OPEN forum meetings in which county and district councils , and other agencies, tackle local issues and concerns are to meet about four times a year. Harlow is in the west forum, with Epping Forest, Brentwood and Uttlesford. There are three other forums
FITTING THE BILL: Residents across the borough had a chance to inspect the thin blue line for themselves when Bromley police threw their doors open to the public. The day was designed to raise awareness of the various operations in which police are involved
A NEW £30,000 community centre is set to benefit a wide variety of Sydenham residents. More than 100 people gathered for a giant balloon release to celebrate the opening of the Here for Good centre in Sydenham Road, funded by the Ichthus Church Forest
A DOUBLE clean-up is being launched by Dartford Council. Action is being taken after a wide-ranging survey by the council showed members of the public want to live in a cleaner and safer environment. The Street Scene survey's main outcome is a £455,000
AN ELDERLY woman who cannot walk unaided was crushed behind her front door by an intruder. The 87-year-old opened the door of her Corkscrew Hill home, in West Wickham, to a man claiming to be a council worker inspecting water pipes. When she became suspicious
THE Liberal Democrats have slammed the council's policies on abandoned cars and graffiti after claiming they were "all talk and no action". The attack comes after claims the Conservatives have backtracked over pledges to clean up the borough. They say
AN ORPINGTON man who had been on the run from prison has been jailed for 16 months after police swooped on a stolen vehicle. Andrew Flaherty, of Chorleywood Crescent, was hauled before Croydon Crown Court after being arrested in a stolen car by a routine
ASBESTOS is to be removed from a site near a Beckenham primary school, following months of concern about safety. The News Shopper reported fears about the safety of exposed asbestos in the roofing at Churchfields Road tip, adjacent to Churchfields School
DOING WELL: Orpington Air Training Corps (ATC) held its annual inspection and awards parade at its territorial army headquarters, Anglesey Road. Mayor of Bromley Councillor John Holbrooke carried out the inspection. Lord Lieutenant, of Kent, Colonel Maltby
Maternity wards at St Georges Hospital, in Tooting, are to be upgraded according to plans drawn up under pressure from staff and new mothers. The hospital learned last week it would receive 800,000 in two years to make the modernisation possible. The
The sights, sounds, tastes and smells of west Africa came to Wandsworth Museum as it celebrated the opening of its new exhibition. The exhibition West African Ties examines the cultural impact and relationship between Wandsworth and west Africa spanning
Food firms are being given cash incentives to create smoke-free zones as part of the drive to create a healthy Croydon. Croydon Council has appointed Barbara Wells as a temporary officer whose job will be to visit local food establishments and encourage
The borough is to pursue its own zero energy housing project after planning and housing bosses were inspired by a state-of-the-art environmental development in Beddington. The Beddington Zero Energy Development near Mitcham Common, is currently the nearest
Wrestling fever gripped Croydon last week and then gave the town a body slam. The Fairfield was packed out to see American stars and British talent battle it out last Tuesday as part of a nationwide tour organised by All Star Promotions of Merseyside.
AIR Tickets Direct in Stansted is merging with travel marketing and transaction company Travelocity in a bid to improve customer service. The established travel agent is now operating under Travelocity ownership, enabling the online travel expert to offer
POLICE have issued this E-fit of a man they would like to talk to in connection with a sex assault in Erith Road, Barnehurst, on October 9. The 29-year-old Bexleyheath woman was attacked from behind as she walked across the railway footbridge at 11.20pm
THE owners of a former pub who converted it into a hostel for asylum seekers without permission have been prosecuted. Gerald Callanan and Jeffrey Duncan, partners in New Cross company CJD Properties, were taken to court by Bexley Council over their activities
A TEDDY has been heralded by children and teachers at a primary school as the most travelled bear in Bexley. Barnaby Bear, two, belongs to Northumberland Heath Primary School, in Brook Street, Erith, where he is used to promote geography within the school
AN HISTORIC Thames crossing has been thrown a lifeline after long-serving ferrymen walked out over a pay dispute. The troubled Gravesend to Tilbury ferry service had been riding rough waters for some time before operators White Horse went under in May
A NEW look car park in Parrock Street moved a step closer last week as plans for a pay-and-display went before councillors. The first phase of Gravesham's aims for redevelopment of the area around Lord Street is to turn the car park into a tree-lined
THE mother of a 13-year-old girl is appealing to News Shopper readers for help to catch the man who raped her daughter. The teenager was walking home with a friend at about 9pm, after an evening at the Megabowl, in Albion Road, Bexleyheath. The friends
THE inquest has been held into the death of a Dartford Councillor who was killed at a black spot on the A2. Geoffrey Jones, of Hasted Road, Greenhithe, died early on March 12, 2001, when a lorry crashed into his car, stopped near the Danson interchange
A GREAT Dane crossbred dog was so ill-treated it was described as a "walking skeleton" by an RSPCA inspector. The emaciated dog, Zeus, was found by inspector Steve Crosby living in a tiny room in its owners' house in Priory Road, Dartford. Maria Stevens
THE parents of a man who died suddenly while on a trip to Thailand have spoken of their grief and anger following the inquest into his death. Alan Dunford (pictured), 32, of Selborne Avenue, Bexley, was found dead in his Bangkok hotel room on March 11
A FORMER charity boss accused of stealing funds has walked free because the case against him was "a shambles". Judge Jonathan van der Werff ordered a jury at Inner London Crown Court to acquit John Fahy of false accounting after an evidence mix-up. Mr
A FREE conference on the myths surrounding dementia is being held in Gravesend on October 31. Specialists and carers will give talks at the seventh Living and Working with Dementia conference, at The Woodville Halls, in Windmill Street. And, after each
KEEPING IT SAFE: British Horse Association members from Dartford and Bexley rode their horses into Dartford town centre to raise road safety issues. They handed out leaflets to members of the public explaining the importance of slowing down when passing
LONG-LOST members of the 11th Dartford Scout Troop were reunited after 30 years. Forty members from the troop, based in Christchurch Road, turned up at the Farningham Hotel, London Road, for a slap-up lunch and to swap memories of their golden days of
AN ILLEGAL dumping ground for flytippers based on Railtrack land in Catford has been shut-down. Lewisham Council's enforcement team were tipped-off about the unlicensed waste transfer station, in Adenmore Road, and carried out a surveillance operation
A DOUBLE clean-up is being launched by Dartford Council. Action is being taken after a wide-ranging survey by the council showed members of the public want to live in a cleaner and safer environment. The Street Scene survey's main outcome is a £455,000
TAKEAWAY FINED: You Ying Yan and Lach Nhin Ho, owners of the Happy Garden takeaway in Plumstead, were fined £500 for failing to comply withfood safety regulations. Belmarsh Magistrates' Court heard, during inspections in February and March 2000, health
WEDDING STYLE: An exhibition about Sikh wedding traditions was put on by users of the Guru Nanak centre, in Gravesend. Held at the county gallery in Maidstone, it featured tapestries, paintings and photographs showing aspects of preparations and ceremonies
THE Government has assured the Greater London Authority (GLA) that transporting nuclear waste through Lewisham is still safe despite the possibility of terrorist attacks. This follows the GLA's nuclear waste trains investigative committee report, which
EXPLODING gas cylinders in a coach workshop stopped a Millwall match before it had begun. The Lions were due to play Watford at their Zampa Road ground, in Bermondsey, but officials called the game off after they heard a bang and saw plumes of smoke.
A TEACHER who molested and photographed young boys in his care has been jailed for 18 months by an Old Bailey judge. Timothy Knight, aged 27, of Newlands Park, Sydenham, was sentenced last Friday after being found guilty of indecently assaulting three
A PETROL station attendant had a gun held to her head and her hand broken in an early morning raid. Armed robbers forced their way into the Esso petrol station, in Eltham Hill, Eltham, at 4am on October 15. Mother-of-one June James, 51, had opened the
A YES vote in the closely-run mayoral referendum is to be challenged by the Democracy for Lewisham campaign. Earlier this month 180,000 voters were sent postal ballots to gauge support for a directly-elected mayor. Ballots received by last Thursday's
WHIPPS Cross University Hospital has joined a scheme to cut the time NHS patients wait for prostate cancer treatment. The hospital will be teaming up with King George, Barts and the Royal London, and other north east London hospitals to implement a programme
TAKEAWAY FINED: You Ying Yan and Lach Nhin Ho, owners of the Happy Garden takeaway in Plumstead, were fined £500 for failing to comply withfood safety regulations. Belmarsh Magistrates' Court heard, during inspections in February and March 2000, health
AN ILLEGAL dumping ground for flytippers based on Railtrack land in Catford has been shut-down. Lewisham Council's enforcement team were tipped-off about the unlicensed waste transfer station, in Adenmore Road, and carried out a surveillance operation
THE Dome is to be used as a venue for concerts, weddings, parties and raves in an attempt to claw back some of its escalating costs. The first event to be held in the 45,000 capacity venue, since its closure on December 31, 2000, will be a rave on New
POLICE are hunting the gunman who murdered a father of two at point blank range on Woolwich Dockyard Estate. A team of 30 detectives, specialising in gun crime, is investigating the death of 29-year-old Norman Francis, who was shot twice outside Plantagenet
OPEN forum meetings in which county and district councils, and other agencies, tackle local issues and concerns are to meet about four times a year. Epping Forest is in the west forum, with Harlow, Brentwood and Uttlesford. There are three other forums
THE first thing I discovered upon arriving at Europe's largest Big Top is that not anyone can run away to join the circus. The performers I saw warming up were twisting themselves into the sort of positions most of us would need surgery to achieve. When
AN EXHIBITION at the Old Royal Naval College brings two Canaletto paintings together for the first time in 40 years. The artist's famous view across the River Thames, which was acquired by the college in 1939, will be displayed alongside the less-well
LONDON'S second oldest music college has moved to Greenwich from its home of 130 years at a cost of £15.5m. Last Thursday saw the unveiling of Trinity College of Music at King Charles Court, Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich. Staff, students and governors
FUTURE PLANNING: Frankie Sulke and a care leaver at a recent meeting which enforced the importance of education to the future of children in care in Lewisham. Various experts attended the meeting, entitled Raising the Attainment of Children in Care, which
A FORMER world champion kick-boxer is to open a training gym in Eltham thanks to the News Shopper. Fighting champ Andy Mayo, who has represented Britain more than 20 times, was devastated when Gravesham Council refused permission for a gym in Gravesend
FAMOUS FACES: A TV production company is hoping to track down three famous faces from the stage world of the 1950s for a planned documentary. Producers are looking for Arthur Roxby Robson, John Miller and Arthur B Good, who were well known in regional
A NEW service for people suffering from HIV has been set up in south London. Called The South London HIV Partnership, it is made up from the Terrence Higgins Trust, voluntary groups and local health authorities in Greenwich, Lewisham, Bexley. It offers
A NEW £30,000 community centre is set to benefit a wide variety of Sydenham residents. More than 100 people gathered for a giant balloon release to celebrate the opening of the Here for Good centre in Sydenham Road, funded by the Ichthus Church Forest
CRAFTS FOR CANCER: A few places are still available for craft stalls at cancer charity fair. The Cancer Research craft fair will be held from 11am to 4pm at Crown Woods school, in Riefield Road, Eltham, on November 18. Anyone interested should call Lesley
HOUSEHOLDERS in Greenwich are being warned not to send money in response to mailshots which claim they might have won a prize. The council's Trading Standards office has received a number of enquiries regarding the mailshots. The leaflets, which imply
Join Anton Rodgers and Elizabeth Garvie for Sunday afternoon passion as they present one of the most famous love stories of all time. The couple, themselves married in real life, bring to the stage the letters and poetry of Elizabeth Barrett Browning
A local brass band is to celebrate its centenary this weekend with a concert of new and traditional music. The Crystal Palace Band, renowned as South London's finest brass group, started in 1901 as the Upper Norwood Temperance Prize Band. It became the
CABARET will be performed at the Kenneth More Theatre tonight (Thursday). Kander and Ebb's musical, which is set in pre-war Berlin during the rise of the Nazis, will be brought to the stage by Thistles Musical Theatre Company. It tells the story of Sally
Rock and roll comes to Orpington next month when a high-energy, high-antic band takes to the stage. Crazee Jay and the Party Timers is an energetic four-piece rock and roll 50s and 60s band made up of high-voltage female vocalist Crazee Jay, guitarist
REDBRIDGE Music Society will present a talk by the recently retired music director of the New Essex Choral Society. Ian Gray will talk about his career and present his choice of recordings in the event entitled Disc For A Castaway at the Lambourne Room
THE worldwide community in South Woodford is to be celebrated on Saturday with a special cultural event. Celebrating You Celebrating Me takes place at St Mary's Church in South Woodford High Road from 11am. It has been organised as part of this year's
Asda supermarket in Gravesend will light up the night with a dazzling firework display on Tuesday, October 30. The free show starts at 6pm with entertainment from the Asda Roadshow, along with free food, fun and prizes. Then at 8pm the store will ignite
Welling Round Table will run its main fundraiser for the 28th time this year a massive firework display to be held at Danson Park on Saturday, November 3. The first year was a modest box of fireworks and a few hundred people. This year's display is the
HALF-TERM is half way through already. Leisuretime has put together some ideas to help children get the best out of their holiday. And while you're out and about why not get in the mood for the winter celebrations with a few Hallowe'en treats? To Oct
Peace fell on the East Street area of Bromley one night for the first time in years. No fights, shop windows smashed, people of both sexes urinating against someone's side wall in full view of the houses opposite, being sick and the roads empty of cars
I, too, am outraged to hear of the executive director's massive pay rise unless, of course, doctors, nurses and other staff have an equal rise. After all, they are at the sharp end. However, the most staggering remark was by the trust's financial director
FOR months and months, going on years, Bromley Council has continually postponed the hearing regarding Langtry's nightclub's licence. The police have a massive portfolio of evidence detailing disturbances in the vicinity of the premises. All they want
A GROWING number of shed burglaries throughout the borough has seen police warn residents to check how secure their garden sheds are. With an average of two or three sheds being broken into every night, a vast amount of electrical gardening equipment,
A special infant unit was opened at Princes Plain Primary School, Church Lane, Bromley, this month. Guest of honour was former Kent and England cricketer and one of the school's old boys Derek Underwood MBE. He was entertained by the school's steel band
A WOMAN who endured her third unwanted pregnancy due to a doctor's negligence won her landmark fight for money to help bring up her seriously disabled daughter. Sarah Conway, 33, of Lamerock Road, Bromley, learned she was to have a third child after a
TORY action to cut £40,000 from Bromley Council's tree maintenance budget has been condemned by the Liberal Democrats. The Lib Dems claim the cut means there will be no money for pruning and removing broken trees and dangerous low branches from the borough's
MARTIAL arts expert Philip Newcombe has spoken of his joy at bouncing back from a brain tumour to represent Great Britain in this weekend's Aikido World Championships. The amazing tale of courage and determination has seen the 44-year-old Orpington man
YOUNGSTERS in Greenhithe armed with forks and trowels did the last of the weeding to bring their wildlife area nearer to completion. The kids at Stone St Mary's Primary School, Horn's Cross, were joined by Peter Rimmer from News International which has
A judge has granted a judicial review of Bexley's Council's decision to stop paying grants to a company which runs its leisure facilities. The not-for-profit company, Leisure Link, was set up by the council to run its facilities. The council agreed to
THE mother of a 13-year-old girl is appealing to News Shopper readers for help to catch the man who raped her daughter. The teenager was walking home with a friend at about 9pm, after an evening at the Megabowl, in Albion Road, Bexleyheath. The friends
FLAMENCO added to the European flair at a Chislehurst school which went continental on Friday to celebrate the Year of European Languages. The girls at Beaverwood School in Beaverwood Road enjoyed lunch with a European flavour and a beauty makeover was
SUFFERERS of heart disease gathered at the Pavilion Leisure Centre to celebrate the launch of an innovative project aimed at helping coronary heart disease sufferers. Co-ordinated by the London borough of Bromley in partnership with Bromley Primary Care
FOUR killers who took turns to take penalty kicks at their victim's head in Kelsey Park have been jailed at the Old Bailey. Stephen Parsons, aged 21, from Kidbrooke, and Michael Hann, aged 19, of Rockingham Court, Beckenham, were given life sentences
A MAN has been arrested by police following the death of a 21-year-old man whose body was found by an ambulance crew at an address in Parsonage Leys, Harlow, on Sunday morning. A post mortem carried out at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow, on Monday
POLICE are seeking information on a hoax bomb call in Bromley High Street. A call was made to Scotland Yard, at 9.05am on October 8, from a telephone box on the high street and the junction with Westmoreland Road stating there was a bomb in the area.
A MAN has been arrested by police following the death of a 21-year-old man whose body was found by an ambulance crew at an address in Parsonage Leys, Harlow, on Sunday morning. A post mortem carried out at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow, on Monday
NO WAR: Protestors took to Bromley's streets to voice their oppositon to military action in Afghanistan. Banners were unveiled and loud-speakers were used as dozens of people joined the march through Bromley town centre. The protest came shortly before
FEARS are growing for the safety of pedestrians and residents on an Orpington road after a string of mysterious road accidents. Three car collisions within two days have prompted claims someone might be killed if urgent measures are not taken to safeguard
WEDDING STYLE: An exhibition about Sikh wedding traditions was put on by users of the Guru Nanak centre, in Gravesend. Held at the county gallery in Maidstone, it featured tapestries, paintings and photographs showing aspects of preparations and ceremonies
ANTI-WAR TALK: Bromley Trades Council has joined forces with CND and The Stop The War Coalition to organise a public meeting on November 1 to discuss the latest bombings in Afghanistan. It will take place at Bromley Labour Club at 8pm and all members
ALDERSBROOK Players will offer three plays for the price of one in their next production. This triple dose of short one-act plays aims to provide something for everyone from mystery to humour. Margaret Bower's The Tea Dance, which is set in the 1930s,
CHILDREN at a Bromley primary school had a double-whammy celebration combining a harvest festival with fundraising for African farmers. Pupils at Raglan school, Raglan Road, dressed as farmers for a day and brought in gifts of food for Bromley Voluntary
BASIC EDUCATION: Bromley Adult Education needs volunteer tutors to assist the Adult Basic Education numeracy and literacy courses throughout the borough. Suitable volunteers take courses leading to the City & Guilds' Initial Certificate in Teaching
A VARIETY of big band tunes, swinging hits and show songs will fill the Kenneth More Theatre on Sunday when Todd Miller presents the Joe Loss Orchestra and its Singing Stars. There will be tributes to Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe and Abba, and tracks
ONE Fine Day will make its way to the Kenneth More Theatre stage next week. Side Show Theatre Company will present Dennis Lumborg's play about one man's fight to keep custody of his children. The play will be performed at 8.15pm in the Cowan Studio Theatre
A BROMLEY teenager is fronting a campaign to fight the Government's decision to scrap Railtrack. Usman Mahmud, 19, of Quernmore Close, has launched Railtrack Action Group after his family lost £20,000 following recent Government intervention. The group
END the half-term holidays with a performance of Pinocchio at the Kenneth More Theatre tomorrow (Friday). The children's classic about a wooden boy whose nose grew every time he told a lie will be performed at 1.30pm and 4pm. Tickets are £6 for adults
A SCHOOLBOY from Bromley won a writing competition with an essay on global conservation. James Assock, of Highfield Junior School, South Hill Road, Shortlands, won the London heat of Write Here/Write Now 2001. The competition, organised by the Government's
ALEXANDRA School of Performing Artss will perform The Good, The Bad and The Ugly at Ilford Town Hall next week. The musical runs for two nights - Friday, November 2 and Saturday, November 3. Doors open at 7pm for the show at 7.30pm. Tickets prices for
OPEN forum meetings in which county and district councils , and other agencies, tackle local issues and concerns are to meet about four times a year. Harlow is in the west forum, with Epping Forest, Brentwood and Uttlesford. There are three other forums
A MAN has been arrested by police following the death of a 21-year-old man whose body was found by an ambulance crew at an address in Parsonage Leys, Harlow, on Sunday morning. A post mortem carried out at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow, on Monday
A MAN has been arrested by police following the death of a 21-year-old man whose body was found by an ambulance crew at an address in Parsonage Leys, Harlow, on Sunday morning. A post mortem carried out at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow, on Monday
Crackout are part of the new batch of British indie-metal currently doing the rounds. The band originally hail from Buckingham originally, and met up through a mutual love of AC/DC, and just gigged for fun. Steve Engles, lead guitarist, explains: "We've
Crackout are part of the new batch of British indie-metal currently doing the rounds. The band originally hail from Buckingham originally, and met up through a mutual love of AC/DC, and just gigged for fun. Steve Engles, lead guitarist, explains: "We've
Tanya Hayden is not one to hide her singing talent under a bushel. Nor is she the type of songwriter to disguise the fact a lot of her inspiration comes from the Christian faith. Tanya's honesty with her belief, and her determination to have her music
The mother of Ricky Reel, who mysteriously drowned in Kingston in 1997, was at the boroughs Guildhall this week to promote the third annual Ricky Reel lecture to be held tomorrow and launch the second Connecting Communities creative writing competition
Kingston: A Kingston man accused of murdering an innocent by-stander in a pub after a Boxing Day lock-in walked free from the Old Bailey last week. Damien Walden, 25, was said to have battered father of two Douglas McPherson to death with a baseball bat
The anonymous artist responsible for a head-turning sculpture which appeared in a Carshalton graveyard, is to erect another. Speaking to the Comet this week, the artist, who has revealed he is a 38-year-old scaffolder with no formal art education, has
Food firms are being given cash incentives to create smoke-free zones as part of the drive to create a healthy Croydon. Croydon Council has appointed Barbara Wells as a temporary officer whose job will be to visit local food establishments and encourage
Those of you who are regular visitors to www.croydonguardian.co.uk may have noticed a few changes to the site's design. We have changed the site so it is quicker-loading and has extra features to make it an even nicer place to visit! However we are experiencing
A TEDDY has been heralded by children and teachers at a primary school as the most travelled bear in Bexley. Barnaby Bear, two, belongs to Northumberland Heath Primary School, in Brook Street, Erith, where he is used to promote geography within the school
A TEDDY has been heralded by children and teachers at a primary school as the most travelled bear in Bexley. Barnaby Bear, two, belongs to Northumberland Heath Primary School, in Brook Street, Erith, where he is used to promote geography within the school
War has broken out in the Old Bexley and Sidcup Conservative Association about who will be allowed to stand in next year's borough elections. In an astonishing move, the party is trying to stop one of its most popular local councillors from standing even
A MOTHER laid her still-born baby to rest on Thursday, 34 years after giving birth to him. Eva Gunning, 53, of Highland Road, Bexleyheath, buried the remains of her son, Joseph, at Our Lady of the Angels Church, in Northumberland Heath. He was still-born
A TIME-CAPSULE which has travelled the country on motorbikes, wheelbarrows and supermarket trollies will reach Gravesend next week. The capsule, which contains a message from the Queen, is on a "journey of hope" around all the dioceses in Britain and
A judge has granted a judicial review of Bexley's Council's decision to stop paying grants to a company which runs its leisure facilities. The not-for-profit company, Leisure Link, was set up by the council to run its facilities. The council agreed to
YOUNGSTERS in Greenhithe armed with forks and trowels did the last of the weeding to bring their wildlife area nearer to completion. The kids at Stone St Mary's Primary School, Horn's Cross, were joined by Peter Rimmer from News International which has
FIRES in Northfleet and Swanley are being treated as arson attacks. Police are appealing for information after a fire at a Wallis Park, Northfleet, house. The fire, on October 6, caused £500 worth of damage to the kitchen. Police believe the person responsible
A PENSIONER was overjoyed when police returned four rings worth £3,000 stolen from her house in South Darenth. The items, stolen in August, included two eternity rings and a gift from her late husband. The thief was caught out when he took the items belonging
OFF-ROAD bikers who ride at recklessly high speeds terrorising residents may soon be a thing of the past. A new motorcycle track is being set up in Swanley to keep teenagers and their motorbikes off public highways. The idea comes after years of complaints
Pupils from Bell Lane Primary School in Hendon are working on a centenary mosaic which will be put on display in the school. October 22, 2001 15:24
Residents living near Bell Lane Primary were treated to a colourful display by pupils on their way to the Hendon school. A fancy dress competition held at the school attracted a high standard of entries. The winners were back row (left to right): Teeresh
CARD SALE: Get your Christmas cards at Swanley's Tower Room in the Library and Information Centre, knowing 81p for every £1 spent goes to national and local charities. Organised by the Volunteer Bureau, stocking fillers will also be available. Doors open
SOCIAL housing for teenage mothers costing £40,000 will be provided by Dartford Council. The plan is to provide young mothers with advice on life skills before they live on their own. The housing at The Brent, previously used for women with drug and alcohol
PARENTS who campaigned against the new admissions process to secondary schools in 2002 have expressed their relief at changes which have been made. Kent County Council (KCC) announced on Monday children can now sit the 11-plus whether they put a grammar
THE Dome is to be used as a venue for concerts, weddings, parties and raves in an attempt to claw back some of its escalating costs. The first event to be held in the 45,000 capacity venue, since its closure on December 31, 2000, will be a rave on New
CLOSED circuit television cameras are to be installed at civic amenity sites in the area in a bid to crackdown on illegal dumping and people who verbally or physically threaten staff. The hi-tech approach comes as Essex County Council changes some of
A BEER festival will be held in Loughton next week, to give drinkers a chance to try a selection of British real ales. The Last Post in the High Road will have 15 beers for £1.49 a pint between next Wednesday (October 31) and Sunday (November 4). Landlady
FOOTBALL REUNION: There will be a reunion of the Plumstead Casuals Football Club on November 7. The team used to play in the Kent County Amateur League in the 60s and 70s and the reunion, from 8pm at the Star Inn, Plumstead Common, is also open to wives
A NEW Cross man accused of killing a care worker asked her for Bible lessons hours before his flatmate strangled her, the Old Bailey heard. The body of Catherine Mukisa, aged 53, who worked at the Pear Tree Care Centre, in Forest Hill, was found washed-up
CHARITY BALL: A dance supporting breast cancer awareness month will be held in Charlton on October 27. Organised by Ceroc Greenwich the dance will take place at the Charlton Conservative Club, in Charlton Church Lane, from 8pm. For further details, call
CHILDREN aged five to seven are to go out and about in Lewisham to get road safety training. Lewisham Council has won money from the Government to pilot a pedestrian training scheme in the north of the borough. The money will enable the council to employ
SPORTY: Surrey county cricketer Iain Salisbury and Sport England representatives Roger Bottomley and Andy Sutch (right) were at Gordon Primary School, handing out an award for excellence in sport. Schools from across Lewisham and Greenwich have received
FOUR killers who took turns to take penalty kicks at their victim's head in Kelsey Park have been jailed at the Old Bailey. Stephen Parsons, aged 21, from Kidbrooke, and Michael Hann, aged 19, of Rockingham Court, Beckenham, were given life sentences
FOUR killers who took turns to take penalty kicks at their victim's head in Kelsey Park have been jailed at the Old Bailey. Stephen Parsons, aged 21, from Kidbrooke, and Michael Hann, aged 19, of Rockingham Court, Beckenham, were given life sentences
NATURAL: Pupils in Forest Hill can take a walk on the wild side with a new pond and wildlife garden. Wasteland at Dalmain Primary School, in Grove Close, Brockley Rise, has been turned into a tranquil space with a pond, by unemployed people from the Lewisham
BIBI RAJNI will make its way to the Redbridge Drama Centre next week. The play will be performed in Punjabi by the East London community group, Naatk Productions. It is a story about faith that centres around Rajni, a tormented Dhuni Chand. The play was
THINGS are about to go Haywire for the next Woodford Operatic and Dramatic Society (WOADS) production. In the Eric Chappell play, which is aptly entitled Haywire, the leading man, Alec is planning to cheat on his wife during a secret holiday in sunny
Carnival fever hit Woodford Green on Friday as the children of Woodford Green Primary school celebrated black history week with a carnival procession. All of the school's 170 pupils, decked out in the t-shirts, hats and masks which they made especially
Take a break from the real world and enter the world of Constance Viola Weber (Nenagh Watson). She believes she is from Venus and, via hyperspace, has a direct line to the Ultimate. Live computer bugs, an autonomous borg, webcam sex changes and heavenly
A club night aimed at promoting female DJs will run for a second night in Dartford. D'lite returns on the October 25 after its successful debut sell out in May. It will be hosted by Zen's female resident, DJ Hay. The night of Garage and R&B sounds
Ellen kent & Opera International returns to the Orchard Theatre, Dartford, with the spectacular and enriching traditional production of Bizet's Carmen, performed by the full company and orchestra of the critically-acclaimed Chisinau National Opera
HARRY Cohen, MP for Leyton and Wanstead, welcomed the extra money that has been given to Redbridge Council's social services department. The £369,000 for the borough came as part of the £300 million boost for local authorities across the country announced
So our Tory leader, Michael Tickner, will "from now on be sticking up for the motorist" (News Shopper, October 10), by cutting any further expenditure on traffic-calming measures. Are the Tories in favour of those law-breaking speeders? By ending these
Concerning hospital bosses' pay rises by 41 per cent (News Shopper, October 10), it would seem the incestuous "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" fraternity of the private sector boardroom has taken root in the public sector health service, with
AS A commuter I am always hearing people complain about the poor service our railway provides and how we are powerless to do anything about it as we are in a monopoly situation. I recently attended a conference on the expansion of the Docklands area and
AFTER a long time travelling by train, I have recently started to drive through Bromley to work. I leave home around 6.15am while it is still dark and I am astonished by the number of newspaper delivery boys/girls I see (or just about see) who are cycling
ARE Bromley residents aware of the change in refuse collection due at the end of March/April 2002? The council intends to stop collection from the rear of properties, changing to kerbside collection only. This means many will have to bring their rubbish
A FURIOUS Bromley resident has been led up the garden path by thieves who have stolen a plant she spent years cultivating. Furious Judith Everett, of Petts Wood, has already been bonsai burgled twice after she left her magnificent magnolias outside her
A TEACHER who molested and photographed young boys in his care has been jailed for 18 months by an Old Bailey judge. Timothy Knight, aged 27, of Newlands Park, Sydenham, was handed down the sentence last Friday after being found guilty of indecently assaulting
BEING CRAFTY: Art and Craft enthusiasts are wanted to boost the stall numbers at Bromley Lions Christmas Fair. The fair will be on November 10 from 10am to 4pm at Bromley United Reformed Church, Widmore Road. Stalls cost £17 and all proceeds go to local
HUNGRY thieves stole pot noodles, biscuits and tea bags from an office in West Wickham before setting it on fire. The crooks used a ladder to enter Oakes & Partners chartered quantity surveyors, in Station Road, through a window on the first floor
FEARS over spiralling council tax have prompted the Conservative administration to ditch Government proposals to pay up to £52,000 a year to some councillors. The move follows publication of an independent report published by the Association of London
SMUGGLING allegations involving Biggin Hill Airport are to be investigated by police and customs officers. Residents claim that planes have used the airport at night, when it is closed, have been denied by airport bosses, who say security measures are
LEARN COMEDY: Budding comedians can learn how to write 10 minutes of material in a series of stand-up comedy workshops. The seven-week course teaches the importance of the comic's persona and how to avoid the pitfalls of the London circuit. The course
THE popular Christmas park and ride scheme is now operating again in Bromley. Buses will run every 10 minutes between the Hayes Lane entrance of the car park, in Norman Park, and Elmfield Road in Bromley town centre. Bromley Council estimates the service
