A train company apologised to furious commuters caught up in a week of delays on the railways as November began.

There were many cancellations on London Northwestern Railway (LNR) services during the half term week after months of disruption since a new timetable was introduced in May.

A shortage of train crews was caused by terms and conditions in contracts regarding the number of staff able to take leave at the same time.

Trespassers, broken down trains and power cuts have also all contributed to delays.

Court hearings in the case of serial rapist Joseph McCann began.

He was charged with 37 crimes, including eight rapes, against 11 victims, among them an 11-year-old boy and a 71-year-old woman.

Over 15 days between April 20 and May 5, the 34-year-old travelled between London, Watford, Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire.

And Watford-based Mothercare has announced plans to place its UK retail business in administration, putting around 2,500 jobs at risk.

The children’s retailer, which has 79 UK stores, said it would file a notice of intent to appoint administrators for the UK business on Monday.

Mothercare UK slumped to a £36.9 million loss in the financial year to March, as it has struggled amid a period of turmoil for high street retailers.

It sold its 100,000sq ft UK headquarters and adjacent warehouse for £15m in February and signed a 10-year lease under the sale-and-leaseback deal.

The struggling retailer had to make the savings after a Company Voluntary Arrangement: a way for limited companies who are insolvent to pay creditors over a fixed period.

It announced it would close its Watford shop in Watford Arches in July and reopened it a few weeks later after coming to an agreement over rent.

And Watford's parliamentary candidates clashed in a hustings organised by Churches Together in Watford and the Observer as part of weeks of campaigning for the December 12 general election.