Tuesday 1st March 2011 Churchill’s spectacles for sale
A pair of glasses once worn by Sir Winston Churchill are to go up for
auction this month in Northamptonshire. The glasses were made for
Churchill in 1954 and subsequently sent to the optician’s Dixey of
Wigmore Street, London for repairs. Auctioneer Jonathan Humbert said:
"To get a pair of Churchill's spectacles in first-class condition with
provenance is a real coup. Anything he has owned or touched is always
at a real premium and these glasses have definitely been on the
Churchillian nose." The glasses will go on sale on 17 March at
auctioneers JP Humbert and are expected to achieve around £200-300. Northamptonshire

Wednesday 19th May 2010 “Get of my land” gun toting farmer jailed
A Northamptonshire farmer has been jailed for 18 months after pointing
a loaded shotgun at a balloonist who had landed on her farm. Marie
Dring, 50, of Pottersbury, near Towcester, admitted possessing a
firearm with intent to cause fear.

Dring pointed the loaded double barrel shotgun at Martin Henley
shouting “get off my land” when Henley’s balloon made a forced landing
in a field on Dring’s farm. Henley tried to calm the situation with
offers of bottles of whiskey and champagne but Dring was “extremely
angry” although she has since shown remorse. Northamptonshire

Wednesday 5th May 2010 Half mast trousers avoid Asbo
A teenager from Rushden in Northants has avoided an anti-social
behaviour order (Asbo) that would have banned him from wearing his
trousers at half mast. The eighteen year-old, Ellis Drummond, was
instead handed an Asbo regarding threatening behaviour and demanding
money. Drummond was appearing at Bedford magistrates’ Court after
being convicted for assault, possession of drugs and a public order
offence.

The application for an order regarding the youth showing his boxers in
public was dropped prior to the hearing. A CPS spokeswoman said: "It
is important to bear in mind that the case for including the
prohibitions relating to Mr Drummond's clothes was never argued in
court. These were based on statements provided by witnesses and
victims in the criminal proceedings together with his previous
convictions." Northamptonshire

Wednesday 24th March 2010 10 hour course to teach a cop to ride a bicycle
Police receiving bicycles for patrol duties in Northamptonshire have
been told not to ride them until they’ve taken a 10-hour safety
course. Officers in the Parklands area of Northampton have been issued
with mountain bikes but can’t use them until the summer, when they
will have completed the course.

Borough councillor Malcolm Mildren said: "This is a health and safety
doctrine that has gone too far. I haven’t ridden a bike for years but
I think I could ride a mountain bike safely, if not quickly, after
about half an hour. I imagine that in the good old days of Dixon of
Dock Green when officers went to Hendon (police training college), the
first thing they would have learnt would have been how to ride a
bike." Northamptonshire

Tuesday 8th December 2009 F1 returns to Silverstone
Negotiations to bring the F1 car racing back to Northamptonshire’s
famous Silverstone circuit have succeeded. The championship will
return to Silverstone on July 11, 2010 even though work to upgrade the
circuit to meet the F1 demands won’t be finished until late 2011.

F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone told the press: "This will ensure the
British Grand Prix is included on the Formula 1 calendar for many
years to come, which is something I've always wanted.”

The switch to Silverstone follows the ill-fated attempt to stage the
British Grand Prix at Donington Park. Sadly, the historic track at
Donington is now in ruins, along with the management company that
sought to bring the car racing championship there. Northamptonshire

Wednesday 25th November 2009 Marmite goes missing in Northamptonshire
A Northamptonshire petrol station has been forced to move its stock of
Marmite behind the counter after a spate of thefts of the spread.
Police issued CCTV pictures of the suspected Marmite lover after 18
jars worth £50 were stolen from the Spar shop at the Shell garage in
Kingsthorpe, Northampton.

Manager Jim Keary told the press: "People come in and nick sandwiches
and alcohol but Marmite's a strange thing to steal." According to the
police the CCTV images show a man, believed to be in his 30s, holding
a bag containing the brown gold. Northamptonshire

Thursday 27th August 2009 Silverstone seeking funding
A vote by members of the British Racing Drivers’ Club has paved the
way for the historic Silverstone racing circuit to seek outside
investment for the first time in 38 years. The move comes after
Silverstone lost the prestigious British motorcar Grand Prix to rival
circuit Donington Park.

The Northamptonshire based racing circuit can now go an seek external
funding for infrastructure, education and training projects and
improvements.

Damon Hill, President of the BRDC said “This vote is a significant
result for the future of Silverstone. Today’s EGM was not about
selling Silverstone. BRDC Members were voting on whether or not the
Board should be authorised to approach and negotiate deals, with
potential investors, on behalf of the Club. It is purely commercial.
Silverstone is an international sports arena and we are continuing
with plans to develop it in keeping with the very highest standards.

“The primary function of Silverstone will always be racing, hopefully
with a British Grand Prix.” Northamptonshire