August 2008 Archives

Householders in Addlestone are bracing themselves for another fight after the latest planning application to develop Hamm Moor Lane was turned down on Wednesday August 27.

Families living in what is known as Poets Corner - a group of roads including Wordsworth Road, Shakespeare Road and Tennyson Road off Hamm Moor Lane - have been fighting what they call "unsuitable" planning applications for eight years, and are worried another one will be right around the corner.

Addlestone resident Brenda Voice emailed the Herald today to share a photograph of a sparrowhawk in her garden.

It had caught a dove,and was just having and stopped to enjoy a drink at the birdbath.

If you have photographed wildlife in the area please upload them to the Herald website. The more unusual the better.

Runnymede's Town Twinning Association is suffering from a lack of funding by the council, according to a report.

The council decided to give the association an annual £1,400 grant last year, fixed for the next five years, to maintain its links with towns in France, Germany and America, in return for a statement of its objectives and priorities over the next five years.

Age Concern Runnymede services are a "growing need" according to Runnymede officers who say one third of the borough's population will be over 50 by 2026.

In a report due to go before the corporate management committee on September 4, officers recommend the council continues the annual £99,100 grant from Runnymede to the charity for the next five years, starting 2009/10.

The officers note in the report that the charity is pro-active in meeting the needs of older people and that its services would be in higher demand in the future.

NEW beavers, cubs and scouts are needed for the 5th Addlestone Scout Group, which meets at the Methodist Church Hall in Station Road, every week.

A former Jubilee High School pupil is organising a reunion for the class of 1988.

Vicky Wiles, from Addlestone, would like to hear from anyone who left the school in 1988, which was called Abbeylands when she attended, to organise a get-together.

Anyone who left the school in that year should call her on 01932 888183.

A leaflet has been devised by Runnymede Council to allow householders an "at a glance" look at the 2008/9 councillors and the wards they represent.

The leaflet, called "Know Your Councillors" can be downloaded on Runnymede's website at www.runnymede.gov.uk.

A young vandal is caught on CCTV dicing with death by throwing a metal ramp onto a live rail at Addlestone train station.

CCTV footage of the incident, which occured in May, was released by British Transport Police this week to warn youngsters of the dangers of playing on railway lines.

It shows three yobs hurling a metal bin on the track at about 1.15am and 45 minutes later, they return to the deserted station and one climbs down to put the metal wheelchair ramp on the line.

Electricity shoots through the ramp, and there is an explosion of sparks. Police say the youth was lucky not be electrocuted.

Graham Cottington, schools liaison officer for British Transport Police, said: "This clearly shows the lengths that youths will go to prove themselves and show off in front of their friends.

"The youth, clearly not content with throwing things onto the track, then risked his life by placing the ramp directly on the third rail. The footage shows the youth engulfed in a shower of sparks.

"It's extraordinary that he was not killed or injured. Even though trains were not running through the station, the electricity current on the railway is live 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

As the sparks exploded, the youth ran away from the rail. The group then sauntered out of the station.

The metal ramp, which he put on the line, was eventually melted by the electrical current running through it.

Mr Cottington said that during the school holidays this year, British Transport Police had received daily reports of young people trespassing on the tracks and obstructing trains.

He said: "Some of these reports included children running in front of trains playing chicken, and objects used to obstruct and damage trains. Not only are people risking their lives, they are committing a criminal offence."

Anyone who can identify the youths in the incident should contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40.

Jubilee High pupils were celebrating a 70% improvement on last year's pass rate, as 48% of students got five or more A* to C grades.

The School Lane comprehensive more than doubled the percentage of pupils achieving five or more top grades in the last two years.

Head teacher Gareth Balch said: "These results are the culmination of real teamwork between parents, staff and students, ensuring that as many of year 11 as possible achieved their potential.

"We have had two consistent years of improvement at Jubilee, and we intend to continue improving above the national average.

"Many students achieved results that would be exceptional in any school, state or private."

Among the top performers were James Coxhead who passed 14 subjects including 5 A* grades and five As.

The percentage of pupils passing English and Maths has also risen to 37%, which is over the government-set target of 30%.

LOCAL radio for YOUR town is back full-time as north-west Surrey community station Brooklands FM begins a new 24-hour service on the internet at www.brooklandsfm.co.uk.
With local news, views, interviews, musicians and sport, all based around great popular music, Brooklands FM claims to offer the truly local radio service for Addlestone, Byfleet, Chertsey, Shepperton, Walton, West Byfleet, Weybridge and surrounding towns that the bigger regional stations can't give. The station supports the Sam Beare Hospice, in Weybridge.