March 2009 Archives

BANDS will be playing at The Beck Theatre in Hayes as part of a national competion called Live and Unsigned.
The event will take place on Sunday ( March 29) at the theatre in Grange Road, starting at 12pm and is part of area finals which are happening across the country.

A TEENAGE boy has died after being shot with an air rifle in a tragic target practice accident at his home in Hayes, leaving his family and school devastated.
Sam Shaw, 15, of Pinkwell Lane, died on Saturday at 4.20pm in the garden of his house where he had been playing.
Neil Sherman, headteacher of Harlington Community School where Sam studied, said: "Sam was a lovely kid a mischievous rogue and although he was 15 he appeared much younger.
"There was no malice in him. He was popular with students and with staff and he will be sadly missed.
"I've got two kids of my own and I can't think of anything worse than for a family to lose a child in such tragic circumstances.
"Nobody expects to outlive their children, and there is something fundamentally wrong when your child dies well before their time in such tragic circumstances.
"This was an unnecessary waste of life."
Mr Sherman said a room has been set aside at the school with senior and pastoral staff there to give support to any child or member of staff who needs it.
He added: "It may be that there was no one to blame, but we cannot bring him back.
"We're aware it was an air rifle accident and I know some people don't think they are as dangerous as other sorts of fire arms.
"But if any good is to come out of this, it will be that people will get the message that these things are dangerous and that people should be careful.
"I would prefer it if this weapon were made illegal because it would have prevented the tragic waste of a young man's life."
Michelle Gibbons, director of study for key stage four at the school, said: "He was a lively young man, full of life.
"e had recently started some work experience at a garage with his dad, I believe, which he was loving, and he looked forward to carrying it on.
"So many of the students are devastated."
Neighbour Ray Phillips, 36, said: "Sam was a very good lad. He was best friends with my 15-year-old, Ashley, and he was here often. He was very popular and always polite to everyone."
Among the tributes outside the home, one said: "I can't believe I am writing this.
"You were the most fantastic guy with that cheeky grin of yours, you made me smile."
Another said: "There's a new angel shining above, look after him, we will miss your smile."
A police spokesman said the death was being treated as an accident and no arrests had been made.
On Monday morning the Shaw home was empty, and the family is believed to be staying elsewhere.
A full report is being prepared for the Coroner and a post mortem is due to take place, shortly followed by the opening and adjournement of an inquest.

A TEENAGE father who was found guilty of driving a stolen car at high speed into a brick wall has escaped with a 16 week suspended prison sentence.

Gerald Saba, 18, of Tithe Close, Hayes, was also sentenced to 150 hours of community service, pay £350 costs, and ordered to wear an electronic tag for four months at Uxbridge Magistrate's on Friday.

The court heard how at 4.15pm on 13 August last year Mr Saba had been the driver of a black Vauxhall Corsa which failed to stop when challenged by police.

The car continued to drive at 40mph in a 30mph zone before smashing headfirst into a brick wall in Savoy Avenue, Hayes.

It was later discovered that the car was listed as missing from a burglary in West Drayton, although no charges were brought against Mr Saba in relation to this.

After attempting to flee the scene and initially resisting arrest he was detained and charged.

The court heard how since the offence, Mr Saba, who was jobless at the time, had become a father and was attempting to turn his life around.

He had got a part-time job and enrolled in a college course and was determined to contribute to his newborn child's life, by being there, and financially.

Miss Dutt, defending, said: "He isn't the man he was last August and he has got his life in order."

The car was written off and he was found guilty of driving without a license, failure to stop, and aggravated vehicle taking, and also given a curfew ordering him to stay at his home address between 9.30pm and 7am.

A WOMAN who gave up her job to pursue her dream of becoming a successful author is looking forward to seeing her first book launched on Saturday.

Taran Dhillon, 50, of Cranford Lane, Harlington, will see her dream become reality at the big launch at Earl's Court.

Mrs Dhillon's book, entitled 'Nectar Of The Grateful Victim' is loosely based on a true story of a woman's tribulations in an uncompromising and abusive marriage.

She said: "I am delighted, and my family are very happy for me, the book took four years to write.

"I had to give up my job to meet my deadlines."

The book can be ordered online, and she is already overwhelmed with the response she has received.

"I saw a review from somebody in the US and it was really positive, I am so chuffed with that, it really makes my book come to life.

"For somebody across the world to read it who doesn't know me and like it is very exciting."

BURGLARS ransacked a woman's home in the middle of the day while she was out of the house.

Cash, jewellery and a laptop belonging to the 37 year old victim were all taken from the property in Woodrow Avenue, Hayes last Tuesday.

The burglary happened between 11.30am and 3.25pm with the rear door being damaged during the raid, and every room in the house had been ransacked.

A WOMAN'S bike was stolen while she nipped into a shop to get a takeaway.

The 32 year old woman left her silver bike propped up outside Chefs Corner, in Dawley Road Hayes on Thursday (5/3) when it was taken.

The theft occured at 7.20pm and police are looking for a white teenager believed to be around 19, who is about six foot and was wearing a hoodie and a scarf around his mouth.

A POLICE officer went back to school to help students with a geography project which looks at the way location affects crime.
PC Mike Smooker, crime preventions officer has been visiting Mellow Lane in Hewen's Road, Hayes over two weeks to talk about the ways in which crime can be reduced as part of their topic called designing out crime.
Neelam Virdee, geography teacher at the school, said: "Mike has been coming into the school to talk about crime in hot spot areas and how to reduce it. The pupils came up with lots of interesting ideas like reducing the amount of shrubs in such areas to decrease muggings as criminals won't be able to hide in them and they also suggested additional CCTV cameras. The project has given students the chance to collaborate and to think about ways in which they can improve their environment.'
Mr Smooker said: "The students came up with some innovative ideas, one of the things we looked was how by changing the design of a public bench to individual seats you can make it less attractive to vandalism and drunks. It was a good project for the children because it has made them more aware of the way crime affects their area."

A SUSPICIOUS package which lead to a town centre being cordoned off turned out to be a harmless baby alarm.
The police were called to the scene at 1pm on Saturday after a call was made by concerned staff at the Post Office in WH Smith, Station Road, Hayes, where the parcel was heard beeping.
The area was cordoned off until 2pm by which time the police had discovered the package contained a listening device used in cots for babies.
London Fire Brigade also attended the incident.

OLYMPIC gold medallist and arguably Hillingdon's most famous sportsman, Chris Finnegan, died in Hillingdon Hospital on Monday morning (2/3) after a short illness. He was 64.

The Hayes Amateur Boxing Club member shot to world fame when he won the middleweight title at the 1968 Mexico Olympics and went on to enjoy a fine professional career, even challenging legendary American champion Bob Foster for the World Light-Heavyweight Championship in 1970.

After being counted out in the 14th round it was a performance described by Harry Carpenter as the greatest display he had ever witnessed by a British fighter in a world title fight.

Finnegan spent his early years in Uxbridge before moving to Iver and more recently to Ickenham.

His younger brother, Kevin, himself a former British and European Middleweight champion, sadly passed away only four months ago.

Post your tributes to Chris below.