Author: Blake Foster

A man with a Louis Vuitton Keepall bag boarded the train from Euston to Milton Keynes Central on January 25 at 5.53pm before the theft. He was then asked to move the bag to the overhead storage rack by another passenger. The man who requested the bag to move then left the service at Milton Keynes Central, taking the bag with him. Officers believe the man in the image may have information that can help their investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact British Transport Police by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 2500009760. Alternatively…

Hayley Jones, 34, was a prison workshop officer at HMP Belmarsh in Thamesmead when CCTV footage caught her kissing, touching and playing with McSweeney – who was serving a life sentence for the brutal sexual assault and murder of 35-year-old Zara Aleena in Ilford.  Footage also showed the pair leaving rooms which had no CCTV whilst adjusting their clothes.  In a letter which was intercepted by guards, McSweeney told another prisoner that he had been “f***ing the fat thing from the workshop” for 10 months.  He also claimed she had been providing him with contraband such as a phone, “man was…

From November 1, 2025, businesses in certain areas will need planning permission to convert their premises into homes. The council confirmed the new rule, known as an Article 4 Direction, on March 6. This development follows a prior notice issued in September of the previous year. The Article 4 Direction stops the automatic right to change the use of a building from commercial (Class E) to residential (Class C3) in specified areas. It means businesses and services in those areas will now have to apply for planning permission to make such changes. The direction applies to major centres such as…

Brentwood residents are set for a new Lidl shop at Wates Way Industrial Estate in Ongar Road – with the chain confirming that construction work could start on the site as early as summer 2025. A Lidl spokesperson told the Recorder that timelines are “yet to be determined” but the supermarket is “hoping to start [works] on site this summer”. Brentwood Council previously received notification from Lidl that it would start development of the store before the end of the year. It has been more than two years since the German chain was granted planning permission to build a new supermarket in…

Ursuline Prep School in Coventry Road has begun consultation to close due to “economic pressures”, leaving many parents feeling shocked and disheartened. The school sent out a letter to parents dated February 26, which many said came as a shock as there had been no prior communication regarding a closure. Several parents spoke to the Recorder about the situation, but all wished to remain anonymous. One parent who has children in reception and year 5,said: “It has come out of the blue.  “It’s not shocking that numbers have dropped but it is shocking at how this has been handled. “We never knew that the school was even subject…

University of Greenwich has been granted permission to knock down a 1990s conference centre on the site and replace it with the new three-storey building. The extension will be added to the grade II listed Devonport House, which was built in the 1920s. The two buildings will be connected by an “internal street” covered by a glass atrium roof, allowing the façade of the listed building to be exposed. The new building will contain a 90-seat lecture theatre and a 150-seat lecture theatre for the university. Devonport House itself will be refurbished under the proposals, with a grade II listed…

A planning application was submitted by Ricky Mann of Manns Self Storage Containers Ltd in December last year to change the use of a waste management facility at the Old Bus Depot in Perry Road, Dagenham to become a self-storage facility. The proposal included the demolition of buildings on the site and the installation of 510 shipping containers for storage but has since been withdrawn with no further explanation. A decision on the proposal had been expected to be made by Barking and Dagenham Council on Tuesday, March 18. MORE NEWS: Parking spaces to go at Dagenham supermarket as car wash will be…

Paul Broome was laid to rest in the chocolate branded box – which he asked for in his will. Loved ones say Paul, from Bognor, West Sussex, was known for his “quick wit and mischievous sense of humour”. Before his death Paul often joked about having a Snickers-themed coffin – a wish his family made sure to fulfil in his final farewell. When he died, his family wanted to honour his memory in a way that reflected his personality.  Designed to resemble a Snickers bar, the coffin was emblazoned with the phrase “I’m nuts!” – a “perfect tribute” to Paul’s…

Emergency services were called to a power substation in Nestles Avenue, Hayes, around 11.30pm yesterday (March 20) after the transformer caught light. The fire service finally brought the fire under control eight hours later around 7.45am the next day. London Fire Brigade deputy commissioner Jonathan Smith said 29 people were safely evacuated from properties near to the substation fire. A further 150 people were evacuated to a rest centre following the incident. Fire safety and fire investigation officers are working with scientific advisers and the Metropolitan Police to investigate the cause of the fire, Mr Smith told broadcasters. He added:…

The London Fire Brigade was alerted to the fire on the A406 North Circular at 10.38am this morning (March 21).  Two fire engines from stations in Willesden and Acton were dispatched to the scene, where they currently remain putting out hotspots.  The fire has closed the eastbound approach of the major road between Hanger Lane and junctions for the A404.  At the scene, crews discovered a lorry containing scrap metal was on fire and worked to extinguish the flames using a 32-metre turntable ladder from Wembley Fire Station.  It is understood that the fire broke out in the cargo hold…