A 16-year-old girl and 22-year-old man have been arrested on suspicion of murder after voluntarily attending Luton Police Station today (May 28).

Jordan MaGuire, 20, of Thrales Close in Marsh Farm, was fatally stabbed at his home at 8.15pm on Sunday.

Firearms units attended the property where the victim was found with serious injuries and he was rushed to the Luton and Dunstable Hospital but was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Collin said: “This was a very brutal murder and a team of detectives is now piecing together exactly what took place in Thrales Close. Our officers are working with witnesses and members of the victims’ family to establish what happened prior to the stabbing and who may be responsible for this.

“The early stages of this investigation suggest that the victim may well have known his attacker as there was no indication of a disturbance prior to the fatal assault.”

Anyone with information relating to this investigation is urged to contact officers from the MCU, in confidence on 01707 355666, or call Bedfordshire Police on 101, or text information on 07786 200011.

Something’s not right, and it’s up to us all to put our heads together to sort it out and come up with something better. Ready for a bit of a brainstorm?

Here’s the conundrum. We’ve just had another bank holiday, but what do we mean by a bank holiday?

Let’s break it down, shall we? We’ll start with the second bit first, and it’s commonly agreed that the origin of a holiday is holy day – a saint’s day or other important landmark in the Christian calendar on which it is expected that we put work to one side, go to church, and generally bend the knee to a higher being. Sound like anybody you know? No, me neither.

And what have the banks got to do with it? They started getting involved about 150 years ago, laying down the law about specific dates when they wouldn’t open their doors.

Originally there were just four official bank holidays, but more have been added to the list over the years

They’re a bit random, too – I didn’t know until I looked into it that in Scotland they get St Andrew’s Day, in Northern Ireland they get St Patrick’s Day, but in Wales and England St David and St George are snubbed. I don’t know about you, but I feel short-changed.

What’s more, Northern Ireland helps itself to July 12 as well, to remember the Battle Of The Boyne, which is hardly likely to draw together all sides of the community, is it?

Anyway, a bank holiday is supposed to be a day on which the banks are shut. That’s not true these days – there are cash machines wherever you look, phone lines and websites buzz 24 hours a day, and some bright spark in braces is keeping an eye on international markets at all hours.

So it doesn’t seem to be a holy day and the banks aren’t closed. The name needs changing.

Some people alreadt refer to public holidays rather than bank holidays, perhaps to remove any association with the banking industry from something that we see as a benefit. Come on, they cocked up our entire economy, why should they get the credit when we have a day off?

But it’s not a public holiday, either – I’d guess at least half the working population is still hard at it, and the days when you’d bag double time or better for your trouble are long gone.

I’ve long believed that all the public holidays on the calendar should just be added to existing entitlement so that we could take them when we pleased, but that would probably just lead to even more people getting screwed.

What it boils down to is that anyone who gets a bank holiday free and clear these days isn’t pulling their weight in these tough times.

So let’s call them what they are – henceforth they will be known as passenger days. Sour grapes from a working stiff maybe – but I’ll bet there are millions who see it the same way.

Once upon a time the name Robert de Niro above the title meant one thing – passionate, powerhouse performances rooted in blue-collar sensibilities, muscular masterpieces of method acting.

You were with him through the desperate journey of The Deer Hunter, you marvelled as he piled on the pounds for Raging Bull, you imitated his famously crazed monologue from Taxi Driver every time you looked in the mirror. You lookin’ at me?

And then someone went and told him that drama was all very well, but comedy was a much more difficult art to master.

And he listened. He put the Oscar-winning roles to one side and started going for the giggles.

Now I’ll give you King Of Comedy, because it’s not really a comedy and he plays a grotesque and self-deluded wannabe who can’t let go of his dream.

But ever since he cropped up in a surprise chucklestome cameo in Terry Gilliam’s Brazil back in 1985 he’s been on the front foot for funny.

There have been dramatic roles, to be sure, but all along the way there have always been lighter offerings of variable quality. We’re No Angels was a bit of a stinker, Wag The Dog had its moments, but once he hit paydirt with Analyze This – as a pre-Sopranos conflicted hood pouring out his heart to therapist Billy Crystal – the writing was on the wall.

He played much the same character in Meet The Parents, which spawned two sequels, and stuck his hand up for voiceover work in comedy cartoons.

Each time he’s not the main man in the cast, he does his shrugs and his shuffles, gets some laughs as the crusty old geezer and moves on.

Even much-praised Silver Linings Playbook had him stuck in the same grumpy old man rut.

Which brings us to The Big Wedding, which is about a big wedding.

Bobby is one half of a long-divorced couple who have to pretend to still be happily hitched when the son they adopted wants to get married and his biological mum, a devout Catholic, has to give her blessing. Oh, what larks. Diane Keaton, also sadly sidelined into comedy support roles in recent years, is the mum, the cast includes Susan Sarandon, Katherine Heigl, Amanda Seyfried and Robin Williams signed up to steal scenes. If it all sounds absolutely predictable, it is.

Also out is The Purge, a 15-rated sci-fi thriller set in a future where everyone is law-abiding but allowed to go bonkers one night a year and all bets are off for 12 hours.

Sensible people lock the doors and hunker down, but that’s not enough to protect Ethan Hawke and his family. Mayhem ensues, courtesy of the crew who remade Assault On Precinct 13, which gives you a good heads-up about what to expect.

The leader of the English Defence League has accused armed forces charity Help for Heroes of “political correctness gone mad” after it refused a donation from the group.

EDL leader Stephen Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, announced he was planning a sponsored walk across London in memory of Drummer Lee Rigby, the soldier killed in Woolwich last week.

But the charity has refused to take any money raised.

EDL members clashed with police on Wednesday night after Mr Lennon called on supporters to gather in Woolwich.

And hundreds of EDL went to Downing Street yesterday to call for action against Islamic extremists. An anti-fascist counter-demonstration was also held and three arrests were made after violence broke out.

A Help for Heroes spokesman said: “Help for Heroes is a non-political organisation. Working with the assistance of JustGiving, we closed down a fundraising account which we believe the English Defence League intended to use to donate money to us.

“We acted swiftly to achieve this, and would like to make it clear that we will not accept donations from organisations who attempt to use Help for Heroes to promote their own political agenda.

“Like everyone, we were shocked by the murder in Woolwich. Like everyone, we just want to help our wounded servicemen, women, veterans and their families.

“We hope that everyone who cares passionately about this important issue shows that support in a unified and dignified way.”

Mr Lennon tweeted: “EDL is not a political party, I will still be doing my walk. Gutted really.”

Yesterday (May 28) was a landmark in the construction of the Luton Dunstable Busway when the last of more than 4,500 concrete beams was laid on the guideway.

Portfolio holder for transportation, Cllr Dave Taylor, said: “This signals that the Luton Dunstable Busway – the second longest in the world and the longest in an urban environment – is nearing completion and we are looking forward to bus services commencing in the late summer.

“It will revolutionise bus travel in Luton, Dunstable and Houghton Regis with a superb, smooth ride quality and dramatically reduced journey times.”

Since work began in February 2011, six bridges have been demolished and rebuilt and three new structures addded.

These will ensure that services can bypass congestion hotspots across Luton and Dunstable and deliver the shortest possible journey time for passengers.

The 13.4 km busway from Houghton Regis to Luton Airport includes 7.4 km of guideway, comprising more than four thousand 4.8 tonne pre-cast concrete beams and and 2,598 pads to support them.

If all the beams were laid end to end, they would stretch for 17 miles.

Test runs along the entire route are due to begin on Monday (June 3).

Three operators – Arriva, Centrebus and Grant Palmer – are finalising partnership agreements with the two councils to run services.

Arriva has invested £1.7 million in a fleet of 11 new buses already operating in Luton.

Driver training will begin later next month with the route expected to be in operation late August to mid September.

More than 150 bus stops away from the busway have been upgraded with up-to-the-minute passenger information, raised pavements for level boarding and many new shelters.

A smart new bus interchange has been completed at Luton train station.

A new cycle route will run along the entire busway length and continue alongside Dog Kennel Downs, Blows Down and over the M1.

> Now watch Natalee Hazelwood’s riveting video at www.lutontoday.co.uk

Two women have appeared in court accused of breaching an order protecting a teenage girl from being forced to marry.

The pair, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, were brought before Luton County Court for alleged breaches of the forced marriage protection order (FMO).

They were arrested after the girl went to Luton police station saying she had been forced to marry a man she had met only once before.

The women deny breaching the order, which was made last year.

Breaching an FMO is punishable by up to two years in prison.

The order was made after the girl contacted police saying her family had threatened to take her to Pakistan for a forced marriage, and had threatened to shoot her.

“It was said that no-one outside the family would know what had happened to her,” His Honour Judge Sir Gavyn Arthur told Luton County Court.

The order forbids anyone from forcing her to marry in the UK or abroad, and from intimidating or harassing her.

Counsel for one of the defendants, Neelim Sultana, told the court: “There is no dispute that a ceremony took place. It is disputed that my client played any part in arrangements for the marriage. The picture is very complex.”

The case was adjourned until Friday.

A large funeral with around 500 mourners is expected to cause traffic delays in Luton on Friday (May 31).

Motorists are advised to plan alternative routes while the funeral cortege, which will include a horse-drawn hearse, makes its way along Dunstable Road to the Calvary Church of God in Christ and then on to The Vale Cemetery.

It is expected that Dunstable Road, Lewsey Road, Holgate Drive , Hebden Close, Chaul End Road, Hatters Way, Francis Street, Crawley Road, Telford Way, Hucklesby Way, Old Bedford Road, Midland Road, Hitchin Road, Vauxhall Way and Butterfield Green are the main roads that may experience delays from 9.30am onwards.

The public car park on Crawley Road will also be closed on Friday morning until approximately 11am.

Superintendent David Boyle, based at Luton Police Station, said: “Clearly such a large funeral and procession will cause some traffic congestion on the roads along the route and I am leading a dedicated operation to manage this event.

“Bedfordshire Police has many years experience in dealing with large events of this nature. We have been working with the Luton Borough Council, the local highways authority, bus companies and other partners to minimise any disruption to the local community and motorists in the area and to ensure the funeral runs as smoothly as possible.

“Members of the Road’s Policing Unit will be on hand to help keep the roads as clear as possible as the procession makes its way to its destination.

“My message to motorists and the general public is to ask for their understanding and forbearance at this sad time and to reassure them that officers and partners will do all they can to minimise any disruption. However, I would advise anyone who was planning to use the roads affected by the procession on Friday to find an alternative routes wherever possible.””

A second man was arrested in connection with a shooting after a warrant was executed in Vestry Close yesterday morning (May 29).

The 22-year-old was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder and is currently being questioned by police in custody.

It relates to a shooting in Fountains Road on May 5, when a man on a motorbike shot at a black BMW.

DCI Dave Quarmby, said: “This is the type of action the people of Luton should expect to see as we continue our relentless pursuit of those who commit violent crime in the town.

“This arrest, I hope, will act as a timely reminder to the public that information is of paramount important to us if arrests such as this are to continue. I would appeal to members of the public to be brave and speak to the police so we can keep you and your loved ones safe.”

Another 22-year-old man has already been charged with attempted murder and a firearms offence in connection with this case.

Anyone with information relating firearms offences can contact Bedfordshire Police, in confidence, on 101, or text information to 07786 200011.

An elderly couple were burgled in their home in a distraction burglary involving a child and a man.

The 87-year-old resident was approached by a boy in the garden of his home in Front Street, Slip End, at aout 5.15pm on Sunday (May 26).

The child offered the victim some plants and asked if he needed any gardening jobs doing before leaving.

Shortly afterwards, the resident’s 81-year-old wife noticed the child at the back of the property and then discovered a man walking from the dining room to her kitchen, claiming to be looking for his son.

The man began to shout at the child and both ran from the scene.

The resident and his wife then checked the property and found that cash, jewellery, a purse, a wallet and a handbag had been stolen.

The offenders are described as a 45 year old white man who spoken with an Irish accent.

He was well built and clean-shaven and wore a light blue sweatshirt with light blue jeans.

The boy is described as white, approximately 12 years old, with a plump build and also spoke with an Irish accent. He wore a blue and white checked shirt and blue jeans.

Det Con Rachael Foy said: “It is possible that these people also tried to enter other people’s homes over the weekend and I would urge residents to be extra cautious when unexpected callers come to their home. Anyone who can help identify the pair involved in this crime or anyone who has experienced a similar incident should contact the police.”

Here are some helpful tips to keep you and your property safe from distraction burglars:

> If you’re not sure who is at your door, don’t open it.

> Check the identity of the caller by calling the company they are purporting to be from i.e. Police, Council or Gas, Electricity, Water companies.

> Use the telephone numbers listed in your local directory or provided independently by your service provider. Do not use any telephone numbers provided by the caller, as they may be bogus.

> Many utility service providers like gas, electricity and water, provide password schemes for customers, sign up to these. When unannounced callers claiming to be from these utility providers call at your door they should know the password if they are genuine.

> ‘Water Boards’ no longer exist, it is an obsolete phrase used only by bogus callers.

> Don’t keep large quantities of cash at home; put it in the bank where it is safe.

> Keep doors locked and windows secure at all times.

> Ensure that if you do let somebody in to your home, that you close the door behind them – distraction burglars often work in teams, where one will distract you whilst others sneak in through the insecure

> If somebody asks for your help (i.e. needs to make a telephone call, want to cut down trees in a neighbours garden, lost a ball in your garden, needs a drink or pen and paper) refer them to a younger neighbour or assist them through a closed door or call a friend or neighbour to come and help.

> If you suspect a bogus caller is at your door call the police immediately on 999.

Anyone with information relating to this crime can contact DC Foy, in confidence, on 01582 394072, or Bedfordshire Police on 101, or text information to 07786 200011.

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

A serious sexual assault committed in Dunstable will feature in tonight’s (May 30) episode of BBC’s Crimewatch.

The victim has provided enough detail about the February 21 attack to help film a reconstruction that will be aired tonight at 9pm on BBC1.

Det Ins Ruth Dodsworth of the Beds, Herts and Cambs Major Crime Unit was also interviewed for the programme.

Six people were arrested in dawn raids across Luton this morning (May 30).

Beds Police executed warrants at 15 properties, as part of an on-going operation to tackle burglary and the handling of stolen goods.

More than 50 unarmed officers and dogs units deployed warrants simultaneously at 7am under the Theft Act 1968.

Chief Constable Alf Hitchcock who was with police as the warrants were executed said: “As a result of this operation there has already been a significant reduction in burglary offences across the county. Sixty less victims of crime will really make a difference to the people of Luton. “This operation also focuses on crimes associated with burglary such as handling stolen goods. We are acutely aware of the concern burglary brings to our communities, which is why this operation has been carried out. It has taken many months to piece together the necessary information, intelligence and evidence in order for today to happen. There is a long way to go but we are confident offenders will be charged and brought to justice.”

Commissioner Olly Martins was also present and welcomed the success of the operation.

He said: “The execution of further warrants under Operation Sabre today demonstrates that even with the policing challenges of recent weeks burglars and those who handle stolen goods in the county should still expect to be hearing from Bedfordshire Police”.

Operation Sabre is an intelligence-led operation that has been achieved through information supplied by the public.

If you have information about burglary and handling stolen goods please contact the police.

Call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or text Bedfordshire Police on 07786 200011.

The crowds turned out in force along New Bedford Road to watch the start of the Luton Carnival parade on Sunday.

Brilliant sunshine gave the parade the lift the town needed after recent troubles.

And as the video shows, everyone had a good time.

A typical vanity-free turn by Denzel Washington elevates FLIGHT (15: Paramount) from predictable melodrama to something a bit classier.

His character, Whip Whitaker, the latest in cinema’s long line of charismatic ‘functioning alcoholics’, seems to be able to mix a life of booze and drugs with a spotless career as an airline pilot.

The film opens with him taking cocaine before piloting a flight from Orlando to Atlanta in bad weather. The plane suffers mechanical problems during a fierce storm, but Whip successfully lands it, saving the lives of nearly everyone on board.

Initially hailed as a hero, it later emerges he was drunk at the time, raising questions about whether he may have contributed to the disaster rather than averting it.

The in-flight emergency is terrifyingly staged by director Robert Zemeckis as Whip walks away from one set of wreckage into another, while an investigation by the authorities and a dangerous romance with a recovering heroin addict (Kelly Reilly) reveal a man in long-term denial.

But John Goodman, as the pilot’s jolly drugs dealer, takes the movie into uneasy comedic territory and Melissa Leo is criminally underused as a safety investigator.

> If ever a film was bound for guilty pleasure status it’s retro action flick BULLET TO THE HEAD (15: Entertainment One), in which Sylvester Stallone teams up with veteran director Walter Hill.

Harking back to Hill’s 1980s heyday of hit buddy-cop movies like 48Hrs and Red Heat, it sees Sly’s tattooed hitman reluctantly teaming up with a straight-arrow cop (Sung Kang) to face a mutual foe (Jason Momoa).

There’s decent chemistry between the leads, but stealing every scene is Momoa’s sadistic killer, whose blend of brain and brawn turns him into a terrific boo-hiss baddie.

Although the revenge plot is familiar, some pithy one-liners and bone-crunching fights more than compensate.

> A variant on themes from Toy Story, animated adventure WRECK-IT RALPH (PG: Walt Disney) is a mixed bag of frantic action, humour and satire pitched squarely at the juvenile. Tired of playing the same role for 30 years in arcade game Fix-it Felix Jr, the villain of the piece (voiced by John C. Reilly) abandons his destructive day job and decides to become a hero.

But he inadvertently causes havoc as he travels through other games in search of a meaning to his pixellated existence. Video game legends such as Sonic the Hedgehog and Pac-Man add to the chaotic fun as Wreck-It Ralph goes game-hopping. It’s all rather exhausting and this nostalgic tribute to retro games flags on the home stretch, but it’s a colourfully cute romp.

> Will-they-won’t-they divorce story I GIVE IT A YEAR (15: Studio Canal) has everything you want in a rom-com – sex appeal, warmth and genuine laughs. The only downside is an occasional lapse into lame sleaze, although that doesn’t last long and it does provide some edgy moments.

Rose Byrne and Rafe Spall play a hopelessly mismatched couple who, as their first anniversary approaches, wonder if they are right for each other, especially when faced with more appealing alternative partners. The supporting cast of Stephen Merchant (best man), Anna Faris, Simon Baker, Jason Flemyng and Minnie Driver couldn’t be better.

A man exposed himself to a 17-year-old girl on a bus to Upper Sundon on Friday (May 24).

The incident happened on the number 20 Centre bus from Leagrave Road at 4.38pm.

The man is described as white, about 40, with messy long ginger/brown hair and a dirty appearance.

Schools, dance groups, floats and marching bands took to the streets on Luton last week.

Luton’s annual Carnival was as big and as bright as ever, with great weather bringing out the crowds.

Onlookers cheered as the parade weaved its way through the streets of the town.

Hospital bosses say they are working hard to improve discharge procedures after an audit showed a list of errors.

The audit covered the first three months of 2013, during which time two patients were discharged with their cannulas still in. One of these was taken back to their residential home with no discharge letter or medication, and in a wheelchair with no footplates or brakes.

Another patient with dementia was sent home without their family being told. They were left on their own at home with their medication.

Another was discharged without medication after allegedly not eating or drinking while in hospital.

The audit showed confused notes and documentation and breakdowns in communication were sometimes to blame for unsafe discharges.

In one case the report cites “conflicting and difficult to decipher” information within the patient’s notes.

The audit and improvements being made by the L&D were discussed by a Luton Borough Council committee last night (May 30) at the town hall.

The hospital is currently in the process of recruiting nine more discharge officers.

A spokesman said: “Luton and Dunstable Hospital discharges around 105 patients every day. We have made significant improvements in our discharge processes over the last three years and regularly audit patient experience of discharge.

“We continue to work closely with Social Services and other providers for patients with complex requirements. We established a patient experience call centre in September 2012 and we have been seeking patient views on their discharge as part of the task and finish group established by Luton Borough Council.

“The hospital welcomes the joint work we are doing with the council and other health colleagues to deliver excellence in discharge planning.”

Karen Ward, director of operations at the L&D, added: “We are rigorous in auditing the patient discharge process and our most recent three month audit highlighted a very small number of cases where we are following up actions as part of the learning we have gained.

“We have discharge officers in place on each ward to help us deliver a more streamlined service so that patients are discharged from hospital in a safe and timely manner with a seamless transfer of care.

“Whilst we don’t get it right every time, it has helped improve the care that we offer.”

The average age of a drug dealer in Luton is just 14 years old.

That was one of the shocking facts teenagers learnt in a Walk2Freedom workshop in Marsh Farm this afternoon (May 31).

The estate has experienced a number of violent crimes in recent months, including a 20-year-old being stabbed to death and a 16-year-old being shot in the back.

The Youth Services Event at Futures House aimed to help young people by providing advice and information on how to avoid being drawn into criminal and antisocial activities.

Led by recovered drug addict and former criminal Mark Clarke, the Walk2Freedom workshop on gang culture and street crime was a hard-hitting and powerful way to show young people the realities of crime.

For the full story, see Wednesday’s Luton News.

The skeletal remains of eight children who died in the 17th-19th centuries were reburied in Luton’s Crawley Green Road Cemetery on Thursday.

The remains were discovered during the excavation of the new campus site for the University of Bedfordshire, where evidence of a 13th century castle was also uncovered.

During the dig, Albion Archeology found what was thought to be a small separate cemetery in St Mary’s Church, where the children, aged newborn to four years, were all buried in separate graves.

Albion Archeology project officer Wesley Keir said: “Though the majority of the archaeological remains uncovered during the excavation were associated with Fulk de Breaute’s castle, the post-medieval children’s graves were particularly interesting and unexpected.

“Lying outside the formal churchyard of the nearby St Mary’s Church, their location is somewhat puzzling, though it’s possible that the land had been leased to the church or that the location of the burials reflects social and or/religious marginality of the time.”

Due to the acidic nature of the soil and the frailty of infant bones, many of the skeletons were found to be only partially preserved.

Coffin nails, mineralised wood and copper alloy pins were found indicating the bodies were wrapped in shrouds or winding sheets and placed in wooden coffins which may also have been fabric covered.

Reverend Rob O’Neill, Priest in Charge of St John’s Farley Hill and All Saints Caddington, conducted the short service in the cemetery to rebury the remains, which have been stored by Neville Funeral Service Ltd since 2009.

University Chaplain Reverend Andrew Goodman said: “It’s a privilege to be able to honour these children. Even though we know little about their short lives, they were all someone’s sons and daughters, and are still loved by God.”

There was dancing in the streets during the annual Luton Carnival Parade last week.

Here the group Bolivian Pride entertain the onlookers.

Organisers UK Carnival Arts have said 2013 was one of the best years ever.

An old Luton News photo of a snowy scene in George Street has led to two former work colleagues being reunited after 60 years.

The picture showed the old Woolworths store where Sylvia Ansell and best friend Joan Bennett were employed in the early 1950s.

Sylvia was “thrilled” to see the photo on the Yesteryear page of the March 20 edition of this newspaper. She immediately wrote telling of her memories of working at Woolies and her attempts to find Joan after losing touch with her so long ago.

“I tried to find her by advertising in a national magazine, but was unsuccessful,” said Sylvia, 76, who lives at Shillington.

“But then my letter to the Luton News paid off. Joan now lives in Coventry, but she still has relatives in Luton who sent her a cutting from the paper.

“As a result, we spoke on the phone many times before Joan came down to Luton by coach and we met outside the Galaxy Centre. We hadn’t seen each other for 60 years so we didn’t recognise eachother.”

The pair spent several hours together in Luton town centre, including lunch at Debenhams, before Joan stayed the night at a friend’s home in Slip End, returning to Coventry the next day.

Sylvia was a Saturday girl at Woolworths before she was offered full-time employment when she left school in 1951.

She and Joan went on holiday to Butlins at Clacton together two years later.

Joan had kept several photos of the pair together, including with a group of friends in Wardown Park (Sid Davies, Doreen, Kathleen and Irene Bavister, Mick Falmer, Martin McCartney, Ted Potter) who they would like to meet up with again.

“It’s thanks to the Luton News that I managed to find Joan,” said Sylvia.

“We shall, of course, be keeping in touch now.”