A new way of filling vacancies quickly and cost-effectively has been launched by Johnston Press, the parent company of Premier Newspapers and the publishers of this website.

The print and online news company has launched a fixed price recruitment deal through TheSmartList.co.uk which will allow firms looking for staff for mid-level vacancies to pay a fixed fee for a pre-screened short-list of qualified candidates.

At the moment, firms using traditional advertising methods often find that they receive piles of applications that need to be sorted internally, while recruitment consultancies, which help to eliminate the time spent sifting through CVs, can be costly.

But TheSmartList option offers a great alternative by combining the sort of screening and preliminary selection services offered by agencies with tried and trusted print and online advertising in a one-stop shop with a low fixed cost.

Employers submit details of their vacancy and The SmartList team prepare a recruitment brief against which candidates can be matched.

Promising individuals are screened using a bespoke questionnaire and once The SmartList is finalised, the employer can review the candidates and select the best for interview.

A new B2B focused website to support businesses and to effectively communicate the offering has now gone live at {TheSmartList.co.uk}.

The service is also being offered at a special reduced rate during the launch phase which has cut the standard £549 per vacancy to just £349.

Johnston Press digital recruitment exprert Stephen Anderson said: “Since launching The SmartList this week, we’ve already generated a great deal of interest for the service.

“We’re really pleased to be able to offer this recruitment alternative which can help reduce costs and time for employers looking for new staff in a challenging climate. It’s encouraging to see so many businesses getting involved.

“We look forward to working with many more in the coming months.”

“Just because I’m telling you this story... doesn’t mean I’m alive at the end of it.”

Oliver Stone blasts back onto the big screen with this brutal, visceral and beautiful tale of drugs, violence and relationships.

And that means you can step out of the UK autumn drizzle and into a sun-drenched world of drug lords, Santa Muerte masks, grim beheadings and heavy-duty gunplay, all underpinned with a relationship love triangle. Strong stuff.

Savages tells the tale of attractive young beach bum weed-heads O (Blake Lively), Ben (Aaron Johnson) and Chon (Taylor Kitsch).

These three sexy as hell youngsters share a bed, run their own weed growing/selling business and generally enjoy the good life.

But everything changes when a very nasty drug cartel makes them an offer – as in an offer which they can’t really refuse if they know what’s good for them – to take over their operation.

O is the siren nymph who shares her two lovers – Ben is the gentle, Zen one who sorts out all the science of growing, and who uses his funds to help save African children, while Chon is a hard as nails former special forces type who weighs in on the rare occasion that their happy customers fail to pay up for goods received.

When the evil Baja cartel led by Elena Sanchez (Salma Hayek) – who has a penchant for decapitating anyone who crosses her – want a cut of their business, the trio decide to cash in their ill gotten gains and run.

But the Baja enforcer is a seriously nasty piece of work named Lado, played by Benicio del Toro, who won’t let them go and kidnaps O.

Throw John Travolta’s corrupt DEA agent into the mix and things get messy.

There are some excellent action scenes, the stand out of which sees Chon get some of his army pals in to help them take down a Baja drugs money drop – complete with IEDs, rocket launchers and copious amounts of gunfire.

Another unforgettable scene see Ben and Chon’s sweaty highway trip to try and deliver a van loaded with grass against the clock but desperately trying to avoid the cops.

Savages tries to show the situation from both sides of the story but you can’t help but root for the good looking trio of ‘heroes’ – they do look absolutely amazing.

In fact if you can stand the serious violence, the eye candy, both male and female, is off the scale hot.

Good job Mr Stone, more like this please!

Think civil engineering is just a job for the boys? Then think again.

Women are still under-represented in the profession, but anyone who drives along Hatters Way on a daily basis may well have spotted a few female workers along the Luton Dunstable Busway route.

One of them is site engineer Jennie Morgan, who is among four female engineers currently employed on the £89 million project.

She has been working on one of the trickiest aspects of the scheme, the changes to the Clifton Road bridge, which crosses Hatters Way at the back of Kenilworth Road.

And 25-year-old took a break from her hard hat and hi-vis to tell the Luton News what it’s like being a woman in the industry.

Jennie, who hails from north-west London, said she decided on a career in engineering when choosing what to study at university.

“I enjoyed maths and physics at school, and I was interested in architecture and building things.

“And from a practical point of view I thought it might have good job prospects,” she said.

And starting salaries for graduates are certainly good, at £22,000 to £26,000, rising to up to £55,000 at senior level.

After completing her A levels in maths, physics and geography, she worked for construction and engineering giant Sir Robert McAlpine on a year in industry scheme, before going on to study civil and structural engineering at the University of Leeds.

She was lucky enough to have her studies sponsored by busway contractor BAM Nuttall, thanks to a scheme run by the Institution of Civil Engineers.

“On the course it was between a quarter and a third female, but a larger proportion of women go into design and work for consultancies, fewer work on site for contractors,” said Jennie.

“During my summer holidays I would work with BAM on placements and that reinforced my idea that I wanted to work on site.

“It’s a more relaxed atmosphere than working in an office and every day is different.”

So what’s it like being a woman in a mainly male environment?

“I don’t think it’s any different from being a man working in this industry,” she said. “Sometimes I get people who are a bit surprised but I’ve found the experience on site is the same for any young engineer, male or female.

“I’d say you need to have quite a confident personality and you need to be able to deal with getting a bit of stick, but everyone gets that.

“You get respect for being able to do the job.”

She says she would recommend a career in engineering to anyone who enjoys a varied workload and problem solving, saying: “You could be working on coastal defences, or demolishing a car park, or a busway.”

It’s rarely glamorous, of course – Jennie’s work on the Cambridge busway saw her assigned to culverts on a nature reserve.

But the job satisfaction is second to none, she says.

“It’s quite nice being able to see a project through from start to finish, which you don’t always get in other fields.

“You’re able to go past a project you’ve worked on and say, ‘I built that’.”

Want to find out more about a career in engineering? Visit www.theukrc.org/wise

Police have arrested a 26-year-old man in connection with the murder of a Luton man in Yorkshire at the weekend.

Mohammed Saleem Khan died from stab wounds to the neck after he was found slumped at the wheel of a rented van by an off-duty police officer in Easingwold at 2.30am.

Police originally thought that he had suffered his injuries in a road accident – his van was discovered crashed into two bollards on a main road – but launched a murder hunt following further enquiries and a post mortem.

A 26-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder in the early hours of this morning along with a 20-year-old woman and two men aged 21 and 25 who are being held on suspicion of assisting an offender following the incident.

It is believed that Mr Khan, who had recently been living in the Birmingham area, had been due to deliver shower parts in a hired van in North Yorkshire when he was stabbed.

He was taken to York District Hospital for emergency treatment after he was discovered by the off-duty officer but died as a result of his injuries.

Police say that they are not ruling out a racially motivated attack at this stage.

Det Chief Insp Heather Pearson, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “This is a tragic incident for Mr Khan’s family and specially trained officers are supporting them at this extremely difficult time.

“At this stage, there are a number of lines of enquiry that are being progressed. One aspect of the investigation is that this may have been an unprovoked, racially motivated attack. However, I am keeping an open mind about the motive.

“At this time a murder weapon has not been found and I am appealing to members of the public in Easingwold to report any discarded objects - be that weapons or clothing - to the police.

“I am also keen to establish the movements of Mr Khan. He was driving a white Europcar Ford Transit van and it is believed that he may have been in and around Easingwold for a period of hours prior to his murder.

“I am anxious to identify where he has been and who he has been with during this time frame.”

Anyone with information relating to this incident should call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Whipsnade Zoo’s pachyderm Picasso has picked up a paintbrush to show off her artistic talents to mark Elephant Appreciation Weekend.

Fourteen-year-old Asian elephant Karishma has been using her trunk to decorate wooden elephants with colourful splashes of paint in the run up to the weekend (September 22-23) – which raised vital funds for the zoo’s worldwide elephant conservation and research projects.

Elephant keeper Elizabeth Becker said: “Karishma really enjoys painting, and she’s very talented at it.

“It demonstrates just how dexterous elephant’s trunks really are and we think the end results are pretty amazing, if a little abstract!”

Karishma’s works of art were on display at the zoo during Elephant Appreciation Weekend alongside nine wooden elephants which have been created and decorated by students from Central Bedforshire College to represent each of Whipsnade’s nine elephants.

Nine people involved in a sham marriage scam master-minded by a Luton businessman appeared in Luton Crown Court for sentencing today.

They are all charged with conspiracy to facilitate a breach of immigration laws, and the case centres on Gyash Uddin of Ivy Road, Luton who used his restaurant Moja in Leighton Buzzard, as a cover for the scam.

Polish women, who worked in the Mill Road restaurant or pretended to work there, arranged to marry Bangladeshi men to secure them residency in the UK.

Luton residents and Polish nationals Mariusz Rohde, 28, of Hitchin Road, Dorota Wysocka, 45, of Studley Road; Katarzyna Potrykus, 40, of Cowper Road; Aneta Szczepanik, 35, of Kingsland Road; and Kamila Drozdowska, 28, of Bute Street, and Bangladeshi-British man Tera Miah, 58, of Hitchin Road, pleaded guilty to the charge at an earlier hearing.

Uddin and Bangladeshi nationals Mohammed Razul Miah, 35, of Mill Road, Leighton Buzzard, and Mohammed Dolon Miah, 35, of Spencer Road, Luton, were found guilty after a five week trial at Luton Crown Court.

The only sham marriage which went ahead was that of Wysocka and Razul Miah at Leighton Buzzard Register Office on February 19 2011, despite Wysocka being in a long-term relationship with Rohde.

Rohde acted as an interpreter for Wysocka during the marriage process, but when officers visited Wysocka’s address, they found her in bed with him.

Video footage from a mobile phone showed Rohde interpreting as he, Wysocka and Uddin discussed the sham marriage.

The UK Border Agency launched an investigation after registrars expressed concern about the wedding of Wysocka and Razul Miah, as there was a clear language barrier between the bride and groom and they did not interact with each other.

After the marriage, Razul Miah’s application for UK residency, based solely on his marriage, was not successful.

During his immigration appeal hearing, the judge said: “This was the the clearest case of a sham marriage that it is possible to envisage. This is an absolute disgrace and was a marriage intended to drive a coach and horses through effective immigration control in this country.”

Luton Crown Court heard how a £200 wedding dress bought from a shop in Luton was intended to be used in all the marriages, but the planned marriages of Drozdowska and Dolon Miah, and Potrykus and a Bangladeshi man did not go ahead.

Potrykus lived with her Polish partner and children in Cowper Street, Luton. She arranged to marry a Bangladeshi national for a payment of £7000 but changed her mind.

British citizen Tera Miah was going to marry Uddin’s sister-in-law Salma Begum but was denied the certificate of application. Salma Begum arrived in the UK just a few weeks before the marriage application, and is still at large in the UK.

Andy Radcliffe from the UK Border Agency said: “Uddin took advantage of his position as a restaurateur to sponsor people to enter the UK, knowing full well that they never planned to go home.

“At every turn, our investigators found his fingerprints all over the case, with the evidence pinpointing him as the main player. He acted as an interpreter at some of the weddings and money went to the EU nationals direct from his account. He also staged a reception for one of the weddings at Moja, the façade of a happy marriage undermined when both the bride and groom went back to work in the kitchens just half an hour into the celebration.

“By bringing Uddin and his accomplices to justice, we have destroyed their criminal business and shown just how seriously we take abuse of the immigration system.”

The nine defendants sat in the dock with two interpreters, to hear prosecutor Will Nobel read his opening statement.

The case continues.

It’s a few weeks in to the new term and a time when students feel burned out by coursework deadlines, partied out by Fresher’s week and freaked out by rapidly dwindling bank balances.

That’s why, The Mall Luton is hosting an exclusive Student Night on Tuesday October 2 between 6.30pm and 9pm, where they can forget the pressures of student life and indulge in some heavily discounted retail therapy.

For one night only, The Mall will be transformed into a student shopping paradise with amazing special offers, lots of giveaways/goody bags and fantastic entertainment, including an in-house DJ. As an additional treat, students will meet celebrity guest, Hollyoaks star Rob Norbury, who was nominated for ‘Sexiest Male’ at the Inside Soap Awards 2011.

This year, students can get their fashion fix from top high street stores including Bank, Debenhams, Monsoon, Claire’s and JD Sport; Keep entertained by heading to HMV, Virgin Media or That’s Entertainment and relax and refuel at food outlets including BB’s Coffee, Burger King, Jimmy’s World Grill and Muffin Break.

Every student registering for the event will receive a free Reward ME card, entitling them to more great offers throughout the year. The Reward ME cards can either be picked up on the night or will be posted out to students after the event.

Marketing manager, Julian Dow said: “This is the third year The Mall Luton is hosting the hugely popular student event which attracts over 6,000 students every year. With many of our stores offering big discounts off normal retail prices, it is an opportunity not to be missed!”

To receive a free invitation, Students should register online at http://www.themall.co.uk/my-mall/luton/whats-on/10-sep-2012-12293.aspx before the event. Student must present their invitation and student ID on arrival and must be over 16 and enrolled at University, sixth form or college.

HUNDREDS of friends turned out to pay tribute to Martin Nurton at his funeral today (Monday).

The 33-year-old motorcycle instructor was killed in an accident on Friday September 7.

As a mark of respect, hundreds of his friends and family attended his funeral, meeting first at the Horizon Rider Training centre, at the National Bowl, where he worked, to form a convoy behind the hearse as it journeyed to Crownhill Crematorium.

There was a celebration of his life back at The Bowl after the funeral.

Police chief are set to rubber stamp plans to cut 98 senior roles, 100 police officers and 56 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) at Bedfordshire Police over the next four years.

Bedfordshire Police Authority, which oversees policing across the county, meet today (Tuesday September 25) to consider a report by Chief Constable Alf Hitchcock.

Under the government’s comprehensive spending review, Beds Police is required to trim £19million from its budget by 2014/15, and a further £14million is likely to be needed by 2017/18.

Removing 100 police officer posts and 56 PCSO roles is expected to save £7million.

The senior roles set to be cut include two chief superintendents, seven superintendents, five chief inspectors, 16 inspectors, 20 sergeants and 48 constables.

The report says: “Bedfordshire Police has already demonstrated its ability to improve performance with fewer resources; meeting dramatic funding cuts and delivering fundamental structural change.

“The police authority can therefore take assurance that the force will be able to deliver further savings without reversing the substantial performance improvements achieved over the last year-and-a-half.”

According to a new report to be presented to the police authority, Bedfordshire Police will shed up to 100 more police officers, 56 PCSOs, together with 30 police cars, and deploy all shifts from either the Kempston HQ or Luton, to make £7million of savings.

> What do you think? Comment below or email editorial@timesandcitizen.co.uk

THE demon drink gets more than its fair share of bad press these days, so it’s always good to hear about research that redresses the balance a bit.

Most of us cling to maxims about Guinness being good for you, red wine helping your heart and a good slug of Scotch being a folk remedy for most everyday ailments even when the experts tut about the number of units we continue to pour down our necks, and for good reason: We like a drink, and we like being told that we can keep on doing it.

So let’s crack open a bottle to celebrate research from New Zealand that tells us that couples who share a bottle of wine at least once a week enjoy marital life far more than those who steer clear of alcohol.

Women are four times more likely to be happy if they drink at least once a week with their partner than if they never do, they say.

What’s more, men are more than three times happier with their lot.

Contentment drops with every heavy-drinking partner added to a relationship.

And unhappiest of all are those who never share a drink even though one half of the pair knocks back more than their share.

I can see where they are coming from, but the important word here is share, as I know from my many years of matrimony.

And in the Dee household, sharing a bottle of wine is fraught with unspoken tensions.

First up, red or white? I like to savour the darker end of the wine spectrum, while Mrs Dee is a white girl pretty much all the way.

I’m a sipper, and I like to know what I’m sipping – I’m particular about grape types, country of origin, all that sort of stuff. I’m not an obsessive, I don’t guess the year or whitter on about bramble fruits and old teacloths on the nose or any of that nonsense, but I like to connect with whoever grew the stuff and salute him or her as I raise a considered elbow.

The main question that concerns Mrs Dee, apart from a distaste for the Chardonnay grape and a preference for wines at the dry end of the scale, is whether it’s a cork or a screwtop.

Then comes the tricky subject of drinking speed.

She does like to glug, bless her. If there’s liquid in the glass, it won’t be there long. Not a criticism, you understand, just a fact of life, it’s the way she’s made.

But if we’re in a restaurant and one of those over-attentive waiters is topping up the glasses, she’ll easily end up with the bulk of the bottle on her side of the table.

This can rankle, to be honest, particularly if you carefully selected the bottle and you know that your partner doesn’t really care about the complexities of the wine in question as long as it leaves enamel on the teeth and doesn’t produce a stonking headache in the morning.

Still. if you’re regularly having a drink together these are minor specks of cork floating in the glass of life.

One thing I would insist on, though, is that it’s all very well to share a bottle of wine but it should be considered a danger sign if you’re sharing it in the open air, passing it between the two of you and swigging it by the neck. You know it makes sense.

POLICE are warning members of the public to be vigilant after a series of violent robberies along a disused bus link between a Luton estate and Houghton Regis.

Four robberies took place on or close to the abandoned bus lane between Pastures Way in Lewsey Farm and Parkside Drive in Houghton Regis within the space of three days earlier this month.

On September 15 between 10.30pm and 11pm a 33-year-old man was walking home along the link when he was approached by an unknown person wearing dark clothing. The offender was armed with a hammer and demanded the victim hand over his mobile and cash. The victim, who was assaulted and suffered cuts and bruises, didn’t have any money and the offender left with the scene with the victim’s mobile and keys.

The second incident happened at 6.30pm the following day on the recreation ground in Parkside Drive behind the Dog and Duck Public House. Two 19-year-old victims were with friends when they were approached by four men who engaged them in conversation and began to listening to music on one of their phones while using the other victim’s headphones. When they left the victims asked for their property back and the mobile was returned but the offenders had removed the battery, sim and media card and taken the headphones.

The third incident happened 30 minutes later when a 17-year-old was grabbed from behind by a gang of four who searched him and took his iPhone. The victim was pushed to the ground and the offenders fled the scene, one on a silver mountain bike.

The final incident took place at 7.20pm on September 17 when a 19-year-old was walking a field between Lewsey Farm and Houghton Regis listening to music through her headphone via her mobile. She was pushed to the ground and hit around the head a number of times. The offender stole the victim’s mobile and Sony headphones before running from the scene towards Lewsey Farm.

Four men have been arrested in connection with the September 16 incidents and released on police bail.

Anyone with information should call police on 01582 473239, on 101 or text information to 07786 200011.

Sainsbury’s workers in Luton and Dunstable are encouraging residents to help tackle food poverty this October by taking part in a nationwide food-drive run by the supermarket in conjunction with the charity FareShare.

The second annual Million Meal Appeal takes place on Saturday, October 6 and Sunday, October 7 and will benefit more than 700 charities and projects across the UK.

Last year’s appeal was a huge success and involved 600 Sainsbury’s stores including the Bury Park, Bramingham and Dunstable stores.

Thanks to customers’ generosity, together with Sainsbury’s pledge to match donations, FareShare could deliver food for over 1.2 million meals to 700 charities and community projects it supports. Local residents’ contribution was significant, with enough food collected across the three branches to provide 6,000 meals to charities across the UK.

This year’s appeal will see customers again being able to choose to donate an item from the Million Meal Appeal shopping list which consists of long-life products including tinned goods, dried pasta, pasta sauce, rice, tea and instant coffee. The items are purchased as normal and then placed in the collection box after checkout.

> Meanwhile, during Ramadan at the Bury Park branch, Islamic Relief were in store every weekend raising money for Children’s Aid in Africa.

During the four-week period they raised £2,977.27.

People affected by Luton Borough Council’s new rent review policy got together on Monday night to send the authority a clear message: Don’t price us out!

Our campaign of the same name has been gathering pace since its launch last week, with many people signing our petition calling for a re-think the policy.

Worst hit by the rises are scout groups St Augustine’s and Sells Seventh, who rent land from the council for the scout huts they own.

The groups, who have 150 members between them, have been told that the new rates are non-negotiable but that they can apply for help from a hardship fund.

St Augustine’s is being told it must pay £8,000 a year in rent, while Sells Seventh must pay £4,500.

“We are being asked to agree to these rates when we have no idea what kind of help will be available from the hardship fund,” said Icknield district commissioner Martin Wesley.

“It could be just a token £100.

“It’s way beyond our abilities to raise £8,000 - we are all volunteers doing this in our own time.

We’re not saying we don’t want to pay anything but it must be fair and affordable.

“I get the impression they’re going after the small people to see if they can make us roll over and pay the money.

“But we are not an easy option and we will fight our ground.” Also affected are Age Concern shops, with the Farley Hill charity store told its rent may double.

Shop manager Gary Burt said his customers had been queueing up to sign the petition.

“There’s a lot of anger up here, people are really worried they could lose the shop,” he said.

And members of the Luton and Dunstable Cycle Forum have been rallying round to support Dave Barford, whose business My Bike Shop could be forced to move from its Birdsfoot Lane location to make way for a betting shop.

Forum chair Robin Cowan said: “Dave is very important to the cycling community.

“We’ve only got four cycle shops in Luton but there are 25 bookies in the town, including one already in Birdsfoot Lane.”

Luton Borough Council says it is facing unprecedented budget cuts and has no choice but to charge fair and consistent rents at market rates.

Have you added your voice to our petition yet?

You can sign up at www.lutontoday.co.uk, at the Luton News offices in Upper George Street, and at Age Concern shops in Farley Hill and Birdsfoot Lane.

You can also download and print out your own “Don’t Price Us Out!” campaign poster from our website.

A woman who was killed in a car crash suffered a fatal neck injury and died at the scene, an inquest at Dunstable Coroner’s Court heard yesterday.

Sonya Gurney, 31, of Leyburne Road, was a passenger in the Renault Clio her sister Laura Gurney was driving when it collided with an Audi A4 in Newlands Road, Luton, on January 21 this year.

The court heard how the Clio was seen “snaking” across the road before it hit the Audi which was being driven by Karen Denson who did not have a licence or insurance.

Miss Denson said: “As I was driving down the road the car was on my side of the road and then it was going left to right, left to right. I didn’t know what to do, there was nowhere for me to pull over or anything.”

The Clio, which was travelling at 36mph, went over the top of the Audi’s windscreen, then through the golf course wall at the side of the road and into a tree.

Miss Denson and Laura were seriously injured, but Sonya suffered a severed vertical column in her neck and was pronounced dead at the scene at 2.40pm.

A forensic investigation showed the Audi was driving at a speed of about 32mph, and there was no physical evidence for why the Clio had gone across the road, although there had been hard steering to the right for an unknown reason.

HM Assistant Deputy Coroner Thomas Osborne recorded that Sonya died as a result of an accident.

Keech Hospice Care is stepping up its palliative care programme, as doctors across the country warn of a growing crisis in caring for people dying of cancer, dementia and long-term diseases.

A report in the British medical journal Supportive and Palliative Care says doctors are calling for more hospices, care homes and other end-of-life facilities to cope with the rising demand.

Since Keech opened its Palliative Care Centre last summer, numbers have increased by almost 50 per cent, leading to a dramatic expansion of the service.

The trend is expected to continue as the charity reaches out to more people than ever before across Luton, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes.

A spokeswoman said: “The Centre is now a fully functioning outpatient facility where people can come to doctor and nurse-led clinics, have blood tests and transfusions, infusions and various complementary therapies.

“They can also receive palliative care and social worker support.

“In addition they can be referred to a Macmillan psychologist or psychotherapist and have access to pre-bereavement counselling.”

The Centre’s facilities are used by patients who are suffering from a wide range of illnesses and who are deemed to be within the last two years of their lives.

The team is made up of experienced nurses, carers, doctors, therapists, trained volunteers and other professionals including a palliative care social worker, chaplains, counsellors and bereavement workers.

Keech Palliative Care Centre manager Sybil Almassey-Wade explained: “We are helping to take the pressure off hospitals by providing patients with the support that they need.

“Medical advances mean people with life-limiting illnesses survive longer and we aim to give these patients the highest quality of care for as long as they need us.

“The future vision for KPCC is to continue meeting as many patients’ needs as possible while expanding to accommodate more services and increase patient access.”

Keech Hospice Care depends on the public to raise more than 75 per cent of its £5 million annual running costs as only 25 per cent comes from the National Health Service.

> For more information ring 01582 492339 or visit www.keech.org.uk

Police believe that they may have recovered the missing Wenlok Jug.

The rare historical artefact, bought by Luton culture for £750,000 back in 2006, was stolen in a smash and grab raid on Stockwood Discovery Centre back in May.

A spokesman for Beds Police said yesterday: “We have a jug that has been recovered and are meeting with museum staff tomorrow.

“Two people were arrested in concern of this investigation and are helping us with our enquiries at this time.”

A Luton school that has industry focused specialist zones in retail, hospitality and airport operations has re-invented itself.

Barnfield Studio School in York Street has been renamed The Barnfield Skills Academy amid a phased £5.3m transformation is underway.

Students learn core GCSEs of English, maths, science and a language – alongside hands-on vocational courses and business mentoring sessions to start their own businesses.

New Employer Partnerships are being formed with companies in Luton and the surrounding area to provide students with more focused, continual work experience with industry specific vocational and business mentors. The academy also teaches communication, relating to people and emotional intelligence to prepare young people for the working world.

Skills Academy acting principal Mark Cronin said: “Our students are able to kick start their career from a much earlier age through vocational learning and business start-up advice sessions with personal mentors.

“The focus on building employability skills is important to us and to our students and our new name reflects this.

“By working closely with industry professionals in these companies we can ensure that we are providing employers with the workforce they desire and putting students one step closer to their dream career.”

Visit www.barnfield.ac.uk

The talents of our county went on show at Bedfordshire’s Got Talent.

A dozen acts went before the judges in our special contest held at the Bedford Corn Exchange on September 22, hosted by former EastEnders star Ricky Groves.

It was a tough task for judges Christopher Dawkins of sponsors Singers Bedford, Michelle Brealey of Harpur Studios and Dr Lesley Main of Middlesex University.

But the winner was chosen as young Kempston singer Belinda Bare, with runners-up dance troupe A-Pex Next Generation, and Sam Hamer in third.

Click on the link to see a selection of pictures from the night taken by our photographer June Essex.

If you’re on benefits, your child could receive a tasty school meal every week day – and it won’t cost you a penny.

In addition, you would automatically qualify for school clothing assistance, worth £25 for each child every year.

Financial help is also available for those attending college.

> Check your entitlement on 01582 510346.

A team of charitable triathletes narrowly missed out on smashing a gruelling world record last weekend – but managed to raise thousands of pounds for a brain tumour charity in the process.

Dave Coard and five athletes from his Boxfit triathlon club – Jeanette Walster, Nathan Scott, Tara Kirkham, Dave Bailey and Adam Laycock – completed the Enduroman Arch to Arc challenge in an impressive 39 hours and 35 minutes despite being battered around in the English Channel by the tail end of a tropical storm.

The group are still counting up their fundraising tally in aid of the Samantha Dickson Trust but have so far raised well over £10,000 for the efforts – which saw them run from Marble Arch in London to Dover, swim the English Channel to France and then cycle from the French coast to the Arc du Triomphe in Paris.

Dave told the H&P: “It was an unbelieveable experience and one that none of us will ever forget. We flew through the run but hit a storm two miles into the swim, we were getting thrown up and down by the waves but we made it to France. The captain said if the storm hit earlier then he wouldn’t have taken us out. Even though we got battered about we still got a good time considering.”

The team smashed the record for the cycle leg of the challenge but fell short of the overall world record of just under 36 hours – finishing as a group cycling up the Champs Elysee.

Dave said: “I actually had tears in my eyes finishing, it was so emotional.”

The group are raising funds for the Samantha Dickson trust on behalf of Luton lad Ben Reep who was diagnosed with a brain tumour in his first year of school.

To sponsor Dave and the team, log onto https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/boxfit6.