A CONTROVERSIAL plan to demolish a homeless hostel to make way for social housing has been given the green light. The council is set to sell the building at 33 Higham Hill Road, which is being used as temporary accommodation, to the Islington and Shoreditch
A COUPLE endured four weeks of misery without heating or hot water over the festive period after insurance contractors failed to fix their boiler. Patricia and Terence Mead, of Russell Road, Chingford, found themselves in a desperate situation
FLY-TIPPED waste at a greenfield site has led to residents' calls for a greater clampdown on offenders. In the latest incident a sink, draining board, and bedhead were among items dumped at a former radio station site, in North Weald. John
HOBBY groups in the borough will feature in a photographic exhibition about interest groups called “Meet”. The exhibition is by a collective of 14 photographers from Waltham Forest who have set out to document the huge variety of leisure and
COMMUNITY doctors are set to control millions of pound of health budgets, as the borough's NHS trust becomes the first in the country to hand over the power to commission services to doctors. NHS Redbridge has handed over the power to five
FORMER Epping Forest District Council chairman Jim Axon has died. Mr Axon, who represented Theydon Bois between 1979 and 1996, and headed the authority between 1991 and 1992, passed away in December. Christened Walter but commonly known
AT LEAST West Ham know where they stand now, having had their one remaining chance for a piece of silverware taken away from them by Arsenal’s late show at Upton Park on Sunday. The Hammers led through Alessandro Diamanti’s expertly-taken goal on the
THE DAUGHTER of a woman who was killed in a lift accident on a Redbridge housing estate has demanded answers after seeing the investigation into her death drag on for nearly five months. Mum-of-three Laura Dawkins has been left frustrated by
CHINGFORD’S promotion chances were put on ice after they were taught a harsh lesson by Ruislip in freezing conditions at their Waltham Way ground. In one of only two games in London One North to survive the weather at the weekend, Chingford lost valuable
LOUGHTON-BASED Masters Academy, a martial arts school, is hosting an open day on Saturday, January 23. “This is an opportunity for local residents to come and have a taste of the martial arts we offer,” said chief instructor Matthew Chapman. People
ORION’s runners welcomed the new year in by building upon their successes already this season, as they competed in the final leg of the Essex League series in Colchester. Both Georgia Tuckfield (under 13 girls) and Lauren MacGregor (under 17 girls) won
LEE Valley Lions played their first game of 2010 – and were well beaten 10-3 at Chelmsford Warriors. It was always going to be tough as they were without the services of captain James Hatfull and the injured Ian Courtney. Chelmsford looked strong right
A MAN who dressed up as a fake policeman and pulled over cars in Loughton with a pal when he was a teenager has apologised for his “shameful” behaviour and pledged to set up a charity to warn young people of the dangers of crime. Liakat Ali
FURIOUS residents are demanding action over mounds of rubbish outside flats which are attracting vermin and fly-tipping. Piles of domestic waste, including overflowing refuse bags and furniture, has regularly been appearing outside the council-owned
THE formal consultation over gypsy and traveller pitches could soon be at an end if the district council gets its way. Epping Forest District Council is set to make a formal request to the Government asking it to be relieved of its consultation obligations
AN INSPIRATIONAL runner has completed a race around his training route in the borough as he gears up to compete in his latest marathon – at the age of 98. Fauja Singh, from Ilford, will run a leg of the Luxembourg InterFaith Marathon on May 15 as part
THE health and safety record of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has been better than the industry average, 2012 bosses have claimed. The ODA says there have been a total of eight sets of a million hours worked without a serious accident. John Armitt
THE council has vowed to make sure the borough's roads are properly gritted ahead of tonight's expected snowfall. The authority was criticised two weeks ago after some major roads in the borough, including a section of Kings Head Hill, Chingford
A new era has dawned for Waltham Forest's erstwhile 'newbie in the newsroom'. Having hung up my newbie's boots, I have also moved from the Waltham Forest paper to the Wanstead and Woodford paper - thereby necessitating the first blog in months
ANGRY users have criticised Redbridge's much-heralded new website after it crashed for 48 hours shortly after the New Year. Residents were left without so much as an error message when trying to use Redbridge i on January 2 and 3. The
STAFF at a Redbridge school showed the youngsters how it's really done when they strutted their stuff during a special charity version of Strictly Come Dancing. Performers of all abilities took to the dance floor at Wanstead High School to
FAMILIES of those killed on the district's roads have criticised a new proposal to ban grieving friends and relatives from laying roadside flowers on the anniversaries of loved ones' deaths. The new set of policies, set to be introduced next
A CONTROVERSIAL plan to demolish a hostel and garages and build 24 new homes will be considered by councillors at a town hall meeting tonight. The council is to sell the buildings, at 33 Higham Hill Road, Walthamstow to Islington & Shoreditch
CAMPAIGNERS have stepped up their bid to keep learner drivers from using an affluent South Woodford estate to practise manoeuvres. Residents of the Firs Estate have been battling for a decade to persuade Redbridge Council to ban trainee motorists
ONCE more the cry of “All aboard!”could be heard ringing through the district's high streets this week when an old Routemaster bus was recommissioned for a new route. The classic 1960s vehicle was signed up by operator TWH for its reinstated 55 service
THE cousin of a man executed in China has vowed to continue her fight for justice, one week on from his high-profile death. Seema Khan, of Bracken Drive in Chigwell, spoke to the Guardian following the execution of her beloved relation Akmal
A 36-YEAR-OLD man has appeared in court charged with causing the death of a cyclist. Ali Altuntas, of Leadale Avenue, Chingford, appeared in court today in connection with the death of 47-year-old Jim Fleming. Mr Fleming was hit by a
AN aspiring MP has gone to extreme lengths to protest against the three main political parties. Adam Osen, 50, has officially changed his name to None Of The Above and hopes to attract support from disillusioned voters as an independent parliamentary
Opinion remains divided over the impact of a Tesco Express store on local businesses nearly a year after it first opened. Shopkeepers and residents feared the new branch in South Woodford High Road, would put small, independent stores out of
PATIENTS are being urged to visit A&E only if they are seriously ill, as pressure mounts on services across the borough. Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRT) and NHS Redbridge are advising people to make sure they are
THOUSANDS of pounds were found in a public place during a secret armed police patrol, it has emerged. The Cathall estate in Leytonstone was one of only eight areas in London where a new specialist team was deployed. Officers attached
POLICE have appealed for information after thousands of pounds worth of cash and jewellery were stolen during a burglary. Twelve thousands pounds (all in £50 notes) was snatched during the break-in at a property in Otley Drive, Ilford, on Saturday
POLICE have appealed for witnesses after a man was mugged in a busy street by a gang of masked teenagers. The 20-year-old was attacked by a group of four youngsters in Barley Lane, Ilford, at about 6.40pm on December 30. The gang, who were all thought
POLICE have made a renewed appeal for help in identifying the victim of a fatal fire on New Year's Day. The emergency services were called at 5:20am to the blaze in a flat above a shop at 353 High Road, Ilford. Investigating officers
DAGENHAM & Redbridge have signed striker Phil Walsh from Blue Square South side Dorchester Town. The 25-year-old has been snapped up and put pen to paper on a two-and-a-half year contract with the Victoria Road outfit. The 6ft 3in striker will had plenty
THE district council has suspended its normal rules on refuse collection to help ease the backlog created over the Christmas period. Epping Forest District Council's waste collection service was badly affected by the recent icy conditions on the road
SECONDARY school pupils will be enjoying an unexpected extension to their Christmas holidays after their school closed due to a lack of heating. Redbridge Council confirmed that Woodford County High School for Girls, in High Road, Woodford
A RADICAL muslim cleric who vowed to lead a protest against the war in Afghanistan in the middle of Wootton Bassett has come face-to-face with a dead serviceman's father in a TV debate. Former lawyer, Anjem Choudary, of Ilford, caused outrage
PROTESTORS will gather to voice their opposition to plans to close the borough's only A&E ward this weekend (January 9). Concerned members of the public will join Ilford South MP Mike Gapes and Ilford North MP Lee Scott, along with organiser Wilson
THE Met Office has issued a severe weather warning for the Epping Forest district with snow and travel disruption predicted over the next 24 hours. The 'heavy snow' alert was issued just after 6am today, with forecasters predicting a "moderate
AN HISTORIC church candle stand is in line for a much-needed makeover after winning the hearts of judges during a national restoration scheme. St Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church in Ilford High Road, won first prize in Project Restore initiative
TWO students from a Walthamstow school have won a special award for their global education campaigning. Ronan McKenzie and Rhiannon Kruse-Edwards, both in Year Ten at Walthamstow School for Girls, last night won the Steve Sinnott Award following
