Author: Blake Foster

David Haynes, of Nelwyn Avenue, Hornchurch, had almost £70,000 worth of cannabis plants produced on the day when officers executed a warrant at an outbuilding near a house in South End Road. Haynes owned the property but rented out the house. He visited the place five times between December 29, 2023, and January 21, 2024 – each time arriving in his van and leaving hours later with several cardboard boxes. Police later discovered that Haynes paid over £58,000 into a mortgage account in December 2023, in addition to another £38,000 made over two payments within the previous year. After his arrest,…

The 94-year-old spoke to an audience while fundraising for Jewish Care’s Green Holocaust Survivors Centre in Golders Green. Manfred, who survived three-and-a-half years as a youngster held prisoner in five Nazi concentration camps, was interviewed on stage with his wife Shary by compère Ivor Baddiel at Finchley’s Kinloss Synagogue. His ordeal began with Germany’s invasion of the Baltic states in 1941 when he was forced with his mother and nine-year-old brother to live in the Riga ghetto set up in Latvia before being transported to a labour camp. “My young brother was condemned to an immediate death by the SS,” he…

Friends have named the 21-year-old student as Aliyah, who reportedly was sat on a bench outside King’s College London when she was hit yesterday (March 18) at 11.41am. Police have today (March 19) said that a 27-year-old woman who was also hit remains in a serious condition in hospital, but her conditions are not believed to be life-threatening.  A 23-year-old man who was taken to hospital has since been discharged. Medics also treated a fourth person at the scene, but they were discharged. Officers arrested the driver of the van, a 26-year-old man, at the scene on suspicion of causing…

The Shell petrol station forecourt on Crystal Palace Parade has been cordoned off today (March 19) after the attack. Officers have been at the scene since 2.50pm following reports of a serious assault. A man, in his 50s, has been taken to hospital with stab injuries to his chest. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “Police were called 2.30pm on Wednesday, 19 March to Crystal Palace Parade, SE19 following a serious assault.  “A man in his 50s was taken to hospital after sustaining a stab wound to his chest. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. “Officers remain in the area…

Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie has been garlanded with critical praise and sold faster than any show in the theatre’s 13-year history – extending its run until May 10. The Hackney theatre, which opened as a pop up in a converted warehouse, will then be demolished to make way for a new 200-seat venue for East London. Jay Miller founded The Yard Theatre 13 years ago while still in his mid 20s. (Image: Camilla Greenwell) Around £6.4 million has been raised already, but The Yard is hosting a farewell fundraiser The Next Act in May, marking the final moments in the space which helped…

While some areas have seen improvement, the report from the education watchdog suggests that “significant leadership churn” over the past five years has led to a “deterioration in the quality of service and practice” for care leavers, with some homeless children not getting the right support. Ofsted inspected of Harrow Council’s children’s services in January, giving it the lowest rating of ‘inadequate’ and a fall from its second-highest ‘good’ rating following the department’s previous inspection in 2020. The report highlights that the quality of support provided to care leavers “has deteriorated”, with the risk of harm to young people previously…

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall announced on Tuesday an overhaul of the welfare system and reform to disability benefits on Tuesday. The Government faced condemnation from unions, charities and some Labour MPs for making “cruel” and “immoral” cuts and seeking to balance the public finances on the backs of some of the poorest people in society. The measures are expected to save more than £5 billion-a-year in 2029/30, with changes to eligibility for personal independence payments (Pip) expected to account for the largest proportion of savings. Speaking in Parliament, Mr Corbyn, Independent MP for Islington  North, said: “The predication of this…

James Ronan, 47, from Plaistow, was having a heart attack when he received lifesaving treatment from London Ambulance Service crews. The lorry driver had returned home from dinner with his stepdaughters when he felt sharp pains in the left side of his chest. His wife, Veneta, called 999 and, when the paramedics arrived, his heart stopped and he went into cardiac arrest. James Ronan and advanced paramedic Andy Parker reunite with a hug (Image: London Ambulance Service) James said: “Suddenly, my heart stopped, and I lost consciousness. “The ambulance crews worked on me for over an hour, and it was not until…

The Unite union has said that Transport for London (TfL) enforcement officers will strike from tomorrow until Saturday (March 20 to 22). This marks the second time that officers within the compliance, policing, operations and security directorate (CPOS) have walked out this year, following similar action in February. These workers are responsible for safety and security at Underground, Overground and DLR stations and the London bus network. Hundreds of workers are expected to take part in the latest round of strikes, with their union claiming they are paid thousands of pounds less than others who work on the London Underground network in…

St William, a Berkeley Group company, has received full planning permission for the Bromley-by-Bow Gasworks regeneration project. This comes after a section 106 legal agreement with Newham Council. The 23-acre brownfield site, part of London’s industrial history, will see the construction of more than 2,150 homes. The project will also make the site publicly accessible for the first time in 150 years. The historic gasholders will be integrated into the project, with 70 per cent of the site becoming open space, including a 4.2-acre park along the River Lea. Dean Summers, managing director of St William, said: “This is one…