A star of stage and screen dropped in to Luton Sixth Form College to run a day of acting masterclasses for BTEC and A-level students.

Rik Makarem, who played Nikhil Sharma in ITV’s Emmerdale, is currently part of a nationwide tour of play Dead Simple, an adaptation of the Peter James bestseller.

And when the production stopped off at Milton Keynes Theatre last week, Rik took time out from his busy schedule to pass on tips to a budding next generation of actors.

Students were able to get to grips with a range of techniques in Friday’s hands-on workshops, including choral work and acting in front of a video camera.

Rik, whose TV credits also include Torchwood and Foyle’s War, also hosted a Q&A session where he gave details about his journey through the industry.

He said: “Coming from the same pedigree as these students and now having gone on to work successfully in the TV, film and theatre industry, it was an absolute joy to share in their creative space, at the level at which I began.

“The students were just brilliant, effervescent, energetic and committed.

“We did some very detailed work and they responded impeccably, exploring new ground with ‘choral method’ and acting for camera.

“Drama can be such a rewarding career path and these students today have really shown potential.”

The masterclass day also gave Rik a chance to be reunited with his former college drama teacher. Steve Crayon, now section leader for performing arts and music at Luton Sixth Form College, taught Rik when he was a sixth form student at Chesterfield College.

Rik added: Steve really made me aware of my potential, so generous with positive constructive support.

“Most importantly he ensured I was drama school ready! I am so grateful to him.”

Former Luton Town and Chelsea centre forward Kerry Dixon was today jailed for nine months for assaulting a man in a Dunstable pub.

Dixon, 53, had punched a drinker off a bar stool in a late night attack at the Nag’s Head in High Street North.

Then, as the man lay on the ground, he delivered further punches and two kicks.

Judge Barbara Mensah, sitting at Luton Crown Court, told Mr Dixon that the CCTV footage of the incident had been “shocking and sickening.”

She told him: “Out of the blue we could see you strike him and knock him off his bar stool, you continued to pummel him and kick him on the ground.

“What you did was disproportionate, unnecessary and completely over the top. You were clearly going to teach him a lesson.”

But she said he had shown remorse and does exemplary voluntary work in football coaching.

The Nags Head incident took place in the early hours of May 15 last year.

The former footballer was captured on the pub’s CCTV system attacking 38-year-old father-of-two Ben Scoble and the footage was played to the jury during the five-day trial.

Dixon, of Jardine Way, Dunstable, pleaded not guilty to a charge of assaulting Mr Scoble occasioning him actual bodily harm but was found guilty by the jury a week ago.

During the trial, Dixon had claimed to the jury he was being hassled by Mr Scoble, who went and sat on his stool by the bar where he had been sitting with his girlfriend through the evening.

The CCTV footage that was played showed Dixon approaching the victim and taking his pint glass from the bar and placing it on a nearby table. Moments later he delivered a flurry of punches, knocking the builder off the stool and down onto the floor of the pub, where he continued the attack.

In the witness box, Dixon had claimed he feared he was about to be attacked by Mr Scoble and struck out in a pre-emptive strike, which he said was in self defence.

He said that although he had removed the pint glass from the bar, the victim was still holding a near empty pint glass in his left hand on the bar.

Dixon told the jury that he still bore the scar of a glass attack that happened in another pub in Dunstable ten years before.

He claimed that had been running through his mind when he struck out.

Dixon told the jury that when he asked the other man to get off his stool, he was told “f... off, fatso!”

Earlier in the evening, he said the victim had been disrespectful to him in the pub’s lavatory, when Scoble had asked him “Are you the drug dealer? Well are you? Have you got any?”

Giving evidence, Mr Scoble told the court he had not spoken to Dixon in the pub’s lavatory and he denied he had been abusive to him at the bar.

Following the jury’s verdict of guilty, the court was told Dixon had a previous conviction for driving with excess alcohol in 2000 and had been cautioned for common assault in June 2002.

Mark Wyeth QC defending Dixon urged the court to suspend the sentence adding: “He has shown genuine remorse and has expressed several times that he felt ashamed and wanted to apologise to Mr Scoble.

“He is a proud man and feels he has not only let himself down but others too. He is not someone who acts in a violent way and was never regarded as an aggressive player at the height of his fame, in fact, quite the reverse.”

He said he had suffered financially during the year he has been awaiting trial and had been working as a labourer and caring for his parents who are both in ill health.

The judge also ordered Dixon to pay £500 compensation to Mr Scoble and a £100 victim surcharge.

Enjoy the great outdoors with a big family picnic this weekend.

The Wildlife Trust BCN has teamed up with Luton Borough Council to improve Galley and Warden Hill for wildlife and local people.

And at the Big Picnic they are celebrating 50 years of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the end of the ‘Chilterns Commons Project’.

Everyone is encouraged to bring along a picnic and enjoy all the recent improvements on the Reserve.

Children will have the chance to investigate the nature reserve using explorer backpacks and get involved with sweep netting and bug hunting as well as to get hands on with wildlife crafts.

There will also be guided walks for adults available.

The event runs from noon to 3pm on Saturday, June 21.

It costs £2 per child to take part in the activities.

Booking is recommended on 01525 874317 or toddington@wildlifebcn.org

The Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, designated in 1965, recognized that the Chiltern Hills contains some of the finest landscapes in the country.

The countdown to the London Luton Airport charity cycle challenge has begun.

A team of 29 will cycle for from Luton to Brussels over three days to raise in excess of £30,000 for the Airport’s charity partner Sue Ryder, St Johns Hospice.

The challenge will see the group depart from Luton on July 9 and cover 233 miles before reaching Brussels on July 11. It is a test of endurance and a collaborative effort to support a very worthy cause.

Paula Rastrick, Corporate Fundraiser at Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice said: “Our partnership with London Luton Airport is amazing and this challenge is a testament to the hard work and determination of everyone involved – cyclists and fundraisers alike. To the volunteers who choose to donate their most precious commodity; time – thank you. We could not do this without your support.”

The Airport and Sue Ryder would like to thank the corporate heroes that have sponsored this ride:

To find out more visit www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/ldnlutonairport

A farmer is taking the battle against illegal immigrants into his own hands - by catching them on his land.

Chris Gadsden, 60, said the problem has gone way beyond Britain’s ports to the very heart of the countryside, and in just the last month he has caught more than 50 of them.

Acting as a one-man patrol he captures suspected stowaways on his farm in Toddington, Beds., which is just 400 yards north of the M1.

He has even caught a man hiding in a drain and has been forced to brandish a shotgun and tie up people for his own protection before handing them over to officials.

Chris said illegal immigrants flee from the lorries at the Toddington Services on the northbound carriageway of the motorway - one of the first stops for truckers coming from the Port of Dover.

Chris, who keeps animals on his ten acres, is separated from Toddington services by three cornfields, where he has permission to hunt and walk his dogs.

Chris, a father-of-four is dubbed ‘The Farminator’, said: “It’s been going on for years now.

“They have been invading our privacy and I’m proud to have done something about it.”

Speaking to The Sun, he said: “I’ve been finding them for years.

“But it’s gone mad recently. There’s been hundreds of them, and they’re just the ones I’ve seen.

“There’s supposed to be a system in place to stop them sneaking in but it obviously isn’t working, so I have to do what I can.

“It’s not a race thing. My problem is they’re sneaking in and breaking our laws.

“If anyone, no matter where they’re from, was trespassing on my property I’d react the same.

“It feels like the authorities have lost control of the situation in Calais - and now they’re in danger of the same thing happening hundreds of miles away in Bedfordshire.”

Police admit the number of detainees stopped in the area has trebled since last year and officers.

This time last year 23 illegal immigrants were found on average per month compared to 67 which were found last month - and already more than 40 this month.

Chris also told The Sun: “I go and look for them. It’s frightening not knowing who’s out there and what their intentions are.

“I take the dogs and they generally sniff them out. They put their hands up and say, ‘Police,’ or usually, ‘London’.

“They’re usually more frightened of me and I know how to look after myself.

“But there was one Vietnamese fella the dogs found hiding in a drain. He was cowering and came out with his hands above his head,

“There was something suspicious about him so I tied the dog rope round his hands and took him back to the house.

“I’ve put them in my van before and driven them round to police.

“But most of them just sit in the garden and wait for officers to arrive.

“We give them a drink and something to eat.

“They’re leaving their country for a reason. I don’t like to see anyone in need. I have some sympathy for them.

“I want them to do it the right way. There’s a system and it’s being abused.”

Chris recalled how on May 30 suspected illegals turned up at his house apparently looking for someone.

He added: “That’s the only time I’ve really felt intimidated. They were all trying to push past me, so I went inside and got my gun.

“They got the message pretty quickly and cleared off.”

This month he has tackled six suspected Afghans on his land.

On Tuesday Chris helped cops nab six Vietnamese stowaways, including the man in his 20s who was found hiding in a drain.

And on Thursday he helped catch more than 30 suspected Somalians after his wife Lianne, 57, spotted them on her dog walk.

There are estimated to be as many as 3,500 immigrants in detention at any one time in the UK.

Bedfordshire Police Chief Superintendent David Boyle said the force had received more help recently from worried residents.

He said: “Public awareness is growing which has led to an increase in reporting from lorry drivers and residents who are being vigilant.”

A Home Office spokesman said: “We continue to strengthen border security to stop illegal migrants entering the UK in the first place.”

Tina’s School of Dance are offering 15 children the chance to receive free places for the summer schools in the summer holidays, thanks to funding from the community project, Your Say, Your Way.

They will be taking part in dance and drama lessons and will have the chance to complete an Arts Award.

Children who live in High Town and East Luton can apply for the free places, they must complete an application form which will then be looked at by an independent panel and the free places will be awarded. For more information, visit: www.tinasschoolofdance.co.uk/

A new police model which outgoing chief constable Colette Paul calls her “legacy to Bedfordshire” will be in place by early 2016, it has been announced.

Under the new plan Beds Police will split its resources into four teams; control room, communities, response and intelligence.

The newly formed response team will only deal with urgent incidents while the community team will handle scheduled appointments that are not time sensitive.

The force says that this unit will increase “problem solving capability within communities, improve intelligence gathering and help with demand reduction.”

Under the scheme the amount of ‘hubs’ the force uses to respond to emergency calls from will be doubled from two to four.

Monday marked the start of a transition period in which Beds Police will work towards the new operation model.

The move comes a month after voters across the county overwhelmingly voted ‘no’ on a referendum to increase the force’s council tax precept by 15.8%

Colette Paul claims that under the new model the force will be able to “work smarter”.

She said: “During the coming months we will continue to get everything in place to ensure that we have the right numbers of people with the right skills in the right locations.

“In the meantime, officers will support each other across functional boundaries to embed the new model.

“Protecting people is at the fore of what we do and our officers do a fantastic job but this model will help them to do it more efficiently and ultimately more effectively.

“I am extremely excited about the new model and consider this my legacy to Bedfordshire. It combines the traditional values of community policing with a new, technology-enabled way of working.”

Police and crime commissioner Olly Martins added his support for the force’s new way of working.

He said: “The new operating model delivers on the two priorities I have set for the force; visibility and vulnerability. There will be a community policing footprint in each part of the county and, making the best use of mobile technology, neighbourhood teams will be more visible to the public, whilst prioritising those most vulnerable to crime.”

Advice on how to avoid being scammed on the telephone is being put out by Neighbourhood Watch this week.

The community group is running a national awareness week with the aim to reduce the chances of getting caught by fraudsters.

In Bedfordshire, the initiative is being supported by the police. Chief Inspector Neill Waring said: “While scammers may not have an obvious presence on the streets like burglars or bogus callers, neighbours can still help to protect each other. We can all help defeat fraud by spreading the message as widely as possible.”

He added: “Research has shown that areas where Neighbourhood Watch is operating are less likely to be targeted by burglars.

“Neighbourhood Watch is run by volunteers, and is an asset to the communities of Bedfordshire.”

The Neighbourhood Watch advice is to “Hang up” on telephone scammers, with a reminder that your bank, or the police, will never:

• Telephone you to ask for your four digit card PIN or your online banking password, even by tapping them into the telephone keypad

• Ask you to withdraw money to hand over to them for safe-keeping

• Ask you to transfer money to a new account for fraud reasons, even if they say it is in your name

• Send someone to your home to collect your cash, PIN, payment card or cheque book if you are a victim of fraud

• Ask you to purchase goods using your card and then hand them over for safe-keeping

The group added: “If you feel something is suspicious or feel vulnerable, hang up, wait five minutes to clear the line, or where possible use a different telephone line, then call your bank or card issuer on their advertised number to report the fraud.”

For more information, Bedfordshire Police is hosting a web chat about Neighbourhood Watch Week on Tuesday, June 23, from 7pm. To find out more visit: www.bedfordshire.police.uk

On Thursday, June 25, Bedford and District Neighbourhood Watch will be in Bedford town centre to offer advice to residents about keeping safe as the holiday season approaches.

Luton Borough Council has been accused of “brushing off” a resident over the results of a survey which took more than two years to be published.

In August 2013 the council commissioned BMG Research to conduct a ‘Perceptions of Luton’ survey of the town, in order to work out what residents are most concerned about.

A total of 957 respondents completed a questionnaire and BMG Research filed a full report of its findings in January 2014, but the findings were not published.

That is until Thursday, when the council was pressurised into placing the final report onto its website along with a note which reads: “The council wishes to thank the 1,000 people who contributed to the Perceptions of Luton survey carried out in Autumn 2013.”

Lib Dem councillor David Franks told the Luton News that a resident who had been in touch with him had “badgered” the council to release the report.

He said: “He has been brushed off time and again and the bottom line is why has it taken that long and what are they trying to hide?

“I am still waiting for answers on why this took so long.”

The survey found that a similar amount of people rate their experience of Luton positively and negatively (around 40% each), while one in seven remained neutral.

Key phrases used to describe the town were said to be “multiculturalism”, “busy”, “dangerous” and “dirty”.

Cllr Franks added: “(The results) do not give a good impression of the town, nothing in there surprises me.

“Top of the list is that people think that the town is dirty and we have urged the council to spend some of its savings on increased enforcement of litterers.

“There are people who care about the environment and they are constantly on to me about issues.

“They are people who really care and should be encouraged.”

A council spokesperson said: “The Perceptions of Luton survey formed a valuable part of our research in preparing the Luton Investment Framework, which was approved by executive on 8 June.”

A Luton family have paid tribute to a “funny and loving” father who has died almost two years after being savagely attacked in Farley Hill.

Henry Huggins, known to many as Chin, was left in a coma after the serious assualt in August 2013– during which Luton man Stuart Docherty stamped on his head.

Docherty was jailed for 17 years, while 40-year-old James Early was convicted of ABH.

After a long fight against the “catastrophic” injuries Henry Huggins died at 1.15pm on June 10.

Mr Huggins’ niece, Voices With Soul singer Corene Campbell, exclusively told the Luton News that her uncle’s death has been a “blow to the system” for her family.

She said: “We had faith in him and it was so difficult to see him just go not far from his 50th birthday in August.

“He didn’t have a machine keeping him alive, he was in a deep sleep and was breathing.

“He went peacefully so there will be no more pain.

“Chin was a healthy man and his life has gone in a flash.”

Corene added: “He was funny, loving and such a kind hearted guy.

“He was a carer for my grandmother and it has really affected her.

“We all love him so much.”

In October Mr Huggins’ family asked his friends and people from the community to take pictures of themselves with their fingers in a V sign on their chin, in honour of the attack victim’s nickname.

The ‘Chin for Chin’ campaign proved a remarkable success as more than a thousand selfies from wellwishers were collected.

Friends and family united again at Club Lewsey on Friday for a celebration of Mr Huggins’ life.

Corene said: “It was very emotional, we had a service to begin with and then a dance after.

“With the campaign everyone wanted to jump on board and do it.

“There is negativity about the community (in Luton) but when it comes to things like this everyone pulls together.”

In a statement Elmore and Raphel Huggins told the Luton News that they would miss their brother.

They said: “He was a big part of our lives, we all know in our hearts the justice that we got was not enough and did not fit the crime.

“We will not rest until proper justice has been done.”

Mr Huggins’ sister Mary added: “(Henry) has taken a part of my heart.

“Fifty years from now we will still be saying his name.”

Mr Huggins, who was a twin and one of seven siblings, had been subjected to threats of violence and racial taunts by his neighbour Early in the weeks leading up to the attack.

On August 8 2013 Docherty visited Early’s flat in Farley Hill and the pair set upon Mr Huggins after spotting him outside.

Early punched the father-of-two to the floor and in the fall Mr Huggins hit his head on the concrete path.

After Early left the scene Docherty stamped on Mr Huggins’ head, before stealing his watch and a ring while pretending to check his pulse.

Following Mr Huggins’ death this month Docherty’s case has been referred back to the Crown Prosecution Service.

An inquest into the father’s death could be opened at a later date.

Beds Police has denied claims that it warned local venues not to host Britain First after its march through Luton on Saturday.

On Thursday the far-right group announced to its followers that it had arranged a “grand social on the outskirts of the town” which would give demonstrators the chance to “meet other patriots and to enjoy a wind down”.

However just four days later Britain First axed plans for the event, claiming that Beds Police had put off all potential hosts.

A post on the group’s Facebook page reads: “Luton police have been ringing around every single pub and social club telling them that ‘they’ll be big trouble’ if they host Britain First.

“It’s the job of the police to catch criminals, not sabotage political parties!”

It added that the group’s leadership would lodge a complaint with the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

However, Beds Police has denied the claim.

A spokesman said: “We can confirm that we have not been contacting businesses and advising them around whether or not to allow Britain First to hold events on Saturday.

“We were contacted by a premises which had been approached by Britain First and gave them advice around potential risks they should take into consideration as is usual practice.

“We are working with licensed premises to ensure they can remain open on the day and be safe and accessible to the general public.”

Beds Police has applied for an injunction to ban Britain First leaders Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen from Luton ahead of the far-right group planned demonstration through the town on Saturday.

The Luton News understands that, if successful, the injunction would last a year and would prevent the pair from entering Luton “and its surrounding area”.

It would also stop Golding and Fransen from entering mosques and Islamic centres in England and Wales without prior written invitation.

Three weeks ago the pair made an unannounced visit to Bury Park, where they claim they suffered ‘abuse and violence’ from men on the streets.

Footage of the driveby shows Paul Golding shouting “This is our country, why don’t you go back to your own country?” to one man and “Go back to the desert” to another.

Golding and Fransen are also seen holding Christian crosses and a banner which reads “Britain First No More Mosques” outside Bury Park Jamie Masjid.

The injunction application will be heard at the High Court on Friday, just a day before Britain First are due to demonstrate in Luton.

The application submitted by the force contends that the protest would be “highly provocative” due to its timing on the same day as the ‘Luton in Harmony’ community event.

It adds: “(The march) will also take place during the Holy Month of Ramadan. There is significant fear that this march, led by the respondents (Golding and Fransen), will cause major disruption and serious public disorder.”

Chief superintendent David Boyle said: “The force has worked with Luton Borough Council and our communities and we are committed to minimise the disruption to residents and businesses in the town.

“We respect the right for peaceful protest however, must also be mindful of the impact on our communities. As a result we have decided to place restrictions on the procession to ensure we recognise and meet the needs of all parties affected.

“There will be a police presence in the town on the day and we hope the event is peaceful.

“We would ask people, where possible, to go about their daily business as usual and would like to thank them in advance for their co-operation and understanding.”

Cllr Jacqui Burnett, Luton Borough Council’s executive member for social inclusion and community cohesion, said: “It is very regrettable that yet again a group which is not welcome in Luton and which does not represent our town in any way is holding a demonstration here.

“While the law does not allow the council or police to prevent peaceful protest, we have both worked hard to ensure that the rights of the local community are also respected and people’s views heard.

“The council is committed to keeping residents of Luton fully informed about events, and ensuring that everyone will be able to go about their business as usual in the town centre on Saturday.

“Experience from similar demonstrations does suggest there is a risk that young people in particular, who are normally respectful and law-abiding, can unwittingly get drawn into activity during demonstrations that can result in criminal convictions, and we urge parents and young people to be mindful of this when deciding whether or not to join a demonstration.”

Eleven men are up for sentencing next month over a violent outburst which saw a man stabbed in Luton last year.

The fighting started in Luton town centre on 2 December 2014, after a rival gang member appeared in court. It resulted in an 18-year-old man being stabbed in Wellington Street.

At Luton Crown Court today (June 23), after a two-week trial two men were found guilty of several charges including possessing an offensive weapon and causing grievous bodily harm (GBH).

Four men were found not guilty of violent disorder.

Three further men pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm in relation to the same disorder.

Following the disorder and stabbing, a group of six men broke into a house in Williton Road, Luton, armed with knives, in a bid for revenge.

All six pleaded guilty to two counts of affray at a trial in May.

The full list of offenders is as follows:

<Two 17-year-old boys (one from Luton and one from Flitwick) pleaded guilty to GBH. They cannot be named for legal reasons.

<Mohammed Lahdiri, 18, of Chapel Street, Luton, pleaded guilty to GBH.

<Derrik Clarke, 19, of Fensome Drive, Houghton Regis, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and was found guilty following a trial of conspiracy to cause GBH, causing GBH and possessing an offensive weapon.

<Sejon King, 18, of Williton Road, Luton, was found guilty of conspiracy to cause GBH, causing GBH, possessing an offensive weapon, and violent disorder.

Six men from Luton were found guilty of two counts of affray following an earlier trial. Two are 16 and cannot be named for legal reasons. The others are:

<Ryan McEvoy, 18, of Wayleys Close

<Jordan Wheedon, 19, of Denham Close

<Rakeem Smith, 18, Dunstable Road

<Juarae Walker, 18, of Denham Close

Detective Inspector Sean Quinn, the senior investigating officer who led the case, said: “This was a complex case and I’d like to thank all of our officers involved for the dedication and commitment they showed in bringing these offenders to justice.

“I’d also like to thank members of the public for their bravery in coming forward to give us information which helped lead to these successful prosecutions. Although the victim of the stabbing didn’t complain to police, we were able to gather enough evidence to get convictions against these violent individuals.

“We’re really pleased with the verdicts delivered by the jury and hope this serves as a message to anyone who is tempted to partake in gang-related activities. We will continue to target anyone involved to protect our communities from such criminality.

“Violence of any kind, for any reason, is not acceptable, and will not be tolerated.”

In April 2013, Bedfordshire Police launched a dedicated team to tackle gang violence, under the name Operation Boson. As part of the operation, there have so far been 223 arrests made, 135 warrants executed, and 26 firearms recovered.

The lead for Operation Boson, Detective Inspector Rob Regan, said: “Tackling gang related crime and disorder is a key priority for Bedfordshire Police. We’ve worked incredibly hard and had some great results. We’re committed to continuing to work alongside our partner agencies to fight this type of crime and keep the people of Bedfordshire safe.

“We are also dedicated to educating young people around the dangers and pitfalls that can come with being part of a gang, in order to prevent future crimes such as this from taking place.”

A court has upheld the borough council’s decision not to renew the hackney carriage licence of a Luton driver.

Licensing officers attended Luton Magistrates Court and outlined three separate complaints about Ayoub Khan overcharging, leaving a taxi unattended in a town centre rank and a police investigation into an allegation of attempting to pervert the course of justice relating to two speeding offences committed in Leicestershire and Milton Keynes.

Magistrates pointed out that the overcharging complaints followed a similar pattern and the complainants were unknown to each other, one of them lives in Scotland.

Mr Khan, of Fitzroy Avenue, denied seeing papers about the speeding incidents sent to him by the two police forces requiring he nominate the driver of his vehicle at the time of the incidents.

He claims he had no idea how the details of someone living in India at the time were sent to the police in connection with the incidents.

Forensic comparison of Mr Khan’s signature sent to the police and on documentation supplied to the council’s licensing service provided a link in the handwriting samples, according to expert opinion.

Magistrates determined the appeal on the balance of probabilities, describing council evidence as ‘credible’ and Mr Khan’s evidence as ‘evasive’.

The appeal was dismissed and Mr Khan, who has held cab licences with Luton and South Bedfordshire for over 20 years, was ordered to pay the council’s full costs of £983.

Councillor Hazel Simmons, leader of the council, said: “We are very pleased with the court decision.

“The council’s licensing service has a duty to keep travellers using hackney carriages licensed in Luton as safe as possible.

“Travellers also want to be sure they will be charged fairly for their journey.”

A new website packed with advice and information for children currently in care, and care leavers, is now online.

Central Bedfordshire’s Children in Care Council (CiCC) launched the site not only as a source of information, but also to allow young people in care to communicate with other looked-after children.

The CiCC is made up of children and young people who are, or have been, in the care of Central Bedfordshire Council. Its members work with Central Beds’ Corporate Parenting Panel to improve services for looked-after children in the area.

Its members said: “We wanted a website which was easy to use and had the information about being in care or a care leaver. The information is written by care experienced young people and we hope that it will help other young people.

“The other reason why we felt it was really important to have our own website was that it will be a way in which we can communicate with other looked-after children and care leavers, especially those Central Bedfordshire young people who are not living in the local area.

“As the site develops we will use it for online consultations and also our virtual CiCC meetings.”

The advice for looked-after children includes everything from how their social worker should work with them and staying safe to information about health and education.

There is separate health information for care leavers, as well as advice about post-16 education, training, employment and who they are able to contact about any issues or problems they may have.

And a virtual Children in Care Council section allows members to log in and be part of a council meeting as well as consultations.

Executive Member for Social Care and Housing Councillor Carole Hegley said: “The work which members of the Children in Care Council do for looked-after children and care leavers in the area cannot be underestimated.

“Their dedicated and innovative approaches help to ensure that other young people in the same situation have a chance of getting the best possible start in life.

“That is why I am delighted that this website has come to fruition, because it offers simple, user-friendly advice to looked-after children and care leavers, written by their peers, as well as links to other support agencies.”

For more, go to www.cbccicc.org.uk

Expect delays through Dunstable this weekend to allow for essential gas mains renewal work.

National Grid says there will be traffic restrictions at the town’s crossroads this weekend.

The following restrictions will be in place at the crossroads of A5 High Street South, A505 Church Street and West Street, from 7pm, Saturday 27 June to 6am, Monday 29 June:

>Temporary traffic lights at the crossroads

>No left turn into High Street South for traffic coming out of Church Street

> No right turn into High Street South for traffic coming out of West Street

The restrictions will be in place to enable engineers carrying out essential gas mains replacement work to work safely in the junction.

The existing iron gas mains will be replaced with tough, hardwearing plastic pipes that have a lifespan of at least 80 years.

National Grid authorising engineer Dilbir Chana said: “We are sorry for any inconvenience this work causes. We need to complete some essential work on a pipe underneath the junction and we will need to install temporary traffic restrictions to keep our engineers and the public safe.

“This is essential work that will ensure people in Dunstable continue to enjoy safe and reliable gas supplies for many years to come.

“We will do everything we can to complete the project as quickly as possible and to keep any disruption to a minimum.

“If you have any questions please give us a call on 0800 096 5678 or talk to one of the team on site who will be happy to help.”

It’s one of Britain’s best-loved foods but sadly it’s looking naan too clever if you adore a curry.

It is a huge industry generating over £4.1 billion for the economy with over 15,000 curry houses in the UK.

Yet, it appears the industry is struggling to survive and that prompted a group of around 200 curry houses and businesses in the East of England to gather in Luton last Tuesday afternoon to debate the future.

The Catering Circle roadshow on what they call “the slow death of the curry house in Britain” took place at the Crescent Hall in Dunstable Road.

The event discussed how the industry faces an crisis – threatened with a lack of chefs, staff shortages, tax rises, escalating business costs and the emergence of technology .

Speakers included Nazia Khanam OBE, chairman of Human Rights East of England, the British Bangladesh Business Forum, Bangladeshi Caterers Association, Asian Curry Awards and Channel S TV.

Experts across a number of fields advised business owners on a whole range of subjects from immigration, the legal sector, technology and keeping up to date with accounts.

The roadshow will be followed by a TV programme exploring the burning issues within the curry industry which is due to be broadcast this summer on Channel S.

The leaders of Britain First say that the far-right group is on the brink of collapse after Beds Police applied for an injunction against them.

On Friday Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen will appear at the High Court to argue against an injunction that would prevent the pair from entering Luton “and its surrounding area” for a year.

The hearing comes a day before Britain First plans to march through the town, a protest which the force contends will be “highly provocative” and could cause “major disruption and serious public disorder”.

Golding and Fransen have appealed to Britain First followers to help them raise £6,000 for legal representation, without which they say the group could face “total catastrophe”.

The pair could face a bill for tens of thousands of pounds if they are held liable for the force’s legal costs.

In a message to Britain First followers, Golding said; “Unless we raise the funds to secure capable legal representation by Friday we will be torn apart in the High Court and the result will be nothing less than the end of Britain First.

“No second chances, no last minute miracles, Britain First will collapse and cease to exist.

“It is a desperate and outrageous attempt to sabotage our Luton march and cripple Britain First in one go– using taxpayers’ money of course.”

Included in the application is a clause that would, for a period of 12 months, ban Golding and Fransen from publishing or distributing material which is “likely to stir up religious and/or racial hatred” and from behaving in a way that would cause “harrassment, alarm or distress”.

The pair would also be prevented from entering any mosque or Islamic centre without written permission.

Last year Golding was filmed with other supporters barging his way into two Luton mosques to hand out leaflets and bibles.

On the application Beds Police chief superintendent David Boyle said: “The force has worked with Luton Borough Council and our communities and we are committed to minimise the disruption to residents and businesses in the town.

“We respect the right for peaceful protest however we must also be mindful of the impact on our communities.

“As a result we have decided to place restrictions on the procession to ensure we recognise and meet the needs of all parties affected.”

Cllr Jacqui Burnett, Luton Borough Council executive member, added: “It is very regrettable that yet again a group which is not welcome in Luton and which does not represent our town in any way is holding a demonstration here.

“While the law does not allow the council or police to prevent peaceful protest, we have both worked hard to ensure that the rights of the local community are also respected and people’s views heard.”

Two Luton businesses were fined thousands of pounds at Luton Magistrates Court on Tuesday, June 16 after pleading guilty to selling dangerous fake vodka and alcohol to children.

The offenceswere uncovered when Luton Borough Council’s Trading Standards officers carried out a spot check exercise in local shops.

Kishor Patel of Suresh News in the Purley Centre, and Altaf Ahmed of X-Press News in Park Street, attended court and pleaded guilty in separate cases bought by the Council following the discovery of fake vodka containing chemicals normally found in paint remover on sale in their shops.

On separate operations, both businesses also sold alcohol to child volunteers sent into the shop by Council Trading Standards officers during a spot-check exercise.

Both defendants admitted buying their vodka from a white van man.

Kishor Patel was ordered to pay a total of £2,800 including costs and a victim surcharge. Altaf Ahmed was fined a total of £2,085 for the offences, including costs and a victim surcharge. The court ordered the vodka to be destroyed.

Cllr Jacqui Burnett, portfolio holder for Trading Standards, said: “Both businesses showed no regard for the law. They put profit before other considerations and exposed their customers to serious health risks. Their behaviour also undermined other local traders operating within the law.

“To make matters worse, both traders were also willing to sell alcohol to children.”

She continued: “I hope these fines send out a clear message to businesses tempted to break the law that the Council does not tolerate such activity.”

Both businesses now face a review of their licence to sell alcohol and could face a suspension or even having their licence revoked.

>If you believe any trader is selling fake products, or selling alcohol and other age restricted products to children, please call 01582 547262 or email tradingstandards@luton.gov.uk

All information will be treated in confidence.

Police detained another six suspected illegal immigrants yesterday, this time at a busy service station on the M1.

Bedfordshire police said they had several calls from people who spotted the suspects near Toddington.

Officers arrested all six and took them to Luton Police station.

The service station is one of the first stops for truckers coming from the Port of Dover, after leaving Calais in France.

Local farmer Chris Gadsden, 60, said the problem is so severe he has been catching immigrants on his land and handing them over to the authorities.

This comes on top of several arrests on the M1 and at the services in recent weeks after police received tip offs of men seen leaving lorries