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Help support young boys with terminal condition this Christmas

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An exciting holiday to Croatia for two including flights, courtesy of Exodus Travels, is up for grabs in a charity Christmas Raffle. Raffle tickets cost £1 each. All funds go straight to supporting young boys affected by a cruel and devastating disorder.

ALD Life is a patient support group for patients and families affected with Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) – a rare genetic disorder that affects mainly young boys aged 4 to 10. At present, there isn't a cure for ALD with young boys becoming rendered into a semi-vegetative state within months, and death usually occurring shortly afterwards.

Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is an inherited neurological disorder that affects young boys' ability to see, hear, speak and walk, and causes paralysis of certain limbs and seizures.

The charity was set-up by a local mother, Sara Hunt, when her son Alex was diagnosed with ALD in 2001. ALD Life provides emotional and financial support and practical information and advice to patients and families throughout the UK. The charity also helps to fund research projects looking into finding a cure for the disorder.

This Christmas, they've organised a raffle to raise funds to support young boys affected by this cruel and devastating disorder.

In August, they are holding a Get Together Family Weekend, which helps patients and families to come together and share their experiences with others. As a rare genetic disorder, patients and families are geographically-spread, and as such many never come in contact with others going through the same experiences.

Sara said: "All funds from our Christmas raffle will help ensure our Get Together Family Weekend can go ahead. We hope we can provide patients and their families with an opportunity to come together to share experiences and get away from the daily rigors of life with the disorder."

Prize Details:
1st Prize:  an exciting holiday to Croatia for two, including flights, courtesy of Exodus Travels. For more information visit http://www.exodus.co.uk/holidays/add/overview"
2nd Prize: £100
3rd Prize: £50

Raffle tickets cost £1 each. If you would like to buy a raffle ticket, please email the charity to info@aldlife.org. Or, alternatively visit their charity shop in Penge.

Address: 209 High Street, Penge, SE20 7PF.
Directions: www.aldlife.org/contact-us/charity-shops

Help support young boys with terminal condition this Christmas


FA reject Crystal Palace appeal on Yannick Bolasie red card

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CRYSTAL Palace winger Yannick Bolasie will miss the next three games with immediate effect after the club's appeal against his red card was rejected by the Football Association. The former Bristol City man was given a straight dismissal by referee Anthony Taylor at Hull City on Saturday for a late challenge on Jake Livermore. Bolasie will miss the games against Norwich City, West Ham United and Cardiff City.

FA reject Crystal Palace appeal on Yannick Bolasie red card

Library which exterminated the threat of closure celebrates Dr Who-themed day

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FANS of Dr Who in Upper Norwood turned out in their droves on Saturday to celebrate their hero's 50th anniversary. But they did not wait for the historic 50th birthday programme on the television later that night. Instead, their celebrations started in the morning as Upper Norwood Library was transformed into its own time-travelling alien world. Staff, children and their parents all joined in the fun as the library became awash with Doctors in various guises, mixing with rampaging Daleks and other monsters. The library, which was threatened with closure when Croydon Council pulled out of a joint operating agreement with Lambeth, is in the process of becoming a community library run with financial backing from both authorities. Saturday's event was designed to both celebrate Dr Who and engage the community. Robert Gibson, co-chairman of the Upper Norwood Library Trust, said: "The staff and everyone threw themselves in 100 per cent. The library was absolutely full with Doctors young and old and there were a lot of children going around with huge smiles on their faces. "It was a profile-raising event for the library and it was hugely successful in doing that. "It attracted a lot of people who had probably never been in the library before and there was a spike in membership as well." Mr Gibson added: "The commitment of the community has created a formidable coalition which has great aspirations for the future. "We are looking forward to keeping that commitment going and building on it."

Library which exterminated the threat of closure celebrates Dr Who-themed day

BNP says its Addington remembrance wreath has been stolen

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THE British National Party says its Remembrance wreath has been stolen from the foot of the war memorial opposite St Mary's Church, in Addington. Branch member John Clarke said: "As many people across the country paid homage to our war dead we in the British National Party did the same. "Imagine our fright a week later when we found out our wreath had been stolen after seven years of paying respects to our war dead. "We have many war veterans in our Croydon and Sutton branch who are horrified by this action." The council said it had not removed the wreath, while police confirmed the alleged theft had been reported to them last Tuesday. A police spokesman said there had been no reports of other wreaths having been taken. Mr Clarke added: "On a personal note both my grandfathers fought in the Second World War and I am deeply saddened by this theft . "No matter what your political beliefs we all should be allowed to lay our wreaths without fear of them being stolen. "After all it's politicians that send our armed forces into battle so all political parties from the left or the right have a moral duty to recognise their sacrifice."

BNP says its Addington remembrance wreath has been stolen

Sound of da Pulis! Crystal Palace fans come up with song for new boss

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CRYSTAL Palace fans seem to have come up with a song for new boss Tony Pulis after his arrival at Selhurst Park. Eagles supporters have always been very imaginative and passionate with their banner displays and matchday chanting, and it seems a certain Hip-Hop song has been attributed to Pulis. 'Sound of da Police' by KRS was released back in 1993, and Palace fans have changed 'Police' to 'Pulis' on an online discussion forum. "Gotta be the song for him, love a bit of KRS," said one fan, to which another responded: "Let's make it happen!" It is still a catchy tune played today but if you're not too familiar with it, play the link below. Pulis will make his home debut to an expected sell-out in the London derby against West Ham United on Tuesday, December 3, where he will soon find out how loud and proud Palace fans are. However, whether the 55-year-old is a fan of Hip-Hop remains unknown. WATCH/LISTEN HERE

Sound of da Pulis! Crystal Palace fans come up with song for new boss

VIDEO: Goldie Lookin Chain's homage to new Crystal Palace boss Tony Pulis

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IT MAY seem an unlikely combination - new Palace boss Tony Pulis and a Welsh comedy hip-hop band. But Goldie Lookin Chain - once they'd stopped rapping about guns and, er, rappers - found inspiration in the form of their fellow countryman and penned this song. Simply titled 'Tony Pulis' the ditty contains such lyrical delights as: 'Tony Pulis he manages Stoke, Tony Pulis he's one hell of a bloke." The witty ditty was apparently inspired by Maggot, a member of GLC, thinking that tracksuit-clad Pulis belonged in their band. We're not sure this tune, recorded in 2011, will become a favourite with the crowds in SE25, but have a watch and see what you think.

VIDEO: Goldie Lookin Chain's homage to new Crystal Palace boss Tony Pulis

Fresh appeal on fifth anniversary of innocent student's murder

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FIVE years ago today Ricardo Cox went out to get fried chicken with his brother and never came home. The 20-year-old student was walking back from a KFC in West Croydon when he was mistaken for a member of a gang and murdered in a drive-by shooting. Despite a £20,000 reward, his killer has never been caught. On the fifth anniversary of his death the detective leading the investigation has issued a new appeal for information in hope of bringing the gunman to justice. Detective Chief Inspector Graeme Gwyn told the Advertiser: "I haven't given up hope of finding the person who murdered Ricardo. "We've been given names but what we need is someone with direct information. "What I need is for someone to say 'I know who it was because I saw it, they told me or someone else told me', so I can take that information and use it in court. "My message to his killer is that we are still looking for you. I urge the public to help. Five years is a long time and loyalties change. If you know what happened, come forward." Ricardo was walking home with his brother Oniel at 9.20pm on November 26, 2008, when he reached the junction of Derby Road and Mitcham Road. A black Honda Civic car, which later turned out to be stolen, drove up to the brothers and one of the occupants asked: "Do you know anyone in the Byrd gang?" They replied that they did not, but shots – from a distinctive .22 calibre handgun – were fired from the car. Ricardo was hit in the abdomen and later died. Police believe the killing was a case of mistaken identity and the product of a feud involving Croydon gang DSN (Don't Say Nothing), also known as the Byrd gang. Ricardo, a former Croydon College and Coulsdon College student, was on a gap year and had applied to study information technology at university. His aunt, Juliet Mitchell, has vowed never to give up the hunt for his killer. "Break the silence," she said in an appeal to the Advertiser on the third anniversary of his death. "Come forward and put an innocent man's life to rest. It has to stop." Det Chief Insp Gwyn admitted that if no progress is made with this latest appeal the investigation will be shelved. "Over the last five years we've had very few people come forward and it is getting to the point where we have no further lines of inquiry," he said. "I don't know whether it's fear or loyalty, but the people who know who did this haven't spoken out. "Ricardo was in the wrong place, at the wrong time. His killer must be found. "Those who didn't say anything at the time have grown up. If they realise this case still isn't solved, then hopefully they will do the right thing. "But if nothing new comes from this appeal then we will have ask ourselves whether there's anything more we can do, or are we at the point where we have to stop until new information comes in." The £20,000 reward, offered on the first anniversary of the murder, is no longer available because the time limit has expired. An inquest into Ricardo's death is scheduled for Thursday. Anyone with information is urged to call the incident room on 020 8721 4805.For the latest on the investigation see this week's Advertiser, out on Friday (November 29)

Fresh appeal on fifth anniversary of innocent student's murder

Long delays on trains after signal fire at London Bridge

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A SIGNAL fire at London Bridge is causing havoc on the trains this evening. There are long delays in both directions following what is being described as a small fire in the equipment room which has damaged signalling. Rail operators are currently reporting they are unable to provide any services to or from London Bridge. TFL buses and underground are accepting tickets on reasonable routes, but there is currently no schedule for the problem to be fixed. Check back for updates.

Long delays on trains after signal fire at London Bridge


Fears for missing man Robert Davidson, 48

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CONCERN is mounting for the welfare of a 48-year-old man who went missing one week ago. Robert Davidson, of Leyburn Gardens in Addiscombe, was last seen leaving work in East Croydon last Monday (November 18). His boss, Gloria Valencia at Home Again charity in St George's Walk, reported him missing and says his disappearance is wholly out of character. Friends and colleagues have been posting flyers in the area around his work and his house appealing for information. The 48-year-old (pictured) is described as a white man of slim build, five foot eight inches tall, with blue-green eyes and mousy-brown hair. He has a light Scottish accent and smokes roll-up cigarettes. Police are investigating.

Fears for missing man Robert Davidson, 48

Barry Bannan: I hope to show the Crystal Palace fans more after Hull goal

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BARRY Bannan is looking to show the Crystal Palace fans more of what he's capable of after netting the winning goal against Hull City last weekend. It had been a fairly slow start to life in SE25 for the Scotland international, mainly due to a lack of game time, but after a run of games for both club and country, he feels he's getting back to his best. And the former Aston Villa midfielder says new boss Tony Pulis will bring a "different" approach to the squad. "He did brilliant at Stoke and I'm sure everyone is looking forward to working with him," Bannan told the Advertiser. "I think he'll bring something different. I'm not sure how he'll go about it but we look forward. "I've been lucky as I've been away on international duty recently so I've missed some of what's been happening in the past month. "But as a footballer, your job is to play football. What happens off the pitch is nothing to do with you and you've just got to do what you do in training and let things off it sort itself out. "The first part of my career at Palace, I was lacking match fitness because I hadn't played. I had played a couple of pre-season friendlies but now I'm up to speed after the international games. "I'm enjoying it now I'm fully fit and hopefully I can show the fans more."

Barry Bannan: I hope to show the Crystal Palace fans more after Hull goal

Croydon 'among London's best boroughs for recycling'

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RECYLING rates rose again last year, putting Croydon into the top six best performing boroughs in London. Latest figures released by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) show that the amount of rubbish recycled by Croydon residents in the 2012/13 financial year rose to 44 per cent compared with 40 per cent in the previous year. In London only Bexley (54 per cent), Bromley (49), Kingston and Richmond (both 46) and Harrow (45) recycle more. Councillor Phil Thomas, the Conservative-controlled council's cabinet member for highways and environmental services, said: "When we took control of the council in 2006 only 16 per cent of rubbish was being recycled and we were ranked 29th out of 33 London authorities. "Now we are within two per cent of being in third place in London." Cllr Thomas said: "These figures are the latest to be audited by Defra but I expect we are up to 46 or 47 per cent now." He said there was still a long way to go to get up to Bexley's performance rate and added: "Our target is 50 per cent in the first place and I believe we can achieve that. "When we started out I don't think there were many people who thought we get to 44 per cent." Cllr Thomas put the continuing upturn in recycling down to a number of issues, including the introduction of food waste collections and more recently kerbside collection of Tetrapak cartons, clothes and batteries. In January the council also brought in a regime of compulsory recycling to encourage tardy residents to make an effort to recycle more. Officers are monitoring people with a poor recycling record and are initially speaking with them and offering advice on recycling. Ultimately people who ignore repeated warnings and advice can face an £80 fine. No fines have yet been issued.

Croydon 'among London's best boroughs for recycling'

Upper Norwood schoolboy wins road safety-themed poetry contest

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A PUPIL has won a poetry competition set up by the aunt of a schoolgirl killed by a car. Ethan Billet's tale of getting to school safely wowed relatives of Lillian Groves, who died after being knocked down outside her home in New Addington in June 2010. Michaela Groves, her auntie, organised the competition to promote road safety at All Saints Church of England Primary School, in Upper Norwood, where she works as business manager. Ethan's winning poem told the story of Harry Hamster and Jumping Jack Flash's journey to school. The seven-year-old wrote: "Without thinking, Harry ran into the road, forgetting to use his Green Cross Code. "Jumping Jack quickly called him back, 'You must always remember, in fact'. "Stop and wait a safe place, you hear. Best to wait for the little green man to appear. "Look around for any danger you may see, always thinking about your safety. "Listen and think for traffic before you step off the kerb. "Don't be distracted by others or noises that can be heard. "At all times, think and be wise, use your ears and your eyes." Michaela's daughter Megan, 19, chose Ethan's poem as the winner. As a reward he will receive safety equipment such as a new cycle helmet. Cassell Walters, Ethan's mum, said: "Road safety is always at the forefront of my mind." "I've taught him about the dangers and now he's the one protecting me when I cross."

Upper Norwood schoolboy wins road safety-themed poetry contest

Boris Johnson approves Croydon's £1bn Whitgift redevelopment

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MAYOR of London Boris Johnson has given the green light to Westfield/Hammerson's £1 billion redevelopment of the Whitgift Centre - leaving Eric Pickles as the final hurdle to clear. The Mayor said the 1.5 million square development would confirm Croydon as one of "London's most vibrant town centres". He said: "This development will usher in a new era of prosperity for Croydon and help return it to its former glory. Hammerson has an excellent track record and the recent Westfield developments in London created thousands of jobs and attracted millions of visitors, giving others the confidence to invest. "I am in no doubt that this new development will have a similar positive impact in Croydon and breathe new life and vitality into the town. There is no doubt that Croydon can once again become one of London's most vibrant town centres and a major driver of our economy and this development will bring that aspiration one step closer to reality." Croydon Central MP Gavin Barwell said: "This is the clearest evidence yet that there is unanimous political support for construction to commence as fast as possible. "I will be writing to the Communities Secretary asking him not to call the application in given it is broadly consistent with national planning policy, the London Plan and the Croydon Plan. "Boris said: 'This development will usher in a new era of prosperity for Croydon and help return it to its former glory'. Amen to that." The scheme will now be referred to Communities secretary Eric Pickles.

Boris Johnson approves Croydon's £1bn Whitgift redevelopment

Crystal Palace boss Tony Pulis given choice of three baseball caps

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TONY Pulis has been given a choice of three baseball caps to wear on the touchline as he plots Palace's escape from the relegation zone. The Welsh gaffer became almost as famous at Stoke for his headwear as his tactical acumen, in getting the Potters to the FA Cup Final and Premier League stability. Now, Eagles co-chairman Steve Browett has revealed how the club has gone cap (well, three caps) in hand to Pulis, ahead of his first match at Norwich this weekend. And they'll even be the chance for supporters to adopt the Puis look, if they wish. Browett, answering a question on the BBS fans forum, said: "Tony's been given a choice of 3 I believe and whichever one he chooses they will get in stock in the shop. Sooner rather than later I hope."

Crystal Palace boss Tony Pulis given choice of three baseball caps

NHS boss latest to duck responsibility for NHS Croydon chief

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NHS boss Sir David Nicholson has become the latest health chief to duck responsibility for former head of NHS Croydon Caroline Taylor. Sir David, chief executive of NHS England, said he had "no powers" to compel Ms Taylor to answer questions about ta £28m mismanagement of the trust's finances. He claimed not to have the authority to intervene because she was no longer employed by NHS Croydon, which was replaced by Croydon Clinical Commissioning Group in April. The response appears to end all hope that Ms Taylor can be compelled to explain what happened. The ball was in his court after Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told a committee set up to investigate the scandal that it was not his responsibility either. The Joint Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC) wrote to Mr Hunt in May and asked him to compel Ms Taylor to give evidence after she refused to cooperate with their investigation. In his reply, received last week, he said there was no "accountability line" from chief executives of primary care trusts (PCT) to the Secretary of State. The "accounting officer", he said, was Sir David. After being contacted by the Advertiser this week, a spokeswoman for NHS England said: "As the Secretary of State's letter makes clear, the regulations relating to overview and scrutiny committees do not give them the power to compel former employees of health bodies to attend meetings. "Sir David, who is now Chief Executive of NHS England has no powers to compel Caroline Taylor to attend the Croydon overview and scrutiny committee." Mr Hunt said new guidelines would be issued as a result of the JHOSC report, including extra powers to call witnesses currently employed by the NHS. Its review, set-up by six local authorities in south west London, was prompted by NHS Croydon posting a £5.5m surplus in 2010/11 when it was later revealed to have overspent by £23m. Its report, published earlier this year, found the misspending had been deliberately hidden. Ms Taylor, head of the trust at the time, was among a number of key figures who refused to appear before the committee. She earned £145,000 a year as head of NHS Croydon and went on to be administrator at the now dissolved South London Healthcare NHS Trust. JHOSC chairman Jason Cummings said: "I'm disappointed by Sir David's response and I'm very surprised there is no one within the management structure of the NHS, or the government, who is willing to take responsibility for Ms Taylor. "I think she should come forward and say what went wrong."

NHS boss latest to duck responsibility for NHS Croydon chief


Window cleaners foil attempted robbery at Coulsdon bank

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A PAIR of window cleaners foiled an attempted bank robbery this afternooon, the Advertiser understands. Witnesses say a man tried to rob LLoyds Bank in Brighton Road, Coulsdon, at around 3pm. But was chased out and caught by a window cleaner and his colleague before being arrested by police, the Advertiser understands. The would-be robber threatened the bank staff with a gun that turned out to be fake. Updates to follow..

Window cleaners foil attempted robbery at Coulsdon bank

Under-fire Urgent Care Centre 'safe for majority of patients'

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AN Urgent Care Centre criticised by the health watchdog is "safe and effective" for the majority of its patients, GPs have said. But Croydon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which contracts a private company to operate the service, said concerns that a "small number" deteriorate and need to be transferred to A&E are being taken "very seriously". The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has raised "serious concerns" about the unit, which is attached to the emergency department at Croydon University Hospital but run by Virgin Care. Its staff are supposed to assess patients within 20 minutes of arriving at the hospital. But, during an inspection of the trust as a whole in September, the CQC learned of two patients whose conditions may have worsened because they were made to wait longer. The CQC report, published last Thursday, concluded care provided by the Urgent Care Centre was "not safe". Croydon CCG, Virgin Care and Croydon Health Services (CHS), the trust which runs the hospital, have met to agree improvements. Paula Swann, chief officer of Croydon CCG, said: "The Urgent Care Centre is set up to take inpatients with minor illnesses and injuries, and the service is safe and effective for those patients. "However, the issues raised by the CQC concern the small number of patients admitted to the centre who deteriorate or, for some other reason, need to subsequently transfer to the emergency department. "This is an important issue and one we are taking very seriously as the safety of every patient is important to us. "We have been working with the provider of the Urgent Care Centre and CHS to address these issues, which we have been aware of since concerns from the September inspection were raised." Ms Swann said a new system was now in place to deal with the issues. An unannounced visit to the centre has already taken place, and more are scheduled. Adults who walk into the London Road hospital's A&E department report to reception, which is run by Virgin Care Staff. People with certain conditions (chest pain, for example) should be sent straight through to A&E. Others must be assessed by a Virgin Care professional within 20 minutes. During the CQC's two-day inspection of the hospital in September, its team noted two cases where the conditions of two patients worsened potentially as a result of waiting more than 20 minutes. "We were so concerned about the potential impact of this on patient safety that we ordered an urgent inspection of the Urgent Care Centre," the CQC report said. "Although Croydon University Hospital staff are trying hard to work in collaboration with the other provider, the provision of care was not safe." Ms Swann said: "We will continue to monitor the situation very closely to ensure both the Urgent Care Centre provider and CHS deliver the improvements that are necessary." A previous CQC inspection, in July, said people were not being given appropriate information in relation to their care and treatment. The results of the latest inspection are expected to be published in December. The spokesperson Virgin Care said: "We are not aware of any evidence the system Croydon CCG had specified led to bad outcomes for any patients, however following discussion with CQC, Croydon CCG has decided to pilot a slight change to the process and we will continue to provide care in line with the CCG's specification."

Under-fire Urgent Care Centre 'safe for majority of patients'

Crystal Palace chief exec apologises to Hull pensioners after fan attack

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Crystal Palace's chief executive has apologised to two disabled Hull pensioners who were attacked by the club's fans. Hull City supporters Marie and Bob Hatton were driving home with their nine-year-old great grandson Ben after watching Palace beat Hull 1-0 on Saturday when the assault happened. Mrs Hatton, 73, was pushed to the ground by an Eagles supporter and suffered a dislocated and shattered wrist, which doctors say will never fully heal. Palace Chief executive Phil Alexander has now apologised to the family on behalf of the club and joined forces with City to offer them VIP tickets for a KC Stadium game. He said: "We were really disappointed to read about this. "What was a good day out has been spoilt by two people who acted inappropriately. We pride ourselves on being a family club and this sort of thing doesn't do anyone any good. "It's not what our football club is all about and it doesn't represent the behaviour of our supporters." As they passed the disabled couple's BMW in post-match traffic in Anlaby Road, two young men pushed each other in the road. Mr Hatton, 75, honked his horn at them and the pair responded violently, following their car as it moved slowly through the queue. The pensioner, who suffers from arthritis and walks with a stick, said: "We don't know why they were stalking us. We don't know whether it was my City shirt or the stuffed tiger in our car. "I've been going to football since I was seven or eight years old with my dad and I've never seen anything like it." As their car travelled down the street, the two men – one about 25 and the other about 35 – continued to follow it, shouting abuse. When Mr Hatton wound down his window to find out what the problem was, they swore at him. The fans approached the car three times before the pensioners got out because they were afraid it would be damaged. Mrs Hatton was pushed over and injured, and one of the attackers stole her husband's walking stick. Other people saw what happened and chased after the pair, managing to recover Mr Hatton's walking stick and bringing it back to him. Crystal Palace fans spoke of their shock at the attack on Facebook. Jon Ellacott wrote: "This is a disgrace, as a Palace fan this is very concerning. "Sorry to hear about this, and unfortunately, again, a mindless minority spoil it for the majority. "This is a very unusual occurrence for Palace fans, especially in all the time I have been going. "I hope this lady makes a very speedy recovery."

Crystal Palace chief exec apologises to Hull pensioners after fan attack

Window cleaners tell how they foiled bank robbery

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TWO window cleaners have described how they foiled an attempted bank stick-up before catching the would-be robber as he tried to escape on his mountain bike. James Rowley and Daniel Sandholm were on their way home from work just before 3pm on Wednesday and pulled over in Coulsdon for James to go into to visit Lloyds Bank in Brighton Road. But their routine was shattered when a man strode into the bank and ordered the cashier to hand over money, threatening her with a gun that turned out to be a fake. Mr Rowley, 34, of Caterham, was paying in money at the time and recalls: "A guy walked in with a crash helmet on. He held up a gun and demanded the cashier put the money in. "I turned around and told him to f*** off . "He was saying, 'I am going to shoot through the glass, I am going to shoot you through the glass.' "I told him he was a prick and to go f*** himself. Then he went towards the door and was pretending there was someone else outside." Mr Rowley said he then grabbed a fire extinguisher from inside the bank and chased out the suspect who started pedalling up Station Approach Road on a mountain bike. He continued: "I was thinking there is probably a getaway car outside, not a bike, so I was going to throw the extinguisher at the car. "I was running after him and chased him up the road. I threw the fire extinguisher at him and knocked him off his bike and then he ran at me with the crash helmet." Father-of-two Mr Rowley was knocked to the ground and Mr Sandholm, who had been waiting in the van, took up the chase. Mr Sandholm, 23, of Purley, said: "I heard some shouting when I was sitting in the van and then I saw James chasing him. "He whacked James around the back of his head with the helmet and then James fell to the ground as I was running up. It was quite nasty. "Then I chased the guy down towards Brighton Road. I grabbed him and pushed him up by the boarding [at the flats development] and we held him there until police came. "He was trying to struggle but when I caught him to be fair he was struggling a little bit at first afterwards he just sort of waited with me." Mr Sandholm, who works for Mr Rowley, said police arrived before the would-be robber was taken away to hospital in an ambulance after complaining of breathing difficulties. Mr Rowley himself was due to see a doctor on Thursday morning to check his head after his fall. He added: "I felt sorry for the cashier because she was an old woman. I would do it again if it happened in front of me. "The police were very happy with what I had done. They said they had never known anyone to stop an armed robbery and catch the suspect at the same time." The London Ambulance Service confirmed its staff had attended and treated a man, reported to be in his forties, who was taken to Croydon University Hospital. A police spokesman confirmed police officers were called at around 2.40pm to reports of an attempted robbery at a bank in Brighton Road. He added: "Police attended and a 46-year-old man, who had been detained by a member of the public, was arrested nearby on suspicion of attempted robbery. "Officers also recovered an imitation firearm nearby." The 46-year-old was in police custody at the time of writing late Thursday morning. Detectives from the Met's Flying Squad are investigating. Enquiries continue.

Window cleaners tell how they foiled bank robbery

Cops refund 101-year-old's life savings after distraction burglary

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A WHEELCHAIR-BOUND 101-year-old man who had his life savings stolen in a burglary has had some of the money replaced by generous police officers. The centenarian, who lives with his 75-year-old son, had almost £3,000 taken in a distraction burglary from his home in South Norwood on November 5. When Constable Zoe Garrod and Police Community Support Officer Tracy Isaac, of South Norwood Safer Neighbourhoods team, went for a reassurance visit, they were shocked by who had been targeted. PCSO Isaac said: "Me and Zoe walked out of the place in tears. He was a very, very frail old man and he's in a wheelchair. I don't think he really realised what was going on but his son did and he was very upset. "It was the money they use for his care. We decided we had to do something because it was such a horrible case. It was just a few days before his 101st birthday." They told their colleagues and put a collection together to try to raise some cash to help replace some of what was stolen. PC Helen Espinosa baked a birthday cake for him and presented the card with PC Garrod and PCSO Isaac during a surprise visit on Remembrance Day (November 11). The collection raised £750, which officers gave to the victim at their home last Thursday (November 21). PCSO Isaac added: "Since we first went round, we've been back about four times and they know us on first name terms now. We're friendly with them now and we will pop in when we are in the area, which will hopefully make them feel a bit safer. "We need to warn elderly people, especially with Christmas coming up, as they can be very trusting." Acting Detective Sergeant Andy Pike said: "The victim and his son have been great and were visibly touched when we went round with the money today, but it will hopefully make a big difference to their quality of life over the winter and help them to enjoy Christmas as well." The elderly man was tricked by a bogus cold caller, who burgled the place after being let in. Detectives continue to investigate the burglary, although no arrests have been made at this stage. Police are also advising residents to beware of bogus or cold callers and advise any elderly residents not to let unexpected callers into their homes.

Cops refund 101-year-old's life savings after distraction burglary

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