THREE cars were involved in a late night collision at Purley Cross in Croydon.
Fortunately no one was injured in the incident which occurred at 11.09pm on Sunday (October 19).
A crew from Purley fire station's red watch was sent to the scene but did not have to free anyone from the vehicles.
MORE than 27 years ago, South Norwood private investigator Daniel Morgan was found dead in a pub car park with an axe in his head.
Yet after all that time, the culprit has never been brought to justice and what actually happened that night outside the Golden Lion pub in Sydenham remains equally unclear.
And now another ugly fall-out from the brutal murder could be brewing for the Metropolitan Police as the total spent on five failed investigations and other inquiries nears £100million.
A £4 million lawsuit against the Metropolitan Police has been launched by four men who were facing trial for Mr Morgan's killing and another former police officer who was charged with perverting the course of justice in the case.
The men suing the Met include Jonathan Rees, who for almost 30 years has been treated as one of the main suspects in the case and who spent two years in custody charged with the murder of his former business partner.
Mr Rees, who has always denied murder, made a complaint to the Metropolitan Police after his case collapsed in 2011. The complaints detail a number of allegations about the behaviour of investigating officers.
In March this year, the Met's Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) launched Operation Megan – a criminal inquiry into these claims.
Mr Morgan, 37, was found in the Golden Lion car park on March 10 1987 with an axe in his head. He had met Mr Rees, with whom he ran Southern Investigations in Thornton Heath High Street, at the pub earlier that evening.
Mr Rees is seeking to clear his name and disprove what has become a largely accepted narrative that the original investigation was mired by corruption. He argues it was initial incompetence – not corruption – which has scuppered the investigation to find the killer right from the start. He does, however, argue corruption plagued the 2006 investigation.
The Advertiser has seen a report compiled by Detective Chief Inspector Farley, of Hampshire Police, in 1988, which suggests the initial investigation into Mr Morgan's death was hindered by police incompetence rather than corruption.
DCI Farley was damning about the forensic investigation carried out at the scene. He said there was an "obvious lack of direction, co-ordination, management and supervision" and that the "initial effort must be described as pathetic".
Mr Rees was originally charged with murder in 1989 along with three others after an inquiry by the Met but the charges were dropped.
Mr Rees was again charged with murder in 2008, along with James Cook and his brothers-in-law Glenn and Garry Vian following the 2006 investigation.
Court papers for the £4 million action against the Met Police claim a lack of clear evidence in the 2006 investigation and the "serious misconduct in relation to creation and management of their evidence" of the officers investigating.
Glenn Vian, 56, of South Croydon, Garry Vian, 54, of Croydon, James Cook, 64, of Kingswood, Sid Fillery, 68, of Norfolk and Jonathan Rees, 60, of Weybridge, have made the £4 million claim to the High Court based on false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, malicious falsehood and misfeasance in a public office.
They have claimed damages for loss and economic loss arising from their arrests and criminal charges.
Mr Rees believes the charges and negative press attention, coupled with the narrative that the investigation into Mr Morgan's murder only collapsed because of police corruption and not a lack of evidence, has made him virtually unemployable.
An independent panel review into Mr Morgan's murder was due to present its findings later this year although it has been held up by delays including a change of chairperson.
A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said of Operation Megan: "Following the receipt of a public complaint containing a number of allegations in relation to the MPS handling of Daniel Morgan murder investigation an investigation was started by the Directorate of Professional Standards. That investigation is ongoing. There have been no arrests."
Alastair Morgan, Daniel's brother, declined to comment when asked by the Advertiser.
CRYSTAL Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni has praised Chelsea as "one of the best" the Eagles have played so far this season following Saturday's 2-1 defeat.
And the custodian believes the scoreline wasn't too bad against the league leaders with their array of world-class talent.
"They are one of the best teams in Europe so I don't think losing 2-1 was too bad," said Speroni.
"I think they are one of the best teams we've played so far. The way they keep the ball, it's hard to play against those type of teams.
"Of course we are disappointed with the result. We got back in it and we had a chance to nick something but it just wasn't to be."
A MAN who assaulted and attempted to stab a man at a hostel in Croydon has been jailed for a year.
Demitri Ofosu, 26, of no fixed abode, kicked down the door of a room at a hostel in Warrington Road at approximately 7.34am on Tuesday, August 26.
Armed with a knife, he attacked a 24-year-old man and grabbed his throat before pulling out the blade and trying to stab his victim.
Police were called and were able to apprehend and detain Ofosu and he was charged on the same day with actual bodily harm.
He pleaded guilty to the offence and was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment at Croydon Crown Court on October 8.
A CHRISTIAN pastor arrested over 'spanking' allegations has been charged with child cruelty and sexual assault.
Reverend Howard Curtis, formerly of the Coulsdon Christian Fellowship, was arrested in July 2013 over allegations he 'spanked' people as part of a religious ritual.
Mr Curtis, 71, answered bail today (Monday) and was charged with six counts of child cruelty, two indecent assaults, four sexual assaults and one count of assault by penetration.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the charges relate to offences against eight alleged victims between 1969 and 2012.
Mr Curtis, of Bloxworth Close, Wallington, was bailed to appear at Croydon Magistrates' Court on October 31.
He was the leader of the Coulsdon Christian Fellowship until May 2012 when he was replaced by Reverend Dominic Warner. He remained a senior minister until June 2013.
A SOLDIER who almost lost his leg while serving in Afghanistan surfed for the first time in six years after Help for Heroes helped him go on a surfing trip in California.
Second in command infantry officer Captain Peter Hayward, from South Croydon, stood on an improvised explosive device (IED) while leading his troops from the 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh on a routine patrol in 2010.
And he said the "healing power of the ocean" has shown him that everything will be okay.
The IED shredded the back of Mr Hayward's right leg, his arm and his back. His men dragged him to safety and an American paramedic helicopter winched him to Camp Bastion where doctors almost decided to amputate his leg.
"It was surreal," said Mr Hayward. "I don't remember a bang I just remember a big bright flash of white light, one minute I was running and then I was flat on my front.
"Then the blokes did a hell of a job sorting me out with morphine and putting on bandages. They dragged me through the fields to cover and gave me first aid until an American paramedic helicopter came and picked me up."
Mr Hayward joined the army in 2008 after spending time in Afghanistan with the Territorial Army while at university in Swansea.
Since his injury four and half years ago Mr Hayward has had 14 operations and has been in and out of army rehabilitation centers 15 times.
"The recovery was pretty brutal," said Mr Hayward. "It was like taking two steps forward and then one back. I'd do the rehab and get quite good and then have to go in for more surgery.
"There are a lot of dark days when you are injured. Even for me I had some really dark days, it was really frustrating lying on a bed in hospital while my men were in Afghanistan fighting for their lives.
"I was quite pragmatic about it. I was leading my troops and I wouldn't do anything differently. These things happen so I have always been pretty positive about it."
Mr Hayward said he has always loved the sea. He first surfed on the Gower Peninsula while at university and now lives in Cowes on the Isle of Wight working as a yacht master.
And last week Help for Heroes supported him to go on the 10th annual Op Surf, an adaptive surf program for serving and veteran wounded, injured and sick service personnel in California.
"It was more than a jolly for injured soldiers. It opened my eyes and made me really know things are going to be okay," he said.
He said surfing in California is the first time he has really forgotten about his injury. Mr Hayward can walk and get around day to day, but he cannot walk as far as he would like and cannot sit or stand in one position for too long.
"My injury never goes away, it's always niggling in some way causing pain or discomfort," said Mr Hayward.
"When I was out there I was having too much fun or concentrating too much to worry about my injuries I didn't notice it at all. But then when I came back to the beach I felt it.
"Being able to escape was really nice."
After spending a day on land learning how to stand on the board – not easy for the soldiers who had lost a limb – Mr Hayward spent the whole trip in the water.
He said: "I was doing wave after wave after wave. It was awesome. My instructor, a surfer called Richard Rodrigues from Santa Cruz, would tell me where I was going wrong and how to improve.
"It was really nice to be out in the water again."
My Hayward added that the trip couldn't have happened without Help for Heroes, who he described as safety blanket for injured soldiers.
"Before there was no real provision for injured soldiers," he said. "If you're really struggling you can go to them and they'll help you out.
There's a community there that didn't exist before. Leaving the army isn't as frightening as it used to be."
To mark Domestic Violence Awareness month, the Croydon Advertiser is focusing on how abuse in the home is affecting people in Croydon, through a series of features on the subject. This week, Tom Matthews looks at how the courts deal with the issue...
AN APPEARANCE in court can be intimidating for anyone, but the experience is often far tougher for those who have suffered at the hands of a loved one.
While the evidence of domestic violence victims is normally the keystone for a successful prosecution, they are often reluctant to testify due to the emotional strain of facing their abuser or because of the relationship itself, something not normally present between defendant and victim.
According to Baljit Ubhey, chief crown prosecutor for London, domestic cases present "unique challenges" for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
"Because it often takes place in the home, what that can mean is victims may not continue to support prosecutions because of the relationship."
Prosecutors can decide to go ahead with a case, even against the will of the victim, who may be summonsed to court and forced to give evidence.
"When people withdraw there may be many reasons why they do and we won't always know the truth of it," said Ms Ubhey.
"Victims may do it because they genuinely do not want the suspect to be prosecuted because of their relationship, or it may be that they have been intimidated by the defendant, and forced to make a retraction."
Asked whether it was ethically right that prosecutors might seek to force victims to testify in these cases, Ms Ubhey said the CPS was bound to consider the public interest, as well as the views of the victim.
She said: "In certain circumstances it can be right. We have to look at each individual situation. Often what happens is if you don't deal with it, things escalate. It's rare that when a victim rings the police for assistance that's the first time there's been a problem.
"If you don't address that, it allows people to think [domestic violence] is okay and it's not. If you went down to the pub and someone punched you or slapped you, that would not be okay, so why should it be okay for that to happen in someone's home environment?
"We have to pay regard to the views of victims, but we also have to look at the wider picture. How many of our murder cases are murders that take place in a domestic setting?
"Far too many. That's as a result of the escalation of violence.
"If you want to tackle domestic violence, and prosecution is only a narrow dimension in that overall, in some cases a strong prosecution can send a strong message to people about how they behave behind closed doors and I think that is very important."
Police figures show the number of domestic crimes has risen sharply over the last 12 months with 3,095 incidents reported in Croydon, a rise of 23 per cent on the year before.
According to Ms Ubhey, that rise is reflected in the number of cases reaching court.
"What's significant is that quite a proportion of our contested work trials, are domestic violence cases. We're seeing the trend of more cases coming through and as well as that, most people don't plead guilty when it comes to domestic violence so often there is a trial."
In Croydon, and London as a whole, around 69 per cent of cases coming to the courts result in a conviction, which is around five per cent lower than the national average.
Ms Ubhey said London and other major cities face "unique challenges" in prosecuting in such cases.
"We do have a very high rate of people pleading not guilty and the demographics of London and Croydon mean that we're more likely to have a transient population, so keeping in touch with victims and getting them to court can be more of a challenge.
"And there's the fact that we have such a diversity of people, it's more of a challenge to make sure we have the right support services for a wide variety of people."
Croydon borough commander Andy Tarrant has pointed to the introduction of police being equipped with video cameras as having the potential to help the prosecution in domestic cases.
The cameras were given to a small number of units in the borough as part of a Metropolitan Police pilot scheme in August, but if successful, will be made available to all officers.
Ms Ubhey agrees the devices have the potential to secure more convictions in domestic cases.
She said: "If we could have that evidence at a really early stage, then it will enable us to have more prosecutions, possibly without the victims present. Potentially it may lead to even more guilty pleas.
"We welcome the initiative and having that real time evidence of what occurred in the aftermath of the incident can be really useful. Some people have said that when 999 calls are played in court that can have quite a chilling effect, video could be similar to help us in the future."
A CONVICTED robber who absconded from a mental health facility in Brixton has been found in Croydon.
Duncan Stewart, 33, who had links to the borough, had last been seen at the centre in Landor Road, Brixton, on October 15.
He was found by police in Croydon on Sunday (October 19) and has been returned to the facility.
TARANTINO films, Casablanca and Dirty Dancing are on the bill at the first-ever South Norwood and Thornton Heath Film Festival which starts this weekend.
The free festival, created by volunteers, starts on Saturday (October 25) and continues until Halloween.
Special themed events will take place at various venues across the two areas including a music night, a sing-along and a special Halloween event.
The events are:
Saturday October 25, 7pm, Stanley Halls, South Norwood - Desmond Dekker and the Israelites: Live in London and a London rap documentary with live music from local artists on stage.
Sunday October 26, 4.30pm, Scratchley Hall, Thornton Heath – Quentin Tarantino double bill, Jackie Brown and Pulp Fiction – Venue TBC
Tuesday October 28, 1pm, Scratchley Hall, Thornton Heath - An afternoon of vintage movies and music: Casablanca and The Ladykillers.
Wednesday October 29, 7.30pm – Short film night at the Lord Napier pub, in Beulah Road, Thornton Heath, with guest speakers.
Thursday October 30, 7.30pm, Norbury Tennis Club – Sing-a-long night with Dirty Dancing. Fancy dress encouraged.
Friday October 31, 1pm, Stanley Halls, South Norwood – Halloween special kids' afternoon - doors open 1pm. Frankenweenie and other Halloween treats.
Evening: Doors open 7pm – An American Werewolf in London and other Halloween tricks.
JULIAN Speroni says Crystal Palace need to respond to their back-to-back defeats this weekend away at West Bromwich Albion.
The shot-stopper isn't pressing any panic buttons following losses to Hull City and Chelsea, and says Palace can expect to have ups and downs this season.
"This is the Premier League, of course you're going to have periods when things are not going your way," said Speroni.
"The important thing is the reaction of the team and what's going to happen next week and how we bounce back.
"We need to show the character of the team. I am talking about a good performance of how we've been playing recently.
"There are no questions about the character, I mean that we have to show it.
"Last season we started slowly but in the end we managed to stay up, and this season we have started better so there are positives moving forward."
YOUNG Crystal Palace defender Michael Chambers has signed for Welling United on loan, according to the official Football Conference website.
The centre-back has been a regular in the Eagles' U21 development side in the last season or so, but the club are now looking to send the former Dulwich Hamlet man out for experience.
And it seems the short move to Park View Road fits the bill. Chambers is believed to be off on loan for just a month.
THE new council administration says it is looking to breathe new life into Croydon's district centres, but what is needed to get business booming again? In the first of a series of features, we take a closer look at South Norwood. SAM FOSTER reports...
YEARS of neglect and struggling businesses have left many South Norwood residents feeling like the 'poor cousins' of Croydon.
Barclays Bank in the High Street is set to close and the area's largest shop – the Co-op – shut its doors at the end of September and won't be replaced by Aldi until at least next month.
Pubs are closing down and if you're looking for a bite to eat, you may have to settle for fast food over cordon bleu.
The new Labour-run council has promised investment in an area where it holds all six seats, and there is £1.5million from the Mayor of London's Local Implementation Plan earmarked to spruce up South Norwood High Street and Portland Road in the next few years.
While a number of residents are wary of any promise of investment, there are many who remain cautiously optimistic.
Sai Ng, 48, said: "This is an up and coming area. The travel links from here are really good so it's easy to get about.
"House prices have gone up so that's a sign that things are good. "There are lots of small businesses here but I've noticed that grocery stores aren't doing so well now that Portland Road is dominated by Sainsbury's and Tesco."
This improved retail offer has long been on the minds of community groups such as the South Norwood Network and People for Portland Road.
And David Champion, 50, who has worked in South Norwood for 33 years, thinks this has to be a priority. "Lots of local shops seem to go out of businesses and the land gets turned into flats instead," he said.
"People from outside of South Norwood don't really have any reason to come here.
"There's nothing to come here for unless you live here. You can only really get a takeaway because there aren't any restaurants or pubs to go to anymore."
Other issues which have irked business owners include a lack of parking and numerous bridge works, including the still-shut Tennison Road bridge, which has created huge traffic issues in the area.
But Anna Tsakistra, 40, of new business the Pink Icing Company, sees an area full of opportunity.
"I feel that there is a really welcoming community here in South Norwood," she said.
"Local shops are always helping each other out. The people here are very supportive and our customers are friendly."
YOUR VIEWS
David Osbourn , 70, South Norwood: "I've been working at my glass company in South Norwood for nearly 50 years and parking is definitely the biggest issue on the high street. I've never known it to be so bad. People can't park anywhere because they'll be given tickets straightaway. We once drove out of the side entrance to the shop, stopped outside for two minutes while we closed the gate and we were given a parking ticket."
Arul Kumaran, 42 , Croydon: "South Norwood is doing okay in general. We don't have any problems anymore and I think it's much better than it used to be. When the football is on the traffic can be really bad, obviously. I think business can be very quiet some days and there could be more fresh fruit and vegetable shops on the High Street. There could be more fresh flowers too."
Ali Fahmi, 37, South Norwood: "I think South Norwood is really bad right now. The streets have no proper cleaning so there's rubbish everywhere. I've had a barbershop for the last five years and we've had a lot of problems with security. There's nowhere to park on the high street without getting a £65 fine. The pavements are so wide – if they were thinner there could be spaces for cars to park instead."
BREDE Hangeland believes Crystal Palace could have got something against Chelsea if there was "another ten minutes" remaining on Saturday.
Fraizer Campbell set up a tense finish when he tapped home in the 90th-minute, and despite an added four minutes Palace were unable to grab an equaliser.
Hangeland couldn't fault the effort from his team-mates against the league leaders but admitted Jose Mourinho's side had more control in the second half.
"On another day we could have nicked something, even won on a good day," believes Hangeland.
"I was about half an inch away from sending us 1-0 up and it could have been a different story.
"It was disappointing in a way – I don't think they created that much, obviously they controlled the game in the second half after going 2-0 up.
"Ten against ten is not really an advantage against that type of team. Like always though, I thought out attitude and work rate was really good.
"Had there been another ten minutes on the clock, who knows? Maybe we could have got an equaliser.
"Individually, Chelsea are very strong. We had some tired legs but I thought the players who came on did well for us."
REFEREE Craig Pawson got all the key decisions right against Chelsea, says Palace fan ALISDAIR KEMP, who blames Neil Warnock and Damien Delaney for Saturday's defeat...
THE abuse and derision directed at Saturday's referee Craig Pawson during the Chelsea game from fans – and Neil Warnock post-match – were embarrassing to say the least.
There is an operative word in the phrase "man in the middle", namely the word which implies humanity, or human nature. Referees will naturally make mistakes but the most galling aspect of Saturday's critiques of Pawson was that he was spot on with every decision.
It takes some audacity, first and foremost, for a fan hurling insults at the referee to just assume that they have a better view of a given incident from the stands than the official who is mere yards away. On the – honestly – rare occasions their decisions are erroneous, they are hardly deliberate, so some of the vitriol that subsequently emanates from the stands always bemuses me.
Taking the Chelsea game as an example, at one point during the first half the invective pouring down from the terraces was so vociferous and Neanderthal it was cringeworthy. Such behaviour is both unbecoming and not what I've come to expect from Palace fans.
The underlying irony, of course, is that the decisions prompting this response from the fans were entirely correct.
Warnock asserted that John Terry deserved a yellow card for a challenge he claimed was no different from the one that yielded Damien Delaney's first caution. Wrong – Terry's challenge was a split second late and not dangerous. Delaney's on Loic Remy was woefully late and – had Remy not vaulted over it – could have had alarming consequences.
There was also scorn poured from fans and manager alike over the awarding of the free-kick from which Oscar scored. Wrong – this was yet more clumsiness and rashness from Delaney; trying to steal the ball from behind in a dangerous area to concede a set-piece.
Furthermore, referee Pawson was proficient at keeping up with play, demonstrated assured calmness in the melee following Cesar Azpilicueta's dismissal and generally allowed the game to flow. It was a superb performance that merited better than the mindless abuse he received.
Fans' anger would have been better directed at Delaney for the foolish foul that led to the first goal and the sheer mindlessness of the tug on Remy that prompted a red card. Having gained a man advantage against the best team in the league, the stupidity of Delaney's actions was immeasurable. His teammates must have been irate with him as he let them down massively.
As for Warnock's comments, they were a transparent attempt at deflecting attention from his poor second-half tactical decisions. Relieving James McArthur from the superb man-marking job that he was executing on Cesc Fabregas and moving him to an unfamiliar right-back role single-handedly led to Chelsea's second goal.
As for deploying Yannick Bolasie up front at the end, your guess is as good as mine.
CRYSTAL Palace defender Brede Hangeland says referee Craig Pawson could have given Damien Delaney a final warning instead of sending him off on Saturday.
The Irish defender had already been booked before he tugged the shirt of Loic Remy, which led to the official brandishing a second yellow card.
And Hangeland was left to rue what could have been an advantage against the ten men of Chelsea.
"If I'm honest, I think he (Delaney) could have been given a warning instead of a second yellow," said the 33-year-old.
"We're not pointing fingers at this club. I felt the referee could have told him it was his last time or he was off.
"We were disappointed to see him go and we were hoping to take advantage of 11 against ten."
And asked whether the Chelsea player influenced Pawson following Delaney's foul, he believes that would have played a part.
"It did seem like that, but I'm not one to talk about decisions and referees," said Hangeland.
"It's in the past now and we'll pick ourselves up for West Brom."
WINSTON McKenzie wants to team up with former radio 1 DJ Mike Read for a duet because he thinks his 'Ukip Calypso' song is "fantastic".
The track, recorded by Read in a faux Caribbean accent, praises the party's leader Nigel Farage and decries immigration, but has come in for criticism by some twitter users who have branded it "racist".
In a car-crash interview on the BBC's Newsnight last night (Monday), McKenzie, the party's prospective candidate for Croydon North and Commonwealth spokesman, defended the song.
"From ever since the beginning of time, the Beatles, Elvis, the Rolling Stones, they have always taken up the black man's music," he said.
"Now when I heard this song for the very first time I thought to myself, a white boy singing calypso? Fantastic.
"I'm just hoping he can do a duo with me now, man. I can sing the white song, he can sing the black song."
You can watch Winston's appearance on Newsnight below and hear Mike Read's 'Ukip Calypso' here.
The song, which contains the lyrics, "leaders committed a cardinal sin, open the borders let them all come in, illegal immigrants in every town, stand up and be counted Blair and Brown", has even been backed by party leader Nigel Farage.
BBC Asian Network DJ Nihal, who appeared alongside McKenzie, said Mike Read's ditty "made my ears vomit" and added Ukip had some work to do to convince the station's listeners the party was not racist.
When pressed by presenter Evan Davies on whether the party contained racists, McKenzie replied "why would I be involved with racists?"
"What he's [Mike Read] done is fantastic and I believe the PC brigade need to grow up and get with it.
"The guy has made a song, its a fantastic song. I don't know if he's trying to promote the party, I haven't got a clue, but what he is doing, he's trying to sing Calypso, good luck to him."
If he was to team up with Mike Read, it wouldn't be McKenzie's first encounter with calypso music. In May, a Ukip carnival held in Croydon town centre descended into farce after party leader Nigel Farage failed to show and the steel band booked by McKenzie played for just minutes before leaving, saying they had not been told it was a Ukip event.
STATUS Quo frontman Francis Rossi's beer has proved to be the Perfect Remedy for drinkers having sold a million pints in just seven months.
Rossi, who lives in Purley's exclusive Webb Estate, created their Piledriver bitter with bandmate Rick Parfitt and Wychwood Brewery.
The 4.3 per cent malty amber has shifted a million units already and Wychwood marketing manager Chris Keating said: "The reception from the fans has been amazing. Word has spread about what a great beer Piledriver is, because it's not just Quo fans who are buying it - beer fans are too."
When the beer was launched Rossi, 64, said: "I used to drink when I was doing cocaine and I drank mainly tequila but I have always had a passion for beer."
A BED shop owner will be sleeping a little more easily at night after his efforts were recognised at an industry awards' night.
Jerry Cheshire, owner of Surrey Beds, in Purley, won the Independent Retailer of the Year prize at the annual National Bed Federation (NBF) Bed Show.
Over the past year Jerry, who calls himself The Beducator, has been focusing on the branding of the store, including development of his own YouTube channel.
Surrey Beds also overcame adversity and still delivered a growth in sales year-on-year, despite roadworks right outside their premises on the corner of Old Lodge Lane and Brighton Road costing them an estimated £300,000 in summer 2013.
The store, which opened 13 years ago, also celebrated its 25,000th sale in April.
Mr Cheshire said: "I have attended the NBF Bed Show for many years, however this is the first time I have ever entered the awards. "I am over the moon to have been recognised by such influential industry experts and very proud to put Croydon on the map at the national show."
Ed Miliband is to visit Croydon this week to give a talk as part of the borough's black history month celebrations.
The Labour Party leader has been confirmed as guest speaker for Croydon BME Forum's annual lecture, to take place on Thursday (October 23) at Bernard Weatherill House.
Nero Ughwujabo, chief executive of Croydon BME (Black and Minority Ethnic) Forum, said he was "delighted to have such an A-list speaker" for this year's event.
"We're quite keen to hear his views on Black History Month, BME leadership and race equality," he added.
The free talk has been organised by the BME Forum in conjunction with Operation Black Vote, an organisation which works to encourage BME communities to engage in politics.
It gets underway at 3.30pm, but tickets must be booked in advance. For more information call the BME Forum on 0208 684 3719 or book tickets online here.
More information about the various event taking place across the borough for Black History Month can be found here.
CROYDON'S Ben Haenow said that he thinks Mel B is threatened by the talent in the X Factor overs category.
The feisty judge told Ben to "be a man" after he had a throat infection early last week.
Mel said on Saturday's live show: "Don't be a wuss and complain about yourself being ill, we all get ill and when you go on tour you're just going to have to deal with that 'cause that's just what happens so be a man."
The Advertiser caught up with Ben and he joked: "She likes to have a dig. Particularly with me and Jay in the overs - I think they maybe feel threatened in the boys group.
"But a couple of her boys were ill as well, so funny she didn't mention anything about that," he added.
Ben said there was an "epidemic" in the X Factor house last week as the contestants live in such close proximity.
"It was cool because it was a bit of a level playing field," he added.
The 29-year-old van driver from Shirley made it through the second round of live shows after singing John Lennon's Jealous Guy for the 80s themed night.
But he said he is not a jealous guy when it comes to his girlfriend Jessica Jones, a 27-year-old dance teacher from Shirley.
"I love that song to bits but we don't really do jealousy," said Ben.
"She's a very, very beautiful girl. I'm not jealous and I'm not worried about anything, and I really believe she's much the same. We've been together for so long and we love each other so much it's not like anything could get in the way."
Ben said he hopes to have down days mid week to get back to Croydon to see Jessica soon.
He said: "It's been tough being away from her but I speak to her and text her daily, and give her a call in the evenings. On the weekends I spend Saturday and Sunday evenings with her."
Jessica and Ben's family have watched all of his performances, which he said have been the "most amazing experience of my life".
"Every single stage gets better and better and to be up there going into people's living rooms live on Saturday is unbelievable," he said.
"Every Saturday when my family come down they're the loudest cheerers in the crowd. It's amazing knowing that they're there, and trying to spot them in the crowd. I think I was waving at Paul Akister's family at one point thinking they were mine."
Ben said that the competition is getting tougher, but the contestants are still good friends, and the house doesn't feel the same when someone leaves.
"When Blond Electric went, those girls were adorable and amazing people and they brought such energy to the house and that's gone," he said.
"Sunday the mood dampens and Monday and Tuesday it's people moping around a bit. You realise people have gone and the house feels emptier.
"If I go or one of my lads go it's going to be really difficult. When you come back to the house you're so relieved to have your mates back."
But Ben said he is excited, not anxious, about the rest of the competition.
"I haven't been doing anything to calm down, just getting a lot of make-up done and styling and that type of thing is quite relaxing.
"It's just getting everybody excited and using the nerves in a good way instead of pacing the halls and letting them get to you. We all band together and have a bit of a sing song."
Last week, Ben's brother Alex told the Advertiser how they closed a bar down while on holiday in Kos, Greece after so many people came and sang along to their set the police were called to stop the noise.
"It was brilliant! There were people coming down and just going mental for us," Ben said. "Everyone was drunk and having a good time and yeah, we got the bar closed down. That was cool. It's the most rock and roll thing we've done."
