Drivers are warned that a slow-moving vehicle with an abnormal load will be travelling from Southampton to Nottingham tomorrow (June 12) via the M3, M25 and M1.

It will start at 10am and will travel at about 30 mph, accompanied by police.

Police are hunting for a man who racially abused and attacked a woman in Wardown Park, Luton.

The 28-year-old white victim had been asked to help a child who had got stuck on a climbing frame at the park (pictured) at around 6.30pm on May 31.

As she did so, two children started mocking the child and then started swearing and racially abusing the victim who was wearing a head scarf.

The victim asked the children to stop swearing and then left the park with her sister and two children.

As she left the park she was approached by a man who punched her in the stomach which caused her to fall to the floor and hit her head on the pavement. The offender shouted racial abuse at the victim before punching her again as she tried to stand up. He then spat in the woman’s face before walking off with his wife and two children towards Old Bedford Road where they got into a grey Audi and drove away from the area.

PC Jagjeet Dhillon, who is investigating the incident, is keen to speak with anyone who was in the park at the time and may have seen the assault taking place.

PC Dhillon said: “This was vicious and seemingly unprovoked attack on a woman who merely asked two children in a play area to stop swearing. Thankfully, the victim’s injuries were not too serious, but this offender is obviously a violent individual who was not afraid to use extreme measures in a public place and in front of young children.

“If anyone saw this incident taking place or may know who the offender is, please get in touch. Even the smallest piece of information could help us find this individual.”

The offender is described as being an Asian male – believed to be Pakistani, in his late 30s or early 40s, around 6ft tall, of muscular build, with very short shaved black hair and wearing a cream jumper or top with black stripes, navy blue jeans and white trainers with white markings.

If you have information relating to this incident, contact PC Dhillon, in confidence, on the non-emergency 101 number, or text information to 07786 200011. Alternatively contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.

The chair of governors at a Luton Islamic faith school has written to the head of Ofsted, following the release of a damning report.

Olive Tree Primary School, Bury Park Road, was given an inadequate rating after it was found to have books which “promotes and condones” stoning, lashing and execution.

The school has countered that the literature was discovered in a staff library out of reach for students, also that it “provides information about the application of law in a theocracy, not in the UK.”

Writing to Ofsted head inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw, chair of governors Farasat Latif asked if the Quaran and Bible should also be removed for references to lashing and stoning.

He said: “I am of the view that the above named books should not be removed from our staff library, as the punishments mentioned within them should not be taken in the context of UK law.”

The Department for Education has said that ‘tough actionn’ will be taken against the school if concerns are not addressed suitably.

> For the full story read Wednesday’s Luton News

Luton households already help the council save money by recycling, but they’re being encouraged to do even more next week during National Recycling Week.

> For tips on reducing food waste and saving on groceries visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

A Luton dentist has been struck off after receiving a raft of charges for misconduct.

Thomas Nyerges was summoned to a hearing by the General Dental Council (GDC) for charges relating to his time at the Luton Dental Practice, 12A King Street, Luton.

Mr Nyerges did not attend the hearing and he was not represented.

The charges he faced included failing to obtain consent, submitting a claim to the NHS for work that had been carried out on a private basis and failing to carry out an adequate examination.

Nyerges was also charged with failing to formulate a treatment plan.

The professional conduct committee ruled: “The range of clinical failings of themselves represented a serious falling short from acceptable standards.

“The issue of Mr Nyerges’ dishonest claims for remuneration from the NHS strikes at the heart of his professionalism and represents a fundamental departure from the behaviour expected of a dentist.”

Unless Mr Nyerges, who was immediately suspended, exercises his right of appeal, his name will be struck off the register within 28 days.

The GDC investigates allegations that a dental professional’s ability, behaviour or health means it is not suitable for them to continue working as a dental professional

Luton Borough Council’s Life Choices Fair will be at St George’s Square from 10am till 4pm on Friday, June 13.

Luton in Harmony are working with the council to host this free family event, to make it easier to make the right decisions.

There will be a variety of stands and activities throughout the day covering a wide range of topics.

Councillor Khtija Malik, portfolio holder for social justice, said: “Our Life Choices Fair aims to offer advice and information to help support residents’ improve their lives.

“There’s something for everyone at this free event, from advice on how to survive on a limited budget, to information on living a healthy lifestyle to details on adult learning and volunteering opportunities. This is an event not to be missed.”

Recycling tips, advice agencies, food demonstrations, help with work experience, advice on employment and even tips on how to grow your own vegetables can also be found at this event.

After sifting through hundreds of your nominations, we can now reveal the shortlist for Salon of the Year 2014

#SalonOfTheYear

We need YOU to help us find the top hairdressing and/or beauty salon in our area.

Somewhere that’s a cut above the rest and doesn’t take you at face value.

Your favourite salon might provide the best blow-dries, the perfect haircuts, the neatest threading, the hottest self-tans, the most relaxing massages, fantastic facials or the most glamorous nails.

Whether it’s the way they colour your hair, the extra little touches, or the friendly welcome you always receive, we want to hear from you!

To vote for your favourite salon, you can either send us a text (details below), and/or fill out the coupon (in this week’s paper) and post it to us. The salon that receives the most votes will be crowned the Luton News & Dunstable Gazette Salon of the Year 2014.

SHORTLIST

101 - Barnet Fayre, 7 Queensway, Dunstable, LU5 4ET

103 - Beauty Within / House of Hair, 5 Leamington Road, Luton, LU3 3XF

104 - Elaine Sullivan-Child, 24 High Street South, Dunstable, LU6 3HA

105 - Honeycomb, 56 Langdale Road, Dunstable, LU6 3BS

106 - Evolution @ Joseph’s Hair Salon, 47 Wellington Street, Luton LU1 2QH

107 - Libra Beauty, 4 Putteridge Parade, LU2 8HP

108 - Lucia Hair & Beauty, 90 High Town Road, Luton, LU2 0DQ

109 - Lunatic Fringe, 4 Hillborough Crescent, Houghton Regis, LU5 5NS

110 - New Images, 2 Westfield Road, Dunstable, LU6 1DH

111 - Nuwaves, 371 Hitchin Road, Luton, LU2 7ST

112 - Shampoo, Chapel Street, Luton, LU1 3ET

113 - Sharpcuts, 57 Cheapside, Luton, LU1 2HN

HURRY! VOTES MUST BE RECEIVED BEFORE 9AM ON MONDAY, JUNE 23, 2014

HOW TO VOTE BY TEXT

Text your vote before 9am on Monday, June 23, 2014 to 65550. Simply start your text with the words: BLNVOTE followed by a space, then the 3-digit number of the salon you think should win (as detailed). Follow this with your name, your address (inc. postcode), and your email address (if you have one).

Text messages cost 50p each (in addition to your standard network charge) and should contain no more than 160 characters.

TERMS & CONDITIONS: Text-line closes at 08.59am on Monday, June 23, 2014. You will receive a reply-message to confirm receipt of your text vote. Your text message must follow the exact format stated, otherwise your vote may not be counted but you may still be charged. If you text after the stated closing date your vote will not be counted but you may still be charged. Johnston Press standard competition terms and conditions apply (these can be found at www.johnstonpress.co.uk/jpplc/competition) and voting is deemed as acceptance of these terms. We cannot accept votes by email. Johnston Press Plc (the publishers of this newspaper) or its agents may use your information to contact you by mail, email, phone or SMS/MMS to let you know about our (or our partners’) products, services, and offers. By giving us your address and phone numbers you agree that we may contact you by these methods for marketing. Please add the word EXIT at the end of your text message if you do not wish to receive these. SMS service is provided by mGage Llc., SE1 8ND (020 7633 5000). To contact Johnston Press Midlands Marketing Department call 01604 467081 or email midlands.marketing@jpress.co.uk.

Luton celebrated the work of its ‘unsung heroes’ at the Volunteer Awards on Thursday, June 5.

More than 200 people attended the event at the University of Bedfordshire, recognising the hard work and dedication from the volunteers.

The winners on the night were Debra Knight for Exceptional Achievement, Darren Woodhouse for his Business Contribution to the Community, Gulab Sharma in the Health and Wellbeing category, Bozena Briggs won the Supporting Learning category, Sheila Dixon for Lifetime Achievement and Vrajlal Pattni in the Support and Advice category.

Faiza Raqeeb won the Young Volunteer of the Year, Samuel Christy Jesudass was awarded the Sporting Volunteer of the Year title, Bill Bell is the Cultural Volunteer of the Year and Steven Dolby is the Community Champion of the Year.

Team Signposts won the Going Green title and were also crowned the People’s Choice Winner of Winners, which was voted on the night.

A range of local private, public and voluntary organisations organised the awards with the council, TUI UK & Ireland were the main sponsors and other organisations helped to fund categories.

A pub closure in Lewsey Farm has caused an action group to step in and stay in the Tomlinson Avenue property, leaving the future of it’s existence in doubt.

The Roman Way, owned by Enterprise Inns, closed on Thursday, June 5, when the former landlord left the pub.

The Lewsey Farm Community Action group took the keys and moved in on Thursday morning.

Paul Taylor, leader of the group said: “This is the heart of the community, if you take this away, what is left for the estate. We will fight to keep this property and run it as a community pub.

“Luton Borough council should be in dialogue with Enterprise Inns to sort a deal so that we can purchase this.”

A spokesperson for the council said: “We are aware of the Lewsey Farm Community Action Group and that they are currently occupying the Roman Way Pub, which is being addressed by the leaseholders Enterprise Inns. Together with the police we are continuing to monitor the situation.”

Members of the public believe it should be run as a pub.

Kat Bull, 24: “It should be a family run pub with a play area.

“Since the group have taken over, everyone is hanging around there, it looks a mess, I think it’s despicable behaviour from the minority of the community.”

An Enterprise Inns spokesperson said: “We are keen to take possession of the pub so we can assess the condition of the property and carry out necessary repairs.

“We aim to recruit a new publican so that the pub can continue to trade in the heart of the Lewsey Farm community.”

For lovers of oddball films like Being John Malkovich and Adaptation, look no further than sci-fi drama HER (15: Entertainment In Video).

Funny, touching and thought-provoking, this terrific picture from writer/director Spike Jonze inhabits pretty much the same territory.

Joaquin Phoenix is Theodore Twombly, a morose and lonely man in the midst of a divorce.

In a near-future world of holographic video games and voice-activated everything, he writes personal letters for repressed clients.

But his life is turned upside down when he downloads a cutting-edge piece of operational computer software, the artificially intelligent OS1.

As it’s intuitive, smart and sexily voiced by Scarlett Johannson, it’s little wonder that Theodore is soon head over heels in love with “her”.

But can a disembodied voice truly compete in a world of physical attraction and is a one-to-one relationship even possible in cyberspace?

Phoenix is no stranger to offbeat movies and Jonze again demonstrates his talent for mature and magical film-making.

> Unsurprisingly long-declared unfilmable, William Faulkner’s experimental novel AS I LAY DYING (15: Lionsgate) is a gruelling 1920s-set yarn of a farmer’s horse-and-cart journey across Mississippi to bury his dead wife in her home town, accompanied by their five children.

It takes the form of a series of 59 monologues, so transferring it to the screen was a daunting prospect.

James Franco, who both directs and stars in his own adaptation, was up for the challenge and makes as good a job of it as can realistically be hoped for.

It’s not an emotionally satisfying film as the book simply doesn’t lend itself to that, but it’s often mesmerising.

Franco uses split screen, voiceover and some irritating actorly mumbling to reflect the fractured nature of the novel, while preserving the sense of emotional isolation that the characters endure.

The acting is top notch with Tim Blake Nelson standing out as toothless, stubborn patriarch Anse. Ironically it’s only Franco himself as Darl, the unstable brother, who’s a little disappointing, perhaps bec ause he spread himself a tad too thin.

> KNOCKED FOR SIX (15: Metrodome), an Australian comedy about cricket, follows a roistering bunch of middle-aged guys in an amateur Melbourne club on tour in India.

Club president Teddy realises his two best players, Ricky and Stav, are now more interested in their families than the game.

Faced with much better Indian teams and with his own bunch considering the trip a mere holiday, how can he knock them into shape?

The film is based on director Boyd Hicklin’s 2005 documentary Save Your Legs and the script is not particularly new.

Despite the threadbare story, the diarrhoea and vomit jokes, thrown in due to Teddy’s inability to deal with Indian food, and the slightly desperate Bollywood dance number at the end, there’s a decent feeling of fun and camaraderies about the film that makes it amiable enough in a goofy sort of way.

However, you probably have to be very into cricket, and be of an indulgent disposition, to really like it.

Bedfordshire Police are warning World Cup football fans not to be tempted to get behind the wheel after having a drink.

Police officers will be targeting drivers throughout the tournament, both after matches and also the morning after and are asking for supporters planning to drive to watch games in pubs to be extra vigilant.

It is estimated for each unit of alcohol consumed it takes at least an hour to enter the body and a further hour to leave it. If you were to drink four pints of lager, for exampple, you should not drive for at least 13 hours from finishing your last pint.

Chief Inspector Richard Hann of the Bedfordshire Roads Policing Unit said: “It is important anyone thinking of getting behind the wheel either following a match or the morning after a heavy day or night of drinking thinks carefully.

“This time of year always carries a greater risk of drink driving and we need to target our enforcement on this for the driver’s safety and also for the safety of others.”

“We encourage people showing support for their teams in the World Cup but we also want people to have a good time responsibly.

“Please do not take the risk of driving if you plan to drink as you will more than likely be caught and the potential consequences on both yourself and others will be severe and won’t be worth the risk.”

Tips to avoid drink driving include:

- appoint a designated driver or plan your journey home ahead, not planning your journey home can make drink driving more tempting.

- the morning after an evening’s drinking can be just as dangerous as the night before so make sure you leave a suitable length of time before you decide to drive in the morning, even though you may feel fine you may be still over the legal limit.

- leave your vehicle at home – if you think you may possibly drive home then leave your vehicle at home to rule this out.

For more information go to {http://www.morning-after.org.uk|www.morning-after.org.uk}

With the World Cup under way, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Police forces are warning football fans not to be tempted to get behind the wheel after having a drink.

Police officers will be targeting drivers throughout the tournament, both after matches and also the morning after and are asking for supporters planning to drive to watch games in pubs to be extra vigilant.

It is estimated that for each unit of alcohol consumed it takes at least an hour to enter the body and a further hour to leave it. If you were to drink four pints of lager for example, you should not drive for at least 13 hours from finishing your last pint.

Chief Inspector Richard Hann of the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Roads Policing Unit said: “It is important that anyone thinking of getting behind the wheel either following a match or the morning after a heavy day or night of drinking thinks carefully. This time of year always carries a greater risk of drink driving and we need to target our enforcement on this for the driver’s safety and also for the safety of others.”

“We encourage people showing support for their teams in the World Cup but we also want people to have a good time responsibly. Please do not take the risk of driving if you plan to drink as you will more than likely be caught and the potential consequences on both yourself and others will be severe and won’t be worth the risk.”

Penalties for drink driving will mean a minimum of a 12-month disqualification, a fine of up to £5,000 and possibly 6 months in prison. Causing death by careless driving whilst under the influence of alcohol can result in a prison term of up to 14 years.

A drink drive conviction will also mean you will have a criminal record, penalty points on your driving licence for 10 years, insurance costs will increase dramatically, hiring a car will become all but impossible and entry to some foreign countries denied.

Local authorities across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire will be delivering publicity campaigns to encourage people not to drink drive. Here are some tips to avoid drink driving:

> Appoint a designated driver or plan your journey home ahead – not planning your journey home can make drink driving more tempting.

> The morning after can be just as dangerous as the night before – make sure you leave a suitable length of time before you decide to drive in the morning, even though you may feel fine you may be still over the legal limit. For more information go to http://www.morning-after.org.uk

> Leave your vehicle at home – if you think you may possibly drive home then leave your vehicle at home to rule this out.

> Do not consume alcohol at all – the only safe and guaranteed amount of alcohol to ensure you don’t drive over the legal limit is not to drink alcohol at all. Different ages, weight and health affects everyone differently so one drink can make all the difference.

There was a large petrol leak at Toddington south services last night (June 13) after a lorry’s petrol tank was ruptured in a road traffic collision.

More than 50 litres of diesel were spilled.

Two pupmps from Toddington attended the incident. They used 100 absorbent pads and 120 kg of sand to ,ake the area safe.

A shed in Stockingstone Road was completely destroyed in a blaze early this morning (June 14).

The fire service was called to the property at 12.15aam.

One pump from Stopsley attended the incident. Two hose reels, breathing apparatus and a thermal imaging camera were used.

An adoption charity is going back to basics is a bid to find more people to look after children.

At present, more than 6,000 children are in care and awaiting adoption. However, there are nowhere near that number of adopters coming forward to offer a child a new family.

St Francis’ Children’s Society hosts monthly information events which allow prospective adopters to find out more.

And this month they are going back to basics with a region-wide poster campaign.

The posters highlight the overwhelming need for more adoptive families in the UK, and dispel some of the myths about adoption: people who are over 40, single, in a same-sex relationship, an unmarried couple or not on a high income are all eligible to adopt a child.

The Society’s CEO, Alison Miller, said: “The recent spate of television documentaries about adoption have really highlighted the desperate need for more new adoptive parents to come forward. Channel 4 led the way with ‘Finding Mum & Dad’ and ‘15,000 Kids and Counting’, and ITV screened a major 4-part documentary series looking at the entire adoption process called Wanted: A Family of My Own.

“These programmes have certainly raised the profile of adoption at a national level, but we need to build on that and help people realise that the shortfall in adopters is a local problem too.’

St Francis’ Children’s Society are looking for volunteers to put posters up in their local doctor’s surgeries, libraries, community centres, church halls, shops and cafés – anywhere the local community can see them and learn a bit more about the Society.

Communications Officer, Vicky Hunt, said: “We need help to really spread the word about our services and allay any concerns which might be preventing people who could be interested in adoption from coming forward.”

The Society welcomes all kinds of adopters for all kinds of children, regardless of age, race, cultural background, religion, marital status or sexual orientation. Although the Society’s offices are based in Milton Keynes, they operate across Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Hertfordshire and beyond. As long as you feel comfortable with the distance between yourself and Milton Keynes, the Society would be delighted to support you through every step of your adoption journey.

If you would like to help St. Francis’ Children’s Society to raise awareness, please contact Vicky Hunt on 01908 572700 or vickyh@sfcs.org.uk, who will send you copies of their poster!

“This crime is unthinkable. What if they did it?” “What if they didn’t?”

Sometimes true events can be every bit as disturbing and harrowing as the most vile fictional creations.

Devil’s Knot takes us back to the afternoon of May 5, 1993, when three eight-year-old boys went missing from the area around their homes in West Memphis, Arkansas.

Despite a frantic search, no trace of them was found until the next day when the beaten and bound bodies of the three were found in a nearby wooded riverside known as ‘Devil’s Den’.

The shockwaves quickly spread through the deeply religious community and small police department were convinced from the start that the murders were the work of a satanic cult, due to the violent and apparent sexual natures of the crime.

Local teenagers Damien Echols – chillingly played by James Hamrick – Jason Baldwin (Seth Meriwether) and Jessie Misskelley Jr. (Kristopher Higgins) were arrested – mostly due to the fact that they were all into heavy metal, wore black and looked a bit, you know, different.

Director Atom ‘Chloe’ Egoyan delivers a searing and highly unsettling fictional take on the murder trial of the teenagers who became known as the West Memphis Three.

The plot is incredible and highly damning of the investigating officers, judicial system and pretty much everyone connected to the case – my eldest son, who I saw this with, was shocked both by the crime and then by the utter miscarriage of justice that followed.

Do not go to see Devil’s Knot looking for entertainment – even though it boasts Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon in lead roles.

This is a dark but reverent re-tread of the events which really do not need to be elaborated upon as they shock when just presented – there have been several well- received documentaries about this case, all with Paradise Lost in the title.

Egoyan does well to not pander to those looking for a gory voyeuristic kick.

The police department’s prejudice and blinkered approach to making sure that the ‘satanic’ youth they are sure are responsible pay for their unspeakable crimes, while potentially allowing the actual culprits to roam free is certainly hard to take.

Certainly not for everyone, but Devil’s Knot is worth investigating – it is deeply thought provoking stuff.

Holly the baby common hippo at Whipsnade Zoo had to be very patient indeed when her mum decided nibbling on the grass was more of a priority than Holly’s first big swim.

Born in December last year, little Holly had spent the colder months keeping warm inside her enclosure, trying out small indoor pools and bonding with her mum, dad and grandma, but was now ready to enjoy the great outdoors.

Grazing in the warm sun, Holly was visibly eager to go for her first dip in the big outdoor pool, edging closer to the cool water, but she patiently waited over an hour until her mum Lola had finished eating. Finally, mum Lola splashed into the pool, and her daughter followed her in.

Zookeeper Mark Holden said: “Hippo calves usually follow their mum’s lead when it comes to first swims, but they don’t usually have to wait quite so long. However, you could see it was worth the wait. She seemed to have a wonderful time splashing around in the sun.

“We’re really pleased with lly’s first trip outdoors. She looked very inquisitive as she took in all the new sights and smells and was clearly enjoying exploring the paddock.”

Holly is part of a conservation breeding programme at Whipsnade Zoo and is genetically important to the European Studbook.

In the calm before the storm, the people of Luton carried on unaware of what was to hit the nation in just seven weeks time.

Selina Waterworth was before Luton magistrates charged with using language contrary to bylaws. Elizabeth Peck claimed Selina had called her a ’a dirty cat’ and much worse.

Selina admitted the cat slur but denied the rest. Dismissing the case the court clerk told her she had no right to call someone a dirty cat!

There was a full page report of the opening of the new Prudential Insurance building in Upper George Street.

The rural district council heard of complaints from Leagrave residents regarding smells from sewage at Leagrave Hall. Two residents said they had been made ill with the odours.

The council surveyor and medical officer told the council the site had been insoected twice and there was no cause for concern.

Frederick Bunnage and Elizabeth Phillips of Hitchin Road, Luton, were prosecuted by the NSPCC for neglect of their eight children.

The court heard the couple had got together after their respective spouses had left, but while Mrs Phillips worked hard to care for her six children, Bunnage neglected his only child and the child he had with Mrs Phillips.

Mrs Phillips’ children, who had spent some time in the workhouse, were found to be clean but undernourished, but Bunnage’s 14 year old son William, who worked, but had to hand all his earnings to his father, was weak and undernourished.

The NSPCC inspector described Bunnage as a drunk and lazy.

Bunnage was sentenced to one month’s hard labour and the case against Mrs Phillips was dismissed.

Luton community groups could be in line for a share of £144,000 under a Near Neighbours scheme.

Organisations which help develop relationships and transform neighbourhoods can apply for grants of between £250 to £5,000.

The scheme, funded by the department for Communities and Local Government, is looking for groups working to bring together neighbours, to develop relationships across diverse faiths and ethnicities in order to improve their communities.

The criteria includes:

1) Creating Association. encouraging stronger civil society in areas that are multi-religious and multi-ethnic by creating association, friendship and neighbourliness. The programme intends to bring together people of different faiths and of no faiths to transform local communities for the better.

2) Local and Sustainable. The programme aims to build association as deeply and sustainably as possible in local neighbourhood contexts. A key criterion is that grants are spent in ways which bring together people from different ethnic and faith communities which impact specifically locally.

3) Transformative. Schemes that positively impact and transform the neighbourhoods in which projects run.

If you are interested in applying for a grant or for any other details, please visit www.near-neighbours.org.uk or contact the Luton Coordinator: Kim Greig c/o Grassroots, telephone: 01582 416946 / 07930601640, near.neighbours_luton@btconnect.com

You can find out more from www.near-neighbours.org.uk