With one year to go until the European Elections and the General Election just 12 months beyond that, it will be fascinating to find out whether or not voters in our shire counties are ready to drive an express train through traditional party political loyalties.

BBC: HS2 spells double trouble in next week's council poll

"The case was set down for five days and went through at the speed of a SNCF express train in France, " the family's counsel Mark James the court.

BBC: Family of Kevin Lavelle in legal bid to find killer