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.


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Retrial ordered over Gavin Samuels rape allegations


A retrial has been ordered after a jury in the case of a Linslade man accused of rape failed to reach a verdict.


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

Revealed: The top UK companies for work-life balance


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


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

Kinks musical hits Milton Keynes and Aylesbury stages


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


Businesses are benefiting hugely as Central Superfast crosses the finish line on its high-speed fibre broadband rollout to more than 41,000 customers.
The multi-million pound partnership between Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes councils and BT achieved its phase 1 target right on schedule. It means that superfast fibre broadband is now available to 91 per cent of Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes households and businesses.
Work on the £9.94 million Phase 1 rollout started in June 2014. Since then, 181 new green fibre cabinets have been installed across Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes and more than 100 km of fibre cable has been deployed – enough to go all the way to Brighton from Hockliffe.
Engineers from BT’s local network business, Openreach, are now preparing to start a second phase of work, which will extend coverage to another 16,500 Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes homes and businesses.
The second contract is a partnership between Central Bedfordshire, Bedford Borough, Milton Keynes and Luton Borough Councils, BT and the Government’s Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) programme, and is making a combined investment of more than £11m.
Key representatives from Central Bedfordshire Council, BT and Openreach met near one of the final cabinets to be upgraded in the first rollout phase – at Hockliffe Business Park – to mark the programme’s achievement.
Among the businesspeople to have ordered fibre broadband is Robert Pelosi, dealer principal of Village Car Sales located at the business park.
He said: “The fibre broadband coming to the Hockliffe Business Park will bring a great deal of instant benefit to our business security. Security is the main concern for our car sales showroom, and this will improve beyond recognition.
“Our internet-connected CCTV cameras will now be able to operate at optimum capacity due to the massive increase in broadband speeds. It also means that we will be able to upload HD images of the cars for sale much quicker, putting us on a level playing field with the competition.”
Giles Ellerton, BT’s regional partnership director for the East of England, said: “We are delighted to have completed this contract in such a timely manner. Working very effectively with our partners, we’ve quickly found solutions to even the biggest engineering challenges as we rolled out this exciting technology to some of Bedfordshire’s and Milton Keynes’ most remote areas. Our success demonstrates the strength of the partnership between BT and our partners, as well as the determination of the people working on the programme, and we’ll continue working well together to deliver the next stages of the rollout to reach even more properties.”
Central Beds Councillor Richard Wenham, executive member for Corporate Resources, said: “The rollout of superfast broadband is a priority for the council and the work we have done means we have achieved our initial target and taken superfast coverage across Central Bedfordshire to over 90 per cent. We have also introduced a ‘Better Broadband’ service to ensure that all residents are able to receive download speeds of at least two megabits per second.
“With digital connectivity playing a key role for residents and businesses, we continue to work with our partners to accelerate delivery and extend superfast coverage across the remainder of Central Bedfordshire as quickly as possible.
“The second phase of the rollout has already begun and this will take coverage here to 96.5 per cent by mid 2018.”
A full list of all the cabinets which have been upgraded to fibre by Central Superfast, is available at http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/business/broadband/plans.aspx this includes 72 across Central Bedfordshire.
Once work has been completed to upgrade the broadband network and fibre is available from a local fibre cabinet, customers need to order the service from a broadband service provider.
To find out if superfast broadband is available in your postcode area, or is planned in the second phase of work, search the Central Superfast interactive map at http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/business/broadband/plans.aspx
What’s broadband like in your area now? Email news@lbobserver.co.uk

Net benefits as broadband gets up to speed


Businesses are benefiting hugely as Central Superfast crosses the finish line on its high-speed fibre broadband rollout to more than 41,000 customers.


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

Console Corner: Deus Ex Mankind Divided review


One of the most recogniseable voices in British music can be heard when she brings a concert to Aylesbury’s Waterside Theatre next month.
Singer Jane McDonald takes her new show across the country and visits the Waterside on Thursday September 8 at 7.30pm.
The show is entitled Making Memories and is packed full of world class songs and arrangements, featuring an extravaganza of musicians and singers.
After receiving five star reviews for her performance as Grizabella in CATS, Jane will introduce Memory into her concert act, as well as including full versions of some of her own songs, including The Hand That Leads Me, written as a tribute to her mother.
Expect new amazing medleys, old fan favourites and some exciting additions guaranteeing you will be on your feet time after time.
By popular demand, Jane is finally introducing full versions of some of her own songs including Some You Win (from her platinum Number One album) and her most recent composition, The Singer Of Your Song, which was written for her fans.
She rose to fame with her appearances in the 1998 series The Cruise and was also a regular panelist on the ITV series Loose Women between 2004 and 2014.
Tickets to the concert are available from £31. For more information or to book in advance, call the box office on 0844 871 7607, or go online at www.atgtickets.com/ aylesbury.

Jane McDonald creates memories at Aylesbury


One of the most recogniseable voices in British music can be heard when she brings a concert to Aylesbury’s Waterside Theatre next month.


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.


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.


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.


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


Bucks County Show is a must-go-to event on many people’s calenders.


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

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


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


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

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


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


The world’s largest aircraft was damaged this morning after hitting a telegraph pole during its second test flight.
The £25m Airlander 10 - which is part-plane and part-airship - is understood to have sustained damage to its cockpit when it ploughed into the pole.
Aftermath of the Airlander 10 crash on Cardington Airfield, Bedford. Photo: Glyn Dobbs
No-one was injured in the accident, which happened as the aircraft was coming in to land at Cardington Airfield at around 11am
Following the collision, developers Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) Tweeted: “We’re debriefing following the second test flight this morning.
“All crew are safe and well and there are no injuries.”
The helium-filled aircraft had its first test flight from the airfield on August 17 taking to the skies for the first time.
Aftermath of the Airlander 10 crash on Cardington Airfield, Bedford. Photo: Glyn Dobbs
Christened the ‘Martha Gwyn’, the vast aircraft measures 302ft long and is around 50ft longer than the biggest passenger jets.
Engineers have spent three years working on the Airlander 10, which is filled with 1.3million cubic feet of helium - enough to fill 15 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
It was first developed for the US government as a long-endurance surveillance aircraft but it fell foul of defence cutbacks.
The huge aircraft will be able to stay airborne at heights of up to 20,000ft with a 10-tonne cargo for two weeks at a time at speeds of up to 90mph.
Airlander 10 outside
HAV hopes to be building 10 Airlanders a year by 2021.
HAV were contacted for comment.

£25million Airlander hits telegraph pole on second flight


The world’s largest aircraft was damaged this morning after hitting a telegraph pole during its second test flight.


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

VIDEO: Endangered Asian elephants roam Duke’s private estate


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


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

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


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


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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.


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

Motorists change their car more often than their mobile phone


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


Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the classic tale of Holly Golightly so memorably played by Audrey Hepburn in the iconic film, has been given a new lease of life as a stage play with music, starring Georgia May Foote.
Georgia was runner up in last year’s Strictly Come Dancing and her television credits include Coronation Street, This Is England ‘86 and Grange Hill.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s is her professional stage debut.
She said: “I am so excited that for my first theatre role I will be playing such an iconic character. I cannot wait to join the cast. It’s a wonderful adaptation of an incredible story and I’m really thrilled to be part of it.”
Based on Truman Capote’s classic novella, the story is set in 1943 New York. Fred, a young writer from Louisiana, meets Holly Golighty, a charming, vivacious and utterly elusive good time girl.
Everyone falls in love with Holly, including Fred. But Fred is poor and Holly’s other suitors include a playboy millionaire and the future president of Brazil. As war rages in Europe, Holly begins to fall in love with Fred - just as her past catches up with her.
The story has been adapted for the stage by award winning playwright Richard Greenberg and contains memorable songs from the era as well as original music by Grant Olding.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s is sure to capture the hearts of audiences and sparkle like a diamond in a Tiffany’s window.
The show is on at Milton Keynes Theatre at 7.30pm from Monday September 19 through to Saturday 24 with additional 2.30pm matinees on the Wednesday and Saturday.
Tickets cost from £16.50 and are available online at www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes or call the box office on 0844 871 7652.

Corrie star Georgia May Foote sparkles at Milton Keynes


Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the classic tale of Holly Golightly so memorably played by Audrey Hepburn in the iconic film, has been given a new lease of life as a stage play with music, starring Georgia May Foote.


Hit musicals, great plays, comedy, opera and music concerts are all on the autumn programme at The Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury.
Little Shop of Horrors, Dirty Dancing and Sunny Afternoon will provide plenty of musical entertainment in the lead up to Christmas, with drama coming from The Woman in Black, and plenty of one night musical shows from UB40, The Hollies and Seventies idols, writes Heather Jan Brunt.
Rhydian Roberts stars in the charming and kooky classic, Little Shop of Horrors (September 13 - 17).
The hilarious show tells the story of lowly flower shop assistant Seymour Krelborn who becomes an overnight sensation when he discovers a strange, exotic plant. He hopes the plant will impress the glamorous colleague he is secretly in love with, but then the plant develops a voracious appetite and life becomes weird for everyone.
Two days later the romantic coming of age story of Baby and Johnny, Dirty Dancing, takes to the Waterside stage with the promise of that iconic lift at the end of the show (September 19 - 24).
Set in early Sixties America, Baby is on holiday with her family when she falls in love with the resort dance teacher.
This is followed by Sunny Afternoon, the multi award winning hit West End musical now on tour (September 27 - October 1).
Telling the story of The Kinks’ rise to fame, the show includes all their hits and promises to be a lively show with the audience up on their feet and a real concert atmosphere.
Save The Last Dance For Me (October 3 - 8) follows two teenage sisters through a holiday to the seaside in the summer of 1963 and includes plenty of hits from the period such as Teenager In Love and Viva Las Vegas.
Ellen Kent’s Opera Festival presents Puccini’s tragic tale of doomed Mimi and her love for a penniless writer in La Boheme on October 20 and Verdi’s equally tragic tale of war, jealousy and revenge in Aida on October 21.
The spine chilling ghost story Woman In Black (November 29 - December 3) arrives just before the pantomime, with the tale of a lawyer obsessed that a curse has been cast over himself and his family.
There are plenty of one night shows to look forward to, with Jane McDonald visiting on Thursday September 8 and the Chinese State Circus dropping in with a show suitable for all the gamily the next night on Friday September 9.
Fans of the Bay City Rollers will be delighted to hear that lead singer Les McKeown will be in town with his band on Sunday October 2 to roll back the years and perform the Rollers’ top hits including Shang-a-Lang, Summerlove Sensation and Give A Little Love.
More nostalgia arrives in the shape of Jimmy Osmond, a member of the Seventies pop family The Osmonds, with his Andy Williams tribute show, Moon River and Me on Friday October 14.
And UB40 fans are in for a treat when the band takes to the stage on Monday October 24, followed by The Hollies on Saturday November 12
Tribute acts to look forward to include homages to Elvis, Abba and Whitney Houston in October and The Carpenters and Queen in November.
And comedy includes visits from Al Murray, Jim Davidson and Sean Lock.
For full details of all shows, dates, times and ticket prices, and to purchase tickets go to www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury
Box office on 0844 871 7607.

Top stage shows give golden glow to autumn programme at Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury


Hit musicals, great plays, comedy, opera and music concerts are all on the autumn programme at The Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury.


A two day live music festival will be hosted by a village pub over the August Bank Holiday weekend.
Playing on a raised festival stage, local bands from Stewkley, Milton Keynes and Leighton Buzzard will be joined by acts from London and further afield to entertain The Swan Fest crowds in Stewkley from lunchtime until late on both Saturday and Sunday night(August 27 and 28).
Ten bands will perform over the weekend with music ranging from the awesome rock of Kings & Thieves, Isabelle and Vintage Black, to the authentic Red Hot Chili Pepper cover band, Midnight Jungle, the eclectic Inlak’esh and the charming sounds of Palmerston and GXDS.
Food will be plentiful throughout both days with Terry’s of Swanbourne providing hog roasts, and The Swan’s head chef on hand to manage the barbecue and restaurant service.
Swan Fest will host a real ale tent giving festival goers the chance to taste a wide variety of liquid refreshment, including products from Leighton Buzzard and Tring breweries.
The live music will start each day at 2pm and go through to 10.30pm.
Swan Fest T-shirts can be collected from the pub at Chapel Square, Stewkley. All proceeds will go to Alzheimer’s Research, the charity chosen to benefit from this year’s community event in the pub garden.
Last year’s Great Stewkley Bake Off raised more than £2,000 for SSNAP (Support for the Sick Newborn and their Parents).
The Swan looks forward to welcoming as many people as possible from the village and surrounding areas for a weekend of great music, fun for all the family and an opportunity to support a very worthwhile cause.
Full information on the weekend at www.swanfest.uk


A two day live music festival will be hosted by a village pub over the August Bank Holiday weekend.


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

Review: Cringeworthy David Brent brings tragedy to comedy


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


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


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


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

Summer scheme supports autistic children


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


The 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.


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

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


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


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


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


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


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


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

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


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


It's August. Husker football is just around the corner. Will the Huskers win the Big 10 this year?
Choices Yes No

VIDEO: Olympics - Best photos from August 18


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