The Nottingham Society of Artists (NSofA) is holding a special event on Bank Holiday Monday to celebrate Leonardo Da Vinci and his work.
Leonardo: His Drawings, Your Drawings, Our Drawings is an interactive family event that will bring art from the public - and local artists - together with the work of the great artist.
The event will take place at the historic society’s Friar Lane gallery between 10am and 4pm. Members of the public will be invited to have a go at drawing a model dressed to reflect one of the sketches in the Leonardo exhibition, or to try to recreate one of his sketches.
The drawings will then be displayed alongside artwork created by local artists for the event. Entry to the event is free, and a £3 contribution is required for those wishing to participate. All ages and abilities are welcome, and certificates will be given for the best entries. Drawing materials will be provided. Refreshments will be available throughout.
To honour Leonardo’s fascination with machines, sculptures created by member’s of the NSofA will be on display. Additionally, to tie the historic 15th century artist’s work with the 21st century, visitors will be able to watch a state of the art 3D printer provided by John E Wright create a miniature sculpture. The machine will be start running for a couple of hours at 1pm.
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The Nottingham Society of Artists (NSofA) is holding a special event on Bank Holiday Monday to celebrate Leonardo Da Vinci and his work.


The stage is set for the ultimate showdown to decide the Notts Premier League (NPL) title after heavy rain returned with a vengeance to wash out Saturday’s schedule.
As all six matches were abandoned at about the halfway stage, the top two sides, Cuckney and Plumtree, each collected nine points. So it’s everything to play for when they collide head-on in the penultimate round of fixtures this coming weekend.
Cuckney, who are seeking to seal their third NPL title in five season, have home advantage and also hold an 11-point advantage over their rivals. Both sides are at home in their final matches the following Saturday when they entertain relegation-threatened rivals -- Cuckney against Hucknall and Plumtree against Welbeck.
When the weather intervened on Saturday, Cuckney were in control of their match at Radcliffe-on-Trent, having reduced the home side to 173-7 from 44 overs after putting them into bat. Australian Trent Lawford inflicted most of the damage, taking 5-26 to defy determined batting from James Marshall (74) and Rob Sutton (35).
Plumtree’s match at home to Notts CCC Academy was in the balance for they had managed a total of only 205-8 in their allotted 50 overs. Hassan Azad hit 63 and skipper Ben Storey 31, but the main honours went to Academy bowler Connor Marshall, who took 6-51.
Third-placed West Indian Cavaliers went into their fixture at home to Caythorpe still harbouring hopes that they could have a say in the title race. But the rain left them 27 points behind the leaders and needing a miracle in the last two set of games. They did all they could, though, as Corey Collymore bagged 5-30 to help them skittle the visitors for 152, of which more than half was scored by one player, Martin Dobson (80). Cavs were 19-1 in reply when the abandonment came.
At the foot of the table, the frantic scramble to avoid the drop looks likely to go the wire, with just ten points separating the bottom four, Ordsall Bridon, Hucknall, Welbeck and Clifton Village.
Frustrated Welbeck looked all set to ease their fears when bowling out Bridon for just 106, with Jonathan Ball taking 3-17 and Tom Lungley 3-33. But after replying with 22-1, the heavens opened and they had to be satisfied with just ten points.
It was a similar story for Clifton, who dismissed Mansfield Hosiery Mills for 128 thanks chiefly to Muhammed Usman (4-26) and Martin Weightman (3-29), but could barely begin their reply.
However, Hucknall were up against it when the weather halted their game at Kimberley, who amassed a total of 306-9 in the hands of Dominic Brown (123 off 107 balls) and Neil Edwards (56), despite 5-60 from Will Spray.

NOTTS PREMIER LEAGUE ROUND-UP: top two Cuckney and Plumtree set for showdown to decide title


The stage is set for the ultimate showdown to decide the Notts Premier League (NPL) title after heavy rain returned with a vengeance to wash out Saturday’s schedule.


A Kirkby boozer tried to handcuff a police officer because he thought he was ‘ragging’ a suspect around, a court has heard.
Jake Kyle Godber, 27, of Station Street, admitted assault with intent to resist arrest when he appeared before magistrates in Mansfield on Wednesday.
Rod Chapman, prosecuting, said Godber spotted the officer dealing with a motorist on suspicion of driving without insurance on Outram Street, in Sutton, on August 13.
“On seeing the officer trying to arrest the man, Mr Godber tried to pull the officer’s hand an put it into his own handcuffs,” said Mr Chapman.
The court heard the man being arrested put his arm across the officer’s throat. A struggle ensued and both men were arrested.
Godber told police he had been out with his family and had consumed around five pints when he heard the disturbance.
He said the officers were ‘ragging the motorist around.’
“He said he was sorry and now knows that the arrest had nothing to do with him,” added Mr Chapman.
The court heard Godber had 15 convictions. He received a conditional discharge for theft in March, and a community order for criminal damage in June.
Mary Dixon, mitigating, said: “He thought he heard shouts of distress. He made completely the wrong decision and intervened by trying to grab the officer’s hand.
“He came off quite badly. He was CS gas-sprayed and his hands were cuffed behind his back and he was thrown to the floor.”
Cheryl Nisbet, of the probation service, said Godber could not remember much about the incident because he was drunk.
She said Godber was on a community order, but had not been carrying out unpaid work because of the injury sustained on August 13.
She said he would benefit from a thinking skills course.
Mary Dixon said: “There are issues here about jumping in without thinking.”
He had kept out of trouble for four years, she said, but there had been a ‘flurry of offences’ over the last six months.
The community order and the conditional discharge were revoked and he was given 26 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months.
Magistrates warned him that if he is convicted of another offence in this time he can expect to go to prison.
He was ordered to pay compensation of £60 and court costs of £85.

Boozer tried to handcuff cop during arrest in Sutton


A Kirkby boozer tried to handcuff a police officer because he thought he was ‘ragging’ a suspect around, a court has heard.


Teenagers could be seen laughing, crying and bouncing around school halls across the region this morning, as they picked up their GCSE results.
Ashfield School Sutton Community College and Lammas Schoolare celebrating their best ever results.
At Ashfield School, high -flier Andy Wang was celebrating after gaining six A*, three grade As and two Bs. He is heading to study A Levels at the college’s 6th form and his ambition is to study computer science at university.
Amy Wood said she was “emotional but happy” after she learned she had passed four A*, Four As and two B grades. She said: “I am fairly happy with my grades - it was quite difficult.
“I love the college - the teachers are really helpful and I am staying on here.
She is hoping to eventually study psychology at university.
Hamish Perschke-Knowles gained seven As and one A* and a P2 in Engineering BTec. He is staying on to study A Levels and is hoping for a media based career.
Jonathan Clarke passed one A* four As three Bs and a C. After taking his A Levels Jonathan said he wanted to go on to music ciollege and eventually become a professional pianist. He said; “I was very worried about my results, but I am happy with them- I did quite well.”
At Sutton Community College, Mollie Thomas passed with one B, four Cs and three Ds. Mollie said: “I’m so happy - I have got everything I need for college it’s great.” She said she would be enrolling on a business studies course at West Notts College.
Imogen Thompson said she felt relieved after passing an A* five As three Bs. Imogen said; “I convinced myself I was going to fail.” She will continue at the sixth form to study A levels.
Olivia Jones gained an A* six Bs and a C . She also said she felt relieved as she had been “expecting to fail”.
New performance measures for GCSEs are in place this year, which means a change to the way exam results are reported.
The new accountability measure Progress 8 aims to capture the progress a pupil makes from the end of primary school to the end of secondary school.
An academy’s Progress 8 score is calculated as the average of its pupils’ Progress 8 scores.
It will give an indication of whether, as a group, pupils in the academy made above or below average progress.
Progress 8 scores were recorded last year so they could be compared to this year’s scores.
This year Sutton Community Academy’s overall score was +0.59 which places the academy in the category of outstanding progress.
This means pupils have progressed a half a grade more than their peers nationally.
Attainment 8 measures the achievement of a pupil across 8 qualifications including mathematics and English.
Previously results were reported in terms of 5 or more A* - C grades including English and maths.
If this were used for this year’s results the number of pupils gaining five or more A*to C grades including English and maths would be 41 per cent.
For pupils taking Ebacc, the pass rate of 22 per cent maintained the academy’s previous pass rate. This again will see the academy performing in line with the national average.
Principal, Tim Croft, said: “Sutton Community Academy is on a journey to outstanding and clearly our progress 8 figure reflects this.
“We have high expectations for students with a focus on preparing them for their future. I would like to thank students and staff for their hard work and wish them all the best for their next steps.”
Ashfield School is celebrating its best ever results.
Assistant head teacher Phil Taylor said : “Fifty eight per cent of pupils achieved grade C or above in English and Maths. Progress eight scores are looking positive and our pupils are making better progress than youngsters nationally.”
For pupils taking Ebacc he said the results had improved by 4.5 per cent this year.
Head teacher Dick Vasey said: “It is our best year ever.
“I am delighted so many students have achieved their potential and we are particularly pleased with the progress made by students in value added subjects.”
At Lammas School 100 per cent of students received five or more A* to C grades, the highest achievement since the school’s inception in 1981. With the exception of one GCSE grade, students all achieved 5 A* to C, including English and Maths and Science. All Year 10 students received A*- B for their Science GCSEs. Students also excelled in Computing, French, and Art with 100 per cent A* to B.
Head teacher Deborah Saint said: “What a wonderful way to begin my headship, with such good results. I am extremely proud of our students and our teaching staff.”

Ashfield students celebrating best ever GCSE results


Teenagers could be seen laughing, crying and bouncing around school halls across the region this morning, as they picked up their GCSE results.


American actor Gene Wilder has died at the age of 83.
Famous for his collaborations with actor/comedian Richard Pryor and director Mel Brooks, Wilder was perhaps best known for his performance as the titular character in 1971’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
Before that he had starred in Brooks’ Broadway spoof The Producers, for which he was Oscar nominated and went on to become one of the biggest comedy actors of the 70s and 80s.
He worked again with Brooks on the likes of Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein - earning another Oscar nod - and teamed up to huge success with Pryor for Silver Streak, Stir Crazy and See No Evil, Hear No Evil.
As tributes from co-stars, celebrity fans and ordinary cinema-goers poured in from around the world, pop culture blog i09 put together this compilation of some of Wilder’s greatest on-screen moments.

LEGEND: Gene Wilder’s greatest on-screen moments


American actor Gene Wilder has died at the age of 83.


Anything could happen today with the summer transfer window closing tonight.
Premier League clubs have already broken all known spending records for this summer’s transfer window with 12 clubs setting new transfer records for single deals, benefiting from the new £5.1bn television deal.
Arsenal’s £52m double signing of Lucas Perez and Shkodran Mustafi pushed top-flight summer transfer window spending close to the £1bn mark.
It has already surpassed the previous high of £870m set last year.
Here are the rumours floating around on deadline day . . . .
Monaco defender Fabinho could be a ‘left field’ arrival at Manchester United on deadline day, according to the M.E.N.’s Stuart Mathieson. “He’s one I wouldn’t rule out at all,” Stuart said at the M.E.N.’s live football event in Manchester on Tuesday night. The 22-year-old was interesting United a year ago but a move for the right-back failed to materialise. Despite Louis van Gaal’s departure, reports have suggested Fabinho could still move to Manchester.
Click HERE to read more
Jose Mourinho is furious with Bastian Schweinsteiger over the German’s refusal to leave Manchester United, according to reports. The midfielder has been told he won’t be part of Mourinho’s plans this season. But Schweinsteiger is happy to see out the remaining two years of his contract even if it means not playing. Reports earlier today claimed Sporting Lisbon had made an offer to bring him to Portugal. (Daily Express).
Click HERE to read more
Chelsea have made a surprise £32million move to bring David Luiz back to Stamford Bridge. The Brazil defender left for Paris Saint-Germain in June 2014 for £50million, a world record fee for a defender, but is ready to return to west London. (Daily Mail).
Click HERE to read more
Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere is set to join Crystal Palace or Bournemouth for the rest of the season so he can play regular first-team football. The 24-year-old met Palace manager Alan Pardew and Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe for talks on Tuesday. He played six times for England over the summer - including three games at Euro 2016 - but was not named in Sam Allardyce’s first squad this week. (BBC Sport).
Click HERE to read more
Tottenham have made a bid for Newcastle midfielder Moussa Sissoko, according to Sky sources. The 27-year-old attacking-midfielder has wanted to leave the Magpies all summer after a successful Euro 2016 campaign with France. It is understood the offer is £16m, but Newcastle have reportedly been asking for as much as £30m for the player in recent weeks. (Sky Sports).
Click HERE to read more
Real Madrid star Isco wants a move to Tottenham, according to reports. It’s suggested north London is the midfielder’s preferred destination if he’s forced to leave the La Liga giants. A reporter at Spanish media outlet El Chiringuito of Mega said: “Isco’s situation at Real Madrid cannot continue. If he left his first choice would be to Tottenham.” (Daily Star).
Click HERE to read more
Burnley are poised to seal a deal worth in excess of £10million for Derby County midfielder Jeff Hendrick. The transfer would represent a club record fee for Burnley, topping the £8m cost of bringing Steven Defour to the club. Hendrick, the Republic of Ireland international, impressed for his country at Euro 2016 and Sean Dyche has been in pursuit all summer, originally opening with a £3m offer. (Daily Mail).
Click HERE to read more
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story FOOTBALL RUMOURS: United deadline day deal? Anger over Schweinsteiger, Luiz Chelsea return? Eagles and Cherries chase England star Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area...


Anything could happen today with the summer transfer window closing tonight.


FOOTBALL RUMOURS: United deadline day deal? Anger over Schweinsteiger, Luiz Chelsea return? Eagles and Cherries chase England star


Two lanes are closed on the M1 near Chesterfield and Mansfield after a lorry turned on its side.
Highways England has tweeted informing that recovery work between junctions 28 and 29 for is ongoing and two Northbound lanes are closed with traffic backing up to junction 27.
Derbyshire police said they were called by the Highways Department but no officers have been dispatched.
Traffic reports say there is disruption between J28 for the A38 and Tibshelf Services, affecting J27 for the A608 Hucknall with long delays expecting to add 50 minutes onto travel times.
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story BREAKING: M1 traffic chaos after lorry overturns Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area...


Two lanes are closed on the M1 near Chesterfield and Mansfield after a lorry turned on its side.


BREAKING: M1 traffic chaos after lorry overturns


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Match gallery: Leyton Orient 1 Mansfield Town 2


Mansfield Town sealed a valuable away win after Matt Green struck a late winner.


The Met Office forecast for the East Midlands for today, Tuesday, August 30 is for a dry, warm and sunny day.
Any early patchy mist or fog, mainly across the south of the region, will soon clear to leave a dry day with long sunny periods.
Generally becoming very warm, except along the Lincolnshire coast where a cooler breeze will develop.
Maximum Temperature 25 °C.
Tonight will be dry with largely clear skies for most of the night, allowing possibly a few mist and fog patches to form.
Minimum Temperature 13 °C.

A dry, warm and sunny day for the East Midlands


The Met Office forecast for the East Midlands for today, Tuesday, August 30 is for a dry, warm and sunny day.


The 2016 Ladbrokes St. Leger Festival at Doncaster Racecourse promises to be a fabulous four-day spectacular with a glamourous social scene and amazing racing including the Doncaster Cup and St. Leger Stakes.
Starting on Wednesday, September 7th, Ladies Day will take place on Thursday 8th, Gentlemans Day and the iconic Doncaster Cup on Friday 9th and St Leger Day on Saturday 10th.
Gates open at 11am, so there is plenty of time to soak up the atmosphere before the packed race cards commence and horses tackle the legendary St. Leger turf.
There will also be live music on the Hallam FM Champagne Lawn and delicious food can be enjoyed at the Racecourse’s own restaurant – The Old Weighing Room. Booking is essential.
We have teamed up with the Doncaster Racecourse to offer four pairs of County Enclosure tickets.
There will be a pair of tickets for each day of the St. Leger Festival and winners will be chosen at random and in order. For example, the first winner chosen will receive tickets for the first day on Wednesday the 7th, the second winner chosen for the second day, Ladies Day, and so on.
Simply send us an e-mail to sport.nmsy@jpress.co.uk with the subject title of ‘St Leger competition’ and with your name and contact details in the body text.
The closing date for the competition is 5pm on Friday, September 2.
No cash alternative will be available and the prize is nontransferrable.
Entrants must be aged 18 or over. A dress code applies (see www.doncasterracecourse.co.uk) and winners must present proof of ID in order to claim their prize.
Guests at Doncaster Racecourse are advised to note that the Champagne Lawn is a Challenge 21 area and only guests aged 18 and over are allowed onto the Champagne lawns.

WIN tickets to the 2016 Ladbrokes St. Leger Festival


The 2016 Ladbrokes St. Leger Festival at Doncaster Racecourse promises to be a fabulous four-day spectacular with a glamourous social scene and amazing racing including the Doncaster Cup and St. Leger Stakes.


Let’s be clear right from the get go. I`d have taken seven points from twelve after the first four league games no questions asked.
This might sound like an old fashioned pub name, but getting both Rose & Green on the scoresheet early doors had to massively boost everyone of an amber and blue persuasion.
The Blackburn Cup result clearly wasn`t classed as a priority, whether that is right or not has divided opinion but hopefully that free second round Tuesday date in August has been put to good use?
Personally I would have spent the day deep freezing Mr Matt Green into a large human sized block of ice and leaving him frozen in time until the transfer window has been, gone and is firmly slammed shut!
That said I would definitely defrost him for Saturday’s long trip down to Leyton Orient for at least ninety minutes as in my opinion we need Matt Green as much as fish needs chips! After such a terrific last season on the road the closing away game at Orient back in April was the ultimate dead rubber and a super delayed journey there and back mixed with an Ollie Palmer winner is a memory I`d love to banish.
Big Match Preview: Orient v Stags
Ollie Palmer aiming to silence boo-boys
Drama wise there is no doubt it`s been an eventful first few weeks. Adi Yussuf cleared off down to the Smoke to look for fame and fortune and failing that just a few more match minutes on a football pitch.
A delicious curling killer winner in our very first ENGLISH Football League Two game held in WALES – what`s that all about? A crazy early red card at home for Danny Rose against Yeovil before a stunning display of both quality and huge grapefruits saw us go on and deservedly win the game outright.
What a tremendous night on home turf that will live long in the memory. Fingers crossed at the time of writing none of our players will have to suffer another ridiculous lengthy ban after apparently surviving the Plymouth locals urination spotting skills!
Or maybe the directions to the Gents at Argyle are a touch clearer this season? Back at the One Call we have some brand spanking new club uniformed stewards that are allegedly more fan friendly and apparently can even smile! Welcome to 2016! Throw in the creeping forward new giant scoreboard and there is no doubt we are in for some dramatic months ahead.
Months that simply need to include Matt Green as a Mansfield Town player. If anyone out there with amber blood knows of anywhere housing that human sized freezer large enough to fit a fully grown Mansfield Town centre forward in then do your duty and get in touch!
Come On You Stags!
Get all the latest Mansfield Town news each day with our new Mansfield Town facebook page

OPINION: Seven points so far is a good start for Mansfield Town


Let’s be clear right from the get go. I`d have taken seven points from twelve after the first four league games no questions asked.


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’


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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.


Adrenaline junkies are once again invited to test their fears at the multi-award winning, Dr Fright’s Halloween Nights.
Tickets go on sale tomorrow (Friday) for the event which starts on Friday, October 14, and ends on Monday, October 31.
The organisers are promising that this year’s event, “CineMassacre” will be the biggest yet.
Robert Gray, one half of the organising duo, The Gray Brothers, said: “For the first time, we are presenting five live action horror mazes, inspired by four decades of cinema. We have always been obsessed by horror movies, so being able to bring to life iconic scenes is very exciting!”
The 1950s inspired It’s Alive maze is joined by The Tribe and Slaughterhouse Rock, which will bring back memories of 1970s cannibal movies. 80s VHS horror is represented by the Cabin Of Evil and The Further features scenes from modern day, paranormal films. All feature live actors and special effects.
The event is held at White’s Nurseries in Earls Barton. For details and to book visit www.drfrights.com.

Tickets on sale for frightening good night in Earls Barton


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Bucks County Show is a must-go-to event on many people’s calenders.
The annual show, on from 8am-6pm tomorrow (Thursday), brings together town and country in one amazing day of celebration and always pulls in the crowds come rain or shine.
With free buses running throughout the day from Station Way in Aylesbury to the showground at Weedon Park, visitors do not need a car to get there. But if you do drive, there is plenty of parking available.
The focus of the show has always been on the farm livestock and this year is no different, with 60 cattle classes including Aberdeen Angus, British Charolais, Hereford and Jersey as well as over 30 sheep classes including Texel, Wiltshire Horn and Berrichon.
The top quality horse show includes many qualifying classes to the Horse of the Year Show and this year there will be five rings with 80 classes.
The main ring entertainment will include the Royal Signals White Helmets Display Team and the Band of the Royal Corps of Signals, and around the ground there will be a chance to enjoy the Sheep Show, vintage tractors, marquees for home and garden, shopping and rural crafts.
The ever popular Food Hall and the recent addition of the Cookery Theatre will also be there, plus new for this year is a pie competition for commercial pie makers. Following judging, the pies will be available for public viewing from 11am.
Tickets (which include free parking)can be bought on the day, but are cheaper if bought in advance online at www.buckscountyshow.co.uk or from several locations in the county. Details are on the website.
On the day prices are £16 adult, £6 children aged five to 16 (under fives free), £13 OAP, £38 groups of two adults and two children.


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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.


It has been a busy past couple of years for Steve Backshall and it is about to get busier.
He’s stepped on to the Strictly dance floor, explored mountains, written a book and he goes on tour later this year, visiting Northampton’s Royal & Derngate on Friday, October 21.
It’s a wild journey, illustrated with photos and films from the Arctic to the Antarctic, from the tundra to the top of the world’s highest peaks, and from the depths of the rainforest to the bottom of the ocean.
Steve said: “There will be some video clips and some deleted scenes and there will be a chance for the audience to ask questions and for me to have an interactive relationship with the audience. To begin with, we were experimenting in the early days but they have got better.”
While he might be one of the most authoritative naturalists on television, he suspected his life would go down a different route.
Steve said: “I always wanted to do something with wildlife but I thought I would be writing. Doing it for television came about by accident really.
“I had this idea for a programme and went off for a few weeks to the jungles in Colombia and just shooting it on my own camera. And that was how it started.
“It is nice to do that even now with some of the shows rather than doing it with several lighting, sound recordists and cameramen all sweating away. I only describe them like that because they’d describe me in the same way.
“But there is a need to make the programmes in a different way.”
He has also had another children’s novel published, Shark Seas, the fourth in the Falcon Chronicle series.
Steve added: “The fourth one is all about sharks which is an animal I am very passionate about.
“One of the first things I got told when I was writing fiction is to base it on my own experiences and that has served me well.
“You do have to write differently for kids but perhaps not in the way that you would expect.
“I write with a lot more facts in the stuff for children than I ever would in the things for adults.
“But that’s because children absolutely adore facts.
“They are fascinated by some of the finer details.”
And you might expect that with all the terrifying things Steve has done, a spot of dancing wouldn’t scare him.
He said: “The dancing really didn’t come naturally to me, it took a lot of work.
“I do look back at Strictly with a lot of happy memories and have made so many friends, many of whom I would never have met in the course of my normal career and some of them are coming to my wedding in the summer.”
Tickets for the show can be bought by visiting www.royalandderngate.co.uk or by calling the box office on 01604 624811.

Naturalist Steve Backshall chats ahead of Northampton show


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People are spending 32 minutes less each week on housework than just two years ago, according to new research.
The study suggests families might be letting their standards slip as people spend an average of almost 28 hours less each year cleaning their home than in 2014.
The research by consumer analysts Mintel we spend an average of four hours and seven minutes a week cleaning indoors, a fall from four hours and 39 minutes which was the average time reported in 2014.
And it is still women who bear the brunt of household chores as they spend four hours and 51 minutes cleaning every week - 90 minutes longer than the average man.
The parents of children under 16 spend an average of five hours and nine minutes cleaning per week.
Cleaning the oven (67 per cent) is the most hated household task, followed by cleaning the toilet (47 per cent) and windows (41 per cent).
While smaller households are in part contributing to the decline in time spent mopping, dusting and polishing, so too is the rising use of multi-purpose cleaners.
People opting for the ease of multi-purpose cleaners spend on average three hours 57 minutes per week cleaning their homes, compared to a laborious four hours 45 minutes per week for those who use specialised cleaning products.
Overall, two-thirds of Brits (66 per cent) prefer multi-purpose cleaners while just 25 per cent favour specialised cleaning products.
Richard Hopping, brand and household analyst at Mintel, said: “The average amount of time that Brits report spending cleaning their home each week has fallen by half an hour in recent years.
“Factors including a reduction in the size of the average household, the increasing prevalence of easy-to-use multipurpose products and ever-more time-pressed consumers are likely to be impacting the amount of time people spend cleaning.”
People in the North West boast the cleanest credentials spending, on average, five hours and 10 minutes per week cleaning. They were also the most likely to agree that maintaining a clean home is important to their own and their family’s health (76 per cent).
But those in the South West, as well as Yorkshire and Humberside, are less likely to be using as much elbow grease, spending on average three hours and 19 minutes cleaning the home.
Almost two-thirds of the people polled (62 per cent) say they clean when they have the time, compared to 32 per cent who say they schedule time to do house cleaning.
And 42 per cent admitted that when they clean, they try and take as little time as possible.
But 51 per cent say that when they clean, they try to make sure that everything is spotless.
Mr Hopping added: “The busy lives of today’s consumers often get in the way of cleaning routines, which means that the majority clean when they have time rather than pre-planning in advance.
“As a result, it is important that cleaning products are convenient to use, featuring simple designs and targeted cleaning that can be used at short notice and without too much fuss.
“Women tend to be far more likely to take sole responsibility for cleaning inside the home, suggesting there is still a gender imbalance that brands can try to redress through more realistic male-centric advertising.”

Housework down by half-an-hour in just two years


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Minding your manners, avoiding emotional Facebook rants and knowing what cutlery to use are the modern day signs of class, according to new research.
A study of 2,000 Britons for fashion brand Peter Hahn identified the markers that separate the classy from the hoi polloi and they also include not showing too much cleavage, holding the door for others and speaking more than one language.
So how classy are you? Take our quiz to find out.


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


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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


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It’s been the best of times and not the worst of times for actor Jacob Ifan since leaving drama school.
He landed the lead part in the BBC cop show Cuffs and now appears in the Royal & Derngate’s production of A Tale of Two Cities playing in Northampton from Saturday September 10 to Saturday September 17 before going on a UK tour.
Interweaving one family’s intensely personal drama with the terror and chaos of the French Revolution, it is an epic story of love, sacrifice and redemption amidst horrific violence and world changing events.
Jacob said: “A Tale of Two Cities is one of Dickens most classic works, such a privilege to do on stage.
“It’s about the plight of the French peasentry under the arostiocuty and we also see the counter plight.
“He was a French nobleman and aristocrat, he gives away his wealth, and lands because he sympathises with them but inevitably he is drawn back to France.”
How aware was he of the book when he started the job?
Jacob added: “More than the part was the play. I had never read Dickens before, I had only watched it on the television and was a massive fan. Started reading the book and fell in love with the writing.
“I heard about the previous production and saw photographs and fell in love with the set. I immediately realised this was something I wanted to be a part of.”
There’s a number of challenges that come with putting on a production set in two places. Jacob has already showcased his English accent in Cuffs, how is he finding the French accent?
Jacob said: “It’s probably one of the better choices that we have decided to keep everyone on the RP English accent because us doing mock French accents would be, it is something I hate when productions decided to do that. Me trying to do it might come out a bit Allo Allo. I think I’d probably think I was doing a really good job but everyone disagree.
“The challenge is putting yourself in that period. Physically and emotionally. It’s finding a nuanced way of emotion when people are not allowed to. And to to justice to the hardship of the times.
“Your responsibility as an actor is to do the research. As a cast, we were all given research topics. I manage to surmise in 15 minutes, what people were drinking, eating.”
For someone who speaks so eloquently about the Victorian author, what does Jacob think is the appeal of the show
“I remember my local arts productions of Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby but I think he is such a marvellous writer because he is so accessible to actors at any age.
“He creates stories that are universal and widely related to audiences of all ages and I think that is why he has lasted so long.
“He’s hilarious, you don’t get in translations, but he is a comic and an actor. He was a show off. He liked to have the limelight on him. I suspect that is why he was the narrator in a lot of his works, you get his voice, but it is unique and special.”
We chat to the star during rehearsals for the show and then comes up with possibly the most unique analogy to describe the process.
Jacob said: “You start and feel precarious, it’s like a tortoise. It’s slow but hopefully by the third week it is more of a lubricated dolphin.
“You’re nervous about people thinking you are the worst actor in the room, especiallu when you are working with a whole load of new people. You are also nervous about learning your lines. The puzzle starts to fall into place and you can see what the play is.
And is he enjoying being back on the stage rather than working on television.
Jacob said: “I think stage and TV are completely different animals. I miss doing stage work, I hadn’t done anything since I was at drama school.
“It’s lovely and being in a rehearsal room makes you use a part of your brain daily.
“You get time to explore rather than working on it at home, then being driven to set and expected to go, bang, deliver it straight away.”
The actor’s big break came on working on the Brighton based cop show Cuffs broadcast on the BBC last autumn. A job which was short lived but one that he was delighted with.
Jacob said: “I was really lucky with Cuffs. We do a showcase at college and we get to go to the Royal Court and perform in front of a couple of hundred casting directors and agents. I think from that I got the audition for the show and then lucky enough to get it.
“It was a fortunate break. I got to spend the whole summer in Brighton which was lovely.
“Julie who wrote the show said she has been writing Prisoner’s Wives for years and she asked herself why have I set a series in the North during the rain and the winter. My next series, I’d love to spend the summer in Bright and she went off and created Cuffs.”
He also speaks highly of one of his co-stars Ashley Walters who he formed a double act with on the show.
Jacob said: “He’s a brilliant, so much fun to work with and he’s so laid back. Ashley really took me under his wing. I didn’t realise until one of the actors said on set, you are very lucky. I didn’t understand and asked what she meant. And she said, she had never worked on a show where the entire ensemble and crew all get on so well. For me that was the norm, I didn’t know anything else.”
And is he still proud of the show despite it being not renewed for a second series.
Jacob added: “You are disappointed when you put a lot of work into something and I thought it was a fantastic show. I think we ended in a good place. Sometimes TV series can go on and on for series and series. At least we can be happy with what we produced. We are really proud of it.”
To book tickets for the show call 01604 624811 or visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk.

Cuffs star makes professional stage debut at Northampton


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 Rotary Club of Towcester is delighted to welcome a return visit from the Cwmbach Male Choir.
The choir was founded in 1921 and today still maintains the tradition of Welsh Male voice singing, writes Heather Jan Brunt.
And at 7pm on Saturday October 1, the choir will perform at St Lawrence Church.
For those who have seen the choir on their previous visit, you will know what a moving, melodious and simply astounding performance the choristers give, with the resonance, depth and beauty of their voices.
The choir has won numerous competitions over the years and is renowned not only nationally, but internationally as well.
The fantastic voices of the members lend themselves to all kinds of music, and their repertoire has something for everyone, ranging from operatic choruses, spirituals, hymns, and folk music to popular ballads.
The musical evening will also feature music students from Sponne school.
This is a ticketed event and places will be limited, so those who wish to attend are advised to book early to avoid disappointment.
Tickets cost £15, including light refreshments.
They can be bought from the rotary website at www.towcester-rotary.org.uk or from Colemans at 193 Watling Street, Towcester, by contacting the box office on 01327 3532851 or email johnsidwick@towcester-rotary.org.uk
All profits from the event will go into the Rotary Club of Towcester’s charity account and will be used to support selected local charities and events.


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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.


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.


A test has been developed that could help to diagnose bacterial infections, including meningitis in minutes.
The new test, developed by a team at Imperial College London, is a major breakthrough in the rapid diagnosis of meningitis and sepsis in children. If made available through the NHS, it could allow treatment to begin much earlier, saving hundreds of lives and reducing the risk of life-changing after-effects.
The signs and symptoms of meningitis are notoriously difficult to diagnose, and can be dismissed as a cold or flu. Many young children presenting the early symptoms of the disease are initially sent home, before being rushed back to hospital a few hours later as their condition rapidly deteriorates.
Currently, doctors grow bacteria in a sample of blood, in a process which can take up to 48 hours.
Responding to the news, Liz Brown, CEO at charity Meningitis Now said: “A delay in life-saving treatment for bacterial meningitis can be a matter of life or death. We welcome this significant progress in the development of a rapid test for meningitis and sepsis.
“We would however, continue to advise people to know the signs and symptoms of meningitis and to seek immediate medical attention if they have any concerns”.
The study led by Professor Michael Levin has shown that a bacterial infection can be distinguished from other causes of fever, such as a viral infection, using a pattern of genes that are switched on or off in response to an infection.
A larger project will now begin to develop these findings into a pin-prick diagnostic test, which Professor Levin believes could be available through the NHS within five years.
14 facts about meningitis and septicaemia
Meningitis is usually caused by bacteria or viruses
Meningitis is inflammation of the membranes that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord
Septicaemia is blood poisoning
Some bacteria that cause meningitis also cause septicaemia
Meningitis and septicaemia often happen together – it is vital to know all the signs and symptoms
The early signs and symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia can be similar to ‘flu and include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting and muscle pain.
The more specific signs and symptoms include fever with cold hands and feet, drowsiness, confusion, pale blotchy skin, stiff neck, dislike of bright lights and a rash which doesn’t fade under pressure.
In babies, symptoms can also include being floppy and unresponsive, dislike of being handled, rapid breathing, an unusual, moaning cry and a bulging fontanelle (soft spot on the top of the head).
There are an estimated 3,200 cases of bacterial meningitis and septicaemia each year in the UK.
Following bacterial meningitis or septicaemia, one in ten people will die and at least a third of survivors will be left with lifelong after-effects such as hearing loss, epilepsy, limb loss or learning difficulties
Meningitis and septicaemia can affect anyone, of any age, at any time. However, babies and young children are most at risk, and young people between 15 – 24 years are also a higher risk group.
In the past 20 years, effective vaccines have been developed to give protection against SOME types of meningitis. These are offered to all babies and young children as part of the UK childhood immunisation programme. BUT there are not vaccines to protect against ALL types.
A vaccine to protect against meningococcal group B (Men B) disease, the most common cause of bacterial meningitis and septicaemia, was introduced into the UK childhood immunisation programme in September 2015.
If you suspect someone may be ill with meningitis or septicaemia, trust your instincts and get immediate medical help.
Meningitis Now aims to reduce the impact of meningitis by raising awareness and funding research into vaccine and treatment. For support and advice on meningitis call the Meningitis Now Helpline on 0808 80 10 388.
For more information or to donate visit the website at www.MeningitisNow.org

Pin-prick meningitis test could be available within five years


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.


Can you get 10/10 in our retro games quiz?
Video games have come a long way in the last 20 years but we’ll never forget the classics which formed the bedrock for the industry.
Try your luck in our fun ‘name the screenshot’ test - and see how you fare against your friends.

QUIZ: How well do you know your retro games?


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The paintwork was polished and the picnic baskets were packed, for a record-breaking day at Wheels of Winslow.
A gloriously sunny day saw more than 60 cars turn out for the event, run by the Lions Club of Winslow at Sunday’s Winslow Show.
Ray Cobley with his 1927 Humber 14/40
A great selection of vehicles were on display, from tiny Fiat 500s to a stretch limousine and pre-warar trucks.
With so many beautiful vehicles to choose from, it was a hard task to judge the winner of Best in Show, but eventually Ray Cobley of Stony Stratord and his 1927 Humber 14/40 took the prize.
Close contenders were a 1952 Daimler Barker Special Sports owned by Chris Levitt of Hemel Hempstead and a 1969 Mercedes 280SL owned by Peter Doherty of Buckingham.
The Lions Club has raised more than £300 from Wheels of Winslow, and this will be donated to the air ambulance.
To find out more about the Lions Club of Winslow, visit www.winslowlions.org.uk


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Millions more people will suffer from hay fever in the future as global warming dramatically increases the pollen count, according to a new study.
The number of people allergic to ragweed pollen – a relatively minor yet significant cause of hay fever – will jump from about 1 million to 6 million in the UK in the next 35 years as the warmer weather increases the number of plants growing and the length of the season.
And although the study only looks at the pollen of the notorious invasive weed it suggests the effect of climate change on the number of allergy sufferers could be far wider as warming temperatures may increase the volume of pollen in other sources of hay fever, principally grass and trees.
Hay fever is already widespread in the UK with an estimated 18 million sufferers who can experience sore mouths, noses, eyes and throats when they come into contact with certain types of pollen.
“Ragweed pollen allergy will become a common health problem across Europe, expanding into areas where it is currently unknown,” said lead researcher Dr Iain Lake.
“Pollen allergy is a major public health problem globally but it has not been known what sort of an impact climate change will have. This is the first study to quantify that,” he added.
The rising pollen count is likely to increase the number of sufferers as well as the intensity of the allergic reactions in those who already suffer symptoms, the report said.
A single ragweed plant may produce around a billion grains of pollen per season, which is carried by the wind. The study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, estimated that the number of people suffering from ragweed hay fever across Europe is likely to increase from 33 million now to 77 million as soon as 2050.
The study finds that climate change will account for about two-thirds of the increase in hay fever suffering – with the rest coming from the rapid spread of ragweed that would have occurred without global warming.

Hay fever cases set to soar across Europe


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Obviously I don’t work for NASA as the headline suggests, my qualifications and experience in that field literally amount to astro-nought.
But, I do think my chosen profession is one of many, where quite a lot of people feel like it’s okay to jump on the bandwaggon.
Content Editor Hayley O'Keeffe
Take Jordan (Katie Price) for example, she’s a best selling author, but I’ve actually met the lady that really wrote the Page Three stunner’s books, lovely she was too.
Famous for being famous celebrities vent their spleen in weekly newspaper columns, and all of sudden are journalists, writers, creatives?
And my profession is far from unique in this regard. How many great actors, dancers and singers have been passed over for title roles in West End musicals, in favour of a soap or reality star, how many artists have been shunned by a gallery in favour of the dodgy daubings of an aging rocker?
Which begs the question, why do people do this? And why do we all sem to accept it?
It seems like by consistently rewarding the worst elements of our society - the greedy, the showy, the brash - with the limelight that they crave, we are really missing out on some of the quality real life experiences out there.
Does anyone really care anymore about the guy at the open mic with the amazing voice and songwriting skills, the guy that should really make it to the big time, but won’t because his face doesn’t really fit and he’s too shy. I’d rather have his album than anything in the charts right now, but it won’t see the light of day beyond that small group of pubgoers.
There are hundreds of people out there that are really artists, singers, dancers, designers, models, writers, photographers, actors , musicians and journalists. Those people are quietly and not so quietly beavering away, just being good, just working hard. So, the next time you open a newspaper, a magazine, a book, turn on the television or go to a gallery or show make sure to appreciate the unknown as well as those familiar favourites, because there’s a lot of things out there that are better and more honest than what we are spoon-fed.

COLUMN: My name’s Hayley O’Keeffe and I’m an astronaut - honest!


Daniel Ricciardo made it three podiums in a row for Red Bull Racing in Belgium on Sunday as Max Verstappen failed to convert a front row start into points.
Ricciardo, who finished third in Hungary and second in Germany, crossed the line second again at the Belgian Grand Prix behind race winner Nico Rosberg.
A dramatic start helped Ricciardo through the field, but hampered his Red Bull Racing team mate Verstappen, who was starting from the front row.
Slow off the line, the Dutchman was involved in a collision with both Ferraris and needed a first lap pit-stop to repair a damaged front wing.
Battling through the field, Verstappen renewed his rivalry with Kimi Raikkonen, who has openly criticised the teenager’s driving style in the past, and the pair clipped on several occasions as they battled down the order.
Ricciardo meanwhile saw off Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg to move into second. A potential battle with championship leader Lewis Hamilton looked set to unfold until the Mercedes driver pitted late on, handing Ricciardo a safe second place.
Verstappen was caught up with the two Ferraris at the first corner
Verstappen’s tyre problems saw him eventually finish 11th, out of the points.

Ricciardo on the podium in Belgium as Verstappen struggles


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A magnificent Rothschild house, which has been used by film companies for scenes in popular television series Downton Abbey as well as several hit films including James Bond, is to be opened to the public, free of charge.
Halton Hall, a Rothschild mansion now used by RAF Halton as the Officer’s Mess, will be opened for one day as part of the Halton Village Festival.
The day includes a traditional fair with stalls, refreshments, a beer tent, live music and a miniature steam ride, together with a classic and vintage vehicle display and an evening musical concert. A bus will run between Halton House and the RAF Museum, and the site of the village fair at Treetops to bring all the events together in one very full and interesting day.
The festival runs from 11am-5pm on Sunday September 11, with Halton House open from 10am-4pm.
Commissioned by Alfred de Rothschild, the house was completed in 1883 and for 30 years provided the venue for his sparkling weekend house parties, attracting the cream of British society, stars of the theatre and royalty. On Alfred’s death in 1918, the house and estate were acquired by the fledging Royal Air Force and the house has served as the Officer’s Mess ever since.
The house has been used extensively for filming including scenes for the hit films The World Is Not Enough, Evita, The Queen and The King’s Speech.
Entry to the house is free. Admission to the village fete at Treetops is £2.50, children under 16 free.
The evening concert with the Laurie Holloway Trio is from 6.30 - 9pm in the garden of Treetops.
Tickets for this are £12.50 including a drink.
To book go to www.haltonvillagefestival,co,uk or call 07885 619854.

Downton Abbey and James Bond house opened in Buckinghamshire


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.


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.


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


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A gang who placed wooden planks across a railway line and watched a train smash into them are being hunted by police.
At around 7pm on August 11, a group were caught on camera putting large wooden planks across the tracks next to Stoke Leys Close in Aylesbury.
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 said: “This was an incredibly stupid thing to do and it beggars belief that someone would think this was a funny thing to do.
“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.
“Although these images are grainy, we are releasing them in the hope that someone comes forward with information.
“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. We were lucky this time but acts like this can easily have fatal consequences.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016, quoting 505 of 11/8.

Train ‘jumps in the air’ after gang place large wooden planks across tracks


A gang who placed wooden planks across a railway line and watched a train smash into them are being hunted by police.


Max Verstappen will start on the front row of the Belgian Grand Prix.
The Dutchman, who grew up just 50km from the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, will start second behind Nico Rosberg’s Mercedes after setting a time of 1:48.407, just 0.147 seconds behind the German.
Verstappen’s Red Bull Racing team mate Daniel Ricciardo will start fifth, behind the Ferrari duo of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel.
Verstappen, at 18, becomes the youngest ever driver to start from the front row of the grid and felt pole position with within reach.
“You can always do a better job,” he said. “But Nico could have gone quicker too.
“We have to be pleased being so close to the Mercedes though.
“I had some issued this morning, but the mechanics did a great job and the car was working really well. It’s great motivation to see the fans cheering me on by the track.”
Championship leader Lewis Hamilton will start 18th on the grid after picking up a grid penalty.

Verstappen makes history with front row in Belgium


Max Verstappen will start on the front row of the Belgian Grand Prix.


Ghost role for Girls Aloud’s Sarah Harding in Aylesbury and Oxford
She will star as Molly opposite Hollyoaks’ Andy Moss as Sam.
Taking its inspiration from the classic movie, this innovative stage version will feature an expanded book, new music and original staging. The double Academy Award winning movie starring the late Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg was a huge success both critically and at the box office. And the film’s most iconic and moving scene, with Sam and Molly at the potters wheel to the sound of The Righteous Brothers’ Unchained Melody features in the musical stage version.
Ghost - The Musical comes to New Theatre, Oxford from Monday October 31 - Saturday November 5, and will be paying a visit to Aylesbury Waterside in April next year.
Walking back to their apartment late one night a tragic encounter sees Sam murdered and his beloved girlfriend Molly alone, in despair and utterly lost.
But with the help of a phony storefront psychic who turns out to have a true spiritual ability Sam, who is trapped between this world and the next, tries to communicate with Molly in the hope of saving her from grave danger.
Bill Kenwright, who is staging the show, said: “Ghost is a story full of hope and is one of those films that never leaves you.”
Bruce Joel Rubin, who wrote the book and lyrics for the show, said: “This is a show with such a strong emotional and musical life that it can mould to many visions and interpretations. It can be performed on any scale, and its vibrant heart will still captivate an audience and allows the imagination to flourish. It is purely theatrical in the greatest sense.”
Sarah Harding, who was part of Girls Aloud for over 10 years, has acted in film and on television and says Ghost is one of her all time favourite films , so playing the part of Molly is a huge honour for her.
Tickets for the show at New Theatre, Oxford cost from £14.90 and are available online at www.atgtickets.com/oxford or call the box office on 0844 871 3020, or call into the theatre on George Street.
Ghost - The Musical comes to Aylesbury Waterside from Tuesday April 18 - Saturday 22 next year. Tickets cost from £15 and can be booked now, online at www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury or call 0844 871 7607.

Hit movie is now on tour as a stage show


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Cheesed-off residents ‘smell disaster’ after pizza giant Domino’s was given the green light to build a controversial takeaway close to a busy town centre junction without road-side parking.
Despite Buckingham Town Council’s concerns about parking and road safety, Domino’s submitted plans to turn the old Willen Hospice shop in Bridge street into a pizza outlet.
The plans were refused by Aylesbury Vale District Council because Bridge Street was already at capacity for non-retail use.
But Domino’s appealed the decision and the government has now stepped in to push the plans through.
Warren Whyte, Bucks County Councillor for Buckingham, said: “I get loads of complaints about parking on zig-zags outside Roosters and China Cottage.
“I’m very worried about people doing that near the Domino’s.
“I will have to make sure the new generation police officers keep a close eye on that corner to make sure it stays safe. If they are concerned, I would say people should respect parking and safety lines on the road.
“Hopefully people will behave themselves and hopefully Domino’s will be good neighbours.”
Town residents have taken to Facebook to express their concerns.
Barry West said cars stopping on the lines at the crossing will cause ‘major issues’ and Carmen Robinson said: “I smell nothing but disaster – not pizzas.”
Ed Grimsdale said he ‘deplores the decision’ and thinks only ‘permanent’ police officers will stop parking issues. Pat Thorpe think customers ‘will park anywhere to pop in for a pizza’.
However, many residents have welcomed the news. Richard Major said there will be ‘more work for people’ and customers just need to ‘show common sense as to parking like you would in any other town’.
Derek Clark thinks residents should be pleased that the vacant building will now be occupied while ‘giving local people more choice on where to get their pizzas’.
And Donna Byer said: “Maybe attracting a large chain isn’t a bad thing. We might get more interest in other empty shops.”
In its appeal statement, Domino’s said that parking surveys and on-site observations have indicated that there is ‘sufficient capacity on Market Street and Market Square to accommodate any demand for parking’.

Topping out! Domino’s gets slice of Buckingham - but there’s not mushroom for cars


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