Archive

Epsom and Ewell's leading scorer from last season, Andy Boxall, and defender Danny Arkwright have both joined Ryman League Division One side Whyteleafe, and to add to manager Adrian Hill's problems, one of Arkwright's likely successors, Greg Harfield,

A tale of two penalties cost Palace dear at St Andrews. While Marc Edworthy's tug was deemed worthy of a penalty, Bruce Dyer almost having the shirt ripped from his back was somehow not. "Inconsistency", was the word an exasperated Terry Venables used

Crystal Palace is playing its part in the community by organising a six-week training course. It will take place at Langley Park Girls School Sports Centre, Hawksbrook Lane, Beckenham, and starts on January 7 for children, aged from six to 11. It will

MAKERS of television series The Bill have been slammed by Harlow MP Bill Rammell for unjust attacks on Harlow. Mr Rammell objects to a recent episode, in which a police officer says to a suspect: "This is a nice flat. Not your usual surroundings. You

I AM writing to you as a health and safety officer for London Underground. What most concerns me about the proposed school in Willingale Road is that firstly it is going to be built on Green Belt land. Secondly it is going to be built so close to the

A FACTORY which employs blind people has been slammed by one of its workers because bosses will not let him take his guide dog into the main canteen. The management of General Welfare of the Blind Products told Malcolm Matthews, 55, he has to sit in a

HUNDREDS of pounds worth of goods were stolen from about 35 garages during a spate of thefts on Wednesday night. Police are now warning garage owners to keep their belongings securely locked following the thefts in Spring Hills and Fold Croft. A Harlow

A family who claimed they suffered abuse at the hands of their neighbours were dogged by a catalogue of council errors and delays, a watchdog has ruled. The local government ombudsman has rapped Southwark Council on the knuckles after the family was forced

THE bosses of Chase Farm and Barnet General hospitals have promised that casualty units will remain on both sites if the two management boards merge. The pledge came as the NHS Trusts which run the hospitals publicly announced they want to amalgamate

A TRADER has been fine £2,800 after council officers seized 671 items of counterfeit clothing. Mubarak Patel trading as Bailwood Fashions in Lewisham High Street pleaded guilty to 14 specimen charges of exposing counterfeit items for sale. Greenwich Magistrates

Eurovision Song Contest winner Katrina is to star in pantomime in north London this year. The singer will appear in Dick Whittington at the Millfield Theatre in Edmonton from December until after the New Year. Along with her band the Waves, she won Eurovision

Furious pensioners are demanding an end to a staffing crisis at Norbury post office which they say is making their lives a misery. The London Road post office reopened on Monday after a week out of action because of staffing shortages. But disgruntled

SCORES of pensioners are facing a daily dilemma. They can risk their lives crossing a busy rat-run, or make a giant detour round town -- to get to a supermarket just yards from their home. And the OAPs living off West Street, Gravesend, have been told

FOR some, football on television will not be the same without him. After 31 years as ITV's senior commentator, Brian Moore has hung up his microphone. Moore, who lives in Farnborough Park, made a decision to call it full-time a day after the World Cup

KING Arthur, a womble and a 77-year-old granny appeared at the High Court as an eviction hearing to kick eco-warriors out of Crystal Palace descended into farce. Bromley Council won an order last Thursday giving it the legal right to repossess a 12-acre

I REFER to your report of the Labour council's proposed budget cuts in the coming years. This comes as no surprise to the Conservative group. In each of the last three budget debates I have produced an alternative budget, in written form, which predicted

Belmont Hospital - now the site of the Belmont Heights Housing Estate - was demolished in the 1980s. During its existence the building had fulfilled as many as nine different roles. Only after the last World War did it become Belmont Hospital, a centre

An extra £3 million cash is to be injected into front line services at St Helier Hospital's beleaguered casualty department. The money will be used to almost double the size of the cramped accident and emergency department and has been welcomed by staff

CFS:1 CFT:1 Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.

DISGRUNTLED football fans have jammed phone lines trying to find out if they will get their season tickets in time for the new season. Charlton Athletic has been besieged with 17,000 applications from people wanting to get in on the premiership action

Young Hampton Wick rower Edward Fox struck gold and bronze for Britain in the Coupe de la Jeunesse youth European Rowing Championships in Italy. The 17-year-old Tiffin School pupil has just returned from Lake Candia as part of the 40-strong team that

A special Millennium Forum next month will keep everyone who lives and works in the borough up to date with planned celebration activities. Businesses, voluntary groups and other organisations are invited to attend the meeting on Wednesday, September

I would like to congratulate Bexley Council on its increased provision for mobility for wheelchair users. However, at the five road crossings in Gravel Hill there is no special paving to indicate the crossings to visually impaired and blind people, who

Mrs H V Wortley (School selection is vindicated, July 30) is right to say that grammar schools took in out of borough pupils even before the Greenwich Judgement in order to keep grammar schools open at a time of falling rolls. However, the number of out

I read the article "Brush up or else, say furious residents", and can understand the residents' disgust at the rubbish they have to look at. However, it isn't Team Lambeth's fault that the rubbish is there, it is the ignorance of people who discard it

Disaway, an organisation run entirely by volunteers, provides holidays for physically handicapped adults. It enables able-bodied volunteers to participate as helpers. Many disabled people taking a holiday have to pay not only for themselves but also for

I write further to the article about the St Pauls swimming pool proposal and the traffic situation on August 7. As the article stated, there is unquestionable photographic evidence, verified by two headteachers, to show that 12 to 13 cars and not four

In answer to Barbara Davies' recent letter supporting the use of animals in research. A large number of knowledgeable doctors condemn vivisection as unreliable and totally useless. Thalidomide was extensively tested on animals and most people will remember

There has been a lot of concern recently about mothers who have given their children up for adoption and then endeavoured to re-establish contact with the child. But what about the grandparents who have not only lost contact with their grandchildren through

I am so glad that Charlton Athletic Football Club has told the five men accused of the murder of Stephen Lawrence they are not welcome at their ground. Charlton is foremost among football teams for its stand against racism and deserves to be supported

Like John Rapsch of Hammersmith Bridge Campaign I am most disappointed at the decision of the Labour-controlled Hammersmith and Fulham Council to reopen the bridge - and especially coming as it did in the very week of the publication of John Prescott's

Councillor Ian McDonald's concern about the poor state of the borough's pavements is very welcome, but the flurry of self-publicity he has generated on the subject cannot be taken at face value. The fact is that the previous Liberal Democrat administration

Meet the Wandsworthians Rugby Club who are now in training for the new season. The Wandsworth based team, who play at Windsor Avenue, New Malden, are looking for new players for the forthcoming season. The club, whose first team play in the Surrey One

Banstead Athletic fell to a 4-3 defeat on Saturday, despite outplaying Molesey in a final pre-season friendly at Merland Rise. A missed penalty from striker Steve Fowler didn't help the B's cause as they prepared to launch their Ryman League Division

Streatham had 19-year-old Michael Rush to thank for steering his side to a winning draw at home to Camberley on Saturday. Rush, Streatham's overseas player, had never encountered anything like the slow, green surface enlivened by overnight rain but still

Hampton begin a new chapter in their history on Saturday when they face Hendon at Beveree on Saturday. The Beavers have made it into the Ryman Premier for the first time. And boss Chick Botley has a host of new signings to make sure they stay there. A

DISABLED supporters of Charlton Athletic have received a boost with the news the Westfield Health Scheme has renewed its sponsorship with the club to provide people with handicaps facilities at The Valley. Charlton is one of a number of clubs benefiting

CELEBRITIES from football and horseracing are joining forces at Crayford Greyhound Stadium on Monday to help raise money for charity. Ladbrokes, owner of the track, has chosen Scope, which helps children suffering from cerebral palsy, as its designated

A civilian police worker was robbed in broad daylight near Sutton High Street last Monday. After pinning the 26-year-old woman to the wall of the old courthouse in Manor Place at 3.30pm and warning her to co-operate, a mugger escaped with her necklace

One of the finest old trees in Southwark, the Dulwich Turkey Oak, has been awarded a green plaque in recognition of its importance to London. Members of the public nominated their favourite trees across the capital. Twenty-one were chosen by the London

THERE was surprise and disappointment for local health chiefs as the Health Secretary announced the latest round of health action zones. Bexley and Greenwich Health Authority had been asked by Frank Dobson to apply for the second round of the health initiative

ARE you a shaven headed youth? A middle aged hard man? Or is your family a group of "dodgers planning their dream heist"? This is how Sydenham residents appeared to a restaurant critic who made the trip across the Thames to sample food at a new restaurant

HELP is at hand for people worried about dubious sales techniques and unscrupulous traders. Groups in Gravesend, Dartford and Bexley, can help anyone who needs work done in their homes. The Staying Put agency, funded by Bexley Council and the Dartford

TENANTS of a country close say their street is becoming a "derelict slum" because neither the council nor housing developers will clean it. And residents of Ampleforth Close in Chelsfield say they have been forced to sweep glass from the street to stop

CHARLTON's entry into the Premiership stage was anything but quiet when the Addicks visisted St James' Park on Saturday. It included the new season's first sending-off, a new club record and a sterling defensive performance. Goalkeeper Sasa Ilic and his

Opposition councillors have called for an urgent restructuring of Merton Direct Services (MDS) following major problems with local refuse, cleaning and building services. They want either private sector managers to be brought in to a restructured company

The Lions Hospice is proving quite a puller when it comes to charity. On Bank Holiday Monday, at noon, teams are invited to enter a Tug of War Challenge. Pub teams, club teams and fun teams should consist of eight members and a coach, with a minimum sponsorship

Older people who want to stay in shape can go along to a senior keep fit class held at the Methodist Church Hall, Cooper's Yard, Westow Hill. The class is a combination of movement to music, dance and exercise suitable for older people alarmed at the

JOHN Buchanan, the Middlesex coach, has been offered a one year extension on his existing one year contract at Lord's. But there are worrying rumours that if the Australian accepts the offer to stay on for a further season, the players might not be too

BREWERY bosses face a long wait for a decision on their plans for a hotel in Chigwell. A two-day inquiry in Epping last week ran out of time and will resume late next month to give Chigwell Parish Residents' Association a chance to have its say. The inquiry

"Bring on Hendon" was the unanimous cry from the dressing room as Hampton wound up their pre-season programme with a resounding victory at Bracknell. And although the score was only 2-0, the class and quality of the Hampton side left the Bracknell manager

The government and Labour MPs have been trumpeting the glorious achievements in providing more funds for the health service. They seem rather more coy when transforming words into action. The last information from the Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth Health

WHOLE areas of responsibility will shift if plans to alter the Waltham Forest Council structure are approved at special meetings next week. There will be many fewer committees than at present, making decisions without referring them to the full council

AN ANGRY landowner has vowed to sell his land because it is plagued by unwelcome travellers. Robert Ellice, 59, from Rayley Lane, North Weald, is sick and tired of travellers leaving rubbish on his large field off the A414, Hastingwood, The last straw

Kingstonian enjoyed a fan-tastic start to this historic season, taking all three points from their opening day clash with Hereford. The largest crowd of the Conference - 2,104 - watched a classy Ks side net two first half goals to make it a perfect first

Maximum points from their first two games leaves Kingstonian proudly atop the Conference League in their debut season. David Leworthy bagged Ks' first, historic, goal against Hereford on Saturday, with Joe Francis making it two before the biggest crowd

A project to tackle crime round Bowes Park railway station in Wood Green has been shortlisted for a major award. The Bowes Park Initiative is one of six schemes put forward for the Commercial Union Crime Prevention and Community Safety Awards 1998. The

Terry Venables is relishing his return to south London. And despite the disappointing beginning to his second stint as Palace manager, El Tel's massive rebuilding programme is already starting to take shape. The Croydon Guardian caught up with the one

AFTER we carried a story of a young couple caught enjoying a steamy romp in a library, reporter Paul Revoir visited some local bookhouses to find out what life was really like for librarians and the unusual things they have come across.> Welcome to

HOSPITAL chiefs have denied equipment bought through a £1 million appeal, has been given away. Queen Mary's hospital, Sidcup, brought in a professional fundraiser to run the Heartbeat Appeal, which aimed to raise £1 million in 12 months in 1994. The cash

A NORMANDY veteran has chronicled his wartime experiences in a novel which he hopes will be published. World War Two D-Day seaman Jack Culshaw, who was featured in the Citizen last week, has spent three years researching and writing First in Last Out,

A cat died following a fire at its owner's home despite the efforts of firefighters to revive it. At first it was thought an elderly man was in the flat as it filled with choking smoke on Tuesday afternoon. Fortunately he was out shopping at the time,

A Mitcham couple will be partying at the weekend as they celebrate 50 years of marriage. Former army man Len Petts met his bride-to-be Kit - who was serving in the land army - in Darlington in 1946. He spent ages trying to persuade her to go on a date

A hospital consultant is offering a reward after thieves made off with some of his specialist medical equipment when they broke into his car last weekend. The missing black Samsonite briefcase had more than £1,300 worth of eye equipment that its owner

A minor injuries department and a minor surgical unit could be established when Surbiton Hospital is redeveloped thanks to pressure from local residents. Health chiefs have also agreed none of the site should be sold off and have assured representatives

Sutton's green experts have joined the national outcry against genetically modified crops. Environmentalists at the Centre for Environmental Initiatives at Carshalton have added their voice to the growing protest against research into genetically modified

REGARDING the mutilation of the shrubs at the rear of Mitchell Court on the Beaumont Estate, Leyton, we feel your story made light of the situation. Residents in the bungalows have lost their privacy because of the way the shrubs had been cut. We did

King Arthur, a womble and a 77-year-old granny appeared at the High Court as the Crystal Palace eviction hearing descended into farce. At the hearing last Thursday, Bromley Council won an order to repossess a 12 acre site at Crystal Palace Park occupied

PEST control officers have been inundated with enquiries from people wanting wasps' nests to be removed their property. Calls complaining about wasps in Lewisham have more than doubled, compared to this time last year, up from 288 to 601. Officers have

One of the area's top car dealers AF Tann has more than just a bumper crop of S-registration cars to celebrate this summer. The car dealership has won recognition for ten years of driving excellence from manufacturing giant Mazda Cars UK. The chairman

A 58-year-old woman has appeared in court accused of harassing her neighbours in a landmark victory for Croydon Council. Gillian Turner, of Brigstock Road, Thornton Heath, admitted four counts of harassment against her neighbours between March and May

A SCHOOLBOY fell from a moving bus and crashed into a lamp post after a fellow pupil hit out at jibes about his dead grandfather. Twelve-year-old Casey O'Reilly suffered a fractured thigh, broken front teeth and spent more than six weeks in traction after

A BUSINESS leader fears an increase in crime as a result of the introduction of CCTV in Orpington and Beckenham. As reported in last week's News Shopper council and business leaders launched systems in both town centres. Business chiefs have launched

I would like, through the medium of your pages, to thank all those kind people who came to my aid on Friday, July 24, when I fell heavily in Sutton High Street. I am particularly grateful to the young man who held my head the whole time until the arrival

MAY I give my thanks to the NHS? From the moment my wife picked up the phone there was a person on the end of the line to reassure her that all would be done that could be done. Hardly had the phone been put down than the ambulance crew was at the door

I feel I have to reply to K. Martibainen regarding noise pollution (letters, July 23). I wonder why Mr Martibainen brought up the fact that he has a degree in his argument in favour of listening to music at unsociable levels? Clearly his degree did not

Is it lack of co-ordination, thoughtlessness or just official bloody mindedness that has created the intolerable situation for drivers travelling between the M25 and New Malden along the A3? There are no less than three sets of roadworks (two of them

On September 30, a reunion is being held at Wimbledon Squash and Badminton Club, Cranbrook Road, for all the members of the Badminton Bluebottle Bandits, a social group that used to meet there every Friday evening in the late sixties and early seventies

While agreeing with selective schools, I must complain about the unfair admissions criteria for girls in the borough. For girls achieving the pass-mark, their examination score does not come into play until the fourth criteria. First, they take siblings

In recent weeks much space has been devoted to the activities of the illegal occupants of the site of the planned new Crystal Palace. It is easy to glamorise these activities, as society becomes more vigilant about protecting the environment. However,

Re: Surbiton Hospital. I was very glad to read that Messrs Baker and Bell have organised a petition. This gives the people of Surbiton an opportunity to voice their opinion. A recent meeting which I attended at Oakhill Centre - at which Dr Moore took

This is an open letter to parents of the three young girls, who galloped their horses along the bed of the River Cray. There is a perfectly adequate ride provided by Bexley Council, but this does not appear to appeal to the seemingly thoughtless young

Labour and Liberal Democrats are not joined at the hip. An article (News Shopper, July 15) on the financial mess left in Bromley by the Conservatives, contained a reference to the Labour/Liberal Democrats group. There is no such political grouping on

SPURS have had better starts to the season, but after a diabolical 1997/1998 campaign, one could almost predict that they would travel to Wimbledon, the Premiership's perennial strugglers, and get drubbed 3-1. What looked like an easy start to the season

Enfield continued their build up to the new season with a comfortable friendly victory over Harlow Town on Monday night, Pat Cunneen writes. Despite the lack of regular first team faces on display, they were still able to make it four wins out of four

Bosses at the Institute of Cancer Research in Cotswold Road, Sutton, are hoping to get a permit to extend their premises. The research centre has applied for permission to build two single-storey extensions to provide additional office space. Converted

Her hard work helping pensioners and disabled people has won Lucy Tattersall a nomination as Londoner of the Year. The 29-year-old project manager from Dulwich Helpline plays a key role in the Lordship Lane-based organisation, which helps people across

The star of the first production in the Orange Tree Theatre's new season came to Richmond last week to open the refurbished Laura Ashley store. Sarah Tansey did the honours at the George Street shop which now features oak flooring and furniture, as well

THE Millennium housing market is on the way up, but the Dome has got nothing to do with it, according to Greenwich property experts. With the rumours that celebs such as Liz Hurley and Kate Bush are prepared to fork out hundreds of thousands to live by

Bike thieves have been snared by police after being tracked down by a new device which tails them and leads police to the loot. The scheme has led to the recovery of thousands of pounds worth of stolen bikes during its two-week trial, which was aborted

Tomorrow (Thursday) is judgement day for A level candidates around Britain. And despite the inevitable successes, some will be upset with their performance and failing to make the necessary grades needed for university. Croydon College principal Vic Seddon

Leyton Orient....................1 Rotherham Utd.................4 (Nationwide League Div Three) Toby Forage reports WHAT a disaster. Having played out of their skins for the last two games, Orient decided that enough was enough and reverted to putting

A FORMER employee of a jewellery shop has admitted stealing from his boss. Timothy Light, a father-of-three who worked for Southerns in Orpington High Street, was caught with his coat pocket stuffed with £263 worth of jewellery on April 19. Managing director

A MOTHER claims her flat is so damp it looks as if the walls are covered with a black fungus. The woman, who does not wish to be named, lives in a two-bedroomed flat in a block in Waterhead Close on the Larner Road Estate, Erith. She has a two-and-a-half-year-old

MOTORCYCLES, you either love them or hate them. A simplistic view maybe but in my 12 years of riding, this simple statement can be found at the bottom of most, if not all, motorcycling arguments. Those who hate motorcycling will use Kevin Marsham's death

Wimbledon Football Club fans are renewing their fight to bring the Dons back home with the added backing of MP Roger Casale. With the start of the new season, the Wimbledon MP has pledged to lend his weight to the campaign and has created a special task

Parents of children at the troubled Christ's School have vowed to take legal action if it closes. And they plan to picket a meeting of the school's governors on September 10 to protest against moves to close the school down for a year. The Richmond school

AMBITIOUS plans by hotel giant Forte to expand its Epping Posthouse hotel as part of a multi-million-pound nationwide project have met opposition. An extra 43 bedrooms would be built as part of the scheme which will see an extension demolished to make

Two pistol-wielding robbers stole £12,000 from the Nationwide Building Society in Muswell Hill Broadway after holding up security guards. They threatened one guard and forced him inside the building. There they threatened a second guard and stole cash

HEALTH officials have stepped in to stop work on a high street supermarket. Environmental health officers from Bexley Council called a halt to refurbishment work at Asda in Bexleyheath Broadway after a customer complained about the amount of dust. Wesley

Morden's St Lawrence Church will be among several historic buildings in the borough opening its doors to the public for free next month as part of the popular national event Heritage Open Days 98. The Grade I listed church, of Saxon origin, was first

Welling United opened the new Confer-ence season with a 2-1 win over their bogey side Cheltenham at Park View Road on Saturday. The Robins had secured only one previous win in 13 attempts against last season's runners-up and it looked for a while as if

THIEVES broke into a car for a stereo but ran away with a Yorkshire terrier instead. The pet (pictured) was sitting on the back seat of the soft-top jeep in the car park of Tesco in Meridian Way, Edmonton, while owner Antoinette Allkins did her weekly

Kingstonian manager Geoff Chapple is "quietly confident" about his team's prospects for the season ahead in the Conference. But the first aim has to be survival. The vastly-experienced Ks boss was speaking on the eve of the big kick-off following a highly

A COURTROOM battle over the future of a nursery has ended in victory for the social services team that wanted the site shut down. Gatehouse Nursery Services withdrew a High Court appeal against magistrates who backed Enfield Council social services department's

AN ANGRY pensioner is urging the council to give elderly residents protection from nuisance youngsters. Chris Hill, 73, from Brockles Mead, Harlow, is concerned that frail pensioners living on his estate risk injuring themselves on bikes and skateboards

Worcester Park I 172 for 6 dec, Kenley I 173 for 7. Three sixes in the penultimate over wrestled victory away from Park on Sunday in a contest that had threatened to go to the wire. Kenley's Bailey creamed Aidan Bell thrice into the mid-wicket woods to

SAMANTHA Smith, Britain's No.1 female tennis player, has been knocked out in the first round of the WTA Tour event in Boston. The Enfield-born star won the first set against Miriam De Swardt, of South Africa, 6-2 but lost the next two 6-3 6-2 and the

Merton's first youth music workshop is hoping to run the biggest one-day entertainment event in the borough this year. The Music Workshop and Wimbledon Woodcraft Folk are staging the event on September 12 to commemorate the first anniversary of the successful

A BRAVE pensioner who saved a young boy from drowning is now concerned for the youngster's health and is appealing for his parents to step forward. Eric Sullivan, 74, who recently rescued the toddler from the River Lea in Broxbourne Meadows, fears the

IN his letter (Independent August 14) Lord Stoddard does not mention the biggest danger of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), which is that if we join we will have to pay the pensions of the EU countries. By 2030 a quarter of Europe's population is expected

A family had a lucky escape when their loft caught fire in the early hours of Wednesday morning last week. Fire broke out in the Cambridge Park house at 4am. The blaze started in the loft and spread to the bathroom after the ceiling collapsed, alerting

A convicted armed robber who held up a bank a decade after he carried out a similar raid has been jailed for 11 years. Undeterred by a 10-year sentence he received in 1988, Paul Gray, 39, pointed a revolver at a cashier at Lloyds in Nelson Road, Greenwich

PEOPLE with mental health problems in Bexley are feeling the benefits of a brighter, happier environment, thanks to the artistic flair and goodwill of local children. Patients at Bexley Hospital, particularly those suffering from depression, can now work

BIRDS, beasts and household pets are being brought together for a unique reunion in what promises to resemble a scene straight from the story of Dr Dolittle. The gathering has been organised by Wood Green Animal Shelter as a chance for rescued pets to

IN REPLY TO David G. Orfeur's letter, what has happened is that Broomfield House now has a positive future for the whole community. Our historic park will no longer be under threat of a pub in the park with all the abuse that comes with it. The proposed

HAVING read with interest Bromley Council is considering proposals to build a 15-screen multiplex cinema in Bromley South, I wonder if the specially-commissioned study which said it would be viable, also took into consideration the proposed building of

Bishop's Stortford Indoor Bowls Club is being forced to close at the end of this season after 14 years. The club will play its final fixture of the summer season on September 17, which will be followed by an extraordinary general meeting to dispose of

MOTORISTS will not only have gleaming cars but glossy-looking pooches if they call into Bishop's Stortford fire station this Saturday. For the crew will be on stand-by to clean cars for good causes, while pet company Sherleys, of Woodside Industrial Estate

I WAS stark naked in public this week. Well, I wasn't quite streaking across the pitch at Lords or standing on a bar waving my pants in the air, but it was still public -- at the British Naturist Foundation in Orpington. Yes, I was there, living like

Manager Paul Taylor has been fine-tuning his Bishop's Stortford side in preparation for the new Ryman Premier League campaign against Billericay on Saturday. They completed their build up with three games last week and Taylor is satisfied that his team

A TEAM of charity swimmers have tackled the length of the English Channel to raise over £800 for Harlow and Stort Valley Normandy veterans. But the swimmers from the Citizen and their friends avoided the uninviting Channel sea water and instead swam 22

Sutton planners breathed a huge sigh of relief as Government inspectors yesterday gave the green light for the Roundshaw estate's multi-million pound revamp. The ambitious £96.5 million project to demolish more than 1,100 properties to make way for new

A mother has spoken of her devastation at the loss of her 13-year-old son who died following a fight just yards from his Streatham home. Fahad Kato collapsed during a scuffle at the junction of Eastwood Street and Leverson Street on Thursday. Medics tried

A MOTORCYCLIST was killed in an horrific collision after falling under the wheels of a lorry. Scientist David Cunningham, aged 41, died instantly from severe head injuries after his bike collided with a lorry at the junction of Summer Hill and Cricket

A businessman returning from a night in the office was mugged as he walked home along Putney Park Avenue. The 48-year-old was walking from Barnes Station at 7 10am on August 6 when a man pushed him from behind and snatched his briefcase. The thief ran

Belgrave Harriers will fly the flag for Britain in the men's European Champion Clubs contest in Athens next summer after comfortably retaining their British League title at Barnet Copthall Stadium, Hendon, on Saturday. Belgrave stamped their mark on the

A DISUSED landfill site in Much Hadham has been branded a 'toxic timebomb' by Friends of the Earth campaigners. The conservation group has placed Hadham Towers on a list of 400 tips nationwide as it fears they may cause birth defects in babies. Its refuse

Mystery still surrounds the death of a Battersea alcoholic, an inquest heard on Thursday. Andrew Glass, 54, was found slumped in the kitchen of his Ashley Crescent home on July 21, at about 10am. He had been stabbed 17 times in the chest and was covered

Yeovil Town 1, Kingstonian 3 Kingstonian won their first ever Conference away fixture in similar style to Saturday's Hereford game. Yeovil pressure constantly stumbled on the rock of central defenders Mark Crossley, Simon Stewart and Mark Harris and Ks

Chelsfield Lakes Golf Centre is the venue for the Bromley Portage charity golf day on September 3. It will cost you £30 to enter, but it includgreen fees, a buffet breakfast and lunch, and the chance to win a number of special prizes for various competitions

News that Streatham has one of the worst pavements in London is the latest indignity for the "fairy godmother" part of the borough, it was claimed this week. Liberal Democrat Councillor Brian Palmer said the recent Pedestrians' Association report blasting

The RFU, Richmond Council, Twickenham's town centre manager and the new chairman of the management committee for Think Twickenham are united in opposition to plans for a huge cash-and-carry superstore opposite the rugby stadium. Costco UK wants to demolish

A PSYCHOLOGY graduate's drug problem caused him to suffer from paranoid schizophrenia and eventually killed him. Daniel John Rufus Brook, aged 32, who lived in an annexe of Honor Lea Hostel in Carholme Road, Catford, was found dead on April 26. Neighbours

Tolworth Hospital may turn mental patients away if they refuse to be searched, after a knife attack on a ward last week. On Monday evening a voluntary patient stabbed a fellow patient five times on the Lilacs Ward after an argument. It is believed he

THE SON of a woman who has disappeared from a mental health unit at St Margaret's Hospital, Epping, had warned staff that she wanted to leave. But Anthony Reilly said his comments were ignored, and two days later his mother Beryl, 59, went missing from

London Colney............................0 Brimsdown Rovers......................3 (Minerva Spartan Premier League) Brimsdown Rovers made the perfect start to their new Minerva Spartan Premier League season with a comprehensive 3-0 win at London Colney

Calling all Wandsworth women. Do you believe that challenge is the soul of motivation? Have you been out of work for two years or more and want to do something about it? What's more, would you like to be able to travel to Germany, Italy, Sweden or Tenerife

Photographs of Sutton high street a couple of years ago compared with how it looks today show what progress has been made in a relatively short space of time. Ugly fly-posters have been pulled down, and bright new signs are popping up everywhere. Pavement

As the dust settles over the lap dancing furore, all sides will be waiting and watching to see what the first six months of Croydon's first ever strip club reveals. At a tense meeting of the licensing sub committee last month, The Granaries in Surrey

I WAS stark naked in public this week. Well, I wasn't quite streaking across the pitch at Lords or standing on a bar waving my pants in the air, but it was still public -- at the British Naturist Foundation in Orpington. Yes, I was there, living like

THEY were mere saplings when Oliver Cromwell's army defeated the Royalists in the English Civil War. Their limbs shuddered as Hitler's Luftwaffe carpeted the south east with bombs during the Blitz. And they weathered devastating hurricane-force winds

ALL the people who have written to the Gazette about the new secondary school suggest they were at the public meeting at Davenant Foundation School. But it appears to me they obviously could not have been listening to the council officials as all the

I was very disappointed by the article "Fury Over New Arena" which appeared in the Guardian last week. I should declare an interest in the matter by stating that I have been a season ticket holder with Tooting & Mitcham FC for a number of seasons

Can any of your readers help? Carers often feel that they are a neglected army. They need support and breaks from the stress of caring. I write on behalf of a charity, the Winged Fellowship Trust, which is carrying out a national survey in order to research

HARLOW'S community radio station is appealing for help after a fire ripped through its studio damaging equipment worth thousands of pounds. Anglia Community Radio (ACR), which started broadcasting from Horsecroft Road, Harlow, in January, has had its

There has been a lot in the local paper about cycling on the pavement - it is very dangerous and should be stopped. I have nearly been knocked down twice. I also realise you can't cycle in the road as it's too dangerous. If the cyclists would ride with

London Transport Buses will be introducing a new timetable on route S3 between Worcester Park and Sutton from Saturday, August 29. The S3, which runs half hourly from Monday to Saturday, runs from Worcester Park train station to Sutton Hospital via North

I am anxious to trace any former nursing staff of Holloway Sanatorium, where my father was a patient during the 1950s, who would be willing to tell me something about hospital life in those days. Of course, if there is anyone who remembers my father,

WHEN I was a child, one of the great things about growing up in south London was the number and variety of parks and open spaces in which to play. Another, was the frequent reminders of our varied history which are visible in so many places. For those

Merton Council is committed as part of its policy to improve the environment for Merton to provide specific routes for cyclists and has made considerable progress with this. However this is not being respected by a growing number of cyclists who insist

AN ELDERLY woman may have died after falling asleep in an armchair with a cigarette in her hand. An inquest heard Emily Jones, aged 83, of Lewisham Park, was found dead at home on May 17 after being discovered on the floor, near a settee in her front

Hammersmith Bridge will be closed to ALL traffic for the busy Bank Holiday weekend. For 10 days police cars, ambulances, and buses will be barred from using the crossing. The closure is for essential repair and strengthening work. But it could not have

So the council in Sutton wrote off debts of £223,000, of which £16,000 were council tax. I am furious because people like me who are honest pay their council tax regularly. I am sent a letter if I am one week behind, warning me of the consequences. What

A number of letters have appeared recently regarding animals causing damage and mess in their gardens. As much as these people hate foxes and squirrels, and as much as they wish them harm, they should still try and put things into perspective. What is

During the afternoon of July 24, in the Pantiles area of Bexleyheath, my son had his brand new bike stolen. The thief befriended my son, and his friends, before persuading them all to swap and try each others bikes. Once he had the bike he wanted -- my

Enfield Council must change the way it works if it is to truly serve the people of the borough. That is the view of the authority's two political groups as the plans for change were announced. Leader of the labour-controlled council Jeff Rodin and his

A carpentry and joinery student at the College of North East London has been given an award for the quality of his work. Tony White, from Chingford, was awarded the Silver Medal -- the highest award given for the NVQ level 3 qualification -- by training

muggers broke an 87-year-old woman's arm when they threw her to the ground and stole her handbag. The victim was also left with head injuries after the assault in Pellipar Close, Palmers Green, at 7.20pm on Monday. Police are appealing for passers-by

DAVID ORFEUR'S and the unnamed letter on August 5 lamented the loss of Broomfield House which was described by one as "once the jewel of the area" -- precisely. This is what so many borough residents have fought to reinstate. The council's ''lack of resources

This is the picture that many people in North Cheam hoped they would never see. In May, fast food giants McDonald's won its battle to build a drive-thru restaurant in London Road, and on Friday construction workers finally lowered the new outlet's roof

A man murdered in his Wimbledon home had a double identity, it was revealed this week. Few people knew that Salvation Army Volunteer Michael Grogan, 72, of Florence Road, was a former showbiz manager and counted celebrity musicians and comedians among

Police are looking for a trio of teenage girls who robbed a girl in Whitton. The incident occurred at 9.25pm on Sunday when three girls approached their victim who was walking along Murray Park and demanded cigarettes from her. She told her attackers

These are the two men police want to question in connection with two separate indecent assaults in Balham. Investigating officers have just released the E-Fit likenesses in the hope that witnesses will come forward with information about either attack

A FOOTBRIDGE and cycle-way for people who want to get to the Millennium Dome under their own steam, has been given the green light after Greenwich Council granted planning permission for the route over the approach to the A102 and Tunnel Avenue. The council

Former Chelsea star Mick Fillery was coaching some of the area's top young footballing talent in Banstead last week. The ex-QPR and Ports-mouth midfielder was at Banstead Cricket Club throughout the week coaching youngsters taking part in the new 'Kick

Cyclists are planning a protest in Richmond Park tonight (Friday) against its continued use as a through-route by car drivers. They plan to deliberately slow down motorists, despite the fact this could result in angry confrontations. And they are inviting

Kingstonian 1 Basingstoke 2 Ks boss Geoff Chapple used his last pre-season friendly, on Monday against a strong Basingstoke side, to cast a last eye over the lads who did so well against Hampton last week in the Saft Nife Shield. Keeper Jerome John came

Dorking 3 Hampton Reserves 2 Hampton's Reserves can count themselves unfortunate to have lost this game against their Ryman Div 3 opponents. But while the Beavers had the flair, Dorking were stronger, and more direct. And Dorking started best, opening

THE ancient peoples of Central and South America are the subject of one of Bexley Workers Education Association's (WEA) new courses this autumn. Empires Of The Sun, organised in conjunction with Birkbeck College, University of London, is a 20-session

As we basked in late summer sunshine and England's glorious series victory, the Surrey team enjoyed a well deserved break and a chance to recharge their batteries before the final charge, writes DOMINIC BURGESS. And no one has earned his time off more

THE very last throw of the competition put an end to Emeka Udechuku's hopes of a world title. The Blackheath Harrier took the lead in the fifth round of the shot putt competition at the World Junior Athletics Championships, with a throw of 57.99m. However

TWO charities are to benefit from golf days at Redlibbets Golf Club, near Brands Hatch, next month and there's still time for you to get involved. On Thursday, September 10, there's a good chance to dust off your clubs for Gravesham Chamber of Commerce's

BEXLEY put up a valiant effort against table-topping The Mote in Maidstone on Saturday, but finally went down by three wickets in the Kent Woolwich Premier League cricket fixture. Clinton's classy innings of 82 in a total of 193-8 gave Bexley hope, but

Part of an 18th century garden could disappear underneath housing because no-one realises its importance, according to an expert. Landscape gardener Kevin Nether believes the grounds of Hatchford Manor, off Ockham Lane, Downside, contain unique and valuable

A children's hospital ward for spinal and brain related illnesses threatened with closure has been given a stay of execution. The project team reviewing the unit at Wimbledon's well-known Atkinson Morley's Hospital has recommended no final decision because

Harlow 155 all out beat Hornchurch 128 all out by 27 runs Harlow's good run of form continued as they beat Hornchurch to record their second successive victory of the season. After a poor start, a sixth wicket stand between Alan Woolcomb and Simon Baulcomb

Cranleigh 128 for 8 Chessington 150 all out After last week's frustration at losing another game, to the weather, Chessington travelled to Cranleigh knowing that they had to win to keep in touch with leaders Purley. Cranleigh won the toss and Chessington

The Fatal Attraction-style stabbing of a Sheen man has left police baffled. The 33-year-old from Upper Richmond Road spent the night with a 26-year-old woman calling herself Louise. He was woken at 6am the next day to find her attacking him with a kitchen

In a week when I've had so many reports from anglers telling me of personal bests being broken it is very disappointing that every single one has come from stillwaters. My news however won't be bothering Reigate's Paul Forbes. The 19 year-old is enjoying

RESIDENTS who witnessed two car accidents in the space of a couple of hours on a busy corner are demanding action. Two weeks ago a postman was mown down by a hit-and-run driver in Brookehowse Road, Bellingham. An accident earlier that morning saw a white

Chertsey Town 2 Hampton 0 Hampton lost 2-0 in a friendly match at Chertsey on Tuesday night but at least it was a better all round performance than of late. Hampton played well for long periods and dominated play especially for most of the second half

Bumper crowds helped make last weekend's annual Selsdon Forestry and Country Show a roaring success. Glorious weather greeted more than 25,000 visitors who flocked to enjoy a variety of spectacular displays and the full range of country pursuits. Once

Croydon Harriers' athletes enjoyed a memorable weekend as both juniors and seniors ran into form at just the right time. The senior men hit form to fend off the threat of relegation from the Southern League Division One on Saturday. And the juniors were

ANDY THOMSON retained his Kent Singles outdoor bowls title, held at the Sandwich Club. It was the fourth time Thomson has taken the coveted crown, having first won it with back-to-back triumphs in 1981 and 1982. Andy, a member of the Blackheath and Greenwich

Cpl Richard Walcott and Rfn Stewart Molloy from the 2nd Battalion Royal Green Jackets are part of the Stabilisation Force (SFOR). The NATO-backed initiative is aimed at ensuring all sides in the former Yugoslavian country keep to the terms of the peace

A BRAVE pensioner who saved a boy from drowning is concerned for the youngster's health and is appealing for his parents to contact him. Eric Sullivan, 74, from Little Grove Field, Harlow, rescued the toddler from the River Lea in Broxbourne Meadows,

A young thief rummaged through his 80-year-old victim's pockets before making off with just £10. The pensioner was attacked as he walked along an alleyway leading to Granfield Road, on August 11, at 10.15am. The attacker ran off towards Battersea High

A 28-year-old Sutton man was rushed to hospital with serious stab wounds to the abdomen following a fight at the weekend. The victim also received cuts to his head in the fight outside Big Hand Mo's in Crown Lane, Morden. Police were called after reports

Ambulance crews from Brixton and Streatham are being armed with a new multi-lingual emergency phrase book to help in the speedy treatment of non-English speaking patients. Patients will be able to simply point to their responses to questions in one of

A YEAR after the execution style shooting of a drug dealer in the street, police are no closer to arresting the killer. Unemployed Barrington Vantori White, aged 35, of Hither Green Lane, was shot three times, an inquest heard. He died from a gunshot

Despite the sizzling sunshine old people in Kingston will be getting out their electric blankets next month. Kingston Council is asking them to bring the blankets in for testing after discovering that half may be defective or dangerous. When Kingston

The opposing positions of Croydon Council and various ethnic minority groups over the future of the town's race equality organisation seem more polarised than ever after two meetings last week. At the first special consultation meeting arranged by the

PLANS are being drawn up to expand Waltham Abbey's twice-weekly market so it can become "bigger and better". Alan Ashton, who runs the market for the town council, feels the loyalty of customers should be rewarded and the best way to do that is to add

WE ARE a television production company making a documentary for Channel 4 about discipline within the family. We have arranged for a skills workshop for parents who are interested in comparing their experiences and strengthening their skills. The workshop

THE company which runs the Edmonton incinerator has revealed that the planned extension of the plant would mean between 60 and 160 extra lorries coming and going every day. LondonWaste claimed the extra dust carts and lorries would not clog up residential

A woman was blindfolded and indecently assaulted by a man who covered his face with a plastic bag. The 27-year-old Chingford woman had a screwdriver held to her throat throughout the ordeal which took place in woodland near the Waterworks Roundabout,

I AM a year nine student at Chingford School and I happened to come across the letter in your paper regarding my former head of year Mr Bullock who died. Mr Bullock was a great teacher and myself and two other friends felt that if there were readers who

A VAT attack on dental care products has been launched by the Co-op in and around Sutton as a protest against taxing these essential items. The importance of oral hygiene and the system of applying value added tax to these products is being highlighted

Safety advice is on offer to anyone organising a summer event - be it a large-scale fete or small jumble sale. A Guide to Organising Safe Events is a new leaflet from Croydon Council that gives advice on how to minimise potential hazards. Areas covered

BUSINESSMEN are missing opportunities to advertise to millions of people because of a lack of knowledge, according to a marketing consultant. Independent consultant for City 2000 John Mole said: "Bromley businesses have not grasped the commercial benefits

Academics from Middlesex University Business School and a former Enfield MP are to compete in a gruelling triathlon to raise money for cancer research. Lord Bryan Davies, Dr Bruce Thompson and Arthur Hindmarch will take part in the London Triathlon in

The skip season is upon us again, as North Kingston's residents empty their gardens and attics into the neighbourhood's Civic Amenity Skips. And with the seven-by-12ft behemoths in our road overflowing on to the tarmac, there will be rich pickings to

Caroline Egerton, chairman of the Latchmere Junior School governors, mentions in her letter to your August 7 issue that she received not one letter of opposition to the proposals for the expansion of Latchmere Junior Schools. She may not have done, but

I'm trying to trace my son. I last saw him ten years ago. Before he was married in 1972 his name was Leat but he is now known as Ernest Charles Kingslea. At that time he was living in the Croydon area. He was in the Grenadier Guards, then he drove a lorry

In August 1982, John Stokes weighed more than 20 stones - in August 1998 he weighs 13 stones and is just about to run his 100th marathon. "I used to play a lot of darts and of course the weight started to pour on. I was doing no exercise and I smoked

Since the new scheme designed to ease the parking problems experienced by residents' started in Shortlands on June 1, I wonder if the transport engineers realised the effect this would have on other residents, not included, but living nearby. I live in

Old fashioned, boring and irrelevant is how many people view Enfield Council. The workings of the Civic Centre are a mystery to much of the population who regard the authority as mere bureaucracy. With that in mind, the borough's political leaders have

Parents have demanded warning signs be installed in a Morden park after hypodermic needles were found in a water way used as a children's play area. The call for action came after a warden at Morden Hall Park warned youngsters to keep out of the River

IN reply to the letter by L Goddard (News Shopper, July 8). I would like to explain the way that this department deals with complaints about nuisance caused by smoke. Many people assume that there is a law relating specifically to bonfires. This is not

A Balham man who is afraid of heights has decided to conquer his fears and do a parachute jump to raise £400 for charity. Flemmich Webb, 27, of Old Devonshire Road, is raising the money for the charity Bliss that supplies baby life support equipment to

If you want to play golf, but can't tell the difference between a birdie, an eagle and a bogey, then a series of courses at Whitewebbs Golf Course this summer could be for you. The courses are designed with adult beginners in mind and cover basic areas

THE Cray areas of Orpington are to get £50,000 in a bid to boost health. Classed by Bromley Health Authority as among the most deprived areas of the borough, the Crays have won cash from King Edward's Fund which encourages local initiatives to beat health

Battersea Ironside Sports Club, based in Burntwood Lane, Earlsfield, is looking for new footballers and rugby players. For details about football call Les Barker on 0181 337 8665 and for rugby call Paul Tanner on 0181 540 5784. n Teams and players are

As we basked in late summer sunshine and England's glorious series victory, the Surrey team enjoyed a well deserved break and a chance to recharge their batteries before the final charge. No-one has earned his time off more so than Alec Stewart whose

Children as young as five will be able to learn martial arts at summer activity courses being held in Cheshunt this month. All the three-day courses take place at Grundy Park Leisure Centre in Windmill Lane between August 19 and 21, and August 26 and

Norbury diving star Blake Aldridge picked up a silver medal in a breathtaking finish to the recent Junior European Diving Championships in Belgium. Blake, 16, from Gibson's Hill, Norbury, was fifth going into his final dive of the 16-18 highboard competition

You will never see a poor bookmaker, but in Swanley you can add taxi drivers to that class as well. Shoppers at Asda's face a wet passage to he nearest bus stop and are faced with a £2.10p taxi fare for a journey which would only cost 20 pence with a

Bracknell Town 0, Hampton 2 Boss Chick Botley will take heart with this performance from his strongest pre-season line up yet, as they won 2-0 at a canter. With a strong back line including Steve Croxford, Dave Stephenson and Otis Hutchins, Hampton looked

SATURDAY was a special day in the cricketing life of Mark Calnan who, aged just 16, made his debut in the Kent Woolwich Premiership match for Black-heath against Hayes at the Rectory Field, writes Kevin Impey. Mark, who had representated Kent Under 16s

Two Enfield medical centres have made it through to the final stages of a prestigious competition. The Eagle House Surgery and the Riley House Surgery have been short-listed for the 1998 Doctor Awards. Organised by the medical newspaper Doctor, the awards

Police are looking for a trio of teenage girls who robbed a girl in Whitton. The incident occurred at 9.25pm on Sunday when three girls approached their victim who was walking along Murray Park and demanded cigarettes from her. She told her attackers

A police officer and a dragon have brought the smile back to the faces of 30 elderly and disabled residents in Kingston. Soon after taking up her post as home-beat officer for Hugh Herland House in Portland Place, PC Olga Lennon-Nitsche realised all was

Demand for school places in Norbury would be virtually impossible to meet if a housing development on the Natwest Sports Ground were approved, according to Croydon Council. Residents and councillors say they are still extremely concerned about the probable

BOMB disposal experts from the Territorial Army have been showing off their skills in the largest display of reserve armed forces. A team from the 222 Field Squadron, based in Dartford, represented the only bomb disposal engineer regiment in the TA at

A TEENAGER jailed for murdering a 16-year-old boy outside a McDonald's restaurant is back at home after being freed by the High Court. Jason Honeyghon, now 18, spent 14 months behind bars after being found guilty of the February 1996 killing of Danny

CELEBRITIES from football and horseracing are joining forces at Crayford Greyhound Stadium on Monday to help raise money for charity. Ladbrokes, owners of the track, has chosen Scope, which helps children suffering from cerebral palsy, as its designated

During the last few weeks I have noticed an increase in letters about cars, the highways or commuter traffic. Some of the letters are asking for more car parking space, others tell of cars being parked outside their homes and left all day, without any

It's been a great week for local fishermen breaking personal bests but disappointing that they are all from stillwaters. The only encouraging report from any of our rivers comes from the Thames. Tooting angler Peter Bartholomew fished the Sonning stretch

CHILDREN die at the hands of bloody butchers. There is no justification - there are no excuses - forget religion, forget politics, forget "the warning went wrong". You commit this sort of atrocity and you deserve to die. But, who am I to pronounce sentence

A CHEMICAL factory is trying to soothe the fears of local people after two incidents in a month. Belvedere councillor Richard Lucas, says people are "scared to death" following chemical leaks at Croda Resins and one several weeks earlier at nearby NuFarm

Parents have demanded warning signs be erected in Morden Hall Park after hypodermic needles were found floating in the river. Park wardens issued a warning last week urging children not to play in the River Wandle. Park-user Gill Duncan said: "It's deceiving

A GRANDMOTHER was sent flying through a plate glass shop front after an out of control market float crashed into her in the High Street. But the accident has brought conflicting reports from witnesses over who was at the wheel of the vehicle at the time

WITH just nine years to go before he becomes a centenarian you could be forgiven for thinking that John Leatherland would be sitting at home waiting for someone to regularly deliver his hot meal. But far from it. In fact the hard-working volunteer has

A TEENAGE sports hopeful has earned a welcome boost for his chances of international stardom. Steven O'Neil, from Sidcup, is a pupil at BETHS school in Bexley Village and is already a county level swimmer. He trains with Bromley Swimming Club and has

It could be the long goodbye as Hercules Wimbledon endure an agonising wait to see if they have escaped the relegation zone in the Southern Track and Field league. Travelling to Portsmouth for the season's final fixture, Hercules had to place second at

FULHAM 3 MANCHESTER CITY 0 Fulham produced one of their best performances for years completely overwhelming City at Craven Cottage on Friday, writes Mark Caswell. A crowd of 14,500 and many more Sky TV viewers witnessed a fine attacking display from a

CELEBRITIES from football and horseracing are joining forces at Crayford Greyhound Stadium on Monday to help raise money for charity. Ladbrokes, owners of the track, has chosen Scope, which helps children suffering from cerebral palsy, as its designated

A MUM and dad's efforts to provide a safer bed for their baby son to sleep in ended in tragedy, an inquest heard. Seven-month-old Jack Pettengale was found hanging from the bars of his lower bunk by his father who was making a routine check on the sleeping

HELP is at hand for people worried about dubious sales techniques and unscrupulous traders. Groups in Gravesend, Dartford and Bexley, can help anyone who needs work done in their homes. The Staying Put agency, funded by Bexley Council and the Dartford

I AM writing to respond to your article on women drivers. It appears to me, that you are implying that Maureen from BBC's Driving School is a typical example of a 'woman driver'. While I cannot comment on her driving ability, I am sure that if she was

Two men posing as window cleaners robbed an 84-year-old woman of her purse when they tricked their way into a Cheam residential home. The victim answered the door to the two suspects at the Elizabeth House home in Park Lane around 12.30pm on Friday, August

Police officers based at the South West Area Traffic Unit in Hampton are now the proud owners of a sponsored motorbike provided by Tippetts Motors of Tolworth. The Honda 650cc Deauville had been handed over to Chief Inspector Chris King, head of the traffic

The campaign to fight the closure of Latchmere Lane took its first steps on Wednesday when the working party held its first meeting at the Hawker Centre. Residents from Kingston and Richmond were united in outrage at the decision by Richmond Council to

MY organisation provides a valuable service to schools, colleges of adult education and charities by bringing teachers and business or professional people from Japan to work in the United Kingdom as volunteers for three to 12 months in a range of settings

WINCHMORE Hill's own supergran Marie Brown took on a bullying youth using self-defence techniques she picked up fending off gropers in India during the Second World War. Mrs Brown, 77, of Green Dragon Lane, was walking home from local shops when a schoolboy

Perhaps it's reaction against the remorseless march of technology, or the dismal "modernisation" of our culture. Whatever the reason, there's soaring demand for the old-fashioned English funeral, with coachman, groom, plumed horses, glass-sided hearse

Clutching the string handle of a brown paper carrier bag containing a bottle of water and some jam sandwiches wrapped in sausage paper, I joined my brothers and friends to go on our first hike. It was 1932 and we were all aged around 10, so we were given

Staff have threatened strike action over plans to scrap protective glass screens at council housing offices. Unions have accused Lambeth Council of a "cavalier" attitude to the safety of workers by removing screens which protect them from violent members

A Richmond bookworm has won a prize in a national newspaper by demonstrating his knowledge of national news. John Harrington, of The Vineyard, is a regular reader of 'Big Print' which is Britain's extra large print paper specially designed for those who