Roadworks on a Dunstable estate, to carry out resurfacing and install traffic calming measures, were this week said to be close to completion.

Meanwhile, another road safety scheme is under way, with 20mph speed limit signs going up in residential areas around the town.

Roadworks in areas including Canesworde Road, Langdale Road and Lowther Road began on July 29.

On Monday, Central Beds Council said the project was coming to a close.

Executive councillor Brian Spurr said: “The final week of improvement works is on track and progressing well and we’re grateful for residents’ patience.

“It is very nearly complete, with just smaller sections of resurfacing, lining and path works to be done up to the middle of the week.

“Last week we managed to install the speed tables, start road marking, complete the resurfacing of Canesworde Road and Langdale Road, work on kerbs, paths and drains, as well as installing dropped kerbs for some residents.”

> Road safety is at the forefront around the town, with the introduction of new 20mph zones.

The council is bringing in a 20mph speed limit in residential areas throughout Dunstable, apart from the A5, Church Street, West Street and the industrial area.

This is all part of the local area transport plan.

In a statement this week, the council said: “ The aim is to tackle speeding and rat-running through the residential areas of Dunstable, which will be further helped when the M1-A5 link road can be built to relieve traffic pressures in the town.

“In densely-populated areas, there is an increasing view that 30mph is too high a limit and there are now an increasing number of local authorities that are implementing residential area 20mph zones and limits.

“The introduction of a 20mph speed limit across the entire area will send a clear message to drivers that this is a residential area and that they should reduce their speed for the benefit of residents.”

The statement added: “We are hoping to slow down the traffic, reduce both the number and severity of any injury accidents (especially those involving pedestrians and cyclists as they are the most vulnerable), improve the amenity of the residential areas and encourage more sustainable forms of transport in line with both local and central Government policies and advice.”

Halal meat is back on the menu at Luton Sixth Form College this term.

Halal dishes were temporarily withdrawn from the college’s Westside Restaurant in May as a precautionary measure after concerns were raised by the Luton Council of Mosques about how meat was certified. The college has now sourced new suppliers approved by the Halal Monitoring Committee (HMC), an independent organisation whose main aim is to certify the production of genuine Halal food.

Head of catering at the college Kay Stott said: “We are now certified by the HMC and will have someone from the mosque come in monthly to do the necessary checks and give us an authorisation stamp. Both Halal and non-Halal meat options, as well as vegetarian dishes, will now be available in our restaurant.”

An airline based at Luton Airport will be adding three new routes in the autumn.

Low cost Wizz Air will be flying to Donetsk, in Ukraine, Košice in Slovakia and Craiova in Romania.

Simon Harley, Luton Airport’s business development manager, said: “Low cost flying has made business and leisure travel an affordable option and the arrival of these new services reinforces our partnership with Wizz Air.”

A victim of cyber crime has welcomed advice to help stay safe online.

Frances Pardell, of Pardell PR, in Luton, had to pay £200 to fix her computer after her screen froze. She ignored messages to pay £100.

She said: “The fact that an unknown and unidentifiable person could blatantly and remotely carry out their threatened actions to sabotage my businesses was very scary.”

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), of which Frances Pardell is a member, has issued 10 top tips to stay safe on-line.

New research from the FSB shows 41 per cent of FSB members have been a victim of cyber crime in the last 12 months, putting the average cost at around £4,000 per business.

Luton and South Bedfordshire FSB branch chairman Damian Cummins called on the government to make it easy for businesses to report when they have been a victim of fraud or online crime.

The tips include carrying out regular security updates on all software and devices.

Following the announcement that easyJet will fund this year’s Christmas lights in Luton, the council is now calling for sponsors to pay for the Christmas trees too.

The price to sponsor the two trees which will sit outside the Town Hall is £4,000, and businesses will be able to display two banners in front of the trees, as well as other advertising opportunities.

The council is aiming to “boost the town’s profile, support local businesses, show off local talent and create a buzz for Christmas and New Year”.

A council spokeswoman said: “Based on the previous turnout for this occasion we are expecting around 20,000 people throughout the day so your business will get a large exposure to the local community, commuters and visitors.

“Hopefully, St George’s Square will also be the home once again to a local Christmas market offering traditional fare and gifts, alongside the ever popular ice rink.”

Once sponsorship has been confirmed the chosen company will be credited on www.luton.gov.uk/Christmas with a link to its website.

Any businesses with enquiries or interests can contact the Luton Borough Council Sponsorship and Advertising Team on 01582 547325 or email marketing@luton.gov.uk for extra information relating to sponsorship details.

Gun shots were fired at a property in Devon Road where a mother and her children were going to bed last night.

Police confirmed the shots were fired just after 9pm but no one was hurt.

Voices were heard before the shotgun was fired, and then two male offenders made off on a motorcycle towards Crawley Green Road.

Det Insp Iain Morgan said he believes the shooting was deliberately targeted.

He said: “I am appealing to anyone who has information about this offence or who was in or near the area at the time and recalls hearing or seeing the motorcycles or the offenders before or after the offence. I firmly believe this offence was aimed at specific people living at the location and would reiterate very strongly that Bedfordshire Police does not tolerate the use of violence and firearms. If you have information about this please contact the police in confidence.”

The incident is not thought to be related to the wider ongoing gun crime in Luton and is being dealt with separately.

Beds Police have so far this year arrested 63 people, executed 55 warrants, recovered 27 firearms, carried out 231 overt patrol stop-checks and charged four people with firearm/weapon offences.

A further 12 people are currently on bail for similar offences.

Anyone with information relating to this incident can contact Bedfordshire Police on 101, or text information to 07786 200011.

Police are increasingly concerned about the welfare of a missing teenager who has not been seen since August 27.

John Lettman, 15, known as Little John, said he was going to visit friends when he left his home in Dunstable Road, and did not come back.

It is thought he may be staying with friends in the Lewsey Farm or Marsh Farm area, but because of the length of time he has been away, police are concerned 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 is described as black, 5ft 3ins tall, with short afro hair and last seen wearing a black t-shirt with a black coat 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.

A talented documentary maker from Luton has teamed up with MP George Galloway for an expose on Tony Blair.

Greg Ward, 28, from Bushmead, is using crowd-funding website Kickstarter to raise the £50,000 needed for the project and today (September 5), hit the target..

The £50,000 was pledged in less than a week online.

Greg said: “It’s pretty amazing and unexpected. If we didn’t get to £50,000 we wouldn’t have received any of the pledges.”

Greg cut his teeth with a documentary about the English Defence League last year, through which he met Respect MP George Galloway.

The pair kept in touch and Galloway, famous for his appearance on Celebrity Big Brother, approached Greg to make a film with him.

Greg said: “George came up with the idea of doing something on Tony Blair. I am quite politically engaged, I was against the Iraq war and Afghanistan. I have been in the world of investigating the far right so far but the Tony Blair thing is something I do feel passionately about.

“With Syria even now there’s the horrible cloud of Iraq hanging over the debate.”

The documentary will explore Blair’s investments in offshore accounts, his dealings with various world leaders, and the work he has done in the corporate world since retiring from office.

Galloway, who was expelled from the Labour Party in 2003 over his outspoken opposition to the war in Iraq. said: “Tony Blair killed the Labour Party as we knew it. He and George W. Bush helped kill a million people in disastrous wars.”

The Killing Of Tony Blair project already has a team of researchers investigating, and they are hoping to interview Tony Blair himself.

Greg, who went to St Joseph’s Infant School in Limbury, said: “I have always had this interest in documentaries, watching documentaries every night, I still do that.

“I’ve always been passionate about Luton and local politics and I’m interested in the clash of cultures in our town, with the extremists and the far right. I would like to revisit that topic in the future.

“Kickstarter is a whole different way of creating a film. You’ve already got your fan base because they are the ones who funded the project. That’s the way the industry is going.There is a pressure, people are expecting quite big things from it but I think we can deliver.”

Visit www.kickstarter.com/projects/22595538/the-killing-of-tony-blair for more.

A proposal to build up to 5,150 houses on greenbelt land on the outskirts of Houghton Regis was given the go-ahead by Central Beds Council yesterday (September 4), writes Richard Redman.

The ‘flexible’ plans also allow for up to 202,500m² of retail and industrial development – as well as a care home – and are expected to change the face of the area over the next 20 years.

As many as 1,545 ‘affordable housing’ dwellings could be delivered, in line with the council’s policy to ensure that about 30 per cent of new housing from planning permissions reflect the type of housing best-suited to the area’s needs.

The affordable housing will be a ‘50/50’ split between shared ownership mortgages and affordable rent tenures.

Consultant project manager Lachlan Robertson told the development management committee that an increase in property value could see even more affordable housing being built.

He said: “Should we see an increase in value over the next 20 years, some of the extra value would go to the council to do with as they see fit, to pay for additional affordable housing.”

Mr Robertson also said that the granted planning permission will allow developers to ‘flex’ their proposals to reflect future market or social changes.

He added: “This will be a balancing exercise for the council – the financial viability against the environmental impact this will have.

“The key to this development is the opening of the M1-A5 link road. Without that, no one gets anything.”

Among objectors are the owners of the Quadrant Shopping Centre in Dunstable, who say the plans, including retail, pub and takeaway uses, could take trade away from the town centre.

Luton Borough Council has also made an official objection, arguing it should be able to house people from its waiting lists in half of the affordable homes on the huge site.

Dunstable Town Council and Houghton Regis Town Council made no objection, though Houghton Regis requested that consideration be given to potential traffic problems the scheme could cause.

The plans were approved almost unanimously by the committee, with only one abstained vote.

Herald&Post readers took to Facebook to voice their views on the plans.

Amy Ivins said: “What is the point of labelling an area ‘greenbelt’ if you are then allowed to build on it?”

Carey Adams said: “I think anything we have to contribute on the subject is a moot point.

“So far all CBC have shown us recently is that resistance is futile.”

However, Sam Cash said: “I think it’s a good idea.”

n What do you think? Get in touch on Facebook or tweet @Dunstable_Rick.

n For the full story on the decision – and for more reaction – see next week’s Luton News and Dunstable 
Gazette.

The armoured avenger is back on track in IRON MAN 3 (12: Walt Disney) by returning to basics after the disappointing first sequel.

This adventure, which sees the man-in-the-can hunt for the mastermind behind a series of bombings, boasts impressive CGI action and a substantial and involving story to match.

When a villain known as the Mandarin (a brilliant performance from Ben Kingsley) begins his terror campaign, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) is attacked in his Malibu home and feared dead.

He soon realises the Mandarin has ties to Aldrich Killian (a superbly villainous Guy Pearce), a scientist from Stark’s past whose Extremis virus is being used to turn disabled war veterans into invincible super soldiers.

Director Shane Black and co-writer Drew Pearce fill the unpredictable plot with some smart surprises, breezy black humour and a great sense of fun.

And there’s no shortage of visual spectacle, with highlights including a wholesale trashing of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, a breathtaking midair rescue and an explosive dockside climax.

> While there’s no doubting the technical proficiency of FAST & FURIOUS 6 (12: Universal), this street-racing series is showing signs of franchise fatigue.

In the fifth sequel, the cars and cast are transported to an unrecognisably traffic-free London for more tyre-squealing action.

Ex-con Vin Diesel and former cop and new father Paul Walker are tempted to bring their fugitive gang out of retirement for “one last job” when Dwayne Johnson’s federal agent promises them a pardon.

Between deafening set-pieces, ranging from an inventive and witty daylight tank chase on a Spanish motorway to a murky, confusing night-time assault on a hulking Russian cargo plane, the pit-stop banter falls clangingly flat.

Diesel’s low-rumbling platitudes about “family” and “the code” are barely audible, while Welshman Luke Evans’ ex-SAS baddie lacks boo-hiss villainy.

Yet a glimmer of hope is offered in the post-credits tease, which introduces a much better bet for the gang’s adversary in part seven.

> The Hangover’s screenwriters directed tiresome gross-out romp 21 & OVER (15: Momentum), in which there’s an eerie absence of funny lines and ideas.

This post-teen comedy plays a bit like Harold & Kumar and the depressing American Pie sequels, without the gags.

Miles Teller has the Seann William Scott role of the wisecracking party animal who coerces his more strait-laced buddy Casey (Skylar Astin) and their mutual friend Jeff Chang (Justin Chon) into an ill-advised night on the town.

The plan is to celebrate Jeff’s 21st birthday – and his official drinking age – despite the fact that Jeff’s crucial med exam is the next morning.

What could possibly go wrong?

Racial stereotype gags about Asians being super-overachievers are misjudged, though probably not more so than anything else in the movie.

Co-directors Scott Moore and Jon Lucas have substantial writing credits under their belts, but this dire campus comedy resembles an early script that they’ve dusted off.

Two people were trapped in lifts in separate incidents in Luton yesterday.

At 10.29am, fire crews were called to Luton Airport Parkway Railway Station in Gipsy Lane.

One person was released from a lift at the station.

At 3.23pm in Home Court, Hockwell Ring, fire crews were again called to reports of people trapped in a lift.

One person was released from the lift which was stuck on the 10th floor.

Diversity, community and social enterprise champion Saundra Glenn is about to become only the second black woman in the country to win the title of official Toastmaster.

Luton-born Saundra, who lives in Dunstable, is a founder of the Diversity in Social Enterprise movement and has helped to create 45 new businesses since the year 2000.

Her new role, announced at a meeting of Networking at Dunstable, at the Old Palace Lodge, this morning (Friday), means she will be able to officiate at events including those attended by the Queen. Her first engagement could be at the Emirates stadium at the end of October.

Saundra, who is of Jamaican heritage, is also co-founder of the Bedfordshire Social Enterprise Network and is a champion of Bedfordshire.

Amongst other roles, she chairs ArtBeats Luton and is a member of national bodies – Voice4Change and the Federation of Small Business. She served as a board member of regional body, Social Enterprise East of England (SEEE).

Saundra said it was the achievement of a seven year dream and she intends to use her new role as a way of funding her voluntary activities. She will call herself a Toastmistress for Social Good, and believes she will be the first of a kind in the country to carry out the role not for profit.

Her other community and equality roles include 10 years of volunteering as a member of the Independent Advisory Group to Bedfordshire Police and the Interim Vice Chair of the African Caribbean Strategic Partnership, a new co-op formation with community, council, police and other strategic organisations seeking to provide solutions away from gun, gangs and knife crime in Luton.

A pedestrian who was killed in a collision with a car in Airport Way, Luton was a “citizen of the world” returning from a peace mission in the Middle East when she died.

Gillian Audrey Kean, 70, one of the founding members of charitable trust Hazelwood in Devon, died on August 21, after suffering multiple injuries in the incident.

She was making her way to Ibis Hotel just after midnight and was due to fly to Bulgaria the next day to investigate an alternative cancer treatment.

Anabel Farnell-Watson, one of her partners at Hazelwood, said: “It’s indescribable and we are all reeling. We are determined to keep her work up as best we can. Her legacy to us is a vast network all over the world.”

With Anabel and third partner Jane Bowman, Gillian spent 25 years working at Hazelwood, where they welcomed survivors of torture, children from Chernobyl and refugees from Bosnia, Armenia and Chechyna and celebrated art and music, all the while running as a small hotel.

In her earlier years, Gillian was an antique dealer, and traded in Mayfair Emporium.

She travelled the world, lived with a passion, and was so fearless that at one time she was known fondly by international forces as Le Capitaine.

Anabel said: “People have been sending messages from all over the world. Her passion and her compassion were incredible.”

Anabel visited Airport Way in Luton where Gillian was hit.

She said: “It’s incredibly dangerous. I hope something is going to be done about that place.

“I gather it’s not the first death there. It’s so fast and when people are dazed, coming off aeroplanes late at night it’s terrible. Something needs to be done.

“I feel concerned about the driver of the taxi. I want him to know we realise he must be suffering too.”

On September 13 Hazelwood will host a memorial and celebration of Gillian’s life.

Anabel said: “Gillian was an Eastender who became a citizen of the world.

“A multi-faceted iconoclast, she recognised no boundaries, often questioning conventional thought and behaviour. A life well lived.”

A lorry was caught in a blaze on the M1 Northbound this morning.

Firefighters were called to the scene between junctions 10-11 following reports the tyre of a HGV was on fire.

The lorry was still moving at the time of the emergency call.

Fire crews fought to stop the blaze and the Highways Agency made the scene safe.

The incident was resolved by 7.20am.

A teenager has been charged with possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

Jordan Antoine, 19, of Cannon Lane, was charged yesterday.

He already faces charges of possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition, following his arrest on July 21.

The charges are part of the on-going investigation into the use of illegal firearms and associated offences in Luton, codenamed Operation Boson.

Anyone with information about gun crime can contact detectives on the direct confidential reporting line 01582 394281, or use the non-emergency police 24 hour number 101, text the force control room direct on 07786 200011 or phone independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Up to £2000 of reward money is available for information about gun crime in Luton.

A shopkeeper who says he tried to help a customer rescue her 10-month-old granddaughter, was stabbed four times and is furious at police and social services’ ‘unconcern’.

Shahzad Khadam, 37, visited a house in Cardiff Road on Friday night with his customer, who was concerned for the safety of her granddaughter.

Mr Khadam, who runs M H Supermarket in High Town, says he phoned the police on the 999 and 101 numbers before visiting the property to report concerns for the baby, but no police attended.

He claimed: “We could see people were drinking and taking drugs in the house, and the baby was in her mother’s lap, crying. We stood outside phoning the police but no-one came. All of a sudden a couple of blokes came out of the house and started making threats and racist remarks.

“One of them was armed with a big kitchen knife, he ran at me with it and I put my hands up to stop him getting my face, and then I realised my hand was bleeding. He had stabbed me four times.”

Fortunately passing paramedics and police officers on their way to another job saw the commotion and stopped to help. Two men were arrested and are on police bail.

Mr Khadam said: “We went there for the safety of the child. The police and social services need to pull their finger out and get their priorities straight. It’s disgusting that I am having to do their work for them. I phoned four times that day, they weren’t interested. It didn’t have to come to this.”

A Beds Police spokesman said: “All calls received by us have to be prioritised in light of the seriousness of the offence being committed at the time, especially during peak times, such as a Friday or Saturday night. Further calls had been received prior to the stabbing incident asking for police assistance to gain entry to a property and these had been graded as a priority. Should anyone not be happy with the service provided by Beds Police then we would encourage them to contact the force and their concerns will be fully investigated.”

A Luton Borough Council spokesman said: “Our dealings with individuals and their families are confidential.”

With my Bedfordshire BusinessWomen (BBW) presidency at an end I thought I’d share some highlights of the year.

Our 25th year of networking started on a high in October as finalists for Fundraiser of the Year 2012 at the Pride in Bedford Awards.

Then our first event - a fashion show at Mercedes Benz of Bedford, had members strutting the catwalk! In November we were finalists for Enterprising Organisation of the Year 2012, won the Community Investment Award at the Beds and Luton Business Excellence Awards, and runner-up for Networking Group of the Year 2012 at the East of England Business Champions 2012.

We started 2013 with the traditional ‘Man Day’ at Millbrook Proving Ground and our annual International Women’s Day event, sponsored by Bedford College, had us dining in decadence at the Mansion House, Old Warden. There were many more highlights, but the spectacular 25th anniversary ball and awards at the Sharnbrook Hotel was a truly glamorous event.

A key highlight was taking part in the Ladies Driving Challenge at RAF Alconbury for The Fire Fighters Charity, raising more than £1,000.

Our AGM is the final event on September 19, at 11am, at the Ramada Encore, Luton Airport, where we will hand over a cheque to the Road Victims Trust, my charity for the year. Meet the committee and new president, Emma Garrett. Visit www.beds-businesswomen.org/

Time travel – it’s the ultimate wish fulfillment, isn’t it?

What would you do if you could jump through time to any point in your life?

Fame, fortune, love, surely it’s all there for the taking. Who could resist the temptation of just going back and putting right all those mistakes that haunt you?

This time-jumping is the fun plot device that elevates Richard ‘Love Actually’ Curtis’s latest love-em-up romantic comedy About Time.

Young Tim Lake (Domhnall ‘Dredd’ Gleeson) is told by his dad (Bill Nighy) on his 21st birthday that he – like all the men in his family – can travel back in time.

What’s a guy to do when he hears news like that? Well, Tim goes straight back in time on a mission to get himself a girlfriend.

Sadly, even with time jumping abilities it isn’t as easy as you might think.

First he strikes out with the stunning Charlotte (Margot Robbie) who’s a friend of his kooky sister (Lydia Wilson).

Then while in London training as a lawyer, Tim meets the beautiful but insecure Mary (Rachel McAdams).

As fate would have it Tim and Mary fall in love, but Tim manages to unwittingly delete having met her with an unfortunate time-travel incident. D’oh!

There’s a lot of fun to be had in watching Tim use his time jump powers to track down and woo Mary again and again – think a romantic Groundhog Day with an extra helping of smaltzy cheese on top.

And then just when you’re in the thick of the budding romance Curtis sucker punches you with some heavy-duty emotional material.

My lovely wife was in tears by the end credits and she wasn’t alone – About Time should come with a warning that it may well leave you aching for the chance to jump back and spend some extra time with those loved ones you’ve lost.

This is definitely a cut above the standard rom-com fair. All the cast go about the romantic business with gusto and Tim makes for a winning bumbling hero in the Hugh Grant mould.

About Time has characters that are well written and developed, a fun sense of humour and crunching emotional impact.

I went into this on a date night with fairly low expectations but came out having really enjoyed a romantic time travelling treat, which I have no qualms in recommending to you!

A seven-year-old boy is “frightened and devastated” after being robbed of his bicycle in Swasedale on Friday.

The boy was pushed off his blue Trax bike at about 5.35pm by a man who then rode the bike away,

The offender is described as a black man, about 5 ft 7, in his late teens to early 20s.

Before the bike robbery, the man was chasing a group of four young boys along Swasedale, then he crossed the road to join the path which runs diagonally across the green in Homerton and found his young victim.

Det Con Richard Cunningham said:“The young boy has been left frightened by what happened to him and devastated that his bicycle has been taken from him. The young boys who were originally being chased by the offender may well have further information that could help officers apprehend this man and I would urge them or their parents to contact the police, in confidence.”

Anyone with information relating to this incident is urged to contact DC Cunningham at Luton Police Station, in confidence, on 01582 394373, or Bedfordshire Police on 101 or text information to 07786 200011.

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

“Have you ever been shot?” were the chilling words spoken to a 12-year-old boy by a robber in Catsbrook Road.

The boy was with a 21-year-old woman when they were approached by three teenagers in a park at about 4pm on August 30. The offenders flashed something at the boy that appeared to be part of a gun in a bag, before forcing the boy to hand over his mobile phone and money.

They gave him the phone back but took his hat and the woman’s bike, then forced them to walk down an alley and stay there until the offenders had left the scene.

The robbers are described as two 15-year-olds of an Asian appearance and one 15-year-old black male.

Two hours later, in a playing field in Westmoreland Avenue, a 13-year-old boy and his four friends were approached by three teenagers who demanded they hand over their mobile phones.

The group refused but were searched by the offenders who took an Apple iPhone 4 from one of the boys then left the scene on two bikes.

All three offenders are described as 15-year-old black youths.

Det Con Jabbar Khan said: “These robberies happened on the same day, the descriptions of the offenders are very similar and the offenders followed a similar pattern of offending each time. I would appeal to anyone who can identify the people responsible for these robberies to come forward and speak to officers.”

Call Beds Police on 101 with information.