An inquest into the death of a man who died in police custody was opened today.

Leon Briggs, 39, a father of two, was arrested in Marsh Road, Luton on November 4 last year, taken to Luton Police Station and later died in hospital.

This morning the inquest into Leon’s death was opened in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, in front of the coroner for the county, Edward Thomas.

In a hearing lasting just three minutes, he said he was still waiting for the cause of Leon’s death to be determined and was awaiting the results of histology and toxicology tests, but he said he was able to release Leon’s body to his family.

Leon’s death is being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Five Bedfordshire Police officers and two members of civilian staff have been interviewed under criminal caution by IPCC investigators on suspicion of offences, including gross negligence, manslaughter, misconduct in a public office and offences under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.

Leon lived in Ashburnham Road, Luton and campaigners have set up a group called Justice4Leon and have held night time vigils outside the town’s police station.

A scooter rider was taken to hospital after a crash at the junction of Austin Road and Cavendish Road.

The 59-year-old was on his silver Peugeot scooter when it collided with a red Vauxhall Corsa at about 12.45pm on December 28.

The officer investigating the collision, PC David Charlton, is keen to trace any witnesses.

He said: “The injured man is now recovering from a leg injury and it is important that anyone who saw the collision speaks to me so we can piece together exactly how and why the collision happened.”

Call PC Charlton, in confidence, on 01234 842412, 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.

A stolen watch and ring have been recovered from a man charged with burglary.

It is thought the items were taken from homes in the Luton area and officers want to find the rightful owners.

Det Con Tracey Joyce said: “We have recovered the distinctive ring and watch which we suspect has been stolen and may have comefrom homes in the Luton area. These items may be of sentimental value to their owners and I urge anyone who thinks it is theirs to get in touch.”

Call Det Con Joyce on 01582 394086.

A charity run in memory of a 10 year old athlete is taking place at Luton Athletic club tonight.

Gianni Khan died on December 29 and his funeral takes place today at the Vale Stopsley. The family has asked for bright colours to be worn, in his honour.

There will be a sponsored “mile run” at Stockwood Athletics track at 6pm today. It is open to all athletes of the club, their families, his Luton Boys FC football squad and their families.

Gianni was also a pupil of Hillborough Junior School in Luton.

In a statement on their website the school said: “He represented everything that is good in a child and was a credit to himself, his family and the school. He will be remembered for many accomplishments, not least his outstanding contribution to sport which resulted in him winning the ‘Luton Schools’ X-Country Championship’ and in playing with skill, passion and flair for the Football Team.

“He will be massively missed by everyone who had the privilege to encounter and know him. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.

Friends of a Luton schoolgirl who died just before Christmas are holding a fundraiser at Lewsey Football Club on Sunday in her memory.
The event is being held on what would have been Leigha Edwards’ 18th birthday and the money raised will be going to Luton & Dunstable NICU as Leigha wanted to be a neonatal nurse.
Friends have been auctioning their prom dresses and there will be a large raffle with prizes donated by local shops in Lewsey to shops in The Mall ranging from memberships at gyms to blocks of driving lessons and vouchers for all beauty treatments you can think of. 
Caribbean and Chinese food will be on sale and there will be a professional henna artist, face painting and events for the kids. 
There will also be DJs and live music during the event including Lovelite Sound, Hypa Sounds, Eli Brown, Courtney Brown and more to be confirmed.

Cost is £2 entry and the event starts at 1pm.

A man was sentenced to 200 hours of unpaid work for supplying articles for use in fraud on Tuesday.

The 48-year-old man is one of a number of people who have been jailed and fined after being caught by undercover police at a fake second hand shop ‘This and That’ in High Town.

Beds Police is now warning criminals that they are continuing the crackdown on those who handle stolen goods.

Det Supt Mark Tobutt said: “Through this operation we have proved that there are clearly some people who think they can make money from other peoples’ stolen possessions, but this week’s court case demonstrates that we are equally committed to catching them and bringing them to justice.”

The ‘This and That’ shop opened in June 2012 and suddenly ‘closed’ in February 2013, having ‘bought’ stolen electrical goods, identity documents, bank cards, mobile phones and driving licences which could all be sold on for a price.

The latest man to be sentenced pleaded guilty to six offences of supplying articles for use in fraud and three offences of possessing identity documents with an improper intention at Luton Crown Court.

He was given ten months in prison, suspended for 18 months and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

Handling stolen goods is punishable by prison.

Det Supt Tobutt said: “It is important that the public understand that buying something that looks like a good deal makes them just as complicit. Of course it is tempting to buy cheap goods, but the real cost of your bargain is a victim of crime – it could be you or a relative whose home is broken into, it could be your child’s bike stolen or your neighbour’s car window smashed for the ‘sat nav’ inside. So the next time you’re browsing a boot fair, online auction site or offered cheap goods elsewhere, consider this. £20 for an MP3 player might seem like a great deal, and it is – but the person who it was stolen from paid a lot more.”

The definition of this offence under section 22(1) of the Theft Act 1968 is: A person handles stolen goods if knowing or believing them to be stolen goods he dishonestly receives the goods, or dishonestly undertakes or assists in their retention, removal, disposal or realisation by or for the benefit of another person, or if he arranges to do so.

This includes receiving stolen goods, arranging to receive them, undertaking the keeping, removing, disposing of or realisation of stolen goods by or for the benefit of another person, or helping with any of those things.

If you aren’t sure where the item you’re buying has come from, don’t buy it.

You can tell police where and when you saw suspicious goods for sale by calling 101 or texting information to 07786 200011.

A man was bitten on the thigh by a dog in Limbury Mead Park on Tuesday.

Two large dogs ran towards the 41-year-old victim at about 5.20pm and the victim froze but one of the dogs bit his leg.

This caused the victim to fall to the ground and a man called the dogs off.

The man with the dogs is described as white, 5ft 11 with a large stocky build and wearing a dark brown or black padded knee length jacket.

Both dogs were large and one was similar to a Labrador or Golden Retriever.

The victim became involved in an argument with the man but fearing he would be injured further he managed to flee from the scene to safety and called the police.

The officer investigating this incident, PC Lucy Craddock, is keen to trace anyone who witnessed the attack, overheard the argument or anyone who can identify the man with the dogs.

PC Craddock said: “Luckily the victim managed to flee the scene to safety before further injury. We believe the man with the dogs was in the company of a woman who was walking a small Yorkshire terrier type dog and I would urge this woman or anyone else who heard or saw the incident to contact officers.”

Anyone with information relating to this investigation can contact PC Craddock, in confidence, at 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.

Creative coach Judi Sissons is running a series of three workshops at Havelock House in Luton aimed at writing for wellbeing.

A Havelock House spokeswoman said: “You don’t have to have any previous experience, just an open mind and a spirit of adventure.

“The workshops will support personal development through creative writing, exploring techniques to encourage self-understanding while promoting health and wellbeing.”

Judi – whose play The Mad Women of England was produced at The Soho Theatre to support World Mental Health Day – holds a first class honours degree in English and a certificate in arts therapies.

She said: “I am continually inspired by the ways in which deep, personal and often painful experiences can be transformed through the use of writing to reach out and touch the lives of others.”

The workshops run from 2pm to 5pm on Saturdays, starting on January 11.

> For more information, call 07900215196.

Hemel Hempstead MP Mike Penning has condemned an eight-hour planning meeting on the expansion of London Luton Airport as ‘underhand’.

The marathon meet by Luton Borough Council approved in principle the proposals to increase airport capacity to 18 million passengers a year, but this will now be reviewed to see whether the council can proceed to issue consent.

Mr Penning has since released a letter from Transport Minister Robert Goodwill which reveals Luton Borough Council was directed not to grant permission at the meeting, which took place on December 20.

Mr Penning said: “It seems to me to have been irresponsible and underhand to rush through planning permission just before Christmas, at a meeting that included just a handful of Councillors and apparently against instructions from the Department of Communities and Local Government.

“There is clearly a conflict of interests – given that Luton Borough Council holds all the shares in London Luton Airport Limited – and now this would appear to be a case of maladministration as well. The handling of this application clearly needs to be looked into and I repeat my call for the Secretary of State to call in the decision.”

{http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/business/business-news/council-approves-airport-expansion-but-government-review-needed-1-5766568|Click here for more on the expansion of London Luton Airport} and {http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/community/action-group-slams-expensive-charade-on-luton-airport-expansion-meeting-1-5774453|here for more views from the London Luton Airport Town and Village Community Committee.}

Community Secretary Eric Pickles has accused Luton Borough Council of “terror tactics” in terms of housing projects.

The Conservative MP made the comment during a House of Commons debate on housing on Wednesday.

Luton South MP Gavin Shuker said Luton requires 30,000 new homes to keep up with population demand but can only build 6,000 within the borough, and he asked Mr Pickles what the town should do.

Mr Pickles said: “[Luton] should begin to talk to their neighbouring authorities, and stop trying to bully North Hertfordshire council—I have had an opportunity to meet that council—and using terror tactics and being extremely unpleasant. It is the return of Stalinist top-down planning, and the biggest threat to the green belt that the country faces.”

Mr Shuker said he welcomes proposals made by Labour Front Benchers on the right to grow, which would give local authorities powers they otherwise would not have.

He spoke during the debate of seeeing families in his constituency living “in terrible squalor” in “poor private sector rental accommodation”.

To expand Luton needs to build outside of its boundaries but Mr Shuker said that process has “ground to a halt”.

Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Hilary Benn asked the house to call on the Government to take action to tackle the housing shortage through a number of reforms including giving local authorities a new right to grow to deliver the homes their communities need.

At the end of the discussion 234 voted for the motion and 302 against.

Speaking after the debate, Luton Labour Councillor SIan Timoney said: “We really must not ignore that have absolutely no land yet desperate need for homes for families. I cannot overstate this.

“We are meeting regularly with neighbours to discuss Luton’s unmet housing need and duty to cooperate is on all councils. Local plans must reflect this or be unsound. So Pickles’ comments are unhelpful, uninformed and somewhat biased! Herts CC have blocked Stevenage housing for 20 years.”

Luton resident Peter Adams of St Mary’s Church said he was “shocked” at the language used by Mr Pickles.

He said: “To dismiss a statement of genuine concern for the housing needs of tens of thousands of Luton residents with divisive labels such as “terror tactics” and “Stalinist policies” was a score in a debate, but made no contribution to our housing crisis. If his discussions with his political allies in North Hertfordshire led him to be concerned the right response for the Secretary of State would surely be to meet with Luton Borough Council, hear their side of the story, and then mediate a solution?

“That was the policy presented by Gavin Shuker. The rational development of the town surely needs cooperation and attention to be given to schools, roads and infrastructure which must involve LBC. To perpetuate political argument rather a solution to our housing crisis belittles Mr Pickle’s office.”

>What do you think?

Luton Police Station is to be the subject of a new fly-on-the-wall television show.

The 20-part series has been commissioned by Channel 4 and will delve into life inside the Buxton Road station.

It will be filmed by a combination of fixed-rig and handheld cameras, and will aim to provide insight into the day-to-day challenges faced by the staff and understanding of the workings of a busy police station.

Executive Producer, Simon Ford said: ”We chose Luton because of the incredibly tight-knit working relationships and camaraderie which exists between the officers and because Luton is a small town station that now faces big city problems. Everything comes through the door, from repeat small time offenders to stabbings, murder and terrorism issues.”

The programme will show viewers the 21-cell block with seven interview rooms handling an average of 30 prisoners per 12-hour shift, with two custody sergeants in charge at any one time.

The series is also focusing on other vital aspects of policing including response, CID and investigation and visitors to the Enquiry Office.

A Beds Police spokesperson said: “Bedfordshire Police is very excited about making this brand new observational documentary series for Channel 4. It will allow the public real insight into how and why we police Bedfordshire and the time effort and care that goes into looking after victims as well as seeing offender brought to justice. Being open and transparent in this way is very important to Bedfordshire Police and this is an excellent opportunity for us to demonstrate the professional and caring work that our staff do. Filming begins at the end of February – more details will follow.”

Head of Documentaries, Nick Mirsky, said the unprecedented access will provide a “unique perspective” on policing in modern Britain.

He said: “Prisoners must usually be released or charged within 24 hours of custody being authorised and the station operates on a 24-hour cycle so the ‘24 Hours’ format established by 24 Hours in A&E and which achieved major critical acclaim is a perfect fit for this series.”

@LutonNewsConnie

A man who was involved in a high speed car chase has been charged with a number of offences.

Abdul Basit Khan, 26, from Chapel Street in Luton was arrested in the early hours of Thursday morning after a police pursuit.

He was questioned by police and charged with dangerous driving, failing to stop and obstructing a police officer in the execution of his duty.

A second man arrested at the same time has been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

Khan has been released on bail to appear before Luton Magistrate’s Court on January 22, 2014.

A keen footballer from Luton, who volunteers extensively, has been nominated for a Bedfordshire Young People of the Year (YOPEY) award.

Chris Fox has given his service in a number of roles, including coaching youngsters with disabilities.

Despite having moderate learning difficulties and mild Tourette¹s, Chris has remained committed to helping others.

This is the seventh time that a YOPEY competition has been held in Bedfordshire to reveal, recognise and rewardpositive role models who go the extra mile to help others.

The winner will receive a prize of £800 ­– half for themselves and half for a good cause ­ out of a total pot of £2,000.

Chris, 22, of Watermead Road, was nominated by Julia Ladbrooke, football development officer with Bedfordshire FA.

Chris is a goalkeeper in an adult disability league and that is what led him to volunteer with the county FA for the past 18 months. He is keen on collecting statistics, both for local football and for himself in logging his hours and setting targets to hit. He has volunteered more than 300 hours in support of the game.

Chris has a special role on the county FA youth council, where young people can give their views and opinions on developing the game locally.

He has helped coach youngsters with disabilities at secondary schools across Bedfordshire, organising sessions and putting out equipment. He keeps a record of scores and other vital information and is also liaison officer for the Beds FA’s five-a-side adult league.

At Luton Town FC he has looked after 150 safety jackets for three years. Safety team manager Bill O’Connor said: “Chris first came to us to work as a safety steward. Unfortunately his learning difficulty meant that he would not be suitable, but I had a need for assistance in maintaining control of the safety jackets worn by our staff.

“This had been a major headache for me. Jackets were going missing and the coatroom was in a permanent mess. Chris was very adept at keeping things in order.”

Last year Chris undertook a level one coaching course for people with disabilities. Julia said this qualification was a huge challenge for Chris.

She added: “Having not met the required standard at his first try he persevered, practised with the help of development staff and passed his assessment second time around. He led a competent, safe and enjoyable session for his participants with no support.”

Chris also volunteers to do admin work at Beds FA’s headquarters in Skimpot Road, Dunstable. He recently started his first paid job, part-time work at a supermarket in Houghton Regis, collecting trolleys and helping customers. A spokesman for Morrisons said: “We are extremely proud of Chris. We are delighted that he enjoys his career and wish him every success and luck in this award.”

He admits that when he first tried for the level one coaching he found some parts difficult. “I continued with it and I was pleased when I achieved it,” he said.

In addition he has achieved a first-aid qualification and he also plays badminton.

Chris’s football skills were praised by the chairman of the English Schools Football Association, who is also his former schoolteacher.

Dave Woollaston met Chris at Icknield High School, Luton, and found the then teenager’s love of football insatiable.

He said: “Many teachers like to tell of their students’ successes in football, mostlyboasting about their rise to the professional ranks, and I have some of those tales to tell.

“However, my top story is going to be all about Chris Fox, the lad who has given far more back to football than was ever given to him.”

Chris helps out at Neet Teens, a physically handicapped and able-bodied club at St Francis’ Church in Hollybush Road, Luton, for an evening each week.

He sets up and fixes the electronic games consoles and runs the tuck shop for 26 members aged 11 to 22.

The club¹s organiser, Judith Husbands, said: “We would be lost without him. When he says he is going away ­ usually to do something with football we panic and cannot wait for him to come back.”

Alzheimer’s Society is on the look out for inspirational and passionate volunteers to help them raise valuable funds for people with dementia in the Luton area. The charity is in search of people who are full of fresh fundraising ideas and would enjoy working in a team by joining a fundraising group.

The role of a fundraising volunteer would involve joining a group which plans events and helps raise vital funds for the charity.

Alzheimer’s Society in Luton helps to provide support and information to those living with dementia and their carers. They provide a variety of services including information support, peer support groups and dementia support points in the community.

Tori Bray-Whitworth, Alzheimer’s Society community fundraiser, said: “It is vital that Alzheimer’s Society continues to support people to live well with dementia today and funds research to find a cure for tomorrow.

“You don’t need any experience to get involved and there is no age limit. As long as you are committed and enthusiastic then you’re the perfect candidate.”

>Contact Tori on 07850 929752 or v.bray-whitworth@alzheimers.org.uk

The Further Education Commissioner will be spending the next two weeks at Barnfield College as part of the recent Skills Funding Agency (SfA) investigation.

The FE Commissioner, Dr David Collins CBE, is responsible for driving improvement at failing colleges and has the power to shut them down.

A joint SfA and Department for Education investigation into Barnfield College was launched in September and although a report was initially thought to be published within six to eight weeks, it is now expected at the end of this month.

Judy Oliver, Acting Chair of the Barnfield Federation Board, said: “Both the management and Governors of the college will be fully engaged with the Commissioner and his team; the Board of Governors remain fully committed to building on improvements that are already under way and to make further changes where appropriate.

“Therefore no further statement is expected to be made until the publication of the report due at the end of this month.”

The role of the FE Commissioner was created by the Government last year as part of the Department for Education’s plan to improve colleges.

Duties of the FE Commissioner were set out in the Rigour and Responsiveness in Skills report, published in April 2013 and include the ability to replace some or all of the governing body and/or dissolve the college.

The FE Commissioner is called in by the SfA if the college’s performance has fallen below minimum standards.

He then acts on behalf of the government and reports to ministers to advice them throughout the intervention process.

Within a two week time frame, the FE Commissioner will review the position of the college, holding discussions with the college governors, the principal, local stakeholders and the agencies.

He will advise ministers the best course of action to take, which could include giving the college a new ‘Administered College’ status, in which colleges will lose freedoms and flexibilities while they are turned around, including restructuring or competition for new providers following a Structure and Prospects Appraisal; and/or the replacement of some or all of the governing body; and/or college dissolution.

If you read the synopsis for action thriller WHITE HOUSE DOWN (12: Sony) you would think it sounds identical to Olympus Has Fallen, released on DVD a few weeks ago.

Both films involve terrorists storming the presidential building, with a lone hero standing between them and world annihilation.

In fact, they’re quite different as the Gerard Butler vehicle plays it straight and is overly patriotic, while this epic is an entertaining romp – as long as you put your brain in neutral.

It’s effectively ‘Die Hard in the White House’ with Channing Tatum playing the John McClane-type character who’s turned down for his dream job as a secret service body guard to Jamie Foxx’s US president.

While taking his daughter on a tour of the White House, he gets the chance to prove himself when the bad guys seize control, putting the head of state’s life in his hands.

The two leads are capable enough, but they play second fiddle to the spectacular stunts that are the trademark of director Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, 2012).

And you’ve got to admire his audacity to stage a car chase in a film set entirely within the White House.

> Ryan Reynolds sleepwalks through his role as a recently slain policeman sent back to the mortal world in odd couple buddy movie R.I.P.D (12: Universal).

The cop was murdered in the line of duty by his crooked partner and ended up recruited by a supernatural police force, the titular Rest In Peace Department.

He’s partnered by Jeff Bridges as the grizzled ghost of a Wild West lawman and together they’re assigned to round up ‘deados’.

These are deceased villains who, through a cosmic loophole, have also returned to Earth to continue their wrongdoings.

It’s an attempt to concoct a hybrid of Ghostbusters and Men In Black, but the script can’t match either of those films in terms of gag-count or snappy performances.

The whole affair takes on the feel of a 1960s cartoon with lots of glossy visual effects, although the saving grace is Bridges who raises a few chuckles as the over-the-top sheriff of yore.

> There’s another round of potent poltergeist action in horror sequel INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2 (15: E1 Entertainement).

The original cast and crew return for a haunted house tour rife with creaking doors, tinkling pianos, ghostly visitations and jumpy edits.

There’s no denying director James Wan’s spectral sleight-of-hand and he assembles something that jangles the nerves without causing too much distress.

Picking up where the first film ended, Josh Lambert (Patrick Wilson) has returned from ‘The Further’ possessed by the spirit of a serial killer drag queen dubbed the ‘Bride in Black’.

Deceased medium Elise navigates through Josh’s childhood paranormal experiences and taps into his son’s spiritual abilities, looking for the key that will stop the maniac decimating the entire Lambert family.

> A family reunion turns into a bloodbath in home invasion thriller YOU’RE NEXT (15: Lionsgate).

After arriving at their idyllic country mansion, a family are targeted by a gang of deranged killers wearing animal masks.

They face a battle for survival, with a family member’s girlfriend showing she’s capable of holding her own.

Community centres in Luton could be closed and sold off as the council struggles to meet the huge repair bills.

Saints Community Centre has a high level of asbestos in the roof which is a significant risk to staff and visitors, as well as needing a new boiler and heating system, which together will cost £400,000.

The site in Solway Road North is worth an estimated £215,000 but combined with the adjacent ‘mothballed’ Milan Day Centre could sell for £450,000.

A Luton Borough Council spokesman said: “The council is proposing to end the lease at Saints Community Centre due to an unaffordable backlog of repairs.”

Park Town Community Centre in Bailey Street could be sold off too as it has ‘low usage’ and is small.

A large part of the building is taken up by The Children’s Centre Service and since there is a demand for more nursery education places, the council is considering transfering the day-to-day running of the entire building to The Children’s Centre.

A council spokesman said: “Given that Park Town is underused, we are looking into the possibility of it becoming a dedicated Children’s Centre which there appears to be a demand for. As well as assessing the impact of this, the consultation would look into other potential uses for the sites and alternative options available to current users.

A public consultation will take place which will examine options for potential future uses of the buildings, which are currently run by Luton Culture.

The spokesman said: “No decision would be made until after the consultation, therefore it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”

There are 11 community centres in the town which are all managed by Luton Culture but the council as a landlord remains responsible for day-to-day repair and works.

Community centres which were found to be well-used, in a good state of repair and with low costs were Farley, Chaul End, Bury Park, Hockwell and Limbury.

Keech Hospice Care has noticed a spike in the number of people turning to charity shops in the hunt for a festive bargain as belts tighten across the country.

But this means stocks are now running low after a busy pre-Christmas period so the charity is asking people to take in any unwanted presents they may have received and donate them to one of the 30 Keech Hospice Care charity shops across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes.

It is estimated that more than £2.4 billion worth of unwanted presents were given in 2012, with a third of these ending up gathering dust in the back of a cupboard or loft. Philip Kojcinovic, retail Manager at Keech Hospice Care said;

“One person’s junk is another person’s treasure and something one person would never buy in a million years could be exactly what someone else has been searching for. However heavy your hints to family and friends, or instructions that they really shouldn’t get you anything this year, chances are you unwrapped at least one gift you felt you don’t know what to do with. Instead of these items growing dust, we are asking local people to think of Keech Hospice Care and donate these items to one of Keech’s 30 shops.”

“We are always in need of good quality donations such as bric a brac, clothes, books and toys at our Keech shops and all proceeds from the stores go towards helping the lives of families with loved ones living with a life limiting condition.”

Last year, the Keech Hospice Care shops managed to raise an incredible £1million for the charity, helping hundreds of local families going through an incredibly hard time.

www.keech.org.uk/keech-shop

Health chiefs are reminding those at greatest risk of catching flu that it’s not too late to get a free flu jab from their GP or local pharmacy.

While uptake of the free vaccination has been good, around 30,000 Central Bedfordshire residents who are eligible aren’t protected yet.

Most flu infections which occur during the winter months could be prevented with a simple vaccine. Those who are eligible for a free flu jab include:

>Anyone aged 65 years or older

>Those who are under 65 years and have a health condition such as diabetes, heart problem, kidney disease, liver disease, chest complaint or breathing difficulties, had a stroke or transient ischemic attack (mini stroke), problem with the spleen or a neurological condition

>Pregnant women

>Two and three year-old children (who are given a painless nasal spray)

Many of the 88,000 residents in Central Bedfordshire who fall into these qualifying groups had already been vaccinated by the end of November but almost 34,000 people had still not taken up their free vaccine. If you don’t fall into one of these ‘at risk groups’ you can pay for a vaccination privately at a pharmacy or supermarket.

Dr Helena Jopling, from Central Bedfordshire Council’s Public Health Team, said:

“Flu isn’t just a bad cold and for the most vulnerable members of our communities it can cause much more serious illness. It is a sad fact that last year in Bedfordshire 167 people died from illnesses that started out as flu.

“The best way to avoid getting flu is to get protected, so I would urge anyone who is at risk to arrange a vaccination. It’s worth remembering that the flu jab doesn’t just protect you, it protects those around you too.”

A list of pharmacies that are providing the free jabs locally can be found on www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/publichealth.

As well as getting vaccinated there are some simple steps you can take to protect others from catching flu. If you develop symptoms of flu:

>make sure that you cover your nose and mouth every time you cough or sneeze

>wash your hands frequently and thoroughly and throw your used tissues into a bin.

A wind turbine at a Luton infant school which has stood unmoving for more than four years is going to a new home.

The 15metre-high wind turbine at Crawley Green Infant School was installed in October 2009 and a neighbour contacted the Herald & Post this year to ask why it had never been switched on.

It turns out the wind turbine was too noisy and had to be switched off.

A school spokesperson said: “We applied for planning permission and carried out all testing required, including extensive acoustic testing. Once installed, the wind turbine proved to be far noisier than we were led to believe. Following consultation with the local authority the wind turbine has remained switched off.”

During the planning consultation in 2009, several objections were made amid fears the turbine would be too noisy, but the school said it would only make a “low swishing sound” and convinced council officers it would not disturb nearby residents.

When it was erected, the school’s neighbours said the noise was “like a helicopter taking off” and “absolute hell”, resulting in it being turned off.

Crawley Green Infants was the first Luton school to receive the Eco Schools green flag award for its work to help the environment and it also has solar panels which are a quieter source of clean energy for the school.

The school spokesperson said: “These panels have been producing clean energy effectively for the school. Happily, we are now in the process of arranging for the wind turbine to be moved to a remote location outside Luton where it will be used to harvest clean energy.”