A Leighton Buzzard building firm which lost about £9,000 of power tools during a recent break-in was targeted again by thieves last week.

Family-run business, Toolmonkey, of Cherry Court Way, suffered the first theft on February 21, with the unexpected loss a blow to both staff and managing directors, Michael and David Neaves.

However, on Tuesday, May 9, Toolmonkey’s warehouses were targeted again – only this time the police were alerted and the alleged offenders were stopped following a chase on the M1.

Howard Robinson, a buyer for Toolmonkey, said: “It’s nice for people to know that the police stopped them!

“In the early hours of Tuesday, the police were alerted before the persons had been able to enter our building and they were interrupted by the police whilst still attempting to break in.

“The persons then fled the scene, and a chase ensued which involved three police forces – Beds, Bucks and Herts. Eventually, the persons were caught by stinger, rammed off the road and arrested on the M1 near London.”

Mr Robinson does not know who alerted the police on May 9, but says the business have now installed canisters that release smoke, aptly called ‘Smoke Cloaks’ to step up security.

A Bedfordshire Police spokesman said: “We’re currently investigating two break-ins at Toolmonkey in Leighton Buzzard.

“On February 21 two people broke into the business between 10.30pm and 11pm. They stole approximately £9,000 worth of power tools before making off in a white transit van.

“Officers have so far been unable to identify anyone in relation to this offence and anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting reference JD/7582/2017.

“Last Tuesday (May 9) a second break-in was reported at the premises. Three people broke into the business at around 12.30am before they were disturbed. The men left the scene in a dark coloured transit van.

“Three men have been arrested in relation to this incident and have been released under investigation.

“Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact police on 101 quoting reference JD/19831/2017.”

Breast Cancer Care has chosen Leighton Buzzard as the place to open its first ever charity shop.

The new Exchange Parade store, Lake Street, will be welcoming in customers at 9am on Monday, May 22, and is now on the hunt for more clothes, accessories, shoes and gifts to fill the store in order to raise vital funds for Breast Cancer Care.

Andy Harris, director of fundraising and marketing for Breast Cancer Care, said: “We are absolutely delighted to open a shop in Leighton Buzzard.

“We are hoping the local community will rally round and dig out any unwanted clothes and gifts to help us stock the shop with some wonderful items.

“All the money raised through the sale of goods in the shop will mean Breast Cancer Care can continue to provide what is a vital support service and life-line, for free, to the 691,000 people currently living with breast cancer in the UK, and their families.

“Every item donated will make a real difference and raise much-needed funds.”

Breast Cancer Care state that every ten minutes someone new is diagnosed, with both men and women affected by the disease.

Breast Cancer Care provide information on living with and beyond breast cancer, offer emotional and practical support, campaign for improvement in standards of support and care, promote the importance of early detection and bring people affected by breast cancer together, as well as running a helpline.

To donate or find out about volunteering please visit the shop on Exchange Parade, between 9am–5pm, Monday – Saturday.

For more information: https://www.breastcancercare.org.uk/ or www.breastcancercare.org.uk/shops

The election machines have well and truly kicked into gear, so who’s had a good week, and who’s had a bad week on the campaign trail?

A star chicken from Leighton Buzzard has used the force to lay prize-winning eggs for two years running.

Princess Layer, owned by Neville Styles, 35, of Billington Park, entered her eggs into the Northampton and District Poultry Club show on May 13, along with fellow family chicken and Eggi Master, Ella.

Last year, Neville walked away with the coveted Best in Show award (thanks to Princess Layer’s entry in the ‘3 large light brown eggs category’) and this year the chickens did not disappoint with Princess Layer scooping Best in Show and three 1st prizes, while Ella won a 1st and 3rd - and all, of course, after laying their eggs Hands Solo!

Neville said: “Both Princess Layer and Ella are another year older - their eggs less frequent and the quality lower.

“Then a couple of weeks before the show, Ella went on an uncharacteristic run of laying for six consecutive days!

“We noticed our six large eggs had been taken away to be photographed with the trophy we had returned only an hour or so previously. Princess Layer had won Best in Show for the second year running!”

Neville first had the idea of keeping chickens when he saw some at Frosts, Woburn Sands, in 2011, learning they could live in suburbia. He has kept six or seven over the years and he and his wife, Jane, 32, are not huge Star Wars fans, but do enjoy creating ‘punny’ names, having a previous chicken called ‘Repecka’!

> www.lbchickens.co.uk

The films are set in a galaxy far, far away... but a Star Wars spoof airing on ITV1 on Saturday night has scenes shot in a Heath and Reach quarry!

The Keith And Paddy Picture Show sees Keith Lemon and Paddy McGuinness pay tribute to their favourite movies of all time.

Each week they enlist the help of various celebrities to help them recreate the iconic films. Already they have done send-ups of Dirty Dancing and Ghostbusters, and on May 20 its the turn of Star Wars as the duo will appear alongside ex-Coronation Street actress Michelle Keegan (Princess Leia), Ant and Dec (Ewoks), Phillip Schofield (Yoda), David Dickinson (The Emperor) and Jeremy Kyle (as himself).

A trailer for the show, gives the clue that its Bryants Lane Quarry rather than dusty Tatooine that R2D2 and C3PO are travelling through on their way to Jabba’s Palace in a re-creation of a scene at the start of Return of the Jedi.

Lemon (R2D2) states: “Looks good though don’t it Paddy. All of this...Looks like the film!”

Paddy (C3PO) responds: “You’d never think it was filmed in a quarry in Leighton Buzzard, would ya!”

Then a quarry digger drives from right to left across the camera shot to shatter the illusion, with the driver calling out “Morning!” and Keith responding “How do!”

An ITV spokesman confirmed that it was indeed Bryants Lane Quarry, and said the scenes were used at the beginning of the episode which airs at 9.20pm on Saturday, May 20.

The quarry was also the location for filming at the start of May for a new TV series based on books by JK Rowling.

Reader Bob Iadarola, who sent the LBO some photos of the filming he witnessed, said he had been told the BBC was adapting The Cuckoo’s Calling for the small screen.

Until recently security has barred the public from seeing what goes on in the quarries during filming but the addition of the Reach Lane bridleway has changed all that giving walkers a front row seat to the action.

The Cuckoo’s Calling is part of the The Strike Series which sees private investigator Cormoran Strike hired to find out if a supermodel’s suicide in London may have been a murder.

A BBC spokesman said: “We shot a couple of days in Leighton Buzzard as part of The Strike Series coming to BBC One this summer, early Autumn. It stars Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger and is based on the books by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling).”

The filming is the latest in a long list of film and TV shows using the quarry location as a stand-in for the desert.

The Mummy Returns, The Da Vinci Code, BBC’s Our Girl, Agatha Christie’s Crooked House, and the Birds of a Feather’s 2016 Christmas special are just some examples.

LB Silica Sands has said it is not their policy to confirm filming but adds that the quarry is in regular demand from producers.

A Leighton Buzzard man has been charged in connection with a spate of business burglaries in the town.

Ashley Adams, 26, of Heath Road, was arrested on Tuesday (May 16) and charged with five counts of burglary relating to a series that hit the town’s business premises last month.

Mr Adams was remanded at Luton Magistrates’ Court pending a further court hearing.

Earlier this month, police charged Joshua Duncum, 20, of no fixed address in Aylesbury, with three counts of burglary, one count of attempted burglary and possession of a class B drug. The charges relate to offences which took place between 18 April and 1 May.

New tobacco laws affecting vapers who smoke e-cigarettes will come into force this week.

The Tobacco Products Directive is set to affect those who smoke traditional cigarettes when it comes into force on May 20.

Smokers have been warned that the new rules will ban smaller packs of cigarettes and reduce the sale of menthol flavours.

However, a different part of the laws will also bring about changes in vaping and e-cigarettes.

Although vaping itself will not be made illegal under the new laws, new restrictions on the strength of liquids and the size of tanks will be introduced.

E-liquid bottles over 10ml in size are illegal to sell

IT means large refills are no longer allowed. At the moment, 30ml is a common size, meaning vapers will have to buy several smaller bottles instead.

E-liquids cannot be stronger than 20mg per litre

At the moment the vape liquid can be much stronger than this.

Vape tanks can’t be larger than 2ml in size

Perhaps in a bid to cut the amount people are able to vape easily, the maximum permissable size of the tanks has been made pretty small.

Tanks purchased before the enacting of the new law are not illegal, the law only applies to ones purchased on or after the date.

New labelling including safety warnings

All bottles and devices must now carry safety warnings on the labels

E-cigarettes must be registered

All e-cigarettes and e-liquids must now be registered with the Medicines and Healthcare products regulatory agency.

It will probably mean an end to cheap e-cig products, as they will have to go through proper certification and testing.

Bottles and devices must be labelled with new safety warnings.

Some ingredients banned

Caffeine and taurine (most commonly seen in energy drinks) are now banned from being added to e-liquids. Goodbye, energy boosting vapes.

Any seller not complying with the new laws by May 20 faces up to two years in prison.

A beer brewed to celebrate Leighton-Linslade’s coveted Gold in the 2016-2017 Anglia In Bloom awards is going on sale this week.

Not only was a Gold awarded overall - and several high awards in other categories - but the judges commented that there was a great community spirit in the town.

Now’s the chance to enjoy the fruits of that community effort!

The Friends of Leighton-Linslade In Bloom and Leighton Buzzard Brewing Company have jointly organised the production of a ‘Blooming Gold’ beer.

It is a golden ale, suitable for quaffing after a busy day in the garden, after work or just for pleasure.

The beer will be available from Thursday, May 25, at The Bald Buzzard Alehouse, situated on the right-hand side of Hockliffe Street, about 50 metres past Oliver & Hare.

An In Bloom spokesman said: “So, let’s celebrate the town’s successes by raising a glass, or two!”

More than 60 people who are living with dementia, their family carers, and volunteers, sang at London Luton Airport during Dementia Awareness Week.

People moving through the airport’s departure lounge were greeted by the singers from the Young@Heart dementia café and Stopsley Singing Café during the awareness raising event just after midday today (Friday).

Maria Collins, of the home care company Home Instead Luton and Central Bedfordshire, has organised the Friends With Voices event to prove that people who are living with conditions including Alzheimer’s disease are still able to play a full role in society.

Maria, who also chairs Luton’s Dementia Action Alliance, said: “Traditionally once people have been diagnosed with dementia they are treated differently, friendships end, they and their family carers become socially isolated and stigma surrounds the diagnosis of this condition of the brain.

“By singing at London Luton Airport we are hoping to raise awareness that it is possible to live well with dementia – singing is beneficial and has been shown to have a positive effect on well- being.”

Maria said the event will also support London Luton Airport with its intention to become dementia friendly having recently become a member of the Luton Dementia Action Alliance.

She added: “Having London Luton Airport on board is a major step forward. By helping their staff become more dementia friendly, they in turn, can help spot the signs of confusion and bewilderment and help people who are living with dementia, when travelling through this busy airport to experience it in a calm and dementia friendly way.”

London Luton Airport’s Accessibility Manager Liz Saint-Clare said: “We want everyone who comes to the airport to have the best possible experience regardless of their needs. Ensuring all of our staff have an awareness of conditions like dementia is a key priority and we aim to be fully dementia friendly by the end of the year”.

Friends With Voices is also being helped by local bus company Arriva who supplied transport for the choir from Crawley Green Sports Centre to London Luton Airport.

The choir was conducted by Teela Hughes, from Music24 and John Peace, of the Stopsley Singing Café.

I think Willy Wonka said it best with the words “Come with me and you’ll be in a world of pure imagination, take a look and you’ll see into your imagination.”

But that’s just it isn’t it. We don’t stop to delve into our imaginations anymore, certainly not often enough. In this world of iPads and smartphones many of us - myself included - have forgotten how to relax, how to unwind, how to have fun and how to use our imaginations.

Even when you go to Center Parcs, where there is a plethora of activities for people of all ages and tastes we can be forgiven for thinking we have to cram as much into the visit as possible to somehow make it worthwhile or to glean the most value for money from it.

Of course with so much to do from high wire treetop trails to cycling, bowling, Segway experiences and pottery you are spoilt for choice in that regard.

In truth you could fill every waking minute of your free time at Center Parcs with some form of activity.

But sometimes it is great to just sit back and take a moment, let our imaginations flow and be a little bit old school with our free time.

The company’s newest village resort at Woburn Forest, just a short driving distance for any of the Home Counties and literally down the road from Milton Keynes, is looking more comfortable in its surroundings with every passing year.

The wildlife is growing more accustomed to having us humans in and around the place and have cottoned on to the benefits of hanging around us, namely getting scraps of food here and there - although I’m sure they love the cooing as well. We had seven squirrels visiting us together regularly during the course of our stay and the kids took great delight in naming and feeding them (they swore they could tell the difference).

Opened in 2014, Woburn Forest is the most compact of the villages and is already comfortable in its environment. It has all the usual amenities, thrills and spills and the chill factor with the wonderful Aqua Sana Spa too.

There is a balance to be struck between free time and activities but Center Parcs is just as keen for families to think outside the box too as anyone who has seen their quirky new ad campaign will testify.

To that end, selected guests have been surprised with a Book of Imagination across a period of breaks. Placed in their lodges at the start of their stay, this limited edition book was designed to give repeat guests some inspiration and fire up their imaginations in line with the ad campaign, challenging families to strip life back and enjoy some good old fashioned fun.

The book features everything from a pouch to collect and press leaves from around the forest to games, puzzles, drawing activities and scavenger hunts.

So we made a conscious decision to put away the iPads and the smartphones and we eased off on the conventional activities and embarked on our own little family adventure using the Book of Imagination.

Yes we did some cycling, and treated ourselves to some relaxation in the pristine spa. We even had a couple of meals out at the ever dependable Hucks and Strada (we couldn’t resist some pancakes at the Pancake House either).

But our weekend focused on this book. In fact it took on almost mythical proportions for the kids, like the Neverending Story, as we trekked around doing tree rubbings, scavenging and even built a den near our lodge nestled away in the forest hill.

Some people may overlook Center Parcs, thinking their money is better spent taking to a foreign clime where the odds of good weather are perhaps more favourable. But that is to miss one of the great holiday destinations the UK has to offer and there is no question you get your value for money no matter how you attack it.

I was lucky enough to visit Center Parcs a couple of times as a child and to this day those memories eclipse many of our trips abroad. It was where I bonded with my parents the most, and that quality time is priceless, more so than ever in this fast paced world.

It all depends what value you place on different aspects of your holiday. Sun, sea, sand your bag? Well Center Parcs has got a beach, a beautiful lake full of water sports and if you’re lucky the sun will be shining. But that’s not what it is about.

It is about adventure and making memories which last a lifetime. If I were to hand over this article to the children to finish, it would probably read “We don’t want to go home” written through eyes streaming with tears.

The little one physically held on to the doorframe she was so in love with this wondrous place. If you do choose Center Parcs for your next break, just pear life back for a few days and remember what’s important.

This magical place has a way of making you forget all your troubles and you might only be half an hour from home but it feels like a thousand miles away.

I opened on that great thinker of our time Willy Wonka so it seems apt to close with him too...

If you want to see magic lands, close your eyes and you will see one, want to be a dreamer, be one.

Police are appealing for information following a fatal road traffic collision in the early hours of this morning (Saturday).

At approximately 3.55am, police were called to reports of a collision between a car and a pedestrian on Southcourt Avenue, Linslade.

Emergency services attended but a man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Next of kin have been informed and are being supported by a specially trained family liaison officer.

Anyone with information about the incident, including anyone who may have witnessed a man walking in the direction of Southcourt Avenue prior to the incident, is asked to contact police on 101 quoting ref 64 of May 20.

Millions of us know exactly what we are going to do on holiday - absolutely nothing.

New research discovered five different holiday types and showed that four out of every 10 Brits plan to relax completely on their next getaway - the classic “unwinder”.

The Adventurer is someone who’s on the hunt for an action packed holiday that raises the pulse.

The Unwinder is happy wherever they go, as long as they get the chance to relax in a beautiful new location.

The Epicurean always knows the best places to try local cuisine and will eat anything once.

The Curator is someone who’s always looking for local culture and traditions different from what they see every day.

The Chameleon relishes new opportunities and experiences, feeling totally comfortable whether it’s in a beach or a city.

James McClure, General Manager of Northern Europe for Airbnb said: “We found that nearly a quarter of our respondents said the most important factor to them when booking a holiday was how close they were to a beach or a sun lounger.

“And the main purpose of a holiday was to sit back and relax from the moment of arrival.”

A fifth selected themselves as curators, who spend their trips exploring as much local culture and traditions as possible.

And just one in 10 will ask for a waiter’s recommendation in a restaurant - preferring to pick themselves, an epicurean trait.

Adventurer types say that the activities they’d most like to try on a trip are an extreme sport like hang gliding, or taking an off-road trip in a jeep.

And 15 percent of respondents identified as chameleons, saying they want to keep trying new landscapes and locations wherever they travel.

The study also found that visiting local markets is the most popular holiday activity.

This was followed by checking out local museums and places of interest, and more than a third said they’d be happy spending the whole day lying on the beach.

The poll also asked 500 children aged 6-12 about what they’d most like to get out of their holidays.

Unsurprisingly, more than half chose a trip packed with lots of action and adventure as their number-one type of holiday.

Discovering new adventures topped the list of holiday activities for youngsters, although nearly a quarter said they’d also be happy just to relax on a beach.

Almost six in 10 say they’ve learned about different types of food when abroad, and 25 per cent say they’ve learned a foreign language.

And even a third of grandparents say they’d like to visit a theme park or water park when on holiday - although for the older generation, finding local food is their top priority when on holiday.

The survey of 2,000 parents was carried out via OnePoll to see which holiday type was most popular with British families. Airbnb have a holidaymaker quiz on their Facebook page - http://abnb.co/familytest

Marks and Spencer has upset thousands of its veggie customers by celebrating National Vegetarian Week with a link to recipes - including CHICKEN.

The high street giant sent out emails praising the joys of the meat-free diet and inviting people to click on the ‘veggie inspiration’ link.

But those who did found it went to meat-based recipes including one for a chicken pasta dish.

Irate veggies took to Facebook and said the online error showed a “lack of regard” for their diets.

Dawn James, of Halifax, West Yorks, said: “Very excited to receive your email about celebrating National Vegetarian Week.

“Then totally insulted as a vegetarian of 30 plus years that the links went to recipes and items that were meat based.

“Just goes to show how little regard you have for your vegetarian customers.”

Debbie Worrall Wallace‎, of Motherwell, Scotland, wrote: “Just received an email from you celebrating “national veggie week” and the joys of a vegetarian diet.

“I was delighted until I clicked on the link for “veggie inspiration “ and your first recipe is for chicken courgetti spaghetti!”

However Vicky Barton saw the funny side and wrote: “In an office somewhere, some poor intern is frantically hitting the ‘recall’ button and sobbing.”

M&S said: “It was a mistake by our Web team.

“We’re fully aware of it and other customers have been in touch to let us know. The relevant team are now getting it rectified.”

No sense of Injustice here.

Six years ago NetherRealm started something with it’s reboot of the classic fighting game Mortal Kombat and Injustice 2 is a continuation of their brilliant work.

Mortal Kombat and the DC Universe games have huge popularity so a new release is always privy to intense scrutiny.

The pressure is particularly high given that NetherRealm has been on such a magnificent run of form to use a footballing parlance.

But rest assured Injustice 2 - which was released on Tuesday - comes one step closer to perfection.

There is just so much going on here. I played it for around 12 hours before writing this review and I got the feeling I only really scratched the surface.

It looks and feels superb, as you would expect, but the most important aspect, the fighting mechanics, is where it shines once again.

Fast, fluid and with plenty of depth but also easy for newcomers to pick up and play and pull off special moves, Injustice 2 has it all.

And that’s before you even take a look at the huge roster which will stretch to more than 39 characters including those available as DLC.

Mortal Kombat is represented by Sub Zero and word is more could follow down the line. An important addition in the new game is ‘gear’ which means the gamer can heavily personalise their hero or villain both in terms of stats and looks with elaborate costume upgrades for the first time.

I cannot emphasise enough just how slick Injustice 2 is and it really does reset the bar for the fighting genre.

The superb story mode cinematics - take note Capcom for the next Street Fighter - is genuinely engaging rather than an annoyance.

Everyone has their favourites but the story mode and ability to craft characters really does push you to explore and experiment with the roster.

My only minor beef was the somewhat complex currency system in the gear management but with time and perhaps a tweak this will not interfere with the overall experience. Superb.

Young Britons are putting themselves at risk of loneliness by going without sleep, according to new research.

Normally associated with getting older, scientists have found a link between feelings of isolation and teenagers failing to get enough shut eye.

Those feeling lonely were 24 per cent more likely to feel tired and have difficulty concentrating during the day,

It is believed up to half of young people in the UK are sleep deprived, partly caused by using too much screen based technology.

The problem could even be deadly. Previous research has suggested the physical effects of loneliness are twice as bad for our health as obesity.

It weakens the body’s ability to fight viruses, pushing blood pressure into the danger zone for heart attacks or strokes and increasing the risk of early death.

The study published in Psychological Medicine said restlessness in lonely young people may be due to them feeling unsafe.

Overall 25 to 30 per cent of the 18 and 19 year old participants reported feeling lonely sometimes, with a further five per cent saying it was frequent.

The association with sleep quality remained even after symptoms of mental health problems such as depression and anxiety, were taken into account.

Support needed

Psychiatrist Professor Louise Arseneault, of King’s College London, said: “Diminished sleep quality is one of the many ways in which loneliness gets under the skin, and our findings underscore the importance of early therapeutic approaches to target the negative thoughts and perceptions that can make loneliness a vicious cycle.”

She added: “Many of the young people in our study are currently at university, living away from home for the first time, which can compound feelings of loneliness.

“It is therefore important they receive appropriate support to address these feelings before they turn into severe mental health problems.”

Researchers used data from the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study, a group of 2,232 twins born in England and Wales.

They measured loneliness by scoring responses to four questions: ‘How often do you feel that you lack companionship?’, ‘How often do you feel left out?’, ‘How often do you feel isolated from others?’ and ‘How often do you feel alone?’

They also measured sleep quality in the past month, including the time it takes to fall asleep, sleep duration and sleep disturbances, as well as daytime dysfunction such as staying awake during the day.

Loneliness was defined as a distressing feeling that people experience when they perceive their social relationships to be inadequate.

This is distinct from the concept of social isolation, as people can be socially isolated without feeling lonely, or feel lonely despite being surrounded by many people.

While the effect of being lonely is well documented among the elderly, it is a common problem for young people too.

The Mental Health Foundation reports loneliness is most frequent between the ages of 18 and 34. Despite this, little is known about health problems that are associated with loneliness among young adults, or the impact on sleep.

Safety fears

One of the proposed reasons for restless sleep in lonely individuals is the possibility they feel less safe.

The link between loneliness and poor sleep quality was almost 70 per cent stronger among those exposed to the most severe forms of violence such as sexual abuse, child maltreatment and violent bullying by family members or peers.

Previous research suggests loneliness is associated with changes in circulating levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Physiological arousal resulting from this process may play a role in the disrupted sleep.

Added co author Timothy Matthews, a PhD student: “We also found past exposure to violence exacerbated the association between loneliness and poor sleep, which is consistent with the suggestion that sleep problems in lonely individuals are related to feeling unsafe.

“This makes sense as sleep is a state in which it is impossible to be vigilant for one’s safety, so feeling isolated from others could make it more difficult to sleep restfully, and even more so for individuals who have been exposed to violence in the past.

“It is therefore important to recognise loneliness may interact with pre existing vulnerabilities in some people, and these individuals should receive tailored support.”

Alternate Universe Comics gave hundreds of comics away at the beginning of May to mark the world’s Free Comic Book Day.

The comic book store in Hockliffe Street celebrated the day by giving away hundreds of popular comics to customers.

Manager Tushar Vajir said: “It was a successful two days, we all had a lovely time and we gave hundreds of comics away. We even sold out really early of some of the comics.

“We had loads of new customers popping in and we had people dressed up outside the shop.

“On Saturday we had people dressing up n Star Wars themed costumes and on Sunday the theme was Deadpool. They were walking up and down town and in front of the shop.”

SPAR is recalling its Tikka Chicken Chunks because it may contain small pieces of glass.

This could of course present a safety risk, so the supermarket has advised customers to not eat the product - instead returning it to the store from where it was purchased for a full refund.

The affected products are a pack size of 140g with Use by date of 19 May 2017, and bar code: 501035823355. No other SPAR products are known to be affected.

Hordes of pesky visitors could be invading homes this summer as freak weather conditions will mean a bumper season - for INSECTS, experts say.

An exceptionally mild winter, combined with an early and warm start to spring, have created ideal breeding conditions for a boom in the bug population.

As a result, experts say the number of wasps, flies, ants and fleas could be about to soar.

And homeowners are being urged to keep good hygiene habits and take suitable precautions to try and avoid an infestation over the summer.

Ian Urquhart, who runs Advanced Pest Management, said, “The numbers of many pests in the UK are naturally diminished by cold winters, but the weather has been very different this year and it has been much milder than normal.

“Many will have come out of hibernation early to seek food and begin the reproduction process, and that will have continued through a warm spring.

“Pests that would usually remain dormant for much longer could have become active sooner, potentially leading to more prolific breeding trends and a larger population.

“We will only know for sure later in the year, but it could be that we are facing a bumper season for insects.”

His prediction follows another winter with above-average recorded temperatures, with the average temperature for winter 2016/17 recorded as a mild 5.0 degrees.

Similar conditions after winter 2015/16 contributed to a spike in summer pest activity and Mr Urquhart, a committee member for professional register Basis Prompt, believes this year could see even more.

He added: “Most insects benefit from warmer weather, which allows for longer periods of ideal conditions for egg-laying and hatching.

“The mild winter will have allowed more fly pupae to survive and hatch as soon as the warmer weather sets in, while ants are likely to emerge in greater numbers as temperatures rise.

Mr Urquhart also predicts an increase in the number of wasps this year, following a warm and dry autumn in 2016.

He said, “Female wasps usually die off as the queen enters hibernation, but their activity last year will have continued well into the autumn.

“This will have given them more time for breeding and will enable more queens to come out of hibernation this year.”

Stephen Jacob, chief executive of PROMPT, said, “Pests are always on the lookout for food so cleaning up mess and ensuring bins are emptied regularly are simple precautions that we should all be taking.”

Golfers were screaming in Leighton Buzzard last week after a 3ft snake was spotted slithering on the course.

David Coleman was working at Leighton Buzzard Golf Club on Tuesday morning when he heard a woman’s scream.

He said: “These ladies were screaming. I went down to investigate what was happening and I saw that it was a metre-long grass snake.

“I was absolutely gobsmacked at how long it was.

“After realising that it was a snake, I was looking to check that it hadn’t been feeding, as we have toads and frogs in the pond.

“I googled it to make sure it wasn’t an adder.”

David believes the snake was migrating from one habitat to another when it was seen on the golf course. It struck back several times while a golf club was waved at it.

David said: “The snake had an attitude because the ladies were poking at it. I gave them a little telling off later but they just didn’t know what to do at the time.”

After being left alone, the snake slithered away and has not been back to Leighton Linslade Golf Club since.

Julian Clare of Wrigglies Exotic Pets Store identified the reptile as a grass snake.

He said: “In the event of encountering a snake in the wild, no matter where you are, take a little time to enjoy it as you’ve been very lucky.

“Snakes are generally very shy and secretive. The UK only has one venomous snake – the Adder – and these are of no threat to a healthy person,

“What you should do is simple and that is nothing. The more you interfere with a snake in the wild, the bigger the chance you have of being bitten.

“Even a grass or smooth snake will defend itself if cornered or roughly handled.”

A new TV series is looking to talk to couples whose love goes against their parents or families wishes.

Love Against The Odds aims to look at how British culture is changing through the love and relationships of the country’s young couples.

The show’s producers - who are also responsible for My Kitchen Rules; Back to the Land with Kate Humble and Micky Flanagan’s Detour de France - want to hear from anyone whose parents believe their offspring are dating “The Wrong Kind of Person”.

That could mean a partner being from the “wrong” race, class or religion, or could apply to gay couples or even if there is a significant age difference between the couple.

Basically, “If your family doesn’t like your partner and they don’t want you to stay together, then we’d like to hear your story,” say 7 Wonder, likening the situation many couples find themselves to that of Shakespeare’s tragic duo Romeo and Juliet.

You can find out more at www.loveagainsttheodds.com or you can email Charlieclare@7wonder.co.uk, or call 020 3701 7342.