Minicab crash in Croydon town centre 'caused by sneezing driver'
Homelessness in Croydon reaches eight year high
Mids fashion win in thrilling climax
AN UNDER-STRENGH Trinity Mid-Whitgiftian side produced a tenacious performance to earn a stunning four-run win over Cranleigh in a low-scoring thriller at Lime Meadow on Saturday.
Without four of their regular top five batsmen it came as no great surprise that Mids struggled to 151 all out after winning the toss and electing to bat.
Graham Cobbett and Robert Warne were both undone early on by full-length deliveries from Max Barson but Will Page began promisingly before edging Paddy Harman to Mark Wagh at slip.
Kunal Patel continued his recent good form and kept the score moving at a reasonable rate but the Trinity batsmen began to struggle once the spinners were introduced.
Patel's patience took him to a deserved half-century, while Mike Brugnoli carried the attack to the bowlers as the pair added 31 important runs for the sixth wicket. However, both men eventually fell to young left-arm spinner Ben Broughton, who went on to finish with 3-21.
Raj Chatwal presented Broughton with an easy catch at point off Seren Waters' first delivery. Matt Winter unwisely picked out Wagh in the field and was run out by a direct hit before some careless running had last man Gavin Piper run out.
A successful defence of such a modest total looked highly improbable on an excellent batting surface but Cranleigh's batsmen turned in an equally woeful display.
Former Nottinghamshire batsman Mark Wagh had already been dropped before he was bowled by Piper in the sixth over.
Fellow opener Tom Crump was bowled by Winter before Piper trapped Scriven lbw to reduce the visitors to 46-3.
Schofield was bowled for a duck in Brugnoli's first over but Waters looked a real threat and his stand of 56 for the fifth wicket with captain Matthew Crump looked to have swung the match firmly in Cranleigh's favour.
The game took another twist when Mids keeper Will Page took an excellent low catch behind the stumps to dismiss Crump.
The Cranleigh batsmen continued to misjudge the line of the ball as Will Ripley and Max Barson both saw their stumps knocked over and Mids began to sense vulnerability in the lower order.
Much rested on the shoulders of Waters who played beautifully as wickets tumbled at the other end but Mids managed to deny him the strike as the game wore on.
Requiring 13 runs to win with three wickets in hand Cranleigh remained favourites until Broughton was tempted forward and bowled by Chatwal.
The pressure of the situation affected batsman Will Rollings who played a senseless shot and acting Mids captain Winter took a high chance magnificently.
Waters then gave his wicket away at the death, hitting Chatwal's delivery straight back to him to hand Mids victory.
Buoyed by this result Mids will welcome back most of their missing batsmen for Saturday's trip to Walton-on-Thames.
Long list drawn up as survival plans hatched
CRYSTAL Palace are busy identifying a "long list" of player targets ahead of their return to England's top flight, according to co-chairman Steve Parish.
The Eagles supremo says that despite manager Ian Holloway being on holiday at the moment, the Palace owners are working hard to make plans for the new season, including drawing up a list of targets.
He said: "We are making a long list and looking at what we want to do.
"Ian is on holiday at the moment, but I am talking to him every day.
"Obviously, we will need to bring in a few. We are not talking numbers, but there are a few areas we need to cover, with Wilf [Zaha] going and Glenn [Murray] out injured."
And Parish admits that Holloway will be given money to spend this summer, although he stopped short of saying how much he will have at his disposal.
He said: "It will obviously be a much bigger budget in the Premier League than we had last year, but there are other things that we need to do.
"It is different when you have a compressed timeframe, but we will do our best and we are working tirelessly to try and get things in place."
Parish said that money will need to be invested in making necessary improvements to the club's Selhurst Park ground, including creating a bigger television gantry to cater for the additional cameras required for television coverage.
However, improvements to the playing staff are also on the agenda, with Parish expressing his delight at the recent business done to tie three members of the current playing squad to longer deals.
This week, Welsh defender Danny Gabbidon followed in the footsteps of Peter Ramage and Owen Garvan in signing a contract extension since the Eagles' promotion to the top flight.
And Parish said that his signing of a one-year extension was an important one for the club.
The Eagles co-chairman added: "It is invaluable to have someone like him signing on for another season.
"There may be one or two more, but we have concentrated on the urgent ones, who were out of contract."
Wales international Gabbidon, who made 14 appearances in the league and cup for Palace after joining in September, was only signed up on a contract until the end of the season.
However, the former Cardiff City, West Ham United and Queens Park Rangers defender spoke last week of his desire to stay with Holloway's men – a wish that has now been granted.
Emma West 'isn't a racist, she's unwell', says friend
MILLIONS watched her hurl abuse at black and Polish passengers on a crowded Croydon tram and, when she was arrested, her cause was adopted by far right groups such as the National Front.
But is Emma West, the mother-of-two who this week pleaded guilty to a racially aggravated public order offence, a racist?
Not according to her close friend Kerry Finch, who believes the 35-year-old, from New Addington, is an unwell and vulnerable woman struggling to deal with bipolar depression.
"I don't condone her behaviour or what she said because it was disgusting," said Ms Finch.
"But Emma isn't a racist. She lost it because she is very unwell and lashed out in a way she knew would upset whoever happened to be there.
"Had the tram been full of pretty people she would have been calling them slags and prostitutes."
West, a former dental receptionist, has suffered from depression since she was 18, and had been admitted to a psychiatric unit in Purley a month before her tram tirade in October 2011.
In an interview with the Advertiser at the time, which can only now be published for legal reasons, Miss Finch said West had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act after attacking and hurling abuse at her for being "pretty".
Two days after being released, she went to see a therapist with her son at the Tamworth Road Resource Centre, in West Croydon.
"The session was pretty tough," said Miss Finch.
"She had spoken about things she hadn't spoken about before.
"Afterwards she had a glass of wine at lunch. It doesn't sound like much but on the medication she was on, it's always been enough to set her off."
West had taken 100mg of antidepressant Citalopram, more than twice the recommended limit.
Her barrister, David Martin-Sperry, said a recognised side-effect of the drug was developing "unusual ideas".
"When she got on the tram it was really busy," said Miss Finch.
"She was holding her son and no-one would give up their seat.
"Someone knocked into her and her son fell on the floor.
"That's when she behaved so despicably."
Though her rant, which included "You aren't British, you're black", was caught on camera by another passenger, no-one reported the incident to the police.
"When she returned home she knew something had happened but she couldn't remember what," Mr Martin-Sperry told the Advertiser.
"Then a month or so later she turned on the television and her face was all over the news. She couldn't believe what she had done."
The video would go on to be watched by more than 11 million people after it was posted on YouTube on November 28, 2011.
It provoked outrage. Television presenter Piers Morgan called for her to be deported. Others said she should be locked up.
The attention prompted the police to appeal for witnesses. West was tracked down and charged with a racially aggravated public order offence, prompting her cause to be taken up by right-wing groups such as the British National Party and National Front.
Their support, said Mr Martin-Sperry, "deeply distressed" his client and, coupled with the pressure of the trial, led her to try and take her own life on three separate occasions.
The Advertiser understands that she was admitted to a psychiatric unit after twice being found on roundabouts in Croydon, intent on throwing herself in front of traffic.
Her deteriorating mental health led to concerns for her safety and that of her family; fears which were realised last month when she stabbed her husband Ricky Metson with an ornamental knife during an argument.
Mr Metson was stabbed twice in the back during the attack at their home in Grenville Road, New Addington, on May 15. When officers arrived to arrest her she kicked them.
The following day, West appeared at Croydon Magistrates' Court and was remanded in custody after pleading guilty to actual bodily harm and assaulting a police officer.
It was during a bail hearing in relation to this case at Croydon Crown Court on Monday that she changed her plea after both the prosecution and defence agreed to a compromise suggested by Judge Warwick McKinnon.
West had denied racially aggravated intentional harassment on a tram travelling between Croydon and Wimbledon between September 30 and November 28, 2011.
However, she has now pleaded guilty to a lesser offence of racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress, which crucially does not include mention of 'intent'.
She was bailed to return to Croydon Crown Court to be sentenced for the tram rant, and the assaults on her husband and the police officer, on July 1.
Speaking at the couple's home, Mr Metson, who is standing by his wife, said they wanted to be left alone to rebuild their lives.
How court case "careered out of control" Emma West maintained her innocence for nearly two years despite her rant being caught on video and watched by millions of people across the world. West's trial had been adjourned five times, most recently on April 9, amid debate as to whether she was fit to stand. Other hearings in June, July and then September last year were put back, as well as a scheduled trial date in January. Full details of those hearings can only now be revealed after a reporting restriction imposed by a judge was lifted. West's defence team insisted she would not plead guilty to a racial offence for fear of being branded a racist but was "manifestly" unfit to stand trial because she was a "gibbering wreck". Barrister David Martin-Sperry even unsuccessfully applied to the Attorney General for a 'nolle prosequi'. This would have terminated proceedings and is most often used where the defendant is physically unfit to be produced. Mr Martin-Sperry said the Crown Prosecution Service, which rejected all attempts to have the proceedings discontinued, had mishandled the case and was making an abuse of process application when a compromise was reached. He added: "At the back of all this there is a woman who is really now not being prosecuted but persecuted, which is not a word I use lightly." Julius Capon, prosecuting, said: "While Ms West has been on bail she has attacked and injured others, including her husband. "It's all very well to say that the Crown's position is intransigent but, while we can look on the defendant with a certain amount of sympathy for her condition, the evidence against her is overwhelming and she has no defence." Judge Warwick McKinnon, the Recorder of Croydon, said: "It seems to me that some heads need to be bashed together. "People are getting in entrenched positions and losing all sense of proportion. This case is in danger of careering out of control." On Monday both sides agreed to the Judge McKinnon's compromise, and West pleaded guilty to a lesser offence normally dealt with by a magistrates' court by way of a fine. She is expected to receive a community sentence.Far-right support 'led to suicide attempts' THE far-right was quick to hijack Emma West's case, claiming her arrest to be an attack on freedom of speech. Members of the National Front and the English Defence League regularly attended her court appearances, and sent her flowers and cheques in the post. BNP leader Nick Griffin posted messages of support on social networking site Twitter before West made her first appearance at Croydon Magistrates' Court in December 2011. After she was remanded in custody her supporters shouted "treason" and "what a disgrace" from a public gallery which included former Croydon Central BNP candidate Clifford Le May and Carlos Cortiglia, who stood to be Mayor of London in 2012. Her cause was championed on fascist websites, including neo-Nazi Stormfront, which has a dozen threads of support including one called "The Persecution of Emma West". Britain First, which describes itself as a "patriotic political movement", started a campaign to have the charge against her dropped. Its members staged a protest outside HMP Bronzefield, in Ashford, where West was remanded. Last June the Advertiser revealed that the National Front were selling badges proclaiming West to be a "British Hero" ahead of her trial. The pins, emblazoned with "Emma West was right" were being sold on eBay for £2.50. A Facebook group, one of many calling Free Emma West, attracted 900 members. West's legal team argued the unwanted attention was adding to her distress and made her fear for her safety. Such was her concern that police installed a panic button at her home. "This case, from the outset, was picked up on by forces of the political right," said Mr Martin-Sperry at a hearing in April. "The net result is that threats have been made to burn down her house, not by the political right but by people from the other end of the political spectrum. "There have been threats to burn her house, she has been physically assaulted and beaten to the ground outside her home. "If she is to plead guilty to an offence which contained the words racial aggravation, she fears being labelled a racist." This week Mr Martin-Sperry said the arson threats had been made on an internet forum and the assault had not been reported to the police. National Front spokesman Tony Martin said the party did not condone West's behaviour, but said her treatment has been "completely out of proportion". (Report by Gareth Davies)Croydon must fix up and remove the dead wood!
- Croydon does not have an underground link ( with the common excuse that the soil is to unstable) well Paris has manage to build an underground network and even developed innovative solutions to their unstable soil problems.
- Croydon was not even considered for the CrossRail 2 having not been earmarked for a brand new station even though with the new Westfield and other regeneration the amount of people coming into would increase ten fold.
- Croydon residents are not the happiest, even my daily commute on the tram (which is always packed on the Wimbledon link) is as if someone has died everybody just looks miserable, Croydon litter problem reflects this with households leaving used mattresses outside on the pavement, dog owners who do not clean up after their dogs, even the church minster lights are broken and have not been fixed.
- The amount of unemployed in Croydon is worrying like i explained before even with the regeneration residents do no have any inspiration thus reflected in the amount of empty shops and even with low rents no one is seems is brave enough to stop collect benefits and strike out on their own and open a unique boutique store e.g. i must mention "just beautiful cupcakes" which is a unique store which sells bespoke cupcakes and gives an exciting insight to Croydon potential if local residents are able to open their own stores.
- Croydon needs to sort out its use of the Croydon flyover and its subways both of which are dated and need either demolishing or updating drastically.
Now i will outline what i feel would put Croydon back on the map:
- Croydon needs an underground network or to be included in the CrossRail 2 project ( the overground is not enough) to cope the extra influx of customers which will come to Croydon everyday when the new Mega shopping centre is completed.
- The overground network from west Croydon should also go Clapham junction ( their is an overground link from Clapham junction to west Brompton thus to the city but you cannot go straight to ClaphamJunction on the overground train at west Croydon)
- Croydon needs to sort out the drunks and anti social people who leave the centre and walk through the immediate residental streets nearby this must be addressed before the new shopping centre arrives.
- Surrey street market needs to be re - designed ( the shops on the either side need to be bought back in use maybe by introducing family butchers & residental organic food outlets etc.
- Croydon needs to appeal to the right residents ( those who are professionals in their fields and are on the £40,000 per annum pay packet or higher as the average wage in Croydon is roughly £24,000 and this I'm afraid shows homes are not kept to an high standard, and the only Waitrose supermarket is in east Croydon and its tiny also young croydonians needs to be inspired by their older peers not to look at those older than them and think either "I'm not going to work" "or where the nearest lidl"
- Croydon needs to get rid of its lidl on church street it encourages local residents to want to aspire.
- Croydon masterplans needs to also improve the local residental streets e.g. Croydon old town's surrounding residental street pavements are appalling and need to be improved e.g. paving instead of tarmac.
- The new shopping centre should not be a "diamond in the ruff" thus both Hammerson& Westfield should invest in the residental area's which are directly connected to the proposed Mega store.
- Croydon should have the Boris bike scheme.
- Croydon should respect and improve its roads for cyclist and pedestrians.
- Those residents who do not like that Croydon's regeneration may change it drastically for the better e.g. Croydon becoming the new "West end" should sell up and leave as most importantly Croydon cannot move forward even with £100 million whilst these people still live here simply DEAD WOOD!
- The local shops on Waddon road opposite the church minster need to be given a new lease of life (right now their is only a laudrette and a dry cleaners the rest are boarded up it is a waste!
- Croydon should be given city status.
please if you feel i have left anything out or totally disagree with me leave your comments, all i want first and foremost is a Croydon to rival the other major towns in London.
Cheap PVC Banner Printing
Kenley pub endures tough first week back
THE Kenley Hotel has finally reopened its doors but without the manager who caused its four-month closure.
The pub closed down on February 22, amid fears it had succumbed to the recession but the Advertiser soon discovered the council had ordered the pub to shut because manager Chris O'Reilly had closed down the company that held the licence the year before.
However, a new application was submitted under his daughter Aimee O'Reilly's name and the pub reopened last Wednesday.
Unfortunately, the first week did not go smoothly. There was an incident involving a drunk and aggressive 57-year-old woman causing trouble on Ms O'Reilly's first Saturday night in the job.
"This kind of thing sometimes happens in places where there is new management," said Ms O'Reilly.
"A woman had gone to the off-licence and bought a bottle of wine. She was drunk and came into the pub with it. I asked her to leave and she tried to swing a punch."
A customer then called the police in fear that the woman might start a fight.
Croydon Police confirmed they were called to the scene at 9.40pm on Saturday by someone reporting a fight between two women.
They attended the incident but the victim did not want to press charges.
The police then arrested a 57-year-old woman for being drunk and disorderly, took her into the police station and fined her £80 with a fixed penalty notice.
Star Pubs & Bars, the pub's owners, said back in May that Mr O'Reilly and his daughter were "independent businesspeople" and would be "working together".
However, it is now clear Ms O'Reilly will be running the pub without the help of her father, who has moved to work in Middlesex. "The company offered him a job elsewhere so he decided to move," said Ms O'Reilly.
Residents and Steve O'Connell, a Kenley councillor, have suggested the pub should become more of a community hub. Chris Stanley, the chair of the Kenley and District Residents' Association, said: "I don't think an incident like this puts that idea back – these things often happen at pubs.
"Kenley Hotel is an important part of the community but it is also a commercial operation, it needs to work out what would be best for it."
Big tattoo convention makes an impression
THE first ever Croydon Tattoo Convention was described as the "event of the year" by those who attended.
The event, which was held over the weekend at Fairfield Halls, featured tattoo artists from as far afield as the USA and Mexico.
Event organiser Richie Bennett said the event went "like a dream".
He added: "Everyone is looking forward to coming back next year as we hope to make it an annual event."
Mark Jelliman, 23, who is a tattoo artist from Inkeys tattoo shop in Downham, Bromley, and who attended the convention, said: "I thought it went really well, it was very well organised, all of the entertainment fitted really well and there was a really good atmosphere throughout.
"I would definitely attend again if it was on next year."
Heritage day to celebrate Croydon's rich and vibrant past, present and future
Family pay tribute to Croydon man found on train tracks
THE family of the man who was hit by a train after being reported missing have said their son "will always be loved and always be missed".
Neil Skipper, 30, of Grange Road in Thornton Heath, was reported missing to the police by his family on Saturday after he left the house at 6.30pm to go to the shops and never returned.
The Met Police were called to Putney railway station at 10.30pm on Saturday night where a man had been hit by a train and pronounced dead at the scene.
On Tuesday, Croydon Police confirmed the man was Neil Skipper and thanked the public for their support in trying to find him.
His family said that they have received support from friends and family and the community of Fulham Football Club, where Neil was a season ticket holder.
Neil's father, Philip, wrote on the club's fan forum: "I posted an appeal yesterday for help in finding my missing son. Huge thanks for all the messages of support and help.
"Unfortunately, we got the news we had all been dreading last evening. Neil's body was found on the line at Putney station."
Since then, tributes have flooded in to the website. Neil's friend and fellow supporter, Mike Parry, has set up a JustGiving page in his name to raise money for the charity Missing People which has already collected more than £1,000.
Neil also leaves behind his mother, Anne, and sister, Nicole.
Mr Skipper said on the memorial page: "On Saturday night Neil made the journey we have made hundreds of times from Croydon to Putney to end his life.
"If only I'd stopped him.
"RIP Neil, we have lost a wonderful son, my best friend and for all of us, a fellow Fulham nut."
To contribute to Neil's memorial page, visit www.justgiving.com/neilskipper.
Croydon Harriers top the standings
ATHLETICS: Croydon Harriers' young athletes enjoyed a victory and a third place finish in a double-header in the UK Youth Development League, writes Matthew Kiernan.
At Aldershot, Croydon's junior team earned 16 A event and a further six B event wins, as the Harriers topped the standings on 570 points.
Ashleigh Clarke secured a sprint double in the 100m (12.27s) and 200m (25.21s), and further sprint success came courtesy of Damien Powell (U20 men's 100m, 11.01s), Aaron Adekoya (U17 men's 100m, 11.3secs), Edwin Miles (U17 men's 200m, 23.19s), Robert Sakala (U20 men's 110m hurdles, 16.89s) and Melissa Mendez (U17 women's 200m, 27.15s).
Croydon's javelin throwers stole the show with an event clean sweep thanks to Trevina Medley (U20W, 31.75m), Zoe Fossett (U20W B, 27.55m) and younger sister Emma (U17W 34.03m).
At Winchester, for the U13/15 boys and girls, the squad bagged five A wins and ten B victories, as the team edged home to third.
Coralie Mido ensured a sprint double in the U15 girls' 100m (12.8secs) and 200m (26.6secs), and was supported by Chanice Gordon (26.5secs) in the latter event to ensure maximum points. Emmanuel Lloyd also enjoyed a double win in the U13 boys' long jump (4.63m) and 200m (26.8s).
Two more event maximums were found in the U13 girls' age group thanks to Marcia Sey (12.5s) and Serena Mitchell (12.9s) in the 70m hurdles, while Renae Jenoure-Jackson (7.67m) and Ines Zepa-D'Aboui (6.86m) triumphed in the shot put.
Croydon completed the day with wins in the U13 and U15 girls' 4x100m.
Fears over graffiti team cutbacks.
CUTBACKS planned for the council's emergency response team will hit graffiti removal across the borough, it is claimed.
But the fears have been dismissed by Councillor Phil Thomas, council cabinet member for highways and environmental services, who said cleaning graffiti remains a top priority.
The budget reductions, which will see the number of officers dealing with graffiti cut from seven to five and no service on Sundays, is being discussed this week between union and council officials.
Staff concerns have been highlighted in an e-mail to Labour councillor Pat Ryan after he raised problems at Ormsbey Court in Beulah Hill, Upper Norwood.
The e-mail says: "Over the past ten years the best way we have found to discourage these people is to carry out proactive work and remove all graffiti seen as soon as possible.
"We were managing to keep on top of things this time last year when there were ten of us, but due to the restructure and cutbacks last year, we are struggling to keep up.
"It is a serious worry as there are more cuts approaching the team this year."
Kevin Simmonds, secretary of the Croydon branch of the Unite union, said in recent years the team had been the victim of its own success.
He claimed because clear-up rates were ahead of targets, the council had decided a couple of years ago to reduce the size of the team.
Mr Simmonds said: "There is no doubt the cuts will affect the service and the Tory councillors are aware of that."
The council's specific policy is to clean racist or offensive graffiti within 24 hours.
Mr Simmonds said: "Now if something racist or sexist goes up on a Saturday, it won't be cleaned on Sunday."
Cllr Thomas said: "I have always been very keen that we keep the borough spick and span."
He claimed that the amount of graffiti had reduced over the years. He said: "We still feel a six days a week service will be more than sufficient to clean any graffiti."
Lara ton helps Purley prevail
SAVION LARA put on a huge 129 not out as Purley beat Horsley & Send by 47 runs on Saturday.
The win helped Purley climb to fourth in the Surrey Championship Division Two.
After losing the toss and being sent to the crease, Horsley & Send's decision to bowl was justified after Randy Gayle bowled out both openers with relative ease.
Shane Patel went for just six before Gayle ensured Stuart Glassington followed shortly after for 14.
However, next in was Lara and he enjoy a great partnership with Adam Windley (54) and finished with 11 fours and two sixes among his 129 not out as Purley declared on 261-5.
Horsley & Send looked to be on target to reach a good total with openers Asmat Ullah and Saleh Mohammed batting well, until Ullah (42) and Mohammed (43) were dismissed in quick succession.
Razi Khan, Tishan Wanigaratne and Shane Patel all impressed with the ball for Purley as Horsley & Send failed to get another man to stay at the crease for more than 30 runs, before eventually skittling them out for 214.
On Saturday, Purley host second-placed Chessington at the Ridge.
Bananas growing in Croydon garden
ANYONE walking down Woodville Road could be forgiven for thinking they're in the Caribbean not Thornton Heath – they wouldn't be going bananas.
Richard Bowers was given a banana plant by his sister eight years ago. Now, for the first time, it could also bear ripe fruit, with young bananas already just-visible under fleshy, purple petals.
Mr Bowers and his partner Helena Charles were surprised to find flowers on one of the plant's stems when they unwrapped the fleeces that had guarded it from frost this winter.
"It's quite rare for a banana that is outside in the UK to actually fruit," said Mr Bowers. "You have to take care of them. I prune back the leaves before wrapping the plant in a special fleece each winter, and give it plenty of water, feed and nutrients."
The single plant, growing in the ground and linked in the soil by a root network, now has 12 stems, each of which could be mistaken by those not in the know for an individual tree. Often referred to as "pupping," one banana plant often produces a few new shoots from the ground every year.
This one first bore fruit in 2011, but because it flowered in late summer, the fruits only grew to about one-and-a-half inches. Nevertheless, the unripe bananas did make "a tasty soup," said Mr Bowers.
This year the fruits will have enough time — at least a few months — to develop and ripen.
But there's more than one use for a banana. "In the summer when we put fish on the barbecue, we wrap it in the banana's leaves. The fish gets steamed and you can taste a nice, light flavour from the banana," said Mr Bowers.
The couple are still not sure what species of banana inhabits their front garden. It could even be a plantain, which produces fruit with a similar appearance to sweet bananas, but instead their fruit has a savoury taste and is used in cooking in parts of Africa and South America.
The banana plant, unlike more familiar European species, has attracted the fascination of the passers-by.
"People ask about it, and cars slow down to look," Mr Bowers, 45, added.
"Our postman, who is Ghanaian, took some pictures to send to his family; he was so surprised at the plant growing in the UK.
The couple also grow flowers, herbs and vegetables at their home, gardening two tropical plants — the banana and a species of giant rhubarb.
"A nice garden is like an extra room for the house, especially in the summer," said Mr Bowers.
Surrey go into final day against Warwickshire battling to save the game
Ann Widdecombe is transformed into a scarecrow
HER political opponents have long described her as terrifying but Ann Widdecombe never expected to be used to scare off the crows.
But the former Conservative MP is to be immortalised by a group from Kenly, who are creating life-sized scarecrows of her and Strictly Come Dancing partner Anton Du Beke.
Milly Kidd, 75, from Park Road, who is a member of the Kenley Valley Women's Institute (WI), is already celebrated for her masterpiece scarecrows which she made for the RHS Garden Wisley in Woking, depicting the WI past and present around two years ago. Since then, the centre has called on the WI in Surrey and the surrounding area to fill the garden once again, this time with a Strictly theme.
"It was such a success back then with around 20 scarecrows in their garden that they have asked the WIs in the area to make some more.
"My WI decided I should submit one on their behalf but I have chosen to go one step further and will be making two.
"I'm going to call it Ant Ann Dec because it will be Ann Widdecombe being dragged across the floor by her dance partner Anton Du Beke.
"She is going to be a bit like a rag doll on the floor with her arm outstretched and Anton will be much more solid and standing up, looking like he's dragging her."
The scene is based on a scene from the 2010 show which has become a modern classic – the pair performing a 'paso doble' where Mr Du Beke represented a matador and the former MP was his cape.
"I could have done any scene from the programme but that one is one of my favourites. It was really funny and I think she had a lot of pluck doing it.
"She now goes around the country doing tours and she has had a lot of fun out of it. I admire her too – I saw her speak once at Fairfield Hall and she had the audience eating out of the palm of her hand.
"I think she will be amused by this, not offended. She has a great sense of humour and can laugh at herself."
The Advertiser decided to test Mrs Kidd's judgement and gave the politician-turned-performer a call.
"Of course I am not offended" she said. "I very much hope this lady will send me a photo. In fact, I will be most offended if she doesn't. I have enjoyed many things off the back of Strictly and this is just the latest episode."
The Wisley garden is expecting their scarecrows at an event on July 16 but Mrs Kidd hopes to finish hers by the end of June.
No Italian job yet at Palace – Parish
STEVE PARISH says the Crystal Palace owners will talk to anyone who thinks they can move the club on faster and further.
However, the Eagles co-chairman says the current owners have not had any contact from anyone about taking over the club, amid speculation that Palace have been targeted by Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis.
The millionaire film producer has made no secret of his desire to take over an English club and an Italian journalist has suggested that the newly-promoted Eagles could be a target of his.
At the weekend, Corriere Dello Sport reporter Ivan Zazzaroni tweeted: "De Laurentiis wants to buy an English club and he wouldn't mind Crystal Palace."
The Napoli president himself said he was studying what was the best opportunity.
However, Parish has dismissed the reports and said there was no truth in the matter.
"It is just a distraction and we are completely focused on what we are doing," he said.
"We haven't heard anything from anyone at Napoli."
Parish added that he was surprised to hear of the link, but said if anyone wanted to discuss a potential takeover, they should go through the appropriate channels.
He said: "I can't for the life of me think why you would talk to a journalist before a business that you perhaps want to buy.
"I have said before that we would talk to anybody if they think they can take Crystal Palace forward or move things on faster.
"If they do, we will have those conversations, but we haven't had an approach from anyone."
Meanwhile, Parish said the club was busy making plans for the new season, adding that they were working tirelessly to put things in place ahead of the season's start on August 17, including making improvements to the television gantry facilities at the ground.
He said: "There is a massive amount of work to do and we are manic.
"We are up against it, but it is work we have to do at the ground with all the stipulations.
"It is what comes with being in the Premier League. There is a lot more interest, including from businesses and wanting to make use of things like hospitality."
Parish also said the Eagles were looking to attract a top side to SE25 for an "exciting" pre-season friendly.
He said: "We want to bring someone exciting to Selhurst Park that will excite the fans and provide a good warm-up to our Premier League campaign.
"There is a real feel-good factor around the club at the moment and we want to make the most of that."
How April Jones' killer spent his early years in Croydon
THE revelation that April Jones' murderer Mark Bridger spent his formative years in Selsdon has shocked residents of the road he grew up in.
Now condemned to the rest of his life in jail for the abduction and murder of five-year-old April, Bridger's early years were spent in leafy Foxearth Road.
The Advertiser also understands Bridger's sister, Karen, still lives in Croydon.
Bridger, 47, was born in 1965 in Carshalton. The family are said to have been very involved at Selsdon Baptist Church, in Addington Road, where his father Graham was a "very affable" deacon.
His family attended Selsdon Baptist Church, where his father was a deacon and his mother and sister helped at the Sunday school.
He attended John Ruskin College, which he left with 7 CSEs before failing to complete an engineering diploma at Croydon College.
Bridger was said to have been difficult to manage; so much so that his father threw him out of their house.
A Selsdon resident, who asked not to be named, said her grandsons knew Bridger and had told her that "he seemed normal".
Bridger was sentenced to his "whole life" in jail last week despite pleading not guilty to the murder of April.
April vanished on October 1 last year after being let out to play on her bike near her home in Machynlleth, Wales.
Despite the UK's biggest police search in history, April's body has never been found.
Bridger, who was charged with the murder just five days after April went missing, claimed he ran her over accidentally in his car while drunk.
He also said he could not remember where he hid April's body but prosecutors said her bone fragments had been found in Bridger's house.
Judge John Griffith Williams, who handed Bridger his sentence at Mold Crown Court in Wales, called him a "pathological and glib liar".
He also said there was no doubt in his mind Bridger was a paedophile with a perverted interest in the violent sexual abuse of children.
Max Radachec, 46, of Foxearth Road, said: "It's shocking that he lived here.
"It is a bit odd that you can grow up in a nice area like this and turn out like he did, but he was clearly a nut."
Other Foxearth residents questioned whether life was a suitable sentencing for such a horrific crime.
Hugh Sullivan said: "Prison is too good for him.
"How he's like that when he's come from such a typical suburb I do not know."
Another resident, Vera Lewis, 89, who has lived in the road for 37 years, said it was strange to think of someone like Bridger living on her doorstep.
Mrs Lewis said: "It makes you wonder what sort of people there are out there these days."
Carmody-Firth is the Surrey champion
PURLEY DOWNS' Joseph Carmody-Firth showed perseverance as well as talent to become the Surrey U18 champion on a tough day at Camberley Heath.
It was the first county title for 17-year-old Carmody-Firth, who plays off an impressive two handicap.
"It was a bit of surprise really," he said. "I have not been playing much golf as I have been studying hard for four AS Level exams and the conditions were quite tough."
Indeed, this was a championship that very nearly did not happen. At 7am the course was still flooded from overnight rain, and only a huge effort from the greenstaff saved the day. As it was, the course held up well, with soft greens allowing the players to attack the pin positions.
After the morning round five players, including Carmody-Firth, shared the lead on 72, which was great scoring under the circumstances.
"I think the game change for me was the eighth where I holed a monster 60ft putt right across the green," he enthused.
Carmody-Firth held his nerve and came out the winner with an afternoon score of 74, one shot ahead of Alfredo Curbishley (Burhill) whose scores of 73 and 74 were remarkable for a 14-year-old.
"It got a lot windier in the afternoon," he added.
"So it was just a question of holding on for the best score you could get."
Carmody-Firth goes forward to the Junior Champion of Champions Final later in the summer.