Chart-topping Tinchy Stryder will star at one of the events to welcome the Paralympic flame to Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

The grime music star will play at an event in St Albans, following a sports festival in Verulamium Park.

Luton, Dunstable and Bedford are also holding events to celebrate the flame’s arrival ahead of the torch relay.

The main London 2012 Paralympic flame will be created at a lighting ceremony at Stoke Mandeville on 28 August.

Earlier a ceremonial cauldron was lit in London’s Trafalgar Square to officially launch the torch relay.

During the event, 26 flame ambassadors from across England collected a flame in a lantern to take back to their local celebrations.

On 28 August, a flame from each of the UK’s four nations will be taken to Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire, home of the Paralympic movement, where they will be combined at a lighting ceremony to create the London 2012 Paralympic Flame.

A 24-hour torch relay will then begin, with torchbearers working in teams of five to carry the flame to the opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium.

On 25 August, wheelchair badminton player and Hertfordshire flame ambassador, Gobi Ranganathan, will carry the flame to Verulamium Park in St Albans for Sports Fest 2012.

A variety of demonstrations and free sport taster sessions will be available, plus a programme of live music and entertainment.

Tinchy Stryder will top a bill including local acts The Cautionaries, Telstar, Go Monaco and Melissa O’Donnell.

‘Huge honour’

In Bedfordshire, the fire service will transport the flame over the weekend, accompanied by flame ambassador Mick Dillon, from Dunstable’s Disability Resource Centre.

On 26 August, the centre will host a Paralympic flame festival where visitors can have their photo taken with the torch, meet veteran Paralympians and look at exhibits of adapted vehicles and fitness equipment celebrating the inclusion of disabled people.

Mr Dillon said it was a “huge honour and a privilege” to accompany the flame around the county.

Bedford, which has hosted 13 Paralympic teams in recent weeks, will see the flame based at the Bunyan Centre on 25 August and at the Bedford International Athletic Stadium on 26 August during an inter-counties track and field championship event.

The flame arrives at the newly-opened Inspire sports village in Luton on 27 August where a programme of events including a diving display and diving taster sessions will take place.

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A HARPENDEN business says it is struggling to operate after being left with virtually no parking.

Jackson’s Plumbers on the High Street reportedly has nowhere for customers to park or for deliveries to be dropped off due to recent changes on the road.

Lisa Sharp-Greer, who works at the business, said: “The parking bay out the front by Blockbusters has been reduced to 30 minutes, so our customers cannot stay long.”

She added that those bays were originally supposed to change to two hours.

Double yellow lines in Kirkdale Road, on the corner of the High Street, have also made things difficult for the plumbers.

Nearby residents were apparently unhappy with the number of cars and delivery lorries parking on the street, leading to the lines being put in place.

Lisa said: “If you buy a property next to a parade of shops what do you expect?”

To top off the inconvenience of not having anywhere to park, Lisa said that anyone parking in the street was in danger of receiving a parking ticket.

She said that Jackson’s Plumbers vans had received tickets even though they were clearly parked outside the shop bearing the same name.

She went on: “The police were once called when a van parked in the wrong place. How are we expected to operate? It’s difficult enough trading in the economic climate.”

Lisa added: “We are not the only shop affected in the parade of shops but we have regular deliveries so we are the worst affected.”

Blockbusters is near to Jackson’s Plumbers but does not have the same issues as a worker explained: “There’s not a huge lot of parking but it makes do and seems to work.”

Mike Lovelady, head of legal services at St Albans council, said: “The parking changes along the High Street and Kirkdale Road in Harpenden were made earlier this year, following discussions with Harpenden Town Council.

“The bays outside Jackson’s were identified as being suitable for a 30-minute maximum parking period to assist businesses by increasing turnover of parking spaces and making it possible for more people to park in the town centre during the course of a day.

“The double yellow lines have been installed at the junction of Kirkdale Road with the High Street to stop inconsiderate all day parking which previously blocked access to residents’ properties and restricted sightlines when exiting Kirkdale Road.”

He added: “Delivery vehicles are entitled to load and unload on double yellow lines for short periods. The removal of all day parking at the entrance of Kirkdale Road leaves the area more available for delivery vehicles for shops in that area, rather than less available.”

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YOUNG St Albans dad has been jailed for a year after throwing a single punch at a teenage boy which left him with serious brain injuries.

St Albans crown court was told the blow left Eli Stapleton unconscious and he ended up in Addenbrookes Hospital with multiple injuries.

Jailing 26-year-old office manager Gary Hardey on Tuesday, Judge John Plumstead told him the effects of that blow on his victim may be “long term and even life long.”

The judge added “It has changed his life. He still has the effects of the brain injury.”

Hardey of Lectern Lane, St Albans pleaded guilty to a charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr Stapleton on the night of May 13 last year.

Sally Mealing McLeod, prosecuting, told the court how the defendant had been drinking with a friend in London Road, St Albans, when, at around 10.30pm, they decided to get into a taxi and instructed the driver to take them to a gym called Body Limits in Sutton Road, St Albans.

When the car eventually pulled up on the kerb, Mr Stapleton and some friends were walking on the pavement towards the vehicle.

The prosecutor said Hardey was sitting on the back seat of the taxi and his friend was in the front passenger seat.

The court heard there was “an exchange of words” between Mr Stapleton and the men in the taxi, prompting Hardey to get out.

She said “The defendant got out and punched Mr Stapleton once to the head which caused him to fall to the floor.”

Hardey’s friend pulled him away and they got back in the car telling the driver to drive away.

Mr Stapleton was rushed by ambulance to the Queen Elizabeth 11 Hospital in Welwyn Garden City before being transferred to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge.

He was put in a neurosurgical unit and placed on a life support machine. A CT scan showed he had multiple brain injuries and a drain had to be inserted.

The court was told Hardey had four previous convictions but that in the last seven years he had turned his life around, settled down into a long-term relationship and was a “hardworking family man with a young daughter.”

Claire Fraser defending said “He is absolutely distraught, not for the position he finds himself in but for the injury he has caused to Mr Stapleton.”

Judge Plumstead told Hardey “Someone has over-reacted with a single blow which has altered and possibly ruined a teenager’s life.”

Commenting on the dispute which had arisen that night between Hardey and Mr Stapleton, the judge added: “How it finished is why you are here today. You lashed out and punched a young man. I accept you had no idea of the harm that would result.”

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The government is considering reopening an inquiry into plans for a rail freight terminal near St Albans

Planning permission for the depot at a former aerodrome in Park Street had been refused by St Albans council.

HelioSlough Ltd appealed against the decision for a second time after the first was dismissed by the government.

Secretary of state Eric Pickles has now said the plans should be considered alongside an inquiry into a similar scheme in Berkshire.

Mr Pickles has asked for the views of the council and other interested parties on the proposed approach by 3 October.

St Albans City and District Council originally refused planning permission in 2009, as it considered the proposal would harm the green belt.

HelioSlough said its plans followed government policies to transport goods by rail not road and that the terminal was needed to serve the whole of south-east England.

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ST ALBANS, W.Va. – Parkersburg High’s offense struggled mightily in a shutout loss at Huntington last weekend in which the Big Reds amassed just 198 total yards while turning the football over seven times.

On Friday evening the Big Reds travelled to St. Albans looking to rebound from the sluggish offensive performance against the winless Red Dragons.

And after another slow start, Parkersburg did just that in riding workhorse senior running back Adam Lindamood to a 42-22 win at Crawford Field.

A Red Dragons homecoming crowd looked on as the Big Reds improved to 3-2, while St. Albans dropped to 0-5.

Lindamood rushed for 259 yards and four touchdowns, including 217 yards and three scores on just five second half carries.

Parkersburg led just 14-6 at the half before Lindamood’s second half heroics.

Lindamood darted 72-yards for a score on the first play of the second half and added a 97-yard scoring run the next time he touched the ball to give the Big Reds a 28-14 lead with 2:35 left in the third quarter.

Lindamood’s 97-yard score was the longest TD run in Big Reds history, eclipsing a 95-yard run by his grandfather, Fred Earley, during the 1940 season.

Lindamood had just 268 yards and four touchdowns through the Big Reds’ first four games.

“Our line did a fantastic job opening holes for us in the second half,” said Lindamood. “The holes were big enough for a train to go through. I just happened to hit the hole and make a good cut and get up the field.

“They were running weird stunts with their defensive line, things we hadn’t seen before, and it took a while to get used to it for us to execute well.”

Junior running back Chandler Hamilton also had a big evening for Parkersburg, finishing with 107 yards and touchdown on 18 carries.

“We know that we’re young and a little inexperienced up front, but we also feel we have two of the better backs in the state with Chandler Hamilton and Adam Lindamood so we just wanted to put the ball in their hands,” said Parkersburg Coach Don Reeves. “We found out that we couldn’t move them very much up front and also we knew with our formations we could get them where we wanted them and actually run the backside or weakside.

“Once you get Lindamood and Chandler outside, they’re really dangerous.”

St. Albans, which was coming off of an emotional, last second home loss to cross-river rival Nitro last weekend, started the scoring when Drew Kirby barreled in for a score from two yards out to give the Red Dragons a 6-0 lead with 2:32 left in the first quarter.

A 79-yard pass from Noah Reed to Dakota Kelly was the key play in the four play, 83-yard drive.

In the second quarter Hamilton scored from four yards out and Lindamood scored his first touchdown on a 16-yard jaunt to give Parkersburg its halftime lead.

Kirby scored his second TD of the evening with a 29-yard run sandwiched between Lindamood’s two long scoring runs to keep the Red Dragons in the contest.

SA’s Michael Cain trimmed the lead to 28-22 on a four-yard TD run with 9:54 left in the fourth quarter, but the Big Reds answered with a one-yard run by Aaron Roberts and Lindamood’s fourth TD, this one from 30 yard out, to close the scoring.

Kirby led the Red Dragons with 89 yards on 22 carries, while Cain finished with 59 bruising yards on 13 tries.

Reed tallied 203 passing yards on 16-of-30 passing and a pair of interceptions by the Big Reds’ Kwante Johnson.

For SA Coach Steve Stoffel, Jr., the loss was another disappointing setback, but the first-year coach is also seeing his team make steady progress.

“We’re trying to change a philosophy and an attitude here and we’re getting closer,” said Stoffel, Jr. “Our kids haven’t given up and we’re not giving up on them. We’re going to get ready and go again next week.”

The biggest struggle for the Red Dragons so far is finding consistency for four quarters.

“If we could ever play four quarters like we played two to two and half quarters tonight we can be a pretty good football team,” said Stoffel, Jr. “I’m excited to see us play as a real football team for four quarters.

“It’s a slow process and we’re trying to bring some success back here. Slowly but surely we’re starting to change these kids a little bit and they’re starting to believe in themselves.

“We’re going to be in here Sunday getting ourselves ready to play another football next week and I sure as heck hope next Friday night is our night. If it’s not, we’ll be back in there the following week to go at it again.”

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TV personality David Dickinson will be in St Albans today to film an episode of his hit auction show.

Along with a team of antique experts he will be trying to find treasures among the belongings of St Albans residents for the programme Dickinson’s Real Deal.

The ITV show will be filmed in Marlborough Science Academy in Watling Street today (Saturday).

The daytime ITV programme, which is now in its ninth series, involves members of the public putting their antiques in front of an expert who can offer them a price for it.

The person can then decided to accept the offer and leave with the cash, or gamble and take the item to auction.

If the expert’s offer is rejected the item will be auctioned off at Chiswick Auctions in London.

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Steps to provide housing and support to prevent homelessness in St Albans have been put in place.

St Albans District Council plans to take action to reduce the number of households in temporary accommodation in the city.

This includes plans to increase members of staff who provide support and advice to prevent homelessness.

A new temporary housing development will be opened at Brandom Mews, following the site’s redevelopment by North Hertfordshire Homes, in an aim to deal with the increase of people in temporary  accommodation.

The number of people in temporary housing rose from 34 in July 2011 to 71 in August 2012.

Concillor Brian Ellis, housing portfolio holder, said: “During July and August, the housing team prevented 44 cases of people becoming homeless.

“They have done this by arranging for loans through the Credit Union, negotiating with people’s landlords, providing debt advice and finding alternative accommodation.

“The causes of the increase in the number of people in temporary households are numerous; the economic downturn being one.

“There have also been increases in parental evictions, cases of domestic violence resulting in homelessness and people being evicted by private sector landlords.

“Of the 71 cases of households in temporary accommodation, 11 are from outside the district.

“However, if we have reason to believe they are homeless and they are in priority need the council has to provide temporary accommodation regardless of the local connection.

“This is usually until such time as we can refer them to a local authority where they have a local connection.”

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Firefighters are to hold car safety demonstrations this morning (Friday) to encourage young people in St Albans to drive safely on the roads.

St Albans fire station will open its doors to sixth form students from the Samuel Ryder Academy, in Drakes Drive, to teach them about car road safety and how to avoid road accidents.

The pupils will be shown short video clips of car accidents and a demonstration of a car being cut, like seen in a road crash.

Tony Bates, watch commander, said: “They are the people who will be going out and driving and we are the people that come to help when there has been an accident.

It is important they know how to be safe and what the situation would be like if they were to be involved in an accident.

“This will involve showing the pupils a car when it has been cut up, like in a crash.”

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Youngsters from a school in St Albans are continuing to fly the Olympics flag today (Friday) with a visit from a triple jump athlete.

St Bernadette Catholic Primary School in Walsingham Way, is delighted to welcome Kola Adedoyin, European Champion 2011 triple jumper to their school.

He will put pupils and staff through their paces at the event today (Friday) which marks the schools ‘Sports Legacy Day’.

The day will raise money for the school and Sports for Schools, an organisation dedicated to enabling young promising athletes to train and receive financial assistance to compete at the highest  level possible in their sport.

An assembly will also feature a talk, question and answer session and sporting demonstration by Kola.

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A couple with two young children were left with raw sewage spilling over their bathroom floor and water running down the walls after hiring an unqualified plumber to do renovations.

Stephen and Deb Leslie hired Herbert Beglin to upgrade an upstairs bathroom and an ensuite in their Manly St home in Paraparaumu in February last year.

He had already worked on their roof and told them that, although he was not a registered plumber, he had experience in Britain and could “handle” their job.

“We had started to see him as a mate, he was praised in a building magazine, seemed highly recommended,” Deb Leslie said yesterday.

“He said he could do the work rather than getting a plumber builder and tiler. We had him and his wife around for drinks, everything seemed hoki mai.”

The couple had been told the job would take about 2 weeks but, after 10, it was still not finished. They paid him more than $13,000 for labour, but said they would not pay any more until the job was finished.

They did not see Beglin or his employees again.

The first thing that alerted them to problems was a damp smell when they came into the house. When a downstairs toilet light began failing, Stephen Leslie unscrewed it and discovered water running down the wires. In the laundry, water ran down the walls and the ceiling was stained.

Raw sewage began spilling from the back of the toilet on to the bathroom floor, wallpaper in the laundry started peeling, and they noticed stains on the ceiling of a downstairs bedroom.

Tile grouting on the bathroom floor became mouldy. “We had these massive white patches spreading over our tiles. It was hideous,” Deb Leslie said.

They called in a professional tiler, and were told the only thing to do was rip the bathroom out and start again. A qualified builder said the bathroom was “knackered”.

Stephen Leslie then asked Beglin for his money back. “Then we could shake hands and call it quits. I told him we would pay the extra to take out the bathroom and rebuild it, or we would see him in court. He said, talk to his lawyer.”

In Porirua District Court on Wednesday, Beglin was fined $3800 with another $245 costs after pleading guilty to carrying out sanitary plumbing without being registered or licensed.

Judge Jan Kelly said he had failed to find out what work he could legally carry out in New Zealand, and incorrectly told the couple they did not need a building consent.

The size of the fine appalled Deb Leslie, who said the couple had ended up paying about $50,000 to get the bathrooms they wanted.

“It is pathetic. We are paying interest on $50,000, we might get $20,000 back from [Beglin's] insurance company. Our lives have been in upheaval for 18 months.”

For about six months she had to bath their 3 and 4-year-old children in about 3cm of water in the shower. Although the bathroom had now been rebuilt, repairs were still needed.

“It will probably end up costing us at least $25,000 for our bathroom and we still have to build our ensuite,” Mr Leslie said.

The couple have learnt only to employ qualified tradespeople.

“Bert is a lovely bloke,” Stephen Leslie said.

“I think he got a bit out of his depth and made promises he could not keep. He should have stuck to his knitting.”

Ask for the card

The Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board is in charge of ensuring competency of people doing that type of work.

Penalties from prosecutions it undertook in the year ended March ranged from fines of $750 to $8500, with an average of $2489.

The board says people carrying out sanitary plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying work must be authorised.

It is running an “Ask for the card” campaign.

If a plumber, gasfitter or drainlayer cannot produce their authorisation card call the board on 0800 743 262 to check they are authorised.

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