Emergency services had to be called this morning when a car burst into flames outside a pub in Northampton this morning with the driver still inside.

The driver was not injured when the car suddenly caught fire outside the Artizan pub on the Talbot Road junction in Abington, at 8.40 this morning.

Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service have brought the fire under control and the police have cordoned off the area while the road surface is assessed for damage.

A police spokeswoman said that there was no collision involved, but that the car caught fire while the driver was inside.

Police are investigating a suspicious incident in Rothersthorpe, near Northampton, in which a young girl on her way to school was approached by two men in a car.

The girl, who is a pupil at Campion School, was near the bus stop in Rothersthorpe at 8.30am yesterday when she noticed a silver Vauxhall Corsa driving slowly along the road.

The girl became concerned and ran off towards the bus stop.

A police spokesman said: “Police are looking into the matter to establish the nature of the incident and what exactly happened. Officers do not believe this to be connected to any other incident at this stage.

“Two men were in the car at the time. The car was an old shape Vauxhall Corsa.

“Officers are appealing for anyone who may have been in the area at the time or witnessed anything to call 101 or 999 in an emergency.”

The incident comes in the same week that a man approached a 10-year-old in Banbury Lane in Northampton

A number of primary schools in Northampton have sent letters home to parents warning them about the dangers of children walking home alone.

Of all aspects of fear that best-selling author Peter James has written about, being buried alive, he says, is the one that has affected people surprisingly deeply.

Tales of scratch marks on the inside of coffin lids and apparent corpses coming back to life on the mortuary slab resonated with a deep-held terror in many a fan who wrote to Mr James after reading Dead Simple.

The stage adaptation of the same name, playing at Milton Keynes Theatre, centres on two rich business partners, one of whom (Michael Harrison played by Jamie Lomas) goes missing following a stag night prank when his friends bury him in a sealed coffin.

So the subject is ripe to be turned into an darkly atmospheric play aimed at psychological murder mystery fans who like to scare themselves silly.

For the most part, it lives up to the reviews of the novel itself, with a solid plot sprinkled with twists (the one before the interval is my favourite) and interesting minor characters who keep you amused and the action moving along satisfyingly.

Innovative in design, the set is also a winner, managing to combine a high class dining room on one half of the stage with the burial plot on the other.

After Harrison is buried, on a raised platform above the stage, a wan rectangular light on the side facing the audience illuminates the hitherto unseen chamber ‘below ground’.

Combined with plunging the auditorium into total darkness at key points, the effect was makes you feel suitably uneasy and claustrophobic.

Some excellent decisions were taken on casting too.

The roguish Alan Freestone, playing various parts, imposed his personality on the stage, emanating concealed menace with measured words, poses and gestures.

Josh Brown, playing a man with a learning disability who holds the key to finding the buried lead character, makes a demanding role look realtively simple and his delivery was responsible for many of the best laughs in Dead Simple.

What humour there was, however, did sometimes seem incongruous.

This may have been the fault of some of the actors rather than script.

It occasionally appeared as though one or two had decided to play a humorous exchange straight down the middle without telling the other, giving a suitably awkward feeling.

It is a shame that Lomas and Rik Makarem, who played his business partner Mark Warren, could not have injected more character into their key roles, because it felt hard to engage with them at times.

Lomas’s wailing from the coffin, although no doubt what many of us may do in a similar situation, may have benefited from some variation, as at times it felt the audience wearied of his plight.

Having said that, the plot, set and strong performances from Tina Hobley as Harrison’s fiancée (Chrissie in Holby city) and Gray O’Brien as Detective Superintendant Roy Grace hold it all together so that it is still a very worthwhile way to spend an evening.

Dead Simple runs at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday.

A man suffered serious facial injuries after being assaulted in Kettering town centre.

The assault happened between 5.10pm and 5.30pm on Tuesday in Gold Street.

The victim, a 27-year-old man, was walking through the town centre when he was verbally abused by a man.

The man then punched the victim in the face causing him to fall, before running off.

The offender is described as white, about 5ft 10in to 5ft 11in, muscular and aged in his late 20s to early 30s.

He had short blonde hair and wore a dark T-shire and trousers. He had tattoos on both arms.

Witnesses, or anyone with any information, is asked to call Northamptonshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or use the anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

A description has been given by police of a suspect after a bicycle was stolen from outside shops in Northampton.

The purple Tundra mountain bike was taken from Broadmead Avenue in Abington between 7-8pm on Tuesday (May 19).

The suspect is described as Asian, in his early teens and about 4ft 11in to 5ft. He was wearing blue jeans, a dark blue jacket, and a blue baseball cap with a distinctive logo.

Witnesses, or anyone with any information about the suspect or the stolen bike, are asked to 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.

A thief managed to unzip a handbag before stealing a mobile phone from a shopper in Kettering.

The woman had been using her phone while in Card Factory in The Newlands Centre, Gold Street, at about 10.25am on Sunday, June 7, and returned it to her handbag.

After leaving the shop she realised her handbag had been unzipped and her phone stolen.

Police would like to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the incident or who may have any information about it.

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

Authorities are working to move on a large traveller encampment, which has pitched up on the Cobblers ‘Claret’ car park in Northampton yesterday.

A spokesman for Northamptonshire County Council said a group of 17 vans and caravans are currently located on the car park off Edgar Mobbs Way and Upton Way in Northampton.

The spokesperson said: “The Countywide Traveller Unit (CTU) is aware of the encampment and is liaising with the group.

“This is private land and, as such, the CTU will identify the landowners and make contact. The CTU will then act in an advisory capacity.”

Eyewitness reports suggest a traveller encampment first pitched up on a parcel of land by the Upton way / Edgar Mobbs Way roundabout yesterday afternoon.

As the group is now on private land, cabinet member for the environment at Northampton Borough Council, Councillor Alan Bottwood (Con, Upton) said the onus will now be on the landowner to seek an eviction order.

We have always had a zero tolerance towards travellers in terms of illegal access to council owned land.

“But the biggest problem we have is when a group set up on private land. Then it is up to the owner to seek the necessary injunction, which can be an expensive process.”

Northants Steelbacks head coach David Ripley has warned his team they will be in a ‘pretty grim position’ if they don’t find form in the NatWest T20 Blast this week.

The Steelbacks face three games during the next four days with Thursday evening’s home clash with Derbyshire (start 6.30pm) followed by tomorrow’s game at Leicestershire and Sunday’s trip to Yorkshire.

Ripley’s men, who still have 11 fixtures to complete in the North Group, are desperate to get some wins on the board, having lost all three of their matches in the competition so far.

And although he knows the finish is more important than the start, the coach is aware that without some immediate successes, his team will be in a really sticky situation.

“It’s about getting momentum at the right time and that’s not necessarily at the start,” said Ripley.

“You can get it at the beginning and it can fizzle out, leaving you hanging on a bit at the end.

“Obviously you don’t want to lose your first three games - I’d be silly to put my hand up for that. But if we can start playing some better cricket, those three games will be massive.

“If we continue to be as inconsistent as we have been, by the end of those games we could be in a pretty grim position.”

The Steelbacks head into the tricky T20 triple-header on the back of a tiring County Championship Division Two clash with Essex.

And though Ripley admits the schedule could be kinder, he will not allow it to be used as an excuse.

“It’s a tough period of cricket that we’ve got, but it’s the same for every coach, every team,” he said.

“When they come thick and fast like that, it’s wearing on the squad, but we’ve got a good squad.

“We’ve got some good guys who aren’t playing and we’ll dust ourselves off and hopefully be on the front foot this week.”

Nearly 150 people have signed a petition calling for action over traffic and parking near a Northampton primary school.

The petition raising issues near Earl Spencer Primary School in Streatfield Road will be presented to Northamptonshire County Council on Thursday June 18.

Councillor Gareth Eales (Lab, Dallington Spencer), who collected the petition, said the high amount of traffic at school drop-off and pick-up times caused chaos around the school.

“it is also a school that is expanding and with more than 100 additional pupils to be added in the next couple of years, the congestion problems will grow and risk to pedestrians growing with it,” he added.

“There is also deemed to be insufficient staff parking provision on the horizon, adding to the problem and limiting nearby resident parking. Local residents are therefore petitioning on these matters.

“I have already had site meetings with Highways Officers looking at this issue and there is without doubt legitimate problems,” he said.

“Earl Spencer Primary really concerns me as the central issue is the expansion of a school and an apparent lack of road infrastructure to support it and the problems will grow as the school grows.

“I am taking these matters up on behalf of my constituents and will present the petition to full council and progress with officers and cabinet members accordingly,” he added.

Memorabilia from the Great Train Robbery is to go on sale at a Towcester auctioneers.

J P Humbert Auctioneers are to sell more than 400 items including the throttle lever of the locomotive that pulled the mail train and items from the Monopoly set that the gang famously played with.

The diverse collection includes items, not only from the actual night of the robbery and the period after where the gang holed up at Leatherslade Farm while Britains biggest manhunt got under way in the summer of 1963, but also personal items belonging to Ronnie Biggs, Bruce Reynolds and others, many of which were personally signed.

Managing director, Jonathan Humbert, said: “since the catalogue was published last week, the enquiries have been coming thick and fast with interest from America, Canada, Japan, Australia, Brazil and elsewhere.

“Such is the enduring appeal of this most audacious crime, even 52 years on, people have an unrepeatable opportunity to bid on, and buy some important pieces of British social history. We are expecting a very busy sale.”

Items on offer also include currency stolen in the robbery and many other important items directly connected with the robbery, the robbers and their personal lives.

Mr Humbert added; “This is certainly The Greatest Ever Great Train Robbery Sale and I believe an historical event in its own right, as this event will never happen again and the lifetime collection from a private collector, will be scattered worldwide.”

The auction takes place from 4pm on Tuesday, June 16.

Further details, online bidding and a fully illustrated catalogue available at www.the-saleroom.com/jphumbert or from the auctioneers on 01327 359595.

There have been many stars turning out for the first two days of the Althorp Literary Festival.

The likes of Claire Balding, Marian Keyes, Darcey Bussell and Sir Timothy Ackroyd have been at the stately home for the first two days.

There is a wide range of other authors who will be talking about their work over the next two days including Alan Titchmarsh, Charles Spencer, Lord Fellowes of West Stafford., Gyles Brandreth and the Rev Richard Coles.

For further information about the event or to book tickets for the other talks, visit www.spencerofalthorp.com or call 01604 770107.

A pedal cycle was stolen from outside the library in Sheep Street, Kettering.

The bike, a white Raleigh 300 racing bike, was taken sometime between 1.30pm and 10.30pm on Thursday, June 4.

Witnesses, or anyone with any information or who may have been offered a similar second-hand bike for sale, is asked to 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.

A Northampton man has appeared in court charged with 32 offences, including obstructing a police officer, blackmail and fraud.

Matthew Sprigmore, aged 39, of Woolston Close, Northampton, appeared at Northampton Magistrates’ Court yesterday and was remanded in custody.

He is charged with three counts of driving a motor vehicle without a license, four counts of driving a vehicle with no insurance and one charge of obstructing police, in connection with providing allegedly false details in the Oxford area.

He is also faces seven charges for fraud by false representation in connection with taking out loans/cards and phone contracts in a third party name in Buckinghamshire and one charge in connection with blackmail in connection with incident in Berkshire

He has also been charged with four counts of fraud in connection with taking out a credit card and loans in a thirty party name, two counts of fraud in connection with money loaned from women who were met online in the Bedfordshire and Surrey areas.

Sprigmore was previously on crown court bail for the following charges:

• Three charges in relation to fraud by false representation in connection with a recruitment company

• One charge in connection with blackmail in Buckinghamshire

• Three charges in connection with assault in Buckinghamshire

• Three charges in relation to fraud by false representation in connection with taking out loans and cards in a third party name alleged to have occurred on the Buckinghamshire area.

He is next due to appear at Northampton Crown Court on Friday, June 26.

Staging the world premiere of The Hook by legendary playwright Arthur Miller is a considerable coup for Northampton’s Royal & Derngate.

As director James Dacre, notes in the programme, the story behind the production of the play deserves a screenplay of its own.

The Hook was originally a ‘play for the screen’ script written by Miller at the height of McCarthyism in 1951 that was suppressed by the FBI due to fears it would encourage communism.

Now 60 years later, Dacre has created a transcript of the play by collating copies of different typewritten versions of the script, some of which were accompanied with handwritten notes.

The finished work, currently being performed at Royal & Derngate, has been put together by playwright Ron Hutchinson, staying true to Miller’s language and dialogue structure.

The Hook is set in the New York docks in 1951, a time that was the ‘golden era’ for longshoreman, despite the work being dangerous, hard and irregular.

With all the characters speaking with a strong American accent, it took a few scenes for the ear to attune to the rhythm of the dialogue.

The main character of Marty Ferrara (Jamie Sives), was inspired by dockworker Peter Panto, who led a campaign against the Mafia-links in the union leadership in the 1930s.

Sives puts in a fist-pumping, brooding, Marlon Brando-esque performance in which he struggles to keep his temper with the injustice of the workers’ situation.

The moody, murky atmosphere of the play is also accentuated by the brilliant set design, which features curved wooden walls and a high glass ceiling that gives the feel of the workers being stuck in the bowels of a ship.

It is through Ferrara’s personal story the audience learns of the disastrous consequences for a dockworker losing their ‘work book’ and some of the most powerful scenes depict the emasculating effects of not being able to provide money for his family.

Although her character, along with a few of the other men, is not fully fleshed out Susie Trayling does pour plenty of emotion into the powerless, permanently worried, wife of Marty.

Despite the play being written more than 60 years ago, the themes it explores, including the corruption amongst the rich and powerful, still seem relevant today with the recent allegations against FIFA officials.

However, the tone of the play is not quite consistent at times, with Alessi’s behaviour when he is rigging the president’s vote appearing more pantomime villain than menacing gangster.

At times it also feels as if the play has too many protagonists and too much action to fit into the two hours so the audience never really gets a chance to fully engage and empathise with Marty’s fight for democracy in the union.

The ending of the play also feels like a slight anti-climax, lacking any big emotional punch.

James Dacre has undoubtedly done a great job in the staging of Miller’s play and is aided by a talented cast, expertly led by Jamie Sives.

But leaving the theatre, I couldn’t help thinking that, contrary to its title, The Hook was not quite gripping enough to be considered at the same quality level as other recent Made in Northampton productions.

The Hook is being performed at The Royal until June 27. To book tickets go to www.royalandderngate.co.uk

He may have only been back for one night and one night only but David Willey took the chance to make himself the headline act.

The all-rounder was given permission by England to play for the Steelbacks before rejoining the national side at The Oval tomorrow.

And his presence was crucial in setting up his side for their first win of the summer in the NatWest T20 Blast.

Opening the batting, he cracked 60 from just 27 deliveries to put the Steelbacks quickly on track to reach their target of 167 for victory.

At one stage he took 32 from just eight balls as the Derbyshire bowling attack found nowhere to hide.

Two huge sixes towards the members stand were followed in the next over by one on to the roof of the Lynn Wilson stand.

In truth the Derbyshire total was probably never going to be enough.

But Willey’s dynamics set the platform with Shahid Afridi (34 from 17 balls) helping things on their way.

It was left to skipper Alex Wakely to finish the job off with an unbeaten 31.

Earlier Derbyshire captain Wes Durston had been the mainstay of his side’s 166-7.

He batted through the innings for his 77 from 63 but got no notable support from the other end.

Had someone provided some fireworks to accompany his solidity, the Falcons might have posted something more challenging.

That they did not was due to tidy work with the ball from Rory Kleinveldt, Steven Crook - who was on a hat-trick at one stage - and Afridi.

A poor start to the reply might have opened the door for an away win.

But Willey ensured that was not the case and he can head down to London for England duty with a warm glow knowing he played the key part in securing a first win of the season for the Steelbacks.

“That’s what David does.”

So went the explanation for David Willey’s batting power show from his Steelbacks head coach David Ripley.

Willey smacked 60 from 27 balls at the top of the order to send Northamptonshire cruising to their first NatWest T20 Blast victory of the season.

They cantered past Derbyshire Falcons with six wickets and more than two overs in hand.

There were good contributions elsewhere but it was Willey’s knock that stood out.

“We have a lot of match-winning cricketers,” Ripley said.

“Josh Cobb, Richard Levi, Shahid Afridi, Steven Crook... they keep coming.

“But that’s what David Willey does. That’s why he is in the England squad.

“He is a top one-day player.

“Hopefully now he goes off and gets a chance for England at some point over the series.

“We’re grateful England let him play tonight.

“It’s common sense for him to get some cricket but when he puts in a performance like that we’re grateful he was here.

“It’s a relief to get off the mark.

“We wanted to put together that 40-over game.

“We’ve been good in parts but tonight we did it all the way through.

“It was more of an all-round show and in the end we won with quite a bit left in the tank I think.

“And it helps when David Willey shapes a run chase like that, though.”

The borough council should not renew its environmental services contract with Enterprise, Northampton’s Labour group says, after it emerged Daventry could sever ties with the firm.

Leader of the Labour opposition Councillor Danielle Stone (Lab, Castle) made the declaration following a debate at Monday night’s full Northampton Borough Council meeting.

As part of a questions to cabinet section, the Conservative member for environment, Councillor Alan Bottwood (Con, Upton) was asked whether the borough should renew it’s recycling contract with Enterprise when the seven year deal ends in 2018. The council is currently tied into the deal with Daventry District Council.

But he responded: “Daventry District Council has advised NBC that it does not wish to continue our initial seven-year agreement when it expires in three years’ time.”

However yesterday Daventry District Council denied having made a formal decision about the contract.

Environment portfolio holder at Daventry District Council, Councillor Jo Gilford, said: “Daventry District Council has not made a decision to end the contract with Enterprise Managed Services (EMS) at the end of the seventh year.

“Our position is therefore not as reported in the response issued by Northampton Borough Council. Members at Daventry will be considering all options in due course.”

But Councillor Bottwood, said he got the information from a reliable source within the Daventry authority and is sticking to his response.

The contract was signed between Northampton Borough Council, Daventry District Council and Enterprise Managed Services in April 2011.

Enterprise currently looks after both council household waste and recycling, street cleaning, parks, cemeteries and grounds maintenance. In Daventry this also includes the town’s market and Daventry Country Park.

But the opposition Labour group at Northampton Borough Council says the contract “has failed to deliver a cleaner and greener town” and believes the council should show “the same courage as Daventry District Council” by choosing not to renew the contract.

Leader of the Labour group, Councillor Danielle Stone, said: “People are sick of missed bins, piles of wet leaves building up on the path and fly tipping not being promptly taken away.

“On bin collection day people get angry about the rubbish which is left in the streets for hours.”

The Labour group opposed the privatisation of environmental services back in 2010 and Councillor Stone said the council should now consider bringing some environmental services back “in house.”

If Daventry was to not renew the three-party deal in 2018, Councillor Bottwood said Northampton would need to consider “all options”, including bringing environmental services back in house and looking for another contractor.

He said: “We won’t just be able to say to Enterprise we want to continue with the contract, because the contract as it stands is between three parties.”

A judge in a multi-million pound compensation case has ruled Northampton Borough Council is liable for damages after a boy ‘nearly drowned’ unnoticed at a town swimming pool.

The boy, who was six at the time of the incident at Danes Camp Leisure Centre in 2002, is now 18 and was left with severe brain damage after being under the water for around two minutes and 40 seconds.

The family lodged a major compensation bid, which finally came before London’s High Court on May 18 this year, claiming that two lifeguards’ failure to see the youngster going under amounted to negligence.

The borough council has always denied culpability, but High Court judge Sir Colin Mackay has ruled that the lifeguards, then council employees, should have seen the boy slip underwater, as lifeguards are require to scan their particular area of a pool every 10 seconds.

In his ruling the judge wrote: “There is no doubt that given where the two lifeguards can be seen to have been on the afternoon of this event, the claimant was no more than seven or eight metres at most from both of them and must have been in the zone of the lifeguard in the high chair, as well as within that of the lifeguard in the central high raised position.

“Two pairs of eyes must have scanned his progress to the very point at which he entered the water and the area of the pool towards which he was aiming, over a three minute period every 10 seconds.”

Susan Rodway QC, acting on behalf of the council claimed throughout the course of the four day trial that the lifeguards could have become distracted by “unruly boys diving into the deep end” and “other pool users”.

She also argued that the lifeguards’ underwater view could have been obscured by “a glare of lights on the surface,” and argued that the boy was “out of sight” of his father, who was also in the pool at the time.

But the judge dismissed the arguments, ruling: “I see nothing on the CCTV to support the notion that it would have been difficult to keep an eye on the progress of the claimant once he entered the water from one or both of the raised vantage points.”

It will now be down to the legal teams to hammer out exactly how much compensation will have to be paid by the council to the family of the teenager.

Partner at Toller’s Solicitors, acting on behalf of the family, Tristan Holdom, said the amount is likely to be “several millions” and described it as a “landmark case”.

Mr Holdom said: “This case has been going on for 12 years.

“This poor boy has gone from the age of six to eighteen and all during that time there has been no support in terms of compensation. They have been left to fend for themselves as the council has denied liability throughout.

He added: “Our job now is to try and ensure that he can embark on as rewarding an adult life as he can and allow the other members of the family to retrieve some of their lives back they have had to give up over the last decade.”

A Northampton Borough Council spokesman said: “An appeal will be made against the court’s decision and it would be inappropriate to comment further until the outcome of that process.”

Northampton Borough Council has announced a year-long closure of a town centre car park to make way for the building of a nearby bridge.

Midsummer Meadow car park, off Bedford Road, will be closed from Saturday, July 20, as the new bridge that will link the University of Northampton’s new Waterside campus to the town centre goes under construction.

Notices have gone up in Midsummer Meadow car park to let motorists know of the planned closure. Motorists who usually use this car park are being advised to use any one of the town’s other car parks from July 20; St John’s and St Michael’s multi-storey car parks are the nearest alternatives.

Councillor Tim Hadland, the council’s cabinet member for regeneration, enterprise and planning, said: “The new university campus is the most exciting development for Northampton for many years and it has a pivotal role in the Northampton Alive programme of regeneration that is currently transforming the town. Another major step forward.”

For further information about the temporary closure, or to raise any queries, contact the council on: Northampton 838953. For information on parking available in Northampton visit www.northampton.gov.uk/parking.

Northampton Town Football Club’s Charitable Foundation has appointed its official charity partners for the 2015/2016 season.

The charities who will benefit are Prostate Cancer UK, Beating Bowel Cancer, Coppa Feel, Kidney Patients Association, Northampton Hope Centre, Facial Palsy UK, Northamptonshire Association for the Blind and the Swain Benevolent Fund

Through the foundation the club works with a selected number of charity partners on a season by season basis. The Northampton Town Football Club Charitable Foundation aims to harness local passion to make a difference to charities in Northampton and beyond.

Being an official partner entitles the charity to a bucket collection during the season, use of the club badge for promotional purposes, media coverage of charity events in club’s match programme and on the club website.

As well as this each of the charities will be adopted by two or three players who will make at least two personal appearances on behalf of the charity each year.

They will also receive a donation from the club’s fundraising proceeds and access to signed shirts, balls and tickets for fundraising purposes.