It’s a very different squad taking shape at Cambridge United this season as boss Shaun Derry begins his first full campaign in charge at the Abbey.
The former Notts County chief has brought a number of players in, the latest being former Watford striker Uche Ikpeazu on a short-term contract this week, after the 21-year-old was released by the Hornets in the summer.
He joins a whole host of new additions, including the likes of Bristol Rovers midfielder Jake Gosling on loan, with the Gibraltar international his country’s leading scorer, netting two goals in 11 appearances.
Two former Hatters are now on the books too with Reading defender Sean Long agreeing a six month loan deal, while striker Joe Pigott penned a one year contract as well.
Meanwhile, Derry also swooped for Portsmouth forward Adam McGurk, along with David Gregory (Crystal Palace), Blair Adams (Notts County), Piero Mingoia (Accrington), George Maris (Barnsley), Medy Elito (Newport County), while also borrowing Brighton’s Tom Dallison and Max Clark from Hull.
The United chief naturally had to let players go, including the likes of James Spencer, Robbie Simpson and Chris Dunn, but the newlook squad is clearly taking time to gel, as the U’s sit bottom of the table with two points from their opening four games.
They are undefeated at home this season though, drawing with Barnet and Carlisle. as both their defeats have come on the road at Doncaster and Colchester.
The U’s have given glimpses of what can be achived though in the EFL Cup, knocking out Championship side Sheffield Wednesday, also in front of their own fans, and then running Wolves incredibly close on Tuesday night, going out 2-1 at Molineux.
Derry now wants his to transfer the cup form into the league as talking to the Cambridge News, he said: “I have to keep stressing the opposition have been very good players and very good teams at our level.
“We’ve drawn two games at home and we’ve lost away twice to teams who have come down from League One.
“It happens and I’m absolutely certain it will change for the better because these boys produced a performance against some really strong opposition from Championship level.
“We gave Wolves more than a game and we put them on the back foot at certain times, so I’m relaxed about a situation that I’m sure will change.”
Team news: Luton aren’t expecting to have Alan Sheehan (calf) available, while although Craig Mackail-Smith and Danny Green are closer, they’re not ready just yet.
Uhe Ikpeazu will have to wait for his United debut, as he needs to build up his fitness, while George Maris, Adam McGurk and Harrison Dunk are recovering from injury, but will not be fit in time to face Luton.
Top scorers: Hatters - Cameron McGeehan (4). United - Luke Berry, Piero Mingoia (2).
Milestones: Jack Marriott made his 50th appearance for Luton during their 1-0 defeat to Leeds United in midweek.
The 21-year-old who signed from Ipswich last summer has bagged 17 goals in that time.
Man in the middle: David Webb, refereed six games so far this season, showing 10 yellows, with four in one game, in which he also showed his only red card of the campaign too.
Last term, had 36 games from Championship to League Two, with 110 yellows and seven reds, including four dismissals in his last seven fixtures.
Only other Luton match was back on Boxing Day in 2008, when Hatters drew 2-2 at Chesterfied in League Two.
Tom Craddock levelled for Town after Jamie Ward’s opener, while when Scott Boden put the hosts in front, Ian Roper grabbed a 90th minute equaliser.
Assistants referees are Ravel Cheosiaua and Christopher Kidd, with Aji Ajibola the fourth official.
In charge: Shaun Derry - 38-year-old, who had a lengthy playing career, making over 550 appearances during spells at Notts County, Sheffield United, Portsmouth, Crystal Palace and QPR, before hanging his boots up in 2013.
Appointed Notts County boss in November 2013 and saved the Magpies from relegation, but was sacked in March 2015 with County struggling against the drop yet again.
Named Cambridge manager in November last year, replacing former Luton chief Richard Money and led the club to a ninth placed finish last season.
View from the opposition: United boss Shaun Derry speaking to the club’s official website - “These are great games. There is always an added bite whenever we play Luton Town.
“The players of both football club realise that, as do the supporters. There always seems to be an added incentive to get behind the players.
“I’m sure they’ll be a bumper crowd heading to the Cambs Glass Stadium on Saturday. We’ll need them to be as vocal as they can be because Luton will be travelling with a large following as well.
“It all bodes well for a great afternoon of football. We have to concentrate on our performance levels and if we can match what we showed at Wolves, then we can absolutely give Luton a game.”
Friendly faces: In Cambridge’s squad is popular former Luton midfielder Keith Keane who made 285 appearances for the club, scoring eight times, prior to moving to Preston North End in July 2012.
Joined Cambridge in March 2015 but has only played six times for the U’s, although did start the 1-0 defeat at Doncaster Rovers on August 16 this season.
Right back Sean Long is on loan at Cambridge from Reading, as the 21-year-old had a spell at Kenilworth Road last term, making 11 appearances in total
Joined the U’s in August and has started all four league games so far.
Joe Pigott, 22, spent the latter half of last season on loan with Luton, scoring four goals in 15 games.
Penned a one year deal with Cambridge in the summer, but the 22-year-old hasn’t found the net in his opening six matches.
Defender Greg Taylor who played 43 games for Luton, scoring once, is at United too and has made 126 appearances, with one goal, having signed in June 2013.
For the Hatters, midfielder Cameron McGeehan had an excellent loan spell with Cambridge in the 2014-15 season, scoring three goals in six games, before returning to Kenilworth Road.
Town’s goalkeeper coach Kevin Deraden was with Cambridge on loan from Spurs between March 1989 to May 1989, playing 15 games.
Played for both: Rossi Jarvis - midfielder spent two years at Luton between July 2008-2010, playing 77 games and scoring five goals before moving to Barnet.
From Underhill, he signed for Cambridge where he played 84 times, scoring once as the 28-year-old joined Lowestoft Town in 2013 and remains there now.
One to watch: Tricky winger Piero Mingoia ended three years at Accrington to join Cambridge in the summer.
The 24-year-old began life as Watford, before a loan spell at Hayes & Yeading, but caught the eye with Stanley after some excellent performances as they reached the League Two play-offs last season.
Started life at his new club well with two goals in his first two matches.
We’ve got form: Hatters have been tough to beat on their travels to Cambridge, with six wins, eight draws and five losses in their previous 19 visits, scoring 29 goals and conceding 27.
In fact, Luton haven’t lost a league clash at the Abbey for seven games, the last defeat a Division Two meeting in 2000, when they went down 2-1 .
Then, Mark Stein opening the scoring on 13 minutes for the visitors, but Matthew Spring’s dismissal on the half hour heralded the turnaround as Cambridge won thanks to second half goals from Tom Youngs and Zema Abbey.
Town’s best victory was 3-1 back in Division Two in 1980 thanks to David Moss’ penalty, plus goals from Clive Goodyear and Brian Stein.
The Hatters did enjoy a 4-3 win in 2009, when down to 10 men after Liam Hatch’s red card, they turned a 2-0 half time deficit into a 4-3 victory thanks to goals from Kevin Gallen (2), Rossi Jarvis and Jake Howells, while it was the scene of Mark Cullen’s injury-time Conference title clincher in March 2014 as well.
Last time out: Luton enjoyed a 3-1 win at Cambridge United last season, with the visitors set on their way by a wonderful long range chip from Luke Guttridge.
Leon Legge levelled before the break, while in the second period, the hosts had Harrison Dunk controversially sent off on 64 minutes, picking up his second yellow card for handball.
Luke Wilkinson nodded home the resulting free kick, before Danny Green’s 84th minute strike capped a stunning team move.
Hatters: Mark Tyler, Stephen O’Donnell, Scott Griffiths, Scott Cuthbert, Luke Wilkinson, Jonathan Smith, Olly Lee, Luke Guttridge, Danny Green, Craig Mackail-Smith, Josh McQuoid.
Subs not used: Elliot Justham, Steve McNulty, Magnus Okuonghae, Curtley Williams, Mark O’Brien, Ryan Hall, Pelly -Ruddock Mpanzu.
Attendance: 6,298.
Referee: Graham Salisbury.


It’s a very different squad taking shape at Cambridge United this season as boss Shaun Derry begins his first full campaign in charge at the Abbey.


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

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


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


A man was pulled to the ground and kicked during an assault in High Town Road, Luton, on Monday.
Police are appealing for witnesses after the man was assaulted by a van driver.
The incident happened at the corner of Havelock Road at around 8pm on Monday.
The victim was approached by a man driving a white transit size van, believed to be a Renault, who got out of the vehicle and assaulted him, pulling him to the floor and kicking him.
The offender is described as mixed race, slim, in his early 20s, around 5ft 9” with a shaved head.
He was wearing a yellow or sandy coloured jacket and blue jeans.
PC Tony Frezza, investigating, said: “This was a nasty attack that left the victim with cuts and bruises and understandably shaken. We are urging anyone with information that could help us find the person responsible to get in touch. We are particularly keen to speak to anyone who saw the van in the area at the time.
“Violence is never acceptable and it will not be tolerated.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact PC Frezza on 101, text 07786 200 011, or alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.


A man was pulled to the ground and kicked during an assault in High Town Road, Luton, on Monday.


Olympic Bronze medallist Daniel Goodfellow will be meeting keen divers at Inspire: Luton Sports Village on Saturday at the free diving event, Dive in!.
Inspire is hosting the free event to encourage more people in Luton to get active and celebrate Team GB’s achievements at the Rio 2016 Games.
The synchronised diver, who won Bronze with Tom Daley at the Olympics, will be meeting visitors between 12pm and 2pm, he will then take part in a demonstration with Luton Diving Club.
Divers will then have the chance to take part in a taster diving session from 2.30pm till 4pm.
The event is part of I Am Team GB, a nationwide campaign that has inspired thousands of UK clubs to open their doors to new participants.
Daniel’s former coach Sam Buck, is the diving development officer for Active Luton, he said: “We are so pleased to give Luton the opportunity to be part of I Am Team GB’s nationwide celebration of sport.
“And we’re delighted to host one of our recent Olympic heroes who will be available for pictures and to show off his medal.”
The campaign is organised by ITV and The National Lottery, working with the British Olympic Association, UK Sport and supported by Join In to inspire the public to take part in sport.

Olympic Bronze medallist dives in at Inspire


Olympic Bronze medallist Daniel Goodfellow will be meeting keen divers at Inspire: Luton Sports Village on Saturday at the free diving event, Dive in!.


Hatters keeper Christian Walton was delighted to play a vital part in Saturday’s excellent 3-0 win over rivals Cambridge United.
The on-loan Brighton stopper made three excellent stops from close range, showing brilliant reactions to deny Luke Berry twice, the second from point blank range and then keep out Medy Elito’s effort too.
“It’s nice to make some saves, I’ve just got to keep doing what I’m doing and hopefully win as many games as possible up until Christmas and then evaluate our performances from there.” Christian Walton
On the saves, a modest Walton said: “It was a good game for me the first half, that’s what I’m there for and kept us in it, but we knew it was going to be a difficult game.
“The first took a bit of a deflection as he headed it, so I went one way and had to get back sharp to save it, but that was good, that’s what I work on in training and I’ve put it into practice.
“The second opened up for him quite nicely and he could have gone either way, but I’ve got a good hand to it and it’s good. I’ve made the saves and put us on the front foot for the second half.”
Walton has also been highly satisfied with the way he has bounced back from the error made against Newport County in being beaten direct from a corner, with back-to-back star man displays.
He continued: “That’s why I’m here, it’s a learning curve, as a keeper we’re going to make mistakes and it happened.
“I’m happy it happened against Newport and we still got the three points, so shows the team support and team spirit we’ve got here at the club.
“It’s nice to make some saves, I’ve just got to keep doing what I’m doing and hopefully win as many games as possible up until Christmas and then evaluate our performances from there and go into the second half of the season and finish it off.”
Hatters boss Nathan Jones always knew Walton had performances like that in him, which was the main reason he was the manager’s number one target in the summer.
He said: “That’s what he’s been brought here for and we believe he’s a top keeper.
“We’ve been very fortunate to have him, been very fortunate that they trust us to look after his development for a year and he’s responding fantastically well and that’s why he’s here.
“He was superb, but that’s why we wanted him and that’s why we allowed the likes of Elliot Justham to go, because Elliot was improving very, very quickly, he was a good keeper for us.
“But we were able to bring in something that we felt was going to be better and that’s what we did.”
The clean sheet was Town’s second of the season so far, having kept a shut out at Plymouth on the opening day as Walton said: “It’s massive, that’s my aim before the game, just keep the ball out of the net.
“That’s what I’m there for, keeping the ball out of the net and keeping clean sheets.
“That’s what we want as a back five to keep as many clean sheets as we can.
“If we’re doing that, then we leave the rest for the front four, front five to finish the games, like they did today, 3-0 and three points.
“I think we’ve put out a statement so far to other clubs and other fans and hopefully we can just go on doing that.”
Meanwhile, on how his loan spell is going at Kenilworth Road so far, Walton added: “I’m absolutely loving it, it’s a great club, great team, great staff and I’m really enjoying my football at the minute.
“I’ve done what I can in the first few games, I just need to carry that on now for the rest of the season and hopefully it will be a good season for me and I go back to Brighton with those games under my belt and a bit more experience and see where it takes me.”

Modest Walton happy to play his part in Town triumph


Hatters keeper Christian Walton was delighted to play a vital part in Saturday’s excellent 3-0 win over rivals Cambridge United.


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

New generation of teas could cure hangovers, report suggests


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


There were angry scenes and jeering at a meeting in Luton on Tuesday as a water company admitted its failures had led to homes flooding.
Homes in Marsom Grove, Luton, experienced flooding for the first time on June 7 when a heavy rainstorm overwhelmed an unfinished holding basin constructed by Thames Water.
This was in spite of the fact the company had sent a letter to residents in February advising that the basin behind Icknield Way was finished. The basin was designed to prevent flooding to a group of homes in Icknield Way – which it also failed to do.
At Tuesday’s packed meeting at Warden Hill Community Centre, Thames Water engagement manager John Sullivan said: “We admit that was our mistake, our error, and we’re going to make it right.”
It is understood water flowed out from the unfinished basin and was diverted south of the embankment to rear gardens in Marsom Grove.
Resident John Boyle said: “The whole problem is that [the homes in Icknield Way] have been flooded again. There’s something drastically wrong with that.
“These people have been saying one thing and doing another. You’ve upset residents and you come back with your apologies – you’re a disgrace! We’ve been insulted and our intelligence has been insulted.”
Theresa McBride has lived at Marsom Grove for 28 years and says she never experienced floods until the storm of June 7. She said: “Are Thames Water competent to do anything?”
Fellow resident Simon Franklyn added: “Can we stop talking about this as an exceptional storm? The main thing here is that the basin was left unfinished. It would have taken a hell of a lot less rain for that to burst.”
Thames Water presented plans to the meeting for flood defences it claims have a 1/100 rainstorm chance of flooding.
During the presentation, it was explained the rainstorm on June 7 totalled 75mm of water in a few hours compared to an average of 49mm for the month of June. The company stated some flooding would have been experienced in Marsom Grove even without the holding basin being built.
“You wouldn’t expect to see a storm like that in 65 years,” said Mr Sullivan.
Nevertheless, he then said if the holding basin had been completed, the water would have been contained and not caused flooding to gardens in Marsom Grove.
He added: “It’s poor project management on our part as a company, it should have been complete and it wasn’t.”
Residents contacted civil engineer Richard Burton, who carried out his own analysis of the project based on available documentation. During the meeting, he questioned the exceptional status attributed to the storm, and highlighted severe weather in 2007 and 2009. He also questioned whether the permitted development by Luton Borough Council was appropriate given the change of the use of land, and suggested a retrospective planning application ought to be made.
Paul Barton, acting services director for planning at Luton Borough Council, said legal advice would be needed over whether a planning application should be submitted.
Thames Water said contractors would return to the site and complete all remedial work by the close of October.

Firm admits: ‘Our failures led to flood’


There were angry scenes and jeering at a meeting in Luton on Tuesday as a water company admitted its failures had led to homes flooding.


Luton Diving Club’s Ben Cutmore picked up a superb three gold medals while representing Great Britain at the Mediterranean Cup in Bolzano, Italy recently.
This was the 13-year-old’s first international event accompanied by coach Sam Buck, who has coached him from lessons stage as a beginner diver.
Oliwier Slinko
It’s been a fine season for Ben, who was crowned British National Elite Champion and is also National Champion on Platform, while he has also represented GB at the Dresden Open international event earlier in the year too.
The club also took a team of nine to the National Skills, as for Oliwier Slinko, Enhakkorre Obeng, Hardie Roberts, Elodie Roberts, Jordan Fisher-Eammes and Baye Cook-McDonald, it was their first event.
The competition is where three different stages are used, including the poolside, the one metre board and the three metre board, with three skills performed from each discipline and the scores then totalled together.
Slinko won an excellent gold in the 10/11 years event, to be crowned National Skills champion, while Cook-McDonald came seventh, Roberts 11th, Obeng 12th and Ludo Waterman 18th,
In the 8/9-years event, Joshua Bush was fifth, with Fisher-Eammes 13th and Roberts 21st, while the 12/13 girls event saw Isabelle Davis come 15th.
Luton DC also took a team of eight to the National Age Groups event, as for Grace Conolly, Amy Rollinson and Nat Connolly, it was their first such competition.
There were silvers for Annie Thomas in 16/18 years platform and Rollinson in the girls 12/13 years one metre synchronised event, plus Hugo Thomas’ bronze in the 10-11 years three metre springboard competition.
Also competing for the club were Grace Connolly (33rd in 12/13 girls 1m; 36th in 3m and 19th in platform); Katie Burton (22nd in 1m; 25th in 3m); Amy Rollinson (17th in 1m; 15th in 3m; 21st in platform); James Pollard (9th in 12/13 boys 1m; 18th in 3m; 21st in platform; 10th in synchronised event); Hugo Thomas (8th in 1m; 12th in platform); Nat Connolly (13th in 1m; 16th in 3m; 10th in platform) and Jacob Keddy (11th in 1m; 19th in 3m).
Meanwhile, Hayley Sage, performance coach for Luton Diving Club and Active Luton represented Great Britain as the GB judge at the Junior European diving event in Croatia recently.
She has previously judged at the Seven Nations diving event held in Edinburgh, and was selected as the Great Britain judge for the World Cup Olympic qualifiers earlier this year in Rio, Brazil, achieving her highest level judging event.
Sage added: “I would love to one day be considered and selected as the GB judge at the Olympic Games.
“It is great to have previously competed at the Olympic Games and many World events and now sitting on the other side as a judge and awarding the divers what they are due in a high level event.
“It’s great to be representing the country again within the sport but from another angle. I feel it really helps my coaching, and keeps me up to date with what the rest of the world are doing to help me to hopefully produce some super stars in the near future.”


Luton Diving Club’s Ben Cutmore picked up a superb three gold medals while representing Great Britain at the Mediterranean Cup in Bolzano, Italy recently.


Nothing could put a dampener on the Royal visit to Luton this afternoon as The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made their way to Keech Hospice.
With the gleaming sun and temperatures reaching over 30 degrees, it has been a memorable day for Luton to receive the Royal couple.
At Keech, the Duke and Duchess spoke to staff, patients, volunteers and sponsors about the vital work that is going on there. The couple will learn much about the charity – which is celebrating its 25th anniversary – including its bereavement support and art therapy services.
CEO of Keech Hospice Liz Searle said it was a “proud” day for the charity to receive the honorary visit.

Royal visit continues as Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit Keech Hospice


Nothing could put a dampener on the Royal visit to Luton this afternoon as The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made their way to Keech Hospice.


In July 1966 the England football team was about to pull off the impossible and London was fast becoming the hip, groovy and happening place to be.
High in the charts was The Kinks, with their second hit, Sunny Afternoon. This popular four-piece pop combo, fronted by Ray Davies and his younger brother Dave, hailed from North London, and were to become one of the most influential rock groups of all time.
Sunny Afternoon UK Tour cast
Fast forward almost 50 years and you don’t have to be a Dedicated Follower of Fashion to realise that Sunny Afternoon is back and riding high.
In 2014 Ray’s searingly honest musical slipped onto the genteel stage of Hampstead Theatre, blasted out its silver-haired audience, and won a whole new set of fans, before transferring to the West End, becoming a major hit and winning four Oliviers.
England didn’t make the cut at this year’s World Cup but Sunny Afternoon is set for continued success with a national tour playing in Milton Keynes Theatre from next week (August 30) and Aylesbury Waterside Theatre from September 27.
The cast were putting the finishing touches to the show at rehearsal studios on The Isle of Dogs in East London when I caught up with them.
I watched key cast members Ryan O’Donnell, playing Ray Davies, Mark Newnham, as brother Dave, Garmon Rhys as bassist Pete Quaife and Andrew Gallo playing Kinks’ drummer Mick Avory, going through their paces, including a rousing rendition of Sunny Afternoon before sitting down with them for a chat.
Tousle-haired Ryan, a former member of the Jethro Tull entourage, has already appeared in the 1960’s Who musical, Quadrophenia. He had to pass muster with The Kinks’ frontman Ray before bagging the part.
“I remember meeting Ray backstage once, after I’d got the part, and he said ‘Hi, nice to meet you’. He nodded his head and said: ‘So, you’re doing this are you? Ah’. And we shook hands and that was it, “said Ryan.
“Ray is very hands on. He comes to watch it quite a lot and he’s very supportive. He comes to all the auditions and is involved in casting.
“When you go into the final round of auditions there is this quiet man sitting at the back with a steely glare, passing judgement - which is pretty intimidating.
“I didn’t know much about The Kinks before I saw the show a couple of years ago, but obviously I knew the songs. They’re so iconic. But you don’t realise how many they wrote. It can be overwhelming for audiences. Just one great song after another. It’s a helluva show.”
Garmon, who has recently played Agatha Christie’s young detective, Tommy, and Wilfred Owen in the WWI drama, Regeneration at Northampton, here plays disillusioned guitarist Quaife, who suffers a crisis of confidence at the peak of the band’s success.
“My favourite song in the show is You Really Got Me,” he said, “Because it’s the first time you get to see the band play together as a four-piece properly, when they’re on Top of the Pops and you get a real buzz when you hear those first chords. It’s amazing.”
“I like Set Me Free, which is a pretty sexy tune, with all the trippy vocal harmonies and guitar riffs,” added Ryan.
“I have a constant battle with our music director, in songs like Sunny Afternoon. He comes up to me and says: ‘You are singing it like Ray but could you sing it a bit nicer? A bit brighter? It is supposed to be a happy moment in the show!’
“I say that it’s a lazy afternoon but he says: ‘Yeah, but it’s not a lazy moment in the show!’”
Garmon says that Britain can’t get enough of the 1960s. “It was a pioneering era for culture and fashion, especially British music and apparel.
“It was where a lot of modern fashions were started. Our wardrobe department have had it easy because the clothes and shoes, like the Chelsea Boots, are still in fashion.
“And our audiences are not all in their 60s. We have kids of all ages because everyone loves 1960’s music.”
“The reason Sunny Afternoon has been so successful is that audiences don’t just come to hear amazing songs that they remember but there are a lot of familiar themes - money, homesickness, the class struggle.”
“A lot of people come up to me,” said Ryan, “who were around at that time and didn’t know the full story. This has a strong narrative, is a fascinating play, as well as a great musical.”
Andrew Gallo, who came to MKT with Saturday Night Fever, has an impressive drum solo in Sunny Afternoon which earns the admiration of everyone.
“I was originally up for Pete, Mick and their manager. I had five drum songs to learn plus their scenes and, just in case, another song. I hadn’t touched the drums for a year so I booked myself into a studio and drummed for about four hours solid until I gave myself blisters!”
He first heard The Kinks at the age of 12 after discovering a cache of old cassette tapes while sitting with mates in a neighbour’s attic. “We just played them on a loop. They were amazing”.
Mark, who plays wild Dave, swilling fizz, swinging from a chandelier, bedding the birds and wearing a frock or two, used to play The Kinks songs when he was in a band in Brighton.
“I knew that Ray and Dave had a tempestuous relationship. Their songs are so iconic. It was so magical the way Ray wrote about stuff. He came up with some incredible lyrics. I haven’t stopped listening to The Kinks since I got the job.
“Dave is a real gift to play. He’s so flamboyant and has such a verve for life. And the script is fantastic. You could take the songs out and still have an incredible play.
“I auditioned in front of Ray, which was interesting. I had already auditioned for Pete and Dave. I did my Pete stuff first and had my fringe over one way and then, when I did my Dave audition, I said: “Do you mind if I manipulate my fringe?’ which made Ray laugh.
“I moved it into a centre parting and he said: ‘Oh yeah, you’re playing a different character’. ‘Yeah, I’m playing your little brother!’ and again I made him laugh.”
Sunny Afternoon plays at Milton Keynes Theatre August 30-September 3 and Aylesbury Waterside, September 27-October 1. To book visit www.atgtickets.co.uk/miltonkeynes or www.atgtickets.co.uk/aylesbury,

No lazing on a Sunny Afternoon for new cast ahead of Milton Keynes and Aylesbury dates.


In July 1966 the England football team was about to pull off the impossible and London was fast becoming the hip, groovy and happening place to be.


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.


Summer in the Sun returns to town this Saturday as the Mayor of Luton officially opens the week-long event.
St George’s Square will be transformed with over 100 tonnes of sand, creating a beach for everyone to enjoy.
Visitors can enjoy donkey rides, a helter skelter, a Ferris wheel, chair-o-planes, Punch and Judy, bouncy castles, face painting, games, music and dancing.
The Revellers Steel Pan Band will be performing live from the beach on Saturday and Sunday from 4.30pm.
Linsey Frostik, chairman of Love Luton, said: “We are delighted to be hosting Summer in the Sun for the fourth year. It promises to be bigger and better than ever with seven days of fun. The event offers everything from donkey rides through to our very own helter-skelter! “I am excited to see the new addition of Luton’s very own Ferris wheel allowing you to take in the sights of out transformed town centre! The beach will be open from 11.30am till 6.30pm. Be sure to take a picture in our giant deck chair and post on our social media pages for a chance to win a prize. It promises to be fun, fun, fun!”
The event is free and runs from Saturday until Friday, August 26.


Summer in the Sun returns to town this Saturday as the Mayor of Luton officially opens the week-long event.


Christian Walton: 8.5 (MOM) - Kept Hatters in the contest during the first half, with three excellent saves, the two stand out efforts being from Berry’s downward header and then one-on-one. Quieter second half, but still remained in complete command of his area.
Stephen O’Donnell: 7 - Tried to provide an attacking outlet for the the visitors during the first half, but was occasionally caught out of position as United had plenty of joy down his flank. Tightened up in the second period though.
Dan Potts: 7 - Full back did his bit in keeping an impressive clean sheet. Not afraid to put his foot or head in to clear his lines when need be and looked solid for the majority.
Johnny Mullins: 8.5 - Stood up well to the aerial threat that Cambridge had and made some telling interventions. Good distribution out from defence helped set up a fair few attacks as well.
Glen Rea: 8.5 - Started in the centre of defence before moving into the holding role to add some extra bite and break the United dominance they were enjoying. Did it perfectly and played his part in opener too, when his header was turned in by Coulson.
Olly Lee: 5 - Paid the price for failing to impose himself on proceedings by being hauled off early on as Cambridge were enjoying the better of it.
Jordan Cook: 8 - Tigerish display as he was desperately unlucky not to open his account denied by the woodwork in the first half. Free kick set up the own goal and almost notched a great solo effort near the end too.
Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu: 7.5 - Wasn’t quite able to get to his barnstorming best as Luton had to dig deep at times. Missed a glorious chance to open the scoring, dragging wide when he had to score. Eye-catching bit of skill and nutmeg by the corner flag though was top drawer.
Cameron McGeehan: 7.5 - Different kind of performance for McGeehan as he had to knuckle down and get through plenty of dirty work in the central areas. Still provided a threat though, running 50 yards to shoot wide and coming close second half too.
Jack Marriott 8 - Showed Tuesday’s misses hadn’t affected his confidence in the slightest with an early shot well saved and then cut in on his supposed weaker left foot to bury a glorious strike before celebrating in front of the hordes of away fans.
Danny Hylton: 8 - Had a real scrap with Legge throughout, as the pair went eyeball to eyeball in the second period. Enjoyed the last laugh, with a composed finish in stoppage time for a deserved goal.
Scott Cuthbert (SUB): 8.5 - Earlier introduction than he might have expected, but boss Nathan Jones speaks of game changers and he certainly was that. Won his headers to cut out United’s aerial dominance and allowed Town to gain a foothold. Added some real leadership too, always barking out orders.
Jonathan Smith (SUB): 7 - On in the last 10 minutes, but had an impact, winning his tackles and then speeding away to coolly set up Hylton in stoppage time.
Isaac Vassell (SUB): 6.5 - Final moments for Vassell as he did his bit, winning a few headers and keeping the home defence on their toes.
To vote for your Hatters MOM, visit our Hatters Microsite.


Christian Walton: 8.5 (MOM) - Kept Hatters in the contest during the first half, with three excellent saves, the two stand out efforts being from Berry’s downward header and then one-on-one. Quieter second half, but still remained in complete command of his area.


Town up to second in the table
Josh Coulson’s own goal sets Hatters on their way just after the hour
League Two: Cambridge United 0 Luton Town 3
A wonderful second half display from the Hatters saw them continue their superb winning record in the league at Cambridge United this afternoon.
The visitors could count themselves lucky to not be trailing in the first half, with keeper Christian Walton making three excellent saves, but from the hour mark onwards, there was only one winner.
A quickfire double sucked the life out of the hosts, who went into the game at the bottom of the table, with Josh Coulson putting through his own net, and then Jack Marriott scoring a simply sublime curler into the top corner.
From then on, United were stunted, unable to must any kind of fight back, with the coup de gras applied in stoppage time, through Danny Hylton’s composed sidefoot into the bottom corner, as Hatters made it eight league games unbeaten at the now titled Cambs Glass Stadium.
Town boss Nathan Jones had made two changes from the 1-0 defeat against Leeds United on Tuesday night, with Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and Jordan Cook replacing Jake Gray and Jonathan Smith, who dropped to the bench.
Hatters threatened first and might have led on four minutes as Stephen O’Donnell’s searching cross was met by a weak punch from Will Norris as Jordan Cook acrobatically volleyed the rebound goalwards only to be denied his first goal for the club by the upright.
United, without a win in the league this season, also came close, as Piero Mingoia’s excellent right wing cross was met by Luke Berry, whose downward header took a deflection, as Walton had to readjust and make a brilliant instinctive stop.
The keeper came to the rescue once more from Berry again moments later as Town were sliced open and the winger’s close range effort saw Walton produce a wonderful reaction stop, palming the ball over.
Back came Luton though as Stephen O’Donnell’s low ball into the area was dummied by Mpanzu for Marriott to unleash a fierce shot from 20 yards that required tipping over by Norris.
Town appeared to have settled from what was an open start to the game and on 20 minutes should have been ahead after carving the home defence apart with a wonderful move.
Hylton cleverly picked out Mpanzu’s run with the outside of his foot, only for the midfielder to draw Norris, and just like Marriott had on Tuesday night against Leeds, criminally miss the target, the fourth time in three games Town had fluffed a one-on-one opportunity.
Defender Leon Legge shot well over the bar with an ambitious effort from 20 yards, as United were always fashioning decent opportunities of their own, Medy Elito collecting Ben Williamson’s cross, beating his man, only for Walton to once again get his angles spot on.
Mindful of the aerial dominance Cambridge were enjoying, Jones too action just before the half hour, with Olly Lee coming off and Scott Cuthbert taking his place, allowing Glen Rea to move into the holding role.
It paid dividends too as Cuthbert immediately repelling a long ball away from his area and barked out orders ensuring the visitors looked a lot more solid at the back from then on.
Cambridge had the better of the latter stages of the first half in terms of territory, but Hatters kept it tight, to crucially get through to the break unscathed.
With the game degenerating into a scrappy affair after the break, with neither side able to produce any real quality, Luton then took complete control with their rapid double.
First, on 63 minutes, Cook’s well flighted free kick was met by the completely unmarked Rea whose header down was diverted past his own keeper and into the bottom corner by Coulson.
Then, with Cambridge still reeling, Marriott, showed his confidence wasn’t in the least effected by Tuesday night’s misses, cutting in and from 20 yards curling a magnificent effort into the top corner, racing over to celebrate with the 1,690 travelling fans.
Luton then looked to see the game out as best they could, knowing they had inflicted enough damage on a team clearly struggling for confidence in the league this term.
They were guilty of giving away too many free kicks in dangerous areas though, but importantly, Cambridge couldn’t make them count, Berry putting the best of them over the top, with Mingoia sending another ambitions half volley well wide.
Hatters were almost out of sight in the closing seconds as Hylton fed Cook who slalomed through the hosts defence, with his toe-poke blocked by the legs of Norris.
Hylton’s rebound was charged down, and Cameron McGeehan sent his volly from the follow up flying wide too.
However, there was no such let off in time added on, when sub Smith intercepted Berry’s woeful pass, raced down the right and showed wonderful vision to pick out Hylton who coolly did the rest.
United: Will Norris, Greg Taylor, Blair Adams (Jake Gosling 78), James Dunne, Leon Legge, Piero Mingoia, Luke Berry (C), Ben Williamson (Joe Pigott 65), Josh Coulson, Max Clark (Uche Ikpeazu 65), Medy Elito.
Subs not used: David Gregory, Sean Long, Tom Dallison, Conor Newton.
Hatters: Christian Walton, Stephen O’Donnell, Dan Potts, Glen Rea, Johnny Mullins (C), Olly Lee (Scott Cuthbert 28), Jordan Cook, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu (Jonathan Smith , Cameron McGeehan, Danny Hylton, Jack Marriott (Isaac Vassell 90).
Subs not used: Craig King, James Justin, Jake Gray, Isaac Vassell, Josh McQuoid.
Bookings: Clark 33, O’Donnell 40, Rea 63, Hylton 83.
Attendance: 5,606 (1,690 Luton).

Town’s second half blitz blows Cambridge away


League Two: Cambridge United 0 Luton Town 3


EFL Cup, second round: Luton Town 0 Leeds United 1
Missed chances once again proved pivotal as Luton Town were knocked out of the EFL Cup by Championship side Leeds this evening.
Although the hosts couldn’t quite hit the heights of their previous round victory over Aston Villa, they were still pretty darn good, particularly in the second period, building up a real head of steam, but ultimately, only had themselves to blame for failing to progress.
Twice, Jack Marriott went clean through and with the whole ground expecting the net to ripple, last season’s leading scorer couldn’t hit the target, firing disappointingly wide of the target on both occasions.
Defeat was incredibly harsh on the hosts though, as Leeds might have kept their opponents at arms length during the first period, it was a different story after the break, with Hatters by far the more dominant side, but crucially, couldn’t make the most of the opportunities.
Town boss Nathan Jones made two changes, recalling Johnny Mullins after his suspension in place of Scott Cuthbert who dropped to the bench, while Jonathan Smith made his first start of the season, in place of Jordan Cook.
The hosts completely bossed possession for the opening 15 minutes, with Leeds reduced to chasing shadows at times, although they couldn’t fashion anything clear-cut at Marco Silvestri’s goal, Olly Lee’s 30-yarder flying over, as did Cameron McGeehan’s swerving long range free kick.
Despite Luton’s monopoly of the ball, it was Leeds who went in front on 23 minutes with a wonderful strike from debutant Tyler Denton, who sent a glorious first time effort with the outside of his left foot past Christian Walton.
With their confidence boosted from the opening goal, Leeds started to take a semblance of the ascendancy, Kemar Roofe hooking a wonderfully acrobatic volley against the angle of post and bar, with Walton blocking Dallas’ fierce follow up.
Hatters finally tested Silvestri on 35 minutes, Marriott’s blast from the edge of the box requiring the keeper to tip over.
Uniteed could have had the killer second themselves moments later as Lee gave the ball away cheaply and the visitors broke in a flash, with Souleymane Doukara bearing down on Walton, who was out bravely to block at his feet.
On the stroke of half time, Hatters threatened once more, Lee’s low drive forcing a sprawling stop from Silvestri, while Marriott should have made it 1-1 before the change of ends.
He took Smith’s lovely through ball in his stride, did everything right, beating Silvestri, but then faced with the open goal, stabbed over the top.
After the break, Leeds tried to take a strangehold on proceedings, quietening the Kenilworth Road crowd in the process, but the home fans were jolted back to life on the hour mark when McGeehan’s free kick brought a full length flying save out of Silvestri, with the midfielder forcing the keeper to turn another low shot behind as well.
Hatters started to put their opponents on the back foot as the half progressed, fashioing the golden opportunity they were craving on 78 minutes, when Marriott was sent clean through by Smith, as faced with Silvestri, his aim was off for the second time, shooting badly wide.
Walton showed fine handling to claim Alex Mowatt’s curler, before Town could have levelled with four minutes to go, McGeehan firing rashly over the top from the edge of the box.
Leeds almost added an unfair gloss to the scoreline at the death, but Walton was out superbly to deny Roofe from close range and once sub Isaac Vassell directed his header off target, the game was up.
Town boss Jones can be once again proud of the display served up by his team though as they went toe-to-toe with a Championship outfit for the second time this term, with not many able to part the teams for the majority.
He will be hoping for more of the same at Cambridge on Saturday now, but with most crucially, a cutting edge in front of goal.
Hatters: Christian Walton, Stephen O’Donnell, Dan Potts, Glen Rea, Johnny Mullins (C), Olly Lee (Isaac Vassell 75), Jonathan Smith, Jake Gray (Jordan Cook 56), Cameron McGeehan, Danny Hylton (Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu 66), Jack Marriott.
Subs not used: Craig King, James Justin, Josh McQuoid, Scott Cuthbert.
Leeds: Marco Silvestri, Sol Bamba (C), Kemar Roofe, Luke Murphy (Kalvin Phillips 58), Souleymane Doukara, Stuart Dallas, Matt Grimes, Pontus Jansson (Liam Cooper 74), Pablo Hernandez (Alex Mowatt 68), Lewis Coyle, Tyler Denton.
Subs not used: Rob Green, Luke Ayling, Marcus Antonsson, Hadi Sacko.
Bookings: Grimes 1, Lee 53, Coyle 61
Attendance: 7,498 (1,510 Leeds).

Marriott’s off night as Hatters go out to Leeds


EFL Cup, second round: Luton Town 0 Leeds United 1


Newcastle United attacking midfielder Alex Gilliead has signed a loan deal at Luton Town.
The England Under-20 international arrives at Kenilworth Road on a deal until January 7, 2017.
He scored at Luton last season while on loan at Carlisle and recalled the great atmopshere inside the ground.
He told the club website: “I came on in the game here and we were 3-1 down, but I managed to get a goal and we came back to win 4-3, so I’ve got fond memories of playing here.
“I remember there was a cracking atmosphere and the fans got right behind their team even though we won the game in the end.
“I love the old-fashioned stadium and the noise was incredible. I remember thinking at the time ‘It’d be good to have this on my side’, so when the chance arose to come here on loan, it didn’t need much consideration.
“The manager has brought some good players to the club this season and when I spoke to him, I could tell he’s got a plan for what he wants to do this season and I wouldn’t mind being a part of it.”
Hatters manager Nathan Jones said: “Alex ticks every box for us. He’s young, hungry and wants to do well. He’s technically very good, he’s fit and he fits in nicely with our group.
“I have known him since my time at Brighton. He is a fantastic young player and one that is going to provide even more competition and quality to the side we have. It’s a real coup for the club, the fact that he wants to come here, we are excited to have him.
“He’s an attacking midfielder. He can play wide or just off the front and he is a real good footballer. He ticks all the boxes we look for and we are delighted that Newcastle have entrusted us to continue his development.”

Newcastle midfielder Gilliead signs loan deal at Luton


Newcastle United attacking midfielder Alex Gilliead has signed a loan deal at Luton Town.


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.


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 TV company is on the hunt for separated families and parents across the UK, to take part in a new Channel 5 series.
The show, with the working title of The Modern Family, wants to talk to people who would like help resolving any issues they feel are getting in the way of co-parenting, or getting on with an ex-partner for the sake of their children.
Separation affects around a quarter of children in the UK, with the common belief being that being brought up by both parents after separation, where safe and possible, is in the best interests of a child.
“Breaking up with a spouse or partner is one of life’s biggest upheavals,” said a spokesperson for producers Pulse Films. “The difficult part is getting to the stage where separated parents are still able to do things for the sake of the child, like arrange a joint birthday party, or attend a parents’ evening together.”
So the team at Pulse want to film with separated mums and dads who may have moved on to other relationships, and are keen to sort out the issues with their ex for the sake of the children.
Francine Kaye, relationship expert, family mediator and author of Divorce Doctor said: “Kids don’t divorce, parents do. Paradoxically couples need to understand each other more during and after separation, than they did when they were together - in order to parent effectively.”
Working under the guidance of a trained therapist, anyone who has children with an ex and has difficulty with the complicated relationships this has created, can get more information by texting ‘FAMILY’ or call: 07983 640463 / 07555 242 993, by emailing: modernfamily@pulsefilms.co.uk, or by calling Janette Hodds or Lyttanya Shannon on 0207 426 5700.


A TV company is on the hunt for separated families and parents across the UK, to take part in a new Channel 5 series.


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

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


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


Luton Town’s impressive start to the campaign can be put down to boss Nathan Jones having time to get his way of thinking across to the squad according Glen Rea.
The Irish U21 international had seen Hatters at the summit of League Two until defeat against Stevenage on Saturday, while they also knocked Championship side Aston Villa out of the EFL Cup too and might have done the same to Leeds United in midweek bit for missed chances.
“The gaffer’s come in and really put his mark on it this season and we’ve got great players and think it shows out on the pitch.” Glen Rea
When asked why he felt Luton had begun so promisingly, Rea said: “I think it’s because the gaffer has had the whole pre-season to get what he wants across to the team.
“It’s starting to show on the pitch what he wants the players to do and everyone’s on board, everyone’s fighting for spaces.
“The gaffer’s come in and really put his mark on it this season and we’ve got great players and think it shows out on the pitch,
“There’s people on the bench who are good players and people not in the squad that are good players and everyone’s just fighting for each other.
“All the lads are decent here so it’s not hard to gel the team, we’ve got a good team bonding, and it’s good club.
“Everyone wants to do well, so I think that’s what’s different to this year.
“We’re a good team and slowly, slowly we’re showing it on the pitch and the gaffer’s ethoses are coming out on the pitch, so it’s good time to be at Luton Town.”
The former Brighton defender was back at centre half alongside Scott Cuthbert at the weekend, despite being signed to play predominantly in a defensive midfield role this term.
Rea wasn’t worried whereabouts he was being utilised though, as long as he was in the team, saying: “I don’t mind playing wherever. Wherever the gaffer wants me to play I’ll play, I’m just happy to be on the pitch.”
The defender was frustrated with the manner in which his side had let their unbeaten run slip on Saturday, going down to a stoppage time strike at Boro.
Rea continued: “Everyone in there is bitterly disappointed with the way it ended, but we dust ourselves off and go again.
“It’s football, that happens, we’ve got to deal with it a bit better, but we know that, we’ve said it in there, analysed it and we’ll go again.”
Town now travel to Cambridge United in the league on Saturday as Rea added: “It’s good the games come thick and fast, because you can put that one aside and move on to the next one.
“If you do have a bad result, maybe you can leave that one and then have a couple of days to prepare for the next one.
“Cambridge is another big game for us, we’re ready for it and will go out there to win the game and we are looking definitely for the three points.”

Rea believes Jones’ philosophy is starting to shine through


Luton Town’s impressive start to the campaign can be put down to boss Nathan Jones having time to get his way of thinking across to the squad according Glen Rea.


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

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


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


It was a day to remember today as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made an official visit to Luton.
With temperatures of 31 degrees there was nothing to put a damper on the glorious day - which saw the pair visit Bute Mills, Keech Hospice and Hayward Tyler.
TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge speak to a family who benefitted from the services of Keech Hospice Care. Photo by Danny Loo
Over 300 volunteers welcomed the Duke and Duchess to Keech to celebrate the hospice’s 25th anniversary.
The royal couple were invited to unveil the special plaque and were taken on a tour of the children’s and adult’s hospices.
Their tour began in the children’s hospice and they were both presented with a personalised memory jar to remind them of their time spent at Keech.
The memory jars are used by the charity before and after a person has died, it is used as a tool in pre and post bereavement support to help adult and children patients and family members.
TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive at Keech Hospice Care. Photo by Danny Loo
The jar was presented to the royal couple by brothers Jamie, ten, and Ethan, six, Coniam, of Flitwick, their brother Kieran, ten, died at Keech in October 2014 after battling many health problems.
The Duke and Duchess spent time talking to patients in both hospices who were excited by their visit.
Sam Durant, art therapist at Keech Hospice Care, said: “They took the time to speak to the patients which is really important because they are the voice of Keech, it was great of them to do that.
“They actually spoke with the children as well which was lovely.”
TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are shown into the Children's Day Support room of Keech Hospice Care. Photo by Danny Loo
They then cut the ribbon in a special celebration and unveiled the special plaque to celebrate the Hospice’s 25th anniversary.
As the couple left Keech they were greeted by cheers from the crowds that gathered outside the entrance and were presented with a posy, which was designed and made by Amy Richardson, 27, of Dunstable.
Seven-year-old Evie Farmer, of Stevenage, presented the posy to the Duchess, who is East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices Royal Patron.
Evie attends Sparklers at Keech, a monthly support group for siblings, her nine-year-old brother, Charlie, has infantile spasms, epilepsy and mitochondrial disorder and requires 24/7 care.
TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are shown into the Children's Day Support room of Keech Hospice Care. Photo by Danny Loo
Evie was joined at the presentation by Ron Willet, 83, of Luton, a volunteer for the Hospice.
Ron is the charity’s head gardener and has volunteered with the charity for 16 years.
He became a volunteer following the death of his wife at the hospice in July 2000. He said: “It is a fantastic honour for the hospice to have the Duke and Duchess here to celebrate 25 years. I love volunteering here, I really enjoy it.”
Leader of Luton Borough Council, councillor Hazel Simmons, said: “It is very exciting that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are visiting Bute Mills, Keech Hospice Care and Hayward Tyler to learn about some of the fabulous work going in Luton to support young people.
“It is a famous day for Luton.”
The CEO of Keech Hospice Care, Liz Searle, said: “It has been absolutely fantastic to have the Duke and Duchess here for our 25th anniversary.
“What was wonderful is they seemed so interested in what we do here, Catherine loved our memory jars and was very fascinated with that, and they took the time to talk to patients.”
At Keech, trustee Sukhdeep Saini, met the royal couple, said: “They were very charming and both looked amazing. William was brilliant going around talking to as many people as he could there.”


It was a day to remember today as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made an official visit to Luton.


A team of young people organised a fun day out for members of Sight Concern Bedfordshire.
The event was organised by the group, aged 18-23, as part of a summer school run by Luton South MP Gavin Shuker.
The group took members of Sight Concern Bedfordshire on a 4x4 experience
Haleema Ali, 22, Katie Barker, 20, Ferdusi Jahan, 21, all of Luton, Hannah Stock, 19, Azed Butt, 23, Owen Marlow, 19, and Corey Albone, 22, took the members to a 4x4 experience and arranged a party in the park.
Corey said: “The 4x4 drive went really well, everyone had a great time and enjoyed it.
“The charity helps a lot of people across Bedfordshire who are visually impaired. We will hopefully plan more fun events like this in the future.”
The charity’s volunteer coordinator, Mark Chapman, said: “It has been great to have the Summer School on board for the past two weeks, organising events and raising awareness about the visually impaired community in Bedfordshire.
“The determination and energy of young volunteers makes an enormous difference to Sight Concern’s members and regular staff, as well as being a fun and rewarding experience.”
For more information about volunteering with Sight Concern, call 01234 264023.

Party in the park to raise awareness for charity


A team of young people organised a fun day out for members of Sight Concern Bedfordshire.


A Dunstable man who has been electronically tagged for assault has had his curfew amended so that he can go on holiday.
Jason Randall aged 26 of Victoria Street, Dunstable had received a suspended sentence at North East London Magistrates on July 13 for assault causing actual bodily harm, excess alcohol and assault by beating.
He received a 16 week jail term, suspended for 18 months and a three month curfew between the hours of 8pm and 6am.
But on August 18 he successfully applied to Luton Magistrates for the curfew to be temporarily suspended to allow him to go on a week’s family holiday.


A Dunstable man who has been electronically tagged for assault has had his curfew amended so that he can go on holiday.


Thameslink and Great Northern are improving the security at stations and on-board rail services by introducing a team of 22 rail enforcement officers (REO).
They will be patrolling the route between London St Pancras, Elstree & Borehamwood, Luton and Bedford.
The officers will have police radios and are set to be issued with body-worn CCTV cameras.
They are qualified with specific legal powers that will allow the confiscation of alcohol and cigarettes from young people.
They can also request names and addresses for fixed penalty notices and offences likely to cause harm or distress to another person, or cause damage to their property or acting in an anti-social way.
Adam Dear, rail enforcement manager, said: “There is very little crime on our railways but it’s important to provide our passengers with a reassuring presence. Our REOs are an active force against low level crime and anti-social behaviour.”
The idea for rail enforcement officers came from Southern and Gatwick Express, which have a similar group of officers known as rail neighbourhood officers, patrolling their part of the network.
Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) is sponsoring 20 employees to become Special Constables on these two routes and the Thameslink and Great Northern routes.
The Specials have the same policing powers as any full-time police officer.
Security manager Tony Holland is spearheading the special initiative within GTR and has become a Special.
He said: “This demonstrates our commitment to provide a more secure environment for passengers and rail staff which is all about reducing the risk of people becoming the victims of crime.”

Thameslink introduces new team of rail enforcement officers


Thameslink and Great Northern are improving the security at stations and on-board rail services by introducing a team of 22 rail enforcement officers (REO).


The family of murdered Luton man Atul Shah have revealed their devastation at his death, following the convictions of his killers. After thanking the police and Crown Prosecution Service, the family stated: “Atul was a kind, loving man and always had a smile on his face.
“We know those who are guilty of his death will serve their time in prison, however, we are truly saddened to say that outcome of the trial has no bearing on the fact that we will never see Atul’s smiling face again.
“The family are devastated and may probably never recover from this cruel horrific murder of Atul.”

‘Devastation’ of murdered Luton dad Atul Shah’s family


The family of murdered Luton man Atul Shah have revealed their devastation at his death, following the convictions of his killers.
After thanking the police and Crown Prosecution Service, the family stated: “Atul was a kind, loving man and always had a smile on his face.


Striker Jack Marriott revealed he hadn’t been too hard on himself in the build-up to getting back on the goal trail in stunning fashion at Cambridge United on Saturday.
The young forward had cut a disconsolate figure at Kenilworth Road last Tuesday evening, after missing two golden opportunities when clean through during Hatters’ 1-0 EFL Cup exit at the hands of Leeds United.
However, he showed no signs it had affected his confidence, with one early effort well saved at the weekend, before bagging his second goal of the campaign with a wonderful 20-yard strike.
When asked if he had felt any more pressure going into the game, Marriott said: “Yes and no. I’ll criticise myself to an extent, but I don’t want to get too down because next thing you know, Wednesday’s a different day.
“You’ve got to get over it and bounce back into training on Thursday, Friday and then the game, so it’s forgotten.
“Me and the gaffer spoke, I said I want to play every game, that’s why we do pre-season, our fitness is there, thankfully he’s kept me in the team and hopefully I can start to repay the faith,
“Tuesday was a difficult night for me, I back myself to score them, unfortunately it didn’t happen, so mentally I’m looking to bounce back and I have done.” Jack Marriott
“Tuesday was a difficult night for me, I back myself to score them, unfortunately it didn’t happen, so mentally I’m looking to bounce back and I have done and thankfully it was quite a good goal.”
It was more than just ‘quite good’ too, with Marriott cutting in from the left flank, before with his supposed weaker left foot, firing past Will Norris and into the roof of the net from distance.
He continued: “One of the lads said that their players were saying ‘get him on his left’ - so I’ll take that all day.
“It was one of those, where I was thinking, the keeper’s going to come out of nowhere and tip it over the bar, but to see the net rustle was just the best feeling.
“It will definitely be up there (as his best goal), but I’m still clinging on to Leyton Orient last year away.”
Manager Nathan Jones was once again fulsome in his praise of the striker too, as he said: “The kid has certain elements of his game that are Premier League, his movement the other night, against a real good Championship side was world class.
“If he puts those away, then he’s top Championship, Premier League, so we know he’s going to miss chances now again.
“But he showed he bounced back with character and a real cutting edge and that’s what we know we’re going to get from him and we’re delighted.”
On hearing those comments, plus Jones’ support after Tuesday night, Marriott added: “That’s a hell of a compliment. He’s been there, he’s coached there, been at Brighton for however long, so he knows what he’s talking about.
“I’ll take it as compliment and continue to work hard.”

Marriott wasn’t too harsh on himself after midweek misses


Striker Jack Marriott revealed he hadn’t been too hard on himself in the build-up to getting back on the goal trail in stunning fashion at Cambridge United on Saturday.


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.


Posters in Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, and Somali will appear in GP surgeries in Luton to raise awareness of an NSPCC helpline for parents worried about terrorism and radicalisation.
The charity’s posters, which will also be written in English and Welsh, will appear in waiting rooms to let people know about the service set up after a spate of terrorist attacks and the growing problem of extremists targeting children.
In Luton 42 surgeries will be displaying the posters.
The NSPCC started receiving calls from adults worried about the problem, which prompted the children’s charity to offer advice and help.
The NSPCC service will provide a national point of support to parents concerned their children are being radicalised, or who need advice on how to talk to them about wider concerns related to the impact of terrorism.
Its counsellors have been trained to spot the warning signs of radicalisation so they can advise adults who are worried about a child being groomed.
Part of the training, which detailed how recruiters befriend vulnerable targets, feed them ideologies and –in the worst case scenario - persuade them to commit terrorist attacks, was provided by Home Office experts.
Adults calling the helpline will be advised about the signs which may hint at a child being radicalised.
These include:
>Isolating themselves from family and friends
> Talking as if from a scripted speech
>Increased levels of anger
>Becoming disrespectful and asking inappropriate questions
Colin Peak, NSPCC’s Regional Head of Service for the East of England said: “It is vital that we are here for parents when they need our support and are able to provide them with non-judgemental advice on issues ranging from the wider terrorist threat to the dangers of radicalisation.
“We have circulated posters around the country to try and reach as many parents as possible.”


Posters in Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, and Somali will appear in GP surgeries in Luton to raise awareness of an NSPCC helpline for parents worried about terrorism and radicalisation.


Call it divine intervention but I’m sure Saint Herbert is watching over me as I pass my first bushcraft test at one of Britain’s most heavenly destinations.
Faced with having to boil water on a magical island without the aid of matches or a lighter, my prayers are answered by the former monk when the tiny pieces of bark from a silver birch tree crackle and then burst into flames with little more than a flick of flint on steel.
Chris gets a helping hand making a fire.
Saint Herbert must have performed a similar task every day when he lived as a hermit on this island in the middle of Derwent Water, Cumbria, back in 687 AD.
He would have caught fish in the crystal-clear waters, poured himself a drink and then sat back in wonder at the beauty of his surroundings, the four highest mountains in the Lake District rising out of the deep blue lake in majestic splendour.
More than 1,300 years on, it’s my turn to feast on the views, and I feel blessed to be there on such an enchanting summer’s day.
A tree-laden haven for wildlife, St Herbert’s Island features heavily in the remake of Arthur Ransome’s classic children’s tale Swallows And Amazons, which is expected to be one of the blockbuster films of the summer.
The nostalgic big-screen adaptation follows the adventures of the four Walker siblings - John, Susan, Roger and Titty (controversially renamed Tatty for political correctness) - on holiday with their mother in the Lakes while their father is at sea with the Royal Navy.
They are given permission to sail their boat Swallow for a camping trip to Wild Cat Island, when their father responds to their eager request with a telegram, saying: “Better drowned than duffers if not duffers won’t drown.” But after encountering rival sailors the Amazons (sisters Nancy and Peggy Blackett), they engage in warfare.
Eventually, though, the children join forces to aid the Blacketts’ uncle James Turner (or Captain Flint) who is caught up in murky dealings with Russian spies.
In a nod to Ransome’s shady past - he was kept on file by MI5 as a suspected spy - the plot takes an altogether more sinister turn, with plenty of subterfuge and high-speed chases.
The scenes were shot at Derwent Water, Windermere and Coniston Water, plus parts of North Yorkshire and Scotland.
Along with my wife, Carole, I’m introduced to the joys of sailing and bushcraft by Graham Little, a friendly, weathered Cumbrian from the Keswick Canoe And Bushcraft Group, who has the patience of a saint.
He pushes our canoe out on to the flat, calm water and gently guides us around the lake, offering tips for technique, interspersed with observations about the bountiful wildlife.
We pass Derwent Island, once owned by the eccentric Joseph Pocklington who, in the late 1700s, used to hold a regatta once a year and challenge the townspeople of Keswick to attack the island whilst he shot at them with his cannons.
Sailing across Derwent Water brings back memories of my own childhood. Like Ransome and the fictional Walker children’s father, my dad, Graham, had a spirit of adventure that sometimes got my brother, Stephen, and I into trouble.
On one memorable holiday when I was still in short trousers, he bought a small, second-hand RIB boat and a rattling outboard motor, and took us out into a big, sweeping bay down on the south coast.
It was only when the boat started filling up with icy water that it dawned on him that perhaps he should have bought some life jackets as well.
Fortunately, we made it back to shore before the boat completely submerged, only to be met with a fearful dressing-down from my mum and grandfather, for putting my brother and I at risk.
The base for our weekend trip to the Lakes is the delightful Borrowdale Gates Hotel, a five-minute journey from the market town of Keswick.
Ransome would often make the short walk from Keswick to Friars Crag, a small headland that the renowned poet and art critic John Ruskin once said offered one of the three best views in Europe. It’s named after the monks who sailed over to St. Herbert’s Island to visit the saint and, when the sun breaks through the clouds, the scene is achingly beautiful.
Afterwards, we head south for an hour along one of the most picturesque roads in Britain to Coniston Water, the third largest lake in Cumbria at five miles long.
I’m here to savour the delights of the restored Victorian Steam Yacht Gondola, which has been picking up tourism attraction awards for its luxurious interior and knowledgeable staff.
It was the gondola that gave Ransome the idea for Captain Flint’s houseboat in Swallows And Amazons, and extracts from the novel regularly feature in a fascinating commentary, as the passenger boat makes its way around the lake.
In fact, Coniston’s Ruskin Museum has a black and white postcard of the gondola that Ransome sent to his illustrator, with changes to the outline to show how he wanted the houseboat to look.
After a cuppa at the aptly named Swallows And Amazons Tearoom, on the east side of Coniston lake, we start making our way home, but not before a stop to savour the view of Peel Island (the inspiration for Wild Cat Island).
A fifty-something New Zealand tourist and fan of Ransome’s writing is taking photographs alongside me, and reveals he’s always wanted to see the strip of land for himself “because the guy was a genius”.
As I bid my farewell, it dawns on me there is probably no greater example of the power and reach of the old rascal’s work.
Just like Peel Island, Swallows And Amazons is likely to be enjoyed for generations to come by people throughout the world.
TRAVEL FACTS
Chris Wiltshire from the Press Association was a guest of Cumbria Tourism and Visit England. To plan your own Swallows And Amazons adventure holiday, visit www.visitengland.com/swallowsandamazons and www.golakes.co.uk
Doubles at the Borrowdale Gates Hotel (www.borrowdale-gates.com; 01768 777 204) start from £95 per night half board.
Half-day sessions with Keswick Canoe And Bushcraft (www.keswickcanoeandbushcraft.co.uk) start from £25pp.


Call it divine intervention but I’m sure Saint Herbert is watching over me as I pass my first bushcraft test at one of Britain’s most heavenly destinations.


Leeds United boss Garry Monk felt his side were deserving of the victory against Luton Town in the EFL Cup second round clash at Kenilworth Road yesterday evening.
The Whites went ahead on 23 minutes when Tyler Denton scored a cracking left-footed strike, before standing firm in a second half bombardment from Town, with Jack Marriott putting a glorious chance wide.
Afterwards, Monk said: “It was what I expected. We had an experience against Fleetwood that was tough – and we knew this could be even tougher.
“I made it a little bit harder for the team by making 11 changes, but I thought they were a credit to the football club and to themselves.
“There were debuts and lads who have played less minutes than the others. The danger of making that many changes is the fluidity of the team and how cohesive they can be.
“But, all in all, I thought we were the more likely team to win the game and we got the goal.
“We probably should have capitalised on a couple of opportunities to make it a little bit more comfortable, but I thought the players did really well – especially in those last 10 minutes when we had to dig in and grind it out. I thought they were a credit to the club tonight.
“It was never going to be a free-flowing game – we saw that at Fleetwood. We had periods where we had to defend and I thought we did that well. I also thought we attacked really well – we just needed to be a bit more clinical.
“All in all, we can be pleased to get into the next round and the performance of all the players.”

United boss Monk felt his side were deserving of Hatters victory


Leeds United boss Garry Monk felt his side were deserving of the victory against Luton Town in the EFL Cup second round clash at Kenilworth Road yesterday evening.


The crowds gathered on the streets as Luton welcomed the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Bute Mills.
They spent the morning seeing the work local organisations do with young people, focusing on mental health and emotional wellbeing.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit Bute Mills
The royal couple will be taken on a tour of the building that reopened in April, it is the new home for national youth charity Youthscape.
The next stop for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge is a meeting with CHUMS, a mental and emotional wellbeing service for children and young people.

Royal couple’s first stop is to Bute Mills on visit to Luton


The crowds gathered on the streets as Luton welcomed the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Bute Mills.


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

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


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


Hatters fans have been urged to pledge their support for the club’s new stadium at Power Court, plus the Newlands Park scheme when the planning application is expected go to public consultation this Friday.
Supporters associations, including Loyal Luton, Luton Town Supporters Trust, LTDSA, Bobbers Travel Club, Hatters Talk and Luton Outlaws handed out leaflets at the EFL Cup game against Leeds United last night, urging fans to make their voices heard by emailing or writing to the council once the validation has been completed.
No Caption ABCDE PNL-160824-121039002
A four week process will then begin where everyone can get in touch with Luton Borough Council via email or letter to make their feelings known and speaking to the press last night, Town’s chief executive Gary Sweet said: “The documentation is there for all to see and it’s then up to the public to make their voices known.
“At the end of the day, the council represents you, represents the population and it’s not necessarily up to the population whether you want this or not, but you have a big say.
“The population of Luton have a big say and that’s the message the supporters are effectively asking us to deliver.
“They’ve delivered it tonight. They’ve printed their own leaflets and, in their stadium, we’ve allowed them to distribute that.
“The population of Luton have a big say and that’s the message the supporters are effectively asking us to deliver.” Gary Sweet
“This is whether you are positive or negative towards it, I’m one that always believes in having my say, politically wherever I’ve lived or wherever I’ve worked, I’ve always taken a vote.
“In this particular case, the supporters view and the supporters club after consulting with them, they feel that actually this is fundamental that every single supporter and every single member of their family and every single person that lives in their house, their neighbours, their family, their friends, people down the pub, their dogs, their cats, actually effectively make a comment on both applications, Newlands Park and Power Court, because they’re intrinsic.
“From our point of view, clearly I think most of our supporters are thinking more positively about it because of what it will give for the football club but they also see the other side of it too.
“There’s a lot of residents in Luton who are football supporters too. We’ve had a lot of people come in to us who might be Man United or Arsenal supporters that still love the idea of not just the football stadium, but what these developments might do for the town.
“So it should be broadly irrelevant if you’re a football supporter or not, if you support these developments, then say so, if you don’t, then don’t, please say so.
“It’s important that people have their say, we want to give people of Luton and the surrounding areas what they want Luton to become.
“What I can’t start doing is offering 50 per cent discount on tickets for people to say they’re supporting it, of course we’re not going to do that, we’re actually a very fair organisation.
“We want those applications to be looked at by the council in a very impartial light, from our perspective and from theirs.
“Supporters and the general public of Luton and Bedfordshire and the region, wherever you live actually, it’s then up to them to review the documentation and have their say, whether that’s positive or negative.“
On what happens once the consultation period is over, Sweet continued: “The consultation process is four weeks from validation and once the public consultation has gone through, then the council will take a long time to review it.
“Because they’re going through 10,000 pages of documentation that they’ve got to read through, so this is a thick application, two applications that are intrinsically linked.
“It’s not just reading, it’s actually doing the proper assessments of each individual part and component of those applications. It will take a long time, so that’ll be towards the end of the year.
“The kick-off to that is the consultation process that the council will take from the public is probably the most important element of the application.
“We all know the applications have been received by the council now and one million pounds has gone into the investment of putting those together over a good, hard last year, but has really been four years in the planning.
“The process that the council take is that the planning department effectively check all the documentation, make sure everything is there, make sure that everything is equipped to be able to look at that, judge it and give us a consent or otherwise on that.
“Obviously, subject to them looking at all the documentation, they’re keen to support it and our deep hope is that we get a consent on those two applications.”
For more information about the public consulation process, visit www.2020developments.co.uk/applications to ensure the validation has gone through and then either email your support to developmentcontrol@luton.gov.uk or write to Development Control, Luton Borough Council, George Street, Luton, LU1 2BQ.
You must quote both planning reference numbers - Power Court: 16/01400 and Newlands Park: 16/01401 and for full details on what else is needed, head to the 2020 website, while if you have further queries, email: info@2020developments.co.uk

Town fans urged to show their support for Power Court and Newlands Park


Hatters fans have been urged to pledge their support for the club’s new stadium at Power Court, plus the Newlands Park scheme when the planning application is expected go to public consultation this Friday.