A young man from Linslade tragically died while lying drunk in a road in the early hours of the morning, an inquest heard.

Jamie Parker, 19, was hit by a car in Southcourt Avenue, Linslade, while lying down in the path of oncoming traffic on May 20.

The driver told Tuesday’s inquest in Ampthill courthouse that there was an “unnatural” feel and after turning around at the next roundabout, he revisited the scene and called police.

He said: “As I was coming over the slight hill, I went over an object or what I thought was an object.

“It just looked like a blue object, a lump in the middle of the road ... it felt completely unnatural so at the roundabout at the bottom of the road, I went around and came back to see what I’d gone over.

“I called the ambulance at first and then the police, I was able to stop any other drivers from coming over.”

Mr Parker was pronounced dead by paramedics at 4.25am. Besides injuries from the collision, a postmortem found high alcohol levels in his system.

At Tuesday’s inquest, Mr Parker’s father and stepfather questioned the driver over the details of the collision and his own schedule that morning. Asked why he hadn’t stopped after spotting the object, the driver said: “Simply, by the time I’d seen it, there wasn’t time to stop or break.”

Collision investigator PC Bruce Lister said that a reconstruction had been carried out and concluded that the driver would have had insufficient time to react. There was no evidence of speeding or mobile phone use at the time of the collision.

A statement was read out from Darryl Tarrant, a night manager at Tesco superstore on Vimy Road where Mr Parker worked. He said that Mr Parker had earlier been found asleep in the store’s disabled toilets at around 3.10am.

Although Mr Parker was an employee at the store, he was understood to have gone there after a night out with friends. After being helped out of the toilets, he was led out via a fire exit around ten to 15 minutes later and told to go home.

In his conclusion, acting senior coroner Ian Pears gave a narrative to the cause of death. He said: “It seems Jamie Parker had been on a night out with friends. He decided to walk home rather than take the taxi that was offered.

“At some point, he appears to have gone into work. He was discovered asleep in the toilets, he was woken up and removed from the premises. He then appears to have found himself in Southcourt Avenue where for reasons unknown he was lying in the street.

“This was some time between 3.30am and 4am. It was dark and at that point [the driver] was driving from his home to work. He came across a blue bundle in the road and did not perceive that it was a person.

“Obviously, he ran over [Jamie] - avoiding full contact with his body but nevertheless the injuries were such that poor Jamie died. Jamie was also heavily intoxicated.”

A primary cause of death was given as multiple injuries from a road collision, with alcohol intoxication as a secondary cause. The coroner also added to the death certificate a brief outline of the circumstances of the collision.

A kind-hearted schoolboy has made a generous donation to Leighton Buzzard’s homeless shelter this Christmas.

William Drummond, of Lark Rise Academy, Dunstable, made a special donation of Christmas comfort parcels to The Black Horse Homeless Shelter with the support of kind teachers, school parents, and his family.

The caring 10-year-old was inspired to help the North Street shelter after a trip to see London musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and was sad to see homeless people sitting outside the theatre.

William said: “I wanted to do something big for Christmas, so we spoke to my school and they asked parents if they would like to donate.

“We collected gloves, hats, coats and food and my sister, Georgina, 12, helped with all the packaging.

“We visited the shelter and met the Rev Wynn Jones. We were told how many people use the shelter and I now want to help again in the summer and organise another donation.

“I would like to thank my mum and sister and my school for their help.”

When asked how the government could support the homeless, William said: “I think there could be more shelters.”

William’s mum, Sara, who works at Bassett Road Surgery, said: “Since we went to London William has just wanted to help, and every time we walk past someone who is homeless William gives them some of his pocket money.

“The Christmas donation was brilliant – I think it’s really good. Children today are often spoiled so it’s good for them to have humanity and compassion.

“Bassett Road surgery supports the Black Horse and will help in the summer.”

Poundland are running a bizarre Christmas marketing campaign that has stunned and angered many on social media.

On the discount store’s Facebook and Twitter pages a series of pictures depicting a toy elf in an assortment of rude positions has caused a stir online.

Yesterday, Poundland posted an innuendo laced image of an innocent looking elf dangling a Twinings teabag over a female doll, which left many questioning if the firm’s marketing department had gone rogue.

But the struggling retailer - who placed their ‘99p’ stores in administration this year - insist the rude snaps are all part of their “winning” Christmas marketing plan.

Poundland’s Marketing Director Mark Pym siad: “If you think this is edgy, you should see the ones we didn’t post.

“The love on Facebook is overwhelming - that’s because it connects with our shoppers. “In fact, we’re proud of a campaign that’s only cost £25.53 and is being touted as the winning marketing campaign this Christmas!”

Other adverts from the campaign see the elf rubbing its back side with a toothbrush, playing strip poker and relaxing in a sink with two dolls. There’s no denying the campaign has attracted a lot attention, but not everyone has found the Elf on the Shelf doll’s antics funny

Tea company Twinings accused Poundland of “misusing” its product after the budget retailer used the brand’s teabags in one of its crass Christmas-themed tweets.

In a statement, Twinings said: “We are aware of an image that is circulating that misuses our product. We had no involvement in this and it is obviously not reflective of our brand values.”

Twitter users were shocked by the image, which has been retweeted over 3,000 times.

Poundland later deleted the offending tweet, replacing it with an image showing the elf in the act, but without a box of Twinings teabags in the background.

The caption accompanying the new tweet read: “Spot the difference...”.

Charity Women’s Aid responded on Twitter, writing: “How do you take your social media posts? One lump of outdated misogyny completely ignoring the current international agenda, or two?”

And Comedian Jason Manford asked: “Is it someone’s last day at Poundland”?

When asked by a user if the retailer’s account has been hacked, social media staff member Zoe replied: “The Poundland account has not been hacked. I am sorry that you feel this way and will share your feedback.”

Social media response

Reaction to the adverts has been mixed among the public. Writing on Twitter, @snowandbeach said: “I’m all for a laugh but Poundland have taken this Elf on a shelf thing a little too far.

“You wouldn’t expect to see these images in a shop window & therefore they shouldn’t be online. I’m sure the Advertising Standards Agency need to see these.”

User @oldbob1944 was similarly unimpressed: “Dirty b******s! I won’t be shopping at Poundland again, despite the low prices.”

Many questioned the timing of the posts in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal and the continued drive to call out and end sexual harassment towards women through the #MeToo campaign.

“With the recent #MeToo campaign, Poundland, & their disgraceful response have just been reported by myself to the authorities,” @Karenkati83 wrote on Twitter.

@pneal added: “This is in such poor taste and the fact it’s part of a misogynistic series of ads, in the year of #MeToo as well, WTF @Poundland #NotFunny.”

Author and activist for female representation in the media Caroline Criado Perez commented: “What a tedious attempt at outrage marketing. Hope it blows up in your face.”

But some applauded the retailers attempts at humour. “I don’t know who’s in charge of Poundland’s twitter but give them a raise!,” wrote @illucifer on social media.

While @2010LeeHurst raged, “I just read some of the tweets in uproar at Poundland’s tweet. I really do not want to live in a society run by these dull, dull sanctimonious t***s. Go get a life to replace the one you’ve wasted you boring people.”

Poundland’s future remains unclear after its beleaguered parent company, Steinhoff International, hit a new low on Tuesday when its shares plunged by almost 35 per cent and it faced a lawsuit from disgruntled German investors.

A much-loved Leighton Buzzard hairdresser who is retiring after 46 years is sending her heartfelt thanks to her clients, friends and family.

Angela Licheri, 68, of Hollingdon, will be celebrating her last day at her Lake Street salon ‘Angela Hair and Beauty’ on December 23, as she says goodbye to the world of scissors, curling irons, and brides’ hair do’s.

The ambitious businesswoman opened the salon in April 1971, making many friends and loyal clients.

Angela said: “I’ve had an amazing journey, the customers have been so special to me.

“I was with a customer last week when I told her I was retiring. She was very emotional, and she said: ‘I used to sit under the hair dryer and read to your children.’”

Angela’s family moved to Linslade from Italy when Angela was 12, before they settled in Dudley Street in 1963.

A childhood ambition to run her own salon, Angela had an apprenticeship at Paul Gregory’s, Leighton Buzzard. She married her husband, Giacomo, in 1968 and they moved to Leagrave where she worked at ‘Caspers’ hairdressers.

Angela said: “We wanted to move back to Leighton Buzzard when I was pregnant, my mother being in Dudley Street to look after the baby. We went into Connells and instead of buying a house we bought the premises!

“It was a little sweet and grocery shop on the market owned by Mr and Mrs Brown.

“My husband was very supportive. Our son Simon was born in November 1970 and we got the key in December.

“I was only 21 at the time – my dream was coming true.”

Angela’s sons Simon and Adrian (born in 1975) had a playroom upstairs, the clients “adoring” the young pair, and when the boys were older, Angela turned the upstairs into beauty rooms in 1984.

Angela said: “My biggest challenge was when I lost my husband six years ago. We had planned to build a holiday home in the village where I was born, Roseto.

“My sons encouraged me to continue and now we have two apartments where we can spend more time together on holiday– both my sons have three beautiful children.

“I have sold the business to my colleague, Leanne Smith; I hope my customers carry on to support Leanne’s salon: ‘Top to Toe Hair and Beauty’.”

A kind-hearted schoolboy has made a generous donation to Leighton Buzzard’s homeless shelter this Christmas.

William Drummond, of Lark Rise Academy, Dunstable, made a special donation of Christmas comfort parcels to The Black Horse Homeless Shelter with the support of kind teachers, school parents, and his family.

The caring 10-year-old was inspired to help the North Street shelter after a trip to see London musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and was sad to see homeless people sitting outside the theatre.

William said: “I wanted to do something big for Christmas, so we spoke to my school and they asked parents if they would like to donate.

“We collected gloves, hats, coats and food and my sister, Georgina, 12, helped with all the packaging.

“We visited the shelter and met the Rev Wynn Jones. We were told how many people use the shelter and I now want to help again in the summer and organise another donation.

“I would like to thank my mum and sister and my school for their help.”

When asked how the government could support the homeless, William said: “I think there could be more shelters.”

William’s mum, Sara, who works at Bassett Road Surgery, said: “Since we went to London William has just wanted to help, and every time we walk past someone who is homeless William gives them some of his pocket money.

“The Christmas donation was brilliant – I think it’s really good. Children today are often spoiled so it’s good for them to have humanity and compassion.

“Bassett Road surgery supports the Black Horse and will help in the summer.”

Bedfordshire Police has made 17 arrests across the county over the last week, during a week-long operation aimed at tacking burglary and robbery ahead of Christmas.

Officers took part in a series of initiatives to apprehend suspects linked with a number of crimes, with a particular focus on those thought to be involved with recent burglaries or robberies.

A number of those arrested have a history of similar offences and some suspects were apprehended for violent crimes unrelated to burglary. Items were also recovered from various addresses, including stolen property, equipment which could be used to pick locks, and clothing vital to solving other crimes.

In addition, more than £15,000 of cannabis was seized from one address.

Some of the charges include armed robbery, involvement in distraction burglaries and breach of bail conditions.

Officers were also able to gather significant new intelligence on a number of potential suspects, which will be used to help assist with unsolved crimes.

Duncan Young, Detective Chief Inspector for Serious and Complex Crime, said: “The great work done by the team over the last week has ensured that a number of suspects have been charged or arrested.

“Burglaries are an upsetting crime to deal with at any time of the year, but even more so at Christmas. By putting extra resources into tackling burglaries, we have been able to build on the work our Operation Fidelity team is already doing each day.

“We are committed to catching burglars and would urge people to stay vigilant and utilise our advice and guidance to help them prevent them becoming victims of burglary.”

DS Andy Greenacre, leading the operation, said: “This was a hugely successful week for our team and a really good demonstration of what can be achieved by having the right people in the right place at the right time.

“Furthermore, the new intelligence we have gathered will be helpful in solving a number of other crimes.”

Some of the results across the week include the arrest of Richard Saint, 34, of De Havilland Avenue, Bedford, and David Naisbett, 30, of Dunham Close, Bedford, who were both charged with burglary and theft; Rowena Barley, 41, of Fenlake Road, Bedford, who was charged in relation to a distraction burglary; and, Anthony Stephenson, 39, of Woburn Court, Luton, who was arrested for breaching electronic tag conditions and bail.

Pupils from Mary Bassett Lower School were celebrating after the school was given a Good rating by Ofsted in the latest report.

The school, on Bassett Road, in Leighton Buzzard, was praised for the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection.

In the report it says: “Your work to nurture pupils’ personal development is commendable and is greatly appreciated by parents.

“Adults are quick to identify pupils’ emotional and health needs and they take the right steps to seek additional help where it would be beneficial. It was a pleasure to meet and speak to your pupils. They talk happily about their work. Pupils are keen to do well and to take responsibility.

“They like the school’s rewards systems, especially the opportunity to win a ‘Golden Ticket’ or to take part in a ‘Headteacher’s Tea Party’. Pupils enjoy coming to school.

“You and your staff focus well on ‘The Mary Bassett Way’ and it is reflected in all aspects of school life.”

The lower school recently conducted a parent and carer survey and they found that 100% of parents and carers who responded agree their child is happy at school, 99% of respondents agreed that their child is safe and well looked after and 99% of parents and carers who responded agree their child makes good progress at the school.

Headteacher Kristian Hewitt is currently involved with a Leadership development programme with the Royal Opera House Bridge, called ‘Leaders for Impact’.

He is one of 16 candidates who were successful in gaining a place on the programme, covering the South-East of England.

The programme has been designed to develop leadership capacity, skill and knowledge to champion the role of Arts and Culture in education.

He said: “Our education system has been under pressure, especially over the last couple of decades, to strive for improvement in academic outcomes.

“To help prepare our young people for the future, we do need to make sure they can achieve highly academically, but we also need to make sure they have excellent social and emotional learning opportunities and the chance to experience a broad and exciting curriculum. Research shows that access to good quality arts and cultural opportunities benefits our health, economic situations and wellbeing.

“Parents and carers I talk to clearly understand the benefits of providing a well-rounded education to support their children becoming resilient and successful adults, and this is what we aim to do.”

For those preparing to do last minute Christmas shopping today, shoppers are being urged to stay alert when taking out cash at ATMs.

New data from Santander has predicted last minute shpping could mean “rich pickings for criminals” according to Santander.

In the last couple of years around £10 million has been withdrawn in one hour alone in the weekend before Christmas Day, with shoppers paying for for festive drinks and shopping at markets with cash.

Santander is now offering advice for those who taking to the shops this weekend.

Matt Hall, Head of Banking and Unsecured Credit at Santander said, “It’s tempting to splash the cash in the run up to Christmas, especially if you are buying things at the last minute.

“From mobile banking to overdraft alerts and our Spendlytics app, we offer many ways to help customers keep an eye on their money and expenditure.

“And remember, if you’re planning a last minute dash to the cash point, keep your money and details safe. Busy cash points can mean rich pickings for criminals.”

Santander offer the following advice for staying safe and secure at an ATM this Christmas:

When withdrawing money at an ATM look out for any signs that the machine has been tampered with.

Look out for machines with anti-fraud features. Some machines are fitted with anti-skimming devices (this is usually a green beak that sticks out) or alternatively use a Contactless ATM because the card can’t be skimmed or retained – over 90% of Santander’s cashpoints now offer contactless withdrawals. And look out for PIN pads with hand covers to protect your number from onlookers.

If your card gets stuck in the cashpoint, phone your bank immediately. While it may be a simple malfunction, it could be that a device has been used to make your card stick so it can be retrieved by fraudsters later.

Distraction is a common way for fraudsters to commit ATM fraud. Be very wary of anybody who bumps into you, asks you a question, offers to help while you are using the cashpoint. They could be doing this to take your focus away from your card or your cash so they can take it while you’re not looking. Often they will also have watched while you enter your pin number so have all they need to fraudulently use your card.

Memorise your PIN. If you have it written down it can be captured by a camera, or a bystander and then used if they manage to get hold of your card or details from it.

Always shield the number pad when entering your pin, this will generally make it impossible for hidden cameras or bystanders to see it. Some machines are fitted with a keyboard cover to provide this protection.

Once you’ve completed a transaction at the cash machine, make sure you put your money and card away safely straight away. And if you have a receipt take it with you and destroy it carefully once you have finished with it.

While most of us celebrate the Christmas season with festivities and merriment, for victims of domestic abuse the Christmas period is one of the hardest times of year to access support, a leading domestic abuse charity has revealed.

Domestic violence takes over lives and remains a constant threat in homes across the UK with two women killed every week at the hands of a partner.

Abusers control every aspect of a victim’s life and by doing so makes it incredibly difficult to seek help, with Christmas time being no exception.

Sandra Horley CBE, chief executive of national domestic violence charity Refuge, said, “At Refuge, we actually receive fewer visits to our website and fewer calls to the National Domestic Violence Helpline (run in partnership with Women’s Aid) around Christmas than we do at other times of the year.

“It can be very difficult for a woman experiencing domestic violence to access support during the festive period – a period when her abusive partner may be spending more time at home and monitoring her behaviour more closely than ever.”

In a lifetime one in four women will experience physical, emotional, sexual and financial abuse at some point.

Sandra adds, “Some police forces see increases in reports of domestic violence incidents at Christmas. This may be because many police forces run high profile awareness campaigns around Christmas time. But the truth is that domestic violence takes place all year round. The police should be encouraging women to reach out for support every day of the year, not just at Christmas.”

Earlier this year proposed cuts to remove refuges and other short term welfare accommodation from the welfare system. This would reportedly reduce the services or close 53 per cent of refugees according to Women’s Aid.

If you’re concerned that a friend is being abused by a partner Refuge offer the following advice for how you can support her throughout the Christmas period, and beyond.

Try to create a safe environment for her to talk to you about what’s happening. Remember that her partner may be monitoring phone calls, texts, emails and Facebook messages, so meet in person if you can.

Give her time to talk about what has been happening.

Be patient – it can take time for a woman to recognise she is being abused, and even longer to make decisions about what to do. Recognising the problem is the first step.

Tell her openly that you are worried about her.

Listen to her. Believe her. All too often people do not believe a woman when she first discloses abuse.

Tell her that the abuse is not her fault. Only the abuser is responsible.

Remind her that she is not alone. If her abuser has isolated her from friends and family, she could be feeling very lonely. Tell her that you are there for her, and that there are solutions.

Build up her confidence. Tell her she is incredibly strong and resilient for coping with what is happening. Focus on her strengths.

Encourage her to break her isolation. Building up her support networks may help her feel stronger and less isolated.

Don’t try to be the expert and don’t judge her for her choices.

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse please contact the Freephone 24 hr National Domestic Violence Helpline Run in partnership between Women’s Aid and Refuge for specialist support by calling 0808 2000 247 or visit www.refuge.org.uk or www.womensaid.org.uk.

A mother has signed up for a long-distance charity cycle ride to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War.

Jane Tickell, 53, from Eaton Bray, will take part in Help for Heroes’ flagship event, the Big Battlefield Bike Ride, which will see up to 200 fundraisers ride across Northern France from June 10 to 16.

The 2018 edition will start in Compiegne, the site of the signing of the Armistice, and cycle through the battlefields of the Somme, before heading to Mons, where the first and last shots of the war were fired.

Jane said she felt it was right to take part in what would be an “emotional and poignant” event.

She said: “With it being the end of the Great War, I wanted to do something to commemorate those who fell.

“I think that the experience will be humbling, but the camaraderie on the trip will help.”

The 53-year-old has only recently returned to the saddle after a gap of 40 years, but has recent form after a cycling holiday in India.

She has been an avid trekker for nine years, but despite her fondness for walking, she wanted to try something new.

She said: “The experience of cycling in India was so uplifting, and you could say that I have now got some experience of cycling on tricky roads.

“The BBBR will be the first time I have been on a road bike, and if you saw the roads and potholes in my village then you would understand why you need a mountain bike!”

Jane has already started fundraising for the trip, receiving donations from family and friends, and will also be holding a shop stall, selling items from Help for Heroes.

With the BBBR many months away, the nerves haven’t kicked in.

But Jane was realistic about her capabilities.

She said: “I will be entering the challenge on my own, and will probably be at the back of the pack.

“But it is about raising money for the charity and those in need, and it is a great incentive to keep cycling.”

> If you are interested in a fresh challenge, or have a keen interest in history, then visit www.helpforheroes.org.uk/give-support/challenges/big-battlefield-bike-ride-2018/

> To donate to Jane’s JustGiving page, visit: justgiving.com/fundraising/jane-tickell1

Pet charity Dogs Trust have revealed the shocking real reasons people give up dogs as they prepare for the post-Christmas influx of unwanted dogs.

The organisation, who in 2016 cared for over 15,000 dogs in its 21 UK centres, are urging the British public to remember our iconic slogan ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas®’ after a year of bizarre reasons offered by people giving up their dog. To bring the message home they have created “Why I left you,” a video with a twist which highlights the carefree attitude which people sadly display towards dog ownership.

Following Christmas last year, the charity received a call every five minutes (3,596 calls) from people looking to give up their dogs. Here are just some of the reasons.

1) I won a free holiday and I couldn’t take my dogs with me

2) I’m a vegetarian but he always wanted to eat meat

3) I got him as a secret Santa present

4) She was too friendly and wanted to greet every dog and human we met on a walk

5) He was panting too much

6) He didn’t like it when we played dress up

7) She sleeps in her own bed all night – I thought she would want to sleep in my bed

The slogan, first coined nearly 40 years ago, seems to be as relevant today as in the 1970s as a new survey reveals 20 per cent of dog owners spend less than two weeks researching before buying a dog and 1 in 5 people confessed to buying a dog simply because it was a cute accessory.

The survey also revealed that one in ten people admit to buying or receiving a dog as a Christmas gift. The dog owning public also significantly underestimated the financial cost of dog ownership with 70 per cent believing their dog will cost them less than the actual cost of £10,000 during its lifetime.

Following a staggering 1,000 calls during Christmas week last year from people unable to care for their dogs (200 of these specifically about puppies) the network of 20 Rehoming Centres in the UK are bracing themselves as they expect to take in thousands of dogs in the weeks following the festive period.

Adrian Burder, Chief Executive for Dogs Trust, who rehomed abandoned Christmas pup Skipper in 2014, explains:

“Dogs Trust take in thousands of much loved dogs from heartbroken owners who sadly find themselves unable to continue to care for their dogs due to unavoidable changes in their circumstances so it’s particularly hard for staff when they see the other end of the spectrum; dogs handed in simply because their owner’s bought them on a whim and consider them little more than toys to be discarded when the novelty wears off.

“We really hope this Christmas is the year our nation of animal lovers finally takes heed of our slogan ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas’ and we don’t see dogs discarded because their owners have not considered the lifetime commitment of dog ownership.”

The charity are urging anyone considering getting a dog to ensure they do their research to find a dog compatible with their lifestyle, so they are fully aware of the realities of caring for a dog for the duration of its lifetime.

More than six million full time workers are losing out on days off that they failed to take this year.

A massive 27% of employees are forgoing an average of two days’ respite as their annual leave calendars reset at the end of the year, according to new research.

Based on the UK’s average wage, £216 of additional work is being done by each overworked employee, totalling £1,341,460,000 across the country.

And it’s those working in hospitality and events management who are least likely to take their full entitlement, with an average six days still unclaimed at the year’s end.

But of those days they have managed to book off, the survey of 2000 employees by www.printerland.co.uk revealed that employees squandered an average four days acting on admin and two days to look after children.

Half of respondents had to use their valued vacation for medical appointments or to wait in for deliveries or repair engineers.

The survey revealed that on average, full time office workers get 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays.

However, those quizzed believe a fairer number of holidays for hard workers would be 29 days per year, and 13% of respondents said their travel plans failed to match up with the time they were allowed, forcing them to take unpaid leave.

The stats show that an average of nine days of annual leave are used for holidays and seven to cover working days over the Christmas period, with August the most popular month for sun worshippers to shut up shop.

People in Portsmouth and Aberystwyth are set to lose out the most, with an average of four days lost.

Residents in York, Worcester, Gloucester and Brighton are most likely to use up every holiday before they run out of time.

Catherine Bannan, HR manager for Printerland.co.uk. said: “There’s a lot of money being missed out on by UK employees when you consider that 27% of people haven’t taken their full entitlement and are in work instead. And of course, many people aren’t allowed to roll over holidays into the new year, so a lot of those days will be simply lost.

“Even if you haven’t made plans to go on holiday, it’s important to unwind and simply take the time off to relax and spend time with family and friends.”

Nearly 3,500 pregnant women across the country who are expecting babies in 2018 have revealed their selected baby names in a new survey.

According to www.emmasdiary.co.uk - a support resource for mums to be and new parents - Harry was cited as the number one choice for baby boys, thanks to the double influence of J.K. Rowling’s boy wizard and the name of the prince who is currently fifth in line to the British throne.

Olivia has proved to be a firm favourite with parents for the last few years - presumably thanks to popular actress Olivia Colman - and has hit the number one spot again as the most popular name for baby girls in 2018.

Other names ranking in the top three most popular for 2018 included, Noah and Oliver (for boys) and Isla and Lily (for girls).

Showing signs of more current royal influences, George and Charlotte also made the top 20 names for 2018 with other royal favourites for boys such as James, Henry and Arthur also making the grade.

For girls, there are notable influences from popular TV shows such as Game of Thrones with Aria ranking 18th most popular name for girls in 2018.

Names names such as Max and Ruby (a popular animated show for young children) also made the top 20.

For girls in particular, names ending with the letter ‘a’ show a strong trend for 2018 (with almost 50 per cent of the names chosen, ending with the letter ‘a’) including, Olivia, Isla, Ava, Amelia, Sophia, Freya, Matilda, Aria and Ella – all cited in the top 20 girls names for next year.

Faye Mingo, Marketing Director at Emma’s Diary commented: “We can see a real ‘royal’ influence in the names selected for 2018 - interestingly, George and Charlotte were both ranked in the top 20 most popular names.”

“Olivia and Oliver continue to remain popular amongst parents to be as do traditional and biblical inspired names such as Jacob and Noah.”

Boys

1. Harry

2. Noah

3, Oliver

4. George

5. Jack

6. Arthur

7. Freddie

8. Jacob

9. Charlie

10. Teddy

11. Theo

12. Henry

13. James

14. Alfie

15. Leo

16. Oscar

17. Archie

18. Max

19. Logan

Girls

1. Olivia

2. Isla

3. Lily

4. Ava

5. Elsie

6. Emily

7. Poppy

8. Amelia

9. Sophia

10. Freya

11. Evelyn

12. Grace

13. Charlotte

14. Willow

15. Alice

16. Matilda

17. Ruby

18. Aria

19. Florence

Argos has recalled a range of chairs, which could unexpectedly break when sat upon.

Anyone having purchased the Hygena Angel Chair between December 1 2016 and July 13 2017 is being advised to stop using the chair immediately, as the glue which holds the chair legs together may failing and cause the chair to break.

The retail giant have said that they have only found the issue to affect a small number of items, but as a precaution, are providing replacement legs with an updated design which has improved the chair’s strength.

The replacement parts can be ordered online for home delivery, free of charge. Full instructions will be included, as will four replacement bolts.

There are three varieties of the chair available: Pink: (catalogue number 487/5657), Yellow: (number 497/1094) and Blue (453/7799).

To order replacement legs, customers can visit https://www.clickspares.co.uk/angel/ and enter their chosen delivery address. The parts should then be sent out within 2-3 working days (UK) or 4-5 days (ROI), free of charge.

Chairs purchased after the dates stated are not affected, as the supplier is now using an updated design for the legs and independent testing has shown that this has improved the overall quality and strength of the chair.

Further questions can be addressed to Argos by calling 0345 6402020.

Two Leighton-Linslade men who risked their lives to save a woman from being horrifically burned to death following a car crash on the M1 are to receive top national bravery honours by Royal approval.

Jason Robertson, 41, of Churchill Road, and Gordon Pantling, 40, of Vimy Road, have each been awarded Royal Humane Society Testimonials on vellum which have been personally approved by the Society’s President, Princess Alexandra and will be signed by her.

The drama unfolded between Junctions 6a and 7 on the M1 near Hemel Hempstead on the afternoon of July 21 this year.

The car burst into flames after colliding with a nearside motorway barrier and was then hit by a lorry.

The two rescue heroes were in a van travelling along the motorway about 20ft behind.

They stopped and despite the danger to themselves from the fire or a possible explosion, rushed straight to the blazing vehicle to get the rear seat passenger to safety.

Seconds later the car exploded.

The dynamic duo, who work for groundworks companies, were later dubbed Batman and Robin by their work colleagues for their heroics.

Speaking to the LBO this week, Gordon recalled: “We had been working in London. Jay was driving and I was looking around and saw the car wobbled as it lost control, hit the barrier and bounce back into traffic. As soon as the lorry hit it, it burst into flames.”

Gordon said that inside the car were a Filipino family on holiday in the UK. The husband and wife in the front managed to get themselves out, but a relative in the back – a woman in her 30s/40s – was trapped.

Gordon said: “We couldn’t see her. It was just smoke and her hands appeared out of the smoke. It was like a film.

“She was banging on the window. Jay started kicking at the window, but only had trainers on so I thought he wouldn’t break through, but it gave way. We grabbed an arm each and pulled her out. Her hair was on fire, so she suffered some burnt hair, but wasn’t badly hurt otherwise.

“It was a few second later when we were about 20ft away, that it exploded. The trailer and the cab went up in flames too. I do a bit of banger racing and see cars burst into flames sometimes, but I’d not seen anything like this.”

The pair then directed the traffic, and waited for the emergency services to arrive on the scene.

Gordon added: “We didn’t think. We just did it. Afterwards if you think about it, I’m not sure if I’d want to go running up to a car embedded under a lorry and engulfed in flames. But you either react or you run away.

“I’d like to think if it was a member of my family then someone would do the same.

“The chief inspector called us a couple of days later and said he’d put us up for a bravery award.”

Jason also recalled the terrible events to the LBO. He said: “I saw the car going underneath the lorry and then it was up in flames instantly.

“I pulled over to the hard shoulder and ran back down to them. All that was going through my mind was ‘this is going to blow up’. My mind went blank and I just did what I had to do. The adrenalin kicked in.

“There was a woman in the back, but it was full of smoke. The door handle came off in my hand, but I kicked the window in and we got her out and seconds later it went up. It was like a horror movie.”

“They couldn’t thank us enough. I still receive messages to say thank you.”

As well as their awards the pair have also won the personal praise of Royal Humane Society secretary, Andrew Chapman.

As he announced the awards at the Society’s headquarters in London he said: “They were the right people in the right place at the right time.

“They showed enormous courage going up to a car which was ablaze in order to get the occupant trapped inside out and to safety. Anyone who approaches a blazing vehicle is taking their life in their hands.

“Other people who witnessed what happened and the fire officers who attended the scene considered that if these two men had not done what they did when they did it, then at the very least the rear seat passenger would undoubtedly have lost her life. They richly deserve the awards they are to receive.”

No date has yet been fixed for presentation of the awards but it is expected to take place in February.

The roots of the Royal Humane Society stretch back more than two centuries. The Queen is its patron and its president is Princess Alexandra. It is the premier national body for honouring bravery in the saving of human life.

It was founded in 1774 by two of the day’s eminent medical men, William Hawes and Thomas Cogan. Their primary motive was to promote techniques of resuscitation.

However, as it emerged that numerous people were prepared to put their own lives at risk to save others, the awards scheme evolved, and today a variety of awards are made depending on the bravery involved.

The society also awards non health care professionals who perform a successful resuscitation. Since it was set up the society has considered over 87,000 cases and made over 200,000 awards. The society is a registered charity which receives no public funding and is dependent on voluntary donations.

It is one of a select number of organisations to recently receive a donation from the Patron’s fund which was set up to acknowledge work done by organisations of which the Queen is the patron to mark her 90th birthday.

Every year many of us receive Christmas gifts which, perhaps, don’t suit us, or duplicate something we already have, or even maybe we do not really like.

Rather than consign them to the back of a cupboard why not recycle them through a charity?

Every year for the past 17, Leighton Buzzard’s All Saints Preservation Trust has appealed for unwanted gifts to sell on its stall in Church Square at the May Day Fayre and most years more than £1,000 has been raised to help pay for maintenance and repair of the town’s oldest and finest building.

Appeal Director Terry Warburton said: “I am delighted to say that Dillamore Furnishers in the High Street have kindly agreed to act as a collecting point for us again, so bring any gifts along to them.

“Please no bric-a-brac, ideally they should still be in the original manufacturer’s packaging.

“All the proceeds will be held by the Trust to be spent on maintaining the church building or its churchyard.”

He added: “The Trust would like to thank its many friends for their continued support and wish them all a very Happy New Year.”

Christmas has been a busy time for the old church, with thousands of people passing through its doors in December, to events, concerts and its increasingly popular Christmas services.

Leighton Buzzard Library has been shut due to flooding for the second time in a matter of weeks.

Central Beds Council announced yesterday (Thursday) that the building had once again been closed – and the cause, as with the previous closure in mid-December, has been confirmed this morning as a leak in recently installed pipework.

Staff arrived after the Christmas holiday period to discover the ground floor of the Lake Street building flooded – the children’s library and adult fiction and non-fiction areas.

A council spokesman said: “The box office and theatre are operating as normal.

“The first floor of the library will be opened from January 2 and a basic library service offered – computers will be available and books can be returned.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

In mid-December the leaky new pipework caused the building’s closure for a day, but the theatre’s bar and lounge area were closed for longer for repair work. An evening screening of The Death of Stalin also had to be cancelled.

Water from the lounge had spread to the box office, workroom, corridors and adult training room.

There was also damage to pipework, ceiling tiles, furniture, carpets, decorations and IT equipment.%

A Luton Job Centre employee who complained about her employer’s behaviour following two miscarriages has been awarded more than £24,000 for sex discrimination.

Ms Ann Ginger, employed as a work coach at the centre, made legal claims for maternity and pregnancy rights and for sex discrimination against the Department Of Work and Pensions which runs the job centre.

The hearing involved three different sessions at Bedford and Huntingdon employment tribunals from July last year to November this year and tribunal judge Ord decided to make a decision at a later date.

Shortly before Christmas the judge published a decision in favour of Ms Ginger.

The tribunal was told that Ms Ginger who has a son, had two miscarriages while working for the Job Centre and had various periods off work since 2013 for IVF treatment and for reasons relating to subsequent pregnancy and miscarriages.

She complained she was upset when one of her bosses allegedly asked her if she could cope with a second child and whether it was a good idea to have further IVF treatment.

Ms Ginger also complained that he told her that miscarriages were not a bereavement and said that in order to have a miscarriage her pregnancy had to be confirmed.

The alleged comments were sex discrimination and harassment, said Ms Ginger.

She further accused the respondents of refusing her to have time off work, at one stage, for IVF treatment.

Ms Ginger who had joined the Job Centre in 2009, was announced fit to return to work in January 2015 but later needed more time off when her mother died, the tribunal was told.

The respondents opposed Ms Ginger’s legal claims and said she had been absent from work for 47 days during one period.

A meeting was held with her in a coffee shop to discuss her situation.

Judge Ord said in a report that the tribunal’s decision was that Ms Ginger had been sexually discriminated against and awarded her a total of £24,391.

The amount included £17,500 for injury to feelings.

Staff and parents at a much-loved childcare centre in Linslade have been left in limbo following the service’s abrupt closure before Christmas.

Linslade Child Care on Leopold Road closed with little warning on December 22 and parents have been left scrambling to find urgent childcare.

Although Central Bedfordshire Council served a condmenation notice on the aged building for July 2018, it remains unknown why owner Zoe Yarker decided to close the business so suddenly.

At the time of writing, staff were nervously awaiting updates on whether they would be paid at the end of the month.

Parent Lisa Fletcher said: “I’m still in the same position, trying to find somewhere to take care of my son in the New Year.

“I’m back at work soon so it is worrying and it’s not the easiest time of year to find somewhere.”

While anxious parents have been left in limbo, Bluebell Childcare on New Road have held meetings with them to see what options they can offer in the interim.

Proposals have included extend their opening hours with earlier starts, as well as lowering the admission age to 18months.

It has also been proposed to extend the hours for the younger children in the after-school club, enabling them to attend full days and potentially offer full cover during the holidays.

Bluebell executive Emma Lenander emailed the parents: “We need to look at staffing ... but these seem to be the most important changes we can make quickly that would help the most people.”

A pensioner in Leighton Buzzard found proof of human kindness after losing a wallet containing £2,000 in the high street – only for it to be returned to them by police fully intact after a passer-by handed it in.

The windfall sum was lost in the town centre on December 21 and Bedfordshire Police’s community team have praised the kind samaritan who returned it.

A police spokesman said: “Our officers were approached by a member of the public who had found a wallet containing £2000 in Leighton Buzzard town centre.

“An elderly member of the public approached the community officers patrolling the town centre a short while later to enquire if a wallet matching the description had been handed in.”

PC Slav Konopka, from the community policing team, added: “There are some great members of the community in Leighton Buzzard.

“It was fantastic to be able to return the cash to its rightful owner after a display of such good will.

The town should be proud.”