September 2008 Archives

Residents have been battling for two years to evict two families living in a shed in a garden.

Harrow Council served an enforcement notice in July 2007 to stop the outbuilding at the house in Formby Avenue, Stanmore, being used as flats.

A man selling fake razor blades over the internet has been fined more than £4,500.

Kevin Kirk Johns, of Old Church Lane, Stanmore, pleaded guilty to selling the counterfeit products at Harrow Magistrates Court, in Rosslyn Crescent, on September 3.

A Stanmore pensioner returned home to find burglars in his house on Friday (05).

The 62-year-old man arrived at his house, in London Road, Stanmore at about 5pm and activated his alarm.

A young father from Edgware avoided jail today despite brandishing a semi-automatic gun in a busy high street.

Ryan Johnson, 21, was caught on CCTV, from a nearby bus, waving the gun around after a fight broke out in Burnt Oak Broadway.

By Ian Proctor

Entertainer Johnny Franks is hoping to land a TV series at the age of 82 after making a puppet show spoof of The X Factor.

He has composed a tongue-in-cheek take off of the hit reality programme using specially-made 14in marionettes of celebrities such as Beehive Amy (Amy Winehouse) and Simon Growl (Simon Cowell).

Mr Franks, of Heronslea Drive, Stanmore, wrote, filmed and performed a five minute pilot, called The Extractor, at Grimsdyke Hotel and uploaded the clip to popular video sharing website YouTube.

By David Baker

Former head of comedy at the BBC and ex-Stanburn Primary School pupil Geoffrey Perkins died on Friday (29) in a road accident in London.

The 55-year-old father-of-two was responsible for producing a wealth of comedy programmes including The Fast Show, Father Ted, The Catherine Tate Show and My Family.

Born in Bushey, in Hertfordshire, he attended Stanburn Primary School in Abercorn Road, Stanmore before going onto Harrow County - which subsequently became Harrow High.