Leighton Buzzard as the Grand Union Canal was opened there. More recently, Leighton Buzzard station was the location for part of the film "Robbery", which is based on the so-called "Great Train Robbery" (1963), whereas the actual robbery took place just outside the town, at Bridego bridge, Ledburn. In the "Domesday Book", Leighton Buzzard and Linslade were both called Leestone. Leighton Buzzard contains All Saints' Church, an Early English parish church dating from 1277. The church has a 190 ft spire and has been described as the 'cathedral of South Bedfordshire'. The church was damaged by fire in the 1980s, but has
Leighton Buzzard in 2003 to Leighton-Linslade, and the revised census result including this area was 32,753. The population is estimated to have reached 37,000 in 2009 and is forecast to rise to 39,900 by 2012. The town is expanding southwards, with the development of sites in Southern Leighton Buzzard through the Southern Leighton Buzzard Development Brief. It is also expanding eastwards, with several developments forming the Eastern Leighton Linslade Urban Extension Scheme. Leighton Buzzard was twinned with Coulommiers in 1958. The twinning was renewed in 1982. It was also twinned with Titisee-Neustadt in 1991. One of the local quarries was used in