Preston North End have announced Paul Heckingbottom as their new manager, with his first clash coming against Luton Town this weekend.

Heckingbottom signed a contract of undisclosed length to take charge at Deepdale, where he succeeds Ryan Lowe after Preston elected to part company with their previous boss following their opening day defeat to Sheffield United.

The Lilywhites’ first game with Heckingbottom will be Preston’s match against Luton at Deepdale, which takes place on Saturday at 3pm.

The arrangement will see Heckingbottom joined at Preston by his former assistant manager Stuart McCall, who previously enjoyed three spells as manager of Bradford City and spells with Rangers, Motherwell and Scunthorpe.

Heckingbottom returns to management for the first time since leaving Sheffield United. The 47-year-old managed to lead the Blades to promotion from the Championship in the 2022/23 season but was sacked in December 2023 with the Blades bottom of the Premier League table.

The new Preston boss told the club’s official website that he was eager to get going and try to build the club into a competitive team in the Championship.

He said, “I’m really delighted with it, ready to go, and champing at the bit really. It’s a club I know well for lots of reasons and a league I know well, so it was a pretty easy decision.

“Experience is key. Knowing the players helps, and then having success in this league helps, so we know what it takes to compete. We know what it takes to do well and you can give that clear direction to try and get there, and that’s the aim.

“The short-term goals are to get back on track. Longer term, we want to be a really, really competitive team in this league.

“We want to play in a way the fans can enjoy and in a way that gets the best out of the players, and when you get that it can be really powerful.”

Milton Keynes City Council confirmed they have prosecuted a Bedfordshire resident for dumping a mattress and other waste in a country lane in Milton Keynes.

The Council confirmed they successfully prosecuted the man for illegally fly tipping the rubbish on a lane in Bourne End on 28 March 2023, who has been hit with penalties in excess of £3,000. 

On Friday 22 July, Magistrates heard witness evidence that the rubbish was dumped from a blue Ford Transit van which MK City Council’s Environment Crime officers had been able to identify as a hire vehicle and subsequently traced the driver.

The driver, who has not been named, failed to co-operate with the investigation and was summonsed to appear at Milton Keynes Magistrates Court. After failing to attend the court hearing, he was sentenced in his absence. He was fined £1,760 ordered to pay the city council’s legal costs of £565 and a victim surcharge of £704.

Cabinet Member for the Public Realm, Cllr Jennifer Wilson-Marklew, said, “We do not tolerate this kind of behaviour and always aim to take action against fly tippers. This offender has paid the price for not disposing of their rubbish properly. We urge residents to report fly tipping as they’re helping to improve where we live.”

Luton Town have announced the signing of Tom Krauß on a season-long loan deal from Bundesliga side Mainz.

The 23-year-old will move to Kenilworth Road for the season after two campaigns as a regular in the German top flight. He becomes Luton’s third signing of the week following the previously announced arrivals of Mark McGuinness and Liam Walsh.

Krauß had spent the last two seasons as a regular in the Bundesliga, making 32 appearances for Schalke on loan from his hometown club RB Leipzig in the 2022/23 season and then 29 for Mainz last season, having joined Mainz from Leipzig in 2023.

As well as top flight experience, Krauß has also been capped through the German national team set-up, winning 14 caps for the German under-21s and scoring three goals.

The Hatters’ manager Rob Edwards told the club’s official website that he was keen to see what Krauß could offer once he returned from an injury picked up in training.

He said, “Once we knew there was an opportunity and an interest, we undertook a lot of work to look at Tom – and he’s shown he’s a player that suits Luton Town really, really well.

“He’s 23 but has a wealth of experience in the Bundesliga and is an under-21 international. He’s young but he’s hungry to find a home again. He’s at an age where he’s still got lots of room for growth.

“What we like about Tom is that he’s aggressive, full of running, wants to press, wants to play and wants to recover the ball quickly.

“We won’t get to see Tom straight away – he’s recovering having picked up a slight knock while in training with Mainz recently – but what’s been brilliant for us is how keen he is to join – he’s the one pushing it, he wants to play for us.

“That speaks volumes; how far we’ve come and our level of ambition, to take a player with so much experience of the German top-flight.”

Police are appealing for witnesses to a firearm incident that happened in Milton Keynes.

The incident happened around 11.30pm on Wednesday (21/8) at Denmead, Two Mile Ash.

Thames Valley Police confirmed there was a firearm discharge reported at this time.

A man in his twenties sustained injuries to his leg and required hospital treatment. He has since been discharged.

Officers are at the scene and expect to remain there until tomorrow (23/8).

Investigating officer DI Graeme Williams, based at Milton Keynes Police Station, said, “We believe this to be a targeted incident, with no threat to the wider public.

“I understand that this may be alarming but, fortunately, these incidents are extremely rare.

“There is an increased police presence in the area so anyone with concerns can get in touch or speak to a uniformed officer.

“If you have any information or witnessed this incident, please call 101 or report online, quoting reference number 43240402951.

“Alternatively, you can provide information anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or via its website.”