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House plants can suck dangerous toxic chemicals out of the air - leaving it cleaner to breathe, according to new research.
The study shows certain species act like natural air fresheners - removing harmful chemicals from the air we breathe.
House plants can suck dangerous toxic chemicals out of the air - leaving it cleaner to breathe, according to new research
Research has shown the air in offices and family homes often contains pollutants leading to ‘sick building syndrome’ where people suffer a range of symptoms including headaches, fatigue, difficulties in concentrating and respiratory problems.
It has been estimated to blight the lives of up to three in 10 office workers. A study earlier this year estimates that annually nearly 100,000 people die from the effects of indoor air pollution.
Now new research has found the Scarlet Star (Guzmania lingulata), from South America and a member of the bromeliad family of plants, got rid of more than 80 percent of illness causing compounds.
That performed the best out of five plants tested, although the Dracaena Corn Plant (Dracaena fragrans massangeana) soaked up virtually all of a particularly pungent chemical common in nail salons.
House plants can suck dangerous toxic chemicals out of the air - leaving it cleaner to breathe, according to new research
Native throughout tropical Africa, it is grown in many homes and offices within the UK, US and Europe.
Scientists say their findings show picking the right houseplant can clear the air of dangerous pollutants in homes and offices.
Printers and cleaning products give off potentially harmful chemicals known as VOCs (volatile organic compounds).
Dr Vadoud Niri, of the State University of New York, said: “Buildings, whether new or old, can have high levels of VOCs in them, sometimes so high you can smell them.”
House plants can suck dangerous toxic chemicals out of the air - leaving it cleaner to breathe, according to new research
VOCs are compounds like acetone, benzene and formaldehyde that are emitted as gases and can cause short and long term health effects when inhaled. They can come from paints, furniture, copiers and printers, cleaning supplies and even dry cleaned clothes.
Explained Dr Niri: “Inhaling large amounts of VOCs can lead some people to develop sick building syndrome, which reduces productivity and can even cause dizziness, asthma or allergies. We must do something about VOCs in indoor air.”
The most common solution is to install ventilation systems that cycle in air from outside or methods using adsorption, condensation and chemical reactions.
But using plants to remove chemicals from indoor air, known as biofiltration or phytoremediation, is much simpler - and cheaper.
House plants can suck dangerous toxic chemicals out of the air - leaving it cleaner to breathe, according to new research
In addition to carbon dioxide plants can take up gases such as benzene, toluene and other VOCs.
NASA began studying this option in 1984 and found that plants could absorb these airborne compounds via their leaves and roots.
Since then, other studies have looked at how plants phytoremediate specific compounds, such as the cancer causing chemical formaldehyde, in a closed space.
Most of these studies focused on the removal of single VOCs by individual plants from the ambient air.
But Dr Niri wanted to compare the efficiency and the rate of simultaneous removal of several VOCs by various plants.
So his researchers built a sealed chamber containing specific concentrations of several VOCs and monitored the VOC concentrations over several hours with and without a different type of plant in the chamber.
For each plant type, they noted which VOCs the plants took up, how quickly they removed them from the air, and how much was ultimately removed by the end of the experiment.
The researchers tested five common house plants and eight common VOCs, and they found that certain plants were better at absorbing specific compounds.
For example, all five could remove acetone, the pungent chemical abundant at nail salons, but the dracaena plant took up the most, around 94 percent of the chemical.
Dr Niri said: “Based on our results, we can recommend what plants are good for certain types of VOCs and for specific locations.
“To illustrate, the bromeliad plant was very good at removing six out of eight studied VOCs - it was able to take up more than 80 percent of each of those compounds - over the twelve hour sampling period. So it could be a good plant to have sitting around in the household or workplace.”
Dr Niri says the next step in the research is to test these plants’ abilities in a real room, not just a sealed chamber.
He would eventually like to put plants in a nail salon over the course of several months to see whether they can reduce the levels of acetone that workers are exposed to.
The other three plants studied were Jade plant (Crassula argentea), the Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) and the Caribbean Tree Cactus (Consolea falcata.)

VIDEO: House plants can suck dangerous toxic chemicals out of the air


House plants can suck dangerous toxic chemicals out of the air - leaving it cleaner to breathe, according to new research.


UK motorists have been hit by a near-20 per cent rise in insurance costs in the last year, new figures show.
The average driver now pays £715 a year for fully comprehensive cover, up 19 per cent on the same time last year.
The figures were revealed by the Confused.com car insurance price index, which tracks quarterly and annual trends.
After dropping for several years from a high of £843 in 2011, insurance costs have been rising since the start of 2015. The latest figures, for the period from April to June 2016 show that costs have risen by 6 per cent since the start of the year and drivers are paying an average of £115 more for their insurance than they were in the same period last year.
Northern Irish drivers have been worst hit by the latest rises, seeing their premiums climb 25 per cent year-on-year. They now face an average premium of £863.
Also feeling the impact badly are motorists in parts of Scotland - the Highlands and Islands saw rises of 24 per cent and drivers in the Hebrides were hit with a staggering 42 per cent annual increase.
Conversely, Orkney’s capital - Kirkwall - was one of only two places to see a drop in costs, with a quarterly fall of four per cent. Hereford, in the West Midlands, was the only other place to see a fall in quarterly premiums - down two per cent on the first three months of the year.
While younger drivers might face the highest premiums overall, they have actually escaped the worst of the rises. Drivers aged 17 saw an annual rise of just eight per cent - the lowest of any age bracket - but still face average premiums of £2,013. A the opposite end, 61-year-old drivers saw a 24 per cent rise - the highest of any age group - but still only pay £418 a year.
And the gender gap persists, with male drivers facing annual rises of 21 per cent in comparison with the 18 per cent faced by women. This continued difference means the gap between the sexes is growing as men pay an average of £92 a year more - up from £27 in 2013.
Confused’s motoring editor, Amanda Stretton, said: “We’ve not seen price rises of this magnitude for five years - a 19 per cent annual increase is substantial to say the least. And these price rises are being felt across the board, for drivers of all ages and genders, across all UK regions.
“If prices continues to rise at the rate we’ve been seeing, we could be facing the possibility of average comprehensive premiums reaching a high not seen since 2011. This, combined with rising fuel prices and increased motoring costs across the board, could result in a sizeable dent in drivers’ pockets.”

Car insurance costs soar nearly 20 per cent in 12 months


UK motorists have been hit by a near-20 per cent rise in insurance costs in the last year, new figures show.


Video game escapism in its purest form.
No Man’s Sky in undeniably a work of art, but have you got time to look around the whole gallery?
No Man’s Sky launched last week after much hype and billed as quite literally the biggest video game ever made.
The self-perpetuating game, which promises to be potentially endless, was four years in the making by a tiny team in game production terms. And you can tell as it will instantly take your breath away.
Make no mistake there has never been anything like this before. As you fly ever deeper into the universe, new planets and solar systems roll silently into view – some will have been seen before, others discovered for the very first time. And you have 18 quintillion of them to choose from...
Each has its own set of flora, fauna and inhabitants. By exploring, players gain information about the planets that they can submit to The Atlas, a universal database that can be shared with other players of the game and for which they are rewarded in currency each time.
Each planet is a work of art you could spend hours studying, analysing and dissecting. These works of art are housed in an endless gallery and for art connoisseurs it will be Manna from heaven.
However, most people’s playing time will be finite.... unless you’re at university and can afford to miss the odd class here and there to squeeze in just one more exploration of a peculiar alien planet.
And that is where one of the game’s key sticking points comes in. As much as No Man’s Sky takes us to Infinity and leaves us wondering what waits beyond, there is also an almost irresistible itch which you can’t scratch because you can never truly “complete” this game in the traditional sense.
But that is very much a personal take on NMS, many people might enjoy jumping on for a couple of hours here and there, discovering lots of different things and logging it to the Atlas, if anything it could be cathartic but many people like a beginning, a middle and an end to their games.
No Mans Sky is undeniably a work of art
The care, thought, time and brilliance that has gone into this utterly original video game is mindblowing and deserves to be experienced by PlayStation gamers.
It is the purest form of video game escapism we have ever seen and should be celebrated as such.
But it will more likely go down as a cult classic than the blockbuster success it’s craft deserves.


Golden girl Charlotte Dujardin has done it again.
The former Vandyke Upper School pupil stormed the individual dressage at Rio today, winning gold and retaining her Olympic title.
She has already won silver for team dressage on Thursday.
She gained a staggering 93.857 well ahead of her nearest rivals.
She and her horseValegro, who was taking part in his last Olympics before retiring at the grand age of 14, performed to a specially written piece designed to reflect the music of Brazil.
It’s been a hectic four years for Charlotte after she and horse Valegro were part of the team which won gold for team dressage followed by her gold medal glory in the individual dressage event.
Since then the 31-year-old has received an OBE and has been described as the most successful British dressage rider in the history of the sport.
Born in Enfield, Charlotte, who started riding at the age of two, moved with her family to Leighton Buzzard.
She left Vandyke at 16 to take up horse riding full time..
Her mother Jane Dujardin bought and sold ponies for her daughters to ride to enable them to continue ridin
In 2015, Charlotte became Global Ambassador for the Brooke Hospital for Animals – an equine welfare charity that focuses on improving the lives of working horses, donkeys and mules in 11 countries around the world.
Riding Valegro, Charlotte currently holds the complete set of the available individual elite dressage titles; the individual Olympic freestyle, World freestyle and Grand Prix Special, World Cup individual dressage and European freestyle and Grand Prix Special titles.

She’s done it - Charlotte is a golden girl


Golden girl Charlotte Dujardin has done it again.


Fertility experts are calling for tougher regulations around IVF treatment because the solutions used to grow embryos can influence the birthweight and health of babies.
They want firms a clear list of ingredients for the solutions like those used to regulate food such as peanut butter.
The demand follows the results of a trial that shows that the composition of these laboratory cultures influence the health of the resulting embryos and babies.
The trial found that they affected the numbers of viable embryos created, the rates of successful implantation in the womb, the pregnancy rates and the babies’ birthweights.
The findings were published in the journal Human Reproduction, together with a second paper that reviews what is currently known about embryo culture media.
The second paper concludes: “There is a strong case for demanding full transparency concerning the compositions of and scientific rationale behind the composition of embryo culture media”.
The journal’s editor-in-chief, Professor Hans Evers, called for “urgent action” by industry and regulators in the wake of the findings, saying that, just as with foods such as peanut butter, the exact composition of the culture media should be listed.
He said: “Floating an embryo for only a few days in a culture medium affects the birthweight of IVF children nine months later.
“Small differences in birthweight may reflect more subtle disturbances that only will manifest themselves later in life.
“As of today, not knowing the exact composition of their IVF culture media is no longer an option for clinical embryologists.”
Dr John Dumoulin, the IVF laboratory director at Maastricht University Medical Centre in The Netherlands, and his colleagues recruited 836 couples who were scheduled for IVF or ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) treatment at one of 10 IVF centres.
Dr Dumoulin said: “For the first time, by means of a large randomised controlled trial, we have shown that human embryos that are cultured in vivo are sensitive to their environment and that something is programmed into these embryos during those few days before transfer to the womb that still has an effect nine months later.
“This being the case, we must be aware that David Barker hypothesised that the environment in early life, from foetus to the first two years of life, can have a significant effect on long-term health.
“This means that we should be careful and we should no longer blindly accept new culture media, or other alterations in laboratory or clinical procedures, without first rigorously studying effectiveness and safety.”
In the second paper, a working group of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, led by Professor Arne Sunde, of the University Hospital in Trondheim, Norway, made the same recommendations.
Their research showed that culture media vary widely, their composition is usually unknown by the embryologists, doctors and patients, and figures about the influence of the media on outcomes are conflicting.
Prof Sunde said: “The key issue is that we must know the composition of the culture media we use, since it seems to induce differences in the make-up of the children born.
“We have no information about long-term consequences of this, but we cannot rule out that the composition of the culture media may affect the health of children as they grow up and become adults.”
At present, there is no uniform regulation of embryo culture media. In Europe, the majority of media approved for use carry the CE mark, but other non-CE media can still be used.
Prof Sunde added: “It is not obligatory to declare changes and the information we might get is far from sufficient.
“We want to know in detail what changes have been made and the scientific basis for the changes, including animal and human clinical data backing the change.”


Fertility experts are calling for tougher regulations around IVF treatment because the solutions used to grow embryos can influence the birthweight and health of babies.


It’s after dark, it’s a crisp, clear and slightly nippy night and I’m on the top deck of a Viking river cruise longship clicking madly.
Like everyone else, I’m trying to get the perfect ‘sail-away’ picture of the Budapest skyline and in particular the spectacularly illuminated parliament building, that I have seen a hundred times in most of the glossy river cruise brochures and Sunday papers.
Budapest Parliament Building
Once the Viking Embla captain had finished demonstrating his prowess with the river equivalent of a ‘three point U turn’ in the middle of the Danube, we cruised under the famous Chain Bridge and elegantly began our ‘Passage To Eastern Europe’ and our voyage of discovery through five countries – Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania.
Still clutching our cameras and phones, we suddenly became aware of how chilled we all were… after all we’d been jostling like the paparazzi, to get the best pictures for over an hour. Time for a hot cup of tea and bed!
River cruising as a sector has enjoyed exponential growth in the last five years and no company has expanded its fleet and market presence more than Viking river cruises.
I wanted to find out why river cruising has become so popular and the ‘must do’ holiday and whether Viking’s ‘strap-line’ claim about ‘Exploring The World In Comfort’ is justified or just marketing hype!
Iron Gate Gorge Face
Our Eastern European adventure had begun with a short flight from London to Budapest and a seamless transfer to the centrally located luxury ‘Sofitel’ hotel, our base for the first two days.
Within minutes of arrival, we were offered a short and helpful walking orientation tour. Whilst many of us were admiring a first look at some of the historical architectural masterpieces Budapest has to offer, it didn’t take long for some of our fellow British guests to become much more excited by a nostalgic spotting of a large C&A shop. Yes, the same famous nationwide retail brand which disappeared from our high streets about 15 years ago!
This two nights stay in the Hungarian capital, was really a good combination of pre-cruise tours offered by Viking and personal sight-seeing. Like most guests, we took the organised coach tour and discovered that it was really a joining of two cities… ‘Buda’ the hilly and older side of the Danube and ‘Pest’ the flatter and more modern.
The city tour took in both and included a visit to the castle complex in ‘Buda’ to see the Mathias Church, with a fantastic view over the whole city from Fisherman’s Bastian. Back in the Pest side, we enjoyed a trip down busy and vibrant Andrassy Street – the Oxford Street of Budapest – all the way to Heroes Square.
However, it was also nice to have the time to explore the city independently, including the colourful and huge Central Market Hall and the infamous House of Terror, once the Nazi and fascist headquarters. It’s now a museum and a dark reminder of the cruel persecution that took place in Hungary after the Second World War.
On the subject of human cruelty and persecution, no visit to Budapest would be complete without a stroll along the edge of the Danube to see the ‘Shoes’, one of the most emotional and poignant memorials in Europe.
These bronzed shoes are in homage to the many Jews, who were herded to the river by the Nazis in the 1940s, made to take off their shoes – because they were expensive – and leave them. They were then shot at this spot and their bodies allowed to fall into the river.
As we took in this unbelievable sight, tearful visitors could be seen to light memorial candles and utter prayers. This was a place to reflect on how fortunate we are.
After a hectic couple of days sightseeing, it was almost relief to make the short stroll from the hotel to our ship ready for the cruise. Seamlessly, our bags were waiting for us in our cabin.
Our stateroom, as they like to call it, was on the middle passenger deck. It was spacious, with a sumptuously comfortable bed; excellent bathroom with luxury toiletries; a safe big enough for a laptop computer; a fridge and a private verandah. Given how lucky we were with the sunshine in eastern Europe in May, this was a fantastic facility for Danube watching.
With open seating and informal dining, you could sit anywhere for any meal. This meant you could stick to the people you were travelling with, or use it as an opportunity to meet interesting new people all the time.
We met a classical cellist; a former record company boss; and a senior NASA boffin, amongst many others. It made for interesting and lively meals, though the folks from the US mainly wanted to grill the Brits on the upcoming EU vote and even more importantly to them, Downton Abbey!
Our second port of call in Hungary, brought us to the contrasting small town of Kolocsa and a visit to the Puszt Horse Stables. Here we were treated to a horse show with riders cracking their whips; riding without saddles and generally showing off their equestrian skills. I tried my hand at ‘whip-cracking’ but failed miserably. Given that whips were on sale as a souvenir, I suspect my wife was secretly relieved by this particular lack of natural talent!
As we cruised gently eastwards down the Danube, meeting different local tour guides along the way, there were two recurring themes… dumplings and Dracula!
Yes, it seemed that every guide we had, would attempt to convince us that their grandmother’s dumpling recipe was the best and that their version of the Dracula legend was the most authentic. In the end, I couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps there was a connection between the two, as the closer we got to the Transylvania region of Romania and the Vampire legends, the more we were told about the importance of garlic in the dumpling recipes. I guess one can never be too careful!
Our next two ports of call were Vukovar in Croatia and the Serbian capital of Belgrade. Despite continuing to play jolly tourists and seeing the sights, there was no escape from the ever-present physical reminders of the bloody war, which tore apart the region in the early 1990s. We encountered bombed out buildings yet to be restored, bullet holes in walls and locals with their vivid memories of what had happened here.
Perhaps the most telling moment, was when we were divided into small groups for home visits in a rural Croatian village. We went to the house of Bianca, who served up Slivovitz and chocolate cake. She told us how she had been forced to leave her home during the war and how Serbs had occupied it for six years. After the war, she was thankful to be able to get it back. With tears in her eyes, she told me, “I am happy though, because unlike so many of my friends and family, I didn’t lose anyone”. Again, we left with a refreshing sense of perspective.
One of my favourite things about river cruising, is the ‘cruising’. There is something elegantly relaxing and peaceful about sitting on the sun deck with a book and a hot coffee, watching the scenery slide by. We had a whole day of this as we left Serbia and cruised onwards to Bulgaria.
The only time we needed to leave our seats was for another delicious lunch served with wine and to grab our cameras. This was in readiness of our passing through the famous Iron Gate Gorge, and for a look at the magnificent 120 foot high sculptured face of the last king of Dacia glaring at us from the rock face.
By the following day we had arrived in the town of Vidin, in the north-western part of Bulgaria, bordering Romania. It was from here that we had the chance to take a roller coaster-style coach ride through the rural countyside to visit what are known as the Belogradchik Rocks.
Made largely of limestone, these impressive rock formations form a long strip over a mile wide, more than 18 miles long and 650 feet high. Many fit members of our group braved the climb to get the best pictures, whilst the rest of us, myself included, satisfied our photographic desires by taking pictures of the people struggling up the 150 steps to get the best view of the rocks!
In contrast, the following day we had arrived in Rousse, the fifth largest city in Bulgaria. Sometimes known as Little Vienna because of its many elegant buildings, and impressive architecture, the city attracts many tourists. Here another tour guide, passionate to share everything about her city and indeed herself, tried to convince us that her grandmother’s dumplings were the best. She also told us that she was a triplet. The other two are both boys she told us. This didn’t stop one guest asking: “Are you all identical?”
Finally, we had our shortest cruise of the trip, literally across the river to Giugiu in Romania, where we boarded our coach for the two hours drive to the Romanian capital of Bucharest.
Given our close proximity to Transylvania, again we heard all about the exploits of Vlad the Impaler, who lived there during the 15th Century. It was Vlad and his evil deeds, who was we were told the real inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula creation.
It was in Bucharest that we spent our final night, this time in the very comfortable Radisson Blu hotel. Contrary to our expectations however, this city was busy, seemingly affluent, modern and booming. Some of the buildings and monuments were spectacular and almost pointlessly massive.
Dominating the city was the People’s Palace… the Parliament building, built by Nikolai Ceausescu during the height of his influence. Believe it or not, this building is the second largest in the world after the Pentagon in the United States. We were lucky enough to have a tour and after being guided around the building for two hours, our guide told us: “You have now seen just three percent of the building”.
This cruise through eastern Europe, felt different from other river cruises I have been on. Heading east on the Danube towards Romania was more than just a relaxing and romantic vacation. The opportunity to pass through five countries, all coming to terms with huge challenges in recent years, turned it into an historical and at times emotional adventure as well.
As we were seamlessly transferred back to the airport for our flight home, I understood with great clarity why river cruising has become so popular. Without doubt the Viking River Cruise claim about ‘Exploring the World in Comfort’, was perfectly justified.
Cruise Travel Facts
Professor Ian Cooper’s sailed with Viking River Cruises on their ‘Passage To Eastern Europe’, an 11-day holiday along the Danube priced from £1,695 per person on selected dates in 2017. It includes full board with all meals plus drinks (wine, beer & soft drinks only) and seven guided tours. The price also includes return economy flights and is based on two people sharing a standard stateroom.
For further information: www.vikingcruises.co.uk
Tel no: 0800 319 66 60


It’s after dark, it’s a crisp, clear and slightly nippy night and I’m on the top deck of a Viking river cruise longship clicking madly.


A man crushed his next door neighbour’s five-year-old son to death as his car pulled onto the shared driveway of their homes.
Aylesbury Crown Court heard on Wednesday that 42-year-old David Cowell was returning home to watch an England football match on TV after going on an errand to the shops when the tragedy happened, crushing the child without seeing him.
Cowell is accused of causing the death of Riley Ferguson by careless driving - a charge he denies.
Riley died from horrific injuries to his head and neck after his next door neighbour’s Vauxhall Insignia car rolled over him, the jury was told.
Neighbour Cowell had invited a friend around to watch an England football match on June 7, 2015, when he left his home for a brief moment on an errand.
The defendant returned home to see another neighbour’s daughter, named Millie, standing near his shared driveway but was unable to spot Riley who was already underneath his car and bleeding heavily from his mouth and nose.
Cowell reversed after hitting what he thought was a bike or a scooter on the driveway, only to find Riley who he had not seen while pulling up outside his home in Milton Keynes.
Riley died from his injuries after being taken to a hospital and a hospice.
The court heard how the summer sun had prompted a number of barbecues in Woodspring Court where the tragedy happened last year.
Alan Blake, prosecuting, said: “The front gardens were very small and Millie and Riley would often play together on and around the driveway. That was something that frustrated the defendant who had spoken to his neighbours about it.
“Relations remained cordial and it was just something that had been mentioned.”
He added: “On June 7, 2015, some of the residents, including this defendant, were planning on having barbecues and David Cowell was planning to watch an England match with his friend.
“The defendant popped out on an errand in his black Vauxhall Insignia car. At around 1.45pm he drove down Tewkesbury Lane before turning left into Woodspring Court.
“While the defendant was out on his errand there were some of the children playing on the shared driveway. 10-year-old Millie started playing outside with Riley. Riley had a ball with him while they chatted and played.
“Young Riley was sitting playing on the driveway about a metre or so from Millie.”
Mr Blake told jurors that Cowell returned to his home at around 1.45pm and was aware of Millie who was stood near a fence at the end of the driveway.
He added: “According to what he told police, David Cowell was aware of Millie but failed to see Riley.
“As he entered the driveway he was aware he ran over something that he thought was a child’s toy or bike. He rolled back a distance and there he saw Riley bleeding heavily from the head.
“He picked him up and carried him to the grass.
“Millie’s mother, Tamara, made the 999 call and Riley’s mother was said to be beside herself with grief and shock.
“Riley suffered severe head and neck injuries and was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford before he was taken to a hospice where he died four days alter from his injuries.
“He had been run over by the nearside front wheel. David Cowell had been aware of children congregating in that area with bikes and toys on the shared driveway.
“He should have been proceeding with maximum care and attention and unfortunately he didn’t.”
Cowell, now of Deacon Crescent, Middleton, Milton Keynes, denies the charge of causing death by careless driving.
The trial continues.

Court: Driver crushed five-year-old to death on his driveway


A man crushed his next door neighbour’s five-year-old son to death as his car pulled onto the shared driveway of their homes.


Autism Bedfordshire’s Summer Activity Scheme which took place between July and August this year saw record numbers of children attend.
The scheme, which gives children with autism the same experiences as others their age, successfully supported 140 children from Luton and across the county.
Autism Bedfordshire
Autism is a developmental disability which profoundly affects the way a person thinks, communicates and relates to the world around them. Children with autism often struggle to access mainstream services and community amenities due to the noisy, crowded and overstimulating environments.
The Summer Activity Scheme provided a range of activities for children with autism aged 3 to 17 years with specialist trained staff on hand to offer support. Each child had the opportunity to participate in outings such as day trips to the farm, swimming, soft play and trampolining, while providing a much-needed respite break for their parents and carers.
Gill Christmas, funding manager of Autism Bedfordshire, said: “We are absolutely delighted that once again the Summer Activity Scheme has been such an incredible success. We have received such positive feedback from all who attended. We would like to particularly thank the hard work and dedication of our staff for making this year’s scheme possible.”
Another cause for celebration is that the charity is celebrating their 25th anniversary this year. Established in 1991, Autism Bedfordshire currently support over 1,000 families across the county and run a number of services in Luton including a social activity group for children with autism, a youth club for teenagers with the condition, a day time adult social group plus skills courses and employment support for adults with autism.
Autism Bedfordshire has been shortlisted alongside four other charities to be Luton Town Football Club, Supporters’ Charity of the Year. They are calling on their members, local businesses, supporters and the local community to get behind them in their bid to be selected. The voting system went live on the football club website last Thursday and will close at noon on Friday, September 2.

Summer scheme supports autistic children


Autism Bedfordshire’s Summer Activity Scheme which took place between July and August this year saw record numbers of children attend.


The most popular pet name in the UK is Charlie, according to new research into the names we choose for our animals by Pets at Home.
Pets at Home surveyed more than 800,000 pet owners through its My VIP club and has found the top 50 most popular names for each pet type. Whether the pet is a bird, cat, dog, fish, horse, reptile or small animal, Charlie was the clear winner with almost 34,000 of British pet owners choosing this name for their animal friend, topping the list of most common names for birds, cats and horses.
Poppy also proved to be a popular choice for many pets, particularly canines and felines, ranking at number one for dogs and number two for cats. Other common selections include Alfie, Bella, Billy and Molly.
George also ranked highly across all species with almost 10,000 of those taking part choosing this name within the top 50, again regardless of pet type, suggesting the young Prince’s influence may not end with toddler fashion and toys.
The world of entertainment, particularly children’s cartoons, appear to have had an effect on the names owners select. Bird based film Rio saw the film’s title rank in 10th place for birds, while classic cartoon character name Tweety came in at number 32.
Bestselling book A Cat Called Alfie may have inspired cat owners, with Alfie being the eighth most popular name for cats. Winnie the Pooh fans are meanwhile drawn to Tigger, which ranked at 11 in cat names. Demonstrating that classic films can still influence our decisions, Thumper, who appeared in the 1942 film Bambi, is still the seventh most chosen name for rabbits. Nemo, is the second most popular name for the nation’s fish following Goldie in first.
Gavin Hawthorn, Group CRM Director, said: “It’s interesting to see that just as popular culture and famous faces influence what we name our children, likewise, these trends can help the nation’s pet owners select a name for their animals. It seems likely that children being allowed to name their first animal friend forms a big part of the naming process, particularly among the film and TV inspired monikers.
“However, it also seems that books and even the Royal family are also helping Brits to decide on what to call their pet. Meanwhile Charlie and Poppy scored highly across species, suggesting that cute, traditional names will always appeal when it comes to naming our pets.”
Top 10 names for British pets by species
Top 10 names for dogs
1. Poppy
2. Alfie
3. Bella
4. Charlie
5. Molly
6. Max
7. Daisy
8. Bailey
9. Ruby
10. Lola
Top 10 names for cats
1. Charlie
2. Poppy
3. Molly
4. Bella
5. Oscar
6. Daisy
7. Tilly
8. Alfie
9. Millie
10. Smudge
Top 10 names for small animals
1. Daisy
2. Fudge
3. Nibbles
4. Poppy
5. Rosie
6. Charlie
7. Thumper
8. Fluffy
9. George
10. Harry
Top 10 names for reptiles
1. Spike
2. George
3. Rex
4. Charlie
5. Sid
6. Monty
7. Bob
8. Leo
9. Rango
10. Sheldon
Top 10 names for fish
1. Goldie
2. Nemo
3. Bob
4. Bubbles
5. Fishy
6. George
7. Fred
8. Jaws
9. Dave
10. Tom
Top 10 names for horses
1. Charlie
2. Jack
3. Rosie
4. Molly
5. Harry
6. Alfie
7. Billy
8. Poppy
9. Murphy
10. Lady
Top 10 names for birds
1. Charlie
2. Joey
3. Billy
4. Bobby
5. George
6. Blue
7. Alfie
8. Rosie
9. Sky
10. Rio


The most popular pet name in the UK is Charlie, according to new research into the names we choose for our animals by Pets at Home.


Bedfordshire snatched defeat from the jaws of victory as they lost their MCCA Championship clash against Hertfordshire by eight runs on Tuesday afternoon.
Chasing just 147 to win on the final day, Beds looked to have victory secured, despite losing opener Michael Pickard for just one in their reply.
Luke Thomas (11) and Jay Parmar (29) steadied the ship briefly until both fell, although Ben Howgego (18) and Andy Reynoldson took the score to 78-3.
However, Howgego was bowled for 18, although Beds still looked in a commanding position, moving on to 104-4.
The wheels well and truly came off though as Reynoldson was caught for 25, before Jake Nicholls (19) and Nick Barden (0) followed suit as Beds tumbled to 106-7.
Tom Brett followed for four and although Colin Griggs hit 16 not out, Beds were dismissed for 139.
On the opening day. Herts themselves had suffered a collapse, as they were sitting pretty at 200-2 with R Hussain on 102, before slipping to 247 all out, Griggs claiming 5-68, and Brett taking 4-64.
Beds made a positive response, Howgego making a stunning 165 from 244 balls with 23 fours and one six.
He received good suport from Thomas (50), Pickard (39) and Reynoldson (39no) as Beds declared on 348-6.
It looked like Herts might at one stage struggled to set Beds much of a target, falling to 112-5, before D Chatfield rescued the innings with 88, putting on 101 with P Scott (34), as they made 248.
Ben Slawinski was the star, claiming 6-62 from 31 overs, but Bedfordshire were ultimately undone.

Bedfordshire suffer a dramatic final day loss


Bedfordshire snatched defeat from the jaws of victory as they lost their MCCA Championship clash against Hertfordshire by eight runs on Tuesday afternoon.


One half of the dynamic duo who host The Great British Bake Off is bringing her latest touring show to Northampton’s Royal & Derngate.
Fresh from hosting the latest series of the baking show, Sue Perkins goes out on tour with Spectacles, all about her life so far.
And she can’t wait to get out in front of a live audience again.
Q: What prompted you to hit the road with your new tour, “LIVE! in Spectacles”?
A: It’s a good time to look back on my life so far. I fully intend to live to the age of 92, so this is half-time. Essentially this tour is handing out the orange segments.
Q: Tell us more.
A: Writing a memoir begins a process that doesn’t necessarily end with publication. You begin to think about family life and stories and relationships, and those are ongoing. Once the book was published, I thought, “There is so much more still to say without necessarily writing another book. Why not animate the book with a live tour?” It’s like a companion volume, I guess. A big, technicolour puke of thoughts. Perhaps I should put that on the poster…
Q: You have always relished live performance, haven’t you?
A: Yes, I love live. I really enjoy playing with an audience. At book events, I do Q&As, and it’s often then that the madness starts. It often feels like an anarchic version of Question Time.
Q: What do you particularly like about interacting with the audience?
A: It enriches me. Performing live challenges you to be more engaged. And the great thing is, each venue is completely different. What I have done lately has been TV-based, so I haven’t had the same feedback as I get live, and that’s what I love. I adore the raw surprise someone of asking a question you would never have expected. I love the spontaneity of it. I don’t encourage hecklers, but sometimes a heckler is the funniest person in the room - why not embrace that? The audience is a big pool of fun you can swim around in. But remember - no petting.
Q: You will be giving each ticket-holder a copy of your book, “Spectacles”. What’s the thinking behind that?
A: It gives me the opportunity to meet the whole audience one by one afterwards during the signings. A gig is a two-way street. It’s not about me broadcasting. It’s not, “This is what I’ve got to say about this.” It’s as much about how people respond to the material. My memoir is a story of family and childhood, and everyone has had one of those. Mine is not the definitive version of childhood, but it’s a great way to start a conversation. I love it when someone says, “It’s weird. I lived next to an electricity substation for 20 years as well.” Or, “We had a cat that dragged our turkey across the room at Christmas and we had to eat boiled eggs for our lunch instead.” The book is a recorded history of my life so far, but the tour brings extra stuff to it. The audience adds so much on top of that. It’s important to have that double act thing going on with them.
Q: So what subjects will you be covering in the show?
A: Births, deaths, lemon drizzle and getting fondled by a Cambodian hermit. I’ll talk a lot about the catastrophising that went on in my family. There was always a sense that something awful, that imminent doom, was around the corner. It came from my mum – she’s a worrier. Everything was a potential trip to A&E!
Q: I believe you will also be showing some slides.
A: Yes, there will be lots of slides. There is only one picture of me in the book and I have this horrific haircut in it. People say, “Surely that was just one bad haircut day.” But I’m afraid I have 150 slides of myself at different ages, all with the same haircut! My mum had someone round to cut my hair who, it transpired, had only done dog grooming before. So I had a low Dougal-style fringe that was perfectly straight. It swayed like a trimmed, bearded collie! A bowl for all seasons. Perhaps that should be the title of the second volume….
Q: You have a wonderful relationship with your fans. Do they frequently stop you in the street?
A: Sometimes, yes. Often they’ll want to ask about the weird things I’ve eaten. I’ve eaten everything. There’s nothing I haven’t eaten. I’ve eaten peacock, rat, squirrel, wigeon, teal, snipe, snake, moose and yak. Bear Grylls, eat your heart out! In fact, he probably has eaten his heart out…
Q: What else do the fans ask you?
A: They always want to know what Mary Berry is like. Well, Bez is the best. End of. She’s the nation’s sweetheart. I love her – so much so, I’ve been trying to get her to adopt me for the last seven years.
Q: Why do you think The Great British Bake Off has proved so popular?
A: I think the chemistry between the four of us – Mary, Paul, Mel and I – works so well. We’re all big kids at heart. We’re all very playful. We don’t approach it as a job. We approach it as a day out at a country fair! But the real reason why the show is so successful is the 12 people who come to bake every year. Although we four have received a lot of attention, I really do believe that the bakers are where the magic is.
Q: Finally, do you believe that a sense of humour is vital?
A: Of course. Life is boring without the punctuation of punchlines. If you laugh at a joke, it’s because someone has put something you already know in a way you had never thought of before. You’ve always been aware of that idea, but it’s the expression of that idea that catches you. The other person encapsulates it or puts a new twist on it. It illuminates and cheers in one fell swoop. Without humour, what’s the point? Life would simply be one long argument with a man from the BT helpdesk.
Sue Perkins in Spectacles can be seen on Saturday, September 17, starting at 7.30pm. For tickets call 01604 624811 or visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk.
For other dates visit www.sueperkinslive.com

Bake Off star Sue Perkins chats ahead of Northampton show


One half of the dynamic duo who host The Great British Bake Off is bringing her latest touring show to Northampton’s Royal & Derngate.


The internet is 25 years old today and we take a look at 25 things the world wide web changed forever.
Happy 25th birthday to the internet! In August 1991, British computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee published the first web page.
And on August 23, 1991, he gave the public access to it.
Handily, the page told readers how they could set up their own website, whatever the heck a website was.
You can view a version of that original web page here. Compared to what we have now obviously it is very basic but will go down in history as one of the most important developments of all time.

The World Wide Web is 25 today: Here’s 25 things the internet changed forever


The internet is 25 years old today and we take a look at 25 things the world wide web changed forever.


Motorists now change their car more often than they switch their mattress or even their mobile phone, suggests new research.
The length of time motorists keep a car has plummeted from around five years to two years or less, reveal latest figures.
The data produced by automotive experts, cap hpi, shows that some car makers now see average returns of vehicles in 24 months, and there is evidence of a growing number of 18-month leases in the market.
Mattresses should be changed every seven or eight years to ensure a good and healthy night’s sleep, according to chiropractors, while mobile phone contracts are on average between 18 and 24 months.
Expert say car manufacturers are managing volumes in the used market by varying contract lengths by model and remarketing channels.
Philip Nothard, retail and consumer specialist at cap hpi, said: “What we are seeing is the ‘iphonification’ of the car industry as consumers increasingly pay to drive rather than pay to own their vehicles.
“It’s the same model as the mobile phone industry where people are comfortable paying a monthly fee - only they are now doing this with their vehicles as well as their mobiles.”
He said the growth of personal contract purchase (PCP) and other finance options is having a “profound” effect on the car industry.
Personal Contract Hire (PCH) is also increasing, as motorists increasingly look towards usership rather than ownership.
Around four out five new car sales (80 per cent) are now on finance, according to estimates by cap hpi.
Mr Nothard added: “Not so long ago it was fairly common for motorists to have their cars for a minimum of five years or longer, but that has now changed dramatically and dropped to just two years for millions of motorists.
“After buying a house, the car was usually the biggest outlay for most consumers but now they are far more likely to change their car more often than their mattress.
“Consumer demand remains strong in the used car market and there are lots of used bargains waiting to be snapped up.
“As PCP becomes more popular and accessible in the used market, motor dealers expect its use to double in the future so we’re going to see people changing their cars with increasing regularity.”

Motorists change their car more often than their mobile phone


Motorists now change their car more often than they switch their mattress or even their mobile phone, suggests new research.


It could cost airline passengers £25 for making a complaint, following the introduction of new aviation rules.
Passengers traveling with British Airways, easyJet and Thomas Cook will be charged £25 if any claim they make is unsuccessful, as the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will no longer mediate between customers and airlines.
Previously, the CAA would act as the ‘middleman’ in negotiations between customer and airlines in disputes regarding flight delays and cancellations or missing or damaged luggage.
British Airways, along with easyJet and Thomas Cook, have signed up to the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), which charges customers a £25 fee for unsuccessful claims for compensation.
However, passengers with other airlines, including Flybe and Ryanair will be able to pursue complaints without fear of financial loss as these airlines have signed up with the Retail Ombudsman which does not charge customers to use the service.
Also, Eurowings and Lufthansa will use German company Söp, which similarly does not charge a fee.

BA and easyJet passengers could pay £25 charge for flight delay complaints


It could cost airline passengers £25 for making a complaint, following the introduction of new aviation rules.


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Are you a drill sergeant, a worshipper, a skipper or a teammate? Experts have identified four types of parent when it comes to teaching their children how to DRIVE.


A study has found that half of parents with children under the age of 14 allow them to drink alcohol at home.
And, perhaps more worryingly, one in 10 respondents to the Churchill Home Insurance survey allow children between the ages of five and seven to drink alcohol.
While it is not illegal for a child between the age of five and 16 to drink alcohol on private premises, it flies in the face of advice from the Chief Medical Officer whose official advice warns: “Children and their parents or carers are advised that an alcohol-free childhood is the healthiest and best option. However, if children drink alcohol underage, it should not be until at least the age of 15 years.
“Parents and young people should be aware that drinking, even at age 15 or older, can be hazardous to health and that not drinking is the healthiest option for young people.”

Do you think it’s okay to allow children to drink some alcohol at home?


A study has found that half of parents with children under the age of 14 allow them to drink alcohol at home.


Pokemon GO players who are found to be cheating will have a permanent ban slapped on them, it has been announced.
The game’s developer, Niantic, has altered the terms and conditions to include the condition that a life ban will ensue for anyone caught using trickery to bag Pokemon.
The new clause prohibits: “Falsifying your location, using emulators, modified or unofficial software and/or accessing Pokemon GO clients or backends in an unauthorized manner including through the use of third party software.”
It has been reported that some users have managed to fool the app into thinking they were at a different location. Some Pokemon are region-specific, although taken to extremes, a player could play the game without leaving their home.
“Our goal is to provide a fair, fun and legitimate game experience for everyone,” Niantic said:
“We will continue to work with all of you to improve the quality of the gameplay, including ongoing optimization and fine tuning of our anti-cheat system.”
Anyone believing that have been unfairly banned can access an appeals system.


Pokemon GO players who are found to be cheating will have a permanent ban slapped on them, it has been announced.


British Transport Police have issued a warning after a gang placed wooden planks across a railway line and watched a train smash into them.
The gang are currently being hunted by police after the incident in Buckinghamshire on August 11, where a group were caught on camera putting large wooden planks across railway tracks.
A member of the public called 999 but before anything could be done, a train crashed into the planks.
The train was badly damaged but not derailed and there were no injuries. However, passengers said they felt the carriage ‘jump in the air’.
Investigating officer PC Jay Townsend used the incident as an opportunity to fire out a nationwide warning.
“This was an incredibly stupid thing to do and it beggars belief that someone would think this was a funny thing to do,” he said.
“Not only is trespassing on the railway extremely dangerous – with trains travelling well in excess of 100mph – but this could have caused the train to derail, and who knows what might have happened.
“We were lucky this time but acts like this can easily have fatal consequences.”
PC Townsend is now hoping to catch the culprits and bring them to justice.
“Although these images are grainy, we are releasing them in the hope that someone comes forward with information,” he added.
“Do you know who might have done this? Have you seen someone bragging about this on social media, or maybe uploading a video of themselves on the tracks?
“If you have any information, please get in touch.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016, quoting 505 of 11/8.

British Transport Police issue warning after train ‘jumps in the air’


British Transport Police have issued a warning after a gang placed wooden planks across a railway line and watched a train smash into them.


A recruitment firm has been named the best company in the UK for work-life balance.
Financial recruiter Goodman Masson took first place in the list by jobs site Glassdoor, based on reviews submitted to its website by current and former staff.
The company, which is based in London and also has offices in Dusseldorf, was praised by staff for its “huge investment” in staff benefits and “great” parties twice a year.
“The attention paid to the wellbeing of staff is at a level rarely matched elsewhere,” said an anonymous employee working in the London office.
In second place was technology firm Cisco Systems, and in third place was insurer HomeServe.
West Midlands-based HomeServe, which employs 1,200 people at its headquarters in Walsall and has 2.1 million customers in the UK, was commended for its attitude towards the treatment of its staff.
“The salary is very competitive and you are rewarded very generously for your hard work and just for carrying out your role. The company has a great framework for career progression and is always looking to promote people internally for job roles,” said a water supply engineer working at the firm.
Greg Reed, chief marketing officer at HomeServe, said: “We believe if you take care of your people, they will take care of your customers. This means creating a culture where people genuinely enjoy coming to work every day because they feel what they do really makes a difference in our customers’ lives.”
Temping firm LOLA and Screwfix completed the top five. Other companies in the top 20 included Apple, American Express Lloyds Banking Group, Unilever and John Lewis.
Google is known for its plush offices, but doesn’t make the top 20 companies for work-life balance. Its new London office has sleep pods so workers can take a nap, although perhaps this is an indication of long hours.
For a company to have been considered, at least 50 work-life balance ratings must have been submitted by UK-based employees in the past year.
The top 20 companies for work-life balance:
1. Goodman Masson
2. Cisco Systems
3. HomeServe UK
4. LOLA Staffing
5. Screwfix
6. American Express
7. BP
8. Peninsula Business Services
9. ARM Holdings
10. Unilever
11.Thomson Reuters
12. Kantar Worldpanel
13. Atkins
14. Téléfonica
15. Credit Suisse
16. Rolls-Royce
17. John Lewis
18. Waitrose
19. Lloyds Banking Group
20. Apple

Revealed: The top UK companies for work-life balance


A recruitment firm has been named the best company in the UK for work-life balance.


CCTV footage released after car window smashed in Kempston


Police have released CCTV footage after a car was broken into in Chantry Lane, Kempston.


Being stuck in a dead end job by your early 40s is bad for your health.
Having an unrewarding job as you start out on the career ladder makes you more depressed, worried and had more trouble sleeping.
And if you stay stuck in positions with low levels of job satisfaction it affects you not just you mentally but physically too, including catching more colds, having a bad back and poor heart health.
But if you are happy in your job or finally get your dream job as your career progresses your overall health gets a boost.
The study by Ohio State University sociologists found job satisfaction in your late 20s and 30s has a link to overall health in your early 40s.
While it impacts on physical health, its effect was particularly strong for mental health.
Lead author and doctoral student Jonathan Dirlam said: “We found that there is a cumulative effect of job satisfaction on health that appears as early as your 40s.”
The study highlighted the importance that early jobs have on people’s lives.
Associate professor of sociology Dr Hui Zheng said: “You don’t have to be near the end of your career to see the health impact of job satisfaction, particularly on your mental health.
“The higher levels of mental health problems for those with low job satisfaction may be a precursor to future physical problems.
“Increased anxiety and depression could lead to cardiovascular or other health problems that won’t show up until they are older.”
He added the study was carried out before the credit crunch and said: “The recession almost certainly increased job insecurity and dissatisfaction, and that could have resulted in more negative health effects.”
The study used data from 6,432 Americans followed from the ages of 14 to 22 as part of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979.
Researchers examined job satisfaction trajectories for people from age 25 to 39 and their health on turning 40.
Participants rated how much they liked their jobs from 1 - dislike very much - to 4 -like very much.
They were then divided into four groups: consistently low and consistently high job satisfaction, those whose satisfaction started high but was trending down and those who started low but were trending higher.
About 45 per cent of participants had consistently low job satisfaction, while another 23 per cent had levels that were trending downward through their early career.
About 15 per cent of people were consistently happy at their jobs and about 17 per cent were trending upward.
Mental health was most affected by people’s feelings about their jobs with those in the low job satisfaction group throughout their early careers scored worse on all five of the mental health measures studied.
They reported higher levels of depression, sleep problems and excessive worry and were more likely to have been diagnosed with emotional problems and scored lower on a test of overall mental health.
Those whose job satisfaction decreased were more likely than those with consistently high satisfaction to have frequent trouble sleeping and excessive worry, and had lower scores for overall mental health.
But they didn’t see an impact on depression scores or their probability of being diagnosed with emotional problems.
Those whose scores went up through the early career years did not see any comparative health problems.
Those in the low satisfaction group and those who were trending downwards reported poorer overall health and more problems like back pain and frequent colds compared to the high satisfaction group.
But they weren’t different in physical functioning and in doctor-diagnosed health problems such as diabetes and cancer.
As with mental health, no effects were seen on physical health for those trending upward.
The findings was presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association in Seattle.


Being stuck in a dead end job by your early 40s is bad for your health.


Golden girl Charlotte Dujardin has been battling to repeat her London success at the Rio Olympics.
The former Vandyke Upper School pupil has already won silver for team dressage on Thursday.
She is now battling for medal glory in the dressage event as the Observer went to press, gaining a staggering 93.928 to give her a comfortable lead over her nearest rival with six riders to go.
In a bid to defend her Olympic title she and Valegro performed to a specially written piece designed to reflect the music of Brazil.
It’s been a hectic four years for Charlotte after she and horse Valegro were part of the team which won gold for team dressage followed by her gold medal glory in the individual dressage event.
Since then the 31-year-old has received an OBE and has been described as the most successful British dressage rider in the history of the sport.
Born in Enfield, Charlotte, who started riding at the age of two, moved with her family to Leighton Buzzard.
She left Vandyke at 16 to take up horse riding full time..
Her mother Jane Dujardin bought and sold ponies for her daughters to ride to enable them to continue ridin
In 2015, Charlotte became Global Ambassador for the Brooke Hospital for Animals – an equine welfare charity that focuses on improving the lives of working horses, donkeys and mules in 11 countries around the world.
Riding Valegro, Charlotte currently holds the complete set of the available individual elite dressage titles; the individual Olympic freestyle, World freestyle and Grand Prix Special, World Cup individual dressage and European freestyle and Grand Prix Special titles.

Could it be gold for Charlotte out in Rio?


Golden girl Charlotte Dujardin has been battling to repeat her London success at the Rio Olympics.


The Cola-Cola glass bottle has been voted as the most iconic packaging on the UK’s shelves.
A study of 1,500 Brits exploring the influence of packaging and branding on shopping habits found that one in six people thought the Coca-Cola bottle was the most identifiable in terms of packaging.
Indeed, it was deemed to be just as recognisable without its logo or the product itself.
The research, commissioned by Easyfairs, organisers of Packing Innovations and Luxury Packaging London, found the Toblerone triangular chocolate bar finished as a close runner up, with Marmite’s glass jar rated as third-best-loved product packaging.
Beauty brands, such as the Tiffany Box and the Chanel No.5 Bottle just missed out on the top ten.
Coke’s success has been attributed to its targeting younger audience, with one in five Millennials selecting the bottle as the most recognisable pack product.Pringles’ iconic cylinder tube, fourth on the overall list, was the Millennial’s second favourite.
The study also revealed barcodes as the greatest packaging invention, ahead of more traditional items such as the cardboard box (21 per cent) - although the younger generation, 18-34 years, voted for 3D printing and re-sealable zips as its top two.
Gerry Sherwood, Event Director for the Easyfairs’ Packaging Portfolio, who commissioned the survey, said: “Millennials have officially passed Baby Boomers as the largest generation in history, and are more personally connected to their favourite brands than ever before. It is therefore not surprising to see 3D printing come out top in our poll for this age group.”
Top Ten Most Recognisable Brand’s Packaging
1. Coca-Cola Bottle
2. Toblerone Triangle
3. Marmite Jar
4. Pringles Tube
5. KFC Bucket
6. Heinz Ketchup Bottle
7. Fairy Liquid Bottle
8. Apple’s iPhone Box
9. Walkers Crisp Packet
10. Amazon Box

Coca-Cola bottle ‘most iconic packaging’


The Cola-Cola glass bottle has been voted as the most iconic packaging on the UK’s shelves.


The chance to stay in one of the country’s biggest castles with the promise of Knight School, Horrible Histories and huge looming turrets to explore was like music to my eight-year-old audience’s ears.
“So we get to play all day, then have a knights’ sleepover as well?” Even with mum and dad in tow he knew he was in for something special. And I wasn’t unexcited myself.
At over 1,100 years old Warwick Castle offers its 21st century visitors free reign to explore magnificent stately rooms, dungeons and impressive grounds.
And its owners, Merlin Entertainments have brought history to life with a flaming fireball launch from the trebuchet (the largest in the world ), breath taking displays from enormous birds of prey, blood and guts from the Horrible Histories, spooks and ghouls undergrounds, jousting, archery, knights and endlessly more.
But the best part? Now, you don’t even have to go home. When the castle closes its gates the fun is only just beginning as another exciting adventure awaits – the promise of a sleepover in the shadows of kings.
The castle has been home - and imprisonment - to kings and earls, hosted royal banquets and parties and even has links to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. So the latest addition of year-round camping lodges at Knight’s Village really does mean a sleepover steeped in history.
No time to make it round the maze or see the joust? We can come back tomorrow morning after breakfast. The words are like magic to my little knight-in-training. And even mum and dad are tingling to wake up in such magnificent grounds after enjoying an evening by the river and some of the best views you could ever wish for.
An afternoon arrival showed us that a day at the castle just isn’t enough. But once evening arrived there really was a whole new adventure waiting.
Families can banquet in the great food hall where majestic thrones, flags and plates of armour take you right back hundreds of years. But what really grabbed our attention was the entertainment and chance for children to go wild.
The castle’s brilliant staff pulled everything out of the bag for the youngsters. Circus skills, archery, more knight and sword training – it was a summer Kids Club, but one where the grown-ups are elbowing to get involved as well. Though the less interested still get to enjoy a superb evening relaxing on the porch, watching the fun and basking in the last of the sunshine.
But of course, the centrepiece of Knight’s Village - the lodges. They’re great. With everything from mod-cons (plugs, and WiFi) to replica weaponry and armour, there’s something to keep all ages happy.
Unless you go for the premium, they’re on the cosy side. But with hundreds of years of history on your doorstep, there’s certainly no reason to want to cram inside and watch television.
And of course if it’s sunny and you have a taste for something a bit more medieval, you can get yourself booked up for Glamping and take on a huge cloth tent, complete with four-poster beds and a pair of thrones to watch over the evening entertainment as the sun sets.
It was as peaceful and entertaining a night as you could hope for, with happy children and happy mum and dad all looking forward to a return to the banquet for a hearty breakfast and another go at flag spotting.
The best bit about sleeping among the trees where inspiring history once unfolded? Waking up to stunning views in complete tranquillity. Looking out over the new camping village (which prides itself on not harming the historic grounds in any way and that not one tree was felled in its construction), you really can imagine yourself hundreds of years back in time.
And being able to head back through the gates to do it all again for a second day of exploring.
Warwick Castle’s Knight’s Village is as magical as you could expect from a stay in a truly historic location, and with activities continuing well into the night, acres of grounds to explore, and a historic town just metres outside, there’s no reason not to be excited.
Earning an excited thumbs up from mesmerised children, the stay really delivered as the perfect place to enjoy history on your doorstep this summer.
Warwick Castle’s Knight’s Village offers seasonal stays in Glamping tents or year-round accommodation in its wooden lodges. Prices start from £41.30 per person.
Visit www.Warwick-castle.com to book or more information.

TRAVEL REVIEW: Exclusive sleepover at one of the country’s biggest historical castles


The chance to stay in one of the country’s biggest castles with the promise of Knight School, Horrible Histories and huge looming turrets to explore was like music to my eight-year-old audience’s ears.


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QUIZ: How well do you know your retro games?


Can you get 10/10 in our retro games quiz?


Deus Ex has you spoilt for choice.
Mankind Divided and so am I when it comes to reviewing the latest Deus Ex game after its launch last week.
There is so much to rave about in DEMD and I’m still enjoying it now over a week into the game.
But there are a number of elements which do not quite sit right with me.
Let’s start with the positives, though, and there are plenty of them.
There is layer upon layer in this game all expertly crafted together and beautifully designed.
The gameplay stands up to the high standards set by previous Deus Ex games and goes beyond them in many respects.
This is a game that will suit all types of gamers too.
Looking for a quick blast for an hour, you can jump on and get enough done to enjoy the experience, looking for longer, more involved sessions on your console then the gameplay rewards your patience, curiosity and creativity.
You play augmented human Jensen who is essentially the most deadly Power Ranger on the planet. I mean this guy has everything and would even give Superman a run for his money.
There are so many options to negotiate each scenario
And this is where my first problem lies with DEMD.
Sometimes, dare I say it, there are so many options available to you, so many ways to deal with scenarios and enemies and so much in your arsenal, it actually feels a bit ... easy.
‘Ramp up the difficulty setting!’ I hear you cry.
Well yes there’s that but my point is no matter what level you are playing at, Jensen just has too much at his disposal for his enemies to trouble him.
Sometimes, dare I say it, there are so many options available to you, so many ways to deal with scenarios and enemies and so much in your arsenal, it actually feels a bit ... easy. Damien Lucas, gaming columnist
But don’t get me wrong it’s still great fun entering a room littered with foes and walking out past a pile of them without breaking a sweat.
Another thing that doesn’t quite land for me is the Apartheid type references between the humans (naturals) and the augmented race. It is a poor attempt to give the storyline resonance with real life - for example there are posters dotted around saying things like ‘Augmented Lives Matter’ and it just feels a little frivolous.
I’m being hyper critical, though, and Deus Ex will go down as one of the games of the year of that there is no doubt.
Rating: 8.5/10

Console Corner: Deus Ex Mankind Divided review


Sorry, we're having problems with our video player at the moment, but are working to fix it as soon as we can
Woburn Safari Park is holding a new fundraising fortnight for charity Tusk with activities that include a rare twilight walk into the Duke of Bedford’s private estate with engendered Asian elephants.
Woburn Safari Park is home to five Asian elephants, a species that is endangered in the wild largely because of human-elephant conflict, habitat loss, deforestation and loss of vital food and water resources.
Endangered Asian elephants will roam the Woburn Estate
The Park has provided us this exclusive video footage of the elephants enjoying a roam around the Duke’s private estate.
Special activities to raise funds for the charity have been organised, with mini VIP trips to see the majestic animals up close and a unique evening event that includes an exclusive guided tour of the park, a twilight walk with a herd of endangered Asian elephants in the woodlands of Woburn’s private estate and a special conservation talk from Charlie Mayhew MBE, the CEO of Tusk.
There will also be daily games and face painting sessions in the Foot Safari, and all profits from the events and activities will be donated to Tusk. HRH the Duke of Cambridge and Lord Robin Russell, the Duke of Bedford’s brother, are also royal patrons of the charity.
Tomorrow (Thursday August 25), the Bedfordshire park will open its gates for a rare evening walk with a herd of Asian elephants in the woodlands of the Duke of Bedford’s private estate. Accompanied by park keepers, guests will enjoy exclusive access to the elephants’ playground, follow the female herd and watch them feed, dust, bathe and play together in a serene woodland environment. There will also be the chance to meet 23-month old elephant calf, Tarli.
Endangered Asian elephants will roam the Woburn Estate
The experience also includes an exclusive after-hours tour of the Road Safari reserves to see the big animals, as well as a conservation talk in the Safari Lodge by Charlie Mayhew MBE, founder and CEO of Tusk. The talk will reveal the charity’s fascinating work behind 50 field conservation projects in 18 African countries. There will then be a delicious barbeque with two complimentary drinks on the terrace, which boasts breath-taking views over the Desert Springs meerkat enclosure and Swan Lake.
And until August 29 special mini VIP Trips will allow visitors to come face-to-face with the animals in the Road Safari or Foot Safari.
For more information visit the website.

VIDEO: Endangered Asian elephants roam Duke’s private estate


Woburn Safari Park is holding a new fundraising fortnight for charity Tusk with activities that include a rare twilight walk into the Duke of Bedford’s private estate with engendered Asian elephants.


Fans of The Kinks are in for a spectacular evening with the arrival of Sunny Afternoon to the area.
The band from North London hit the music scene big time in the early Sixties with hits including You Really Got Me and Lola.
Brothers Ray and Dave Davies formed The Kinks. Ray was the primary songwriter and the band’s definitive sound rocked a nation and influenced generations of music lovers.
Sunny Afternoon has won multiple awards during its run in the West End, and now the show is on tour with stops at The Waterside in Aylesbury and Milton Keynes Theatre.
Producer Richard Darbourne said: “Ray Davies is one of the best British songwriters we’ve ever had. There is an iconic Kinks sound and some amazing song writing. He wrote for a particular age, he was very observational. It resonates with that particular time and it either induces a memory in people today, or brings in new listeners who hear their music for the first time on radio.”
The show promises to have a real concert vibe to it.
Mr Darbourne said: “There is no band in the pit, it’s a quite spectacular event. The actors are musicians as well. Finding the right personnel for any show is a major challenge. We needed four Kinks and their understudies and they have to learn the music and sound like The Kinks with an authentic sound. There is a catwalk that goes into the audience, it’s a logistical nightmare but we’ve kept it for the tour. We felt it was important to retain it and keep the show as it is seen in the West End.”
Sunny Afternoon comes to Milton Keynes Theatre from Tuesday August 30 - Saturday September 3. To book call 0844 871 7652 or visit www. atgtickets.co.uk/miltonkeynes. It then visits Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury from Tuesday September 27 to Saturday October 1. Call the box office on 0844 871 7607 or visit www.atgtickets.co.uk/ aylesbury.

Kinks musical hits Milton Keynes and Aylesbury stages


Fans of The Kinks are in for a spectacular evening with the arrival of Sunny Afternoon to the area.


Ambulance staff and volunteers have been thanked for their hard work during another busy bank holiday weekend.
The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) received more than 9,100 emergency calls during the long weekend (27th – 29th August) – 9% more than the 2015 August bank holiday weekend.
The busiest day of the weekend was Saturday with 3,299 calls across the East. The Trust received 2,776 calls on bank holiday Monday.
Community first responders attended almost 300 medical emergencies over the weekend.
Sandy Brown, Director of Nursing and Clinical Quality, said: “Whilst most people were enjoying a long weekend in the sun, our staff and volunteers were working hard to help patients across the East of England.
“I’d like to thank everyone for their efforts over the weekend.
“We continue to experience an increase in demand, but we coped well to provide the best possible care to patients over the bank holiday.”
County breakdown of number of calls over the bank holiday weekend compared with 2015:
Bedfordshire – 873 (849)
Cambridgeshire – 1,123 (1,095)
Essex – 2,992 (2,626)
Hertfordshire – 1,463 (1,491)
Norfolk – 1,444 (1,301)
Suffolk – 1,276 (1,019)

More than 9,100 calls to ambulance service over Bank Holiday weekend


Ambulance staff and volunteers have been thanked for their hard work during another busy bank holiday weekend.


A pastor and a Rolls-Royce aerospace engineer are among the 12 hopefuls competing to win the 2016 series of The Great British Bake Off.
The amateur bakers, competing to follow in the footsteps of last year’s champion Nadiya Hussain, will again seek the approval of judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood.
However the seventh series could be the last on the BBC. Its three-year deal with producers Love Productions expires at the end of this run and ITV is bidding to poach the format.
Ms Berry, 81, hinted at tensions behind the scenes between the new batch of contestants donning their aprons. She said: “They know the standard that it is, which is now pretty high. And I think they were slower to bond this year than they were in the past.”
The bakers include Andrew, 25, originally from Northern Ireland, he now lives in Derby and works as an aerospace engineer for Rolls-Royce. A Cambridge University graduate, Andrew has set his heart on designing a baguette concorde.
The oldest contestant in this year’s lineup will be Lee, a 67-year-old who has worked in various pastoral ministries for the past 30 years – most recently as the pastor of his local church in Bolton. A former builder, he had a complete change of direction in the mid 1980s, when he turned to theology and took up baking.
The youngest baker is Michael, a 20-year-old from London who is studying politics and economics in Durham. He enjoys making “big grand cakes” and making Greek pastries inspired by his Cypriot heritage.
Teaching Assistant, Benjamina, 23, who started baking aged 14 just for fun, recently graduated with a 1st in Economics & lives in south London.
The contestants also include 66-year-old former primary school head teacher Val, and 31-year-old secondary school PE teacher Candice. Mother of two Kate, 37, is a farmer’s daughter from Norfolk, is a qualified nurse and works on an acute respiratory ward. Candice, 31, from Bedfordshire, was taught to bake by her beloved Nan, and strives to emulate her bakes aiming to be “even half the lady she was.”
Hollywood said Nadiya’s success – she is judging a junior version of the series and is presenting a documentary on her culinary inspirations – had raised the bar for this year’s batch.
“Nadiya went to a whole new level, and because of that I think it put the pressure on them more, and I think we felt that in the tents as well,” the judge said. “But actually they came out tops.
They started quite nervously but once they settled down they got into it. Then the baking started to flow and the standard got really really good.”
The Great British Bake Off launches on August 24 on BBC One at 8pm.

Great British Bake Off contestants: Rolls-Royce engineer and pastor join 2016 lineup


A pastor and a Rolls-Royce aerospace engineer are among the 12 hopefuls competing to win the 2016 series of The Great British Bake Off.


For anyone who has found the whole process of internet shopping too much like hard work Amazon has come up with a solution.
The online retailer today revealed that it is introducing its Amazon Dash Buttons to the UK.
The dinky little gadgets are a one-touch way to order a host of popular products without all that complicated rigmarole of actually logging onto your Amazon account and searching for them.
The Dash Buttons are literally that, small plastic boxes housing a button, which when pressed will connect via wi-fi to your Amazon account and using one-click buying order your selected products.
Each button is linked to a particular item and there are 40 brands available from launch so you can get everything from cat food to condoms and nappies to NERF ammunition delivered to your door.
Daniel Rausch, director of Amazon Dash, explained the thinking behind the devices: “We’ve all experienced the frustration of running out of something we need - Dash Button and Dash Replenishment Service are designed to make that moment a thing of the past.
“Dash Buttons offer the convenience of one-click shopping from anywhere in the home - they can be placed near those frequently used items you don’t want to run out of, and when you see supplies running low, the Dash Button makes it easier than ever to order more. Just press the button and your item is on its way.”
The £4.99 devices are only available to Amazon Prime customers, which means you’ll have to sign up to the £79-a-year service to enjoy the Dash Button’s convenience. The good news is that you’ll get £4.99 back off your first order of each product.
Alongside the buttons, Amazon also announced the UK rollout of its Dash Replenishment Service.
Like the button this links to your Amazon account but rather than having to do the ordering yourself it allows connected smart devices to order supplies themselves.
This means the likes of washing machines, dishwashers and printers from big-name brands including Bosch, Samsung, Whirlpool and Siemens can monitor your consumables usage and order more before you run out.
If they could just design a button that remotely loads the dishwasher too, they could be onto a winner.

Amazon Dash lets you order your loo roll at the touch of a button


For anyone who has found the whole process of internet shopping too much like hard work Amazon has come up with a solution.


Matt Adcock reviews David Brent: Life On The Road (15)
“I’m gonna roll you over, and rock you stupid, and leave you there just humming...”
David Brent is back. I never thought I’d write those words but here is the middle-aged master loser – on the big screen as a documentary team follow his dream of a ‘rock tour’ to save him from life as a sanitary products sales rep.
The Office was incredible TV, that made you wince and laugh in equal measure, the likes of which we haven’t fully seen since.
David Brent: Life On The Road picks up the potent unfulfilled dreams of Slough’s favourite office manager and presents the full horror of what happens when Brent cashes in his life savings and pensions to finance a tour for his band Foregone Conclusion. The good news is that this the best Gervais has been in years – capturing the brilliant comedy/pathos at the heart of The Office and delivering big time both in the laughs and the cringe inducing awfulness of Brent’s socially awkward overdrive.
This isn’t for those who are easily offended or just after some gentle humour – Life On The Road is a comedy-tragic-em-up that will rip your heart out even while you’re spitting popcorn.
This older Brent is a lonelier than ever, his hired bandmates won’t socialise with him or even let him on the expensive tour bus he’s shelled out for; he even has to pay them to have an after show drink with him at one point.
The expected adoring crowds don’t exactly turn up and the record company scouts are more interested in the genuinely talented aspiring rapper Dom Johnson (Doc Brown) who Brent has guest rap on some of his songs in an effort to make them both ethically friendly and youthful.
The excellent Tom ‘Love & Friendship’ Bennett is great as Brent’s one Lavichem office pal and Diane ‘Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe’ Morgan has a fun cameo as a PR tasked with the impossible job of making Brent ‘cool’.
Doc Brown, though, steals all his scenes with looks to camera of such sheer uncomfortableness that I’d love to see him get his own spin-off movie.
Life On The Road takes mid-life desperation and blows the door off it in fine comic style.
You’ll laugh, you might even cry but be warned you might also very well hurt yourself due to the unsafe levels of cringe.

Review: Cringeworthy David Brent brings tragedy to comedy


Matt Adcock reviews David Brent: Life On The Road (15)


The choice of leaf-based beverages on offer has mushroomed in recent years, from builder’s tea or nothing, to every flavour from peppermint to rhubarb & ginger.
Now, a third generation of teas is brewing. This will concentrate less on exotic new flavours and more on health benefits as producers look to capitalise on a market that remains huge – with 165 million cups of tea consumed in Britain every day – but faces growing competition from coffee.
Tetley has looked into the tea leaves and predicts we are in for a range of “remedy” teas – enriched with medicines, from painkillers to antibiotics – some of which may even be offered as cures for hangovers and remedies for tiredness, the report suggested.
We can also expect tea to be consumed through an array of alternative “delivery mechanisms” such as tablets, jellies, sprays and sorbets, according to a new report Tetley has done with so-called futurologist consultancy Future Foundation.
“Britain’s love affair with tea is enduring. The way we consume tea has gradually evolved since the 17th century, but now we are entering a period of rapid change,” said Laurent Sagarra, head of product innovation at Tetley.
“The way we consume tea has gradually evolved since the 17th Century, but we are now entering a period of rapid change,” she said.
“We’re constantly innovating, grading, blending and tasting and now’s the time to see what’s next for the iconic British cuppa,” she added.
The proliferation of teas will give High street coffee shops a run for their month, the report suggests, with “tea-total” outlets offering a range of exotic tastes and flavours.
Nick Chiarelli, director of the Future Foundation, said: “Our report predicts that exciting and satisfying new tea formats will develop, and that tea will evolve to deliver personalised health benefits.”

New generation of teas could cure hangovers, report suggests


The choice of leaf-based beverages on offer has mushroomed in recent years, from builder’s tea or nothing, to every flavour from peppermint to rhubarb & ginger.


Bryony Page may have wowed crowds by becoming the first Brit to win an Olympic medal on a trampoline.
But new research suggests injuries sustained from indoor trampoline parks are an “emerging health concern”.
The warning comes after a study recorded 40 children needed medical treatment at one hospital in the space of just six months after trampoline accidents at an indoor park.
Last week 25-year-old Bryony won a silver medal in Rio, performing twists and turns at a staggering 30ft.
But while many youngsters may wish to emulate her, researchers stress the danger of using indoor trampoline parks, where many kids bounce simultaneously, on beds placed in close proximity to each other.
Researchers reviewed the medical records of Australian children under 17, who sought medical treatment at a children’s emergency care department between July 2014 and January 2015.
The team focussed solely on injuries sustained whilst at a trampoline park.
During a six month period, the team recorded 40 child patients, 55 per cent of which were girls, requiring treatment for their injuries.
The average age of each child patient was 10, but the youngest was just a year old.
Most of the injuries, a third, occurred while the child was on the trampoline.
And a fifth - 18 per cent - of the injuries were caused by a failed landing.
But in eight cases, the injury was the result of several different children of different sizes using the trampoline at the same time.
The research, published in the journal Injury Prevention, revealed over half of the children (52.5%) injured were simply jumping and not attempting any flips or somersaults at the time.
Six children injured themselves by landing awkwardly on something on the trampoline, such as protective padding designed to prevent falls.
Bruising and sprained ankles were the most common injuries, with 55% of the children’s medical records detailing these.
A third fractured elbow and ankle bones.
But for five children, their injuries were more serious and required surgery and a hospital admission.
Author Dr Christopher Mulligan, from The University of New South Wales said: “Most children were injured while involved in simple jumping activities (52.5%).
“However, five children (12.5%) were injured while attempting somersaults or flips.
“Six children were injured when they came into contact with something while on the trampoline.
“This included two children who landed on balls, and four children who landed on, or caught their feet in, the less elastic padding surrounding them or the hard surface floor.
“In terms of the injuries observed, the majority of patients presented with a soft tissue injury or sprain ( 55%) or fractured bone(s) (37.5%).
“One child sustained a lip laceration. One child presented with concussion, and one with chest pain.
“The lower extremity was the most frequent site of injury (67.5%), followed by the upper extremity (15%).
“The most common sprains were of the ankle. The most common fractures were supracondylar fractures of the elbow and fractures of the ankle.
“There was one fracture/dislocation of a cervical vertebra. No patients sustained a loss of consciousness.”
He added children using trampolines at home are more at risk of falling off it as they are raised above the ground or falling through the padding.
But at centres “double bouncing, or multiple users on a single trampoline, carried a significant risk for injury.
“This occurred particularly when small children were jumping with larger peers
or other adults.”
The study was published in the BMJ’ s Injury Prevention.


Bryony Page may have wowed crowds by becoming the first Brit to win an Olympic medal on a trampoline.


Nodding off in the middle of the day may be down to pollution generated by traffic, suggests new research.
The study shows exposure to traffic pollution is a trigger for daytime sleepiness - and may also trigger SNORING.
More than 12,000 adults were included in the Respiratory Health in Northern Europe (RHINE) study.
The findings show that people exposed to high levels of pollution had a 65 per cent greater chance of suffering from daytime sleepiness, compared to those who had no exposure.
Traffic noise in the bedroom was also a trigger - with people 46 per cent more likely to feel sleepy in the day if exposed.
And the research also suggests that people are also 29 per cent more likely to be a habitual snorer if they are exposed to traffic noise while they sleep.
Daytime sleepiness affected one in five people involved in the study, while one in four reported habitual snoring.
Ane Johannessen, an epidemiologist at Bergen University in Norway, wrote the study together with Professor Thorarinn Gislason and other Northern European researchers.
She said: “Exposure to traffic should be taken into account when planning treatment for patients with sleep disturbances, because reducing noise and pollution exposure in the bedroom may have a beneficial effect.
“Reducing exposure through relocating the bedroom away from pollution sources or making the bedroom more soundproof to protect against traffic noise, as well as mapping alternative and less polluted outdoor everyday routes may help patients with their sleep disorders.”
The study also showed that men, older subjects, smokers and those with lower education were more likely to report habitual snoring.
They were usually less physically active, with a higher BMI, and more likely to have a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).
Women, older people, smokers, and those with lower education were more likely to report daytime sleepiness.
The new research is due to be presented at the European Respiratory Society’s International Congress in London next month.
Professor Jorgen Vestbo, President of ERS and Professor of Respiratory Medicine at the University of Manchester, said: “The question of who snores may be a running joke in some households but for many snoring is a serious issue, with direct links to physical and mental well being and the same is true for daytime sleepiness.
“We want people to think more about the environment around them and the impact it can have - from the way they sleep to the air they breathe.”
To coincide with Congress, the ERS will be holding some free public lung function testing, starting in Trafalgar Square on September 2 and 3.

Sleepiness linked to traffic noise and pollution


Nodding off in the middle of the day may be down to pollution generated by traffic, suggests new research.