CROYDON'S Thomas Whitehurst is bidding to become the latest beneficiary of a rugby scheme backed by Lions legends Scott Quinnell and Will Greenwood that aims to improve employability using rugby.

Unemployed since January, the 18-year-old enrolled in the School of Hard Knocks last month, a charity featured on Sky Sports that uses rugby to facilitate integration into full-time work.

Boasting Quinnell and Greenwood as ambassadors, the eight-week programme has had a dramatic impact in helping out-of-work youngsters confront their fears on and off the field across the United Kingdom.

Based at Streatham-Croydon Rugby Football Club, Whitehurst and 24 others meet twice-a-week and train for two hours in the morning, before attending employment theory sessions in the afternoon.

Whitehurst also experiences a 24-hour team-building expedition and seminars with inspirational individuals with the course culminating in a game against an established rugby club.

"I had a temporary Christmas job but that ended and applying for jobs has been very unsuccessful," said Whitehurst, who plays for Old Mid-Whitgiftian.

"Right now I wish this was all week because the following day I will have nothing to do. You get to learn about rugby and discover how to best go about getting a job and learning the key skills you need.

"I am relishing the physical challenges that are going to be put in front of us and I want to be a professional rugby player so this is a great opportunity."

Another optimistic student from Croydon, 21-year-old Jack Palmer believes the confidence he is gaining from the programme has rejuvenated his desire to find a job.

"I can't fault this at all – it's amazing," said Palmer, who studied at Croydon College.

"I need to get my life back on track and I have always seen rugby as a man's sport. It gives any person that plays it confidence to do what they want on and off the pitch.

"I think team work is a major aspect I have improved. I have also come down here every day on time and that is the dedication and commitment I can prove to the employer."

IAN HOLLOWAY is ready to boost Palace's promotion bid in January with his eye on at least two new additions to his squad.

Instead of thinking about clubs interested in one or two of his players, the manager is itching to get some business done the other way, with the main focus looking towards the forward line.

"This time of year is absolutely vital. It shows you if you've got strength in depth, so I'd like to help," he said.

"I can't wait for January to help my squad and try to add one or two things that, I think, make us even more threatening.

"I can't wait to look at the options that we might have available. I've got some of my own, but we've got a wonderful scouting network and I'm delighted I've got access to that, but with every day that goes by, I'm getting closer to what I might need.

"The shopping list is, as it always is in football, very hopeful. It's very long and it's probably very expensive.

"I'm asking myself, have I been good enough this year to get what I want? Unfortunately, it will be a long, long week after Christmas day."

With the world struggling to come to terms with the recent school shooting in Connecticut, America, Holloway says Christmas is a time not only to enjoy football, but also spend time with loved ones. And the Palace boss revealed goalkeeping coach George Wood's son nearly lost his life last week.

He said: "I want to wish every single person who has even dreamed about watching football, a happy Christmas.

"If there's a better time of the year, and if there's ever an example that we all need to treasure our families, more than what happened last Friday, which was the most tragic thing I think I've ever seen in my life, which I fail to understand. How are those people feeling in America?

"I just want to send them all our love from England and I'm so glad we don't have to face anything like that.

"George Wood's son nearly died in a car accident. His car was written off and it was cut in half. He went across some water, he was driving perfectly safely but he aquaplaned, hit a barrier and he's lucky to be here.

"Truthfully speaking, how lucky are we all? So, please cherish your families, because without that, what else do we have in the world?"

A COUPLE of glasses of advocaat and some sweets will be enjoyed by one of Croydon's oldest residents when she celebrates her 105th birthday.

Ethel Howard is due to reach the grand old age at Acacia Care Centre, in Chalfont Road, South Norwood, on Sunday.

A drop of advocaat liqueur was her choice of tipple last year, the drink she says is one of the secrets of her good health.

Describing his nan, Dene Norman, 35, said: "She's lovely and sweet. She's outgoing and still has all her marbles, although her hearing isn't as good as it used to be.

"We are all really proud."

Ethel will be joined by her family to mark her big day, which includes two children, five grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.

Born in South Croydon in 1907, she has lived in the borough all her life, except for a year during the Second World War when she was evacuated to Yorkshire.

She met her husband John watching him playing darts, but tragically, he died during the war at Monte Cassino, Italy.

Dene said: "She smoked when she was younger but she nearly set the dog alight and that's what made her stop.

"I think she had a fag in her hand and caught the dog.

"She used to dance a lot in Streatham. She always walked to the shops in New Addington where she lived with her daughter Maureen in Bygrove and had a cleaning job along Spout Hill which she also walked to."

Ethel lived in Dering Road, South Croydon, until a hip operation in 2008 made it difficult for her to walk.

Aged 101 she moved to Acacia Lodge, in Stanhope Road, East Croydon, before moving to the care centre in South Norwood.

A FORMER Calvin Klein model who suffered kidney failure after an operation has been handed the perfect Christmas present – a life-saving transplant from his big brother.

Justin House, from Broad Green, will receive a kidney from his brother Gavin, with his operation due on January 23 at London's Guys Hospital.

The 40-year-old suffered kidney failure in 2010 after taking painkilling drugs following an operation to remove a giant cell tumour from his spine.

A giant cell tumour is an exceptionally rare form of cancer that affects one in ten million people.

Justin, of Harry Close, told the Advertiser: "Right now I'm a prisoner. I have to go to Bromley three times a week for dialysis, otherwise I will die.

"Now we are literally weeks away from me receiving my kidney transplant from my brother. That is the date that my life is given back to me.

"I'm almost out of the woods, I'm almost there.

"It's a huge thing he's doing for me but he's doing it because he knows I'd do it for him."

Justin was preparing to have the transplant operation earlier this year, but it was stopped at the last minute – just days before his birthday – over fears his body would reject it.

In desperation he took to Facebook to appeal for a donor, but with no success.

Now, thanks to an experimental immune-suppressant drug from the US, Justin is able to have the surgery, though he admits the risk factor is high.

He said: "We're looking at a 40 per cent failure rate. That's scary, but I remind myself if it's a 40 per cent chance of failure then that's a 60 per cent chance of success.

"My surgeons keep telling me 'you must realise how lucky you are to be alive at all', but I will not permit myself to have anything other than a positive mindset."

Justin's ordeal started back in 2009 while he was training.

He explained: "I was in the gym and I felt a big bang in my spine, that's the only way I can describe it. I had a CT scan and an MRI scan which revealed a massive tumour.

"To remove it, it took three surgeons 14 hours. They removed the vertebrae with the cancer and two disks. Within the vertebrae was the tumour and it had actually burst out of the bone.

"What I felt in the gym that day was the vertebrae bursting. It was a real case of Humpty Dumpty fell down."

Having become the first-ever Fitness First personal trainer in 1992, and spent a lifetime modelling for the likes of Calvin Klein and competing in bodybuilding contests, Justin was instantly forced to give it all up.

He spent 104 days in hospital following his operation and lost all feeling from the waist down.

He was prescribed morphine and opiate painkillers for the pain which he took for nearly a year, but eventually he became dependent on them.

In an attempt to wean himself off the drugs he turned to over-the-counter paracetamol and ibuprofen, which was what eventually destroyed his kidneys.

As well as this he also suffered two bouts of pneumonia brought on by two collapsed lungs, and has had to have his lung stitched to his ribcage in order to stop it collapsing again.

Despite all this, Justin is determined to take positives from the experience.

"I was materialistic and got uptight about things that didn't matter," he admits.

"But I have learnt that the things that matter are your health and your family. I have a wonderful girl who is the love of my life, and I've got my mum and my brother who keep me going; that's what's important to me now."

"Whatever plan the universe has for me, I have been gifted my life back."

A "LITTLE fighter" who has endured the toughest year of her short life enjoyed a dream Christmas trip to Lapland.

Tia-Grace Ray, 11, from Carshalton, had her festive wishes granted – after a year in which she has been in and out of hospital, battling a debilitating disorder.

She suffers from neuromyelitis optica, a disorder where the immune system attacks the optic nerves and spinal cord, sometimes leading to blindness and muscle weakness.

For much of this year Tia-Grace has been in a wheelchair and, though she is recovering well, she is still being fed through a tube.

She also suffers from extreme exhaustion, which means she cannot attend a regular school.

Children's charity Starlight arranged for Tia-Grace, along with her mum Sandra and dad Richard, to travel to Luosto, a traditional Finnish resort that offers a magical Lapland experience.

The family travelled with a group of families who all have children with serious illnesses.

Sandra, of Arcadia Close, told the Advertiser: "It was absolutely amazing. I would just describe it as totally magical."

She added: "This trip to Lapland has meant the world to Tia-Grace. Without a doubt it has allowed her to remember the magic of Christmas."

During their trip, the family went on a sleigh ride through the forests pulled by a team of huskies, met some reindeer, and, of course, Santa and his elves.

Paying tribute to her daughter's bravery, Sandra added: "She is a little superstar – this time last year she couldn't even hold her own head up.

"It was a shock. One day you go out shopping with your little girl and she says 'I don't feel well', the next ...

"Her normality of life has been taken away but she's a little fighter, that's for sure."

For now the family is looking forward to a happy Christmas with Tia-Grace, outside of hospital.

"We're hoping to have a family Christmas at home this year. That's all we want from Santa," Sandra added.

LOCAL rivals Purley John Fisher and Old Mid-Whitgiftians took to the field of play at the Pightle last Saturday, which saw the former come out on top with a 42-10 victory.

In scoring six tries, PJF made this another five-point win that sees them secure fourth place in the league going into the Christmas recess.

Despite going 3-0 down to an early penalty from the visitors, it was PJF all the way in the first half as they stepped up a couple of gears and produced a fairly comprehensive performance.

Fly-half Johan Malcolm slotted a penalty and soon after, hooker Ben Inglis latched on to captain Dan Leidecker's break to open PJF's try tally.

From the well-taken and set-up re-start, man of the match Phil Jones broke free round the base of a maul, and over 50 yards, out-ran the covering defending back three to score a sublime try under the posts.

With Malcolm converting both tries PJF, were in command at 17-3, and Leidecker rounded off an impressive move soon after as he scythed through the disarrayed defence to cross the whitewash.

PJF's bonus point came as a driven scrum, which was well-controlled at the base by Liam Miles, who crossed the visitor's line where the ball was grounded by scrum-half Ollie Davies.

The visitors then managed to shake the journey from their legs and through a series of re-cycled phases, their impressive number eight thundered through the PJF defence to score their only try of the game, which was then converted.

In response, PJF made good ground and were rewarded when Malcolm kicked another penalty to take the half-time score to 30-10.

PJF bookended the second half as Miles supported an attack and touched down in the opening five minutes before Malcolm converted.

The supporters had then to wait until the last minute before any other score when winger Tom Casey rounded off the day as he followed up on a chip-through, collected the ball and scored PJF's sixth try.

A VOLUNTEER has braved the freezing weather to guard New Addington's Christmas tree after it became a target for vandals.

Ian Lorimer has been standing vigil next to the tree, in Central Parade, since yobs kicked it around and smashed some of its commemorative baubles last Monday.

The 65-year-old guards the tree each night from about 9pm to 11pm, cutting a lone figure on the parade long after the shops have shut.

Mr Lorimer said: "As soon as it was vandalised I felt it was important to do it.

"As work has been a little bit slow at the moment, I say do this, help out. We are a community.

"I am hoping it will go out on the grapevine that we are here and they will not turn up – so far it seems to have worked."

The tree has been sponsored by the New Addington Christmas Lights Appeal and put up by the New Addington Pathfinders local community group.

Members of the public have been invited to decorate the tree with baubles remembering loved ones or marking something special, and dozens have.

Mr Lorimer added: "Kids have put baubles on there for their parents and pets, so it is sort of a memorial Christmas tree.

"This year with Tia Sharp and all sorts of other things that have gone on, it is important."

The Advertiser also understands a CCTV camera on the parade has been directed towards the tree.

Marion Burchell, chair of the New Addington Pathfinders, was among a group of members and residents decorating the tree on Saturday afternoon.

She said: "Anybody can come and put anything on for whatever reason.

"The first thing that went on was an angel at the top, and that was in memory of Lillian Groves.

"It can be for birthdays, births, or people who are no longer with us.

"We were asked if we would put one up for the children in America killed in the Sandy Hook shooting last Friday, so one will go up on Monday."

Marion added that once the youths who vandalised the tree had been spoken to and told why the tree was there, vandalism had stopped.

Melanie Pocknell, 41, has been helping draw people's attention to the tree, standing next to it dressed as an angel.

She said: "We decided we wanted to make a big thing of it and bring out some community support.

"I am wearing my curtains. They look better on me than on the window."

In our Fan of the Week feature, Advertiser Sport caught up with Palace fan Matt Maltby, who discusses his most memorable game, his funniest moment supporting the club and his end-of-season prediction.

How long have you been an Eagle?

I've supported Palace the majority of my life. My uncle had his wish when I started showing an interest in football as a youngster and after experiencing the play-off final defeat of West Ham, I began going on a regular basis.

Do you watch Palace regularly? If so, where do you sit?

I work at the club on match days, selling tickets and sometimes working in the ticket collections office. Therefore, I am at every home game, sitting in the Holmesdale upper tier.

Most memorable game?

Although there are many highs and lows affiliated with supporting our club, I'd have to say the 2-2 draw with Sheffield Wednesday three seasons ago is the most memorable match. There was a lot at stake, all the fans knew we didn't deserve to be in the situation we found ourselves in and the emotions I experienced that day are something of a rarity. The performance summed up all the reasons we love Palace.

Funniest moment supporting Palace?

I once was asked to step in and be mascot Alice the Eagle in last season's league cup victory over Crawley Town. It was a late decision, someone needed to step in and I was more than happy to be that person. It was a memorable experience and I'd happily do it again.

Favourite current Palace player?

The current team is one of the best I've seen in a long time, with attacking football something Palace fans haven't seen for a while. I'm a massive fan of Julian Speroni but I'd have to say Mile Jedinak is my favourite current player. He's a tidy player who does the simple things and has been a superb.

All-time favourite Palace player?

I don't have to think twice about it, it's got to be Andy Johnson. I haven't got enough time to go into detail why, but his hat-trick against Brighton and his instinctive header against Liverpool are the main reasons. I would love to see him back at Selhurst Park.

If you could bring one player to Palace, who would it be?

Any one player, it'd have to be Lionel Messi. But realistically, I wouldn't mind a proven goal scorer to support Glenn Murray. Someone like Billy Sharp as I've always rated him.

Match prediction versus Huddersfield Town?

I'll go with a 2-0 victory in front of the Sky cameras.

Where will Palace finish this season?

It's hard to say. Before the season, I would have happily said a playoff place, so I'll say we'll finish fifth.

Reporter David Churchill: It's been a big political year for Croydon, what with a by-election and the mayoral elections. What has been your highlight and why?

Steve O' Connell: Speaking selfishly it would be my victory back in May to be returned as the Assembly member for Croydon and Sutton with a good majority, even on a difficult day for the party and also to get Boris returned as well. So for me that is my highlight of the year.

DC:Why do you say a bad day for the party?

SOC: Well it was if you look at the national trend... Two of my colleagues lost their seats from the assembly and there was a strong Labour vote in the City and I was pleased in that context that my vote was a good one.

ROUND 2 – CROYDON'S FUTURE:

DC: What are your main goals and priorities for 2013 for Croydon, and what do you want to see delivered by the end of the new year?

SOC: One thing with my cabinet responsibility is to deliver a balanced budget for the council while also delivering good services for our most vulnerable residents. That is an important one for me. It's also in the context of the economic challenge, and I want to make sure the council again performs well. From an Assembly point of view, I want to continue holding the mayor to account and ensuring that Croydon and Sutton get, as ever, their fair share of resources from the mayor.

ROUND 3 – CUTS

DC: You say it's about protecting the most vulnerable in society, but last week the Croydon Advertiser revealed the full extent of cuts, which include £1.7 million cuts in early intervention, family support and integrated youth services; tens of thousands in cuts for older people and cuts to lollipop men and women. Do you really think you're protecting the most vulnerable people in society, and isn't it the case that these kind of cuts are in some cases dangerous?

SOC: They are not dangerous. Nobody wants to make cuts but the proportion of cuts around our savings package is relatively small. We've managed over some years to get efficiencies to take a lot of pressure out of the budget and the small cuts package, which I'm not underplaying at all. What you've got to look at is the alternative and remember the alternative. I believe Labour would just whack up the council tax as they've got a track record of doing that and what that does is it hits everybody including the most vulnerable people; they find their bills going up and we're trying to protect everyone by keeping council tax low.

DC: Could there perhaps be an argument for those in more affluent areas to pay a little more, so the vulnerable don't see services hit and bills rise?

SOC: It's a good point. We want to keep council tax as low as possible for everyone. People in affluent areas do pay higher council tax generally anyway because of the band [house] they live in, so they are making a very big contribution.

I think the council tax among all my residents is higher than I would like to see it. In an ideal world, I'd like to see less burden for all my council taxpayers, but as a council we need to deliver services to the most vulnerable and we are getting increasingly a worse deal from central government, so we need to continue to protect residents and keep our council tax low in the context of getting less money from overnment. But we don't want to see people paying more.

ROUND 4 – CONSERVATIVES VS LABOUR:

DC: How different would Croydon look under a Labour administration?

SOC: You have to go back to when they misruled for 12 years; you had thumping council tax rises, a 27 per cent council tax rise I think it was, which would hit everyone. That would hit everybody, those on low pay, those trying to make ends meet. The last thing you need is them whacking up the council tax and I have no doubt that had we had a Labour council come in, you'd see them hiking up the council tax on every family in Croydon and I wouldn't want that for our residents.

ROUND 5 – ARE YOU WORTH IT?

DC: Talking about sums, it has been widely reported with all your public roles combined you claim more than £100,000 in salary a year. What makes you worth the money?

SOC: Well I don't claim any expenses. But let's go through it…I think…my salary…is £53,000, plus £13,000…£66,000…about £98,000. It's not £100,000 now, it's just under. Ultimately, I work very hard and people decide to elect me or not, and I get appointed. I don't think about the remuneration I just work very hard for it. I'll let others debate sums.

ROUND 6 – CROYDON SOUTH SEAT:

DC: Richard Ottaway announced that he is stepping down at the next general election. Who would you like to see become the next MP for Croydon South?

SOC: I don't know. I'd like to see someone who would work incredibly hard for the people of Croydon South and the issues affecting them.

DC: Would you like to see Boris as the next MP?

SOC: Would I like to see Boris? I think Boris would serve residents well, I think he'd be a good MP if he chose to put his hat in the ring, but I really don't know if he will. I think he would make a good MP. I'd personally have no problem with Boris if he threw his hat in the ring along with everybody else. It's up to the members in Croydon South to decide, but I don't think he will become MP.

DC: He hasn't ruled himself out – do you think there's a chance?

SOC: As we speak now, I don't think so. If I was a betting man, which I'm not, I don't think there's a strong chance, but it's a year away, a year away from selecting, and I would just say it's not likely. He's promised to serve out his term as mayor and that exists until 2016, the election being 2015. You'd have to ask Boris himself but if you're saying do I think he will put his hat in the ring, as we speak, I think it's unlikely.

ROUND 7 – YOUR FUTURE:

DC: Would it be an attractive proposition for yourself?

SOC: I'll have to think about this one…Well, you know I said before I'm delighted to be re-elected, I think there will be a lot of people interested, and I've always said I would like to serve my residents at any level I can…

DC: …And that includes as MP?

SOC: Yeah, but as I say, I'm fairly happy to be a GLA member. My priority is to be a GLA member.

DC: Say if it comes to 2015 or when they are making the selection and it's clear that people need representation at that level, you're a local man and people are in support of you, will you run?

SOC: I'd have to decide if it was appropriate nearer the time.

ROUND 8 – POLICE:

DC: There are now hundreds fewer police on the streets than two years ago. Are you not taking a huge gamble by doing that, in terms of risking a return of the scenes we saw last summer?

SOC: No, I'll take that head on. the mayor has increased the number of police over his mayoral term…

DC: …But the number of fully-warranted officers is down…

SOC: …What the mayor has committed to do is increase the number of constables to 25,000, he's committed to put an extra 2,000 safer neighbourhoods [constables] and he's committed to further reducing crime by 20 per cent – all of this with a cut in the budget of 20 per cent. I will say to you and sit down with you in a year's time and I will bet you a month's membership of this gym that there are more cops in Croydon. We will see under this mayor an increase in police in Croydon.

DC: But that comes after already reducing numbers…

SOC: …no, you will see more cops in Croydon than there have been for some considerable time.

DC: How are you going to deliver that with the cuts that are being made?

SOC: Well, that's a really good point, the money has got to be found and I still come back to the challenge you have got to take costs out of the organisation and one of those costs is the estate. The estate is immensely costly, there are a lot of buildings across London and I still think residents would rather see extra constables than police buildings. The budget is £3.5 billion and £500 million needs to be taken out which means you still have a budget of £3 billion, which is still a big budget. So there is a big chunk we must take out. If the mayor doesn't deliver he can be voted out. We will be held to account. I am committed to this. If that is not the case, you can sit down with me in a year's time and you can hold me to account…

DC: …And then your chances of becoming the next Croydon South MP would be severely damaged…

SOC: …[laughs] I suppose they would.

ROUND 9 – GAY MARRIAGE:

DC: In your party at the moment there is a huge debate going on about the issue of gay marriage. Do you want to see gay marriages being conducted in Croydon?

SOC: It's a complicated one. There is a strong religious community and I know a lot of people feel very deeply about this.

Speaking to some gay people myself, many of them are happy with civil partnerships; they have already got it right with civil partnerships which I think is a great thing.

What you've got to do is think about everybody, but if it comes at a price of trampling over a lot of other people's deeply held beliefs, we have to be very careful. I'm not a deeply religious person, but there are a lot of people who deeply believe the sanctity of marriage is between a man and a woman and that is an unshakeable faith, and I think society has to be very careful of trampling over those beliefs to accommodate another group of people.

So I am uncomfortable with it, and I think we need to think more deeply about it. But if I'm honest I think the Government has got far more important things to do.

DC: Do you think civil partnerships for now then…

SOC: If it was me I would stick with civil partnerships. Let's park the issue. I just don't think it's the time now for this debate.

ROUND 10 – DIVERSITY:

DC: Census figures released last week show white Britons now make up less than 50 per cent of Croydon's population. We are becoming increasingly diverse. Do you think Croydon as a borough has integrated well?

SOC: I think we're pretty well integrated. Community cohesion is strong. People generally tend to get along well and that's the most important thing and I think the main problem is the problem that will affect all of us. I go round all of Croydon and I see people in Croydon generally working along together really well.

ROUND 11 – PALACE:

DC: You're a big Palace fan, do you think they'll hold onto Zaha and do you think they'll be in the Premiership next season?

SOC: I think we're going up. Palace are on their way up, possibly at the end of the season through a play-off place I think. I was at Birmingham on Saturday and we were fed up when we left because we only drew. Now, a year ago, we'd have been painting the town red and blue because we got a point away from home. So it shows our raised expectations. And it's not just Zaha, I think we will keep Zaha 'til the end of the season, but there are some other great players – Bolasie is fantastic.

I think Holloway will buy us a couple of players in January. I'm seeing him tomorrow night so I'll give him a poke and say "you need to strengthen the squad". We'll be at least in the play-off places, so Premiership next year.

ROUND 12 – WHY BOXING IN YOUR SPARE TIME?

DC: Why the boxing gym? Why do you like to do this in your spare? time

SOC: My dad was a big boxing fan and I went to the same school as Henry Cooper. Also, I realised a year ago I was a fat lump and I've got difficult knees after a life of sport – that knee is a new knee [points to left knee], that's metal after wear and tear and playing sport all my life. I have no cartilage, so with pain on the knees I realised I needed to lose weight. It was putting pressure on them. I have very little time to myself but I wanted to take up something I can take out with my martial instincts with a punchbag. I can come along and work out twice a week and feel much better.

EDITOR'S VERDICT

Churchill landed a few killer blows with his tough questions on policing and cuts, while the gay marriage haymaker had O' Connell on the ropes. But the Spice Boy responded with some decent counterpunches about diversity and his love of Crystal Palace.

I'm calling this a draw – time for a rematch?

A WINDOW repair man tricked the victim of a break-in into paying him for work done by a police contractor.

A fraud investigation has begun after Positively Marvellous Temptations (PMT) in Lower Addiscombe Road was broken into shortly after midnight on Tuesday.

A man forced his way in by breaking a pane of glass in a door, which was later boarded up by County Boarding Services (CBS), a contractor employed by the Met.

The following morning, a man turned up at the cafe, while forensics officers were still inside, and identified himself to owner Amanda Dunstan as being from the company which had secured the cafe.

First he asked for £190 plus VAT for boarding up the door, which Mrs Dunstan paid him in cash.

He then offered to repair the damage because he happened to have the right size pane of glass in his van. When Mrs Dunstan said no, he immediately dropped his price by £200.

After the repair man completed the work she noticed the company name on his jobsheet was 24 Hour South London Glass, not CBS.

But when Mrs Dunstan turned to question the glazier, he bolted out of the door, got in a blue van and drove off – though not before her husband managed to note down the licence plate.

"It was only then that I realised it was all a scam," said Mrs Dunstan.

"Until that point it all seemed legitimate. I didn't think anything of him being there so quickly or even having the right size of glass.

"If he had boarded up the door, why wouldn't he come prepared?

"It's only now that I realise he never told me the name of the company and only knew how much to charge me because I showed him the CBS jobsheet, which had the company's name as the header.

"When he gave me his sheet later he saw my face and knew what I was thinking. Before I could say 'hang on a minute' he was out of the door."

A CBS source told the Advertiser it had fallen victim to the scam on at least four other occasions. Each time, the same man appears at a crime scene just a few hours after the incident and pretends to be one of the company's employees.

The suspected conman usually operates in the Horley/Gatwick area of Surrey.

The police, who would only confirm to the Advertiser that a fraud investigation was under way, told Mrs Dunstan that a person driving the same uninsured van had been cautioned for a similar offence last July.

Both CBS and the cafe owner are convinced there is more to the scam.

The day before the break-in, someone advertising 24 Hour South London Glass visited the locksmith across the road from PMT and put a sticker advertising the company in its window. The glazier who visited the cafe left the same sticker on the pane of glass he installed.

While a cash register was thrown on the floor, nothing was taken during the break-in. The intruder ignored a tips jar and a charity tin which were both full of money.

The Advertiser called the number the workman left with Mrs Dunstan and got through to a company which said it had sent 24 Hour South London Glass, one its subcontractors, to the cafe after being called by a concerned passer-by following the break-in.

The company claimed it had boarded up the property before the police arrived, describing allegations it was involved in a scam as "diabolical" and dismissing suggestion that the workman had been arrested last July.

But Mrs Dunstan said: "None of this adds up. I just wish I had asked him for some ID, but I was still shaken by what had happened."

AN EXPERT panel tasked with exploring a new drug-driving offence is to publish its findings early next year.

The committee was formed after the Advertiser's Lillian's Law campaign, credited by Prime Minister David Cameron as the driving force behind a change in the law.

Under the new legislation, it will be an offence to drive if you have certain drugs in your system, removing the current requirement for the police to prove impairment.

The penalty for the new offence will be a maximum of six months in prison with a fine of up to £5,000 with an automatic driving ban of at least 12 months.

The panel has been exploring whether to adopt legal levels, or simply to make it an offence if any amount of the drugs can be detected.

The Crime and Courts Bill had its third reading in the House of Lords on Tuesday ahead of moving to the House of Commons.

A CANADIAN evangelist barred from entering the UK after the intervention of MP Malcolm Wicks has described his death as "the Lord's justice".

Todd Bentley, who believes he can heal people by kicking them in the face, was due to hold an event in Croydon before the late Mr Wicks raised concerns about his controversial techniques and criminal past.

The former Croydon North MP said Bentley, who was convicted of a sex attack on a seven-year-old when he was 14, was a "menace" and urged the Home Office to do everything in its power to ban him from the UK.

The ban forced the pastor to cancel his tour of the UK, including a three-day visit to Croydon in August.

Mr Wicks, who had been battling cancer, passed away on September 29.

Now a video has emerged in which the evangelist claims that God visited him in a dream and told him to mark the date in his calendar because something "very significant" was going to happen.

"I think one thing that's significant is the Lord's justice," he added.

"On September 29, I was preaching in Ohio and just before midnight, I got a report that the man who led the ban and the campaign against us in England had died suddenly of cancer.

"I almost started weeping. I thought, Lord, this man had been battling stage four cancer. He led the campaign. All the news reports were 'faith kicking evangelist that cures cancer'."

Bentley, 36, is known for his controversial preaching techniques, including intentionally kicking an elderly woman in the face and pushing a man over, causing him to lose a tooth.

The pastor claims the Holy Spirit tells him to use such "unorthodox" methods as part of his "miracles".

In the video Bentley mentions 13 "isolated" incidents but claims no one has ever taken legal action against him.

He also references the headline of the Advertiser story which broke the news of his planned visit to Croydon Conference Centre in Surrey Street.

Rick Joyner, head of MorningStar Ministries based in South Carolina, is also seen sitting on the couch with Mr Bentley in the video.

He said Mr Wicks' death was an example of God "removing opposition from his people".

He added: "Look at some of the crazy people that get in that country, like terrorists. But, mark this day. God is removing opposition. He is going to take the opposition out of the way."

WITH his own fashion label, it's amazing to see how far Upper Norwood tailor Jason Ellis has come.

Just seven years ago, the 37-year-old had never used a sewing machine in his life and was about to enrol on a college course to learn the craft. He found himself in a class full of pensioners being taught how to sew.

Fast-forward to today and his classy work is a testament to how much knowledge he has picked up along the way.

Working out of a room near Duke McKenzie's gym in Westow Street, he is surrounded by various garments.

From hats and scarves to waistcoats and capes for women, Jason is a man determined to make it to the top of the fashion world.

Jason, who moved into the area in September, said: "When I'm here I can be in my own element and be creative.

"I'm trying to build up a collection and look towards the summer now. I'd never cut fabrics before. The most I had ever cut was my fingernails.

"And I'd never been in a situation where I can work for myself. It was scary and daunting."

Jason had previously worked as a DJ at nightclubs and volunteered at a homeless centre.

He then bumped into an old friend who works in London's famous Savile Row and was encouraged to follow his passion.

So Jason took part in different courses and eventually set up a business 18 months ago at the back of a dry cleaners.

An advert on the Gumtree website led him to the Upper Norwood Triangle, and he is now starting to feel part of the community.

Jason said: "I've always had an interest in clothing and always liked to look good.

"I've passed through Crystal Palace but never really known the area.

"The good thing is I'm getting a lot of positive feedback and I've done a few craft fairs, like at the Phoenix Centre (in Westow Street)."

Jason reels off a host of names when he talks about his fashion influences, everything from the old Michael Caine look in The Italian Job film to the legendary rap group Run-DMC.

He admits to never having had "a purpose" until now and urges people not to give up on their dreams.

Jason added: "Never say it's too late. I would love to have my own boutique, that is my goal."

To contact Jason Ellis and find out more about his business, call 07930 811867.