To celebrate London Luton Airport’s 75th birthday, a special family fun day is taking place on Saturday at Stockwood Discovery Centre. As well as funfairs, circus entertainers and vintage cars, the day will also feature a very special appearance by Lorraine Chase!
Free admission.
The reverse wedding list is the new big thing, I’m told. That could be a bit confusing for anyone who has no idea what a reverse wedding list is, but worry not – I’m about to tell you all about it.
It’s a bright idea that allows couples just about to tie the knot to have a good clearout and raise a bit of cash at the same time.
The thinking is that these days most people who are walking down the aisle have already been shacked up together for some time, have already had their own homes for a good while too, and frankly have no need of traditional wedding gifts such as a toaster, a fondue set or a bale of fluffy towels.
The default option for wedding presents these days, it seems – and don’t ask me, I’ve not been to one for a couple of years – is money.
It’s as if you’re trying to tick a sulky teenager off your Christmas list, realise that nothing you choose will fit the bill, and take the easy option. Not a book voucher, mind, or anything else that might force the recipient in a particular direction. Just a cheque, please, or some folding stuff.
But standing at the head of the reception line with your hand out is a tad embarrassing for some happy couples, apparently, and so the reverse wedding list was born.
Here’s how it works – you and your intended put your heads together and decide to say ‘I do’ to a bit of de-cluttering and pile up everything you have got two of, no longer need for one reason or another or no longer want.
The items can be as basic as old DVDs or as big and bulky as the motorbike you won’t be allowed to ride any more, you just want to get shot of them.
Up they go on the website, and you ask your guests to buy them, achieving that pre-wedding win win of getting shot of a load of stuff without having to go to the dump, and increasing your bank balance just at a time it is taking a real caning.
The beauty of it is that you can put a ridiculous price tag on that horrible vase her late aunty gave her, and someone might well shell out for it.
If you tried that at a car boot, you’d be lucky to get a couple of quid for any of your old tut, and individually posting every item on some other online auction site is probably too much like hard work at a busy time.
If you are so minded, you can find out more at www.reverseweddinglist.com.
Having given the matter careful consideration, I think the only response if I am ever invited to dip into a reverse wedding list would be to find the single most awful item in the marriage manifest, pay over the odds for it, and then carefully gift-wrap it before handing it back to the happy couple at the reception. That way I get some pleasure out of my purchase, because I don’t want their cast-offs.
Two lanes on the M1 southbound near junction 9 were closed after a car hit the central reservation yesterday morning (August 20) at 7am.
The driver of the silver Daewoo was taken to hospital with a minor injury.
The road re-opened an hour later.
The police and fire service are treating a fire at the back door of a property in Saywell Road, Luton, as susupicious.
It started at 5.13am yesterday morning (August 20).
If anyone has any information they are asked to call the police on 101.
If you’re a stroke patient who would like to take part in research investigating improved walking, Oxford Brookes University would like to hear from you.
Patients would need to travel to Oxford twice a week for 10 weeks. Contact Daan Meester on 01865 483272.
A Gaining Green Skills course consisting of activities such as constructing wooden insect homes and weaving bird feeders out of willow has won nine adult Luton learners the John Muir award.
It was run by Groundwork Luton and Bedfordshire.
A woman has died after a car accident at the junction of Airport Way just after midnight this morning (August 21).
The 70-year-old was involved in a collision with a silver Mercedes Vito at the junction with Percival Way.
The driver of the vehicle was not injured but the pedestrian was taken to the Luton and Dunstable Hospital where she sadly died.
Officers from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Collision Investigation Unit have launched an investigation and the road was closed until 3.19am while they examined the scene.
Anyone who witnessed the collision and has not yet spoken to the police is asked to call PC Terry Nesbitt on 01438 757500, or Bedfordshire Police on 101, or text information to 07786 200011.
“You don’t have to be a bad-ass to be a superhero. You just have to be brave.”
When Kick Ass burst onto the cinema scene in 2010, Mark Millar kinetically blew the doors off the whole comic book genre - and it was something wonderful to behold...
Yes, Kick Ass was ultra violent and over the top sweary and got up the nose of The Daily Mail but to readers of comics it was the freshest, most exhilarating ride for years. Now here comes Kick Ass 2 – again based on the Mark Millar/John Romita Jr cutting edge comic books but this time helmed by Jeff ‘Never Back Down’ Wadlow.
This is a true ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ to the original’s ‘A New Hope’ – we find Dave Lizewski /Kick-Ass (Aaron ‘Taylor-Johnson) a conflicted soul. Having brought down the big crime boss at the end of the first film, he’s now buffed and ready for more crime fighting but in need of a partner or team.
Luckily Kick Ass’s antics have inspired a whole raft of wannabe super-heroes and he is soon invited to join Justice Forever, a rag-tag bunch of crime fighters led by born-again Christian Colonel Colonel Stars And Stripes (a great turn from Jim Carrey).
But every hero needs a nemesis and Kick Ass has his in the shape of Chris D’Amico (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) whose dad Kick Ass killed. Styling himself as the world’s first real supervillain (even though his only ‘power’ is his warped mind and tons of cash) he adopts the censor baiting name The Motherf%&;*£#;^r – and raises an evil army to exact revenge.
Meanwhile Mindy Macready / Hit Girl (Chloë ‘soon to be the new Carrie’ Grace Moretz) has sworn to give up her vigilante ways and try to fit in at high school – a fun subplot which sees her rubbing up against bitchy babe Brooke (the upcoming Claudia Lee). Cue cheerleading, dates and Mean Girls-alike teen strife – all of which are all alien to Hit Girl.
Incredibly KickAss 2 manages to bring the various elements together in a joyfully profane and crunchingly violent super-sequel that had the audience I saw it with cheering out loud.
Whilst it might not be as fresh as the first film, Kick Ass 2 brings megaton comic book thrills and beats you to within an inch of your life with them...
There is a genius, subversive, sick and funny mind at work here but be warned: Kick Ass 2 isn’t for the fainthearted.
Prepare to feel the Kick Ass shock and awe all over again.
Click on the video link to see what the stars of the film have to say about claims that it is too violent for its young target audience
The influences are clear to see in fast-paced action movie OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (15: Lionsgate).
If you substitute the White House with a Los Angeles skyscraper, you’ve essentially got the first Die Hard movie.
When the White House is infiltrated by terrorists, it’s up to Gerard Butler’s secret service operative Mike Banning to save the day.
Banning, a former bodyguard to the US president (Aaron Eckhart), was dismissed from duty after a tragic accident. Using his inside knowledge of the building after the president is taken hostage, the resourceful Banning wages a one-man war against the bad guys, even as they threaten to disarm America’s missile defences.
But he must also find the president’s young son (Finley Jacobsen), who is hiding somewhere in a network of secret passages.
The momentum drops off after the initial, audaciously staged terrorist attack, and Butler isn’t quite up to it when delivering the pithy one-liners. He’s no more than solid and capable as the hero who’s got what it takes to get the job done.
> Three teenagers gain extraordinary powers in CHRONICLE (15: Twentieth Century Fox), one of the more worthwhile additions to the ‘found footage’ subgenre.
It follows a troubled nerd, his much cooler cousin and the big man on campus as they explore powers assimilated while exploring a mysterious cave.
However, unlike the classic comic-book hero, these guys don’t put on spandex and explore the maxim that “with great power comes great responsibility”.
They just want to have fun and delight in experimenting with what they are able to do, documenting their actions on video.
Initially using their telekinesis for pranks, the three teen titans exhibit an infectious sense of wonder as they revel in these astonishing abilities, with the flying scenes particularly breathtaking.
But absolute power corrupts, as one of their number discovers when it goes to his head and things take a darker turn, leading to a jaw-dropping smackdown worthy of any big-budget blockbuster.
> Top director Pedro Almodovar returns to his comedy roots with I’M SO EXCITED (15: Twentieth Century Fox), a film full of fizz, filth and fun.
When a moment’s negligence endangers a flight to Mexico City, three flamboyant flight attendants try to keep the passengers happy until they find a solution.
The economy class has been put to sleep, but the business class, which includes a shady Spanish banker, a clairvoyant virgin, an actor and a mysterious security agent, proves more difficult to subdue. When news of an impending disaster finally breaks, rather than panic, a frenzied torrent of debauchery ensues. Look out for cameos from Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz as a husband and wife duo.
> REBELLION (15: Lionsgate) reconstructs one of the most contentious moments in recent French history when Kanak separatists took hostages on the Pacific island of Ouvéa in 1988,
An anti-terrorist squad is dispatched to negotiate with the group’s leader, but with a presidential election in full swing back in France, the need for candidates François Mitterand and Jacques Chirac to seem tough in a crisis leads to a murderous army raid being carried out to resolve the situation.
The £91 million Luton Dunstable Busway will officially open on Wednesday September 25.
Billed as “fast, frequent and reliable”, the busway will provide services between Luton and Dunstable as often as every seven minutes at peak times, with the journey taking 15 minutes.
Arriva, Centrebus and Grant Palmer bus companies will operate four new routes on the busway, crossing 6.1 miles of segregated bus-only road between Blackburn Road in Houghton Regis and Luton town centre.
Councillor Dave Taylor said: “After 20 years in the planning and three years in construction, it’s incredibly exciting to be announcing the opening date of the Luton Dunstable Busway.
“People in Luton, Dunstable and Houghton Regis have been waiting a long time for a significant improvement to the public transport network. These journey times are not only extremely fast, in some cases more than twice as quick, but also frequent and reliable, and therefore offer a high quality and real alternative to the frustrating traffic queues we all know.”
Within the 6.1 miles of bus-only road, a 4.8-mile section of concrete guideway has been built along the disused Luton-Dunstable railway corridor so that standard buses fitted with two small guide wheels can join and leave the track, and travel on it in both directions smoothly and safely at speeds of up to 50mph.
Councillor Nigel Young, Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Communities at Central Bedfordshire Council, said: “The Luton Dunstable Busway is far more flexible than rail could ever be, and quicker and more reliable than conventional bus services, which makes it absolutely the best way to travel between Houghton Regis, Dunstable and Luton.
“The great benefits are faster journey times and improved connections for businesses, from as early as 5.30am until late on weekdays. By working together so closely, the councils and operators have delivered four great routes and ensured that the Busway will open up a wealth of opportunities for hassle-free journeys to work, college, shopping, the theatre or just catching up with friends.”
The busway is the second-longest in the world and the longest in an urban environment, and has taken three years to complete.
A major engineering project, six bridges were demolished and rebuilt and three new ones added, plus more than 4,500 concrete beams each weighing 4.8 tonnes being laid.
Information for passengers:
All bus stops have new high-quality, well-lit shelters with level boarding to make journeys easier for wheelchair users and those with puschairs.
Real-time passenger information (RTPI) displays provided at Busway stops and elsewhere show when the next buses are due to arrive.
Operators will charge the same on their Busway services as they do for the equivalent trip using current road routes.
Passengers can pay the driver when boarding, and single tickets btween Luton and Dunstable cost from £2, and returns from £3.50.
There is also a range of day and weekly tickets on offer.
A new ‘shared-use’ path runs along side the busway for cyclists and walkers, although this was criticised by cyclists who feared the ‘crushed limestone’ finish would be dangerous.
Timetables are being finalised and will be available shortly. Bus services using the Busway will be:
* Service A operated by Arriva from Parkside, Houghton Regis, to London Luton Airport via Dunstable and Luton Station Interchange, seven days a week – featuring Monday to Saturday services approximately every 15 minutes at peak times (hourly in the late evening) plus regular Sunday service.
* Service B operated by Centrebus from Downside estate to Luton Station Interchange via Dunstable, seven days a week – featuring Monday to Saturday services approximately every half an hour at peak times plus regular Sunday service.
* Service C operated by Grant Palmer from Beecroft estate to Luton Station Interchange via Dunstable, six days a week – featuring Monday to Saturday services approximately every half-hour at peak times.
* And service E operated by Centrebus from Toddington Green to Luton Galaxy Centre via Dunstable White Lion, six a days a week – featuring Monday to Friday services approximately every half-hour at peak times, plus regular Saturday service.
Via the new bus-rail interchange at Luton Station, Luton Airport Parkway and London Luton Airport there are quick and easy onward connections available to the capital, and regional, national and international destinations.
A police dog sniffed out a suspected robber who was hiding in some bushes in the Telford Way area this morning.
The man was arrested along with six others after being spotted acting suspiciously by council CCTV operators at about 2am.
Police officers, Jerry the police dog and his handler were scrambled to the area and five men were quickly arrested near Brook Street. Jerry found the sixth man, and a seventh man was later picked up by officers at an address in the Downs Road area of town.
The men, all aged between 15 and 20 years old, are now being held for questioning by officers from the South Bedfordshire Robbery Unit in connection with a robbery that happened close to the underpass leading to Moor Park last night.
Det Con Matt Shepherd said: “The reduction of robberies remains a priority for Bedfordshire Police and we will continue to work together with partner agencies, using all available resources, to ensure those who are committing crime in our county are caught and brought to justice.”
Anyone with information relating to this incident is urged to contact Det Con Shepherd at Luton Police Station, in confidence, on 01582 394443, or Bedfordshire Police on 101 or text information to 07786 Alternatively you can contact the independent crime fighting charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
A teenager was beaten by a group of youths as he was robbed for the second time in the same evening on Sunday.
The 15-year-old was on the ramp in George Street leading into The Mall at about 5.30pm when he began to speak to two men.
They demanded he hand over £10 and he refused and began to walk away, but the offenders grabbed him and during a scuffle took his black Nike zip-up hooded top.
The victim chased the robbers along Upper Wellingston Street before he lost sight of them.
They are described as men of Asian apperance, aged 15 or 16, and it is believed they used the names Tabe and Dudley.
Three hours later, the victim was in the Namco Station Arcade in The Galaxy Centre when two victims approached him and asked him to follow them outside for a chat.
The victim followed them to a stairwell where they searched him, punched him in the face and were then joined by a number of other youhts who joined in the assault.
Det Con Ben Stone said: “The first offence happened in a very public place and I am sure people who were in the town would have seen either the robbery or the chase that followed.
“The victim has stated that a member of the public came to help him after the second offence and I would appeal to this person to come forward and tell us what they saw.”
If you have information relating to these incidents you can contact DC Stone, at Luton Police Station, in confidence, on 01582 394471, or Bedfordshire Police on 101 Station,, or text information to 07786 200011.
The leader of the English Defence League is planning to visit residents in Stopsley to address concerns over a planned protest there on Bank Holiday Monday.
Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is currently on bail after appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court yesterday charged with obstructing police officers in east London.
He and co-leader Kevin Carroll allegedly tried to defy a ban on marching to the scene of the murder of soldier Lee Rigby on June 29.
Both were released on bail and are due to appear at the same court on September 11.
On Twitter today, Tommy said: “I’m in stopsley tomorrow talking with residents and popping into the traveller site 2 see if any1 has any concerns.” (sic)
All hail the ale and raise your glasses to the great British Beer Festival, which was bigger and better than ever this year.
The Campaign For Real Ale’s five-day event at Olympia London was attended by about 55,000 enthusiasts who were able to choose from 800 real ales, ciders, perries and international beers.
Breweries – small, medium and large – from across the country were represented, including three from Bedfordshire (Wells & Young of Bedford, Banks and Taylor of Shefford, and Potton Brewery).
This short video captures the atmosphere on the festival’s fourth day as visitors sampled some of the Bedfordshire-brewed beers on offer.
The search is on for a CCTV hard drive which was taken during a “daring” robbery of more than £25,000 at Farmfoods in Park Street.
The robber pushed his way past a store worker who was having a cigarette near a fire exit at the shop at about 6.20pm on August 15.
He went to the store office where the manager was banking the day’s takings, and demanded he handed over the cash.
After taking the money – which was in excess of £25,000 - the offender made the manager smash several computers and the CCTV camera as well as making him hand over the CCTV hard drive (pictured).
Det Con Tom Hamm, who is investigating the raid, said: “While this was a very daring raid carried out in broad daylight, I’m sure that the raider would not have carried the hard drive too far and I am hoping that someone may have seen the item discarded in the town centre area.”
The offender fled through the same fire exit he entered through and headed towards Church Street.
He is described as a black male, in his late 20s or early 30s, around 5 ft 11 tall, of medium build and wearing a black hooded top and blue jeans.
Due to the size and weight of the hard drive, detectives believe that it would have been disposed of locally and are asking the public for help in locating the equipment which could hold valuable information about the raid.
Officers are also reviewing footage from several other CCTV cameras around the town centre but are keen to speak with anyone who may have been in the area and seen the offender either before or after the incident.
Det Con Hamm added: “The town would have been swarming with people finishing work and making their way home at the time of the raid. The Mall would also have only closed a short time beforehand and I am positive that someone will have seen something.
“I’m particularly keen to speak with witnesses who would have been waiting for buses in Church Street, right opposite the fire exit which the offender used to enter and leave the store. The road was very busy with pedestrians, motorists and those waiting for public transport so I would urge anyone who may have seen anything to get in touch.”
If you have information relating to this incident, contact DC Hamm, in confidence, on 01582 394498, the non-emergency number 101, or text information to 07786 200011.
Alternatively contact independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.
Police are concerned for the welfare of 15 year old John Lettman from Luton, who is believed to be staying with friends in the Lewsey Farm or Marsh Farm area.
John left his home on Dunstable Road, Luton, on August 13, saying he was going to see friends, but did not come back. He has been seen briefly in the Marsh Farm area but so far he has not returned home.
Because of the length of time John has been away, police are now concerned about him and need to hear from anyone who has seen him.
PC Jayne Klein from the Missing Persons Unit said: “John is only 15 and should be being cared for at home. It’s likely he’s been staying with friends somewhere in Luton but those people need to make sure that he gets back home. They may be trying to help, but allowing a young person to stay with you when you know they should be elsewhere is actually a criminal offence.”
John, nicknamed Little John, is described as black, 5ft 3ins tall, with short afro hair and last seen wearing a grey hoody with a sky blue body warmer and jeans, with yellow and grey Nike trainers.
If you can help with information about John’s whereabouts, please contact the MPU on 01234 275134 or the 24 hour non-emergency police number 101, or text the control room directly at any time on 07786 200011.
Nine people from Luton have been awarded the John Muir Award, following the completion of Gaining Green Skills through the John Muir Award, a 12 week course.
The course was run by Groundwork Luton & Bedfordshire and Mind BLMK, with the support of Luton Borough Council and with funding from The Luton Trust Community Learning Fund.
It is aimed to help adult learners increase their confidence and improve their mental wellbeing through exploring conservation and wildlife in the award winning Wardown Park and some of Luton’s other green spaces.
Over the past three months, the team participated in a range of activities, which included learning about the history of Wardown Park, constructing wooden insect homes, completing a tree survey, and weaving bird feeders out of willow.
They were also able to develop information-sharing skills, using media such as photography, creative writing and learning how to display information for the public to see.
Vicky Duxbury, Environmental Education Officer for Groundwork Luton and Bedfordshire, said: “It is well documented that getting outdoors is good for your mental wellbeing, and this course has certainly shown that this is true.
“We have had lots of positive responses from the learners as to how much better they were feeling after attending the weekly sessions.”
Cllr Mohammed Ashraf, Luton Borough Council’s executive member with responsibility for parks, said: “We were extremely pleased to host this project in one of Luton’s Green Flag parks.
“Luton’s parks and green spaces are extremely important to the health and wellbeing of local people and provide opportunities for relaxation, meditation and quiet contemplation.”
On Tuesday July 30, the nine participants who completed the course were presented with the John Muir Award, which is an environmental award launched in 1997 which focuses on celebrating wild places.
The presentation took place as part of the group’s final session when they celebrated their achievements at a small event in Wardown Park.
The event included afternoon tea at the Summer House and a presentation about the project to invited guests – a great way of acknowledging the achievements of the participants.
This year marks the 65th anniversary since Sir Winston Churchill addressed a crowd of a staggering 110,000 people in front of the Mansion House at Luton Hoo Hotel, and thanked them for their support during the Second World War.
Luton Hoo Hotel has an incredibly rich history and it has long been linked with the wartime leader - there is even a room named in his honour. Even today new links continue to emerge and it has recently been discovered that the previous owners’ daughter, Gina, married Lieutenant-Colonel Sir George Kennard who was in the same regiment as Churchill.
Avid Churchillian, Jack Darrah, famed for his exhibition of personal memorabilia at Bletchley Park, is a regular guest at the hotel.
He said: “For a keen historian, it is amazing to be able to stand in the same spot as Sir Winston Churchill himself.
“The history is intriguing and it’s absolutely fascinating to discover new details about the property’s illustrious past.”
Do you know an unsung hero?
Luton’s Community Awards returns for a fourth sensational year and promises to be bigger and better than ever and everyone is encouraged to nominate the people and projects which deserve that special recognition.
There are 14 awards in all ranging from Exceptional Achievement, Role Model of the Year, a local Young Hero, Charity Champions, Community Projects and much more.
Luton and Central Bedfordshire residents are being asked to nominate individuals, community groups and businesses who they think deserve a big public “thank you” for their commitment or service that goes beyond the call of duty.
And every year the Community Awards gives a generous donation to two charities.
This year Keech Hospice Care and the Children’s Ward at the Luton & Dunstable Hospital will be the recipients. Community Magazine proprietor and Community Awards founder Mostaque Koyes says: “Last year we raised £10,000 for Keech Hospice and the same amount for a community project in Malawi.”
For more details, to nominate your local hero or to donate to Keech Hospice log on to www.communitycommunication.co.uk or pick up a nomination form at any Luton community centre or library. The Community Awards Ceremony will take place on in Venue Central 2 on Leagrave Road. Tickets for the event
Two men were victims of mobile phone robberies in Luton and detectives are looking for witnesses.
A 20-year-old was grabbed as he walked to work along Leagrave Road at about 8.30am on Tuesday.
He was near Chicken Cottage when he was grabbed by the shoulder, pulled into an alleyway and threatened before his Samsung Galaxy S4 was taken from him.
The offender fled the scene.
On August 10, a 29-year-old was kicked and punched by two men at about 11pm in Dallow Road, causing him to fall to the ground.
The robbers searched the victims’ pockets and ran from the scene with his Samsung mobile phone, keys and bank cards.
The offenders are described as white men, possibly with Irish accents.
Det Con Rebecca Kitts said: “The first incident happened in broad daylight in a very busy area of the town when other people would have also been making their way to work. They may have seen the victim and offender together and not realised what was happening and I would urge these people to come forward and speak with officers.
“During the incident on August 10, the victim believes the offenders were seen knocking on the doors and windows of several residential homes in the Dallow Road area before they approached him. It is possible that some residents answered their door and may be able to help identify the people involved.”
If you have information relating to this incident you can contact DC Kitts, at Luton Police Station, in confidence, on 01582 394442, or Bedfordshire Police on 101, or text information to 07786 200011.
Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.