Five Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) in Northampton have been given bicycles worth £2,750 after they received funding from Northampton Borough councillors empowerment fund.

Tony Ansell (Con, Abington), David Mackintosh (Con, Rectory Farm), Steven Hibbert (Con, Riverside), Lee Mason (Lab, Brookside) and Sally Beardsworth (Lib Dem, Kingsthorpe),

Sergeant Steve Bedford said: “These new bikes, which will be easily identified as police bikes, will be a great help to our PCSOs and a big support to local policing, and we are very grateful to the councillors for providing the funding.

“The bikes will be particularly useful in helping our PCSOs cover larger areas of their beat as well as patrolling along cycle paths and in some of the less accessible areas, such as the back alleys in Abington and areas of Kingsthorpe village.

“As well as being able to get around their beat quicker, the PCSOs will remain very visible to the public and will still able to stop easily to talk to people and respond to any enquiries.”

Former Rangers defender Ross Perry admits he had no hesitation in joining the Cobblers once he knew Chris Wilder was interested in signing him.

The 25-year-old today put pen to paper on a deal at Sixfields until the end of the season, and he is delighted to be reunited with a manager he worked with briefly six years ago.

Perry was an untried teenager at Rangers when Wilder took him on loan at Oxford, and Perry went on to play 11 games for the Us in their Blue Square Premier promotion season.

And working with Wilder clearly left an impression.

“Chris Wilder gave me an opportunity when I was a bit younger, down at Oxford,” said Perry, whose move to the Cobblers is subject international clearance as his most recent club was Raith Rovers.

“He brought me in on loan from Rangers, and I really enjoyed my time there. It was my first taste of first-team football.

“Now, after leaving Raith he has given me the opportunity to come down and play until the end of the season.

“Chris has told me to come down, enjoy myself, and try to get in the team and play football.”

Perry has not played since he was red-carded in the third minute of what proved to be his final game for Raith on December 6 last year, a 5-1 defeat to Livingston in the Scottish Championship.

But he is not worried about his fitness, and says he is ready to play if called upon by Wilder.

“I played the vast majority of the games for Raith,” said Perry, who won 16 caps at Under-21 level for Scotland.

“It was a short-term deal at Raith and I have now been given the chance to come here and hopefully I can kick on.”

Perry, who also played for a short time on loan at Falkirk in 2010, made his debut for Rangers when they were in the SPL, and then won a Scottish League Division Three winners’ medal after the Ibrox giants were relegated to the bottom tier following their administration woes in 2012.

He damaged ankle ligaments in the summer of 2013, and missed the whole of the following season, before his contract at Rangers was cancelled by mutual consent.

He then signed for Raith last summer, but left the club when the deal expired at the end of December.

Perry has been searching for a new club ever since, and is delighted to have signed on for a Cobblers side pressing for a place in the Sky Bet League Two promotion play-offs.

“Northampton are on a fantastic run, are in a great position, and we have a great opportunity to go on and have a fantastic end to the season,” said Perry, who has been training with his new team-mates this week.

“I am really looking forward to it, and am hoping to be a part of that.”

“I know a couple of the guys, I know big Zander from up north, and it seems like a really good bunch of boys here and everybody has been really welcoming.

“I am just excited to get involved further and to get going.”

Perry has never played at league two level before, but says he knows what it is all about and that he is looking forward to the challenge.

“League two is a great level of football, and is highly competitive,” said Perry, who was born in Falkirk.

“I have a couple of friends who play down here in England already, and they have told me a little bit about it.

“I am just excited about getting going.

“Every game counts between now and the beginning of May, and furthermore if we really kick on.

“We just need to be positive and get the right results.”

Saints youngster Tom Collins has revealed how he has taken advice from his footballer father in a bid to keep going during a stop-start season.

Niggly injuries have hampered the speedy back’s campaign, but he is now fit and ready to go as Saints face Saracens in the LV= Cup semi-final at Allianz Park on Saturday.

Collins’ dad, Darren, could also be in action that day as the Brackley Town assistant boss has this week signed on to help out the club nicknamed the Saints in their survival bid.

The 47-year-old played more than 50 games for the Cobblers between 1989 and 1991 and also played for sides such as Rushden & Diamonds and Kettering Town.

And his words of wisdom have proved invaluable for Tom, who has only made four appearances this season after racking up 13 during the previous campaign.

“I’ve been picking up a couple of injuries here and there,” said Collins junior.

“It’s been frustrating for me on the back of last year, having played a bit then.

“It’s been hard to get a run of games together but my dad has been a massive support to me.

“With these injuries it’s good to have that kind of support behind you and have someone who you can talk to.

“Being in a professional atmosphere is hard as a young lad and all you want to do is get out there and play, so having him there has been a massive help to me.

“I’m looking forward to getting back out there and playing now.”

Collins senior could turn out for Brackley in Saturday’s Vanarama North game at Guiseley.

But Tom has business to attend to for Saints in Barnet on Saturday afternoon, meaning he won’t get to see his dad in action.

“We’ll see how he gets on and see if he can get through at least one game,” said Tom. “It would be hilarious watching him now.

“He keeps himself in good nick, he trains quite a bit and he’s doing well at the age of 47.”

A planning application for a large commercial development in Northampton, which could create 450 new jobs, has been approved by South Northamptonshire Council (SNC).

A proposal has been put forward by Goodman Real Estate Ltd to provide two large storage and distribution facilities with ancillary offices on 465,000 square feet of land off Saxon Avenue in Grange Park.

The land, known as Zone C, has stood vacant for more than 17 years since its first allocation for development in 1998.

Planning permission could be formally issued in the next few weeks, subject to confirmation of no objection from the Environment Agency, Anglian Water and Northamptonshire County Council Archaeology.

The applicants then anticipate development would commence this year and ultimately create 450 new jobs for the local area.

Councillor Rebecca Breese, SNC’s portfolio holder for planning and environment, said: “Good living standards and housing growth are attracting people to the area in large numbers. It is therefore important we complete the circle by providing opportunities for employment growth.

“SNC identified the potential of this site as a good place for a business to make its home, and we are glad a developer is willing to back that vision with plans that could be a significant boost for the local economy and local jobs.”

Cobblers boss Chris Wilder says the fact Saturday’s opponents Tranmere Rovers are currently in the Sky Bet League Two relegation zone is ‘irrelevant’.

Town play host to 23rd-placed Rovers knowing a win could take them to within two points of the play-off places, with a home game against Carlisle United, who are 21st in the table, to follow on Tuesday night.

Tranmere have lost five of their past six games but Wilder has played down their perilous league position and insists the focus is solely on his own players.

“The most important thing for us is that we make sure we’re right because we know in this league than anyone can turn anyone else over,” he said.

“We have to be bang at it and we have to be right mentally, which we will be, and we have to make sure we recover from the defeat (at Plymouth).

“The opposition’s position in the league is irrelevant. They’re fighting to stay in the Football League and whatever team you play at this stage of the season, it’s a tough encounter.

“From our point of view, we believe that we’ll get a result.”

Changes to the Cobblers line-up are likely to be kept to a minimum despite them losing 2-0 at Plymouth Argyle last week, a loss which was only the team’s second in 2015.

“It doesn’t get smashed from one defeat,” he said.

“We’ve not been tearing into the players and saying this, that and the other are all wrong.

“We didn’t think there was a lot wrong with the performance on Saturday, we just need to be a little bit better in key areas.

“I’m sure we will we and we will go again. It’s another chance for us to put a bit of pressure on the teams above us.”

About 15 per cent of young people in Northamptonshire feel depressed ‘most of the time’, a study suggests.

Between September 2014 and January 2015, Healthwatch Northamptonshire asked 527 young people, between the ages of 11 and 25, about any mental health issues that affect them.

The findings showed that 42 per cent of the respondents said the thing that most negatively affected their daily lives was ‘stress’.

A total of 25 per cent said ‘fitting in’ was the most negative thing in their lives and 24 per cent cited ‘anxiety’.

But Healthwatch Northamptonshire said the most concerning result showed that 36 per cent of young people considered themselves to be in a ‘negative’ mood most of the time.

About 15 per cent of young people said they were mainly ‘depressed’.

The report stated: “This seems a concerning amount to feel that way most of the time.

“The results of this survey are useful for local health and social care decision makers in planning, delivering and promoting local services for young people.”

The findings of the Young Person’s Wellbeing Report are to be discussed at the full Northamptonshire County Council meeting on Thursday, March 19.

Other concerning issues found in the report showed that nine per cent of young people said ‘suicide’ most negatively affected them, whereas eight per cent said it was ‘self-harm’ and a further eight per cent said ‘eating orders’.

The Healthwatch study also found that 35 per cent of the young people questioned did not know where to go “if they needed help”.

The organisation has made four recommendations in light of the report’s findings.

It said health and social care partners needed to “share evidence on the causes of stress for young people” and it said Healthwatch Northamptonshire should work with Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to “radically improve the quality of child and adolescent mental health services.”

Paralympic champion David Weir is set to join a host of celebrities and about 7,000 runners in Northamptonshire tomorrow for the Silverstone Half Marathon.

TV and sports presenter Charlie Webster is set to drop the chequered flag to start the race at noon before joining the mass of runners for her fifth run at the Formula One circuit in the county.

Six-time Paralympic champion David Weir will be joined on the start line by a variety of soap stars including Casualty and Call the Midwife actor George Rainsford, Doc Martin star Jessica Ransom and Doctors regular Matt Kennard.

They are all running for the charity Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research along with thousands of others raising money for charitable causes.

Race director Hugh Brasher, said: “The Silverstone Half has established itself as an important race for many charity and club runners to assess their spring marathon training progress and is a key indicator of their training ahead of the 2015 Virgin Money London Marathon.”

Weir, nicknamed ‘the Weirwolf’, retained the Silverstone wheelchair title last year in a time of 49:44, more than five minutes faster than second-placed Simon Lawson, and will be targeting a fourth successive win.

Lawson will compete with Weir once again in 2015 after coming second to the ‘Weirwolf’ two years running.

Joining them will be 19-year-old Paralympic athlete Jade Jones who is set to compete at Silverstone for the third time.

Jones finished 30 minutes ahead of her nearest rival in her inaugural Silverstone Half to win the 2013 race in a time of 1:02:09.

She followed this up with an impressive second-place finish behind fellow Team GB member Shelly Woods in 2014.

The adidas Silverstone Half Marathon starts at noon on Sunday, March 15.

A family is hoping to use the power of social media to help locate a set of First World War medals that were stolen in a burglary in Northampton more than 30 years ago.

Medals belonging to the family of Ernest Wilson Howlett, a First World War soldier who served in Gallipoli, were stolen after thieves broke into a house in Harlestone Road in the early 1980s.

The appeal for the medals has been triggered by centenary celebrations of the start of the Great War and the memories of Mr Howlett’s daughter Elsie Eastwood, aged 93, of Duston.

Andrew Chapman, Elsie’s grandson, said: “With the centenary of the war last week she started reminiscing a lot and told us stories from her childhood about how her father used to sing to her. She would be absolutely over the moon to have those medals back.

“I have been working on putting together the family history for six years now and I would be thrilled to bits to be able to find them.

“We’ve tried many appeals recently but have had no luck so far. But we thought that with the things people come up with over Facebook etc, you never know.”

Mr Howlett served in the 1/4th Battalion of the Territorial Force Northamptonshire Regiment and the medals awarded included the ‘Victory Medal’ and the ‘British War Medal’.

He was one of five brothers that went to war in France but, sadly, only three of them returned.

Mr Howlett’s family are appealing for any information about the medals that may now be included in a private collection or a dealer’s collection.

If anyone does have any information about the medals call Mr Chapman on 01858 432914.

A specialist photographer has captured some dramatic views of Greyfriars Bus Station in Northampton ahead of Blowdown Day on Sunday.

Jamie Cooper, from HiOptic Photography, took these images on Saturday afternoon ahead of the demilition of one of the town’s most iconic buildings.

The bus station will be demolished at some point on Sunday. Northampton Borough Council has advised that public access to the site is not allowed but you can watch it live on the Chron’s webcam.

Northampton’s most famous son, comedian Alan Carr, says he has mixed feelings about the demolition of Greyfriars Bus Station in Northampton.

Tweeting last night, Carr looked back on his time growing back in the town.

“Don’t know how I feel about the demolition of Greyfriars bus station - I used to drink cider in there before I went to Roadmenders. #sobs,” he said.

Later, he added: “What are they replacing Greyfriars with? A trendy wine bar? *rolls eyes and shuffles off in slippers*.”

And then, he quipped: “Is that smelly cafe still there in the basement in Greyfriars bus station? You’d see people dry heaving before they got on their buses.”

Lee Dickson wants Saints to get over their LV= Cup disappointment by making the most of their two remaining trophy chances this season.

Dickson and Co suffered a 24-20 defeat in Saturday’s LV= Cup semi-final at Allianz Park, robbing them of a chance to turn out in the Franklin’s Gardens showpiece on Sunday.

Instead, Saints will get the weekend off and the chance to recharge the batteries ahead of a huge climax to the campaign.

They currently sit top of the Aviva Premiership and also have a Champions Cup quarter-final at Clermont Auvergne to look forward on the first weekend of April.

And Dickson said: “It (losing at Saracens) is tough to take. We want to win big semi-finals and this was something for us to set the tone for the big end to the season.

“But it’s small margins in games like this, knock-out rugby.

“We started well but put our foot off the gas for 20 minutes in the second half and teams like Sarries know how to turn that around.

“We got our noses back in and again discipline let us down.

“It’s bitterly disappointing for the team, everyone’s heads are down but there are two more trophies there for the winning if we can front up.”

Tranmere Rovers manager Micky Adams felt his team did not show enough attacking intent in their defeat to the Cobblers on Saturday but that the decisive free-kick was the only difference between the two sides.

Rovers were on the wrong end of a 1-0 loss which keeps them in the relegation zone in Sky Bet League Two with just 10 games left to play.

Their best chances came when Jennison Myrie-Williams went to ground in the box in the first half and a late Kayode Odejayi header was tipped onto the bar by Matt Duke.

But Adams felt the margin between the two sides was actually quite close.

“We didn’t defend it and that was the only difference between the two teams, one free kick,” he said. “I thought overall we defended better and had a better shape in terms of the back four.

“Again, we haven’t tested the opposing goalkeeper enough and it’s hard to work out why that is when you’ve got so many attacking players on the pitch.

“The players have got to have faith in their own abilities to hurt teams and we didn’t put enough quality into the box.

“We’ve got 10 games left to save ourselves now, to save some careers and some livelihoods. It’s going to be a huge 10 games.

“I just want to win a game. We’re no worse off before the game, which is a good thing, and we have to pick ourselves up from this.”

When it was announced that Franklin’s Gardens would host this season’s LV= Cup final, you felt certain Saints would be there.

You could not see how, with a squad so deep and an avaricious appetite to attend their own party, they would pass up the invitation.

And after 20 minutes of Saturday afternoon’s game at Saracens, fans would have already been considering which of their favourite Saints shirts they would wear to the big bash.

Because Jim Mallinder’s men cruised through the first quarter of the battle in Barnet.

They totally dominated a Saracens side who looked to be limited in terms of application and attitude.

It looked like it would be another day when Saints stormed Allianz Park and made the opposition’s hopes of winning look as artificial as their playing surface.

But having only managed to make their possession pay in the form of two Sam Olver penalties, Jim Mallinder’s men were made to pay.

Saracens were clinical in sending David Strettle over from one of their only attacks in the opening 30 minutes of the game.

And though they wasted a couple more chances before the break, with Sam Olver taking his for Saints, the men in black would not let their opportunity to earn a final appearance slip.

How sweet it was for the side who so relish wins against Saints.

And how sweet it will be for the men who run out at the Gardens aiming to bring the silverware back to Barnet next Sunday.

But for Saints, who produced a valiant late charge to earn the win, it was a case of what might have been.

They will be on their own ground in mind rather than body next weekend.

But they will also know that there is no need to dwell on this defeat and the fact a home final has eluded them.

Because while that would have been a great day out for fans and players alike, the biggest prizes will be dished out in May.

And Saints still have a Champions Cup quarter-final at Clermont Auvergne to think about and a home Premiership play-off semi-final to secure.

So all is very far from lost.

Last season, LV= Cup disappointment in the final at Exeter was followed by success in the league and in Europe.

And how dearly Saints would love to repeat that achievement this time round.

How they rated...

AHSEE TUALA

A strong performance from the full-back, who worked his way out of trouble well and also posed a threat on the counter... 7

JAMIE ELLIOTT

Never really got too involved in the game as Saracens did well to shut the door on the Saints winger... 6

DOM WALDOUCK

A performance full of gusto as he continually probed for openings and put his body in the line of fire... 7

TOM STEPHENSON

Some typically good footwork made him a slippery customer and Saracens had to be at their best to shackle him... 7

TOM COLLINS

Almost scored a superb first-half try, only being denied at the last, and he was lively throughout... 7

SAM OLVER

A performance of real character from the 20-year-old, who soaked up a huge hit from Saracens enforcer Maro Itoje and scored 13 first-half points... 8

KAHN FOTUALI’I

The sparky Samoan did his best to get Saints on the front foot, but Saracens dealt with him well... 6

ALEX CORBISIERO

Was forced off with a shoulder problem, which is not said to be serious, but before then he had put in some hard yards... 6

MIKE HAYWOOD

A steady display from the hooker, who was celebrating the fine achievement of a 100th Saints appearance at the age of just 23... 7

SALESI MA’AFU

Swamped Saracens loosehead Rhys Gill in the scrum early on and his dominance gave Saints a platform in the game... 7

SAMU MANOA

A threat throughout, the big American played a key role in Olver’s try and was an important influence once again... 7

TOM RYDER

Always gives everything and was part of a big first-half forward effort, but his former club just had too much in the end... 6

JON FISHER

His raw power caused Saracens problems from the off and he was unlucky to see his game cut short by an ankle injury... 7

PHIL DOWSON

The skipper was a real force, making some big carries and tackles as he showed the desire to lift the trophy on home turf... 7

SAM DICKINSON

A big performance from the No.8, who carried well and made one superb saving tackle to stop Itoje dotting down in the corner... 8

Replacements (who played more than 20 minutes)

GARETH DENMAN (for Ma’afu 56)

Came into the game at a difficult time as Saracens had a real stranglehold at the time and made it tough... 6

CALUM CLARK (for Fisher 56)

Plenty of passion as always and you could see his desperation to drive his team to victory, though Saracens just had enough... 7

CHRON STAR MAN - Maro Itoje (Saracens)

It was completely appropriate that the Cobblers’ latest league victory was secured with a headed goal by Ryan Cresswell.

Not just because when Tranmere beat Northampton on December 28, the bruising Yorkshireman was a frustrated spectator, nursing the knee he injured in a FA Cup first-round replay six weeks previously.

And not because on the occasion of that festive setback the team lost not one but two defenders to injury in the space of 10 first-half minutes, a weakness which was to stifle them throughout their desperately poor mid-season run.

It was fitting for these reasons but also because, in these crucial games late in the season, the true colours of certain players are shown.

It can now be said with some certainty that in Cresswell, Northampton have a player who can be firmly relied upon when the stakes are growing gradually higher.

He will admit that he should have scored at least one more goal, having headed wide when in good positions either side of the one attempt with which he did score.

But what he does at the attacking end of the pitch tells only half of the story because he was also excellent as a defender, snaffling any loose ball which came his way and towering into header after header in a dominant display.

This was exactly the type of performance for which he was bought - to lead from the back, make headers and interceptions, and to be a force in the other team’s penalty area.

Good Cobblers teams of the past, and specifically those which have won promotion, have had defensive leaders of great repute, from Ian Sampson to Sean Dyche.

Cresswell may not be classified with such players just yet but it is vital that teams chasing promotion have established and senior players in them to grind out results when the rest of the team are perhaps not as good as they can be.

The win over Tranmere, which must have been so sweet for Chris Wilder considering the pain their victory caused him in December, started in a similar fashion to the other wins at Sixfields, with the home side attacking at pace right from the start of the game.

In other matches, they have scored during such spells but did not against Rovers and so were forced to be more patient and resilient and to essentially wear down their opponents to the point of set-piece submission.

There was still some attacking flair on display but it was brute force and sheer guts which won the day on this occasion, and Cresswell is a black belt in both such disciplines.

It will concern Wilder that Ricky Holmes limped off with a nasty-looking injury because he has been a consistently high-quality player throughout his time at the club.

But even that will do little to cool the glow of satisfaction he will take from looking at the league table this weekend - incredibly, inexplicably and perhaps unbelievably, the Cobblers are just three points off the top seven.

The gap could, and really should, be wiped out altogether by full-time of Tuesday night’s game against Carlisle United at Sixfields.

With key players excelling as the pressure builds, anything could happen now.

Player ratings

MATT DUKE

Took three crosses into the box under extreme pressure and made a brilliant save onto his bar in the final five minutes to secure the clean sheet and victory ...8

BRENDAN MOLONEY

Very good in both defence and attack but was caused so few problems by his opposite number that it is hard to say whether he truly excelled or not ...7

RYAN CRESSWELL

Led by example with an immaculate defensive performance which was capped by the winning goal. An outstanding display from a stand-out player ...8 STAR MAN

LEE COLLINS

His best piece of play went almost unnoticed - reacting to win the loose ball after Duke’s fine late save and complete a clearance as the boots flew in on him ...8

EVAN HORWOOD

Played a couple of loose passes but on the whole can feel very content in the way he performed and helped the team collect yet another clean sheet ...7

JASON TAYLOR

Another skirmishing display but one in which he saw considerably less of the ball than on previous occasions, with plenty of yards covered ...6

DARREN CARTER

An improvement on his display at Plymouth, and his set-piece delivery was especially better, although it may not be enough to keep him in the side when Byrom returns from his suspension ...6

LAWSON D’ATH

Did better than he has in the previous two games and was unlucky not to score after one penetrating run but still looked a little jaded at times ...7

JOHN-JOE O’TOOLE

It is encouraging that he got a good chunk of the game under his belt and he did well without ever really turning up any trees in a measured outing ...6

RICKY HOLMES

Continues to play with consistency and is always a threat in just about every game he plays - if there is a criticism, it’s that he should pass the ball earlier sometimes ...7

JAMES GRAY

Led the line well and showed both good physical presence and speed across the ground. Made several unselfish runs into wide areas to create space for others ...7

Substitutes:

CHRIS HACKETT (for Holmes 70)

Was a good outlet and a very useful player to have in the team as they looked to counter-attack in the closing stages ...6

IVAN TONEY (for O’Toole 82)

TOM NEWEY (for Gray 83)

Not used: Bodin, Diamond, Perry, Jalal

The Cobblers are now just three points off the promotion play-off places in Sky Bet League Two after Saturday’s 1-0 win over Tranmere Rovers at Sixfields.

Defender Ryan Cresswell was the match winner for Chris Wilder’s men, with his second-half header proving to be the only goal of the game.

Northampton, who remain in 10th place in the league two table, are back in action on Tuesday night when they entertain struggling Carlisle United at Sixfields (ko 7.45pm).

The Cobblers could be without Ricky Holmes for Tuesday night’s visit of Carlisle United to Sixfields after the winger suffered a knee injury in Saturday’s win over Tranmere.

Holmes limped off after 70 minutes of the win after falling awkwardly and hurting his knee, with his place taken by Chris Hackett.

The 27-year-old has been an influential player for Northampton since arriving in January, scoring three goals, two of which were winners in 1-0 victories.

Manager Chris Wilder is hopeful Holmes will not be out for a prolonged period of time and is waiting for an update from the club’s medical staff.

“We’ve got our fingers crossed for Ricky because we’ve had some big blows all through this season,” he said.

“If he wakes up and he feels okay then great but if not we have to take it on the chin and deal with it.

“He fell heavily on his knee and we’re hoping it’s nothing more than a slight twist or a jar.

“If it’s anything more than that then it’s going to be really disappointing because he’s been a very good player for us and you’ve seen the way the supporters have got behind him.

“The team is positive. On Saturday we were winning 1-0 and we were still looking to get the second goal because that’s how we want to play.”

Three streets in Nortampton remained closed on Sunday night after the demolition of Greyfriars Bus Station.

Northampton Borough Council said Greyfriars, Lady’s Lane and Abington Street in Northampton were still shut as crews worked to clear debris from the blowdown.

A spokeswoman for NBC said: “Good progress was made in clearing both roads but there is some minor surface damage to Greyfriars and Lady’s Lane and work to repair the carriageway will take place early on Monday morning.

“The Grosvenor Centre and Abington Street will be able to trade as normal and arrangements have been made for businesses to receive deliveries.

“The Grosvenor Centre car park will remain closed until Greyfriars and Lady’s Lane are repaired but the Mayorhold car park, Victoria Street car park and Newlands car park will all open as usual.

“North Gate bus station will open as normal and buses will follow the slight diversion route they took on Sunday.

“The roads will be open to traffic as soon as the repairs are complete and we will keep you updated during the day,” the spokeswoman added.

Ryan Cresswell believes the nature of the Cobblers’ latest victory demonstrates the desire the squad has to complete their goal of reaching the league two play-offs.

Town beat Tranmere Rovers on Saturday to record a ninth win in 12 games with Cresswell himself the man on target in a 1-0 triumph.

But it was the nature of the victory which, the defender feels, is an indicator of the spirit which is currently coursing through the club.

“It was a great save by the big man (Matt Duke) at the end and we see that instinct every day in training,” he said. “It was a good effort by the lad and he’s pushed it onto the bar.

“Then, Lee (Collins) did superbly to get the follow-up, he took one in the face while he did that, and that shows you what we’re about.

“We’ve got that commitment and desire to win and I think that was there for everyone to see in the game.”

As a result of their latest win, Town are now just three points off the top seven and with 10 games left to play the campaign could be building to a thrilling climax.

“We know what the final thing we want is, and that’s to be in the play-offs,” he said. “We had a tough ride earlier in the season but we’ve been able to turn that around and get a run together.

“If we can get another three points on Tuesday that will keep us pressing and keep pressure on the teams that are in the top seven at the moment.

“The gaffer and Knilly (Alan Knill) deserve credit for the way they’ve turned the team around - they recognised that the balance of the squad wasn’t right and they changed it.

“I don’t see why we can’t aim for the play-offs and we’ll give it a good go.”

Jim Mallinder says Jon Fisher will add real strength to the Saints squad after making a successful return from injury.

The flanker put in an impressive performance in Saturday’s LV= Cup semi-final defeat at Saracens.

It was his first game time since recovering from a foot injury sustained at Scarlets in early November.

And Mallinder was delighted to have the powerful 26-year-old back in action.

“Jon’s been out a long time but I thought he made a really good contribution,” said the Saints director of rugby.

“We took him off because his legs were going a little bit as it was his first game back, but he’ll play a lot more games this season and really add to the squad.”

Fisher was taken off 15 minutes into the second half with Alex Corbisiero, who took a bang to the shoulder, also replaced.

But Mallinder has allayed fears over the England prop’s early withdrawal.

“That was just a bit of a stinger so no problem there,” he said.

“We got quite a lot on cuts on that (artificial) surface but generally the lads are fine, just disappointed.”

Corbisiero supported his boss’s claims that the injury was nothing serious.

He tweeted: “Was a tough 1 to lose today.. Need to play for full 80! Shoulder is fine. Gr8 2 see @JonathanFisher6 back out there!”

David Willey claimed a second successive man-of-the-match award as Northamptonshire reached the final of the Counties T20 tournament on their pre-season tour to Barbados.

The club’s new vice-captain followed his all-round heroics against Barbados on Saturday with a hard-hitting 77 off just 39 balls at the expense of Hampshire’s bowlers in the semi-final.

Rob Newton supported well with 52 from 37 deliveries as the Steelbacks reached 170-5 in their 20 overs.

Hampshire were then dismissed for 138 - giving Northamptonshire victory by 32 runs - and although Willey, Josh Cobb and Rob Keogh picked up two wickets apiece it was teenager Saif Zaib who produced the most eye-catching bowling figures.

He claimed 3-24 in his four overs of left-arm spin - numbering England Lions batsman James Vince among his victims.

The final against Nottinghamshire went less well for the County who could only manage 122-9 despite the best efforts of Cobb (22), Olly Stone (20), Steven Crook (17) and skipper Alex Wakely (16).

Nottinghamshire reached their target at 126-3 with three overs to spare, thanks largely to former Northamptonshire man Riki Wessels with an unbeaten 59.

The squad now turns its attentions to red-ball cricket and a two-day match against Warwickshire starting on Tuesday.