The Canal and River Trust has confirmed that the bridge on the B488 between Horton and Ivinghoe has reopened.

The historic bridge had been closed for repairs after a vehicle hit it in the early hours of the morning on Monday, May 21.

The Canal and River Trust own the bridge, which is listed, and expected the work to repair the damage to cost the charity thousands. The bridge reopened to vehicles in the first week of July.

The Trust is now appealing for drivers to slow down when crossing over the bridge.

A spokesman for the Trust said: “As a charity the Canal & River Trust, spends around £1million a year repairing our historic bridges that have been hit by drivers and that’s money which, as a charity, we could better spend maintaining and looking after the region’s canals.

“We’re asking for driver to slow down when crossing over these historic bridges and instead of just speeding over the canal just maybe take the time to enjoy the view.”

He swaps the Queen Vic for Sherwood Forest to star in the title role from Saturday December 8 to Sunday January 13.

Join the most heroic outlaw of them all as the arrow-shooting hero Robin Hood strives to win the hand of the beautiful Maid Marion while he and his trusty band of Merry Men outwit the evil Sheriff of Nottingham in a show packed full of comedy, action, adventure and plenty of glitz and glamour.

Brought to you by Qdos Entertainment, the world’s biggest pantomime producer, Robin Hood features all of the ingredients of a perfect pantomime; a fabulous cast and orchestra, laugh out loud comedy, bundles of audience participation, stunning scenery and special effects, beautiful costumes and plenty of boos and hisses for all the family to enjoy.

Away from Albert Square, Shane has starred in the EastEnders spin off Redwater alongside Jessie Wallace as well as appearances on Benidorm, Skins, New Tricks and the revamped Minder.

We chatted to Shane about the show, the joy of appearing in pantomime and being back in Milton Keynes.

Emma Sullivan, theatre director at Milton Keynes Theatre, said: "We are delighted to welcome the return of Qdos Entertainment to Milton Keynes Theatre following the roaring success of Cinderella last year. Robin Hood is a new title for the theatre and with Shane Richie heading the cast audiences are promised a real pantomime treat.

Tickets for the show cost from £14. They can be booked by calling the box office on 0844 871 7652 or visit www.atgtickets.co.uk/miltonkeynes.

The look on my six-year-old daughter’s face when she saw the size of the bed she was sleeping in was just one of the memorable moments during a weekend stay at Warwick Castle.

Warwick Castle has always been a favourite destination for the family. It is one of the most relaxing, enjoyable and entertaining day out in the region.

Now there is the option to stay overnight and extend your visit by an extra day, it makes it all the more special.

We stayed in one of the medieval glamping tents. They are all themed to tie-in with the magic of Warwick Castle and are just a short walk from the castle itself.

Each tent is decked out with a four poster bed and additional single beds – all incredibly comfy – and decked out with coats of arms and decorations. All the tents are fully lit, with wooden floors, power sockets, free Wifi, a mirror and a large oak storage chest.

Outside of the tent, there is a decking area with seats and is set in beautiful parkland with plenty of spaces for children to play in and for everyone to relax and enjoy the view.

Glamping is available throughout the summer, until September 9.

I took two of my children – one aged six and the other 12 – and they absolutely loved their stay.

You can arrive at the camp site at 10am to start your day in the park, check in is later in the day at 4pm. Once there, you are given a code to enter the main parkland through a gate specially for campsite guests – much easier than queuing!

Warwick Castle has changed over the years and there is so much more to do than I remember as a young child.

The highlight, as always, is the castle itself. Both inside and out, it is an imposing and impressive building that leaves children in awe whenever they visit.

Away from the castle, there is lots to see and do.

For my children, their favourite was the new War of the Roses show. Performed in a custom-built arena, it is an impressive and engaging show based on the battle between the Yorkists and the Lancastrians. With jousting, sword-fighting, dramatic confrontations and romance, the show has it all. Performed largely on horseback, the stars of the show are the horses, but the actors are all equally talented and the half-hour raced by. When we were planning the second day, it was first on the list to see again.

There are other shows to see at Warwick – the birds of prey demonstration is excellent and seeing those fantastic birds in the majestic setting of the castle is something special. The trebuchet demonstration is equally impressive – the power of the 13th-century weapon is awesome. For both shows, the quality of the presentation and the information from both speakers was engaging and informative.

Elsewhere, the Horrible Histories Maze was another highlight the children really enjoyed – the love Horrible Histories and the maze captured the balance between humour and history the show is famous for brilliantly.

For those dreaming of being a princess, my six-year-old definitely fits into that category, a visit to the Princess Tower is a must.

A trip to Warwick Castle always feels so relaxing. Although busy, you never feel rushed or cramped. There is plenty of time between the shows and other attractions to just sit and relax in the beautiful grounds.

And, with the added benefit of an overnight stay, you have two days in the castle grounds, so you can take your time and revisit the things you enjoyed the day before.

Dinner at the campsite restaurant is a must – great food, the chance to quiz a knight and entertainment for diners through the evening.

Put simply, we had a brilliant, family-orientated weekend and one that I would thoroughly recommend.

For more information about Warwick Castle and the weekend breaks, visit https://www.warwickcastlebreaks.com

A 20-year-old man who was caught attempting to steal a motorbike at Leighton Buzzard railway station using bolt cutters has been given a suspended sentence following a British Transport Police investigation.

Emmanuel Cummins, of Kestrel Way, Luton, pleaded guilty to attempted theft of a motorcycle, possession of bolt cutters and taking a vehicle without consent and was sentenced on July 2 at Luton Magistrates’ Court to 12 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.

The court heard how on Friday 15 June, British Transport Police officers saw two motorbikes enter the station. As one of them pulled up at the motorcycle shed, BTP officers entered the scene to discover Emmanuel using bolt cutters in an attempt to cut free a parked bike.

Emmanuel was arrested at the scene. It transpired the bike he was riding on was also stolen.

British Transport Police officer, PC Chivers said: “I am pleased to say that British Transport Police Officers worked hard to apprehend the suspect in this act of theft, ensuring a successful conviction and preventing further crime from occurring.”

Cummins was also sentenced for allowing himself to be carried on a stolen vehicle and to attend a 19-day rehabilitation programme. He must also pay a victim surcharge of £115 and court costs of £85.

Two people were seriously injured in a three vehicle collision on the A505 Leighton Buzzard bypass last night (Thursday).

Bedfordshire Police were called at 10.10pm to reports of a road traffic collision involving three cars near Stanbridge Road.

Two people were seriously injured and a third person sustained minor injuries.

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service said: “We were called at 10.17pm on Thursday evening.

“We can confirm that multiple response vehicles attended the incident with three patients transported by ambulance to L&D Hospital.

“Patients were reported to be suffering from chest, leg and back injuries but were all in a stable condition.”

The road was closed in both directions between Stanbridge Road and Leighton Buzzard while emergency services dealt with the collision.

A man from Leighton Buzzard hopes the work he is doing can help save someone’s life after he lost his teenage son.

Chris Sibley, of Regent Street, helped set up The One Life Lost Is Enough (OLLIE) Foundation after his son, TJ, committed suicide in 2014 when he was 16. At the time Chris felt there was a stigma attached to suicide and no-one spoke about it, or how to prevent it.

The OLLIE Foundation is a charity devoted to stopping teenagers and young people from taking their own lives.

Chris said: “When TJ killed himself it was totally out of the blue, he was always the lad everyone spoke to, he had lots of friends and always had a smile on his face.

“After six months I found a support group where I met Stuart and Jane, who had also lost children to suicide, the three of us decided we wanted to create our own charity, based on suicide awareness training and the foundation began.”

The charity raises awareness of suicide prevention and support services available to help young people.

It funds suicide prevention skills training for anyone who interacts with young people.

The aim of the training is to create ‘suicide safe’ communities, creating an ethos of awareness and prevention structured around alertness, intervention and recovery.

Chris told the LBO: “We deliver suicide awareness training sessions to help people to spot any signs, but there are not always signs.

“Sometimes they may give you an opening during a conversation, the training helps people spot that opening, intervention can make a difference. People are more aware now that mental health is a real issue and we want to make it easy to talk about.

“We all felt like we needed to try and help, if we can stop one person from taking their own life then we have made a difference.

“We know the devastation that is left, it has happened to us, that pain doesn’t go away.”

For more information visit: https://theolliefoundation.org/.

Brits may have been basking in the tropical sunshine over the past few weeks, but the downside to the balmy weather is that painful bites by bloodsucking insects have soared.

Calls to the NHS helpline 111 about bites from insects are nearly double the average for this time of year, and senior doctors are reporting incidents of patients being treated in hospital for infected horsefly bites.

Despite the warm weather, experts say standing water – such as garden paddling pools – where insects thrive should be removed.

Dr Nick Scriven, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “We wouldn’t normally see anyone coming to hospital for a bite, but we have seen a few recently needing treatment with antibiotics, which is very unusual.

“A couple of these were infected bites from horseflies. They actually give one of the nastier bites, because they take a chunk out of you.

“They can be very painful, and can take a while to heal, and as a result can get infected and need antibiotics. In the worst-case scenario, they can cause cellulitis, an infection of the skin.”

Blister pain Horsefly bites can result in horrible, painful blisters. “A bite from a horsefly can be very painful and the bitten area of skin will usually be red and raised,”

NHS Choices says. “Horsefly bites can take a while to heal and can become infected. See your GP if you have symptoms of an infection, such as pus or increasing pain, redness and swelling.”

According to the NHS, symptoms of horsefly bites include a larger red, raised rash, dizziness, weakness and wheezing. A part of the body may also become puffy and swollen.

In rare occasions, an allergic reaction to the fly can prove fatal and in 2013 a father of four died suddenly after being bitten by the fly. If you’re bitten by a horsefly, keep the wound clean and apply ice to minimise the itching.

If you’ve ever imagined yourself living in a quintessentially English thatched cottage, then Ivy Cottage in Flitton may well be your dream property.

Tucked away towards the end of a no through lane, this gorgeous Grade II listed family home has been thoughtfully renovated throughout, retaining many period features such as exposed oak flooring, beams and timbers and antique style radiators.

On the ground floor, the sitting room and dining room are both dual aspect with views of the driveway to the front and the garden and flagstone terrace area at the rear, perfect for summertime alfresco dining.

Benefitting from four bedrooms and two bathrooms, the property also has generous ceiling heights, unusual in a country cottage, and a well-equipped kitchen/breakfast room with light grey Shaker style units and a ceramic Belfast sink.

Outside, just under an acre of gardens surround the property and include a greenhouse, summerhouse and paddock area with a stable block, tack room and hay store.

Used by the present owners as a gym, a further detached space could easily be converted into a home office.

Another added bonus is the gravel driveway with parking for up to eight cars.

Named after the river Flit which flows close by, the village of Flitton is around two miles from the small Bedfordshire town of Flitwick which has plenty of amenities and crucially for commuters, a mainline railway station.

London St Pancras will feel a million miles away when you close your front door and head to the station, but once on the train you can be in the city in about 47 minutes.

The property is available for £825,000 through Michael Graham Estate Agents’ Bedford Office (01234 220000).

Visit michaelgraham.co.uk/property/rps_mig-BED180290 for more information.

Organisers of Leighton Buzzard Carnival always hope that fine weather will bless the town’s annual showpiece event, but this year the ongoing heatwave caused the numbers enjoying the fun to wilt somewhat.

Football fans watching England’s third place play-off World Cup match with Belgium is also believed to have had an impact, but those who did turn out for the carnival had plenty to savour.

This year’s theme was Myths, Magic and Legends and there were plenty of creative ideas in the procession.

It included 2018’s Carnival Court of Princess Maiya Holmes, Senior Princess Nicole Janes and Princess Alannah Moffatt.

There was also a full programme of entertainment in Parson’s Close Recreation Ground.

Carnival spokesman Mark Freeman said: “It was a real scorcher on Saturday. The hottest carnival I have been involved in! The heat and football had an impact on the attendance, which was lower than we would have liked.

“It was a shame for the stallholders who come to raise money for their organisations and also for the performers in the arena.

“These groups have an opportunity to showcase their skills and expertise, and it is a pity that the crowds weren’t there in greater numbers to support them. Performing in the heat cannot have been easy and we are very grateful for their support.”

Mark added: “The procession was a very high standard with lots of very happy people taking part (and a few dragons too). A big well done to them all, and especially the groups that walked the route. It is a very long route, and some of the walkers were very young. I think the heat only had one victim on the procession, and the youngster concerned had a ride in a fire engine which aided a quick recovery.

“The Fire Service supported us well again, and with them, the two minibuses and the First Aid vehicle, there was plenty of support had others been affected by the temperature. We had plenty of water available for the procession due to the generosity of Morrisons.”

Attention turns already to next year’s event which will be on July 13.

He said: “We are inviting suggestions for the theme, which should be received by 31st July and will be balloted on our website during August. These should be emailed to chairman@leightoncarnival.co.uk.

A huge thank you to all those who took part, all the helpers who put the event together, all those who advertised in the programme and sponsored us, S&J Pierce, and to the town council who support us.”

Winners from Carnival 2018 were:

Schools - 1st Pulford VA Lower School, 2nd Beaudesert Lower School, 3rd Leedon Lower School.

Open - 1st Friends Within (LB Mencap), 2nd Brooklands Residents Association.

Walking - 1st First Linslade Beavers, 2nd Dogs for Good, 3rd= Shooting Stars & Doreen’s School of Dance.

Children’s Organisations - 1st Linslade District Guides, 2nd Tilbridge Scout Group, 3rd 5th&7th LB Rainbows.

Peter Lymbery Memorial Shield for Best Procession Entry - Pulford VA Lower School.

Doreen Rolls Memorial Shield for Enthusiasm - Beaudesert Lower School.

Villagers in LBO land were left reeling after a partially retrospective planning application was submitted “with all the hallmarks of Dale Farm”.

A total of 76 objections have been received from members of the public to the proposed expansion of Kingswood Nursery site on Dunstable Road, Tilsworth.

The application to increase the number of caravans from the two previously approved to a total of four static and four touring caravans is due to be determined before July 26.

One angry resident said: “Behind the site applied for is a much larger area where work has commenced in preparation for even more encampments.

“If allowed, this will be on a par with the site at Dale Farm in Essex. This would, of course, have a direct impact on Leighton and the surrounding areas.”

CBC stated it has found no signs of any additional works at the site. The Environment Agency has recommended approval subject to a condition that a sewage scheme be presented and approved by CBC “before occupation”.

A previous application had been made for five static and five touring caravans on the site, however it was withdrawn following comments from CBC planning officers, with a revised application submitted in April for four static and four moving caravans.

Agent for the application, Joseph Jones, told the LBO previously that the land was already an established traveller site and added it would have a limited impact on Tilsworth, being situated towards the edge of the village.

A CBC spokesman said: “A decision on the planning application is due to be issued imminently.

“This decision will be made following the assessment of all relevant planning considerations, including representations received from residents.

“Colleagues visited the site on Friday, July 6, and observed four static caravans and two touring caravans on the application site.

“We are not aware of any plans to extend this site further than the current planning application.”

The battle at the top of Cherwell League Division 1 remains as tight as ever as Great Brickhill beat Cumnor by one wicket to remain within touching distance of leaders Oxford Downs.

The sides are set to play each other in the middle of August - a game which could settle the destination of the Division 1 trophy.

But in the mean time, both sides remain in winning form. Oxford Downs were eight wicket winners over Tiddington, while Great Brickhill held up their end of the bargain, albeit in much closer circumstances.

Cumnor made a solid start at the Horsepond with Michael Rose (46) and Alex Hodder-Williams (30) putting on 64 for the opening wicket, with Asif Khan taking out Hodder-Williams.

Joseph Dale (29) helped the visitors to 113 before a glut of wickets fell in quick succession.

From 113-2, Cumnor were soon 161-8 as Arjun Jhala ran riot in the lower order on his way to figures of 5-50 as Cumnor closed on 232-9.

The reply got off to a solid start, with Mark Nelson (29) and Jilesh Pattni (31) making a good start as Brickhill reached 91-2.

But they slumped to 108-6 as Alex Davis (4-29) make headway for the visitors.

But Doug Aris and Jhala united at the crease to get things back on course for the home side.

Aris’ patient 44 was vital, while Jhala smashed a rapid 78 from 65 balls as the pair put on 106 to put victory back on the table for Great Brickhill.

Despite Aris falling, Brickhill had enough in the remaining order as Jhala kept hold of his wicket to get them over the line (236-9).

Next week, Brickhill take on Twyford away.

A poor batting performance for Great Brickhill 2nds saw them slip to ninth in Division 5 after losing to Minster Lovell.

Drew Burrows’ 43 was the sole highlight of the batting for Great Brickhill as they were bowled out for 114 - a total they struggled to defend as Lovell reached 117-4 to ease to victory.

They are well clear of near-by Cublington who sit at the bottom of the table after losing by nine wickets to Great & Little Tew.

Skittled for just 68 runs, Cublington were never able to defend their total (72-1).

Tributes have been paid to a former post master in Leighton Buzzard who ran her store in the town for 27 years.

Thelma Whitehouse ran Hockliffe Street Post Office and Whitehouse Stores with her husband Jack for 27 years from 1974 through to her retirement in January 2002.

Mrs Whitehouse was a well-known figure throughout her years in Leighton Buzzard, and offered support and advice to many customers.

After her retirement, Mrs Whitehouse stayed in Leighton Buzzard to spend more time with her daughter and twin grandsons. In spring 2015, she moved to Newport Pagnell after a bout of ill health.

Mrs Whitehouse died in the early hours of Tuesday, July 10, after a short stay in Milton Keynes Hospital. Her funeral is to be held at Crownhill Crematorium, Milton Keynes, on Thursday, July 19, at 10.45am. All are welcome.

Donations to the British Heart Foundation can be made via H.W. Masons & Sons at Newport Pagnell. Mrs Whitehouse leaves behind her daughter Nicola and grandsons Jack and Ben.

As temperatures reached the exotic heights of 31C across the country this week, sunbathers could be in for more than a tan as horse flies appear to be terrorising the nation.

Horseflies, or clegs as they are commonly known, are bloodsucking insects commonly found in Britain and can grow up to 1-1/4 inches in length.

Peak time for the insect in the UK is between May and September and one Wildlife Trust warned that this year the UK is seeing populations more like you would expect in the Mediterranean, due to the warmer weather.

Bloodsucking females

Whilst the male horsefly feeds off nectar, the female horsefly feeds off animals, including humans, by sucking their blood so she can produce eggs.

The female will lay around 25 to 1,000 eggs in damp wetland areas and also in grassy woodland areas.

It’s their jagged, razor sharp teeth that cause the damage though – and even just one bite from the bloody thirsty bug could leave unsuspecting victims in a great deal of pain.

Painful, infected bites

“A bite from a horsefly can be very painful and the bitten area of skin will usually be red and raised,” NHS Choices says.

“Horsefly bites can take a while to heal and can become infected. See your GP if you have symptoms of an infection, such as pus or increasing pain, redness and swelling.”

According to the NHS symptoms of horsefly bites include a larger red, raised rash, dizziness, weakness and wheezing. A part of the body may also become puffy and swollen.

In rare occasions an allergic reaction to the fly can prove fatal and in 2013 a father of four died suddenly after being bitten by the fly.

If you’re bitten by a horsefly, keep the wound clean and apply ice to minimise the itching.

Leighton Buzzard’s woes in Division 2 continued on Saturday with a two-wicket defeat to high-flying Wolverton.

Their fifth defeat in a row sees Leighton remain second from bottom of the division, but are just 58 points from third spot with seven games to go.

Travelling to Wolverton, who started the day in third, Leighton won the toss and elected to bat, but they were quickly two down.

Phil Whatmore lasted just nine run-less balls before he was taken out by Haroon Malik with the scoreboard on 6, and Matthew Gurney was then removed for 1 by Idrees Butt, leaving Leighton 12-2. Butt and Malik would prove to be the thorns in Leighton’s side.

While Tom Light held up one end, Anthony Francis (10) was shortly back into the pavilion as Leighton fell to 34-3.

And when Light fell for 34, the visitors were 57-4 and staring at an early trip home. Dan Scott and Mark Burfoot though would get the game back on track.

The pair put on a vital, innings-saving partnership of 110 to get Leighton back on course.

Scott hit 65 from 102 balls, made up of nine fours and a six, while Burfoot hit 64 from 88 balls, also with nine fours, as the pair dragged the visitors to 167-5. Malik and Butt though would rattle through the final five wickets for just 14 runs.

Butt finished with figures of 4-57, while Malik took 5-66, with only Gareth Benger (11) reaching double figures in the tail end as Leighton were all out for 221.

But the visitors made the perfect start in reply when Jack Kempster trapped Sean Potter LBW for a golden duck.

But bringing Ahmed Mujtaba to the crease, he formed a match-winning partnership with opener Atif Akhlaq.

Akhlaq would fall agonisingly short of his century, eventually toppled for 99 from 82 balls by Benger with the score on 161.

Mujtaba would join him back in the pavilion for 49 when Pope removed him with Wolverton on 170-3.

But with just 52 required, it looked like the writing was on the wall, but wickets would quickly topple, leaving Leighton with an outside chance of victory.

Aky Hussain (3), Murtaza Arif (0), Moiz Hussein (1) and Butt (6) all fell in quick succession, and with Wolverton on 196-8, Leighton were in line for an unlikely win.

But Malik’s unbeaten 18 coming from just 15 balls was a vital knock for the home side, seeing them to 222-8. Next week, Leighton host Cropredy.

In Division 5, Leighton 2nds’ struggles also continued as they lost by just one wicket to Dinton 2nds to remain bottom of the pile.

James Raine (42) and Riaan Krynauw (36) top scored for the home side as they reached 226 as Jawad Ali and Dom O’Sullivan took three wickets apiece.

Dinton’s reply was swift, but wickets fell regularly. Eliot Lloyd hit 55, while Muhaib Ur Rehman added an unbeaten 40.

Krynauw took 3-42 as Leighton came up just one wicket shy, with Dinton sealing victory on 229-9.

Leighton, however, picked up 14 bonus points for their efforts, and they are now just nine points adrift of Chearsley above.

Next week, Leighton 2nds travel to Division 5 leaders Cropredy 2nds.

Firefighters were called to a stubble fire in Cublington on Saturday at about 7.45pm.

The incident in Whitchurch Road, Cublington saw two crews from Aylesbury, two from Leighton Buzzard, one

from Bletchley, one from Woburn, and one from Berkshire attend.

Over the course of three hours, firefighters used three hose reels, water backpacks, beaters and a high-pressure lance to control and extinguish the stubble fire that was working its way towards neighbouring standing crop.

> Today (Monday) at 8.48am, firefighters from Aylesbury dealt with a fire in the open at Aylesbury Road, Wing.

The Blakesley Show is all set for another successful year celebrating the very best of British livestock, local food, and rural skills.

Michael Graham Estate Agents has been sponsoring the popular show in South Northamptonshire for 14 consecutive years.

This year’s event takes place on Saturday, August 4, at Blakesley Heath Farm (NN12 8HN).

A spokesman for Michael Graham said; “We’re preparing to pull out all the stops (and corks) at our stand this year.

“Now that we’re officially enjoying summer and not just a heatwave, what better way to spend a Saturday in the country?”

“Described in some quarters as London Fashion Week for farm animals, the stars of country shows are the magnificent cattle, superb sheep and the cleanest, sweetest smelling pigs you’ve ever seen.

“Shampooing and grooming behind the scenes must surely be a sight to behold.

“This year the 134th Blakesley Show has about 65 showing classes for cattle and sheep, 70 for horses and a small section for exhibiting produce.

“Sheep shearing, a gymkhana and a display of vintage farm machinery are regular highlights of this traditional rural show, with the not so traditional-sounding Kangaroo Kid Quad Bike Stunt Show ready to set pulses racing in the main ring.

“And if you like to shop, you won’t be disappointed - hundreds of trade stands turn up to tempt around 3,500 expected visitors.”

The Michael Graham stand this year has a fabulous fun fair theme with a traditional coconut shy and candyfloss, and a horsebox bar stocked with everything from gin to prosecco.

Entry to the Show is £12 for adults, £5 for under 16s, and under-eights go free.

The spokesman added: “The £25 family ticket admits two adults and up to three children making this a showstoppingly good value, fun, family day out.

“Pop the date in your diary and we look forward to seeing you there!

“Are you a Blakesley Show regular? We’d love to hear your top tips for making the most of the day.

“Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and for Michael Graham town and country properties to buy and to rent, visit www.michaelgraham.co.uk.”

Matt Adcock reviews Incredibles 2 (PG)

It’s been 14 years since the incredible Incredibles burst onto the scene and delivered some of the best cinematic super hero action we’ve ever had. That first tale was essentially an origin story about which introduced the Parr super family and friends. Now with Incredibles 2 the action picks up immediately from where the first film finished with the heroes taking on the Underminer (John Ratzenberger) and his drill weapon.

If you’re new to this super party the family are made up of dad Bob / Mr Incredible (Craig T. Nelson), mum Helen / Elastigirl (Holly Hunter), daughter Violet (Sarah Vowell), son Dashiell / Dash (Huck Milner) and baby Jack Jack. Each has unique powers which they will have to call upon to fight off a new threat although in a pleasing switch it is Mrs Parr who takes the action lead whilst Bob minds the kids.

New characters include Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk) and Evelyn Deavor (Catherine Keener), who want Elastigirl to front a campaign to help persuade politicians to lift the ban on super heroes. And against this backdrop we get to go a giddying rush of action wonderfully woven in to plenty of laugh-out-loud comedy.

Sequels often feel like cash in on the originals but Incredibles 2 demonstrates how good they can be when they build on the character arcs of the first film. Watching new bad guy on the block Screenslaver (Bill Wise), who sends hypno-signals to bend the minds of those who watch their screens too much, chimes with how many parents are trying to limit the screen usage of their children so makes for a very timely force of evil. But how do you fight an enemy who can make anyone turn to his side? Only through teamwork!

It’s great fun to see alpha-male Bob being forced to deal with domestic family-raising – struggling with his own mini mid-life crisis whist his wife kicks all kinds of butt thanks to her shape changing elasti-powers. It all build up to a satisfying climactic smackdown which in true Avengers or Justice League style dishes out moments for each of the heroes and their pals like Frozone (Samuel L Jackson) to play their part.

Incredibles 2 is a worthy follow up to an all time classic.

A Leighton Buzzard pet shop is hoping to reunite a lost tortoise with its rightful owner.

Wrigglies Exotic Pets, Hockliffe Street, were given the animal just over a week ago, after a member of the public found it and asked the popular store if they could take care of it.

Luckily, the critter is happy and well and the caring team at Wrigglies are hoping its owner will get in touch.

Julian Clare, manager, said: “Not last week, but the week prior, a member of the public found the tortoise and it has been in our care for ten days. It’s doing very very well.

“Tortoises are actually very very quick, even though they have a reputation for being slow, but a tortoise in good health - there’s nothing slow about them!

“They can dig and climb - they can dig to cool down - and it’s easy to lose a tortoise very quickly.

“I’ve known one to be able to cover 12 miles in two months.

“This tortoise has probably travelled a fair distance. The owner can contact me at the shop, and the details I would need are: a rough area where it was lost, an approximate size, its species, and if known, its sex.”

Julian also has advice for Leighton-Linslade tortoise owners, which includes taking a photo of your pet’s plastron (the bottom half of the shell underneath the animal), because every single plastron is unique and will therefore help prove that you are the rightful owner should your pet tortoise ever become lost.

Furthermore, if your tortoise is physically large enough, Wrigglies see no harm in getting it microchipped, indeed a few tortoise species are required by law to be chipped.

Finally, to minimise the risk of your tortoise escaping, and to ensure its wellbeing, Julian advised: “I’m not a fan of outside runs or pens, as then the range at which your tortoise can move is quite limited. People also tend to put the animal in there without reviewing the path of the sun.

“Just stay with your tortoise - this doesn’t restrict its movements and allows it to find areas to in which to warm up and cool down.

“Tortoises are also susceptible to attacks from unsupervised pets, or ants, so it is best to remain close to it.”

Meanwhile, the Wrigglies team are hoping the owner of the lost tortoise will come forward, and don’t want to give out too much information about the pet in case opportunists try to claim the animal is theirs.

Julian concluded: “We are just keen to reunite it. It’s someone’s pet and there’s a good chance there’s a child missing it. The owner can contact me at the shop, or on a wider note, if people want to know more in general about keeping the animal and how to keep it secure, they can come to me for advice.

“I don’t want to discourage people from keeping tortoises outside for a short period of time - just make sure they don’t get too cold or too hot.

“Don’t leave them unattended and make sure they have shade and water.”

To contact Julian at the Wrigglies shop, call: 01525 373460.

Pupils attending Central Bedfordshire schools have achieved an increase above the national average in their provisional standard attainment test (SATs) results for reading, writing and mathematics, among pupils aged 7-11.

And one school that is certainly celebrating is Leighton Middle School where cheers and whoops of joy are said to have filled classrooms following their “amazing” SATS results.

Headteacher, Claire Vallance, said: “I am so proud of our children and staff. Dedication, hard work and team spirit are the key to our success. Our children and staff are truly exceptional and we are all part of ‘Team LMS’.”

Not only has the school improved upon last year’s exceptional results, but has once again far surpassed national outcomes. Reading, writing, Mathematics and grammar results all outstripped national outcomes with regards to both expected and higher standards.

The school is especially delighted with the combined results at expected and higher standards which were 79% and 20% respectively compared to 64% and 5% nationally.

The results are the climax to a successful year for the school: one where both Ofsted and independent reviewers recognised the positive impact that a middle school environment has on children’s learning.

Ofsted commented on the impact of specialist teachers, environments and resources and praised the way the curriculum was aligned to prepare pupils for their future learning.

Whilst independent reviewers praised the quality, creativity and expertise of teaching and were stunned by the opportunities that middle school life created for all pupils.

Mrs Vallance reflected: “We build upon the strong foundations that lower schools provide and prepare our children well for their future learning – it’s truly satisfying to work together with our children and parents to provide the very best of educational experiences for all.”

Overall, the Key stage 2 results for Central Beds show that the percentage of children in the area achieving the expected standard in this key performance indicator has risen four per cent from 58 per cent to 62 per cent – one per cent above the national average increase from last year.

Central Bedfordshire has also seen key stage 2 increases of four per cent (up to 78 per cent) in the writing teacher assessment and two per cent (up to 74 per cent) in children achieving the expected standard in the reading test.

In key stage 1 (ages 5-7), the percentage of children working at the ‘expected standard or greater depth’ in Central Bedfordshire increased by 3 per cent to 73 per cent, while in mathematics this rose by two per cent to 79 per cent.

In the early years foundation stage (five-year-olds), Central Bedfordshire has seen a one per cent increase in achieving a ‘good level of development’ for children, while in phonics (age 6) there has also been a one per cent rise in children working at the ‘year 1 required standard’.

Cllr Steve Dixon said: “We are delighted that our Year 6 pupils have recorded above national average results for reading, writing and mathematics. This is a pleasing rate of progress for our schools, albeit provisional. We still have work to do to get where we would like to be but any increase in our children achieving better results for the core subjects of reading, writing and mathematics is a welcome one and it sets a positive tone for future improvements.”

Legal expert Jeremy Taylor is enjoying a successful season as Captain of Leighton Buzzard golf club.

Losing just one of the eight inter-club matches, Taylor has also been raising money for his Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Forces Association charity, potting his first hole-in-one and encouraging the club’s army of junior players to victory in schools and county competitions. But there’s one ‘trophy’ the Crown Prosecution Service solicitor wishes he hadn’t “won” – a wooden spoon.

The spoon is awarded to the losing Captain in the annual Men v Ladies match at the Plantation Road club and this year, Ladies Captain Patti Marriott proudly presented it to her club colleague after the ladies scored an impressive 3-1 match play win over the men by 14 holes. Two matches were halved on the last hole.

Patti teamed up with Gill McDougall to open up the Ladies account with a two hole win over Jeremy and his vice captain Robbie John, and though Graham Freer and Steve Marriott steadied the ship with a half against Anne Tilbury and Rosie Hartnell.

Steph Howlett and Bev Martin walloped Ian Alexander and John Smith by five holes and Julie Smith and Josie Sheridan carded a five hole win over Chris Figg and Graham Pellow.

Peter Sheridan and Tim Martin tabled the only win for the men with a narrow victory over Val Berry and Carol Alexander, with Judi Malpass and Diane Pellow completing the rout with a half against Harry Adam and Howard Till to secure back-to-back wins for the ladies.

Eight pairs of Leighton Buzzard golfers made their mark in the Scottish Mixed pairs championships last week, an event with three different competition formats played on five different courses in as many days.

Former club Captain and ex-President John Preston and wife Sue Preston beat 220 other couples to win the foursomes competition; Lesley and Anton Bednarek and Barbara and Phil Rickard each recorded best course scores, with Phil and Barbara finishing 16th overall.

Leighton’s Senior winter scratch league team ended the season with two wins from their six matches, beating South Beds and Bedford and County at home. David Banwell was the only member of a 13-strong squad to play in all six matches.

Division Two player Vicki Pratt won Leighton Ladies Buckmaster Salver, carding a nett 70 to beat Sandra Carter and Division Three leader Norma Stevens-Hack by four shots. Chris Purkiss won Division One with a nett 76, three shots clear of Val Berry.

Brandon Sanders won Leighton’s July stableford with a 43 point haul to beat Simon Rose, John Mckay and Jon Woolford by three shots.

Other leading scores were: 39 – Joshua Rowles, Shane Bentley, Graham Hazel; 38 – Andrew York, Russell Rowles, Tim Martin, Edward Stephenson, Kate Wright, Andrew Jones; 37 – Colin Beesley, Richard Dale, Peter David Lawrence, Stuart Mills; 36 – Peter Hazel, Julian Scarr, Simon Rossiter.