Active Luton’s Jordan Batson and Tara Bonnett, whose prompt action saved a young boy’s life in December last year, received a special honour at last night’s Luton Sports Network Awards.

When 14 year-old Rahul Patel collapsed during a PE lesson at Lea Manor Recreation Centre, the onsite staff came to his rescue and alerted the emergency services.

Lifeguard Jordan Batson’s immediate response was to carry out a primary assessment. It was determined that Rahul was not breathing so he quickly started applying Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).

Emergency services were contacted, and following an additional lifeguard assessment, an onsite defibrillator was collected.

Team Leader Tara Bonnett applied the defibrillator while Jordan continued with CPR. Both staff members continued with CPR until the paramedics arrived and took over and rushed him to hospital.

Two days later Rahul’s breathing tube was removed and he was recovering from the sedation. He was sitting up and talking the following day. He has since had an operation to insert a pacemaker.

Thankfully Rahul is expected to make a full recovery which the doctors have put down to the fast and effective action of Jordon and Tara.

Jordan and Tara were presented with the awards by Rahul’s parents along with other guests which included Lord Bill McKenzie, Luton’s Mayor Cllr Sheila Roden, England women’s football captain Casey Stoney, Luton Sports Network Chair Clive Robins and Active Luton’s Graeme Kent. The awards were held at the Riverside Suite at Venue 360.

Active Luton’s Chief Executive Helen Barnett said: “We are so pleased that Rahul is expected to make a full recovery. It was such a happy moment when he and his mum visited our staff earlier this year to thank them.

“While incidents like this a very rare, it does demonstrate the importance of ensuring our staff are equipped to deal with situations like this. I am honoured that Jordon and Tara have been presented with this award. It is one thing to learn something in training; but applying it in a real lift emergency situation shows real courage.”

Cllr Mohammed Ashraf, portfolio holder for sports and arts, said: “Jordon and Tara certainly deserve these awards. This real life experience demonstrates the importance of staff being trained as it ensures that users of our fantastic leisure facilities are in the best possible hands.”

Luton Town Hall will join landmark buildings across the world tomorrow night (April 2) when it turns blue from 9pm to midnight in support of World Autism Awareness Day.

London’s BT Tower, New York’s Empire State Building and the Sydney Opera House will also be bathed in blue light.

The council is encouraging staff and residents to wear something blue to raise awareness and acceptanceof the condition.

“Fire consumes all, water cleanses…”

Stand by to have any Sunday School recollections of Noah blown apart as Russell Crowe brings a man of unswerving, world-saving faith to the big screen in a life-changing epic biblical drama.

Based on the graphic novel rather than the Bible, Noah is a God-fearing ‘Gladiator’ - an inspirational story of courage, sacrifice and hope that delivers huge spectacle with a beating heart of love.

Dark and dangerous, violent and powerful, visionary filmmaker Darren Aronofsky retells the Old Testament tale with incredible visuals, a triple A list cast and a wider dimension of the entire fall and salvation greater narrative that is core to the Bible itself.

If you’re coming to Noah without much clue about the plot, it’s that God or ‘The Creator’ is angry and intends to wipe us all out because we’ve corrupted the world and turned to against Him.

Cue flood to be sent that will remove all life from the planet – so Noah (Crowe) and his family must build an ark, gather two of every living animal species and start anew after the waters have receded.

Into this ark-pocalypse Aronofsky introduces his wild card extrapolation of angels (fallen ones) who have been condemned to walk the earth covered in rocks so they look like 12 foot rock golems whose heavenly fire can only be glimpsed through their eyes. These creatures – called ‘Watchers’ – are superb creations, very handy to have around if you can befriend them when you need to build a huge ark or defend it against an angry army of sinners, led with vigour by Tubal-Cain (Ray ‘Bet 365’ Winstone).

Crowe is excellent in the tricky lead role, portraying Noah as a driven man, who harbours darkness in his heart despite being chosen to save mankind.

Jennifer Connelly is good as his wife, Anthony Hopkins is quality as Noah’s grandfather Methuselah and there’s Emma ‘Harry Potter’ Watson on hand as adopted daughter Ila.

The plot includes an unexpected climatic battle between Watchers and warriors in the middle before moving on to the intense dark drama of life on the ark itself before the finale.

Noah is a gritty adaptation and a fascinating ‘what if’ wrath-of-God-em-up that shows how the Bible can inspire cinematic creativity and art that becomes something challenging and wonderful in its own right. Recommended.

The second part of the long drawn-out film adaptation of JRR Tolkien classic The Hobbit can be a frustrating watch.

Dramatic tension in THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (12: Warner) comes in fits and starts, although director Peter Jackson does succeed in building anticipation for the final chapter.

Martin Freeman soldiers on along a bumpy road as Bilbo Baggins, but is pushed even further into the background, and even vengeful dwarf Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), who dominated the first film, is made to look one-dimensional on this leg of the journey.

As the party continue the quest to reclaim their lost kingdom, there are some extraordinary action scenes, including a sticky situation with giant spiders and Bilbo’s close encounter with the evil dragon Smaug (voiced by Freeman’s Sherlock co-star Benedict Cumberbatch).

Meanwhile, Gandalf the wizard (Ian McKellen) investigates the rise of a mysterious dark power.

Evangeline Lilly is a welcome addition as elvish warrior Tauriel, who brings some much-needed heart and urgency to the story, caught between a brooding Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and flirty dwarf Kili (Aidan Turner).

> OLD BOY (18: Universal) is a remake of an internationally acclaimed 2003 Korean thriller and director Spike Lee follows the plot of the original almost to the letter.

Josh Brolin stars as Joe Doucett, an arrogant, alcoholic advertising executive.

Doucett is kidnapped and held in solitary confinement in a hotel-like prison for 20 years, during which time he’s framed for the murder of his ex-wife and his young daughter is taken into care.

When he’s eventually released in an equally mysterious fashion, he sets out to learn the identity of his abductors and uncover their motives.

Lee replicates many of the first film’s bloody, violent set pieces and the oppressive feel of Doucett’s cell, but he never delivers quite the same levels of atmosphere or menace.

While Brolin gives a steely performance as a man confronting his isolation and his conscience, Sharlto Copley, as his adversary, veers a little too close to pantomime villainy.

> Jude Law offers an overeager turn as a hyperactive ex-con in DOM HEMINGWAY (15: Lionsgate), a stylised, waywardly violent comedy about an institutionalised hard-nut hitting the streets after 12 years inside.

The confrontational opening scene is likely to catapult viewers to different sides of the taste divide too.

Law is Dom Hemingway, safecracker, absent father, loyal friend to fellow criminal Dickie (a camp Richard E. Grant) and former accomplice of kingpin Mr Fontaine, whose bacon he saved by keeping schtum. Now Dom wants his reward, so he and Dickie head to Fontaine’s French villa for decadence and payback.

> Three popular girls compete for the friendship of the only gay guy in school to come out, albeit by accident, in GBF (15: Peccadillo). But the makeovers and bitching sessions are wasted on him, while his camp best friend seethes in the closet.

Witty at times, but the joke wears a bit thin, performances vary and it isn’t as slick as the teen movies it draws from, such as Clueless and Mean Girls.

The Easter holidays are just around the corner and there are lots of eggs-citing activities taking place right on your doorstep, which are sure to put a spring in your step.

Hop along to the two theatres, Leighton Buzzard Theatre and the Grove Theatre in Dunstable for some Easter fun. With the latest Hollywood blockbusters, like The Lego Movie and Mr Peabody and Sherman, live screenings from the National Theatre and Alice in Wonderland, starring Paul Daniels and Debbie McGhee (Grove theatre only) – there really is something for everyone.

Having a great time doesn’t have to be eggs-pensive if you are after a cheep day out why not grab your gear and go for a walk or a bike ride in some of central Bedfordshire’s lovely countryside. The council manages countryside sites across the area.

Why not celebrate the fantastic area by entering the ‘I Love Central’ competition – all you need to do is say what you love about living in Central Bedfordshire and you could win some great prizes, including an all expenses paid birthday party at one of the leisure centres. So draw a picture or take a photo of you doing something you love, or of somewhere you love to go. Be creative - think about what makes you happy and let your imagination do the rest. You can get an entry form on the website www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/families or alternatively pick one up at your local library or children’s centre.

Choc-full of Easter eggs? Hot and cross after too many buns? If you’re looking for a way to burn off those eggs-tra calories, why not head down to your local leisure centre. All six of the centres will be open.

Local libraries are holding events and activities throughout the Easter break, including Easter egg hunts, competitions and crafts.

A ‘School’s out’ booklet, available on our website www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/schoolholidayschemes contains information on a variety of holiday schemes and activities for children and young people of all ages including those with additional needs, enabling families to balance work commitments with the school holidays.

Cllr Brian Spurr, Executive Member for Sustainable Communities Services said:“This Easter why not stay local and enjoy some of the fantastic activities on offer right here on your doorstep. With such a great range, there is something for everyone, whatever your age.”

For more information about what’s happening over Easter, including details of other local events visit www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/easter

Budget airline easyJet has announced that it will create 2,500 new jobs in the town- if the expansion of London Luton Airport is agreed.

The firm has struck a 10 year deal with the airport as it looks to increase its operation from four million to nine million passengers a year.

This spike would bring with it 2,500 new jobs, but is dependent on plans for the expansion of London Luton to be given the go ahead.

Luton Borough Council agreed the increased in capacity from 12 million to 18 million passengers a year, but the government are now reviewing whether the council can give this consent as it owns the airport.

Carolyn McCall, chief executive of easyJet, said: “The speed of easyJet’s expansion at London Luton is in part reliant on the airport’s plans for much-needed improvements being approved.

“Those improvements will unlock the airport’s potential by improving the customer experience of the airport while also increasing the numbers of passengers flying to and from London Luton.”

The new deal between easyJet and the airport brings immediate growth, as the airline looks to increase its capacity by 20 percent over the next year.

Glyn Jones, managing director of London Luton Airport, welcomed the agreement.

He said: “easyJet is our largest airline partner, accounting for 45 per cent of all passengers using the airport. We see this as a real vote of confidence in London Luton Airport and its future.”

“The creation of new jobs, the opening up of new routes and the increased frequency of flights to popular destinations is great news for the entire local region.”

Campaigners Hertfordshire Against Luton Expansion issued concern over the deal.

Andrew Lambourne said: “Extra jobs and benefits to passengers have to be balanced by effective actions to reverse the increasing noise trend at Luton Airport.”

“These are not unreasonable demands.”

An elderly woman was taken to the Luton&Dunstable Hospital on Monday morning after falling at her Chobham Walk home.

The fire brigade came to the rescue after the ambluance service were unable to gain access.

Homeowners and businesses affected by flooding this winter can apply for a grant of up to £5,000 to implement tougher defence measures.

You can request an application form electronically from flooding@luton.gov.uk or contact the Council’s helpdesk on 01582 546000.

Were you sold fake tickets for Canadian artist Drake’s London 02 Arena concerts on March 25 and 26?

If so British Transport Police would like to hear from you. Call 0800 40 50 40, or text 61016, quoting TSub/B3 of 31/03/14. Or call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

A massage therapist is considering closing her business in Luton as more than three quarters of the calls she receives are from perverts looking for ‘extra services’.

Eileen McIntyre, 56, opened up the e:den therapy room in Grosvenor House, Alma Street, a year ago but is looking to call time on her stay in the town after growing tired of persistent callers looking for escort services.

Ms McIntyre is flooded with calls and text messages of an explicit nature and on one occasion had to eject a man after he stripped naked in her therapy room without warning.

The problem arose shortly after the therapy room was set up in Grosvenor House and has worsened over the last six months.

Ms McIntyre has admitted she “never gave the problem a thought” before setting up shop, as she previously worked in London without dealing with pervert callers.

She said: “It is a problem with Luton as there are a lot of massage parlours offering that sort of thing. Men here seem to be used to that service.

“Eight of ten calls are of that kind and it is very disheartening. Men seem to be willing to pay anything, I’ve had them on the phone trying to negotiate with me even after I have told them I do not offer what they are looking for.”

The recurring problem has also led to concerns over Ms McIntyre’s safety, who has had to take extra precautions.

She admitted: “I have to be on my guard all the time. It has got to the point where I only take appointments with men when other businesses are still in the building. This is seriously affecting the business and has been a constant stress for me.”

“I get some really explicit text messages and once I had a voice message from someone at 2am on a Saturday morning telling me I had ten minutes to get to his place.”

The worst instance saw a man travel to the therapy room and strip naked before Ms McIntyre had the chance to confirm what treatment he wanted.

She said: “He was naked before I could consult him and I had to tell him to put his clothes back on and leave. I’m now sussing men out on the phone if they ask about ‘extra services’ or ask which girls are on duty.”

“I’m not sure how long I can keep going on like this. As soon as you mention massage people just put it up there with the sex industry, it is not fair for people like me.”

For all the rumours of final cut wrangles, studio meddling, soaring budgets and tepid test screenings its easy to think of Noah as a sort of Biblical Waterworld – a soggy mess that’s going to see a lot of cash poured down the plughole.

But if you’re looking for an overblown and overwrought epic with plenty of special effects trickery and modern muscle brought to bear on a sketchy if familiar story, you could do a lot worse.

Russell Crowe heads a heavyweight cast including Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson, Ray Winstone and Anthony Hopkins and calling the shots is Darren ‘Black Swan, The Wrestler’ Aronofsky so it’s no surprise that it’s not exactly the most reverent take on the famous flood fable and some Christians have been tutting rather loudly, and more.

Elsewhere there’s sci-fi action thriller Divergent, set in a future world where people are segregated by personality type.

It’s adapted from Veronica Roth’s bestselling young adult novel so expect Hunger Games vibes as our young heroine Shailene ‘The Descendants’ Woodley makes her way in the world while Kate Winslet’s in the background as an icy adversary.

Arty favourite of the week is The Double, directed by Richard Ayoade from a Dostoyevsky story about a loser confounded when a new arrival who is his spitting image starts living a life he can only dream of. Dark and delicious, with Jesse Eisenberg in the lead role and lots of other ‘indie’ favourites in the cast.

For reliable family fun Muppets: Most Wanted serves up the familiar recipe of puppets, star cameos, a daft crime caper plot and a feelgood song and dance score. Ricky Gervais is the biggest human name, but we know who the real stars are.

Cardington Hangar No. 1 provided the backdrop to the launch of a new Velocity Growth Hub for Bedfordshire businesses on Friday.

Velocity, a business support initiative for companies across the South East Midlands, has been made possible thanks to grants worth £1.75 million from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund through Lancaster University and South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP).

The growth hub aims to make it easier for businesses to maximise their growth potential. As well as an online portal at www.velocitygrowthhub.com and telephone helpdesk, there will be one-to-one mentoring and support from two locally-based Business Advisers as well as grants worth up to £3,000.

Clive Haywood and Richard Cooper are the Velocity Growth Hub Business Advisers for Bedfordshire. Highly experienced, having occupied senior roles in management, customer relations and business development, Clive and Richard will support businesses across the county to help them achieve their growth plans.

Clive said: “If you run a business and want to grow it can be very difficult to know where to go for information or even what support is available to you. Velocity Growth Hub aims to make it easier for businesses to access help and advice by bringing together information, mentoring and grant funding in one place.

“We are actively looking for business owners in Bedfordshire who want to take their business to the next level.”

Richard, also a Business Adviser for Velocity, said: “When you work in your business, it can be a real challenge to find the time or resources to work on your business. This is where we can help as Velocity Growth Hub Business Advisers. We can work with businesses, giving advice and knowledge, so that real growth and success can be achieved.”

The Hub is designed to attract over £2million of private sector investment and engage with 15,000 businesses by June 2015.

For more information and to make an appointment, go to www.velocitygrowthhub.com or call 0300 456 3565.

Take seven aspiring artists ranging in age from 19 to 60 something.

Factor in a common denominator - they’re all second year BA fine arts honours students at the University of Bedfordshire – and hey presto! You have the Secret Seven (with apologies to Enid Blyton).

Each has a completely different take on her chosen subject and they’re mounting an exhibition of their inspiring work at the Hat Factory at the end of the month.

Ringleader Susie Coussens, 65, of Stopsley was a legal secretary all her working life. But the artist within has now been let loose. “A big painting has been waiting to burst out all these years,” she smiles. And her huge colourful canvases – featuring women in various stages of undress – bear testament to the talent that has lain dormant for so long.

In the uni’s fifth floor studio, Isabel Grundy, 21, from Dunstable is sculpting several copies of the same male torso. In apron and gloves, she’s making silicone moulds.

She says: “You always hear about domestic violence against women, but not against men.

“I want to have five unblemished front chests against one wall and five opposite featuring bruises and cuts, depicting that it happens to men as well, to make people think.”

Audrey Imber, 64, of Letchworth is another senior citizen who suppressed her artistic ambitions to become a primary school teacher. She then ran her own outdoor clothing business.

But now she’s doing exactly what she wanted to do as a teenager and is loving every minute.

“I’m drawn to damaged and decaying landscapes, like the overgrown and scruffy bits of an allotment,” she explains. “I’m doing a triptych (three panels) of a gnarled old tree with threads and wire going through it and out of it.”

Nineteen-year-old Aimee Smith of Letchworth is into performance art featuring strong women with a historical content. “In the modern world we’ve been degraded to becoming the underdog,” she asserts. “I want to get the message out that we are the rulers of our own destiny.”

Elaine Cooney, also 19, from Sundon Park is an environmentalist. She’s currently fashioning an old cooker hood into an ultra cool sculpture and believes waste material should be turned into something creative.

It’s buildings that capture the imagination of Rebecca Mairs, 21, of Lincoln. She’s a big fan of digital art.

Nazia Hussain, 21, of St Albans is fascinated by the mind. “I’ve done a lot of research and many creative people have a mental illness,” she says. “My portraits are full of scribbles representing anxiety.”

Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner Olly Martins has been interviewed under police caution as an investigation into the leak of information continues.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission quizzed Mr Martins last week, after the commissioner admitted passing “confidential information” about the death of Leon Briggs to a Home Office worker.

An IPCC spokesman said: “We have interviewed Mr Martins under criminal caution at our offices, the investigation is progressing well, and we have been keeping the family updated.”

Mr Briggs, of Ashburnham Road, died after being arrested on November 4.

The details of the incident were further circulated by the Home Office employee who, according to Mr Martins, “did not appreciate the sensitivity of what had been said”.

The commissioner was given a written warning for the leak and the Bedfordshire Police and Crime Panel warned Mr Martins about his future conduct.

Police were called to Hatters Way lunchtime today (April 2) after a male was spotted on the Bury Park flyover trying to do himself some harm.

A police spokesman said: “We were contacted with a concern for safety. The public intervened before we arrived to deal with the matter.

“We are now trying to find out who the man is and making sure he is safe and well.”

Protesters will be outside the central library this Saturday afternoon from 11.30am to 1.30pm.

Leader Doreen Steinberg has been campaigning against the library closures since January.

She said: “These closures discriminate against the disabled, the elderly and infirm, the unemployed, children and the residents of these two large areas at either end of Luton. They will have no internet access for job searches, homework, knowledge or even checking the council’s website.

“They get money for libraries but no one know where it goes, we have a right to know.”

Pupils from Chantry academy enjoyed a day of singing and were joined by X Factor finalists Voices With Soul on Monday.

The primary school choir took part in the Big Sing Off in Dunstable and they sang at the O2 earlier this year.

Jamie Kelly, assistant headteacher, said: “We had our Sing Up day, where each class learnt a song and we all gathered in the hall to sing to each other.”

They were joined in the afternoon by the soul singers, Mr Kelly said: “They sang to the children and spoke to them about how they became so good at singing, offering advice and how to achieve what you want in life.

“The children were enthralled throughout the performance and had no hesitation in joining in with the singing, they haven’t stopped talking about how much fun it was.

“The ladies were very impressed with their singing.”

Police are looking for a man who exposed himself to a 66-year-old grandmother in People’s Park.

The incident occurred at 11.30am on Sunday March 23 as the victim was watching her grandchildren, aged 4 and 6, as they played at the park in Havelock Road.

A man walked towards the swings, sat down and began to commit an indecent act. He then left the scene in a car.

The man is described as black, 5’10” tall, in his mid-twenties with short black curly hair and was wearing navy tracksuit bottoms and a navy body warmer.

The officer in charge of this investigation, PC Olyver Tomlinson, is keen to trace anyone else who may have been subjected to this type of behaviour or anyone who can help identify the man from the description given.

Anyone with information relating to this incident can contact PC Tomlinson, in confidence, at Luton Police Station, on 01582 394087, 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 woman had to be rescued from her car this morning after crashing in a field off Newlands Road.

The driver sustained head, neck and spinal injuries in the incident, which occurred shortly before 5.50am.

Beds Fire and Rescue crews used a mount chair to rescue the trapped woman from her car, after which she was taken to hospital by ambulance.

A special unit and one appliance from Luton station attended the incident, with assistance given by another appliance from Stopsley station.

More to follow...