Mothercare and the Early Learning Centre, which is located inside the store, will both be closing, on August 6.

A Mothercare spokesperson said: “We thank all our customers in the Luton area for their loyalty and support for Mothercare.

“Whilst we deeply regret that the store will close in August it is part of a larger transformation plan for our business.

“The plan will see us close a small number of our unprofitable stores across the UK whilst investing in cutting edge online shopping channels, as well as the refurbishment of some of our larger stores to make the experience even better for our customers.”

The nearest stores to Luton are in Watford, Milton Keynes and Bedford.

Kate Staniforth, The Mall’s marketing manager, said: “The Mall is committed to provide the strongest retail offer for Luton and continually in discussions with retailers to enhance the retail mix.”

Cab2Grab, an application that gives passengers the option to share taxis with other customers, has announced a partnership with Luton based taxi company Fivetwos. It will launch on Monday, July 28.

The aim is to make journeys more affordable.

Philipp Mintchin, CEO of Cab2Grab, said: “Having built a product that’s really optimised for its core audience, the Luton Airport pilot is a great starting point and we look forward to driving Cab2Grab’s growth over the coming months and years together with Fivetwos.”

For more information visit: www.cab2grab.com

Horrified hospice shop staff arrived at work yesterday morning (July 15) to discover the Park Street premises had been broken into and trashed.

But it was business as usual from 2pm as manager Linda Croke declared: “We’re not going to let this get us down or stop us raising vital funds to keep our adult and children’s services running.”

Hospice spokeswoman Andie Hill said: “Thieves smashed through the back door some time between the shop closing at 5pm on Monday and re-opening yesterday morning at 8.30am.

“They basically trashed the place. They smashed clocks and threw everything about.

“They took money from the collection boxes near the till but there wasn’t much in there.

“The safe wasn’t touched so I don’t think they were high level criminals, just opportunists.

“How can anyone do something like this, especially in Park Street which is one of our key shops in the community? “There’s always a stream of customers either buying something or giving us donations.”
She added: “Since the break-in, we’ve had lots of people stopping and offering their support. In fact someone said we should have put out a collection bucket.”

> A police spokesman asked anyone who may have seen or heard anything to ring them on 101.

Traffic came to a standstill at the corner of Crawley Green Road and Crescent Road at lunch time yesterday (July 15) after a road traffic collision. The road was closed for two hours after the incident which involved a Vauxhall Safira and a Smart car.

An ambulance spokesman said three people were immoblised on spinal boards before being taken to the Luton & Dunstable Hospital.

Luton Borough Council have launched a new number for customers to make phone payments. The new number, 0300 456 2725, is a non-geographical standard rate number. The reasons for the change are to save the council money and it is likely to reduce costs for customers.

Customers making 0300 calls are charged at the same rate as the standard rate call or are part of any inclusive minutes packages from a landline and mobile.

Councillor Mohammed Ashraf said: “We are scrutinising all our services and activities to make sure we make savings whenever we can. The change to the payments telephone number will help to save money for both the Council and our customers.

“Unfortunately we cannot forward calls from the existing payment number to an 0300 number, so anyone calling the 01582 number will hear a message advising them to re-dial the new 0300 number.”

A nationwide crackdown on suspected paedophiles has led to 14 arrests across the county since April.

Officers from Beds Police joined police forces across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in the operation– which has safeguarded more than 400 children.

One man detained by Beds Police has been charged, while 13 others are on police bail with no current charges.

County officers have also seized and are examining the contents of 250 electronic devices.

In total 660 suspected paedophiles were arrested during the siix-month operation involving 45 police forces.

Some of those detained had unsupervised access to children in the course of their work.

They include doctors, teachers, scout leaders, care workers and former police officers.

Of the 660, 39 people were registered sex offenders but the majority of those arrested had not previously come to law enforcement’s attention.

The operation targeted people accessing indecent images of children online.

Operation Notarise remained under wraps until yesterday in order to protect children, identify offenders and secure evidence.

The National Crime Agency and its partners are not revealing the methods they used to track down suspects so that they can use the same tactics again in the future.

Charging decisions are awaited in most cases but so far charges brought range from possessing indecent images of children to serious sexual assault.

Detective inspector Jerry Waite, of Bedfordshire Police Public Protection Unit, said: “We are currently in the process of examining the contents of 250 electronic devices connected with our local cases in Operation Notarise.

“We’re pleased to have been able to help with such a significant and wide-ranging enquiry which has resulted in six joint investigations with Social Services into potential hands-on child abuse offences.

“Of course we are continually taking new cases and will always want to hear from anyone who has abuse, or suspicions of abuse, of any kind to report.”

NCA deputy director Phil Gormley added: “Our aim was to protect children who were victims of, or might be at risk of, sexual exploitation.

“A child is victimised not only when they are abused and an image is taken, they are re-victimised every time that image is viewed by someone.

“Some of the people who start by accessing indecent images online go on to abuse children directly. 
“So the operation is not only about catching people who have already offended– it is about influencing potential offenders before they cross that line.”

A pensioner has described the terrifying moment in which a man was forced to repeatedly punch a dog viciously attacking another canine.

Pat Marshall, 67, from Surrey, was walking her sister’s terrier Molly across the park close to St Dominic’s Square, Lewsey Farm, Luton, on Sunday when it was suddenly attacked by a pitbull-type dog.

After gnawing into Molly’s leg the pitbull would not let go and a crowd of people formed as Mrs Marshall began to become distressed.

The noise alerted Patrick Kwiatkowski, who was working in the Nisa Local, and he stepped in to try and end to the attack.

In desperation he was forced to repeatedly punch the pitbull on the back before it let go and jumped up at him, before calming down.

Mrs Marshall said: “It was a horrifying attack that happened with no provocation at all.

“The pitbull either jumped off its lead or pulled its collar and just went for Molly.

“It was really traumatic for me, blood was coming from her mouth and she went limp.

“If the man hadn’t have helped it would have been so much worse. It doesn’t bear thinking about if it was a child it had attacked.”

Mr Kwiatkowski, 26, of Lewsey Farm, said: “I thought the pitbull had attacked the woman at first.

“I did the only thing I could think of. I had to use force to save the dog.”

After the attack Mrs Marshall scooped up Molly and went into Ladbrokes.

The terrier was urgently taken to the vets and stitched up, leaving Mrs Marshall’s sister with a £200 bill to foot.

Molly is now recovering.

A Luton councillor who wrote a directive which told Labour group members not to disagree in public has denied that it amounted to a gag order.

On Friday a document was produced at a Luton Labour meeting which said that members could only disagree “within the confines of internal meetings.”

The document tells councillors that they should only “convey a positive message about the Labour council both in the public and in the media” and that members should “do nothing to publicly or in the media show dissent, embarrass or damage the council.”

The document includes a note on dealing with the press, stating that deadlines are “not our problem and such pressures must be resisted.”

The document was leaked, which its author Cllr Paul Castleman said was “disappointing.”

Cllr Castleman, the group’s chief whip, told Herald & Post: “It was an unwritten rule and it was unfortunate that no-one spoke out at the time (before leaking the document).

“It was never drafted as a gag order, it was for those seeking guidance on keeping to agreed policies on certain issues.

“On some occasions (members) can get caught out.

“It’s not saying members can never speak to the press– that would be ridiculous.”

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> Editor’s note: Local politics matter as never before. Your elected councillor (average expenses £7,500 pa) makes decisions on schools, social care, roads and whether to hold a pop concert!

But now you won’t be able to know if the Labour councillors disagree behind the scenes, if a scheme was steamrollered by a few or even given a proper debate because your councillor can’t tell you! Or us.

So next time we ask a councillor for a statement which they say they can’t give us, we’ll let you know, and just how much in ratepayers expenses said councillor has claimed recently.

A Luton schoolboy has decided to get his head shaved in a show of support for his next door neighbour, who has now completed chemotherapy for breast cancer.

Mitchell West, 9, of Cutlers Green, has decided to take part in Macmillan Cancer Support’s Shave or Style campaign after spotting it on Facebook and has already more than doubled his £100 fundraising target.

The cause is one close to the Puttridge Primary School pupil’s heart, as next door neighbour Pauline Allen was diagnosed with breast cancer and after completing chemotherapy and radiotherapy is set to undergo a double masectomy.

Mitchell’s mother Kelly said: “We held a Macmillian coffee morning last year and he wanted to do something himself and after spotting this he decided straight away.

“Mitchell saw the effects (treatment) had on Pauline and he got very sad and upset.

“She’s going strong now and was over the moon that Mitchell had decided to do this.

“I am very proud of him.”

> To donate log on to www.shaveorstyle.org.uk/shavers/mitchell-matthew-west/

Young people in Luton who are not in education, employment or training are being encouraged to take part in a new programme, where they will be mentored by world-class athletes.

The council’s community development service is working with the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust and local partners to deliver the Get On Track scheme.

It is for 16-25 year olds and aims to give them self-discipline, motivation and confidence to enhance their chances of employment.

Those on the course will build relationships, carry out community based projects, develop their communication and teamwork skills, experience work placements and practice interviews.

Professional athletes will offer support throughout the course, sharing their experiences and giving advice.

The next six-week programme starts on Tuesday, August 12, and will run on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

For more information contact harriet.tamke@luton.gov.uk.

Jamie Brooks, 22, who took part in the programme last year, said: “The whole ‘Get on Track’ programme has been amazing. It’s improved my confidence so much and given me experience of working as a team which I didn’t have before.”

Residents are being warned by Central Bedfordshire Council that the area may experience ‘heatwave’ conditions over the next few days, according to Met Office forecasts.

Warnings that a heatwave may be imminent are triggered when the Met Office forecasts that there is a 60% chance of temperatures being high enough on at least two consecutive days and the intervening night to have a significant effect on health.

This will normally happen two or three days before a heatwave is expected to occur. This is a critical stage to ensure readiness and swift action to reduce harm from a potential heatwave. During hot spells vulnerable groups, such as the older people, feel the acute effects of heat more than others and it’s long been recognised that death rates rise in the early stages of heatwaves.

Even if temperatures do not hit extreme levels, Public Health England (PHE) still advises people to keep safe in the sun, seek shade to cool down and keep hydrated with plenty of cool fluids.

Top advice for being sun safe:

> Try to keep out of the sun between 11am to 3pm

> Wear UV sunglasses, preferably wraparound, to reduce UV exposure to the eyes, walk in the shade, apply sunscreen of at least SPF15 with UVA protection, wear a hat and light scarf. Wear light, loose-fitting cotton clothes. This should minimise the risk of sunburn.

> Drink lots of cool drinks

> Look out for others especially vulnerable groups such as the older people, young children and babies and those with serious illnesses

> Never leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle, especially infants, young children or animals

> Remember that it can get uncomfortably hot indoors too. Try to keep your bedroom and living space cool, by closing the curtains on windows that receive the sun and opening your windows at cooler times of the day and overnight when you can. Turn off non-essential lights and electrical items as these generate heat.

For more information go to www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/weather where you can download a ‘Heatwave’ advice leaflet.

The Met Office is warning of an imminent heatwave as temperatures have remained high enough on two consecutive days to raise concerns about the elderly and vulnerable.

Public Health England is advising people to keep out of the sun between 11am and 3pm, wear loose-fitting clothes, a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen with a high protection factor. They’re also encouraging everyone to keep hydrated by sipping lots of cool drinks.

A spokesperson said: “Look out for others, especially older people, babies and the unwell.

“Never leave anyone in a closed parked vehicle, especially infants, young children and animals.”

A councillor has voiced concerns over changes to bus services covering Dunstable and Houghton Regis.

Arriva say they are making the alterations from August 31 “to reflect the different ways people use buses since the launch of the Busway”. But Central Beds councillor Julian Murray told the Gazette: “It may be good for business, but I am worried that it may not be good for the public.”

A combined 38 and 39 timetable will provide a service every 30 minutes between Parkside and Luton, every 15 minutes between Windsor Drive and Luton and every 30 minutes to Dunstable, with the Busway providing another four buses per hour.

There will no longer be a Route 37. Route 38 will be reduced to run every 30 minutes from Monday to Saturday and will no longer serve Parkside and Tithe Farm estates in Houghton Regis. They will be served by the Busway A service, up to every 15 minutes.

Route 39 will not serve Dunstable, apart from one school journey in the peak morning and afternoon times. There will be an improved evening and Sunday service on the Busway.

Extra buses have been added to Routes 24,25 and 26 during morning and afternoon busy times to provide a better service for those going to and from the colleges.

Councillor Murray said: “It worries me that there will be fewer buses running through the towns of Dunstable and Houghton Regis. People will have to wait 30 minutes for a bus service going down Houghton Road to Dunstable. People living at Tithe Farm will have to get two buses to go to Morrisons and may have to buy two bus tickets.”

Linsey Frostick, Arriva’s regional marketing manager, said: “There are two less buses an hour to Dunstable on the road services as most people are choosing to make that journey on the Busway A service.

“Our review on the Houghton Road to Dunstable section of the 38 route shows that there are, on average, only 20 people boarding along this section per hour and as a result this means a bus every 15 minutes is underutilised, which is the reason for the reduction. The Busway A service runs from Tithe Farm Road to Morrisons so two buses are not required. We are looking at ticketing options for where a connection is needed so that there is no additional increase.”

Councillor Murray added: “Over the last few years we have gone from five to four buses per hour down Houghton Road to Dunstable and now these new changes will see it go down to two.”

Ms Frostick added: “Houghton Regis remains a very important area for our network and with the growth on our Busway A service we have made changes to best match demand and ensure we are catering for the future growth.

“Houghton Regis is well connected to all areas of the Luton and Dunstable conurbation and the Busway service provides great links to the airport and to London via coach or train.”

A woman was punched in the face and chest during a robbery at a takeaway in which the offender escaped with a handful of plastic forks.

The incident took place at around 1.20pm on Wednesday at Tang’s Takeaway in Beechwood Road, Luton, when the offender entered the restaurant and asked the victim if he could have some free food.

When the 28-year-old victim said no, the offender became aggressive and demanded that the victim gave him a fork.

The victim refused again and at this point the offender leapt over the counter and punched the victim in the face causing her to fall to the floor.

The offender then started searching under the counter and throwing things on the floor.

The victim grabbed hold of the offenders t-shirt but he punched her again to the chest before stealing a handful of plastic forks and running out of the restaurant while making further threats.

The victim was left with swelling to her face as well as scratches to her forearms and a sore back.

The offender was a white man, in his 40s, around 5ft 10ins tall, of slender build and with dirty hands.

He was wearing a light green baseball cap, a dirty white t-shirt with brown and yellow stains, and light brown cargo trousers with patched pockets.

Detective Constable Tim Worden would like to hear from anyone who may have seen the attack.

Call Beds Police on 101 if you have information.

Proceeds from the sale of the former LuDun site in Dunstable have created a new trust fund to help local disabled people with education, training and employment.

Members of Central Beds Council’s executive agreed last week that the council’s share from the sale of the Liscombe Road site be transferred to a partnership between the Disability Resource Centre, based in Dunstable, and the Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation (BLCF).

As a charity, the BCLF are able to apply for matched funding, which means the council’s contribution of £82,263 increases to £123,395.

LuDun was established in the 1950s to provide opportunities for work and training to local people who had disabilities as a result of injuries suffered in the Second World War.

Over time the numbers of people using LuDun declined to such an extent that in 2010 it was decided to close the factory.

By then the service was being heavily subsidised by the council to the tune of some £300,000 a year.

At the end of May 2011 LuDun was closed and the site has now been sold.

Councillor Carole Hegley, executive member for social care, health and housing, said: “The trustees have always been keen that any proceeds of the sale should be used to create a lasting legacy for all local people with disabilities, including ex-employees of LuDun, so this is excellent news.

“I am confident that this funding will have a really positive impact both now and into the future.”

Mick Dillon, chief executive of the Disability Resource Centre in Poynters Road, said: “I’m delighted that the funding has been secured to create the LuDun Trust Fund.

“The new fund is going to give local disabled people a real opportunity to get the advice, training and support they need to find real and meaningful employment.”

The fund will be managed by the DRC, which is run and managed by local disabled people.

While the fund will take a few months to be fully ready, if you would like to find out more about the proposals and to register your interest in the fund, contact the DRC on 01582 470900.

They said NOAH (12: Paramount) would be a biblical disaster of epic proportions, but they were wrong.

The Old Testament favourite was sensationalised to make it more profitable and it quickly made three times as much at the box office as the film’s $130million budget.

It’s certainly an impressive spectacle, with Russell Crowe powerfully charismatic throughout in the title role.

But his performance is in marked contrast to the hammy supporting turns by the likes of Anthony Hopkins and Ray Winstone, which feel like they belong to a film extravaganza from a bygone era.

In this blockbuster makeover of the story, Noah is the man chosen by God (here called the Creator) to carry out a momentous rescue mission before apocalyptic floods consume the Earth.

As well as facing the task of shepherding animals into a gigantic ark before the heavens open, Noah is tormented by several big questions, not least why he should be the one chosen as saviour.

And his mission is complicated by his adopted daughter Ila (Emma Watson) and the villainous Tubal-cain (Winstone), who plans on storming the vessel to escape the Creator’s vengeance.

Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky paints a bold story on a broad canvas, although the grandeur of the special effects is interspersed with bouts of navel-gazing.

> Lacklustre black comedy A LONG WAY DOWN (15: Lionsgate) is based on the Nick Hornby novel and centres on four suicidal Londoners.

Although it boasts a classy line-up, the film is overplayed, contrived and unfunny.

The quartet in question are Pierce Brosnan, who’s cast as a disgraced TV presenter; Imogen Poots, an unstable politician’s daughter; Toni Collette, an exhausted mum caring for her disabled son; and Aaron Paul, a failed musician.

One New Year’s Eve they all decide to jump from the same tower block, yet implausibly strapped for space, they decide to hold off taking the plunge until after Valentine’s Day.

Meanwhile, they bond and the movie delves into their back stories.

It’s such a pointless exercise that you may find yourself wishing this depressing bunch had put an end to things six weeks earlier.

> ABOUT LAST NIGHT (15: Sony) is a remake of the 1986 Rob Lowe/Demi Moore film.

Comedy and drama are neatly blended in the tale of two LA couples – one noisy and extrovert, the other quieter and more inward-looking.

We follow them from their first meeting in a bar and through the ups and downs of their stormy relationships.

Directed by Steve Pink and starring Kevin Hart, the plot is sometimes corny, but the dialogue is as smart as the original and the ensemble performances are heartfelt.

> The laughs are of the darkest hue in razor-sharp morality tale CHEAP THRILLS (15: Koch Media), which asks: “What would you do if a stranger offered you piles of cash to do anything on a dare?”

A debt-ridden family man and an old high school buddy are tempted to take up seemingly frivolous bets offered by a thrill-seeking couple they meet in a bar.

As the evening proceeds, the line between need and greed blurs as the wagers become dirtier and more painful.

Luton and Central Beds are on standby for severe weather on Saturday after an amber warning from the Met office.

Several areas of heavy, thundery showers will develop from Friday night before moving northwards during Saturday. Not everywhere within the warning area will see thunderstorms, and indeed some spells of warm sunshine are expected at times, but where thunderstorms do form, some torrential downpours are likely with frequent lightning, large hail and locally strong gusts. Significant flooding is possible where these do occur from surface water as well as from small, fast-responding watercourses. The public should be prepared for the risk of disruption from any of these elements.

According to the Met office the very warm and humid airmass across the UK will become increasingly unstable on Friday night and through Saturday. This will lead to the development of areas of intense thunderstorms, these moving northwards across the UK and affecting different areas at various times through the day. In this situation, large amounts of energy are available in the atmosphere and this, coupled with high moisture content, can lead to torrential downpours along with frequent lightning activity, large hail and locally strong gusts. As is usually the case with thunderstorms, broad areas can be identified as at risk some time in advance but detail will remain very uncertain until very close to the event. Some areas will miss the worst of the storms whilst nearby spots experience severe downpours with some localised flooding, so the public are advised stay in touch with the latest forecasts and warnings through Saturday.

The public is advised to take extra care, further information and advice can be found here: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/links.html

Hundreds of Lutonians flooded St George’s Square this afternoon to protest against conflict in Gaza.

Crowds gathered in front of the Town Hall at 3.30pm, as a number of speakers called for a ceasefire.

Police closed Wellington Street at 2.30pm in preparation for the event.

Wardown Park Museum are hosting a big summer event on Saturday, August 9, from 10:30am till 9.30pm.

Visitors will have the chance to take part in activities, look around the museum and see the collections on display.

There will be summer games, a BBQ, competitions, and shows throughout the day.

There will be a licensed bar and local musicians will provide entertainment in the evening.

Ellen Waghorn, event organiser, said: “We wanted to hold a family friendly event for the local community to get to know us better and to introduce a new generation to the wonderful collections at Wardown Museum.

“Museum Makers, the volunteers, are very involved, in what we do and they help shape the programme of events that we offer.

“This is our first Summer event, it follows the success of Mad Hatter’s and Alice In Wonderland event in May where over 1000 people came down.

“We are hoping the event raises awareness and helps us to raise funds for the redevelopment of Wardown Museum.”

With the summer holidays approaching and scorching temperatures set to continue, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is urging people, particularly young men, to be extra vigilant in and around water.

Water can look incredibly tempting, especially on a hot day, but it is a sad fact that periods of warm weather are often linked to spates of accidental drownings, especially when they coincide with weekends and school holidays.

Last year, a total of 381 people drowned in accidents across the UK of whom 185 were in inland waters e.g. canals, rivers and lakes. Figures show young men are at particular risk.

On average, about 40 people, who go to inland sites to jump, swim or play in water, die every year.

And the peak summer months of July and August witnessed the most deaths during this period.

RoSPA advises people to swim at properly-supervised sites, such as beaches, lidos or swimming pools, if at all possible.

The charity, which has been at the heart of accident prevention in the UK and around the world for almost 100 years, is also urging those who want to cool off in the water to think about these top tips before getting in:

1. Take it slowly – think before entering the water. Don’t jump or rush in.

2. Swim sober, have your beer after you swim, not before.

3. When you are not at a supervised site, be sociable and go with other people and make sure you know what to do if someone gets into difficulty.

RoSPA advises that children never swim unsupervised.

Dave Walker, RoSPA’s leisure safety manager, said: “We understand the temptation to want to go swimming at open water sites, especially on a sunny day. But it is important to consider that even on a hot day the water might be a lot colder or deeper than you were expecting and there may be under water debris that you cannot see from the bank.

“With the heat, we often see young people, particularly men, tempted to cool off or jump into open water. If you are going to swim at inland water sites then don’t go alone. Consider how you are going to get out of the water before you get in, and be honest about your swimming ability.

“By far the safest place to swim is at properly-supervised sites, such as lifeguarded beaches, lidos and swimming pools, although we appreciate that not everyone can get to these locations.”

For more safety tips and advice, see RoSPA’s Water Safety for Children and Young People factsheet.