Major upgrade work is currently taking place between junctions 10 and 13 on the M1.

The northbound entry slip road at junction 10 will be closed tomorrow (June 6) between 10pm and 6am the following morning.

For further details visit: http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/m1-Junction-10-13-improvements/

Another Spanish company could be about to take over the running of Luton Airport.

Talks are taking place between current majority shareholder Abertis, and Aena, which owns 10 per cent and has first refusal on a takeover.

The Luton News reported earlier this year that infrastructure giant Abertis was looking to shed assets, including its UK airports.

A spokesman for London Luton Airport Operations Ltd said it would not comment on “market speculation”, adding: “For us it’s just business as usual.”

Luton Borough Council said it would be “watching developments with interest”.

A spokesman said: “A thriving London Luton Airport is at the heart of our vision and that of the local economy. Any successful company bidding to take over responsibility for the operation of the airport would also need to deliver an investment programme for the asset under the terms of the existing concession agreement.”

Police are looking for a wanted man who failed to make a court appearance.

Chaba Comidze, 32, of Cromwell Hill in Luton, is wanted for possession of controlled drugs.

He failed to appear at Stevenage Magistrates Court on December 12 last year and is known to have connections in the Luton area.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 or alternatively Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

A Luton mother is outraged that no-one helped her son Stephen after he was “hunted down like an animal” on a night out.

Special needs teacher Janice Jones of Sundon Park said: “Everyone just turned a blind eye.

“How could they ignore someone who so obviously needed help? It’s disgraceful.”

Stephen, 22, was badly beaten after trying to intervene in a fight outside the Blackbird pub.

The vicious assault left him with a broken nose and three fractures in the eye socket which will need two metal plates.

The Luton careworker, who had had four pints, said the row escalated when a girl claimed he called her a derogatory name. She rang her boyfriend who attacked him in a frenzy, punching him and kicking him in the head when he was down.

Stephen said: “I didn’t hit him back. I got up and asked him to calm down..

“I ran towards a kebab shop and the taxi rank and he followed and started hitting me again and again.

“I pleaded with the taxi drivers to take me home but none of them would.”

Luckily he saw one of his friends and got in her car. The police were called and he was taken to the Luton&Dunstable Hospital.

Mrs Jones said: “My son isn’t a fighter, he’s a peacemaker.

“It’s just mindless violence.

“And I’m really angry with the girl who instigated it. I was so incensed I wanted to go and get hold of her myself.

“But I think that’s just a mother’s instinct, to protect her chicks.

“We’re lucky he’s alive. It could have been so much worse.”

> A man was arrested and bailed to appear at Greyfriars Police Station, Bedford, on July 10. Anyone with information is asked to contact DC Emma Dahl on 101.

Civil servants in Luton will strike tomorrow (May 5) as they protest against cuts to pay, pensions, jobs and their working conditions.

Jobcentre and benefit office staff from the Department for Work and Pensions in Guildford Street will join tax workers from HM Revenue and Customs in George Street West for the strike.

These joint strikes form part of the union’s three-month civil service-wide campaign which has involved weeks of industrial action among the union’s 250,000 public sector members since a national walkout on budget day on March 20.

PCS London and south east regional secretary Andy Thomas said: “Like their colleagues across the civil service, our members who work in these two key departments refuse to sit back and allow the government to impose cuts to their living standards, their jobs and the vital services they provide to the public.”

Campaigners say successive years of cuts in HMRC have left the department unable to properly tackle the estimated £120 billion lost every year through tax evasion, avoidance and non-collection.

DWP has cut 20,000 staff since May 2010 and the government is now threatening to cut even more support for people entitled to benefits.

The union has previously announced it will hold a fresh national civil service-wide strike towards the end of June if the government continues to refuse to negotiate.

Mystery still surrounds the circumstances in which the body of a young “healthy” man from Luton ended up in the Great River Ouse in Bedford.

Felix Yorke, 25, of Butterworth Path, was found in the river by a passer-by on January 1, over a month since he was reported missing by his worried family.

Bedford Coroner’s Court heard today (May 4) how Felix, who lived with his family, had travelled to Bedford from Luton Airport Parkway Railway Station at around 5.30pm on November 30 after he finished work at Topman in The Mall Luton.

Evidence was heard by pathologist Doctor Kwame Adu Poku who told the court that there was no evidence of foul play by way of trauma to the body, and there was no trace of any drugs or alcohol in the body.

He said: “It is my belief that the gentleman died from immersion, which is where the body suffers a sudden cardiac arrest almost as soon as it hits the water.

“The brain was a little swollen, which is normal if a sudden death occurs, But there was no water found in the body that would indicate there had been a struggle.”

He added: “If there is evidence Felix tried to swim I could not discount that, but on the balance of probabilities I believe that he died almost instantly.”

The court also heard from Anglian Water employee Peter Hyde, who was working near the Star Rowing Club by the river on that night. He called police after believing he heard somebody fall into the river.

In a statement to police he said: “I was in the process of setting up some lights when I heard a loud splashing sound from the other side of the river.

“Then I heard a load of ducks or swans squawking and making loads of noise, and I then I thought I saw an arm movement and heard what sounded like coughing and spluttering.

“I went over and shouted ‘are you alright’ because I was sure it was a human but I heard nothing.

After calling his brother he then called the police.

Mr Hyde also made a another statement several days later saying that he remembered seeing a black Astra travelling at some speed in the area around 15 minutes after he thought had seen the person in the river.

After an extensive search the emergency services did not find anything in the river,

PC Darren Walker from the Missing Persons Unit told the court that following a media appeal another witness came forward.

PC Walker said: “Some days later a gentleman went to the police and reported that on that night he had come across a white man who gave every indication of being in the river at that time.”

However, Mr Amos said he could not be sure that any of these facts can be directly linked with the death of Felix.

He concluded: “Despite hearing all these facts, this does not mean that I can conclude that Felix fell into the river.

“I cannot conclude that there was any link between the car that was seen by the river and Felix.

“And I cannot conclude that there is any link between what Mr Hyde saw and the other gentleman recalled he saw.”

He added: “I have no idea why Felix would have made the journey to Bedford. That question hangs over this inquest and I would imagine is one asked by the family a thousand times.

“I am sorry we cannot shed any light on this and the circumstances surrounding Felix’s death.”

Mr Amos recorded an open verdict.

A man in his late teens is in hospital after an incident in Cheapside this morning (May 5).

Ambulance crews and police attended the scene at 3.10am.

The man had injuries to his groin and was taken to the Luton and Dunstable Hospital.

A Beds Police spokesperson said “There was a fight outside Diamond nightclub and in the disorder a 19-year-old suffered a minor injury to his left leg.”

His condition is described as “not serious”.

A Luton businesswoman has been put through to the national stage of a competition designed to help small firms.

Lisa Eggleton, who runs My Clinic, in High Street, Leagrave, impressed Business Monthly judges in the Local Business Accelerators (LBA) competition, organised by the Newspaper Society. The competition was run in about 500 local newspapers.

Lisa has already won free adverts locally but is now in with a chance of winning £10,000 and mentoring from Dragons Den star Deborah Meaden.

LBA judge Richard Cooper said after winning the local competition Lisa has made “some very significant progress, sales have increased significantly.” He added: “Lisa focuses a great deal on client care and attention to detail. Feedback from clients is, as you would expect, outstanding. Lisa has a very clear vision of growth and will no doubt continue towards her goal.”

Richard’s judging colleague, Kim Hills-Spedding, business guru and author of The Really Practical Guide to Starting Up Your Own Business, said: “I have just looked at her presentation folder again - she was in a league of her own, very impressive in the presentation of her very professional soundly based business. She has all the attributes to continue making a great success of My Clinic.

The national shortlist will be announced in September followed by the grand final in October.

A housing association is aiming to increase sales of shared ownership homes as a way to plough cash into building more affordable properties.

Aldwyck Housing Association owns, manages and administers more than 11,000 properties across the region but recognises people have a desire to own at least part of their home.

Aldwyck, based on Houghton Hall Business Park, Porz Avenue, Houghton Regis, also sells some homes.

The housing association, which employs 500 people, plans to build 1,250 homes over the next three years.

Aldwyck chief executive Harj Singh said the government’s emphasis was on aspiration and owning property or a part of it was a big part of the whole making work pay agenda.

But he added providing properties for rent will remain a major part of the social housing scene for those in need.

Aldwyck’s 51-home scheme in Kestrel Way, Luton, was highly commended at the London Evening Standard New Homes Awards.

Bedfordshire’s business awards season is in full swing with a host of glittering events gearing up to congratulate the county’s best.

The Bedfordshire Business Excellence Awards has announced a new sponsor, Luton’s own Crescent Hall, in Dunstable Road, supporting the Community Investment category.

A host of other supporters, including headline sponsor Barclays, are aiming for a night to remember in November. Firms can enter for a chance of an £8,200 advertising prize via www2.bedfordtoday.co.uk/businessawards2013/

Meanwhile, tomorrow (Thursday, June 6), the winners of a £5,000 advertising prize from Premier Newspapers will be announced at the FSB Bedfordshire Business Awards at The Conservatory at the Luton Hoo Walled Garden.

Next will be Bedfordshire BusinessWomen’s Awards and Silver Anniversary Ball, on June 20, in Sharnbrook, near Bedford. Visit http://beds-businesswomen.org/

Dunstable Business and Community Awards has been launched with categories including Retailer and Community Business. The awards will be handed out in November at Dunstable Conference Centre.

Katey Horne from Networking at Dunstable, one of the awards committee, said: “With our committee working hard we are certain we will be offering something bigger and better with a change in entry forms to make it easier for people to enter and our new improved website.”

Phone Katey for details on 07876 244822.

Councillors are likely to give the go-ahead tonight (Weds) to a former care home being turned into a hotel, despite neighbours’ objections.

The Mount, at the junction of Tennyson Road and London Road, Luton, would have 46 bedrooms.

From March next year, over 60s in Luton will no longer be able to use bus passes at peak times on weekdays.

Luton Borough Council will end its enhanced bus pass scheme on March 31, 2014. Passes will only be valid between 9.30am and 11pm.

Staff have been disciplined at Westminster Homecare after an elderly resident at Jill Jenkins Court in Whipperley Ring, Farley Hill, was left on a bus overnight.

The driver of the bus, Susan McLaughlin, 44, was cleared of neglect at Luton Crown Court last month.

Dementia sufferer Joan Cook, 88, spent 14 hours trapped in the vehicle.

No-one from Jill Jenkins Court noticed she was missing.

A Westminster Homecare spokesperson said staff did not follow correct procedures and escalate their concerns to external sources such as Mrs Cook’s family, the council or police.

She added: “Staff involved have been disciplined and/or dismissed as appropriate and additional policies and procedures have been implemented to ensure this type of situation never happens again.”

A council spokeswoman apologised for the “inexcusable” occurrence and said: “We immediately reviewed the communication, missing person and safeguarding procedures at both Luton’s privately-run extra care sheltered housing schemes and made clear where improvements are needed.

“We are very sorry this shocking incident happened and have done everything possible to ensure that the people of Luton can continue to have confidence in the service.”

Luton Airport has been found guilty of safety breaches over the death of a pensioner crushed by a lorry in 2009.

London Luton Airport Operations Ltd and C-T Aviation Solutions had denied the charges but were convicted at Luton Crown Court on Monday after a six-week trial.

Mary Whiting, 78, of Norwich, had just returned from a family holiday in May 2009 when she was hit by a truck being driven by Rossano Casagrande, 50, of Peterborough.

He was found not guilty in 2010 of causing death by careless driving.

A hearing last year heard the crossing was on airport-owned land and did not conform to regulations that apply to public roads.

It has since been modified.

An airport spokesman said today: “The wellbeing and safety of all visitors to the airport has always been, and continues to be, of central importance to us.”

A Dunstable born-and-bred film-maker has chosen his home town as the location for a crime thriller – and the whole project will be a local affair from crew to caterers.

Former Northfields School student Darren Pratt wants to use Dunstable for both urban and rural scenes in Peterman, for which filming will begin this summer.

Peterman is the story of a young man forced to follow in his family’s safecracking footsteps after his grandfather’s untimely death.

Co-producer Darren told the Gazette: “Dunstable seemed like the most sensible location. I’m excited to start filming.

“We’re shooting the whole film in Dunstable, using local caterers and accommodation. We’ve had funding from local businesses. Once you’ve made a film you’ve got to sell it, and we’re hoping to get a lot of local support.”

Darren’s lifelong friend Mark Abraham, from Toddington, will direct the film. Mark has worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Christopher Nolan.

Darren said: “We’re delighted to have gathered such a highly skilled crew together who believe in the project and want to create a high-quality film. Film-making is a collaborative process and together we can all turn this into a great movie we can all be proud of.”

For more information visit www.petermanfilm.com.

People living with diabetes in Bedfordshire are being asked to join the Diabetes Voices network to help improve care in the region.

> To get involved and find out more contact diabetesvoices@diabetes.org.uk or call 020 74241008. You can also visit www.diabetes.org.uk

A cyclist is in a serious condition after colliding with a lamp post in Stockingstone Road last night (June 5).

The man in his 20s suffered serious head injuries after being thrown from his bike in the accident at about 11pm.

He was taken to the Luton & Dunstable Hospital before being transferred to Addenbrookes Hospital where he remains in a serious condition.

Beds Police are appealing for witnesses.

Call PC Dave Clarke on 01438 757500 with information or email dave.clarke@pnn.police.uk.

Automatic translation of council documents for non-English speakers is expected to be abolished by Luton council at a meeting on Monday (June 10).

The decision was proposed by local government minister Eric Pickles for all local authorities and is expected to be approved by Luton council’s executive committee.

There are currently 122 different languages spoken in Luton schools, and 45.4 per cent of the town’s population are from ethnic minority groups.

Mr Pickles said in a ministerial statement: “While there may be rare occasions in which [translation] is entirely necessary, for instance in emergency situations, I am concerned that such services are in many cases being provided unnecessarily because of a misinterpretation of equality or human rights legislation.”

Currently, the council produces documents with a statement that it can be made available in other languages but Mr Pickles raised concerns this might be reducing the incentive for some migrant communities to learn English.

He said the practice also has an unintentional adverse impact on integration, but by stopping the interpretation, there will be further incentive for all communities to learn English.

He said: “Learning English is the basis for an individual’s ability to progress in British society. It will promote cohesion and better community relations.”

Ending translation of documents will also save the council money.

Interpreters will still be used, particularly in one-to-one situations such as social work assessment and child protection, and documents will be translated in emergency situations.

English language lessons for students with English as a foreign language are available across the town.

> What do you think?

A firm of super solicitors picked up the top accolade at the Bedfordshire Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) awards last night (Thursday).

Osborne Morris & Morgan (OMM), based in West Street, Leighton Buzzard, was named the overall county winner at a glittering ceremony at The Conservatory at Luton Hoo Walled Garden.

When Keith Cannell, of headline sponsor The Co-operative Bank, announced they’d won the top prize of the night, OMM’s table lost their legal cool and whooped in appreciation. The firm specialises in serious injury claims.

Tim Woolford, OMM managing partner, said winning the top award was a “complete surprise”. They had already won the training and development category, sponsored by the University of Bedfordshire’s Knowledge Hub and finished runners up in two other categories. The firm wins £5,000 in advertising from media partner Premier Newspapers.

It was a night of glory for Leighton Buzzard as a whole as small businesses from the town scooped three other categories.

Shelly Shulman’s Cakes By Shelly won the enterprising business title, sponsored by Luton Borough Council. Vince Garvin’s magazine business I Love My Town won the real-life entrepreneur category, sponsored by Cowley Holemes accountants. And Fogarty Formal Hire won retailer of the year, sponsored by Environmental Population.

Businesses from Bedford and the north of the county were also very successful. TaxAssist Accountants Bedford grabbed two category wins in the franchisee of the year, sponsored by The Mansion House and the best e-business, sponsored by The Goldsmith Centre.

Optimis won best new business, sponsored by My Incubator. Foley Exhibitions of Silsoe was awarded community business of the year, sponsored by Park Woodfine Heald Mellows. Adrian Trudgill, of Franklins of Thorncote won employee of the year, sponsored by Basepoint. Baker Brothers Diamonds won the service excellence award, sponsored by Bedfordshire BusinesWomen.

Bedfordshire BusinessWomen scooped the networking group of the year category, sponsored by The Conservatory at Luton Hoo Walled Garden.

Luton-based Silvertoad won the business innovation award, sponsored by Alltech. Kathy Birch, of The Mansion House at Shuttleworth, won the coveted business person of the year title, sponsored by Mercedes Benz of Bedford. The accolade young business person of the year, sponsored by White Hart Press, was won by Georgia O’Keefe, of Potton-based video production firm Look C.

> For another chance of awards glory and a share of £8,200 in free advertising, companies should enter the Bedfordshire Business Excellence Awards. Visit http://www2.bedfordtoday.co.uk/businessawards2013/

In a bid to overturn his 18-year prison sentence, the family of Wayne Collins-Taylor have appointed the campaign co-ordinator who worked with Stephen Lawrence’s family.

Suresh Grover addressed the public outside Luton Town Hall yesterday (June 6).

Mr Collins-Taylor was sentenced to 18 years for arson with intent to harm after the Birmingham riots of 2011.

He was convicted using joint enterprise, a legal doctrine that determines guilt by association.

Read more about Mr Collins-Taylor’s plight here.

For a longer video of the peaceful protest, click here.