A Biggleswade resident is calling for Central Bedfordshire Council to make changes on a ‘dangerous’ road.

A lady who lives in Hitchin Street has complained to the council about speeding and parking issues, which she says has gradually got worse over the years.

She said: “There are more cars parking along Hitchin Street causing more congestion along an already dangerous road leading into town.

“I have contacted the council to complain about this and asked for double yellow lines and speed humps or a speed camera along the road to ease the problem. They said they would send someone from the council out in the next few weeks to assess the situation.

“Something needs to be done, it has gradually been getting worse since the railway bridge was closed a few years ago. More recently it has been affected by the parking charges in the town centre and commuters are also parking here and walking to the station.

“Cars speed down here, my neighbour was pulling out of her drive and was nearly hit by a speeding car, it is nearly impossible to see when you come out of your drive because of cars parked both sides. There are even cars parked on the paths, restricting access for mums with buggies. It’s getting ridiculous and is very dangerous.”

A council spokesman said: “Our parking enforcement officers do regularly patrol this location and enforce the current restrictions. However there have been a number of inspections and site visits to this road, and we are considering making changes. The road is suitable for slower speeds, and there are plans to review the traffic flow into town, as well as other future changes on Hitchin Street to help both the residents and the town.”

The campaign to redevelop Biggleswade Railway Station is about to gather momentum as the town prepares to submit its bid for Access for All funding.

North East Beds MP Alistair Burt has this week appealed for support from local residents to strengthen the case being put to the Government.

Following a number of meetings held over the last year, led by Mr Burt, and joined by a range of stakeholders, Biggleswade Station will shortly be nominated to the Access for All scheme to help create step-free access solutions; as well as wider improvements to parking and public transport provision to and from the station.

Mr Burt said: “This is an historic campaign that has tried to get improvements a number of times over the years.

“I am delighted that, with the assistance of local councillors, Central Bedfordshire Council, Biggleswade Town Council, Network Rail, Govia Thameslink and local disability campaigners, that we are now a step closer to seeing these efforts pay off.

“We have held a number of meetings over the past 12 months which have helped to develop proposals and the council have funded a feasibility study which shows the commitment to improving Biggleswade Station and ensuring we have a strong case to put forward.”

The Access for All programme is a Government funded initiative to support stations to create an obstacle free, accessible route from the station entrance to the platform.

With £300m funding available, it is a competitive scheme and bids must show they have well evidenced support from the local community.

Mr Burt is asking for constituents to contact him by October 17 to show their support for the improvements in order that these can be included as part of the application.

Constituents can email alistair.burt.mp@parliament.uk, or by dropping a letter into his Biggleswade office at North East Bedfordshire Conservative Association, St Andrew’s Street.

As the process develops, there will be a chance for full public consultation of the ideas being considered, but support for the initial concept of redevelopment will be very useful at this stage.

The segregation unit at Bedford Prison has been likened to a dungeon which should be closed, according to the prisons Independent Monitoring Board annual report.

The report highlights the difficulties in managing the 150-year-old Victorian prison with a high turnover of inmates, chronic lack of investment over many years and the impact of losing large numbers of experienced staff.

In particular the report focuses on conditions in the segregation unit where ‘the toilets frequently block, there has been a consistent infestation of cockroaches and a plague of

rats’.

The report states: “Each year we have commented on the deplorable conditions in the segregation unit. We now believe that it can no longer be considered a decent and humane place

to hold prisoners and recommend that it should be closed and relocated.

“The unit is simply appalling. It is a dungeon. These are not appropriate conditions in which to detain prisoners in the 21st century.”

Although acknowledging considerable attempts made to improve the prison, the report says the rate of progress is too slow and that there remain problems around increasing

violence, poor living conditions, low levels of engagement in educational initiatives and disinterest in constructive preparation for release.

The availability of drugs within Bedford Prison continues to be a problem, and the board estimates that between a third and half of all prisoners are taking drugs at any one time. And although drug

treatment services are valued by prisoners, the issue of drugs getting into the prison is not improving.

The report adds: “The majority of drugs come in over the wall, which is remarkably easy in a town centre prison.

“Whilst acknowledging the focus placed by the prison on addressing the problem, the report also points out that a capital investment in new window grilles required to

help prevent the supply of drugs has not been financed despite being highlighted by the board in 2017 and requested by the prison.”

Violence at the prison continues to be a significant issue, despite the implementation of a violence reduction strategy. The number of incidents between June 2017 and May 2018 almost doubled.

The report notes that there has been little attempt to involve prisoners themselves in the prevention and management of violence. ‘This seems odd given they would seem to have as great a vested

interest as anyone in making the prison a safer place,’ the report says.

Since the Bedford Prison riots of November 2016, a recruitment drive for new officers has restored staffing levels to the benchmark level of 110 set by the prison service.

However, there is an experience gap, which is evident in day-to-day operation and handling difficult situations.

Staff and prisoner relationships are seen, generally, as positive, and the report highlighted the capable leadership of the prison governor, Helen Clayton-Hoar, who was also praised for her work

on diversity and equality within the prison. The work carried out by prison officers on a daily basis in often difficult situations and poor conditions was also noted.

The board has identified many areas for development at the prison, including improved mental health services, investment in measures to prevent drugs coming into the prison, officer training

requirements, and preparing prisoners for release.

Kevin Whiteside, chairman of the IMB, said: “What we are seeing is the challenge of managing a prison that is past its sell by date. Staff have left in droves over the past few years and although they have

now been replaced you cannot just turn on the tap of experience. Added to this are the particular difficulties of high turnover local prisons, which perform poorly across the country. There is no

doubt about the determination to improve, but the obstacles are formidable.”

The report follows the announcement last week of an action plan issued by the The Justice Secretary to stabilise HMP Bedford following an Urgent Notification by the prisons inspectorate.

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of murder after the body of a woman was found in Upper Caldecote.

The woman, in her 40s, was found after an ambulance crew was called to an address in Biggleswade Road, Upper Caldecote, near Biggleswade, at 10.30pm on Thursday.

The two men were released while investigations continue, Bedfordshire Police said.

Officers said they were pursuing a number of lines of inquiry.

A Luton farmer has lost more than 20 sheep to dog attacks in the past 12 months.

Now the RSPCA is reminding dog owners and walkers of the importance of keeping their pets under control to avoid devastating attacks on livestock.

The call comes after the farmer, who grazes his flock on Sundon Hills Country Park, Sundon, has lost six sheep in recent weeks as a result of dog attacks.

The farmer, who does not wish to be named, has said that over the last 12 months alone 21 sheep have either been killed or put to sleep.

The RSPCA is now reminding dog owners and walkers of the importance of keeping their pets on leads around livestock.

RSPCA Animal Collection Officer Kate Wright said: “It is heartbreaking to hear that so many sheep have died as a result of dog attacks, which could have easily been prevented had the owners just kept their dog on a lead and not let them run loose near livestock.

“Whilst the vast majority of people take care as a matter of course sadly accidents can happen and even the most docile and obedient dogs can get distracted and excited by grazing animals.

“You may think that if your dog momentarily chases a flock of sheep and comes back relatively quickly that there would be no harm done, but even if there are no visible injuries, actually it could be causing the animals a lot of worry and anxiety, which can be really harmful to their health. Ewes have been known to abort unborn lambs whilst under stress which is just tragic.”

In more extreme cases, severe attacks can happen which have a devastating effect on the livestock, resulting in severe injury and death.

PC Chris Naughton, from Bedfordshire Police’s rural crime team, said: “Following the recent incidents in Sundon Hills, we support the RSPCA’s call for owners to keep dogs on leads around livestock. If you have a dog, please keep it in sight and under control, as the impact of these attacks can be terrible for all involved.”

Dog owners should also remember that it is lawful for farmers to shoot a dog to protect their livestock - which no one wants to happen. Owners could also be prosecuted by police if their dog is caught worrying livestock.

There is a very simple way to stop any of this happening though – keep your dog on a lead around livestock.

The RSPCA is also urging dog owners to spread the word about being responsible around livestock.

If anyone sees a dog attacking a flock of sheep they are urged to call the police immediately.

For more information visit www.rspca.org.uk/pets to learn more about responsible dog ownership or if you are worried about your dog’s behaviour visit the RSPCA’s website to find a suitable behaviour expert.

A Shefford 18-year-old was jailed yesterday (Monday October 15) after admitting a reckless arson that destroyed his former girlfriend’s family home in Letchworth and killed her pet rabbit.

Ethan Andrews, formerly of Shefford Road, Shefford, poured petrol over the rabbit hutch that he knew housed the victim’s much loved pet ‘Spice’. When he lit the accelerant, the resulting explosion blew in patio doors to the property.

The fire swept over the back of the house gutting a living room, destroying garden decking as well as damaging windows and doors to the house and a neighbouring property. Smoke billowed into upstairs bedrooms, causing risk to life and further damage to property. As a result, the house was made uninhabitable and the family have had to move out.

There was nothing left of the rabbit hutch containing Spice and a second pet – a degu – later also died as a result of smoke inhalation.

The incident followed the break-up of a brief relationship between Andrews and his former girlfriend. The victim, who was aged 18 at the time, had complained that Andrews had been controlling and abusive. When she broke up with him he tried to pressurise her back into a relationship, making threats against her and to harm her pets.

In the early hours of July 16 this year, Andrews drove to her home in West View, Letchworth, and started the fire in their garden. Officers arrested him hours later, finding petrol in a jerry can and a lighter in his car. He later admitted arson ‘reckless as to whether life was endangered’ and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

He was sentenced to 32 months imprisonment at St Albans Crown Court yesterday for the arson and a further three months to run concurrently for killing the rabbit. He was also given an indefinite restraining order.

The case was investigated by Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Domestic Abuse Investigation and Safeguarding Unit.

Detective Constable Colin Workman said: “It is clear from the fire investigation that numerous lives were put at risk by Andrews’ actions, including the life of an unborn baby.

The explosion was so large it woke up neighbours and it was only their quick actions in raising the alarm that stopped lives being lost.

“If this had not happened toxic smoke would have continued to pour into bedrooms where people were sleeping – potentially killing them before they even woke.

“Andrews planned this attack to get back at the victim. It was an act of pure callousness to target a rabbit in order to achieve this goal. His deliberate actions caused immense distress and harm to the victim and her family. I hope this sentence today allows them to start putting these terrible events behind them.”

Anyone affected by domestic abuse can visit www.hertssunflower.org or call the Herts Domestic Abuse Helpline on 08 088 088 088 for free information, advice and support. The helpline is open weekdays 9am-9pm and weekends 9am-4pm. In an emergency, always call 999.

Brazen thieves could have used hi-vis jackets with ‘recovery’ on them to con potential witnesses to the theft of 10 cars in Broom.

Bedfordshire Police is appealing for witnesses after the cars were stolen from a private barn in High Street, Broom.

The cars were stolen at approximately 10am on Friday (12 October).

The offenders posed as staff from a recovery company, all wearing high-visibility jackets with ‘recovery’ written on them. They have been seen to come back numerous times to the owner’s barn and used three trucks to remove vehicles from the property

The stolen vehicles are:

Blue Ford - Number plate: Y112BCE

Blue BMW 325 - Number plate: X844RGT

Red Ford Escort - Number plate: G224CWC

Blue Ford Maverick - Number plate: R770FRT

Blue Ford Mondeo - Number plate: EO02VAD

Black Ford Mondeo - Number plate: WV55PKX

Blue Ford Probe 24V - Number plate: M921PWL

Green Mitsubishi L200 - Number plate: OE02ACF

Red Nissan - Number plate: WPK725S

Red Vauxhall Cavalier- Number plate: M67URO

Mahbubur Choudhury, investigating, said: “The victim reported the vehicles stolen as soon as they realised the cars have been removed from the property. We believe this was a scam during which the offenders successfully deceived any potential witnesses by pretending to be legitimate car recovery company.

“We are keen to speak to anyone who might have seen the theft in progress or who has been offered one of the cars for sale.

“Additionally we would like to issue a warning to remain vigilant and always check the credentials of a car removal company and report any suspicious behaviour to the police.”

Anyone with information is asked to visit the force online reporting centre or call 101 and quote reference number 40/31143/18.

Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Community work carried out in Sandy has been recognised with the presentation of a cup to two organisations.

Inskip and Davie Estate Agents and Sandy Library were presented with the Fred Simms Charity Cup by Judith Howard, representative of the Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, for the outstanding charity work each have done in the community. The presentation was made on Wednesday, October 10.

Library manager Madeline Phippen said: “We are all extremely proud of our library. We enjoy providing a service for all areas of our community.

“We love having the children all making the crafts during the holidays, singing at Rhyme Time, and love helping and advising them with their book selections.”

Ryan Inskip, of Inskip and Davie, added: “We are especially thrilled at being honoured this way. The office now has two generations working hard together, supporting all we can in Sandy and Moggerhanger Hospice is paramount.”

The Fred Simms Charity Cup was donated to the east Bedfordshire community by Fred Simms, who was the Biggleswade Chronicle’s editor for over 30 years until his retirement in 1980.

It is presented each year to a group or individual who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their community.

Yellow was the colour for the day at Derwent Lower School in Henlow when children and adults marked World Mental Health Day.

The theme was ‘Hello Yellow’ on Wednesday, October 10 in support of the charity Young Minds whose aim is to ensure that all young people are supported and empowered with their mental health, whatever the challenges.

Children and adults dressed in yellow to support the cause and work for the day was based around mental health, with one class making emotions artwork. Another class enjoyed listening to different stories and using smiley faces or sad faces to show how they thought the people in the stories might feel.

More than £480 was collected through a just giving page and being put in a yellow bucket. Some of the work from the day will also be on display for at open day for prospective new parents on November 21.

Biggleswade Amateur Theatre Society has been a staple supplier of quality performances for decades, probably most renowned for their bold and brassy annual pantomimes, and their recent production of Robert Harling’s Steel Magnolias was another testament to the brilliance of this amazing group.

Set in Louisiana in the mid-80s, the story takes place in a town beauty parlour, focussing on four key moments over three years that effect the lives of six local women:

Truvy is the owner of the parlour (played by Kerry Hewish) and is the optimistic and pragmatic anchor for the others. Annelle (Erin Crockford) is a young newcomer to the community looking for work and a sense of identity. Ouiser (Kay Young) is an old, grumpy cynic opposite her life-long best friend, Clairee (Natasha Leftwich), who is the sassy, young at heart widow of the town’s mayor. M’Lynn (Melanie Wilcox) is the group’s career woman and family matriarch with Shelby (Sarah Ridley)as her daughter, often at loggerheads as she tries to assert her own passage into independence away from her mother.

The performance was a delight to behold as each actor created very believable southern American women and imprinted their personal stamp on each character. It is a script that emulates the naturalistic flow of long-time friends’ informal chatter so shifts from topic to topic rapidly which the women delivered confidently, establishing their relationships with each other and engaging us as if we were in the shop awaiting our turn in the chair (enhanced by the meticulous detail of the set and intimacy of the Methodist Church staging). Special shout-outs must go to Hewish and Crockford for their faultless multi-tasking: deftly coiffuring the parlour’s patrons’ hair-dos whilst delivering their lines fluidly.

Young and Leftwich made for a hilarious partnership – and indeed were responsible for the funniest saddest moment in a narrative I can think of – their worldly wisdom (jaded and nostalgic respectively) contrasted each other with wit and profundity in equal measure.

Wilcox (who also directed) and Ridley presented their mother-daughter relationship with aplomb, able to switch between familial affection and contempt as recognisable in any family dynamic.

The humour was plentiful, played through punchlineperfect timing, characterisation and incidental interactions, but perhaps most praiseworthy was the raw emotion they were able to muster on stage: from a harrowing diabetic seizure to the anger and tears of an inexplicable death, which moved the audience to empathetic sniffles and throat clearing.

This was a truly magnificent play, performed to a standard one would expect from professionals and it is a genuine shame that royalty complications restricted their run to only the two nights. Perhaps they may be tempted (or persuaded) to revisit it in the future but, nevertheless, it certainly is exciting to think of where BATS will go from here.

TV Chef and former Great British Bake-Off Winner Nadiya Hussain visited Keech Hospice Care in Luton to bake with patients and their families during Starlight Cake Bake week.

The former Luton resident showed patients how to make some delicious rocky road delights. Nadiya also made friendship bracelets and took part in a singalong with the children, families and hospice staff.

Nadiya has been a Starlight Ambassador for the past three years and the face of the charity’s annual Cake Bake fundraiser, which raises vital funds to support seriously ill children and their families by providing play and distraction services in hospitals and hospices across the UK.

Nadiya said: “I’ve had such a wonderful morning, just being able to sit and bake with the kids, to make bracelets and meet their parents has been so special. Having been the sibling of two sick children when I was growing up, I know how vital it is to enjoy special moments as a family, just doing normal activities like baking.

“Being a Starlight Ambassador means that I can be part of their work by getting involved with days like today. By helping them to bring fun, normality and comfort at what is a really difficult time for families means the world to me. Please help support Starlight to provide more memories to families with sick children by signing up to the Starlight Cake Bake today”.

Liz Searle, CEO of Keech Hospice Care said; “We had an amazing day making tasty treats with Nadiya.”

“She was caring and patient with the children, showing them how to make the rocky road and bracelets. They were delighted to meet her and appreciated that she took the time to speak to everyone personally.

“As Nadiya’s local children’s hospice, caring for children in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes, we were so pleased to have her with us to show her the excellent care and support we provide to adults and children facing a terminal and life-limiting illness.”

To find out more about Starlight and how you can host your own Starlight Cake Bake visit www.starlight.co.uk

Pupils in Langford are taking on a building project with help from a local developer.

David Wilson Homes has begun its new school award scheme at Langford Village Academy as over 60 children look forward to an academic year long project.

The Building Buddies Award is being hosted at the school close to the homebuilder’s Kingsley Manor development, guiding pupils through the construction process with four exciting activities.

The scheme is intended to encourage children to show an interest in the industry, helping them to consider a career in construction from an early age.

Year 3 and 4 pupils have now been presented with their workbooks by Jennifer, the sales adviser at Kingsley Manor, as they prepare for the first activity of naming a development and designing a logo.

Joy Mead, Key Stage Two leader and teacher at the academy, said: “We are very grateful to David Wilson Homes for this opportunity for our children to be involved in the local housing development through the Building Buddies Award Scheme.

“The children were very excited to receive their booklets and we’re looking forward to learning more about the whole process of homebuilding as the project progresses.”

Split into four quarters, the Building Buddies Award is set to teach young children about planning and land, sales and marketing, technical and design and construction.

Jason Hearn, sales director at David Wilson Homes South Midlands, said: “With our new Building Buddies Award, we have the chance to educate young children on the construction industry as well as raising awareness of important issues such as site safety.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Langford Village Academy throughout the academic year and we hope the pupils enjoy being amongst the first participants in this exciting project.

“We’re looking forward to seeing the creativity of the children grow with each design and literature task, whilst giving them an understanding of the construction process at our nearby Kingsley Manor development.”

Further to the naming and logo design competition, the pupils of Langford Village Academy will partake in a marketing and writing competition, a wildlife friendly exercise and a site visit and poster competition.

The winner of each competition will be presented with a prize, whilst the school itself will be presented with the coveted Building Buddies Award in a ceremony towards the end of the school year.

Services to and from Sandy are being cancelled or delayed by up to an hour after a person was hit by a train today.

Emergency services are at the scene of the incident near Sandy and this is causing disruption to trains between these stations.

Trains may be delayed by up to 60 minutes or cancelled. Disruption is expected to continue until at least 3pm.

All lines are currently blocked, therefore services are unable to run between Peterborough and Hitchin.

The RSPCA wants animal welfare to be taught in school as 30% of children in the East of England have seen animal abuse online.

The animal welfare charity has revealed that from January to June this year there were 16 animal cruelty incidents on social media in Bedfordshire reported to the RSPCA, compared to 41 last year and 38 in 2016.

The RSPCA has more than 400 online incidents of cruelty and neglect in the East of England reported to it each year.

Young children are being exposed to horrific incidents of animal suffering online in ways previous generations have not experienced.

The RSPCA is launching Generation Kind, an education and prevention programme aimed at children to teach them about respect for animals and how to care for them. There are nine projects within the programme.

Chief executive Chris Sherwood said: “The number of children seeing animal abuse online is shocking - the current generation of children are witnessing horrifying animal cruelty and neglect through channels which simply didn’t exist for previous generations.

“The risk for children growing up in the 21st century is that frequent and casual exposure to animal abuse will desensitise them and may even make it seem acceptable.

“Animals need us now more than ever and we want to grow a new generation of young people who care, who are informed and who want to do their best for animals.

“This is why we are launching Generation Kind - an ambitious education programme targeting school children, children in care, young offenders or those at risk of offending and other disadvantaged young people. Central to this is a new campaign to get animal welfare taught in all schools.”

The Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire (BCH) Road Policing Unit will feature a poppy on all of their marked patrol vehicles in the build-up to the centennial Remembrance Sunday.

The idea was suggested by PC Mark Fairclough and Joint Protective Services ACC Paul Fullwood, both of whom served with HM forces before joining the police.

PC Fairclough said: “I was pleased to receive such tremendous support for this idea to remember our fallen service personnel and show our respects for the ultimate sacrifice they made.

“I did not want to force this idea on anyone, but have received positive feedback from every officer I have spoken to.”

The poppy will feature on the vehicles to commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War on 11 November, 1918.

ACC Fullwood, who leads the units under the BCH Joint Protective Services command, including the RPU, said: “I am proud to support the centennial Remembrance Day with this gesture.

“This is certainly not a glorification of war. We will be supporting the Royal British Legion poppy appeal as we show our respects on this momentous anniversary.”

Central Bedfordshire Council’s new community transport services started this week, providing ‘dial-a-ride’ services throughout the mid and east Bedfordshire areas.

The Greensand Country Link services will provide a bookable and fully accessible door-to-door minibus service for elderly or disabled people who find it difficult to use traditional buses, trains or other forms of transport. The ‘dial-a-ride’ service will operate between 8.30am and 5pm on Mondays to Fridays, and journeys can be booked up to a week in advance.

Councillor Ian Dalgarno, Executive Member for Community Services at Central Bedfordshire Council, said: “We are delighted to help fund these services, which make it easier for the elderly or disabled to take all sorts of journeys, whether that’s for their shopping trips, medical appointments, visiting friends and relations, or any other reason. Under the new contract, the service now collects residents from a wider area than previously.”

Greensand Country Link is provided on behalf of Central Bedfordshire Council by Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity (BRCC).

The ‘dial-a-ride’ service is available on a membership basis. This will normally cost £20 a year, but there is a special launch offer of free membership until 31 March 2020 for anyone joining before the end of 2018. Fares then range from £2.25 for shorter journeys, to £3.75 for longer journeys.

Details on how to become a member is available from BRCC on 01234 834933 or email communitytransport@bedsrcc.org.uk. Current users of the existing ‘dial-a-ride’ service in the mid and east Bedfordshire areas are encouraged to contact BRCC to set up their new membership.

The service will cover Biggleswade, Sandy, Beeston, Hatch, Northill, Ickwell, Upper Caldecote, Old Warden, Broom, Southill, Stanford, Shefford, Campton, Upper and Lower Gravenhurst, Meppershall, Upper and Lower Stondon, Clifton, Arlesey, Henlow, Fairfield Park, Stotfold, Langford, Dunton, Eyeworth, Wrestlingworth, Sutton, Potton, Everton, Moggerhanger, Chalton, Blunham, and Tempsford.

While watching England pull off a massive shock in defeating Spain in Seville it occurred to me that the word ‘bravery’ is a much used - and abused - term when analysing performance in games.

For people who like their football of the ‘blood and thunder’, ‘take no prisoners’ variety, the word implies blood soaked bandages dripping onto bright white shirts as their side battle against the odds in a bid to grind out a favourable result.

But as meritorious as such performances are, real ‘bravery’ in a footballing sense is much more than mere brute force and battling against the odds but also about having the courage to use your intelligence to prevail; it is about taking chances, wanting the ball, being prepared to fail; it’s about accepting the fact that you might end up with egg rather that blood on your face.

That’s what really impressed me about England’s performance, certainly for the first half, and had they carried on in a similarly brave mode for much of the second half and attacked, effectively as a way defending, I’m sure they would have got over the line far more convincingly than they eventually did.

And it reminded me - unfortunately - of our reversal against Holbeach United in the FA Vase where we somehow contrived to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

From Fran Constancio’s Academy right up to the first team our philosophy from day one is to be ‘brave’. We know that at all levels of the club we do not have the best nor the strongest players but we do want to try to help them to become the most intelligent.

What our game against Holbeach showed was that we are a team that when it plays the ball to feet, distributes it quickly and intelligently and then creates the space with runs then we are at our best.

But when we decide - as we did for about an hour - to play it long, forget about the second ball, effectively panic, play into our opponents’ hands, then it becomes patently clear that we are still very much a work in progress. We need to be brave even if it means we end up making mistakes.

But we move on. On Saturday we travel to Stotfold and on Tuesday it’s another derby when Biggleswade FC call in the Beds Senior Cup. See you there.

The family of a Dunstable woman who lost a battle with cancer is calling on Beds and Bucks residents join a special Hallowe’en-themed walk to thank the charity that supported her.

Tania Scott died at Keech Hospice Care in Luton in August, aged 52, having been diagnosed with cancer in 2016 and told it was incurable in December last year.

Now, her sister-in-law Natalie Impey, 38, is asking everyone to join her and her family and have fun at the charity’s thriller 10km Spooktacular Glow Walk on October 27.

“Tania loved everything about Keech, especially its gardens and beautiful surroundings, and appreciated the support and comfort she had there. At Keech she felt safe,” said Natalie.

“I’ve always seen Tania as a big sister. She was our sunshine and saw the good in everyone. Keech Hospice Care’s Spooktacular Glow Walk is the perfect way for us to remember Tania and to raise money to help this amazing charity which cared for her.”

Mum Tania, born and bred in Dunstable, devoted her life to caring for children - fostering an incredible 30 children over the years, as well as working as a minder and in child protection.

In January she came to Keech Hospice Care, which cares for adults in Luton and south Bedfordshire and children in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes, to help her manage her pain and returned for further care during the last two weeks of her life.

Liz Searle, chief executive officer, at Keech Hospice Care, said: “Come along and join us for our 10km sponsored Spooktacular Glow Walk, starting and finishing at the Great Bramingham Lane hospice.”

Entry is just £15 and includes a t-shirt, glow paint and glow sticks, and a finisher’s medal. Participants must be at least 14 years of age. The party starts at 7pm with the walk beginning at 8pm.

To sign up: keech.org.uk/glowwalk or call 01582 707940.

A family is calling for a tightening of the laws around abusive relationships after a Shefford teenager firebombed their home.

Ethan Andrews is behind bars this week after he set fire to his ex-girlfriend’s rabbit hutch in July. The flames spread to the house and the family only managed to escape when a neighbour raised the alarm.

The house, in Letchworth, was so badly damaged the family have been unable to move back in.

This week the victim’s uncle called for more women and girls to be prepared to speak out if they had concerns about controlling behaviour from a partner.

“If my sister had known [about the threats] she might have reported it to the police,” he said. “If we can help save a girl or woman who reads this and gets out it will be worth it.”

He also called for stricter controls and age limits on filling petrol cans at garages after it was revealed Andrews was just 17 when he bought the petrol which he used for the fire.

“It’s only by luck after a neighbour heard a noise and raised the alarm, that we are not dealing with fatalities,” he said.

Andrews, aged 18, formerly of Shefford Road, Shefford, admitted pouring petrol over the rabbit hutch that he knew housed the victim’s much loved pet ‘Spice’ when he appeared at St Albans Crown Court on Monday. When he lit the accelerant, the resulting explosion blew in patio doors to the property.

The fire swept over the back of the house gutting a living room, destroying garden decking as well as damaging windows and doors to the house and a neighbouring property.

There was nothing left of the rabbit hutch containing Spice and a second pet – a degu – which later also died as a result of smoke inhalation.

The incident followed the break-up of a brief relationship between Andrews and his former girlfriend. The victim, who was aged 18 at the time, had complained that Andrews had been controlling and abusive.

When she broke up with him he tried to pressurise her back into a relationship, making threats against her and to harm her pets.

He was sentenced to 32 months imprisonment for the arson and a further three months to run concurrently for killing the rabbit. He was also given an indefinite restraining order.

Anyone affected by domestic abuse can visit www.hertssunflower.org or call the Herts Domestic Abuse Helpline on 08 088 088 088 for free information, advice and support. The helpline is open weekdays 9am-9pm and weekends 9am-4pm. In an emergency, always call 999.

Sandy residents were surprised to hear some of their leisure facilities might be withdrawn, without any initial consultation, a meeting heard.

Certain leisure activities at Sandy Upper School are being stopped, but others will continue, Central Bedfordshire Council was told.

It was exclusively revealed a fortnight ago by the Chronicle that leisure staff at Sandy Sports and Community Centre face losing their jobs after the contractor for the local authority admitted it had been operating at a loss for several years.

The staff at the Engayne Avenue centre were put under notice of possible redundancy.

The issue came to light for residents via social media, according to councillor Caroline Maudlin.

She asked executive member colleagues whether Sandy residents will be consulted about the withdrawal of sports facilities and when will that be?

Arlesey councillor Ian Dalgarno, the executive member for community services, said: “We have been reviewing the leisure offer at Sandy secondary academy.

“The current financial model for that leisure facility needs to be on a sustainable footing and currently it isn’t.

“We are in talks with the school, the town council and the operator, Stevenage Leisure, about our options.

“These may include withdrawal from the sports hall and the relocation of activities that we did in the sports hall to other facilities.

“The school will then have the sports hall for its own use at those times,” he added.

“We will, of course, at the conclusion of our talks with different parties be going into a full public consultation on the offer going forward.

“But I can assure you and members of the public that we are working with all of the parties to bring forward good leisure facilities and the best possible offer for Sandy residents.”

Conservative councillor for Sandy, Tracey Stock, asked him if he could confirm which sports facilities will remain in Sandy following the consultation.

Councillor Dalgarno replied: “Currently there is a gym attached to the leisure facilities. That will stay as it is, on the same hours as now.

“We have the athletics track as well,” he said. “It’s not our intention to do anything with that.

“It continues to be run extremely well by the athletics club. And I know the school is offering to continue with the netball club.

“All the other facilitities and services we provide, we will and are conducting a consultation on those with the different providers.

“And, at that point, I’ll be able to give you a better idea of what we are going to do going forward.”