Police in Lincoln have described violent clashes involving Hatters fans last weekend which saw two women hurt as ‘completely unacceptable’.

Officers from the Lincolnshire force are searching for between 20 and 25 supporters after trouble flared between Luton and Lincoln fans at a Wetherspoons pub in the city before the Hatters 2-1 win at Sincil Bank.

Furniture and glasses were hurled and a number of people were assaulted after the incident at the Ritz pub in High Street at around 1pm.

Two women needed hospital treatment for minor injuries caused by flying glass and police had to close the pub.

Fighting spilled out onto nearby streets.

Launching Operation Hartford aimed at finding those involved PC Andy Pearson from Lincolnshire Police said: “Two rival gangs clashed, one from Lincoln and one Luton.

“These are not football fans, they are simply hooligans and it is important that we identify all of the offenders and arrest them as quickly as possible.

“We need anyone who was in the pub or in the area to get in touch and help us with our enquiries as soon as possible. What took place was totally unacceptable on a busy Saturday afternoon when families are out trying to enjoy what the city has to offer. Over the last three years we have done a huge amount of proactive work to target thugs like this and that work will continue.

“It is essential we send out a clear message to hooligans – you are not welcome in Lincoln.”

Anyone with information relating to this incident should call Lincolnshire Police on 101. You will need to wait until after the announcement of the force your call is to be directed to and then select option one to hear a list of alternative forces.

Businesses lobby group the Bedfordshire Chamber has urged its member firms to support development plans to increase the capacity of the airport to 18 million passengers per year.

London Luton Airport Operations Limited has invited chamber members to fill in a survey before its own consultation on its vision for the future of the airport ends on Friday (October 12).

The Chamber, based in Kimpton Road, Luton, just a stone’s throw from the airport, believes the transport hub is ‘one of the region’s most important assets’. It is, the chamber says on its LinkedIn page, a ‘key economic growth driver for Bedfordshire and, indeed, the sub-region’.

Through approximately £100 million of proposed new investment, the operator intends to increase the capacity of the airport to 18 million passengers per year, which it believes will generate approximately £218 million in added annual value to the local economy, as well as create 4,500 additional jobs.

The airport intends to submit a planning application later in the year, and the chamber is strongly urge its members to take part in an online survey, which asks people who take part three questions.

Ruby Sparks

This is either the ultimate paean to creative anxiety and morality, or it’s a pretentious chick flick that is a woe is me schmaltz fest.

Thankfully, thanks to some great performances and some neat writing the audience is left to make up their own mind entirely, which suits.

Paul Dano plays a successful, but lonely and blocked writer who imagines the perfect girl only to find her come perfectly to life.

The girl is played by the film’s writer Zoe Kazan and the chemistry is superb, and both actors, lovers in real life, don’t flinch from the dark results of messing with nature.

It’s the first film from directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris since their smash, Little Miss Sunshine and it’s another superb piece of Indiewood drama. Maybe.

Hotel Transylvania

You will be pleased to know that Adam Sandler has more to offer in animated form than he has in live action releases of late, but that’s not saying much.

This is decent enough kids fare about a hotel resort, where the owner is Dracula and he has to deal with his daughter falling for a stray boy tourist.

Harmless hokum but worth seeing for the majestic Steve Buscemi’s turn as the wolf henchman.

Private Peaceful

Adapted from Michael ‘War Horse’ Morpurgo’s novel, Private Peaceful, directed by Pat O’Connor, is trying, despite its protests, to be Britain’s answer to Speilberg’s War Horse adaptation. Unfortunately, much like our weather, America defeats us in this battle, but only just, writes guest reviewer Alison Devlin.

Opening the film in a small cell, prisoner Tommo Peaceful (George McKay) recounts his early life leading us to the reason for his imprisonment and the resulting execution.

Beginning as a young boy, the audience joins Tommo in his adventures through brotherhood, love, tragedy and the events in a First World War trench.

Starring alongside McKay is a recognisable cast including Harry Potter’s Richard Griffiths as the malevolent Colonel, Skins’ Jack O’Connell as Tommo’s charismatic brother Charlie Peaceful and The Iron Lady’s Alexandra Roach as the mischievous and flirtatious love interest Mollie.

What could be a great story is let down by poor pace and weak rendering of the narrative. Failing to focus and communicate the senselessness of war and ineptitude of commanding officers, fluttering between illegitimate pregnancy and a broken heart, the film fails to make an impact leaving the audience disappointed.

Despite the slowness of the film, it’s hard to follow all the different storylines that are thrown into the mix and you’re left wondering: “Was that resolved in the end?”. It’s not a life-changing film, nor even a day-changing film, it’s just an attempt at cashing in on the cash cow that is War Horse.

If you’re looking for a bit more creativity, see the play, a one-man show that brings over half a dozen of the main characters to vivid life that returns to the West End this autumn.

The Barnfield Federation has been told that it did not give people enough time to have their say on its new admissions arrangements.

The Schools Adjudicator also said that elements of the new arrangements did not meet government requirements, and has told the organisation to revise them “as quickly as possible”.

In July the federation announced it was dropping its proposed entry screening, following a consultation.

But Luton Borough Council complained to the adjudicator that the way Barnfield notified the public of its final determined arrangements meant it was too late for some people to give their views.

The council also objected to children of staff being given priority, but the adjudicator did not think this was “unfair or unreasonable”.

He said there would still be pupils who would miss out on a place even if children of staff were not given priority, because of the increasing numbers of pupils in the area.

But he did agree that the timings of Barnfield’s consultation had contravened the Schools Admissions Code.

Luton Borough Council’s overview and scrutiny board will discuss the judgement at its meeting tonight (Thursday October 11).

Barnfield assistant principal, Stephen Hall, said: “We are pleased that the Schools Adjudicator has rejected the local authority objections relating to the federation’s determining of its admissions policy, and confirmed that the plans to introduce the priority of children of staff were reasonable.

“In response to the concerns ‘partially upheld’ we have agreed to publish and communicate future determined admissions more widely than that undertaken.”

SATURDAY

Paddy McGuinness hosts another series of the unashamedly addictive dating show which sees a bloke bare his soul in front of shrieking, stiletto-heeled beauties and does everything he can to stop them losing interest in him and turning their lights out.

Those who are hoping to impress this week include a pair of Cambridge twins trying to nab a double date, a yoga instructor and a farmer.

SUNDAY

Friday Night Dinner 
(Channel 4, 10pm)

The concept of Robert Popper’s semi-autobiographical series is simple – each episode takes place over the course of a Friday night, as twenty-something brothers Adam (Bird) and Jonny (Tom Rosenthal) went round to their parents’, Jackie (Tamsin Greig) and Martin Goodman (Paul Ritter), for dinner.

This week, Grandma (Frances Cuka) introduces the family to her new boyfriend, who soon upsets everyone with his rude behaviour.

Dad cannot stand him and hides in his shed, but nobody is prepared for what happens when the guest suddenly loses his temper.

MONDAY

Sing For Your Life 
(Channel 4, 8pm)

You must have noticed that Channel 4 is on a bit of a mission right now? And as the broadcaster continues its fundraising campaign with Cancer Research UK, you’re about to learn a heck of a lot more about terminal illnesses that claim eight million lives every year.

As part of week-long campaign Stand Up to Cancer, this programme in particular focuses on the Big C Choir which is made up of an inspiring group of people, who have all been or are receiving treatment for cancer.

There are 35 of them getting set to show what they can do with a sell-out concert at the Royal Albert Hall.

TUESDAY

The Great British Bake-Off (BBC Two, 8pm)

Gingerbread coliseums, cakes that slice open to reveal a whole new design, beef Wellingtons that look like something you’d normally find in a medical textbook – we really have seen it all during this series.

But now the contest is drawing to an end and just three wannabe master bakers remain to battle it out for the title.

To clinch it, they are going to have to impress Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood with a signature pithivier (that’s a puff pastry pie to non-baking experts), a batch of fondant fancies, and their final showstopper, which will be made using the notoriously difficult chiffon sponge. Who will rise to the challenge? Wednesday 17/10/12

WEDNESDAY

Emmerdale (ITV1, 7pm)

This week the randy rural soap is turning 40, and marking the milestone with a live episode. There are two weddings and two new arrivals on the cards, so there’s lots of action in store – but watch out for the weather, as there are outdoor scenes planned and there’s no plan B if the heavens open.

THURSDAY

Hebburn (BBC Two, 10pm)

New six-part sitcom takes place in a small Tyneside town, with rising comic Chris Ramsey, Vic Reeves and Gina McKee all in the cast. Think Gavin & Stacey meets the Likely Lads – it looks promising.

FRIDAY

Stand Up to Cancer 
(Channel 4, 7.30pm)

Now Alan Carr, Davina McCall and Christian Jessen host a marathon fundraiser they hope will inspire people to hand over the cash needed to help researchers trying to find a cure.

The all-star line-up, which includes Cheryl Cole, Leona Lewis, Derren Brown, David Hasselhoff, The Simpsons, Bradley Cooper, Kylie Minogue, Tom Daley, Jimmy Carr and Anna Friel, plus many more.

Carr says: “I’ve seen exactly how destructive the big C is. I’ve lost two people already this year to cancer. We need to raise a lot of money.”

Shopkeepers in St Dominic’s Square at Lewsey Farm say they feel unsupported by the police in a shoplifting epidemic, writes Connie Primmer.

Baz Patel, the owner of Nisa Local, says his store loses £300-400 a week from shoplifting, and the police rarely respond to his calls.

The issue was raised at the Lewsey Ward Forum on Tuesday, and councillors said they would arrange a meeting with shopkeepers to discuss it.

Mr Patel said: “We have shoplifting daily, and probably call the police weekly. It’s both adults and children and it’s certainly got worse in recent years.

“The police write it off as a small crime and don’t bother to come out – they don’t see it as a problem. We still call them, but they keep you on the phone for such a long time and make it such hard work.

“If we’ve got CCTV footage we have to spend our own money burning the DVD and then they often don’t bother to pick them up. Sometimes we catch people ourselves – once we had a guy in the back who’d been stealing cans of Stella and we were waiting an hour for the police to come for him.

“They cuffed him up in the shop but let him go once he was outside.”

Mr Patel and Nisa manager Scott Jell said they believe shoplifters often ‘steal to order’ and sell the stolen goods in local pubs. They once had £60 worth of laundry detergents stolen in one go.

Mr Jell said: “There is no police presence here at all. We used to have two PCSOs but they stopped coming quite a while ago. They spend more time in Hockwell Ring now, but as soon as you neglect one area the same things start happening again.”

Residents at the ward forum also said there is no police presence and shopkeepers have to police it themselves.

Raj Singh has run a discount shop in St Dominic’s Square for about eight years.

He said: “We work hard to scare shoplifters off ourselves. We’ve installed CCTV and we try and scare people so they don’t steal again. We were losing business. We used to call the police but they never came so we’ve stopped bothering to call them, what’s the point?”

A Beds Police spokesperson said: “We do all we can to help shopkeepers with security and anyone caught shoplifting will be dealt with robustly.”

A disabled woman’s mobility scooter was trashed by heartless vandals while she was at a school reunion on Friday.

Wendy Welburn, 54, had parked the bike outside Crawley Green Sports & Social Club for the evening and when she came outside she found it had been destroyed.

The wires had all been pulled out and the electrics were ruined by the rain, and her luggage set on the back had been partly stolen – the remaining pieces were slashed.

Wendy, who lives in Kynance Close, Luton, said: “I was incensed. I had had such a good evening, I was in a great mood, and to come out and find that was awful.

“Why would you do it to a disabled person? That bike is my legs, I depend on it for my freedom, to get out and about. I would have thought after the Paralympics people would be aware that these pieces of equipment are our legs. We don’t have a choice.”

The incident upset Wendy so much that she was taken to hospital with a suspected heart attack over the weekend.

When she discovered the bike outside the club she had no other way of getting home and she had to try and ride it home in the dark and pouring rain, which she said was a very slow journey.

Wendy, above, said: “The whole thing has upset me tremendously. It’s extra stress and pressure I didn’t need. I hope karma has an effect on the people who did this because of the stress and aggro it has caused me. It just stinks.”

The specialised motorbike was not insured, because Wendy says she is on a low income of £50 a week and couldn’t afford it.

She said: “Everyone knew me and my bike. It’s all chrome and flashy – I think that’s what drew them to it. They have just trashed it. It’s devilment, I don’t think it was malicious. I can’t afford to replace it though.”

The Mayor of Luton is launching an internet TV channel on Tuesday.

Tropical FM, a community radio station, has been in operation for just over a year as a web-based radio station and now it’s creating its own internet channel.

The Mayor, Councillor Syd Knight, will be cutting the ribbon at the launch in Windsor Walk (off Hastings Street).

Mayor Knight, said: “It gives me great pleasure to officially open Tropical FM’s new internet TV. With this expansion of the station, they can reach wider audiences and provide training opportunities for young people who are interested in working in broadcast media. I wish them every success and look forward to viewing some of their community programmes in the near future.”

Tropical FM is a community station dedicated to educating and engaging with local communities.

Dennis Riley, Managing Director, Tropical FM, said: “The aim of the station is to equip all sections of the community with resources that will deliver peace, harmony, respect, care, education and training as well as fun and entertainment. We are really excited about our latest development and currently have 28 presenters broadcasting a variety of shows and programmes and we hope that more people will come forward and join in our internet TV.

“Our future aims includes delivering a 24 hour, seven days a week schedule of live and pre-recorded programmes as well as live streaming of community events; and not only connecting with other parts of the UK but also abroad.”

For more information visit www.tropicalfm.com or ring 01582 457 081, email admin@tropicalfm.com

The tables were turned as children from a Stopsley primary school gave Luton News reporter Steve Nolan a grilling about the world of journalism.

Stopsley Community Primary School Year Five students posed a series of challenging questions including who the most famous person we’ve featured is and how to become a journalist.

The students learned all about life on a newsdesk as part of a school project.

Shamed DJ and TV presenter Jimmy Savile, who has been branded a serial sex criminal and whose alleged criminal activities over a long career are now being probed by police, has been posthumously stripped of the honorary doctorate he was given by the University of Bedfordshire.

Savile, who died in 2011, was presented with the honour at a prestigious ceremony in 2009 by the then vice-chancellor, Professor Les Ebdon.

According to national newspaper reports, the university has now decided to annul the accolade..

A university spokesman is reported as saying: “The board of governors’ nominations and honours committee met to confirm that the honorary degree would be rescinded.

“The honorary award was in recognition of his charitable fund-raising. It was given in good faith without the knowledge of the current very serious allegations.”

Before the 2009 ceremony, Sir Jimmy was interviewed by the university for a television broadcast.

The interviewer asked him if he was “carrying on leading an interesting life”.

He replied: “Yes, well, I’ve not been found out yet.”

Victims of anti-social behaviour in Luton are being supported by a dedicated team which aims to put their needs first.

Funded by Luton Borough Council and Bedfordshire Police, the innovative team was praised by an HMIC report for their “excellent service” to victims.

Anti-social behaviour figures are still on the rise in Luton, but the priority anti-social behaviour case management team has had an 80 per cent success rate in resolving cases since they started in November 2011.

Council officer Vicky Hawkes who manages the team said: “Anti-social behaviour means different things to each individual. Something which might not bother one person could be having a serious impact on someone else.”

Whether it’s a group of youths throwing stones at an elderly person’s house, or someone letting their dog foul in the street without clearing it up, if it is causing someone serious distress, the team will help them.

Cases are assessed to see what impact the behaviour is having on the victim(s), and those with a high priority are tackled by the special team, while those of lower prioirty are taken on by the local policing teams.

For the priority cases, each victim or household is given a dedicated case manager, so that every time they report an incident they speak to the same person who knows the history. Partnerships with other agencies including social services, housing association, Victim Support services and Safer Luton Partnerships mean victims are offered all kinds of help.

Vicky said: “Anti-social behaviour is not always a criminal offence, and it might be that the person affected benefits more from the support of a counsellor or a housing association than a police officer, but without the help of our team they might not find that help.”

As well as five PCSOs and two community support officers who work shifts and patrol until midnight, the team have a victim ‘champion’ who works one-on-one with victims confidentially, to help them with things like job-hunting and applying for benefits.

Vicky said: “Of all the cases this year, 80 per cent have been resolved. Those people are no longer suffering, and we are very happy about that. It’s down to the individual experience and that’s why our assesment is focused on the impact on the victim and their current coping mechanisms.”

A Bedfordshire Police spokesman said: “This scheme is unique and tailormade for Luton. This particular matrix might not be quite right for some other town, but it is specifically suited for Luton and its problems. There are other forces across the country who use risk assessment to identify prioirty cases, but we are quite unique in how we have established our team to deal with them.

“Nobody should live in fear or be upset by how they are living. To some people what they are dealing with might seem a minor thing, but it can be having a devastating effect on that person.”

If you are suffering from anti-social behaviour, call 101.

An airborne medical crew flew to the scene of a riding accident in Clophill this afternoon to help a stricken horse rider.

The Magpas Helimedix team of doctor Ali Tompkins and paramedic Carl Smith worked with land-based ambulance staff after landing at the scene at 12.21pm.

Their patient was a woman in her 40s who had been kicked in the head by a horse in a spot which was tricky for the land-based crew to reach.

The Magpas team assessed the patient, who suffered head and neck injuries.

They then put measures into place to protect her spine, before airlifting her to Milton Keynes Hospital.

On arrival at the hospital, she was conscious and in good spirits.

Dr Tomkins said, “We expect our patient to make a speedy and full recovery. We all wish her well”.

The helicopter team who flew to the scene and on the hospital was pilot Matt Tacon and air observer Zoe Coll.

It was the third time that Helimedix units were called to Bedfordshire emergencies over the weekend.

On Saturday they came to the assistance of an injured rugby player in Biggleswade and a motocross rider in Billington.

Step this way for a ride on an express elevator to hell…

Meet Frank. He’s a small-time drug pusher, played with a wide-eyed, realistic feeling charisma by the excellent Richard Coyle – who, incidentally, looks a lot like my good pal Mike.

In just one week, Frank’s life completely falls apart, and the film takes viewers along for the nail biting, ill-fated ride.

This is an English language remake of a Danish tale of the same name by Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn.

If you know the original then you’ll know exactly what to expect – a big deal is on the offing which goes wrong and leaves Frank in a £55,000 hole to Milo – Zlatko Buric reprising his menacing role from the original.

With just two days to pay back the money, Frank begins to desperately call in favours from his friends and family – and when his last chance risky drug import plan from Amsterdam goes belly up, he has to resort to crazed violent measures in order to try and save his kneecaps.

Pusher looks the business, a fantastic blend of drab lesser-seen parts of London mixed with throbbing neon-lit clubs and stark interiors.

The visual flair of the film is great, if you look carefully, there are icons such as the face of Jesus, skulls, subliminal messages and the like, hidden – and some not so hidden, mirroring Frank’s increased desperation – on walls, in paintings, on windows and the like.

This is a brilliant move as it gives a whole extra level of depth to the proceedings.

The soundtrack has been amped up, too, thanks to dance music legends Orbital who have created a superb album of tracks to go along with the movie.

As Frank’s life falls apart before his very eyes, his long suffering girlfriend Flo – the gorgeous model turned actress Agyness Deyn – doesn’t know whether to stick with him or cut her losses and run.

So we have a scary escalation of violence that feels disturbingly plausible.

Crime boss Milo is a walking, talking one-man government anti drugs campaign, if having anything to do with drugs means mixing with such monsters.

Director Luis Prieto delivers a very watchable, gritty and exciting crime odyssey – but even with great performances and cool flashy visuals, this can’t quite match the sheer energy of the original.

Don’t do drugs, do go see Pusher.

Plans have been submitted to turn a former Toddington pub into two houses.

The Bedford Arms closed in February after being sold off by brewery Charles Wells to property developers Kensworth Builders.

They have now lodged a planning application with Central Bedfordshire Council to turn the partially-listed pub building into two three-bedroom homes.

Plans have already been submitted to build four four-bedroom houses in the pub garden and car park, and to turn the former Toddington Florist shop into a three-bedroom home.

Click here to view the plans.

Eight residents were led to safety after a fire broke out in Crawley Green Road today (October 15).

The fire started in an electrical cupboard in Rutland Court, and firefighters were called to the scene at 3.40am.

More to follow.

Police and firefighters called to a crash in Caddington in the early hours of this morning (Monday, October 15) found a BMW on its roof.

The accident happened in Dunstable Road just after 1am, and police closed the road from Farley Hill to Dunstable while the scene was cleared.

Two people inside the car – a man and a woman – had to be cut free by firefighters and were taken to the Luton & Dunstable Hospital.

Young firms across Beds, Herts and Bucks have another massive reason to enter the Local Business Accelerators competition.

The Business Growth Fund (BGF), an independent company established to help the UK’s fast growing smaller and medium sized firms, has added a £10,000 cash sum to the prize package for the overall national winner.

BGF chief executive Stephen Welton said: “Local Business Accelerators is an excellent initiative by the local press industry which recognises and rewards the most promising young businesses. It is a much needed boost to UK entrepreneurship.”

BGF’s contribution means the prize pot for the overall LBA winning business now consists of a year’s mentoring from the campaign’s ambassador and Dragon’s Den star Deborah Meaden, a local advertising campaign devised by a top London creative ad agency as well as the £10,000 cash prize. Local winners will also receive a free advertising and mentoring package.

LBA, which is aimed at businesses aged between one and five years, is supported by the government and private sector’s Business in You campaign.

More than young 400 businesses have already entered the competition, well in advance of the deadline of November 16.

To enter the competition, visit www.accelerateme.co.uk and use the drop down menu to choose your local newspaper area. You can also click on the link above.

Do you know what? It’s mad. It’s madder than Mad Jack McMad, the winner of this year’s Mr Madman competition.

Why am I quoting famous quips from the Blackadder canon? Because it’s mad, that’s why.

I’ve seen a lot of nonsense in this world, and not much makes me simultaneously snort with derision and sigh with despair.

But the self-aggrandising government scheme to send representatives from every secondary school in the country to the First World War trenches is a real stinker, isn’t it?

It’s going to cost more than £5 million to ship two ‘student ambassadors’ and a teacher from every school over to the battlefields of Northern France, and at first you might think it all sounds like a jolly good idea.

Hold hard, though. Just two pupils and one teacher? That doesn’t sound like the best use of stretched education resource to me.

And let’s not even start counting up the number of secondary schools that have run history field trips to the trenches in recent years, where this daft idea will literally be covering old ground.

The idea is to teach today’s teenagers about the sacrifice made by people in their communities 100 years ago. Fair enough.

But, and correct me if I am wrong, there is already a very visible way of teaching people about the horror and the human cost of the madness that gripped Europe – not quite the world, but enough far-flung countries were dragged into the mess to justify the title – between 1914 and 1918.

It’s called a war memorial, and I think you’ll find there’s one a lot closer to every secondary school in the country than the battlefields themselves.

I’ll agree that standing in a war cemetery on the other side of the Channel, or even exploring the sanitised trench systems which have been preserved, is a solemn experience that provides plenty of food for thought.

But it’s no more solemn than standing in front of the war memorial around the corner, and contemplating all those young lives snuffed out, how many share the same surname, wondering how they met their ends and whether they thought it was worth it, or even had much idea of what they were doing there in the first place.

Here’s a not so mad idea – get secondary school pupils to adopt their nearest war memorial, research the biographies of the heroes whose names are listed, learn about the men who marched away and those they left behind. That would be far cheaper, much easier to organise, and include more people.

And if they want to find out more, then they could do worse than start with the final series of Blackadder, which has plenty of sobering truth hiding in among the jokes.

Beyond that, there’s a huge body of factual history, fiction, films and documentaries that will tell you all you need to know about the First World War.

A jolly across the Channel isn’t the way to make sure that we all know about that terrible period, and more importantly that we all learn the lessons of that cataclysmic conflict.

A hospice is asking companies to join a big Christmas corporate game.

Thanks to gifts from corporate supporters Keech Hospice Care, near Luton, has 250 Sony Ericsson Bluetooth speakers and more than 50 Build-a-Bears available as prizes.

In order to turn the donations into much needed cash for the hospice, Keech is asking all local companies to sell 100 lucky draw squares for £1 each, meaning that each employer could donate £100.

The winning square will be announced on December 7 with a live draw taking place in the children’s unit. When the number is drawn by one of the Keech children, the hospice will contact each employer and let them know which number out of the 100 is the winner and send them the prize.

Only 25 per cent of Keech Hospice Care running costs come from the National Health Service. It has to raise the vast bulk of funds itself from the local community to keep vital services going.

To register in this festive event or for further information contact Adele Harris harris@keech.org.uk or Maggie Doust mdoust@keech.org.uk or phone 01582 707940.

A MAN suffered 50 per cent burns in an accident at a workshop in Tingrith yesterday morning (Monday, October 15).

Fire crews were called to the furniture workshop at Tythe Barn, Wood End, Tingrith just after 8am.

A second man suffered burns to his hands trying to help the victim, who is understood to have been in his 60s.

A spokesman for Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue said: “It appears there was an accident involving a wood-burning stove.

“The man’s colleague suffered burns to his hands helping him and trying to put out the fire.”