Dunstable News Desk

l Since its launch, the NHS 111 telephone service has provided urgent health advice to tens of thousands of people in our region. To make the service even more accessible, an online version of NHS 111 is now available across Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes. Accessible on smart phones, laptops and other digital devices, the online service is free and easy to use. By logging on to the NHS 111 website, anyone with a medical problem can quickly get advice on what NHS service they might need and how urgently. After establishing that your condition is not an emergency, you are asked to input your main symptom, for example “headache” or “swollen knee”. A digital search system then returns a list of health conditions that best match that symptom. On selecting the most appropriate condition, a series of questions with multiple choice answers will appear on the screen that have been carefully designed to assess your health. Healthcare advice will then be provided based on the

A Dunstable man who threatened to kill his ex-partner has been jailed for one year and eight months. Scott Gibbs, 38, of Chiltern Road, was sentenced at Luton Crown Court on Wednesday (20 November) after being found guilty of threats to kill and stalking. In October, Gibbs sent several text messages to the victim, threatening to kill her after their relationship broke down. When he received little response he started emailing her, and continued to threaten to take her life before taking to social media to post accusations about her publically. He continued to harass her and even contacted the victim’s child, making further threats. Police Constable James Bonney said: “Gibbs carried out targeted harassment and his threats left the victim and her child extremely shaken and upset; harassment and threats like this can cause immeasurable damage. “We are glad that Gibbs has been given a custodial sentence, and we hope this result shows victims who may be going through somethi

Trading sleigh bells for bike bells Lower and primary school pupils across Central Bedfordshire are taking part in a Christmas challenge by counting up their walking, scooting and cycling journeys to school to see if they can travel virtually to visit Santa in Lapland. The challenge organised by Central Bedfordshire Council in partnership with sustainable transport charity Sustrans  will take place between Monday 2 December and Friday 13 December and aims to decrease the number of cars used on the school run. Almost 40 schools have already signed up to take part in this year’s challenge which also gives pupils the opportunity to learn about the towns, cities, cultures and Christmas traditions of the countries they visit along the way. Using a record card, pupils and their teachers will monitor active travel trips to school. All journeys will then be combined with the goal of achieving 2,000 miles, the equivalent distance from Central Bedfordshire to Lapland. One lucky ch

Central Bedfordshire Council and leisure management operator Stevenage Leisure Limited (SLL) are to open the swimming pools at the £20m Dunstable Centre on Monday 23 December. To celebrate the opening of the pools, from Monday 23rd December until the end of the year, everyone, members and non-members alike, will be able to enjoy free sessions to thank the public for their patience during the ongoing work to the pools. The centre boasts a six-lane, 25m swimming pool which will provide a range of aqua classes along with public swimming sessions and timetabled activities. There’s also a 12.5m learning pool where AquaEd, SLL’s learn-to-swim programme, will be held. The council’s Assistant Director Leisure, Libraries and Countryside, Jill Dickinson, said: “We have been delighted by the reaction to the new library and leisure facilities including our refurbished sports hall and squash courts, our new 100-station gym and group exercise studios complete with creche, café, spaces to hire

Bruiser sniffs out illegal cigarettes and tobacco hidden in Dunstable shop Bruiser Sniffer dogs Bruiser and Mostyn have put their noses to good use and helped Central Bedfordshire Council’s Trading Standards team seize illegal hand-rolling tobacco and cigarettes. Thanks to Bruiser’s keen nose he showed the team exactly where the contraband was hidden in the undisclosed shop in Dunstable. The high-speed, canine assisted approach meant that a total of 13 businesses and a residential property across Dunstable and Houghton Regis were able to be searched in just a day. Mostyn The joint operation with Bedfordshire police and the pair of specially trained dogs from Wagtail UK was part of the council’s ongoing battle against illegally imported tobacco. Businesses may be tempted to sell illegal tobacco for extra profit, but they are incredibly harmful to people’s health and have links to organised crime. Imogen Best, Senior Enforcement Officer in the Trading Standards Team

Dunstable St Augustine’s Academy has been awarded runner-up Modeshift STARS, for their commitment to sustainable travel.  Modeshift STARS is a national awards scheme established to recognise schools who demonstrate excellence in promoting, supporting and increasing sustainable forms of travel to school, in order to improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people. On Wednesday 14 November at the National Modeshift STARS Awards Ceremony the school was presented with their award. St Augustine’s Academy had already achieved the Modeshift STARS bronze award. The school has been working closely with Bike It Officers funded by SUSTRANS to run Dr Bike sessions so that pupils’ bikes have been serviced and kept in a safe, useable condition. School pupils have been regularly taking part in sustainable travel challenges including the Santa Challenge, Big Pedal and Walk to School Week. Through Central Bedfordshire Council’s Travel Choices scheme the school has rec

Appeal after lit firework pushed through letterbox. Bedfordshire Police are appealing for information after a lit firework was pushed through the letterbox of a house in Dunstable. On 31 October, at around 9.30pm, six individuals approached the property in Crabtree Way, from the direction of Grove Park. One of the group lit a firework and pushed it through the letterbox of the property. The firework burnt the carpet in the hallway, and the amount of smoke it created in the small space set off the fire alarm. The victim was able to get out of the property and call the police. Police are now keen to speak to anyone who saw a group of six boys, aged approximately between 15 and 18, all wearing dark clothes, in the area. PC Tony Frezza, who is investigating, said: “Thankfully nobody was injured as a result of this incident, but we’re keen to trace the people responsible to speak to them about their reckless behaviour and find out what caused them to target the house.

A record turnout of 24 volunteers turned out for a path clearance session in Ashridge, off Toms Hill, Aldbury earlier today. On a lovely sunny autumnal day the colours were in full glory. The volunteers were also joined by Helen McSwiggan, the Chiltern Society ’s Membership Administrator, getting a taste of what volunteers and members get up to. Chiltern Society footpath monitors in this area helped guide the volunteers to the correct paths. The volunteers were provided with cake and refreshments. The work was mainly identifying and clearing the official paths, to encourage users onto them rather than the many unofficial tracks which have developed in this very popular walking and cycling area. Many paths were obscured by trees, bracken and fern growth so that their lines were indistinct. So mowing, lopping, brush cutting and sawing helped make the official paths much clearer. A couple of waymarker posts were also installed, several others were cleared of vegetation. Go

Appeal after lit firework pushed through letterbox. Bedfordshire Police are appealing for information after a lit firework was pushed through the letterbox of a house in Dunstable. On 31 October, at around 9.30pm, six individuals approached the property in Crabtree Way, from the direction of Grove Park. One of the group lit a firework and pushed it through the letterbox of the property. The firework burnt the carpet in the hallway, and the amount of smoke it created in the small space set off the fire alarm. The victim was able to get out of the property and call the police. Police are now keen to speak to anyone who saw a group of six boys, aged approximately between 15 and 18, all wearing dark clothes, in the area. PC Tony Frezza, who is investigating, said: “Thankfully nobody was injured as a result of this incident, but we’re keen to trace the people responsible to speak to them about their reckless behaviour and find out what caused them to target the house.

Keepers are celebrating a new arrival at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo after a bull elephant from Zoo Antwerpen in Belgium joined the Bedfordshire Zoo’s herd, as part of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP). Transporting the mammoth Ming Jung, who weighs in at just over four tonnes, required meticulous planning and co-ordination, as well as months of ‘familiarisation training’ for Ming Jung to get accustomed to his transportation facilities. The 12-year-old Asian elephant then travelled across the English Channel to the UK’s largest Zoo in a huge, custom-built vehicle complete with heating, lighting, food and water. Team leader Stefan Groeneveld said: “After many months of careful planning and a safe, successful journey, it’s wonderful to be celebrating Ming Jung joining our herd here at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo. He has settled in really well and seems to be enjoying exploring his new environment, which we fill with activities such as barrels or moving sand dunes that we can hide