NORTHAMPTON

An unfortunate taxi driver came a cropper on a bus lane in Northampton after he managed to get caught in a 'car trap'.

The Hackney cab was stuck after straying onto the bus lane section of Hermitage Way, in Wootton, last Friday morning.

Passers-by had to do a double-take when they noticed the yellow vehicle sitting at a strange angle from a distance, only to realise it was 'well and truly' stuck when getting up close.

It is believed the driver had to call for a recovery truck to help tow the vehicle out of the trap, although it is not known how long he was there for.

This is not the first time an incident like this has happened in this particular 'car trap', as nearby residents have complained in the past about drivers trying to get around it.

The trap itself is made up of a deep pit in the middle of the road, with a number of metal 'teeth' protruding from it.

This is used to stop cars using it as a short cut to the A45, and forces them to take another route which means they have to use the busy Queen Eleanor roundabout.

There is also a road sign before the trap, which warns drivers that a trap is just ahead, and that only buses can pass through.

http://www.northampton-news-hp.co.uk/Taxi-driver-stuck-cab-gets-caught-bus-lane-car/story-27664085-detail/story.html
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NEWCASTLE

 A Premier League footballer feared he was being kidnapped after he got into the wrong taxi outside his hotel.

Newcastle United’s new £8.5m signing Chancel Mbemba, who does not speak English, was left panic-stricken by a bizarre series of events on the day of his debut.

The 21-year-old DR Congo international left the Hilton Hotel on Gateshead Quayside and climbed into a waiting cab thinking it was a club-hired vehicle to take him to St James’ Park.

The driver was in fact booked to go to a supermarket in Newcastle.

He tried to explain this to Mbemba but the star did not understand.

The driver set off for the store and when he went past the ground, Mbemba started to panic.

To add to the bizarre chain of events, the player was dressed in a £117 black Tuxedo suit, white shirt and dicky bow from Next - after being told to ‘look sharp’ for match days.

It is believed he tried to call club officials, but eventually ended up getting through to the translator hired to help him settle in England.

He assured him: 'Chancel, I think you have got in the wrong cab’.

The player, frustrated and worried at being late - which would have incurred a large club fine - was unable to explain this to the taxi driver.

Confusion continued as they reached their ‘destination’. Finally, the translator spoke to the taxi driver on the defender’s mobile phone to explain the situation - and the star got to the ground on time.

He was pictured striding past the dug out on the pitch before Newcastle’s 2-2 draw with Southampton on August 8 as he arrived, looking cool, calm and collected, with his toiletries bag in his hand, listening to music on his ear phones.

“It all turned out fine in the end as he had an outstanding game and was very pleased with his debut,” said a source. “But he really did think he was being abducted at one stage and the whole situation was difficult because of the language barrier.

“It was funny afterwards but hard for him at the time. The driver apparently thought he had the right fare.”

Mbemba is one of nine siblings, and his mother was a professional basketball player in their native Congo.

He has risen from humble beginnings in Kinshasa, and dedicated himself to his career, going out for extra sprint runs late at night while he playing for Anderlecht in Belgium.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/newcastle-new-boy-chancel-mbemba-6307448