Author: Blake Foster

Ayowale Aladejana was found injured in Monson Road just before 7.30pm on August 2. Officers and London Ambulance Service crews attended, however, the 26-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.  Ben Wazabanga, 23, of Fairfax Road, Bedford was charged with murder and possession of a knife today (August 4). He was remanded in custody and will appear at Croydon Magistrates’ Court today. Ronique Belfon, 23, of Morinsbury Road, Bedford was also charged with murder. She was remanded to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today.  A post-mortem examination took place yesterday (August 3) and gave a preliminary cause of death as stab…

Royal Russell School is developing the purpose-built space with funding support from NatWest. The purpose-built building will accommodate around 400 pupils and include dedicated Early Years classrooms, a junior school library, and specialist spaces for science, art, and design. Chris Hutchinson, headmaster at Royal Russell School, said: “We are incredibly excited about our new state-of-the-art junior school building which will enhance the educational opportunities of our younger pupils. “At Royal Russell School, we are proud to inspire a life of learning at the family school of choice and the new building will help us to continue doing just that. “We…

Emergency services were called to Westhall Road at around 2.30am on Monday, August 4, following reports of a single-vehicle crash near the junction with the B270. The road remains shut while officers investigate the scene, and drivers are being advised to avoid the area and use alternative routes. Surrey Police are now appealing for anyone who witnessed the collision or may have dashcam footage from the area around the time to come forward. A spokesperson said: “We are working to establish the full circumstances of this incident and would urge anyone with information to contact us.” Anyone with relevant details…

Kent County Council has announced the temporary ban from August 4, alongside a suspension of the cycle lane between Quadrant Court and Charles Street, to allow UK Power Distribution Ltd to carry out essential work. The restrictions could last for up to 49 days, or until the project is completed. Drivers will need to divert via the Station Approach roundabout and rejoin the A206. Want to find out all the latest planning applications, alcohol licensing applications and planned road closures near you? Then search the Public Notice Portal. The Public Notice Portal is owned and operated by the News Media…

However, the Chalk Gardens development continues to attract concern from residents who are worried about the influx of people it will bring. Backed by both the Greater London Authority (GLA) and Sutton Council’s Planning Committee, the revised Chalk Gardens scheme will now deliver 1,014 homes – up from 970 – with affordable housing increasing from 337 to 353 units. The update builds on the original planning consent granted in December 2023. Sutton Council says the project meets council targets by offering 35 per cent affordable housing, with 60 per cent of those being London Affordable Rent – for lower income…

Tasty African Food has launched a new restaurant in High Street. The restaurant officially opened on August 1 and serves a variety of traditional west African meals, including jollof rice, fried plantain, egusi soup, and suya. Abolaji Modile, head of restaurant business at Tasty African Food, said: “We are proud to bring Tasty African Food to Romford. “Opening in Romford is more than just a new chapter for Tasty African Food, it’s about bringing a taste of home to a vibrant and diverse community. “For 25 years, we’ve shared the warmth and flavour of west African cooking across the UK, and we’re excited…

The winners are King Edward VII park in Wembley, Harlesden’s Bramshill Open Space and Kingsbury’s walled garden at Roe Green. The three open spaces managed by Brent Council contractors received the award last week for ‘excellence and good management’. MORE NEWS: Dog exercise area in cemetery scrapped after public backlash The walled garden is cared for by the Barn Hill Conservation Group, although public access days are limited. “Volunteers make our green spaces great,” Brent Council’s environment cabinet member Krupa Sheth said. “Everyone works so hard keeping our green spaces so welcoming.” The Green Flag scheme run by the Keep Britain Tidy environment charity for the Department of Local…

Roads in the heart of Shoreditch have seen 23 collisions – and 27 injuries – in the last three years. Last month, Londoners were invited to share their views on a slew of measures put forward by Transport for London (TfL) to improve safety at the junction connecting Shoreditch High Street, Great Eastern Street and Commercial Road. To make it safer, TfL is planning to create new “high quality” crossings for cyclists and pedestrians, install new dedicated cycle lanes and widen the pavements to “tackle road danger”. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) visited Shoreditch to ask locals about the…

Stock is a village and civil parish in Chelmsford and according to Google Maps, only a 40-minute drive from Romford town centre. In December last year, lifestyle blog Muddy Stilettos judged Stock to be one of the best places to live in 2025. Describing the village as “pretty special”, Muddy Stilettos singled out its “gorgeous” gastro pubs, nearby schools and even a 19th century brick windmill as stand-out aspects. Amongst Stock’s boozers is The Hoop – an award-winning gastro pub in a “traditional setting” according to its website. The Hoop has a 4.6 average rating on Google (Image: Google) The Hoop in…

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has backed an extension of the line from Elephant & Castle, which if built would end in Lewisham. Although full funding for the project is yet to be secured, TfL has previously revealed details about the potential route, including where new stations might be built. Here is everything you need to know about the extension, which might soon transform transport connections in south east London. Where would the extension go? Expected to cost as much as £8 billion to complete, new stations would be built at Burgess Park, Old Kent Road, New Cross Gate and Lewisham.…