A MAN was shot in a quiet street outside his own home, in a crime residents described as “shocking”. The 30-year-old man was taken to hospital with serious injuries after the incident in Reddall Close. The T&C also met the new Chief Constable of Beds Police in January. Alf Hitchcock admitted that around 100 police officer jobs would go over a two-year period and that there would no new police station in Bedford for the foreseeable future.
On a happier note, Bedford Hospitals Charity began its latest campaign - this time to raise £600,000 for a life-saving gamma scan camera. And the machine is now installed and working at SouthWing.
Bedford’s number one music venue Esquires changed hands in January too. Since Rob Butterfield became owner there has been all sorts of changes, from new acts performing to new nights and events. But independent record store Classic Music closed after 22 years of trading in the town centre - and after HMV finished its festive stint in Bedford that meant there were no more dedicated chart record stores in town.
And First Capital Connect, which runs rail services between Bedford and Brighton, received the worst customer satisfaction rating in the country.
PLANS for a giant incinerator in Stewartby saw hundreds of protesters turn out in opposition. This issue remained contentious through 2011, with complaints about the size and scale of the scheme, as well as unhappiness that it was coming to Bedfordshire at all.
We met Kash Josen, whose husband Tharmjit Singh Josen died of swine flu. He left behind a pregnant wife and a toddler daughter, and she was keen to make sure that anyone who thought they might have the condition to ensure they saw a doctor.
A car crashed into the front window of Michael R Peters store in Tavistock Street in the early hours one Sunday morning in February, causing thousands of pounds-worth of damage. Despite the damage staff responded in good humour, placing a sign up that stated: “Welcome to Bedford’s first drive-thru electrical store.”
Meanwhile, a scientist from Cranfield University was handed a supernatural assignment this month - a headless monk had been spotted on the site of a new ride being built at Thorpe Park theme park, and he had been drafted into the paranormal investigation.
And our story about Michelle Priestley, the mother of five sons who said she may go abroad for fertility treatment so that she could have a daughter, prompted a lively discussion in our Opinions pages.
A Morrisons supermarket, and 141 new homes, were announced as being planned for Ampthill Road. The Camford Engineering Works site has been unused for several years, and council bosses welcomed the multi-million pound scheme.
More immediately, work began in March on the final stage of the Western Bypass, joining the A428 with the A6 at Clapham. Nadine Dorries, MP for Mid Beds, launched another bid to change the law on abortion. Sadly for Nadine, she was unsuccessful.
Bedford’s own Dan Priddy had a high-profile bid for Europop glory. The glamorous bit is that he had penned one of the songs being used at the Eurovision Song Competition. Admittedly, it was for Jedward, but still...
And an entertainment extravaganza came to Bedford in the form of the Castle Quay Weekender. The event featured music, art and comedy, and guests included TV presenter Fiona Bruce and Queen drummer Roger Taylor. Click here for a gallery of pictures from the event.
ELECTION fever came to town ahead of the vote for the new Mayor of Bedford. David Cameron, Ed Balls, Chris Huhne and Andrew Lansley were among the political big guns who came to town A strange tale came from Kempston, where several Conservative councillors signed the nomination papers of independent candidate Nicky Attenborough who was standing against other Tories for re-election. The confusion didn’t appear to do Nicky much good in the end though - she lost her seat in May.
But no twist from the election campaign compared to the shock that greeted pub owner Paula Brown in Renhold. She keeps goats in a stable behind the pub - but despite two of them being female and the other a neutered male, one of the girls gave birth to a baby goat. Perhaps inevitably, the newborn was named ‘Jesus’.
In the town centre, work started on the former Woolworths store which closed in 2008. By the year’s end both Next and Iceland had relocated to the site.
FRIENDS and family told of their grief following the death of 31-year-old mum Chrissy Peters, who was stabbed to death at her home in Wadsworth Court, Bedford. She was described as an “amazing mother, daughter, auntie, cousin, niece and a good friend to many”.
Dave Hodgson was re-elected as Mayor of Bedford. All three major parties at Borough Hall had 12 councillors elected too, with a sprinkling of independents also returned, but the Conservatives opted not to join the mayor’s cabinet. However the Conservatives kept control of Central Beds Council, with James Jamieson the new leader.
Sadly none of the elected councillors doubles up as a millionaire costumed crimefighter. That is something they leave to Bruce Wayne, aka Batman - and filming of the latest Batman film (starring Christian Bale and Michael Caine) took place at Cardington Hangars in May.
And there was good news for Poppyfields couple Karis Venables and Fabio Cientainni - their two-year-old pet tortoise returned home literally to their doorstep, almost a full year after it went missing.
THE T&C brought Anarchy to the UK (or at least Bedford). An article in the Times & Citizen led to legendary rock photographer Steve Emberton coming forward to reveal that he lives in Bedford. His career has seen him photograph the likes of Queen, The Rolling Stones, Blondie, and our personal favourites - Sid Vicious and Nancy.
MPs across the country were being rated on a tongue-in-cheek website to find Britain’s “sexiest” MP. North East Beds MP Alistair Burt was rated number 607 but he took it in good spirits: “I think this shows that there may be a conspiracy against small men who may be lacking in the hair department,” he said, “But there is plenty underneath the bonnet.”
Happier recognition came in the Queen’s birthday honours list. Bedford College chief Ian Pryce, cricketer Alistair Cook, healthcare leader Dr Gillian Leng, and Ro Haggerwood from the Royal British Legion were among those recognised.
And Bedford’s Italian community turned out in force for this year’s Italian Festival. Celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo was the star turn.
A BEDFORD man was shot dead during a holiday in Venezuela, when an armed gang burst into his hotel room. Thomas Ossel was preparing to return home from a three- week trip across the world when he was killed by an armed gang.
Yemi Elegunde told his story of family betrayal and kidnapping, which is the topic of his book Time Will Tell. He and his sister thought that they were going for a haircut when he was just seven years old, but instead they were taken to Nigeria and did not see their mother again for another 11 years.
We spoke to a former pub landlady, who ran The Oakley Arms in Harrold when Paul McCartney visited and played Hey Jude live for the very first time. “We couldn’t believe our luck, he was ever so nice,” remembered Jean Evans.
While Martin Bayfield - a former Bedford Blue star and town centre policeman - lifted the lid on his time in Harry Potter. 6ft 10ins Martin has starred as body double for Robbie Coltrane for the role of the half-giant gameskeeper Rubeus Hagrid.
A DOORMAT received an eviction notice in August, as Lubin Reyes discovered after returning home one day. Mr Reyes found the ‘move it or lose it’ sign which had been placed there by Bedfordshire Pilgrims Housing Association. The company claimed that the mat was a health and safety risk.
Mohammad Mughal wanted to do something to raise money for Cancer Research UK following the death of his sister. The motoring expert set about transforming a car into the Disney Cars character Lightning McQueen to raise £500 for the charity.
Business was at the forefront of the news in August, with brewing firm Charles Wells announcing that they had bought out sister company Young’s for £15million. But parents in Roxton were less than impressed when it was revealed that children would have to walk alongside a main road after plans were announced to axe their free school bus.
TRAFFIC chaos was brewing, after plans to resurface and repair St Mary’s Street in Bedford were revealed. A council survey found that the road was sinking. Motorists braced themselves for congestion, but business owners in the street praised the move.
Bedford town centre became a murder scene in September when father-of-two Kevin Harrison was attacked while on a night out with friends. He later died in hospital and wife Patricia issued an appeal in this paper to help find his killer.
A raft of proposed service cuts were revealed by Bedford Borough Council in September. These included closing the Bunyan Sports Centre and cancelling the council’s youth services programme. The public were invited to express their views on the cuts during a 90-day consultation period and the Times & Citizen explored key efficiencies in a weekly feature during the process.
We also reported on the story of Sandra and Mathew Grummitt who had a truly twin-filled wedding. The couple had no less than six sets of twins at their nuptials, Mathew himself is a twin and Sandra’s brothers and sisters are all sets of twins.
THREE teenagers were told by a coroner that their actions led to the death of a fisherman on The Embankment. An inquest heard that the boys had tried to steal Josip Jovanovic’s bicycle, and he had collapsed and died. Coroner David Morris told the three boys at an inquest: “You should take note that a man died as a result of what you were doing.”
The world of racing paid tribute to former Bedford School student Dan Wheldon who died while taking part in an IndyCar event in Las Vegas. The 33-year-old father-of-two died after being involved in a 15-car accident.
A gas leak in St Mary’s street added to road misery for motorists driving through the centre of Bedford with a major part of the town centre, including the Town Bridge, being sealed off by emergency services.
And Prime Minister David Cameron brought some good news to Ampthill when he visited in November with a promise of new jobs at the town’s Lockheed Martin plant.
ONE week saw two headline making crimes in November. A 19-year-old university student was stabbed on campus in Bedford, and police believe the crime may have been linked to an earlier confrontation in the town centre. And a man was shot in the face at Peri Peri Chicken takeaway restaurant in Midland Road. Although the victim was shot at close range he was treated at Bedford Hospital for superficial shot gun pellet wounds to his face.
A fire broke out at Emmaus Village, in Carlton, destroying donated goods which were due to raise funds for the centre. The charity, which works to help homeless people get back on their feet, appealed to the public to help replace lost donations.
November was also a time to remember, with Bedford’s Poppy Shop opening for business in the Harpur Centre and Remembrance Day services taking place. But the Times & Citizen we also reported the story of widow Sue Plester, who was mugged and badly shaken while selling poppies in Marston Moretaine.
Beer and cider lovers also enjoyed November getting the chance to enjoy a festival of their favourite beverages at The Swan Hotel.
BEDFORD’S taxi drivers threatened strike action for Christmas week in a row with the council over working conditions. The drivers had a list of complaints which they felt were too financially punishing.
And the Bedford Pantomime Company were also unhappy with Borough Hall chiefs. A rival pantomime company appearing at Milton Keynes had booked an advertising stall outside the Corn Exchange at the Victorian Christmas Fair, and the Bedford troupe felt this was likely to draw punters away from town.
The Times & Citizen also spoke to a convicted sex offender John Williams, who claimed that he may have to leave Bedford after being verbally harassed by members of the public.
