New safety features worth £250k installed at M1 service stations
Safety measures worth £250,000 have been installed at two service stations on the M1.Watford Gap and Northampton Services, both in Northamptonshire, now have advanced automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) systems, more CCTV cameras and better fencing.The work has been funded by the county's police, fire and crime commissioner (PFCC).Roadchef, which owns the two sites, said the improvements would create "safer, more secure environments for drivers".
Watford Gap Services opened in 1959 and became a meeting place for musicians in the 1960s, including The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix.The 50th anniversary of the site inspired a musical in 2009.Northampton Services, formerly known as Rothersthorpe, was originally due to be the UK's first service station, but did not open until 1979.
A Crimestoppers campaign has been launched to publicise information via leaflets and display boards on how to secure vehicles and prevent them being targeted by criminals.The PFCC's office applied for the funding from the government's Safer Streets scheme.
Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone said: "This will make the venues more secure and help to deter criminal behaviour."This will then free up our police officers to spend more time being visible and accessible in their local communities."Darrell Wade, from Roadchef, said: "These upgrades are vital in creating safer, more secure environments for drivers."
Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Telegraph
John Lennon's ‘smutty' love letter to future wife revealed
A 'smutty' love letter by John Lennon to his future wife – including his complaints about Paul McCartney's snoring – has emerged 63 years on. The Beatle, then aged just 21, wrote to art student Cynthia Powell telling her how much he missed her while the band were in the middle of their Hamburg stint in April 1962. The letter, written over five nights of concerts in the city, touched on various themes, including the sudden death of former bandmate Stuart Sutcliffe the week earlier. The note also featured an amusing moan from Lennon about McCartney's 'snoring' in the bunk bed above his. In the letter, signed by Lennon and written between April 19-24 1962, he wrote: 'Paul's leaping about on my head (he's in a bunk on top of me and he's snoring) ... Shurrup Mcarntey [sic]!' The musician then confides in Powell that he had avoided Astrid Kirchherr, Sutcliffe's German fiancee, because 'I would be so awkward'. He then shot down Cynthia's plan to move in with Dot Rhone, McCartney's girlfriend, as it would have caused a lack of privacy when he and Powell were in bed together. 'Sunday papers and chocies' The letter said: 'I love love love you and I'm missing you like mad ... I wish I was on the way to your flat with the Sunday papers and chocies [sic] and a throbber.' 'I wonder why all the newspapers wrote about Stu … I haven't seen Astrid since the day we arrived. I've thought of going to see her but I would be so awkward.' It went on: 'I don't like the idea of Dot moving in permanently with you cause we would never be alone really ... imagine having her there all the time when we were in bed – and imagine Paul coming all the time. '...I love you, please wait for me and don't be sad and work hard, be a clever little Cyn Powell.' John and Cynthia, who was a year older than him, had been in a relationship for four years, having met at Liverpool College of Art. They married in August 1962 and had their son Julian in April 1963, weeks after 'Beatlemania' exploded with the release of the band's chart-topping first album Please Please Me. The pair divorced in 1968 and Powell later claimed Lennon had physically abused her throughout their relationship, including slapping her face in a fit of jealousy. The handwritten letter, described as one of the finest ever written by the singer, was sold by Powell to a Swedish collector in 1991 after she fell on hard times and needed to raise money. It then changed hands to the Swedish vendor in 1993. It will be on sale at Christie's auction with a £30,000 to £40,000 estimate. Thomas Venning, the head of books and manuscripts at Christie's, said: 'Reading the letter you get the sense of two young people in love, with no idea of what was going to happen to them, which makes it really compelling and historical. 'They are very unfiltered and you can hear him using his own voice. 'There are some smutty and funny bits and you sense his personality on the page, unlike his later letters which are more guarded and preachy. 'It provides an early insight into the Beatles from their time in Hamburg which was so important to their development as a band.' The sale takes place on July 9.
ITV News
2 days ago
- ITV News
Police warn of counterfeit tickets ahead of British Grand Prix at Silverstone
Police have warned motor-racing fans hoping to attend the British Grand Prix next month to be on their guard for counterfeit tickets. Northamptonshire Police urged people to be aware of fake tickets being sold on social media platforms and also advised against coming to the event at Silverstone between 3 and 6 July without a ticket. The British Grand Prix is one of the UK's largest sporting events, with over 480,000 people expected to attend and concerts by singers Sam Fender, RAYE and Fatboy Slim. The force said uniformed and plain-clothed police officers would patrol the circuit, campsites and surrounding road network, as well as armed officers, search teams, disruption officers and ANPR units. Live facial recognition technology, which has been used at the grand prix for the last two years, will be in operation again. It scans faces with a camera to match biometrics against those held on a watchlist for posing a danger to the public, such as those who have an outstanding warrant for their arrest. Supt Pete Basham, who will lead this year's policing operation, said: "I would urge people to be aware of potential counterfeit tickets being sold, particularly on social media platforms, and I would strongly advise against coming to the event if you don't have a ticket. "We are working closely with the event organisers, other emergency services and partner agencies as the event approaches, to ensure Formula 1 fans have a safe and enjoyable experience, and that anyone looking to commit a crime doesn't succeed."
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Sheridan Smith looks very different in sneak peek at new must watch BBC drama
Sheridan Smith is set to grace the screens in another BBC drama as she plays the role of Leanne for the five-part series called The Cage that is set in a Liverpool casino Sheridan Smith has had a dramatic image change for her latest role with the actress looking worlds apart from her usual style. The new look comes as BBC released first-look images of its new drama The Cage. The former Two Pints of Lager, Cilla and Mrs Biggs star has morphed into a character called Leanne in the production, that has been written and created by BAFTA nominated Tony Schumacher. The series, which will be shown on BBC One and iPlay follows a high-stakes, high energy crime story that has been set within the world of a Liverpool Casino with two unforgettable characters at its heart. In the new images, Sheridan is seen in a casino worker's uniform. She can be seen standing next to co-star Michael Socha, who takes on the role of Matty. While Sheridan's character is seen donning the golden waistcoat and bow-tie, Michael's is in a black suit and tie combination. The duo will be joined in the five-part series by House of the Dragon's Barry Sloane, and Dope Girls actor Geraldine James. Also featuring will be Anton Bibby, Freya Jones and Sophie Mensah. Abby Mavers, Shaun Mason, Louis Emerick, Ian Puleston Davies, Julia Papp, Katy Carmichael, Dave Hart, Eileen O'Brien, Eithne Browne, and Mona Goodwin also star. In the series, characters Leanne and Matty find they are both robbing from the safe at the casino they both work in. It sets their lives on a collision course with both themselves, the local gangster they're stealing from, and the police. As viewers get ready for the new series, Sheridan's impressive appearance on ITV's Cilla is once again gaining plaudits. The series was initially aired back in 2014, but has recently been added to Netflix, much to the delight of her fans. The three-part series sees Sheridan play the part of the legendary singer Cilla Black. The series looks back at the early stages of the icon's career and explores how her life was transformed upon meeting Brian Epstein, the manager of The Beatles. The official synopsis for Cilla reads: "'Cilla' tells of her rocky rise to fame and will capture the essence of 1960s Liverpool, the atmosphere of promise and excitement as the Merseybeat music scene was on the verge of exploding in a blaze of tight-fitting skirts, stiletto heels, and beehives." It continues: "A young, unknown Cilla works in the austere environs of the typists' pool at a local company, dreaming of stardom. The drama looks at how she met the two men who came to love her and ultimately fought over her - future husband Bobby Willis and legendary manager Brian Epstein, the tragic young businessman who also guided the career of The Beatles. "We learn how Cilla's burgeoning friendship with John, Paul, George, and Ringo - the four young men who went on to conquer the music world - shaped her career. "It was family friend Ritchie Starkey (Ringo), the teddy-boy with a greasy quiff, who helped her to cross paths with Brian Epstein and producer George Martin, who were to launch her career with recording sessions at the world-famous Abbey Road Studios."
