OVERWHELMING public support for its plans to turn the former Nestlé headquarters into housing is being claimed by Legal & General Property.

The company's claim for a 90 per cent positive response from people taking part in its public consultation on the scheme came as it submitted its formal planning application to Croydon Council.

The proposals will see the conversion of the building to provide 288 new homes with community and retail provision on the ground floor.

To add interest and variety to the skyline, the building will have a "stepping" effect to vary the height of the three tower blocks it will contain.

In addition aluminum panelling will be used to improve the appearance of the building and all apartments will have balconies and access to rooftop garden space.

Legal & General says its aim is to rejuvenate the building and provide sophisticated living and retail space in a key location for commuters, families and young professionals.

Charlie Walker, director at Legal & General, said: "Since first unveiling our plans and engaging in public consultation, we have worked hard, together with our architects and planning team, to ensure that the finalised proposals best meet the needs of the town centre.

"Through these carefully designed plans, we believe that we can give this building an exciting new lease of life and play our part in the wider regeneration of Croydon town centre."

Simon Wilkes, head of business space development at Legal & General Property, added: "The proposals for St George's House are designed to bring much needed high-quality residential accommodation to the centre of Croydon.

"The investment will also see a significant improvement in the public realm to create a more accessible and attractive civic space for residents and visitors to enjoy."

The council is hoping to make a decision on the application in March next year.

1. In June promising boxer Lewis Pinto was found hanged in a park in Wallington. The former Purley schoolboy was aged just 24. The super-middleweight was due to fight his second bout the next month, and said he drew inspiration from Mike Tyson. At his inquest in October, Lewis was described by his girlfriend as a 'Peter Pan', and said it 'broke her heart' that Lewis had never known how many people looked up to him. Croydon Coroner Roy Palmer ruled that Lewis had taken his own life. For confidential support 24 hours a day, contact The Samaritans in confidence.
2. New Addington was the subject of an episode of Channel 4 programme Secret Millionaire. Some members of the community were critical of the show, which they said made the estate 'look like scumland'. Croydon businessman Bobby Dudani had pledged £50,000 to a variety of good causes, including the Timebridge Centre, Pandemic Steel Orchestra and New Addington Boxing Club. Following the show, the boxing club was 'brought back from the dead, the Timebridge Centre was damaged in an arson attack, and the Croydon Auto Bike scheme is now facing closure.
3. June was, of course, when Britain marked the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. One of the most popular picture galleries from the street parties held in Croydon was this one, from Croham Park Avenue in South Croydon.
4. On June 15 it was confirmed Allders in Croydon had gone into administration. Croydon Council leader Mike Fisher said it was a 'sad day' for the borough, and the council later said it had only been told about the problems at Allders 'days' before the collapse. The store closed for good in late September.
5. Former Crystal Palace manager Dougie Freedman said the club would be interested in players like Sam Baldock. The striker then played for West Ham, but signed for Bristol City in August.
6. A Kenley drug lord was jailed for 15 years in June after two men were caught using a barbers shop in Whyteleafe as a front for their multi-million pound empire. James Arthur of Zig Zag Road and Billy Sales, then living in Whyteleafe, used Sharp Barbers on Godstone Road to pump cocaine across Croydon, Surrey and Sussex. The Advertiser had previously revealed a branch business manager of Barclays in Purley, Indipaul Sra, had been found guilty of conspiracy to commit a money laundering offence and jailed for four years.
7. Poisonous caterpillars were thought to have returned to New Addington, a year after an outbreak that saw two people hospitalised and many more suffered breathing problems.
8. We also reported on the case of a teenage boy who needed 101 stitches after being attacked by a dog in New Addington. C-Jay Hall told how he tried to fight off the pitbull with his scooter.
9. Crystal Palace co-chairman Steve Parish spoke of his desire to see the Eagles get promoted and stay in the top league. Parish spoke of needing to expect the unexpected.
10. Finally for June was this picture gallery, of a street party in Shaw Crescent in Sanderstead to mark the Diamond Jubilee.

CRYSTAL Palace boss Ian Holloway hopes that defender Danny Gabbidon will be fit for Saturday's FA Cup 3rd Round clash against Stoke City, but is set to welcome back Damien Delaney.
The Irish defender has completed his three-match ban following his red card against Huddersfield Town and could be involved against Tony Pulis' side.
"It was only a precaution," Holloway said on taking Gabbidon off against Wolverhampton Wanderers on New Year's Day.
"That was only his third or fourth game in a very short period of time and he just felt his hamstring, so it's great to be able to get him off at half-time.
"Hopefully he'll be OK, and we've got Delaney back now with an FA Cup game next.
"I've been told by the chairman that he doesn't want me win the FA Cup, so that's a relief.
"We'll have a good go at it, but the cup run last year didn't really help this club with the league position it was in."
And the manager revealed he may give central midfielder Stuart O'Keefe a chance to shine in the next few weeks.
"Obviously, with Kagisho Dikgacoi going (to the African Cup of Nations), it's going to force one or two in that area, but I've got young Stuart O'Keefe as well and I'm going to give him a chance," said Holloway.
Meanwhile, young midfielder Jonathan Williams says Palace will be up for the game on Saturday and is happy to be back playing again after suffering a hamstring injury.
"Everything is feeling good and I've had no more niggles," he said.
"It's exciting (to play Stoke) and we want to play against Premier League teams.
"It's a tough draw but we look forward to the test on Saturday."

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More than 50 volunteers took to the streets of Croydon on New Year's Day to clean up following the winter festivities.

On Tuesday, volunteers from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association worked their way across the borough sweeping and litter picking after leaving their early morning prayers at the Croydon Regional Mosque on St James' Road.

The clean-up was one of a number of initiatives the AMA set up over the Christmas period.

The group organised a blood donation session, gave out food to the homeless on Christmas Day and collected money for Save the Children UK.

Croydon council provided the group with bin bags, litter pickers and brushes.

Naseem Butt, Regional President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association Croydon, said:"Our members have enjoyed living in Croydon for decades and so any opportunity to help our local Community is a much welcomed one.

"Cleaning the streets of Croydon also presents us with an opportunity to become better Muslims as cleanliness in Islam is an important part of a Muslim's faith.

"We are a peace loving and well organised association which will continue to help make this great part of London an even better place to live in."

IAN Holloway could not fault his side's performance in last Saturday's 2-2 draw at Nottingham Forest, but was left to rue throwing away another winning position.

Glenn Murray struck after eight minutes before Andy Reid equalised before the break, while Palace's top scorer thought he had nabbed the winner towards the end, only for Billy Sharp to grab a point at the death.

"I thought for 75 per cent of the time, we looked a very good side," said Holloway.

"The other 25 per cent of that was just before half-time when we went deep and couldn't get out. They scored in that period, and up until that point I thought we looked very good.

"We got ourselves into a winning position again and let it slip with five extra minutes added on.

"But I thought the work ethic, considering how long I've been here, they showed some fantastic skill and a bit more knowledge about what I want."

Meanwhile, reflecting on Murray's opening strike, the manager believes his players are starting to play how he wants them to.

"It takes a while to get an understanding of what I might want and how we might do it, and that was as good a goal as I've seen from us yet," he said.

"It was a brilliant move, they did what I asked them to do, and when you get into crossing positions, your full-back has got to gallop forward, Moxey did that and then you've got to get on the end of it.

"We did that, so it was just a fantastic goal. I thought our performance deserved three points."

A MIDDLE-AGED woman was rushed to hospital with head injuries after being hit by a tram.

Transport for London was this week investigating the second tram accident on the estate in less than a month - coming after five people were hurt in a collision between a car and a tram in Lodge Lane in December.

Toni Herriett was driving past Fieldway tram stop with her two children on Friday when her daughter saw the incident unfold.

She stopped the car and raced over to help the injured woman until emergency services arrived.

Ms Herriett, 36, a professional carer for the elderly, said: "It is just instinct – I have to if I see anything happening like that, perhaps because of the job I do.

"I just would not drive away from something like that."

The circumstances of the incident, which happened just after 2pm, are not clear, but some bystanders said the victim was standing close to the tracks and was knocked over by the tram as it moved past.

She was taken to hospital by ambulance with a head injury.

A spokesman for the London Ambulance Service said the injury was not life-threatening, and added that the woman was believed to be in her 50s.

Ms Herriett, of Headley Drive, said: "We were just turning left into Headley Drive and my daughter turned to me and said, 'Mum, a lady has been hit.'

"My first thought was that she had just seen a fight.

"It must have been less than a minute from then to my getting there."

She arrived to find the tram driver and other bystanders had called emergency services, and the woman lying on the ground.

Ms Herriett said: "She was face down on the pavement and she was finding it hard to breathe.

"She was struggling to lift her head but I did not want her lifting it.

"As a carer we get some first aid training and I know it is common sense they have to keep still.

"I was kneeling down holding the side of her head."

Toni cradled the woman's head until firefighters and ambulance services arrived a few minutes later.

She added: "Because I had been in the car I did not have a jacket on or I would have put that over her.

"I am glad I was there as it looked like she might have got herself up and maybe caused herself damage.

"I just hope she is OK."

A spokesman for the London Ambulance Service said the helicopter ambulance sent out for the incident was not needed.

Instead, the victim was taken to King's College Hospital by road, accompanied by the doctor from the air ambulance.

A COMMUNITY group has been recognised for the help and support it gave families following the death of schoolgirl Tia Sharp.

New Addington Pathfinders won the prize for outstanding residents' group at the Croydon Stars community awards last month.

The group was praised for providing a much-needed community base on the Fieldway estate at the time of 12-year-old Tia's death in August last year.

The awards recognise council tenants and leaseholders for their hard work and dedication in 2012.

Representatives were presented with certificates by Mayor of Croydon, Councillor Eddy Arram, at a ceremony held at the Clocktower café in Katharine Street.

Winners were nominated in different categories by residents, councillors and officers, with other victors including Eric Webb, from Addiscombe, who won the award for long service to the community, and Kim Wakely, who picked up the resident of the year award for her work representing families on the Monks Hill estate in South Croydon.

Councillor Dudley Mead, deputy leader of Croydon Council, said: "These awards celebrate our fantastic residents for their hard work and dedication."

JUST days before Stephen Ashton was gunned down at a Thai nightspot during a New Year's Eve party, he had talked of "having the time of his life" visiting bars, riding elephants and seeing monkeys while touring the tropical southeast Asia country.

He had left his trainee job at a City venture capital firm a month earlier after resigning, and was next heading for Australia where he planned to travel for at least a few more months.

The ex-Riddlesdown student had no future plans and embarked on the travelling adventure while considering his next move in life.

But in an instant, the bright future of a "clever" and "ambitious" 22-year-old was wiped out when a local gangster reportedly opened fire at the beach bar where he was seeing in the new year with friends.

Glen Thomas, 23, who also went to Riddlesdown, spoke to his old schoolfriend online from the UK on Saturday – just two days before Stephen headed out for new year on the popular tourist island of Koh Phangan.

Glen said: "I spoke to him on the Saturday and he was having the time of his life. I was supposed to be going out there myself, I was supposed to be going in about two weeks, but I couldn't afford it in the end.

"He was going round seeing the bars and the different islands, riding elephants and seeing monkeys and sampling the country. They were moving about quite a lot.

"He wasn't really sure what he wanted to do next, which is why he was going travelling."

Glen recalled a recent trip in October, when Stephen, from Purley, and their friends went to Prague. He said: "In hindsight, that was a nice send-off if you will.

"He was a fantastic bloke, and loved by so many people. He just loved life.

"He was just a breath of fresh air, full of energy and the life and soul of the party. He was a dream of a friend.

"We are gutted he is gone. We are trying to grieve and get past this."

Glen, along with Lewis Collins, Tayler Mitchell and Jamie Cave, were just a handful of the friends who held a leaving party at the start of December for Stephen, who ended up in Thailand with another group friend, Joe Budd.

The shooting at bar Zoom, between around 3 and 4am local time, has sent a whole family and community into shock, with tributes from scores of friends who flooded his Facebook page with messages.

A statement issued by his family described a "much-loved" son, brother and nephew, who had been enjoying a holiday after the difficult loss of his father, John, who died from a brain tumour in 2011, and the death of his grandfather just months previously.

The statement said: "As a family we are completely devastated by the loss of Stephen from our lives. He has been taken away from us in such cruel and tragic circumstances. We were all so proud of him, he was a much loved son, brother, grandson and nephew."

Stephen's mother, Diane, a solicitor, had been on a skiing holiday when police contacted the family to inform them of Stephen's death – less than 18 months after his father's funeral.

She doesn't yet know whether she is required to fly to Thailand to identify her son's body, but her brother – Stephen's uncle – who wished not to identify himself, told the Advertiser his sister returned home on Wednesday morning.

Speaking from the Purley home, in Verulam Avenue, he added: "We have not slept all night. We are just still in shock. We are a very close family and everyone is still coming to terms with it."

The night before, Stephen's sister Emily, also speaking from the family home, said: "It is just such a shock. We are still trying to get our heads round it. It hasn't sunk in."

Another former schoolfriend, Tayler Mitchell, 22, also paid tribute. He said: "Nobody ever made me laugh like he did. He was just loved by so many people.

"He was a clever boy and he was doing what he wanted to do.

"This is a terrible accident that shouldn't have happened.

"He was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Jamie Cave, also a former schoolfriend, said: "He is one of the funniest guys I've met. He's very missed.

"I used to talk to him every single day. And now that he is gone, it feels like something is missing."

Stephen was often seen drinking at The Rectory pub on Brighton Road and was also a regular in tapas bar Las Fuentes on Purley High Street, which he liked because his dad was also a regular there before he died.

Gio Gonzalez, owner of Las Fuentes, said Stephen and his parents were regulars at the restaurant for years.

He said: "He was here with a load of his friends just before he left. I remember him saying he was off to Thailand because the night he came in we were selling raffle tickets, but the draw wasn't until December 24.

"So he said to me, 'if I win, we'll have a drink together when I come back'. It's unbelievable."

Stephen left school at 16 and didn't return to full-time education, according to his friends, but in January last year began work as a trainee at CSS Partners LLP – a venture capital firm where he liaised with potential investors.

Jon McCarthy, managing director of CSS, revealed Stephen resigned from his role because "he wanted to travel and to look for new opportunities".

He added: "We are in shock with what has happened. Stephen was very well liked, very talented, hard-working and very ambitious. A number of the guys who work here got very close to him and all our thoughts are with the family and friends."

Before joining CSS, Stephen had worked at 1 Essex Court Chambers for three years after leaving school and then worked as a junior stockbroker for trading services firm H20 Markets.

Gordon Smith, principal of Riddlesdown, said: "Our thoughts and the prayers of many within our community are with his family and friends at this difficult time."

THE heartbroken mother of Stephen Ashton – who was shot dead in Thailand during a New Year's Eve party – has spoken of her "anger" at his tragic killing, while paying tribute to his "zest for life".

Diane Ashton, 48, broke her silence yesterday (Thursday) morning to reveal how much of a struggle the death has been less than 18 months after her husband died from a brain tumour.

She also revealed how she spoke to her son via online video chat site Skype on Boxing Day before hearing the tragic news while on a skiing holiday in Austria with friends.

Mrs Ashton, speaking from the family home in Verulam Avenue, Purley, said: "We are devastated. I have got to be honest, hearing the news, I do have feelings of anger as well as mourning the loss that he's not coming back, which is the hardest thing to accept.

"He's my son. We have had a really bad time because I lost my husband a year ago. We are struggling to move on with our lives at a very difficult time.

"We Skyped with him on Boxing Day and he was having such a good time. He had such a special relationship with everyone.

"He looked so chilled and relaxed. He just seemed to be having a fantastic time. We take comfort that we saw him on Skype.

"What must have been the time that he died, on New Year's Eve, we were talking about him non-stop, about what a fantastic guy he was, how talented he was at his golf and his football.

"He had a very close relationship with his family. He had a special one with his grandparents, he had a special relationship with everyone.

"He had always wanted to travel and we wanted to encourage him in that. He had wanted to take some time out after the death of his dad, which he was devastated about.

"It is just unbelievable that he has now gone. He just had such a zest for life. He was such a talented lad. Everything he did he seemed to do well at. Whatever he did, he took to water."

Mrs Ashton said she had since spoken to Stephen more briefly again following Boxing Day, after he lost a bank card.

Speaking about Stephen's future ambitions, she added: "He surprised us, as he left school and didn't stay on to do A-levels. He wanted to make money by himself, just like his dad."

His father, John, whose funeral was in October 2011, owned Upstream Seafoods in Wallington.

Mrs Ashton remains at the family home awaiting news from the British Embassy as to whether she will have to fly to southeast Asia to identify her son.

Stephen's uncle, who was also on holiday in Thailand, who Mrs Ashton wished not to name, is awaiting the arrival of his nephew's body in Bangkok, where a post-mortem is set to take place.

Mrs Ashton added: "I keep hearing the news that I'm travelling to Thailand but I'm still waiting to hear if I need to. I don't know if I will go. It's hard to know what the right thing is to do and whether I can face it."

She expressed her thanks to her brothers, daughter Emily and friends for helping her to cope.

Friends pay tribute to life and soul of the party – Pages 8&9

PLANS to rebuild Purley's fire station have been approved.

Croydon Council has given the thumbs-up to knocking down the building in Brighton Road and replacing it with a three-storey building, drill tower and car parking.

The new station will include enough room for two crews, a gym, and a host of other amenities.

London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner Andy Hickmott said: "The rebuilt state-of-the-art facility will not only provide a fire station with better training provision for firefighters, but community facilities which will allow members of the public to more easily access vital lifesaving fire safety advice."

The project is part of a £57 million private finance initiative to rebuild nine stations across London.

Construction is planned to start in June 2014 and will last about a year.

Purley's fire engine will be stationed in Mitcham during the rebuilding work.

WHILE many people were ringing in the new year with champagne and nibbles, one mum was welcoming a new arrival to her family.

Shaheen Codabaccus gave birth to her second child, Luqman Chowdee, at 5.17am on New Year's Day.

Six days later than expected, he was, by just a minute, the first baby born at Croydon University Hospital (CUH) this year.

Shaheen, 32, said: "He was overdue by six days so maybe he was just waiting for the new year.

"It was all very quick once it started: I just got some pain at about 11pm and went to the hospital at 3.30am."

Mum and son are now back at home in South Croydon where they have introduced Luqman to his sister Asiyah, 21 months.

Shaheen added: "He looks just like his sister: he has the same face she had when she was born, exactly the same."

Shaheen's husband Mamode Chowdee, 42, has returned to work after the holidays, while some of Shaheen's family have flown from her native Mauritius to help with her young charge.

Luqman was the first of four babies born on New Year's Day at CUH, all boys and all within an hour of each other. After Luqman at 5.17am, the others were born at 5.18am, 5.48am, and 6.10am.

Shaheen, whose first child was also born at CUH, added: "Even though it was early morning on New Year's Day, the staff were great."

The family had chosen the name Luqman, she explained, after the Islamic prophet.

PALACE boss Ian Holloway hopes that Wilfried Zaha is still with the club for the second half of the Championship campaign as his side look to get back on the automatic promotion trail.

With the January transfer window now open for business, the speculation surrounding the star winger is expected to go into overdrive, while the manager says he's already made a number of enquiries about bringing in some new faces to Selhurst Park.

"We know where we are, we like the boy," said Holloway.

"I brought him off last weekend [at Nottingham Forest], but that was a great response from him [against Wolves] and when he's got a smile on his face, I know Palace have played well.

"The rest of the team do their job for them. He's a wonderful lad, he's had a hard couple of months and hopefully he'll have a hard run in – with us.

"The chairman and I are ducking and diving now, we've already started a load of phone calls.

"We're trying to help the squad and build it to have a second half of the season which will keep everybody singing."

Meanwhile, Zaha has stated he would like to make it to the Premier League with the Eagles after experiencing a number of highs and lows already in his short career so far.

"It'd be a great feeling to get promoted with Palace because I have been with the club for a long time," he told Palace's official matchday programme on New Year's Day.

"I've been with them through the hard times when we've nearly been relegated so actually making it to the Premier League would be great.

"Going through all the struggles, to be able to achieve something with the side would be a great achievement for us and me."

And the 20-year-old admitted that he's not been playing to his full potential in recent matches, but wants to forget the media attention on the back of his England call-up in November and concentrate on what he does best.

"During the last month I think my performances have dropped a bit but I just needed to get my confidence back up," he added.

"I would never have thought I'd have an England cap this time last season but all the hard work I've put in is paying off.

"All the media attention is new to me, so at first I was finding it hard but the only thing I decided to do now is keep away from it.

"I'm here to play football so that's all I want to do. I don't need to be in and around the media all the time."

In regards to the current transfer window, Holloway says he won't be getting any players in for the sake of it and hinted that he may look at people who have performed well for him in the past.

"I think we need to strengthen in one or two areas, but I'll also look at the academy set-up," he said.

"There are a couple of good players in that – are they ready to help yet? Probably not. Give them another year then who knows?

"We're working on some targets but I only want good ones. There is no point in having another player if he's no good, so hopefully I'll bring some good ones to help this group.

"It's not about how much money you spend, it's about what sort of player you've got.

"There are some great players who might not be wanted by people or there are players I've managed to borrow who were brilliant for me but weren't quite doing it for others.

"Hopefully we can do that again and get the right sort of specific player to play the way I want."

One player who will feel like a new addition to Holloway is Jonathan Williams, who has returned to action in the past two games against Nottingham Forest and Wolves after injury.

And the diminutive midfielder revealed he's feeling good again and hoping for a successful 2013.

"Everything is feeling good and I've had no more niggles," he said. "It's just getting that match fitness and being involved with this great team.

"I'm hoping to have a good run of games in the squad, especially when we're doing so well – it's exciting times for Palace and everyone at the club.

"It was frustrating to pick up that niggle in a reserve game a couple of months ago – it was a Grade One hamstring strain.

"The new manager spoke to me and said we needed to get it sorted, so the physios and the staff have worked really hard to get me fit.

"I hope all that work will pay off and the New Year is a good one."

PARISHIONERS saved a church from disaster after a candle set its curtains on fire.

The ceiling-high curtains in St Stephen's Church, in Warwick Road, Thornton Heath, caught fire at 11.15am on Saturday.

Father Geoffrey Thompson was among a small group inside the church when the "spectacular" blaze started.

He said: "A candle was placed where it should not have been placed and it was also very windy that morning.

"The curtains went up like tissue paper so it was very spectacular; they burnt out very quickly.

"Fortunately there were about five or six people in the church and they quickly stopped it; people were very good with the fire extinguishers.

"The fire brigade was quick; it was all a bit of a blur but they were here within ten minutes, by which time everything had been put out."

Father Thompson added that no harm had been done and he was "a bit grateful" to see the back of the curtains, which separated the main part of the Anglican church from the lady chapel.

He said: "They were rather old, musty curtains so I was actually a bit grateful as no real harm had been done.

"The curtains won't be replaced and now there is a lovely open view into the chapel."

A firefighter who attended the scene praised the parishioners' quick actions for saving the church.

Watch manager Shaun Howlett said: "Just by fate there were some people on the premises.

"Luckily they managed to put the fire extinguisher on it; they did really well. One lady in particular was cool as a cucumber.

"Apart from one row of pews and some sacrificial timber, the damage was kept really light."

Two crews from Norbury and one from Croydon attended.

Mr Howlett added: "It had the potential to be really bad."

SEVERAL wards at Croydon University Hospital were plunged into lockdown after an outbreak of norovirus during the festive period.

Three wards had to be shut completely while a further four of the hospital's 26 wards were partially closed as 19 patients caught the highly contagious bug during its "current wave".

In addition to the seven wards, of which a number were not fully reopened until Monday, 28 staff also reported symptoms and several patient visits were suspended due to the outbreaks.

Neighbouring hospitals used by Croydon residents, although not escaping unscathed, were not so severely affected.

St Helier Hospital, in Sutton, has seen two outbreaks this winter, leading to one ward being closed, while St George's in Tooting - with nearly double the number of beds of Croydon University Hospital - was not forced to close any wards.

A Croydon University Hospital spokesman said: "In common with other hospitals, nursing homes, schools and many other places where people come together in large numbers, Croydon University Hospital has had its share of cases of norovirus this winter.

"The current wave began on one ward during the first week in December.

"Norovirus is exceptionally infectious and passes easily from one person to the next so we also ask friends and relatives not to visit patients on wards when they are affected with the virus."

The spokesman added that people who suspect they have the virus should remain at home, drink plenty of water and take paracetamol to help ease the symptoms.

News of the outbreaks come as the Environment Agency published figures on Wednesday showing cases of the potentially lethal bug are up 72 per cent in hospitals across the country compared to the same time last year.

Dr John Clark, the lead doctor for the NHS trust which runs St Helier Hospital, said: "While we haven't seen an increased number of cases of norovirus at our hospitals, we have to do all that we can to protect our patients and their loved ones from this unpleasant illness. That's why we're asking local people to only come into hospital if they need to.

"While we understand that people will want to visit their loved ones and relatives, we have to put these controls in place to help stop the spread of norovirus."

According to the latest Health Protection Agency figures, there have been 3,877 confirmed cases of norovirus in England and Wales so far this winter, compared with 2,255 cases in 2011.

The symptoms of norovirus usually start between 24 to 48 hours after initial infection, although they can start after as little as 12 hours.

The first symptom is usually a sudden onset of nausea, which is followed by projectile vomiting and watery diarrhoea.

Some people may also have a mild fever, headaches, stomach cramps or aching limbs.

Potential sufferers can call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 for advice.