As the poignant 100th anniversary for the start of World War One approaches in August, many people have been looking into their own family history in a bid to personalise the horrors of the conflict.

One such person is John Atterton, who lost two great uncles in the war.

Stuart John Webb and his brother Bernard Vincent Webb were the sons of George Webb, a dentist of Westbourne Road, Luton, and his wife Elizabeth.

Bernard was just 17 when he enlisted with the Bedfordshire Regiment in September 1914. He told the recruiting officer he was 19!

He was wounded at Gallipoli on the Ottoman Peninsula just over a year later with a gun shot wound to the hand, and was then transferred to the Munster Fusiliers.

After recovering from his wounds he subsequently transferred to the Machine Gun Corps and was killed in action in May 1918 aged 20 having risen to the rank of substantive sergeant.

His grave at Caestre in France, is close to where he died.

His brother Stuart John was 21 when he was conscripted into the Northamptonshire Regiment in 1916 and was posted to France in 1917 where he was almost immediately transferred to the Manchester Regiment.

He was wounded in action on October 8 1917, and was transferred to the military hospital at Etaple where a few days later he succumbed to his wounds. He is buried at Etaple cemetery.

John has been looking into his family history around that time and has come up with an interesting mystery.

Great uncle Stuart never married as far as the family knew but on his attestation papers when he signed up he stated he had a wife.

In his photo he wears a gold ring on his wedding finger and when his personal effects were returned to his mother the ring and a lock of hair was included.

“So was there a young lady somewhere in Luton also mourning his death?” asked John.

John’s grandfather George, their elder brother, who was also born in Luton, enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps (TA) before the war had started and after the outbreak was posted to Mesopotamia.

He survived the conflict but failed to find work in Luton after the war had ended. He re-enlisted in the Royal Engineers and served as a regular soldier.

He was posted to France in 1939 as part of the British Expeditionary Force but was invalided out of the army in 1940, having survived action in both world wars.

John’s mother was born in Dallow Road in Luton, but subsequently moved around the country with his grandparents to various army locations.

>The 1914-18 war had a huge impact on the country both at home and abroad.

Millions of men and women were involved in the conflict and we’d like to hear the stories of the impact on your families.

Send your stories to editorial@lutonnews.co.uk

Nearly 70% of adults in Central Beds are overweight or obese according to figures published this week by Public Health England.

The new data highlights for the first time the variation in the numbers of people across the country in each local authority area who carry excess weight.

Central Beds at 69.1% easily beats the national average of 64%, while Aylesbury Vale marginally does too with 64.5% of 16+ adults overweight (a body mass index of more than 25kg/m²). In neighbouring Luton the figure is much better at 59%.

Overweight and obesity are complex issues and influenced by a variety of factors, including social and economic deprivation and age. The variation in levels of overweight and obesity across the area, and England as a whole, highlights the extent of the challenge faced by many local authorities.

But Public Health England say there is a positive side – the rate of increase in overweight and obese adults has slowed in recent years and in children, levels are stabilising.

People who are overweight or obese have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers.

Excess weight can also affect self-esteem and mental health. Health problems associated with being overweight or obese cost the NHS over £5 billion each year.

Dr Mike Lilley, of Public Health England, South Midlands said: “Public Health England is committed to helping tackle the levels of people who are overweight and obese by supporting our local authorities to develop a broad programme of action to reduce levels of excess weight.”

“There is no silver bullet to reducing obesity. It is an issue that requires action at national, local, family and individual level. Local authorities are ideally placed to develop co-ordinated action across their departments, services and partner organisations to tackle overweight and obesity in the local population.”

“This new data will enable local councils to monitor progress towards the national ambition of achieving a downward trend in excess weight by 2020. Today’s information will help local authorities to understand the extent of the problem in their area and support their on-going efforts to tackle overweight and obesity and improve the health of their local population.”

“If we haven’t got at least one smile out of someone by the time we drop them off at hospital, then we’ve failed” says paramedic Mick Bunker.

The ability to make someone laugh, even when they are scared and in pain, is one of the social skills that are crucial for Mick and his crew mate Jon Sayer.

I joined the East of England Ambulance Trust crew for a shift to see what a day in the life of a paramedic is like – and there’s a lot more to it than what you see on Casualty.

The first thing I learnt was; it involves some very early starts. We were in our ambulance ready to go by 6.45am and didn’t clock off until gone 3pm, which counts as a ‘short’ shift for the crews; usually they do 12 hours or more with only 30 minutes of uninterrupted break.

“Long winter nights” are apparently the worst thing about the job, but both Mick, 54, and Jon, 34, struggled to think of many downsides.

Jon said: “The best thing about the job is the people you meet and help.”

On a typical day the crew completes about one job an hour, which means going to the scene, treating the patient and then driving them to hospital where they do a handover to the A&E ward sister.

Our first call of the day was from staff in Sainsbury’s in Bramingham who were concerned for a customer who appeared disorientated and agitated. When we picked him up he was very stressed and confused and so freezing cold he could not stop shaking.

He told us he had schizophrenia and we took him to hospital for a check-up and a hot cup of tea.

Next call was to a one-year-old who had cut himself with a razor. When I walked into the house and saw a screaming baby covered in blood, my stomach turned and I braced myself for horror.

Fortunately the little man had only nicked his finger and it looked (and sounded) a lot worse than it was.

Jon demonstrated how fantastic he is with children as he calmed him down and treated the injury, then was left holding the baby as mum packed a bag to go to hospital.

Apart from the baby’s finger, we didn’t see any blood on our other visits but a couple of the call-outs to some very ill elderly people were distressing.

The patients themselves were almost too sick to know what was going on but it was seeing their partners that was the most heartbreaking. One woman looked so scared and sad as her husband was taken into the ambulance and a gentleman who told us his wife was all he had left as he cried and kissed her goodbye was enough to make all of us well up.

Jon and Mick did their best to comfort the relatives, with Jon helping the husband pack a bag for his wife and listening to his worries, but their main priority has to be the health of the patient.

Mick said: “Seeing the way elderly people are treated breaks my heart. Some of them are so lonely and there is no respect for them. I would love to stay and talk to them all day but we can’t. We just try to chat to them and make them smile whilst we are there.”

Mick used to be a plumber before training as a paramedic and he said in some ways the professions aren’t all that different.

He said: “You get a sent out on a call, you get there, you listen to the person so you can work out what the problem is, and then you work to fix the problem.”

His career change was inspired by his desire to do something meaningful, although both he and Jon get embarrassed if you try to tell them they are ‘saving lives’.

Mick says: “We are just doing our job.”

Mick and Jon analyse day’s jobs on their way home, especially the difficult ones, to see if there was anything they could have done differently.

Mick said: “As long as you know you did the best job you could, then you can go home satisfied and switch off from it all.”

The camaraderie between the crew is lovely to see and we had a laugh throughout the shift which helped to keep spirits up when we saw upsetting things (and when tiredness set in on my part).

It was an eye-opening day and made me appreciate the ambulance service even more.

So if you ever need to call 999 and Mick and Jon knock on your door, count yourself very lucky indeed...and prepare to crack a smile.

“Dead or alive, you’re coming with me!”

Let’s take a look into the not so far away future – it’s 2028, when the world’s worst crime hotspots can be safely sorted thanks to US-made military grade drones which deliver lethal force for any who transgress.

Not in the USA itself, though – citizens have backed a law forbidding robots being able to take life, which is vexing multinational OmniCorp boss Raymond Sellars (Michael Keaton) as it’s a market where his firm could make billions.

Director José Padilha’s ‘Robocopy’ reboot of Paul Verhoeven’s classic 1980’s ultraviolent robot-em-up is a valiant effort but the tale has very much been toned down from the grisly over the top action/dark satirical humour of the original – Robocop 2014 is slick, slow origins tale.

The hero cop who gets fused into the titular bionic robo-body bobby is Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) – and he just might be the future of law enforcement, as well as a way for OmniCorp to win over the US public.

Robocop is the brainchild / creation of Dr. Dennett Norton (Gary Oldman) who comes across like a future Frankenstein, enraptured by his ability to bring man and machine together.

But where does Murphy’s humanity reside and how far will OmniCorp redact his emotional responses in order to make him a ‘better law enforcer’?

Kinnaman is tasked with carrying the film’s emotional core – especially in his strained relationship with his lovely wife Clara (Abbie Cornish) and doe eyed young son David (John Paul Ruttan).

Padilha’s film feels most at home when the action kicks off – and that shouldn’t be a surprise to viewers as his previous flicks have been the crunchingly violent, tough cop Elite Squad movies.

Everything in the 2014 Robocop looks machine tooled to be cutting edge – the new armour comes in foreboding black and the image is reinforced by Murphy’s macho new motorbike.

Overall this reboot does a decent job of taking an iconic film hero and successfully toning it down for a wider audience. It loses its cult classic status in the process but I’d rather watch this again than some other remakes, such as the similarly neutered Total Recall.

Sci-fi fans can look forward to more ‘new’ Robocop if this makes enough money, and I’d certainly buy that for a dollar!

Teenagers tried to rob a Luton off licence armed with a metal tube on Thursday.

Five men threatened the shopkeeper and demanded cash at Seymour Stores in Seymour Street at about 8.30pm.

The shopkeeper and his wife struggled with the offender and managed to disarm him but as this took place another offender grabbed a bottle of vodka and the group then fled the store.

Detectives are currently scanning CCTV footage which captured the incident but Det Con Ben Stone, who is investigating the robbery, is keen to speak with anyone who was in the area at the time of the robbery and may have seen the offenders.

The men were aged between 15 and 19 years old, slim build and wearing dark clothing with their faces covered.

Two of the group were white and two were black while the ethnicity of the fifth offender is not clear.

Call Det Con Stone on 01582 394471, the non-emergency number 101, or text information to 07786 200011.

Burglars doused a house with bleach after stealing jewellery and electronic goods in Dunstable Road on Thursday.

Five men forced their way into the house and threatened the occupants before taking gold jewellery, an iPod and Sony camera.

They then poured bleach and disinfectant everywhere before fleeing the scene.

Det Con Denise Comb said: “The men are all described as Eastern European, wearing balaclavas. One was 26-35 years old, with a round face and round nose, another was 26-35 years old with a long face and blue eyes.

“This incident happened during the early evening and as this house is on a busy main road it is possible the pedestrians or motorists saw a group of men running from the scene. I would urge anyone who saw or anyone who has information about this crime to come forward and speak with officers.”

Call Det Con Comb in confidence, on 01582 394359, or Bedfordshire Police on 101, or text information to 07786 200011.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a man indecently exposed himself to a woman in Dunstable Place on January 30.

They are also concerned there may be other potential victims.

The incident occurred at 4.50pm outside the NCP car park.

The 30-year-old victim was walking up the hill towards the car park when a man spoke to her to get her attention, then exposed himsel.

He is described as being of Asian appearance, in his late 20s, 5ft 7in tall with a medium build and black hair.

He was wearing a dark sports jacket and black training shoes.

If you have been a victim of a similar offence or have any information about this incident contact Police Constable Lee-Anne Pogson in confidence on 101 or text 07768 200011.

You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Thieves who stole a laptop from a home in Wkyen Close in the early hours of this morning (February 10) were disturbed by the householder.

The incident took place at about 3.20am after they forced open the front door and took a number of bags, one of which contained a Stone laptop.

The offenders made off on foot.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Richard Cunningham is keen to hear from anyone who may have seen something suspicious or been offered the computer.

Contact DC Cunningham in confidence on 01582 3943763, 101 or text 07786 200011.

Or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

A shotgun was fired at a house in Whitecroft Road in Luton last night.

No one was injured but the front door of the house was damaged.

Residents heard a loud bang at about 11.30pm and called police, who discovered the damage.

Det Insp Iain Morgan 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 a vehicle or someone suspicious before or after the offence. Bedfordshire Police does not tolerate the use of violence and firearms and will continue to crackdown on those who commit forearms related offences. If you have information about this incident please contact the police, in confidence.”

Scene of Crime Officers have attended the scene and undertaken a full forensic examination of the area and officers from the Serious Investigation Team have untaken house to house enquiries.

Call Det Con Amey at Luton Police Station, in confidence, on 01582 394315, or Bedfordshire Police on 101, or text information to 07786 200011.

The police watchdog is investigating a potential offence of “misconduct in public office” by the Beds Police and Crime Commissioner.

Olly Martins was given a written warning by the Beds Police and Crime Panel in January for passing on confidential information about the death of Leon Briggs in police custody.

The matter was then referred back to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) at the panel’s meeting on Thursday.

The panel report said: “The Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner conducted himself in a manner which indicates that he may have committed an offence of misconduct in public office, by sharing confidential information which he had received in connection with the performance of his office about the investigation into the death of Leon Briggs, with a person not authorised to receive such information.”

In the meeting agenda, the panel said this was a “serious matter” and the panel has issued “a severe reprimand”.

Future breaches of confidence “will not be tolerated”.

The matter is now in the hands of the IPCC.

At the time of receiving the written warning, Mr Martins said: “To my deep regret I discussed, purely with a close associate, some information that had been provided to me in my role as PCC regarding the death of Leon Briggs. Unfortunately, the person to whom I spoke did not appreciate the sensitivity of what had been said, nor indeed completely understand it, and went on to repeat a garbled interpretation of it to a third party.”

Jewellery with significant sentimental value has been stolen from a house while the elderly occupants were away.

Police are appealing for information after the burglary in Edgewood Drive between January 30 and February 1.

Offenders gained entry through a forced door and searched the property.

Items taken included a diamond and emerald yellow gold engagement ring, a diamond and emerald pendant on a yellow gold chain, a silver Celtic chain and a yellow gold locket engraved with flowers.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Simon Day said: “This jewellery holds significant sentimental value and can never be replaced.

“I would urge anyone who has been offered jewellery for sale, matching this description, to contact the police and help reunite it with its rightful owners.”

Contact DC Day in confidence on 01582 394449 or 101 or text 07786 200011.

You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

A cyclist who was involved in an accident in Hollybush Road on Sunday morning is being sought by police.

It is thought the cyclist was knocked from a bike by a black VW Golf at about 11am.

Beds Police officers were called to the scene and found a damaged bike on the ground but the car and cyclist had left the scene.

Four men in theire early 20s have been arrested in connection with the incident and a black VW car was recovered shortly afterwards.

PC Sam Shane said: “We know the cyclist was seen walking away from the scene towards the Lalleford Road area and I would appeal this person to come forward and speak with officers to ensure they receive any medical assistance they may need. I would also urge anyone who was in the area at the time of the collision to also contact officers and help piece together exactly what happened.”

The men arrested have since been released on police bail pending further investigations.

Anyone with information relating to this incident can contact PC Shane at Luton Police Station, in confidence, on 01582 394064, or Bedfordshire Police on 101, or text information to 07786 200011.

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

A man was jailed for five years at Luton Crown Court today after admitting to possessing a handgun.

Mali James, 20, of Wedgewood Road in Luton, pleaded guilty to possession of a prohibited weapon, a firearm without a certificate and criminal property (£2990 in cash).

He was arrested in October 2013 by Beds Police as part of Operation Boson, an investigation into gun crime.

In sentencing the defendant, His Honour Judge Farrell said: “If you applied any common sense you knew full well you were assisting someone to look after an extremely dangerous weapon. It is a very grave crime and must be dealt with accordingly. In my judgement there are no exceptional circumstances here, with your willingness to look after such a weapon and the number of firearms offences that have taken place in this town recently.”

Assistant Chief Constable Nigel Trippett said the sentence is a testament to the force’s commitment to reducing gun-related crime.

He said: “The level of criminality we experienced last year will not be tolerated and since Operation Boson was set up to target those involved in gun crime 110 people have been arrested and 19 firearms have been recovered from the streets of Luton.

“It is vital that we continue to work with the communities of Luton and our partners to rid Luton of this threat and we believe that the sentenced passed today will send a clear message to anyone involved in this dangerous criminal world. If you know someone who is involved in gun crime please come forward and speak to the police.”

If you have any information relating to gun crime in Luton, you can contact Bedfordshire Police, in confidence,

on 101, or text information to 07786 200011. Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

A concerned mother has organised a safety awareness evening in Lewsey Farm following the horrific attack on a young girl in January.

Residents are invited to Lewsey Community Centre in Landrace Road where Beds Police will be giving safety advice and locals will be sharing tips and advice to avoid conflict.

There will be demonstrations from martial art experts and after the initial awareness evening, weekly self-defence classes for young people will begin.

The workshop, organised by a parent of a pupil at Southfield Primary School, will take place from 6pm - 7pm tomorrow (Tuesday).

Toddington residents are invited to a neighbourhood plan consultation this weekend.

Villagers of all ages are asked to give their views on the future of the village.

Neighbourhood Planning means communities can choose where they want new homes, shops and offices to be built, have their say on what any new buildings should look like and grant planning permission for them.

Comments collected over the consultation weekend will hep inform the group before a report is written and shared with everyone in the village. There will be further consultation once a plan is drawn up.

The plan must have support of the majority of the village at a referendum so it is important that everyone who is interested in shaping the future of the village has an input in the process at this stage.

The plan, if it is agreed by parishioners at a referendum, will form a legal document which planners will have to follow until 2031. Members of the Neighbourhood Plan group will be in attendance at all times during the event to answer questions and offer guidance. They will also be sharing their initial findings so far and asking for feedback.

From 4pm -8pm in Toddington village hall on Friday February 14 and from 10am - 3pm in the village hall on Saturday February 15.

Snacks and drinks – including wine on Friday evening – will be provided.

A care worker suffered a bleed on the brain after being assaulted on her way to work in Marsh Road.

The woman, 25, was on her way to the nursing home when she was approached from behind and hit over the head.

She managed to get to work where her colleagues called the ambulance service and police.

The victim is now at home recovering from her ordeal and Pc Olyver Tomlinson is looking for witnesses.

He said: “There appears to be no motive as to why this assault took place and at this time we are still seeking information that can help us identify the offender. This incident took place opposite the British Legion Pub and on a busy street so anyone who was passing in a vehicle or someone walking in the area may have noticed someone behaving suspiciously that night and I would urge these people to talk with officers.”

Anyone with information relating to this crime can contact PC Tomlinson at Luton Police Station, in confidence, on 01582 394158, or Bedfordshire Police on 101, or text information to 07786 200011.

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

Council tax will increase by 1.5 per cent a year for the next two years in Luton and 58 council jobs will be cut.

Members of Luton Borough Council’s executive committee backed a report by Councillor Tom Shaw, acting portfolio holder for finance, to increase council tax and protect frontline services.

The council intends to decline a government offer of a grant to freeze council tax on the grounds that it would create a £1.65million hole in the council’s finances in future years. Head of finance Dave Kempson said: “From a purely financial viewpoint, a tax increase helps in the process of making the authority less reliant on government grant which is a key part of the council’s financial strategy. That is because the level of additional income it generates is greater than that achievable from accepting the tax freeze grant, which in turn additionally reduces the ongoing savings requirement. Nonetheless, if agreed, the budget proposals would enable Luton to again set the lowest council tax in Bedfordshire.”

The neediest people in Luton will not be impacted from the tax increase as the council tax support scheme will continue, despite the ongoing reduction in government funding to support it.

Therefore those people currently receiving full benefits will not be impacted by any tax increase.

The new budget will also include an extra £2million of spending to meet increased demand for adult social care services, particularly learning disability, mental health and long-term care packages.

£200,000 has been included to implement the Living Wage across the council’s own services.

Savings proposals involve the reduction of 58 jobs, 16 of which are currently vacant, ongoing benefits from renegotiated contracts, income generation and transforming how the council delivers its services. In the medium term, councils have been warned to expect further substantial reductions in Government grant until at least 2018/19.

Mr Kempson added: “Times undoubtedly remain tough, and particularly for councils such as Luton where property values are low and the council tax is below average, causing a greater reliance on Government grant.”

St Albans City and District Council has made a request to government to ‘call in’ the controversial decision to expand London Luton Airport.

The authority is the latest to formally oppose the move by Luton Borough Council in December, which would see airport passenger numbers increase by six million a year.

Hemel Hempstead MP Mike Penning has already written to the Secretary of State for communities and local government Eric Pickles, over the adverse impact the planned expansion would have on his constituency. Both parties have raised concerns about the planning process and Luton’s suitability to make the decision, given it owns all airport shares.

With Valentines Day once more upon us, allow me to suggest a delightful little gift idea that might not go down too well, however much you are motivated by good intentions.

The traditional romantic gifts of red roses, chocolates and bubbly are all old hat, you see – particularly as the last two could have an unfortunate side effect for any other half who is watching their weight.

No, today’s must-have gift, only available online from an American website so you’ve probably left it too late for this year, is...a pound of human fat.

Well, not quite, but pretty close. It’s actually a revolting replica that looks and feels just like the real thing, mounted on a handy base and quite the conversation piece if you put it on your desk, or somewhere near the fridge.

After all, a not so gentle reminder of what might happen further down the road if you give in to temptation and scoff a delicious doughnut with your morning coffee might be just the motivational aid you need.

It comes in a stomach-churning shade of yellow, and is made of soft, pliable vinyl plastic so that it can be squeezed and manipulated.

Its makers are quick to big up the educational and health benefits, saying that their unusual offer ‘has a profound and memorable effect when passed among an audience.’

And it could be yours for just $23 dollars or thereabouts.

That’s all very well, but if you ask me this could be just the start of a booming new sector in the gift market?

Surely it is not beyond the bounds of our capabilities to consign this artificial offering to the remainder bins and replace it pretty sharply with the real thing?

With the judicious application of sealants of some sort, it should be perfectly possible to make that step – and heaven knows there is a plentiful supply of raw material which doesn’t look as if it is going to run out any time soon.

That would make the gift even more personal, wouldn’t it? Nothing would demonstrate your commitment and your readiness to share of yourself than a his and hers set, if you ask me.

Then there would be all sorts of organic options, which would come complete with traceability stickers detailing the origin of the raw material.

Charities could get in on the act – sponsor a child, and get back solid evidence of just how they are thriving thanks to your support.

And it wouldn’t be long before those providing liposuction services to the rich and famous would be feeding a black market in celebrity blubber. It would knock a signed photograph or a lock or hair into a cocked hat, wouldn’t it?

Any entrepreneur who wants to take up the idea, feel free – just be advised that I will, in due course, be wanting my pound of flesh.

Here’s the pitch – lardy Nick Frost, Simon Pegg’s oppo in Hot Fuzz and the rest, as a twinkle-toed salsa dancer?

Add in current queen of all she surveys Olivia Coleman and you’ve got the recipe for a feelgood Brit hit of reduced budget, clear if limited aspiration and plenty to make you smile.

Cuban Fury gives us Nick as a former dance prodigy gone to seed but getting back in the game to capture the new love of his life.

Coleman is his sister, Chris O’Dowd his love rival and the likes of Ian McShane and Rory Kinnear also crop up in a very predictable but harmlessly enjoyable rom com that should be a hit with the Strictly set.

There’s been a film called She, now there’s a film called Her, in which lonely Joaquin Phoenix falls for his computer’s advanced operating system – well, it does a very good job of looking like Scarlett Johansson. Sounds weird? It comes from Spike Jonze, who made his name with Being John Malkovich and is renowned for matching top talent with left-field ideas. One that will get you talking, if not an obvious date movie.

Global marketing opportunities ahoy – the title of The Lego Movie tells you all you need to know. Lots of top voice talent has been harnessed to bring life to this computer animated adventure from the creators of quirky hit Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs. Only to be watched if accompanying small children, but you could do a lot worse.

George Clooney leads an all-star cast in The Monuments Men, another of those American wartime dramas based on a true story which casually rewrites history to remove the bulk of the British involvement.

Yes, there was a team of soldiers and art experts tasked with rescuing art looted by the Nazis as the Allies advanced across Europe.

It’s a glossy, well-packaged adventure which is perfectly acceptable if you view it as fiction, not fact.