Apparently a fear of heights is the single most common phobia affecting us humans.

CLICK THE GALLERY LINK ABOVE TO SEE PICTURES OF WOBURN FOREST AND THE DROP

Nearly one in 10 are afflicted and that spectrum ranges from not liking them to being downright terrified at the prospect of even climbing a ladder.

I’d say I probably sit towards the upper end of the scale and have got worse as I’ve got older for some reason.

But one of the most liberating and exciting experiences I’ve had in my life at nearby Center Parcs Woburn Forest has changed all that.

Center Parcs has come a long way since its first Village opened at Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire over 30 years ago in July 1987.

Now in 2018 there are five Villages to choose from across the UK including Sherwood Forest, Elveden Forest in Suffolk, Longleat Forest in Wiltshire, Whinfell Forest in Cumbria and the newest addition Woburn Forest in nearby Bedfordshire, a stone’s throw from Milton Keynes.

While each resort aims to have it’s own unique features to sit alongside the usual abundance of activities, restaurants and relaxing pursuits, only Elveden and Woburn have The Drop.

The name ‘THE DROP’ sounds daunting doesn’t it? Well it is to be honest, especially as you approach it and realise it’s even higher than you first thought.

The sense of fear, anticipation and excitement is ramped up as you are harnessed in the necessary gear, checked and treble checked by the super friendly staff.

The Drop is billed as the ultimate test of bravery and I’m a bit of a coward to be honest! But with my 10 year old daughter joining me for the experience I could make her go first.

Of course I’m joking... but she did seem to be talking me round a lot more than I did her!

I tried not to read too much about it before taking it on as I didn’t want to put myself off and my first thought was that you get up to the top and take it in turns to drop from a great height, dust yourself down and get back to the Pancake House to celebrate.

Well there’s good news and bad news if you’re scared of heights. The bad news is this adrenaline-fuelled activity takes you one way up a 10 metre outdoor tower, then gives not one but FOUR challenges and SEVEN drops in total to make your descent back down to ground, with different levels to test your bravery. The good news is that means it is brilliant value for money and believe me when I say this will be one of the best things you have ever done.

On one side of The Drop tower is a double drop zip wire. This offers a gentle start to proceedings easing you in but it still takes some will power to push off from the edge and the relief is immense as you glide down to the floor.

Then comes the quick jump and this ramps things up a lot as you step off the wooden platform backwards and experience a zero gravity freefall before the harness takes your weight and lowers you to the ground. It’s exhilarating but brief.

Then came the bit which made it for my daughter and I - and our family cheering us on below - the Leap of Faith. Here you jump from the platform towards a punch bag dangling in mid-air and try to grab it and hang on before letting go and being lowered back down to earth. There’s an element of Ninja Warrior meets Total Wipeout about this but when you are up there there’s no Chris Kamara or Richard Hammond cracking funny jokes.

Instead you are left in the hands of The Drop’s intrepid staff. These guys, besides being hilarious and very thorough, could moonlight as stand-up comics and they really do put even the most terrified of Droppers at ease (being told you’ve been signed up to the extreme package never gets old!).

In fact I’d go as far as to say they make the experience what it is. After repeatedly telling them I was a health and safety inspector when they asked what I did for a living, I decided to go first and it took every ounce of courage I had to leap from that platform.

I think I used all my energy up just persuading my body to jump because I didn’t seem to have any left as I grabbed the bag and it instantly slipped from my grasp (no it has nothing to do with my lack of upper body strength and general conditioning... I’ll let you be the judge from the video above).

Then came the moment which made my entire break, standing below watching and filming as my daughter, one of the world’s worst worriers flew off the platform and grabbed the bag to a big round of applause. A special moment I’ll never forget... isn’t it amazing how proud you are of your kids when it comes to things like that. A side note on this one is that you can ask the staff to alter the difficulty of this level, by choosing the distance between the punch bag and the platform, making the leap shorter or longer.

Just as your heartbeat starts returning somewhere close to normal, you move on to the final section, the Air Bag jump.

And this is where you realise the Leap of Faith was a piece of cake.

Standing on top of the platform I watched people enjoying themselves in pedal boats on the lake, cycling in family groups, playing adventure golf and even chilling out in the luxurious Aqua Sana Spa as the steam rose up from the outdoor relaxation pool.

It was then I wondered why the hell I’d chosen this, but I was about to be fully vindicated...eventually.

Here you leap from the platform, with no harness or rope, and freefall until landing safely on a giant inflated cushion. Your nerves - and ability to carry out the correct landing technique - are tested with jumps from the warm-up 4.5 metre platform before moving up to the 7 metre platform and finally the ultimate challenge: jumping off the 10 metre platform.

For this one I let my little girl go first... told you I was a coward.

I said eventually just now because this was the one where people struggled most to actually get themselves off the platform due to the fact it is a freefall. It is hilarious watching someone else going to jump but stopping themselves as their brains and bodies tell them otherwise. I can only liken it to what I imagine it is like to attempt a skydive.

But in hindsight there really is nothing to worry about with the bag making for a remarkably soft landing. The fact you get three goes at this is fantastic but there is no pressure to go to the top of the platform which I thought was great.

Jumping from 10m up and freefalling was truly one of the most memorable experiences in my life but just in case you forget you are handed a cool Drop pinbadge as your medal of honour on the way out.

Of course as ever at Center Parcs you can be as active or inactive, as adventurous or boring as the mood takes you and that is the beauty of it here. There’s a lot to be said for going away to sunnier climes to a luxurious hotel with swimming pools. But once there you are kind of limited to sunbathing by the pool and the various bits and bobs that may or may not be going on in and around whereever you choose to go.

At Center Parcs you have genuine freedom of choice in everything you do which is why it is so popular.

Whether that’s enjoying the Subtropical Swimming Paradise and it’s brilliant slides and outdoor rapids, cycling, bowling, den building, pottery, cake making or just chilling out in the many restaurants and bars or even back at the wonderfully modern lodges, there literally is something for absolutely everyone of all ages.

What sets Woburn Forest apart, though, is The Drop, which is fast becoming it’s unique selling point.

The resort has a lot going for it given it’s proximity to many of the big areas in the Home Counties and Midlands, the fact it is one of the smaller forests and that it is new.

The Drop takes it to another level, though, offering the kind of thrills only experienced on some of the world’s biggest rollercoasters.

Not only was taking the challenge of the Drop a tent pole moment in mine and my daughter’s lives - something we will never forget - it also served to help ease if not fully conquer my fear of heights with no need for hypnosis (although there are that many activities to choose from I wouldn’t bet against it being somewhere on the list!).

Family time has never been better spent than at Center Parcs and Woburn Forest has one of the jewels in the crown with The Drop. And not just for the 10m wooden platform that is akin to a medieval lookout tower, but the staff and other Droppers that take the challenge with you who truly make the experience special.

‘The Drop is an activity available when you book a short break at Center Parcs Woburn Forest, for more information and to book a short break visit www.centerparcs.co.uk

A Scout leader from Leighton Buzzard will represent the UK at a European Scouting event.

Susan James will be attending Roverway 2018, in the Netherlands. Roverway is a gathering of Scouts and Guides aged 16 – 22 from across Europe and will be held at various venues in the Netherlands from July 21 to August 2.

Susan, 55, said: “I’ve been going to international camps since the 80’s, but that was with my group so this is the first big international camp that I’ve been on.

“If I had known I could go to Jamborees when I had the chance I would have gone, my daughter went to the Jamboree in Sweden and I felt a little bit jealous.

“I’m also going to get a bit of respite from being a carer.”

The UK Scout Contingent to Roverway 2018 will be made up of over 300 participants. They will join more than 3,000 other young people from almost all European nations, as well as some from other continents, to embark on nine days of adventure, fun and learning skills for life.

Chief Scout Bear Grylls wished participants the luck and said: “I’d just like to say a massive good luck to our brilliant UK contingent. They are heading off on the trip of a lifetime.

“The diversity of people they will meet will remind us all about what the world has to offer: they will experience new cultures and make many new friends, becoming ever more tolerant and caring about others through this experience.”

A Leighton Buzzard coffee shop is pioneering a revolutionary new form of recycling, turning their used coffee grounds into logs for the fire.

Espresso-Head, Hockliffe Street, has become the first shop in Bedfordshire to partner with Bio-Bean, a clean technology company that can turn a barista’s waste into advanced biofuels and biochemicals.

Around every two weeks the grounds will be collected from the coffee bar and taken to Bio-Bean, London, where they will be turned into logs before being sent back to Leighton Buzzard and sold to eco-friendly customers.

Owner of Espresso-Head, Matt Brown, said: “The logs are basically a replacement for wood burning fuel, so you can use them for open fires, barbecues, etcetera.

“One coffee log is made from the grounds of 25 cups of coffee. It burns harder and longer and prevents the grounds from going into landfill.

“They provide 20 per cent more energy than burning wood and are a clean fuel , being carbon neutral.”

Matt is also proud to be partnered with Cawleys, a waste management company based in Luton who will transporting the grounds to Bio-Bean.

He said: “They go away in a special biodegradable sack and Cawleys transport it down to Bio-Beans, who process it.

“It’s quite a long winded process; they refine it, dry it out and remove the oils.”

But that’s not all! The team at Espresso-Head are working with Leighton Buzzard business, Love Candle & Wax Melts, who dry out the grounds to create a coffee scent, while Matt has been donating grounds to local gardeners and charities who use them as a fertiliser.

Matt added: “The customers love the the logs - they know we are environmentally responsible.”

>A bag of 16 logs is available for £9. To collect some grounds for fertiliser, bring a container to Espresso-Head.

Oh my God...it’s the game of the year.

There aren’t many occasions when playing or reviewing a video game when you feel the developer has found perfection... but this is one of them.

If this review was written by someone from The Only Way Is Essex it would probably read something like OMGOW... Oh My God Of War.

And while that would go a long way to succinctly describing just how absolutely unbelievably bloody brilliant God Of War is... I have to put a little more meat on the bones.

What I can’t possibly do here is use all the adjectives and superlatives GoW deserves as what will surely be the Game of the Year for 2018.

For those that don’t already know or are new to the GoW franchise, it is an action-adventure mythological third-person game by Santa Monica Studio exclusive to Sony.

But all you really need to know are three things.

1) If you like video games, you will love GoW.

2) If you have a PS4, you MUST buy GoW.

3) If you don’t have a PS4 you need to buy a PS4 so that you can buy GoW.

It is the eighth instalment in the God of War series and this time it is based loosely on Norse mythology rather than Greek mythology.

Title character Kratos - the former Greek God of War - returns with his young son Atreus and the storyline comes in after the death of Kratos’ second wife and Atreus’ mother.

They journey together to fulfil her promise and spread her ashes at the highest peak of the nine realms.

Kratos keeps his troubled past a secret from Atreus, who is also unaware of his true nature of being a god. Along their journey, they encounter monsters and gods of the Norse world.

And this is where you come in.

It really is difficult for me to add anything significant to the universal acclaim that has greeted GoW’s release. So I will just highlight what I feel are the key points.

You get outstanding value for money in what is one of the most well-rounded, well-written and perfectly executed games I’ve played. It took me around 40 hours to complete.

I cannot find anything remotely negative to say about GoW, it really is that good. From it’s sublime presentation, graphics and gameplay to the enthralling father-son relationship between Kratos and Atreus.

Combat is slick, fluid and progressive while Kratos’ abilities make him an absolute riot to control in battle.

Fictional Midgard has style and plenty of substance as it is jam-packed with enjoyable side quests.

The only bad thing about GoW is that it ends. Enjoy every minute while you play because this is truly one of the greatest games of all time.

Spring has seen a baby boom at Bedfordshire’s Woburn Safari Park.

Woburn’s lovable new faces include little red-necked wallabies, two addax antelope babies, two eland antelope calves and two adorable ring-tailed lemur babies.

The first lemur was born to mother, Kirindy, and father, Berenti, in March, and now resides with his family in the walk-through Land of the Lemurs enclosure. His half-sister was born to mother Sambava just a few days later. The park’s lemurs all have Malagasy names, which is the national language of the species’ native Madagascar.

Animal keeper, Louise Moody, said: “It’s great to see so many new arrivals at Woburn this spring.”

Keepers have also welcomed two beautiful female addax calves within days of each other. Amelie, gave birth to a male on a March afternoon and keepers were overjoyed when they arrived at work to discover that Forest had also given birth to a female calf just a couple of days later.

Native to the Sahara Desert, addax are a critically endangered species and there are thought to be less than 300 individuals left in the wild.

Two female elands have been blessed with babies too, as Nickie and Nacky have both given birth.

There have also been lots of new babies in the Foot Safari’s Australian Walkabout enclosure, home to red-necked wallabies and greater rhea.

Some of the new ‘Joeys’ are still very small and hairless, and families can often spot them with their faces peeking out of their mother’s pouches.

Visit www.woburnsafari.co.uk

Members of a Leighton Buzzard cheerleading academy have tasted success at a cheerleading competition.

TFG Cheerleading Academy, which holds sessions at Cedars Upper School in Mentmore Road, on Monday evening, entered two teams in the competition, held in Gloucester.

It was the first time the TFG Allstars teams had competed in a competition and the Teenies team - aged nine and under - came second, with the Junior A team - aged 12 and under - coming fourth.

Kealey Gavillet, of TFG Cheerleading Academy, said: “This is a great sporting achievement for these girls.

“They have been training since September for an hour a week for the Teenies and and hour-and-a-half for the Junior A team and I’m very proud of them.”

The cheer academy also has recreational teams and gives performances round the town, including at the Big Lunch in June, as well as fundraising for the Teenage Cancer Trust..

Kealey added: “The sport is all about working hard to gain success, team work, team spirit, socialising, praise - we praise the other teams as well - and building up confidence.

“It’s very different to American cheerleading and it is getting bigger and bigger in the UK.

“It is something that you can carry on into college or university and into adulthood.

“I have two other coaches and space to expand so if people would like to have a go they can get in touch.”

For more information go to www.facebook.com/tfgcheerleading

Great Brickhill made a winning return to Cherwell Division 1 with a 77-run win over Challow & Childrey.

On a superb day for cricket, Brickhill posted 242-9, with captain Doug Aris top scoring with 70 and continuing his fine form from the end of last season. Jilesh Pattni and Austin John opened up with solid 30s and Garth Davson chipped in with 39 to put together a strong all round team batting display.

In response, Challow were dismissed for 165 in 40 overs as Brickhill chipped away at the innings, taking wickets regularly and preventing the visitors from building partnerships and momentum. Garth Davson led the bowling with a commendable 4-41.

Next week, Brickhill travel to Cumnor.

It wasn’t such a fine start for Great Brickhill 2nds though as they were beaten in a closely fought match at Banbury 3rds.

Winning the toss, Brickhill worked hard to restrict Banbury to 164-5 in their allotted 50 overs, led by a stand-out performance with the ball from Jack Woodhouse, whose ten overs featured eight maidens and went for four runs. Brickhill fell 30 runs short despite an excellent 50 from Chris Jones.

Great Brickhill 3rds lost in quick order to Lidlington CC, posting a disappointing 72 all out on a Stoke Hammond wicket that offered considerable assistance to the visiting seamers. Andrew Robson offered solid resistance, with 25 runs including a thunderous 6, while the emerging and highly talented Dylan Cilliers was unlucky to be left stranded as the innings collapsed. Lidlington chased the target down for 4 down off 26 overs.

GBCC Sunday 1st lost a competitive fixture at Ickwell on Sunday. On a stunning afternoon at this most scenic of grounds, Ickwell won the toss and elected to bat, a decision that proved important as the visitors toiled in the heat.

Brickhill bowled tidily in spells, with James Wagg (0-27) and James Aldridge (2-53) looking dangerous early on, but the middle overs proved costly as the shine left the ball and it was left to Iqbal John to lead the fight back with a superb 4-26 that saw the home side dismissed for 216.

Nimesh Cavda made a big contribution in the field, taking a wicket and two catches, including an almost unbelievable grab at mid wicket. While 216 looked no better than a par score, Ickwell’s opening bowlers wreaked havoc, reducing Brickhill to 36 for 5 before Iqbal John (63) and Dylan Cillers (16) led a second spirited fight back that had Brickhill in contention for an unlikely win. A further flurry of wickets put paid to Brickhill’s resistance, however, and the visitors folded 70 runs short.

Rotten Row was bathed in sunshine for the first competitive Sunday League game of the season and the match was watched by many enjoying the wonderful Bank Holiday weather. Brickhill II’s won the toss and elected to field.

After a solid start, Bedford II’s were restricted to 167 off 35 overs. Adam Hanley was the pick of the bowlers with 5 wickets on his Sunday debut for a credible 41 runs. Captain Gary Phillips was ably supported with wickets from Jonny Waters (1), John Boyd (1), Tom Wilkes (1) and Chris Wagg (2).

In reply, Brickhill fell short of the run chase by 16 with top scores from Luke Lathwell (36), Waters (24), Phillips (20) and Hanley also impressing with the bat with 19. A losing start with but some impressive performances which gives hope for the season ahead.

The glorious bank holiday weather ensured a record crowd descended on Leighton Buzzard to enjoy the annual May Fayre today.

Many thousands of visitors enjoyed the festivities which were split between the High Street and Parson’s Close Recreation Ground.

There were several new acts including strong man The Mighty Smith, Zoot the stiltwalker, and gun dogs.

The activities began at 10am when the fayre was officially opened by Air Commodore Gordon Moulds CBE.

The excitement carried on until 5pm.

Leighton-Linslade Rotary Club organised the event and most of the proceeds from this year’s fayre will go to its ‘Yes We Can’ disability sports programme.

Richard Johnson OBE, President of the Rotary Club of Leighton Linslade, said: “There was a record number of people, it was the hottest day in memory [for the event] and it was a fantastic experience for everyone.

“Leighton-Linslade showed its true community spirt and established itself as a destination venue for community entertainment in line with its place as the capital of Central Bedfordshire. Rotary thanks everyone whom made this a truly special day.”

What did you think of the event? Email news@lbobserver.co.uk

> See the May 8 issue of the LBO for a picture special from the event.

A massive 121-run partnership between Greg Proudfoot and Phil Whatmore ensured Leighton Buzzard Town made a winning return to Cherwell Division 2 on Saturday.

Missing out on promotion back to the top flight last season, Leighton took on Horspath 2nds, who were relegated from Division 1 last time out.

But it appeared from the early exchanges that Horspath would be a formidable team this season as they removed both Leighton openers for just six runs.

First, Tom Lights was caught behind from the bowling of Tyrone Eyles before the same man scattered Richard Raine’s stumps, leaving the visitors 6-2.

That brought Proudfoot and Whatmore to the crease though, and not only did they steady the ship, but their partnership was the basis of Leighton’s victory.

The pair spent nearly two hours together in the middle, and between them fired 15 fours and three sixes to leave Horspath toiling in the afternoon heat.

Proudfoot eventually fell having rattled off 61 runs from 76 balls, with Jehan Mohammed making the breakthrough.

Whatmore went just 15 minutes later for 64 from 84 balls. But Leighton were in a much healthier position at 141-4.

But there was still a cameo to come from Dan Scott (30), and though Jehan would go on to take 3-36, the closing partnership between Antony Francis (32 not out) and Jack Kempster (32 not out) saw the home side close on 255-6 - a distinct recovery.

Just like in the first innings though, Horspath made a terrific start, much to the frustration of Leighton.

Dominic O’Connor was the star of the show for the home side, and with Jamie Stead helped them to 43 for the opening wicket.

O’Connor comfortably top-scored for Horspath as he scored 90 from 127 balls, thanks in no large part to 16 fours, but Leighton’s bowlers were doing the business at the other end, mopping up his partners.

Alan Priestly (2-44) took care of Jehan and Stephen Green, while Francis took out O’Connor with the hosts 169-6.

Lee Selfe ended with strong figures of 2-33, while Tom Pope, having taken out Stead early on, then took thre ewickets in the Horspath tail, to finish with an excellent return of 4-49.

It meant Horspath’s total of 228 was well short of the victory mark, and saw Leighton take 25 points for their efforts on the opening day.

The result sees Leighton sit second, albeit on alphabetical order, in Division 2.

In Division 5, Leighton Buzzard 2nds were soundly beaten by newly promoted Aston Rowant 3rds at Bell Close.

Phil Barnett hit a brilliant unbeaten 112 for the visitors as they raced to 250-6 from their 50 overs.

Tharindu Dilun Dias, pictured, was the top bowler for Leighton as he picked up 3-47, but there were precious few highlights with the bat as Leighton collapsed to 122. James Raine’s 40 was the top score.

A Leighton Buzzard family is paying a special tribute to their gentle son and brother who died in a tragic road accident, leaving “a huge hole” in their lives.

Tynam Scarborough, 26, was driving down the A41 Aston Clinton bypass on April 11 when his car was involved in a collision.

The former Cedars Upper School pupil was killed at the scene, and now his family are taking time to remember what a loving person Tynam was and the kindness he showed to all those who knew him in the Leighton-Linslade community.

Tynam’s mother, Dawn, 49, said: “Tynam was a beloved son, brother, boyfriend, nephew, cousin and friend.

“He was always extremely polite and well mannered, a real gentle soul, and he was well liked by his co workers.

“We have amazing memories to cherish and we will keep him in our hearts forever. We will never forget him. He was such a bright light in our lives.”

Tynam was born in St Albans but was originally from Hemel Hempstead.

The family moved to Leighton Buzzard when he was three years old and Tynam had a happy childhood attending Brooklands Playgroup, followed by Leedon Lower, Brooklands Middle, and Cedars Upper schools.

Dawn remembers: “Tynam was a very bright boy. He was very outgoing and was happy and always smiling.

“He enjoyed reading, and wrote poetry and stories.

“He liked the gym when he was in the mood and enjoyed playing badminton. He was a good artist and loved to sing in the house. He was an avid gamer and loved playing with his siblings at home.

“More recently, Ty suffered quite badly from depression, and the past year had been especially tough on him.”

Tynam previously worked for Costa Coffee in Leighton Buzzard High Street and was more recently an employee at Euro Car Parts, Grovebury Road.

As well as his mother, Dawn, and father Jamie, 50, (who lives in Lowestoft), Tynam leaves behind his siblings Imogen, 27, Macy, 22, Honor, 16, Evan, 16, and Liberty, 16.

Honor wrote a heartfelt tribute to her older brother. She said: “It’s almost as if time has stopped now that you aren’t around.

“I knew that losing you would hurt but never before have I experienced such pain.

“I am so thankful to have had you in my life for so long yet no amount of time would have ever been enough.

“A part of me has now been lost and cannot be regained. You were not only my brother but my best friend.

“I miss your cheesy grin, your laugh and your stupid jokes but most of all I miss your warm hugs. 

“Ones that made me feel safe and like everything was going to turn out okay. No words could ever describe how important you were to me and how magical our relationship was. 

“Thank you for teaching me everything I know and for supporting me the best you possibly could. Thank you for always giving up your time when I needed you. And thank you for being the type of person I’d want to be when I grow up.

“I miss you more than you could possibly imagine and I hope you rest peacefully. I’ll make you so proud. I love you Tynam.”

Dawn concluded: “We really appreciate all the support and lovely messages from people who knew Tynam, or Ty, as he was known by mostly.

“He was my eldest son. I adored him and his siblings did to.

“We feel lost without him. We have a huge hole in our family now sadly. We all miss him terribly.

“We held a small private funeral and he was buried in Vandyke Road Cemetery.

“We have a nice place to visit him now which will be very comforting to our family and friends.”

The family is fundraising to help cover the costs of the funeral, and so as Tynam can have a special gravestone. Any additional money raised from their £2,000 target will go to the Samaritans.

If you would like to make a donation in his memory, please visit: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/dawn-scarborough?utm_id=2&utm_term=QdM5YAaVp

Scott Reynolds has resigned as manager of Leighton Town with immediate effect.

Reynolds, who took over the job in November 2016, helped guide Town away from the SSML Premier Division relegation zone to a mid-table finish before embarking on a promotion charge this season.

Town reached the quarter finals of the FA Vase, and narrowly missed out on promotion with a fourth place finish. Reynolds guided his side to a remarkable run early in the year, winning 12 games in a row.

Reynolds' last action was to dish out the Player of the Year awards at the club on Sunday night.

In a statement released by Leighton Town, the club said applications for the manager's replacement should be sent to the club by next Monday.

A club statement read: "The club are disappointed to report that yesterday First Team Manager Scott Reynolds resigned from the position with immediate effect.

"The club would like to thank Scott for his hard work and commitment over the last two seasons and wish him and his family well for the future.

"Importantly, the cub need to fill the position as soon as possible and expressions of interest and CV's from managers and coaches with a proven track record of success at Step 5 and above should be sent to the club Chairman by Monday May 14."

Applications have opened in a Bedfordshire police search for new recruits.

As well as continuing to recruit police officers, the county’s police are also looking to recruit detectives as part of a new Accelerated Detective Constable Programme (ADCP).

The programme, which has not been run before in Bedfordshire, will see successful applicants completing 16 weeks of training and a two year probation period. After a year as a PC, if they meet the necessary requirements, they can complete training needed to obtain a qualification to enable them to become a detective.

Three information evenings are being held for people who are interested in becoming a detective:

> Monday May 14 at Police Headquarters in Kempston from 6.30pm – 8.30pm

> Thursday May 17, at Luton University (Room G101) from 6.30pm – 8.30pm

> Sunday May 20 at the Rufus Centre, Flitwick from 10am – midday

Detective Chief Superintendent Sharn Basra, Head of Crime & Public Protection, said: “In order to qualify as a detective, successful candidates will complete initial training and work as a police officer in our response and community teams which will take about a year.

“This will give them practical policing experience, and will combine with other skills like curiosity, excellent decision making and the ability to problem solve.

“In their second year they will start their detective training, which gives candidates the opportunity to work with various teams, focussing on priorities for the force, such as burglary, domestic abuse and rape or serious and organised crime.

“We’re continuing to recruit police officers, too, who will bolster the force’s response and community teams. Our officers play a vital role in protecting the public and making Bedfordshire a safe place for all our communities, and we’re continuing to recruit dedicated people with local knowledge who want to make a real difference in the county.”

Recruitment for police officers will close on May 27, and recruitment for detectives will close on June 3, and applicants are invited to complete an online application form.

After a paper sift, successful candidates will be invited to take part in a national, independent assessment that every potential recruit must attend to demonstrate they meet the standards required of police officers. Those who pass the assessment centre will then be invited to an interview.

Visit www.bedfordshire.police.uk

Nuisance neighbours are usually associated with loud parties and overflowing rubbish bins. But even if you think you’re a law-abiding citizen, you could be breaking the law when it comes to the people next door.

Whether it’s picking fruit from a neighbour’s tree which hangs over your fence, to hoovering after 8pm, it’s possible to become an accidental law breaker, says Property Litigation & Dispute Solicitor, Danielle Clements, of Gorvins Solicitors.

Says Danielle: “People are often surprised by what legally is deemed to be a nuisance. Nuisance behaviour is not limited to simply loud music and late night parties. We received a complaint from an individual that was founded on noise from a water feature that was constantly turned on. The persistent noise was an unpleasant distraction that prevented their quiet enjoyment of their garden and could even be heard from their property on a night. Depending on the level of the noise this unbelievably can actually be a legal nuisance.”

Thanks to an increasing number of complaints about neighbourly activities, Danielle has now compiled a neighbour’s charter, which offers guidance and warnings over inadvertent neighbour law breaking.

For example, it’s important not to throw trimmings from an overhanging tree back into a neighbour’s garden without seeking their consent first. This could be deemed to be fly tipping.

You also need consent before attaching a washing line, garden hose or plants to a neighbour’s wall.

And using a neighbour’s unsecure Wi-Fi connection without their knowledge - known as ‘piggybacking’ – could lead to criminal charges under the Computer Misuse Act 1990 / the Communications Act 2003.

A 2014 report by consumer group ‘Which’ found that a quarter of UK adults had had a problem with a nuisance neighbour in the past year.

Danielle adds: “It’s astonishing how careful you need to be in consideration of your neighbours. What may seem like an innocuous action may actually be illegal and many people will not realise this.”

GUIDE TO ILLEGAL NEIGHBOURLY BEHAVIOUR – THE NEIGHBOUR’S CHARTER

• If you intend to attach your washing line / garden hose / plants to a neighbour’s wall or fence obtain consent first. It is your neighbour’s property so their consent is required.

• Bubbling hot tubs which are relaxing for you may not be for you neighbour and could constitute a nuisance due to noise.

• Only cut back tree branches to the extent that they overhang your land. Cutting back into your neighbour’s property is illegal. If the tree has a preservation order you cannot cut any branches.

• Do not just throw back HEDGE/TREE trimmings from overhanging plants without speaking to your neighbour first. Despite the plants belonging to them this could be considered to be garden waste fly tipping.

• Do not take fruit from a neighbour’s tree even if it overhangs your land – THIS CONSTITUES theft.

• Ensure any CCTV cameras around your property do not point at part or all of a neighbour’s land. This could in some cases breach privacy laws under the Human Rights Act and possibly lead to allegations of harassment.

• Smoke – whether from a wood burner in the house, a chiminea in the garden, or a barbecue – can constitute a nuisance.

• Keeping chickens might seem like the “good life” and a good idea but the noise, odour, flies and vermin can be deemed to be nuisance behaviour.

• Be mindful where you position children’s trampolines to ensure that the noise is not too disturbing but also to avoid children (and adults!) being able to see into neighbours gardens and affect their right to privacy.

• Bright security lighting if it shines directly into a neighbour’s property can constitute light pollution or a nuisance

• It is recommended by environmental health officers that noisy DIY should only take place between 8am and 6pm on weekdays, Saturdays between 8am and 1pm and never on a Sunday. Similar recommendations are in place for hoovering and other noisy domestic appliances.

• If you are parking a caravan or motorhome on your drive give some thought to whether the position of the vehicle might affect your neighbours right to light and constitute a nuisance.

• Do not use a neighbour’s unsecure Wi-Fi connection without their knowledge i.e. ‘piggybacking’. Criminal charges can be brought against you under the Computer Misuse Act 1990 / the Communications Act 2003

A teenager who is severely deaf is set to become a singing sensation on YouTube.

Talented Leyla Tuncay, 15, has performed at the Corn Exchange and been signed to an artist development course at the Run Wild Music studio.

The Wootton Upper School pupil cannot hear any high frequency sounds so can only make out the base and beats in music.

“It’s hard work for her filling in the missing bits. She plays the music maximum volume with really good earphones and reads the lyrics to work out what is being said,” said her mum Andrea, who lives in Kempston.

Andrea has the same type of hearing impairment herself and is a teacher of the deaf.

She said: “Leyla has an appreciation that is harder to achieve than hearing people as she has to use what she has to fit the pieces together.”

“She does have difficulties and has to work a lot harder but she just takes it in her stride and always tries her best.”

Leyla, who goes to Wootton Upper School, has been praised by the National Deaf Children’s Society for her talent.

They have selected her to take part in their national Raising the Bar showcase event this weekend.

The Society’s youth development officer Bryony Parkes said: “Deaf children can do anything hearing children can do, if given the right support from the start.”

The Grafton Races and Family Fun Day sponsored by Michael Graham comes to the area on Sunday May 20.

The event will take place at a new venue of Edgcote Racecourse north east of Banbury having been forced from the previous venue at Whitfield Race Course due to the HS2 development.

Equestrian loving hearts are racing as the track is renowned for its incredible gallops. If you know your horses, world-class thoroughbreds Royal Relief and Spanish Steps
were trained there.
Michael Graham is delighted to be a sponsor of the Grafton for the eleventh consecutive year, and if you’re a new-comer to point-to- pointing, you’re in for a treat.
Described as amateur horse racing over fences, at the Grafton gates open at 11am with the first of three pony races at 1pm, followed by the first horse race at 2pm.
Seven horse races will be run over the afternoon.

Away from the track there is entertainment guaranteed to keep everyone amused, whatever their age or inclination. A children’s corner with rides and activities, a vintage car display, birds
of prey, a licensed bar, artisan food market and shopping opportunities galore mean you certainly don’t have to be a point-to- point purist to enjoy the day.

Entry is £10 per adult (children under 16 go free) an visitors can get 20 per cent off the ticket price if booked in advance. For more details visit www.edgcoteraces.co.uk.

Loobi Crafts will be welcoming a Greek mixed media artist to The Craft Studio to host workshops in June.

Antonis Tzanidakis will be teaching four different workshops at The Craft Studio, on Lake Street, on Friday, June 8, and Saturday, June 9.

Lisa Gretton, co-owner of Loobi Crafts, said: “I am very excited that mixed media artist Antonis Tzanidakis will be coming from Greece to teach workshops here.

“He is currently travelling all over the world to teach - Japan, Mexico, USA, Spain, Russia.

“I am honoured to have him visit us as well. He is an incredible, talented mixed media artist, an awesome teacher and has a great sense of humour.

“Anyone who comes to any of his workshops will have a great time and will learn lots of techniques.”

Each workshop will run for half a day, for more information call The Craft Studio on 01525 838535 or email 12thecraftstudio@gmail.com.

Questions are being asked whether Beds Police can handle the growing rate of stabbings in Luton after one young man died and another was injured in separate incidents on Sunday.

A Home Office report unveiled by the Sunday Times found that knife crime has risen 86% in Bedfordshire since 2014, with claims of London drug gangs moving into the home counties and engaging in turf wars with local dealers.

Assistant chief constable of Beds Police, Jackie Sebire said: “It’s true that we are seeing an increase in young people coming to Bedfordshire from other areas, like London, and dealing drugs.

“We have a dedicated operation to tackle this type of crime, as well as a guns and gangs team, the Boson team.

“We are one piece of the puzzle in terms of driving down knife crime, and we can’t do it alone.”

As hundreds of Lutonians celebrated the football club’s league win in a civic reception on Sunday, the day was marred by two stabbings with a murder investigation launched for one of them.

Emergency services were called at around 4.40pm to Bishopscote Road to reports that a young man had suffered a stab wound. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene and has been named as Waryam Hussain, 20, of Bristol Road, Luton.

An eyewitness said: “I’ve got young children and it’s getting to the point where I don’t want to let them play in the street.

“I know it’s probably drugs or whatever, but the fact it’s happening in the street close to where kids are playing is ridiculous.

“As soon as possible, I’ll be moving. I don’t want to live around here anymore and a lot of the neighbours have said the same thing.”

In a separate attack on Sunday, a man was stabbed in the leg just after 3pm in Dumfries Street. The victim’s injuries, although serious, are not said to be life threatening.

The offenders in the Dumfries Street attack are described as three men. One was wearing a white t-shirt with light blue jeans. He was believed to be holding a knife.

The second man was wearing a blue Adidas tracksuit top, a grey cap and dark grey jeans. A third man is described as wearing all grey clothing.

DS Thomas Hamm said: “We don’t believe this is a random attack and we are not connecting it to the incident in Bishopscote Road, that also happened [that] afternoon.”

Last Monday, two teenagers were stabbed in Leagrave after gang violence erupted in the Onslow Road, Vincent Road and Finsbury Road areas. That incident followed earlier reports the same day of acar being chased on Marsh Road by a gang carrying machetes.

in January two men were stabbed in front of horrified shoppers in The Mall.

And in March, 18-year-old Azaan Kaleem died after being stabbed in Hartsfield Road. Four teenagers have been charged with his murder.

On March 29 another man was critically injured in a stabbing incident in St Saviours Crescent.

And in April two men were injured after being shot on Portland road. A number of men have been arrested

Last month, Bedfordshire Polcie and Crime Commissioner Kathryn Holloway announced that Beds Police was “ahead of the curve” in tackling knife crime.

ACC Sebire added: “Any incident where a young person is stabbed or loses their life is one too many.

“We understand that any increase in knife crime is concerning, but as a force we are committed to tackling this issue. We’re working hard to ensure our young people feel safe and don’t feel the need to carry a knife, so we’re doing lots of work in schools. We also run regular days of action, which include weapons sweeps and targeted patrols, to disrupt activity, which I hope also demonstrates that it’s something we are taking incredibly seriously.”

Anyone with information about either of Sunday’s stabbings is asked to call Beds Police on 101. The reference for the Bishopscote incident is 298 of 6 May and the reference for Dumfries Street is 253 of 6 May.

Questions are being asked about the long-term absence of a Central Bedfordshire Councillor representing the ward of Linslade.

Cllr Ben Walker previously chaired the Leighton-Linslade partnership committee, but his attendance record at meetings currently stands at a low 17%. He last last attended a budget meeting on February 22.

According to one source, the councillor has moved to Southampton but Cllr Walker himself has not confirmed this – despite several attempts of the LBO to make contact since last Wednesday (May 2).

A spokesman for Central Beds Council said Cllr Walker had not resigned and they were unaware of his possible relocation.

The LBO also contacted the leader of the Conservatives on Central Bedfordshire Council, Cllr James Jamieson, for clarification on Cllr Walker’s status but so far there has been no comment.

Cllr Walker’s twitter profile shows 28 mentions of Southampton in the past year, including pictures of election canvassing and enquiries about bus timetables, with no mention of Linslade or Leighton Buzzard.

Central Bedfordshire Councillors are entitled to a basic annual allowance of £10,995. Records show Cllr Walker claimed no additions to this allowance in 2016-17.

Cllr Antonia Ryan, Leader of the Labour Group on CBC, said she had raised the question of Cllr Walker’s poor attendance before.

She said: “For centuries our politics has been founded on the idea that the people deserve adequate representation of their interests at every level of government.

“If Cllr Walker has indeed moved away from the area, it is his public duty to notify CBC of this and to step aside.

“If he has not, he is letting the voters down by his apathy towards his office. We call upon him to either explain himself and improve his attendance record, or to stand aside and allow Linslade’s voters to choose a new councillor who has their interests at heart.

“We also call upon his colleagues in South West Bedfordshire Conservative Association to impress upon him the seriousness of his obligations to the voters.”

A professional bodybuilder from Stoke Hammond has won her first competition after a long battle with Crohn’s disease, encouraging others to “achieve their dreams”.

Lizzy Lauder, 41, came first place in ‘Bikini Elegance’ and second in Bikini Ink (tattoos) during a fitness model competition held in Hoddesdon, and plans to compete again at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham .

Lizzy’s triumph comes after her Crohn’s symptoms went into remission at the age of 40, and the ambitious mum jumped at the opportunity to begin training and change her diet so she would be able to participate as a bodybuilder.

Lizzy said: “I’ve always been interested in it from an early age. I’m a personal trainer around the town and often I would see people in the gym – bodybuilders – so I was curious about the physique and what it takes to get to that standard.

“However, Crohn’s disease meant that I couldn’t absorb nutrients very well, and it was a massive struggle to put weight on, for example, I’d have to eat blended prescription food.

“Around the age of 40, my symptoms went into remission and I thought if I don’t do it now, it’ll never happen!”

Crohn’s disease is a lifelong condition in which parts of the digestive system become inflamed and can affect people of any age.

Its symptoms include diarrhoea, stomach aches, cramps, ulcers, tiredness (fatigue) and weight loss which can come and go at any time, often referred to as a ‘flare up’ when they return.

Lizzy remembered one of her darkest moments. She said: “A couple of years ago I was having to inject myself [with medication] every two weeks, having to fight myself every single time to do it.

“I started off with injecting into my stomach but I got patches which had an allergic reaction, so I then did it in the tops of my thighs - I couldn’t move my legs for three hours.

“It wasn’t working out, so I ended up in hospital to have treatment, but before I knew it I had an allergic reaction and ended up in resus.”

However, since Lizzy “became better” overnight, she is determined to achieve as much as possible while the symptoms are at bay, cutting out sugar, sodium and salt, especially during ‘peak week’ leading up to competitions.

The healthy mum eats plenty of meat and fish – even though her daughter’s ice-cream can look tempting – and does weight and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).

Lizzy’s message to others in a tough situation is: “Stay focussed, stay positive; keep hold of your focus and goal.

“My daughter was so excited; she came to watch the competition with a little banner saying ‘Go Mummy’. I felt a little tear on stage.”

Lizzy would like to thank her own trainer, Eddie Abbew.

>To train with Lizzy, visit Facebook page: METAFIT- At Stoke Hammond Community Centre

A father-of-four from Leighton Buzzard has kicked off his writing career by self publishing a debut book about football.

Mark Crabtree, 49, spent two years writing the book, Shine Through The Gloom, and describes a sense of ‘euphoria’ once he had finished.

He says the book is about a non league football club that goes on a giant killing FA Cup run.

He said: “The book is about guys and the problems they go through, it is about pulling together and how working together helps them overcome the problems.

“I’m hoping the book will be used as a vessel to get men talking and open up and realise that they don’t have to do life on their own.

“Throughout the book there are lots of stories designed to challenge and hopefully inspire the reader.

“This is my first book and I have never done anything like this before.

“I would spend a couple of hours on a Sunday writing, once I had finished writing it I felt a sense of euphoria, it was a great achievement for me.”

Mark worked with an artist from Leighton Buzzard, Steve Smith, for the front cover.

He created a charcoal drawing using a picture of Mark’s dad in goal in 1967.

Mark added: “Steve focused his drawing more on creating a vibrant as a backdrop, I then used The Outstanding Web Co, a Leighton Buzzard company, to create the book cover.

“I sent the book to a few people and received some really good feedback, it has all been really positive.”

The book is available to buy as an e-book and paperback and is available on Amazon,