens on Saturday.

The clubs are currently locked on 19 points in Champions Cup Pool 5, with Racing occupying top spot courtesy of their win against Saints in the meeting in Paris back in October.

Mallinder’s men are desperate to claim revenge for that 20-11 defeat, in which they were robbed of a losing bonus point late on.

And with theirs and Racing’s points tally better than any of the other sides in the competition, a home quarter-final is definitely up for grabs.

“It’s going to be a great game,” said Mallinder.

“We went there and came close, but came away with nothing.

“We were disappointed to come away with no points, we thought we could be up against it, but we’ve recovered and given ourselves a chance - and that’s all you can do.

“It’s a home game against a French side, one of the best teams in Europe, but we know we can beat them.

“If we do, we’ve got that massive bonus of a home quarter-final and that’s a massive incentive.”

Cobblers boss Chris Wilder admits Swindon striker Miles Storey - who has been linked with a moved to Sixfields - is the type of player he may look to sign in this transfer window.

Town have been mentioned as a potential loan destination for Storey, who spent the first half of the season on loan at Portsmouth.

With Alex Nicholls and Emile Sinclair having left the club this month, Northampton are in the market to bolster a forward line which currently includes the top scorer in Sky Bet League Two, Marc Richards and 18-year-old Ivan Toney.

Storey, who is described as quick but raw, would appear to tick some of the boxes.

“There are a lot of names that get chucked in,” said Wilder. “He (Storey) has gone back to Swindon from Portsmouth and they’re talking about league one and league two clubs looking at him.

“He’s a quick forward and we’re after a quick forward but we’re talking to a few.

“There is no great rush and it has to be right financially because that is part of my job to do that, to ensure we balance the books.”

Wilder is currently lined his team up in a formation which has Richards as a lone striker with John-Joe O’Toole tucked in behind him but even with that system he accepts he is short of central attackers.

“We had Ivan on the bench on Saturday so we’re maybe one striker light,” he said. “That’s just one position we’re looking to improve and get somebody in who can stretch the game and get in beyond.

“Maybe we just need something a little bit different to what we’ve already got in the building.

“We’ve got a couple of weeks to do it but we’d rather get people in sooner rather than later and towards the end of the window.

“It has to be the right player and it has to be right financially to make things fit.”

A home carer from Northampton who stole more than £7,000 from her terminally ill patient’s bank account was spared jail after showing ‘genuine remorse’ for her crimes.

Elke Hemmersbach, of Hood Street, appeared at Northampton Crown Court yesterday having already pleaded guilty to the charge of fraud by abuse of position at a court hearing in December.

The court heard how the 48-year-old was one of a team of people charged with the round-the-clock care of a now-deceased elderly woman in Northampton.

But between March 25 and the pensioner’s death, aged 83, on June 13, Hemmersbach made 52 separate cash withdrawals using the woman’s bank card, stealing a total of £7,411.

However, after hearing the results of a probation report, which suggested out-of-work Hemmersbach had suffered a tough upbringing in Germany and had showed remorse for her actions, judge James Guthrie decided not to send her to prison.

Sentencing her he said: “You pleaded guilty to a most unpleasant offence committed against an elderly woman who you were trusted to look after.

“Such a breach of trust must normally lead to a sentence of imprisonment - and I would not have hesitated to impose such a sentence immediately if it were not for a number of reasons explained to me by the probation service.

“I believe you do feel great remorse for what you did.”

Judge Guthrie handed Hemmersbach a six-month prison sentence, suspended for one year, and 100 hours of unpaid work.

Prosecuting, Lynsey Knott said the fraud was discovered when the victim’s next of kin - a niece from Ireland - came to Northampton to close her aunt’s accounts.

She found transactions were still being made on the account after the woman’s death and had also noticed bank cards missing from the elderly woman’s handbag.

Defending for Hemmersbach yesterday, Steven Evans said the carer had ‘unresolved personal issues’ relating to a difficult upbringing in her native Germany.

She had fled the country aged 16, he said, and lived on the streets in London for a period before training as a carer.

He added “She could not complain about an immediate custodial sentence.

“But this is not a straight forward situation - in fact prison is only likely to exacerbate her situation.”

The boss of the NHS in Northampton has quit to set up his own private company.

Ben Gowland, chief executive of NHS Nene - which covers the whole of the county apart from Corby - is stepping down from his role after seven and a half years.

But he has announced he is leaving the NHS after 20 years to set up a new organisation, which NHS Nene declined to name yesterday.

A statement said: “Ben will be instrumental in setting up a new organisation aimed at improving patient care and the lives of patients.

“His new venture will bring together experts in a number of fields to help support health and social care organisations to implement innovative, high-impact ideas.”

Mr Gowland moved to Northamptonshire in 2007 to become boss of Nene Commissioning, a group of GPs.

He then remained chief executive when Nene Commissioning became NHS Nene.

Although the trust under his tenure produced some popular initiatives, for example the paying of professional carers for time spent travelling between jobs, his reign saw NHS Nene much criticised.

In 2013, it closed the popular respite home Favell House anddrastically cut podiatry services.

In the same year it was also placed in financial special measures and needed to find £8 million of cuts,

Latest figures from December 2014 show Mr Gowland leaves the trust with it on course to overspend between £1.3m and £2.9m come March.

He said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my seven years in Northamptonshire and have met and worked with some exceptional talents.

“I am very sad to be leaving, but I know that the organisation is now in a good position with agreed plans and strong partnerships across local health and social care.”

GP Chair, Dr Darin Seiger adds “Although I have accepted Ben’s resignation with great sadness, I am delighted that, in his new venture, he will continue to use his enthusiasm and skills to help modernise and improve care services for patients across the country. I wish him every success.”

A village post office in Northamptonshire is to move to a new premises and open for longer hours.

The Post Office has agreed to move the Long Buckby branch next door to Buckby Newsagents, where it will open with a shop counter-style till - replacing the separate screened counter - and extended opening hours.

It will open from 4am seven days a week, closing at 5.30pm Monday to Friday, 1.30pm on Saturdays and 12.30pm on Sundays.

That means an extra 39 hours and 30 minutes of Post Office service every week.

The Post Oficce said the date of the move will be announced “in the near future”.

A Post Office spokesman said: “We are currently working with the new operator to design the layout to ensure there is adequate

room for customers and to ensure appropriate level of privacy at the Post Office till point.”

Sherali Govani, the current postmaster, is planning to retire.

The spokesman said: “This move is with the current postmaster’s agreement and is part of major modernisation programme across the Post Office network designed to make it easier for customers to do business, through longer opening hours and modern open plan environments.”

Will Russell, regional manager said: “We understand how important having a Post Office is to residents in Long Buckby and we are confident this new modern Post Office service will meet the needs of the local community and secure services for the future. This modernisation is part of a major investment programme, the largest in the history of the Post Office and marks a commitment to no more branch closure programmes.”

A Northampton couple have failed in a bid to prosecute their neighbour for letting out his property in a case that, experts say, affects hundreds of people in the town.

The couple, who live in Churchill Avenue, Lake View, tried to use a covenant placed on the next door house, which prevented business usage, to stop its owner from renting it out.

But during a hearing at Northampton County Court, a judge dismissed the complaint, and, setting a possible legal precedent, ruled that letting out a property does not count as business.

Defending the landlord - Reshat Tasher, aged 36 - Lynsey Ward from DW Solicitors said: “A lot of people could be affected by this.

“All the properties around the one in question are bound by the same covenant so that will be at least 300 people.

“This is the first time that an issue like this has been dealt with in court, so other residents can now be assured that, if they have this restriction on their title deeds, it does not restrict them from simply letting the property as a residential dwelling, so long as the property is not used by the tenants as a business.

“Usually this isn’t a problem, but this case came to court because the next door neighbours did not wish for any business to be run from the property and issued proceedings against our client requesting that he evict the current tenants from the property and to either occupy or sell the property.

“If anyone is considering starting a business from their home, then I would recommend seeking legal advice.”

The complaint was originally made after the couple noticed that the tenant next door was running a small child-minding service.

They contacted the landlord, to say that the business, which backs onto a school, was creating too much noise.

By the time the couple took their complaint to court, they were arguing that the property, which Mr Tasher inherited from his aunt, was bound by a ‘restrictive covenant’ and shouldn’t even be being let out.

They argued that Mr Tasher was obliged to sell the property or move in himself.

However, while Judge Murdoch agreed that the tenants’ child-minding service was in breach of the covenenat and they should be evicted, he dismissed the couple’s complaint about letting the property.

Mr Tasher said: “The issue was barely taken seriously. The judge raised the issue that, if it’s possible to prosecute for any sort of business being involved at the property, then what happens to the newspaper delivery boy? Or the Avon represententative going to doors? Or even a teacher marking books at home?

“It was all a bit of a joke really and I don’t quite know how it got to court at all.”

Following the case, the couple were ordered to cover the legal costs of both sides, coming to a total of £12,400

A drug dealer who fled to Gibraltar after being caught selling ‘medical heroin’ on the streets of Northampton is set to face jail after eight years on the run.

Paul McGuigan, finally appeared at Northampton Crown Court yesterday having first been uncovered as a dealer during a 2006 police test purchase operation.

The 36-year-old pleaded guilty to a charge of supplying diamorphine - a drug often known as medical heroin due to its similar chemical properties - between November and December of that year.

Matthew Lowe, prosecuting, said McGuigan, of Kilne Road, Newbury, was originally caught by undercover officers on Barrack Road.

He had sold drugs to the test purchase officers “on a number of occasions”, Mr Lowe said, or “assisted them in obtaining them from other sources.”

The officers then picked McGuigan out of an identity parade as the person they had bought the drugs from.

Mr Lowe said: “The reason why the defendant wasn’t charged is because he left the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom.

“He went to Gibraltar shortly after the offences.

“But he was arrested at Gatwick airport on December 4 last year - effectively as he had just stepped off the plane from Gibraltar.”

Mr Lowe asked for sentencing to be delayed as it was believed McGuigan was part of a wider criminal organisation.

“We are not yet sure how this defendant fitted into that hierarchy,” Mr Lowe added. “If the information can be obtained it should be put before the sentencing judge.”

Defending for McGuigan, Tony Davis called for probation reports to be compiled on the defendant.

Judge James Guthrie ordered McGuigan to remain in custody until his sentencing hearing on February 17.

Northampton Saints star Ben Foden is fronting a campaign urging parents to take advantage of a new law that lets them share parental leave.

From April 5, couples will be able to share the allowance of 50 weeks leave and 37 weeks of pay to give fathers the chance to take more time off and ensure their wife’s earning potential isn’t badly affected by having a child.

Mr Foden, aged 29, and his 33-year-old popstar wife Una, a member of The Saturdays, have a two-year-old daughter, Aoife, and are expecting a son next month.

Mr Foden, a fullback with 34 England caps, said he expected some mocking for his role in the Government drive from his Saints teammates but believes rugby’s rough and tumble world had made him a better father.

Talking to a national newspaper, he said: “There will be some changing room banter. It’s part and parcel of being a rugby player.

“But to be honest, this campaign is making me look a lot cooler than some other stuff.

“There are six or seven young dads in the team and we take it seriously. Being rugby players we are used to sweat, spit, blood and rolling around in the mud, so no one has a problem about getting their hands dirty changing nappies.

“I do everything, all the nappy changing and feeding. I was there for Aoife’s first words and her first steps.”

Mr Foden, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a serious knee injury, said he believed his approach was becoming increasingly common, even in the traditionally macho world of rugby.

He said: “In this day and age, women can just as easily be the main breadwinner as men. Why should they have to give up their careers when they have children?.”

Seven weeks after giving birth to her first child, ballroom queen Erin Boag was back on the dance floor with her long-term dance partner, Strictly Come Dancing star Anton Du Beke.

“I had to have a Caesarean. Our baby boy, Ewan, is now six months old,” Erin tells me, prior to coming to Northampton’s Derngate next month for her new That’s Entertainment UK tour with Strictly star Anton. “Seven weeks after his birth I was back dancing, though I didn’t tell my doctors in case they thought it was maybe a bit insane!

“I wanted to get back into shape and thought seven weeks was long enough and that I’d given my body a bit of a break.”

New Zealand-born Erin had hoped to have a natural childbirth but found out a few days before her due date that she’d have to have a Caesarean.

“When I went back dancing I said to Anton ‘let’s see how it goes’ and if I could manage because I had had stitches, but it was fine, though probably a little too soon. We changed some dances accordingly and I had a show booked for the week after I started back. The dresses were a bit of a squeeze but it went OK.”

Professional Latin and Ballroom dancer Erin was a regular on the BBC’s hugely popular Strictly Come Dancing series for years, but decided to quit the show because she wanted to have a baby.

“Last year I’d been thinking of starting a family for a while and knew I wouldn’t be able to retire halfway through a series of Strictly,” she recalls.

“I wasn’t pregnant when I told them I wasn’t going to be available but I think they had a bit of an idea why I wasn’t coming back and I just said it was for personal reasons. Luckily enough I got pregnant pretty quickly.”

She suffered from morning sickness for the first half of her pregnancy though and watched last year’s Strictly Come Dancing feeling very ill.

“It went on for 20 weeks; it was horrendous,” she says. “I watched Strictly from my sofa and even watching them spin made me feel sick so it was a good job I’d pulled out of the show. Luckily I was OK after that and by the time I was 22 weeks pregnant I did our Christmas show at the Royal Albert Hall.”

Erin’s fitness levels are naturally higher than most people’s because of the job she does and she says she was at the gym two days before Ewan was born.

“Though I couldn’t run up the stairs I did keep fit in my pregnancy with swimming and the gym,” she admits. “My bump was quite neat with it being my first one, but at 39 weeks I found out that complications of too much water around the baby meant I couldn’t have the natural birth I wanted as he would have got stuck. There was no option and I was told to bring my things into the hospital. I asked if I could go home first to get my head around it and everything went very well.“

Erin is loving being a mother and says it is a role she was fairly prepared for as her first job, when she came to England 19 years ago, was as a nanny for two babies.

“I feel like having one is a piece of cake and am loving every single minute. It’s even more special now with my own baby. And both the babies I looked after 19 years ago now babysit for me!”

Erin breastfed for two months but then stopped because she was back at work.

“It was a bit difficult doing shows while trying to feed so now he is on formula. There are restless nights and he usually wakes up once in the night, but I know that’s not going to last for long. I don’t mind at all though; it’s such a joy having a baby.”

Erin has been combining rehearsals for the new tour, that’s entertainment, with motherhood while Anton has been juggling it with dancing on this year’s Strictly Come Dancing with his partner, Judy Murray.

“This time I’ve got a bit more time to prepare for the show and we’ve got three Christmas shows, called Anton and Erin’s Christmas Cracker, at the Royal Albert Hall on December 21 and 22, which is always really lovely.”

That’s Entertainment features sassy tunes, sparkling costumes and the choreography showcases the talents of the king and queen of the ballroom. Anton and Erin combine the elegance of their quickstep, foxtrot, tango and waltz with the showbiz razzmatazz of hits and steps from stage and screen including Steppin’ Out With My Baby, True Love, Make ‘em Laugh, There’s No Business Like Show Business and That’s Entertainment. They will be joined on stage by star vocalist Lance Ellington, six world-class ensemble dancers and the 25-piece London Concert Orchestra, conducted by Richard Balcombe.

“It’s going to be a really special show and the costumes are wonderful. I think there’s more sequins than ever this year on them.”

She’s nervous that she will be singing as well as dancing in some numbers this year.

“I can hold a note, but I’m nervous about singing.”

Northampton is the first place Anton and Erin will be performing their new show and Erin says she is really looking forward to returning to the town.

“I love going to Northampton and love performing at Derngate; it’s got a warm feeling about it.”

That’s Entertainment is at Royal & Derngate, Northampton, on Thursday, January 22 and Friday, January 23. Tickets from the box office on www.royalandderngate,co,uk; 01604 624811

Six Saints stars have been named in England’s 34-man training squad for the Six Nations.

Alex Corbisiero, Dylan Hartley, Calum Clark, Tom Wood, Stephen Myler and Luther Burrell are all included.

Lee Dickson has been left out, but will captain the Saxons, with Christian Day and Alex Waller also named in that party.

Kieran Brookes, who will join Saints from Newcastle Falcons, is another man selected for the Saxons’ game against Ireland Wolfhounds in Cork on January 30.

As for those named in the senior group, the target will be the Six Nations opener against Wales in Cardiff on February 6.

Courtney Lawes will miss the first few weeks of the tournament after having an operation on his injured ankle, while Ben Foden is out for the season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament.

“Many players are putting their hand up in the Aviva Premiership and Europe and they have a chance to impress in training as we build towards the games against Wales and the Wolfhounds,” said England head coach Stuart Lancaster, who has named Sale’s Danny Cipriani and Harlequins No.8 Nick Easter in his senior squad.

“We have plenty of players to consider and with some players still being assessed from last weekend after suffering knocks we have kept our options open.

“It’s a big European weekend ahead and there may be further changes once we assess the fitness of the players after round six and we will provide an update on Monday.

“We will use the four-day training camp and the Saxons game to narrow down selection as we lead into the opening game against Wales.

“We will be without Joe Launchbury and Ben [Morgan] and it was a real shame to see Ben Foden pick up his injury up last weekend. We will continue to work with Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers with Courtney and Manu [Tuilagi] to see where they are as the Six Nations progresses.”

England senior squad: Forwards: Attwood (Bath), Clark (Saints), Cole (Leicester), Corbisiero (Saints), Easter (Harlequins), Hartley (Saints), Haskell (Wasps), Kitchener (Leicester), Kruis (Saracens), Marler (Harlequins), Parling (Leicester), Robshaw (Harlequins, captain), M Vunipola (Saracens), B Vunipola (Saracens), Wilson (Bath), Wood (Saints), T Youngs (Leicester). Backs: Barritt (Saracens), Brown (Harlequins), Burrell (Saints), Care (Harlequins), Cipriani (Sale), Eastmond (Bath), Farrell (Saracens), Ford (Bath), Goode (Saracens), Joseph (Bath), May (Gloucester), Myler (Saints), Nowell (Exeter), Twelvetrees (Gloucester), Watson (Bath), Wigglesworth (Saracens), B Youngs (Leicester).

England Saxons squad: Forwards: Brookes (Newcastle), Croft (Leicester), Day (Saints), Cowan-Dickie (Exeter), Ewers (Exeter), Garvey (Bath), Harrison (Sale), Itoje (Saracens), Kvesic (Gloucester), Mullan (Wasps), Thomas (Bath), Waldrom (Exeter), A Waller (Saints), Webber (Bath). Backs: Ashton (Saracens), Burgess (Bath, Daly (Wasps), Devoto (Bath), Dickson (Saints, captain), Pennell (Worcester), Simpson (Wasps), Slade (Exeter), Yarde (Harlequins), Wade (Wasps).

A woman was pushed to the floor and had her handbag stolen during a robbery in Northampton.

The attacked happened between 12.30pm and 12.40pm Sunday, January 18.

A police spokesman said: “Two offenders attacked the victim causing her to fall forward onto her knees. During the fall, her handbag fell to the floor and was picked up by one of the two attackers.

“The offenders then ran off towards Penistone Road.

“One of them is described as being a tall, skinny male and wearing a grey tracksuit with possibly a dark blue Adidas logo on the back,” he added.

Witnesses or anyone with information are asked to contact Northamptonshire Police on 101. Alternatively, information can be given anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The Cobblers will not be signing Swindon Town striker Miles Storey after it was confirmed the player will spend two days on trial at Scottish Premier League club St Mirren.

Town had held talks with the Robins about a deal to take the 21-year-old on loan as cover for front men Marc Richards and Ivan Toney.

However, the Swindon Link Sport website has revealed the two clubs were unable to agree on the financial contribution Northampton would make to the player’s wages and the deal is now off.

Storey will travel to Scotland this week for a trial period before an expected loan arrangement.

Robins chairman Lee Power told Link Sport: “He’s going to go to St Mirren for a couple of days. He’s going to go and have a look.

“They want to take him on loan so Miles is going to have a look and see where it takes him.

“We’d agreed a loan with Northampton and then they came back and asked for a reduced figure, which we didn’t want to do. That’s why he’s gone to Scotland.”

The detective leading the Jon Casey murder investigation says police are working on some “good leads” but are still in need of new witnesses to come forward with information.

The 35-year-old father-of-two from Ecton Brook, was found with stab wounds shortly before 5.30pm on January 16, close to the Lazeez restaurant in Barrack Road.

He was taken to Northampton General Hospital but died a short time later.

Detective Inspector Mark Brayfield, from the East Midlands Specialist Operations Unit Major Crime Team, said: “We are continuing our investigations and are working on some good leads, which we believe may identify the offenders.

“We are also continuing to search the Barrack Road and Semilong areas of Northampton in our work to locate the murder weapon.

“Despite this progress, I would appeal to people who were in the Barrack Road area when Jon Casey was killed to come forward.

“This was a busy time of day with many people on their way home from work, so we know there are a lot of people who will have seen what happened.

“I would urge them to come forward because any piece of information they have, no matter how small, could be vital to solving this case.”

It is believed Mr Casey may had been involved in an altercation with two black men before he was found in Barrack Road.

As the altercation spilled out onto the road, it is believed a number of cars had to swerve out of the way close to the old Royal Mail sorting office.

An inquest into the death of Mr Casey was opened and closed at Northampton County Hall on Wednesday morning. The official cause of death was given as “stab wounds to the chest” and the inquest will resume later in the year.

Officers would still like to speak to anyone who saw Mr Casey in the Semilong area at around 5pm on the day.

Witnesses or anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

A new Co-op store has opened up in Northampton, creating 21 jobs.

The 3000 square foot store, in Main Road, Duston, was officially opened by manager Ben Grove today. It will be open every day from 7.30am to 8pm offering a wide range of products and services including; an in-store bakery, fresh and frozen produce and a cash point.

Mr Grove said: “We’ve had a great launch day and have received many positive comments regarding the store. This is an exciting time for me and the team and we are looking forward to becoming a valued part of the local community and getting to know our neighbours.”

A 45-year-old man has been arrested after police received two reports of flashing in a Northamptonshire street.

Both of the alleged incidents happened in Lake Avenue, Kettering, with the first taking place on Tuesday, January 6 and the second on Friday, January 16.

Both of the incidents happened between 1.30pm and 2pm.

Despite an arrest being made, officers investigating the case are still keen to speak to any witnesses who may have been in the area.

Anyone with any information can call Northamptonshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers confidentially on 0800 555111.