The wristband campaign to raise awareness of the search for Madeleine McCann has gained further momentum within English cricket.

Test hero Ryan Sidebottom joined Nottinghamshire colleagues Stephen Fleming, David Hussey and Chris Read to pledge their support for the special Bands of Hope which are being sold by the Leicester Mercury.

Although Sidebottom is not playing in the LV County Championship match against Leicestershire at Oakham School following his successful return to the England fold, he joined his international colleagues and indeed other members of the Notts squad in donning the wristbands.

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As if increasing fines and the risk of death aren’t enough incentive to wear a seatbelt, Bryanna Odell, 16, is taking it one step further. “The car shouldn’t start ’til you cross your heart” is the Huntington. Beach Girl Scout’s slogan for her campaign urging passengers to buckle up.

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The international stars of Leicestershire and Lancashire have teamed up to back a campaign to raise awareness of the search to find Madeleine McCann.

With no prospect of play in the Friends Provident Trophy match at Grace Road, the two teams donned special yellow and green ‘bands of hope‘ which are being sold by the Leicester Mercury to support the fighting fund set up by the family.

Australian World Cup winner Brad Hodge, the former Leicestershire skipper now playing for Lancashire, led the support of the campaign among players such as Paul Nixon, Muttiah Muralitharan, Sajid Mahmood and James Anderson.

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Sleeping in, visiting the beach and reading at your leisure rather than studying textbooks are among the pleasures of summer, which arrives in 27 days.But young readers don’t have to wait that long to join the Washington County Free Library’s free summer reading clubs, which have a road-trip theme this year.

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For Josh Laurin, a Two Rivers High School senior, and Amy Pfeffer, a Lincoln senior, their youth apprenticeships have enabled them to observe the nursing profession up close and personal.“I’ve liked the youth apprenticeship program because I’ve floated around to different departments … gotten a feel of how surgery works, the ICU, the emergency room,” said Laurin. “You can see how everyone works together as a team to help patients recover.”

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