The candidates for the Barnfield by-election have been announced.

The by-election will be held on Thursday October 17 and the elected councillor will service until May 2015, when the whole council will be up for election.

The people nominated are Green Party candidate Simon David Hall of Marston Gardens, Liberal Democrat Clive Mead of Butely Road, Conservative and Unionist Party member Geoff Simons of Fairford Avenue, and Labour Party member Francis Steer of Wensleydale.

Liberal Democrat Martin Pantling resigned from his post as Barnfield councillor after ten years of service at the start of September.

He is taking up a new job which means he can no longer work as a councillor due to conflict of interests.

At full strength Luton Borough Council has 48 members representing 19 wards, and there are currently 36 Labour, seven Liberal Democrat and four Conservative councillors.

A full list of polling stations is available on the council’s website; search Barnfield by-election 2013.

A gunman who is on the run from police could be somewhere in Bedfordshire.

Francis O’Donoghue, 27, is the subject of an Essex Police manhunt following a shooting on a travellers’ site on August 27.

Two men in their 20s sustained gunshot wounds to the legs and chest and underwent surgery.

Essex Police’s Supt Trevor Roe said: “Francis O’Donoghue is not only Essex’s number one priority arrest, but he is East Anglia’s with all our neighbouring forces on alert to find him. People living and working in Bedfordshire could play a key role in helping us arrest him.

“He is potentially in possession of a handgun so everyone can see the necessity for him to be taken off the streets. With this in mind, we need the community’s eyes and ears and urge them to call us with sightings so that we can act on the information and detain him.

“The support we have so far received from the public in England has been fantastic and we now expand this appeal for help to those living and working across just beyond the Essex border to provide us with the leads which will lead to Francis’ arrest.”

People should avoid any physical contact with the glazier as he may be in possession of a handgun, with anyone coming into contact with him urged to call police immediately.

However, there is nothing to suggest that people in the wider community are at risk of being injured.

Francis O’Donoghue is described as white, approximately 5ft 11ins tall, of medium build, has short-brown hair and has protruding ears.

Anyone with information in connection with this shooting is urged to contact detectives at Harlow’s Major Investigation Team on 01279 621802, email them on SCDappeals@essex.pnn.police.uk or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Anyone who knows of the man’s whereabouts is urged to call 999.

Hugh Jackman steps up into Taken territory in Prisoners, a rough tough thriller about a dad who takes the law into his own hands when his daughter disappears.

But this isn’t a comic book adventure of the ‘I will find you, and I will kill you’ school.

Our Hugh is more the ordinary Joe driven to desperate measures when his little girl and a friend vanish and the cops are forced to release their prime suspect for lack of evidence.

Although the police, led by Jake Gyllenhaal, are still very much on the case, he decides to sidestep the system and kidnap the suspect to force him to reveal where the two youngsters are.

With blockbuster hits Les Miserables and The Wolverine in his immediate back catalogue, this is more of man in the street role for the Aussie star, under the direction of highly-regarded French Canadian director Denis Villeneuve.

It’s a story that takes its time, so prepare for two hours and then some, but it’s a gripping and intense story well told.

After the all-round explosion of awards and critical acclaim that accompanied last year’s Argo, it’s back to the day job for Ben Affleck.

In Runner Runner he’s cast as the smooth bad buy opposite Justin Timberlake’s sharp but shafted student.

Justin needs to raise cash to pay his fees so he turns to online poker, as you do.

It’s all going very well until his pile of winnings suddenly vanishes, and he becomes convinced that he’s been cheated by a crooked gambling tycoon.

He sets off to Costa Rica to confront the card sharp, who is impressed enough by his chutzpah and his proven poker skills to offer him a lucrative job.

But it never pays to get into bed with a crook, and our Justin soon realises that he is in over his head – and when he is tapped up by the FBI to help bring Ben down, the stakes get even higher.

Gemma Arterton, who could use a hit after the risible Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, takes the female lead in this slick ‘who will double cross who most successfully?’ thriller from Brad Furman, whose biggest hit so far has been Matthew McConaughey vehicle The Lincoln Lawyer.

After years of plugging away pumping out films that nobody really wanted to see, Woody Allen is hot again.

That means his latest, Blue Jasmine, could well creep into a multiplex near you.

Cate Blanchett is the star of this story about a socialite left high and dry when her husband turns out to be a swindler.

Penniless and popping too many prescription pills for her own good, she heads to San Francisco to rebuild her life at her sister’s place. It’s not laugh out loud, but there is some acute character comedy to be enjoyed.

All sorts of mealy-mouthed moralists have been tutting away since the much-hyped release of GTAV.

If you’re not entirely up to the minute with acronyms du jour, GTAV is the fifth instalment of computer game Grand Theft Auto.

There are no end of computer games on the market in which players are encouraged to slice and dice other characters, behave in a beastly fashion towards women and guardians of the law, and generally indulge their inner psychotic killer, but GTA is the one that grabs all the attention.

Perhaps it’s because it is set in a version of the modern world, rather than a space station, or a long-ago era, but it’s also the one that gets condemned most often for providing a crash course in being a criminal for anyone who wants to learn the ropes from the comfort of their own sofa.

But anyone who reckons that a fantasy game is likely to trigger a killing spree is barking up the wrong tree. We’ve always had fantasy violence, in books and films and pop music and now computer games, and if anything the opposite is true.

Consider this – these computer games have been around for little more than a decade, and they have steadily been getting more realistic, more sophisticated, more violent.

And what’s been happening to the crime rate over that period?

That’s right – it has been steadily reducing, pretty much across the board.

There are a lot of reasons for this, of course, and it would be daft to argue that there’s a direct link between the two.

But consider this: most burglaries, car thefts, assaults and other ‘in your face’ crimes are committed by young men, and young men are the biggest audience for games like Grand Theft Auto.

There’s no way that you can claim that by wreaking havoc in a virtual world these potential crims are getting all that violence out of their system, because the vast majority of people playing these games are entirely honest people who just haven’t got much of a social life.

But even if that’s not the case, you have to accept that the long hours it takes for players to work their way through the many layers of mayhem involved in one of these games is time they are not spending kicking their heels on the streets and getting into trouble.

That’s why I am suggesting a variation on the ‘drunk tank’ proposals which have also caused much discussion in recent days.

Young miscreants picked up for minor offences would not be put through the court system and eventually given a mild tap on the wrists, they’d be sat down in a sealed room and told they couldn’t go home until they had worked their way through all the levels of a box-fresh computer game.

They would be charged an hourly rate for the time they took, to reduce the strain on the public purse and all the time they were playing they would have free and unlimited access to whatever fast food they wanted to pig out on while they played.

That way, even if they didn’t get the violence out of their system and help cut the crime rates still further, they’d be so fat and unfit they’d be much easier to catch next time round....

A cyclist was robbed mid-afternoon near Brickly Road by three men who drove off in a BMW.

The 26-year-old was in an alley close to the playing field on September 16 when he was approached by three men who demanded he get off his bicycle.

They punched him in the face and stole cash and an iPhone before getting into an ‘old style’ blue BMW and driving towards Montague Avenue.

The driver of the car is described as a chubby white male skin-head.

The second is described as a black man with a thin build and pierced ears, and the third is also described as skinny with a shaved head and both pierced ears.

Det Con Mandy Godfree said: “The offenders threatened and assaulted the victim before managing to get away with cash but dropped the victim’s iPhone. This incident happened in broad daylight and I am sure other people in the area who have seen or heard something. I would appeal to anyone who has information relating to this inquiry to come forward and assist with this investigation.”

Call 01582 394443 with information or text 07786 200011.

Officers from the South Bedfordshire Robbery Unit are keen to trace witnesses to an attempted robbery that happened in Dallow Road, Luton on Wednesday, September 18.

The incident happened between 8.30pm and 9pm as the 20 year old victim was walking home.

A man grabbed the victim from behind and pushed him to the ground. He then tried to grab the victim’s phone before the victim has managed to fight off the offender.

The offender then left the scene running towards the town centre.

The officer in charge of this investigation, Detective Constable Jabbar Khan, would like to urge members of the public who may have seen the incident to come forward and is taking this opportunity to remind members of the public to be extra vigilant when they are out and about.

Caddington’s Roy Geeson has raised £250 for the cardiac rehabilitation unit at the L&D after taking part in the two day 40 mile walk along the Greensand ridge path challenge as part of the Bedfordshire Walking Festival.

over the weekend of 14th and 15th September as part of the Bedfordshire Walking

Festival and were two of only twentyfive people able to complete the challenge. Both

Roy and Corinne had added motivation to finish as they were raising money for two

different special care units in the Luton area.

Roy was raising money for the Cardiac rehabilitation Unit at the Luton & Dunstable

Hospital and Corinne for Keech Hospice Care Luton.

Roy and Corinne pictured here with their certificates said “It has been a great two

days and a thoroughly enjoyable challenge. We are so pleased to have raised over

£250 each for such a worthwhile causes”. Both Roy and Corinne would like to

increase the amount further and if anyone wishes to donate please contact them

email: jgeeson954@btinternet.com. or corinneprice@aol.com.

The £91million Luton-Dunstable Guided Busway was officially opened today.

Transport Minister Norman Baker cut the ribbon on the 4.8 concrete guideway and unveiled a plaque at the new Luton Station bus-rail passenger interchange.

The busway is a joint venture between Luton and Central Bedfordshire councils, and links Dunstable, Houghton Regis, Toddington, Luton town centre and London Luton Airport.

It will be open to the public from tomorrow.

For the full story see the Luton News, on sale in all good newsagents tomorrow (Wednesday).

An 11-year-old boy was left bleeding from the neck in what police suspect was an attack using an air weapon.

The boy was walking home in Leagrave Road on September 18 when the incident happened.

As he walked under the railway bridge, close to the Selbourne Road roundabout, he heard a snapping noise and felt a sharp pain to the back of his neck.

When he returned home he was bleeding and found he had a small wound.

PC Lucy Craddock said: “We believe the boy may have been injured by a pellet from an air weapon and we are eager to trace anyone who was in the area as they may have information that could help piece together what happened.

“Two women were seen by the victim just as he was injured. They were standing close by, chatting and laughing. I would urge these women to come forward as they could have important information that could help this investigation.”

Call 101 or text 07786 200011 with information.

A man has been charged with attempted robbery and possession of an imitation firearm and appeared before Luton Magistrates Court yesterday.

Armstrong Vuvu, 18, of Errington Road in Hatfield, was charged in connection with an incident that happened in Kirby Drive, Luton, in May.

Armstrong was charged on Monday and appeared before Luton Magistrates Court yesterday. He will appear before Luton Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on October 8.

The Chilterns countryside is nationally-protected for its beauty and tranquillity, but what’s the best way to care for it over the next five years?

The Chilterns Conservation Board, which covers sites such as Dunstable Downs and Sundon Hills, and many other local organisations have put together a draft plan which sets out all the issues facing our lovely area and proposes actions to help conserve it.

The Board needs everyone’s help to get the plan right and is inviting people to take a look at it and send in their comments. “You might be really concerned about flytipping, or blocked footpaths, or the impact of tree diseases on our woodlands, or ugly developments being built in the countryside,” said Claire Forrest, Information Officer at the Conservation Board. “Tell us what concerns you and what you think needs to be done to tackle it.”

The new plan covers a huge range of issues from conserving rare local wildlife to looking after the special character of Chilterns villages and helping local businesses to thrive. By law a plan has to be produced every five years.

The Chilterns Management Plan 2014-2019 can be viewed at www.chilternsaonb.org/management-plan. Comments must be sent by 13th December 2013.

Raise your glasses to the seven pubs in Luton and Dunstable which have been voted among the best real ale hostelries in the UK.

They are included in the latest edition of the real ale enthusiast’s ‘bible’ – the Good Beer Guide 2014.

From country inns to urban-style bars and backstreet boozers, all of the 4,500 pubs in the book have been selected and reviewed by the Campaign For Real Ale’s 155,000 members.

Among the Luton pubs featured in the definitive guide to finding the perfect pint is the Bricklayers Arms in High Town Road, which is popular with Luton Town FC fans and has been run by the same landlady, Alison Taylor, for the past 26 years.

Other Luton pubs in the book are the London Hatter, Park Street, which is part of the JD Wetherspoon chain; the English Rose, Old Bedford Road; and the Wigmore Arms, Wigmore Lane.

Dunstable’s representatives are the Globe, Winfield Street; the Pheasant, West Street; and the Victoria, also West Street.

Village pubs in Toddington, Harlington, Kensworth, Studham, Whipsnade and Totternhoe are also in the latest guide.

A taxi driver was repeatedly punched by robbers posing as customers on Friday night.

Someone phoned for a taxi from a telephone kiosk in Ravenhill Way and asked to be collected from Swan Mead at about 9.40pm.

When the taxi got to Swan Mead, the offenders got in and repeatedly punched the 27-year-old driver, demanding cash.

He handed over his takings and the men left the scene, after being seen by a member of the public.

The driver suffered a slight swelling to his face and a cut lip.

The first offender is described as a mixed race man and the second a white man both aged in their early to mid 20s.

Det Con Ben Stone said: “This was an unprovoked attack on a man going about his daily business. Fortunately he was not seriously hurt but the incident has left him shaken. There have been two taxi driver robberies in this area recently and we are keeping an open mind as to whether the offenders involved in both robberies are connected.”

Call Det Con Stone confidentially on 01582 394471 or 101 with information.

Beds fire crews walked out on a four-hour strike today over pension plans by the Government that could raise the retirement age from 55 to 60.

Chief Fire Officer Paul Fuller says fully trained firefighters and officers were on hand to tackle three false alarms between 12noon and 4pm, including automatic fire alarms in Luton and Dunstable, and that ‘implemented contingency plans’ worked on the day.

Mr Fuller said: “The FBU may have deliberately chosen a relatively quiet time for their strike action, however, it was vital that we had plans in place so that we could still answer emergency 999 calls and respond where a person’s life was at risk.

“Whilst these plans could never be able to match the service’s normal day-to-day cover, I am satisfied with the way that they have worked.

“Fully trained firefighters and officers who were not on strike enabled us to provide sufficient fire cover for the whole county, supported by colleagues in fire control who answered all 999 calls as normal.

“I’d like to thank them all for their help.”

There are 89 days until Christmas … but only 5 days to save Luton’s Christmas trees.

Luton’s Christmas lights will be lit up for the first time on 7 December and hopefully, there will be the two traditional huge trees outside the Town Hall.

With the celebration just around the corner and thousands of people expected to take part, the Town Hall is issuing a last call for Christmas tree sponsors to step forward in the next few days because the large trees must be ordered by the end of September.

As well as celebrating Christmas, this is a great time to boost the town’s profile, support local businesses, show off local talent and create a buzz for Christmas and New Year.

Benefits of sponsoring the Christmas trees include:

* raising awareness of your company brand

* attracting new customers to your business

* publicising your services

* after-sales opportunities with a voucher promotion during the event.

The initial price for the tree sponsorship is around £4,000 with the opportunity to display two banners measuring 2m x 1m in front of both trees directly outside the Town Hall, the chance to display additional banners at the event, a press release issued to regional, national and specialist press announcing sponsorship and your name/logo significantly positioned on leaflets plus posters acknowledging your business as the tree sponsor, as well as your name/logo appearing on all advertising.

A Council spokeswoman said: “It’s great to see the many business sponsors lined up to support the lights, celebrities and lantern parade for this year’s Christmas lights switch-on event, which is usually attended by around 20,000 people throughout the day by the local community, commuters and visitors.

“Discussions are under way for sponsorship of an ice rink too. So it would be great if just one more sponsor would step forward to save the two huge Christmas trees which traditionally appear outside the Town Hall.

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

Once sponsorship has been confirmed your company will be credited on www.luton.gov.uk/Christmas with a link to your website, helping to increase the amount of traffic and popularity of your business.

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.

Two teachers’ unions are calling on members in Central Beds to take one-day strike action on Tuesday, October 1, over on-going disputes.

The NUT and NASUWT unions are planning the action over pay, pensions, working conditions and jobs.

Central Beds Council this week said that schools would contact families directly in advance to let them know about any full or partial closures, where known.

On Tuesday, schools will also update the “state of schools” section at www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/schoolclosures to provide live information. Parents should contact their child’s school if they have any questions.

A pump maker has entered an alliance with a Norwegian company to strengthen its position in the North Sea and keep the energy market moving.

Hayward Tyler, based in Kimpton Road, has teamed up with Eureka Pumps AS to jointly sell combined submersible pump and motor solutions for the offshore oil and gas exploration market.

The agreement follows the two companies jointly winning orders for 14 units for the Aasta Hansteen and Martin Linge projects in the North Sea valued at more than £3.5 million to Hayward Tyler. It brings the number of the Luton firm’s submersible motor units installed in the North Sea to more than 130.

Hayward Tyler and Eureka Pumps AS will also work together to provide combined Aaftermarket services for submersible motor units.

The agreement does not cover large subsea motors where Hayward Tyler is already recognised as a market leader.

Ewan Lloyd Baker, chief executive of Hayward Tyler, said: “The offshore top side pump market is anticipated to expand by 12 per cent annually over the next five years with significant market opportunities existing on the North Sea’s continental shelf as well as in Korea and Africa.

“We see the agreement with Eureka as providing a key channel for further growing our presence in the topside market in the North Sea and internationally. The orders give us further confidence of achieving our forecasts for the current financial year.”

Jarle Tautra, managing director of Eureka, said: “We view Hayward Tyler as the market leader in the design and manufacture of submersible motors for offshore exploration with both organisations fully understanding the importance of lifecycle management. We are delighted to have entered into this agreement with Hayward Tyler.”

Under the agreement, orders secured for new equipment will be manufactured at Hayward Tyler’s’ facilities in the UK with the aftermarket being serviced through the two companies’ international network of offices.

Detectives in Luton are appealing for witnesses to come forward after two men tried to snatch a handbag from a 33 year old woman in Farley Hill.

The incident happened on Saturday, September 21 at approximately 6.30pm as the victim was walking along the road.

Two youths, described as white, wearing hooded tops, emerged from an alley and grabbed the victim’s bag. The victim screamed and fell towards some railings but managed to keep hold of her bag before the offenders fled the scene empty handed.

The officer in charge of this investigation, Detective Constable Jabbar Khan, is keen to trace anyone who saw or heard the incident or anyone who saw the offenders running from the scene.

Anyone with information relating to this crime can contact DC Khan, of the South Bedfordshire Robbery Unit, in confidence, at Luton Police Station on 01582 394436, or Bedfordshire Police on 101, or text information to 07786 200011.

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

Bedfordshire Police often records an increase in robberies as the nights get darker and would like to take this opportunity to remind people who are out and about to take extra care and follow some useful crime reduction advice to help keep you and your property safe.

Keep mobile phones, money or any items of value out of sight so as not to attract a potential robber’s attention.

Avoid walking in dark areas with insufficient lighting.

Avoid walking whilst texting or talking to prevent drawing attention to your phone.

If someone suspicious approaches you, try and cross the road or walk away to limit your chances of being involved in a confrontation.

Pay attention to someone approaching you from behind.

If an offence is committed try and remember what the offender looks like so police have a good description of their face and clothes, then contact the police immediately.

Register your mobile, MP3 player or iPod on www.immobilise.com in order to discourage theft and increase security. The web site allows the public to register their mobile phone FREE, on the National Mobile Phone Register. The Register is a searchable, national police database that many forces have already assimilated in to their core investigative procedures.

Owners who register their phone at www.immbolise.com enjoy the following benefits:

Get your phone back: If you lose your phone or it’s stolen, there’s a better chance of getting it back because your contact details are on the register. Registering your phone and contact details on the web site provides the police with an excellent starting point when investigating mobile phone thefts. Police have caught and brought to justice many offenders through the use of the register.

Consider downloading a tracker app on your smart phones to help police locate your phone should it be stolen.

Four teams of young people from Luton’s Bury Park raised thousands of pounds for charity as a part of the Do Something Amazing Project.

They presented the delighted good causes with giant cheques at Venue Central 2, in Leagrave Road, on Thursday.

A group called Team Vision won a trophy for raising the most, a whopping £3,979 for Luton Foodbank.

Give. Live. Love made £2,414 for Keech Hospice Care, Warm Smiles made £2,057 for Age Concern and Just For Charity collected £900 for Luton and Dunstable Hospital Children’s Ward.

Young people spoke to the audience at a meeting of the Community Curry Club business networking group, telling how they had to resist temptations of eating or drinking anything during the month of Ramadan.

Muslims aren’t allowed to eat or drink anything during the hours of daylight during Ramadam, despite one of the groups making cup cakes and another organising a water fight during the baking hot summer.

They said they had gained confidence from the experience of doing things for other people.

The project was delivered jointly by Global Island, ASR Project, Mitalee Youth Association and Community Magazine. Its primary aim was to develop leadership skills and create a greater sense of civic responsibility amongst young people.

Team members attended workshops on leadership, team work, project management, marketing and managing finance. These workshops were delivered by Vauxhall Motors, Creoforma and Develop EBP. A host of other businesses also supported the Do Something Amazing project which is in its third year.

Nisa Local stores in Houghton Regis and Toddington really were in the pink for a special fundraising day to boost the Breast Cancer Campaign charity.

They donned rosy outfits for the ‘wear it pink’ event and donations from generous customers helped them raise a total of £500 for the charity. Shoppers at the Toddington store also joined in a ‘guess the name of the teddy’ contest to boost funds. The winning name was Bella.