A CHURCH has held its tenth Christmas tree festival to raise money for charity. A total of 38 Christmas trees were on display at The Methodist Church in Spital Street, Dartford. The week long festival started on December 6, with a light switch on attended
Greenwich arts organisation Stream enlisted sixth-from students at John Roan School to explore coltan mining for mobile phones for an exhibition at the Science Museum Most people nowadays have a mobile phone, but have you ever stopped to think of
POSTAL workers are considering their next move after the Government announced its support of a plan to part-privatise the Royal Mail. Business secretary Lord Peter Mandelson made the announcement this afternoon (December 16) in the House of Lords.
A TROUBLED pub, plagued by underage drinking and violence, is set to have its licence reviewed on Friday (December 19). Police have written to Bromley Council calling for the review after getting fed up with reports of under-18s drinking alcohol
Greetings fellow dance fans. It’s the time of the week for more of my Strictly goss and what a week. As described by Arlene and Craig, it was the best dance off in Strictly history, with Austin and Lisa fighting for their place in the grand final.
A SCHOOL girl whose bag was stolen is delighted after it was returned following her own campaign in the neighbourhood. Caitlin Waghorn, 10, had her school bag stolen from the back of the family car at her father’s home, in Ross Way, Eltham, in the
Cliff Richard is reuniting with The Shadows for the 80th anniversary of the Royal Variety Performance, which screens on BBC One tonight. The music legend talks to Kate Whiting about reforming with his band and the secrets of his 50-year showbiz
THE frosts during the week and the heavy rain on Saturday took their toll as the Gravesend League fixture list was decimated with all but one of the games postponed due to waterlogged pitches. The only match to survive was played in Division Two where
The Mighty Boosh live tour takes in The O2, Greenwich, tomorrow and Thursday. News Shopper has teamed up with The O2 and we have two pairs of tickets to The Mighty Boosh to give away. For the show, Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt return
BROMLEY FC have released Fiston Manuella, Anthony Joseph and Patrice Layiwola. Manuella signed from AFC Hornchurch following the Essex sides victory at Hayes Lane in the FA Cup in September. Joseph was a summer signing from Ashford Town (Middlesex
LEWISHAM residents are set to benefit from a council tax break announced by the Mayor of London. Mayor of London Boris Johnson says 110,786 households in Lewisham will benefit from a freeze on the Greater London Assembly’s (GLA) council tax
PHIL Parkinson has revealed Jay McEveley’s shoulder injury is not as bad as first feared and the left-back could return to action in weeks rather than months. The on-loan Derby County defender dislocated his shoulder against Coventry City last week
COUNCILLORS have decided to go back to the drawing board on a regeneration plan for the town centre. Dartford Council made the decision to scrap its draft town centre area action plan at a general assembly council meeting on Monday (DECEMBER
WORK will begin in the new year to find out how whether asbestos on an estate poses a significant risk to residents. Last year housing association Orbit South carried out works to the garden of a house on the Wallhouse Estate in Slade Green after a
Dartfordians 11-17 Bancroft DARTFORDIANS entertained Surrey One side Farnham from in this EDF Vase fifth round tie and were looking forward to maintaining the cup form they had shown in previous rounds. Having not played Farnham
A SCHOOL has turned around its performance, according to inspectors. Welling School in Elsa Road is no longer in school inspectors Ofsted’s special measures category, where it was placed in January. Inspectors had decided that progress
Squeaky-voiced funny man Joe Pasquale talks to Kerry Ann Eustice about directing his first panto and acting like a 12-year-old. As director and star of The Orchard, Dartford’s Christmas production of Peter Pan, comedian Joe Pasquale hasn’t
The Brockley Jack Theatre’s anti-pantomime, Jane Eyre, is brilliantly adapted and acted but is so gloomy it may rob you of that Christmas cheer, writes Zee Gaines The Brockley Jack Theatre presents its seasonal anti-pantomime, Charlotte Bronte’s
POLICE in north Kent are cracking down on anti-social driving. More than 100 drivers were spoken to during a three day operation in Dartford town centre, which began on December 11. Following the crackdown by police and Dartford Council
PRESENT buying shoppers should find getting to the stores on public transport is a lot less stressful than in previous weeks. Southeastern trains No engineering works are scheduled for Southeastern train services on Saturday or Sunday (December
With Antonio 'Huggy Bear' Fargas in fine voice and the double-act on top form, Mark Edwards asks could The Broadway's panto to be the fairest of them all? Mirror, mirror on the wall, which is the fairest panto of them all? Well, Snow
YOUNGSTERS all had the chance to skate at an ice rink in their school’s grounds. St Stephens Catholic Primary School, Ruskin Avenue, Welling, hosted the temporary rink for the third year in a row. Each pupil had half an hour on the rink during the
WITH so many toys vying for your attention when you are out Christmas shopping, it can be difficult to choose the perfect present for your little one. Talking Tots, the UK’s fastest-growing toddler activity group, has launched a new website
A STRONG second half recovery from Bexleyheath & Belvedere Hockey Club boosted their championship hopes as they overcame title rivals Marden Russets 6-3 at a very wet Erith School on Saturday. BBHC led twice in the first half through Dan Lucas and
Work from art collective Greenwich Mural Workshop (GMW) can be seen all over south east London. But this month is the last time its vast portfolio of work will be on display at its 25-year Woolwich HQ. As a farewell to its long-term home, GMW is presenting
A CHURCH has been awarded more than £4,000 which will allow part of an ancient churchyard to be developed as a site for wildlife. The lottery grant of £4,325 was given to St Mary the Virgin Church in Church Road, Stone. Work on the site
BROMLEY Schools’ Collegiate, an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) provider serving the Bromley area, formally opened its new suite at Beaverwood School for Girls last week. The collegiate was established in 1993 and since then has trained more than 500
A MEMBER of Stone Lodge Indoor Bowls Club in Dartford is celebrating after winning the Kent final of the Champion of Champions competition. Tioni King overcame the challenge of Wendy Borer from Ashford in the county event to book her place
ISTEAD & Ifield Harriers’ Debbie Percival claimed victory in the over-45s race at the Kent cross country clubmans’ and veterans’ championships in Beckenham on Saturday. Percival was one of a trio of Istead runners taking part in the 5,000m races and
Those in the spirit have no doubt already enjoyed a few festive films to get them into the Christmas mood. Plus you can’t really avoid them on TV at the moment. But for a real treat, the David Lean Cinema at Croydon Clocktower is screening the classic
Drink 4/5 Decor 5/5 Price 3/5 Atmosphere 4/5 Staff 3/5 After a year where I seem to have reviewed more so-called gastro pubs than ever before, it is nice to return to more nostalgic ways. The Golden Lion is unashamedly old fashioned
MICHAEL Saunders was unanimously voted the player of the year at Dartford Golf Club’s junior presentation evening recently. Saunders’ impressive season included a haul of five junior Open titles at different clubs. The up-and-coming star also broke
To celebrate the arrival of the premium Mizani hair range to contemporary salon Nouv Fresh Hair Let has teamed up with News Shopper. One lucky reader and a friend will win a luxurious hair makeover worth more than £500. Mizani is specially formulated
THE FA have decided to take no action against Peterborough United after Ebbsfleet United complained about the League One side’s handling of Kwesi Appiah’s switch to London Road. The Fleet claimed Posh had made an illegal approach for Appiah, but the
CHILDREN and adults got in the festive spirit at a Christmas fun day suitable for all the family. The Downham Christmas festival, held at Downham Leisure Centre, in Moorside Road, Downham, had an ice rink, Santa's grotto, bouncy castle, and
A SERVICE offering the delivery of frozen meals to people’s homes is being provided by the council. With cold weather making it difficult for some residents to get to the shops, Bromley Council’s Meal at Homes service brings a variety of
On this day in... 1653 – Oliver Cromwell became Lord Protector of England. 1773 – The Boston Tea Party took place off Griffin’s Wharf in Boston harbour. In a protest at British taxation, activists dumped the tea from three ships in the harbour. 1983
A FREE football awareness coaching session for youngsters will take place at Princes Park next week. Dartford Ladies FC will host the event after receiving a £1,000 award from Dartford Borough Council after successfully applying for a sports, arts
RESIDENTS threw a Christmas party using money left over from fighting village development plans. The Belvedere celebration was held between All Saints Church and The Baptist Church, both in Nuxley Road. It included entertainers, face-painting
POLICE have decided no-one will be prosecuted over the clearing of a dyke on Erith marshes which destroyed a protected water vole habitat. Scotland Yard experts were called in to investigate the destruction of Cross Dyke 2, which used to be
A FOOTBALL club are celebrating after being awarded the FA’s charter standard community club status. Glebe FC, who play at Coney Hall and train at Old Dunstonians, received the highest honour the FA can give a junior club after meeting all of the criteria
A NEW BMW caught fire after hitting the central reservation on the A20 Sidcup bypass near Crittall’s Corner. The driver of the black M3 worth more than £50,000 was taking it out for the day while his own car was in for a service. It is thought the
THE husband of a Bexley councillor who has been on bail since June after being accused of assault has walked from court without a stain on his character. The case against Peter Lucia-Hennis, aged 60, of Heathview Avenue, Crayford, collapsed
YOUNGSTERS have got into the Christmas spirit by performing their own nativity play. Around 90 children aged between two and five dressed up and performed over two days at the Cator Park Montessori pre-school in Aldersmead Road, Beckenham. An audience
A 13-YEAR-OLD girl was taken to hospital after a car accident in Bickley this morning (December 16). Police, ambulance and fire crews were called to Bickley Park Road at around 7.59am after a black Vauxhall Vectra and a white Nissan Micra were
Energy regulator Ofgem called for speedier action from suppliers to slash unfair pricing from energy bills. The regulator said firms were on track to slash more than £500 million from bills, but it is not happy with the pace of progress.
YOUNGSTERS blasted off and headed for the stars in front of a packed audience to help celebrate Christmas. The nativity performance at Hayes Primary School in George Lane, Hayes, was narrated by Year 6 pupils while 90 reception children performed the
RESIDENTS are being encouraged to have a green Christmas this year. Festive food waste can be recycled in the brown wheelie bin and all Christmas cards can be put in the green paper and cardboard box. And real Christmas trees can be taken to the
RESIDENTS are being urged to recycle their Christmas trees once the festive season is over. Bromley Council is offering a free recycling service at temporary sites across the borough next month. People can take their trees and other green waste
A COUNCIL is to introduce a charge for the collection of bulky furniture. From next January Gravesham Council is to introduce a £20 fee to collect up to eight items such as three-piece-suites, beds and sideboards. Items such as doors, bathroom
AN MP visited a bus garage to launch a scheme to make London buses greener. Lewisham Deptford MP Joan Ruddock visited the New Cross bus garage, in New Cross Road, to learn more about green technology being used in buses across London.
A COUNCIL'S leafing team collected around 200 tonnes of leaves during the autumn months. Greenwich Council cleared more leaves from the borough's streets, pavements and parks than ever before. The team covered 420 kilometres of Greenwich roads from
The inquest into the death of Jean Charles de Menezes has resulted in massive amounts of blame being laid at the door of the Metropolitan Police by pious politicians and their lapdogs, the national newspapers. But here’s the counter view – far
AN ELDERLY woman was rescued from a fire at her home in Lewisham early this morning. Neighbours in Dressington Avenue heard a smoke alarm and called the fire service at about 4.50am today (December 16). A woman in her 70s was carried
