A CLOSED children's centre, a taped off playground and children zealously checked over their uniform – these are some of the issues parents of the old Roke Primary School are fuming about.

Harris Federation took over the primary as an academy after a year of controversy between the provider, the Department of Education (DfE) and the Save Roke campaigners.

However, once parents resigned themselves to the changes, many became hopeful Harris would deliver on its promises to modernise and improve the school.

Claire Hall, a mother of two at the new Harris Primary Academy Kenley, told the Advertiser: "Harris had assured us they would improve the school but what we have seen so far is just awful.

"They haven't touched the outside for starters – the adventure playground has red tape round it so the children can't play there.

"The astro-turf has plants growing out of it. They put down some new carpets and a lick of paint on the inside but other than that, it is just the same.

"I never had to visit the old headmistress but I have had to go and see the new principal already.

"I was taking my daughter to school in her brand new uniform – she was quite anxious about moving from reception to year one so I came with her.

"She was in her pinafore and a new teacher came up to her and unzipped it – to make sure she was wearing the right T-shirt with the Harris logo on.

"If they made as much effort with the school's appearance as they did the pupils it would be alright. But to a parent it just looks shoddy."

Becky Carrier, who led the Save Roke campaign, said: "I'm not surprised parents are upset.

"The worst thing is they have closed the Bourne Children's Centre which ran toddler and parents groups and play groups although they promised it would be unharmed.

"Now the building it was in is just full of photocopiers.

"One of the main things the new school said they would improve was communication but we got a text at 8.30am saying one of the entrances would be closed permanently. Obviously it was chaos and when some parents tried to see the headmistress, she was holed up in her office. I haven't even seen her face yet."

A Harris spokesman said the climbing frame had been cordoned off because it needed repair, that the children's centre was never supposed to be transferred to the new school, a big investment had been made into ICT and the closed entrance made the school more secure. They also said the uniform checking was "an unfortunate, one off, incident in the first couple of days of term. The school has said sorry to the parents involved."

The new head, Kate Magliocco, said: "We have had a fantastic start to term. Children have been smart and happy and their behaviour has been exemplary.

"There have been fun, exciting lessons and activities and we're looking forward to the rest of term."

CAMERON JEROME is keen to make a good impression at Palace after completing a season-long loan move on deadline day - and has hailed co-chairman Steve Parish for making the transfer happen.

The striker's move south from Stoke may have surprised a few supporters but he has been impressed by what he's seen so far at the club's training ground and already knows about the passionate fans in one particular area of Selhurst Park too.

"You have to make the right impression and give your all with good performances. I'm sure the fans will take to not just me, but all the new signings," Jerome said.

"The fans seem to be quite notorious for making a racket behind the goal in the Holmesdale Stand. I watched the Sunderland game on television and the support there was fantastic.

"I think that's really important for fans to get right behind us. It can spur us to winning football matches, especially at home.

"I've only trained two or three times. I haven't been down here that long but it's been good.

"The manager has made me feel welcome and the chairman especially too. He played a big part in getting me down here.

"He's sorted every single thing really, he's hands-on, and most chairmen don't really get involved in that many things, but Steve likes to and he cares a lot about the players and how everyone is.

"That goes a long way for the players, so he was a huge factor for me.

"I'm just looking forward to bedding in with the new players and hopefully we can click together quickly. We have a half-decent squad here.

"I've played with one or two of them before and I know a few of them from playing against them in the past.

"The boys are spot-on, there are no egos here and Palace have always been renowned for being a well-run family club. That's the impression I've got so far."

The former Birmingham City man admits there had been other interest in his services during the transfer window, but once he knew of Palace's intentions, he "jumped at the chance" to join up with manager Ian Holloway.

And he hinted he may review his personal situation at the end of the season should Palace have a successful campaign and avoid relegation.

"I had a few options over the transfer window, but it was a case of I wasn't really available until the last part of the window, and that was on loan only," said Jerome.

"Palace jumped at the chance and I jumped at the chance to come to the club. It wasn't a case of I had to leave, the opportunity was just there.

"I wasn't pushing for a move at all, I was more than happy to come and be part of Crystal Palace and what the manager is trying to build here.

"As a player, you want to play in every game.

"Sometimes it's not possible, but now I want to work hard to get in the team and keep up my performances to keep my place in the side.

"I don't think there are any guarantees in the team at Palace, there are no egos, and as a footballer you have to work hard to put in the performances on a Saturday.

"We just have to maintain our Premier League status.

"But I just hope to do well for myself, do well for the team, and then just see what happens from there."

THE owners of a nursery that had its licence suspended by Ofsted have decided not to reopen.

Cherubins Day Nursery, in Warham Road, South Croydon, was shut in March after an unannounced inspection prompted by concerns about child welfare.

Before an investigation could be completed the owners decided to shut the nursery, costing 29 staff their jobs.

When the Advertiser contacted the company's Lambeth nursery this week, a member of staff said: "It was closed by Ofsted. It was being investigated. Go back to Ofsted and ask. Let them explain directly about what they have done.

"The truth of what happened is there was a few accidents there and we spoke to Ofsted. They came in, did their investigation and Ofsted was the one that closed it.

"We don't really have anything more to say. We are comfortable because it's closed now."

A spokesman for Ofsted, however, said it had not taken the the decision.

"We suspended the registration of Cherubins Day Nursery because concerns about children's welfare were raised with us," he said.

"While we were investigating these concerns, the owners themselves took the decision to close."

Later a person identifying themselves as one of the company's directors called the Advertiser and said the closure had been a "business decision".

"There has been no underlying reason, we've just decided to close the setting," she said.

"I can't say anything more. There's no coincidences at all. It was a business decision."

When asked whether any staff at the South Croydon branch were now working at other Cherubins nurseries, she refused to comment.

At the time of the suspension the company released a statement saying the nursery had been closed "without prejudice" and would reopen.

Ofsted said that in order to protect the whistleblower who raised the alarm it could not give details of the suspension.

Cherubins offered full day care for children aged three months to five-years-old and after-school clubs for those between 4 and 11. It employed 29 members of staff.

The suspension was the second time in a year that concerns about the nursery had been raised with Ofsted.

Last April it conducted a spot-check after a "safety incident" during a trip for children to a holiday club.

The inspection was prompted by members of staff who alerted Ofsted to an issue around the suitability of someone who had come into contact with the children.

The nursery was served with an enforcement notice which noted it had updated risk assessments for trips and reviewed outings procedures with staff. It was then allowed to reopen.

Did your children attend Cherubins in South Croydon? Contact us at newsdesk@croydonadvertiser.co.uk

THE campaign in the name of teenage cancer victim Chloë Drury has reached the corridors of power.

The Purley schoolgirl died just one month after her 18th birthday. Because of an arbitrary age restriction, she was denied the drugs which may have saved her from a rare bone cancer called Ewing's Sarcoma.

Since her death in February, her mother Debbie Binner has campaigned tirelessly to have these restrictions removed so patients like Chloë can have a better chance of living.

The Advertiser started a campaign – In Chloë's Name – to raise awareness and support for Debbie's cause.

Now she has joined forces with Lord Saatchi and MP Michael Ellis, who are using Chloë's story to launch a Bill in Parliament and improve the access to drugs for rare diseases.

In a briefing about the Bill at the House of Commons on Monday, Mrs Binner said: "I had the most horrific journey with my daughter and thought I was going mad – that I was the only one who thought treatment for rare cancers was medieval, with no innovation.

"There is nothing more wasteful than children getting cancer in this way. At the beginning of her diagnosis we were hopeful that our beautiful, beautiful daughter would be OK.

"But nothing can prepare you for walking onto a teenagers' cancer ward.

"For Chloë it was too late – the cancer had spread to her lungs and she was put on the standard treatment of chemotherapy, radiation and stem cell transplants, which has not changed or improved for 40 years."

Although Mrs Binner managed to have Chloë put on one trial, she was denied further possibilities because they had been developed for over-18s, despite medical experts saying that the restriction was purely bureaucratic.

Once Chloë turned 18 in January, she was given a new trial, but by that point her cancer was too far gone. She died at home, surrounded by her family.

Maurice Saatchi – a peer in the House of Lords who lost his wife to ovarian cancer – told the meeting how the UK's current health system leaves doctors open to litigation if they try a new treatment, ensuring that cures are not found for rare diseases.

"Doctors cannot deviate from standard procedures for fear of being sued. They can be taken to court and prosecuted for medical negligence," he said.

"However, without deviation, treatments cannot improve; leaving them degrading, humiliating and ineffective.

"This Bill will allow the patient the option of consenting to new types of treatments – to see what works best for them and giving them a chance to survive."

MP Michael Ellis, who put the Bill forward during a ten-minute motion on Wednesday, said the cost of litigation to the NHS had doubled in the past four years; costing the public purse billions.

"I am going to do the parliamentary equivalent of throwing a brick through a window," he said.

A second reading of the Bill will take place today (Friday).

PALACE head to the Theatre of Dreams this lunchtime in the hope of repeating what they did to Manchester United in the League Cup two seasons ago.

Despite United not fielding their strongest line-up that night in December 2011, it was still a classed as a big upset, mainly remembered by Darren Ambrose's wonder strike from outside the box.

However, Palace can expect a much tougher test in the lunchtime kick-off at Old Trafford, with the likes of Robin Van Persie, Danny Welbeck, Ashley Young and Nemanja Vidic all set to start for the hosts.

There is no denying Palace will be up against it, but if they can hold David Moyes' men for up to an hour, who's to say they can't grab a goal through new signings Cameron Jerome, Jimmy Kebe or Adlene Guedioura?

All three are set to be part of Ian Holloway's match-day squad, with Jerome and Kebe in particular likely to start. Playmaker Barry Bannan also has a chance of starting after returning from international duty with Scotland in midweek.

Adrian Mariappa could make his debut in place Joel Ward or Danny Gabbidon, while Damien Delaney and Dean Moxey, who were superb in the last match against Sunderland, are set to keep their places.

Eagles defender Jonathan Parr completed 60 minutes against Oman on Tuesday, and despite saying he could be ready to play a part at Old Trafford, he's unlikely to be risked by Holloway, while Yannick Bolasie and Jerome Thomas are probably another week away from a first-team return.

With Jonny Williams out injured, Guedioura seems to be the likely person to take his place on the bench, while Mile Jedinak and Kagisho Dikgacoi are expected to anchor the midfield to stop the likes of Welbeck, Tom Cleverley, Michael Carrick or new signing Marouane Fellaini coming through the middle.

Jose Campana looks set to play his part as well in the middle of the park.

The standout candidate that Palace must stop is Van Persie, though. We all know what the Dutchman is capable of; assists, corners, free-kicks and lots of goals. If the Eagles can nullify him from playing to his strengths, they may have a good chance of getting something from the game.

And of course, how could we forget a certain Wilfried Zaha? But saying that, it seems as if Moyes has forgotten about the former Palace star already, despite making a big impression in pre-season.

Many have felt Zaha would step in and gradually take to the Premier League for the Red Devils, but after Nani signed a new contract this week, the road to becoming a regular has been blocked, with Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young also vying for starting places.

However, Moyes may decide to hand Zaha his first top-flight appearance against his previous club, or bring him on from the bench. And if he does, he's in for top reception from the travelling Palace fans.

Wayne Rooney suffered a nasty blow to the head in training last week after a collision with Phil Jones and missed out on England's World Cup qualification games as a result, but there is an outside chance he may feature.

So how can Palace stop United, or how will they shape up?

Holloway, who likes to attack the opposition, may decide to pack the midfield with five men and hit United on the counter.

Jerome could be given the task of playing the lone striker role, with support coming in from the wings in the form of Kebe and Jason Puncheon. But both will be expected to track back down the flanks to help Ward and Moxey.

That leaves Bannan or Campana to support through the middle, with Jedinak and Dikgacoi key in stifling United's play.

Indeed, the battle between Jedinak and Fellaini could be very interesting, while Gabbidon and Delaney will have to work well as a pair to stop Van Persie.

It's one of the biggest games of the season. But can the Eagles pull off another shock this time around?

We'll find out come Saturday lunchtime.

THE inquest into how a father of 12 died six weeks after being hit by a car has only served to pose more questions about his death, according to his grieving wife.

When 71-year-old Clive McFarlane died of a heart attack on June 19 last year, he had been making "good progress" after being hit by a car at Elephant and Castle six weeks before.

Speaking at an inquest into his death at Southwark Coroners' Court last Thursday, his widow, Beverley, said she was very confused by the evidence.

Dr Andrew King, who carried out the post-mortem examination, said the most likely cause of death was severe chest trauma, despite witnesses to the incident reporting Mr McFarlane had only hit his head.

Mrs McFarlane, of Falkland Park Avenue, South Norwood, said: "It has raised more questions than answers.

"Nothing conclusive has come from the inquest at all."

The hearing was adjourned after Mrs McFarlane, a former nurse, questioned the care he had received in King's College Hospital. She added: "I don't understand because he was getting better and he was recovering.

"He had a real chance and at 2am on the night Clive died, I was talking to the nurse and she was telling me how he was sitting up and cracking all the nurses up.

"But at 6am I got a phone call telling me to come quickly. Something must have gone badly wrong with Clive."

Both Mr and Mrs McFarlane had expressed concerns about the air on his lung from the injuries he sustained and the pressure it was putting on his heart.

Mrs McFarlane said: "Clive had heart problems anyway so we know it would have eventually killed him but not in this untimely way. I don't want any compensation, I just want answers for Clive."

The couple had had been married for 21 years.

Mrs McFarlane was accompanied to the inquest by daughter Jinea, 21, and sons Marlon, 19, and Jordan, 17.

She said: "He was a wonderful father and I'm so glad this accident didn't happen sooner because they got to know their father and can try to be like him.

"Our daughter Jinea graduated with a 2:1 this year and he would have gone through the roof with pride if he had seen that.

"He was such a special man, who made everyone laugh and didn't take life too seriously.

"He was also a fantastic husband to me. We used to have little arguments like any married couple but when it came to the end of the day he would just want to make up.

"Everyone misses him."

No date had been set for the continuation of the inquest when the Advertiser went to press.

A BELEAGUERED business owner says he has been forced to choose between wading through red tape or breaking the law because of crippling roadworks outside his shop.

Surrey Beds owner Jerry Cheshire says town planners risk running his long-standing business out of town by laying down obstacle after obstacle.

Mr Cheshire learnt this week the ongoing Transport for London (TfL) roadworks at the junction of Old Lodge Lane and Brighton Road, Purley, include creating a raised kerb outside his store.

This would replace the dropped kerb he has relied on for years for his lorries to use the loading bay to pick up and drop off his beds.

Mr Cheshire said: "It would make it almost impractical to run the business.

"The products that come here are incredibly heavy – you cannot pick them up and walk around the corner with them; you need to be as close as possible to the loading bay."

Mr Cheshire said he now has two choices: apply to have the kerb removed after it is built, or knowingly break the law by asking lorry drivers to ride over it.

He said: "I have to apply to the council for a dropped kerb, then they would have to dig it up and charge me. So on top of all of the loss of income during the roadworks, I now face this.

"A project manager did suggest to me I should just drive over the kerb – so TfL's resolution to the issue is to ask me to break the law."

TfL says it has no qualms removing the dropped kerb because it was, technically, restricted to pedestrian use. It had never enforced that restriction, however, leaving Mr Cheshire scratching his head.

He said: "How should I know that the lowered kerb I have got is the wrong type of lowered kerb? I am not an expert."

Dana Skelley, director of roads at TfL said: "As part of the improvement works to the junction of the A23 Brighton Road and Old Lodge Lane, we have been upgrading pedestrian crossings and improving pavements.

"Previously, in order to access the yard outside Surrey Beds, delivery vehicles drove across the pavement via the dropped kerb for the pedestrian crossing, making it hazardous for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians.

"Following the completion of these works, motor vehicles will need to use the nearby alternative. We have advised business owners that if they seek additional safe and legal access routes across the footway, they will need to apply to the local council."

A POLICE officer has been put forward for a bravery award after saving a girl from drowning while on holiday in Croatia.

Sergeant David Sutton, who works at Croydon Police Station, was staying in Dubrovnik in early August when his wife alerted him to an eight-year-old girl who was under water in the pool next to them.

The plucky off-duty sergeant dived into the water and realised the girl's – Delfina Alberdi from Norway – hair was caught in the pool's water filtering system.

He shouted to holiday makers to get him some scissors and pulled the girl free in a dramatic rescue.

Then Mr Sutton performed CPR for around 10 minutes with the help of hotel staff until an ambulance arrived and the girl was taken to hospital.

She recovered from a critical condition a few days later, prompting the father to call Mr Sutton a "miracle".

"I just did what anyone would do in that situation, but being a police officer definitely helped," said the sergeant. "We're used to dealing with critical incidents on a daily basis, and it's important to keep calm in that type of situation. The emergency life saving training we receive as police officers was also crucial.

"The girl had been under the water for quite some time, and I'm not sure she would have survived had we had to wait the ambulance staff to begin CPR. But the paramedics and staff at hospital in Split have to take the real credit."

Mr Sutton has now been nominated for a Royal Humane Society Award.

CROYDON Health Services NHS Trust has the second worst A&E staff shortage in the country.

In July, there were 67 nurses employed by the trust directly, leaving around 42 to be hired through agencies.

Newly released figures show that, in total, the trust has a 32 per cent shortage of A&E staff - also including doctors and consultants - at Croydon University Hospital (CUH).

The practice of filling vacancies with agency staff is of huge concern to CUH nurses, according to Unison regional officer Michael Walker.

"Nurses feel like they are bearing the brunt of the Government's decreased funding to CCGs," said Mr Walker.

"A&E departments are notoriously difficult to work in and it is essential staff can work in a team. How can they do this when one in three members are from agencies and might only be there for a few days?

"Nurses are not paid well enough to be attracted to an A&E like Croydon which is under a huge amount of strain in a socially deprived area with a high number of things like knife crime injuries coming through the doors."

Mr Walker said the reliance on agency staff was becoming "endemic" in the department as well as the rest of the hospital.

"Croydon really needs to address this issue and make the A&E department an attractive place to work.

"The staff there ought to be applauded for the work they do under such conditions."

Croydon falls just behind the Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust which has a 43 per cent shortage.

However, the trust in Croydon has said it has increased the number of A&E consultants and hired more permanent nurses this month.

"We are actively recruiting to secure a full complement of permanent A&E consultants and to fill nursing vacancies," said Karen Breen, deputy chief executive and chief operating officer.

"However, during times where permanent staff are not in post, suitably trained and qualified interim staff are employed to ensure the department at Croydon is staffed to meet demand.

"Patients can be reassured of an adequately staffed A&E."

She also stressed that the hospital has met and exceeded national emergency care targets, seeing almost 96 per cent of patients within four hours.

THE number of passengers dodging fares on Croydon's tram network is on the rise, despite the introduction of heftier fines.

Figures obtained by the Advertiser from Transport for London show there was a 14 per cent increase in passengers skipping in fares in the year following the fine hike.

In 2012, when the maximum fine was upped from £40 to £80, an average of 850 people were fined every month.

In the year before, a monthly average of 745 were fined.

A London Tramlink spokesman said the increase in the number of fines could be attributed to more passengers and an increase in enforcement.

However, in a survey carried out by the Advertiser, 46 per cent of passengers admitted catching a free ride at some point.

Reasons given included the lack of regular inspections, the ease of fare evasion and the expense of public transport.

Jason Perry, Croydon Council's cabinet member for transport, said it was important people paid their way. He added: "It's very much an honesty system and people need to respect that.

"It is a very good service and I think a lot of what is good about it is the simplicity and the openness of the trams.

"If they took away that openness then it probably wouldn't be as popular a service."

Nick Baker, head of operations on London Tramlink, said extra patrols by enforcement officers meant more people were being caught out.

On just one day last month Croydon Magistrates' Court heard 44 cases of people charged with not having a valid ticket on the tram.

Mr Baker said: "We take fare evasion extremely seriously and carry out regular enforcement operations with revenue inspectors to deter people from travelling on our services without valid tickets or Oyster cards.

"There has been a rise in the number of fines issued since January 2012, partly due to the increased enforcement activity we have been carrying out.

"Passenger numbers have also increased by approximately 1.6 million during the corresponding period and it is inevitable that the number of fines issued will rise."

Passenger numbers rose year-on-year from 28.5 million between March 2011 and April 2012 to 30.1 million people between March 2012 to April 2013.

Cllr Perry said he believes the rise can be put down to the affordability of the tram, adding: "I think the Oyster Card is an efficient system and represents good value for money, so there is no excuse not to pay the fare."

Another reason given during the course of the Advertiser's survey was the lack of working ticket machines.

TfL is currently in consultation about the possibility of taking cash fares away from the capital's buses and making it Oyster-only.

But a TfL spokesman said there was no such plan to remove ticket machines from tram stops, adding: "The consultation for the buses is completely separate to London Tramlink."

Rachel Millard

rachel.millard@essnmedia.co.uk

T HE life of the borough's main arts venue has been laid bare in a new exhibition.

Circus performers, an Elvis impersonator, TV stars and doormen are among the subjects of the photographs documenting Fairfield Halls' last year.

The exhibition, the third and final display of Frazer Ashford's photographs celebrating the venue, opened on Thursday at Fairfield for two months.

Faces of Fairfield Part III comprises 60 photos featuring the faces at the venue – on stage and off – during its 50th year in 2012.

It follows two recent exhibitions of Mr Ashford's photos of Fairfield during the 70s and 80s to celebrate the venue's 50th birthday.

"This one is totally different," said Mr Ashford, a celebrated photographer of rock and pop musicians and other entertainers.

"The other two were from existing archives so the pictures have been seen before," he continued. "This is the first exhibition for which all the pictures were taken especially for it. There are the obligatory celebrities and a selection of artists, and pictures of quite a few plays.

"And then there are pictures of staff, for example Paul Robins, the longest-serving doorman– he was there when I was taking pictures in the 1970s."

Mr Ashford was given free rein to roam around the venue, popping in on artists as he wished.

"I would often take pictures and then stay for the whole day to watch their show," he said.

"Circus of Horrors, for example, I read about it and it kind of beats a lunchtime recital."

Despite having his work featured in national press for decades, Mr Ashford said he was nervous about this show.

He said: "If I had a picture and it was used on the front of a newspaper, well I think that must be a good picture because they used it.

"But in this case, of course no-one has seen the pictures – I don't know whether they are good, bad or indifferent, really.

"But it will be interesting for people to come with their own ideas."

Mr Ashford was due to attend the show's premiere yesterday evening, after the Advertiser went to press, returning from Ireland where he has been photographing altogether different subjects.

He said: "All this rushing around and then just a couple of days ago I was in Ireland taking pictures of driftwood washed up around a lake.

"It is so far removed from all that."

The exhibition will run until Friday November 15, in the first-floor Sun Lounge in Fairfield's main Foyer.

CROYDON University Hospital has been ordered to draw up new guidelines on suspending surgical staff after a coroner said the absence of a senior nurse during an operation contributed to a patient's death.

In July, the Advertiser reported the inquest of Gerald Storey, who died during a routine operation after surgeons got into difficulty and discovered the specialist nurse they needed had been suspended without their knowledge.

His cardiologist consultant, Dr Kevin Beatt, had told the court how management's suspension of the lead nurse, Lucy Jones, had led to a "one in several million chance" of his patient dying, saying he believed "the suspension of Lucy Jones, and the management's failure to tell me this as I operated on Mr Storey, directly contributed to his death," he said.

However, management told the court they had no option but to suspend Sister Jones and were assured the procedure was safe without her.

In an open verdict, the coroner Roy Palmer said: "The absence of Lucy Jones did contribute to the outcome and more things would have been done more quickly if she had been there."

He then issued a Rule 43 – a statement to relevant authorities demanding they reform issues thrown up in a case to prevent further deaths.

As a result, hospital bosses have been ordered to change the way they suspend staff to ensure patient safety is always a priority.

Not only will management have to find an appropriate signature to confirm patient safety, the senior clinician must be informed of any potential suspension beforehand.

The suspended employee must also be able to raise any issues of patient safety they may have in their absence.

Dr Beatt told the Advertiser: "This result of the Rule 43 directly contradicts management's assertion that their suspension of Sister Jones did not contribute to Mr Storey's death.

"By ensuring the way they suspend staff changes, they are admitting there was a problem.

"Every time there is a death like this, there is an internal investigation. Hopefully, now the Care Quality Commission are inspecting the hospital, these failings will come to light."

CROYDON flyover may not be as iconic as the Hollywood Hills but it is rapidly becoming the go-to filming location for ad men.

Last month Moneysupermarket.com showed us Bill leading a herd of cats through the High Street in lieu of running with wolves.

Ford and Confused.com have also shot their commercials in Croydon.

This week, pizza delivery giant Domino's has launched a new advert – 'Greatness from Domino's' – set to the children's western theme tune to Champion the Wonderhorse.

It shows a moped rider in old-fashioned goggles and helmet riding up the Croydon Flyover, along High Street and through the underpass before arriving at a suburban house to deliver the pizza to a family.

The closing shot has the moped rider rearing up in a wheelie against the backdrop of a western film desert scene.

A Domino's spokesman said: "Croydon provided a great mix of location opportunities to film the driver on his mission to deliver Domino's pizza. There are western echoes in the advert but we needed it to be set in Domino's reality which means demonstrating the different types of landscapes our drivers might encounter across a variety of deliveries.

"Croydon provided diverse landscapes – busy flyovers, heavy traffic, a generic high street, and smaller 'country' lanes – so that we can suitably illustrate the different types of journey our driver has to make throughout Britain and Ireland, in one place."

A council spokesman said the increased attention from advertisers was down to the appointment of the external agency, Croydon Film Office, to market the borough to production companies.

The agency can also advise anyone who owns an interesting location, be it a house or business in the borough, to help them promote it to the film industry.

Meanwhile permission was granted for a Domino's outlet in Addington Road, Selsdon, by the council last Thursday, despite 70 objection letters from residents.

Councillor Sara Bashford said their main concern was the anti-social road manner of moped delivery drivers.

"They are noisy and take up valuable parking spaces," she added.

LABOUR wants to turn Addiscombe's residential roads into 20mph zones.

Councillors Mark Watson, Sean Fitzsimmons and Patricia Hay-Justice say the campaign is in response to concerns raised with them about traffic.

Complaints have included lorries and other commercial vehicles using side streets as cut throughs and traffic travelling too fast.

Labour said the issue was causing noise and pollution as well as making the streets "less safe for children, cyclists and pets".

Cllr Watson said: "We believe that a simple and cost effective measure would be to introduce 20mph limits on our residential roads.

"This has proved popular in other cities and London boroughs and we believe it would be suitable for Addiscombe.

"The zones would also encourage commercial vehicles and non-residents to use the main roads, rather than using our streets as 'rat-runs' and make the streets more pleasant for cyclists, pedestrians and residents.

"Lower speeds improve streets both in terms of safety and quality of life.

"Evidence also suggests that 20mph zones prove effective and that motorists comply without the need for other road calming measures."

When asked whether the zones would impact on journey times, Cllr Watson said: "Lowering residential speed limits has been found to increase journey times by just 40 seconds, but decreases child pedestrian accidents by up to 70 per cent.

"We also appreciate that not every road in Addiscombe will be suitable, which is why we want to hear views from residents."

Around 7,000 letters explaining the campaign, which will be accompanied by a postcard for replies, is likely to be delivered to households over the next few weeks.

Responses can also be registered online at www.addiscombe.info/20mph.

AN ARTIST who lost an arm and the use of his other in a motorcycle accident has said the first public exhibition of his work proves "anything is possible".

Andy Baker, 50, was recovering in hospital when he decided to take up painting, despite losing an arm and paralysing the other after falling asleep on his motorbike while riding through Switzerland.

It took him nearly 15 years of writing with his mouth to build up the skill – and the confidence – to put paint to canvas.

On Tuesday, he spoke with pride at seeing his work on public display for the first time at an exhibition organised by curator John Reeve in the Clocktower Café.

"People have been suggesting I start painting for years but I didn't do anything about it because of a lack of confidence," he said.

"Then a friend mentioned John. We spoke and he really liked my work. After that I felt there was nothing to lose.

"I realised I needed to be more proactive and to put myself out there – to do things, rather than not."

Andy, of Violet Lane, Waddon, was 20 when he suffered horrific injuries while on a motorcycle tour of Europe in 1983.

He woke up four days later to discover that doctors had amputated his left arm above the elbow and his right arm was paralysed.

It was while in hospital that he resolved to finally act on the artistic talent he always felt he had.

"I believed I had it in me, but I never had the confidence to try," said Andy.

"My brother and sister are both very successful professional artists and I guess I thought I couldn't be as good as them.

"When I gave it a go I realised I had the ability to make something look real, but obviously not how you see in reality.

"For me the biggest barriers are more emotional than physical, as mad as that sounds. When I eventually started to paint I already had 15 years' experience of writing with my mouth.

"It was more about having the courage to put down on canvas what is true to me."

In 1998 Andy, who cites surrealist Salvador Dali as his principle influence, was accepted as a student with the Mouth & Foot Painting Artists Association. He admits to being overwhelmed at seeing his work on display.

"I never thought this would happen," he said. "Sometimes I feel I'm not any good and I look at my work and think it's ridiculous.

"But I've had a lot of positive comments and my confidence has grown.

"What I've learnt is if it's a flop, it's a flop. Unless you actually try, you're never going to get anywhere.

"Now I want to use my talent and have people appreciate and benefit from it. That's the point – to inspire other people."

Mr Reeve, who runs the Click Clock Gallery, said: "Andy's art is outstanding and we are delighted and honoured to be hosting his first ever exhibition."

The exhibition will be opened by artist Tom Yendell on Saturday and runs until November 2.

FOR one proud Croydon man there is no shame in his hometown being the butt of jokes.

Comedian Jonny Awsum has built a career on turning the absurdities of life into hilarious songs and his favourite topic for musical mirth is the borough he loves.

The 35-year-old started as a comic only two years ago, but is in demand in both the UK and abroad.

Almost wherever he goes, the sound of Croydon comes with him.

"I don't really want to give it away but it is a celebration of Croydon to the tune of Downtown," he said of his song.

"So when it goes 'Downtown', we sing 'Croydon'.

"It is really good fun and it is not at all having a go at Croydon.

"I even sang it at the Download Festival. The crowd sang it back – and that was a good crowd."

Readers rushing to YouTube to see for themselves will be disappointed, however, as Jonny is determined to keep his live act fresh for audiences.

"If it is on YouTube a lot of the magic is gone by the time they come to the show," he said.

Jonny ventured into comedy in 2011 after playing guitar in "many" bands and eight years spent pulling pints at The Chuckle Club comedy venue.

"I started to watch lots of comedy when I was at work so I had this really good schooling in all the best comics around," he said.

"After a while I thought, 'I am going to have a go and just try it.'"

His cheerful one-man-and-a-guitar act has been widely praised; the Daily Star newspaper called him "cooler than a hypothermic Samuel L Jackson".

He has also starred in high-profile comedy adverts, including for Cravendale milk and Savanna, a South African cider.

"It has just gone crazy; I have been completely blown away by how it has gone," he said. "Sometimes I can't believe I am getting paid for this."

This summer he took his show, Jonny Awsum's To-Do List, to the Edinburgh Festival after perfecting it at previews in Croydon.

Among the items on the list – which he completes with the audience's help – is making people's day

Jonny, who keeps his real name a secret, comes from Hull and moved to central Croydon to be with his girlfriend.

His work nowadays takes him far afield but he says he can, happily, never escape the borough.

"There is always someone in the audience connected to Croydon," he said.

"I went to Romania and did two shows at their main comedy venue and a couple of people there were from Croydon and they absolutely loved it."

He added: "I would quite like to be the face of Croydon."