• Northamptonshire farmer praised at Women in Agriculture Awards

    Sarah Bell, who farms on the Northamptonshire and Rutland border, was one of three women named in the Farming Woman of the Year category at the inaugural National Women in Agriculture Awards. The livestock farmer, who is an NFU Council delegate representing farmers across Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland, was named alongside Abi Reader MBE, a dairy farmer who is NFU Cymru Deputy President and Claire Wright, of Clive Soanes Broilers. All three were at last week’s awards ceremony in...

  • Strictly Come Dancing: James Jordan, Brendan Cole and Ian Waite unite for Legends of the Dance Floor tour

    Former Strictly Come Dancing stars Brendan Cole, James Jordan, Pasha Kovalev, Vincent Simone and Ian Waite will reunite for a new show together, billed as a “nostalgic celebration of Latin, ballroom, tango, rumba and so much more.” The five professional stars have all headlined their own solo shows but the 18-date UK tour marks their first production together. In Legends of The Dance Floor they will be joined by a supporting cast as they take audiences on a journey through their careers and...

  • May the Games Begin This Half-Term at Boost Northampton

    This May half-term, from the 27th to the 31st of May, families are invited to visit Boost Northampton to play, jump, dance and join in with the big-time fun. Home to 50 interconnected trampolines, foam pits, a battle beam, a high dive, as well as a soft play area for toddlers, sky-high fun is guaranteed at Boost Northampton, even while the weather is still so unpredictable. Guests can get more Activeplay for less this half-term with the Winners’ Pass, which grants the holder one hour of free...

  • Fishmongers hope new Kettering shop will be community's go-to plaice

    Sunil Varghese and business partner Sujith Kumar launched Daily Fresh Fish & Meat, on the corner of King Street and Bath Road, which welcomed its first customers on May 4. The majority of their customers so far have been from India or Sri Lanka as they sell fish eaten by the Malayalee community – of which there are believed to be more than 300 families in Kettering. And Sunil, who moved to the UK from Kerala four years ago, says the shop has been popular in its opening days. The 46-year-old...

  • Close Encounters of the Furry Kind: Northampton care home residents visited by therapy pets

    The home was visited by Coco the puppy, Bernard the Bearded Dragon and many rabbits and guinea pigs who caused a great deal of excitement. All of the residents enjoyed the visit, they petted and fed the animals who seemed to appreciate meeting their new friends. Lucia says: “The animals have had a wonderful afternoon! I don’t think they have ever had so much attention! It was lovely to see the residents getting so much pleasure from the visit.” General Manager, Mo Masedi said: “All our...

  • The stage adaptation of The Syndicate comes to Milton Keynes Theatre in May

    Bringing three generations together, star of stage and screen Gaynor Faye and her son, Oliver Anthony, are to join the cast of the world premiere UK stage tour of The Syndicate, written by Gaynor’s mum, the legendary, Kay Mellor. This new comedy-drama – also directed by Gaynor – is based on the smash-hit critically acclaimed BBC One drama that entertained millions of viewers over four series. The funny and moving stage adaption – written by BAFTA Award winner Kay Mellor just before her...

  • Moment suspected thief is chased by police across farmland after abandoning Range Rover in dramatic footage

    Dramatic dashcam footage shows the moment a suspected thief dashed from bushes and across farmland before being caught by police. Greater Manchester Police say Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit (TVIU) officers apprehended a suspected thief after a pursuit across a farmer’s field on May 13. The force received a call at around 12.50pm to report that a man had taken a Range Rover Evoque from its owner on Town Lane in Denton, Hyde. TVIU officers attended the area and found the vehicle abandoned. A...

  • IN PICTURES: Your round-up of the 21 winners across Northants and beyond at the Muddy Stilettos Awards 2024

    Now in its 11th year, the awards are free for all businesses to enter and the organisers enjoy shining a light on those who make “our lives so much more fun and vibrant”. This year’s awards reached 10 million people nationally over the course of eight weeks, with 515,000 votes cast. With some of the following businesses located in the county, and others you may wish to travel the extra mile for, here is your round-up of the award winners who deserve your continued support.

  • Dog names 2024: The top 20 most popular names in the UK revealed including Luna and Milo

    Are you struggling to find the perfect name for you new furry family member? Pet insurance experts, Petsure have come up with a solution! Naming your new pet can be a tricky task but some names have become more common over time. Petsure has analysed their live policies up to March 15, 2024 to determine the most popular names among dogs in the UK. Petsure’s Content Manager, Allie, also shared three tips when choosing the “perfect” name for your furry friend: 1) Keep it short and sweet - “Giving...

  • Greenbelt Festival creates cost of living support and safe space for refugees and asylum seekers

    Greenbelt Festival continues to be a space where refugees and asylum seekers are welcome, valued and included. It’s a space which aims to remove barriers; environmentally, politically, economically, and spiritually, allowing anyone, whatever their situation, to enjoy the festival. Greenbelt encourages open, honest conversations where the participants are kind and respectful. It’s somewhere that allows important issues, such as migration and the associated political decisions that influence...

  • Kettering drug dealer Reece Fuinns jailed for part in crack and heroin county line

    Reece Fuinns, previously of Kettering, had been dealing between April 2023 and July 2023 as part of the ‘One Line’ in Kettering. Marketing messages would be sent to drug users via the mobile phone line and Fuinns would then meet customers and sell them both crack cocaine and heroin. Fuinns had been seen on CCTV selling drugs to a customer. Detective Sergeant Dan Spires said: “As you can see from the CCTV, Reece Fuinns was a brazen drug dealer, often taking advantage of vulnerable drug addicts to...

  • Fundraiser launched by friends of Wellingborough teenager who drowned in River Nene incident

    Ronalds Abele, 17, died on Friday (May 10) after getting into difficulty while swimming at the Embankment with friends. A GoFundMe has now been set up to help his family pay for funeral costs, hold a memorial service and for riverside lifebouys at the site. Paying tribute to their ‘beloved’ Ronalds, his friends said: “He was a cherished member of our Northampton/Wellingborough community, a loving friend, son and brother. "He brought joy, laughter, and warmth to all who knew him, and his...