Leaders Shefford Town & Campton were held at home for the first time on Saturday.

Their lead in the Premier Division supported by Sportsform was narrowed to five points with a 2-2 draw against AFC Oakley M&DH who were extending their unbeaten run to five games.

Jim Burnside plus an own goal from Robbie Alder marked the home scoresheet against M&DH replies via Elijah Hukin and Laurence Bentham.

Back into second are Caldecote who won 2-1 to end Sharnbrook’s unbeaten home record. Liam Murray and Sam Julian were on their scoresheet whilst Niko Balde netted for the home side.

Just a point behind in third are Crawley Green Reserves who made it three wins on the bounce with a 4-2 victory at Ickwell & Old Warden.

Rob Newman, Jay Champkins, Graham Clarke and Temitaye Akerele all found the back of the net against home replies via a Danny Fox penalty and a strike from Scott Alleyne.

Also climbing the table into fourth are Wilstead, 3-0 home winners over Kempston Rovers Development thanks to a brace of goals from Colin Marshall and a single strike from Shaun Winconek.

Dropping to fifth are Wootton Blue Cross after they were beaten 3-1 at home by Cranfield United who remain unbeaten. Josh Bamford with a brace was joined on the United scoresheet by Ali Smith against a lone home reply via Kane Griffith.

Stevington who netted the afternoon’s biggest victory with a 5-2 home win over Flitwick Town. Martin Danabrega led the way with a hat-trick and was joined on the scoresheet by Keiran Souter and William Pinney to bring up the nap hand against Town replies via a Ritchie Bevan penalty and Josh Reynolds.

Elsewhere following five straight defeats Queens Park Crescents shared the spoils in a 1-1 home draw with Marston Shelton Rovers. Dominic Parrella scored for the Crescents and Wes Burrows for the Rovers.

Division One supported by O’Neills.

Wixams are now back on top of Division One supported by O’Neills after they claimed their fourth away win on the bounce with a 4-0 victory at Flitwick Town Reserves - who were being beaten on home soil for the first time this season.

Grant Tibbett, Gareth White, Charlie Battrams and Alex Summers all found the back of the net.

Whilst the biggest win of the day belonged to Lea Sports PSG, 6-1 winners at Sandy. Ali Mohiyaldeen, Nathan Prime and Joe Hennem all scored twice against a lone home reply from Matt Johnson.

Elsewhere The 61 FC Luton Reserves lifted themselves off the bottom of the table with their first win of the season, 2-1 at home over Biggleswade FC Reserves. Kwaku Aning and Steve Peterson netted the vital goals against one in reply via Bahador Chizari.

Bedfordshire FA Intermediate Cup Second Round

The biggest win of the day belonged to Shefford Town & Campton Reserves who ran out 8-2 home winners over Luton District & South Beds League side Sporting Lewsey Park. Sam King and Josh Lummis both fired home hat- tricks alongside single goals for Chris Clark and Cameron Sharp.

Also netting a home win over Luton District & South Beds League opposition were Riseley Sports with a 3-2 victory over Christians in Sports thanks to goals from James Jermyn, Mitchell Crook and Josh Poole.

Yet the hat-trick of wins over Luton District & South Beds League opposition was foiled by St Joseph’s who won 2-1 at Totternhoe Reserves for whom Tom Howson netting their lone goal.

For Cranfield United Reserves it was a 2-0 home win over Meltis Albion thanks to goals from David Adderson and Paul Garrett

They will be joined in the hat by Cople & Bedford SA who, after being deadlocked 0-0 at AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College Reserves, won the penalty shoot-out 4-2 thanks to successful kicks from Paul Nigro, Ben Marwood, Gary Canzano and Lucas Banton.

Alas it was the end of the road for Henlow who were beaten 3-0 at United Counties League side Potton United Reserves.

Division Two

Renhold United Reserves are four points clear in Division Two and unbeaten in their last six outings following their 4-3 home victory over second place Henlow Reserves. Michael France with a brace was joined on their scoresheet by Thomas O’Neil and Jonny Richens. The Henlow replies came via Russell Ayles, James Campbell and Jonny Rowe.

However the biggest win of the day belonged to Westoning who ran out 6-1 winners at Luton Leagrave AFC. The game in effect was all over inside the opening 30 minutes has they raced into a 3-0 lead with goals from Ben Hymus, Lewis Wilson and Aaron Turner. Hartley Coleman briefly gave the home side hope by reducing the scoreline to 3-1 but Westoning were to restore their three goal advantage when Wilson netted his second of the afternoon just three minutes from the break.

The home side’s cause was not helped when Del Fry saw red in the 54th minute and, after Cody O’Neil made it 5-1 four minutes later, the scoring was completed with the last kick of the game which saw Wilson net from the penalty spot to claim his hat-trick.

Also hitting six goals were now third place Bedford Albion, 6-2 home victors over Marston Shelton Rovers Reserves. Paul Babbington scored four times alongside single strikes from Ali Bucknall and Pasquale Grasso against Rovers replies via Gary Russon and Lewis Steele.

Elsewhere AFC Oakley M&DH Reserves retained their 100% home record with a 2-1 win over Atletico Europa. Kade Walker and James Grandidge grabbed the M&DH goals against one in reply from Paddy Alimanji.

Whilst Elstow Abbey took their winning sequence to four games with a 2-1 home win over Caldecote Reserves, James Reynolds netting both goals against a lone reply via Nicky Thomas.

Also winning on home soil were CS Rovers, 2-0 winners over Sundon Park Rovers. Connor Darocha netted both goals.

Whilst after three straight defeats Wixams Wanderers stopped the rot with a a 1-1 home draw against Wilstead Reserves. Jordan Benham was the Wanderers marksman against a Wilstead reply from Sean Harrod.

Division Three

Kempston Athletic are now just a point clear in Division Three after they suffered only their second defeat of the season, 5-0 at home against second from bottom side Stevington Reserves who were claiming their first win. Harry Austin led the way with a hat-trick and the nap hand was brought up by 55 year old Clinton Tatham who claimed a brace.

Sitting in second are Black Swan who, after three straight defeats, returned to winning ways with a 9-1 victory at Dinamo Flitwick. Danny McGovern with a hat-trick was joined on the Swan’s scoresheet by Corey Richards who netted twice plus Freddie Bowman, Ashley Gardener, Joseph Grossi and Levi Yearwood. The lone home reply came from Ray Hall.

Just goal difference behind the Swan in third are Harlington who returned to winning ways on home soil with a 3-1 victory over bottom side Wootton Village. Peacre Tracey, Ryan Martin and Farrell Whitman netted the goals against a lone Village reply from Shuan Quinn.

In fourth are Clifton who lost their 100% home record when held to a 3-3 draw by Bedford Albion Reserves. Cameron Lewis with a brace plus a single goal for Ross Donaldson marked the home scoresheet against Albion replies via Josh Emmerton, Brandon Hung and Tom Wade.

For fifth place Lidlington United Sports it was a return to winning ways on home soil with a 3-0 victory over Sandy Reserves thanks to goals from Edward James, Nick Scott and Dale Crocker.

Whilst seventh place Flitwick Town A remain unbeaten on home soil this season after beating White Eagles 3-1, Dave Lyons netting twice and Jason Strong once against a lone Eagles reply from Hincu Ion.

There was also home joy for Caldecote A who won for the first time on home soil this season in beating Shefford Town & Campton A 5-2, who were losing their 100% away record. Tony Norman with a hat-trick and Jake Bruce brough up the nap hand against Town replies via Bradley Vooght and Jacob Jeavon.

An adventurous Cedars Upper School pupil completed a gallivanting guinea-pig challenge to help raise funds for a once in a lifetime trip to South America.

Michael Desmond, 15, of Willowbank Walk, visited as many Leighton-Linslade guinea-pigs as possible in one day on October 8 in return for sponsorship for his World Challenge Expedition to Peru.

The globe-trotting mission will see Michael, along with some of his fellow Cedars students, help with important community projects as well as battle tough endurance tests .

Michael said: “South America is the guinea-pig’s native home, so my mum, Sue, thought I should go round and see the local guinea-pigs to help raise money.

“The owners let me pick the guinea-pigs up and stroke them or let me feed them. They were all cute and cuddly!”

Michael is now organising more sponsorship events to reach his £4,500 target.

His next mission, ‘The Monopoly Board Challenge’ is on Saturday, and Michael is looking for travel companies to sponsor him as he navigates London attempting to visit all the places named on a traditional Monopoly board.

The ambitious fundraiser is also organising an 80s quiz night on November 17 at Brooklands Club from 7.30pm, and half its raffle proceeds will go to Keech Hospice Care.

Michael said: “My World Challenge group and I will be helping and improving the roads so children from Cusco can get to school. We will also be climbing Machu Picchu.”

However, this is by no means the first big endurance tests Michael has completed, as last year he raised £800 to split between Make a Wish, Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, Cancer Research UK and Scottish Mountain Rescue, seeing him nominated for the Bedfordshire Young Person of the Year Award, in which he is a finalist on November 29.

His tasks included coaststeering in Ireland, climbing Ben Nevis , canoeing in Wales, and a 12-hour cycle in Tiddenfoot Leisure Centre.

But now, bigger challenges lie ahead in Peru, as mum, Sue, says she is “very proud.”

To sponsor Michael: www.paypal.me/susiedez1

Enquiries: susiedez1@gmail.com

A Leighton Buzzard pub has signed a petition against proposed parking restrictions to protect the business and help elderly regulars access the premises.

59 staff and customers at The Stag, Heath Road, penned their names in order to persuade Central Bedfordshire Council not to introduce waiting restrictions near the pub.

A public notice published by CBC proposed that there be no waiting at any time in sections of Heath Road, Plantation Road and Talbot Court near the pub.

However, after receiving the pub’s petition, CBC officers suggested that the restrictions could be relaxed to between 8am to 6pm (weekdays). A final decision by councillors has now been deferred to a later date.

Martin Johnson, landlord, said: “I have no objection to the introduction of No Waiting at any time on Heath Road, east side, from the junction with Plantation Road, extending 10m in a northerly direction...and on Plantation Road, east side, from a point in line with the south flank of The Stag, extending south until the end of the drop down curb. I understand the introduction of these will address indiscriminate parking...

“I do however, object to theextension of the No Waiting at any time on Heath Road, east side, from a point in line with the north flank of The Stag, and Plantation Road, east side, approximately five metres north of thenorth flank wall of The Stag.

“The introduction of No Waiting at any time along Heath Road would deter passing trade from stopping, causing a loss of business. As you can see by the petition, the age group are quite elderly and they may struggle to walk a long distance, particularly in winter.”

The council had put forward the proposals to reduce the impact of commuting trips and cut the risk of people being killed or injured.

A Central Bedfordshire Council spokesman, said: “We have consulted on this and have listened to the consultation feedback we have received.

“As a result, we are now looking at new options for this location, and will consult again with all those affected in due course.”

It was a wonderful journey that I didn’t want to end.

The Railway Children opened at the Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury on Tuesday October 31 and had a wonderful old-fashioned romantic feel to it.

All the cast were excellent and the show had its fair share of amusing moments and lines provided chiefly by station master Perks (played by Stewart Wright) and the interaction between the three children Phyllis, Roberta and Peter (played by Katherine Carlton, Millie Turner and Vinay Lad respectively).

Although I had read the book and seen the film both of these were several years ago and so it was nice watching without knowing exactly what was going to happen next.

The mother (played by Joy Brook) was the character I felt I connected with and she portrayed the various sides of her character very well.

The whole show, including interval, amounted to just under two hours and I felt it could have been a bit longer although the pace of the show felt right.

It was good that there were a lot of children in the audience, but not a full house which was surprising, although Halloween may have had something to do with it.

The Railway Children runs at the Waterside through until Saturday November 4, with both afternoon and evening performances (2.30pm and 7pm respectively).

For tickets visit http://www.atgtickets.com/shows/the-railway-children/aylesbury-waterside-theatre/

It's time to cheer for the heroes, boo the bad guys and laugh at all kinds of mania as pantomimes start in our area this month.

Family favourites Aladdin, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk and Sleeping Beauty will be reading the boards at theatres. We present all the shows below.

If you wish to feature in this guide, please send an email to steve.mills@jpress.co.uk with the details of the show including a picture.

A frustrated shopper is concerned for residents’ safety, as he calls for the council to take action over a stretch of road with faded roundabouts.

The motorist, who wished to remain anonymous, argues that three roundabouts, one at the entrance to Lake Street’s shops, one at the entrance of Morrisons, and the other linking Stanbridge Road and Billington Road, are unsafe.

He claims he is particularly concerned that drivers don’t realise there is a roundabout outside Morrisons, while he alleges that some motorists ignore pedestrians who step up to its pelican crossing.

The man claimed: “I can’t really tell how long they’ve been like this – it must be over a year. People just don’t see the roundabout or deliberately carry on and the roundabout signs are also so close and high up; people don’t see them.

“If you come from the south and turn right into Morrisons you take your life in your hands, as at least 50 per cent of the oncoming drivers carry on but the driver turning right has the right of way.

“The council will say they are contacting a contractor - but when will we see action?”

A Central Bedfordshire Council spokesman, said: “Unfortunately we weren’t aware of the deterioration of the lining in Lake Street. After receiving this feedback, we organised for a safety inspector to examine Lake Street and are in agreement that the road lines have deteriorated.

“Over the last two months we have been carrying out carriageway repairs in Leighton Buzzard. Now that these works are completed we are moving onto repairs to road lines. The road line works are due to start next week and will include crossings, roundabouts and give way markings. Please be assured that we have added Lake Street to this list.”

A councillor says he has quit the Conservative group of Central Beds Council because he was unable to speak out on key issues such as the threat to Leighton Buzzard town centre posed by new retail parks.

As reported on Tuesday, Cllr Roy Johnstone left the Tories after years of service to become an independent councillor.

Explaining his decision, he has since told us: “Not only have I left the Conservative group on the council, I’ve left the party as well.”

Cllr Johnstone said he felt like a “lone voice” in the Tory group, and obliged to tow the party line. He said: “There are 52 Conservatives out of the 59 councillors. It’s often proved impossible for me to raise issues and concerns. You are expected to support decisions or risk being regarded as disloyal.

“As an independent, I can be a councillor that isn’t ham-strung, one that can speak out. I’ve been a party member since 1982 and a councillor for a considerable part of that time, so it took a huge amount of thought for me to come to that decision.”

Cllr Johnstone said he had problems nationally with the party’s agenda, including cuts to services and a lack of progress on Brexit.

He added: “And of course, there’s all of the housing being imposed upon Central Bedfordshire. I’m concerned about the housing commission given to the east side of Leighton Buzzard.

“The out-of-town commercial developments that have been granted permission off Grovebury Road could adversely affect the viability of the town centre.”

According to Cllr Johnstone, the Grovebury Road retail parks are the gamechanger that could affect Leighton Buzzard’s future.

He said: “The Land South of High Street development has been talked about for many years. At the time the Liberal Democrat group first brought those plans forward, it was scheduled to be done three years ago and we still haven’t got anywhere near that.

“We’re very lucky in a sense. Our businesses are niche, very few big chains and unusually, they are run by local people. That makes them very attractive to outsiders coming here to shop, as does our market. So, we’ve always had a thriving town centre and new businesses continue to open up. That’s in direct contrast to Dunstable, which has been dead for years.

“The White Lion retail park didn’t damage Dunstable because its town centre was already in some difficulty. It hasn’t had the kind of effect which Grovebury Road could have on a thriving Leighton Buzzard town centre.”

Cllr Johnstone said he intended to stand again as an independent at the next election and is still heavily involved in carrying out constituency work.

A senior council employee is blazing a trail for Leighton Buzzard by putting a popular children’s attraction in the national spotlight.

Leighton-Linslade Town Council’s Vivien Cannon was shortlisted for a prestigious award by her professional body, The Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC), after writing about the Leighton–Linslade Children’s Trail.

SLCC, which represents the clerks and senior officers serving over 5,000 town, parish and community councils in England and Wales, shortlisted Vivien’s article on the children’s trail for the prize for the written best case study in the country at its national conference last week.

Also shortlisted, from a long list of nominations received from county branches of the Society, were articles about Muslim burials in Chesham and a dementia awareness project in Westerham, Kent (the eventual winner).

The judges said they were particularly impressed by the popularity of the innovative children’s trail and the clarity with which Vivien had explained it in an article in The Clerk magazine.

Vivien, Head of Cultural and Economic Services at the town council, said: “It is a privilege to be able to serve the community of Leighton Linslade and I am delighted that the excellent work being undertaken by the council has received national recognition.”

In congratulating Vivien, SLCC Chief Executive Rob Smith said: “Vivien’s efforts and skill in articulating the project are typical of the excellent work being undertaken behind the scenes by parish council staff up and down the country to support their elected councillors in effectively representing and serving their local communities.”

Town Mayor, Cllr Syed Rahman added: “The Children’s Trail continues to prove a tremendous success and we would encourage as many of our residents to enjoy the free activity.”

The public trail contains 22 artworks celebrating children’s stories for little people, with big imaginations, to explore. It is a FREE family activity, that is always available.

For a downloadable map and video see http://www.leightonlinslade-tc.gov.uk/your-town/childrens-trail

There were major delays on the M1 this morning after a section of the motorway was closed following an accident involving three lorries.

Highways England reported the M1 between Northampton junction 15 and Milton Keynes junction 14 southbound is closed after the accident happened in the early hours of this morning.

Recovery work is ongoing through the rush hour.

There are already tailbacks on the A45 approaching the M1.

Drivers are being warned of severe delays and urged to find alternative routes.

There is no information about the accident at this stage.

Children using social services provided by Central Beds Council are to be given access to an app, Mind of My Own (MOMO), which helps them to talk about and influence the care they receive and share concerns and worries about their lives.

Central Bedfordshire is the latest council to invest in the technology which has been co-designed with children and young people. The app uses child-focused language and design to encourage young service users to share their thoughts using a tablet or phone screen.

Central Bedfordshire’s Executive Member for Social Care and Housing Councillor Carole Hegley said: “The MOMO app means young people who use our services can give us feedback immediately and in a way that they are comfortable with. The feedback we’ve had from young people who have already used MOMO is that it’s really easy to use and they like using it.

“We hope that more and more young people will use the app to give us more feedback so we can continually improve our services and respond quickly to any problems raised.”

A postbox in Billington has been taped up since August and villagers have a bee in their bonnet about the ongoing saga.

The Hill View Lane box has been covered in black and yellow tape for months with a sign informing locals that it is out of service and an engineer has been asked to attend.

And the LBO has this week been able to confirm with Royal Mail that the rumour doing the rounds, that the cause of the kerfuffle is a large hive of bees in a nearby tree, is correct.

One resident told the LBO he returned home from holiday in August to discover the postbox seaked off, and said he was bewildered as to why it remains out of use months later.

The villager said: “The tree is about 8ft away from it. There is a hive of wild bees in it and the rumour is a postman was stung or maybe a member of the public.

“There is another postbox in Little Billington or one on the south aside of the hill, but that’s a half mile walk, and the one that’s been sealed is centrally located, and is the principle postbox where most of the population is. Quite a few people don’t actually drive and wouldn’t be able to walk that far.”

Cllr Helen Thompson, chairman of the parish council, said she had contacted Royal Mail but not had a response on the matter.

She said: “I walk past that box most days. I’ve not heard of anyone in the village being stung, so perhaps it was the postman. Why put up a message about an engineer? I’m sure we have beekeepers in the village who could deal with it, but have Central Beds Council even been informed?

“It’s pretty bad that it’s still out of action, it’s the only postbox this side of the hill. We used to have the post collected twice a day, but now it’s just once.”

Royal Mail spokesperson Sally Hopkins, said: “The postbox in Hill View Lane, Billington is currently out of service as there is a large swarm of bees in a nearby tree and there is a risk to anyone using or collecting from the box of being stung.

“The nearest alternative box is in Little Billington, 0.4 miles away. We apologise to customers for any inconvenience. We are regularly reviewing the situation and are keen to reopen the box as soon as it is safe to do so.”

She was unable to confirm when it might reopen and villagers would be able to swarm to the postbox to send their mail once again.

Central Beds Council told the LBO that the bees would not be their responsibility and they had informed Bedfordshire Beekeepers Association about the situation.

Wally Thrale, from the Association, said the group hadn’t been made aware of the issue, but invited Royal Mail to make contact with him.

He said: “It’s no longer a swarm. They’ve taken residence there. Beekeepers can’t do anything about it at this time of year to get them out. If they’ve only been there since August then they may not have built up enough honeycomb to survive winter. It won’t be until March time that they will become active, if they do survive.”

There is more choice than ever when it comes to taking the kids on a day out across the Home Counties and beyond but Cadbury World is still worth going that little bit further.

Cadbury World may have been around a long time - the Willy Wonka-inspiring factory itself since the 1800s - but it still attracts a huge number of families every year.

Seen as a new venture into the leisure industry when it opened in 1990, Cadbury World began its life principally as a public relations tool, but quickly became a popular half-day venue for people of all ages looking for quality leisure time.

The original attraction was very educational and historical-based, with mainly static displays. Over time, Cadbury World has grown to be a family attraction of much bigger dimensions.

It has maintained visitor numbers comfortably in excess of half a million annually but has had to morph its educational offering with some theme park-esque fun to compete with other family attractions.

It has managed to do just that without losing any of the magic and there is a diverse range of things to do during a visit from seasonal events to a chocolatier experience, the Cadabra ride, 4D chocolate adventure and walkabout elements which take you on a journey of chocolate from its Aztec beginnings.

What you do during your visit will very much be dictated by the age of the people in your party but you all end up at the same place, the world’s biggest Cadbury store which is actually reasonably priced and boasts lots of exclusive treats not available elsewhere.

As if the brand wasn’t well known enough it is now one of the key sponsors of the Premier League and it shows with life size chocolate footballs on sale in the store.

One of the highlights of the walkarounds is the mechanical ‘Phil Collins gorilla’ re-enacting the famous advert as he belts out the classic tune on the drums.

The new Purple Planet interactive zone is great fun for the kids and the most modern element of Cadbury World.

Seasonal events like the recent Halloween Spooktacular during the October half-term are ideal for family visits and if the weather is kind there is even an outdoor play park area to enjoy.

A family of five can visit for just under £60 while children under four go free.

The Birmingham-based attraction is often deemed that bit too far for Home Counties dwellers... but the ever evolving Cadbury World still has that wonderful charm which makes it worth the extra few miles.

GT retains its eternal beauty.

GT Sport peels off the make-up but is still beautiful underneath... despite what your mates might say.

The new GT Sport has received mostly positive, but not outstanding reviews so far and I can see why.

From the outset this benchmark setting racer slots in as yet another wonderfully crafted simulation in the best-selling PlayStation series.

It instantly has one up on Sony’s first party racing sim effort Driveclub but actually working at launch but it also boasts beautiful graphics, presentation and nost importantly of all gameplay and car mechanics.

But you could argue that given GT had all that locked down from the original back in 1997 it should be expected.

So what is new to justify it’s existence? Well the game has bene panned for focusing too much on its online offering and neglecting its hugely-popular single-player mode.

And it is true in many respects because my biggest complaint would be that - while Polophony have clearly tried to strip GT back to its roots in many ways - it lacks content as a result.

And that’s a problem for the hardcore GT audience who expect more - not less - with every iteration. If you’re looking for quick thrills, though, I firmly believe GT is still the go-to game and it will always have that eternal beauty and rich history to call on.

Track and car selection can be addressed with DLC in time even if the offering out of the box pales in comparison to the opposition.

When you are playing, though, the game is easily the most polished Gran Turismo yet - and it is finally on PS4.

Most of the boxes are ticked here, GT Sport looks superb, feels next gen and plays great.

The lack of car and track content cannot be ignored and will be an issue as will the Driveclub-esque online-only nature of game. When GT was bossing the genre in the 90s and noughties the competition was not as strong as it is nowadays.

But make no mistake this is the original and premium driving simulator, the racing is better than ever and the attention to detail unrivalled. DLC can fix the other problems.

Discount pub chain JD Wetherspoon has issued a statement after a Twitter account announced that staff would be not be wearing poppies ‘due to expanding multiculturalism’.

The parody account Wetherspoon_UK tweeted: “Due to the ever expanding multiculturalism of our clientele and employees this year our staff will not be wearing the poppy while working.”

But the real J D Wetherspoon account has now announced that the tweets from the parody account are not true.

The pub chain’s statement said: “Yet again, the spoof Wetherspoon Twitter account @Wetherspoon_UK has crossed the line with its distasteful and insensitive tweet about the wearing of poppies.

“J D Wetherspoon is in no way connected with this Twitter account and neither shares nor condones its posts.

“In our opinion, although the unofficial spoof account is stated to be a parody account, tweets like this are simply not funny. #Digitaltrolls” Staff and customers will be able to wear poppies freely in all Wetherspoon pubs.

After the incident went viral, the parody account posted a mocking video showing all the notifications the tweets have resulted in.

Japanese ‘dude food’, Indian tapas and plant protein look set to become the big dishes of 2018 according to a new report.

The 2018 food trends, forecasted by the Waitrose Food and Drink Report 2017-2018, has revealed shoppers’ changing attitudes to eating and shopping.

The supermarket predicts tapas style Indian street food like smoked, grilled or seared delicacies, scallops or pickled ginger, are set to become in vogue for adventurous diners, alongside hearty, indulgent, ‘dude food’ from Japan like yakitori skewered chicken and deep fried tofu in broth.

The report also predicts that plant protein is set to become a must-eat for dieters who will favour plant based proteins like pulses, shoots, grains and seeds for a healthy protein hit.

‘Everyone’s lives are busier than ever’

The report also revealed that as a result of longer, busier days people will gradually increase their intake to four meals a day. This could include a pre-gym salad or a larger mid-afternoon snack.

Jane Orchard, Manager of Waitrose Store Innovation said: ​“​In these few years we’ve seen a marked shift in grocery shopping behaviour. Everyone’s lives are busier than ever. And this coupled with more convenient ways to buy food - especially technological developments - mean people don’t need to plan in advance.”

Waitrose has also predicted that food shopping habits will make a seismic shift with supermarkets becoming a more experiential retail space and the likes of wine bars and supper clubs becoming more popular.

Orchard added: “We’ve all become very used to buying our lunch outside the home. But we’re now seeing that as well as lunch, many shoppers might just as soon stop for a quick, informal dinner out as nip to the supermarket after work. So retailers need to respond to this demand with tempting options that stand out.”

They say remember, remember the 5th of November but it is a time of year your pets won’t forget in a hurry.

Every year eight million pets suffer in the UK because of fireworks and although Guy Fawkes might be a lot of fun for spectators, for our dogs cats and other beloved animals it can be a painful and frightening time.

A best-selling author who lives in Totternhoe has a new series of children’s books coming out early next year.

Susie Davids is a radio presenter and the best-selling author of 20 personalised ‘Signature Gifts’ children’s books.

Recently she’s been signed by ETA Publishing and has a five-book children’s series coming out early next year called Alfie and the Greatest Creatures.

She said: “My goal, right from the start, was to fuse a compelling story with animals and fauna that are as real as they can be in a storybook.

“In fact, it’s so accurate that the hardback version includes National Curriculum-based resources for teachers to use in the classroom. I don’t believe there’s any other book out there like it.”

Susie added: “The rhyming patterns make it ideal for children aged between three and seven – but some of the best feedback I’m getting is from adults! It just goes to show how naturally curious we all are about nature.”

Susie’s love for the natural world and the diverse wildlife that inhabits it was nurtured by her father’s own David Attenborough-equalling enthusiasm for the nature he saw around him.

Her experiences as a child, along with her own love of writing and nature, has prompted her to write these books so she can pass on the same enjoyment and intrigue she experienced as a child.

When Susie isn’t writing children’s stories, she enjoys cycling, socialising with friends and family, or strolling in the countryside with her husband.

The five books in the series include Alfie in the Tropics, Alfie in the Snow, Alfie in the Water, Alfie in the Sun and Alfie and the Lion. They’re available as eBooks, but will be out in a staggered release from February 2018.

Tiki’s coffee shop in Hemel is holding a book launch for Susie on Saturday, November 25.

Visit www.alfieandthegreatestcreatures.com

A ‘clockwork orange’ knitted by a member of Leighton Linslade Library Knitters and Stitchers has found its way to the International Anthony Burgess Foundation.

As part of the Gold Award winning Leighton Linslade in Bloom in 2017, Dawn Dobbins from Leighton Linslade Library Knitters and Stitchers came up with the idea of a display around the theme of “Blooming Good Reads”.

Member Elise Ward knitted ‘A Clockwork Orange’ by Anthony Burgess.

Now her work has found a home in the International Anthony Burgess Foundation in Manchester which is celebrating the centenary of Anthony Burgess’s birth in 2017.

The director of the foundation admired the orange having seen a post on Facebook.

Elise said: “The idea came about because the Leighton Buzzard Library Knitters and Stitchers take part in the Anglia In Bloom competition.

“This year Dawn Dobbins came up with the idea of Blooming Good Reads. The idea being that we picked a book with an horticultural theme and then created our interpretation of it.

“The Clockwork Orange was the first thing I came up with. It took me a couple of days to make it.

“I was amazed that the foundation would want it, but very pleased. It is a good advert for knitting, showing what can be created.”

The group was started six years ago by library manager Colette Searle.

Mr Andrew Lowery III, from Alabama, Texas has gifted two historic First World War brass plaques back to His Grace, the 15th Duke of Bedford that he secured from an antiques shop in Paris during the 1990’s. The plaques will feature as the main part of a display at the War Notes from Woburn event on Sunday, November 12, at The Sculpture Gallery, Woburn Gallery.

In 1919 the 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment presented two brass plaques and two field guns to the 11th Duke and Duchess of Bedford in recognition of their contribution to the war effort. The Duke had set up the Bedfordshire Training Depot in order to train local men for war whilst the Duchess had opened the hospital in which she worked throughout the war. The guns were captured by the regiment at The Battle of the Selle, France. This battle was part of the Hundred Days Offensive, the decisive Allied victory that led to the collapse of the Western Front and the German Empire, ending the First World War.

Nicola Allen, archivist for The Bedford Estates, said: “We are delighted that Mr Lowrey III along with his daughter will travel from Texas to attend our Remembrance event. The plaques are an important part of the history of the inhabitants of Woburn and surrounding areas. The guns are said to have stood outside the hospital and we now know that in 1938 one gun was displayed outside Woburn Town Hall. The guns are likely to have been melted down during the Second World War.

“Woburn Abbey would be very interested if there are any family members locally who have stories or information relating to the men listed on the plaques to contact them.”

In the future, the plaques will be displayed at the Woburn Heritage Museum in the centre of the village.

The Sculpture Gallery, part of the Woburn Estate, will be honouring Remembrance Sunday with a traditional two course lunch and a performance of ‘War Notes from Woburn’.

Highlights include soprano Lili la Scala, who will delight guests with a blend of vintage songs from a bygone era, accompanied by pianist Tom Carradine.

Following a service at St Mary’s Church, Woburn, tea and coffee will welcome guests to the Remembrance Sunday event from 11.30am, before being invited to view The Woburn Estate’s First World War private archive collection and for the first time the brass plaques, which will be on display at The Sculpture Gallery.

The cost to attend this event is £26.50 per person (no charge for Second World War veterans).

For further information about the War Notes Remembrance Sunday event and to buy tickets, call the sales team on 01525 292172 or email sales@woburn.co.uk

If your family are self-confessed big spenders, the BBC is looking for contestants to enter Shop Well For Less which teaches households how to become savvier shoppers.

Produced by RDF Television, the prime time BBC One show presented by Steph McGovern and Alex Jones, is now in its third series of helping families save cash.

The show is seeking outgoing families who want to learn how to save cash on everything from toiletries to gadgets.

The Shop Well For Less entry description said: “We’re on a mission to help families, couples or households change the way they shop without changing their lifestyle.”

“This prime-time series focuses on all household spending other than food, such as clothes, cleaning products, cars, gardens, pets, toiletries, furnishings and gadgets etc.”

Interested families should email shopwell@rdftelevision.com or call 0117 970 7670 to enter.

Applicants must be 18 years and over and the closing date for entries is Friday 1st December.