England manager Roy Hodgson announced his latest squad at Vauxhall’s Luton headquarters today, as the car giant announced an extension to their sponsorship deal with the Football Association.

It was the first time the squad has been announced in Luton, and Hodgson’s first squad without a named captain.

Vauxhall announced that they will extend their sponsorship with the FA for a further four years from after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Hodgson said: “I think it’s good that we’re being sponsored by an English company, by an English car, a car a lot of English people do drive.

“I congratulate the FA and Vauxhall for extending their partnership, and hopefully it will be a very fruitful one for both parties.”

Vauxhall chairman Duncan Aldred said: “We’re delighted to continue our relationship with England and look forward to another four years of productive partnership.”

The only uncapped player in Hodgson’s squad is Reading goalkeeper Alex McCarthy. England versus Brazil is on May 29 at Wembley Stadium.

A father is furious that he and his family have been barred from all NHS surgeries for a year following an altercation with a doctor on Monday.

James Jewell, 35, of Marlow Avenue in Luton, was upset that the doctor at Gardenia Avenue Surgery would not look at his 10-month-old son’s head during an appointment.

Police were called to the surgery at about 10.30am, but say the patient had calmed down and was leaving.

Mr Jewell said: “The way they have been treating my children is disgusting. The doctor refused to even look at my son’s head even though that was what we had made the appointment for, so I got upset but I wasn’t aggressive. When the police arrived I was queuing up at reception to fill in a complaint form.”

Mr Jewell received a letter from the NHS the following day informing him he and his family are all barred.

He said: “My priority is my kids’ health and now they have all been barred from the surgery, even my five-year-old daughter who was at school at the time. I am really worried about my little boy.”

Mr Jewell had a bad experience with the surgery previously as he says his daughter, three, was rushed to hospital two months ago seriously ill, despite doctors saying she was healthy.

He is on medication and needs to pick up tablets from the surgery or his own health will deteriorate.

An NHS spokesperson said: “Hertfordshire and South Midlands Area Team of NHS England is unable to comment on specific cases, but can confirm that under the terms of GP General Medical Services contract. GP Practices are entitled to request the removal of a patient who is considered by the practice, to have had a breakdown in the doctor/patient relationship as a result of violent, threatening or abusive behaviour.

“When an incident of that nature occurs practices notify NHS England who then review and make arrangements to ensure patients have continued access to primary medical services. If appropriate the patient will be allocated to the safe patient treatment scheme for a period of at least 12 months. At which point their case is reviewed and if appropriate their care returned to mainstream general practice.”

Beds Police crime commissioner Olly Martins is putting up Colette Paul, currently Deputy Chief Constable of South Wales Police, as the county’s new Chief Constable.

“Colette impressed us all with her infectious energy and enthusiasm,” said the commissioner, “and I very much look forward to working with her to deliver my police and crime plan.”

Ms Paul said: “I’m absolutely delighted. Bedfordshire is wonderfully diverse county with lots of complexities, which will make it a really interesting place to work.

“I’m looking forward to working with Olly Martins and the senior officer team, to ensure the delivery of the kind of service that the public of Bedfordshire expect and deserve.”

In line with the new legislation, the outcome of the selection procedure will now go to a confirmation hearing of the police and crime panel.

Colette Paul studied English and psychology at Keele University then joined the Metropolitan Police first walking the beat in Edmonton, North London.

She progressed into CID and has since spent a large part of her career as an operational detective, including work within the vice unit, murder squad, and the race and violent crime task force.

She took a career break in 1998 to work for the British High Commissioner in Ottawa, Canada.

On her return to London two years later she was involved in a number of terrorist investigations. She joined South Wales Police as an assistant chief constable in 2008.

Ms Paul’s name will go to the Police and Crime Panel when it meets on June 4.

The panel is responsible for reviewing the proposed appointment and recommending whether or not Ms Paul should be appointed. The panel also have the power to veto the appointment

A Luton woman has raised over £1,500 for ‘vital’ charity Keech Hospice by leaping 10,000ft out of an aeroplane.

Charlie O’Brien, 27, had initially set herself a fundraising target of £300, but thanks to well-attended events such as a charity afternoon tea, was able to raise £1,510.

After completing the leap on Sunday (May 12), Charlie said: “Keech Hospice is such a vital part of the local community and a truly great charity.

“I think everybody locally knows someone who has been through Keech or benefited from the services they provide.

“It was certainly a challenge but nothing compared to what the patients and staff go through at Keech on a daily basis.

“I must admit I feel very proud to have jumped for Keech and want to thank all of my family, friends, colleagues and local companies who have supported me through this.”

Charlie is marketing manager at Pictons of Luton, who have so far raised a total of £3,000 for Keech, which is their ‘charity of the year’.

You can still donate towards Charlie’s total by visiting www.justgiving.com/skydivecharlie.

Companies have been shortlisted for prestigious awards from Bedfordshire Federation of Small Businesses.

A team of 14 judges took eight hours to decide the shortlist which includes companies from every corner of Beds.

Damian Cummins, chairman of the Luton and South beds FSB said: “There is a great diversity of businesses and some young entrepreneurs are really shining through.”

Shortlisted firms from the Luton and Dunstable area are:

New Business: Crannull Consulting, High Town Road, Critical Film, Markham Road, both Luton.

Innovation: Silvertoad, Butterfield, Great Marlings, Luton.

Business Person of the Year: Toma Habashi, Silvertoad.

Employee: Natalie Taylor, of Noble Solicitors, in Alma Street, Stuart Street and High Town Road, Luton.

Enterprising: e-FM Network, Liverpool Road, Luton.

Entrepreneur: Stephen Rhodes, of Bullet Point Media, Eaton Bray; James Mossman, Critical Film.

Training & Development: Stoten Gillam, High Street South, Dunstable.

Young Business Person: James Mossman, Critical Film.

The final will be held at The Conservatory at Luton Hoo on June 6.

Action-heavy crime thriller GANGSTER SQUAD (15: Warner) has more brawn than brains, but sets its sights firmly from the start and hits the mark with relish.

Starring Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling and Sean Penn, it’s based on a true story about New York mob kingpin Mickey Cohen (played to the hilt by Penn) bringing his organisation to Los Angeles in 1949.

He rapidly seizes control of the city’s criminal activity and corrupts the authorities to ensure no one stands up to him.

But the chief of police discreetly sets up a task force with the intention of bringing the mobster to justice. Subtlety flies out of the window, along with the baddies, and the subject of corruption at the LAPD was portrayed with much more sophistication in LA Confidential.

Director Ruben Fleischer takes a basic, gung-ho approach and does well to blend flamboyantly staged violence with dark humour, while splashing the budget on a glossy re-creation of ‘40s LA.

Brolin’s upstanding sergeant gives the movie a moral backbone, although Gosling upstages him with effortless poise, fraying at the edges after getting involved with Cohen’s moll (Emma Stone).

> Inoffensive and insubstantial drama HYDE PARK ON HUDSON (12: Universal) centres on a visit by King George VI (Samuel West) and Queen Elizabeth (Olivia Colman) to the eponymous New York estate of Franklin D Roosevelt (Bill Murray) in 1939.

While the royals hope to persuade the US to side with Britain in the Second World War, their host is more concerned with pursuing a secret affair with a distant cousin.

The film is based on the private letters and journals of the cousin, Margaret Suckley, aka Daisy (Laura Linney), though it remains a little coy about just how close.

If it had been made 60 or 70 years ago, audiences might have been more surprised at the notion that an American president had a lover or two, and more amused by the discomfort of British royalty confronted with the prospect of eating something called “hot dogs”.

Some details strike a chord, such as photographers who keep their cameras down as FDR, who was crippled with polio, is carried to his car.

Yet you’re left with the feeling that the film-makers have taken a great moment in history and by attempting to examine the human element behind it, have lost sight of it.

> Leatherface is back in semi-coherent, morally confused and superfluous sequel TEXAS CHAINSAW (18: Lionsgate), which offers more slicing and dicing by filmdom’s favourite chainsaw-toting cannibal.

He emerges implausibly from the basement of the old family home to butcher its new occupants, but there’s a family tie and blood ultimately proves thicker than slaughter.

Nearly 40 years separate this and Tobe Hooper’s original everyday story of flesh-eating folk. There’s no Hooper this time and it fails to match the short, sharp shocks of the 1974 classic.

The movie is full of missed opportunities, with precious little to satisfy even the most easily pleased of horror film fans. Clint Eastwood’s son, Scott, has a prominent role, but it isn’t something he’ll want to write home about.

As the centenary to mark the start of the First World War approaches, the Imperial War Museum is calling for help with a unique project.

Lives of the First World War is an innovative, interactive digital platform to bring material from museums, libraries, archives and family collections from across the world together in one place for the first time.

It is collecting pictures, memories and archive material to help pay tribute to the millions who died during the 1914-18 conflict.

Almost every town and village in Bedfordshire lost husbands and sons in the First World War.

In Barton le Clay, the memorial to honour the fallen names the 25 soldiers who did not return from the conflict.

The memorial, which also lists the fallen from the Second World War, was unveiled in the village in June 1920.

A roll of honour website complied by Lynda Smith, lists details of many of the fallen, some of whom were only in their teens and twenties.

>The details can be found at: http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Bedfordshire/BartonRollofHonour.html

>How do you think the war should be commemorated in Luton and Dunstable? Let us know our contact details are on page 2

A teenager arrested on suspicion of the attempted murder of a 16-year-old was released on police bail last night (May 16).

Detectives questioned the 19-year-old over the shooting in Thricknells Close on Saturday, in which a teenager was shot in the back and left with “life-changing” injuries.

The suspect was stopped by armed police officers who were patrolling Marsh Farm on Wednesday, as part of the force’s response to increased threat of gun crime.

DCI Dave Quarmby from the Beds, Cambs and Herts Major Crime Unit said: “While this arrest shows significant progress in relation to this incident we still need the people involved to put pen to paper in order that we can detect and bring to an end this increase in violence that the town is currently experiencing.

“By co-ordinating all the firearm related investigations in this way we continue to build better intelligence and information about who is carrying guns and intensify our resolve to arrest and bring to justice those involved. As you know, we will do this much more quickly if we have the support of our local community.”

Police say there are people who can provide vital information who have still not come forward to put their evidence on record.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Det Supt Hill said: “What is it you are scared of? If you have concerns for you and your family, then talk to us. We have measures we can put in place to address these fears and anxieties.

“Carrying a gun does not make you a man. Bigger men stand up and are counted.,, Stand up for what is right. Cometh the hour, cometh the man. When you find that courage, my office is waiting.

“If you don’t, when you look at yourself in the mirror, know it is your lack of action that is preventing your community from being a safer place.”

The Thricknells Close shooting victim remains in a serious but stable condition in hospital, but it sitting up and talking with detectives, family and friends.

Armed officers, members of the Dog Unit together with members of the local policing team for Marsh Farm and Lewsey Farm are continuing to proactively patrol the areas; reassuring the public and ensuring offenders who carry guns or weapons in public are stopped and arrested.

If you have information that can help call Bedfordshire Police on 101, or text information to 07786 200011.

Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

A 16-year-old girl was sexually assaulted as she walked home from school yesterday (May 16).

The teenager was walking along Waller Avenue close to the BT Telephone Exchange when she was approached by the offender who started talking to her and walking alongside.

He then attempted to kiss the victim but she pulled away, so he grabbed her bottom before running away.

The offender is described as an Asian male, in his mid-teens, around 5ft 1 inch tall and of slender build.

He was wearing a light grey hooded top with two vertical stripes down the side and black trousers.

Det Cons Cathie Layton is keen to speak with anyone who was in Waller Avenue on Thursday and may have seen either offender before or after the incident.

If you have information relating to this incident, contact Det Con Layton, in confidence, on 01582 394319, the non-emergency number 101, or text information to 07786 200011.

Alternatively contact independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.

Four men were arrested after a vandalism spree at a Royal Mail sorting office on Thursday morning (May 16).

Two vehicles were considerably damaged and the windows of the office in Sarum Road smashed at about 12.15am.

The men were arrested shortly afterwards at a nearby fast food restaurant, on suspicion of causing criminal damage.

Detectives are keen to hear from anyone who was in Sarum Road at the time of the incident and may have seen anything suspicious.

If you have information relating to this incident, contact Bedfordshire Police, in confidence, on 01582 394319, the non-emergency number 101, or text information to 07786 200011.

Alternatively contact independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.

A former fashion model celebrated her 100th birthday in style with champagne for breakfast and a private performance from an opera singer.

Irene Phyliss Bull, known as Phyl, enjoyed festivities with her family and friends at Castle Troy Residential Home in Cromer Way, Luton, on May 8.

Phyl was a familiar face in her late husband’s chemist shop, Bull’s Pharmacy in Castle Street, where she worked as Leslie Robertson’s Saturday girl until the age of 80.

Daughter Liz Henman said: “Mum really enjoyed her birthday. They had an opera singer who gave a lovely performance, she had a beautiful voice.

“They had a glass of champagne in the morning and we had a birthday lunch.”

Great-grandmother Phyl met her husband Fred on a blind date at Hendon Station and they married on February 20, 1937.

They lived in Luton from about 1953 when Fred had his chemist shop until he retired in 1976.

In the early 1950s Phyl joined the Luton Inner Wheel and remained a member until it disbanded.

Phyl is a member of St John’s Methodist Church in Luton and she moved to Castle Troy Residential home in 2007, where Liz said she is looked after “wonderfully”.

Phyl has two children, five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

“Tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther... And so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past….”

Buckle up for a lavish and stylish new big screen adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s much-loved novel from Baz ‘Moulin Rouge’ Luhrmann.

Meet wide-eyed Midwesterner Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire), who finds himself lured into the decadently over the top world of his glamorous and mysterious neighbour Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio).

The tale is told from Carraway’s recollections about his time spent in the heady summer of 1922, when he catches up with his beautiful cousin Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan), and her husband Tom (Joel Edgerton).

Daisy turns out to have had a romantic attachment to enigmatic Gatsby and Carraway finds himself being befriended by the smooth, confident millionaire who wants to win back Daisy’s heart.

But this isn’t your standard love story drama – there is an inherent danger lurking under the surface here and there will certainly be tragedy as well as romance before the credits roll.

Everything looks incredible – the screen sizzles with a sheen of pizzazz the like of which has not been seen before.

The cars are shiny powerhouses, the men dandy super-manicured icons and the woman are gorgeous foxes across the board. Luhrmann updates the original jazz soundtrack with hip-hop thanks to producer Shawn ‘Jay Z’ Carter and the more contemporary vibe works well.

The supporting roles of Jordan Baker (Elizabeth Debicki), George Wilson (Jason Clarke) and his saucy wife, Myrtle (Isla Fisher) all do their parts well and drive the plot along.

So is this Gatsby a roaring success?

Well, yes and no – on the plus side it’s a visually lush cinematic experience and the performance of DiCaprio stands out as one of his best ever.

Mulligan is gorgeous and brings plenty of va va voom to the role of Daisy. And as I said, the music and overall style is superb.

Less good is the unnecessary 3D, which adds nothing but extra price to the cinema ticket.

There is also an overall feeling of shallowness that prevents you ever getting quite as emotionally involved in the drama as might have made this a classic.

So maybe not a great Gatsby, but perhaps a cool Gatsby which is still checking out!

A man is in a serious condition in hospital after being shot in the leg in Luton this morning.

The incident, which is the tenth shooting in the town this year, happened in Dunstable Road at the junction with Leicester Road at 8am.

Emergency services, including armed officers, responded immediately, a Beds Police spokesman said. The victim is a 27-year-old Asian man, who detectives say knew his attacker.

Misbah Naveed, who has lived in Dunstable Road for four years, said: “It’s so sad. I heard the shot but thought it was a bonfire. I don’t understand it, how someone can have a gun. This is a very nice area, we are very happy here, but today, it is sad and bad.”

Mrs Naveed’s children were in bed at the time and she was making their breakfast when she heard the gunshot.

Eye witnesses described seeing a collision between the victim’s car and another silver saloon-type vehicle. As the victim got out of the car to remonstrate he was shot. The silver car was then seen to drive away.

The incident happened outside The Leicester Arms pub.

A member of staff from the pub said: “We don’t wish to make any comment but the pub is closed and will remain closed until further notice from the police.”

The gunman is being described as a “skinny” white man around 6ft tall.

Officers and forensic experts are now at the scene and Dunstable Road is currently closed.

Supt Dave Boyle said: “This would appear to be a targeted incident involving people who know each other.

“We take firearms related crime extremely seriously and will not tolerate guns in our towns. The fact that a gun has been discharged in such an open and public arena causes us great concern and we have responded quickly with our own armed officers.

“If anyone has information about this incident please contact the police in confidence as a matter of urgency. A £1,000 reward is available to anyone who can provide information that leads to the arrest and conviction of people for gun crime.”

Councillors, police and officials visited Marsh Farm on Friday (May 17) to reassure residents following the recent spate of shootings.

Councillor Roy Davis and Councillor Don Worlding of the Northwell Ward were joined by Police and Crime Commissioner Olly Martins, his deputy Councillor Tafheen Sharif, assistant commissioner Simon Bullock and Luton MP Kelvin Hopkins.

Councillor Davis said: “This week has been a difficult one in which we have seen people affected by violent crime in the worst possible ways. It is something we are all determined to put a stop to. Local people have told me they are reassured by the robust action of our Police.”

The group spoke to residents and reassured them of the robust action being taken by Beds Police and the council. Councillor Worlding said: “We are sending out a very strong message to those involved that this criminal activity will not be tolerated in our town, and I urge people with any information about this type of activity to come forward and do the right thing.”

Beds Police crime commissioner Olly Martins is putting up Colette Paul, currently Deputy Chief Constable of South Wales Police, as the county’s new Chief Constable.

“Colette impressed us all with her infectious energy and enthusiasm,” said the commissioner, “and I very much look forward to working with her to deliver my police and crime plan.”

Ms Paul said: “I’m absolutely delighted. Bedfordshire is wonderfully diverse county with lots of complexities, which will make it a really interesting place to work.

“I’m looking forward to working with Olly Martins and the senior officer team, to ensure the delivery of the kind of service that the public of Bedfordshire expect and deserve.”

In line with the new legislation, the outcome of the selection procedure will now go to a confirmation hearing of the police and crime panel.

Colette Paul studied English and psychology at Keele University then joined the Metropolitan Police first walking the beat in Edmonton, North London.

She progressed into CID and has since spent a large part of her career as an operational detective, including work within the vice unit, murder squad, and the race and violent crime task force.

She took a career break in 1998 to work for the British High Commissioner in Ottawa, Canada.

On her return to London two years later she was involved in a number of terrorist investigations. She joined South Wales Police as an assistant chief constable in 2008.

Ms Paul’s name will go to the Police and Crime Panel when it meets on June 4.

The panel is responsible for reviewing the proposed appointment and recommending whether or not Ms Paul should be appointed. The panel also have the power to veto the appointment

A village plant sale which last year raised more than £5,000 for charity is setting its sights even higher this weekend.

Saturday’s event in Markyate, in aid of the Northchurch-based Hospice of St Francis, is described as the village’s party of the year.

It’s held in a High Street family garden which will be overflowing with summer bedding plants, a selection of perennials and popular fruit and vegetable plants.

The plants on sale have been selected and nurtured from seeds and plugs by a dedicated team of volunteers.

And there’s no need to worry about carrying your purchases to your car – young hands will be available to help.

Visitors will also be able to find out all about the work of the hospice and try their luck at a raffle which offers handmade garden ornaments, lunch at a country pub, a place on a wine tasting evening, a coach trip and many other desirable prizes.

Refreshments, picnic lunches and entertainment for the children are all laid on, and the sale kicks off at 10am.

The sale has been a fixture on the village calendar for more than 30 years and is a long-standing supporter of the hospice.

Spokesman Ian Bradley said: “Last year we raised in excess of £5,000. This year we hope – with your help – to give the hospice an even larger gift to support the invaluable care they provide.”

It’s not uncommon for those who have supped not wisely but too well to wake up the morning after and make heartfelt vows about their future behaviour.

If they haven’t taken enough water with their wine, or whisky, or whatever and are subsequently feeling a little the worse for wear, the promise usually goes something like this: “I am never, ever, going to do that again, because the hangover just isn’t worth it.”

And the next night that’s all forgotten as the party mood takes hold again and the idea of mixing drambuie and advocaat seems perfectly plausible.

And isn’t that just like life?

The Hangover, the first one, was a fitfully amusing comedy that was nowhere near as funny as it thought it was.

The tale of hapless pals coming to grief through grog made a bucket of money, and the sensible thing to have done would have been to toast the unexpected success and move on.

Not a chance. A sequel was a certainty, complete with Sex And The City ‘let’s send the gang abroard’ cop-out plot line.

It was pretty much a stinker, but that didn’t seem to matter – the punters still flocked back to see the same characters going much the same stuff in a slightly different setting.

And that’s when they should really have promised themselves that enough was enough, but we know better than that, don’t we?

So here comes the third instalment, and they’ll keep getting them in until you, the movie fan, cut them off or their livers explode, whichever comes first.

Bradley Cooper, presumably bound by an iron-clad contract after seeing his serious actor star rise in recent years, returns, men get drunk, it’s supposed to be funny. You may well giggle if you go along, but that doesn’t mean you won’t hate yourself in the morning.

Calling your epic new adventure Epic is asking for trouble, isn’t it?

It doesn’t help that people have been billing this as a sorted of animated Avatar, either.

But let’s give it the benefit of the doubt. The team behind Ice Age and Rio reckon this is best described as an action adventure comedy, and have recruited the likes of Amanda Seyfried, Colin Farrell and Christoph Waltz, among others, to provide the voices.

What goes on? Well, the forces of good are keeping the natural world spick and span and the forces of evil want to wreck it.

Then a teenage girl finds herself magically transported into this secret universe and has to team up with a mixed bag of characters to save the day.

It’s all very bright and shiny and wholesome, and is based on writer William Joyce’s bestsellers for younger readers, but worldly-wise youngsters may find themselves yawning.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this debriefing session of the GB Eurovision task force 2013.

First, let me congratulate you, one and all. Our plan once again worked perfectly.

As you know, it’s absolutely clear that, given the backscratching voting tactics adopted by one-horse nearly nations from the back of beyond each year, it’s never likely that the only European nation with a consistent track record in the field of popular song will ever win this annual warbleathon again.

But we can’t be too careful. The cost of winning is too awful to contemplate – not only would we have to play host the following year, welcoming a cavalcade of caterwaulers and fake-tanned Euromedia mediocrities back to our place, but we would have to pay for the whole shooting match.

That’s why we secretly switched a few years ago to what’s known in the business as the Irish option.

They can afford to host a bunfight like this even less than we can, and after being stung once too many times in the past have wisely adopted a policy of putting forward no-hopers to fly the flag.

Our tactics are not quite so deliberately downbeat – we have to show some sort of respect to the concept, which is why we haul chart-toppers of generations long gone out of retirement to be our representative, hand them a dull and forgettable ballad and sit back in expectation of a mid-table finish at best.

At times on Saturday night, things were looking a bit rocky. We might regard this whole circus with contempt, but we don’t want a nul points finish.

So this year’s outcome was right on the money, well done.

However, you must all be aware that attitudes to Europe are hardening through the country, and we may have to revise our game plan for next year.

The word from on high is that we don’t care where we finish, we just want to send a clear message to Europe about how the mood has changed back home.

So here’s the plan – yes, we still go for a venerable star of yesteryear as our spotlight star. I’ve checked, and Dame Vera Lynn is free.

We still go for a ballad. I think we can all agree that White Cliffs of Dover will hit the right note.

And because the rules say you can only have six people on the stage, my recommendation is that she should be teamed up with JLS and Jake Bugg for a melting pot mash-up that includes a rap rant from Dame Vera with coded references to two world wars, one world cup, the general awfulness of tea across the continent and straight bananas.

We may well end up at the bottom of the table, below even Ireland, but at least they’ll notice us next time.

Two people were arrested this morning (May 21) in connection with the attempted murder of a 16-year-old who was shot in the back in Marsh Farm.

Armed police officers executed warrants in Glaisdale and Cannon Lane in Luton at 6am and arrested an 18-year-old and a 24-year-old.

Properties in Acworth Crescent and Pomeroy Grove were also searched and a quantity of what is thought to be Class A drugs was recovered.

The arrests are in connection with the shooting on May 11, and also relate to other incidents in the west of the town.

DCI Dave Quarmby said: “Each arrest is significant as it sends a clear and vital message that Bedfordshire Police will not tolerate gun crime on our streets and we are fully committed to tackling this problem head on in a proactive and robust way. We still need the people involved to put pen to paper in order that we can detect and bring to an end this increase in violence that the town is currently experiencing.

“By co-ordinating all the firearm related investigations in this way we continue to build better intelligence and information about who is carrying guns and intensify our resolve to arrest and bring to justice those involved. As you know, we will do this much more quickly if we have the support of our local community.

“I will remind everyone that we have measures in place to assist those in coming forward if they feel scared or vulnerable. A cash reward also remains in place for anyone who can give information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in gun crime.”

Luton Borough Council Leader Hazel Simmons said the carrying and use of weapons in Luton will not be tolerated.

Anyone with information should call Bedfordshire Police on 101, or text information to 07786 200011.

Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Former Ovaltiney Alf Cooper has died, just four days shy of his 90th birthday.

The talented tap dancer and acrobat - one half of the legendary Cooper Twins – went out in true showbusiness style.

“He could no longer speak but we’d put on Birth of the Blues and his toe was tapping time to the music under the blanket,” his widow Myra, 76, said.

She was by his side when he died on May 9 in their Bushmead home. “He took a few breaths then one deep one and just slipped away,” she recalled. “The sun was shining and it was very peaceful, something nice to remember.”

The cheeky chappy who’d worked with all the stars of the 20th Century had a heart attack five weeks ago. But he’d been ill for some time with an aggressive blood disorder.

“He was still very chirpy and joking with all the nurses,” Myra said.

The couple, who were married for 55 years, have five children and 14 grandchildren.

They moved to Luton when vaudeville went out of fashion and Alf got a job at Vauxhall.

Myra said: “He was always loads of fun – every time he and his brother Freddie went into Tesco they’d start doing acrobatics and dancing. They loved an audience.

“He was also a fantastic dad, he made up the most amazing stories.

“The children have some lovely memories and he adored them all.”

Alf’s funeral will take place at Christchurch, Bushmead, at 1pm today (May 22).

Family flowers only but donations would be welcome to YWAM (Youth with a Mission), Christchurch, Bushmead, Hancock Drive, Luton LU2 7SF.