April began with the news that two Labour councillors had been taken to court for failing to pay council tax.

The TaxPayers’ Alliance, a group which represents the country’s tax payers, said the two Labour politicians had failed to set a good example to voters.

The council refused to identify the pair on grounds of data protection, but confirmed they were ordered to attend court between April 2011 and March 2012.

The month ended with a bang when a family car was engulfed in fireball seconds after a baby and an elderly man were pulled from the vehicle.

The silver Peugeot 307 burst into flames as it carried four people along Craven Park Road, South Tottenham.

The female driver pulled a baby from the back seat as smoke filled the vehicle.

Worshippers from a nearby synagogue rushed to the aid of a man who had become stuck in the passenger side of the car.

Orthodox worshipper Yohanan Kupperman, who had been celebrating Passover at the Craven Park Road  Synagogue, said he was acting on instinct when he saw the car pull up with smoke and flames.

He said: "I was just thinking that I had to get him out. I did what I had to do. I’d definitely do it again. He was the last person out and minutes afterwards the whole car exploded.”