The parents of a Blackpool nurse who was murdered by her abusive ex-boyfriend hope to help business leaders spot the warning signs of domestic violence.

Jane Clough, 26, was stabbed to death outside Blackpool Victoria Hospital by her former partner Jonathan Vass in 2010.

Her parents, John and Penny, are among the speakers due to address employers today at an event organised by Lancashire Police.

They were due to speak at the Waitrose distribution centre in Leyland to raise awareness of how domestic abuse can affect businesses and employees.

Det Supt Sue Cawley, head of Lancashire Police’s public protection unit, said: “Many will have performance, absenteeism and stress-related issues, none of which are their fault – but this has a real financial implication for businesses.”

A medic stalked his former girlfriend, engineering meetings with her and phoning her after he had ended their relationship, a court heard.

Robert Wilding then left his victim a message telling her she was in his will and that he was going to do something in the next five minutes.

Appearing at Blackpool Magistrates Court, Wilding, 51, of St Peters Place, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to harassing his ex between November 20 and 22.

Pam Smith, prosecuting, said the couple had met in January last year and in October this year Wilding ended the relationship.

The court heard his girlfriend felt he had done that to test her reaction.

She then started to get numerous calls from him and emails to her work. She told police and he was given a harassment warning.

The court was told after this she was walking her dog on The Mount at Fleetwood and she saw him with his dog. She felt he had purposely set out to bump into her.

The prosecution said the same day she was in the port’s Dockers pub when Wilding came in.

She tried to ignore him but he kept coming over to where she was stood with her brother, trying to speak to her.

He made a number of calls to her and then left a message saying she was in his will.

The court heard she believed he was going to harm himself and alerted police.

Patrick Nelligan, defending, said Wilding, a solider for 22 years who reached the rank of Warrant Officer had no previous convictions and was leaving soon to work in Jordan as a medic.

Wilding had spent two days in custody and now accepted his behaviour had not been appropriate.

Wilding was bailed for pre-sentence reports by Blackpool magistrates.

He must not contact his ex or enter Harris Street, Fleetwood as conditions of his bail.

A man created fake internet profiles and posed as a 12-year-old boy to snare a pensioner and blackmail him out of £14,000.

The predator - who changed his name by deed poll to simply ‘Randall’ - has been jailed for two and a half years after building a complex web of deception to con the man out of his life savings.

Preston Crown Court heard Randall’s victim - a man in his 70s - lived in fear that he would be exposed as having an inappropriate interest in young boys for more than three years.

He made more than 400 bank transfers to Randall to buy his silence, after falling into the trap laid by his blackmailer.

Judge Robert Altham described the campaign as a “nasty and cynical offence”.

He said: “I have no doubt that he was targeted because he had money and you regarded him as being a vulnerable person who would go for this scheme.”

The court heard Randall - a diagnosed narcissist - has a history of deception and has previously served a prison sentence for fraud after setting up loans and credit cards by deception.

In 2010 Randall, of Glenmere Crescent, Cleveleys created an online persona, posing as the fictional 12-year-old nephew of a man both he and his victim knew.

The court heard he then convinced his victim to buy a new computer for each of them and told Randall he should not contact the youngster.

But after contact stopped between the pensioner and the man he believed to be a young boy, Randall created a second online persona and posed as a friend of the first boy - claiming the youngster had been in an accident and urging the pensioner to get in touch.

In December 2011, Randall visited the pensioner’s home, and warned him their mutual friend - the alleged uncle of Randall’s fake persona - was going to go to the police.

Between 2011 and 2013 the man handed over £14,335 in a bid to buy Randall’s silence and spare himself criminal proceedings.

Judge Altham said: “Eventually the victim went to the police and was interviewed in circumstances he was able to make a complaint.

“This was a ruthlessly executed blackmail.”

The General Medical Council has insisted that GPs report patients who are medically unfit to drive to the DVLA.

The new guidance is in draft form and open to public consultation, but the regulator has said doctors have a public protection duty to inform authorities if a patient is driving against medical advice.

Patient consent is not required for doctors to inform the DVLA if a patient has continued driving.

However, this new, stronger advice is part of a public consultation on the GMC’s core guidance on confidentiality, which aims to help doctors balance their legal and ethical duties of confidentiality with wider public protection responsibilities.

The guidance says doctors must disclose information - which can include risks of violent crime, serious communicable diseases, or risks posed by patients who are not fit to drive - which could help protect the public.

GMC chief executive Niall Dickson said: “Doctors often find themselves in challenging situations.

“This is difficult territory - most patients will do the sensible thing but the truth is that a few will not and may not have the insight to realise that they are a risk to others behind the wheel of a car.

“A confidential medical service is a public good and trust is an essential part of the doctor-patient relationship.

“But confidentiality is not absolute and doctors can play an important part in keeping the wider public safe if a patient is not safe to drive.

“We are clear that doctors carrying out their duty will not face any sanction - and this new guidance makes clear that we will support those who are faced with these difficult decisions.”

RAC Foundation director Steve Gooding said: “Thirty-seven million drivers depend on the car for getting about and for those with serious medical conditions there is a real fear around losing their licence.

“But with the right treatment, many illnesses will not lead to people having to hang up the keys.

“The worst thing motorists can do is ignore medical advice. If they don’t tell the DVLA about something that impacts on their ability to drive safely, then their GP will.”

The news comes at a time when the Fatal Accident Inquiry into last December’s Glasgow bin lorry crash has heard claims that driver Harry Clarke broke the “bond of trust” between patient and doctor when he failed to give full details about a previous blackout.

Clarke passed out in April 2010 when working for First Bus, but told his GP that he fainted in a hot canteen. In December 2014 he was at the wheel of a refuse truck which crashed in Glasgow city centre, killing six people.

George Osborne today ruled out further cuts to police budgets in a surprise move during his Spending Review.

Lancashire police and other forces around the country had been lobbying against massive expected cuts as the Government aims to make wide-ranging savings in Britain’s finances.

But the Chancellor today stunned parliament by saying there would be no further cuts.

He said: “Now is the time to back our police and give them the tools to do the job.

“There will be no cuts in the police budget all, “ he added to cheers and loud applause.

More details are expected to follow.

Meanwhile, the Chancellor said he could abandon the controversial tax credit cuts of £4.4 billion due to improvements in public finances.

He said he would still be able to deliver the promised £12 billion in welfare cuts over the next five years while balancing the books by the end of the Parliament.

Newly lodged plans for more housing estates near Garstang have attracted attention from protesters already trying to halt the rural Wyre building boom.

The past week has seen plans which, if approved, would see up to 144 homes built at Bowgreave, south of Garstang.

The latest plans are on sites at Garstang Golf Club, for up to 95 homes, and agricultural land off Calder House Lane, up to 49 homes, close to the site of several recently built and pending new estates.

Bowgreave residents are already fighting a scheme for 32 homes on Garstang Road, immediately south of Garstang Academy. This summer, their objections failed to halt Wyre Council’s planning committee chaired by Coun Ron Greenhough, approving 30 homes at Bowgreave House Farm, Garstang Road.

The two new planning applications at Garstang Golf Club and Calder House Lane, look set to add to the ongoing housing land controversy in Garstang and the district.

The plans for the Golf Club, submitted by Baxter Homes and Garstang Country Hotel and Golf Club, show up to 95 homes on the club’s current driving range. A report accompanying the plans says changes are needed at the course to boost business at the golf club, including revamping the course as a 9-hole rather than the current 18-hole.

The report adds: “Without a new direction the business will not progress or expand to enable it to maintain a viable business and community attraction.”

Baxter Homes and Garstang Golf Club, in their application, reveal they have been told by Wyre that “given that the council is currently unable to demonstrate a five-year supply of housing land, the residential development of the site would make a valuable contribution towards meeting the borough’s housing requirement.“

David Walker, a spokesman for Baxter Homes, said: “It’s already a developed site and golf as a sport and leisure activity is changing and the facilities have now become almost obsolete.

“The problem is people don’t want change. It doesn’t matter where the application is going, they all get objected to.”

Planning policy in rural Wyre has become a huge issue over the past two years, with the borough council’s lack of a blueprint local plan being highlighted.

As a social media addict, albeit of the type at whom a 11 -year-old child would roll their eyes and proclaim considerably out of date, I was pleased to gain a new favourite to add to Twitter and Facebook.

I joined Instagram approximately five years after everybody else. I had dismissed Snapchat (I’m too old) and Pinterest ( I don’t see the point) along the way.

On joining I immediately became the type of social media and indeed real-life bore who takes square photographs of their dinner, inane selfies using filters to make you look amazing and uses 7,000 hashtags because everyone knows they get you more likes.

I then started following a number of fitness, healthy eating, fashion and journalism accounts plus of course, the omnipresent Kardashians to make myself feel fat, poor, style-incompetent and over-clothed.

Meanwhile, my unfortunate legions of followers (OK, 50) have been treated to my idyllic holiday snaps, pictures of my yoga mat, every coffee I have every drunk and on one occasion a leaf, which got five likes.

This stuff is nonsense but it’s addictive and very clear that for many pseudo-celebrities it is a promotional dream, a career-driving opportunity and indeed a socially acceptable and business-savvy way of making you feel really, really popular and that you probably have an alternate career as a photographer or Instagram model.

In reality Instagram really does work on many levels.

It does sell stuff, it has certainly jettisoned the careers of many also-rans reality TV celebs and is a great opportunity to promote porno-lite in the guise of ‘fitness models’ wearing very little (I haven’t tried this myself, you understand, nobody wants that.)

Serious money can be made if you develop a cult-like following.

Followers equal cash for many.

But this is a not a channel for the intellectually-intense.

To illustrate, a picture of my green smoothie got 20 likes, a picture of a serious, compelling, newspaper front page, one.

In its very essence Instagram is life, but with a soft filter.

Maybe sometimes we need that.

This year is set to finish up as the hottest year on record and, according to the World Meteorological Organisation, 2016 could be even hotter due to the El Nino weather pattern.

The organisation warned this week that global temperatures could rise by six degrees Celsius or more if action is not taken to address climate change.

Monday sees a global climate change summit begin in Paris, and Director General of the WMO Michel Jarraud believes there is still time to agree steps which will help reduce the impact of global warming.

“You have scenarios assuming very strong decisions, very quick and sharp reduction of greenhouse gases, and you have other scenarios with business as usual, where you end up with predictions of additional warming of 5, 6 degrees, maybe even more. That will very much depend on the decisions.”

According to the WMO, eight of the world’s ten warmest years have occurred since 2005, a statistic Jarraud says is “Bad news for the planet”.

The El Nino weather pattern affects ocean temperatures in the Pacific and can cause droughts and flooding.

AN angry employee has hit out at Sports Direct after the retail giant sacked her for refusing to work on Saturdays.

Ann Hesford was employed on a zero hours contract processing work at the company’s Wigan warehouse but was abruptly told by text message her services were no longer required.

Mrs Hesford is particularly unhappy about being dismissed for not working at the weekend, when she and her husband help to look after their grandchildren and an elderly relative, after regularly completing gruelling shifts and working more than 50 hours each week.

She also blasted the way her firing was handled and said she was shocked by the sudden turn of events, having never previously been sacked from a job in her career.

Makerfield MP Yvonne Fovargue criticised the company after being made aware of Mrs Hesford’s case, describing their working practices as “more akin to a Dickensian workhouse than a FTSE 100 company.”

Mrs Hesford, 62, said: “It was 8am on a Sunday morning and they sent me a text saying I was inflexible and Sports Direct were releasing me from my assignment.

“It’s not a nice thing to get out of the blue. I was still half asleep and it was a lot to take in. I’ve never been dismissed before in my life.

“They expected you to do one Saturday in two but I refused because I have other commitments at the weekend.

“I think the way they have handled it is disgusting. Sacking someone by text message is just not fair, they should have told me face to face. It’s all very impersonal, as though you don’t exist.

“I thought everything was OK there and then they just go and do things that way, which is very upsetting. It just seems to be the way the world works now, unfortunately.” Mrs Hesford, of Kirkham Road, says every time she missed a Saturday shift she was given a point on the company’s marking scheme, and when she reached a certain number of points her employment there was terminated, though she does not know exactly how many she racked up.

She was found the work at Sports Direct’s Martland Mill warehouse by agency Transline, her third stint working with the retail company.

She began working there in May and described the long hours and uncertainty of agency work, saying she rarely knew in advance what time she had to start or how long she would be working.

She said: “You got a text message every evening when you finished to say what time you would be in the following day.

“Sometimes you didn’t know until 6pm or 7pm when you would be in, and it was usually between 6am and 8am start times.

“It always said your shift had been confirmed from a time until the finish.

“There was never a finish time.

“We regularly did 10 and 11-hour shifts and would work 50 to 55 hours a week, and then they expected you to work Saturdays as well.”

Mrs Hesford says she now wants to warn other people about working for companies such as Sports Direct, which was also the subject of a highly-critical TV documentary looking at its employment practices and treatment of employees earlier this year.

She said: “For someone living on their own losing their job at this time of year would be absolutely catastrophic.

“People need to be careful where they work, and if it’s for someone like Sports Direct do everything by the letter. A lot of people have commitments at weekends and if they do the same as me they will lose their jobs.

“Some people will also be working because they are frightened of losing their job, and I don’t think that’s right.”

Ms Fovargue who has long campaigned for changes to zero hours contracts, said: “Reports of this type are far too common an occurrence at Sports Direct. To be told by text that you are fired is completely unacceptable.

“Low paid workers on zero hours contracts and examples of working conditions that are more akin to a Dickensian workhouse than a FTSE 100 company continue to hit the headlines with bosses making mega bonuses on the back of shocking employment practices.”

Sports Direct was approached for comment but did not respond by the time we went to press.

GONE are the days when you had to queue outside shops on Boxing Day and fight your way through the crowds to get the best of the year’s bargains.

Now you can sit on your couch with a cuppa in hand and surf your way to savings - but with all-year round sales and offers it’s often tricky to know what’s a genuine bargain.

This year Black Friday – the sales event which topped out last year with an £810 million UK spend – is expected to be bigger than ever.

Here’s our guide to finding the best deals in the UK, without having to battle it out in store.

1. Get ready to rip up your wish list

Don’t be too rigid on what you want to buy – an open mind will mean you’re much more receptive to a {http://www.amazon.co.uk/b/?_encoding=UTF8&_encoding=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&linkCode=ur2&node=8741657031&pf_rd_i=navbar-4201&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_p=758414907&pf_rd_r=0F7VQGF618Z9G0DHKDAP&pf_rd_s=nav-sitewide-msg&pf_rd_t=4201&tag=wwwscotsmanco-21|daily deal|} rather than holding out for a specific model or colour to be discounted.

2. Create a set of your favourite links to check

Bookmark all the major outlets like {http://www.amazon.co.uk/b/?_encoding=UTF8&_encoding=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&linkCode=ur2&node=8741657031&pf_rd_i=navbar-4201&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_p=758414907&pf_rd_r=0F7VQGF618Z9G0DHKDAP&pf_rd_s=nav-sitewide-msg&pf_rd_t=4201&tag=wwwscotsmanco-21|Amazon|}, {http://www.argos.co.uk/static/ArgosPromo3/includeName/black-friday.htm|Argos|}, {http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/black-friday-785-commercial.html|Currys|} and {http://www.johnlewis.com/electricals/black-friday/c6000670128?rdr=1|John Lewis|}

3. If it’s looks too good to be true, it probably is ...

Remember, anyone can offer a brilliant deal, but do they have the stock to honour it? Be sure to check delivery details and availability before committing to buying.

4. If you snooze you lose

If you’re not quick you could lose some of the very best bargains, as the big retailers only offer these for a few hours at a time. They’re worth it though, as the savings can be over 50 per cent, so refresh, refresh, refresh! Check the sites at breakfast, on your coffee break, at lunch, dinner time and before you head for bed.

5. Caveat emptor

By all means add your bargain buy to your shopping basket, but then take a moment to do some research before committing - browse other sites to check the price really is as good as it looks. And remember on sites like {http://www.amazon.co.uk/b/?_encoding=UTF8&_encoding=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&linkCode=ur2&node=8741657031&pf_rd_i=navbar-4201&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_p=758414907&pf_rd_r=0F7VQGF618Z9G0DHKDAP&pf_rd_s=nav-sitewide-msg&pf_rd_t=4201&tag=wwwscotsmanco-21|Amazon|} there is sometimes a minimum spend to get free postage, so be sure to top up your basket until it qualifies - items don’t have to be in the daily deal to be added.

Following the news that the Chancellor has so far held off a price increase on fuel duty, Asda has today (Friday 27th November) announced that it will give its customers a seasonal boost on top of the freeze by investing in an exclusive three-day price drop, knocking 4 pence per litre off fuel, meaning unleaded prices drop below the £1 mark to 99.7 pence per litre.

Asda President & CEO Andy Clarke had urged the Chancellor to continue with the freeze instead of the anticipated yearly fuel duty rises in line with inflation from April 2016. Feedback from Asda Mums indicates that any future increases would put pressure on household finances.

In the latest Mumdex report, complied ahead of the Autumn Statement, Asda mums made it clear what the Government needs to focus on to take pressure off household incomes including, imposing a limit on energy and utility prices and increasing the personal tax allowance, along with a continued freeze on fuel duty.

Asda’s announcement today will be an additional boost for customers in the run-up to the festive season, meaning there’s more left over to spend on the things that matter at this time of year. Effective from Friday 27th November until Sunday 29th November, motorists will benefit from cheaper fuel prices throughout the weekend as unleaded falls to a new record six year low. Asda will revert back on Monday to a market leading price of 103.7ppl on unleaded and 106.7 ppl on diesel.

Asda President and CEO, Andy Clarke said: “The Chancellor’s freeze on fuel duty is what our customers were hoping for but it doesn’t look like it will be long lived. We’re adding a further boost by investing in a three day fuel price drop meaning drivers can now benefit from fuel as low as 99.7ppl in the crucial run-up to the festive period.

“We’d urge the chancellor to continue with a freeze on fuel duty to help maintain discretionary income levels for families rather than going ahead with an anticipated inflationary rise from April next year. Our commitment is to keep prices as low as possible for drivers and we’d ask the Chancellor to do the same”

The latest Asda Income Tracker shows that vehicle fuel inflation has dropped -14.1% compared with this time last year in fact at Asda the price has dropped 20p across the same period, saving a family £14 on a full tank of fuel (*based on a 70 litre tank).

Asda is the only retailer to operate a national price cap and offer drivers the lowest fuel prices nationwide week in, week out. Our average price is up to 6ppl cheaper at the pump than some big petrol retailers.

Our customers don’t have to spend in store to save on fuel as with some competitor deals, our price drops are honest and put money directly back into our customers’ pockets.

A woman accused of driving a Peugeot at Fleetwood while unfit through drink has made her first appearance at court.

Mia McDonald, 39, of Staveley Grove, Fleetwood, who is also alleged to have driven without insurance and not in accordance with her licence, was bailed by Blackpool magistrates.

• A man looking for pieces of fish in bins opened an insecure door at business premises in Fleetwood and set off the alarm.

Richard Sleet, unemployed, 32, of Balmoral Terrace, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to burglary with intent to steal and theft of meat.

He was sentenced to a 10 weeks curfew from 8pm to 6am Sundays to Thursdays and ordered to pay a £180 court charge with £35 compensation plus £60 victims surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Martine Connah, prosecuting, said Sleet stole £30 worth of meat from the Co-op, Fleetwood, on August 24.

On October 6 at 4.30am the alarm went off at The Fish House, Fleetwood. CCTV showed Sleet outside trying a delivery van door and then opening the door of the premises and stepping inside.

When interviewed he denied stealing anything and said he just looked in because he was being nosey.

Steven Townley, defending, said Sleet had been told scallops and fish were sometimes discarded in bins at the rear of The Fish House so he went to see if he could find some.

He saw the door to the premises was not properly locked as the person meant to lock up had turned the key the wrong way. He took one step inside and ran off when the alarm sounded.

n A woman struggling with debts turned to fraud to ease her plight.

Wendy Wood failed to tell the authorities that she had a series of jobs whilst she claimed Housing and Council Tax benefit.

Wodd, 33, of Chester Avenue,Poulton, admitted four offences of failing to declare a change in her circumstances to Wyre Borough Council when she appeared before Blackpool Magistrates.

She was given a 24 week jail sentence suspended for a year.

Mary Grimshaw ,prosecuting for the council, said that during the period of the offences, Wood had worked as a cook at the Sheraton Hotel,Blackpool, The Primrose Bank nursing home,Poulton and twice at the Bull Hotel, Poulton.

When she asked about work by the council she only admitted to being a self-employed dog walker.

In all she received benefits totalling £20,983 to which she was not entitled.

Steven Townley, defending, said that Wood had split up with her partner and began to struggle financially.

He said: “She had a lot of debt and lost her home.The money was not used to fund some sort of luxurious lifestyle.”

• A builder who stole £4 of beer protested to magistrates when they ordered him to pay a total of £250 in financial penalties for the crime.

Gareth Bibby told the bench at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court: “I just think it’s a joke. All for the sake of £4.

“What it I don’t pay. It’s not like I do it every day. I’m not a bad person and I work.”

Bibby, 32, of Crescent Avenue, Cleveleys, pleaded guilty to theft.

He was given a 12 months conditional discharge and ordered to pay a £150 court charge with £85 costs plus £15 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Martine Connah, prosecuting, said Bibby stole four cans of lager valued at £4 from Iceland, Lord Street, Fleetwood, on August 6.

Police tracked him down and told him to return to the shop and pay for the goods. Police also said they were issuing him with an on-the-spot fine, but Bibby did not accept the fixed penalty fine.

Michael Woosnam, defending, said Bibby had taken the lager because there was a long queue at the till and he had to return to work.

After being spoken to by police Bibby returned to the shop apologised and paid for the lager he had stolen. He had felt it would be out of order to pay the on-the-spot fine on top of that.

• A man was almost three times the drink drive limit when he hit a parked vehicle Blackpool Magistrates heard.

At the wheel was Jason McIver, 36, of Beech Avenue, Cleveleys.

McIver was convicted of drink driving and driving without insurance when he appeared at court.

Pam Smith prosecuting said that the collision took place on Queensbury Road Thornton Cleveleys in September this year.

McIver was banned from the road for two years.He was also put on a 12 month community order which includes 20 hours rehabilitation.

He must also complete 100 hours unpaid work for the community and pay £295 in costs and fines.

Robert Castle, defending,said that McIver had drive a Ford Mondeo at the request of its owner – a woman who was a passenger in the vehicle when it crashed.

• A medic stalked his former girlfriend engineering meetings with her and phoning her after he had ended their relationship.

Robert Wilding then left her a message telling her she was in his will and that he was going to do something in the next five minutes.

Wilding, 51, of St Peters Place, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to harassing his ex between November 20 and 22.

Pam Smith, prosecuting, said the couple had met in January last year and in October this year Wilding ended the relationship. His girlfriend felt he had done that to test her reaction.

She then started to get numerous calls from him and emails to her work.

She told police and he was given a harassment warning.

After this she was walking her dog on The Mount at Fleetwood and she saw him with his dog. She felt he had purposely set out to bump into her.

The same day she was in the port’s Dockers pub when Wilding came in.

She tried to ignore him but he kept coming over to where she was stood with her brother, trying to speak to her.

He made a number of calls to her and then left a message saying she was in his will.

She believed he was going to harm himself and alerted police.

Patrick Nelligan, defending, said Wilding, a solider for 22 years who reached the rank of Warrant Officer had no previous convictions and was leaving soon to work in Jordan as a medic.

Wilding had spent two days in custody and now accepted his behaviour had not been appropriate.

The defence added that a situation had arisen because Wilding’s ex had accused a teacher of assaulting her young son.

Wilding said that was not true and he had put pressure on his ex to come clean.

Wilding was bailed for pre-sentence reports by Blackpool magistrates and must not contact his ex or enter Harris Street, Fleetwood.

• A waitress accused of smashing a glass in her boyfriend’s face causing serious facial injuries has made her first appearance at court.

Orathai Phatthanakul, 32, of Hardhorn Road, Poulton, is charged with unlawfully and maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm on her partner on November 23.

Pam Smith, prosecuting, asked for the case to be heard at crown court. Defence lawyer, Steven Townley, said his client would not indicate a plea to the offence at this stage.

The defendant was bailed to appear at Preston Crown Court on December 16 by Blackpool magistrates.

She must not contact the complainant or go within 100 metres of his address in the resort’s Waterloo Road as conditions of her bail.

The Met Office is warning of a blustery weekend ahead across the North West.

A yellow severe weather warning has been issued from 9am tomorrow (Saturday) until 6pm on Sunday for England and Wales.

The Met Office is warning that people should be aware of the potential for some disruption due to the strong winds.

The Met Office warning reads: “A blustery weekend is expected across England and Wales with winds strengthening from the west on Saturday morning.

“Gusts around coastlines exposed to the westerly or southwesterly winds could reach 60 mph at times.

“Inland gusts will be less frequent but could still reach 50 to 55 mph. Further strengthening from the west is expected on Sunday where gusts around western coasts could locally reach 70 mph. Elsewhere gusts of 60 mph are possible, particularly in western areas.”

A woman told in Blackpool town centre by police she was going to be searched started screaming and stripped off to her bra.

Margaret Hamilton, 38, of Woodside Road, Stirling, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly.

Pam Smith, prosecuting, said police saw Hamilton and two other women behaving suspiciously in Chapel Street on November 5 about 5pm.

They had all been drinking and when told she would be searched Hamilton started screaming, and taking her clothes off.

Hamilton told magistrates: “I’m guilty.” She was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay a £150 court charge with £85 costs plus £15 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

TRADING Standards officers are warning Christmas shoppers to be cautious before buying a hoverboard, tipped to be one of this year’s most popular festive gifts.

The toy, also known as a balance board, is selling fast in the run-up to Christmas, but there have been reports that poor quality versions are a fire hazard.

Fire brigades in London and Buckinghamshire have all attended fires caused by the battery pack or charger overheating and having no safety cut-off function, while a Kent family have spoken of how a hoverboard caused £25,000 of damage to their house after exploding in their kitchen.

In Northamptonshire, the County Council’s Trading Standards is encouraging people to only buy hoverboards products from reputable retailers.

Councillor Andre Gonzalez de Savage, Council cabinet member for public protection, strategic infrastructure and economic growth, said: “Hoverboards are expected to be on many children’s lists to Father Christmas this year, but parents shouldn’t be fooled by a cheap deal.

“We’ve received reports of poor quality products being imported from overseas, so our advice is to only buy from trustworthy shops and outlets.

“A fire caused by a knock-off product that doesn’t adhere to safety standards would ruin anyone’s Christmas, so please follow our advice.”

Consumers are also being reminded that it is against the law in the UK to ride a hoverboard on a road or footpath.

A mum says she is “forever indebted” to an off-duty police officer who stepped in to save her baby’s life.

Nik McMillan feared her son Kit, who was just 11 weeks old, was going to die when he stopped breathing and turned blue.

But Rik Nicol, a police officer in Chorley, came to her aid and after giving rescue breaths, baby Kit started coughing and then crying.

Nik, 36, said: “PC Superhero is how he’s affectionately known by my friends. What he did was amazing.”

Nik was returning to her car in Buckshaw Village, after visiting Tiny Rockers children’s centre and Tesco.

She put her three-year-old son Rafe in the car and then noticed that Kit had turned blue and was not breathing.

She shouted for help from three people passing by, who rang 999 and tried to revive Kit.

Rik was sitting near a window at Tiny Rockers, on Ordnance Road, where his children William, four, and Matilda, two, were playing.

When he saw what was happening outside, he rushed out to help.

He took the baby into Tiny Rockers and after trying several different things, he started giving rescue breaths, with assistance from a 999 operator.

Nik said: “I was looking at him thinking I had only had my little boy for 11 weeks and he was gone already.”

Rik, who lives in Euxton, said: “I had to resuscitate him by doing some rescue breaths. After about three or four breaths, he started to have a little shudder.

“Just before I was going to start some compressions, he had a few coughs and slowly started to come round and cry, which was lovely.”

Paramedics arrived quickly and Kit was taken to Royal Preston Hospital.

Doctors found he had a bad form of a respiratory tract infection called bronchiolitis, which led to him not being able to breathe.

He was discharged from hospital after five days and is now back at home in Mellor, near Blackburn.

Nik contacted a police officer, who managed to track down Rik so she could thank him.

Last Monday - Rik’s 30th birthday - he received a call to say Kit was okay.

And on Thursday, Nik visited him with her husband Neil, 37, who runs accountancy firm McMillan And Co LLP in Buckshaw Village with his dad, and their sons.

Nik said: “To be in the right place at a pretty horrible time and with not just some someone who’s an off-duty police officer but someone with the presence of mind and kindness to run out and help was just amazing.

“I just haven’t got the words to express how grateful we are to him. I think we will be forever indebted to him.

“Every birthday, we will think that if it hadn’t been for Rik, he wouldn’t be here.”

Rik and Nik are both now encouraging people to have first aid training to help other people in future.

Nik is arranging a course at a baby group she attends in Blackburn and hopes play groups and other places will do training so parents can attend.

Rik has attended first aid training through his job and learned the importance of it from his mum Sue, who lives in Leyland and is a first aider.

He said: “I had support from the other people present and the ambulance service guy on the phone reminded me what to do and pointed me in the right direction.

“I feel anyone could do it, certainly with the assistance of the call taker because they do talk you through it.

“But it’s good to get yourself on a course of some sort. It’s really important. Simple things like putting those breaths in could save a life.”

Police want to speak to this man in connection with an ‘unprovoked’ attack on a man who was beaten with his own crutches.

Detectives have released the CCTV image in a bid to trace the man pictured as part of an investigation into the assault in Wesham that left a man and woman cut and bruised.

A 30-year old man, who was on crutches, was walking along Station Road with his girlfriend, 25, when a car approached.

As they crossed the road, the two occupants of the car, travelling from Kirkham, shouted at them and beeped the horn before getting out.

Police say the man was punched several times and pushed to the ground, where he was hit repeatedly with his crutches.

The woman was also hit with the crutches and knocked to the ground. One of the attackers stamped on her hand before they got back in the car and fled.

The incident took place at around 11pm on October 16 but police have only now released details.

Det Sgt Abi Finch, of Blackpool CID, said: “This was a nasty and unprovoked attack on both victims as they were simply making their way to the shop.

“We are keen to trace the man pictured in the CCTV images as we would like to speak to him as part of our on-going enquiries.

“If anyone has any information that could assist with our investigation I would urge them to get in touch.”

The man suffered cuts and bruises to his head and body as well as a swollen eye.

His girlfriend suffered cuts and bruises to her hip and arm as a result of the attack.

A 28-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault and bailed until December 14.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Blackpool CID by calling (01253) 607049 or 101.

Prime Minister David Cameron has “belittled the office he holds” by calling those opposed to airstrikes in Syria “terrorist sympathisers” according to Lancaster’s MP.

Cat Smith, Labour MP for Lancaster and Fleetwood, has criticised Mr Cameron following the widely reported remarks he made to the 1922 committee (formerly the Conservative Private Members’ Committee) last night.

Mr Cameron is understood to have told MPs in the meeting: “You don’t want to walk through the lobbies with Jeremy Corbyn and a bunch of terrorist sympathisers.”

Ms Smith said: “The Prime Minister belittles the office he holds by lowering himself to making such cheap remarks.”

She went on to say: “Not one MP has sympathised with ISIS, who are an evil organisation reaping terror across the Middle East and beyond.

“Polls suggest millions of British people, who are proud of our country and what we bring to the world, would also be included in David Cameron’s definition merely for using their basic democratic right to take a different position to his stance on this question shows how out of touch he is.”

MPs are expected to cast their vote tonight, Wednesday December 2, at 10pm, about whether to extend airstrikes against ISIS/Daesh in Syria as well as Iraq.

Ms Smith added: “The decision on whether or not to take military action, to go to war, is the most serious decision an MP is ever asked to make and David Cameron’s remarks show a total disregard for this.

“MPs from all parties are voting on the basis of whether they think this action will prove effective, if it will improve or worsen the situation in Syria and whether it will positively or negatively affect our national security at home.”

The study found up to a quarter of UK shoppers admitted to eating produce while shopping - and not paying for it at the checkout.

Sweets and chocolate were the most-stolen items in an average ‘haul’ of £4 worth of products per week.

However, 73% of shoppers stated that they never ‘grazed’.

Among those who admitted to eating and not paying, the top five most popular items were:

1. Confectionery (sweets / chocolate) : 52%

2. Fresh fruit / veg : 41%

3. Bakery goods (cakes / bread / pastries) : 34%

4. Crisps / nuts: 22%

5. Cooked meats: 9%

George Charles, spokesperson for VoucherCodesPro.co.uk, who commissioned the research, said: “I’m sure everyone has been guilty of a bit of supermarket grazing now and then, but it is important to make sure you still pay for the items. Whilst grazing on a pack of sweets whilst shopping may seem harmless, it all adds up and you are contributing to the £3 billion worth of annual losses for supermarkets.”

A company which plagued thousands of Lancashire residents with nuisance calls has been slapped with a £850,000 fine.

The National Advice Clinic – which also trades as the Industrial Hearing Clinic or the Central Compensation Office – made nearly six million calls between October 2014 and April 2015 about noise induced hearing loss claims.

Many of those called were registered with the Telephone Preference Service – which tells companies that they did not want to receive such calls.

The Accrington-based firm has now been fined by the Claims Management Regulator.

Babs Murphy, chief executive of the North & Western Lancashire of Commerce, said: “It’s heartening to see that companies who carry out this sort of practice are being clamped down upon.

“Tactics such as these can reflect badly on businesses who carry out customer consultation in a fair and proper manner.

“It can only be hoped that organisations which carry out similar tactics take note of this punishment and either change the way in which they operate or face the consequences.”

Tony Haslam, from Lancashire Trading Standards, said: “If you’ve been receiving lots of cold calls, don’t just put up with it, please report it.

“If the scale of the problem is known, it will give a good picture of what’s happening and action can be taken to stop the nuisance.”

Gazette readers plagued by cold calling also welcomed the fine.

Paul Smith said online: “They should close the company down and prosecute and if necessary imprison the boss and senior employees – a fine won’t stop these companies.”

Pamela Cairns said: “It’s ridiculous.

“Yesterday my phone went seven times – all automated messages.”