June 2008 Archives

By Elaine Okyere

A gang of firestarters is believed to have gone on a late night rampage through Harrow.

Fire crews had a busy night after seven fires, in bins, skips and even a gas main, were started in the early hours of this morning (Monday).

Residents of Charlton Road, Kenton, had to be evacuated from their homes after the gas mains box outside their house was set alight.

A family and two of their next door neighbours were led to safety as a precaution.

Fire fighters had to stay at the scene for three hours whilst they waited for the gas board to arrive and switch off the mains before they could tackle the small blaze. No-one was injured at the scene.

Fire fighters believe one person or group were causing the incidents which all took in the space of an hour.

The first blaze occurred at Winchester Avenue, Kingsbury, at 1.42am when a skip was set alight, this was followed by rubbish and bins being set alight at Queensbury Station ten minutes later.

The suspects then moved on to Queensbury Circle Parade, Stanmore, at 2.15am and Chichester Court, Stanmore, at 2.20am setting on fire more rubbish and bins.

A fire engine and the police were called to two incidents in Glebe Road, Kenton, to reports of a group of youths setting waste on fire at 2.50am.

Barry Marsh, red watch manager at Stanmore Station, in Honeypot Lane, said the incidents were quite unusual.

He said: "It is too much of a coincidence for it not to be one person or group.

"Other stations had to cover our area as we were at the gas mains fire for three hours so we were unavailable to go out to other more serious fires."

A Stanmore school has been transported back to the 1940s this week to celebrate the re-opening of their bomb shelter on Saturday (28).
Stanburn First School, in Abercorn Road, has hosted a seven-day extravaganza of war time activities to give pupils the chance to experience Second World War Britain to mark the school's 70th anniversary.
There have been workshops from the Royal Air Force Museum, in Grahame Park Way, Hendon, and the Imperial War Museum, in London, and students presented their views of the 1940s to their parents throughout the week. Children at the school also learnt to jive and had a 1940s-style lesson complete with an air raid siren and evacuation.
The school has refurbished the bomb shelter, which has been transformed into a museum for members of the local community.
The week ends with a summer fete with a 1940s theme on June 28. Visitors will be treated to an old fashioned Carousel, Helter Skelter and Coconut Shy from the past and present activities including a simulator ride and trampolines, as well as the Kew Wind Orchestra playing wartime tunes.Tony McNulty, MP for Harrow East, will also officially open the blast shelter and old pupils Michael Portillo and Clive Anderson will be there on the day.
Linda Gooblar, assistant head, said: "In the future the museum will be open for schools and people in the local community.
"The fair on Saturday will have half in the 1950s and with GI's and the Kew Wind orchestra and the other side in 2008. We are hoping everyone will get into the spirit."

People in Harrow can have their say about how they want the borough to look - and could win £100.
Residents can comment by logging on to Harrow Council's new interactive website harrow consult or contact ldfconsultation@harrow.gov.uk or 020 8736 6069 for information.

By Elaine Okyere

Students from Stanmore have swept the board at national dance competition.
Dancers from Stanmore College, in Elm Park, won two cups and four other accolades at the Weymouth Dance Festival between May 3-5.
Students from all over the country and more than 2,000 spectators attended the town's fourth annual dance festival.
Michaela Shaw, programme coordinator of performing arts at the college, said: "I am extremely pleased to say that the girls did Stanmore College proud, once again.
"Not only did they receive 1st and 2nd places for all participating dances, but it was yet again commented on how original the styles of dances performed were. All the girls had a fantastic time, and we will definitely be back next year."
Winners from the college included Seya Charles who received first place for her contemporary solo and the Contemporary Festival Cup for the highest grade in the contemporary solo categories.
Student Hannah Meyer was also awarded 2nd place for her Song and Dance Solo, while the LASAS street dancing girls won The Prince Regent Hotel Group Award Cup for the most entertaining group dance in the whole festival.

Police are calling for witnesses of an incident in which a man suffered a fractured skull to come forward.
The disturbance happened in Beatty Road, Stanmore, on Sunday (22) at about 2.30am, leaving a 39-year-old seriously injured.
Detective Sergeant Richard Tobias said: "This was a serious incident and we would encourage anyone with information about it to call Harrow Police on 020 8733 3441 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."
24-year old Mark Last, of Wiltshire Lane, Pinner has been charged with grievous bodily harm and has been remanded in custody until July 28.

The Friends of Canons Park will be hosting their fun day next month. Local residents are invited to the event in Canons Park, Edgware, on July 13.
For more information visit www.friendsofcanonspark.org.

Firefighters spent nearly three hours battling a blaze at a car repair workshop in Edgware on Tuesday (17).

Six fire engines were called to Edgware Crash Repairs, in Ballards Mews, High Street, at 5.15pm after several calls from people in the area.

Workers were evacuated from the building after a large oven used to dry paint on cars caught alight.

Firefighters with breathing apparatus entered the building to remove a cylinder, however two aerosol cans exploded at the scene.

Chris Whelpton, a watch manager at Stanmore Fire Station, said: "When we arrived there was smoke all up the road and people waving at us.

"We had to get through quite a lot of traffic to get here, but we responded quickly and there were five or six businesses nearby and we prevented the fire from spreading any further."

Fire investigation teams confirmed the blaze was caused by a fault within the oven. The single-storey shop remains closed after the incident.

Budding footballers in Stanmore and Edgware are being given the chance to train with the pros.
Young people will be taught by coaches from Watford Football Club as part of the club's Community Sports and Education Trust's Safer Neighbourhoods Football project.
The scheme, which is run in partnership with Harrow Council and the Canons Safer Neighbourhood team, aims to improve fitness levels and increase confidence in young people.
The Canons Park sessions take place on Tuesdays between 5.30-6.30pm for eight to 11 year olds and between 6.30-7.30pm for 12-16 year olds. All classes are at the Arnold House Activity Centre, in Donnefield Avenue, Edgware.
For further information contact Neil Hart on 01923 490385 or visit www.watfordfc.com.

By Elaine Okyere

Plans to introduce parking restrictions to roads around Stanmore tube station are expected to be approved at a Harrow Council meeting this evening (Wednesday).

Councillors plan to add new controlled parking zones to 11 roads in the area and 10 other roads will also get yellow line markings to ease congestion.

More than 4,000 householders were consulted in February and an overwhelming majority agreed to the extension.

Residents are hoping the controls will stop motorists parking their cars along the roads and on kerbs and grass in order to take the Jubilee line from Stanmore Station to Wembley.

Two parking zones were originally introduced in the area in 1994, but have not been reviewed since 2004.

The new roads to be included in the restrictions are Berry Hill, Brockleyside, Chevalier Close, Rees Drive, Westbere Drive, Partridge Close, Gordon Avenue, Naresby Fold, Tudor Well Close and parts of London Road and Pangbourne Drive.

A 42-year-old was hit in the head with a broken spirit bottle after he challenged yobs in a car park on Friday (13).
The bottle, smashed at the neck, was thrown at the victim at about 10pm after he tried to stop two men and a woman who were putting an orange barrier on his car, which was in the Sainsbury's car park, in Elm Park Road, Stanmore.