PRINCE William took a break from babysitting on Monday to meet a student from Crystal Palace who received one of his new BAFTA scholarships.

Rienkje Attoh, 31, has been awarded the inaugural Prince William Scholarship in Film. The £10,000 grant will help Rienkje towards her MA in Producing at the National Film and Television School.

On meeting the Duke of Cambridge at a launch event at the BAFTA headquarters in London, Rienkje said: "I was so nervous, but it was amazing.

"I was able to tell him about what I wanted to do most, the development process, the creative side and how I'd like to work in drama.

"He was lovely."

PATIENTS are piling pressure on medical chiefs to keep their GP practice in the "safe hands" of its existing doctors following the sudden death of its only senior partner.

Fieldway Medical Practice users are backing a bid by Dr Karthika Shanmuganathan and Dr Chaudhury to run the practice immediately instead of an outside provider, following the death last month of Dr Richard Bamgboye.

NHS England plans to appoint a team from the Croydon area within the next few days to run the practice for one year, before choosing a long-term provider from across the country.

AT Medical, the private company which runs surgeries at Parkway Health Centre and Headley Drive, is believed to have made a bid, but there are fears a change in management could lead to disruption for patients or poorer care.

The practice's Patients Participation Group (PPG) has written to NHS England, noting that Fieldway has a particularly large population of "chronically sick, elderly and infirm patients," for whom disruption of care would be "alarming."

Their letter adds: "We […] respectfully ask you not to disperse the Fieldway Medical Centre patients to the other surgeries on the estate, or to bring in outside firms that will only look at the balance sheet to run the practice when there are two dedicated doctors ready and willing to give a continuity of service to the patients and in whom the patients have complete confidence."

Councillors and patients have been circulating a petition calling on NHS England to allow the doctors to run the surgery, "for the confidence, continuity, and total commitment of health care to the all for patients at this surgery."

PPG member Vanessa Barnett, 71, said: "It is the community here; everybody here is treated like an individual and Dr Richard was really, really good. They are all nice here; it is like a little family."

Roy Simpson, acting chairman of the PPG, said: "The [doctors] are trying to carry on Richard's legacy.

"He was not only a doctor, he was a friend, and if you talk to anybody he was the most friendly man you would meet."

He encouraged patients to raise their concerns about the future of the practice with NHS England.

Labour ward councillor Simon Hall said: "The community needs to be listened to – the centre is a vital resource for the community."

ROGER de Klerk died when his bike went under the wheels of a 410 bus near the junction of Addiscombe Road and Cherry Orchard Road last Tuesday.

The 43-year-old is one of six people to have died on their bikes in London within the last fortnight.

In Croydon, there have been two deaths since 2003 – one last year and one last week.

However, the number of serious injuries has shot up from eight in 2005 to 20 in 2012.

In the past 12 months, more than 100 cycling-related accidents causing serious or slight injuries have been reported.

Austen Cooper, who runs the Croydon Cycling Campaign, told the Advertiser: "The accident levels for drivers and pedestrians have come down in the last few years but for cyclists and people on motorbikes, they have risen sharply.

"The level of cycling in Croydon is low compared to other London boroughs and this increase doesn't necessarily reflect whether more people are using bikes to get around,

"One of the big safety issues is motorists' speeding. Between 2008 and 2010, there was a 90 per cent drop in the number of speeding fines issued.

"Speeding tickets went from more than 500 to 50 which does not mean far fewer people are speeding, it just means there fewer people are getting caught."

Mr Cooper is campaigning for 20mph zones in danger hotspots as well as 'mini-Hollands' which would see town roads laid out like the cycle-friendly cities of Amsterdam and Copenhagen.

In April, Croydon Council submitted its bid for a share of a £100 million pot provided by the London Assembly to improve cycle safety in the borough.

"We lost that bid which is a tragedy," said Mr Cooper.

"I spoke to the people responsible for deciding whether Croydon would be successful and they said the council had a poor record of delivering projects like this successfully. It's a real wasted opportunity."

The cycling campaigner said Croydon needed to leave behind the 1960s road philosophy that created the flyover and Wellesley Road where the "car is king".

"We have a problem with health in Croydon, and appalling congestion," he said.

"Getting more people on bikes and making the roads cater for cycling as a main form of transport would solve these problems."

Ashley Brown, who has lived in Croydon for five years, started cycling with a camera on his bike in January. He regularly uses the junction at Cherry Orchard Road, where Mr de Klerk died last week.

"The whole junction was dug up and had roadworks for about two years to put the tram lines in," he said.

"It was meant to be specifically safe for cyclists but as that accident shows, it isn't.

"If you are coming south on Cherry Orchard Road, you have a choice of getting onto a lane on the pavement and getting off your bike at the pedestrian crossings or pulling up in front of the traffic.

"If you are using your bike to commute, you are not going to get off and walk round with pedestrians."

Mr Brown also explained that tram tracks provide an extra hazard to Croydon cyclists.

"Crossing tram tracks at anything but at right angles can make you crash and turning right at the junction means you have to cut in front of traffic," he added.

A large proportion of bike accidents happen because a cyclist has pulled out in front of a vehicle and been hit, when lorries and buses are undertaken and when drivers open their doors into oncoming cyclists.

Mitcham Road and Brighton Road are notorious hotspots for this, as cars are often parked on cycle lanes.

Other danger zones are Purley Way, Lombard Roundabout, the junction surrounding the IYLO tower and the roundabout near Fairfield Halls.

However, some non-cyclists believe those in the saddle need to take more responsibility for their own safety.

Kevin Nelson, who lives in Upper Norwood, commutes to Croydon town centre every day down Selhurst Road and says cyclists are putting themselves in danger by not wearing the right clothing.

He said: "It's getting darker now and sometimes you can't see people on their bikes. They are not using lights, or reflective jackets.

"It's not the bus drivers' fault most of the time; they are scared witless about having a cyclist under their wheels.

"Cyclists need to make sure they are doing the right thing too."

This week, I went down to Bike Plus in South Croydon and asked them to lend me a camera so I could put footage on a week in the life of a Croydon cyclist on our website.

I started cycling around Croydon about eight months ago when I began working for the Advertiser.

After my first day, I arrived home in a fury, hurled my bike through the door and snarled 'That route will be the death of me' to an unsuspecting friend.

Since then, my experience cycling to and from work, up and down London Road and the A23 in the north of the borough, has improved – although a day rarely passes without one hairy moment.

I'm not a safe cyclist all the time and I think most would be fibbing if they said they were. I haven't waited at every red light, I have undertaken buses and squeezed through traffic when it would have been better to wait.

Nor are all drivers safe all the time. Accidents happen when one or both parties are making mistakes.

It is important that everyone on the roads behaves but the fact remains – cyclists are far more likely to be injured or killed in a crash. It is no surprise there is an outcry about road safety whenever someone on a bike dies.

As for Croydon, one my first incidents was an encounter with tram tracks. I was labouring up a long and steep hill which meant, luckily, I was cycling at a snail's pace. I had to cross the track to turn left and went over the ridges diagonally.

Instead of reaching the left-hand turn, I ended up toppling to the ground as my bike wheels became stuck in the grooves. That time, nothing was hurt, except my dignity. Every cyclist I know in London has had an accident, ending mostly in broken elbows or bruised heads. Even being togged up in a helmet, flashing lights and a hi-vis jacket hasn't stopped me missing two days' work waiting in A&E with minor concussion. Having said that, it has probably saved me from diminished brain cells, or worse.

Despite all that, I'd much rather be on two wheels than on a bus or delayed on a train. Not only does the fresh air perk you up first thing in the morning, having a bike means I get to places faster than anyone else.

Unfortunately, Croydon is the least bike-friendly area I've ever cycled in. There are few lanes on the really busy, fast roads – Purley Way is a complete no go area, Wellesley Road is terrifying.

There are too many big junctions with no cycle routes, both in the centre of town and beyond. Tram tracks make many junctions difficult to navigate and buses thunder past you every five seconds. Alternative cycle lanes are badly plotted and signed, which means you often hit a stretch of pavement and anger pedestrians.

There is no doubt Croydon needs to take a hard look at improving our attitudes towards sharing the road. Get more people on bikes, teach them how to cycle safely and make sure cyclists are given enough space on the roads not to collide, sometimes fatally, with cars, lorries or buses.

A LANDLORD has been threatened with legal action after he failed to hand over money raised for a cancer charity at his pub.

Marie Curie says Danny Foley, landlord of The White Horse pub, in Selhurst Road, owes the charity £4,915 from various fundraisers, including auctions of Crystal Palace Football Club souvenirs.

Letters to Mr Foley from the charity's solicitors, seen by the Advertiser, say the money is owed from four events dating back to August 2011 – some of which were attended by Palace players past and present.

The Advertiser understands at least some of the money pledged by donors has not been paid to Mr Foley.

He has previously paid Marie Curie £840 raised at an auction in late 2012 and £410 for a race night in 2010, the Advertiser believes.

The money which Marie Curie says Mr Foley has yet to hand over includes some raised through auctioning souvenirs donated to the charity by Crystal Palace players, organised through the charity's Caterham branch.

Marie Curie's solicitors wrote to Mr Foley in August this year, outlining the charity's claims that he owed them money from two fun days, in August 2011 and August 2012, and two auctions, in September 2012 and February 2013.

They wrote to him again in October, saying they had yet to hear from him – although he told the Advertiser he had in fact contacted them.

The August letter added if payment was not received "we may issue proceedings to recover the outstanding sum together with all costs and further interest as the court may allow."

The first letter states Mr Foley also gave Marie Curie a cheque for £2,240, to cover the 2011 fun day and part of another event, but the cheque bounced.

The letter claims Mr Foley told the charity he had been in financial difficulty but that was resolved and he "provided to Marie Curie on several occasions, from March 2013 onwards, that the sums would be paid forthwith".

It adds: "Unfortunately, payment of those sums has not been forthcoming."

Mr Foley declined to comment when contacted by the Advertiser.

PALACE defender Jack Hunt is closing in on a return to training with the rest of the first team squad after injury.

The summer signing, who arrived at Palace from Huddersfield, broke his ankle in training in September and is now set to be in contention some time in December.

On Wednesday morning, he went on Twitter, saying: "My ankle is coming along nicely!! Started running outside, upped my work load and things are looking good.

"I need to get through these next 10 days with no problems then hopefully after another 2 weeks fitness work I'll be back training #cpfc."

KEITH MILLEN believes Crystal Palace could be the challenge Tony Pulis is seeking as he looks for a return to management.

The caretaker boss knows the former Stoke City manager well and says his biggest attribute is knowing how to win matches at Premier League level.

Pulis is said to be in advanced talks with Palace's board of directors, and, if successful, he could be in the stands at the very least at Hull City on Saturday.

"He's got experience in the Premier League and he's been successful," Millen said. "He kept Stoke up for several years, and to keep them up for that long, there weren't that many relegation battles they had under him.

"His biggest asset is he knows how to win games in this division. That is probably what's needed.

"I know Tony well. He knows what he wants and he's been successful.

"I can understand him wanting a challenge and I think Crystal Palace would be.

"He signed me as a player for Bristol City, so I knew him then and I've come across him more over the years.

"Tony is clear in his own mind and what he wants from a group of players, and I think if a new manager comes in, you have to assess them quickly and get the best out of them."

As for his own future, Millen thinks if Pulis does get the job, there could be a better chance he is kept on rather than if someone else took over, having worked with the 55-year-old before.

"I'm open to whoever comes in, and sometimes if you know someone, the trust is there straight away," he said.

"Hopefully I will get a chance to sit down with the new manager and the chairman and discuss the future.

"That's all I can ask for and see what develops from that. I know I can manage, but the club needs someone with Premier League experience.

"I haven't got that, but I'm gaining it over the weeks now. I'm not saying I can't manage, I've just been asked what I thought was needed."

And Millen certainly thinks Palace is an attractive proposition for any new manager to come in, despite sitting bottom of the Premier League with just one win and a draw so far.

"I am surprised it's taken this long to get someone in, but I don't think it's a case of people not wanting the job," he said.

"You look at Crystal Palace, yes, we're in a bad position at the moment but it certainly isn't over and it's not doom and gloom.

"The club is financially secure and has four great owners so it's an attractive job. The chairman has got criteria of what he wants, so why should he rush into it?

"It's a compliment to myself, the staff and the players that we're in a decent position, in terms of our last result and performance."

A FORMER naughty Croydon schoolboy who is plane mad for aviation has lent Tom Cruise some aircraft to blow up in his next blockbuster.

Mustafa Azim Aolad, who went to Ashburton Secondary School in the 1970s, has made a living flying planes for everyone from TV presenter Anthea Turner to early 1990s reggae legend Chaka Demus.

His company Imperial Air Salvage has provided the planes that are blown up in an action sequence from the upcoming blockbuster Edge of Tomorrow, starring Cruise and Emily Blunt.

He said: "The film company wanted two planes to blow up in the film so we gave them some planes. They blew it all up and we just went and picked up the pieces afterwards."

But Mr Aolad, who lives in Wallington, said he was a troublemaker when he was at school and many of his teachers thought he would never amount to anything.

He said: "It was pretty difficult growing up in Croydon in the late 1970s when racism was rife. I started becoming disruptive at school and I wasn't going anywhere fast."

"When I told my teacher I wanted to be a pilot he told me with a sigh it probably wasn't going to happen. But my old English teacher Geoffrey Moir, who was also a pilot, really encouraged me and also inspired me with the story Reach For The Sky about Douglas Bader, who flew even after he lost both his legs."

Mr Aolad, 47, returned to his home country Bangladesh in 1981 to complete his education but when he returned to England in 1985, he started training at Biggin Hill Airport.

He set up his first air charter company in 1993 and flew a raft of well-known faces around.

Although he gave up flying for airline companies in 2006t, the aircraft salvage business means Mr Aolad has still got his fingers in a big pilot-shaped pie.

Last year he flew a helicopter with a Daniel Craig double for a stunt as part of the James Bond 50th anniversary celebration and he also provided a helicopter for a 007-themed wedding.

His business often sees him recovering crashed planes, including, in 2009, the wreckage of a Boeing 747 in Bangladesh for Saudi Airlines.

He added: "I am absolutely crazy about planes and they have given me a good life."

CROYDON'S Tijan Lambert was the British star at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in the absence of Wimbledon champion Andy Murray – and he admitted to loving every minute of it.

Having won a nationwide competition, the 13-year-old Langley Park School pupil shared the court with the cream of world tennis at the O2 as one of 30 Barclays Ball Kids.

Back surgery put an end to Wimbledon champion Murray's hopes of appearing but Lambert still rubbed shoulders with this year's French Open and US Open winner, Rafael Nadal, in London.

And after playing a starring role in the capital, Lambert – who saw off thousands of youngsters to get his eight days of fame – insisted it was an experience he would never forget.

"It was so good to be on court with such great players," said Lambert – who appeared in front of 20,000 spectators a day at the O2.

"The first time I went on court, we were all backstage just shaking with nerves but once I went on and started concentrating it was fine.

"The best thing was running on for the [Roger] Federer versus [Novak] Djokovic match – that was amazing, the crowd was cheering so loud.

"Djokovic is great, his athleticism is amazing, he is just great. It was quite tiring but all the hard work was definitely worth it. If I had to recommend it, I would definitely tell people to go for it."

Six-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker helped choose Lambert, who plays at Parklangley Tennis Club, for the O2 role where he caught the eye of 2009 US Open winner Juan Martin del Potro.

Del Petro met Lambert off the court at the O2 to give him hints and tips and the world No 5 admitted he did a sterling job for all the players involved.

"I was ten years old [when I was a ball boy] at a Futures tournament in Buenos Aires and I remember all the players who played that tournament," said Del Potro.

"I know how big it is for the ball kids, meeting all the players, giving the balls to all of us.

"I think they're great, they're smart, they know when we ask for our towels, our drinks and they are so professional too."

For more information about the Barclays Ball Kids programme, go to barclaysballkids.com or visit the Barclays Ball Kids Facebook page.

SHE enjoys a glass of brandy, loves a joke and, aged 105, might just be Croydon's oldest woman.

Hilda Brown will celebrate her birthday today (Friday) with a celebratory glass of her favourite tipple.

Grandson Derek Brown, 51, told the Advertiser: "She still enjoys a glass of brandy.

"I think I'll take a leaf out of her book but I'll have Scotch instead. It's a lovely age to have reached and a special landmark."

Great-great-grandmother Hilda is still as sharp as ever and the oldest resident at Clarendon Nursing Home, in Thornton Heath, where she moved to from nearby Cotford Road in June.

The birthday girl received a card from the Queen, her second correspondence with Her Majesty following a letter on her 100th birthday.

Revellers at her party tomorrow will include five generations of Hilda's family, with daughter Cherry Brown flying in from Florida especially for the event.

The party will be held at the nursing home, with residents also invited and a large cake is being made to feed Hilda's large visiting family.

The family have speculated as to whether she is Croydon's oldest resident but, what is sure, is that she is a full three years older than the second oldest resident at Clarendon.

"Things change every day – she might reach 110, or even older," Hilda's second daughter, Linette May Simms, 83, said.

Family members visit Hilda every day at the nursing home, where, as a keen singer, she will no doubt be joining in with songs to celebrate her 105th birthday.

Hilda first arrived in Britain from Jamaica in the 1950s with her husband Alexander. They had 11 children and many of them, and their respective children and grandchildren, come to visit regularly.

Derek added: "Gran is very popular in this home because she's a very positive person and she's passed this onto her offspring.

"Because she's sharp as a razor blade she has a laugh and a joke with the staff.

"People tend to sleep a lot at this age but she's not like that – she loves a laugh."

PALACE embark on a run of games which could see them climb out of the relegation zone by the beginning of December, starting with a trip to fellow promoted outfit Hull City this weekend.

The Tigers have made a good start to Premier League life, but they are likely to be in the bottom half of the division by the end of season – competing with the Eagles to stay up.

These next four games for Palace are huge, no doubt about it. They've played a few of the big guns in the shape of Tottenham, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool, but now it's time to face some of the sides they do have a good chance against.

Arguably, at least two wins are imperative, and it does not matter how, they just need to get the points on the board heading into the Christmas period.

At the time of going to press, no new manager had been announced, so caretaker boss Keith Millen looks set to be in charge again for his fourth game.

However, Tony Pulis was said to be in "advanced talks" with co-chairman Steve Parish, and should they be successful, the former Stoke City boss might be in the stands at the KC Stadium to watch his new side.

There is some good news on the injury front involving Jonny Williams, who completed 45 minutes on his comeback on Tuesday for the U21 squad – and there is a chance he will be in the squad tomorrow.

Millen said: "It's great to have him back. Certainly, I think he'll come back into the squad.

"You want the likes of Jonny around as he livens it up and he's a great kid to work with. I will check with the physio but he's a fit young man anyway.

"He could come into the squad, indeed."

Defender Jack Hunt is also nearing a return to training after breaking his ankle in September.

The backline of Joel Ward, Danny Gabbidon, Damien Delaney and Dean Moxey look set to continue following their clean sheet against Everton two weeks ago.

In midfield, there are plenty of options, but there is one injury concern involving Jerome Thomas, who has a groin problem picked up in training on Monday.

"The only downside this week has been Jerome Thomas – he's hurt his groin," confirmed Millen.

"We'll certainly have a look at him. Everyone else is OK though."

Barry Bannan can't be criticised much for his performances lately, so he'll be pushing for a start, possibly in the middle of the park with Mile Jedinak and Kagisho Dikgacoi. All three returned from international duty on Wednesday and will be assessed.

In attack, Cameron Jerome came on and looked lively against Everton, so he'll be vying for a starting spot instead of Marouane Chamakh.

The Moroccan did put in a good shift two weeks ago but missed a sitter in front of goal with a free header.

As for the hosts, goalkeeper Allan McGregor is in contention for a shock recall following injury.

The Scotland international has been sidelined since the end of October with a thigh problem and was initially told he would face up to six weeks out of action.

A final decision over McGregor's inclusion against Palace is unlikely to come until Friday and any fitness reservations would leave the door open for the dependable Steve Harper to continue in goal.

Robbie Brady is also expected to be welcomed back to face Palace after a hernia problem, but the game comes too soon for defender James Chester.

Striker Sone Aluko has been ruled out until February with an Achilles problem, while midfielder Stephen Quinn suffered a hamstring strain while on international duty with the Republic of Ireland.

It appears highly unlikely he will be rushed back to face Palace, especially given the availability of Brady, George Boyd and Robert Koren.

And Millen has pointed out his side will have to watch Brady in particular after an impressive start to the new campaign.

"Hull have changed their formation at times and have gone with three at the back, or they've gone 4-4-1-1, so they've chopped and changed," he said.

"It's not an easy one to read from our perspective. They do have good home form and it's a tough place to go.

"One player we will have to watch is Robbie Brady – he's a good player and has a good left foot on him.

"I think we'll show Hull as much respect as we did with Everton. You'll get beaten anywhere in this league if you think you can open yourself up and go all-out attack.

"They have had a good start, Hull. I think our players will be in a good frame of mind, and they will be coming up against some of the players who were in the Championship last season – that might give them some belief.

"Sometimes when you look at the teamsheet against your Man Uniteds and your Liverpools, there are world class names on there, but I don't think our lads have been overawed by that.

"We've got to make sure we're solid, stay in the game and definitely take our chances."

THE latest Dr Who, Peter Capaldi, has sent a message to campaigners who are working on proposals to secure the future of Upper Norwood Library.

The greeting from the Time Lord came as the library prepared to hold a Doctor Who day tomorrow (Saturday) to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the television series.

His handwritten message says: "Save the Upper Norwood Library from extermination says the new old Doctor Who Peter Capaldi."

Robert Gibson, co-chairman of the Upper Norwood Library Trust, which is preparing to take over the running of the library in Westow Hill, said: "Someone who knows Peter told him about what we were doing and we were delighted when we received the message.

"It was very timely."

The Dr Who day will run from 10.30am to 4.30pm with events including a Dalek treasure hunt, a raffle, a Dr Who quiz and an art competition.

Youngsters will be invited to make Dr Who masks and bookmarks and join in a Dalek fighting game.

And everyone is being invited to come along dressed as their favourite Dr Who or another character from the series .

Mr Gibson said: "This will be fantastic community event for young and old alike, so come out from behind the sofa and join in."