VOTE: Who should be the next Crystal Palace manager?
Pigeon poo a bridge too far in Coulsdon
PESKY pigeons are creating a stink in Coulsdon town centre because they've managed to find a way around the bird-proof rail bridge in the town.
Residents' associations have had complaints from people about the problem, which means the pavement in the town centre is often covered in slimy pigeon droppings.
The bridge, over Brighton Road and next to the town's station, has been plagued by the pests nesting and perching despite having anti-bird mesh fitted.
Charlie King, chairman of East Coulsdon Residents' Association said the street used to be steam-cleaned regularly, but that was no longer the case.
"It's getting worse and worse. It's a health risk, it's dirty and filthy and not good for kids.
"The bridge needs improved pigeon proofing. They've got some iron mesh but the pigeons can get through."
Peter Appleford, from Coulsdon West Residents' Association agreed.
"They make a hell of a mess on the pavement, especially when it rains, it's really horrible. There's slime right all over the pavement, it's really slippery and if anyone was to fall on that and get it in their face or in a cut it would be quite nasty.
"The council used to clean it regularly but with cost cutting, they only seem to do that when it was reported. I must say that when we do report it they clean it very well, but when they do that the pigeons seem to react and make even more of a mess than they did before.
"The only long-term solution is to make it pigeon proof again."
Mr Appleford added he had been in contact with Network Rail, the owner of the bridge, about the issue last Monday, August 11. It said it would look into it.
Time to move on after Tony Pulis exit, says Crystal Palace defender
New Addington gets second club for jobseekers
A WOMAN has helped more than 60 people in New Addington back into work in just over a year – but is still not able to find employment herself.
Jayne Laville, 41, set up the successful New Addington Job Club, based at New Addington Pathfinders' base in the Octagon Building, last March and has since set up her second club in Fieldway at the Community Family Hub.
The new club, in partnership with social enterprise company Play Place, takes direct referrals from the Job Centre in Dingwall Road.
The New Addington club, with only one four -our session a week, has already helped 64 people back into work.
And Jayne, who previously worked in marketing, said she started the club because she "didn't want to sit around and do nothing" about her employment situation.
Jayne, who has autism, said: "I started the club because I was out of work and I wanted to give someone a job. By helping others get a job, hopefully I will end up with a job.
"I'm still not being paid but at least I'm doing something about it."
Although the club will take on referrals, Jayne is clear they will try to help anyone if they ask for it.
The club arms jobseekers with skills that may not come naturally to them; be it preparing a good CV, guidance on what career might be best for them or how to conduct themselves in a formal interview.
One 22-year-old member of the Fieldway club, who asked not to be named, was receiving training on how to fix a bike at the Croydon Auto-Bikes Scheme prior to Tuesday's club.
Having previously had a job fitting tyres, he now has his mind set on becoming a mechanic.
He said: "It is good because I didn't even know how to go about applying for a job before."
Jayne hopes to have people turned around and into work within six weeks of joining the club but stresses that "everyone is different".
"A lot of people might not know that they already have skills," she added.
"You talk to people who might have sold drugs and even the skills involved in that show business sense."
Crystal Palace made decision on Tim Sherwood 24 hours after Tony Pulis exit
Police: Missing 91-year-old with Alzheimer's has been found
A 91-YEAR-OLD man with Alzheimer's who was missing from Coulsdon has been found.
Attilio Delmaestro was reported missing after last being seen at 11am last Monday (August 11) in Margaret Way.
Missing 17-year-old found 'safe and well' in Croydon
A MISSING teenager from Bromley has been found "safe and well" in Croydon, the police have said.
Michelle Brewer, 17, of Plaistow Lane, Bromley, was reported missing the day after her birthday.
She had last been seen leaving her home at 7pm on August 12.
"The police would like to thank the public and the media for their assistance," a spokesman said.
Crystal Palace star close to agreeing bumper new deal
Crystal Palace fined for Spygate scandal involving Cardiff City
Crystal Palace fans divided over new manager appointment, according to Advertiser poll
NO OUTSTANDING candidate has emerged as the fans' choice to replace Tony Pulis as Crystal Palace boss from a poll of Advertiser readers.
Since we launched the poll on Sunday night 1,000 people have cast a vote, with former Cardiff manager Malky Mackay leading the way with 26 per cent.
Tim Sherwood, the bookies favourite for the job, has polled 23 per cent of votes, followed by former West Brom manager Steve Clarke with 19 per cent.
Ex-Man Utd and Everton boss David Moyes has attracted a 13 per cent share of the votes, while just eight per cent of you would like to see caretaker Keith Millen given a longer-term spell in the manager's chair.
There was minimal support for the three other names put forward in our poll - former Eagles defender Tony Popovic, ex-Celtic boss Neil Lennon, and Chris Hughton, formerly boss at Newcastle and Norwich City, who polled just seven out of the 1,000 votes.
There is still time for you to have your say and vote in our poll. Click here to vote.
Man wanted in connection with burglary at veterinary surgery in Addiscombe
POLICE want to speak to this man after a burglary at a veterinary surgery in Addiscombe earlier this year.
The surgery in Lower Addiscombe Road was broken into and £200 taken at around 4.45pm on April 3.
The police have released a photograph, more than four months later, of a man they want to trace in connection with their investigation.
Detective Constable Aaron Hobbs said: "I am keen to know the identity of the man in the image and his whereabouts. Anyone with information should contact us."
Anyone with information should call DC Hobbs on 020 3276 2210 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting reference J/0736/27.
CRYSTAL PALACE LATEST: A straight fight between Tim Sherwood and Steve Clarke?
The new Crystal Palace manager looks like being a straight fight between Tim Sherwood and Steve Clarke, the Croydon Advertiser understands.
Former Spurs boss Sherwood interviewed yesterday and impressed the Palace board. It is felt his vast Premier League knowledge as well as his experience of working with young players makes him the favourite. Some reports suggest it is just a case of the 1995 Premier League winner putting pen to paper. However, Clarke, who was surprisingly sacked by West Brom last season, is not out of the race and his ability to work on a tight budget should not be underestimated.
But, despite his odds coming in today, the Advertiser believes Malky Mackay, while one of those who was interviewed yesterday, is very much third in the running for the post.
Three-year sentences for teens who started derelict building fire which killed homeless man
Crystal Palace face competition from Everton and Aston Villa for Spurs star
Crystal Palace face competition from Everton, Aston Villa and QPR for Spurs midfielder Lewis Holtby.
It is believed the German midfielder is one of those on the way out of White Hart Lane this summer, with loan moves and permanent deals being talked about.
Everton are the latest to be linked, while Palace, with Tim Sherwood being lined up as new boss, are also thought to be in running for the energetic midfielder.
Conmen go on £1,000 spending spree after tricking 81-year-old Croydon woman out of debit card
CONMEN tricked an elderly woman into handing over her debit card and PIN then went on a £1,000 spending spree.
The 81-year-old is the latest victim of "courier fraud" in which elderly or vulnerable people across the country have been tricked by someone pretending to be from their bank.
The woman, who has asked not to be named, received a call from a man claiming to be from Natwest at midday last Monday.
He asked for her pin number to supposedly verify her identity before telling her she needed to be issued with a new card to protect her from fraud.
The man said a courier would come to her home in Croydon to collect her card and a bank statement.
His accomplice arrived at the house an hour later. His victim handed over her belongings and was told her new card would be with her by 4pm.
Over the next three hours her debit card was used to spend £300 at Argos and £600 in Sainsbury's, both in Purley Way, Croydon.
A sum of £250 was then withdrawn from a cash machine before a fourth attempt to use the card was blocked by the bank who had been alerted by the suspicious transactions.
The woman, who is recovering from cancer, said the incident had left her "in bits".
"I can't bring myself to leave the house or answer the door," she explained.
"It's made me a nervous wreck. I want to cry now. I've always thought of myself as an independent person, but since this has happened my daughter has had to do everything for me
"I really thought I was recovering from the chemotherapy but this has really set me back. I didn't realise people could trick you over the phone and then come to your house."
The man on the phone, who called himself Paul, had sounded "so convincing" as he tricked the woman into identifying her bank and handing over her PIN.
He rang three or four times after the first phone call and was on the line when the courier, called John, arrived. He even asked her to pass "John" the handset so he could verify who he was.
"I only twigged something was wrong when, ten minutes after he left, I got a phone call from Paul saying he had my card," said the woman.
"He then told me not to phone anyone and that the new one would be delivered by 4pm."
The fraud team have since told the woman that the full amount has been returned to her account.
The police took a report the following day. They said men fitting the same description had recently conned a 91-year-old woman in Limpsfield Road, Sanderstead, using a similar method.
"I'm not normally one to use this sort of language, but I pray to God they catch the bastards," this week's victim said.
Police: 'The bank will never send someone to collect your card. The best thing to do is hang up'
THE police officer investigating the case has given advice to those at risk of falling victim to "courier scams".
The Met were unable to confirm exact figures but said there had been several similar incidents in Croydon in recent weeks.
Detective Sergeant Kenny Windsor said: "Courier fraudsters have been targeting victims all over the country and it is important that people tell their friends and family - particularly elderly relatives - that they should never give their bank card to anyone and that they should never reveal their PIN number - no matter who the person claims to be.
"The advice is simple - your bank, police or any other authority will never send somebody to collect your bank card, so if you receive a call like this - however convincing - the best thing to do is to hang up.
"If you are worried about your card at all, then cut it up into small pieces and request a new one be dispatched - it does not need to be collected. Similarly your bank will never ask for your PIN number."
The suspect that collected Ms Lewis's card is described as a black man with short black hair. He was wearing a high-visibility jacket. No arrests have been made.
Information and advice on how to avoid becoming a victim of courier and other types of fraud can be found on the Action Fraud website, www.actionfraud.police.uk.
No time to change Arsenal gameplan, says Crystal Palace star
Crystal Palace manager: Odds tumble on former Tottenham and Fulham boss Martin Jol
DUTCHMAN Martin Jol has tonight (Monday) emerged as a shock candidate to succeed Tony Pulis at Crystal Palace.
It had been thought Malky Mackay, Tim Sherwood, and Steve Clarke were embroiled in a three-horse race for the Selhurst Park hotseat.
But with his odds tumbling from 100/1 to 6/1 in quick time and a national newspaper report suggesting he's under consideration, the former Spurs and Fulham manager is emerging as another option for the Palace hierarchy, who are keen to have a new boss in place for this weekend's first home match against West Ham.
Jol has been out of work since he was sacked midway through last season by Fulham, just a few weeks after the Cottagers inflicted the 4-1 defeat of Palace in SE25 that led to the departure of Pulis' predecessor Ian Holloway.
Sherwood and Mackay are still well-ahead in the bookies odds though, with both men having already held talks with Eagles chairman Steve Parish.
Police appeal for witnesses after fatal car crash in Purley
POLICE are appealing for witnesses to a fatal collision in Purley where a pensioner was hit by a car while crossing the road.
The 77-year-old woman was seriously injured on Brighton Road near the junction with Old Lodge Lane at 8.30pm on Friday, August 8.
She died two days later at Croydon University Hospital, it has emerged.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "London Ambulance Service attended the scene and she was taken to a South London hospital with serious injuries.
"Her condition deteriorated and she died two days later. Her next of kin have been informed.
"The driver of the car, a black Peugeot 208, stopped at the scene."
Anyone with information about the incident should call the police on 02082 851574.
Crystal Palace manager: Keith Millen could be in charge vs West Ham as Malky Mackay deal 'falls through'
CRYSTAL Palace appear to be no closer to appointing a new manager this evening - almost a week after the departure of Tony Pulis.
Former Cardiff boss Malky Mackay had been in talks with the club and was widely expected to be named the new Palace manager today (Wednesday).
But the Eagles have now seemingly pulled the plug on the deal, with the sticking point being Palace's desire to retain members of the current backroom staff including caretaker boss Keith Millen.
Millen, who oversaw Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Arsenal and was also caretaker for a spell following the departure of Ian Holloway last season, is now increasingly likely to take charge of Saturday's first home game of the season, against West Ham. Paace today confirmed he will give the mandatory pre-match press conference on Thursday afternoon.
The former Bristol City boss was born in Croydon and is popular among both Palace fans - some of whom would like to see him get the job permanently - and the club's hierarchy.
But the desire to keep Millen in SE25 seems to be proving a stumbling block to appointing a new manager with another candidate, Tim Sherwood, also keen to bring in his own men, including former England striker Les Ferdinand.
As it stands Sherwood, who left Spurs in the summer after half a season in charge, is again the bookies favourite at 2/1 (BET365) closely followed by another former Tottenham manager Martin Jol - also said to have held talks with Palace - who is priced 5/2.
Another name being linked and backed at the bookies is former West Brom manager Steve Clarke, while Millen has come into as short as 6/1 with some firms.
Steve Parish said at the weekend he'd like to have a new manager in place by today and that the chosen candidate would have "an intimate knowledge" either as a player or manager in the Premier League.
Crystal Palace manager latest: Malky Mackay and Iain Moody reported to FA over 'sexist and racist texts'
CRYSTAL Palace's attempt to make Malky Mackay their new manager fell apart after details of alleged sexist, racist, and homophobic text messages sent by the Scotsman and Eagles sporting director Iain Moody were reported to the FA.
Two national newspaper reports suggest a dossier passed by Cardiff City to the Football Association surrounds Mackay and Moody's conduct while with the Welsh club, highlighting the offensive messages referring to players and agents.
The dossier also makes reference to the so-called 'spygate' row stemming from Palace's 3-0 win at Cardiff last season, where the relegated side's owner Vincent Tan accused the Eagles of obtaining advance information about team selection and tactics.
Around 70,000 text messages and 100,000 emails were allegedly recovered in a dawn raid on Moody's home in Balham, south London, this March, the Daily Mail has reported.
The raid was carried out after London law firm Mishcon de Reya obtained a warrant, as part of its investigation into alleged misconduct relating to transfer activity at Cardff.
Mackay and Moody looked set to be reunited at Palace, until talks dramatically collapsed on Wednesday afternoon.
It was initially suggested that a disagreement over the make-up of backroom staff had contributed to the u-turn, but tonight's revelations shed new light on why Palace have gone cold on Mackay – who just 24 hours ago seemed a shoe-in to succeed Tony Pulis.
Palace have made no official comment on their managerial position or tonight's allegations about Mackay and Moody. Some reports, however, suggest Moody is on borrowed time in SE25.
As it stands, caretaker Keith Millen is due to take charge of the team for Saturday's home game against West Ham. He is also set to face the media at a press conference on Thursday afternoon.
Millen is currently rated fourth favourite by the bookies to land the Palace job, after Tim Sherwood, Martin Jol, and Steve Clarke.