AN ELDERLY woman has been taken to hospital with head injuries after being involved in a collision with a car near a busy London Road junction this evening (February 11).

Police were called to reports that a woman in her sixties was involved in the collision on Bensham lane, near the junction with London Road at 6.45pm.

A police spokesman said the woman was conscious and breathing when she was taken to a south London hospital by London Ambulance Service.

London Road remains closed around the junction, though it was expected to reopen shortly as of 8.30pm the spokesman added.

London Fire Brigade also sent crews to the incident. Wayne Notley (@croydoncomputer) tweeted that the road was closed and four fire engines were on the scene. It is understood the fire engines may have been attending another incident.

Avoid London rd and Bensham lane Croydon major incident occurred... Loads of police around the corner. pic.twitter.com/etDPQHMzh3

— Wayne Notley (@croydoncomputer) February 11, 2015

London Rd crn of Bensham lane Croydon, closed by police due to incident.. 4 Fire engines on scene .traffic very bad all down London rd.

— Wayne Notley (@croydoncomputer) February 11, 2015

CRYSTAL Palace had to settle for a point tonight after a 1-1 draw at home to Newcastle United.

The result moves Alan Pardew's side on to 27 points alongside Everton, who lost 1-0 at Chelsea.

Papiss Cisse gave the Toon the lead just before the break at Selhurst Park with a bullet header but substitute Fraizer Campbell made sure the Eagles came away with something with an equaliser in the second period.

Yannick Bolasie, returning from African Cup of Nations duty proved to be the spark Palace needed, delivering for his team-mate from out wide.

Wilfried Zaha shot at Tim Krul early on after a fast move involving Marouane Chamakh and Yaya Sanogo, before Joe Ledley headed over from a free-kick soon after.

Jason Puncheon then scooped a pass over the Newcastle backline for the advancing Martin Kelly, but as his shot was saved the offside flag was raised on the far side.

Chances dried up from then on as both teams struggled to gain any momentum up to the half-hour mark, but Palace would have been slightly more satisfied with their start.

Fraizer Campbell had come on for the injured Sanogo and looked to have broken the deadlock with ten minutes to go before the break, but the offside flag was raised again.

However, slightly against the run of play and Newcastle took the lead through Papiss Cisse minutes before half-time.

Daryl Janmaat got to the right byline away from Wilfried Zaha and delivered for the striker to plant a firm header past the Speroni at full stretch.

Into the second half and Campbell headed wide from a Puncheon free-kick early on. However, Newcastle were dealing with everything thrown at them quite comfortably.

Something needed changing and Pardew had no choice but to go for it, sending on Dwight Gayle after 66 minutes for the tiring Chamakh.

Yannick Bolasie was also sent on for Kelly, and within three minutes the returning winger was involved in Palace's equaliser.

The Democratic Republic of Congo star sent in a fantastic ball behind the Newcastle defence from the right and Campbell slid in to stab home past Krul.

Zaha had a great chance to put the Eagles ahead five minutes later when he controlled well inside the box but his ferocious shot was superbly blocked by a Newcastle player.

Brede Hangeland got up well to meet a Puncheon corner but couldn't get enough power on a header, and with three minutes added on at the end the Eagles did all they could to look for a winner.

But they had to make-do with a point and they will now prepare for an FA Cup fifth round tie with Liverpool in SE25 in 72 hours' time.

Palace: Speroni, Ward, Kelly (Bolasie 68), Hangeland, Delaney, McArthur, Ledley, Puncheon, Zaha, Chamakh (Gayle 66), Sanogo (Campbell 26).

Subs Not Used: Hennessey, Mariappa, Mutch, Murray.

Referee: Andre Marriner

Report by Palace reporter Mark Ritson, for the Croydon Advertiser

ALAN Pardew believed a point was a fair result against his former side, as Palace played out a 1-1 draw against the Magpies.

Papiss Cisse had given the visitors the lead just before half-time but Yannick Bolasie's pinpoint cross into Fraizer Campbell ensured the teams shared the points.

"Every point is like gold dust in the Premier League," said Pardew.

"It's difficult because Newcastle defended really well tonight, they made it difficult for us. They scored which I think turned out to be the only shot on target they had."

"We're not perfect. At times tonight we were kind of running out of ideas a bit so we need to just nail down our style a little bit better.

"But I thought we controlled possession much better than we normally do here and we're getting better and we've had some good results.

"Tonight for me I'll take a point, go home, and start again for Saturday."

Pardew didn't seem too bothered about the prospect of facing his former side for the first time since departing the Magpies after a four year spell, dismissing the Geordie fans taunts as "normal crowd banter."

He said: "The most important thing tonight was another point.

"We must never get away from the fact that we've got a battle on our hands and it's heating up down there.

"I've seen Aston Villa lost their manager tonight so there's going to be changes there and everyone's now looking at the finishing line as it's not far away with 13 games left."

The result sees Palace remain 13^th place in the table, five points above the drop.

CRYSTAL Palace boss Alan Pardew likes the "unpredictability" of midfielder Yannick Bolasie.

Bolasie came on as a sub for the Eagles in their 1-1 draw with Newcastle on Wednesday evening to set up the goal for Fraizer Campbell's equaliser, in the midfielder's first appearance since returning from the African Cup of Nations.

He said: "I was really pleased with our reaction second half. We really took the game to Newcastle. But really it was the bench that salvaged the game for us.

"Yannick's cross was of the highest order and he had no right really to put a ball in of that quality that he had.

"It was a great goal for us, it gave us good time to get the winner and there was only going to be one winner from then I thought, we just couldn't force a second goal.

"He's [Bolasie] an exciting player. Obviously I've been an opposing manager to him and he has great power and technique.

"He gives you an unpredictability in your team which I quite like."

The Congolese international also drew praise from Newcastle boss John Carver in his post-match press conference.

Carver, who worked with Bolasie at Plymouth for two years described the 25-year-old as a "real talent," and was even forced into making an important substitution to keep him at bay.

Pardew said: "I thought the two goals were actually really top drawer.

"There probably wasn't enough top play tonight, particularly from the offensive players on show, because there were opportunities to get a second goal tonight."

Palace's next game is against Liverpool on Saturday in the fifth round of the FA Cup and Pardew's team are ready for the occasion.

"I'm enjoying myself here," Pardew expressed.

"I've had a great reception from the fans, who were brilliant again tonight.

"Hopefully we can give them a result on Saturday because we're in the cup and we're looking forward to that."

ALAN PARDEW is sure Crystal Palace will investigate the alleged coin throwing incident that "could have blinded" Newcastle skipper Fabricio Coloccini at Selhurst Park.

The Argentine was struck by an object thrown from the home end as he celebrated Papiss Cisse's opener on Wednesday evening.

And Palace boss Pardew, along with Newcastle manager John Carver were quick to slam the actions of one individual in the crowd.

"I saw the referee come over to the linesman and hand him something," Pardew said.

"It would be a shame if that was an incident – a random fan acting poorly [and] if that is the case, that is unusual for this club because we have a great record of behaviour. I am sure we will look into it."

"It misses Colo's eye by an inch," Carver added. "Another inch and it could blind him.

"What is disappointing from their point of view is that they have an unbelievable crowd here, an unbelievable atmosphere."

Cisse headed in Daryl Janmaat's cross on 42 minutes before Fraizer Campbell poked in a Yannick Bolasie cross with 19 minutes left in the 1-1 draw.

Unsurprisingly there were some negative chants from the Toon Army fans directed at Pardew during the game, but he was not overly concerned.

"It was normal crowd banter," he said.

"I am enjoying myself here though. They gave me a great reception. The most important thing for us was another point.

"There's a battle on our hands and it's hotting up down there."

A POWER fault has caused traffic lights to fail at the busy junction of Wellesley Road and George Street leading to major disruption.

Eleven bus routes have been diverted around the junction, though trams are still running with the help of signal staff.

Pedestrians and drivers have been warned to take extra care at the junction while some lanes have been closed for safety reasons.

Dana Skelley, from Transport for London said a power fault in the area was to blame for the failure, though "major work" was needed to fix the damage, which could take several days.

In Croydon, the traffic signals are not working at Wellesley Rd / George St. Some lanes/roads closed to maintain safety. Approach with care.

— TfL Traffic News (@TfLTrafficNews) February 12, 2015

She said: "Our engineers are working day and night to repair these signals but it is likely to take several days due to the complexity of this junction.

"We therefore ask everyone to take extra care at this location while we carry out these works and apologise for any disruption caused by this traffic signal failure."

The 64, 75, 166, 194, 198, 264, 403, 410, T33 and X26 bus routes have all been diverted away from the junction.

Routes 75 403 264 166 64 194 198 367 410 T33 X26 are diverted due to a traffic signal failure at Wellesley Road / Park Lane, East Croydon

— TfL Bus Alerts (@TfLBusAlerts) February 11, 2015

CRYSTAL Palace skipper Mile Jedinak may miss out on featuring in the FA Cup fifth round tie with Liverpool.

The Australian came back from the Asia Cup last week with a sore ankle, but it was revealed last night that he may a knee problem too.

Team-mate Joe Ledley said: "I think Saturday will be a little bit too early for him, he's come back, his knee is swollen and he's had it drained.

"He's been a big miss since he's been away. We have done brilliant without him but he's been a big miss and he's a big skipper around the place.

"Players like that and Yala (Bolasie) coming back just make the squad so much better and it's just a great squad in-depth.

Jedinak was instrumental in the 3-1 win against Liverpool in November.

However, it is more likely he will come back in for the game with Arsenal a week on Saturday.

THE Green Party could take advantage of a "surge" in support and "sneak" a shock win in Croydon Central, its best known local candidate has claimed. 

The latest polls put Labour's Sarah Jones narrowly ahead of the Conservative incumbent Gavin Barwell in the marginal constituency, with Ukip third.

Shasha Khan, who is standing for the Greens in Croydon North, believes a swell of interest in the party, with local membership more than doubling in the last year, coupled with publicity from potential television debates, could place its candidate, popular pub manager Esther Sutton, firmly in the mix.

He says many of those who have signed up in the last 12 months have been disillusioned former Labour voters.

"We have to be a concern for Labour," he said. "Sarah Jones has definitely got her eye on us.

"Esther can poll enough votes to make a difference in that constituency. If the surge in interest continues, and we get good publicity from the television debates, suddenly Croydon Central is up for grabs.

"There's been increased interest nationally but it helps we've been active in Croydon with various campaigns and stood 70 candidates in last year's local elections.

"What many of our new members are telling us is they are fed up of Labour failing to offer an alternative position on the issues that matter to them."

Mr Khan said membership of the Green Party in Croydon had increased from 76 at this time last year to 244 this week. Small numbers, perhaps, but it seems the party's message is beginning to be heard, with national membership increasing from 15,000 to 50,000 in a simialr period.

Natalie Milsom, 32, joined the party last month. A teacher at the CACFO Education Centre, a specialist school in Thornton Heath, Miss Milsom turned Green because she was "really disappointed" with Labour, who she voted for in 2010.

"They were supposed to be for the working person but I've never seen that so I won't be voting for them this year," she said.

"I feel the Green Party is doing things that will really help local communities in a way I haven't seen from Labour.

"I used to think the Greens were just about recycling and things like that. I didn't think of them as a party that could run the country, but that's changed."

Miss Milsom, who lives in Thornton Heath, spoke to the Advertiser after reading a negative story about the party in the Daily Mail. Its improved polling – 11 per cent by one recent measure – has led to greater scrutiny, including a particularly difficult interview for leader Natalie Bennett on Sunday Politics last month.

"There's a lot of misinformation about the party so what it needs to do is make sure it makes it clear what it stands for," said Miss Milsom.

"Even if we don't get in, the big rise in membership will send a clear message to the other parties and put the environment firmly on the agenda."

Cycling and road safety campaigner Kristian Gregory, 28, is another recent recruit living in Thornton Heath.

"I was always a bit of a fence sitter, a leftie between Labour and the Green Party, but Labour seemed to lurch to the right every time [Nigel] Farage opened his mouth. I wanted to support a party that is trying to drag politics back to the left," he said.

"I think the Green Party needs to get the message out there about its economic offering, which is really strong. It needs more grass roots support too. I think a lot of people in Croydon North either aren't aware or feel it won't make a difference because it's so strongly Labour.

"I get really annoyed when people say a vote for the Greens is a wasted vote. The only really wasted vote is one for a party whose policies you don't agree with."

While an increase in support is encouraging and the Green's did stand a record number of candidates last May, none of them came close to becoming the first Green member elected to Croydon Council. 

They are, however, polling alongside their mainstream rivals among 18 to 24-year-olds and Mr Khan, who has led the campaign against the incinerator in Beddington Lane, is optimistic about his party's prospects in May's general election. 

 "If the surge in support continues then I would hope we could finish second in Croydon North and Croydon south and that's what we will be targeting," he explained.

"Overhauling those two majorities is a massive task but I hope we will come close to taking second place in both constituencies.

"But, because the threshold is much lower for victory in Croydon Central, and Esther is a very well-known and well-regarded candidate, she has the chance to sneak a win there.

"There's everything to play for. It's a very exciting election because there are so many possibilities and so many outcomes. It's very exciting for us and we look forward to it." 

CRYSTAL Palace will be boosted by the news that Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard is a huge doubt for Saturday's FA Cup clash.

The 34-year-old limped off with a hamstring problem after Tuesday's 3-2 win against Tottenham and is set for a scan to find out the extent.

Colin Pascoe, Liverpool assistant manager, has said: "Unfortunately, he felt his hamstring towards the end of the game and we are just waiting for results to come back."

CROYDON Council says the collapse of plans for a new college in South Norwood will not leave students without a place. 

STEM Academy Croydon Gateway was due to open in September but yesterday the group behind the school pulled out. 

The 16 to 19 college, which would have been based in what was South Norwood police station, had already received more than 50 applications for places on its specialist science, technology, engineering and mathematics courses. 

The free school had been approved by the Department for Education, appointed a head teacher and work had started on the building. 

A council spokesman said there are places in existing colleges to cope. 

"Free schools are a central government programme and the council has very little direct involvement in the decision-making process.

"Although Croydon has a very high demand for school places, there is capacity within the current post-16 provision. 

"We are therefore very confident young people in Croydon will not be left without a post-16 place as a consequence of the withdrawal of the STEM Academy."

CROYDON'S X Factor superstar Ben Haenow will play cupid this Valentine's Day reading out messages for fan's too shy to tell that special someone how they feel.

A post on the former van driver from Shirley's Facebook page invites fans to send in messages and Ben will read his favourites on video before Saturday.

Ben will take to the road tomorrow for the first day of the X Factor tour. The show kicks off in Belfast where it will stay for Valentine's evening before coming to England.

The message on Ben's Facebook says: "Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, Ben will read out a message for you!

"Yep, Ben is playing cupid this Valentine's day, so if you have a message for someone special and you're too shy to say it yourself, then let Ben do the talking!

"Post your Valentine's message below, tell us who it's for and Ben will read out his Faves on video just in time for Feb 14th!"

Go to https://www.facebook.com/benhaenow to leave Ben a message.

IT may not quite be flogging the family silver but Croydon Council is hoping plans to sell an historic car number plate will turn into a nice little earner.

And if things go the way council leader, Tony Newman dreams about, it could go for £100,000 and even gain celebrity status, hopefully with the Beckhams.

Soon to go up for grabs is the number plate 1VB, which at present adorns the deputy mayor of Croydon, Cllr Patricia Hay-Justice's official car.

The lease is expiring on the BMW and as part of this year's council cost-cutting exercise the council will be asked not to renew it when this year's budget comes up for approval.

The number plate, however, is owned by council and the idea is to offer it to the highest bidder.

Councillor Newman said: "It would have been nice if David Beckham could have bought the number plate for Victoria in time for Valentine's Day but I think we have missed out on that this year. Perhaps he will still think about it for next year.

"I have heard the number could be worth £100,000, so I am sure if anyone wants to offer that we would be pleased to take it up."

1VB is one of three original number plates snatched up by the old County Borough of Croydon council back in the 1930s when Croydon became a car registration authority, a power which ended when it became a London borough.

1BY is now used on the Mayor's official car and no-one at the town hall seems to have any idea what happened to the third, 1OY.

Heritage

The news of the sale has not gone down well with Conservative opposition deputy leader, Councillor Dudley Mead who said the sale would not make much of a dent in improving finances but did mean part of Croydon's heritage would probably disappear out of the borough.

He said: "Labour has only been in control of the council for nine months and they are already selling off our assets."

He and other members may also not be too pleased with another money-saving venture in the budget – stopping supplying them with sandwiches and other refreshments before full council, cabinet and other committee meetings.

Savings, according to Cllr Newman, could run into tens of thousands of pounds a year.

Pre-meeting refreshments have been something of a tradition in Croydon and were introduced to provide sustenance for members who may have to turn up for early evening meetings without having eaten beforehand.

Cllr Newman said council staff seemed to have no problem coping, so it was only fair members were asked to do the same.

He said: "At a time when staff are effectively being asked to take a pay cut again this year, it is right that everyone is seen to be having a share in the cutbacks."

Allowances for members have already been frozen this year.

A GUNMAN who shot a young couple 15 times in a South Croydon flat has been found guilty of wounding with intent but cleared of attempted murder. 

Zarak McKoy, 23, and an accomplice burst into Channel Wilson's home in Kingsdown Avenue and shot her boyfriend, 19-year-old Shaquille Forde-Morgan, 13 times at close range. 

Miss Wilson, 20, was hit twice while trying to help her boyfriend and called for an ambulance before passing out. 

McKoy, of Hambrook Road, South Norwood, was cleared of two counts of attempted murder following a trial at Croydon Crown Court. 

The gunman was found guilty of two counts of wounding with intent as well as possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. 

The court heard how the couple were "gunned down" in the flat at around 3am on July 6 last year. 

They had fallen asleep watching television that evening when they heard a "bang" at the front door. 

Miss Wilson looked through the spyhole and saw her ex-boyfriend Jarrelle Francis, also known as Rashan, with another McKoy, known as Z. 

Neena Crinnion, prosecuting, said there was a conversation between Miss Wilson and her former partner and he and McKoy left five minutes later "not very happy with the outcome".

Less than five minutes later there was a "huge" noise at the front door, Miss Crinnion said. 

Two or three men burst into the flat and made their way into the bedroom. 

Miss Wilson recognised McKoy, who was wearing a distinctive True Religion hoody, and Francis.  

McKoy had his arm extended and a gun in his hand. He opened fire at Mr Forde-Morgan at close quarters, who fell to the floor screaming. 

As Miss Wilson went to help him she was shot once in the back and once on the back of her thigh. 

Zarak and Rashan, and possibly another man, fled the address. 

Miss Wilson used her boyfriend's phone to call London Ambulance Service which alerted armed police. She then collapsed next to him. 

Mr Forde-Morgan was shot 13 times, suffering wounds to his groin and legs. Surgeon's decided it would be too risky to remove a bullet lodged in his tibia. Miss Wilson's injuries were not as serious. 

Though initially reluctant to name her attackers, Miss Wilson later positively identified Francis as being one of them and McKoy as the shooter. 

Police were able to use phone records to link Mckoy and Francis to the attack. 

McKoy was arrested on July 16 at his partner's home in Abbotts Road, Croydon, and after three interviews gave police a statement through his solicitor which read: "I categorically deny committing these offences."

Officer searched his home in Hambrook Road and found two True Relgion tops, including a black one similar to that described by Mr Forde-Mason. 

Analysis of bullet casings found at the flat and those removed from Mr Forde-Morgan showed they all came from the same weapon, a converted self-loading, gas-operated pistol. 

An expert concluded the weapon had been fired at least seven times during the course of the attack. 

Police are still seeking Francis in connection with the incident. 

In 2010, McKoy, then 19, was given a 50-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, after repeatedly stabbing an intruder at his home in West Norwood. He pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding. 

McKoy will be sentenced for the shootings and possession of an offensive weapon on March 20.  

ADDINGTON High School is considering changing its name to help rid its students of "unfair stigma".

Headteacher Martin Giles, who took over in September, told community Facebook group New Addington Pathfinders the school could become Meridian High School.

The name is seen as appropriate because the Greenwich Meridian Line runs right through the school, with a special sundial in the grounds to mark the significance.

Mr Giles wrote: "You and I all know how strong a community New Addington is. Unfortunately, many of our students face extremely unfair stigma and negative respect, not least for example, when they apply to colleges, because professional people who should know better sometimes look down on our students.

"It takes years to change the reputation of a school and our students can't afford to wait. I promised on day one to leave no stone unturned in the drive to improve the school – and I never will.

"That is why, if the name change does happen, it will be a considered decision."

The secondary school, in Fairchildes Avenue, became an academy in 2013 after joining the Ravens Wood Learning Trust but saw its GCSE grades tumble in its first year.

Mr Giles, who took over after these results, told the Advertiser at the time "no stone would be left unturned" in the school's efforts to improve results.

GAVIN Barwell has launched another campaign, in open defiance of the Advertiser's campaign to stop him launching campaigns.

Our Campaign to End All Campaigns began in December after the Croydon Central MP set up his fifth petition in little more than a month.

Our satirical efforts received national media attention and Mr Barwell and Advertiser editor Glenn Ebrey later debated the issue on live television.

After a short break the politician is back on the campaign trail, this time calling on Royal Mail to move its sorting office back into the town centre.

The delivery office in Cherry Orchard Road closed last year to make way for flats and was relocated to Factory Lane.

Mr Barwell's petition has already signed by more than 1,500 people.

He said: "I'm all in favour of them redeveloping the building next to East Croydon station, but they need to find a town centre location for the parcel collection office."

No campaign, no gain - Mr Barwell's petitions 

November 10 -  Opposes Labour council's plans to introduce selective licensing of landlords

November 18 - Launches campaign to stop council from building on school playing fields 

December 1 - Fights for a new entrance at East Croydon station

December 9 -  Launches campaign to protect green fields at bottom of Gravel Hill from development. 

December 16 - Sets up petition to stop council closing recycling centre in New Addingto

February 6 - Calls on Royal Mail to relocate sorting office 

Mr Barwell also met with Mayor of London Boris Johnson this week about the campaign - launched by Labour's Sarah Jones and Steve Reed - to get East and West Croydon moved from Zone 4 to Zone 5. 

An Advertiser spokesman said:

A DRIVER who was convicted of careless driving after he skipped a red light and hit a 17-year-old girl, causing her a brain injury which meant she had to learn to walk and talk again, has had his driving ban slashed on appeal.

Amin Aminullah, 41, was originally banned from driving for four years and ordered to pay a £1,400 fine at Croydon Magistrates' Court on July 15 last year after pleading guilty to driving without due care and attention

A district judge also ordered him to take an extended resit test once his ban expired.

He left promising Archibishop Tenisons student Miriam Parker, from Carshalton, with a serious brain injury after hitting her as she crossed Selsdon Park Road on New Years' Day 2014.

Witnesses said the traffic lights were red, though the court heard Aminullah was not speeding.

But, it emerged this week, Aminullah has since had his ban cut after a judge at Croydon Crown Court decided to allow his appeal.

It means Aminullah, of Addington Road, Selsdon, will be banned from driving for only two and a half years and will not have to retake his test to drive again. He will still have to pay the £1,400 fine. His appeal was heard on January 23.

Miriam's family were initially told by surgeons it was unlikely she would survive, but she learned to talk, walk and eat again. She was due to finally return home shortly after the Aminullah was originally sentenced last year

After that original sentencing, Miriam's mother Davina said her family planned to launch a campaign to change the law on careless driving.

They have called on the government to introduce a new criminal offence of causing serious injury by careless driving.

Her sisters Kirsty and Loren have started a petition for people to back their cause.

They wrote the following on their change.org page:

"Not only were we shocked that the driver had appealed against what we already thought was a lenient sentence but also we were shocked that we had not been notified that the appeal was happening and that it was in the end successful.

"Particularly disappointing was the removal of the extended resit. All acts of careless or dangerous driving causing injury should require a resit. Good drivers should have nothing to fear. "

To back their petition, which has so far attracted nearly 2,500 signatures, click here.

A CYCLIST has been injured after colliding with a car in Purley Way. 

The victim, understood to be female, was struck near Dees Ford dealership at around 4pm today (Thursday). 

London Ambulance Service (LAS) and police were sent to the scene but have yet to comment on the incident. 

It is believed the woman suffered a leg injury and has been taken to Croydon University Hospital. 

Crystal Palace were heavily linked with a takeover at the end of October last year, with American billionaire Josh Harris reportedly interested in buying the club.

Talk has died down fairly considerably since then, with Eagles co-chairman Steve Parish admitting he does and has spoken to interested parties in the past - and that if it was for the benefit of the club that he would step aside.

However, the Advertiser has been told by a business expert in the City that a takeover deal at Selhurst Park is imminent, with the prospective new owners at Wednesday night's game with Newcastle United.

It is believed the interested party had previously planned to watch the FA Cup clash with Liverpool on Saturday in south London.

It is also understood that the prospective new owners are mulling over whether to announce a deal with the Eagles now or wait until the end of the season. 

A takeover would certainly boost boss Alan Pardew's transfer fund, with the chance to take the club even further in English football's top flight. 

In November last year, Parish addressed the Palace fans over speculation.

He said: "There has been a lot of speculation surrounding the ownership of this football club.

"I can assure you that there have been many times where we have held discussions and it has remained private.

"This club is part of the biggest league in the world, we get approaches from many interested parties and as I have I always said as a group of owners we will consider everything and look at whatever is in the best long-term interests of this club."

According to a poll on the Advertiser website at the time, Palace fans were in favour of the proposed takeover by American businessman Harris.

Our poll of nearly 1,000 supporters revealed that 64 per cent would support the change of ownership, with 36 per cent against.

Palace defender Scott Dann had also backed any potential takeover, saying it could push the club on and believes the Eagles are an attractive proposition.

In November, he told the Advertiser: "I can see why people would be interested in buying Palace. The club is in London and the fan base is massive.

"If it were to continue to be run in the right way like it is now, it could potentially be a lot bigger club.

"From when the current owners took over to where they are now, it's a big change and they've done a really good job.

"If someone were to come in and move the club even quicker than what the current owners would like, then I'm sure as fans of Palace that's what they're looking for too perhaps."

YANNICK Bolasie had 24 hours to prepare for Wednesday's match with Newcastle United having arrived back in the United Kingdom following his exploits at the African Cup of Nations.

The winger certainly didn't waste any time either, creating Fraizer Campbell's equaliser just three minutes after coming on midway through the second half.

It has certainly been a whirlwind month for Bolasie, who helped his country Democratic Republic of Congo finish third at the tournament while also picking up a bronze medal.

And he feels the experience abroad will put him in good stead for the future at Selhurst Park.

"I only came back on Tuesday morning and the manager wanted to see me and told me to be mentally ready," said Bolasie.

"I enjoyed my time at the African Cup of Nations, it's a big achievement coming third and getting a bronze medal.

"Beating Congo in the quarter-final, that's the biggest derby out there. There was a lot of emotion and when we were 2-0 down there was some panic, but we came back out to win 4-2.

"I feel I have grown as a player, experienced a lot and the pressure of playing for the country.

"There is pressure at Palace as well but I had to cope with things better. I scored in the first game and should have had a couple more but it wasn't to be.

"It's been good for Palace so far and we've been on a good run. Now we have recruited some players too so competition for places is helping."

By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)

A CAR crashed into a hair salon in South Norwood in the early hours of the morning.  

Firefighters were called to reports a car had collided with Kin n Kes Klipperz, at the junction of Selhurst Road and Dagnall Park, at 00.06am today (Friday). 

A photograph taken by David Wood, Labour's candidate for the Selhurst by-election, shows the car embedded in the front of the salon.   

London Fire Brigade (LFB) sent two fire engines and a rescue unit from Croydon and Woodside stations to the scene.

The two people in the car had left the vehicle before firefighters arrived. 

It is understood that no one was hurt during the incident.  

LFB left the scene at 00.36am.