Home / Articles

Latest Articles

  • Cameron's cabinet: A guide to who's who
  • 13th May 2010
  • Details of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government are beginning to emerge. Here is a guide to the key cabinet posts confirmed so far. In graphics: David Cameron's cabinet in full Conservative David Cameron was virtually unknown outside ...
  • Heathrow runway plans scrapped by new government
  • 13th May 2010
  • Plans for a third runway at London's Heathrow Airport have been scrapped by the new government. Councils, residents and green groups had opposed the expansion scheme which Gordon Brown said was needed for economic reasons. John Stewart, from Hacan ClearS...
  • Fulham boss Roy Hodgson voted manager of the year
  • 11th May 2010
  • Fulham's Roy Hodgson has been voted manager of the year by a record margin after steering the west London club to the Europa League final. Hodgson received the award from the League Managers Association after a poll of coaches, including managers from the...
  • PPP deal for London Tube upgrades a 'colossal waste'
  • 10th May 2010
  • A public-private partnership (PPP) deal to upgrade the London Underground (LU) network "wasted a colossal sum of money", Mayor Boris Johnson said. The deal with consortium Tube Lines was ended over the weekend and all maintenance work brought in...
  • Volcanic ash cloud hits transatlantic flights
  • 10th May 2010
  • Hundreds of transatlantic flights have been cancelled or delayed by a cloud of ash from an Icelandic volcano drifting south over Western Europe. Sixteen Spanish airports - including the international hub, Barcelona - are closed, with many flights being re...
  • New ash cloud means love is not in the air
  • 07th May 2010
  • Romance is one of the many casualties of the latest airport closures in Scotland, caused by ash clouds from an Icelandic volcano. Brides, grooms, lovers and newly-weds are amongst the thousands of passengers affected. Allan Dick, 53, was meant to fly wi...
  • Tories gain Ealing and Harrow East in London election
  • 07th May 2010
  • The Conservatives have gained seats from Labour across London, but not in some key marginals. The Tories have taken seven seats from Labour in the capital including Harrow East, and Ealing Central and Acton. But they failed to make gains from Labour in W...
  • Workers join demonstration against public sector cuts
  • 10th April 2010
  • Thousands of public sector workers have joined a demonstration in London to protest against the prospect of cuts. Ahead of the general election, trade unionists, pensioners, students and other campaigners marched to condemn reductions in jobs and services...
  • Rare manuscripts to be auctioned
  • 25th March 2010
  • A collection of manuscripts previously owned by kings, bishops and members of the aristocracy is expected to fetch up to £16m when it is sold at auction. Prayerbooks belonging to King Francois I of France and Elizabeth de Bohun, great-grandmother of...
  • Greenwich Olympic equestrian events approved
  • 25th March 2010
  • Greenwich Royal Park will host the equestrian events at the London 2012 Olympics, despite opposition from some local residents. Councillors approved the plans at a five-hour meeting at Greenwich Town Hall late on Tuesday. More than 30 people objected to ...
  • British Airways strike hits Heathrow flights
  • 20th March 2010
  • About 40% of long-haul and 70% of short-haul British Airways flights from Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5 have been cancelled due to the cabin crew strike. The airline has said passengers have experienced little disruption, however. Some flights are being ...
  • Campaign aims to cut water bills for Surrey residents
  • 08th March 2010
  • Water saving devices are being fitted into homes across Surrey to help households reduce their consumption. More than 1,000 homes in Redhill and Merstham are to benefit from the pilot Tap into Savings scheme. Water saving devices include timers, shower a...
  • Kent's debts now exceed
  • 08th March 2010
  • Kent have announced losses of more than £800,000, an increase of £110,000 on the previous year, but insist the playing budget will not be cut. The figures for the 12 months up to 31 October 2009 show two pop concerts staged at the St Lawrence ...
  • Irish asset agency eyes London hotels
  • 01st March 2010
  • Three of London's most prestigious hotels could end up being controlled by the Irish government. The Irish Times has reported that the Berkeley, Claridges and the Connaught may be about to be taken over by the Republic's National Asset Management Agency ...
  • Lord Coe says London can learn from Vancouver Olympics
  • 01st March 2010
  • London should learn from the way in which the Canadian public has embraced the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games, Sebastian Coe has said. The London 2012 chairman has been at Olympic sites in and around Vancouver. He will report on his findings at the ...
  • London Games warned over reduced contingency funding
  • 26th February 2010
  • Cuts in contingency funds for London Olympics could leave organisers with less "room to manoeuvre", the National Audit Office (NAO) has warned. The Games remain on track and on budget but there were "plenty more hurdles to jump", Edwar...
  • Speed cameras installed at Devil's Punchbowl
  • 26th February 2010
  • Speed cameras have been installed near a £371m tunnel being constructed in Surrey, to protect contractors. They have been put up at the southern end of the Hindhead Tunnel roadworks on the A3, to limit motorists' speed to a maximum 50mph. Surrey Sa...
  • Final plea over Lydd airport expansion plan
  • 26th February 2010
  • An environmental charity has made a final appeal to prevent the expansion of a Kent airport. Protect Kent has urged Shepway District Council to vote against the plans for Lydd airport when they attend a planning hearing on 3 March. Campaigners fear exten...
  • Heathrow third runway plan unfair, High Court told
  • 26th February 2010
  • Plans for a third runway at Heathrow are a "breach of natural justice" because the consultation process was unfair, the High Court has heard. Local councils, residents and green groups want a judge to quash the expansion plans for the London air...
  • Kent Police Authority vote for council tax increase
  • 11th February 2010
  • The body responsible for overseeing policing in Kent is to increase its share of the council tax by almost 3%. It will mean a rise of £4 a year for the average band D taxpayer, bringing the total of the force's share of the tax to £138. Kent ...
  • Headley Court to get 30 extra beds for injured soldiers
  • 11th February 2010
  • Thirty extra ward beds are to be provided at the rehabilitation centre in Surrey for wounded soldiers being nursed back to health. The government has announced the number of beds for patients needing the most intensive treatment at Headley Court will incr...
  • London 2012 Olympics may pay more in security costs
  • 11th February 2010
  • Extra security could see the cost of the London 2012 Olympics rise by up to £180m ($280. 6m), but organisers say the event will meet its £9. 3bn budget. In its latest financial report, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said th...
  • Lucian Freud black-eyed portrait fetches
  • 11th February 2010
  • Lucian Freud's Self-Portrait With A Black Eye has sold for £2,841,250 at Sotheby's in London. The estimate for the work, which shows the artist with a swollen eye following a punch-up with a taxi driver, was £3m to £4m. Sotheby's said t...
  • Inspector backs fewer bedsits plan for Cliftonville
  • 05th February 2010
  • Plans to cut the number of bedsits in a Kent seaside town have been given the go-ahead by an independent planning inspector. Thanet District Council has spent two years coming up with a plan for the future of Cliftonville, near Margate. It wants to incre...
  • Doctor Who props and costumes up for auction
  • 05th February 2010
  • A selection of props and costumes from BBC One's Doctor Who are to go under the hammer in London later this month. Fans can snap up their own Cyberman, Dalek or Sea Devil at the auction, as well as costumes worn by the 10th Doctor himself, David Tennant. ...
  • Beauty pageant inspires India's transgenders
  • 05th February 2010
  • As Sonia swayed to a popular Bollywood song, striking model-like poses, a small crowd of activists and journalists cheered her on. She was the first of about 20 contestants at auditions held in the Indian city of Mumbai (Bombay) for the "Super Queen...
  • Love Letters from the past
  • 05th February 2010
  • John Glasson Thomas was born in St Ives in 1889 and became a teacher at the Board School. He moved to London to continue his teaching career and volunteered to join the Army in 1915. After some training at St Ives with the local Territorial Army he joine...
  • Airtrack scheme faces more delays
  • 05th February 2010
  • A new delay has hit a planned £675m rail link between Heathrow Airport and stations in Berkshire and Surrey. A public inquiry into BAA's proposed Airtrack line has been put back until the autumn at the earliest so concerns about level crossings can ...
  • Nathan Robertson backs badminton venue change in 2012
  • 05th February 2010
  • Olympic silver medallist Nathan Robertson has backed a decision to stage badminton at Wembley Arena during the 2012 Games in London. Organisers decided against building a temporary venue at the Olympic Park, a move that is unpopular with badminton's gover...
  • Stop banker-bashing, says Lord Mayor of London
  • 01st February 2010
  • Lord Mayor of London Nick Anstee has urged politicians to stop "banker bashing" and restore trust in the City. Mr Anstee, the global ambassador for the financial services, said: "Trust has fundamentally broken down between the British publi...
  • Woking council's IT network fixed after computer virus
  • 01st February 2010
  • IT services at a Surrey council have returned to normal a week after a virus attack on its computer network. Staff at Woking Borough Council first realised something was wrong on 25 January when they were unable to use part of their computer system. The ...
  • Archaeologists unearth Iron Age settlement in Kent
  • 01st February 2010
  • The remains of an Iron Age settlement have been unearthed by archaeologists working along the route of a new £1. 3m water pipeline in Kent. Evidence of a dwelling, postholes, pits, ancient hearths and pieces of pottery were found on land in Pembury....
  • Two banks to help young Londoners, mayor announces
  • 29th January 2010
  • Two major banks have offered thousands of pounds to help disadvantaged children in London. The Mayor's Fund for London has received a seven figure sum from a major global bank to support its work on helping disadvantaged children. The bank that donated t...
  • Davos 2010: South Africa's Zuma defends polygamy
  • 29th January 2010
  • South Africa's President Jacob Zuma has defended polygamy during a question and answer session at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Mr Zuma, who married his third wife earlier this month, said it was part of his Zulu culture and did not detr...
  • Islington car park destroyed to create more allotments
  • 29th January 2010
  • A car park is being torn up to create allotments in one of the north London boroughs where demand for the growing spaces is at its highest. The car park, in Holloway, Islington, has already been removed in preparation for 27 new allotments. The old concr...
  • Bid for more Tube money rejected
  • 25th January 2010
  • The consortium behind upgrades to part of London's Tube network has had a claim for a further £327m of public funds rejected in a row over delays. An independent adjudication into the claim by the Tube Lines consortium found London Underground (LU) ...
  • Untaxed cars seized in crackdown
  • 22nd January 2010
  • A number of vehicles have been seized in Kent following a crackdown on untaxed and abandoned cars. Operation Cubit led to the seizure of 19 vehicles between 11 and 15 January using patrols and static road checks. Ten cars were removed from the Isle of Sh...
  • Lord Adonis in 'Flying Scotsman' rail pledge
  • 22nd January 2010
  • The transport secretary has vowed to introduce a new 'Flying Scotsman' rail service to cut journeys between London and Scotland to under four hours. Lord Adonis said he wanted to see speedy new trains on the East Coast line within two years. He promised ...
  • Jubilee Line Tube staff to stage 24-hour strikes
  • 22nd January 2010
  • Maintenance workers on a London Underground line are to stage a series of 24-hour strikes in a row over pay. Members of the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union employed by Alstom on the Jubilee line are taking the action. They will walk out from 0729...
  • Flood-hit Surrey secures
  • 21st January 2010
  • An area of Surrey affected by flooding has been awarded money to improve watercourses and to review flood relief systems. Surrey Heath Borough Council secured a £30,000 grant from Defra to study the flooding problems in Chobham and the surrounding a...
  • Heseltine backs Heathrow expansion report
  • 21st January 2010
  • Conservative leader David Cameron's decision to oppose the expansion of Heathrow airport has been questioned in a report backed by Lord Heseltine. Mr Cameron wants to cancel Heathrow's third runway and spend the money instead on high-speed rail. But a re...
  • Love Story author Erich Segal dies from heart attack
  • 21st January 2010
  • Love Story author Erich Segal has died from a heart attack at home in London aged 72, his daughter has said. Segal was a classics professor at Yale University when he wrote the book, which became an Oscar-winning 1970 film starring Ryan O'Neal and Ali Mac...
  • Online dating soars as temperatures plunge
  • 09th January 2010
  • As the UK's big chill shows no sign of ending, people appear to be seeking to raise the temperature with a bit of online romance. With millions of Britons unable to make it into work because of the snow and ice, one of the unforeseen effects has been a r...
  • Engineers work to reconnect power
  • 09th January 2010
  • Engineers in Surrey are hoping to reconnect 150 homes which have been without power for three days. Southern Electric said engineers were working to restore power but were having difficulty travelling to rural parts of the county. The areas affected incl...
  • Love songs ease Berlusconi pain
  • 03rd January 2010
  • Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi is penning new love songs while he recuperates after an assault which left him with a broken nose and two broken teeth. Italian media say Mr Berlusconi, 73, is working on a new CD of songs with Mariano Apicella, a guitarist wh...
  • Kent coach Paul Farbrace plans split-season approach
  • 18th December 2009
  • Kent are searching for two overseas cricketers to play half the season each - a fast bowler for the start of 2010 and a spinner for the second half. Coach Paul Farbrace told BBC Radio Kent: "We are looking to split the season in two. It's how we wan...
  • Airport baggage staff to strike
  • 18th December 2009
  • Airport baggage handlers and check-in staff at Heathrow and Aberdeen airports are set to hold a series of 48-hour strikes in a row over pay. The Unite union said members working for SAS Ground Services would walk out from 22 December, with further strikes...
  • Teams start Africa charity rally
  • 15th December 2009
  • A total of 50 teams have set off from Surrey to Cameroon to take part in a trans-continental car rally to raise £50,000 for charity. The drivers, in vehicles with 1-litre engines, started the Adventurists' 2009 Africa Rally at Dunsfold Park race tra...
  • High-speed travel for commuters
  • 15th December 2009
  • The new high-speed train service operating between Kent and London St Pancras has been officially launched. The Japanese-built Class 395 Javelin trains, run by Southeastern, can reach speeds of up to 140mph. The first of the new weekday services arrived ...
  • Airport cuts back expansion plans
  • 30th November 2009
  • A Kent airport has cut back its 25-year expansion plan because of the effects of the recession on aviation. Kent International Airport, based at Manston, has published the final version of its master plan, which was first set out in October last year. It...
  • Zambia's celebrity couple reveal wife-beating past
  • 30th November 2009
  • Accessibility links One of Zambia's most famous singers has revealed how she was badly beaten by her husband. She now hopes to lift the lid on the country's ingrained acceptance of domestic violence. "My husband will kill me," giggles Saboi I...
  • Backing for hospital bed cut plan
  • 26th November 2009
  • Measures to remove 14 beds at a community hospital in Surrey have won the backing of the county council's health scrutiny committee. The committee was "broadly supportive" of NHS Surrey's plans to end in-patient care at Cranleigh Village Hospita...
  • Forces considering drone aircraft
  • 26th November 2009
  • Unmanned military-style drones could be used by police forces to help combat illegal immigration and drug smugglers along Britain's coastlines. The Unmanned Autonomous Systems (UAS), have been used by British troops in Afghanistan to monitor enemy action....
  • Pilot's wartime love letters sold
  • 23rd November 2009
  • Letters sent by a Battle of Britain fighter pilot to his sweetheart in Norfolk have sold at auction for £2,100. Sgt Eric Arthur Redfern wrote to Joan Preston, who would later become his wife, while serving in the RAF under the command of Douglas Bad...
  • Last call for Heathrow terminal 2
  • 23rd November 2009
  • Heathrow Airport's terminal 2 is closing after 54 years to make way for a £1bn replacement. The last passengers checked in to the terminal on Monday, with work due to start on the new building in 2010. It is expected to open in 2014. BAA chief exe...
  • Face scanners launched at airport
  • 23rd November 2009
  • Face scanning technology brought in at Gatwick Airport will speed up passport checks, the government has said. Home secretary Alan Johnson officially launched the face scanners at the airport in West Sussex on Monday. He said the self-service technology ...
  • Poppy Appeal tin thefts 'increasing'
  • 22nd November 2009
  • Charity fundraisers for the Royal British Legion have reported that more than 30 collection tins have been stolen in Surrey. The 33 Poppy Appeal tins were taken from supermarkets, shops, petrol stations, medical centres, cafes and churches around the coun...
  • Henry VIII's love nest for sale
  • 21st November 2009
  • A house where newlywed Henry VIII stayed with his second wife Anne Boleyn has gone on the market after being rebuilt from a state of near collapse. Shurland Hall, on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, is thought to be the gatehouse of a Tudor palace owned by a ...
  • Village water supply contaminated
  • 21st November 2009
  • More than 70 households in a Kent village have been told to boil their water to kill bacteria, after experts discovered the supply was contaminated. Sevenoaks Council warned people in Eynsford about the contamination after it carried out routine tests on ...
  • Heathrow crash passengers to sue
  • 21st November 2009
  • Ten passengers on a plane from Beijing to London which crash-landed at Heathrow Airport are to sue aircraft manufacturer Boeing. The British Airways flight, with 152 people on board, crashed in January 2008. Everyone on board survived. But a number of p...
  • Hospital unveils single-sex wards
  • 16th November 2009
  • Four newly refurbished single-sex wards are being officially unveiled at Ashford Hospital in Surrey. The improvements on Chaucer, Dickens, Wordsworth and Fielding wards are part of a major ward improvement scheme at both Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals. ...
  • Seagull-proof bin bags tried out
  • 16th November 2009
  • Seagull-proof reusable waste bags are to be tested in a Kent seaside town in a bid to prevent birds attacking rubbish put out for collection. Thanet District Council said waste would be put into black bags, and the black bags would be put into the seagull...
  • Somalis appeal for pair's release
  • 16th November 2009
  • Representatives of the Somali community in Britain have appealed to the pirates holding a Kent couple to free them on humanitarian grounds. Messages were recorded for broadcast on the BBC World Service and Eastern TV Network after a meeting in Birmingham....
  • Roadshows on flood defence plans
  • 14th November 2009
  • Roadshows on plans to build three more flood relief channels near the Thames are being held for people in Surrey who did not receive flyers. Consultation on the flood defence plans began in September, but many households did not get their Environment Agen...
  • Security warning over lead thefts
  • 14th November 2009
  • A spate of lead thefts across west Surrey has led to police warnings to businesses and residents to protect their property. Police have dealt with incidents in which lead was taken from a boarded-up building in Merrow, from a school in Frimley, and from a...
  • Actors stage third runway protest
  • 14th November 2009
  • Actors, politicians and the country's leading poet planted an orchard on the site of the proposed third Heathrow runway during a protest on Friday. Actors Alison Steadman and Richard Briers, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg and Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy join...
  • Ban on upfront model fees planned
  • 12th November 2009
  • Modelling agencies would be banned from charging upfront fees, under government plans to be announced later. Business Minister Pat McFadden said the government had introduced a "cooling-off period" but still received reports of young hopefuls be...
  • 'Drunk' pilot is held at Heathrow
  • 10th November 2009
  • A United Airlines pilot was arrested on suspicion of being drunk on board a plane at Heathrow Airport on Monday, a Scotland Yard spokesman has said. The 51-year-old, who has not been named, was breath-tested and taken to London's Heathrow police statio...
  • BAA to buy 700 homes near runway
  • 02nd November 2009
  • Airport operator BAA has agreed to buy 700 homes under threat from the new third runway at Heathrow Airport. Proposals for the runway have made it difficult for residents in the area to sell their properties. BAA had refused to commit to buying the ...
  • Bogus student checks 'don't work'
  • 02nd November 2009
  • Immigration officers have warned bosses that new rules designed to stop bogus students entering the UK are not working, the BBC has learned. Non-EU students are supposed to apply to registered institutions, and must prove they can support themselves. ...
  • Sale of Gatwick hits BAA results
  • 02nd November 2009
  • UK airports operator BAA has reported a large loss after the forced sale of Gatwick airport, and has also said that passenger numbers have fallen. BAA announced a pre-tax loss of £784.7m for the first nine months of the year, compared with a &pou...
  • BA boss questions flying motives
  • 21st October 2009
  • "I don't believe people fly because they like the idea of flying, particularly business people," British Airways boss Willie Walsh has said. His comments came in a BBC interview about the environmental challenges facing aviation. The airli...
  • Study backs Thames island airport
  • 21st October 2009
  • There are no "insoluble" issues to prevent an airport being built in the Thames estuary, a report has concluded. London Mayor Boris Johnson is considering building an airport several miles off the Essex and Kent coasts. A feasibility study...
  • Gatwick building plan put on hold
  • 21st October 2009
  • A decision on whether to allow Gatwick airport to extend its North Terminal and build a new multi-storey car park has been put on hold. The government has told Crawley Borough Council it is considering whether to hold a public inquiry into the plans. ...
  • BAA sale of Gatwick 'is due soon'
  • 21st October 2009
  • The sale of Gatwick Airport by BAA is due to happen soon, the airport operator's parent company has said. Spain's Ferrovial said it was in talks with more than one bidder for the airport which BAA has been ordered to sell by the UK Competition Commissi...
  • Heathrow terminal revamp unveiled
  • 10th August 2009
  • Plans for a £1bn refurbishment of Heathrow Airport's Terminal 2 in west London which will increase passenger capacity has been unveiled. The terminal will be able to cater for 30 million travellers a year by 2019, airport operator BAA said. Th...
  • Heathrow enjoys passenger pick-up
  • 10th August 2009
  • Heathrow enjoyed its third-busiest month on record in July, owner BAA said, giving a boost to the struggling airline industry. The airport, the UK's largest, saw passenger numbers of 6.48 million, up 0.9% from the year before. BAA said that the rece...
  • Losses up at BAA London airports
  • 30th July 2009
  • Losses have tripled at the three London airports owned by BAA, due to a larger pension fund deficit and falls in the value of Heathrow's older terminals. The Spanish-owned company said that pre-tax losses totalled £545.7m in the first six months ...
  • BA evacuates fume-filled US jet
  • 11th July 2009
  • Hundreds of people have been evacuated from a British Airways plane in the US after the cabin filled with fumes. The BA Boeing 747 was due to depart for London Heathrow from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Arizona state. More than 300 pa...
  • Jobs risk as Virgin cuts flights
  • 03rd July 2009
  • Virgin Atlantic, the airline majority-owned by Sir Richard Branson, says it will cut back on winter services and may cut up to 600 jobs. Virgin said its daily Heathrow to Chicago service will not operate this winter and it would suspend one of two dail...
  • Village pub gets 80 new landlords
  • 16th June 2009
  • Villagers in Kent have clubbed together to buy their local pub after it was abandoned by the previous landlord. The Farriers Arms in Mersham, which was put up for sale three months ago, has been bought for £615,000 by a consortium of 80 sharehold...
  • £4.5m boost for NHS dental care
  • 16th June 2009
  • Investment of £4.5m will pay for more NHS dentists in east Kent. The funding boost will go towards dental care in Deal, Dover, Chestfield, Whitstable, Faversham, Broadstairs, Cliftonville, Sheppey and Hawkinge. NHS Eastern and Coastal Kent sai...
  • Seventh swine flu case diagnosed
  • 16th June 2009
  • The seventh swine flu case in Kent has been confirmed by health officials in a woman from the west of the county. She had recently travelled to Kent from Australia and is being treated at home with antiviral medication, a NHS West Kent spokesperson sai...
  • Artist's mythical stamps issued
  • 16th June 2009
  • Creatures from British folklore created by a Kent artist have been published as a set of stamps. Dave McKean, an illustrator from the Isle of Oxney, was commissioned by the Royal Mail to design the Mythical Creatures stamps and presentation pack. Th...
  • Kent hopeful over Parnell return
  • 16th June 2009
  • Kent are hoping South African fast bowler Wayne Parnell will re-join the county after the ICC World Twenty20. The 19-year-old left-arm paceman arrived in April but left when he received his international call-up. He has been one of the stars of the ...
  • Cavaday happy ahead of Wimbledon
  • 16th June 2009
  • Kent's Naomi Cavaday insists she has not peaked too soon, despite playing some of the best tennis of her career in the lead up to Wimbledon. The 20-year-old beat 2008 Wimbledon quarter-finalist Tamarine Tanasugarn on her way to the third round of the A...
  • Taxpayers 'could pay' for runway
  • 16th June 2009
  • Taxpayers could end up subsidising the £9bn bill for Heathrow's third runway because of the "precarious" finances of the airport's operator, an MP has said. Hayes and Harlington MP John McDonnell was speaking amid reports on what would ...
  • Public supports budget cap force
  • 06th June 2009
  • Police in Surrey are urging residents to sign a petition to help fight the government decision to cap its budget. The petition, on the Surrey Police Authority's website, has received more than 4,600 signatures since it was started last Thursday. The...
  • Tories maintain control of Surrey
  • 06th June 2009
  • The Conservative Party has maintained its grip on Surrey County Council, despite losing three seats. The Tories won 56 seats, down from 59, the Residents' Association increased its number to nine and the Lib Dems gained one, taking their total to 13. ...
  • Vote on Heathrow Express strike
  • 06th June 2009
  • Workers on the Heathrow Express are threatening a strike to reinstate a driver they say was unfairly dismissed. Omono Edokpayi handed Heathrow Express his notice to start a new job - but when the role fell through they would not let him stay on, it is ...
  • Vitamin D 'key to healthy brain'
  • 25th May 2009
  • Scientists have produced more evidence that vitamin D has an important role in keeping the brain in good working order in later life. A study of over 3,000 European men aged 40-79 found those with high vitamin D levels performed better on memory and in...
  • Fathers-to-be 'gain extra weight'
  • 25th May 2009
  • The average father-to-be gains a stone (6.35kg) during his partner's pregnancy, a poll has suggested. A fifth of 5,000 men surveyed said they were given larger meals, and 41% said there were more snacks in the house. The poll, for marketing company ...
  • Britons 'wary over cancer advice'
  • 25th May 2009
  • The UK public is deeply sceptical about scientific claims for what causes or prevents cancer, a poll suggests. The YouGov survey of 2,400 people for the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) found more than half thought scientists were always changing thei...
  • Homes regeneration scheme starts
  • 25th May 2009
  • Work has started on a £50m regeneration scheme to replace unfit homes in an area of Staines in Surrey. Bulldozers have begun demolishing dwellings in Victory Close in Stanwell to make way for 52 new private and shared-ownership properties. The...
  • 'Sherlock Holmes' violin created
  • 23rd May 2009
  • A violin made from a tree in the garden of author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's childhood home is to be played to mark the 150th anniversary of his birth. The violin was carved from the sycamore tree by Edinburgh-based luthier Steve Burnett. It was made ...
  • Leonardo inventions go on display
  • 23rd May 2009
  • Life-sized models based on the designs of renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci are to go on show in Surrey. About 50 flight, war and civil engineering inventions will be on display at Woking's Lightbox gallery. The exhibition will also feature one o...
  • Pilot held over breathalyser test
  • 23rd May 2009
  • A pilot stopped at Heathrow Airport as he was about to fly a Boeing 777 to Chicago has failed a breathalyser test. American Airlines said its pilot was stopped at the west London airport as he boarded flight AA87, on Wednesday, which had 204 passengers...
  • High costs fuel record loss at BA
  • 23rd May 2009
  • British Airways has announced the biggest loss since the company was privatised in 1987. BA reported a loss before tax of £401m for the year to 31 March, after seeing its results hit by a weak pound and higher fuel costs. The airline made a re...
  • BAA to challenge airport break-up
  • 23rd May 2009
  • BAA says it will appeal against the decision by the Competition Commission ordering it to sell three airports. The commission told BAA in March that it must sell Gatwick and Stansted airports and either Edinburgh or Glasgow airport. BAA said the rul...
  • Air steward jailed for bomb hoax
  • 23rd May 2009
  • An Australian flight attendant has been jailed for 18 months for leaving a bomb hoax note on board a plane flying to Gatwick Airport. Matthew Carney, 23, wrote a note saying explosives had been planted on the Boeing 777 by the Taliban. It was found ...
  • Airline staff ballot over strike
  • 23rd May 2009
  • A holiday operator faces strike action at the height of the summer season as the Unite union prepares to ballot more than 600 cabin crew over pay. A ballot will be held in July which could see Monarch Holidays staff walk out at Gatwick, Birmingham, Man...
  • Leisure Activities In Surrey
  • 30th September 2008
  • Surrey has a large number of top class sports clubs providing a wide range of sporting activities for locals and visitors.  The county takes sport seriously and is the perfect setting for both indoor and outdoor sports.  The annual Surrey Youth ...
  • Enjoy The Rolling Hills Of Surrey
  • 30th September 2008
  • Surrey is the most wooded county in the United Kingdom and the County Council's emblem is quite appropriately a pair of interlaced oak leaves.  The Surrey Hills "Area of Outstanding National Beauty" (AONB) is one of only 36 nationally prote...
  • Days Out In Surrey
  • 30th September 2008
  • There is no shortage of fun days out in Surrey!  From traditional towns to exciting theme parks and from stately homes to wildlife and river walks, it is easy to arrange a unique day out for the whole family.  Spend the day at one of Surrey's ma...
  • Historic Houses in Surrey
  • 30th September 2008
  • Hampton Court Palace was built in 1514 by Cardinal Wolsey, Archbishop of York and chief minister to Henry VIII.  The splendid Tudor buildings originally included apartments for use by King Henry, Catherine of Aragon and Princess Mary and the palace w...
  • Accommodation In Surrey
  • 30th September 2008
  • Situated close to London and the M25, Surrey is the ideal destination for a weekend or mid-week break.  Within easy reach of Gatwick and Heathrow, Surrey's bed and breakfasts provide convenient, comfortable accommodation combined with a warm welcome....
  • Superb Hotels In Surrey
  • 30th September 2008
  • With it's abundance of market towns and picturesque villages, Surrey offers a wide range of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets - from reasonably priced rural retreats to modern contemporary city hotels and cosy country inns to luxurious lakeside...
  • Things To Do In Surrey
  • 30th September 2008
  • Surrey offers a huge number of good value attractions to suit all ages and tastes.  All are within easy reach of most major road and rail routes which means less stress for the whole family.  If you're tired of travelling by car, why not hire a ...
  • Surrey's Markets And Shopping Centres
  • 30th September 2008
  • When it comes to good quality local produce, Surrey is a treasure trove of both award winning and traditional food and drink.  From delicious English ales and wine to succulent Aberdeen Angus beef and fresh vegetables, Surrey has everything it takes ...
  • History And Heritage Of Surrey
  • 30th September 2008
  • Since the earliest times, South East England has been a battleground for a succession of armies and invaders - Danes, Angles, Saxons and Romans.  Today it is one of the most affluent areas of England, comprised of sloping hills, flower-filled fields ...
  • Super Surrey
  • 30th September 2008
  • Just a stone's throw from London, Surrey is extremely popular for commuters and with many famous and popular attractions, it is a favourite destination for tourists and holidaymakers.  There is no shortage of beautiful towns and villages in Surrey an...
  • Catch a Crab
  • 21st September 2008
  • Cancerians are the only men who can flutter their eyelashes at somebody and get away with it.  They have such a sweet, vulnerable look about them that it is almost impossible to say no.  Apart from getting you to do pretty much anything for them...
  • Diabetic Diet
  • 21st September 2008
  • Being a diabetic doesn't necessarily mean that you have to be on diet for the rest of your life.  If you have a relatively normal weight and no other serious medical conditions, you just need to be careful and adopt a healthier way of eating.  Y...
  • Hold Your Head Up High
  • 21st September 2008
  • Great news girls - "Size doesn't count!"  Men of all ages agree that it's the way a woman moves that makes her attractive and desirable.  According to recent studies and surveys, they are more likely to fall for an XXL lady who has the...
  • Feet First
  • 21st September 2008
  • When it comes to proverbs, no part of the body is as popular or well-represented as our feet!  We have to put our best foot forward to get back on our feet again, we are dead on our feet and need to put our feet up, we get our foot in the door but ca...
  • Enjoy The Fabulous 50s
  • 21st September 2008
  • A lot of people feel that they were born in the wrong time and look back with nostalgia to the way things were in the 1950's.  But were things actually that much better back then, in the days before mobile phones, laptops, surround sound, e-mail, sat...
  • Meditation Methods
  • 17th September 2008
  • To be successful in meditation, you need to meditate frequently and consistently.  Recommended is a minimum of fifteen minutes once or twice a day and it is important that you try to meditate for the same length of time and at the same time of day.&n...
  • Love On The Net
  • 17th September 2008
  • Internet dating is all fair and good, but even with all the horror stories and warnings going around the world, most people still tend to think that bad things only happen to other people and that they are sure to find their perfect match on-line.  A...
  • BAA Could Sell Gatwick
  • 15th May 2008
  • Experts believe that BAA might be forced to bring forward their planned sale of Gatwick Airport if the company is unable to complete the £10 billion refinancing of its debts. BAA, which operates Stansted, Heathrow and Gatwick Airports, has recently...
  • 300 Jobs Lost at Gatwick Airport
  • 15th May 2008
  • Aviance, who are one of the UK's biggest baggage handling firms, has had to make 308 full-time employees redundant from Gatwick Airport, claiming that they can no longer operate due to the punishing financial restrictions that govern UK airports. Unite, ...
  • Heathrow Crash Jet Caused by Cold Weather
  • 14th May 2008
  • Aviation experts have attributed the crash landing of a British Airways Boeing 777 jet at Heathrow to problems with fuel flow. All 136 passengers and 16 members of crew survived the crash, which occurred in January, although one passenger suffered a broke...
  • Heathrow Responsible for Millions of Pounds in Lost Tax Revenue
  • 14th May 2008
  • Figures obtained by reporters at The Times indicate that over a quarter of passengers at Heathrow Airport are overseas travellers who are stopping there only to change planes. Since 1991, the amount of international passengers arriving at Heathrow Airpor...
  • Heathrow Terminal 5 Boss Leaves
  • 14th May 2008
  • BAA has announced that Mark Bullock, the Heathrow Airport boss who oversaw the opening of the disastrous Terminal 5, is to leave his job. Spanish-owned BAA operates Heathrow Airport, as well as Gatwick and a number of other airports throughout the country...
  • Heathrow and Gatwick Operator BAA Delays Refinancing
  • 24th April 2008
  • According to reports, the global credit crunch has caused airport operator BAA to delay the planned refinancing of their massive debt. Just last month, the business said that it hoped to have refinancing in place by June, although this is no longer likely...
  • Snow Causes More Delays at Heathrow’s Terminal 5
  • 23rd April 2008
  • The weather caused yet more problems at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 this week, after the heaviest snow in two decades prompted a number of flight cancellations. Since the terminal opened at the end of March, it has been plagued by baggage problems that c...
  • Scottish Airports Suffer Due to Heathrow Chaos
  • 23rd April 2008
  • According to statistics, passenger numbers at Scottish airports have dwindled due to the chaos surrounding the opening of Heathrow’s new Terminal Five. Airport operator BAA has said that the number of people passing through the country’s th...
  • Naomi Campbell Banned from BA after Abusing Staff at Heathrow
  • 23rd April 2008
  • Temperamental supermodel Naomi Campbell, 38, has been banned for life from flying with British Airways after her recent arrest in Heathrow’s new Terminal 5 on suspicion of assaulting a police officer. The charge occurred after the model rowed with B...
  • Dead Man’s Baggage Lost in Heathrow’s Terminal 5
  • 23rd April 2008
  • The family of a man who died on a British Airways flight from Hong Kong have accused British Airways of losing his luggage at Heathrow’s Terminal Five. British airways confirmed that the man’s things were among the 20,000 items of lost luggag...