Updates on Friday, 21 April, 2017
MP David Mackintosh faces deselection fight
2013 document said he was 'not of the calibre to be an MP'
Speed monitoring device stolen from 30mph village
Kettering's Kyren takes two-frame lead into tonight's World Snooker session
Earlier we told you how Corby Boating Lake was being restocked with fish after levels fell over a number of years.
Our reporter Martin Borley has since been working his magic - and we can now bring you this video of the process taking place...
It is expected to become cloudier the later we move into the afternoon - at times becoming thick enough for rain.
The maximum temperature will be 14C (57F). A full forecast can be found on the BBC Weather page.
Image source, PaulaMariaLuton Town manager Nathan Jones has taken part in a skydive to raise money for The Level Trust.
Read MoreNorthamptonshire Police's plans to train a further 100 officers to use Tasers are unlikely to be rolled out to all front-line officers.
Image source, PADespite the planned increase in the number of trained officers, assistant chief constable Rachel Swann said there were no plans to roll the stun-guns out across the force.
She said the need for Taser trained officers was always monitored, but currently there was "nothing that suggests we should arm all our front-line officers with Tasers".
Martin Borley
BBC Radio Northampton
The interim chief executive at Kettering Hospital says it needs money for a new A&E department.
And Fiona Wise said that was the message she gave to minister of state for health, Philip Dunne, earlier today.
Mr Dunne was visiting the hospital in the aftermath of it being put in special measures.
Mrs Wise, who has only been in the role six weeks, said the A&E department had been an "ongoing issue for five years".
Talking about whether the hospital needed more money from government generally, she said: "One of the challenges is to ensure I have the right people in the right place at the right time.
"If having made that assessment, we need more money that's a different matter.
"I'm not at this stage going to say it is all about money."
Martin Borley
BBC Radio Northampton
"It is not all about money."
That was the refrain from minister of state for health, Philip Dunne, earlier today when he visited Kettering Hospital.
The hospital was recently placed in special measures, with inspectors finding safety was "not a sufficient priority" there.
Mr Dunne said there was always "some shock when an organisation goes in to special measures", but was quick to add "staff are doing their best".
The minister said the special measures regime is "designed to spread best practice... and to help them get through some of the issues highlighted".
He said the next stage would see staff from NHS Improvements and the Care Quality Commissioner visit Kettering to work out which areas were lacking and come up with an improvement plan.
Kettering is one of the fastest growing areas in the country, and I asked Mr Dunne if the problem came down to money.
While acknowledging "every area could find ways to spend more cash", he said funding was going up.
Image source, JAMES HAYNES/GEOGRAPHHe was also keen to stress solving the problems at Kettering was "not all about money".
"It is about doing things differently," he said.
"There has been some lack of focus on best practice. There needs to be a culture of continuous learning in all of our trusts."
Mr Dunne said the hospital was very keen to have Fiona Wise as interim chief executive, adding: "I think she's got a great opportunity to have a fresh pair of eyes from outside to come in and shine a light."
Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live
We've been telling you about last night's Confessions of a Junior Doctor programme on Channel 4, which was filmed at Northampton General Hospital.
It featured Dr Sam Pollen, who was taking a year out to consider his options, which included moving abroad to continue his training.
Image source, Channel 4In a pre-show interview he said that the very existence of the NHS was under threat.
"I believe it’s under very real and significant imminent threat," he said.
"I think if we continue to move at the rate we’re moving, and we don’t fight for what we have, I think within 10 years we could not have an NHS anymore.
"And the scary thing about that is that the NHS has existed for decades now, it’s the envy of the world over, and once we lose it, we won’t get it back."
I asked NHS England for comment and it pointed me in the direction of its chief executive's comments when in March he launched its plan - Next Steps On The NHS Five Year Forward View, external.
Simon Stevens said the document outlined significant progress made over the past three years, including record high cancer survival rates, 8,000 extra doctors and nurses, the first ever waiting time standards for mental health treatment being introduced and met, and cutting waste – in particular agency staffing bills.
It also sets out where progress has not been as quick, with rising pressure on A&E and acute wards partly caused by delayed transfers of care.
"Heading into our 70th year, public support for the NHS is as strong as ever but so too are the pressures on our frontline staff," Mr Stevens said.
"We do not underestimate the challenges but, get these right, and patients, staff and the tax-paying public will notice the benefits."
The Royal & Derngate has announced its tour of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman will continue.
Some performances of the show had been cancelled following the death of Tim Pigott-Smith (pictured receiving his OBE) on 7 April.
Image source, Getty ImagesNicholas Woodeson will now take on the part of Willy Loman.
The theatre's artistic director, James Dacre, and chief executive, Martin Sutherland, released a statement in which they said the show would return to Northampton in June.
"While rehearsals resume, all scheduled Northampton performances will be postponed," the statement added.
"We are grateful to all our colleagues and partners for their ongoing support and to our audiences for their patience and understanding as the team here has worked hard, under such difficult circumstances, to achieve this outcome."
Ticket holders for the Northampton run of Death of a Salesman are all being contacted and offered refunds or tickets for the rescheduled run.
Martin Borley
BBC Radio Northampton
Corby Boating Lake is being restocked with about 1,000 fish as part of a £10,000 refurbishment.
The fish are being moved from lakes at Oakley Vale.
The neighbourhood warden, Ivan Barkham, said fish stocks had fallen in recent years.
"Fifty years ago they had a lot of fish. It was overpopulated with fish," he said.
"Over a period of time, perhaps due to diseased fish, the numbers have reduced."
Been selected for the British & Irish Lions? If so, who could be prouder than your mum?
That's certainly the case for Northampton Saints star Courtney Lawes, who is set to tour New Zealand with the Lions this winter.
Val Lawes said he thoroughly deserved the honour.
"He does step up for the occasion," she said. "The bigger the game, the better he seems to play."
Image source, Getty ImagesA convenience store in Corby was robbed by teenagers carrying a carving knife, police have said.
Two teenagers went into the One Stop Shop in Studfall Avenue on Sunday evening, and one of them threatened a member of staff with the blade.
The alarm was raised and the offenders ran off across the green space in front of the shop.
Andrew Radd
BBC Radio Northampton
The Northampton Saints hooker Dylan Hartley will captain England on their tour of Argentina this summer.
The squad has just been announced and there's also a call up for Saints youngster Harry Mallinder.
Image source, Getty ImagesTom Wood and Paul Hill have also been picked, along with Piers Francis - who will be joining Saints next season.
BBC Sport
Northamptonshire's Rory McLeod produced the shock of the round in snooker's World Championship yesterday.
The world number 54 stunned tournament favourite Judd Trump in a remarkable first-round 10-8 win.
McLeod, a 46-year-old 1000-1 outsider, called the result "the biggest win of his career".
Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live
Last night saw the first episode in a new four-part series, external on Channel 4 which filmed junior doctors at Northampton General Hospital.
Confessions Of A Junior Doctor aims to show the day-to-day work of hospital staff and to be honest, seeing the pressures that they come under on a daily basis was a tough watch as they worked hard to deal with rising patient numbers.
Image source, Channel 4Dr Sam Pollen (pictured right), was working in gastroenterology when he was filmed, and during the programme it was announced that he was choosing not to apply for further NHS training but taking a year out to decide whether to stay in the UK or go abroad.
"I have no idea what my future holds because I have no idea what's happening with the NHS," he said.
"No degree of efficiency savings or strategic cuts is going to solve the problem that there are too many patients and not enough people treating them."
Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live
Debenhams has announced plans to close its distribution centre at Lodge Farm in Northampton.
Image source, GoogleThe centre, run by DHL, employs about 220 people. All staff are expected to be redeployed, the company says.
The retailer is also reviewing the future of 10 of its department stores and will shut 11 warehouses.
It has announced a 6.4% drop in pre-tax profits for the six months to March.
Andrew Radd
BBC Radio Northampton
The Police Federation in Northamptonshire has welcomed news that the county force is to train a further 100 officers to use Tasers.
Image source, PALast year, Northamptonshire officers fired Tasers eight times but threatened their use on 97 occasions.
Federation chairman Steve Pace said: "Our aim obviously is to protect the public and I think [the] Taser is an excellent piece of equipment that supports front line officers in protecting the public, protecting themselves and ultimately detaining the offender with the least resistance and the least amount of harm to them."
Rob Staton
BBC Radio Sheffield Sport
The World Snooker Championships are well under way in Sheffield, but that's not the only claim the city has to the sport.
The Star Snooker Academy, external is based in Shirecliffe and sees players from as far as Iran, Brazil and India taking to the tables there in preparation for trying to qualify for the 2018 tournament.
It's also used as a training venue for current professionals between their matches at the Crucible.
I popped down to meet one such player who makes use of the facility while he's in South Yorkshire:
Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live
Commuters have been told to expect a near normal service to and from London Euston this morning, after engineers worked through the night following yesterday's major disruption.
Services were affected following a fire next to the track near South Hampstead which damaged signalling and cut power.
Virgin Trains, external says it expects a full service, although there could be some delays, while London Midland, external says some trains may be shorter than normal as many carriages were trapped in sidings overnight.
Customers are advised to check before they travel.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live
Good morning and welcome to another day of live updates from Northamptonshire. We'll be here from now until 18:00 bringing you the very latest news, sport, weather and travel.
This morning we'll start by bringing you the latest news about the travel situation for those wanting to travel into London Euston by train after yesterday's track side fire.
But first, as always, there'll be a full regional weather forecast.
That's it for Wednesday's live updates for Northamptonshire.
Scroll down to read anything you may have missed, including...
We'll be back tomorrow from 08:00 with more live news, sport, weather and travel updates for the county, but any breaking news will feature here overnight.
Have a great evening.
