Local People

Two Spelthorne residents have been given awards for giving more than 175 blood donations between them.

Susan Burgess, of Lammas Road, Staines, and Linda Bishop, of Queens Walk, Ashford, were given a crystal decanter for more than 100 donations and a a crystal plate for more than 75 respectively at a National Blood Service ceremony.

It was a show of force usually reserved for suspects on the radar of MI5.

But when police used a helicopter, armed officers and dogs to swoop on a Staines home on June 28, 2008, it wasn't to arrest an Al-Qaeda operative.

Their target was an 18-year-old politics student who had put a poster outside the home of the town's Army Cadet Force, a youth organisation for 12 to-18-year-olds.

A Staines based website offering garishly coloured hockey sticks with funny names has attained a cult following on social networking site Facebook.

Uber Hockey is selling pink 'wangs' and black 'meaties' to members of the public, and it has used the Facebook for marketing purposes.

Residents are considering taking Spelthorne Council to the ombudsman after an email gave them the wrong dates to council meetings, causing them to miss them.

Since April, residents living near Priory Green in Staines have been campaigning against the council's decision to stop cutting the green to save money and create wildlife havens.

For most people the new year can be a depressing time, but not for one resident of a care home in Staines.

On New Year's Day great great grandmother Ellen Watson of Anchor Homes' Meadowside celebrated her 110th birthday, which saw family, friends, and other residents turn up for a celebratory party in the Knowle Park Avenue home.

A MOTHER from Staines has won the lottery after her numbers came up on Saturday December 5.

Charlotte Rodgman, 39, from Booth Drive, plans to "pay off her bills" after winning a share of £2.6 million.

A musical theatre man who has created a show about Robin Hood is appealing for his Maid Marian to come forward and help him.

Kevan Graham, of Meadway, Staines, who once rented the London Palladium for a variety show he wrote, has written a musical called The Trial of Robin Hood, and has all his cast members accounted for except Maid Marion.

The owner of a antique store which was burgled on Tuesday December 2 wants to thank Surrey Police for their effort.

Keith Dunster, owner of K W Dunster in Church Street, had his shop broken into in a smash and grab, where thieves got away with a small amount of jewellery.

Mr Dunster, who has owned the shop for 34 years, said: "I would like to thank the police for their quick response and helpful attitude. It has really restored my confidence in the police."

A hopeful band will be launching their debut EP at a promotional gig in Staines in December.

On December 12, the Dirty Crawlers, whose four members are from Ashford, Staines, and Chertsey, will be performing at The Hobgoblin, in Church Street, to promote their first EP Bottleneck.

A firefighter from Staines has been given an award for serving 25 years in the London Fire Brigade.

Andy Hanson, 49, of Canopus Way, joined the service in 1984 after five years service with the former Greater London Council and was given a long service award on November 5 at the London's training centre in Southwark.