Harlequins were edged out 32-28 By the South African side Stormers, in Cape Town.
Saturday, 1 April 2023
The RSPCA says it’s seen a year-on-year increase in abandoned chickens since 2020
The society’s announcement comes after a cockerel was found dumped in a box in a front garden in Surrey.
The chicken was found by a member of the public abandoned at their doorstep inside a cardboard box last month in Bagshot.
Aston Villa heaped more pressure on under-fire Chelsea boss Graham Potter after a 2-nil win in the Premier League’s late kick-off at Stamford Bridge
Arsenal restored their 8 point advantage at the top of the table with a 4-1 win over Leeds United.
Manchester City kept the pressure on their title rivals as they also won 4-1 against Liverpool.
Brighton drew 3-3 with fellow European qualification chasers Brentford.
Bournemouth are out of the relegation places thanks to their 2-1 success over Fulham.
Roy Hodgson's first game back as Crystal Palace boss ended in a 2-1 victory over Leicester.
Nottingham Forest drew 1-all with fellow strugglers Wolves.
In the Championship struggling QPR lost 1-nil at Wigan.
In League Two AFC Wimbledon lost 1-nil to Rochdale at Plough Lane while Sutton drew 1-all at Walsall.
In the Isthmian League Kingstonian won 3-1 at Folkstone while Corinthian Casuals registered a 1-nil win at Potters Bar.
Battersea Dogs and Cats Home says it's "overwhelmed and touched" after donations following Paul O'Grady's death surpassed 100-thousand-pounds
The radio and TV presenter became an ambassador in 2012 following the success of his hit show, For The Love Of Dogs, which was filmed there.
After the 67-year-old died on Tuesday, the animal charity set up a tribute fund in his honour.
Former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev says he's happy he can return to what he's called a "beautiful" tournament, after Wimbledon lifted its ban on Russian and Belarusian players
They'll be able to compete as neutrals, as they are permitted to do on the rest of the tour.
British Airways has already cancelled more than forty flights on the second day of a strike by security staff at Heathrow Terminal 5
Thousands of passengers have had their travel plans disrupted.
It comes after the failure of last-ditch talks to prevent around 1,400 members of the Unite union staging a walkout until Easter Sunday, April 9th.
A road in South London has been blighted with at least 20 smashed wing mirrors after new bollards were installed
Scores of drivers on Abbotts Road in Sutton misjudged the narrow gap at the traffic gate which was recently installed.
Residents had previously complained about speeding vehicles so traffic calming measures were updated.
Sutton council has agreed to alter the layout.
A man from Epsom Downs is preparing to undertake his 36th consecutive Swimathon next month.
Paul Templeman-Wright will be raising money for Cancer Research UK and Marie Curie.
He’s dedicating this particular challenge to his wife Alison, who died from cancer last October.
Swimathon is the word's largest annual fundraising swim and takes place from the 12th to the 14th May at
various UK venues.
Paul will swim his 5k for Alison at Rainbow Leisure Centre in Epsom.
Brentford boss Thomas Frank says it would be a “dream” to follow in the footsteps of todays Premier League hosts Brighton.
The two are considering among the best run clubs in the top flight, with both in contention for European qualification.
Frank believes their opponents have led the way for less fashionable clubs to follow.
His team is only in its second season back in the first division.
More than £70,000 has been given to Mitcham Library bosses so they can create a digital and education hub at the site.
The funding has been supplied by Arts Council England.
Alterations will be made to the current building to allow a coding and virtual reality equipment space to be introduced.
The works are due to begin in May, with Mitcham Library extending its opening hours later on in the year.
New Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel says he’s still not fully over his sacking at Chelsea.
He’s been speaking about how he lost his job – and says the meeting in September took just three to five minutes.
The German said the way his time at Stamford Bridge ended wasn’t easy to take.
Tuchel was succeeded by Graham Potter, but Chelsea are still only 10th in the Premier League.
A brand-new sculpture celebrating Islamic art and architecture has arrived at Kew Gardens.
All the Flowers Are for Me has been created by Pakistani-American contemporary artist, Anila Quayyum Agha.
The large, laser-cut steel cube is suspended from the gallery ceiling and its internal light casts elaborate shadows.
Anila explains the meaning behind it.
Chelsea boss Graham Potter says he wants to see his players continue to improve during their end of season run in.
They host Aston Villa in the Premier League this afternoon, in the first of six matches in 18 days in all competitions.
Potter says their only focus is on today’s game.
Kick off at 5.30.
Merton is on track to have the most electric vehicle charging points of any outer London borough.
The council is using just over £1m worth of government and private sector funding to install them.
There’ll be 789 in the borough when work finishes in the next four to six weeks.
It gives 78,000 homes at least one charge point within a two minute walk of their front door.
Wimbledon and the UK grass court events leading up to it plan to allow Russian and Belarusian tennis players to compete as neutrals this summer.
A ban last year, following the invasion of Ukraine, led to the ATP and WTA stripping the tournaments of ranking points.
British governing body the LTA says players will have to sign 'neutrality declarations'.
There will be a 'zero tolerance' rule for anyone who shows support for the war, Russia, or Belarus.
Heathrow Airport says it's operating as usual despite a strike by security guards.
Around fourteen hundred workers with the Unite union are striking for ten days after talks broke down between the union and airport officials on Thursday evening.
Unite claims the offer of ten percent is actually a real terms pay cut, because of inflation.
A former chief executive at ITN is to lead an independent review into the BBC's social media guidelines for freelancers - following the row with Gary Lineker.
On-air talent from Barnes boycotted shows when the Match of the Day presenter was taken off air after tweeting his views on the government's asylum plans.
BBC director-general Tim Davie says John Hardie's review will lead to guidance that's "clear, proportionate and appropriate".
Ukraine's foreign affairs minister has described Wimbledon's decision to welcome back Russian and Belarusian tennis players this year as "immoral".
The All-England Club has reversed a ban imposed following Russia's invasion.
Dmytro Kuleba says the event is deciding to "accommodate two accomplices in crime" and he wants the UK government to intervene.
Friday, 31 March 2023
Paul O'Grady's husband has thanked people for their support after the star's death this week.
Andre Portasio says he's very touched by everyone who's taken the time to reach out and is "sure Paul would be too".
O'Grady hosted shows like Blind Date and For The Love Of Dogs, which was set at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.
The TV presenter, comedian and performer died "unexpectedly but peacefully" at the age of 67 on Tuesday evening.
Chelsea boss Graham Potter feels the recent international break was "neither good or bad" for his side.
After a poor run of form, the Londoners went into the interval unbeaten in their last four matches - winning three of them.
Potter says they've tried to use the two weeks since their last outing to their advantage.
A woman convicted of stealing hundreds of thousands of pounds from a school in Hinchley Wood has been jailed for 6 and a half years.
63 year old Debra Poole was the Business Manager for Hinchley Wood Primary.
She abused her position as signatory of its bank account by transferring funds and writing herself cheques.
This amounted to more than £490,000 over a seven-year period.
Chelsea boss Graham Potter has congratulated the women's team on qualifying for the Champions League semi-finals.
Emma Hayes' side were heading out until they scored a spot kick in the final minute of extra time to see the tie finish 2-all on aggregate.
They then beat Lyon in a dramatic penalty shootout at Stamford Bridge.
Potter says it was an "amazing" night.
Ukraine's foreign minister claims it's "immoral" that Russian and Belarusian tennis players will be able to compete as neutrals at Wimbledon and warm-up events in the UK.
They were banned last year, because of the ongoing conflict.
That resulted in no ranking points being awarded to players.
Scott Lloyd is chief executive of the Lawn Tennis Association.
He says the ATP and WTA Tours were threatening stronger sanctions.
Officers have issued a CCTV image following a hate incident at a tram stop in East Croydon.
It happened at 11.15pm on Friday the 3rd of March on board a tram travelling to Church Street.
During the journey, a man shouted transphobic abuse at the victim and spat at them.
Police want to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident.
Marble Hill House in Twickenham has been chosen as the location for one of 100 meadows being created to mark the King’s Coronation.
The Neo-Palladian villa, now Grade I listed, was built between 1724 and 1729.
It served as the home of Henrietta Howard, Countess of Suffolk, who lived there until her death.
English Heritage, which is responsible for the site, has chosen the 100 locations from its portfolio.
A man is in a serious condition in hospital after an accident closed part of the A3 for over four hours yesterday at Raynes Park.
London Ambulance Service was called to reports of a collision between a car and a motorbike just after 5pm.
The accident happened just near to the turn off for the Coombe Lane Flyover.
The northbound stretch remained closed for several hours.
Russian and Belarusian tennis players will be able to compete at Wimbledon as neutrals this summer.
Richard Newman has more.
Ten days of strikes by security guards at Heathrow Airport has started today after talks failed to resolve a pay dispute.
An offer of 10% pay increase back dated to January, and a £1,150 payment was rejected by Untie union members.
Around 1,400 members of staff at Terminal Five are walking out.
The airport's chief executive John Holland-Kaye says travellers shouldn't be concerned.
A plot of land in New Malden has been chosen as the location for one of 100 meadows being created to mark the King’s Coronation in May.
Coombe Conduit formed part of a system which collected water from nearby springs and channelled it to Hampton Court Palace.
The remaining Tudor brick structure in Coombe Lane West is surrounded by grassland which will form one of the meadows.
English Heritage, which is responsible for the site, has chosen the locations from its portfolio of historic sites.
A restaurant owner in Croydon has been fined more than £60,000 after a man was electrocuted and died at the property.
A Croydon business owner and her company have been found guilty of four offences under Health and Safety law after a death by electrocution on their premises.
Sukran Sanli, who owns Adams Café Restaurant Limited, and her company were ordered to pay a total of £60,303 in fines and costs. Ms Sanli also received a 26-week suspended prison sentence and was ordered to undertake 200 unpaid work as a Community Penalty when she appeared at Croydon Magistrates Court.
The prosecution arose when Croydon Council’s Food and Safety Team investigated the death by electrocution of Mustafa Ozbek on the 21st of January 2020, who was living in a room located at the rear of the café premises.
Sanli had paid for general electrical work to be carried out on the premises by an unqualified electrician in 2016 and again in 2019, four months before the fatal incident. Mr Ozbek’s electrocution occurred because there was no main earth connection to the incoming electrical supply and when a fault occurred on a circuit, the fuse did not operate to trip and cut off the electricity. This caused the metal pipework in the shower room to become live with a dangerous voltage which resulted in his death.
The council’s investigation centred on the responsibility for the safe provision of the electricity supply to the premises. The Food and Safety Team arranged for two HSE Specialist Inspectors to visit the premises and prepare a report regarding the electricity system. They also had a competent electrical contractor carry out a full inspection of the electrical installation.
The overall assessment was ‘unsatisfactory’ with a number of items being identified as ‘potentially dangerous’.
Sanli pleaded guilty to four charges, two against her and two against her company, relating to offences under Section 2 and 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Etc. Act 1974.
The fire service investigator says the possibility of predators in the sector cannot be ruled out after a critical report found bullying and harassment among staff
The environment's been described as a "boys' club" with reports of firefighters joking about raping a female colleague - before acting it out.
General secretary of the Norbiton-based Fire Brigades Union Matt Wrack says the findings are shocking - but not surprising.
Heathrow Airport says it's operating as usual despite a strike by security guards
Around 1,400 workers with the Unite union are striking for ten days after talks broke down between the union and airport officials on Thursday evening.
Unite claims the offer of 10% is actually a real terms pay cut, because of inflation.
Merton’s Council leader has written an open letter to the head of the Government’s New Hospitals Programme
In it, Ross Garrod is calling for an “urgent re-assessment” of the impact of cuts to services at St Helier.
Mr Garrod says the decision to move key departments to a new hospital at Belmont is “a dereliction of duty” to residents.
Bed occupancy rates at Epsom and St Helier hospitals have risen consistently in the first three quarters of the financial year.
More than 3,000 people in Merton had already signed a petition calling for the plans to be re-thought before the COVID pandemic hit.
Back in 2020, the then Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, announced details of 40 hospitals that would be built by 2030.
The Government says the new hospital at Belmont will improve the quality and consistency of services currently run across two sites.
More than 1,400 workers at Heathrow Airport are going on strike today after last-ditch talks failed to resolve the current pay dispute
Members of the Unite union are walking out for 10 days.
They say a current 10% wage offer amounts to a cut in real terms, because of inflation.
We're being warned of potential disruption over the Easter holidays.
A report's identified a trend of racist, sexist and homophobic comments within England's fire and rescue services
It's described evidence of bullying, harassment and discrimination among staff since 2018 as "deeply troubling".
Inspectors have found cases went unchallenged or were dismissed as "banter".
They've given 35 recommendations.
Nazir Afzal previously chaired an independent review into the London Fire Brigade.
Campaigners trying to stop Kingston’s Kingfisher Leisure Centre from being demolished have led a protest in their swim wear
The demolition and redevelopment of the building, which closed in 2019 over safety fears, is on hold due to financial pressures.
Residents in swimming costumes took to the Guildhall last night to hear a debate on the future of the site.
Lib Dem MP for Richmond Park, Sarah Olney, supported the redevelopment; she’s confident it hasn’t been cancelled.
Thursday, 30 March 2023
Brentford manager Thomas Frank says the whole club was full of pride after watching Ivan Toney make his England debut.
The striker came on during a 2-nil win over Ukraine for Gareth Southgate's side in their Euro 2024 qualifier.
Fulham boss Marco Silva has once again apologised for the club's behaviour during a fiery FA Cup defeat at Manchester United earlier this month.
Striker Aleksandar Mitrovic is facing a lengthy ban after pushing referee Chris Kavanagh, who sent him off.
Silva and attacker Willian were also dismissed in the game.
The Portuguese manager says they wanted to meet with the match officials before commenting publicly.
A picture of a suspect has been released, following a break-in at a Tesco in East Molesey.
At around 4am on Wednesday, officers were called to the Walton Road shop.
The suspect broke in, and damaged tills as he attempted to get into them, but had to flee empty handed.
He’s described as wearing an orange hi-vis top, grey hoodie, trainers with reflective stripes, and carrying a crowbar.
Brentford have reported a club-record turnover of £141m from last season.
Figures show they generated more income than in the previous 15 years put together.
They achieved a 13th placed finish in their first campaign back in the English top flight for 74 years.
The Crown Prosecution Service is to make a decision over whether or not to charge a police officer who fatally shot a man in Streatham.
Chris Kaba was killed in September and was unarmed at the time.
Streatham MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy says “after months of agony, it's absolutely vital that the CPS now makes a swift decision”.
She adds that “there’s no excuse for delay”.
An inquiry into a now defunct church in Croydon has found £95,000 was spent on trips abroad and personal gym memberships.
The Charity Commission has concluded that Rhema Church’s trustees failed to protect the charity and its assets and misused funds.
During the inquiry, the regulator found evidence thousands of pounds was spent on trips without any clear charitable purpose.
The inquiry also uncovered evidence day-to-day living expenses such as food and medical bills had been paid from funds.
Interim managers wound down the charity, which opened in Woodside Green in 1999.
They were able to recover £136,000 which was distributed to three nearby charities.
Royal Star and Garter’s three care homes have been listed among the best in the UK for the third year running.
The charity has once again made it into the “Top 20 Small Care Home Groups” in the country.
The annual awards are compiled by carehome.co.uk which reviews homes nationwide.
Royal Star and Garter provides care to veterans living with disability or dementia at sites in Surbiton, Solihull and High Wycombe.
Chelsea’s Royal Marsden hospital is trialling a blood test which could spare thousands of patients unnecessary chemotherapy every year.
The trial, for bowel cancer patients, is examining whether the test can show if surgery has removed all of a tumour.
If it has, the need for further chemotherapy may be removed.
About 1,600 bowel cancer patients are being recruited to the UK -wide study.
Global superstar Ellie Goulding will be the headline music act in a concert performance being staged during the AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath.
For the very first time, live music will feature to attract new and diverse audiences to women’s golf.
It’ll take place on Saturday the 12th of August.
A police officer could face criminal charges over the shooting of Chris Kaba in South London in September.
The 24 year-old wasn't armed when he died after being hit by a single bullet fired through the windscreen of his car in Lambeth.
A watchdog's handed over evidence to prosecutors and a decision will now be made.
His cousin Jefferson Bosela's been giving his reaction.
Cam Norrie and five time champion Andy Murray are among 10 British players who will play at Queens Club this summer.
Dan Evans and Sutton’s Jack Draper have also entered the singles draw.
Neal Skupski, Joe Salisbury, Lloyd Glasspool and Jamie Murray will play doubles.
Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid will feature in the wheelchair draws.
A new blood test, which could prevent unnecessary chemotherapy in colorectal cancer patients, is being trialled by The Royal Marsden.
An innovative trial which aims to determine whether patients with colorectal cancer can be spared unnecessary chemotherapy has opened at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.
The ‘Tracking mutations in cell free DNA to predict Relapse in eArly Colorectal Cancer’ (TRACC) Part C study aims to evaluate the opportunity to improve patient care and quality of life by reducing unnecessary use of chemotherapy and the associated side effects.
This could spare patients from toxicity and has potential for huge cost savings for the NHS.
The study evaluates the use of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) to guide chemotherapy treatment decisions after surgery in patients with early-stage colorectal cancer.
The test can detect microscopic molecular residual disease by measuring the DNA shed from tumour cells into the bloodstream. If ctDNA is not detected in a blood test following surgery, the patient’s treatment is de-escalated. De-escalated treatment may be chemotherapy in tablet form, which has fewer side effects than conventional chemotherapy, or no chemotherapy at all.
Royal Marsden patient Ben Cooke, 52, (pictured with his husband and two children) a hairdresser who lives in London with his husband and two children, was diagnosed with colon cancer in September and, following surgery to remove part of his colon, joined the TRACC Part C trial at The Royal Marsden.
As a result of receiving a negative ctDNA test result after surgery, he was prescribed a three-month course of Capecitabine tablets, a de-escalated form of chemotherapy with fewer side effects which he was able to take at home. Ben finished his treatment last month.
Ben said: “Since starting treatment I’ve felt absolutely fine, and I haven’t had to take a single day off work which is amazing.
“I absolutely love my job as a hairdresser, and I split my time between working in my salon and working on photoshoots and red-carpet events. Working is my therapy and I still jump out of bed in the morning excited to go to work. Conventional chemotherapy could have put me at risk of nerve damage in my hands, which could affect my ability to do my job properly, so I’m particularly thankful that I’m not at risk of these side effects.”
Currently, many patients with high-risk stage II and stage III colorectal cancer are routinely offered chemotherapy after surgery to help reduce the risk of relapse.
Chemotherapy works by killing microscopic cancer cells that remain after surgery. If left untreated, this microscopic disease will cause the cancer to return, most commonly within the first two years after surgery. As a result, patients are recommended chemotherapy after surgery to help reduce the risk of future recurrence.
However, approximately 50% of these patients are cured with surgery alone, and many may be over-treated because doctors have not been able to clearly advise patients on whether they are likely to benefit from the treatment. Chemotherapy can sometimes cause debilitating and life-long side-effects.
Patients with a negative ctDNA test following surgery are less likely to see their cancer return within two years, compared to those with positive results.
These findings are now being investigated in the TRACC Part C study, which uses the Guardant Reveal blood test to detect microscopic molecular residual disease by measuring the DNA shed from tumour cells into the bloodstream. The trial aims to evaluate the use of ctDNA results from the blood test to guide chemotherapy treatment decisions over the next four years.
Helmy Eltoukhy, Guardant Health co-CEO said:
“With the Guardant Reveal test, a simple blood draw can be used to identify colorectal cancer patients who have residual disease and are most likely to benefit from adjuvant therapy.
“We’re pleased to partner with The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust in the TRACC Part C study to enable the investigators to more accurately predict when cancer is unlikely to return, help guide chemotherapy treatment decisions and provide patients with a better quality of life.”
Professor David Cunningham, Director of Clinical Research at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and Chief Investigator for the TRACC Part C study said:
“Patients with high-risk colorectal cancer can benefit from chemotherapy after surgery but some patients will never relapse, even without chemotherapy, and this clinical trial is designed to use a blood test to identify the group of patients who need chemotherapy and those who will remain cancer free with surgery alone.
“The results of this trial could help us tailor treatment decisions to benefit patients and reduce the side effects of chemotherapy, which will enable patients to have a better quality of life. There is also potential to realise significant cost savings for the NHS.”
TRACC Part C is funded by the Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) Programme, a Medical Research Council (MRC) and National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) partnership and supported by The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.
Police in Croydon are searching for a missing teenager.
16 year old Sarai was last seen 10 days ago on Monday the 20th of March.
Anyone with information on her whereabouts is urged to contact police on 101.
A rogue landlord from Isleworth has been fined £115,000 over a “squalid and dirty” space
Shashibhushan Vyas was convicted of illegally renting out a side extension as a separate housing unit for six years.
Councillor Tom Bruce says many people in such places are vulnerable and don’t have the resources to challenge their landlords.
He praised the work of the planning enforcement team to address the substandard conditions.
Fulham boss Marco Silva and striker Aleksandar Mitrovic have both apologised for their behaviour during their 3-1 FA Cup defeat to Manchester United
Referee Chris Kavanagh sent the Londoners' head coach off for dissent - while Serbian international Mitrovic was shown a red card for pushing the match official.
The fiery scenes were sparked after Willian - who was also dismissed - handled the ball on the line.
Heathrow and Unite the Union have agreed to fresh talks to try and prevent 10 days of strike action
The two will meet tomorrow, with the walkout set to begin on Friday.
Over 1,400 security officers are preparing the action over pay.
The airport says they've proposed an "inflation-beating" 10% pay offer, and they have contingency plans in place to stay open.
Almost 20,000 people have so far joined in with Merton’s Beat The Street game
Participants are busy collecting points by showing off their walking, cycling, scooting and wheeling skills.
The initiative is currently in its Go Explore week which encourages people to find Merton’s best heritage and cultural gems.
Those who still want to play can sign up for free via Beat The Street’s website.
Lambs are going to be loaned to schools across Surrey to help children learn about the importance of farming and agriculture
The Loan a Lamb scheme sees staff and pupils caring for a ewe and her baby for a week under the guidance of farmers.
Participating schools are supplied with equipment, tools and information needed to care for the animals.
The scheme is operated by The South of England Agricultural Society.
Almost £9 million is being spent on upgrading Motspur Park station
Work will include new lifts and walkways, lighting and a step free footbridge.
Network Rail is partnering with Merton Council on the upgrade which is being funded by the Department for Transport.
Work begins tomorrow.
Wednesday, 29 March 2023
The immigration minister says we must not elevate the well-being of illegal migrants above those of the British people
Speaking at the House of Commons, he revealed plans that would place migrants in military bases, barges and ferries, while they wait for a decision on their application.
Currently £6.8 million per day is being spent on hotel accommodation.
Streatham Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy says the plans are “increasingly cruel and costly”.
She’s calling for the government to “speed up
claims, give people the right to work, and let them rebuild their lives in our
communities.”
Paul O'Grady has died unexpectedly at the age of 67
He hosted shows like Blankety Blank and For the Love of Dogs which was filmed at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.
Paul was in the middle of touring with Annie, The Musical, as Miss Hannigan, a role he shared with three other actors.
He was however, due to perform the role at the New Wimbledon Theatre in November.
Peter Price was a friend, and says he was a
national treasure.
We’re being warned not to leave candles unattended, after a house fire in Croydon
The brigade was called to Davidson Road yesterday at around 9.30am.
A bedroom on the first floor was completely destroyed, but there were no reports of any injuries.
A spokesperson for the brigade says to make
sure they’re in a heat resistant holder and on a stable surface.
A restaurant overlooking Richmond Park has retained its coveted Michelin Star
The Dysart Petersham was rewarded for its “ongoing commitment to culinary excellence.”
Head Chef Kenneth Culhane was recently elected a member of the prestigious Royal Academy of Culinary Arts.
He says maintaining the star is a wonderful
challenge.
A man from Egham who repeatedly breached a sexual harm prevention order has been sent to prison
27-year-old Rikki Bedford was convicted of sexual assault in March 2020 and sentenced to nine months in prison.
However, he failed to comply with his court order in November 2020, May 2021, and November 2021.
He was also arrested in October last year after
assaulting a police officer and racially abusing another.
Gardeners across Surrey are being urged to ditch the ‘golf course’ look and allow their lawns to grow
The ‘Bring your lawn to life’ campaign has been launched by Surrey Wildlife Trust and the RHS.
It encourages people to cut their grass less regularly and embrace daisies, dandelions, clovers and other naturally flowering plants.
The aim of the campaign is to create more
vegetation for wildlife, pollinators and insects, and to mitigate the effects
of flooding.
People living in Wandsworth’s Riverside Quarter are being given access to a popular bus route
The 485 travels between Wandsworth Town Centre and the southern approach to Hammersmith Bridge, via Barnes.
But the quarter, which is home to thousands of people, has now been incorporated into the route.
Transport for London says the revised bus
service will be monitored closely to ensure it meets the needs required.
The maternity services at St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey have been rated “inadequate” by The Care Quality Commission.
The site was inspected in January.
One of the concerns was of note was that staff didn't always have enough time to appropriately assess and action risks faced by pregnant people.
Inspectors reported staff engaged well with them, although some staff had not completed some mandatory training.
The CQC says its rating of Ashford and St Peter's NHS Foundation Trust remains “good” but St Peter's still "requires improvement".
A
spokesperson for Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“Providing safe, high quality care for our patients is our priority and we apologise to any women, babies and families for whom the care we provided fell short. While there are some areas of good practice recognised by the CQC, we take the concerns raised in this report extremely seriously and following the inspection in January we have been taking urgent action to make significant improvements to the quality and safety of care provided. This includes increasing clinical staff in our maternity triage unit to care for women safely and increasing the size of the unit to improve the experience and dignity of those in our care. Action is also being taken to improve staff training compliance and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) across the service. We are committed to giving both those using our maternity service and the CQC confidence in the quality and safety of our care.”
Tributes are being paid to comedian, TV and radio presenter Paul O'Grady who has died at the age of 67
Paul's husband announced the news overnight, saying he died 'unexpectedly but peacefully', and paid tribute to his 'humour, wit and compassion.'
O'Grady hosted shows like Blind Date and For The Love Of Dogs, which was set at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.
He was a patron of the Home, and worked with the Queen Consort, Camilla in that role.
And was known to millions as alter-ego Lily Savage.
Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab's confirmed housing migrants on barges while their claims are processed is a 'possible option' being considered
An announcement's expected later from the Esher MP, with old military bases also likely to be used.
One Conservative council in Essex says it'll seek an injunction against that.
Lib Dem leader and Kingston MP Sir Ed Davey says it's a sign of 'government failure' that the policy's even being suggested.
The Mayor of London has pledged £3m to provide emergency food provision during the school holidays
The programme will provide ten million meals to families over the next year, starting this Easter holidays.
City Hall says it will also ensure an increased supply of surplus food to food banks.
Sadiq Khan says “The cost of living crisis continues to impact Londoners, and financial struggles are the main driver of food insecurity”.
Ministers will be given powers to block the release of dangerous prisoners and ban some criminals from getting married under a proposed new law
The Justice Secretary and Esher MP Dominic Raab wants parole boards to give more priority to public safety over the rights of prisoners.
His new Victims and Prisoners Bill would give ministers the power to overturn decisions they do not like.
It’s been revealed that 3% of primary school children in Wandsworth have nothing to eat for breakfast
With this in mind, 20 schools across the borough are to trial a pilot scheme giving all children access to healthy, hot food, first thing.
Wandsworth Council is working with the charity, Magic Breakfast, to run the year-long, authority-funded scheme.
If successful it will be rolled out to other schools.
An independent report published today has revealed the University of Surrey has generated £1.3 billion for the county’s economy
The document by BiGGAR Economics assessed the period from 2021 to 2022.
It shows over 17,500 jobs were created in Surrey by the university in that time.
58% of university staff also live in the county, and the report revealed they are likely to spend their wages in the area where they live.
Capital investments made by the university have also an impact on the construction sector.
The University of Surrey spends around £45 million per year on capital projects, with 16% of that spend secured by companies in the county.
The report also noted the work done by the university in nearby schools to help them mitigate the effects of the COVID pandemic.
Tuesday, 28 March 2023
More than 100 new homes are on track to be built across Lambeth by the end of next year.
The council is taking over housing delivery with the aim of creating almost 150 new properties, including 109 at social rents.
A review of Lambeth’s housing programme was carried out by independent peer Lord Kerslake last year.
It recommended that the council’s house building scheme, Homes for Lambeth, was brought back ‘in-house’.
Thames Water is apologising to people in Richmond as its announced work on a major route now won’t be completed until after Easter.
The northbound stretch of Hill Street has been closed off for emergency pipe repairs since the 1st of March.
But Thames water says the discovery of a high voltage cable running above the pipe and old tram lines are causing delays to work.
Traffic coming across Richmond bridge and Petersham to the town centre will continue to be blocked until April the 11th.
A man accused of killing Met police custody sergeant Matt Ratana in Croydon has appeared at the Old Bailey.
25 year old Louis De Zoysa is accused of discharging four bullets while he was in a holding cell at Croydon Custody Centre.
54 year old sergeant Ratana died from a wound to his chest during the incident in September 2020.
A further hearing at Northampton Crown Court has been set for April the 24th and De Zoysa was remanded in custody.
A special constable for the Met Police has been convicted of leaking sexual pictures of a woman.
MSC Matthew Collins was attached to areas including Fulham and Chelsea at the Central West BCU.
In February 2019, he was arrested after a woman reported he’d used her phone to send an indecent picture of her to her friend.
He’ll be sentenced in June.
Carshalton’s MP Elliott Colburn says he’s “shocked” to hear of a stabbing in his constituency.
A man was stabbed in the leg, while another man suffered a head injury, following an incident in Papermill Close yesterday at 4.30pm.
Police have arrested one person.
Witnesses are being urged to come forward and call Police on 101.
Gary Linker has won his multi million pound tax battle with HMRC.
The presenter, who lives in Barnes, was told by the taxman he should have been classed as a BBC and BT Sport employee.
But he was treated as a freelancer instead.
They pursued him for £4.9 million but a judge has ruled in the former footballer's favour.
The Mayor of London has announced he’s spending £6million on a new double-decker bus network across greater London.
Sadiq Khan is introducing the “Superloop”, linking London’s outer boroughs, to mitigate the effects of the ULEZ expansion.
One of the routes covered will be the X26 connecting Heathrow and West Croydon.
The £12.50 daily ULEZ charge for the most polluting vehicles will expand to all London boroughs in August.
Two Tooting based charities will hold their first ever interfaith Iftar tonight.
Naz Legacy Foundation and St George’s Hospital Charity will host the gathering at the Royal Mahal Banqueting Suite.
Iftar is the meal eaten after sunset during the holy month of Ramadan when Muslims fast from dawn until dusk.
The Chelsea Foundation hosted an Open Iftar at the side of the pitch at Stamford Bridge last night.
This was a first in a Premier League stadium.
A restaurant owner from Croydon has been fined £60,000 after an man was fatally electrocuted.
Sukran Sanli, owner of Adams Café restaurant, hired an unqualified electrician, that meant there was no main earth connection.
This caused the death of a man who was living in a room at the rear of the premises, when he touched metal pipework in the shower room.
She pleaded guilty to four charges, and received a 26-week suspended prison sentence and 200 unpaid work, in addition to the fine.
A man has spent several days in hospital following a violent robbery in Balham
At around 11pm on the 24th of February, a man was walking along Hydethorpe Road, when he was attacked from behind.
He was struck on the head multiple times before his Rolex was taken from his wrist.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101.
A man is in hospital with life threatening injuries following a collision on the M25 near Heathrow
The crash between a car and a lorry happened a few minutes before midnight.
The motorway was closed until just before 9.20 this morning, but has now reopened.
An open letter has been delivered to the four housing associations with the largest number of properties in Richmond
The document, from councillors, is calling on them to address reported neglected repairs and repeat missed appointments.
Councillors say they “are extremely concerned to see rapidly rising numbers of cases being brought to them and MPs.”
The letter requests that the housing associations provide detailed plans of action as to how the issues will be resolved.
Lower speed limits could be introduced on some of Wandsworth’s busiest trunk roads from September
Routes like Clapham Common Southside and Tooting High Street will be made 20mph, down from 30mph, under the plans.
These particular roads are operated by Transport for London, rather than Wandsworth Council.
The authority says it supports the proposals.
A Met Police officer has been sacked after being convicted of harassment
PC Kye Cole was attached to the West Area Command Unit, which covers Ealing, Hounslow and Hillingdon.
A court heard that he made a number of phone calls and sent a series of messages to a woman in April last year.
He’s been barred from policing, and must carry out 150 hours of community service and pay £2,500 to the victim.
The government has avoided a rebellion from the back benches over its controversial illegal migration bill
A number of Tory MPs had tabled amendments, but they were rejected during the five hour debate.
Minister Robert Jenrick says he’ll engage with any MPs who believe it violates human rights laws.
The plans stop anyone who comes to the country illegally from claiming asylum.
Tooting Labour MP Dr Rosena Allin-Khan voted against the bill, saying “it takes away vital support for trafficking victims and fails to tackle smuggling gangs”.
Monday, 27 March 2023
Richmond Council is updating a key document that deals with flooding and is urging residents and businesses to have their say on it.
Richmond is the only London borough to span both sides of the River Thames.
The council says preparing the borough for flooding and flood risk is therefore a key priority.
The Local Flood Risk Management Strategy identifies various flood risks and how they should be responded to.
A number of online resources are being taken away from Surrey Libraries at the end of the month.
Access to the Oxford English Dictionary, the Times Digital Archive, Go Citizen, and Theory Test Pro, will no longer be provided.
The organisation says that “low levels of use” mean they can “no longer justify the cost”.
It adds they need to “prioritise spending” and apologises for any inconvenience.
Chelsea have put losses of 121-million-pounds down to Government sanctions imposed on former owner Roman Abramovich.
The Russian billionaire had assets frozen last year in a clamp down on individuals believed to have links to President Vladimir Putin following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The club - who were placed under a special licence restricting ticket sales and player contracts - say increased operating expenses contributed to the losses.
Barclay’s Bank in Wallington will close its doors in June.
The site is one of 14 branches the company has today announced is shutting down on top of 55 others already declared.
Barclay’s is however opening new "banking pods."
These are semi-permanent sites that can be moved to different towns and locations based on demand.
Fulham boss Marco Silva has been charged by the Football Association over comments he made about a referee after their FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Manchester United.
He was sent off in the game, as were Willian and striker Aleksandar Mitrovic - who grabbed Chris Kavanagh, the match official.
Silva singled out the referee, who he claimed had made wrong decisions against them in the past.
British Airways is cancelling up to 32 flights a day going to and from Heathrow during planned strikes starting on Friday.
The airline says it's been told by the airport to cut the number of passengers travelling due to a walk out by security staff.
People affected by the action - which runs to Easter Sunday - are being offered another service or a refund.
Police are still trying to locate four woman who were involved in an assault on a bus in Thornton Heath.
The incident happened at around 12:30am on the 28 August last year on board the 250 bus from Streatham to Croydon.
The victims – a man and a woman – were sitting towards the rear on the top deck when the females boarded and sat behind them.
the woman was struck with a bottle by the group and the man was struck with a crutch, resulting in him needing hospital treatment.
Anyone with information on there whereabouts is urged to contact police on 101.
Police investigating an attack on a woman in Battersea have released CCTV images of the suspect they want to trace.
The victim was walking along Queenstown Road when she was assaulted on the evening of June the 24th last year.
She was left with facial injuries and bleeding and was assisted by two passing cyclists.
The male suspect is described as black, about 5ft 8inches tall, of medium build, and aged in his 20s.
New provisions are being made for the funeral of one of the Second World War’s last black “Pilots of the Caribbean.”
Peter Brown, a retired flight sergeant, was found dead in his flat in Maida Vale at the age of 97.
A huge search was launched to find members of his family or friends who could attend his funeral.
It was due to be held at Mortlake Crematorium on Wednesday, but the large public response means it will now need to be held elsewhere.
A minister's admitted a sting targeting former health secretary Matt Hancock and Spelthorne MP Kwasi Kwarteng doesn't look good - but that no rules were broken
Croydon South Tory MP Chris Philp has been asked about a hoax by the campaign group Led By Donkeys.
It saw the politicians offering advice to a bogus company for as much as ten-thousand pounds a day.
The Prime Minister says he will tackle the "scourge" of drugs as part of a crackdown on anti-social behaviour
There's going to be more police patrols across parts of England and Wales and offenders will be made to repair damage within 48 hours.
Authorities will be given extra cash to help so-called "nuisance" beggars find accommodation and mental health support.
It’s already an offence to be in possession of laughing gas cannisters in Epsom and Ewell.
A two year-long order was brought in by the Council in January following a public consultation.
This makes it an offence to use or be in possession of this substance on public land, including in the borough’s parks.
66 homes in Kingston are to receive some money to improve their energy efficiency
The council’s least efficient homes will have a range of measures installed, including better insulation, solar panels, and battery storage.
It’s hoped this will save them up to £600 a year on energy bills.
The money is coming from the government’s social housing decarbonisation fund.
A commemorative tree planting ceremony is taking place in Richmond today
Hosted by the Ukrainian Social Club, they’re inviting people to come down to Cambridge Gardens at 4:30.
The occasion is taking place as a thank you to the residents of Richmond and surrounding areas for all their support for Ukraine.
Cambridge came out on top in The Boat Race, winning both the men’s and women’s games
The course runs between Putney and Mortlake and receives around 250,000 spectators annually.
The organisers say that two Oxford athletes received medical attention, but both are doing well.
A report's found black children in England and Wales are six times more likely to be strip-searched by police
Almost 3,000 were carried out on 8 to 17 year-olds between 2018 and the middle of last year - in schools, police vehicles and even takeaways.
Children's commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza says young people are 'being failed' - while charities say the searches as 'racist and traumatising'.
Twickenham Lib Dem MP Munira Wilson says the report is “utterly shocking”.
She says she demanded ministers review guidance and speak to every police force a year ago, and asks “what have they been doing?”.
Sunday, 26 March 2023
Sutton Council has approved funding for food vouchers to continue to be made available in the school holidays throughout the year, for children who qualify for free school meals.
Schools will distribute vouchers to eligible families for the Easter break by Friday 31st March.
Vouchers are redeemable at the supermarkets Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Aldi, Morrisons, and Iceland.
Sutton Council have rejected plans to introduce measures cracking down on houses being turned into flats, despite public appeal.
Nearly a hundred Wallington residents signed a petition asking the authority to introduce a rule which would mean developers would have to apply for planning permission to convert homes into ‘houses in multiple occupation’.
At a meeting last week, Strategic Planning Manager Dean James said the authority would not be introducing new measures, but added the council would be looking into a wider solution for the whole of Sutton.
One of the last remaining scout groups in Putney is hosting a Boat Race barbeque to raise vital funds today
They’re screening the Oxford and Cambridge race on a big screen along with a feast of hot dogs and burgers overlooking the Thames.
All funds raised will go towards essential repairs to the hut; money raised last year secured a new roof, completed last summer.
The barbeque will run today from midday till
5pm.
Libraries in Chertsey, Egham and Ashtead are just a few across Surrey that will benefit from £75,000 worth of funding
It’s come from the Arts Council Cultural Fund, allowing them to continue to provide “dynamic spaces” for residents.
The money will provide further flexible shelving within these libraries and the provision of a meeting pod for Egham.
Flexible shelving means libraries can move
furniture around to reconfigure spaces to accommodate far more events and
services.
A 4-year-old from Chessington will be making his running debut in this year’s Mini London Marathon next month
Leo Stafford is aiming to raise £900 for Leatherhead based charity, Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation for Disabled People.
He will be dressed as his alter ego, Batman, to help him muster the energy to run the one mile on April 22nd.
Leo and his mum Jess stopped by our studios
earlier this week.
Visitors to today’s historic Oxford Cambridge Boat Race are being warned cars parked along Putney Embankment may be towed away
Thousands of rowing fans will be heading to the banks of the Thames between Putney and Mortlake for this afternoon’s action.
But the influx of spectators means that parking spaces on Putney Embankment have to be suspended.
Suspensions will commence at 8.30 this morning
with drivers being warned they must move their cars out of the parking bays by
then.