A mum who was the first convicted under new laws after she failed to prevent her boyfriend killing her four-month-old baby has lost her bid to clear her name. Sandra Mujuru, 21, was convicted under new domestic violence laws of cruelty to a child by
Kingston folk singer Martha Tilston will play at Kingston Green Fair in Canbury Gardens on Bank Holiday Monday. Martha and her band The Woods will also play at Kingston Parish Church in the evening on Monday, May 28. The talented musician met her band
A gardener who carried out three violent attacks on women has been jailed indefinitely. Stephen Andrew Tyler, 50, from New Haw, near Addlestone, was sentenced at Kingston Crown Court today after being convicted of the attacks at an earlier hearing in
Brooklands College national dance diploma students wowed the crowds last week with their demonstration of dance through the decades. XI Dances for XI Dancers was shown to crowds on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The shows included dances from
A man was punched in the face after refusing to give another man a cigarette. The 20 year-old was approached by a man in Bourne Hall Park in Spring Street, Epsom, on Saturday, May 19 around 8.10pm. When the victim told the man he would not give him
Sheep will return to Clapham Common for the first time in 90 years when the Country Affair fete opens tomorrow. Flocks of sheep were an everyday sight on the common until the First World War. Now they are back to appear in what organisers say is
AFC Wimbledon boss Terry Brown has added Ebbsfleet midfielder Rob Quinn to his list of summer acquisitions as the revamp of his squad gathers pace. The Ebbsfleet, formerly known as Gravesend & Northfleet, midfielder has become Brown's fifth capture since
One in five Mayday patients are treated in mixed sex wards, a survey has revealed. A report from the Healthcare Commission watchdog revealed the figures - despite previous pledges by government ministers to stop the practice. Mayday's figure rated higher
Croydon's top police officer has promised to remove a broken ticket machine in the force's Park Lane station. Residents at last week's Croydon Community Police Consultative Group meeting complained about the "deli counter" ticket machine, saying it never
Walkers of all ages are gearing up for a 22-mile Thameside trek and plenty of blisters, all in the name of a good cause. The annual Nightingale walk is taking place this Saturday, from Walton-on-Thames to Putney Embankment. The walk has raised more
Firefighters are trading their engines for bikes in a bid to cut arson in Hounslow. But while firefighters Marc Phillips and Selina Khakee will swap sirens for bike saddles for the two-month trial to find arson hot spots, their bosses are adamant they
A Kingston cyclist will take part in a mass bike ride through London today despite a legal wrangle with the police. Environmentalist Des Kay has been in dispute with the Metropolitan police over the legality of the monthly Critical Mass bike rides in
When we launch a new Kingston's Best competition, it usually takes a while for the word to get around and for the nominations to start trickling in. Not so with Kingston's Best Headteacher. Quick off the mark with their letter just days after the new
Residents are being asked for their views on what issues will affect them in the future. Those with ideas should email overviewandscrutiny@elmbridge.gov.uk
Two robbers are on the run after holding a Securicor guard at gunpoint before escaping with thousands of pounds. One of the men held a silver revolver to the guard's throat and demanded the cash box before jumping in a getaway car, which sped away
AFC Wimbledon boss Terry Brown has hinted Luke Garrard could be utilised at right-back next season after the 21-year-old agreed to stay at Kingsmeadow. Garrard, together with Antony Howard, Simon Sweeney, Paul Lorraine and Michael Haswell, has already
Police are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information about the armed raid at Sweets. The robbery took place on Thursday, May 10, at about 5.30pm. Two female members of staff were in the shop at the time and one was hit over the head with a hand
A group of young ex-offenders gave something back to the community by tidying up a Teddington Park. As part of their rehabilitation, ten youngsters removed graffiti and tidied up a park in Church Road after it had been vandalised. They also helped repair
Surrey golfer Gary Marks had a mixed day in the opening round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth yesterday, writes Carl Markham. Marks, a professional at World of Golf in New Malden, finished with a level-par 72 to put him in a share of 52nd place
Despite dating back some 500 years and being a forerunner of cricket, stoolball is still a game many people have never heard. But if you are female, like exercise and fancy trying something different it could be for you. The newly-formed Oxshott
Gordon Brown came to Croydon today to join schoolchildren in making a stand against bullying. Promoting the Beatbullying campaign the soon-to-be Prime Minister met parents, staff and pupils from St John's Primary School in Spring Park Road, Shirley
Many thanks for printing the letter concerning the lost ginger cat. Without your help I would not have received such a kind and caring response from so many of your readers. Unlike the RSPCA, the Cats' Protection League came to the rescue of Garfield
I should like to thank all the people, including the ambulance and hospital staff, who were so kind and helpful when I had a fall in Sutton High Street on May 4. I collected two lovely black eyes and a badly-bruised face but am now well on the way to
I am a man aged 89, who has worn an NHS hearing aid for about 25 years and have not had the least trouble until quite recently, but have now got new hearing aids that are almost useless. I am now having a hard time to use the phone and it seems that
Sutton Council's totem pole, which will be paid for from taxpayers' money and planted in the middle of St Helier, is not, as the council claims, being put up because the public have asked for it. This hare-brain scheme of a plant-human hybrid sculpture
Well, I don't know if "honest" Councillor David Pickles (letters, May 10) is a racist or not, but judging from his intemperate offering he doesn't appear to be very bright. He also offers us a foretaste of the sort of Tory compassion that the homeless
I really can't believe Sutton Council is thinking of spending another £250,000 on the town centre. Haven't they learned their lesson on wasting our money on madcap schemes like that? Look at the bottom end of the High Street near Asda where they recently
I felt I must write having read the article "Building a case for Hamptons' homes" in your May 3 issue. It is all very well for the developers to come up with a survey that supports their comments that the Hamptons development has not increased the traffic
Why is Sutton Council so wasteful with its taxpayers' money where roads are concerned? Seemingly pointless patches of red and green are mushrooming all over the borough, particularly at junctions and bus stops. Eyesores indeed! Urban roads were never
The Government's emissions reduction target is too little and 25 years too late! The Climate Change Bill sets out a framework for a 60 per cent reduction in CO2 by 2050, far below the London target of 60 per cent reduction by 2025. Unlike the GLA, the
In the early 1920s Coco Chanel wowed an adoring audience when she stepped off a cruise in Cannes with a deep golden tan. Her newly-bronzed body came as a shock in a time when porcelain skin was in vogue, but fashion is fickle, and soon everyone was
I am responding to your article about Lambeth Council's desire to merge its rationalised area committees with safer neighbourhood teams (SNT). Lee Alley, Chairman of the St Leonard's SNT, is right to protest that SNTs were set up by the Met for ordinary
What a ridiculous idea to try to make Putney High Street a conservation area (Wandsworth Guardian front page, May 17). What possible difference would this make on the type of shops the street comprises? This sounds to me like just another excuse for
As chair of the Cheshire Special Needs estate in the London Borough of Lambeth, I write on behalf of all the residents who are all living with disabilities of varying degrees. The reason for this letter is to highlight how appallingly badly the London
A new scheme to encourage businesses to help their staff leave their cars at home has been launched by Transport for London (TfL). Enterprise has been set up by TfL to help small and medium sized businesses across the capital establish workplace travel
A spot of beetle mania has erupted at Lonesome Primary School in Mitcham. The environmental club at the school in Grove Road met on Friday, May 11 to create a habitat out of logs for stag beetles. Science co-ordinator Lizzie Hudson said "During our
The vice chairman of London Councils has applauded everyone involved in the Green Guardian project and proclaimed it to be "fantastic". Councillor Sean Brennan, who also occupies the role of London Councils' executive member for sustainability, praised
With a sunny Spring Bank Holiday expected this weekend, the Recycle for London campaign and Oxfam are teaming up to encourage all Londoners to use their extra day off of work to help spring-clean the environment as well as their homes. At the official
The Enhance programme - the London Development Agency's support service for green enterprises in London - is inviting businesses to a networking event called, Is your company prepared for the WEEE Directive?', on 19 June 2007, 5-8pm, Rich Mix Centre,
With reference to your recent article by Diana Pilkington regarding the takeover of Merton Council's housing stock by registered social landlords (RSLs, Almos etc) Nothing was mentioned concerning the Government's intention to allow councils to keep
Bye Bye, Tony. As our Prime Minister prepares to leave office the last thing on his mind will be transport. Who can blame him? As he begins his long, carbon footprint-expanding slog around USA on lecture tours that will make him a multi-millionaire (while
In October of last year I phoned my doctor's surgery concerning my annual flu injection only to be told they would ring me when they had the serum. I phoned again in November only to be told again they would ring me. I received no such phone call,
"Putting You First" is the new slogan of the Tory Party on Merton Council - not, however, if you have a learning disability, a physical or sensory impairment, or are a frail or ill older person or their partner and carer. This group of people face a
It would seem Merton Council has an active imagination when it comes to defining consultation (with regards to the social care charge increases). Indeed, if the council thinks that a dodgy questionnaire, one presentation meeting per care group and a
It would seem Merton Council has an active imagination when it comes to defining consultation (with regards to the social care charge increases). Indeed, if the council thinks that a dodgy questionnaire, one presentation meeting per care group and a
Supporters of the amendment of freedom of information laws said they are concerned about preventing constituents' correspondence from being disclosed. However, correspondence about constituents' personal affairs which contains personal data is already
Why are the good people of Hook so against paying 40p to park at the Parade? I for one would welcome it purely so I could park outside the shops I wish to use instead of having to struggle with heavy bags back to a neighbouring road. Do the shop owners
It is not just Surbiton which has suffered 30 per cent increases in fares this year (Rail fares were allowed to rise, May 2). Some other Zone 6 stations, such as Kingston, have had the same imposition. SWT have tried to justify the high fares from Surbiton
In the past I have heard repeated complaints that Kingston's standards are dropping; that it is becoming a town of nightclubs, pound shops and chavs. However, in the past few weeks I have seen a new side to my home, which gives me hope for a brighter
Almost 30,000 people, including actresses Jane Horrocks and Amanda Holden and actor Peter Davison have decorated their own pottery at the Pottery Café in Richmond over the last five years. Louise Collins and husband Aiden, who run the Pottery Café
I was sorry to see that Councillor Tasker has chosen to attack me in such a personal way. Yes, I voted for the Liberal Democrat budget, as did all my colleagues. It was the best budget for Kingston, given the huge financial constraints imposed by successive
May I take this opportunity to welcome and congratulate the new Mayor of Kingston Councillor Shiraz Mirza. From what I know of Coun Mirza, he will be a tireless worker, and, one hopes, completely impartial when chairing and conducting full council meetings
How many residents have been taken by surprise by the new scheme to dispose of garden waste, which came into force on 1 April? The old scheme, where you paid 75p for a green plastic bag, with weekly collection of as many bags as you wanted to put out
I am writing in connection with the controversy surrounding the Ely Court site in Kingston upon Thames. We residents surrounding this area wish to keep it as a park for the use of the local community and expressed it clearly through a petition that gathered
A FIFTH of British holiday makers are planning to take their holidays in this country in future to reduce their carbon footprint, according to a survey. Organised by AA Personal Loans, the survey found 11 per cent of people were going to take a driving
A NEW report says global warming can be stopped if people change their ways. It recommends improving house insulation to cut down heating bills and changing from incandescent light bulbs to energy-saving ones. The report was produced by the Intergovernmental
WORLDWIDE Fund for Nature's (WWF) One Planet campaign is encouraging residents to follow 10 principles for better living. It addresses everyday needs such as housing, clothing, food, healthcare, education, energy, transport, leisure, and even happiness
GROUPS including Friends of the Earth and the Campaign to Protect Rural England are upset about Government proposals to shake up planning rules. They believe replacing planning inquiries with an independent commission will make it easier for developers
Staines Town boss Steve Cordery has tipped Kevin Warner to be a massive Dons hit after Terry Brown completed his fourth signing as new boss last night. The 27-year-old versatile midfielder agreed to join Brown's Dons revolution from fellow Ryman Premier
South Norwood residents took to the streets to "posh up" their area. Community group People for Portland Road organised the cleaning mission to give South Norwood a facelift. And after a successful few hours tidying up the Portland Road area, there are
I've got nothing against football, Liverpool is a great city and its team obviously needs sponsorship. However, I still think our MP should not, during his public duties, wear a shirt advertising alcohol - even if the Guardian editor calls me "shirty
I wonder how often the Conservative parliamentary spokesman for Tooting actually visits our area, given his out of touch comments on local policing ("We need more beat police", May 17). As a local resident, I am pleased to regularly see the reassuring
This Government is going to make people pay £1.54 per mile for driving their cars. That's out of order when we pay all the taxes that we pay. Whenever they demand more from us, all we do is pay up. The way things are going we will not be able to live
A babies' tea party in Sanderstead was one of many held across the country to mark the 51st anniversary of the National Childbirth Trust (NCT). About 40 families attended the event at Sanderstead's Bumps, Babes and Toddler group, which raised £120 for
I agree that a police/security presence on our trains, especially at night, would be a great benefit to the many passengers travelling the trains, buses and Tubes. I remember back to the early 90s when the Guardian Angels travelled along with passengers
I am disgusted at the decisions by Wandsworth councillors to promote local journeys by car by increasing parking facilities along Northcote Road. Why councillors have assumed that increasing parking spaces will help this street is a mystery. This is
A stray cat stuck in a tree for five days in Weybridge was drenched by a firefighter's hose in an hour-long rescue last Thursday. Firefighter Iain Pompei said: "Concerns that the cat may have jumped down onto a passing vehicle and caused an accident
What a ridiculous idea to try to make Putney High Street a conservation area (Wandsworth Guardian front page, May 17). What possible difference would this make to the type of shops the street comprises? This sounds to me like just another excuse for
When the G1 bus service began it was known as the hospital hail and stop bus. Going round St George's Hospital, it would stop at any wing entrance a patient asked for. Last week, I asked the driver to stop at the Atkinson Morley wing entrance, he refused
The waiting is over for the finalists in the first South London Business Awards. At a ceremony at Crystal Palace Football Club last night, the winners in the eight award categories were announced. Chairman of the judges, Phil Walker, of the Royal
The key to solving the increasingly prevelant problem of childhood obesity is urban design, according to one of Croydon's top doctors. Director of health at Croydon Primary Care Trust Dr Tim Crayford said more children would be able to cycle or walk
Coulsdon East safer neighbourhood team has secured a dispersal order to tackle antisocial behaviour, that will come into effect from next Tuesday. Groups of two or more people acting unlawfully will be split up, with police having the power to take children
Ex-lovers warring over a Twickenham property valued at over £650,000 moved a top High Court judge to near-poetry in his judgment on Wednesday. As he ruled on the legal wrangle between carpenter Barry Young, 49, and his ex-partner Rebecca Lauretani, Mr
A 73-year-old Croydon man was killed when his car collided with a tree in Selsdon on Sunday evening. Allen Kent was freed from the car by ambulance staff and taken to hospital after the collision, where he died more than two hours later. Police are
Both of Elmbridge's MPs say they are against MPs' correspondence being exempted from the Freedom of Information Act - but neither voted against the bill last week. Ian Taylor, MP for Esher and Walton, opposed the bill, saying the Data Protection Act
The woman abandoned on a Richmond train as a week-old baby has made an appeal for information about her earliest days. It is 40 years ago to the day that Frances Leonard was discovered on the 11am Richmond to Willesden train. It is believed a woman
Recently hitched singer Amy Winehouse was given another reason to celebrate last night when she picked up yet another gong. Amy, who studied at Croydon's Brit School alongside pops stars like Katie Melua, flew back from the US to pick up the Ivor Novello
