A MAN has been charged with raping a child at an address in New Addington.

Alex Kwame Baah, 42, is accused of eight counts of rape relating to the same girl between January 2008 and August 2013.

The girl was under the age of 13 when the alleged offences began and 16 or over at the time of the most recent charge.

Baah, of Bostall Hill, Plumstead, appeared at Croydon Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

He spoke only to confirm his name and address and did not enter a plea.

The magistrate granted him conditional bail until a hearing at Croydon Crown Court on October 1.

A MAN has been given a curfew and branded "pathetic" for attacking a woman in a row over hair straighteners.

Ross Young, 21, pulled Sharon Hersey to the floor by her t-shirt and punched her in the head twice before kicking her in the knee.

Young, of Panton Close, West Croydon, had gone to the flat in St James's Road with Miss Hersey's former partner to demand the return of a friend's hair straighteners.

They forced their way inside the property, chased her upstairs and asked for the straighteners back. Miss Hersey replied: "She can come round and get them herself."

Miss Hersey ran downstairs into the living room, where Young pulled her to the ground and lashed out. After the attack, he and Miss Hersey's ex-boyfriend fled the address.

Young pleaded guilty to assault by beating when he appeared at Croydon Magistrates' Court today (Wednesday).

The court heard he was of previous good character and rarely left home because he is, in effect, "claustrophobic".

He was given a three month community order enforced by a curfew which means he must be at his address in Panton Close between 9pm and 7am every day. He was also fined and made to pay a victim surcharge totalling £165.

The magistrate said: "You can't go kicking people, especially when you are wearing shoes. It's very dangerous, particularly when they are on the floor. If you kicked them in the head, who knows what could have happened.

"For a pair of hair straighteners this is pathetic. Choose your friends more wisely."

COLUMNIST and Crystal Palace fan ZOE MESSENBIRD was underwhelmed by the display against Burnley, and fears a season of struggle lies ahead...

HAVING missed the first couple of games this season, Saturday's fixture was one I was particularly looking forward to. After finally getting my head around the fact that Pulis had gone, I thought I would return to Selhurst optimistic that perhaps Neil Warnock could keep us in the Premier League.

I am not entirely sure why we chose to reappoint Warnock as the Palace manager. My only positive thought for the reappointment was the fact he is, without a doubt, a great motivator, and with some of the players now experiencing their third manager walk out on them in the space of a couple of years, a motivator is exactly what we need if we are going to have any chance of survival.

But this wasn't the case on Saturday, as most heads seemed down and the players failed to show any passion and fight. I am trying hard to find positives from the game and apart from Speroni's amazing save, and a positive performance from Jonny Williams when he came on, I was unimpressed with the 90 minutes I sat through.

I know that if a few of the chances at the beginning of the game had converted then it would have been a different story, but they didn't, and I left the ground wondering how we were going to survive this season.

We have been extremely fortunate with our run of games at the beginning of the season. We should be picking up points against these types of clubs and we would usually hope to get something from likes of Burnley.

I know that two points out of four games isn't the end of the world, but I really fear for our season when we entertain the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City, because Saturday's game looked like nothing more than a Championship fixture.

I hope we don't end up there next season.  

A TRAIN company has offered passengers with mobility problems living near South Croydon railway station free taxis to the closest station with disabled access.

South Croydon station, on Blunt Road, has no step-free access with passengers having to go up and down a total of 38 steps to reach the platforms.

Southern, who manage the station, said it has no plans to make improvements at the Victorian train station. But they will order disabled passengers a taxi to East Croydon station free of charge.

This will be welcome news for residents like Michael Tomlin and his wife, Rosemary, who live on St. Peter's Road – just a two minute walk from South Croydon station. The retired couple travel all over the country by train three or four times a month.

Twenty years ago Mrs Tomlin, 71, suffered a brain haemorrhage that left her in a wheelchair. For ten years after this the couple used South Croydon station with Mrs Tomlin getting out of her wheelchair to walk up and down the stairs while Mr Tomlin, 72, carried the chair, with the assistance of station staff.

But then Mrs Tomlin became unable to manage the stairs and they had to stop using the station. For the past ten years Mr and Mrs Tomlin have taken a bus to East Croydon station and have to leave home 40 minutes before their train departs instead of ten.

Mr Tomlin said that South Croydon is one of the worst stations he has seen for disabled users. He said that disabled access on trains has improved a lot and East Croydon is very good, but they would rather use their local station.

"When my wife was first disabled there were slim door trains and we had to travel in the guard's van at the back of the train," said Mr Tomlin.

"Stations have got better and better as time has gone by. The assistance at East Croydon is amazing.

"But it's not just us affected there are other people with wheel chairs and women with push chairs. Even people with heavy luggage."

Georgie Ray, who lives in Blunt Road and uses South Croydon station regularly, has been pushing for better disabled access there for over three years.

"The station is a central part of the community and we want to encourage more people to use it and have access to it," she said.

Ms Ray welcomed Southern's taxi offer. But she said it needs to be more clear who can use this service, is it just disabled people or will people who cannot carry their luggage because of mobility problems be considered?

Steve O'Connell, Greater London Authority Assembly Member, is working with Ms Ray to improve the access at the station.

"Disabled access is something we really need to take very seriously and local people think the station lends itself to that need. It's something that will take time.

"There's been a lot of good work from people in the community to build up momentum and I'm happy to support them and keep the pressure on so that at some stage when a list of prospective stations [to get disabled access] is drawn up we are on that list."

A Southern spokesman said: "Currently, there are no plans to install lifts at the station, but we ensure those with mobility problems who travel to and from South Croydon station get to the nearest accessible station – in this case, East Croydon. This is usually done by taxi at no cost to the passenger."

Taxis can be arranged in advance. Passengers can book their journey using Southern's Assisted Travel helpline on 0800 138 1016, or Minicom/Textphone 0800 138 1018

A NURSERY criticised for allegedly leaving rat traps in reach of children has been given a much-improved rating by Ofsted.

Blossoms Day Nursery, in Waddon, was judged to be "inadequate" - the lowest possible score - after an inspector claimed staff were unaware of risks posed by placing bait boxes in an outdoor play area.

Ofsted returned to the setting, in Waddon New Road, last month and found it had made significant progress.

That report, published this week, described Blossoms as "good" and praised staff for their "secure" knowledge of safety issues.

A "relieved" Siv Singh, the owner of the nursery, told the Advertiser: "It's been quite stressful but we have finally got the result we thought we deserved."

During February's inspection, Ofsted found staff were unable to say whether there was poison in the bait boxes left in its garden area. Mrs Singh said the boxes were locked and the only key held by a pest control company.

The latest report does not reference the traps, which are still there, but acknowledges a written risk assessment is now in place which involves staff checking the nursery, toys and equipment on a daily basis.

It praised staff, particularly for the way activities are planned, and said the nursery ensures child to adult ratios are met at all times.

"Staff are well organised and work effectively as a team," the report adds. "They promote children's safety well and support learning successfully."

Mrs Singh said: "We've not done a great deal differently this time. Instead we've had an inspector who has recognised how passionate we are about what we do.

"We've had to keep the bait boxes because we are opposite a railway line but we made it clear that a risk assessment had been carried out. That's what [Ofsted] wanted to see - evidence. We knew they were safe." 

AN ESSEX boy who lives in New York is trying to find the Croydon girl of his dreams he met fleetingly in Ibiza.

Tom Gibb, 32, met a girl called Roshi while on holiday in Ibiza on Sunday, August 31 and knew immediately she was special.

Unfortunately for him, Tom lost track of Roshi in the superclub Space and is now desperate to track her down.

Tom started a FindRoshi hashtag on Twitter last week and hopes to rekindle what he thought started on the Space roof terrace.

Tom, who directs development of apps and websites for Bravo TV in the Big Apple, said: "As soon as I saw her I thought she was special and she had the sweetest, softest demeanour. She wasn't really one for the nightclub but was visiting a friend who is working a season there and we got talking."

Tom believes Roshi works in marketing around Paddington and has a Nepalese background.

They found common ground - amid the thumping bass of dance music in Space - over Game of Thrones and Harry Potter.

Tom, who was in Ibiza for a friend's stag do, was with 12 lads from all around the world and their big night was Sunday.

Tom added: "We we're talking for a fair while about anything and everything. Space being the mega-club it is I lost her after a moment or two and couldn't really find her after.

"I really wanted to get her number. I've tried some light Facebook searching but I don't know too much about her so its not really working out."

He believes Roshi is about 25-26 years old, could be called Roshana or Roshita, has dark hair and has travelled a lot.

He also said she was with a friend who was travelling after studying social work at Sheffield Hallam University.

"I'm working on the premise that if this works, then maybe it was meant to be that way," Tom said.

"I'm not sure I can give many more details. I know this most likely this won't work but why not give a modern romance a shot?"

POLICE found around 500 cannabis plants in a factory set up in a Kenley house two weeks ago.

They were called to a detached house on Hayes Lane in the afternoon of September 1 after a gas engineer visiting the property to execute a warrant suspected it was being used as a cannabis factory.

A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said that officers found 400 to 500 cannabis plants in all six bedrooms of the house but no suspects were there. It appeared the house's electricity had been bypassed.

Officers seized the plants and enquiries are underway to trace the suspects.

A MAN found naked in a skip in South Norwood was punched and kicked to death by two people he knew over "a minor disagreement", a court heard.

Father-of-three Michael Hunt, 37, was discovered in a builder's skip down an alleyway off Station Road on March 15 with multiple injuries including a fractured skull and severe brain trauma. He later died in hospital.

Arry Green, 21, of Whitehorse Road, South Norwood, and Fiona Nalty, 24, of Fairdene Road, Coulsdon, both deny murdering Mr Hunt.

Jurors at the Old Bailey heard on Wednesday how Mr Hunt, known as 'Irish Mick', was known to the two defendants, with a fight said to have broken out after a row at a taxi office.

Mr Hunt was found badly beaten with just a black bandana round his neck and his clothes scattered around the alleyway.

Prosecutor David Jeremy told jurors: "They had met him on a street in South Norwood. All three had had a lot to drink and a minor disagreement led to them taking him to an alleyway and punching and kicking him to death."

Mr Jeremy relayed four witness statements which he said form 'the narrative' of the build-up to Mr Hunt's death.

This is from when he left The Portmanor pub, in Portland Road, between midnight and 1am to the skip he was discovered in by a member of the public in the morning.

The court heard Mr Hunt, of Holmesdale Road, had spent the evening with friends around South Norwood drinking super-strength lager and had also smoked a rock of crack cocaine.

He had earlier told his mother, with whom he lived, he wanted 'bangers and mash' for dinner and would text her when he was coming home.

Mr Hunt later spent time at The Portmanor pub, in Portland Road, where he was a regular, and played pool with friends and danced, the court was told.

He was then seen at a convenience store in High Street before Mr Hunt and his alleged killers were refused a taxi from a cab office in Station Road, the trial heard, because the defendants were drunk.

A witness from the taxi office said the pair became aggressive and started spitting at him through the glass protector, but Mr Hunt was trying to calm them down, telling them they would not get a taxi if they kept behaving this way.

The next thing he saw, the court heard, was Nalty punching Mr Hunt in the face in the street.

A woman, who lived in a second-floor flat near the alleyway where Mr Hunt was found, also said she had woken to see a male and a female with their arms around each others necks before falling on the floor.

She said she then saw the female get up and start kicking the man in the head, before hearing a man, who the prosecution believe to be Green, say: "Let's go round the corner and sort this out."

This is when the prosecution believe the pair took Mr Hunt into the alleyway and beat him further.

A 15-year-old boy, who was with the two defendants and Mr Hunt on the night, was staying at Green's address in Whitehorse Lane and said the defendant had switched on his washing machine as soon as he got home, before later warning him not to tell anyone about the incident.

Mr Hunt's pathologist report showed a fractures in his skull, nose, cheekbone and rib as well as many abrasions to his face, while his eyes were completely swollen over.

Green was arrested on March 18 in Purley and Nalty in Brighton on March 20.

Jurors had heard how Mr Hunt, originally from Waterford in Ireland, had been a heroin addict in the past but at the time of death, was a heavy drinker who smoked crack cocaine two or three times a month.

He suffered from depression and anxiety, though witness statements given by friends and local business owners said Mr Hunt was a friendly individual.

The trial continues.

ARE these your holiday snaps?

Police are looking to trace this couple after officers discovered holiday photos of them on a stolen memory card.

This followed the arrest of a 53-year-old man - described by police as one of Croydon's top five prolific burglars - on September 9.

In his possession was a memory card containing multiple photos of a couple and two girls believed to be their daughters, aged between two and four, on a holiday in Egypt.

Detective Constable John Davis, from Croydon Serious Acquisitive Crimes Unit said: "We have arrested a prolific burglar in the Croydon area who was in possession of property believed to be stolen and we are keen to identify the victims and unite them with their family photos."

Anyone with information should contact DC Davis on 0203 276 2273, or alternatively to remain anonymous, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

CHRIS Philp was teased on Twitter earlier this week when he misspelled Vidhi Mohan's name while promoting the joint manifesto they have released alongside Gavin Barwell ahead of next May's general election. In his defence, he may not have typed it many times before if the manifesto is anything to go by.

Vidhi, the party's Croydon North candidate, is mentioned just once during the 20,000-word document (discounting his signature and a picture caption). That's half as many mentions as the late Labour politician Malcolm Wicks, who passed away in 2012. Chris Philp, who is standing in Croydon South, doesn't fare much better, with three references in 37 pages. In contrast, Gavin Barwell is mentioned 17 times.

That might not be surprising given Mr Barwell is an incumbent MP in the only marginal seat of the three, but it does nothing to dispel the impression that this is a joint manifesto by name only.

Writing on his blog this week, the Croydon Central MP said a decision had been taken to publish a "joint vision" because "too often in the past politicians have favoured one part of the borough over others". 

"We believe we should focus on what is best for the town as a whole," he said.

But why does the manifesto contain so few references to areas in Croydon North? For example, there's no mention of Upper Norwood (aside from the name of a school). Broad Green features three times, twice in reference to crime. Thornton Heath gets the most attention, with four mentions. The phrase "town centre"? 27 times.

There is some merit to the argument that improving the town centre holds the key to Croydon's overall prosperity. But that's no excuse for how little there is here about the rest of the borough, especially the north. Making that point isn't pitching one area against another. It's about holding Mr Barwell to his word when he said, after the Conservative's local election defeat, that making inroads in Croydon North was the biggest challenge facing the party.

If counting up references seems cheap, it's not just about the numbers. There are so few ideas – innovative or otherwise – which specifically relate to areas beyond the town centre.

If this was Mr Barwell's manifesto alone, it would be fine. But that's not what we're being sold. This was supposed to be the culmination of three people's vision for Croydon's future, but it's difficult to see where two of them contributed.

There's nothing in the manifesto that would convince someone to vote for Vidhi Mohan over Labour's Steve Reed, save for the usual reasons given by Conservative politicians as to why they would do a better job running the country.  It feels like a disappointing step backward for a party whose last candidate in the constituency – Andy Stranack – was selected because he had something different to offer. Equally, there's nothing to suggest the Tories are anything but convinced of victory in Croydon South.

None of this is to say, however, that the manifesto doesn't have anything to offer. Many of the points on the 33-strong list of things the candidates want to achieve are perfectly reasonable. Whisper it, but some wouldn't look out of place in the manifesto published by Labour ahead of the local elections in May. It suffers from a similar problem too: while you would be hard-pressed to argue with many of its aims, it feels a little too well-meaning and a little too short on detail.

The list covers areas MPs have little influence over but, in fairness, the three candidates recognise that "MPs don't run local services" and, if their party is in opposition, "they don't have much of an influence over government policy either". The result? "We can't make any firm promises".

Large sections of the document are given over to listing the government's – or the previous council's – achievements, such as lowering unemployment, convincing two retail giants to rebuild the Whitgift Centre and securing extra money for school places and police officers. Yet the focus on the feats of the Tory council makes it is even more glaring that the manifesto doesn't highlight any of Cllr Mohan's personal achievements.

A good proportion is given over to rising standards in education, including hailing the Conservative cabinet for its "brave" decision to convert several failing state schools into academies in 2008. Six years later, only one local authority-led secondary school remains in Croydon.

Interestingly, the manifesto features the latest GCSE and SATs benchmark scores for every school in Croydon, figures the council has previously refused to release because they were un-validated.

Among the promises in the manifesto is an end to the town's "Punch and Judy" politics and a laudable pledge to work across the political divide.

For the most part, it sets a more positive tone than the cynicism and negativity of the party's local election campaign. The existence of a manifesto in any shape or form is an acceptance, as Mr Barwell now concedes, that refusing to publish one in that campaign was a mistake.

He also told the Advertiser that there would less negative campaigning this time and, though the manifesto doesn't stoop anywhere near as low as some of the party's election literature, it's still more than happy to tell voters where Labour is wrong, at times to the detriment of its own message. How preoccupied is it with these 'failings'? The manifesto includes 62 mentions of Labour compared to 38 of the word Conservative.

There is one section, however, where the report resorts to point scoring and, in the process, drops the ball.

Under the section about zero tolerance of crime, it criticises the "Labour candidate for Croydon Central" (Sarah Jones, though she isn't named) for comments made following the illegal rave in East Croydon in June. The manifesto points out that a significant amount of damage was done to the building, the lives of those living in the area were disrupted [and] one young man tragically died". "By any definition, this was a serious incident," it concludes.

It then contrasts Mr Barwell's call for those responsible to face "the full force of the law" with his "Labour opponent's" response, on Facebook, that "youth is about exploration, pushing boundaries, seeking out fun and moulding your personality".

The clear implication is that she trivialised not just the violent disorder but also the death of Rio Andrew, the 15-year-old who collapsed during the unlicensed event and passed away two days later.

Aside from the ethics of using a child's death, however unintentionally, to score political points, it's simply not true. Mrs Jones made those comments a day before it emerged anyone had been seriously hurt. While it may have been a mistake to downplay the behaviour of the crowds who attacked the police, she did not infer a schoolboy's death was "youths…seeking out fun" and it is grossly unfair to infer otherwise.

The manifesto also attacks Labour over its proposed selective licensing scheme, which would see private landlords have to pay £200 a year to the council for each property they rent out.

Labour says the charge would combat rogue landlords and drive up the standard of accommodation. The Conservatives say the cost of the "stealth tax" will be passed on to vulnerable tenants.

"It's beneath contempt and we will vigorously oppose it," the manifesto says.

The manifesto extols the government's decision to put local health services in the hands of GPs rather than the managers who ran primary care trusts (PCT).

It points out that Croydon PCT spent millions of pounds more than it had budgeted to, but "the officials in charge disgracefully refused to be questioned in public about how this had happened".

What it doesn't mention is that a Conservative councillor was among those who refused to answer questions about the scandal, yet none of his colleagues – including Mr Barwell or Cllr Mohan – described that decision as "disgraceful". By the time the lack of cooperation with the scrutiny investigation had been raised at the highest levels, it was Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt who said he was powerless to do anything about it.

There other areas, too, that will prompt similar responses. One of the more tangible promises in the manifesto is to lobby the council to increase the amount of time people have to have lived in the borough before being eligible to go on the housing waiting list. The Conservative council were in power for eight years. If this was so obvious, why hasn't it already been done?

It attacks Labour on fly-tipping (a subject politicians on both sides of the divide should admit they do not have the answer to) and questions why they failed to prosecute the travellers responsible for dumping huge amounts of waste in three playing fields during the summer. It fails to point out the council didn't prosecute any travellers for fly-tipping in the eight years the Conservatives were in control.

Elsewhere, there's a less than ringing endorsement for controversial plans for an incinerator in Beddington Lane, described by the manifesto as the "least bad option".

"We agree," the candidates add, "but our focus should be on trying to increase the proportion of our waste that we do recycle and on pressing retailers to use less packaging, reducing the amount of waste we produce in the first place."

At the very least the Conservatives have stolen a march, particularly in Croydon Central, on their rivals by setting their stall out as early as possible. Next week, Mr Barwell's campaign will be officially launched by Mayor of London Boris Johnson during a high-profile event held at Fairfield Halls.

Both the rally and the manifesto are as much about drumming up support for the campaign trail as they are about winning votes. Whatever you make of them, the ball appears firmly to be in Labour's court. 

EARLIER this year people from across the world helped pay for life-changing surgery for a disabled child in New Addington.

Now another family on the estate have launched a fundraising campaign of their own so their son can access the same treatment.

Malachi Reid, 10, has cerebral palsy, a condition which leaves him unable to walk without the help of a frame.

He has been given hope of walking unaided after being accepted for Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR), a specialist operation performed in the US.

Later this year Scarlett Hewitt, 7, will undergo the same procedure after her family raised £65,000, helped by Premier League footballers and donations from South Korea and Brazil, in just four months.

Their amazing achievement has given Coleen Reid, Malachi's mother, hope she will reach her target, set at £80,000, because the cost of the operation has increased.

"As much as the fundraising will be hard work I know it will be worth every minute," she told the Advertiser this week.

"It's a huge amount of money but Scarlet's campaign has made me believe that anything is possible."

Malachi, who lives in Kennelwood Crescent, was diagnosed with spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy, after being born six weeks premature.

The condition causes the muscles is his legs to tighten which leaves him unable to walk without help and needing a wheelchair for longer distances.

"He's becoming more aware of his own limitations as he gets older," said Mrs Reid.

"It's frustrating for him that he has to keep asking for help.

"I have to do things for him, like help him shower, and it's making him sad. I think he feels like a burden.

"So for him to be able to achieve some level of independence... I can't even find the words to describe it.

"This operation would change his life. It's going to give him better posture, better balance. His level of comfort will improve. Hopefully he will be able to walk unaided."

Malachi, a pupil at Fairchildes Primary, in New Addington, performs in the school's steel band and goes horseriding as part of his therapy.

He dreams of playing football with his friends instead of having to be the referee.

"He sits there with his wheelchair and a whistle but he wants to run around," said Mrs Reid.

"He's an active boy. He wants to be out there and wants to achieve, but his condition is holding him back."

Mrs Reid, a creche worker, set up a JustGiving page last Sunday and has already raised more than £2,500. The campaign will now begin in earnest, helped by tips from Scarlett's mother.

Lisa Hewitt said: "It's lovely that we have been able to inspire people.

"Malachi is in a very similar situation to Scarlett. The operation could make a massive difference to his life.

"The community in New Addington have been fantastic for us. Malachi goes to school here so he already has a great base of support.

"We've been adding our ideas to the good ones Coleen has had. Hopefully it will spur her on to achieve the target she needs in a similar time frame as us."

In August the NHS announced SDR will be made available to 120 children a year. Malachi, however, does not qualify because, by the time he is assessed and placed on the waiting list, he will be too old.

His family hope to raise the money by next Easter so he does not miss too much school.

Mrs Reid said: "There's no time to waste. He's reached a peak now. It's only going to get worse. Cerebral palsy is crippling him."

To donate to the campaign, visit www.justgiving.com/Malachisonlywish. 

A "ONE in a million" girl who died in an accident on holiday less than ten days after turning 18 has been given a huge community send-off.

Shannon O'Dwyer, of Delamare Crescent, Shirley, died on the Greek island of Zante on August 20 while on holiday with friends. An inquest into the cause of her death has yet to take place.

She was laid to rest on Tuesday (September 16) at a huge funeral with more than 250 family and friends present.

A special tribute to the popular girl, who went to Edenham High School, was placed on the green in the middle of the Stroud Green estate.

The community around Stroud Green came together to remember Shannon, who was affectionately known as "giraffe" by her family due to her height.

Shannon was studying business and law and celebrated her 18th birthday on August 11.

A family friend, who attended the service at Croydon Crematorium, said: "The funeral was amazing and it just showed how popular Shannon was. She was one in a million. It was a real credit to her."

Shannon's sister Kiera sang the John Legend song All Of Me at the service, while another sister Angel read the eulogy.

Her body was taken to Croydon Crematorium in a white horse-drawn carriage.

In a special tribute, Shannon's name was cut into the grass of the green on Delamare Crescent, while flowers were laid and the streets were cleared and described as "spotless" by funeral-goers.

The family friend added: "The Stroud Green community did Shannon proud and showed that community spirit is still very much alive."

Dawn Lawrence, Shannon's deputy head of progress at Edenham High, paid tribute to Shannon as a "bubbly, popular and able" student having achieved six A-C GCSEs at after attending the school between 2007 and 2012.

Ms Lawrence said: "Shannon was a creative student and talented artist.

"Shannon's strong will, determination and independence were shown when she found her own work experience placement in a law firm where her qualities thrived.

"This is a sad time for the Edenham community as she will be missed by all."

DAN GIBBS explains why he hopes we haven't seen the last of Glenn Murray in the red and blue stripes of Crystal Palace...

SCORING goals for Reading.. Glenn Murray. If you just sung that tune in your head it probably hurts you just as much as it hurts me.

I was delighted when I found out that Murray had scored a brace on his debut for Championship outfit Reading on Saturday, but then the picture of him in a Reading shirt on Twitter popped up and it just didn't look right.

I can't help think that Palace may regret the decision to send the 31-year-old out on loan. While at the moment it's only until January, I think it could well be much longer than that and even permanent.

With Kevin Doyle being snapped up and not many best pleased about the acquisition, it could be that Murray's time at the club is coming to an end.

Cast your mind back to our successful 2012-13 play-off promotion season and you'll see a familiar name pop up on each scoresheet. The Englishman scored 30 goals, finishing as the Championship's top scorer and narrowly missing out on the league's player of the season award.

Doubts have been raised as to whether he is just a Championship player and can do the same job in the Premier League.

The answer to that? I don't think he's had the best of chances to prove himself yet. Returning last year from injury clearly had an effect, with Murray only managing one goal in 14 appearances. He has goals in him, it's just about getting the consistency and confidence.

Going to Reading and scoring plenty could be the confidence boost he needs to re-establish the fine form he once had. If he impresses, Neil Warnock has to call him back. It would be a big error not to.

Frazier Campbell hasn't impressed me massively this season while Kevin Doyle seemed to be a bit of a strange buy. We all know what Murray's capable of and come the turn of the New Year, we could need someone of Murray's ability to score vital goals that earn us crucial points.

Reading face Brighton at the Amex on Boxing Day and I've already got a feeling Murray will score again to give Palace fans a late Christmas present and once again leave Brighton fans cursing his name.

Oh what a beautiful sight it would be.

All I'll say Mr Warnock is; please have your phone ready to recall him back the second it strikes midnight on December 31.

A CAR has flipped on to its roof during a crash in a side street in Thornton Heath. 

The silver vehicle turned over and hit several cars parked outside homes in Headcorn Road at around 5.30pm today (Thursday). 

The police and London Ambulance Service are at the scene but, according to witnesses, the driver has not been seriously hurt. 

It is understood there were no passengers in the car.