A couple who run a Linslade pub have been featured on a list of 100 outstanding contributors to society in recognition of their work for ex-forces personnel.

Jim Woolley and his wife Naomi, of The Hare Inn, Southcott village, were named on the Independent on Sunday’s ‘Happy List’.

Jim said: “It is great to be recognised, the organisers were particularly interested in what we’d done to change the pub into more of a community place rather than just a drinking den.”

Their efforts focus on the difficulties faced by those leaving the Armed Forces as they try to reintegrate into society. Jim was born and raised in the garrison town of Aldershot and saw a number of friends return from active service and struggle to adapt.

He said: “I’m a civilian, but I have that connection and understanding, it’s like a bridge between the two worlds.”

So far the couple have focused their efforts on supporting the charity PTSD Resolution and on helping with housing issues. Their next initiative is a ‘Work Club’ to help those ex-forces personnel struggling to find a job.

The pub will set aside an area with wi-fi, laptops and a printer to help with searching and applying for jobs, Job Centre Plus will send an advisor to help with CVs. Jim said: “These guys just need a space where they feel comfortable, they need support to express their military experience in terms that civilian employers will understand and value.”

The pub will also host visits and workshops by local businesses and training providers.

The Work Club is due to launch next month, it is already attracting national interest with the Department for Work and Pensions looking to extend Armed Forces specific assistance across the country.

Having opening its doors back in March to clients, Leighton’s Companion Care Vets+ has now decided to invite local groups and schools to visit its new veterinary practice.

The 1st Linslade Guides were the first to visit the Grovebury Road’s vets and on arrival at the surgery the girls were given a demonstration in the groom room, where pets go for a pampering.

A spokesman for Companion Care+ said: “We then showed them around the practice going through all our facilities including our digital x-ray machine, ultrasound, lab machines for in-house blood tests, our theatre, prep room, kennels, isolation suite and consultation rooms.

“The girls were shown examples of x-rays, ultrasounds and could listen to their pulse with our capnograph which we use during all anaesthetics. They were shown our operating theatre and the instruments we use for operations, along with the anaesthetic machines.”

The Guides were also told about microchipping, the importance of flea and worm treatment, keeping their pet’s teeth healthy and the importance of the correct diet for their pet.

The spokesman added: “Following their attendance we now have another Guide group visiting from Leighton Buzzard and also a Rainbows Group. If you are interested in your local group visiting or would just like a look around yourselves call us on 01525 384985 or email leightonbuzzard@companioncare.co.uk.”

The campaign to save bees in Leighton Buzzard will be launched by leading councillors at Nature’s Harvest in Leighton on Saturday, June 15.

The health food store in North Street has joined forces with A.Vogel (producers of herbal remedies), the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, and South Bedfordshire Friends of the Earth to help their customers save the bees.

A. Vogel will donate 20p to the Bumble Bee Conservation Trust to create bee friendly habitats for each purchase of an A.Vogel product costing over £7.50.

Between 10am and 3pmNature’s Harvest with South Bedfordshire Friends of the Earth will be giving out bee friendly wildflower seeds that people can grow in their garden or in their window box, and advice on how to make your garden more bee friendly, with nesting and hibernating sites and an opportunity to make your own bee hotel.

There will also be an in-store bumble bee quiz with a prize.

Rosey Gibbs, of Nature’s Harvest, said: “Natures Harvest is joining the nationwide campaign along with local schools, Friends of the Earth and many other organisations, to raise awareness ot the plight of our bees. By doing this we hope to make a difference. Come and join us to learn more about our ‘humble bumble’ , with ideas on how we can help.”

Bees are crucially important as they pollinate 75 per cent of our food as well as our flowers and herbs for herbal remedies. Honey bees are only one species of bee. There are 20 species of bumble bee and 246 species of solitary bee who are actually more important than honey bees for pollination.

Bumblebees are crucial for pollinating tomatoes as they buzz pollinate; their vibrations are needed to force the plant to release its pollen. In the last 20 years the overall bee population has declined by 50%, this is equally due to loss of habitat as due to pesticides.

South Beds Friends of the Earth are helping the bees in Leighton Buzzard by planting wildflowers along Clipstone Brook, on the banks of the River Ouzel opposite Leighton Middle school, and at Leighton Buzzard railway station. They have planted a community orchard in Astral Park which has an open day on June 30 (2.30pm to 5pm). They are also working with, as well as asking the council, to make the whole town more bee friendly.

Victoria Harvey, of FoE, said: “It is wonderful that Nature’s Harvest is doing this promotion. Bees need two crucial things, more wildflowers, and places to nest and hibernate. We are calling on both gardeners and the councils to leave some messy areas of long grass, twigs and leaves so that wildlife can make their nests and hibernate.”

A firm of super solicitors picked up the top accolade at the Bedfordshire Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) awards last night (Thursday).

Osborne Morris & Morgan (OMM), based in West Street, Leighton Buzzard, was named the overall county winner at a glittering ceremony at The Conservatory at Luton Hoo Walled Garden.

When Keith Cannell, of headline sponsor The Co-operative Bank, announced they’d won the top prize of the night, OMM’s table lost their legal cool and whooped in appreciation. The firm specialises in serious injury claims.

Tim Woolford, OMM managing partner, said winning the top award was a “complete surprise”. They had already won the training and development category, sponsored by the University of Bedfordshire’s Knowledge Hub and finished runners up in two other categories. The firm wins £5,000 in advertising from media partner Premier Newspapers.

It was a night of glory for Leighton Buzzard as a whole as small businesses from the town scooped three other categories.

Shelly Shulman’s Cakes By Shelly won the enterprising business title, sponsored by Luton Borough Council. Vince Garvin’s magazine business I Love My Town won the real-life entrepreneur category, sponsored by Cowley Holemes accountants. And Fogarty Formal Hire won retailer of the year, sponsored by Environmental Population.

Businesses from Bedford and the north of the county were also very successful. TaxAssist Accountants Bedford grabbed two category wins in the franchisee of the year, sponsored by The Mansion House and the best e-business, sponsored by The Goldsmith Centre.

Optimis won best new business, sponsored by My Incubator. Foley Exhibitions of Silsoe was awarded community business of the year, sponsored by Park Woodfine Heald Mellows. Adrian Trudgill, of Franklins of Thorncote won employee of the year, sponsored by Basepoint. Baker Brothers Diamonds won the service excellence award, sponsored by Bedfordshire BusinesWomen.

Bedfordshire BusinessWomen scooped the networking group of the year category, sponsored by The Conservatory at Luton Hoo Walled Garden.

Luton-based Silvertoad won the business innovation award, sponsored by Alltech. Kathy Birch, of The Mansion House at Shuttleworth, won the coveted business person of the year title, sponsored by Mercedes Benz of Bedford. The accolade young business person of the year, sponsored by White Hart Press, was won by Georgia O’Keefe, of Potton-based video production firm Look C.

> For another chance of awards glory and a share of £8,200 in free advertising, companies should enter the Bedfordshire Business Excellence Awards. Visit http://www2.bedfordtoday.co.uk/businessawards2013/

A popular Leighton school has been told it must improve in the next two years after it failed to reach a “good” standard by Ofsted inspectors.

The inspection at Vandyke Upper School on April 24 ruled that the achievement of pupils, quality of teaching and its leadership and management all “require improvement”.

The behaviour and safety of pupils was one out of the four key areas that was deemed “good”.

Teaching at the upper school was heavily criticised by inspectors, who said that “not all teaching is good” and “the work students have is not hard enough”.

The report also picked up on faults with teachers not asking questions in the classroom which help students think and failing to consistently plan for students to take an active part in the lesson. Although it was acknowledged that most teachers give feedback to students, often praising their efforts and suggesting ways to improve.

The head teacher of Vandyke Upper School, Tim Carroll, told the LBO his reaction to the Ofsted report.

Mr Carroll said: “Vandyke has earned a reputation as a school where students work hard, behave well, achieve well and enjoy coming to school. The inspection report highlights some of the school’s strengths.

“It also identifies areas for improvement. The school is already aware of these areas and is working to improve rapidly in these areas.

“At the two previous inspections the school was judged ‘good’. The school has continued to improve since then.

“With the introduction of the new Ofsted inspection framework the bar has been raised. A small number of students were judged not to have made good progress and this was the determining factor in the inspection team’s overall judgement.

“We have to accept the report in its entirety and are already addressing issues identified.”

However, Ofsted ruled that students “do not learn as well from their work”.

It was stated that too few students achieve the highest grades in their examinations and that achievement is not yet good because not enough students make good progress.

Fewer students gained A*-A grades, including in English language, and attainment at A*-C in some of the foundation subjects was below the national averages.

The sixth form also requires improvement because it is believed students do not consistently achieve as well as they could in their different subjects because the quality of teaching varies.

Although it was recognised that results in the sixth form in 2012 were better than in previous years, “students’ progress in different subjects is uneven because not all teaching is good”.

The outcome of the inspection comes under two years after Vandyke was among the first upper schools in the country to be granted academy status by the government.

Across two days last month, inspectors observed 39 lessons taught by 38 teachers and took account of 47 responses to the online questionnaire called Parent View.

It was deemed that in order for the school to score better on Ofsted’s next visit, it will have to improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good.

It will also have to improve the achievement of students across the school, as well as the effectiveness of leadership and management.

Vandyke will now receive a full inspection within 24 months. The Ofsted report can be accessed at www.ofsted.gov.uk.

The man who died in a crash on the A5 has been identified as Jeremy St Clair Holt, 66, of The Heath, Leighton Buzzard. Mr Holt was confirmed dead at the scene of the crash on Watling Street, on Tuesday. an inquest was opened earlier today.

*An inquest has been opened into the death of a 62-year-old man who was found dead on his narrow boat on the Grand Union Canal, on Monday. The victim has been identified as Peter Hallams, who lived on the Sage B.

Do you have a swarm of honeybees?

The honeybee season, like the Spring, is very late this year. The first swarms of honeybees have just been reported, so it is important to know what to do if you find a swarm, according to the Bedfordshire Beekeepers Association.

Honeybees prepare themselves for several days before swarming, by gorging themselves on honey stores. When they’re full of food, they are pretty docile.

Do not try to dislodge them or throw stones at them. That will cause them to get angry, and stings may happen.

The association keeps an up to date list on their website of beekeepers who are happy to come and collect swarms, and will pass them onto beginner beekeepers.

Try and find a beekeeper who lives as local to you as possible.

But there may be occasions when the beekeeper will not be able to rescue the swarm such as bees being in chimneys, loft spaces, ventilation systems, high up in trees etc. Pest control companies will be able to help you, and they will do their very best to save the colony if it is possible.

The Association do not charge for this service, but you could offer the beekeeper an amount to cover fuel costs. You can also make a donation to beekeeping charities.

Playing like The West Wing in stove-pipe hats, Steven Spielberg’s biopic LINCOLN (12: Twentieth Century Fox) may be a little stolid for some.

But others will be captivated by this film about the 16th president of the United States and an important moment of 19th Century political brinkmanship.

Spielberg originally intended his epic, which lost out to Argo in the Best Picture judging for the Oscars, to be a much more expansive look at Lincoln’s presidency.

Instead it concentrates on just four tumultuous months in 1865 when he pushed the 13th Amendment through the House of Representatives, outlawing slavery and bringing an end to the Civil War.

Abe is played with understated authority by Oscar-winning Daniel Day-Lewis and there are outstanding performances from Sally Field, as the First Lady, and Tommy Lee Jones, relishing the rich dialogue as Radical Republican Thaddeus Stevens.

The president is notably absent from the barracking and verbal jousting of the House, where an impressive ensemble of bewhiskered character actors holds sway, as he telegraphs his wishes via trustees such as Secretary of State William Seward (David Strathairn).

Most of the film takes place indoors, with heavy use of candles and gaslight, making the glimpses of war all the more stirring for their scarcity.

> It may be A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (12: Twentieth Century Fox), but it’s also a good time to bring this franchise to a close. Bruce Willis’s fifth outing as ‘wrong-place, wrong-time’ New York cop John McClane sees trouble follow him to Moscow.

Having come to his daughter’s rescue in the previous movie, he teams up with his estranged CIA operative son to thwart hordes of Russian mobsters and terrorists.

McClaine junior (Jai Courtney) is tasked with protecting an informant whose secret files could bring down an underworld kingpin. But believing his son is himself in imminent danger, dad once again has to break out the fists and firepower.

A series of shootouts, car chases and explosions are lazily stitched together with a confusing plot weighed down by too many coincidences and double-crosses.

Willis is also looking creaky in stunt scenes and his once wisecracking character seems lost without the verbal sparring partners – either allies or foes – that were such a huge part of earlier instalments.

> Director Kathryn Bigelow skilfully manages to present a cohesive narrative out of potentially confusing material with ZERO DARK THIRTY (15: Universal), a thriller from the makers of The Hurt Locker.

The hunt for Osama Bin Laden is catalogued in forensic detail in this wordy but well-paced film in which CIA agent Maya (Jessica Chastain) joins a team of intelligence and military operatives after the September 11 attacks.

She spends the next 10 years following every small lead across the globe while attempting to track down the al-Qaeda figurehead’s hideout, frequently locking horns with her superiors back in the United States. Scenes of torture have provoked widespread controversy, but Chastain’s character gives the film a strong human centre.

A man who is so ‘disgusted’ by dog fouling on the streets of Leighton says he will volunteer his services as a warden to scare-off offenders.

Peter Woods, 54, of Sandpiper Way, Leighton, said: “I have never seen anyone enforcing it. I find it is disgusting.

“It doesn’t matter which park it is they all have the same problem. I see people not picking it up, so I shout at them and it is like you are invisible. It is just ignorant. I want to find out how much these wardens get paid because I would love to be able to do it.

“If you put CCTV up outside a shop, kids stop smashing windows, so it’s the same in this situation. If they park up a van with stickers warning people about fines then they will stop. People will think they are being watched.”

Central Beds Council has vowed to crack down on dog owners not clearing up after their pets – after only issuing one fine in the past year.

Although figures show that just this single fine was issued in the past 12 months, the council admits that they are “receiving and reacting to an increased volume of reports from residents about dog fouling.”

And they say they will step up efforts to tackle the problem, by upping dog warden patrols and having 625 dog waste bins throughout the area.

A spokesman for Central Beds said: “In addition to their other duties involving stray dogs and complaints relating to dog behaviour, the dog warden will patrol problem areas to educate residents about responsible dog ownership, deter dog fouling and carry out enforcement where necessary.

“According to our records we have conducted more patrols in the first five months of this year than we did in the last seven months of 2012.”

Councillor Brian Spurr said: “Dog fouling is anti-social behaviour which we take extremely seriously.

“We know that it is a matter of concern to lots of local residents too because they have been letting us know.

“Unfortunately the problem lies with a selfish minority of people who don’t take the legal responsibility of dog ownership seriously enough.”

Readers of the LBO have been getting in touch with their dog fouling anguishes.

Martine Cooper said: “I love the number of dogs that are in the area which enjoy the local green areas, but why do so many lazy dog owners allow their dogs to foul the pavements particularly along north street and plantation road. I wouldn’t dare walk along after dark and walk with care and attention in the daylight.”

Annette Showler said: “For 29 years I have watched an increasing number of casual, lazy and inconsiderate dog owners allow their pets to foul the public footpaths and play areas, seemingly without a care for what is left behind.”

Glynis Lawrence said: “I enjoy walking along the canal towpath, but this area is now fast becoming a public toilet for dogs. It really is disgusting that owners allow their dogs to foul the towpath and verges.”

The council also urged residents to report incidents of dog fouling by calling 0300 300 8302.

A marathon effort by Pitstone’s Laura Lewis saw her raise money for the Florence Nightingale Hospice.

The 27-year-old ran for the charity in Saturday’s Stockholm Marathon, after training about six times a week in the run-up to the event.

Setting off at the back of the pack of 21,500 runners, Laura, who finished in four hours and two minutes, said: “The first 10k were very congested and as a result rather slow. I picked up my pace though and managed to run my fastest during the second half of the race, with a sprint finish on the track of the Stockholm Olympic Stadium. What an atmosphere and great honour to be able to run there!

“The weather started warm and humid, but half way through the rain started, by the end it was torrential and we were completely soaked. My trainers still aren’t dry!”

Laura is hoping to raise £1,000 for the hospice and will be collecting more sponsorship in the coming weeks before she finds out if she hit her target. She said: “This year I spent four months working at Florence Nightingale Hospice, the work the nurses and staff do there on a daily basis is truly fantastic.”

If you would like to contribute, visit www.justgiving.com/Laura-Lewis1.

Let’s be honest, when the version of Superman which most of us have hot-wired into our cinematic memory banks first hit the screen, we didn’t believe a man could fly despite what the tagline claimed.

It was always difficult to accept Christopher Reeve speeding through the sky like a bird, like a plane when the only thing that moved was his artificially-fluttering cape. The fact that you could see the wires didn’t help, either.

But 21st trickery is to the fore to make things much more convincing as we finally get to see Man Of Steel, which seems to have taken an age in arriving.

Director Zack Snyder has been indulged with a giant budget, a starry cast and whole box of special effects tricks as he sets out to tell a very familiar story once again.

Wearing his pants outside his trousers this time round is hunky Henry Cavill and you’ll also see the likes of Amy Adams, Russell Crowe and Kevin Costner in the cast list.

The problem is that the set-up is so familiar – not just from the earlier movies, but also from the original comics and TV takes on the Krypton kid – that despite the gloss there’s nothing new to say.

And while we are only too familiar with squeaky clean Clark Kent and his superpowered alter ego, rival blockbusters featuring characters which have not been as exposed – Iron Man if you will, Spiderman too and even the darker, deeper Batman of recent years – have stolen a march and created a very crowded field.

It’s a handsome piece of work, but don’t go expecting anything startling. You’ll believe it cost a fortune, because it’s up there on the screen – whether you’ll believe it was worth it remains to be seen.

With so much hype and hoopla surrounding Man Of Steel, other choices are thin on the ground but there is Admission, a romantic comedy starring Tina Fey and Paul Rudd.

The complicated set-up features Fey as a career woman in higher education on a road trip and Rudd as a former college classmate who is now a teacher at a school in the backwoods. He believes his star pupil could be the child Fey gave up for adoption back when she was a student determined not to let a little thing like a pregnancy interfere with her ambition. Could it be true? And if so, what should she do about it?

Also ticking the date movie box for those who want to steer clear of overblown blockbusters is Stuck In Love, with Greg Kinnear and Jennifer Connelly leading the cast. They’re a former couple, he can’t get over it, their prodigy daughter reckons she’s never going to get involved with a bloke after seeing what a mess mum and dad made of things. Guess what – they all learn to love and lead better lives. Aaah.

Leighton Buzzard Writers’ LBO Column. This week by Claire Fisher

For my last Write Away article I wrote about Leighton Buzzard Writers’s plans to create a book of stories and poems to commemorate the centenary of the start of the First World War. In it I mentioned that I had heard a wonderful story about the Vimy bomber.

In a nutshell, the story was that the bomber was built at the Morgan Coachworks, to fly off from Pages Park and fight in the war.

The following week (April 2), Neil Cairns’s article ‘Bomber was ready to late for the war’ related the true facts of the Vimy bomber’s history.

The article was a fascinating insight; rich in detail and well researched, but I have to say I preferred the story that the bomber did fight in the war. It somehow seemed more fitting that the Linslade-manufactured bombers had their moment in the war effort. Which is probably why the myth has persisted in Leighton-Linslade culture.

Mr Cairns’s letter (April 2) suggested that my falling for the myth was a bad thing. So are myths, urban or otherwise, really a bad thing?

It is inevitable that historical events, not just from the First World War, gather a layer of myth about them as they are retold. Myth creation may take the form of exaggeration, as in the the classic ‘it was this big’ fisherman’s tale. Myths are created by changes in the retelling, as happens in Chinese Whispers. Or myths are created through just plain bias. Take, for example, the story of Boudicca, the Celtic queen who led a rebellion against the Romans. According to MilitaryHistoryOnline.com the only information concerning the rebellion comes from Tacitus and Cassius Dio.

They were Roman writers and therefore on the opposing side, so the ‘truth’ of their accounts should be treated with caution. In later centuries archaeologists have uncovered evidence to support Tacitus and Dio, but there will always be a degree of circumspection in putting the ‘true’ picture together.

Did she really kill herself with poison? It is up for historical debate, but the tragic myth of the flame-haired British heroine standing up to mighty Rome in her chariot with bladed wheels is recognisable to most people.

Myth is what keeps history alive in popular culture, be it fact or fiction, and so myth should be celebrated.

Coming back to the First World War... after 100 years, the reality of the war is slipping from living memory, but there is a vast reservoir of facts, information and personal stories to tap into to keep the First World War in popular consciousness.

Authors such as Pat Barker (The Ghost Road) and Sebastian Faulks (Birdsong) and even TV’s Blackadder are using this reservoir to create stories that will capture imaginations and keep readers thinking about the war.

As a writer of fiction, this is my role. Leighton Buzzard Writers are a creative bunch – drama is our forte – and with the input of local historians to keep our imaginations grounded in fact, we can create a book that will be both a thought provoking and entertaining version of Leighton Buzzard life in world war. So myths are not such bad things.

It’s the little things that can be relied on to reach out, grab hold of the sensitive parts of my individual goat and squeeze hard, I always find.

But when one thing that gets my goat is replaced by another thing that gets my goat, there’s no way of getting around it – that really gets my goat. It gets my goat to such a degree that I feel myself turning into a grumpy troll living under a bridge, waiting for goats to trip trap overhead so that I can vent my entirely justified irritation at their cloven-hoofed clatter.

So let’s talk about advice slips, those little slips of paper spewed out by cash machines to tell you how much of your money you’ve just been reunited with and how much you’ve got left.

Back in the early days of ATMs, you got an advice slip whether you wanted one or not, and more often than not people left them at the scene, causing a real litter problem and making the banks look bad. Imagine, banks looking bad, who’d have thought?

So they installed little litter bins alongside the machines for discarded debris, but they didn’t work.

Then they got cuter with the technology, and you were able to specify whether you wanted a slip or not as you worked your way through the ‘please give me some money’ process.

But that didn’t work either – even though many people deliberately asked for a slip, they still left it at the scene.

Now that was irritating, even if it was a source of guilty please. Come on, who hasn’t sneaked a look at someone else’s advice slip, scanned their anonymous financial details and conjured up scenarios about what they were going to do with the cash? Just me? I suppose you’ll be telling me next that you don’t make up manic Come Dine With Me menus from the ingredients in the trolley of the person ahead of you in the supermarket queue?

But I digress. The latest wheeze from the banking boys and girls to avoid the confetti of abandoned bits of paper on the pavement below an ATM is the retractable receipt.

It’s only operating on one machine near me, but it’s the one I use most often – just not often enough to work it out yet.

And what happens is that while I am doing sensible things like retrieving my card and stowing it away safely and picking up the cash and quickly counting it, the receipt pops out – and if it’s not grabbed immediately, it gets gobbled back up by the ATM to keep the streets nice and tidy. I haven’t got the receipt I wanted, and there’s no second chance.

Because it’s only a little thing, I haven’t yet learned to modify my ATM behaviour to give me the time I need, or even avoid that machine.

But please believe me, every time it happens it is really, really irritating.

National Carers Week has kicked off highlighting the vital contribution made by carers, to their families, friends and communities in providing unpaid care for someone who is ill, frail or disabled.

This year, the theme for the week is ‘Prepared to care?’ which will focus on how the UK’s current carer population is coping.

Along with many other events taking place across the UK, local charity Carers in Bedfordshire are hosting the following activities and events in Leighton.

Today (Tuesday)there will be a market stall at Leighton Buzzard Market, while tomorrow (Wednesday) a carer’s information afternoon will be held at St George’s Court, East Street, Leighton Buzzard, from 2pm – 4.30pm.

There will be information about the carers’ grant, carers’ assessments, benefits advice, pampering and an opportunity to find out about local services.

For more information contact Carers in Bedfordshire on 0300 111 1919 or email contact@carersinbeds.org.uk.

Central Beds Council’s deputy executive member for social care, health and housing, Councillor Andrew Turner, said: “Carers Week is a great opportunity for us to recognise the hard work and dedication of the thousands of carers in Central Bedfordshire, who give so much to their friends, families and communities every single day.

“Many carers, including children and young people, suffer because they put the needs of the person they care for before their own. We hope this important week will encourage carers across the area to get in touch with the council and Carers in Bedfordshire to find out more about the wide range of support and services available to help them care for themselves.”

James Kidd, project manager at Carers in Bedfordshire, said: “Unpaid carers, who range from 4 years old upwards, save the UK economy an estimated £119 billion a year, with each individual carer saving us on average £18,473 a year. We use Carers Week to celebrate the amazing work our carers perform.”

More information about local support is available in every GP surgery in Central Bedfordshire through the Carers Pack. You can also visit www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/carers, email carers@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk or call the Central Bedfordshire Carers Helpline on 0300 300 8036.

A 21-year-old Dunstable man was airlifted to the JR2 Hospital in Oxford with head injuries after his car and a lorry were in collision on Monday evening just after 6pm.

His Ford Fiesta had broken down on the Stoke Hammond bypass.

The driver of the lorry, a 30-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and has been released on bail until August 12.

Men who were scared off by neighbours after trying to smash the windows of a house in Leighton Buzzard are being sought by police.

Detectives are appealing to anyone who may have seen two men attempting to break into a house in Rosebury Avenue last Wednesday (June 5).

At around 3.10pm, the offenders entered the side passageway before attempting to prise open a window.

When this failed, the offenders decided to smash the pane in an attempt to enter the property but the noise alerted a neighbour and the offenders fled towards Stoke Road.

The first offender was a white male, in his late teens, around five feet nine inches tall, of slim build, with short mousey brown hair and was wearing dark blue jeans and white trainers.

The second offender was also a white male, of a similar age and height and also wearing blue jeans. It is believed that the pair may have got into a silver saloon vehicle – possibly a Peugeot - which was park near to the location

Detective Constable Surfraz Hussain, who is investigating the incident, is keen to hear from anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the area prior to the attempted burglary.

He’d also like to hear from anyone who may have seen the offenders in the silver car either before or after the incident.

If you have information relating to this incident, contact DC Hussain, in confidence, on 01582 394435, the non-emergency 101 number, or text information to 07786 200011.

Alternatively contact independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.

Leighton resident Laurence Parker celebrated his 47th birthday by challenging himself and raising £100 to help buy a much-needed new kit for Leighton Town Youth Reds under 12s.

The abseil took place at the Northampton Lift Tower which is 127m (418ft ) tall and is the highest permanent abseil in the world.

Laurence, of Riverside, is the manager and an FA level two qualified coach of the team.

The under 12s are currently looking for some new players to strengthen the team. If you would like a trial contact Laurence on 07432 727822. The team are also looking for a local company to sponsor them.

Central Bedfordshire Council has hit a bump in the road after roadworks that have been ongoing for seven months are halted by a disagreement over land in Leighton Buzzard.

The revelation that Central Beds are awaiting a license for access to undertake works on Morrisons’ land has been labelled “incompetent” by residents who have been affected by the roadworks on Lake Street since January.

The area, which is the second phase of alterations following work on Leston Road in November, was due to be completed by the end of May but the council are now unable to confirm an expected completion date until an agreement can be made.

LBO readers took to social media to vent their frustration.

Lichen Wyrd said: “This has a strong smell of incompetence to it. The project planner really should have been ahead of the game here and all paperwork squared before starting.”

Colin Johnson said: “Crazy. They should have ‘liaised’ before the work started. Sounds like someone messed up.”

David Leach said: “So far it looks like its badly planned and badly executed.”

Councillor Brian Spurr, spokesman for sustainable communities, said: “There are delays at the moment because we have been liaising with Morrisons about working on their land. Until we had their agreement, we were unable to proceed and this has held up the finish date.

“The licence is in the process of being finalised and as soon as we have that agreement we’ll get started on completing the work.”

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A budding author who was inspired by his late wife to take up his writing professionally is celebrating a whole host of his books being published.

Neville Budd, 74, of Hockliffe Street, has recently returned to Leighton after his wife, Sally, passed away.

The couple moved to South Africa in 1990 where they lived in Cape Town, Johannesburg and finally Amanzimtoti.

And since 2006, Neville has written seven books, three children’s ones, Island of Secrets one, two and three – book four is currently in progress.

“The first time I knew my books were being published I was over the moon,” he said.

“When I was at school and asked to write a composition, I used to write about ten lines and that was the whole story, but over the years I found you had to describe everything which happened.

“After doing that it was as if another door had opened in my life and I could express myself and the feelings I had in doing that were very satisfying.

“Sally always proof read my books and always asked what was happening or going to happen in the stories, as she said she loved to read them. Sadly she didn’t get to read my latest one.”

His next book, Murder Will Out, is expected to be in shops this August.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a man was airlifted from the scene of a crash on the Stoke Hammond Bypass on Monday night.

The emergency services were called shortly after 6pm after reports of a collision involving a blue Ford Fiesta, which had broken down on the carriageway and had been in collision with a lorry.

The driver of the Fiesta, a 21-year-old man from Dunstable, was airlifted to the JR2 Hospital in Oxford with head injuries. The driver of the lorry, a 30-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and was released on bail until August 12.

Anyone with information should contact the non-emergency number 101.