A FORMER Croydon businessman is still puzzling over how he managed to end up as a guest at the service held at Westminster Abbey on Tuesday to mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen's Coronation.

Alex Falk can only assume that the reason he and his wife Miriam were invited was because on Coronation Day itself he was working for PA Reuters in the Abbey as a junior to the press agency's photographer.

Mr Falk, who ran the Mr Cad photographic shops in Croydon for more than 50 years, said: "I have no idea at all how they found me after 60 years.

"On the day I was just working but Tuesday was so fabulous. It was an amazing day."

Mr Falk, 76, moved his business out of Croydon because his shop in Windmill Road, Croydon was close to the scene of the 2011 riots.

He said: "We also found a lot of our overseas customers would not come to Croydon because it had got a bit of a reputation."

Mr Falk and his wife were pictured going into the Abbey by Ian Stratton, who was working for Picture Partnership, the photography firm run by Andrew Dunsmore in Shirley.

Mr Dunsmore was asked to supply two photographers for Tuesday's service, with Mr Dunsmore taking pictures inside the Abbey and Mr Stratton outside. Mr Dunsmore said: "We were asked to take pictures of the Royal wedding two years ago and it was an honour to be invited to cover this week's service as well."

A CHILDREN'S salsa group brought back a total of ten trophies from the World Dance Championships in Hungary.

The self-funded group, called Salsa Naturally, represented England in the prestigious competition organised by the International Dance Federation.

Ten children, a mixture of seven girls and three boys, ranging from nine to 14 years old, won ten trophies throughout the competition, including five golds.

Ruth Ferguson, founder of Salsa Naturally, who meet at the Coulsdon Manor Hotel, said: "It was such a proud moment when they got their trophies and to see the excitement on their faces.

"I felt a sense of relief that all the hard work over the past year had paid off."

Sharon Morgan, mother of ten-year-old dancer Safiya, who won three of the five gold trophies, said: "There was really fierce competition and at one point I thought we'd leave with nothing so I was so pleased with how well they did. In particular, our newest dancer, Mohammed Eldin, who is 11, did extremely well, as he has only been dancing for five months.

"The way he spins my daughter it's as if he's been professionally dancing for years."

Safiya Morgan who attends Wattenden Primary School, in Kenley, has been dancing for four years

"I really enjoyed the competition," she said. "It was the best world championships because we came first in most of our dances."

The children took part in activities to raise £2,500 needed to fund their accommodation and kit for the contest, which was held from May 22 to 26. They included a sponsored walk of London Bridges.

AN independent organisation is needed to develop an arts strategy for the borough, it is being claimed.

A report calling for a rethink on the arts has been produced by the South Croydon Community Association and sent to the Arts Council, London Mayor, Boris Johnson and leading local political and business figures.

The association believes Croydon is missing out on essential funding to develop the arts mix in the borough because too much financing and operation is or has been tied in with the council.

It argues that cuts in council funding in recent years have seen the demise of the Warehouse Theatre in Dingwall Road, Croydon, the David Lean cinema and the arts facilities based in the Clocktower complex in Katharine Street and the Croydon Mela and World Music Festival.

Charlotte Davies, chair of the association said there were vibrant smaller arts communities and arts facilities in Croydon.

An independent charitable comprising national arts figures and local input would be able to provide the vision to help these prosper that did not exist now, she added.

The association's report said benefits for these groups and venues from an independent body would include: helping them access funding beyond Croydon; share resources and facilities; promote their activities and communicate and celebrate the vibrancy and diversity of Croydon.

THE most valuable items from Croydon's renowned collection of Chinese ceramics may be sold by the council.

Bowls and vases from the Riesco Collection will be auctioned to raise nearly £13 million towards refurbishing Fairfield Halls.

Labour accused the council of orchestrating a "scorched earth" approach to culture, in which the arts complex will be the only attraction left standing in the town.

The David Lean Cinema, the Clocktower, the Warehouse Theatre and Croydon Summer Festival have all been scrapped or subject to funding cuts in recent years.

The council now plans to sell 24 items, including artifacts from the Tang and Ming dynasties, from a 230-piece collection which was left to Croydon by local businessman and collector Raymond Riesco in 1959.

It said the decision "comes after escalating insurance and security costs meant the full collection was becoming too expensive to maintain".

But when asked by the Advertiser to provide more detail, a spokesman said the sale would reduce the loan repayments on the £27 million it had committed to the planned Fairfield refurbishment by approximately £700,000 a year.

This would also allow the council to deliver the refurbishment sooner, the press officer added.

The council also said it had the blessing of 98-year-old Jean Riesco, Raymond's last surviving child.

Labour is backing a petition that has been set up calling on the plan to be dropped.

"At the last two council elections the Tories have promised to refurbish Fairfield Halls," said Timothy Godfrey, shadow cabinet member for culture.

"If the sale the Riesco Collection does not happen, does that mean the refurbishment of Fairfield is off as well?

"Their scorched earth approach to culture, where nothing but Fairfield matters, is turning Croydon into a dormitory town where people sleep but have to go to London to get their culture.

"I don't think we should sell off our heritage.

"The Riesco Collection is something nice we should be encouraging people to come and see.

"Instead the council seems intent on making us more and more like Sutton – empty and without any character."

The pieces in question were, until six weeks ago, stored underneath the Town Hall in Katharine Street, before being moved to a bank at a secret central London location.

The council said increased insurance costs would cost £22,000 a year.

It would not be the first time items from the collection have been sold.

In 1970 and 1984 around half of the original collection was "disposed of", the council said, the latter sale raising £250,000.

"We are now looking at the possibility of more of the cultural benefit bequeathed to the borough by Mr Riesco being realised by breathing new life into the Fairfield Halls," a spokesman added.

"This is a sensible and practical move as otherwise there would be an increase in annual insurance costs to the collection.

"There is also the need to significantly upgrade our existing security measures."

The council would not reveal how much new safeguards would cost or why they were suddenly needed.

There are currently 206 pieces of the collection on display in the Museum of Croydon.

The Ashcroft Theatre may be renamed the Riesco Theatre in tribute to one of the borough's most respected families.

Paul Sowan, vice-president of the Croydon Natural History and Scientific Society, said: "I would say this was the thin end of the wedge but we've already seen that when the previous items were sold.

"We're beyond the thin edge and you have to wonder how long before we end up selling off the rest of the family silver?"

The council's corporate services committee will make a final decision about the sale on July 24.

DEVELOPERS Menta are seeking permission to pull down the former Bank of America offices in Cherry Orchard Road, East Croydon.

A demolition order would be a precursor to proposals from Menta, in conjunction with housing developer Redrow, to build a total of 290 new homes on the site.

The mix of one, two and three bedroom flats would be provided in four new buildings.

Menta and Redrow will be making a second pre-planning application presentation to the council's strategic planning committee on Thursday.

Menta boss, Craig Marks, said the development proposals were largely similar to those outlined to a meeting of the committee in March.

But it will take into account issues raised by committee members including concerns about the affordable housing in the development.

He said: "Our consultation with residents about the development has gone very well and people are generally very supportive.

"We have got an opportunity for really delivering on that site."

Menta is also behind the 54-storey Morello residential tower, nearby in Cherry Orchard Road.

Mr Marks said in March he hoped work on the Morello tower would start early next year.

On Tuesday 11 June two construction students from Carshalton College, Jodon Torre and Daniel Barclay took part in the SkillBuild regional competition.

The SkillBuild competition is the largest multi-trade competition in the country for construction trainees and apprentices, covering ten craft occupations. SkillBuild is run by CITB with the endorsement of WorldSkills, competition managers for the bi-annual WorldSkills competitions, and covers ten craft occupations including Bricklaying.

Jodon Torre and Daniel Barclay currently studying their Level 2 cSkills Diploma in Brickwork at Carshalton College took part in the Senior Category in the Bricklaying competition with competitors from five other Colleges.

The students were presented with a plan of the wall they were required to build within 6 hours. Both Jodon and Daniel took on the task in a mature and efficient manner and built impressive walls. The two students only narrowly missed out on a place in the next round where entrants will have the opportunity to challenge for a place on the WorldSkills UK team.

College Tutor, Matthew Proctor said "Both Daniel and Jodon rose to the challenge of the competition and built sound walls under the time and competition pressure. We are really proud of their achievement at the competition."

HE IS not even in secondary school yet, but Joe Giles is already setting the martial arts world alight.

The 11-year-old from Hooley hopes to be a double black belt by the time he starts Warwick School in September, but will be forced to miss a couple of days at his new school in order to compete for a kickboxing world title in Poland in mid-September.

Joe was introduced to martial arts by his parents Faye and Terry when he was five, and six years later he is a black belt in kung fu, a double brown belt in kickboxing and has recently been called up to the Great Britain squad.

"Joe just loves it, it's his passion," his mother Faye explained. "He trains every day and I think you can only do that if it is something you love doing.

"Joe's dad and I are into martial arts and we introduced him to it when he was five, nearly six, and he took to it straight away.

"Other children are playing on their X-Box or are at the park and all Joe wants to do is get his next belts. He wants to do more taekwondo next."

Despite his tender years, Joe is already teaching martial arts, something he hopes to do full-time in the future.

"Joe goes to Phoenix Martial Arts Academy in Croydon and he teaches classes there for both children and adults," Faye said.

"I think some of the adults are a little bit shocked to be taught by an 11-year-old at first but it is a case of not judging a book by its cover. Joe loves being our little instructor and he's told us he wants his own academy when he grows up."

The next focus for Joe is the WAKO European Cadets & Juniors Championships in Poland in September, where the Woodcote Primary School pupil is targeting a title.

"Joe's aim was to get into the Great Britain squad and now he has done that he wants a WAKO title," Faye said.

"But it costs £1,700 so we are hoping to get some local businesses on board to share in Joe's success."

Anyone interested in sponsoring Joe should contact his father Terry on 07903 276743 or at TGiles@live.co.uk

ST MARY'S School are celebrating after winning the county final of the seven-a-side hardball cricket tournament.

The school were crowned Connellan Trophy winners for the first time after coming through the East Surrey district round and then winning the county final at St John's School in Leatherhead on Tuesday.

Organised and run by Surrey Cricket, the final featured schools from Westbourne, West Byfleet, Raleigh, Park Mead, Woodcote and St Mary's Oxted.

Can after a fantastic day of cricket, West Byfleet met St Mary's in the final.

St Mary's batted first and scored 84-2, with West Byfleet all out for 63 in response.

And St Mary's coach Suzie Keller said it was a great achievement for the school, having progressed from a district round that featured teams from Reigate Priory, Banstead and St Joseph's.

She said that cricket has been a developing sport in the school, but that it had taken off this year with the combination of hard work and some talented young players.

She said: "The boys have trained extremely hard to get to this final. A few weeks ago they came county runners up in the Kwik Cricket, so that makes this victory extra sweet.

"I am so proud of each of them, it rounds off a great sporting year for our school."

THINGS are looking up for Lingfield with the club set to benefit from Sidley United's demise.

Lingfield were threatened with relegation from the Sussex County League Division One, despite finishing in the top six, due to failing ground grading on an issue with a path.

However, after troubled Sidley withdrew from Division One on Tuesday, Lingfield manager Dixie Dean is confident only one team, AFC Uckfield, will face the drop.

"Touch wood that is us safe now," he said. "They will relegate the team who finished below us who failed ground grading [Uckfield] and then they should relegate the two teams who didn't fulfil last season's fixtures before they relegate us."

Sussex County League officials met on Tuesday evening to draft the league's constitution for 2013-14 before it is sealed at the AGM tonight [Thursday] – only then will Lingfield find out if they are safe.

However, Dean is adamant that should Lingfield be relegated he will appeal and request to join a different Step 5 league.

"I've spoken to the Kent League [now the Southern Counties East League] and they would have us at the drop of a hat," Dean said. "They only have 17 teams at the moment so they would love us to go over but it's not as simple as that – there is a lot of paperwork involved."

With an appeal possibly looming, uncertainty still hangs over Lingfield and Dean admits it is costing his side.

"I'm two weeks into pre-season and I still don't know what league we are in," he said.

"It's ludicrous and we might not know for weeks yet; we are running out of time before the start of the season.

"This saga has cost me four players; two have left and there are another two who would've signed but they don't want to sign and then find out we are relegated."

CHARLIE ROBERTSON had to call on all of his resolve and determination at Oulton Park on Saturday to claim his fifth podium of the year.

The Whyteleafe driver battled back strongly from a worrying car fire in qualifying and a collision in the first race to secure vital championship points with a hard-earned top-three finish.

Qualifying started well for the 16-year-old, who had set the pace in pre-event testing, and he was half-a-second clear of the field when a pain in his right leg alarmingly alerted the HHC Motorsport racer to an electrical fire which had started when a failed battery tether caused a short-circuit.

With great presence of mind, Robertson's focus immediately switched to finding a trackside marshal with a fire extinguisher and, as a result, he had to settle for an eventual starting position of seventh place for race one, round 10.

"It was only a very small fire," said Charlie. "But I didn't know the cause, or how quickly it would spread, so finding a safe place to stop and get out was my priority.

"My race suit got a bit burnt, but it did its job and protected my leg from serious injury."

At the beginning of Round 10 on Saturday morning, the Surrey youngster held position over the course of the first four laps and piled on the pressure to James Fletcher.

Unfortunately, though, a pass for sixth place at Old Hall on the fifth tour ended with a bitterly disappointing retirement following contact between the pair.

As well as costing him a healthy amount of points, the incident also relegated him to the back of the 20-car grid for Round 11, with the finishing order of the opening encounter setting the grid for the second race.

Choosing instead to start from the pit lane, he rapidly closed down the hefty 20-second deficit to the rest and steered his Investigo-backed car into 14th place.

More importantly, though, he posted the fastest lap of the race with a sensational time of 1.38.526 (98.36mph) to secure pole position for Round 12 later in the day – the only driver in the race to lap in the 1.38-second bracket.

Making the most of his pole position start, the MSA Academy driver held the lead through the first turn and remained at the head of the pack until lap eight at Knickerbrook.

Having run slightly wide, his compromised exit cost momentum up Clay Hill and so Robertson was pushed back to second place.

Instantly trying to hit back, he was then elbowed down to third on lap 10 at Hislops but remained almost seven seconds clear of the chasing pack to bag the fifth podium of his rookie season – a strong way to cap off a trying event.

"It was a difficult weekend, that's for sure," said Robertson.

"We had good pace, as we showed with the fastest lap in race two, but it's obviously really disappointing to lose the championship lead through a few things out of our control. It just makes me more determined to come back fighting at Brands Hatch in three weeks."

As one of the top six drivers in the BRDC Formula 4 Championship now the season has reached its halfway point, Charlie is to be part of a specially organised visit to the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking for a guided tour of the FIA Formula One World Championship team's headquarters.

Next on the BRDC Formula 4 Championship calendar is a visit to Charlie's home track, Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit, over the last weekend in July.

Carshalton College Interactive Media Students took part in a National Competition run by Lloyds TSB. The competition was to produce an animation offering a solution to the public's lack of faith in the banking industry.

The two teams produced outstanding pieces of work which resulted in the teams being awarded second and third place out of 60 entries from Sixth Forms and Colleges around the country.

All the successful students have now gained a place at the prestigious I am Creative Boot Camp being held during the summer at Camberwell School of Art. The students have also won exclusive work experience opportunities on video productions with advertising agencies through the rest of their College time.

Mark Gatehouse, Creative Industries Tutor at Carshalton College says "This is a great achievement for our students and highlights the level of skill our students are working at. To have the opportunity to take part in the I am Creative Boot Camp is fantastic and with the opportunity to complete work placements with successful organisations in the industry really enables our students to get all the experience they can before entering the work place on finishing the course."

The photo shows 5 Carshalton College Year 1 Interactive Media Students with the CEO of Rainey Kelly Y&R advertising.