A former teacher from Daventry is set to appear before magistrates charged with downloading incident images of children.

Northamptonshire Police said Mark Tcherniak-Morse, aged 34 and from Daventry, has been charged with three counts of making indecent images of children

Mr Tcherniak-Morse is due to appear at Northampton Magistrates’ Court tomorrow, Thursday November 24.

Today (Wednesday) Bilton School in Rugby sent a letter home to parents. In it headteacher Patsy Weighill said Mr Tcherniak-Morse had been a teacher at the school, and was suspended when the allegations were brought to the school’s attention.

Ms Weighill writes: “We have been assisting the police with their enquiries from the outset and will continue to do so.

“The safety of children at our school has always been paramount and we are confident we have robust safeguarding measures in place.”

She added the school has not received any information to suggest that the charges related to any of the students.

Saints flanker Calum Clark has been banned for three weeks for striking with his elbow in last Friday’s win at Sixways.

Clark dived towards Donncha O’Callaghan at a ruck, but despite not appearing to make contact, it provoked a furious response from the Worcester lock.

Referee Greg Macdonald consequently awarded a penalty to Saints, but the incident was later reviewed and the Saints player was cited on Monday.

Clark, who was yellow carded later in the game for pushing Worcester scrum-half Jonny Arr to the floor, attended an RFU disciplinary hearing at Coventry’s Holiday Inn on Wednesday evening and pleaded guilty to the offence.

He will now be sidelined until Tuesday, December 13, meaning he misses Friday’s game against Newcastle Falcons and the matches against Leicester Tigers and Leinster.

He will be back in time to face the Irish giants in the second match of the Champions Cup double-header in Dublin on December 17.

Explaining the decision to ban Clark for three weeks, the RFU disciplinary panel said: “The panel found this was not a premeditated act but an intentional strike to the head of an opponent that merited a mid-range entry point of three weeks.

“The player’s remorse before the panel was genuine and heartfelt.”

The RFU disciplinary panel comprised of HHJ Sean Enright (chairman), Tony Wheat and Chris Skaife.

Desmond and Barbara Elcock mark 60 years of marriage today (Thursday) topping off a year of milestones.

This year Mr Elcock celebrated his 90th birthday, and Mrs Elcock celebrated her 80th.

Mr Elcock, originally from Southampton, moved to Daventry to work as technical assistant at BBC Borough Hill.

It was while in the town that he met Mrs Elcock, who used to work at Brook Manufacturers in Daventry as a dressmaker.

They were married at Holy Cross Daventry on November 24, 1956, and have lived in Daventry since. They had four daughters, Joanne, Annette, Margaret and Emma, seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Mrs Elcock is part of the choir at Holy Cross and occasionally is verger at services. She also helps with decorating the church.

They and their family celebrated the milestones with a party in August at The White Horse in Welton.

The festive season will kick off in Daventry with the town’s Spirit of Christmas event next week.

The event, organised by Daventry Town Council, features a variety of free events and activities around the town for all to enjoy.

The festivities take place on Friday, December 2.

On that day Santa’s grotto will be in Sheaf Street from 3pm to 6pm (now fully booked). There will also be donkey rides, petting and grooming in Sheaf Street from 3pm to 6pm.

A giant photo booth snow globe will be in Bowen Square from 3pm to 7.30pm where you can have your photo taken with all the family inside.

There will also be the lantern parade starting at 6.30pm from the library car park.

For those wanting to join the parade the last free workshops are running this weekend at the community centre – book by contacting the town council via www.daventrytowncouncil.gov.uk/daventry-spirit- of-christmas.html or 01327 301246.

Those taking part in the lantern parade are asked to gather from 6pm at the library car park where Daventry Tesco will be on hand with its warming soup.

At 6.30pm the parade led by the Liberty Drum Corps will make its way via North Street to High Street, then go up Sheaf Street, through Foundry Walk to Bowen Square, and then back along High Street and Sheaf Street to end at Bowen Square at 7pm by the Christmas tree.

Around the tree there will be carol singing led by the Dunchurch and District Brass Band and Daventry Community Choir.

The following day on Saturday, December 3, the Munchkins and Monsters Theatre Company will be performing Wind in the Willows at the Saxon Suite in the leisure centre.

The theatre company specialises in creating imaginative and innovative children’s theatre.

The show starts at midday and all tickets are free. However, booking is required via the town council.

A display – A Partridge in a Pear Tree – created by pupils in the Grange School’s art club was chosen from entries to be display at the gazebo at the top of Sheaf Street by the town council.

The design features a hanging partridge and pears made from chicken wire and modroc.

There is no place like home for Britain’s Got Talent winners Ashleigh Butler and her dog Pudsey when they appear at this year’s pantomime at the Royal & Derngate.

She plays Princess Apricot in Jack and the Beanstalk alongside Simon Webbe with the show running from Friday, December 9, through to Saturday, December 31.

Ashleigh said: “This is going to be our fifth pantomime and it is one of our favourite jobs that we do.

“We love the audience and Christmas and the coming together that it brings as a family.

“I used to go to panto with my nan and it is something that means a lot.

“When I was younger I wished I could be the one on the stage but never thought it would be possible.

“It’s really strange but I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

And the star, who was born in Wellingborough, is looking forward to performing in the county she was brought up in this year.

She said: “After doing four years of doing pantomime getting further and further away, it will be lovely to spend Christmas at home with my family.

“I’ll hopefully have lots of them and friends coming to watch and hope the audience will get behind me and have a great time.”

Ashleigh also praised Pudsey for an attitude that many other dogs don’t have.

She said: “I have been training dogs since I the age of five and Pudsey was the first dog I did the canine freestyle with.

“He was a natural and loved learning new tricks.

“He also loved the audience cheering for him. He’s the perfect dog.”

But she wasn’t the one who put herself forward for Britain’s Got Talent.

Ashleigh said: “My mum and nan convinced me to go for the show and my mum filled in the application five minutes before the closing date. Pudsey could have walked off the stage but he really liked the stage, the lights, the cameras, the audience whereas a lot of dogs would not really thrive in that environment.

“You’ve got to know what you want, you know what is best for your act. There were things that I wanted changed and I just had to put my foot down, and even more with my mum because I was quite young at the time.

“You just have to trust your gut instinct in spite of people wanting you to change things.”

And Ashleigh nominates David Walliams as her favourite judge on the show.

She said: “David is lovely, he’s very supportive. He is a funny man, hilarious man.”

For further details about the show or to book tickets in advance call the box office on 01604 624811 or visit the theatre website at www.royalandderngate.co.uk.

Audiences will be treated to Broadway glamour and toe-tapping tunes when Simply Gerswhin comes to Northampton’s Royal & Derngate on Thursday, December 1.

This all Gerswhin extravaganza features the very best music, song and dance.

George and Ira Gershwin wrote some of the most melodic music in the American songbook and this concert is packed with some of their most acclaimed work.

The all-singing, all-dancing evening of entertainment starts at 7.30pm. To book tickets, costing from £24.50, call the box office on 01604 624811 or visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk.

Boss Rob Page has urged the Cobblers supporters to get themselves down to Sixfields and get right behind the team as Town try to end their mini losing streak against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.

Page accepts his team is currently going through ‘a blip’ and ‘an indifferent time’, and says he understands why he has come in for criticism from sections of the club’s supporters, especially in the wake of last weekend’s painful derby defeat to Peterborough United.

But the Town boss insists he is ‘not worried’, is in no doubt his team’s fortunes will change for the better, and he hopes ‘everybody sticks together’ to ensure it happens as soon as possible.

“I hope it’s a big crowd (on Saturday), because to get a good crowd through the gates is fantastic,” said Page, who saw his team suffer single-goal defeats to Gillingham, Peterborough and Bradford in the space of 11 days.

“We are having a bit of a blip and an indifferent time at the minute, off the back of three defeats, but it is important that everybody sticks together.

“Everybody is going to have their opinions, and everybody is going to have their grumbles, and that is fine. I have been in football long enough to understand that.

“But we want the supporters to come through the door on Saturday and help us get a win.”

There has been plenty of criticism heading Page’s way on social media over the past week or so, and the manager was also confronted face-to-face by a particularly irate finger-pointing supporter at the end of last weekend’s last-gasp Posh defeat.

The Town boss knows that such things come with the territory of being a football manager, but feels some of the negative feeling has been exacerbated by the manner of the loss to Peterborough, with Chris Forrester heading home the only goal of the game 30 seconds from the end of time added on.

“We are on the back of three defeats, and the biggest one for the supporters to take was the Peterborough one,” said Page, who also saw his team lose 3-0 to Posh at London Road last month.

“It is a local derby, we haven’t played them here for years, the expectation building up to that game, that is the one that hurts.

“Every defeat hurts, but from a Northampton point of view I guarantee that if you ask any of the fans it is the two defeats against Peterborough (that hurt the most), and that is understandable.

“We hate losing games, we hate losing local derbies, and one particular fan made it quite clear right at the end of the game when he came on to me and made his feelings quite clear that it was a local derby.

“Well, we knew that.

“Nobody was hurting as much as me and the players that day, but it is how we manage the defeats and move on to the next game.

“The next game, unfortunately for us, was at Bradford and we had to go and try to put it right.

“We were still in the game there after 95 minutes, but it was another defeat.”

Page has seen the Cobblers slip from sixth in Sky bet League One to 15th on the back of those three defeats, but they are still closer to the play-offs (five points) than the relegation zone (six) and the Town boss is staying upbeat.

“We can’t sit here and grumble about it and feel sorry for ourselves, we have to get on with it and pick ourselves up,” said Page.

“Nobody is going to come in and wave a magic wand and make it all right for us.

“When you look at the three games we have lost, at Gillingham we should be 2-0 up going in at half-time, but we don’t take our chance, then we concede in the 93rd minute to lose the game.

“We haven’t lost 3-0, we are in the game right until the end.

“Against Peterborough, we are 30 seconds away from a clean sheet and a point, and maybe a bit of pride restored. But a lapse in cocentration, bad decision making, has cost us.

“So we are not a million miles away, and it is frustrating for everybody concerned, but I am not worried about it.

“You go through seasons like this, and every team in this division is having spells where they are maybe winning two or three games, and then losing two or three, so we are not on our own.

“Do we want that level of consistency? Of course we do, and if we get that we will be right back up where want to be.

“All we can do now is react positively from Tuesday and prepare for a big game on Saturday.”

Sam Hoskins and Lewin Nyatanga are winning their fitness fights to be available for the Cobblers’ Sky Bet League One clash with title contenders Bolton Wanderers at Sixfields on Saturday.

Central defender Nyatanga missed Tuesday night’s 1-0 defeat at Bradford City after picking up an Achilles problem in training on Monday, while Hoskins was taken off midway through the second half at Valley Parade.

The attacking midfielder was struggling after suffering a back spasm, but is on the mend and it seems both are on course to be available for selection to take on the high-flying Trotters.

“Sam suffered a back spasm at half-time on Tuesday and he was in a bad way,” said Page in Thursday morning’s press briefing. “But fair play to him he wanted to carry on, so we tried to get as many minutes out of him as we possibly could.

“We had to make the change in the end because of it, but we will have a look at him today.

“He was in on Wednesday for some treatment, and the won’t do anything on Thursday because it is about getting him fit and ready for Saturday’s game.”

Page also reiterated that Nyatanga was left out of the trip to Bradford as a precaution, and said: “We will have him available for Bolton.

“If he had played on Tuesday, then we would have run the risk of him ending up being out for three or four weeks, and with Zander Diamond’s injury, we couldn’t take that chance, especially when you have somebody like Rod McDonald to call on, who went in and gave the performance he did.

“I made the choice that I would rather leave him (Nyatanga) out and have him for the next few games, because we have some great games coming up.”

Nyatanga’s availability means Page now has a selection issue in defence, as McDonald and Gaby Zakuani performed well at Bradford on Tuesday, and the manager was particularly delighted with McDonald’s showing.

“With Lewin and Zander injured, we threw Rod in and I thought he gave a good account of himself,” said Page.

“I thought he was very, very good, and that is what you ask of your players when you give them an opportunity, to go in and give a performance, and he certainly did that.

“We all know what Rod is capable of doing from his performances last season, albeit this year is a step up, but he gave a good account of himself on Tuesday, and you do need that strength in depth.”

Page also revealed that Diamond has undergone surgery on his fractured cheekbone, and had a plate inserted.

The Cobblers boss had initially feared he would be without the Scotsman for at least six weeks, but he now feels the former Aberdeen man could be back sooner than that.

“Zander has had surgery, and that has been a success and gone really well for him,” said Page.

“It is now a case of some down time for him to give him that opportunity to recover.

“We are going to see how it goes, but I don’t think he will be out for six weeks, it is going to be less than that which is good news, but we can’t put a definite timescale on it.

“He has had a plate put in his cheek, and once that has settled and the bone starts knitting into that he will be good to go.”

The Cobblers’ only other injury concern is attacker JJ Hooper, who damaged a thigh muscle in the 2-1 defeat at Gillingham a fortnight ago.

Hooper has undergone scans and is back at Port Vale having treatment, but again Page is hopeful he will be back in full training at Moulton in the not too distant future.

“Originally JJ was ruled out for four to six weeks, but it is going to be less than that now,” said the Town boss.

“It has been a couple of weeks now, and we are looking at maybe another week to 10 days. He is recovering really well, and that is good news.”

Speculation is rife that the Government’s long awaited review of dangerous driving offences and penalties may consider the possibility of increasing the maximum sentence for death by dangerous driving from 14 years to 20 years.

Although no one has actually received the maximum of 14 years since it was extended from 10 years to 14 years in 2004, campaigners believe increasing the maximum would be a good move as it will increase sentences overall.

Duncan Dollimore, senior road safety and legal campaigner for Cycling UK who have long been campaigning for a review of motoring offences, says:

“We have been told there will be a review looking specifically at motoring offences and penalties, with a public consultation beginning before Christmas, and an intention to bring legislation before parliament in 2017.

“At the moment, the maximum penalty for death by dangerous driving is 14 years.

“The judge will never impose that. There is not a sentence that ever gets the maximum. It has to be the worst possible case.

“Judges will probably only go up to 90 per cent of the maximum. They also give a discount for an early guilty plea.

“They are talking about possibly having the maximum sentence extended to 20 years.

“This would not mean someone would get the 20 years but the sentences themselves would go up and be higher.”

Justice minister Sam Gyimah said: “Driving offences can have devastating and heart-breaking consequences for victims and their families.

“This government is determined to make sure sentencing fits the crime for those who kill or seriously injure on our roads.

“We will launch a consultation on dangerous driving offences and penalties by the end of the year.”

You can sign our Change.org petition here and share it using #DriveForJusticeCampaign

Getting into a winning habit, no matter which competition, is something every manager craves for and Arron Parkinson is no different.

The Daventry Town joint-manager takes his side to Wellingborough Whitworth in the next round of the NFA Junior Cup on Saturday.

And Parkinson wants his United Counties League leaders to keep the winning run going in the cup. Whitworth are fourth in division one so Town will face a tough test to make progress.

Parkinson said: “We travel to Wellingborough Whitworth in the last 16 of the NF Junior Cup. This is another big test for us but one we, as a group, will relish as we look to get into the latter stages.

“We had several players away last weekend and a few injuries which we hope will have cleared up so we should go there with a full squad.”

Town go into the cup tie on the back of another impressive performance at Communications Park, where they preserved their unbeaten home record with a 4-2 success over Melton Town to stay top of division one.

Looking back on Saturday’s success, Parkinson said: “Melton are one of only two sides to beat us in the league. After Saturday’s draw against Lutterworth we reminded the players not to get complacent and also to continue to work hard for each other.

“Our style of play will alter slightly due to the condition of pitches. For me, leagues are won between November and March and, at times, you have to roll your sleeves up, dig-in and grind results out.

“At times it won’t be pretty but, for us, three points are crucial if we are going to win this league.

“The game was very open as both teams tried to attack at every opportunity. It was a good spectacle to watch but to play in, at times I wasn’t sure which way it was going to go.

“They were a threat on the counter-attack and in the opening hour they made us defend for large periods.

“But we look like scoring every time we go forward and our attacking play again Saturday was enough to see us home especially second half.”

JJ Hanrahan is set to make his first appearance of the season for Saints after being named on the bench for Friday’s clash with Newcastle Falcons at Franklin’s Gardens.

Hanrahan has not played since sustaining an ankle injury in the pre-season defeat at Ulster on August 26, but he has been back in training during the past two weeks and will now hope to get some game time.

Nic Groom is also among the replacements after returning from his honeymoon.

The starting 15 includes Michael Paterson, Jamie Gibson and Ben Nutley, who makes his first start of the season as Saints look to ensure their back row remains strong.

They are missing five key first-team players in that department, with Tom Wood and Teimana Harrison in the England squad to face Argentina, Louis Picamoles playing for France against New Zealand, Calum Clark banned and Sam Dickinson injured.

Paterson moves from four to six, with James Craig taking his place in the second row.

Tom Kessell, who, like Nutley, was so impressive after coming off the bench in last Friday’s win at Worcester, replaces the injured Lee Dickson at scrum-half.

There is also a first Premiership start of the season for Tom Collins as he is on the wing in place of James Wilson, who is benched.

Meanwhile, Newcastle have named former Saints players Joel Hodgson and Don Waldouck in their starting 15 as they look to stop Jim Mallinder’s men making it five successive wins in all competitions.

Saints: Foden; Elliott, Burrell, Hutchinson, Collins; Myler, Kessell; A Waller, Haywood, Brookes; Craig, Day (c); Paterson, Gibson, Nutley.

Replacements: Clare, E Waller, Hill, J Onojaife, Ludlum, Groom, Hanrahan, Wilson.

Newcastle Falcons: Tait; Goneva, Waldouck, Socino, Watson; Hodgson, Young; Vickers, Lawson, D Wilson; Green, Witty; Chick, M Wilson (c), Hogg.

Replacements: Sowrey, Rogers, S Wilson, Civetta, Fonua, Egerton, Connon, Burdon.

Fixture: Northampton Saints v Newcastle Falcons (Aviva Premiership - round nine)

Date and kick-off time: Friday, November 25, 2016, 7.45pm

Venue: Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton

Saints: Foden; Elliott, Burrell, Hutchinson, Collins; Myler, Kessell; A Waller, Haywood, Brookes; Craig, Day (c); Paterson, Gibson, Nutley. Replacements: Clare, E Waller, Hill, J Onojaife, Ludlum, Groom, Hanrahan, Wilson.

Newcastle Falcons: Tait; Goneva, Waldouck, Socino, Watson; Hodgson, Young; Vickers, Lawson, D Wilson; Green, Witty; Chick, M Wilson (c), Hogg. Replacements: Sowrey, Rogers, S Wilson, Civetta, Fonua, Egerton, Connon, Burdon.

Outs: Saints: Tom Stephenson (broken leg), Harry Mallinder (ankle), Sam Dickinson (knee), Lee Dickson (rib), Campese Ma’afu, Dylan Hartley, Courtney Lawes, Api Ratuniyarawa, Teimana Harrison, Tom Wood, Louis Picamoles, George North, Nafi Tuitavake, George Pisi, Ken Pisi (all international duty), Calum Clark (suspended)

Referee: Andrew Jackson

Most recent meeting: Sunday, November 6, 2016: Newcastle Falcons 16 Saints 24 (Anglo-Welsh Cup)

Tom’s preview: Playing badly and winning is said to be a hallmark of a top team.

But at some point, that team has to really start putting others to the sword to keep the plaudits coming.

And how Saints would love a comfortable win this week.

Because while they have been squeezing past sides during the past four matches, they have yet to really get on the open road and cruise to victory.

You could understand the nervousness in the Premiership win against Gloucester at Franklin’s Gardens last month.

The team had endured a tough start to the season and wins were all that mattered.

And there is no doubt Saints showed more control at Worcester last week, except for during the very early and very late stages.

But they have not really made any side feel their full force this season.

Narrow victories have been the order of the day, but at least they are victories.

And Saints do have some momentum going into this week’s game.

They simply have to maintain that because what looms large on the horizon is a derby date at Leicester and a Champions Cup double-header against Leinster.

To go into the Tigers game with five successive wins to their name would be big for Saints.

And to go into it with a comprehensive victory against Newcastle would be even better.

It won’t be easy, as the Falcons are far improved from some of the teams they have fielded at the Gardens in the past.

But they still have a poor away record during the past few years, with their only recent win on the road in the league coming at Gloucester in September.

Consequently, Saints should get the job done this week.

And they will be desperate to get it done in style.

Tom’s prediction: Saints 25 Newcastle Falcons 11

Over 86 per cent of UK motorists think distraction caused by mobile phones has become worse in the last three years, according to a study commissioned by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart.

Of the 2,000 UK drivers surveyed, nearly three quarters believed aggressive driving (72 per cent) had worsened over the last three years, with more than 60 per cent reporting the same for drug-driving.

Technology is the biggest challenge

IAM RoadSmart’s Safety Culture Survey was produced for the first time last year, and looks at UK motorists’ safety attitudes and behaviour and has just been updated for 2016.

The survey asked about the potential car driving problems faced by motorists now compared to three years ago, perceived threats to personal safety whilst driving, support for potential new regulations and many other aspects of motoring life in the 2010’s.

Huge numbers of UK drivers believe the dangers of mobile phones and technology are bigger threats than any other factor on the roads.

Some 94 per cent saw drivers checking or updating social media as a threat to their personal safety, while 93 per cent said that was the case for drivers text messaging or e-mailing, and for 91 per cent it was the case for drivers talking on mobile phones.

This was higher than the perceived threat from drink and drug driving. Some 89 per cent of those surveyed felt people driving after drinking alcohol was a threat to their safety compared to 88 per cent who felt that about those who took illegal drugs and then drove.

“But it wasn’t me”

And those surveyed thought the problems were caused by others; 91 per cent said they had never used the internet whilst driving in the past 30 days, 88 per cent had not sent a text or email whilst driving, 82 per cent had not read a text message or email whilst driving and 79 per cent had not talked on a mobile phone.

There is also huge approval for stricter measures to prevent and reduce drivers using mobile technology in cars.

Some 97 per cent of those surveyed strongly supported a law outlawing reading, typing, or sending a text message or email while driving; 86 per cent strongly supported the regulation of in car technology to minimise the distraction to drivers and 67 per cent strongly supported a law prohibiting the use of any type of mobile phone while driving, hand-held or hands-free.

And nearly two-thirds (65 per cent) agreed that all drivers be encouraged to improve their driving skills by taking advanced driving tuition and passing an advanced driving test.

Smart motorways

Sarah Sillars, IAM RoadSmart chief executive officer, said: “The worries and concerns of Britain’s 32 million drivers should be listened to. Whilst we can all take more responsibility for our actions it is clear that distraction and congestion are the two biggest bugbears for drivers today.

“New road building and smart motorways will help with congestion but our survey has shown that UK motorists have real concerns about the way mobile phone technology could be a threat to their safety. More than 90 per cent say checking social media, texting and talking on mobile phones whilst driving scares them – these are figures that cannot be ignored.

“It is important that Government, road safety bodies and car makers work together to allay the fear caused by distracted drivers. Recent tragic high profile cases - underline the need for a combination of education, safe design and enforcement to make sure that the high-tech benefits of our modern cars do not prove a threat to safety of all road users.”

Essex girl extraordinaire, former X-Factor finalist and I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! winner, Stacey Solomon, tells Ruth Supple why she is beside herself with excitement at coming to Milton Keynes to perform in her first ever panto this Christmas...

“Hallo!” pipes the instantly recogniseable Essex-girl voice of Stacey Solomon, which catapulted her to fame on ITV’s The X-Factor back in 2009.

“I’m having a facial to get my skin ready for the jungle, but I never have time to relax, so don’t worry – we can talk now,” she tells me.

Trying to pin down time to interview busy mum-of-two Stacey, 27, has been tricky as she’s about to head off to Australia to co-present ITV2’s new spin-off show, I’m A Celebrity: Extra Camp, with her boyfriend, Joe Swash.

The new series of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me of Out Here! starts this month – presented as ever by Ant and Dec – and Stacey, who was crowned Queen of the Jungle in 2010, says she can’t wait to go back…even though she lands back in the UK the day before panto starts in Milton Keynes.

“I go to Oz on October 31,” she says, “and then I don’t get back in the UK until December – the panto opens the next day; it’s going to be crazy, but so much fun!

“I’ve never been in panto before and am so excited to be playing the part of Fairy Bowbells in Dick Whittington. My costume is unbelievable – it looks like a Cinderella gown and is covered with Swarovski crystals; it’s gorgeous.”

Stacey says she’ll be learning her panto lines Down Under and connecting with the cast via Skype so she can still join in the rehearsals.

“I’m going to try, though it’s going to be difficult as I’ll be working from midnight til 7am, UK time, so we’ll have to see what happens.”

At least this time round she won’t be in the jungle itself and can escape to the refuge of a luxurious hotel room.

“I’d never ever thought I’d end up going back into the jungle, but this time round as a presenter,” she admits. “I’m besides myself with excitement and – hell yeah – I can actually eat real food this time and sleep in a proper bed.”

Stacey, who also presents on ITV’s popular lunchtime programme, Loose Women, says she will be able to empathise with this year’s round of jungle celebrities, who have to endure hideous tasks and eat all manner of strange foods.

“My advice to them would be to just enjoy every moment because it’s brilliant. You’ll have the best time ever and, at the same time, build a great bond with people you wouldn’t normal necessarily bond with in real life,” she says.

“I’d also advise them to watch past shows before they go in there so they know exactly what they are letting themselves in for; that way they can enjoy it more. The jungle is so beautiful.”

Stacey will be co-presenting I’m A Celebrity: Extra Camp with her boyfriend, EastEnders star Joe, who was crowned King of the Jungle in 2008.

“I met first met Joe when I came out of the jungle but we didn’t get to know each other until afterwards. I don’t know how I’m going to feel working with him – we’ve never done that before, so I’ll have to let you know how it goes,” she adds, with a laugh.

“But we get on so well together and I think he’ll be easy to work with.

“It’ll be great fun going behind the scenes for all the backstage jungle gossip.”

They’ll get to spend time with Ant and Dec too, who Stacey says are wonderful.

“They are just the best; and the cast and crew are wonderful too. I can’t wait.”

She’ll get to do all the famous Bushtucker Trials too: “Oh yeah, we get to try them out, but I draw the line at eating anything alive.

“Everything has to be dead. If I eat anything like a live cricket I’d feel so guilty.”

Stacey’s hoping her two young sons, Nathan and Zachary, aged eight and four, will be able to join her for part of her time Down Under.

“It’ll depend on school and things though,” she admits. “I’m really lucky to have an amazing support network with my parents so I don’t have to worry. They’re the best parents ever and I’m so lucky.”

When she returns from the jungle, Stacey reckons she’ll be sporting a “tropical Fairy Bowbells tan” and can’t wait for her sons to watch the show.

“They are so excited about me being in this panto; more than anything else I’ve done before,” she says. “I’ve never been to Milton Keynes before – isn’t it full of roundabouts? – but I’m really looking forward to coming and hear it has a great shopping centre, which could be a bit dangerous...”

She credits her parents for helping her keep her feet on the ground when she became a household name, almost overnight, in The X-Factor in 2009, when she reached third place.

“My parents have made me who I am; I’m an Essex girl and I’ll never change,” she states.

“I still watch The X Factor and love it. There’s such a lot of talent and I think it’s a really good year.

“I still see Simon Cowell, who’s always so lovely, and he’s the main reason I’m doing what I’m doing today, which I’m so grateful for. I’m the luckiest girl in the world.”

That’s refreshing to hear from someone who has it all but still remembers where she came from....

Dick Whittington runs at Milton Keynes Theatre from December 8, 2016, to January 15, 2017. Tickets available from www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes or the box office 0844 871 7652

Ben Foden’s favourite Saints game may surprise supporters.

Because the majority of them have spent the past five years trying to erase it from their memory.

Yes, you’ve got it, Foden selects their 2011 Heineken Cup final defeat to Leinster as his most enjoyable match in the green, black and gold.

But why?

“I was thinking about this the other day and do you know, my actual favourite ever game was the Leinster game when we lost in the final of the Heineken Cup, because there was just something about the atmosphere and something about that team,” said Foden, who made his 200th Saints appearance in the 18-17 win at Worcester last Friday night.

“We were underdogs and if we’d have won it, no one would have seen it coming.

“I really enjoyed that season. We played some great rugby and a lot of the guys played virtually every game together.

“The 15 guys who started that Heineken Cup final seemed to play every game of the season.

“It was a year where everyone was like ‘these boys are here to stay, competing for major silverware’, and we gave Leinster, who were a very strong team that year, a real run for their money.

“We nearly got out of the back door and I’ll never forget the feeling after the game of ‘wow, we were so close, but hopefully one day it will go right for us’.

“Then we won the Premiership so it was all forgiven, but it’s still one thing I’d like to do before I leave this club, win a Champions Cup, but I don’t want to jinx us too much.”

Perhaps another reason for Foden enjoying the 2010/11 season so much was his personal form.

During that campaign, the full-back really started to establish himself as one of the finest 15s around.

And one tackle on Brian O’Driscoll in the final will live long in the memory for any Saints fan who witnessed.

Add that defensive steel to his attacking edge, and Foden was pretty much the complete full-back.

“I had a good game in the final, but I was just playing some good rugby,” he said.

“I hadn’t picked up any of my injuries, I was playing for England at the time and I was flying.

“It was probably some of the best rugby I’ve played in my lifetime so I enjoyed those moments.

“I look back on that season very fondly.”

So how does that season compare to the one Saints are currently experiencing? And how does the team the club had then compare to the one they’ve got now?

“We’re in one of these zones now, which is the transition zone, with some new blood being put into the team, with young Harry Mallinder, Rory Hutchinson, Tei (Harrison) last season and Louis Picamoles is there now,” Foden said.

“A lot of people are being fazed in and fazed out and a lot of leaders left, with the likes of (Phil) Dowson and Roger Wilson.

“It’s one of those things that happens to every club and people will say this season’s not going too well, but if you look at the results we’ve lost two games we probably should have won, against Bath and Wasps, two top sides in the Premiership this year, and if we’d have won them, we’d probably be second or first in the league.

“It’s margins and the league is getting tougher, which you can see with the rise of the likes of Newcastle this year, the likes of Exeter over the past few seasons.

“The game’s growing, more fans turn up to the games, there’s more money involved, people are carving out careers, coming out of school bigger, stronger faster and it’s something that happens in sport.

“For me, reaching the 200 mark means my career’s sort of coming towards and end, but I’m excited for the next step and I’ve still got another season to go after this and I still want to win some more silverware.”

Foden arrived at Saints as a scrum-half from Sale.

So does he ever look on enviosuly at the No.9s and think what might have been?

“Of course, the ones in England are not even any good,” he joked.

“I’m happy with my decision (to change to full-back), I’ve had a great career and I’ve still got high hopes of things to do.

“I’ve got 33 caps at full-back or on the wing and one at scrum-half and I loved my time playing for England. I wouldn’t change a thing.

“I’ve loved my time here at Northampton with great coaches, Jim (Mallinder), Westy (Dorian West), Grays (Paul Grayson) and Alex King. They’re some of the best in the business and some great names in English rugby.

“I’m just delighted to have been here and stuck it out for so long and it’s been great to have the trust from the coaches to pick me so many times.

“It shows we’ve got a good relationship and they back me to go out there and perform. Hopefully I can do that for another year and a bit.”

The expansion of services offered by a pet store in Daventry has created new jobs.

Pets At Home on the Abbey Retail Park will open its newly refurbished story on Friday December 9, which will also house a new Vets4Pets veterinary practice and Groom Room inside the improved store.

The refurbishment is set to create seven new jobs for locals with new grooming and veterinary practice positions created, bringing the total number of people employed at the store to 19 across a range of full and part time roles.

The Vets4Pets practice is set to open on Friday December 16, and will have a fully equipped surgery, with operating theatre, digital X-ray facilities, in-house laboratory and a hospital ward.

The Groom Room will offer a wide range of services including full grooming, bath and blow dry, puppy grooming and nail clipping.

Store manager, Steph Tatt, said: “We’ve listened carefully to what our customers have been telling us and we’re confident the store’s improved layout and new services will be just what they want. Our mission is to ensure pets live a happy and healthy life and the addition of a grooming salon and vet practice means our customers will now find everything they need to care for their pets under one roof.”

A supermarket in Daventry has hosted a workshop for those wanting to take part in the town’s lantern parade, and made a donation towards the event.

As well as hosting the workshop Tesco Daventry will be supplying refreshments and making a £250 donation to the Daventry Town Council.

The store in New Street hosted a lantern making workshop and presented the Mayor of Daventry Cllr Glenda Simmonds with a cheque for £250. The donation helped the council to purchase the equipment for the workshops.

Kirsty Francis, the store manager, said: “It has been great to see all the wonderful and wacky creations at the workshop today.

“We’d like to thank Cllr Glenda Simmonds for coming down to the store.

“The lantern parade is coming up on Friday 2 nd December and we’d like to encourage everyone to come down and support those taking part, it should be a lovely evening!”

The parade will start at 6.30pm from the Daventry Library Car Park on December 2.

The parade will be led by Liberty Drum Corps and the Tesco store will be handing out Tesco Finest* soup.

Cllr Simmonds said: “We’d like to thank Tesco for their support with the lantern parade. We’re all very excited and can’t wait to see everyone’s wonderful creations on the night!”

The next lantern making workshops are this Saturday and Sunday, November 26 and 27, at Daventry Community Centre off Ashby Road. You can book onto these online at www.daventrytowncouncil.gov.uk/daventry-spirit-of-christmas.html or by telephone on 01327 310246.

The classic tale of The Snow Queen is being bought to life at Staverton Village Hall.

Set against the backdrop of Eastern Europe during the First World War, storytellers Libetta, Mabe and Ru for the night which takes place on Friday December 2.

In a little town that is sat at the foot of the mountains. A war had taken the men far from home.

Gerda and Kay are the best of friends and are certain they always will be but when Kay is hit with magic splinters from a shattered mirror, everything begins to change.

Kay meets the dark and mysterious Snow Queen who takes him far away to her distant land of ice. In this classic tale of ice kingdoms, magic spells and enchanting creatures, Gerda quests to defeat hatred and save her best friend from the dark magic of the Snow Queen.

The show combines story telling, original music and song combine in this captivating children’s piece of music theatre suitable for people aged five and over.

The show is coming to the area thanks to help from Northants Touring Arts who help bring theatre to rural locations.

The show starts at 6.30pm and refreshments will be served for people who booked tickets. For more details call 01327 702565.

Coronation Street star Nick Cochrane is making a return to The Deco Theatre in Northampton for this year’s pantomime.

Best known for playing Andy McDonald in the soap, he plays Muddles in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves having appeared in last year’s production at the same venue.

He said: “I’m glad to back, we did pretty well. Absolutely loved it last time, and cast and crew all got on really well.

“I’ve evolved as I’ve got older. I did the Prince a few times. It’s a great time of the year. My birthday is in December and I have a great time. Everything works really well. I enjoy it immensely.

“It’s not a challenge doing pantomime, it is an absolute joy. You’ve got to find the right balance of messing about for the kids and some jokes for the adults.”

And he also enjoyed his time working on the Street.

He said: “It was fabulous. I was on there between the age of 15 and 25. I spent it in a great place learning my trade from people who knew it all.”

The panto runs from Friday to Thursday, December 9 to 29. For tickets call 01604 491005, or visit www.thedeco.co.uk.

An adventure through Neverland will take audiences on an unforgettable journey this Christmas.

The Royal stage at Northampton’s Royal and Derngate Theatre is being transformed for the much anticipated European premiere of Peter and the Starcatcher.

In this fantastical and funny adventure, audiences can join Starcatcher Molly as she embarks on a daring mission to stop a precious cargo of stardust from falling into the wrong hands, as well as meeting a very special orphan who helps to solve the mystery of how he became ‘the boy who never grew up’.

Thirteen actors playing more than 100 characters will use ingenious stagecraft, inventive storytelling and live music to whisk audiences to a magical world of lost boys, pirates and mermaids.

It is on the Royal stage from Tuesday, November 29 - Saturday, December 31, with a variety of performance times. Tickets are priced from £10 to £26 and can be booked by calling the theatre’s box office on 01604 624811 or visit the website at www.royalandderngate.co.uk.