Two burglars from Luton have been jailed for a combined total of over six years after being caught red-handed.

Thomas Eaton, 26, of Russell Rise, Luton, and Delvin Thomas, 39, of no fixed address were sentenced at Luton Crown Court on Friday (July 17).

Police foiled the duo’s break-in at a home in Grove Road, Luton, on February 5 when they were alerted to suspicious sounds by a tenant in the shared apartment block.

Thomas pleaded guilty to burglary and a further charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm against a police officer.

He was jailed for a total of three years and four months.

Eaton was found guilty of burglary following a jury trial, but was cleared of a charge of assaulting a police officer. He was handed a three-year jail sentence.

Detective Constable Scott Hannam, who led the investigation, said: “We are pleased to have been able to take two more burglars off the streets of Bedfordshire.

“I want to commend the bravery and dedication of the officers in this case, who caught Eaton and Thomas red-handed and arrested them under challenging circumstances.

“These hefty sentences should act as a deterrent to those who think nothing of breaking into someone’s home, as we will do all in our power to catch criminals and bring them to justice.”

As the school summer holidays get under way, a housebuilder is warning youngsters across Bedfordshire to stay away from its building sites.

New home developments under construction may look like fun and exciting places to play, but Barratt Homes North Thames is warning children they also pose serious dangers.

“Building sites are full of potential dangers and, as the school summer holidays are almost here, it is important to remind children and their parents of the need to stay away from them,” said John Farley, Construction Director at Barratt Homes North Thames.

“Youngsters are often on the lookout for somewhere new and exciting to play, but construction sites are not adventure playgrounds. While our construction teams watch out for youngsters during the day and we secure our sites at night, we also ask parents to make sure they know where their children are during the holiday time.”

Barratt Homes holds regular safety talks and site visits for schools close to where it is building, to highlight the hazards of playing on or near building sites.

“It’s important to get youngsters thinking about the dangers that exist to emphasise the message they should stay away from building sites,” he added.

Police have seized vehicles and launched a full investigation after a gang of motorcycle and quad bike riders took to Bedfordshire en masse yesterday (Sunday).

The force was called shortly after 12.20pm to reports of a large number of riders driving dangerously in the Caxton Road area of Bedford.

Officers and the police helicopter were deployed to track the riders, who made their way along the A6 and A421 towards Milton Keynes, the A1 at Sandy and various other locations in the north of the county.

Neighbouring force Thames Valley Police assisted in the operation to disrupt the group as they passed into nearby Buckinghamshire.

During the course of the incident, Bedfordshire Police arrested two people. They were later de-arrested, and had their vehicles seized by officers.

A further 11 vehicles were also seized as part of police enquiries on the ground, bringing yesterday’s total to 13, and a wider investigation has been launched to identify those who took part.

Sergeant Richard Barker from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Roads Policing Unit said: “We fully recognise that yesterday’s events had a huge impact on Bedfordshire residents and we hope they are satisfied with our response.

“They can rest assured that this is not the end of our involvement and we will be conducting aerial camera and CCTV enquiries, as well as speaking to witnesses and those with information, in order to see that these unruly riders are appropriately punished.

“We expect to be able to identify a number of offenders for road traffic-related offences and would appreciate the public’s help in sharing details of what took place on the day.

“Equally, if you know anyone who was involved in yesterday’s intimidating and reckless display of lawlessness, please contact me so we can ensure they pay the price for putting others’ lives in danger.”

Also during the weekend, the practice of riding off-road vehicles in public spaces in the south of Bedfordshire was disrupted by another overt Operation Meteor event.

The crackdown in Houghton Regis saw more than 20 Section 59 (warning) notices issued, four people reported for traffic offences and a further suspect identified, as well as two stolen vehicles recovered.

The operation utilised community policing teams from Houghton Regis, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard and Luton, as well as the Anti-Social Behaviour Team, CCTV investigators and the tri-force Roads Policing Unit.

Sergeant Mark Pugh, who led the operation, said: “We were pleased to get a positive reaction from the public during our latest Operation Meteor, with many including our frequent callers, horse riders, and pedestrians with children stopping to share information and thank us for our work.

“Nuisance riders continue to be a big problem for the whole community of Bedfordshire and we will continue to work both behind the scenes and overtly in our neighbourhoods to disrupt this dangerous practice, and make the county a safer place for residents.”

Anyone with information on yesterday’s events is asked to contact Sergeant Barker on 101, or alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Anyone who can share information surrounding off-road biking in Houghton Regis and Central Bedfordshire is asked to call their community policing team, also using 101.

South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT) is holding a public meeting of the board of directors at 10.30am on July 29 at Wrest Park, Silsoe.

The agenda includes a presentation on the SEPT CQUIN Programme and the impact on SEPT Patient Experience 2014/15. SEPT launched a broad range of Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) projects in 2014/15 aiming to increase the quality of service user care and experience. In total, the Trust was tasked with implementing a total of 58 schemes across mental health, secure, learning disabilities and community health services within Bedfordshire, Luton and Essex and Suffolk. The presentation will summarise the impact of the programme for patient experience.

The presentation will be followed by an award ceremony to congratulate a number of SEPT employees nominated for an award as part of the staff recognition scheme.

SEPT is one of the largest and most successful NHS providers in the country of integrated care including mental health, learning disability, social care and community services. As an NHS Foundation Trust, SEPT is run locally, not by Government, and must work closely with the local community to develop services in a way that best suits the needs of local people.

Anyone who lives in Bedfordshire or Luton, Essex or Suffolk and is over the age of 12 is eligible to become a member of the Trust. You can join by calling the membership office free on 0800 023 2059 or by logging on to www.sept.nhs.uk

One of three men arrested on suspicion of being part of an Al Qaeda plot has been released without charge.

The man in his 30s was detained at a residential address in Luton, and released on Monday.

Police are still questioning two other men - one in his 20s arrested at Alliance Healthcare offices in Letchworth, Herts., and another in his 20s at another address in Luton.

The suspected target of the reported plot could have been a US Independence Day celebration at RAF Feltwell in Norfolk.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command arrested the men on July 14 as part of an ongoing investigation into Islamist-related terrorism.

They were arrested under the Terrorism Act on suspicion of being involved in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.

The warrant for arrest, granted to officers on July 15 for seven days, is due to expire tomorrow evening (Weds).

More than 500 runners raised an expected £25,000 and painted Wigmore Valley Park in Luton all the colours of the rainbow for Keech Hospice Care.

With an electric atmosphere, Bedfordshire’s first ever Colour Dash on Sunday saw 100 colour bandits cover participants from head to toe as they ran the 5k course in aid of the Luton hospice.

Mark Relf, Keech’s community and events fundraising manager said the support and money raised for adults and children with end of life illnesses was “truly amazing”.

He said: “What can I say, it was a sell out, everyone had a brilliant time and raised an amazing amount of money for Keech.

“Keech’s care extends to the entire family and events like today mean when it seems nothing will ever be the same again, Keech can be there to help and support the whole family whilst caring for their very sick loved ones either at the hospice, in their own home – wherever the support is needed.

“So thank you Bedfordshire for coming out, having fun and showing your true colours.”

First to cross the finish line was 21-year-old, Paul Whyman from Welwyn Garden City.

“It was so much fun,” Paul said. “The atmosphere is amazing and I’m totally covered. I was promised I would look like I’d walked through a rainbow and I do. I signed up as Keech looked after my late uncle. I ran this today for him and anything I can do to help Keech, I will.”

Lisa Zsentko, from Stotfold, ran whilst pushing her three-year-old son, Stone, around the course and through all the colour bandit stations.

“We had a ball,” said Lisa.” “Without Keech, my son would not be alive today. Stone was diagnosed with meningitis which left him severely brain damaged. Keech has helped and supported my whole family to come to terms with what’s happened and deal with our newly found circumstances.”

Keech Hospice Care provides care for children from Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes and adults from Luton and south Bedfordshire with progressive, life-limiting conditions from diagnosis up until the end of their life.

Co-ordinated raids on 12 shops in Luton have uncovered a large haul in illegal cigarettes.

Luton Borough Council’s Trading Standards unit with a specialist sniffer dog raided the stores on July 15/16.

Around 6,000 cigarettes, 200 cigars and 26kg of other tobacco products were seized.

Illegal tobacco products were discovered in eight of the shops visited, even though illegal cigarettes had already been found before in three of them.

Officers found tobacco scattered in small quantities throughout the shops including under the counter, on top of a drinks cabinet, in an upstairs store room and even in the shopkeeper’s vehicle.

In addition to being non-duty paid, officers suspect some of the tobacco may also be counterfeit.

Cllr Jacqui Burnett, portfolio holder for Trading Standards, said: “Businesses selling cheap illegal tobacco use criminal behaviour to gain an unfair advantage over their honest competitors. These illegal products impact on public health as they are easier for children to afford and can encourage them to take up smoking.

“Smugglers bringing these products into the country are often linked with organised crime, and their profit may be used to fund serious criminal activity such as drug dealing and money laundering.”

She added: “This is the sixth crackdown on this problem in the last two years. The good news is the quantity of illegal tobacco being seized is reducing. But it is concerning that shops are still tempted to sell illegal products, particularly those who have already been caught carrying out this activity.”

The eight shops involved in illegal activity are being formally investigated and face potential prosecution; those with an alcohol licence are likely to have the licence reviewed, resulting in suspension or revocation of their licence.

Former Luton Town striker Ricky Miller today denied a race attack on a taxi driver.

Mr Miller, 26, is accused of racially aggravated fear of violence, racially aggravated common assault and an alternative charge of assault by beating.

The offences are alleged to have been against taxi driver Mohammed Adnam in Hockliffe near Leighton a Buzzard on 27 April this year.

Mr Miller, of Valence End, Dunstable, pleaded not guilty to all three charges and was bailed by Judge David Farrell QC at Luton crown court.

His trial is due to start in the warned list for 26 October this year.

A Luton college student has denied that she took part in a “marriage of convenience” so that her husband could come to England from Pakistan.

Sultana Butt of Ash Road, Luton, made the denial at an Upper Immigration and Asylum Tribunal at Birmingham as she appealed against a previous Home Office decision against Mr Syed Bukhari coming to the UK.

The tribunal was told that Mrs Butt, who is a German national, and Mr Bukhari were married in Pakistan last year after knowing each other for one year.

A marriage certificate was produced by Nasim Zia, representing Mrs Butt, who said the couple both spoke fluent Urdu.

Mrs Butt said she communicated regularly with her husband and that they had talked about starting a family.

They had also recently exchanged wedding anniversary cards.

“I can’t see why my husband can’t join me,” she said.

The Home Office representative, who did not want her name published, told the tribunal there was no evidence to suggest the marriage was a love match.

She suggested a “marriage of convenience” may have taken place – an allegation denied by both Mrs Butt and Mr Zia.

“Some of the evidence is in Urdu and they are telling us only what they want you want to know,” said the woman representative.

“There is no credible evidence to prove that the marriage was not of convenience – an attempt to bring the appellant to this country.”

Asked why Mrs Butt did not go and live in Germany with her husband she replied: “I prefer to live here because I want to complete a course I am taking at a college.”

Mrs Butt said her mother was dead and that her father had remarried in Pakistan.

The Home Office told tribunal judge John Row that the appeal should be rejected.

Mr Row said that he would make a decision at a later date.

A planned reform of the ‘out of date’ police funding model is likely to benefit cash strapped Beds Police, the Luton News understands.

Policing minister Mike Penning today announced plans to rehaul the way in which the government funds the 43 forces across England and Wales, to put more of an emphasis on population levels of each constabulary.

Currently the government uses the ten-year-old Police Allocation Formula (PAF), which Mr Penning has branded “complex, opaque and out of date”.

A consultation into the proposal to make the £7.8 billion in police funding “fairer and more transparent” has been launched.

An additional announcement that the “underlying characteristics” of each force will also be examined is likely to be music to the ears of PCC Olly Martins, who has repeatedly argued that Beds Police has “serious urban challenges” but is funded as if it is a “small rural force”.

Mr Penning’s review comes a week after a Home Office taskforce concluded a “fact-finding exercise” at Beds Police HQ, which was organised in the aftermath of the overwhelming ‘no’ in the council tax referendum held on May 7.

A source close to Beds Police told the Luton News that reform to PAF could ease the force’s financial woes.

They said: “What is likely to happen is that the government will give the force a bigger slice of a smaller cake.

“Other forces will be clobbered by this.”

After voters rejected the proposed 15.8% police precept increase it was announced that the force would have to embark on a recruitment freeze in the next 18 to 24 months and a reduction of up to 135 police officers.

However extra funds received through PAF reform could reverse this.

The source added: “The net effect is that the force would probably be able to stand still on officer numbers, which is still a lot better than what was anticipated.”

On plans for the rehaul of PAF, Mr Penning said: “Police reform is working.

“Over the last five years, frontline services have been protected, public confidence in the police has gone up and crime has fallen by more than a quarter, according to the independent Crime Survey for England and Wales.

“However, if we want policing in this country to be the best it can be, then we must reform further, and that includes putting police funding on a long-term, sustainable footing.”

He added: “The current model for allocating police funding, is complex, opaque and out of date.

“This consultation sets out proposals to deliver a police funding model for the future which is fair, robust and transparent, and I urge people to share their views.”

Beds Police are launching an appeal to find a missing teenager from Houghton Regis who has not returned home in over two weeks.

Alan Neves, 15, has been reported as missing from his family home since July 7.

Although there have been numerous sightings of the teenager as far as Leighton Buzzard and Luton since then, he has not returned to his home to Houghton Regis and officers are worried.

He is described as black, 5’5’’, with short black hair, brown eyes and speaks with a local accent.

He was last seen wearing a royal blue t-shirt, blue jeans and navy trainers.

Officers are appealing for anyone with information to come forward and contact them on 101.

A former Luton children’s home worker has been jailed for a sex attack he committed on a teenage boy more than 35 years ago.

In the early 1980s Paul Baker– who is now 56, of Grosvenor Road, Barton Seagrave, Northants– was a care worker at The Brambles Children’s Home which operated on Buckle Close, Luton, until 2008.

While there Baker developed a relationship with a 13-year-old boy who had been moved to the home after being caught shoplifting.

After a year at The Brambles the teenager moved back in with his family in Luton, but on one afternoon was approached by Baker while he was outside playing football.

Baker told the boy that he had just bought a new car and invited him out for a ride.

The teenager agreed but after a short journey Baker suggested that they should get out and go for a walk.

After the pair had later sat down Baker pulled the boy’s tracksuit bottoms and pants off, then removed his own clothing.

Baker then performed two sex acts on the boy, before grabbing the boy’s hand to make him perform a sex act.

Following the attack Baker told the teenager not to tell anyone what had happened.

At an earlier trial this year Baker denied three charges of indecent assault and claimed that it was a case of mistaken identity.

He was found guilty by a jury and at Luton Crown Court on Friday was sentenced to four years in jail.

During the sentencing Judge Phillip Bartle QC read out extracts from a victim statement, which detailed the severe psychological impact the attack had on the teenager.

Judge Bartle said: “This incident has had a profound effect on him.

“He said that after it happened he wanted to get into bed and forget everything.

“This 14-year-old boy told nobody what happened at all until about 15 years later when he told his wife.

“At trial there was evidence he had seen doctors and psychiatrists because of the effect of what had happened to him.”

Judge Bartle added that the victim also suffered a mental health breakdown later in life.

In mitigation, defence barrister Siobhan Molloy conceded that the attack was ‘planned’ but said that the three offences occurred over a “relatively short period of time.”

She said: “It is not the type of case where offences take place over three days.”

Ms Molloy added that if Baker was given a custodial sentence he would lose his job as a noise abatement officer at Kettering Borough Council, leaving his wife in difficulty with mortgage payments.

Nonetheless Judge Bartle QC handed down a four year sentence and a three year sentence, which will run concurrently.

After serving half of the sentence Baker will be released on licence.

He will also have to sign the sex offenders list for five years.

A Luton man who has been charged with terror offences was allegedly planning to attack US military based in the UK, it has emerged.

Junead Ahmed Khan, 24 and his uncle Shazib Ahmed Khan, 22, were both remanded into custody when they appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court yesterday– a week after the pair were arrested at their Marlow Avenue home.

Both are suspected to have been plotting to travel to Syria to join Islamic State, while Junead Ahmed Khan is also accused of planning a terror attack.

Possible targets include RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, which hosts more than 5,000 US Air Force personnel.

An Independence Day celebration at the base was cancelled on July 4 over heightened security fears.

A RAF Lakenheath spokesperson said: “We can confirm this is why the event was cancelled.

“However we cannot discuss details while the investigation is ongoing.

“Authorities from the UK and US, both military and civilian, will work together continually when addressing security concerns.”

Junead Ahmed Khan and Shazib Ahmed will appear before the Old Bailey on August 10.

Another Luton man, who was arrested at his home on Vestry Close on July 14, has been released without charge.

Deborah Walsh from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “We have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to charge Junead Khan and Shazib Khan with the intention of committing acts of terrorism.

“It is alleged that Junead Khan and Shazib Khan had been planning on travelling to Syria to join the proscribed organisation Islamic State in Levant (ISIL).”

Ms Walsh added: “It is further alleged that Junead Khan was planning a terrorist attack on US military personnel in the UK and he has been charged with an additional terrorism offence to reflect this.”

The importance of showcasing the wonderful contributions that local people make in their Luton communities was highlighted with the launch of the Community Awards 2015, now celebrating its sixth incredible year.

Everyone is encouraged to get nominating now. The comp hensive 18 award categories cover every aspect of community life and recognise the enormous contribution made by people and projects which deserve to receive that special acknowledgement. The categories this year range from Charity Champions; Young Hero; Concern Award/Improving Lives; Service With A Smile, Exceptional Achievement Award, Community Champion; Role Model of the Year; Parent in a Million; Teacher of the Year, Champion Carer; Bravery Award; Volunteer of the Year; Community Arts; Mayor’s Award; Lifetime Achievement; Helping Hands; Community Project of the Year; Community Business of the Year.

For more details, to nominate your local hero or to donate to The Luton Food Bank log on to www.communitycommunication.co.uk or pick up a nomination form at any Luton community centre or the local library.

Entry closing date will be in September.

A former detective is to cycle 180 miles in memory of Mandy Rayner from Luton, the first woman police officer to be killed in Britain while on duty.

Mandy was based at Hitchin Police Station, and now former North Herts detective, Frank Parsons 62 is to take part in the UK Police Unity Tour 2015, which starts in London on Friday.

Mandy was killed on duty more than 30 years ago when a drunk driver deliberately smashed his vehicle into the police car she was in. Frank was a young detective at the time and attended the aftermath of the crash.

On Friday he will join scores of other serving and retired police officers, along with support staff for a sponsored cycle ride that will set off from the National Police Memorial in The Mall around 8am

They will then cycle through six counties before arriving on Sunday morning at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, where they will take part in the annual memorial service organised by the charity COPS - Care of Police Survivors - to remember and honour fallen police officers.

Each cyclist will have ridden in memory of an officer from his or her force who has died in the line of duty. During the ride each rider will wear a bracelet bearing the name of that officer.

And the riders will present relatives with the bracelets baring the names of their loved ones.

Mandy was just 18 and only five weeks out of training when she died in October 1982.

Frank, who retired as a detective from the Herts Constabulary 12 years ago and who now works as an assistant investigator with the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, will present the bracelet to Mandy’s sister, Mrs Beverley Kukic.

Said Frank “I was a young detective and on duty the night Mandy died and arrived on the scene where it happened in the aftermath.

“I attended her funeral and this means a lot to me to be able to do this and give something back to COPS.”

At 18, Mandy remains the youngest police woman to have been killed while on duty.

As a tribute to the young policewoman, the blue lamp that stood outside Hitchin Police Station where she was based was given to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

It’s known as ‘Mandy’s Lamp’ and stands as a tribute to the young officer and all the other police officers who have died in the course of their duties.

The idea of policemen cycling to honour the memory of fallen officers began in the USA, but in 2012 officers from the Metropolitan Police looked into bringing the idea to the UK.

As a result, the first UK Police Unity Tour was held in July 2013.

The response of a care home group to elderly residents was a lot slower than the lightning strike which left many of them stranded.

Betty Dodd Court, on Grange Road, was struck by lightning on the night of Friday, July 3.

The strike caused a power cut to the building, affecting the lifts, television and phone receptions.

One resident told Luton News: “The lifts have been out of order and some people old and very disabled are stuck upstairs unable to get out.

“Some have no TV, some have no phone, BPHA (Bedford Pilgrims Housing Association) have not even been round to tell us what’s going on or when it will be fixed.

“They are just very, very slow at doing anything and don’t seem to care. Theyshould not be running this facility many of us say.”

A letter sent to residents from BPHA explained that the company outsourced for maintenance did not have the parts to fix the lifts.

At a visit to the home on Friday, July 10, the lifts were still broken with many of the residents left stranded on their floors.

One resident was forced to cancel a trip to Southend-on-Sea as she was unable to leave the floor of her room.

Another told Luton News: “It’s disgusting, we don’t know when they’re getting fixed.”

One of the lifts was fixed later on Friday, after parts arrived from Germany.

Bob Hopkins, head of property services at BPHA, said: “We would like to apologise to the residents of Betty Dodd Court for disruption from the unexpected storm on July 3.

“As a result of the storm we did experience electrical issues. We worked to resolve these as quickly as possible.

“This included fast-tracking orders for parts, repairing one of the broken lifts and ensuring that TV/radio aerials and phone lines were back up and running within days.

“One of our registered contractors will be repairing the security camera and the one remaining malfunctioning lift this week.

“We visited every resident to personally apologise for the inconvenience caused.”

Plans for 1,850 homes west of Bidwell received outline planning approval today, despite the ‘harmful’ impact it would have on the green belt.

Councillors on Central Beds Council’s development committee voted to support the proposals for the large scale development, which is an add-on to the 5,150 homes due to be built to the north and east of Houghton Regis.

Plans for the 166 hectare stretch of land west of Bidwell, which has been named Houghton Regis North Site 2 (HRN2), also include a new primary school, retail space and leisure facilities.

In his report to the committee, Central Beds planning officer Adam Davies stated that the proposal would have a detrimental impact on the area but nevertheless recommended to the committee the scheme be supported.

The report read: “It would be harmful to the Green Belt due to its inappropriateness and its impact on openness.

“There would be a degree of related harm due to the loss of agricultural land within the historic landscape setting of the Thorn Spring Scheduled Monument.”

An affordable housing provision of 30% has been set for HRN2 and with a promise of additional infrastructure near the site the proposal is said to contain “wider benefits for the local economy”.

The report added: “Taken together, these represent very special circumstances sufficient to clearly outweigh the Green Belt harm and otherharm identified.”

Luton Borough Council and Houghton Regis Town Council raised concerns and objections over the plan as CBC does not currently have a Local Plan with green belt provisions in place.

CBC has dismissed calls for the proposal to be automatically refused, raising the possibility of more hostility down the line with LBC.

Both councils clashed over original plans for the 5,150 home HRN1 scheme, which LBC claimed had far too much retail provision.

In December a High Court judge ruled that LBC’s case was “wholly unarguable”.

> For more on this story see the July 29 issue of the Dunstable Gazette.

Twelve young people are getting ready for the final show-piece of a project they have been working on for three months.

The I Choose To Succeed project has been run in partnership with ACE and Active Support, it works with 12 young people not in mainstream school.

The aim of the ten week Luton project is to inspire and motivate the students.

They participated in ten pre show sessions which involved them taking part in activities outside of their comfort zone.

Jermaine Hall, project organiser, said: “The sessions have been motivational and inspirational for the young people.

“We had a film making workshop where they learnt and practised using and being in front of camera.

Keshi Anderson, Aaron Fontaine and Arran Stewart took part in inspirational talks and spoke about their experiences and how they found success.

Jermaine added: “The young people were then given the opportunity to interview these role models in a professional way, using skills learnt in prior weeks.”

The showcase event is on Friday, July 31, at High Town Recreation Centre and will feature dancers and singers from Luton.

There will also be a performance from some of the students taking part in the project.

Jermaine said: “The showcase is a student run event which we hope will have a positive impact on the entire town.

“All the money raised is going towards a rewards trip for the young people who have completed the ten week project.”

Doors open at 6pm, tickets are £6 and £3 for under 16’s.

Controversial plans to outsource catering, cleaning and housekeeping services at the Luton & Dunstable Hospital have been agreed despite fierce protests.

The decision came just hours after demonstrators gathered outside the hospital this morning, to voice their dissatisfaction with the proposals which UNISON claims are ‘ill considered’.

The union’s chief concern is that food made by in-house chefs will be replaced with meals prepared off-site, shipped to the hospital and heated up.

UNISON spokesperson Cheryl Godber said: “Such privatisation leads to worse services as companies cut staff numbers, workers terms and conditions and materials in order to maximise their profits.

“By handing over these services to a previously unknown private company the Trust is taking a risk.

“The option of continuing these services in-house doesn’t seem to have been given any real consideration, and the idea of keeping freshly prepared meals has been dismissed completely by the Trust.”

Concerns have also been raised that outsourcing cleaning services will leave the L&D more exposed to infections on the wards.

The hospital has countered that privatisation of the services will drive up standards.

An L&D spokesperson told the Herald & Post: “The award of this contract will represent a major change in the provision of several services for the Trust.

“There will be significant investment by the contractor in new catering equipment to replace old, outdated equipment.

“The Chiltern restaurant will receive a makeover, with a new coffee bar and longer opening hours.

“Once the new service is in place, patients will see a more flexible service with high quality hot meals available at all times with a much wider choice than our current service.”

The Trust’s chosen contractor for catering, cleaning and housekeeping services will be publicly named in a fortnight, as is normal procedure.

The incoming private firm will be in place by the end of October, for a contract expected to last between five and seven years.

An upcoming trial is on hold for a well-known guitar player from Leighton Buzzard as he continues to receive mental health care.

Johann Perera, 43, was arrested back in February charged with two counts of stalking.

The charges against Mr Perera, of Stanbridge Road, run from 4 November 2013 to February 2 this year. They relate to two people and involve using fear of violence.

Mr Perera has been remanded in custody at HMP Bedford. Although he has pleaded not guilty, mental health reports are being prepared and after two preliminary hearings a trial date has yet to be set.

His father, well-known magistrate and sports coach Llasa Perera, died earlier this month while on a trip to Sri Lanka, as reported here.

Mr Perera’s next date at Luton Crown Court will be on August 18.