Two swimmers from Thame have competed well at national competitions.

Thame Swimming Club members Marcus Birmingham and Lucy Block have been praised for their achievements.

Marcus recently competed at the 2018 Irish Nationals in Dublin, qualifying for the second successive year and putting in a great performance and making the club very proud at what he achieved.

Marcus had qualified for four events, the 100m and 200m butterfly, and the 200m and 400m individual medley.

Marcus improved on a couple of his entry times and managed to finish a very impressive 12th in the 400 individual medley and 10th place in the 200m butterfly, narrowly missing out on the final.

Lucy Block is the first Thame Swimming Club member to qualify for the English Nationals which took place in Sheffield during the first week of August.

Lucy had qualified for three events the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke.

Ian Blyth, head coach, said: “Just to get to the Nationals is a great achievement as only 20 swimmers per event in England can swim in these championships.

“Lucy pushed herself to even higher levels by making the finals for all three events, going on to finish 5th in the 50m event, 4th in the 100m and 7th in the 200m.

“All of these swims were personal best times and this being Lucy’s first big event nationally, she did herself, Thame town and swimming club proud.”

Ian added: “This is a fabulous achievement and shows Thame Swimming Club can produce swimmers at the top level. Well done Marcus and Lucy.”

A Haddenham cyclist has raised more than £2,400 for a cancer charity in memory of his wife.

Neil Dury has been raising funds each year in memory of his late wife Jenny, who died five years ago from cancer.

His latest challenge was his third London-Surrey Hills 100-mile Olympic course ride, which climbed 1,427m.

Unfortunately the ride took place on Sunday, July 29 on the one cold, wet, windy day of the hot summer.

More than 26,000 cyclists endured hours of strong gusty winds and at times torrential rain.

Neil completed the ride, but took 6 hours 59 minutes, including 29 minutes of ‘pit-stops’ - nearly an hour longer than his six hour target .

He said: “It was one of the most miserable rides of my life, but the fantastic support from family and friends has been the reward.

“I am thrilled that my own efforts have raised more than £2,400 for Target Ovarian Cancer and I want to thank everybody who has contributed so generously.”

Any donations can still be made at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/neil-dury4

Those looking to a green future for Thame should not forget the ‘green corridor’ - the River Thame which flows through the outskirts of the town.

The River Thame has had its problems with pollution for many years but the revival of the river as a good coarse fishery has begun.

The revival project has been dramatically enhanced with the addition of 40,000 one and two-year-old chub to the river. The fish were supplied by the Environment Agency fish farm near Nottingham and marks the second round of restocking in 2018 – the first round being carried out in April.

These fish added to the earlier stocking means that 48,000 fish have been added to the river during 2018 and marks the first year of a five-year plan to restock similar numbers of fish into the river each year for the next five years.

The fish were split into four batches with 10,000 fish being stocked to reaches of the river in Thame, Cuddesdon, Wheatley and Cuddington. This should mean that the whole of the river benefits from this large injection of fresh life to the river. Whilst these fish are relatively small – being 80-100mm long - they will grow on and reach a good size in the next couple of years.

Dave Wales, secretary of the Thame Valley Fisheries Preservation Consultative (TVFPC), said: “The injection of such a large number of fish into the river represents the best chance that the River Thame has had to recover to a good coarse fishery, in over 30 years.

“Whilst I have seen the fish stocks decimated several times by pollution, I am more optimistic now than I have ever been that the fisheries on the River Thame can be revived. Our thanks go to the Environment Agency and their Fisheries Team as the fish are funded by rod licence revenue.”

The latest name to be added to Thame’s autumn literary treat is a former President of Ireland.

Mary Robinson, the 7th President of Ireland and the first female to hold this office, is to visit the Thame Arts and Literature Festival (TAL).

A barrister by profession, Mrs Robinson held the presidential post from 1990 until 1997.

As a former UN High Commissioner on Human Rights and a passionate campaigner to prevent climate change, she will be interviewed about her latest book, Climate Justice.

A TAL spokeswoman said: “It’s a stirring manifesto on one of the most pressing humanitarian issues of our time and an urgent call to arms by one of the most important voices in the international fight against climate change.

“Mary Robinson shares inspiring stories and offers vital lessons for the path forward.”

Former US President Barack Obama said: “As an advocate for the hungry and the hunted, the forgotten and the ignored, Mary Robinson has not only shone a light on human suffering, but illuminated a better future for our world.”

Mary Robinson will be at The Spread Eagle in Thame on Sunday, October 21, at 3.30pm. This event is expected to sell out quickly.

A special event is also announced for TALKids.

James Carter, prize-winning poet, guitarist and educational writer, will be coming to Thame on the Saturday to entertain the little ones with his latest book of poems, Zim Zam Zoom, especially written for performance.

This promises to be a brilliant introduction to poetry for young children from an award-winning poet.

Tickets for Lucy Worsley have sold out online, but there will be more on sale at Thame Town Hall TAL Box Office when it opens on Saturday, September 1.

For details of the full programme, ticket availability and to book, visit talfestival.org

A mum whose young son has brain damage is appealing for other people to host a dining fundraiser for a children’s hospice.

Clare Lawson, from Thame, raised £664 from her ‘Dine at Mine’ meal for Helen & Douglas House when she invited 80 people to her home on Saturday, August 11.

Clare’s five-year-old son Josh, who has brain damage caused by lack of oxygen at birth, has been visiting the hospice for respite care since 2013.

Clare is appealing for people to swap a meal out for a meal in, with their guests donating what they would have spent on a meal to Helen & Douglas House, at the event planned for Saturday, October 13.

Clare holds a fundraising mini festival called ‘Mathias-fest’ every year in aid of Helen & Douglas House and this year she made it into a Dine at Mine meal for 80 friends and family in a marquee in the garden and a bar in the garage, with five families camping overnight.

Some guests were local including Josh’s special friends from sensory groups as well as friends from Essex, Wales and Bristol.

They had a barbecue running all afternoon, with lots of garden games, a blow up pool and bouncy castle - but the main fundraiser this year was their tea-time pizza making.

They borrowed a pizza oven from some friends and provided dough and toppings and then everyone created their pizzas for a donation, with the event running over five hours. Friends also created three home brew beer barrels, which brought in more donations.

You can choose what time of day to hold your ‘Dine at Mine’ meal – breakfast, brunch, lunch, tea or dinner and whether to invite friends, family or work colleagues.

It could be a small gathering at your house for lunch, a girls’ night with beauty treatments or a black tie dinner at your village hall. You can prepare the meal yourself or ask your guests to bring a dish.

The home-from-home environment at Helen & Douglas House helps families create precious memories with their children.

Clare said: ‘Dine at Mine’ is a great way to fundraise. It gets friends and family together, enjoying a good catch up while helping raise funds and awareness for such an amazing cause.

“Helen & Douglas House has been such a massive support for Josh and us as a family. The outreach nurses and doctors have provided invaluable emotional and medical guidance, as they view Josh as a whole person, not just his condition, and know him and our family so well. There are very few places where Josh and his young brothers, Tom and Jake, can come and play together, where they all have fun - all three boys love spending time at Helen & Douglas House. The charity also provides much needed respite so that we can get some rest and spend quality time with Josh’s siblings.”

Lauren Kemp, from Helen & Douglas House, said: “We would like to say a huge thank you to Clare for organising a ‘Dine at Mine’ meal and all her guests who were so generous, which means we can be there for families like hers to provide respite, symptom control and end-of-life care. As a charity we need to raise £3m every year and we cannot do this without supporters holding fundraising events like ‘Dine at Mine’.”

For more details and to download a fundraising pack visit www.hdh.org.uk or call 01865 799166.

One of the largest agricultural shows in the country will be coming to Weedon Park, situated on the outskirts of Aylesbury, later this month.

The Bucks County Show takes place on Thursday, August 30, with a wide range of rural activities for all the family.

Among the new attractions will be giant tortoises and The Sheep Show with New Zealander Stuart Barnes.

Other events include The Metropolitan Mounted Police Activity Ride, vintage tractors, the best of British livestock, equestrian classes including show jumping.

There is also a home and garden marquee, shopping marquee, rural craft marquee, food hall, large countryside area, a members’ lawn and more than 200 trade stands.

The organisers of the show have said it is important to inform and educate the wider population about the rural economy and the important role it plays in the UK.

This explains why there is such a diverse programme on offer from the livestock classes, home and garden classes, country pursuits, and Main Ring events, all of which make the Bucks County Show an all inclusive event for all ages.

Tickets can be obtained on the day and at various locations in the Buckinghamshire area prior to the show. These include Kings Eyecare & Eyewear in North Street, Leighton Buzzard.

Prices are £14 for adults, £5 for children or £12 for OAPs.

A family pass consisting of two adults and two children can be booked for £33. Tickets will be available on the day but they will cost more on the door.

There is also a free bus service between Station Way, Aylesbury, and the showground.

For further details about the event visit www.buckscountyshow.co.uk

Students across the UK will be picking up their GCSE results today (Thursday).

We’ll be live here throughout the day bringing you news and photos from schools across Aylesbury, Buckingham and Thame as they come in.

Okami stands the test of time.

It may have escaped the attention of many but what is considered one of the greatest video games ever made was released on Nintendo Switch this month.

Okami is known for being one of the last games released on the PlayStation 2 before the launch of the PS3.

Critically acclaimed worldwide and recognised as one of the most original and beautifully crafted action-adventure games in history, Okami has been remastered and released across multiple platforms by Capcom over the years.

It had notable success on the Nintendo Wii too although critics felt the controls were far from perfect.

So it was only a matter of time until it made it to the Nintendo Switch and was released earlier this month.

Okami is a franchise that somehow got lost in the sands of time despite being so well received sequels were in short supply. It’s been 12 years since the initial release. So I approached this review very much with the question, has Okami aged well and is it still a game worth playing?

The dialogue is a bit of a grind at times but from the off you can see why Okami won so many game of the year awards.

Okami has been compared to Zelda in the past and that is another worthy comparison.

This version uses the Switch’s touchscreen controls for some features including the Celestial Brush and it works really well.

It also supports the Joy-Con’s motion controls however, like on the Wii, using the controller for the Brush does feel a touch clunky and doesn’t really work as well as you would hope.

The fact Okami used cell shading on PS2 rather than realistic graphics means it ages well and the HD really makes the game pop.

Handheld mode looks amazing and the game speed and frame rate holds up so well. My biggest complaint would probably be the camera which can be annoying and can’t be adjusted.

Okami is not very challenging in terms of difficulty but it will still last you a good while and is worthy of its title as one of the best games ever.

Football with real personality.

Watch out FIFA, Konami just gave football a personality.

The annual battle between EA Sports and Konami for the football video game crown has been enthralling over the years.

At times the tussle has been one-sided with Pro Evolution Soccer dominating the early years and FIFA pouncing on complacency for its own period of dominance.

Things have evened out over the last couple of years, though.

Facing an impossible task to make up ground lost on FIFA due to its lack of licences and gloss, PES has been forced to take a very distinct approach in carving out its own niche. And my goodness has it paid off. Because Konami has quite literally brought football to life and PES 2019 is bristling with personality.

If you are mulling whether to spend your money on FIFA or PES this year it will be a bit of a waiting game to see what we get from EA at the end of September.

But what of PES 2019 which launched this week? Well you won’t be swooning over new game modes - because there aren’t any really.

Indeed there aren’t any significant changes of any note in that respect. This year it is ALL about personality. Magic Moments are PES 2019’s crowning achievement.

The player individuality that is born from an almost RPG-esque number attribute system sets PES apart from any football game before it and the game already feels like a new benchmark for the genre.

Gone are the days of the most famous faces doing their trademark piece of skill and dressing it up as bespoke. PES 2019 goes much deeper and accurately recreates a player’s habits and styles.

No longer bound by having to cater for the last generation of consoles, the animation and brilliant ball physics bring PES’s famous passing system to life.

Enhanced physical mechanics have made defending more satisfying and goalkeepers are more true to life. Fatigue plays a major role too and changes the entire dynamic of some matches in a positive way.

There is no denying the lack of licences is frustrating and a big feather in the cap for EA. With that comes the usual annoying and boring commentary too.

But make no mistake this feels like the start of a new era for this long-running franchise which has made great strides in the last two years. The past master is still the pass master and that remains at the heart of everything beautiful about PES. This my gaming friends is the best yet.

I have to admit, I haven’t got happy memories of caravan holidays.

Stuck inside a tiny box with not much to do while the rain hammered down on the roof for days on end – wish you were here?

But I’m pleased to report that caravan holidays in the 21st century are a world away from my childhood experiences.

My wife and I and our two children recently spent a long weekend at Hoburne Holidays’ caravan site in the Cotswolds, one of seven the company runs in the south and south-west of England.

And it was a real eye-opener.

To call our home for the weekend just a caravan would be akin to describing War and Peace as just a book.

The living room area (with TV and built-in DVD player) had more than enough seats, the kitchen/diner space included an oven, washing machine, microwave and dishwasher and still had room for a dinner table, there were three bedrooms (two with TVs in), a bathroom with shower and a second toilet for good measure!

Oh, and a veranda with another table and chairs set too.

The only quibble we had was the size of the double bed in the main bedroom. Neither of us are tall people but even so our feet were hanging off the end of the bed – I’m not sure how anybody of above average height would get on!

Everything you would need to cookfor yourselves is provided in the accommodation but we decided on the eating-out option after our Friday afternoon drive down so we headed to the park’s central area.

This is where you will find all the facilities - high-end restaurant and family-friendly cafe (which still serves hot meals), indoor and outdoor swimming pools, play areas, bar with wall-to-wall Sky Sports, arcade games area and convenience store.

Afternoon and evening entertainment is also laid on every day, with talent show competitions, musical acts and more.

There is also the Sammy Squad which offers a varied programme of activities for younger visitors throughout the week.

We decided to go exploring on the Saturday as the Cotswolds is not a part of the country we had visited before.

The Roman town of Cirencester is only about 10 minutes up the road so we chose to spend a pleasant day browsing the terrific mixture of well-known high street shops and independent stores.

But the park is very well located for any number of attractions – you really are spoiled for choice.

If watersports is your thing the Cotswold Country Park and Beach is literally next door and features any number of water-based activities.

As our two boys are still at the learning-to-swim stage we decided instead to make use of the more modest offerings at the holiday park on the Sunday.

There is an outdoor pool, as mentioned earlier, but having chosen the only wet weekend in the whole summer in which to visit, we decided to stay indoors instead.

The main attraction here is the giant helter skelter-style water slide which both children would have happily spent hours whizzing down – and indeed did.

Also fun was the giant toadstool island from which water intermittently poured, drenching those who dared to go too near.

Although not huge, there was plenty of room in the pool and around the sides for those wanting to take a break and relax with a coffee.

As always with long weekends they are never long enough, and it was soon time to pack up and bid farewell to our home from home – my view of caravan holidays completely turned on its head.

Hoburne Holidays offers a range of accommodation at its seven holiday parks, from two-bed caravans to spacious lodges which can sleep six.

For more information click here.

The Country Land and Business Association are advising residents to be vigilant ahead of what is described as the prime season for hare coursing.

Hare coursing is a rural crime where dogs are used to chase, catch and kill hares, with gambling on the outcome common practice.

The Fir Cup, an illegal hare coursing event, is reported to have prize money of £6,000 and is organised secretly on WhatsApp, according to Thames Valley Police.

The crime becomes more prevalent at this time of year, following harvest when large areas of arable land are cleared of crops.

CLA regional director Robin Edwards said: “Every year following harvest farmers and landowners across our region brace themselves for a rise in hare coursing.

“We appreciate that police have a range of significant pressures but we want to ensure that tackling hare coursing remains a priority.

“Those involved in hare coursing are hardened criminals – often using threats, intimidation and in some cases violence against anyone who questions or challenges their actions.

“These criminals don’t think twice about trespassing on land, damaging crops and property and give no consideration to the animal welfare of the hares involved.”

Motorists stopped by the police in Thames Valley will be asked to read a number plate from 20m and those who fail will have their licences revoked in a month-long campaign.

Road safety charity Brake is teaming up with police forces in Thames Valley, Hampshire and West Midlands for the campaign to raise awareness of driver vision in September.

Data will be collected from each test to improve the understanding of the extent of poor driver eyesight on our roads, which is thought to be vastly underreported in Government statistics.

Sergeant Rob Heard, representing the police forces taking part in the campaign, said: “All of us require good vision to drive safely on our roads - not being able to see a hazard or react to a situation quickly enough can have catastrophic consequences.

“The legal limit is being able to read a number plate at 20m, around 5 car lengths, however this is a minimum requirement and a regular eyesight test with an optician is a must if we are going to be safe on the road.

“Since 2013, the Police have a new procedure – Cassie’s Law - to fast track notification to the DVLA should they find someone who cannot read a number plate at 20m in daylight conditions.

“Offending motorists will within an hour have their licence revoked and face prosecution. During September, we will be carrying out 20m number plate checks at every opportunity and those who fail will have their licences revoked.

“I hope we do not find anyone and everyone makes sure they are safe to read the road ahead.”

This activity is part of a wider campaign to encourage the public and the Government to take driver vision seriously.

An estimated 1.5m UK licence holders have never had an eye test and crashes involving a driver with defective eyesight are thought to cause 2,900 casualties every year on the UK’s roads.

However, Brake believes the UK’s driver vision testing is inadequate and antiquated, requiring only a 20m number plate check when taking the driving test and nothing else for the rest of a driver’s life – one of only five EU countries to have such low standards.

The charity, alongside Vision Express, is urging the Government to tighten up UK driver vision laws and make eyesight testing compulsory before the driving test and each time a driver renews their photocard licence.

Brake director of campaigns Joshua Harris said: “It stands to reason that good eyesight is fundamental to safe driving, yet our current licensing system does not do enough to protect us from drivers with poor vision.

“It is frankly madness that there is no mandatory requirement on drivers to have an eye test throughout the course of their driving life, other than the disproven 20m number plate test when taking the driving test.

“Only by introducing rigorous and professional eye tests can we fully tackle the problem of unsafe drivers on our roads.

“Partnering with the police on this campaign will help us understand the extent of poor driver vision in the UK, an issue where good data is lacking.

“This is the first-step on the road to ensuring that good eyesight is a given on UK roads – the public shouldn’t expect anything less.”

Jonathan Lawson, chief executive of Vision Express, added: “We believe official government statistics on the impact of poor sight on road safety are the tip of the iceberg and we know the public feel the same as we do about tackling poor driver vision.

“A recent survey commissioned by Vision Express showed that 75 per cent want a recent eye test to be mandatory when renewing a driving licence.

“We fully support Brake in spearheading initiatives that encourage motorists to consider if their vision is fit to drive before they get behind the wheel.

“A vehicle driven by someone with substandard vision is a lethal weapon, it’s as simple as that.

“Deaths are occurring because some motorists are wilfully neglecting to get an eye test, putting lives in danger.

“That has to stop and we’re committed to working with Brake, the police and road safety organisations to put pressure on the Government to take action.”

Thames Water submitted its £11.7bn five-year business plan with a record spend on infrastructure to industry watchdogs Ofwat today (Monday, September 3).

The water company’s plan includes £2.1bn to boost resilience and reduce leakage and follows engagement with nearly one million customers over the last three years.

Seven out of 10 customers approved the final proposals, which contains plans for a four-fold increase in financial support for customers across London and the Thames Valley who struggle to pay.

The plan, covering the period 2020-25, features modest distributions to external shareholders of around £20m annually as Thames Water prioritises investment in its vast network, with average household bills remaining flat before inflation.

The water company says it will also increase its financial resilience, with gearing reduced to 76.2 per cent and the ‘equity buffer’ increased to £4.7bn.

Chief executive Steve Robertson said: “More than 15 million people in the UK depend on Thames Water every day to go about their lives.

“Our responsibilities to the environment and customers are huge, and we will partner with them and our peers to insulate our region from the effects of changing climate patterns.

“This includes planning for a strategic reservoir for the SE region of England and exploring the potential of water transfers.

“Our proposals are ambitious, well-costed and widely-supported by our customers, who agree we should prioritise the most vulnerable.

“Bills will be flat in real terms over the five-year period and our shareholders will receive annual distributions of around £20m as we prioritise investment on significantly improving service.

“I am really excited about delivering on these proposals and ensuring London and the Thames Valley has the modern and high-quality waste and water network its residents rightly expect.”

The plan will deliver an 18 per cent reduction in pollution incidents, cut leakage by 15 per cent and generate enough green energy to power 115,000 homes, according to Thames Water.

The longer term ambition is to have zero pollutions, stop abstractions from vulnerable chalk streams and halve leakage.

The company’s Smart Water Network programme will provide an enhanced level of insight in to its water systems, to allow teams to respond faster and more effectively to emerging operational issues.

This data will also underpin the modernisation of Thames Water’s control environment, covering all areas of its operations.

More than 200,000 customers who find it hard to pay will receive discounts of up to 75 per cent and those in vulnerable situations will be further prioritised during operational incidents, with the priority services register increasing seven-fold to 400,000 people.

After 2020, management bonuses and dividends will be tied to meeting targets on reducing leakage and pollutions, and increased customer satisfaction.

Thames Water is also overhauling its corporate structure to make it easier to understand, and plans to lower operational unit costs by nearly 14 per cent.

The organisation which runs a number of health services in Oxfordshire was praised by inspectors but concerns remained over safety in some of its operations.

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust was rated as ‘good’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in a report published on Thursday (August 30) following inspections earlier this year.

The trust, which provides community health, mental health and specialised health services in Oxfordshire and beyond, welcomed the findings and said improvements are already being made to address the safety concerns.

Chief executive Stuart Bell said: “I am very proud of our caring staff for their contribution to delivering and improving our services before, during and after the CQC inspection.

“We made a major commitment to improving our services back in 2014 and we value the insights that our own efforts and this recent inspection process have given us.

“All of this helps our learning and we continue to work together to improve our services to benefit the people we serve.”

Oxford Health was given an overall rating of ‘good’ based on weighted scoring across all the services inspected.

No enforcement notices were issued and 12 out of 16 of the trust’s services were rated ‘good’ and one was ‘outstanding’.

Leadership training was widely available to staff and there were good working governance systems, the CQC found.

The trust was responsive to people’s needs across services especially in a crisis, including reducing the need for police involvement in mental health crises.

Patients and staff were able to give feedback; they knew how to raise concerns and there was good learning from incidents and complaints. Few services had long waiting lists.

There was strong team working across most services, care and treatment was well monitored and findings from this were used to make improvements, so that services were overall effective.

Perhaps most importantly from the trust’s perspective, staff were found to be caring and noted to be ‘treating patients with kindness, courtesy and sensitivity’.

Improvements are required in safety to ensure that across all trust services the same high standards are observed.

But seven out of the core 16 mental health and community teams run by the trust were rated as ‘requires improvement’ for safe.

Plans to address this includes the establishment of a ‘healthcare improvement centre’, which is using international best practice and practical expertise to foster improvement skills, for all levels of trust staff.

The ‘good’ rating pulls together findings from a CQC visit to the trust in March and April to check the quality of eight core services, with results from previous inspections of eight other community and mental health services – unchanged since a CQC inspection in June, 2016.

To read the report, click here.

The following people from Aylesbury Vale and beyond have been sentenced at Wycombe Magistrates Court between August 15 and 31.

Thomas Phillips, 26, Turville Road, Aylesbury: owner of a vehicle which was not properly insured. Fined £50 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30.

Kirsten Shadbolt, 30, Penn Road, Aylesbury: stole alcoholic spirits valued at £93 from Tesco. Fined £40 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30.

Assaulted a male by beating. Ordered to pay compensation of £100.

Melissa Lee Lewis, 50, Owen Place, Aylesbury: stole candles and clothing valued at £191.40 from Tesco, Aylesbury. Committed to prison for two weeks because of prolific shoplifting. Ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £115.

Racially or religiously aggravated harassment towards another individual. Ordered to pay compensation of £80.

Possession of a quantity of cannabis. Fined £80.

Zdenek Chovanec, 36, Walton Way, Aylesbury: failed to provide a specimen of blood for analysis. Ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months. Ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £85 and costs of £775 to the CPS. Disqualified from driving fo 18 months.

Michael Fitzgerald, 28, Argyle Avenue, Aylesbury: stole bottles of whiskey and Jagermeister valued at £54 from Sainsburys, Aylesbury. Fined £200, ordered to pay compensation of £54 and a victim surcharge of £30.

Stole razor blades valued at £422.50 from Sainsburys. Ordered to pay compensation of £422.50.

Christopher Breese, 31, Hastoe Park, Aylesbury: drove a Kia Ceed dangerously on Chearsley Road, Long Crendon, crashing into several vehicles causing injury to drivers and damage to vehicles. Ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months. Ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £85 and costs of £965 to the CPS.

Reno Ambrosio, 58, Oxford Road, Aylesbury: pursued a course of harassment against two females a female by sending numerous unwanted phone calls and texts. Given a 12 week prison sentence suspended for 18 months. Ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £115, compensation of £50 and costs of £85 to the CPS.

Aaron Webster, 25, Portfield Close, Buckingham: assaulted a woman by beating. Fined £436, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £43 and costs of £520 to the CPS.

Shaun Vine, 35, Fletcher Close, Aylesbury: attempted to steal two Braun razors valued at a total of £674 from Boots, Aylesbury.

Stole a Phillips razor valued at £199.99 from Boots, Aylesbury.

Handled stolen goods - a Tom Tom sat nav.

Stole 3 Oral B electronic toothbrushes valued at a total of £900 from Boots, Aylesbury.

Damaged a Peugeot vehicle and garage roof tiles at a property in Fairford Leys, Aylesbury.

ordered to comply with a rehabilitation programme and pay compensation of £500.

Adam Lawes, 33, Lace Lane, Buckingham: assaulted a man causing him actual bodily harm. Given a six month prison sentence suspended for 18 months. Ordered to pay compensation of £2,000.

Shame Makore, 45, Oussulbury Lane, Aylesbury: used threatening/abusive words/behaviour to cause harassment in Jubilee Square, Aylesbury. Fined £120, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and costs of £85 to the CPS.

Robert Smail, 26, St Catherine’s Court, Aylesbury: committed disorderly behaviour while drunk. Fined £600, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £60 and costs of £85 to the CPS.

Assaulted a constable in the execution of her duty. Ordered to pay compensation of £50.

Colin Final, 44, Bronte Close, Aylesbury: assaulted a woman by beating. Ordered to carry out 90 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months. Ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £85 and costs of £135 to the CPS.

Sumaiya Choudhury, 33, Sawmill Road, Longwick: failed to provide a specimen for analysis. Fined £203, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and costs of £775 to the CPS. Disqualified from holding a driving licence for 15 months.

Nigel Tomlinson, 60, Abbey Road, Aylesbury: assaulted a man by beating. Fined £190, ordered to pay compensation of £100 and costs of £85 to the CPS.

Here is our guide to some of the events taking place in and around Aylesbury this week

1 Music

Music at Lunchtime, Church of St Mary the Virgin, Aylesbury, 12.45pm tomorrow (Thurday)

The lunchtime concerts return after a summer break with the Lipatti Piano Quartet. Amy Tress, violin; Jenny Lewisohn, viola; Auriol Evans, cello; and Gamal Khamis, piano; formed their prizewinning ensemble in 2013. The programme includes two of the greatest of all piano quartets, the sublime Mozart E flat and the dramatic Brahms C minor, plus the short 2012 Piano Quartet by the Welsh composer and pianist Huw Watkins. There will be a brief interval, patrons are advised to allow 80 minutes for the concert. Admission £5, 18 and under free.

www.aylesburylunchtimemusic.co.uk
2 Heritage Open Days

Various locations, Aylesbury, Saturday September 8 and Sunday September 9

A chance to see inside some of the town’s most fascinating buildings.

www.heritageopendays.org.uk
3 History

Tudor Fayre, Bucks County Museum, Church Street, Aylesbury, 11am - 4pm,

Sunday September 9

The history of the Tudors is brought to life by Aylesbury Town Council entirely free of charge, as part of the Heritage Open Days weekend. Meet Henry VIII (pictured above by Steve Cook) and his second queen, Anne Boleyn, as they wander the grounds to be entertained by their comical court jester. There will be a host of historical performers to meet - the skinner, whose knowledge and skill ensured the common Tudor folk were fed and clothed; a gamesman showcasing a variety of traditional games to try; a wood turner with a pedal-powered pole lathe to show how technology and innovation assisted in production methods; plus archers, swordsmen, singers, dancers and Leonardo Da Vinci’s entourage.

www.heritageopendays.org.uk
4 Canal

Waterside Festival, at the canal basin in Aylesbury town centre, 11am - 6.30pm,

Saturday September 8

This new and exciting festival celebrates Aylesbury’s 200-year-old canal history. There will be a vibrant mixture of stalls, activities and treats. And there will be a chance to indulge your senses with a continental market of over 30 stalls, a floating market, live music, theatre and choir performances, canal boat trips, street entertainment, canoeing, kayaking and paddle boarding, a pieces-of-eight treasure hunt, arts and crafts, food tasters and plenty of refreshments.

www.watersidefestival.org
5 Family history

Buckinghamshire Genealogical Society, South court Community Centre, Prebendal Avenue, Aylesbury, 2pm,

Saturday September 8

The next meeting is entitled The Police Gazette. The publication, also known as the Hue and Cry, gave news of the latest crimes, their perpetrators and victims and even, at times, deserters from the armed forces. It often had good pen drawings of those involved. Richard Heaton shows examples of the items it holds and explains how to find them. Doors open for research at 2pm, the talk begins at 2.45pm. Non members welcome for £1. Refreshments at the end for a small charge.

A new Midsomer Tour package has been launched to help fans of the the popular TV series enjoy the filming locations around Thame and Chinnor.

The new tours start with a guided walking tour of Thame and are followed by a steam trip on the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway (C&PRR), which includes cream tea in the afternoon tea car.

The new combined Midsomer Tour starts on Sunday, September 16, with further tours on Sunday, October 7 and Sunday, October 14.

Thame is one of the most frequently used filming locations in the popular ITV series Midsomer Murders, featuring either as Causton or as one of the fictional villages in Midsomer County.

The Midsomer guided walking tours of Thame have grown in popularity, following their highly successful début last year. For the new Sunday afternoon tour, you will be led by trained tour guides round many of the 20-plus filming locations in Thame town centre, including the Town Hall, Thame Museum, the Swan and Spread Eagle Hotels.

After the walking tour, your murderous adventure continues when you arrive at Chinnor Railway Station. The station became Holm Lane Junction in the Death in a Chocolate Box episode, when the station signs were changed, buffers were installed, and the station platform and train were drenched, to create the Midsomer illusion.

Taking your reserved seat in the afternoon tea car, you will pass over the level crossing at Wainhill, featured in The Made to Measure Murders. During the journey you will be served cream tea with locally baked scones, cream, butter and jam. The round trip lasts about 55 minutes.

Ray Gomm, special events manager at C&PRR, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be joining forces with Thame Midsomer Tours to provide a new Midsomer adventure, enhancing the experience that people have when they visit Midsomer County and highlighting C&PRR as a unique Midsomer filming location’.

Tony Long, co-ordinator for Thame Midsomer Tours said: “Just like C&PRR, the Midsomer Tours are conducted by volunteers. The more people coming on these new tours, the more funds can be generated, both to help maintain the railway and help Midsomer Tours donate to charitable causes locally.

“Last year we donated over £700 to the Mayor’s Charities and Thame Museum. The guides themselves don’t take any income from the tours.”

Becky Reid, market town co-ordinator at Thame Town Council, said: “6.5 million people watch Midsomer Murders in the UK and millions more worldwide. It’s one of the UK’s biggest TV exports, and when people see it on TV, they want to come and visit the beautiful towns and villages of Midsomer.

“While here, they spend money in our restaurants, pubs, hotels, shops – and now railways - which is good for our local economy.

“In Thame, it has also inspired specially created Midsomer products such as the popular Barnaby Buns, and newly launched Midsomer chocolate lollipops, both available from Rumsey’s Chocolaterie in Thame, a Midsomer filming location.”

The tour starts at 2pm from Thame Museum, one of the filming locations, and afterwards make your way by car or alternative transport to Chinnor Station to join the 4.30pm departure from Chinnor and enjoy a cream tea while on board. The Midsomer adventure ends at approximately 5.30pm.

There is a special joint ticket price of £25 per adult, which includes the walking tour, cream tea and table reservation, and the steam train trip. Places can be booked in advance at https://www.chinnorrailway.co.uk/product.php/204/midsomer-adventure-cream-teas.

There is no public transport available on Sundays between Thame and Chinnor. Car parking is free in Thame town centre and at Chinnor railway station.

Thame Players have announced that their panto for this festive season will be Beauty and the Beast.

The traditional panto with a modern twist has been written by experienced director and writer Ben Crocker, and will be performed on December 7-9 and December 12-16.

Ben comes from a theatrical family and is the son of actor and pantomime script writer, John Crocker.

Ben saw his first pantomime at the age of three and has been hooked ever since.

During the last 25 years he has directed over 70 professional productions, including 20 pantomimes.

Ten years ago, he started writing the scripts which contain all his knowledge, expertise and love of the art form.

A spokesperson for the players said: “They are very funny, fast moving and true to the original story.

“They are possibly the best scripts in the world - Oh, yes they are!

“Beauty and the Beast is extremely funny, full of action and great fun to perform.

Seeing Beauty with her Prince, Malabelle the wicked witch turns him into a Beast and so the tale begins.

With many hurdles to overcome Beauty is finally reunited with her Prince and all is right with the world.”

The players says this is a pantomime for all the family to enjoy at Christmas.

Classic characters such as the Dame, the Principal Boy and a female blacksmith will be appearing so this is a traditional pantomime with a modern twist which is suitable for the whole family.

It will be staged at The Players Theatre, Nelson Street, Thame OX9 2DP.

The show will start at 7.45pm, with matinees at 2pm and 5.30pm.

The box office will open on October 29 and tickets will be £10 with £9 concessions from Spear Travels on 01844 217228 or online at www.thameplayers.co.uk

Thame and District Rotary members, family and friends were given the guided tour of locations in Thame which appeared in the hit TV series of Midsomer Murders.

The tour was given by Tony Long of Thame Players and Erroll Bateman of Rotary, two of the official Thame Midsomer guides.

Graham Colverson, Thame & District Rotary Club president, said: “Our group thoroughly enjoyed the tour and learned about some interesting historical facts about Thame during the English Civil War and beyond. We recommend taking this tour to anyone interested in local history.”

Visit www.thame.rotary1090.org and for more on the tours visit https://www.visitmidsomer.com/midsomer-tours-walks-tall-thame/

It is the second time that Rain Man has been adapted for the stage and this slightly more minimalist production means there is even more pressure on the actors to reach the heights of Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise.

Charlie Babbit discovers that his estranged father has left him barely anything in the world while discovering his £3 million fortune has been left to a brother he never knew he had. Charlie sets out to claim half the fortune from Raymond but goes on a voyage of self-discovery.

It's an interesting choice to concentrate more on the acting, and arguably with the emotion of the story it is a choice, but to me, given the lack of action on stage, it felt like it could have been very easily a radio play. Especially as the set is very minimal and there is not a huge amount of changes between the sets. It's a common complaint I have with theatre in that it seems to ignore the visual element a little too much.

On the acting front, comparisons between the esteemed duo from the film is always going to be difficult. I'm not hugely aware of people with autism so I'll have to go off my other half who does work with kids with autism and said that Mathew Horne's portrayal is realistic of someone who has autism. Edward Speleers of Downton Abbey fame is arguably better in the moments of tenderness between the two brothers. He comes across as a little too unlikable in the first half, the sort of person you are happy to see getting a kicking.

The first half is a little too static but the show picks up considerably with the very tender scene between the two brothers which was wonderful to watch.

I'm not quite sure it is was worthy of the standing ovation it received from some of the audience but this is not a bad attempt at bringing the film to the stage. But in my view, not outstanding.

Rain Man can be seen at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday September 8. Tickets for this show can be booked by calling the box office on 0844 871 7652 or visit www.atgtickets.co.uk/miltonkeynes. The show is also at Northampton's Royal & Derngate and can be seen from Monday to Saturday November 19 to 24. Tickets for these performances can be booked by visiting www.royalandderngate.co.uk or call 01604 624811.