Tributes have been paid to a long-serving county councillor who was described by her colleagues as ‘one of life’s dependables.’

Brenda Jennings, 86, served for twenty years on Bucks County Council before her retirement in 2013.

As recognition for her tireless work for the good of the community, Mrs Jennings has a bridge on the Stoke Hammond bypass named after her.

During her time in office, she represented two wards and served on a number of committees and scrutiny committees.

County councillor Bill Chapple OBE said: “Brenda was one of life’s dependables.

“She was 100% loyal and kept all her promises.

“She was loved and respected by all and will be sadly missed.

“She’s definitely earned her place in heaven.”

Mrs Jennings represented Wing when she joined the council in 1993, before serving the Great Brickhill ward from 2005 onwards.

She served on the education committee and various education panels and sub-committees throughout the 1990s.

She spent 13 years on the development control committee and chaired two overview and scrutiny committees in the 2000s - one on lifelong learning (2002-2004) and one on children’s services (2005-2009).

Bucks County Council leader Martin Tett reflected on Mrs Jennings passing at the last cabinet meeting on February 6.

He said: “This is very sad news.

“She was a very devoted councillor for a long period of time.”

Cllr Lin Hazell, vice-chair with Mrs Jennings on the lifelong learning scrutiny committee said she was ‘very knowledgeable about it all’.

Meanwhile, councillor Janet Blake, who currently represents the Great Brickhill ward added: “Both Brenda and her husband Nick will be remembered for serving their communities well as county and district councillors respectively over a number of years.”

Mrs Jennings’ funeral is being held at All Saints Church in Soulbury on Tuesday February 21 at 10.30am.

A man has today been sentenced to 10 years for the manslaughter of a fellow traveller by striking and running him over with his work van.

Christopher McCarthy, 22, of Greenacres travellers site in Slapton Road, Little Billington, was convicted by a jury yesterday (Monday) of the manslaughter of 43-year-old Patrick Maloney at neighbouring Toddbury Farm travellers’ site on August 2 last year.

During a trial at Luton Crown Court, the jury heard how McCarthy ran over the victim with his van, dragging him a distance and causing fatal injuries.

The incident followed a confrontation during the moments leading up to Mr Maloney’s death, before McCarthy drove into and over Mr Maloney, killing him almost instantly.

McCarthy fled the scene, leaving Mr Maloney dying in the road surrounded by other residents and his family. The van was found abandoned six miles away in Eaton Bray.

Following the sentencing this afternoon, Detective Inspector Alan Page from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, who led the investigation, said: “This is a tragic case in which Patrick Maloney’s life was needlessly and tragically cut short.

“He leaves behind a wife and three children plus a large extended family and friends, all of whom loved him dearly. I am pleased that justice has today been served and I hope that this brings some comfort to Patrick’s family.”

During the sentencing hearing, the judge recorded a not guilty verdict on an ABH charge against Christopher McCarthy’s brother Thomas McCarthy, 24, also of Greenacres, who had been accused of assaulting Mr Maloney minutes earlier on the same night.

He will be swapping wands and wizarding for Shakespeare and Stoppard as we can exclusively reveal a live screening for the latest work by Daniel Radcliffe.

The Leighton Buzzard Library Theatre will screen Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead with the Harry Potter star.

It will be shown live from the Old Vic Theatre in London on Thursday, April 20, starting at 7pm.

As well as starring in all seven of the Harry Potter films, Daniel also took the lead role in the horror film The Woman in Black.

He is no stranger to the world of the stage having appeared in Peter Shaffer’s play Equus and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying on Broadway.

Radcliffe will play Rosencrantz while The Hour’s Joshua McGuire will play Guildenstern.

In addition to the duo, the actor David Haig is to appear in the show.

He is best known for his roles in Four Weddings and a Funeral, the TV drama Witness for the Prosecution as well as the sitcom The Thin Blue Line.

The piece is one of the most famous by playwright Tom Stoppard and is a situation comedy.

The new production marks the 50th anniversary of the play that made a young Tom Stoppard’s name overnight.

It expands upon the exploits of two hapless minor characters from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and puts them centre stage.

As the young double act stumble their way in and out of the action of Shakespeare’s iconic drama, they become increasingly out of their depth as their version of the story unfolds.

To book your ticket to see the misadventures and musings of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, at Leighton Buzzard Library Theatre this April, go to www.leightonbuzzardlibrarytheatre.co.uk or call 0300 300 8125.

Dozens of accident and emergency units are facing closure or being downgraded in a far-reaching overhaul of urgent care which senior doctors warn would have “disastrous” consequences for the NHS.

An analysis of documents drawn up to remodel the health service in England shows that 24 casualty units from Durham to Somerset have been marked for potential closure despite record demand for A&Es and serious overcrowding across the country as the NHS goes through its most severe winter crisis since records began. Last month produced the worst performance for A&E waits in 13 years.

NHS bosses who have drawn up the changes as part of efforts to plug a £22bn hole in the health service budget by 2021, insist that concentration of specialist urgent services could save lives and there are no plans for a “significant” reduction in the existing number of 175 emergency units.

But one senior emergency doctor told this newspaper that the plans amount to proposal to “make the River Nile run backwards” by planning for a reduction in demand for A&E services at a time when Britain has a growing and ageing population.

Research based on 44 regional blueprints by the Johnston Press Investigation Unit reveals that managers are planning to cater for up to 30 per cent fewer A&E visits and plans have already been advanced to downgrade units to urgent care centres (UCC) with fewer specialist or consultant-grade staff.

In north east London, the King George Hospital will see its A&E become a UCC by 2019. Similar plans are under consideration in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, and Poole in Dorset. In Staffordshire, health bosses have set a goal of a 30 per cent reduction in A&E visits; in Norfolk the figure is 20 per cent.

A separate study by the Health Service Journal (HSJ) has found that around 15 per cent of the total number of A&Es face closure or downgrading with several areas facing “either/or” decisions between neighbouring units.

Under the five-year project to plug the hole in the NHS budget in England, Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs) have been drawn up for each of 44 “regions” to remodel services.

A key part of the scheme is to reduce reliance on hospitals, in particular A&E units, by expanding primary care into integrated “hubs” staffed by GPs and other carers, bolstered by technology and teams to carry out home visits.

But emergency medicine experts argue that the NHS lacks the additional beds and community care resources that would be required to cope with such a change. At a time when 12-hour trolley waits have doubled in the last two years, they accuse managers of basing the future of the health service on “wishful thinking and rhetoric”. According to leaked figures, some 780 people last month waited more than 12 hours for a bed while in A&E - compared to 158 in January 2015.

Dr Chris Moulton, vice president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM), said: “A&E units are already desperately short of capacity and hospitals have almost 100 per cent bed occupancy. The suggestion that you can close A&E departments and then somehow fewer people will become ill is clearly ridiculous. And anyway, it is not people with minor illnesses but elderly patients with serious conditions who are the ones lying on A&E trolleys waiting for beds and then languishing on the wards awaiting social care.

“The problem is that the STPs are trying to design the health service around the fallacy that you can downgrade A&E departments and then not provide comparable capacity elsewhere. They are predicting a pattern of falling demand when A&E attendances have consistently risen for decades. There is no clear indication as to how this miracle might be achieved.”

He added: “We have a rapidly growing and ageing population and therefore the idea that the health service won’t have to deal with even higher numbers of people requiring emergency care and hospital admission in the future is like hoping that the River Nile will run backwards.”

The professional body said that while it agreed that numerous units were facing change, it was only aware of five A&Es at immediate risk. But it warned that a decision to implement 24 closures - equivalent to one in six of the total - was unthinkable.

The HSJ, which said it was aware seven closures or downgrades already in the pipeline, found that 26 hospitals were involved in “head to head” comparisons which could result in one unit being maintained or upgraded to offer full emergency services while the other nearby A&E could be closed or offer reduced care. Such decisions are being considered in Shrewsbury and Telford; and Bedford and Milton Keynes.

Some clinicians argue that such moves to concentrate staff in two overstretched A&Es into a single unit can be a sensible use of resources and will not necessarily result in a loss of capacity.

But campaigners and experts warn that widespread closures will result in longer journeys to the nearest emergency units and place an unsustainable burden on remaining services.

Dr Taj Hassan, RCEM president, said that while the STPs had “admirable” ambitions they were in their present form “unworkable”.

He said: “If it were to come to pass that one in six emergency departments are downgraded, the effects would be disastrous.

“Closure of any emergency department will naturally require more beds to be found elsewhere - patients do not just disappear when an option for care is removed.”

The National Health Action Party, which campaigns for improvements in health service funding and staffing, said the STPs offered a grim picture which could ultimately see the number of full A&Es whittled down 70.

A spokesman said: “According to the STPs, to make the NHS affordable and sustainable, we the public must get used to longer ambulance journeys for emergency care, longer waiting times for treatment. There is a shortage of doctors and nurses. Our A&Es no longer have a mid-winter crisis, they have a year-round crisis.”

At the heart of many STPs is a new strategy which will seek to divert many people from attending casualty by referring them to a range of alternative services from walk-in minor injury units (MIUs) to teams dedicated to treating people at home.

The North and Central London STP envisages an Acute Care At Home service under which patients, for an example an elderly person who has suffered a fall judged by paramedics not to require A&E treatment, will be referred electronically by ambulance staff to an alternative team who will visit within 12 hours.

Clinicians agree that such schemes are desirable but question whether they will save money or function effectively. In north Essex, managers are considering plans to two out of three minor injury units while in Worcestershire last month four MIUs were closed for three days so staff could be redeployed to support struggling A&Es in Worcester and Redditch.

An NHS England spokesman said: “The number of people seeking urgent care is on the rise so overall we expect the range of services available to them to expand over coming years.

“Within that overall expansion, it may be possible to improve care and save lives with some concentration of specialist urgent services. This approach has increased the chances of surviving a major trauma in this country by 50 per cent, and only today the Stroke Association have called for more concentration of stroke units to improve outcomes. However we do not expect significant numbers of A&E changes in the years ahead, and many schemes were in fact decided on many years ago so this is a rehash of old news.”

More on the NHS Crisis:

See the {/news/health/the-full-list-of-the-24-a-e-units-marked-for-closure-1-7822357|full list of the 24 a e units marked for closure|read more}.

See the full list of the 19 hospitals facing closure.

See the great nhs gamble what we have investigated and why.

A couple who lost everything in a devastating house fire say they are “gobsmacked” by the support from friends, family and complete strangers.

Dave and Marlene Fair have had to move in with family in Houghton Regis after fire swept through their Eaton Bray home last Monday night.

The blaze was caused by a faulty vacumn cleaner Marlene was using at their High Street home.

She managed to escape but the downstairs of the house was destroyed and most of upstairs was badly damaged.

Now the community has rallied round with offers of help, furniture and cash to aid the couple to get back on their feet.

“It’s out of this world,” said Dave, aged 52. “I can’t believe the amount of people who met up and helped. People are offering us services such as painters and decorators.

“I’m absolutely gobsmacked and don’t know how to say thank you to them.

Marlene, aged 56, was helped from the house by a passerby called Kevin, and a neighbour, Elle, stayed with her until Dave arrived back from work.

“Village life, you can’t beat it,” said Dave, who has lived in Eaton Bray for the past eight years.

The couple married six years ago after being together for 15 years.

A gofundme page has already raised £730.

Beverley Douglas, who did not know the couple before she started the page, says the response has been amazing.

“They have lost everything,” she said. “I was in tears when I heard. All I have done is organise some people.

“If it wasn’t for the kindess of the community nothing would have happened, it’s been amazing.”

Beverley has since met the couple and helped clear out their home.

“I don’t know the people who have been donating money but there have also been donations of furniture,” she said

Local companies have also been helping out. An Edlesborough firm has ofered to refloor the home while painters and decorators have also offereed their services.

A dry cleaners in Leighton Buzzard also offered to drop its prices to clean Marlene’s wedding dress, which was badly smoke damaged.

“I’m humbled, amazed and proud of the community,” said Beverley.

You can find out more at https://www.gofundme.com/dave-and-marlenes-fire-fund

Firefighters are desperately needed in Woburn, as the village station launches an exciting recruitment drive.

Woburn Community Fire Station are looking for brave villagers to join their paid on-call team, after a recent report from Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service announced the station was finding it difficult to attract new members.

To help the recruitment drive, it has also been mooted that the firefighters’ living distance from the station could be extended from five to six minutes, in order to give more people the opportunity to join.

Nick Paine, 33, crew commander at Woburn Community Fire Station, said: “Our problems recruiting have mainly been down to the size of population, as Woburn is very small and the role is like another full-time job. I used to work for the leisure department of Woburn Safari Park and got released in event of a fire! I didn’t have any previous experience but you can become fully trained.

“With regards to the distance, nothing has been confirmed. If it gets extended to six minutes there will still be personnel that live one minute away from the station. It would just be a top up crew - there would still be people available to respond in five minutes as they do now.”

The team are currently enrolling their 12th member, with the recruitment process consisting of an interview, and all the safety training courses a full-time firefighter would need, including sessions on breathing apparatus, ventilation, and water rescue.

Nick joined the village crew in 2002 and 12 years ago he became a full-time firefighter in Milton Keynes as well as continuing his Woburn duties.

He said: “You can be in you mid-fifities or older. We just need you to be fit enough!”

A fully trained Retained Duty System firefighter will receive a regular retaining fee of around £2,821 a year. Additional payments are made for attending incidents, drill nights and safety events.

Call: 01234 845000.

Visit: http://www.bedsfire.com/CareersandRecruitment/Operational%20Staff/Documents/Misc/FAQRetApp1005.pdf

Dozens of accident and emergency units are facing closure or being downgraded in a far-reaching overhaul of urgent care which senior doctors warn would have “disastrous” consequences for the NHS.

An analysis of documents drawn up to remodel the health service in England shows that 24 casualty units from Durham to Somerset have been marked for potential closure despite record demand for A&Es and serious overcrowding across the country as the NHS goes through its most severe winter crisis since records began.

Last month produced the worst performance for A&E waits in 13 years.

Research based on 44 regional blueprints by the Johnston Press Investigation Unit reveals that managers are planning to cater for up to 30 per cent fewer A&E visits and plans have already been advanced to downgrade units to urgent care centres (UCC) with fewer specialist or consultant-grade staff.

A&E units at risk

Active plans for closure or downgrade

:: Alexandra Hospital, Redditch

:: Dewsbury and District Hospital

:: Ealing Hospital, west London

:: King George Hospital, east London

:: Poole Hospital, Dorset

:: City Hospital, Birmingham *

:: Sandwell District General Hospital *

* Replaced by unit at new Midland Metropolitan Hospital in 2018

Facing closure or downgrade in STP documents (no firm proposal yet made) **

:: George Eliot Hospital, Nuneaton, Warwickshire

:: Queens Hospital, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire

:: Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, Essex

:: Southend University Hospital, Essex

:: County Hospital, Stafford

:: Horton General Hospital, Oxfordshire

:: Milton Keynes University Hospital, Buckinghamshire

:: Bedford Hospital, Bedfordshire

:: Epsom Hospital, Surrey

:: St Helier Hospital, Surrey

:: Kingston Hospital, west London

:: Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, Shrewsbury

:: Princess Royal Hospital, Shropshire

:: Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, West Yorkshire

:: Darlington Memorial, Durham

:: University Hospital of North Tees, Stockton-on-Tees

:: Macclesfield General Hospital, Cheshire

:: Scarborough General Hospital, North Yorkshire

:: Southport District General Hospital, Merseyside

:: Charing Cross Hospital, west London

:: Chorley and South Ribble Hospital, Lancashire

:: Grantham Hospital, Lincolnshire

:: Warrington Hospital, Cheshire

:: Weston General Hospital, Somerset

:: Tameside General Hospital, Greater Manchester

:: Fairfield General Hospital, Bury, Greater Manchester

** According to STPs in several areas, neighbouring units will go “head to head” to decide which should remain a full A&E and which will face closure or downgrade.

More on the NHS Crisis:

See the full list of the 24 A&E units marked for closure.

See the full list of the 19 hospitals facing closure.

See the great nhs gamble what we have investigated and why.

Leighton Buzzard Library Theatre has teamed up with Full House Theatre to stage dance performance Where The River Runs for free this February and March for Leighton Buzzard schoolchildren and families.

Where The River Runs has been described as a captivating piece of theatre for children aged four and over.

It’s the simple story of a stranger trying to cross a river and what happens when water comes to life.

Where The River Runs has been funded by Arts Council England through the strategic touring project From Stumbling Blocks to Stepping Stones, headed up by Ampthill’s Full House Theatre in partnership with Luton Culture.

The project aims to enable more schoolchildren, young people and their families to see more quality family theatre in venues across the UK – including Leighton Buzzard Library Theatre.

Selected Leighton Buzzard schools will also be given the opportunity to have the piece performed in their school halls.

Leighton Buzzard Library Theatre is offering local families the opportunity to see this high-quality, fun and entertaining dance performance for free on Friday, February 17, at 11.30am and 2pm, and on Saturday, March 4, at Astral Park at 11.30am and 2pm.

For further information about the show or to find out how to reserve free tickets go to www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/river-runs.

Whether it is car clubs marking key model and marque milestones with record parades or special races commemorating major moments in motor sport history, the annual Silverstone Classic is renowned for celebrating anniversaries in high-octane style. And this year the popular live music shows at the three-day family festival will have their very own birthday party.

Fifty years ago, the hippie-inspired Summer of Love phenomenon started in California and spread flower power right around the world – and Friday night at the ‘Rocking and Racing’ Silverstone Classic will feature the greatest music from that remarkably vibrant era.

For many, it was the legendary Beatles who provided the soundtrack to the Summer of Love – their seminal Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Band album was released on 1 June, 1967 to immediate acclaim and spent many months topping the charts on both sides of the Atlantic.

The Bootleg Beatles are widely hailed as the world’s premier Fab Four tribute group, and they will be topping the Friday night bill at the 2017 Classic.

With such a musical landmark to applaud, it is no surprise that The Bootleg Beatles are much in demand this summer and they will arrive at Silverstone fresh from playing six very special Sgt Pepper performances supported by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. The four shows in London and Liverpool are already totally sold-out – that is not an issue for visitors to the Silverstone Classic, though, as admission to the live music concerts on both Friday and Saturday evenings is included free for all ticket-holders.

While it was The Beatles who provided the global soundtrack to the Summer of Love, the Monterey Pop Festival was certainly its focal point.

The Fab Four were rumoured to be headlining in sunny California but they declined believing their music had become too complex to be performed live. Instead, Paul McCartney recommended the organisers book The Who and The Jimi Hendrix Experience – and both made their breakthrough US debuts to widespread adulation.

Completing the story, now the timeless tracks of all three groups will be savoured by those at Silverstone with two further highly regarded, #1 live tribute acts – Who’s Next and Are You Experienced? – joining The Bootleg Beatles on the nostalgic Friday night Summer of Love bill.

“The Silverstone Classic has always been about the rocking as well as the racing, and the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love has given us a wonderful opportunity to recreate some of the greatest music from that truly iconic era back in the Swinging Sixties,” said Nick Wigley, CEO of Silverstone Classic organiser Goose Live Events. “I’m not sure everyone will be dressing up in psychedelic clothes and putting flowers in their hair, but the Friday night party in July is going to be a really special part of the weekend festivities.”

Saturday evening’s live music line-up will have more of an eighties feel to it and full details will be announced shortly, well before the cut-off date for those taking advantage of significantly discounted Early Bird tickets available up until the end of March.

Adult admission starts from just £35, while the cost of the three-day weekend ticket has been frozen at £99 when purchased by Early Birds. Family tickets, camping and VIP Hospitality packages are also available. All tickets must be booked in advance of the event.

Full tickets and event details can be found on the www.silverstoneclassic.com website.

A critically endangered Amur tiger at Woburn Safari Park has had dental surgey after breaking his tooth – and the rare procedure was captured on film by CBBC’s newsround.

Male tiger Elton, the father of two young cubs, had cracked his right canine tooth and it was causing him problems where it had become infected.

Left untreated, the wound could have proved fatal in the wild but thanks to the swift action of park keepers – who are trained to spot even the smallest of injuries – Elton received the operation he needed and has made a full recovery.

Leading expert in zoological dentistry, Dr Peter Kertesz, cleaned out the offending tooth and fitted a filling to prevent infection and minimise discomfort.

Work was also carried out on the tiger’s left canine as a precaution and to ensure there was no damage to the root canal.

Elton was given a sedative before the operation and was also given oxygen and an IV drip to keep him hydrated throughout the procedure.

A real Woburn Safari star, Elton fathered two female cubs, Milashi and Mishka, who were born at the Park less than two years ago.

Together with mother Minerva, the family is genetically important to the captive tiger population across Europe, which is co-ordinated by the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP).

Reserve section head Chris Smart said: “We were initially concerned when Elton broke his tooth as it was clear he was in some pain, but thankfully Dr Kertesz was able to come out quicky to help him.

“The procedure went well and although he was a little sleepy afterwards, he has made a speedy recovery and can now be found exploring the reserve again.”
He added: “Maintaining healthy individuals like Elton is very important as the captive breeding programme of Amur tigers acts as an insurance population, should re-introduction into the wild become a necessary conservation activity.”

Woburn Safari Park is home to five Amur tigers. They can be found in the Kingdom of the Carnivires, a spacious nine-acre reserve complete with sleeping platforms and and bathing pools.

It’s thought there are only about 520 Amur tigers – also known as the Siberian tiger – in the wild, a slight increase in wild numbers over the last 10 years. The species is one of the largest and most endangered in the world.

A development of one to four-bedroomed homes is being planned for Swallowfield Stables, to the south east of the village.

It will be enhanced by a new priority junction off Ford Lane and there is provision for a new footway to the village centre. The site has existing housing on three of its boundaries and is regarded as a suitable location for more.

More than 30 percent will be allocated to affordable housing including affordable rent and shared ownership.

These homes will give local people a genuine opportunity to take their first step on the property ladder.

The development will also feature attractive green open spaces to the west and south of the site, as well as a children’s play area for residents and local families to enjoy.

Vegetation will be retained where possible to provide screening with further planting and landscaping for visual appeal.

A recent consultation by developers CALA Homes was well attended.

CALA homes (Chiltern) spokesman Duncan Klitgaard said: “We were pleased with the turnout at Edlesborough Memorial Hall where we were able to chat to everyone, including members of the parish council, about our detailed plans and try to answer any questions local residents had.

“It also gave us an opportunity to get some feedback on our proposal and what local people hope to see.

“We were able to demonstrate how a development in this location will help to enhance the area. The site is sustainable, with good access to local amenities, and we will be providing financial contributions to help improve facilities.

“Importantly, it will bring much needed homes.”

A Leighton yoga teacher who couldn’t bear watching the daily devastation taking place in war-torn Aleppo has decided to do something positive to help.

Alexis Boniface, 40, of South Street is organising an event to support a charity that works in Syria and is 100 percent non profit – One Solid Ummah.

She’s looking for people to join her on Saturday (March 4) at the Rocci Tree yoga studio in Waterloo Road where sh’s challenging them to complete 108 sun salutations.

Alexis, who trained at Himalaya Yoga Valley in Cork, said: “One sun salutation is a flow of nine yoga movements knowns as a vinyasa.

“Completing 108 would be challenging for even the most advanced and experienced yogi, so it shows the determination and compassion of the students who’ve already signed up to help the suffering people of Syria.”
The event starts at 9.30am and will last until 11am. Entry costs £10.

Participants will not only reap the benefits this practice provides, but will also be able to enjoy cake and refreshment afterwards.

Alexis said: “Our involvement in the sun salutations will literally spread the love the way only yoga can.

“So let us come together to face this challenge as we leave perfection at the door and set our intentions to see change where it is needed most.”

Alexis was inspired to take the Himalaya Yoga Valley course by Rocci Pearson of the Rocci Tree studio, where she now teaches three classes a week.

“It’s a very traditional school with a strong ethos of helping the community,” she explained. “And my own practice of yoga goes much deeper than merely being bendy.

“I couldn’t watch what was happening in Aleppo without doing something and One Solid Ummah is doing amazing work in Syria. We’e already had such positive feedback.”
> More information at http://www.theroccitree.co.uk/

Union Unite is calling for urgent talks with General Motors after it was revealed the PSA Group, owners of French car brands Peugeot and Citroen, is in talks to take over the GM European brands.

General Motors employs around 4,500 staff at its Vauxhall headquarters in Luton where it makes mainly commercial vehicles and its Ellesmere Port plant.

The move would see the French firm take control of GM brands Vauxhall and Opel and mark a complete withdrawal from Europe by General Motors, who announced a $257m (£206m) pre-tax loss from its European operations in 2016.

If successful, the takeover would see PSA group become the second largest European car manufacturer behind Volkswagen in the European new car market.

Unite union leader Len McCluskey said he wanted urgent talks with GM.

“My priority now is to speak to General Motors to seek immediate assurances for the UK plants and this loyal workforce,” he said.

“I’ll also be seeking urgent conversations with the government, because everything must be done to secure our world-class automotive industry.”

In a statement yesterday, PSA group said: “General Motors and PSA Group regularly examine additional expansion and cooperation possibilities. PSA Group confirms that, together with General Motors, it is exploring numerous strategic initiatives aiming at improving its profitability and operational efficiency, including a potential acquisition of Opel/Vauxhall. SThere can be no assurance that an agreement will be reached.”

A Leighton author whose father was based at Bletchley Park is trying to find out where WRNS were billeted during the war.

Neville Budd, 78, of Hockliffe Street said: “All WRNS who weren’t at sea had to have what was called a ‘stone frigate,’ indicating a shore establishment.

“The address for WRNS who worked in Bletchley Park was HMS Pembroke V – they weren’t allowed to tell their families they were working at the code and cypher school.”

He added: “Many of the people who worked at the Park were billeted in various towns and villages in the surrounding area but all I can find out is that 12 men were billeted in Leighton Buzzard.

“There must have been many more than this – and what about the women?”

Neville’s hoping that LBO readers will be able to help him in his quest to put the last piece in the jigsaw.

And he’s discovered that several local hostelries were used for billeting arrangements. They were The Swan, The Albion, The Hunt Hotel and The Unicorn Hotel, now known as The Lancer.

He, his twin sisters and older brother lived in Number 2 cottage behind the mansion and were known as ‘the children of the Park.’

Their father, Robert Budd, worked at Bletchely from 1939 but never spoke of what he did.

Neville recalled: “After the war ended, Mum and Dad ran the clubhouse in the former navy intelligence hut, hut 4. I believe.”

He has written four children’s books and two factual books based on his time at Bletchley. And he’s a popular speaker at societies and institutions, recounting his life as a child at the iconic site.

Neville is proud that not only do he and his family feature on Bletchley’s Roll of Honour – alongside the men and women who helped shorten the war – but also that he is the youngest to be mentioned.

> Email WRNS information to nevillejandersonbudd@gmail.com

Greater numbers of women giving birth later in life, an ageing midwife profile and a nationwide shortage of the profession is putting unprecedented pressure on maternity services.

And the situation could reach crisis point as analysis of the NHS Sustainability and Transformation plans shows around 11 maternity and neonatal units across England may be facing closure or consolidation.

Midwifery chiefs expressed disappointment that many of the STP plans make little or no mention about maternity services.

The Royal College of Midwives were concerned that many of the plans - particularly those outside of London - do not give many details about maternity changes and transformations.

Areas that were highlighted as making no mention of maternity services include West Yorkshire, around Bristol and Kent, Cambridge and some parts of the Home Counties.

Those who make passing reference with little or no detail include Lancashire, Cheshire, Merseyside, Suffolk and Surrey Heartlands.

The areas that do include substantial information on maternity services plans include places in the North East, Humberside, the West Midlands and large parts of the South West.

London is leading the way on maternity with all the STPs including substantial detail about their plans for maternity services.

Jacque Gerrard, director for England at the Royal College of Midwives, said: “Following the publication last year of Better Births, the report of the national maternity review in England, maternity services in England are meant to be embarking on a programme to transform their services in order to make them safer, more effective and more responsive to women’s needs.

“It was natural to link up Better Births with STPs and it was then called the Maternity Transformation Programme.”

Although Dr Gerrard says the College expressed disappointment that some STP plans were sketchy when they came to maternity plans, they are very supportive of the Maternity Transformation Programme.

The plans include more midwifery units and birth centres and improving the choice and personalisation of maternity services.

Dr Gerrard said: “There is a lot going on but it is still very early days.

“There are ambitious things such as looking at more personalised care plans, better unbiased information and digitalised maternity tools that women can access.

“There is also work going on into looking at improving antenatal and postnatal care and trying to do it via a personalised maternity care budget.

“There are pioneer sites in Cheshire and Merseyside testing this model.

“In a nutshell, it means where the woman goes, the budget should follow her such as she wants for things such as hypnotherapy on top of her agreed care.

“Woman on the pilot sites will not be asked to pay any top ups.

“But until we test it, we don’t know how the personalised maternity care budget will work.

“Everything is a theory at the moment and the pioneers need to test it.”

Dr Gerrard says evidence shows births in midwifery units is safe and she strongly refutes any suggestions that “women will be going back to Victorian times.”

She said: “Midwives are skilled and educated and trained to degree level and base their care on evidence.

“There is no foundation to the claim we will be going back to Victorian times and evidence shows it is safe to birth in a midwifery unit. There are certain women with complications you would not advise to go in there.

“Midwives view it as a positive to have more births at home and in midwifery units if that is what the woman wants.

“At the end of the day, it is the woman’s choice and it is up to the midwife to make it happen.

“Regarding the issue that sometimes things go wrong in labour, midwives are skilled and trained to pick up on deviations from the norm sooner rather than later and women are transferred to a consultant when needed.”

Dr Gerrard says the midwifery transformation plans include more midwifery units, more professional and family friendly care and being able to support women to have choices based on their individual needs and circumstances.

She says: “These plans are about promoting a culture which is innovative and evidence based with continuity of care and choice.

“Women will not only have a healthy safe outcome, they will have a more positive birth experience.

“That is all women irrespective of their needs complexities and background.

“How can we not be supportive of that type of service?”

STAFFING CRISIS

Staffing levels are the real area of concern when it comes to maternity as there is a shortage of 3,500 midwives across England.

And with many midwives approaching retirement, the profession fears it is facing a staffing timebomb.

Figures show one in three - 33 per cent - of midwives in England are now in their fifties or sixties.

Dr Gerrard says: “Older midwives can bring great experience and are great assets to the NHS.

“But it is a concern that such a large proportion of the midwifery workforce is so close to retirement.

“More students need to be trained and brought into the health service as a matter of urgency if we are to turn this situation around.

“More midwives are needed and in England, where births are on the up, we calculate the shortage to be the equivalent of around 3,500 full-time midwives.”

In their recent State of Maternity Services report, the Royal College of Midwives stated: “The midwifery profession is ageing fast just as the demands on it are growing.

“We are standing on a cliff edge and need swift action now.”

Dr Gerrard said: “We are not against the STP plans and are very supportive of the Maternity Transformation Programme.

“It is staffing levels we are concerned about.

“We need the right number of midwives in the right places to make it happen.

“If we are going to achieve these ambitions, we need the midwives to deliver them.”

AGEING PROFILE OF MOTHERS

A long term trend affecting maternity is the ageing of the profile of mothers.

Across the UK, there are fewer births to younger women and more to older women.

In every region of England since 2010, there are more babies born to women in their thirties or older and fewer to women under 30.

Since 2001 in England, there has been an increase of over 12,000 in the number of births per year to women aged 40 and older.

The age group to see the biggest rise in births in Scotland has been women in their late thirties with 2,000 more births per year compared to the year 2000.

In Wales, births per year to women aged 40 and older has now passed the 1,000 mark.

In Northern Ireland, births to women in their thirties are up by almost 3,000 since the start of the century.

The Royal College of Midwives says: “Taken as a whole, women who give birth later in life will need more care from the NHS.

“This will not be the case for every woman in that category but it will be true on average.

“They are perfectly entitled to that care of course but the added complexity and cost means more needs to be invested in maternity care to ensure they get the quality of care they want, need and deserve.”

GOING BACK TO VICTORIAN TIMES

“We are at risk of returning to Victorian times with more women dying in childbirth.”

That’s the view of Jessica Ormerod, maternity spokesman for the National Health Action Party, which is fighting to save the NHS from being turned into a US-style health service,

She believes a push for more home births or births at midwifery led units could cause women who experience problems during labour to be at risk.

She says: “The STP plans seem to suggest fewer hospitals so that means people will have to travel further to get the care they need.

“Maternity is already massively underfunded and understaffed across the country and has been for years.

“Women who have no problems and are young and healthy can give birth at home or in a birth centre.

“But when it comes to labour, it can be so unpredictable and you can go from being a healthy individual to dead very quickly.

“A woman may spontaneously have a post partum haemorrhage and unless you can stop them bleeding, they can die.

“Sometimes, these things just happen.

“The important thing is that any woman, whatever kind of birth she chooses, needs to be able to access acute care quickly should she need it.

“But if the STPs reduce acute care centres and hospitals with A&Es, they won’t be able to do things like blood transfusions and surgery.

“If you are in a hospital that does not have acute services and have complications, you will need to be transferred to one.

“It seems we are going backwards and going back to big hospitals which will not be able to give individual care properly.

“It will be more a conveyer belt system.

“More women will not make it to hospital on time and give birth in unsafe conditions without a midwife and in the car or at the side of the road.

“There is a real worry that we will return to Victorian times and more women will die in childbirth.”

Maternity/neonatal - units facing closure or consolidation

1 - (Lancashire and South Cumbria); 2 - (West Yorkshire and Harrogate); at least 1 (South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw); 1 (Lincolnshire); 2 (Leicestershire and Rutland); at least 1 (Birmingham and Solihull); 1 (Milton Keynes); 1 (Dorset), 1 (Coventry and Warwickshire)

Total: 11

LIST OF UNITS:

Lancashire and South Cumbria - Consultant-led maternity care at West Cumberland Hospital under review

West Yorkshire and Harrogate - Downgrade of A&E and maternity at Dewsbury and Huddersfield already planned

South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw - “Reshaping” of children’s and maternity services due to lack specialist staff

Lincolnshire - Maternity services centralised at Lincoln

Leicestershire and Rutland - Maternity service to close at Leicester General Hospital and birthing centre planned to shut in Melton Mowbray

Birmingham and Solihull - Increase in maternity units led by midwives

Milton Keynes - Concern that maternity services in Milton Keynes could be reduced or merged with provision in Luton or Bedford

Dorset - Very premature babies (born at 27-32 weeks) to potentially no longer be cared for at Dorset County Hospital

Coventry and Warwickshire - :: Maternity and children’s care to move from George Eliot Hospital to University Hospital, Coventry

It is time to take a rock and roll trip back to the 1960s with the return of a musical to Aylesbury’s Waterside Theatre.

Dreamboats and Petticoats returns with a spectacular stage show, celebrating the 10th anniversary of the multi-million selling CDs featuring some of the greatest songs of the rock ‘n’ roll era.

The show is set in 1961, emotions are running high as musicians Norman and Bobby compete to win a national song writing competition - and, more importantly, the attention of the gorgeous Sue.

Written by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, the writers behind TV classics Goodnight Sweetheart, Birds of a Feather and The New Statesmen, the show features classic tracks from Roy Orbison, The Shadows, Eddie Cochran, Billy Fury and many more.

The ultimate rock and roll party comes to the Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury at 7.30pm each night from Monday to Saturday, February 20 to 25.

There will also be matinee performances starting at 2.30pm on Thursday and Saturday.

To book call the box office on 0844 871 7607 or visit www.atgtickets.co.uk/aylesbury.

Bedfordshire league

JM Steele and Shaun Winconek netted the goals to do the damage and end Flitwick’s four game winning home run.

Wilstead took over third spot in the Premier Division supported by Sportsform from fifth place Caldecote who were held to a 0-0 home draw by Wootton Blue Cross.

Now in fourth are Renhold United, 2-1 home winners over Ickwell & Old Warden thanks to strikes from Wes Lewis and Ollie Housden.

Whilst now in sixth are AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College who exchanged places with Shefford Town & Campton after sending them to their first home defeat of the season with a 3-2 victory. Dan Green, Courtney Boughton and Justin Newman were on the College boys scoresheet against home replies via Andrew Hayday and Kier Boyd.

The biggest win of the day was to go to Marston Shelton Rovers who climbed out of the bottom three thanks to their 6-0 home win over Ampthill Town Reserves. Harry Murray with a brace was joined on the scoresheet by Wes Burrows, Luke Clifford, Jim Burraway and Dylan Porter to lift the Rovers above Kempston Rovers Development who were beaten 2-3 at home by Stevington.

Ben Walsh with a brace plus an own goal was replied to by single strikes from Rovers Sam Smith and Patrick Asare.

Whilst for Sandy it was just their third point of the season from a 3-3 home draw with Cranfield United. Matt Johnson, Ryan Burgess and James Hearson were on the home scoresheet against United replies via Tom Larrier, Martin Holland and Nathan Evans.

Division One supported by Wests Citroen Bedford

Queens Park Crescents remain 10 points clear at the head of the league standings after being gifted three points when Westoning failed to raise a side to travel to meet them in Allen Park.

Still in second are Totternhoe Reserves who took their unbeaten ways up to six games with a 5-0 victory at Meltis Albion. Callum Burgess and Tom Hewson both netted twice and Harry Marlow once to bring up the nap hand.

Now taking over third spot are Henlow who returned to winning ways with a 4-2 away victory at AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College Reserves, thus duly ending the home side’s five game winning run. Paul Wright with a brace was joined on the scoresheet by Luke Hills and Antony Bowskill against home replies via Bradley Temperley and Elliot West.

Dropping out of the top three are M&DH Clapham Sports who were beaten 3-1 at home by Old Bradwell United Reserves, Bill Batten, Charlie Garlick and Lewis Wells netting the United goals to earn the three points than now lifts their club out of the relegation zone. Jordan McGoldrik was the home goalscorer.

Now in that relegation zone are Elstow Abbey who, after leading 2-0 at half-time, fell to a 4-2 home defeat against Shefford Town & Campton Reserves. Indee Sucha and Danny Pilgrim netted the early Abbey goals before a second half hat-trick from Malcolm Marimirofa and a goal from Josh Lummis won the points for the Town.

There was also joy on the road for the 61FC Luton Reserves who won 5-0 at Crawley Green Reserves. Timmy Akwrele scored a hat-trick and Tom Vanden Berg a brace.

Division Two

Wixams find themselves back on the top of Division Two following their 4-1 home victory over Sundon Park Rovers. Gareth White with a hat-trick plus a single strike from Liam Massey was replied to once by Rovers Craig Barnes.

Losing out on the top spot were Atletico Europa following their 3-0 defeat at AFC Oakley M&DH Reserves who were winning on home soil for the first time this season. Matty Barnes with a brace plus Justin Muircroft netted the goals to do the damage.

At Mill Lane, hosts Potton Town are now without a home win in their last six outings and Houghton Athletic still yet to win on the road this season after the sides shared the points in a 1-1 draw. Chris Cooper scored for the Town and Benn Hayward for the Athletic.

Bedfordshire FA Junior Cup

Cranfield United Reserves will face Riseley Sports in this season’s Bedfordshire FA Junior Cup final after both sides safely came through their semi-final ties.

United with goals from Ryan Collis, Adam Kerr and Joe Sames secured a 3-2 home win over Flitwick Town Reserves for whom Dave Keefe and Mark Funnell replied.

Whilst Riseley Sports were 3-0 winners at Caldecote A where Sam Harrision netted twice and Jack Healy once.

Division Three

With league leaders Wilstead Reserves having their home encounter against Sandy Albion called off due to the state of their Jubilee Close pitch, Marston Shelton Rovers Reserves failed to take advantage to climb to the summit when beaten 3-1 at Wootton Village.

Adam Flynn with a brace plus Ethan Tanti were on the Village scoresheet against a lone Rovers reply via Dale Maiciw.

Whilst now unbeaten in their last eight outings are Renhold United Reserves who won 6-3 at White Eagles. Michael France with a hat-trick was joined on the scoresheet by Thomas O’Neil who netted twice and JP Stribling who netted once. The Eagles replies coming via two own goals plus a strike from Jan Bucur.

The scheduled Kempston Athletic v Bedford Albion game was postponed.

Division Four

With leaders CS Rovers having their game postponed at Clifton they are now just one point clear after Henlow climbed into second spot with a 7-1 home victory over Flitwick Town A. James Campbell and Matthew Rumbellow both netted hat-tricks alongside a single goal from Keith Milburn whilst Jack Garrish netted the lone Town reply.

Also winning 7-1 at home were Harlington who took their unbeaten ways up to five games with a victory over AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College A. Shea Gentle King led the way with a hat-trick, and Reginard Miongoti with a brace accompanied by single goals from Chris Rowe and Ben Whalley against a lone Town reply via Farid Mirzai.

Whilst for Stevington Reserves it was the claiming of their first victory in five outings with a 3-2 home win over Sandy Reserves. Sam Coady netted twice and Jamie Fletcher once against Sandy replies via Steven Wilson and Andy Barker.

The Lidlington United Sports v Dinamo Flitwick game was waterlogged off at Hurst Grove.

Jubilee Cup Group H

Shefford Town & Campton A now know they will finish on the bottom of the Group H table after being beaten 4-1 at Lea Sports PSG. Will Tyler with a hat-trick plus Dylan Cadger netted the PSG goals against a lone reply from Michael Castle.

Forget “Physician Heal Thyself”, plans to shake up health services and save the NHS millions seem to hinge on patients either not getting ill in the first place or looking after themselves with an increased use of technology.

However, campaigners are warning of the dangers of the tech revolution and say patients will suffer if health bosses try to replace them with apps.

A leading GP believes the health service is gambling millions on plans to use apps, benevolent Big Brother-style monitoring devices and video-link surgeries to bridge a five-year funding gap.

Health bosses around the UK are drawing up plans to shake up the patient-doctor relationship by limiting “face-to-face” interactions, both in the NHS and in drastically under-funded council-run social care.

An investigation by The i and sister Johnston Press titles has found all 44 Sustainability Transformation Plans (STP), produced by regional NHS bodies, plan to meet strict five-year savings targets by increasing the use of new digital technologies to deliver health services.

Regions are proposing to increase “virtual appointments,” where patients can talk to their GP, or take part in a group therapy session via video-call.

“Artificial intelligence” apps are already starting to deliver diagnoses on the private market and are already being discussed by Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) looking to assess patients without the need for a face-to-face meeting.

But leading GPs are not convinced the move is the magic formula in helping the NHS meet its £22 billion shortfall.

Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, believes video-link doctors’ appointments could actually increase their workloads.

She said: “While these might be convenient, they don’t actually reduce a GP’s workload as a 10-minute patient consultation takes 10 minutes whether face-to face-or over the phone - and in some cases virtual consultations can increase workload, if a follow up face-to-face consultation is necessary.”

Mrs Stokes-Lampard says she broadly supports the idea of increasing technology in the NHS, but she fears it could alienate patients who are not “tech savvy.”

She said: “Whatever happens, the GP-patient relationship is unique in medicine and there is no app, algorithm or technological innovation that can, or will, replace it in the foreseeable future.”

All 44 STPs are seeking to drastically reduce accident and emergency admissions, scheduled visits and “face-to-face” care in part, by moving towards a model of what has been labelled “self care.”

Vice-president at the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Chris Moulton, believes types of preventive treatment are “absolutely the morally and medically correct thing to do.”

But he warned they should not be used as a way of saving the NHS money.

He said: “When a 60-year-old person takes statins and other drugs to avoid having a heart attack, they don’t sign a pledge saying that they will never use the health service again for the next two decades.

“Using lifestyle changes and medical interventions to prolong happy lives is the right thing to do. But it is not the answer to the financial crisis facing the NHS.”

In adult social care the STPs talk of plans to increase “telecare,” where elderly or disabled people can be monitored by devices in their own home.

FLAWED

One union leader fears the ploy, which campaigners fear is a move for cash-strapped councils to reduce home visits, is flawed.

Guy Collis, health policy officer at Unison, said new technology would require staff to undergo extensive, costly raining, before it is rolled out.

“I think too often there’s this idea that they can be a quick shortcut for savings or improving patient experiences,” he said. “That’s all well and good as long as you have the right people.

“The NHS doesn’t have a great track record for IT.”

On the other hand director of innovation at national charity Carers UK, Madeleine Starr MBE, said the move to self-administered healthcare is “inevitable” considering the huge deficit in the NHS.

Patients, she believes, will simply need to adjust.

“We need to move away from the idea that a GP is a sacred cow you’ve got to sit in front of,” she said.

“You are never not going to need an expert when the time comes. But very often the GP is not providing expert support. Much of the time they are simply answering questions.”

Mrs Starr believes also new innovations in home “telecare” will be key to reducing the workload of carers.

The UK, she says, is languishing behind other developed nations, such as Japan, which is already rolling out “carebots” that can detect falls , assist mobility and provide company.

Brand names set to be more prevalent in the home care market including Canary, Oysta and JustChecking are now purporting to offer much more than the current neck-worn emergency buzzers and toilet pull cords - which have been in circulation for a number of years.

As a result, cash-strapped councils, which have the responsibility for looking after vulnerable adults and the elderly in their areas, are keen to increase their use of monitoring tech.

One of the forerunners, Hampshire County Council, claims to have trimmed £4.7 million from its budget since entering into a telecare partnership with London-based PA Consulting.

Northamptonshire County Council, which is set to cut £24 million from its 2017/18 adults care budget alone, is preparing to put more Canary devices in homes.

Aside from the savings Editor of OurNHS, OpenDemocracy, Caroline Molloy says GPs have deep concerns that a move away from “face-to-face contact with a GP will see patient’s ailments missed.

She said: “The real thing they worry about comes out of that lack of human interaction.

“I’ve had people who are strong advocates of this sort of thing admit they are worried.

“As soon as you are not seeing someone in a room in front of you - you are losing out on their skin colour, their smell, whether they are looking after themselves properly, whether they are tapping their foot under the table because they are not giving you the full picture.

“All of these little clues are really important.”

She also believes the sheer capital costs needed to invest in the new software could negate any savings benefit as well.

In Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire and Luton, the STP for the area budgets for a £12 million “digital investment” over the next five years.

But the jury is also out on the effectiveness of apps that used to remotely monitor people with mental health conditions.

Scientists at the University of York said a trial of mood-monitoring therapy software, where patients update a system with how they are feeling at a given time, showed it offered “little or no benefit over usual GP care,” as many users were not willing to log in of their own accord.

FACT BOX:

What the STPs say:

*Health bosses in South East London are proposing to introduce “algorithmic decision support tools” - to aid its 1.67 million population and to have “universally deployed digital alternatives to face to face care in primary care and outpatient services.”

In North London the STP announces plans to create a “population health management system” equipping people living in the capital with tools “which enable them to actively manage their own health and wellbeing.”

In Hull, the commissioning group has secured funding for new “assistive technologies” such as environment monitors, medication dispensers, and “talking devices.”

In nearby Rotherham patients will be encouraged to take their blood pressure at home and text their result to the practice - who would then take action if the result is out of range.

In the west of England, leaders in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire seeking to introduce online “virtual therapy” and “symptom and medication” monitoring within the next two to three years.

STATS

Why health services want to digitise care:

*73 homes cancelled their registration in the first six months of 2016, according to the Care Quality Commission

*Between 2015 and 2016, 648 care home beds were lost due to closures.

*The Office for National Statistics predicts councils across the UK will need to find £2billion over the next five years to meet their statutory duties in looking after the elderly and those in need.

*Hertfordshire County Council claims to have saved 4.7million since entering a telecare partnership

*South East London STP area believes it can save £150m by setting up a real time information sharing system for end of life care.

*GPs are currently making 370 million patient consultations every year, which is 60 million more than five years ago.

*Going “paperless” could save the NHS “billions” by 2018, according to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

*The average waiting time to see a GP is currently 13 days.

*7,687 residents living in 248 residential and nursing homes in Bradford, Airedale, Wharfedale, Craven and East Lancashire are currently the focus of a study into increasing the use of telecare.

There is no such thing as spaghetti Bolognese.

No, the dish you've rustled up for dinner a thousand times or plucked from the menu of a high-street Italian restaurant is a fabrication. An abomination, even.

Go on, I dare you. Try to order 'spag bol' in any Emilia Romagnan restaurant and see what happens...

You will likely be told through gritted teeth that spaghetti Bolognese is an American invention, a corruption of the dish which should always be made with fresh tagliatelle.

Semolina-based spaghetti just cannot hold ragu - the authentic name for the meat sauce known worldwide as Bolognese, which so readily soaks into freshly made egg-and-flour pasta.

In Emilia Romagna, also known as Italy's food valley, such distinctions are very important.

So dedicated to cuisine are the people of a northern region blessed with a humid subtropical climate, that their excellence in food standards was this year recognised by the Michelin Guide.

The unveiling of the Italian edition of the red book, detailing the best places to both eat and sleep, was shifted from its long-term base in Milan to Parma, a city with only two starred restaurants.

So why this provincial outpost? Designated a UNESCO City of Gastronomy at the end of 2015, over 30% of its working population are involved in the production and serving of food.

It is the gastronomical capital of the food valley and arguably of the northern half of the country.

And what better way to showcase the craftsmanship and taste of the province than by hosting a lavish Michelin ceremony at the stunning Teatro Regio opera house.

A 1,400-seater auditorium that normally hosts tributes to Parma's musical sons Verdi and Toscanini, saw, in mid-November last year, the cream of Italy's chefs rewarded for their culinary endeavours.

But conspicuously absent from the stage were the unsung heroes; the producers who churn milk into Parmigiano-Reggiano, better known as Parmesan, or salt the haunches that will become prosciutto.

The valley's many food producers may work independently as businesses, but they are united in their commitment to preserving tradition and flavour.

The day before the Michelin event, I tour the Galloni factory in Langhirano, 12 miles south of Parma, and observe the exacting application of sea salt and seasoning which delivers mouthwatering Parma ham to the top tables. (Tours can be booked through the local tourist office.)

Federico Galloni calls his army of workers 'salatori', or salty men; they scrutinise the ham hocks before smothering them in salt and hanging them up to dry for months.

A convivial man wearing an elegant cardigan under his white lab coat, Federico is a grandson of one of the five brothers who established the business in 1960.

Today, they can produce 300,000 cured hams every year. Federico says it could produce five times that amount if he chose to switch to a fully automated production line. But he instead keeps faith with the serious salty men, who do not smile at gawping visitors as they are too engrossed in their time-honoured handiwork.

In the ominous-sounding ham chamber, we marvel at the 'spiking' process, conducted with a horse's shin bone to assess the odour of the prosciutto. The best legs are awarded the famous five-pointed crown stamp of Parma ham.

A tasting session is soundtracked by Verdi in a dedicated sampling room where we wash down the luscious ham with lightly sparkling pignoletto wine.

By the morning, I'm peckish again and ready to see how those swine develop such succulent hind meat. The answer? They are fed on natural whey, a byproduct of creating Parmesan.

Those wanting to discover how the fine cheese gets from the farm to that famous little dish with its tiny spoon, can get up with the cows and witness the transformation first hand.

Only 15 minutes from Parma's historic city centre lies the Consorzio Produttori Latte Societa Agricola Cooperativa dairy in Baganzolino, where on weekday mornings, the fabled master cheesemaker - a celebrity in these parts - leads free one-hour tours.

It may look like milk upon milk to the layman, but the specifics of the craft separate mediocre Parmesan from truly great Parmesan, with the latter deserving of its own firebrand on the rind.

And don't forget to buy a big lump of cheese as you leave - I recommend the 28-month-aged batch.

Heading back to civilisation, we pass the imposing Barilla plant at Pedrignano, built in 1969, where more than 93,000 miles of spaghetti roll off the conveyor belts each day.

A world away from those endlessly clanking machines is the small restaurant and workshop supervised by former office colleagues Simona and Rita.

Their dissatisfaction with the daily grind inspired them to quit their jobs and go back to basics, making tagliatelle and tortellini from scratch.

At their 'Uova e Farina' - egg and flour - cookery school, small groups can learn how to create sheets of fresh pasta, before making, with some difficulty, the tiny parcels that become their lunch.

On the night before the much-vaunted gala dinner, we go traditional at the aptly-named Ristorante La Forchetta - the fork - in the shadow of the city's 11th-century cathedral.

The table talk is, initially, about what delicacies there might be on the big night.

Chatter ceases when plates of Prosciutto di Parma and Parmesan arrive, followed by ricotta-stuffed tortellini and ragu-coated tagliatelle, with the sophistication of flavour telling its own story.

And not a bowl of spaghetti Bolognese in sight.

TRAVEL FACTS

James Cann from them Press Association was a guest of the Emilia Romagna Region Tourist Board (www.emiliaromagnaturismo.com, www.visitviaemilia.it).

There are regular flights to Bologna with easyJet (www.easyjet.com) and British Airways (www.britishairways.com) from London Gatwick, and Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) from Stansted, Manchester, Bristol, Edinburgh and Dublin.

A concert organised by a music club has lined up a young musician  from the Emerald Isle taking place at the weekend.

The latest event hosted by Leighton Buzzard Music Club will see the Irish panist Fiachra Garvey at the concert on Saturday February 25 at Leighton Buzzard’s Library Theatre.

He will be performing Chopin’s Barcarolle Op. 60, Schumann’s Kreisleriana and finishing off with Beethoven's Sonata No. 32 in C Minor Op.111

Fiachra is the winner of the AXA Dublin International Piano Competition amongst many others. He has performed in some of the most famous concert halls, including Wigmore Hall,Fazioli Hall, Italy and Philia hall, Tokyo.

The Sunday Times said that: “he brings a deep and infectious enthusiasm combined with insight and technical assurance.”

A spokesman for Leighton Buzzard Music Cloub has described the concert as one not to be missed.

Fiachra started learning the piano at the age of five but wasn’t intially looking to be a musician. He originally pursued a career as a veternarian but wanted to give music a chance as he would have been filled with regrets if he didn’t pursue the ambition.

The performance begins at 7.30pm with the doors opening 45 minutes before.

Tickets cost £13 for adults and £11.50 for friends of Leighton Buzzard Music Club. Students of the club can gain entrance for £5 an d the concert is free for children under the age of 16.

People are recommended to book tickets for the concert in advance.

They can be bought by callig the box office on 0300 300 8125 or visit www.leightonbuzzardlibrarytheatre.co.uk. They can also be bought on the door.

For further information about the concert or future events organised by Leighton Buzzard Music Club visit www.lbmusic.co.uk.