Jenny Hazell, one of our youth players, has been selected as one of the 20 finalists for the Miss Fresh Photographic competition which is being held by the Miss England organisers. Jenny Hazell from Staines is a Student studing Drama with Creative Writing and is hoping to win the title and prizes worth over £1000 and a place in the Miss England semi final next June. Every year, Miss England is selected for the finals of Miss World which has a first prize of $100,000. During 2008 the Miss England contestants have raised over £100,000 for various charities around the country including £35,000 for the Institute of Cancer Walk with Cancer Campaign.

She has two weeks to getpublic support. For more details and instructions of how to vote for her, see our group website www.tpts.abelgratis.co.uk

Victim Support, which offers help for witnesses giving evidence in court, is appealing for volunteers to be based at Staines Magistrates' Court in Knowle Green.

No formal qualifications are required to become a volunteer as training is given but they must commit to working one day a fortnight.

For more information call Denise Backhouse on 01784 492299.

Police are battling to reclaim two areas of Staines which they say have become hotbeds of drug-taking and drinking.

Police community support officers Deborah Tippetts and Adam Justice said they have found evidence of cannabis in the youth shelter in the playing field which runs alongside Commercial Road in Staines, and said that children had used the alleyway just off Kingston Road to smoke.

PCSO Tippetts said: "We get quite a lot of youths hanging around on the corner by the alleyway. We have caught quite a few kids smoking in there.

An Italian Market will be coming to the pedestrianised area of Staines High Street on Thursday November 20 and Friday 21.
The market, called "Italia In Piazza", imports all of the food it sells except the bread directly from Italy, which includes cheeses, cured meats, biscuits, pastries, cakes, olive oils, balsamic vinegar and olives.

Yob behaviour could be nipped in the bud if parents were allowed to smack their children, according to Staines councillor Colin Davis.

Residents in Leacroft have been plagued by an increase in drug dealing and antisocial behaviour and Cllr Davis has advocated a return to corporal punishment to keep youngsters in line.

A shop owner in Staines has accused Trading Standards of entrapment after his Staines store was convicted of selling a knife to a 13-year-old girl last month.

The Herald and News reported that Pratima Patel, who runs P & Q Home Stores in Friends Walk, Staines, was fined £500 plus £140 costs, while her staff member Sagar Mehta, was fined £200 plus £140 costs on October 22, for selling the knife to the teenager without asking for official identification.

But Mrs Patel, 46, who runs five hardware shops with her husband, Sanjay, 48, who she lives with in Kingston, said: "They came in to try to trap us. I have a criminal record now, for what? For selling a knife.

Santa brought a little Christmas cheer to Notcutts garden centre on Saturday November 8 when he handed out gifts to youngsters.

He arrived on the Rotary Clubs of Shepperton's seasonal sleigh and allowed children to meet his festive farmyard friends including his trusty reindeer.

Staines Christmas parade will start at 11am on Sunday November 16 in the High Street with the Staines Brass Band entertaining the crowd with Christmas classics.

Following the parade Father Christmas will be in Elmsleigh Shopping Centre until 4pm and giving free Reindeer Antler hats away.

Work to reinforce the kerbs on the railway bridge in Kingston Road, Staines, started on Monday November 10.

The work, intended to protect the fabric of the bridge, is due to finish on Friday November 21.

The number of burglaries in Spelthorne during October was up 82% on last year.

Fifty-one homes were burgled in the borough between October 6 and November 2 compared with just 28 last year.

Overall crime for the month also increased from 691 recorded offences in 2007 to 715 in 2008.

• Have you been affected by the increase? Leave your comments below or contact us on 01932 561111.