October 2009 Archives

Youths are being blamed for vandalising a memorial site placed to commemorate victims of the 1972 Staines Air Crash.

On Friday October 31 residents of Waters Drive on the Moormede Estate, Staines, found the brick wall, benches, and memorial plaque strewn with smashed concrete slabs from the memorial site.

The victim of devastating fire in Stanwell earlier this month has died in hospital.

Maria Jones, 64, of Windermere Close, suffered burns to her arms and legs after she was dragged out alive from her house on Monday October 19 by two neighbours.

Mrs Jones passed away on Sunday October 25 in St Peter's Hospital, Chertsey, and post mortem examination carried out at the Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford concluded she died from injuries sustained in the fire.

The cause of the fire, which occurred at 4am on the day and completely gutted the house, is no longer being treated as suspicious by police.

A police spokesman said: "Following a joint Surrey Police and Surrey Fire and Rescue Service investigation the cause of the fire at a residential address in Windermere Close, is believed to have been the result of an electrical fault."

Do you have a tribute you would like to leave in memory of Maria?

If so, please use the box underneath.

The former managing director of a historic Staines department store has passed away.

Members of Staines Rotary Club were notified this week that Alan Collins, who ran Johnson and Clark, formerly sited in Thames Street opposite Debenhams, had passed away recently.

Mr Collins, of Englefield Green, was a former president of the rotary club, who enjoyed playing golf.

The department store, which a four storey family orientated business, started in 1956 but closed in the late 80s.

Two people were arrested on suspicion of theft of a car after failing to stop by the police during a motoring campaign.

Surrey Police held an operation as part of their year-long Drive SMART campaign with Surrey County Council to cut down on anti-social behaviour around Spelthorne on Friday October 23.

A Robbie Williams tribute act will be held to raise money for charity on Friday October 30.

The event will take place in bar Niche, in Staines High Street to raise money for Breast Cancer UK.

Entry will be free and but there will be collection boxes on the day.

Anti-social behaviour on a Staines estate has led one councillor to start a youth club for the children in the area.

Denise Turner-Stewart, who is the Surrey County Councillor for Staines South and Ashford West ward has been in talks with Laleham Methodist Church, in Edinburgh Drive, to set up a seven night a week youth club for kids to go to.

An extremely rare brown shrike was spotted on Staines Moor prompting thousands of birdwatchers to drop everything and flock to the beauty spot over the last ten days to catch a view of the small brown spectacle. Herald & News reporter Russell Butt donned his wellies and grabbed his binoculars to see what all the fuss was about.

There's not many things more frustrating than when your holiday plans go awry.
So imagine the surprise of one small, brown bird who should be heading from Siberia to South East Asia for the winter, but has found himself perched atop a hawthorn bush in Staines.

Imagine its further surprise to instantly achieve celebrity status on arrival, with more camera lenses being pointed at it than Kate Moss gets stumbling out of a Soho nightclub.

Front and back number plates were stolen from three Spelthorne addresses recently.

The first incident occurred in Hereford Close, Staines between 8-11pm on Saturday October 17, while the second took place in Stanwell Gardens, in Stanwell on Friday October 16 night.

The third incident happened when a family where away on holiday between October 4 and 16 in Feltham Road, Ashford.

Anyone who witnessed anything should call the police on 0800 125 2222.

Around £16,000 has been raised by a Spelthorne councillor in memory of a teenager who died this year.

Riverside and Laleham councillor Isobel Napper held the event at the Great Fosters Hotel on Monday October 12 in Egham, in memory of 17-year-old Matthew Lyne, of Staines, who died in March of Leukaemia.

An extremely rare bird has been sighted in Staines Moor, attracting a throng of bird watchers in the process.

A Brown Shrike was first spotted on Monday October 11 in some Hawthorn bushes on the moor, about 100 metres north east over a concrete bridge over the River Colne.