The family of Chris Mapletoft has released a statement urging action on the drug that killed him. Chris was an 18-year-old A-level student at Hampton School who had been planning a post-exams holiday. It was revealed at his inquest last week
A retired widower battling multiple types of cancer jumped headfirst from a motorway bridge so as not to be a burden on his family, an inquest has heard. Brian Self, 77, of Northview, Plough Road, in Epsom, jumped from the Clayton Road bridge over
Dozens of firefighers battled flames that tore through a house in South Croydon this afternoon. Three people suffered smoke inhalation in the fire, which ripped through the ground and first floor of the building in Croham Park Avenue. Thirty-five
Firefighters across London will go on strike next week in a row over pensions, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has confirmed. The strike will last for four hours between 12 noon and 4pm on Wednesday, September 25. Firefighters in England and
A former Crystal Palace chairman who was a ‘Palace man through and through’ died at the weekend. Peter Morley CBE, who for the last 12 years has been Crystal Palace’s club president, passed away in his sleep on Saturday night at the Princess Royal
A fifteen year vision for Wimbledon's town centre could pave the way for a pedestrianised high street, a high tech business suburb and 24-storey tower block. Dozens of councillors, business leaders and community representatives gathered for
A man drove home to find a trio of burglars leaving his house last week. The homeowner challenged the men, all white, who were walking down his driveway, in Derek Avenue, Epsom, at 3.30pm on Tuesday, September 10. The trio made an excuse then
Flames lit up the night sky on Clapham Common on Saturday as 33 volunteers prepared to cross a bed of burning embers for charity. They were taking part in a sponsored firewalk at Holy Trinity church organised by Calcutta Rescue Fund (CRF), which
Dozens of stall holders set up shop in Mitcham this weekend for an inaugural food festival. Organised by community group OneMitcham, who is working to regenerate the town centre as part of the larger £6.2m Rediscover Mitcham project, the event
Firefighters have extinguished a car fire in an underground car park at the Whitgift Centre. Crews from Norbury and Mitcham fire stations who were called to the scene at 3.28pm, had the blaze under control within half an hour and the fire was fully
The Croydon Guardian caught up with a few fans after Palace’s defeat to Manchester United on Saturday. Marian Hamilton, from South Croydon, said: “I think the referee was inconsistent. It was a physical game but the ref took every booking opportunity
A games fan from Sutton spent four days camping in the rain in central London to get his hands on Grand Theft Auto V before anyone else. Taylor Pelling, 20, was at the front of the queue at HMV in Oxford Street at midnight last night having taken
Army reserve engineers used specialised technology during a dig to unearth a Spitfire earlier this month. The team, from 135 Independent Geographical Squadron Royal Engineers, based in Ewell, helped at the site in Salisbury Plain. The group
A cabin cruiser has sunk in Kingston riverside this afternoon. The boat's bow was half below water on the south side of the Kingston bridge on the Hampton Court side. Jo Adams, who had just got to a friend’s house by the river, noticed when
Drivers in Kew face delays after an accident in Stanmore Road. The A307 Kew Road is partially blocked due to the accident which happened shortly before 2pm. A police spokesman said: “We were called at 1.50pm to Kew Road at the junction
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home is demanding Transport for London (TfL) reconsiders plans for the Northern line extension over fears it will force its animals to be relocated. The rescue home, in Battersea Park Road, Battersea, is within touching
Fans continued to queue outside Game in Croydon this morning eager to get their hands on a copy of the newly released Grand Theft Auto V. Hundreds of gamers queued outside the store in North End, last night ahead of the popular game's midnight
Croydon triple jumper Stefan Amokwandoh could not hide his delight after storming back from last year’s disappointment to claim gold at the Sainsbury’s 2013 School Games in Sheffield, writes Pippa Field. The 17-year-old Whitgift School pupil had
Sutton Station is to get a £1.3m renovation, including opening a currently disused side entrance. The revamp would also extend the station building itself, installing new barriers, ticket machines, CCTV and lighting and improving other public transport
Two people were hurt after a car crash in Esher high street today. Surrey Police were called to the scene after the collision between a silver Honda Civic and a silver Ford Fusion Zetec just after noon. A male passenger of the Ford Fusion and
An elderly man living in fear of flash floods has said the safety of wildlife is being prioritised over residents. David Hall, 79, from Green Lanes, said the council has failed to clear out Hogsmill stream, which runs just metres from his home
A 21-year-old man has been charged after eight addresses in Croydon and one in Sutton were raided by police investigating courier frauds. Six people were arrested last week on suspicion of conspiracy to commit fraud, following a series of courier
Tributes have flooded in for the victim of yesterday’s lorry crash with many now calling for road safety measures. The 54-year-old man was hit by a goods lorry as he tried to cross Pound Street near Carshalton Ponds at 9.30am. Politicians have
Opposition councillors have demanded lessons are learnt and leaders of Surrey County Council be held responsible after damning a report into a starved pensioner’s death. Surrey County Council's Liberal Democrat Group welcomed yesterday's publication
A dog biting a horse and bad weather failed to dampen spirits at a countryside day attended by thousands on Sunday. Banstead Countryside Day in Banstead Woods showcased tree climbers, pygmy goats and firefighters as well as a children’s teacup
An under threat Tooting pub has been given a stay of execution after it was granted Local List status by Wandsworth Council last night. Tooting MP Sadiq Khan urged councillors at a Strategic Planning and Transport Committee meeting to add
Three illegal workers have been arrested in a raid on an Indian restaurant in Epsom. Home Office immigration enforcement officers raided Blue Mint Indian restaurant in Waterloo Road at noon on Friday. Blue Mint now faces a potential £30,000
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) are to begin their inspection of Croydon University Hospital today. Croydon Health Services NHS Trust is the first in the country to be inspected under the radical changes introduced by the CQC. In August the
Ensemble Concertante are looking forward to performing at the Epsom Playhouse. They are an exciting clarinet quartet including Robert Blanken, Emma Alexandra, Sally Cartwright and Spence Bundy. Collectively they have performed internationally as
What do Rio Ferdinand, Nicole Scherzinger, Rochelle Humes from the Saturdays and last year’s X-Factor winner James Arthur have in common? They all love Croydon’s latest X-Factor entry, Rough Copy. The lively boy band are back on the show after
Two people have suffered serious injuries after a high speed car crash last night. The male driver and female passenger had to be cut free from their Jaguar after it collided with barriers and a traffic light near where St Dunstan's Hill becomes
Chicago-born writer and critic Bonnie Greer will be installed as chancellor of Kingston University at a ceremony this evening. Ms Greer was appointed to the role in March and said it was “a great honour”. She will also be awarded
Firefighters were called to a kitchen fire in New Malden last night. The fire, caused by burning fat under a grill, was brought under control in short order, firefighters said, after the call-out just before 9pm. Heat from the flames had fused
The Royal Mail may be privatised within weeks by the Government which is much to my dismay. What will be the fate of many post offices throughout the UK including post offices in the Sutton area like the branch in Ross Parade, Wallington, which
Great news that the proposals for Mitcham town centre have been agreed. It is clear that local people want to press ahead and it would be expensive and timewasting to stall this any further as some local groups have tried to do. Of all the
Plans to open a mosque near Sutton town centre have been submitted to the council. The Shal Jahal Islamic Foundation wants to create the mosque by converting a building at 25 Carshalton Road. Sutton Council is consulting the public on the plans
Contrary to Andrew Pelling’s misleading assertions ('Croydon is the worst borough in England for collecting council tax') the Conservatives will always stand for value for money, unlike the party he is currently aligning himself with. Croydon’s
I note that Sadiq Khan MP invited some local residents to a celebration of the Wheatsheaf campaign at the House of Commons. While I'm sure that was good fun for all concerned, I have two concerns with this approach. First of all, isn'
Computer game fanatics queued in the cold outside Wimbledon's HMV Curson last night for the chance to be one of the first to get their hands on the latest instalment of the ultra-violent Grand Theft Auto series. The store in The Broadway opened
Pupils from five decades came together under one roof to celebrate their school’s golden anniversary. St Paul’s Catholic Primary School, Thames Ditton, celebrated their 50th anniversary on Saturday, September 14, and hosted a day of celebrations
An Esher restaurant could face a fine of £40,000 after four people were found to be working illegally. La Orient, in High Street, was visited by officers from the Home Office immigration and enforcement team on Friday, September 13, after receiving
Esher coach Craig Chalmers hailed the performance of Spencer Sutherland after his side narrowly edged Henley in a high-scoring SSE National One game. Henley started like an express train and Chalmers’ men were particularly reliant on the tenacious
Two residents who made their neighbours' lives a misery have been given Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs). Yvonne Lewis of Bridport Road, Thornton Heath and Pascalle L'Empereur of Kitley Gardens, South Norwood, were both made subject of the
A labyrinth has been unveiled within the gardens of Princess Alice Hospice with a special ceremony. The labyrinth is a path designed for reflection and relaxation and will help patients both spiritually and therapeutically. Mayor of Elmbridge
A loan shark who preyed on vulnerable people and locked them into debts of hundreds of thousands of pounds is facing jail. Julian Douglas, of Dinsdale Garsdens, South Norwood, used threats and intimidation to ensure repayments through his illegal
British boxing champion Hannah Beharry popped into a Tooting primary school to inspire youngsters to pursue sport. Pupils at Franciscan School quizzed the former European bronze medalist about her career and her route to the British boxing's summit
As the weather turns residents are being urged to pick up some free grit from the council. Residents and businesses are to be given a supply of free grit for the fourth year running and are being asked to be community-minded when collecting their
A new policing model that aims to provide a stronger focus on local officers tackling local crime and anti-social behaviour will be implemented in Croydon next month. The Metropolitan Police Service is putting an extra 2,600 neighbourhood police
Volunteers at a charity event on Saturday were so enthusiastic that they cycled four times farther than their target distance. Volunteers, users and members of The Sunnybank Trust, based in St Barnabas Church, in Temple Road, Epsom, were joined
It was a wet but wondrous heritage day in Cobham on Saturday, with thousands of people turning out. Now in its eight year, organisers saw a record number of entrants in both the duck race and the flower show. More than 7,400 plastic ducks took
The natural beauty of the Wandle River will be celebrated in a series of walks and activites at Morden Hall Park and Merton Abbey Mills. Organised to celebrate the Living Wandle Partnership receiving a £2 million grant from the Heritage Lottery
A former financial services office in Tolworth could be converted into a two bedroom flat under new planning legislation. A change of use notification has been submitted by Aneil Abbeynayake, owner of Abbey IFA, which until November 2012 had been
Eight Kingston schools “require improvement” according to new data released by Ofsted this week. Inspection results from the past academic year show that six schools in Chessington are in need of improvement, as are two in New Malden. The latest
The Territorial Army's London Regiment will be holding a recruitment event every Tuesday until the New Year at its base in Balham High Road. The TA unit is reaching out to prospective new recruits and the event is part of an extensive recruitment
BMI Shirley Oaks Hospital in Croydon is encouraging residents to pledge to improve their health by supporting a national campaign to raise awareness of the UK's top five preventable killers. Launched by the hospital's parent company BMI
Exhibitions can be a treat for the ears as well as the eyes, according to the Craft Council. Audiences are invited to the Stanley Picker Gallery to see what happens when craft practice and sound art collide in works that demand you listen as well
The store manager of Wilko in Kingston has raised £410 in a charity abseil. Peter Villa made a 130ft descent down Battersea Power Station to raise funds for Cancer Research UK last month. He was joined by fellow Wilko store managers from Tooting
Dog owners are being urged to have their pets microchipped for free. A microchipping event takes place at Rosehill Park, Sutton, on Friday, September 20, between 12noon - 3pm and it is supported by Sutton's Safer Parks police teams and
Few things in life come together like smooth cake mixture to create something more luxurious than what you started with. Thames Concerts series have found their perfect recipe by throwing together their best ingredients to come up with a night
Back by popular demand, Jongleurs comedy is returning to The Epsom Playhouse on Thursday 31 October. They tore the roof off last time, so now the country's best stand-up comedians are gracing the stage once more. Brought to Epsom by Jongleurs
