Cyclists caught riding along busy pavements in Northampton will be issued with £30 fines following concerns from residents.

Officers from Northampton Safer Community Team will be patrolling Wellingborough Road and parts of Kettering Road throughout this month and July as they crack down danger to pedestrians.

An operation was carried out in May to speak with people found to be cycling along the pavements to offer them advice and remind them that it is illegal to ride on a pathway used by pedestrians.

Starting this month, a team of officers, PCSOs and specials plan to monitor these two key roads in the town, where cycling on pavements has been raised as a concern by local residents, on a regular basis.

Fixed penalty notices of £30 will be issued to anyone found to be ignoring the recommendations issued in May asking them to consider the safety and wellbeing of pedestrians.

For further information on the activities of your Safer Community Team, visit the Local Policing pages at www.northants.police.uk/sct

A 70-year-old man from Brixworth has been charged with producing cannabis with intent to supply after a police raid of his home.

The man was arrested after a warrant was executed at his home in Brixworth on Thursday, June 4.

He is due to appear before Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, June 25.

A Rushden schoolboy could barely contain his delight after being surprised by one of Northampton Saints’ biggest stars with the news that he will be an official Rugby World Cup 2015 mascot.

Rhys Hamber will not have had a better day at South End Junior School than on Monday when his assembly was interrupted by Northampton Saints try-machine George North.

North was there to surprise Hamber with the news that following an audition at the Northampton Saints’ Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup back in February the 10-year-old had been chosen as an official Rugby World Cup 2015 mascot.

Hamber, who plays for Rushden and Higham RFC, will be one of 48 official mascots chosen through the Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup, a series of national grassroots tournaments, and he admits he is now counting down the days.

He said: “I was told I had to speak in assembly but then I saw George walk in and I found out I had been picked as a mascot.

“I was so shocked but really excited.

“George was really nice and said I had been picked after my audition where I had to say what I would say to a captain at a Rugby World Cup.

“I just offered my advice and said play well.

“George is in my top five favourite players.

“I’m a Cardiff Blues fan but I support Wales so it’s great to be able to meet him.

“I reckon I will be really nervous when it comes to the Rugby World Cup but also excited.

“All my friends were cheering when I was announced as the mascot.

“It’s going to be a great honour.”

Land Rover’s search for mascots forms part of its ‘We Deal In Real’ campaign which aims to put grassroots rugby on the global stage during this year’s Rugby World Cup.

And Northampton Saints winger North admitted that days such as Monday were invaluable for helping to promote rugby at all levels.

He said: “It was great to go down and surprise Rhys in assembly.

“I don’t remember my school being as quiet as they were in assembly as I walked in!

“He was a bit stunned, bless him, but I had a good chat with him and I think he will do a great job.

“His audition tape was great and he is a Wales fan too so that’s great for me.

“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for Rhys, not many people will get the chance to say they have been a mascot.

“With the World Cup, it’s obviously great for the players but also the fans too.

“If we can inspire a few people into rugby, you never know, they could be appearing at a World Cup one day.”

Land Rover is recruiting all 96 Rugby World Cup 2015 official mascots as part of ‘We Deal In Real’, Land Rover’s {https://live.landrover.co.uk/rugby-world-cup-2015/mascot-programme|Rugby World Cup 2015 sponsorship campaign|} which will champion the people that are the heart and soul of the game by putting grassroots clubs on the global stage.

For more information see @LandRoverRugby #WeDealInReal on {https://twitter.com/search?q=%40LandRoverRugby&src=typd|Twitter|}.

Police are appealing to speak to a particular witness after a car parked in a Corby street was set on fire.

The blue Peugeot 307 was set alight in Leighton Road sometime between 10pm and 10.45pm on Thursday, June 4.

Officers investigating the case would particularly like to speak to a woman who was passing the scene in a taxi and raised the alarm.

Witnesses, or anyone who knows anything about this incident, can call Northamptonshire Police on 101.

Alternatively, they can call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or use the anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org

Tom Westley hit 164 not out in an unbroken partnership of 216 with Jesse Ryder, who finished on 90, as Essex fought back on day three against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road, finishing 300-3 to lead by 132.

After Northants extended their first innings lead to 168, despite losing four wickets for 40 in the morning, Essex were still 84 runs behind when Westley and Ryder came together shortly after lunch.

Westley was the main aggressor, reaching three figures for the first time in a year in 122 balls, and went on to hit 25 boundaries, while Ryder played the supporting role, following his first innings 87.

Northants had resumed 397-6, but after bringing up maximum batting points with the fourth delivery of the day, Steven Crook fell to the ninth, top edging a hook of Graham Napier to be caught in the deep for 39.

Richard Levi could only add 11 before he went for 168, caught behind off Napier, and four balls later Rory Kleinveldt (14) was caught at deep point off Reece Topley. Olly Stone added 20 for the last wicket with Azharullah but became Napier’s third victim of the morning as Essex wrapped up the innings for 444 inside the first hour.

Essex lost Jaik Mickleburgh in the third over of their reply without score, trapped LBW by Kleinveldt, but Westley was quickly in his stride reaching 26 as the visitors went to lunch on 48-1. The runs continued to flow after lunch until Kleinveldt struck twice in two overs.

Nick Browne got a thin edge of the South African to be caught by keeper Ben Duckett for the second time in the game, while Ravi Bopara could only make a single before being bowled by Kleinveldt.

At 84-3 Northants might even have held hopes of a three day victory, but Westley and Ryder would go on to dominate the rest of the day on a pitch which has proved fruitful for batting throughout the game, with the exception of Essex’s first evening collapse.

Westley, who hit 97 against Leicestershire in his comeback from a broken thumb last week, drove Rob Keogh for his 18th boundary to reach three figures in the Championship for the first time in a year and a day, the over after taking Essex into the lead shortly before the tea interval.

As in his first innings 87, Ryder reigned in his natural aggressive tendencies to playing the perfect foil for Westley, reaching 50 from 115 balls as the 150 stand was reached, the pair sharing Essex’s highest fourth wicket stand in over four years.

Westley passed 150 in 187 balls shortly before the close, while Ryder will resume the final day ten short of what would be a first century of the season.

After three successive Championship defeats Essex Coach Paul Grayson said his side had has a positive day but still have plenty of work to do.

“There’s no denying it we’ve had a tough couple of weeks in first-class cricket so it’s nice to have a good day, after losing early wickets to watch Tom and Jesse play like that was top class.

“It was about batting long and batting big and at the moment we’ve got two players that have played really well, Tom has been in great form since he’s come back from his broken thumb.

“We’re up against it and we’ve still got a lot of work to do in the morning, we’re going to have to bat well first thing.”

Northants coach David Ripley said his side were still hopeful of forcing victory, but admitted they would need early wickets with the new ball in the morning.

“I thought we stuck to our tasks pretty well, there were some signs of deterioration [in the wicket] we hoped with a lead in the bank it would do a little bit more for us but it’s held together pretty well and meant a hard stint in the field.

“We’ve got the new ball in the morning, if we knock these two guys over they’ll get a bit twitchy again, but if we don’t I’m sure they’ll save the game.”

Bands from Northampton’s music scene during the 1960s and 1970s will be reuniting for Have Guitars…Will Travel Live! next week.

The gig is one of a series taking place as part of this year’s Northampton Music Festival.

Bands playing include Accrington Stanley, Coil, Dark, The Condors, Isaws (pictured above), Ignition, Ten Joe Green and King, Phoenix and Homelanders+.

All were part of the Northampton music scene between 1957 to 1979. The show will be hosted by BBC Northampton’s Bernie Keith. The second volume of Have Guitars Will Travel by Derrick Thompson was released last year and follow’s 2009’s first volume. Both books chart the Northampton music scene between 1957-1966 and 1967-1979, featuring local artists and national touring bands the town during the era. An accompanying CD was released earlier this year.

Have Guitars…Will Travel Live is at The Picturedrome in Northampton on Saturday, June 20. Doors open at 3pm and admission is free.

Northampton Bands in association with the King Billy have announced the line-up of the Metal Stage of the Northampton Music Festival.

Benign Plausibility will kick off proceedings at the King Billy from 12.30pm on Sunday, June 21.

Other acts playing include The Bophins, Poison Zoomak, Point of Extinction, Harmfool, TrueHeights, Obstruction, DieRevers, Stereo Skull, Dead Frequency and headliners From Eden To Exile.

On Saturday, June 20, The Pomfret Arms will be hosting Fortyfication, which will be raising money for War Child UK. The line up includes Lucky Shivers, Red Kite, Loved Ones, Beijing Cars, An Escape Plan, Liam Dullaghan, Sean Grant & The Wolfgang, J.P Brook, Bill Baird and Jo Horne.

Music is from 2pm. While other Northampton Music Festival performances are free, admission to Fortyfication is £10. Advance tickets via www.sotickets.net/events/fortyfication.

There will be a full NMF15 preview next week.

The Northern Soul Show rolls into The Stables on Saturday for a night of classic Motown, soul and northern soul hits.

Providing the soundtrack for the show will be The Edwin Starr Band, aka The Team, which features Angelo Starr on vocals.

They will be joined by special guest and Northern Soul legend Lorraine Silver.

The Team was formed in 1982 by percussionist Clive ‘JJ’ Hare and bass player Kevin Kendall.

Since Edwin Starr’s death in 2003, they have been fronted by his younger brother, Angelo.

They have previously performed with the likes of The Temptations, Ben E King and The Four Tops as well as playing to audiences at the V Festival and on The Jonathan Ross Show.

The Northern Soul Tour heads to the Wavendon venue on Saturday, June 13.

Doors open at 8pm, tickets cost £22 in advance before fees.

For more information, visit www.stables.org

A syringe strewn alleyway near a park in Northampton has prompted a parent to make a video of the mess and share it on social media in a bid to get it cleared up.

Shop assistant Marnie Fairhurst and friends like to take their children ‘exploring’ around Northampton and they often venture into tunnels and hidden areas in a bid to appeal to their youngster’s sense of imagination.

But she said she was left ‘completely shocked’ at the state of the short underpass by Cloisters Park in Spring Boroughs, after she took her two-year-old daughter, Darcy-Leigh, there on Friday afternoon.

The 24-year-old, from Arrowhead Road, in Briar Hill, said the area had clearly been the scene of heavy drug usage.

“It was just needles and needles,” she said. “Some of them had blood on them and there was just so much.

“This couldn’t have been from one night only, it must have been syringes from a period of time.”

Miss Fairhurst said she called Northampton Borough Council to get the authority’s environmental service to clear up the mess.

But as of yesterday the syringes were still there.

As a result she has posted a video of the scene in a bid to highlight the problem, which shows the area literally strewn with what appears to be drug paraphernalia.

She has also been sharing the clip on Facebook to spread the message.

She said: “For a parent to be going down there and seeing that – in an area so near a park where children are often playing – is so shocking.

“It’s scary to think my daughter could have easily gone and picked a needle up.

“Something needs to be done about it.”

A Northampton Borough Council spokesman said: “We have asked our contractors to clear these syringes straight away.”

Four-piece ‘waking-nightmare’ Tellison return to Northampton on Friday night.

Formed out of a shared love of unsuccessful indie rock bands of the late 1990s and early 2000s, they released two critically acclaimed albums and a clutch of sold-out, occasionally charting, singles about hope, loss, love and literature.

New single Tact Is Dead was released in March ahead of their third album which is due to follow.

Tellison comprise drummer Henry Danowski, guitarists Stephen Davidson and Peter Phillips and bassist Andrew Tickell.

They play the Charles Street venue on Friday, June 12. Support is by Algiers and Adolphus Tips.

Door open at 8pm, tickets cost £5 in advance via WeGotTickets or £6 on the door.

Tickets are on sale for The New Sounds Of Dance Music which is at the venue on July 16.

The event will be headlined by Zetan Spore and Ian Hasdell with support by Michael Mikey and Beats Brennan. Tickets cost £11 on the door.

For details, visit http://thelabnorthampton.club

One of Chelsea Football Club’s most legendary players will be talking about his career in Wellingborough on Thursday June 18.

An Evening with Kerry Dixon is at The Cutting Room on Park Road in the town.

The event has been organised by Look Who’s Talking Events and will also see entertainment from comedian Geoff Whiting.

Doors for the event are open from 7pm and tickets for the show are £18. Entrance includes a photo and a food buffet.

For further details or to book a place call James on 07921 568506 or email james.wager@hotmail.co.uk.

Demolition work is set to begin at a former Royal Mail sorting office in Northampton later this month in order to make way for a £25 million new school.

Parts of the former Barrack Road depot will begin to be pulled down from Monday, June 22, in the first phase of the Northampton International Academy development on the site.

The major new school will cater for 2,200 pupils aged between two and 19 and will be sponsored sponsor by the EMLC Academy Trust, which also runs the neighbouring Castle Primary School.

Demolition work is expected to last 12 weeks, Northamptonshire County Council says, and will see the ‘shell’ of the building retained and incorporated into the design of the new school.

Northampton International Academy is due to open in September 2017.

County council cabinet member for learning, skills and education, Councillor Matthew Golby, said: “This is an exciting milestone in the project to transform this derelict building from an eyesore in the local community to a modern, 21st century school.

“It is an important regeneration scheme for a deprived area of Northampton and the country’s largest ever school conversion project.

“Even more importantly, it will create much-needed additional school places at a time when demand for places is growing significantly.

“We will be working closely with the local community and other interested parties over the coming months as the next stages of work are planned and the full designs take shape.”

The £25 million building project is being largely funded by the government’s Education Funding Agency.

Chief executive at the EMLC Academy Trust Jan Marshall, said: “We are really excited to be working in partnership with Northamptonshire County Council on this innovative project which will contribute to the regeneration of the whole area.”

There will be highways works to Barrack Road as part of the building scheme including ‘enhanced pedestrian crossings’ and safety railings, while a school pick-up and drop-off point will be created to the rear of the building via a new junction.

The plans for the school also include a playground to the rear of the building, rooftop sports pitches and use of the playing fields at Castle Primary School.

A Northampton artists who won a global art competition will have her miniature elephant scultpture transformed into a lifesize statue to join in a parade in Thailand.

Emma Slora Breene beat contestants from all over the world after online voters deemed her colourful piece, inspired by her own experience working with the animals while honeymooning with her husband Richard in Thailand, the most impressive. Artists from countries such as South Africa, Luxembourg and USA, took part in the competition run by charity Elephant Parade, before results of the public vote were announced last week.

The 33-year-old illustrator and former art teacher, of Dragonfly Meadows near Kislingbury, said: “I was shocked and elated to win. I really didn’t think that I would, even when it became head-to-head between myself and the Hong Kong entry towards the end of the competition.”

All organised by the Elephant Parade charity, which supports Asian elephant conservation projects run by a number of foundations, her design will now be recreated by ghost artists in lifesize form to be used in the charity’s annual parade in Bangkok. As part of her prize, Mrs Breene has been invited as a VIP to unveil her creation at a launch party in the city ahead of the event in December.

Her beautifully intricate design, she said, depicts all the ideal things that elephants would eat and see in their natural habitat, which has declined in size by more than 95 per cent in the last century.

“My elephant’s design was inspired by meeting a baby elephant named Am, whose name can mean ‘immortal’, while on our honeymoon in the Golden Triangle in 2013,” she said. “We took part in looking after and feeding the elephants, and Am had a voracious appetite for bananas. The design incorporates this together with many other fruits, flowers, barks and grasses which constitute an Asian elephant’s diet.

“A peacock adorning the elephant is also native to Asia. In many cultures around the globe peacocks represent immortality and guardianship, an aspiration of the charity for the conservation of the Asian elephant. The Hamsa bird on either side is a decorative element seen in Indian and Southeast Asian culture. It symbolises perfect union, balance and life.”

“It was a very labour intensive project and took me several hours.”

Commenting on how she became involved in the competition itself, she said: “A while ago, a friend of my husband heard about the Elephant Parade competition so I gave it a go.

“Unfortunately it would be too expensive for me to travel to Thailand again to paint the design on the parade model, but I will be sending the original for the ghost artists to work from.”

Despite her natural love of all creatures, Mrs Breene never had a particular fixation with elephants until her honeymoon, and now boasts a strong collection of elephant-related memorabilia in the house. After working with Am and his friends, the work of Elephant Parade has taken on a strong meaning for her.

She said: “The competition helps to raise awareness of the plight of the Asian elephant, whose numbers have dwindled by 70 per cent in the 100 years, while simultaneously helping to give a local British artist some success on the global stage.

“Elephant Parade currently supports 11 projects in eight elephant range countries. The projects include financial, material and technical assistance. One of the projects include:- Friends of the Asian Elephant (FAE), Lampang, Thailand - FAE operates the world’s first hospital for elephants. The hospital is home to Mosha, the inspiration of Elephant Parade. At the age of seven months, Mosha lost her leg from a landmine explosion on the Myanmar-Thai border and is the first elephant to be fitted with a prosthetic leg.”

While waiting for the big event at the end of the year, Mrs Breene will continue to work on developing her own art businesses and illustrating her own children’s book, which she wrote while at university.

The parade itself is held in different countries every year and last year came all the way to the UK. For more information about Elephant Parade, the design competition and the parade event itself, visit: www.elephantparade.com.

Thieves have stolen thousands of pounds from a Northamptonshire school including £800 worth of donations to fund a defibrillator.

Almost £2,000 was stolen from a safe at Ringstead Primary School after burglars broke in through a window in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Headteacher, Laura Buckley, said she believed the person behind the crime deliberately set off the alarm on Saturday to see what the response would be and then, after the security guard had left the premises, raided the school on Sunday.

Ms Buckley said the money for the defibrillator had been raised by the school’s secretary and pupils over the past few months through a number of events including cake sales, mufti days, an Easter raffle, coffee mornings and film nights.

She said: “I’m absolutely gutted especially as a member of staff has worked so hard to raise the money.

“We told the kids in assembly and they were devastated, some were crying. We are going to do what we can to raise the money again.

“It must have been somebody who knows the school.

“It seems like they knew what they were looking for.

“They ignored all the ICT equipment, went straight to the safe and took the money for the defibrillator and some other money too.”

A spokesman for Northamptonshire Police confirmed that a break-in had occurred at the school.

He said: “Officers were called to the school at about 1.40am on June 7.

“The offenders had forced their way into the school some time after 11.30pm on June 6 by removing a window in the side of the building.

“They broke into an office and stole a sum of money from the safe.

“We would appeal for anyone who knows anything about this to call us on 101.”

Former Secretary of State for Education David Blunkett has been appointed as chairman of an academy trust which runs a number of schools across Northampton.

David Ross, owner of the David Ross Education Trust, which runs Briar Hill Primary School and Kings Heath Primary Academy among others in the town, said the trust chose the former Labour MP because of his “calibre” and “wealth of expertise”. The trust is responsible for the education of more than 10,000 young people in academies all over the UK, as well as in towns in Northamptonshire.

He said: “When I understood that an individual of David Blunkett’s calibre was keen to work in the academy sector, engaging him was an opportunity I felt could not be missed.

“David brings with him a wealth of experience and expertise that will significantly enhance our already strong board.

“He has devoted his working career to public service, has been a former Secretary of State for Education and, as an MP, represented an area that faces many of the challenges that our academies’ own communities face.

“We are very fortunate to have secured the involvement of such an inspirational and important figure.”

The Sheffield-born politician has also acted as Home Secretary and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, since beginning his political career in 1970.

During his time as Secretary of State for Education and Employment he oversaw the introduction of SureStart, the Government scheme to provide specific services for families with pre-school children.

He stood down as an MP at the 2010 General Election.

Following his appointment with the David Ross trust, he said: “Education has always played a vital part of my time in public office, and my involvement in the sector is something I wanted to focus on since standing down as an MP.

“In this role I have the opportunity to help shape policy and collaborative improvement and directly impact on the education of over 10,000 young people.”

Mr Ross added: “I will continue to play a key role in my education trust as sponsor.

“David Blunkett’s appointment will strengthen our ability to become the leading academy chain in the country.”

For more information about the trust, visit {http://www.dret.co.uk/|www.dret.co.uk|}.

Reallity TV star Billie Faiers donned her wellington boots for a farmyard photoshoot in Northamptonshire as part of a national cereal brand campaign.

The glamour model and regular on the Only Way is Essex, visited West Farm in Towcester as part of a publicity campaign for Kellogg’s ‘Origins’ campaign as the farm grows wheat for the cereal makers.

Miss Faiers was chosen as the face of the campaign, which the company says is about encouraging people to grow their own food and be more aware of where produce comes from.

Kellogg’s spokeswoman Louise Thompson-Davies said: “We’re used to seeing Billie glammed up on The Only Way Is Essex, but on the farm she was a great sport and loved learning about where her food comes from and mucked in with all the farm activities.”

The cereal maker launched the Origins campaign to celebrate how its cereals, including Corn Flakes and Rice Krispies, come from ‘instantly recognisable grains’.

Shoppers can redeem a ‘grow your own’ seed planter kit when they hand over three boxes of cereal.

The TOWIE star was photographed planting seeds and feeding a goat.

Miss Faiers said: “I had a great day at the farm away from the hustle and bustle of modern life.”

Saints chairman Tony Hewitt believes the club can be very proud of what he labels ‘a brilliant season’.

Hewitt admits it was disappointing that the campaign didn’t yield any silverware, but believes topping the Aviva Premiership table for the first time should be a source of immense pride.

Saints ended the season at the summit, before losing to Saracens in the play-off semi-final at Franklin’s Gardens.

They also reached the semi-finals of the LV= Cup and the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup, winning 23 of their 35 matches in all competitions.

“I think we’ve had a brilliant season,” Hewitt said. “To finish top for the first time in our history is obviously the main achievement.

“While you don’t get any sort of cup or pennant for ending up at the top of the league, it does reflect what’s happened during 22 league games.

“I think it’s been a fantastic achievement by the side, particularly as the defending champions.

“Everyone regards a game against the champions as a cup final so it becomes more difficult.

“It’s disappointing we didn’t win any of the titles. Our Under-18s got to the final of their championship and were beaten by Saracens.

“We were knocked out by Saracens in the LV= Cup and Premiership semi-finals and knocked out by Clermont in the quarter-final stages of the European Cup.

“That was a bit disappointing but we got there, so that shouldn’t cloud looking back at the season.

“We’re delighted to be in the play-offs for the sixth successive season, be top of the pile and to have the number of representative honours we’ve got in the players.”

Jim Mallinder signed a new deal at the end of last season and has now been in charge of Saints for eight years.

And Hewitt is delighted with the job he is doing.

He said: “We were great believers in building a base to continue the success of the club and that’s why after winning the championship last year for the first time we gave Jim a new five-year contract.

“It’s part of our faith in Jim to continue with the building of the squad.

“We’ve got some exciting new players coming next year so we continue with this development of Northampton Saints.”

Essex recorded their highest second innings score in 13 years as their County Championship Division Two match with Northamptonshire finished in a draw at Wantage Road.

Ryan ten Doeschate’s unbeaten 76 guided the visitors to 506-9 declared, Rory Kleinveldt taking 5-138, and after setting Northants a target of 339 in 42 overs, the hosts’ reached 115-3 before the teams shock hands with nine overs remaining.

Having taken their partnership to 258, Tom Westley and Jesse Ryder fell for 179 and 124 respectively in the morning, although three dropped catches hampered Northants push for victory.

Ryder resumed on 90 and took only three overs to reach the mark for the first time this season, but only after his crisp drive to reach three figures burst through the hands of Olly Stone at cover.

Westley and Ryder’s stand was Essex’s highest for the fourth wicket since 2006, but was finally broken when Westley gloved a rising Kleinveldt delivery behind, just six short of his career best.

With the lead 217 Northants might have sniffed a chance of dismissing the hosts before lunch, but ten Doeschate was dropped by Peters at first slip and Foster edged between Kleinveldt and Alex Wakely, Steven Crook the unlucky bowler on both occasions.

Those lives allowed ten Doeschate and Foster to share a stand of 82 which ensured there would be no afternoon run chase, the former reaching a third consecutive second innings half century in as many Championship appearance this season.

Crook returned to have Foster caught behind for 35, with Graham Napier only making a single before falling in the same manner, and Adeel Malik was trapped LBW by Rob Keogh in the following over.

Having taken all three wickets that fell on the third evening, Kleinveldt completed his second five wicket haul in Northants colours as David Masters fended a short delivery to gully without score.

Ten Doeschate lofted Keogh for six to take Essex past 500, as the visitors recorded their highest second innings score since the 514-4 declared against Glamorgan at Chelmsford in 2002, shortly before the declaration.

With Peters unable to open the batting following his earlier dropped catch, Captain Alex Wakely opened with Rob Newton and the hosts batted out the remaining of the game with just one slight wobble as two wickets fell in five balls ten overs in.

Wakely drove Reece Topley straight to cover to fall for 13 before Rob Keogh lasted just four balls, making three before edging Napier to Nick Browne at first slip. Ravi Bopara trapped Rob Newton lbw for 33, but Richard Levi’s 53 not out, following his first innings 168, saw Northants to the close together with Josh Cobb.

After their fourth home draw from four Championship games at Wantage Road this season, Northants captain Alex Wakely bemoaned the like of life in the Wantage Road surface.

“It wasn’t ideally what we were looking for as a pitch, we wanted a pitch with a bit more life in it, a bit like the Gloucestershire game we played here early in the season we played some good cricket and put ourselves in a good position and the pitch ultimately won.

“I’ve been saying for a while about the top five getting big hundreds and Rich [Levi] played outstandingly, as good as I’ve seen him play and we’re playing pretty good cricket, people are chipping in and it’s coming together.

“We’re just lacking that win, we played the perfect game against Leicester and in one point in this game we thought we’d be pushing but each innings the pitch got better and better.”

Essex head coach Paul Grayson admitted that after three consecutive Championship defeats he was happy to come away with a draw and praised the character of his side in the final two days.

“It was hard work, Northants dominated those first two days and we had to show our character these last two days to save the game.

“Tom Westley played a brilliant knock, probably the best I’ve seen him play and Jesse equally as well, a slightly different type of innings as he had to play second fiddle.

“It’s a draw after losing three on the trot and there’s still areas for us to improve, particularly first innings scoring runs as 276 on that surface wasn’t good enough but positive signs the last two days.”

Northamptonshire head coach David Ripley paid tribute to the Essex men who denied his side an LV= County Championship victory.

It had seemed like a home win was on the cards at Wantage Road when the visitors slipped to 84-3 in their second innings - still only halfway towards getting the scores level.

However, Tom Westley and Jesse Ryder combined for a match-saving stand of 258 making 179 and 124 respectively.

While Westley’s innings included 29 boundaries, Ryder’s was uncharacteristically reserved with a strike rate of just over 50.

They were innings that drew praise from Ripley.

“They blunted us,” he said.

“They didn’t offer up many chances yesterday and they shut us out.

“The wicket didn’t deteriorate as it might have promised and remained a good batting track but you have to give them credit.

“We didn’t do much wrong. It wasn’t like we were just going through the motions.

“We were trying things. We tried hard and when that didn’t work we were trying harder.

“But sometimes you have to give credit to the other side and say they played well.

“Westley batted very well and Ryder did what his team needed.

“He had to score runs and bat time and that is exactly what he did.

“And he got runs in the first innings as well so it’s been a good game for him.

“We put down two or three chances this morning which is frustrating.

“With the new ball due we had a good couple of hours to get at them.

“We caused them a few more problems but unfortunately the chances didn’t stick.”

A plumber who headbutted the landlord of a pub in Northampton has been ordered to complete 180 hours unpaid work.

Sam Hawes, aged 26, of The Inlands, Daventry, was drinking in The Squirrels pub in Duston on April 25 when he was asked to move by the landlord as he was blocking the entrance to the bar.

Northampton Magistrates’ Court heard the landlord then asked Hawes and his friend to leave the pub and Hawes, a plumber, then headbutted him on the side of the face.

Julie Costello, prosecuting, said the landlord suffered a cut to his mouth.

Hawes threw punches at the landlord but these did not cause any further significant injury.

Hawes pleaded guilty to assault at an earlier hearing and was ordered to pay £150 compensation to the landlord.

At that hearing, prosecutor Vicki Walker described the incident. She said: “Customers are gathering round the bar area and without any warning, the defendant headbutts the landlord to the face.

“It causes his lip to split. The defendant is then seen throwing punches at the landlord.”

Hawes must also pay costs of £85 and victim surcharge of £60.

Lee Collins admits he got the hint he wouldn’t be handed a new deal at Cobblers a few weeks before the end of last season.

And the centre-back is now relishing a new challenge after joining Northampton’s Sky Bet League Two rivals Mansfield Town.

Collins was one of seven players allowed to leave at the conclusion of the previous campaign, ending his two-year association with the club.

The 26-year-old made 82 starts in Cobblers colours, turning out for the club 43 times last season.

But he has revealed that he could see the signs of his departure before Town finished their fixtures.

“I sort of got the hint a few weeks before the end of the season that I wasn’t going to be there,” Collins 
said.

“I didn’t let it affect my performances, but I knew in the back of my mind that I was going to have to move on.

“That’s football though – it comes with the territory.”

He added: “I think I played 43 games last year, so I’m obviously coming into this season on the back of quite a busy season and I just want to get back into playing games again.”

Collins played for Cobblers at Mansfield last season, helping Chris Wilder’s men to a 1-1 draw in February.

The day was dubbed ‘John-Joe O’Toole Day’ by the travelling fans, who saw the enigmatic midfielder dismissed during the first half of the game.

And Collins said: “John-Joe O’Toole Day was a big occasion for Northampton fans. We brought about 1,000 fans and he got sent-off after 30 minutes.

“I thought we were quite lucky to get away with a 1-1 draw, because Mansfield really gave us a game. The [home] fans were passionate and got right behind the team.”

And Collins is now eager to help his new club claim promotion next season.

He said: “I came and had a sit down meeting with the manager and coaching staff last week and their plans for going forward really interested me so it was quite an easy decision.

“They want to play attacking football. They want to give the fans something to be happy about and I was happy with what they were saying.

“They want to win games, I want to win games and that’s why I’ve come here. I don’t know any lad that goes into a fresh season and doesn’t want to get promoted.

“There’s been a lot of good signings and I want to win a lot of games. If you do that, you’re going to be up there.”