London Luton Airport is celebrating its 75th anniversary today with a special service to mark the occasion.

After launching on July 16, 1938 under the name Luton Municipal Airport, the airport soon soared to success as it became recognised as the fifth largest airport in the UK that carries ten million passengers a year.

Today the airport will hold a Service of Dedication by the Airport’s Chaplain, Rev’d Michael Banfield, and a reception hosted by the Managing Director, Glyn Jones.

The Worshipful the Mayor of Luton, Councillor Sheila Roden, and Deputy Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, Doctor David Siegler, will also be there to celebrate the big day.

During the Second World War, Luton Municipal Airport was used by the Royal Air Force and was the base for 264 Fighter Squadron.

It became the birthplace and home of affordable air travel from the 1950s onwards, and was renamed London Luton Airport in 1990.

Glyn Jones, managing director of London Luton Airport, said: “Since the first commercial aircraft departed from here in 1938 the Airport has changed beyond recognition, though its ambition, along with its airline partners, to keep moving into the future remains constant.

“Everyone involved with the Airport has worked hard to make it one of the fastest growing in the UK, creating over 8,000 jobs and opening up new frontiers for our passengers.

“We should all be truly proud of what has been achieved, and be encouraged by what we can further achieve in the future.”

Police investigating a man exposing himself to a woman last week are keen to hear from anyone else who has been approached by him.

The man was in a white van and followed the 35 year old woman who was driving her own car down Chaul End Lane in Luton. He flashed his lights at her, and because she thought something may be wrong with her car, pulled over to look at it. He then stopped his van and approached her, then asked her if she wanted to have sex.

When she declined and drove off, she saw that he had dropped his trousers and appeared to be masturbating.

The man is described as about 25 years old, white, with short blonde hair, wearing cut off combatstyle shorts and a pink and grey T-shirt.

Sgt Bill Rumford is keen to hear from anyone who saw any part of this incident, which happened at about 7.30am on July 8, or from anyone who has been similarly approached and not yet reported it to the police.

He can be contacted at Luton Police station via the 24 hour non-emergency police number 101, or text the force control room direct on 07768 200011.

A memorial hall was packed to capacity on Monday with residents concerned over proposed developments on land east of Luton.

Residents in Cockernhoe on the border of the town heard Luton councillor Jenny Davies slam plans for an extra 2,500 homes on top of the 1,000 already proposed by Bloor Homes.

She said: “The green belt is just as important to us as it is to the people who live there. We want to protect the land from development which would change it completely.

“In addition our infrastructure would be completely swamped – Luton’s roads and schools simply couldn’t cope.

“In practical terms it’s not on in this area.”

North Herts District councillor David Barnard said: “Following the original Bloor Homes ‘Wandon Park’ proposal, The Crown Estates have tabled a plan for an additional 2,500 adjacent to the Bloor site.

“This will totally envelop our villages and lead to other land options.

“There is no proven need for houses in this area and we need to mount a vigorous opposition.

“Our beautiful countryside and green belt are under constant threat. If we concrete it over, it will be lost forever.”

He urged residents to send letters to the council, listing their objections and added: “Not writing implies acceptance.

“The more objections they receive, the more seriously they will take our opposition.”

l Deadline for comments is August 2. They should be sent by email to localplans@north-herts.gov.uk or posted to HALO 2013, NHDC, P O Box 480, M33 0DE.

In case you’ve missed the steamroller cum snowball of perfectly polite hype that’s been building over the past few weeks, this week’s big film is The World’s End and that’s a reason to be cheerful.

Why? Because it reunites the fanboy mashup dream team of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and director Edgar Wright who are routinely described as ‘the gang behind Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz’ – which, to be fair, they are.

The set-up starts with a familiar slacker storyline, with Pegg the perennial adolescent who is determined to get his old gang back together to complete an epic pub crawl that they never quite managed as teenage tipplers 20 years before.

Everyone else, of course – Frost, together with Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine and Eddie Marsan – have all grown up, taken on adult responsibilities and are no longer ready to drop everything for a massive booze-up.

But pestering Pegg persuades them to come on board, and it’s just as well – because it turns out that this motley crew is all that stands between humanity and its ultimate destruction.

Quite how that all comes about isn’t really important – it’s just the set-up that allows another turn around the ‘ordinary and slightly hopeless blokes have to confront extraordinary peril’ scenario complete with a goodly supply of jokes, all sorts of movie references and a tight and controlled story that rattles along to its conclusion.

While Shaun Of The Dead became a massive cult hit on the back of the realisation that Pegg and Frost pretty much were a pair of real life slacker manchildren given the chance to play with a movie and paying homage to their favourite flicks, that connection is harder to believe now that both are bona fide movie stars, not to mention movers and shakers on the British comedy scene.

But as a team they know not to fiddle with a winning formula or give in to grandiose ideas once they have a couple of hits under their belts. The World’s End is a solid, if not spectacular, comedy conclusion to what people keep calling the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy without, you would suspect, knowing why.

See what Simon Pegg had to say at the film’s premiere in our video report

Busy bee Nicolas Cage is back in front of the camera in The Frozen Ground, a serial killer thriller based on a true story in which our sleepy-eyed star is an Alaskan state trooper doing his level best to bring a crazed kook to justice, with the help of his only surviving victim

John Cusack, who is increasingly becoming flavour of the month for buttoned-down psychos, is the grade A baddy who abducts women, takes them off into the snowy wilderness and then hunts them down for sport. There’s some well-crafted tension and stunning scenery as well.

Luton’s summer of free family festivals continues this Saturday with the Bushmead Community Festival from 1.30pm-4.30pm at Bushmead Community Centre on Hancock Drive.

Aimed at Luton residents who live in the Barnfield Ward, the festival will have a range of exciting activities including community games, singing, dancing, music, face painting and more. There will also be a variety of stalls, refreshments and displays for all the family.

Officials from the Council, local agencies and various community groups will be on hand to provide information on local services.

The festival is being supported as part of the Luton Borough Council-led scheme – ‘Your Say, Your Way’ – which is all about increasing opportunities for local people to get involved in decision making so they can help shape the future of their neighbourhoods.

Along with the fun and activities, the festival provides a chance for local people who live in Barnfield Ward to give their ideas about what the priorities should be in their area.

Families will be able to give their opinions on local services and tell officials what improvements they would like to see in their neighbourhood.

Cllr Khtija Malik, Portfolio Holder for Community Development, said: “If you live in Bushmead make sure come along for an afternoon of family fun. The weather has been great this summer which makes these festivals so much more enjoyable.

“Just as importantly, the festival doubles as a great chance for you to tell us how we can improve your neighbourhood.”

Once the local community priorities are agreed, Barnfield residents will be given an opportunity later in the year to vote on projects they would like to see funded in their area to improve the way of life for local residents.

For more information, or to book a stall, contact Bushmead Community Centre on 01582 42 28 18.

For more information about the ‘Your Say, Your Way’ programme go to www.luton.gov.uk/neighbourhood

Maths guru and TV personality Johnny Ball entertained pupils at Ashcroft High School, Luton, last week with an inspirational maths extravaganza to year 7 and year 9 pupils in the school’s newly built theatre.

BARNFIELD West Academy has been named as the regional winner and national runner-up for leading the way in helping disadvantaged schoolchildren reach their full potential.

The government’s Pupil Premium awards offer cash prizes to schools optimising Pupil Premium grants, aimed at improving results for those from deprived backgrounds.

The South East of England is more than likely to experience continued ‘heatwave’ conditions over the next few days, according to Met Office forecasts.

A Level 3 heatwave alert means people should be aware of the actions to protect themselves from the possible health effects of hot weather, and social and healthcare services are advised to take specific actions that target high-risk groups.

Level 3 alerts are triggered as soon as the Met Office confirms that threshold temperatures for one or more region have been reached for one day and one night and the forecast for the next day has a greater than 90 per cent chance of reaching the threshold again.

The threshold for South East is an average of 31°C in the day and 16°C at night.

This stage requires social and healthcare services to target specific actions at high-risk groups.

Following this Met Office alert, Doctors from Public Health England in the South East are advising people to keep safe in the sun, seek shade to cool down and keep hydrated with plenty of cool fluids.

Top advice for being sun safe:

> Try to keep out of the sun between 11am and 3pm

> Wear sunscreen

> Wear loose cotton clothing

> Drink lots of cool drinks

> Seek shade

> Wear sunglasses and a hat

> Look out for others especially vulnerable groups such as the elderly, young children and babies and those with serious illnesses

> Never leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle, especially infants, young children or animals

Remember that it can get uncomfortably hot indoors too. Try to keep your bedroom and living space cool, by closing the curtains on windows that receive the sun and opening your windows at cooler times of the day and overnight when you can. Turn off non-essential lights and electrical items as these generate heat.

Health and social care workers in the community, hospitals and care homes are advised to regularly check on vulnerable patients, share sun safety messages, make sure room temperatures are set below 26 degrees, ensure patients have access to cold water and ice and that medicines are stored in a cool place.

Local authorities, professionals and community groups can prepare for hot weather by reviewing the Heatwave Plan on the PHE website.

Dr Jenny Harries, regional director, South of England said: “While many people enjoy hot weather, high temperatures can be dangerous, especially for people who may be particularly vulnerable such as older people, young children and those with serious illnesses.

“The Heatwave Plan is an important component of overall emergency planning and sets out a series of clear actions that can be taken by healthcare organisations, local authorities, professionals working with vulnerable people, and individuals to help keep people safe during extreme heat.

“During very hot weather, pregnant women and people who have chronic illnesses, including cardiovascular, respiratory, renal conditions, diabetes or Parkinson’s disease, may experience discomfort if indoor temperatures are particularly hot and in using public transport. Employers should ensure indoor areas are kept cool and consider allowing these individuals to travel to or from their place of work during cooler, or less busy, times of the day. For those working or exercising outdoors, strenuous physical exertion during the hottest part of the day should be kept to a minimum.

“To prepare for any type of hot weather this summer, we strongly encourage each locality to consider the actions in this plan and adapt them to their local situation, as a component of wider resilience planning and long-term climate change adaptation arrangements.

“Everyone can enjoy the sun safely by keeping out of the heat at the hottest time of the day, avoiding sunburn and staying hydrated with plenty of cool drinks. The elderly and those with long-term illnesses are particularly vulnerable to the effects of very hot weather, so it’s important to look out for them and keep indoor areas as cool as possible.”

Patricia Birchley, Buckinghamshire County Council’s cabinet member for Health & Wellbeing commented added: “In recent years, we’ve become rather unaccustomed to extended periods of very warm weather, and we need to remember that these conditions can involve health risks, especially to the elderly and vulnerable. Not only should we take sensible precautions in looking after ourselves and our families, but it’s a time to be aware of elderly and vulnerable neighbours, and maybe check on them if you think they may be suffering in the heat.”

You’ll find all the fun of the fayre at Lealands High School community fundraising event on Saturday (July 20) from 12-4pm.

There’ll be traditional games, dance shows, music performances and refreshments as well as tours of its newly refurbished facilities.

Luton and Dunstable locals are being thanked by British Heart Foundation (BHF) Shops after helping to turn their unwanted bags, boots and beds into lifesaving local equipment, including three defibrillators for the county.

Volunteering hours, donations and purchases by the local community have raised a staggering £316,000 over the past year - money which has helped fund two heart support groups and a heart nurse in Bedfordshire.

Jacqui Whitehall, BHF Area Manager, said: “The generosity of people in the Bedfordshire area has been astonishing and we want to thank every single person who has joined us in the fight against heart disease.

“Quite often people don’t realise that the sofa or dress that they donate actually raises vital funds and helps pay for anything from an echo machine in the local hospital to a community heart support group.”

The nation’s heart charity also currently funds four Heartstart schemes in Bedfordshire, which teach Emergency Life Support training in the community and schools.

The BHF also has Furniture & Electrical Stores in Bedford as well as BHF Shops, selling clothes, shoes, CDs and DVDs in Luton and Dunstable.

Have you been enjoying the weather?

Thought of getting out more? A little more exercise maybe?

Fancy fat juicy blackcurrants that cost a fortune in the supermarkets? Crunchy fresh vegetables, picked at the amount you want, not by how big the packet is.

Thought of lovely fresh summer salads?

Then you sound like the ideal allotment holder.

Luton has 14 allotment sites and over a thousand plots.

Many people have more than one plot. They are distributed round the town, from Toddington Road (the largest site) to Stockwood Park, Lewsey to Wigmore Lane.

Allotments have been in existence for centuries but their provision was only regularised following the First World War. A small annual rent is payable to the local authority.

Allotment holders can enjoy cheaper prices on seeds, compost, peat and fertilisers.

Some people will rent an allotment as they already love gardening but perhaps live in a flat or only have a small garden. For others it is exercise, the pleasure of harvesting, or the companionship of fellow growers that draws them.

You can rent an allotment through Luton Borough website. Go to www.luton.gov.uk and find the A _ Z of Services, click on P for Parks and Recreation, and then click on Allotments.

Here you can apply to rent an allotment. More popular sites may have a waiting list. You can also telephone 01582 546705.

So whether its potatoes or pak choi, broccoli or blackcurrants, the time is now to think about whether you should be an allotment grower.

Police have released a CCTV image of a man that they would like to speak with following the theft of meat from a shop in Caddington on Wednesday July 3.

The incident took place between 7.05pm and 7.15pm at the Co-Operative Store in Manor Road, Caddington, when the offender entered the store carrying a large black bag, walked towards the meat section and started filling the bag with a number of rump steaks and lamb joints. As the offender went to leave the store, a shop assistant saw products sticking out of the bag and attempted to confront him. The offender fled and got into a pastel green Citreon Saxo and drove away.

The offender is a white male, in his mid 30s, well-built and wearing a pale blue polo shirt and cream trousers.

If you recognise the offender or have any information relating to this incident, contact the Crime Service Team, in confidence, on the non-emergency 101 number quoting crime reference number JD/23716/2013.

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

The Mall is about to start phase two of a series of planned works to refurbish the entrance to the central car park.

It is costing owners Capital & Regional more than £180,000, which marks a significant investment in the shopping centre with the aim of improving the car park for shoppers.

Phase one - which encompassed the covered entrance – is complete. It will reopen on Sunday (July 21).

At the same time, work will start on phase two which includes improvements to the exit ramp.

This will close on Sunday at 7pm and will remain closed until Monday, August 19.

All vehicles entering the central car park will need to leave via the Market car park. Relevant signage will be in place.

The closure of the exit coincides with work being carried out by Luton Borough Council and the National Grid on Bute Street, which will be closed for about four weeks.

Operations Manager Roy Greening said: “By August you will see a vast improvment in these areas.”

There’s little evidence of X-Men director Bryan Singer’s fantasy flair in JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (12: Warner), a flabby makeover of Jack And The Beanstalk.

He simply goes through the fairy-tale motions and the busy action fails to make any real impact due to its reliance on fake-looking CGI.

Nicholas Hoult is the farmhand who swaps his horse for a bag of magic beans and inadvertently starts a war between humans and man-eating ogres in the sky.

He then joins all the king’s men on a mission to save the kidnapped princess (Eleanor Tomlinson) that he’s fallen for. She’s trapped in the monsters’ realm, but one of the rescue group intends to betray them in a bid to seize the throne.

While the film offers up some nice vistas, with windmills in the moonlight and similar chocolate-box images, the spectacle is standard swashbuckling fare. The land of the giants resembling Shrek’s village doesn’t help either, although there are a few reasons to keep watching.

These include Stanley Tucci camping away as the hissable villain and knight Ewan McGregor being sausage-rolled up by a chef colossus.

> All-action, no-plot adventure sequel GI JOE: RETALIATION (12: Paramount) picks up on the ‘to be continued’ conclusion of GI Joe: The Rise Of Cobra.

An elite military team is nearly wiped out after a terrorist organisation replaces the US president with an imposter and has them declared enemies of the state.

With Dwayne Johnson leading the surviving soldiers, aided by the original GI Joe (played by Bruce Willis on sleep-walking leave from The Expendables), they seek to clear their names, avenge their fallen comrades and halt Cobra’s surge to world domination. An indigestible stew of cheesy one-liners, perfunctory military battles and bland martial arts, this lumbering follow-up starts off on a dud note and simply goes downhill.

There’s zero energy, suspense or excitement generated by Step Up director Jon M. Chu. He dances around the fact he has a shambolic script with cardboard cut-outs wearing silly costumes to animate action that mostly exists to shove in outlandish vehicles taken from the Hasbro toy range.

The best sequence is an aerial assault on a Himalayan retreat by swooping ninja assassins.

> Modest, but often very moving, British film BROKEN (15: Studio Canal) marks the feature debut of theatre director Rufus Norris.

Newcomer Eloise Laurence stars as Skunk, an 11-year-old girl living in a suburban cul-de-sac with her single father (Tim Roth), older brother (Bill Milner) and their au pair (Zana Marjanovic).

Skunk’s life is normal and, except for her diabetes, uncomplicated, until her upstart teenage neighbours the Oswalds declare war on a young, emotionally damaged man (Robert Emms) who lives opposite.

A vicious lie gets out of hand, kick-starting a chain of events that results in violence and murder. It’s based on a novel inspired by To Kill A Mockingbird, but though it has elements of lurid melodrama, it’s the quiet moments that define this atmospheric film, making for an unusual coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of today’s “broken” Britain.

Police have released CCTV images of a man who stole a charity tin from a Luton sweet shop on Sunday June 30.

The incident took place at around 2.45pm at the Ambala store in Dunstable Road, Luton, when the offender entered the shop, approached the counter, stole the charity box and then fled the location.

The offender is an Asian male, in his mid 20s, around five feet eight inches tall and was wearing a striped polo shirt.

If you recognise the offender or have any information relating to this incident, contact the Crime Service Team, in confidence, on the non-emergency 101 number quoting crime reference number C/23122/2013.

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

Officers in Luton are appealing for help to identify the man in this picture.

The man is wanted for questioning in relation to a burglary that happened on July 15 in Park Street, Luton between 10.45pm and 11.58pm.

A Dell laptop, a Nokia mobile and a collection of distinctive silver coins (each coin is one and a half inches in diameter and have two Hindu Gods embossed on them) were taken during the burglary.

The man is described as having an Asian appearance; 28 years old, with an average build and wore a dark coloured top and light coloured trousers.

The officer in charge of this investigation, Detective Constable Surfraz Hussain, is keen to speak with anyone who can help identify the man shown on the attached picture.

Anyone with information relating to this crime can contact DC Hussain at Luton Police Station, in confidence, on 01582 394435, or Bedfordshire Police on 101, or text information to 07786 200011.

Alternatively you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

EDL protests have cost Beds police up to £2.5 million according to a Freedom of Information request.

And the total countrywide is £10m figures have shown.

The information for protests over the past four years was collected by the BBC

The EDL’s leader said his members were entitled to protest.

Tommy Robinson told the BBC: “We are not committing terrorism, all we are doing is protesting and voicing our concerns. There is no price you can put on democracy.”

The EDL, which was founded in 2009 in Luton, protests across the UK against “radical Islam”.

Beds Police recorded the highest cost of £2,447,172, followed by West Yorkshire Police at £1,911,088. This included the cost of officers’ overtime and borrowing officers from other forces.

Police have released a CCTV images of two women that they would like to speak with following the theft of numerous items from a shop in Luton on Friday June 14.

The incident took place at around 9.30pm at the Co-Operative Store in Whipperley Ring, Luton, when the two offenders entered the store carrying handbags and then started filling them with meat and sweets before walking out without making any attempt to pay. The store security guard approached the offenders who were both verbally abusive towards him before fleeing the area.

The first offender is a black female, around 50 years old, well built, five feet eight inches tall, carrying a black handbag and wearing a grey tracksuit. The second offender is also a black female, of similar age, carrying a large brown bag with gold buckle and wearing a grey poncho and black leggings.

If you recognise the offenders or have any information relating to this incident, contact the Crime Service Team, in confidence, on the non-emergency 101 number quoting crime reference number C/21275/2013.

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

The sound of summer as bees buzz through the glorious sunshine making the most of the season’s flowers.

Bedfordshire Beekeepers have some useful tips if you find a swarm arriving in your garden:-

First DON’T PANIC ! Swarming bees may sound and look frightening but they are at their most harmless because they have very little to defend and are away from their hive. Often they are only with you for a few hours whilst they find a new home and fly off.

Leave them to settle down and keep a sensible distance.

Call for a beekeeper. Tell the beekeeper as much as you can. You will be asked questions that help the beekeeper to decide what it’s best to do and whether you have honey bees or some other insect such as bumble bees or wasps.

Make a donation to the Beekeepers Association. A beekeeper is a volunteer.

To find out more go to http://www.bedfordshirebeekeepers.org.uk/index.htm

Ferrars Academy pupils arrived at their Macaulay Road,

Luton, school on Tuesday to find that an enormous egg had mysteriously appeared in the playground.

How did it get there? Where did it come from? What could possibly be inside?

No one could offer any answers.

The local police came to guard the egg and a scientist from the museum of strange objects visited the school to view the unexplained object.

The children worked hard all day looking for clues and creating imaginative stories about the egg.

After an assembly to celebrate the day’s work the children left school to find that the egg had hatched and some mysterious green footprints had been left behind leading out onto the pavement. What had come out of the egg and where could it be going now?...

The day proved a great challenge for the pupils’ creative writing day. Posters were put up along the route to school advertising the egg and a PCSO guarded the area to make the event look more realisti