Archive

  • Racism row

    I have crossed political swords with Councillor Pat Beresford in the Adur District Council chamber several times but on one issue we both agreed: Our community should be free of racial prejudice. Racism is too important an issue to be used as a tool for

  • Calling all dogs

    Dear Brecon, Fido, Chester, Buttons and other interested parties, please call me on 01273 679306 regarding fireworks - not afternoons, though. -Mrs L Maddison, Brighton

  • Opportunism?

    Why on earth should Brighton and Hove have a statue to the New York firefighters (February 25)? Obviously, these people did a great job. But their job it is. The attempt to get funding for such a project reeks of opportunism. Is the sculptor related to

  • Surface noise

    Brighton and Hove City Council has achieved a massive deficit which will doubtless be passed on to the electorate. It has also raised in excess of £2,000,000 from the new parking enforcement scheme. The council says this scheme is not commercially driven

  • Pick-up plot

    I can assure Steve (Letters, February 25) there is no plot by Brighton and Hove City Council to stop taxis picking up from the streets. I drive a taxi and for me the first hand up is the winner, be it off the ranks or a member of the public flagging me

  • 30 millionth in the Rich List

    I see Bill Archer is listed 119th on the rich list and that Sir Paul McCartney came in at 39th (February 25). By a complex calculation using several wage packets, bank statements and loose change in my pocket, I have determined that my position in the

  • Falmer myths

    Bill Smythe (Letters, February 22) accused Green Party city councillors of slinging mud at the corporate Falmer bandwagon in the hope that some will stick and went on to perpetrate many of the myths that have been spun to justify the choice of Falmer

  • Buy into Brighton?

    Does Dick Knight entertain the idea of fans buying into Brighton and Hove Albion? After all, it may be a source of money (much better than Archer) which might be needed for the new stadium. -Michael Fish, Valley Park, Eastleigh, Hants

  • Father jailed after high-speed chase

    A father-of-three sparked a high-speed car chase when police tried to pull him over. Matthew Edden, 32, of Plymouth Avenue, Brighton, was jailed for seven months after admitting dangerous driving. Officers spotted him driving erratically in his adoptive

  • Falmer memories

    In answer to the points put to me (Letters, February 23), I am old enough to remember Falmer before the University of Sussex was built. I am surprised those opposed to the stadium at Falmer are not advocating demolition of the university's buildings and

  • I commute too, says rail chief

    Passengers on the Brighton line will get a glimpse of the trains that will take rail travel into a new era next month. It will be the beginning of the end of the slam-door stock, which has been a feature of the Sussex rail network since the first routes

  • Between You And Me, by Vanora Leigh

    I'm not much of a cook but I do like reading recipes, particularly the ones that include lavish amounts of double cream and dark chocolate. While other people open a newspaper and read the sports pages, the travel section or the financial columns, I turn

  • Shooting case officer to challenge suspension

    A police officer is challenging a decision to suspend him from duty while he faces disciplinary charges in connection with a fatal shooting. His lawyers say the suspension prevents Detective Chief Inspector Kevin French from retiring from Sussex Police

  • Goons star Spike is dead

    Author and comedian Spike Milligan has died aged 83 at his Sussex home, his agent announced today. The last remaining Goon died of kidney failure surrounded by his family. Milligan had suffered ill health for some time and had been nursed by his third

  • Farewell to Desmond

    How sad I was to read of the death of Desmond Plunkett (February 21). I met and entertained him at Storrington Royal Air Force home on my birthday three or four years ago, only two weeks before my own RAF brother died. Mr Plunkett was such a nice gentleman

  • From the depths

    The viola, larger and deeper-toned than the violin but lacking the cello's sonority, used to be something of a Cinderella instrument until Lionel Tertis released its magic. He was among the first to make the viola an accepted solo instrument in its own

  • No sympathy

    The Argus report (February 23) about the Sussex Police reaction to an internal instance of alleged racial abuse typifies one of the reasons why the reputation of the police is so low in public esteem. All racial abuse is reprehensible but any reasonable

  • Flat price

    Two penthouses in North Street Brighton, are likely to break all records in the city when they are sold. Bidding for these homes at the top of Princes House is likely to start at £700,000 for two-bedroom flats. Even though Princes House is a listed building

  • Police action

    Community copper Barry Jeffcoat has a message for his bosses now that he's retiring after 28 years service. The 54-year-old Portslade beat officer says when it comes to policing, big is not always beautiful. What worries him is that with policing now

  • Youth in action: Brave Emma in at the deep end

    Emma James, a swimmer with the potential to be national standard, made a successful comeback in the Sussex Champion-ships at Crawley. The Brighton youngster beat the pain barrier to finish a surprise fourth in the girls' born 1991 100m breaststroke behind

  • Rugby: Bionic Rob earns England call

    Rob Lawrence's has been called up to the English Schools under-18s squad after recovering from knee surgery that threatened his rugby career. The 17-year-old hooker, from Chichester, said: "England selection proves dreams can come true. But I honestly

  • Non-league: Sub Knee grabs brace

    Substitute Mark Knee scored two goals in two minutes to give Worthing their first win in 13 games with a 3-2 victory at Uxbridge Ryman Division One. Rebels roared back after being 2-0 down at the break and an incident packed game saw Andy Alexander take

  • Hart of the matter, by Ian Hart

    Albion's very own leather-clad answer to Pam Ayres, John Baine, famously once recited: "Archer, Archer, can't wait for your departure." I couldn't have put it better myself. All credit, once again, to Dick Knight for putting the deal together. But excuse

  • Adams targets World Cup spot

    Sussex cricket captain Chris Adams has set his sights on forcing his way into England's World Cup plans. Adams, who averaged just over 40 in one-day cricket last summer, feels he can offer something extra to Duncan Fletcher's men. Adams said: "I have

  • Granada and Carlton end merger talks

    ITV broadcasters Granada and Carlton Communications have terminated talks to merge, it was announced today. The pair said they had been in talks regarding a possible combination of their businesses, in step with proposed legislative changes. They said

  • Zookeeper for a day

    Schoolgirl Michaela Carr spent a day as a zookeeper after winning a prize in a competition run by The Argus. Michaela, 11, fed the penguins, groomed donkeys and cleaned out the meerkat enclosure. at Drusillas Park, Alfriston, near Polegate. She beat hundreds

  • Bid to put nail in marital coffin

    Pensioner Brian Behan is taking his campaign against marriage to a wedding fair - dressed as an undertaker. Mr Behan, 75, founder member and secretary of the Anti-Marriage Society, will be warning young couples not to tie the knot. He will be spreading

  • Anger at council tax news

    Brighton and Hove's council tax figures have been published in the civic newspaper before they have been agreed. The details of the budget are in the March issue of City News but a council debate on the tax is not due until tomorrow. Leading Labour councillor

  • Albion fans in awayday trouble

    Football supporters abused staff and caused damage costing hundreds of pounds before last night's South Coast derby against Bournemouth. At least ten Brighton and Hove Albion fans were involved in drunken scenes. Police were called as a group wearing

  • Protest over West Pier plan

    More than 100 people today demonstrated against plans to develop the shoreline at Brighton's West Pier. They fear two buildings planned for either side of the Grade 1 listed pier would spoil the look of the seafront. Protesters, including a band, an Australian

  • Inquiry continues into arts centre

    An investigation into the troubles of the Old Market in Hove is to continue for some time. Seven permanent staff working for Old Market Enterprises, the centre's marketing arm, were made redundant four days before Christmas. Liquidators were called in

  • Map moves stately home to Sussex

    Red-faced rail bosses today withdrew a map of tourist attractions which put Derbyshire on the Sussex coast. Virgin Trains blamed a printing error for the geographical muddle. The map, of tourist attractions and towns in the Peak District, put historic

  • Bus rules under fire

    A disabled woman has criticised rules introduced under the Disability Discrimination Act. Suchi Chatterjee, 38, says she is appalled by the introduction of legislation that has stopped her from catching the bus she regularly uses to reach Brighton station

  • Success of the homeless curlers

    Curling fever is not confined to Scotland, home of last week's Winter Olympics gold medal winners. One Sussex family has been curling for 13 years. The only catch is they have to travel to Switzerland to indulge in their favourite sport. There is not

  • Retiring bobby slams merger plan

    Hove will lose more of its identity when its police merge with Brighton, according to a community beat bobby. PC Barry Jeffcoat retires in July with more than a tinge of sadness about the planned amalgamation, scheduled for the end of next month. He said

  • Where few dare venture

    Although our police force is nowhere near the standard it used to be, it is one of the few things we really need. People are all too ready to criticise them for being ineffective but our police choose to put themselves where few dare venture. We should

  • Racism row

    I have crossed political swords with Councillor Pat Beresford in the Adur District Council chamber several times but on one issue we both agreed: Our community should be free of racial prejudice. Racism is too important an issue to be used as a tool for

  • Calling all dogs

    Dear Brecon, Fido, Chester, Buttons and other interested parties, please call me on 01273 679306 regarding fireworks - not afternoons, though. -Mrs L Maddison, Brighton

  • Gravestone size

    How tall was the gravestone that killed a child? Probably four or five feet high. Such a stone could well kill if it fell on a child but photos show many smaller stones have been felled by Lewes District Council. No stone less than a metre high should

  • Pick-up plot

    I can assure Steve (Letters, February 25) there is no plot by Brighton and Hove City Council to stop taxis picking up from the streets. I drive a taxi and for me the first hand up is the winner, be it off the ranks or a member of the public flagging me

  • Equal rights

    I find a lot of parents with children use Asda's disabled bays for parking, as do people who are neither disabled nor with children. Sometimes the only free bays near the shop are the parent-and-child ones. I am entitled to park in both because I am disabled

  • Falmer myths

    Bill Smythe (Letters, February 22) accused Green Party city councillors of slinging mud at the corporate Falmer bandwagon in the hope that some will stick and went on to perpetrate many of the myths that have been spun to justify the choice of Falmer

  • Buy into Brighton?

    Does Dick Knight entertain the idea of fans buying into Brighton and Hove Albion? After all, it may be a source of money (much better than Archer) which might be needed for the new stadium. -Michael Fish, Valley Park, Eastleigh, Hants

  • Between You And Me, by Vanora Leigh

    I'm not much of a cook but I do like reading recipes, particularly the ones that include lavish amounts of double cream and dark chocolate. While other people open a newspaper and read the sports pages, the travel section or the financial columns, I turn

  • Baby murder trial adjourned

    The trial of an East Sussex man accused of murdering his two-year-old stepson has been put on hold. Solictors in the case of Aaron Goodman and Emma Back met with presiding Judge Raffety this morning. Goodman, 27, was believed to have become too ill to

  • Shooting case officer to challenge suspension

    A police officer is challenging a decision to suspend him from duty while he faces disciplinary charges in connection with a fatal shooting. His lawyers say the suspension prevents Detective Chief Inspector Kevin French from retiring from Sussex Police

  • Man freed by blaze detectives

    Detectives investigating a fire which badly damaged a waste company HQ have released a 20-year-old man who was held for questioning. The blaze on Monday night led to several homes in Harwood Road, Littlehampton, being evacuated as thick smoke poured from

  • Goons star Spike is dead

    Author and comedian Spike Milligan has died aged 83 at his Sussex home, his agent announced today. The last remaining Goon died of kidney failure surrounded by his family. Milligan had suffered ill health for some time and had been nursed by his third

  • No sympathy

    The Argus report (February 23) about the Sussex Police reaction to an internal instance of alleged racial abuse typifies one of the reasons why the reputation of the police is so low in public esteem. All racial abuse is reprehensible but any reasonable

  • Flat price

    Two penthouses in North Street Brighton, are likely to break all records in the city when they are sold. Bidding for these homes at the top of Princes House is likely to start at £700,000 for two-bedroom flats. Even though Princes House is a listed building

  • Unforgivable

    What a fiasco. On Sunday, less than 24 hours before the concert celebrating the Dome's re-opening was due to start it was cancelled because of the venue's inability to gain a public safety certificate. Did the Bridgewater Hall (Manchester), the Waterside

  • Athletics: Charlotte triumphs

    Charlotte Browning has won the girls' under-15s' title at the National Cross Country Championships at Ashton Court, Bristol. The success followed her triumph in the Inter County Championships two weeks ago. Last year the Chichester runner won both events

  • Police action

    Community copper Barry Jeffcoat has a message for his bosses now that he's retiring after 28 years service. The 54-year-old Portslade beat officer says when it comes to policing, big is not always beautiful. What worries him is that with policing now

  • List lengthens

    It is beyond belief the fire services were brought in to check the fire safety mechanisms only hours before the fanfare opening of the Brighton Dome last Sunday. With three years of renovation and delays, I should have thought they would have been involved

  • Divine justice

    As a person who had a ticket for the grand re-opening of the expensively re-ordered Dome concert hall, I find it ironic that at a time when Brighton and Hove City Council decides to remove all grants from the Philharmnic Society, the opening event with

  • Big drop in police complaints

    The number of complaints against Sussex Police has fallen dramatically - but the overall figure may never be known. The force has changed its system for recording complaints and many minor moans are dealt with informally instead of being written down.

  • Hart of the matter, by Ian Hart

    Albion's very own leather-clad answer to Pam Ayres, John Baine, famously once recited: "Archer, Archer, can't wait for your departure." I couldn't have put it better myself. All credit, once again, to Dick Knight for putting the deal together. But excuse

  • Adams targets World Cup spot

    Sussex cricket captain Chris Adams has set his sights on forcing his way into England's World Cup plans. Adams, who averaged just over 40 in one-day cricket last summer, feels he can offer something extra to Duncan Fletcher's men. Adams said: "I have

  • Mother's fears for missing teenager

    A mother whose daughter has been missing for a week fears she is being held against her will. Worthing hairdresser Donna Duplock, 18, has not been seen since she kissed her mother goodbye on February 19, saying she was going to a nightclub. Her mother

  • Granada and Carlton end merger talks

    ITV broadcasters Granada and Carlton Communications have terminated talks to merge, it was announced today. The pair said they had been in talks regarding a possible combination of their businesses, in step with proposed legislative changes. They said

  • Zookeeper for a day

    Schoolgirl Michaela Carr spent a day as a zookeeper after winning a prize in a competition run by The Argus. Michaela, 11, fed the penguins, groomed donkeys and cleaned out the meerkat enclosure. at Drusillas Park, Alfriston, near Polegate. She beat hundreds

  • Worker loses sex claim tribunal

    A Worthing woman who said she was forced to resign from her job because of a leering colleague lost her claim for sexual discrimination. Office worker Jacqueline Marks, of Marine Parade, made the claim against Boustead International Heaters, Southwick

  • Fun run on the radio

    The Mayor of Worthing will hold a charity fun run which will be broadcast live on radio. Valerie Sutton has organised the annual Easter fun run and walk from Splash Point to George V Avenue in Worthing on March 31. Contenders for the Worthing radio station

  • Anger at council tax news

    Brighton and Hove's council tax figures have been published in the civic newspaper before they have been agreed. The details of the budget are in the March issue of City News but a council debate on the tax is not due until tomorrow. Leading Labour councillor

  • Albion fans in awayday trouble

    Football supporters abused staff and caused damage costing hundreds of pounds before last night's South Coast derby against Bournemouth. At least ten Brighton and Hove Albion fans were involved in drunken scenes. Police were called as a group wearing

  • Protest over West Pier plan

    More than 100 people today demonstrated against plans to develop the shoreline at Brighton's West Pier. They fear two buildings planned for either side of the Grade 1 listed pier would spoil the look of the seafront. Protesters, including a band, an Australian

  • Inquiry continues into arts centre

    An investigation into the troubles of the Old Market in Hove is to continue for some time. Seven permanent staff working for Old Market Enterprises, the centre's marketing arm, were made redundant four days before Christmas. Liquidators were called in

  • Map moves stately home to Sussex

    Red-faced rail bosses today withdrew a map of tourist attractions which put Derbyshire on the Sussex coast. Virgin Trains blamed a printing error for the geographical muddle. The map, of tourist attractions and towns in the Peak District, put historic

  • No sign of rough sea victim

    The search for a woman washed out into the Channel off an East Sussex beach was called off this morning. Lifeboats and a rescue aircraft had been scouring the Sussex coast for signs of the 25-year-old Hastings woman. The woman, who has not been named,

  • Stand-off as migrants seized

    Illegal immigrants dangled children over the side of a ferry and threatened to throw them into the water. The incident happened during a stand-off as police and immigration officials tried to detain 16 immigrants found aboard the ferry Sardinia Vera at

  • Boy, 8, dies of meningitis

    A mother has told how she cradled her eight-year-old son in her arms as he died from meningitis. Theresa Banks, 27, climbed into a hospital bed and cuddled her son Ross as he lost his fight against the virus. Also at the boy's bedside was his father,

  • Bus rules under fire

    A disabled woman has criticised rules introduced under the Disability Discrimination Act. Suchi Chatterjee, 38, says she is appalled by the introduction of legislation that has stopped her from catching the bus she regularly uses to reach Brighton station

  • Success of the homeless curlers

    Curling fever is not confined to Scotland, home of last week's Winter Olympics gold medal winners. One Sussex family has been curling for 13 years. The only catch is they have to travel to Switzerland to indulge in their favourite sport. There is not

  • Worker loses sex claim tribunal

    A woman who said she was forced to resign from her job because of a leering colleague lost her claim for sexual discrimination. Office worker Jacqueline Marks, of Marine Parade, Worthing, made the claim against Boustead International Heaters, Southwick

  • Car tax dodgers

    If traffic wardens wish to catch a few more tax-dodgers, they should walk around Sutherland Road, Craven Road and The Queensway, Brighton. I counted 17 cars untaxed last Sunday as I went for a newspaper. -G R Mills, Brighton

  • Gravestone size

    How tall was the gravestone that killed a child? Probably four or five feet high. Such a stone could well kill if it fell on a child but photos show many smaller stones have been felled by Lewes District Council. No stone less than a metre high should

  • Parking polarity

    Vallance Gardens is the centrepiece of the central Hove Zone N parking scheme. Here, seven months into the scheme's operation, you will still find the residents-only bays meticulously marked outside each of the big houses. They all have off-street parking

  • Breakdown

    I urge the three Brighton and Hove Labour MPs to do one of two things. Either tell Stephen Byers to resign or call on the Prime Minister to sack him. Since Mr Byers has been Secretary of State for Transport, there has been crisis after crisis. Clearly

  • Theft effect

    The antisocial scum who vandalised my son's car on his last two visits to Brighton and Hove should know the distress they have caused. On the first occasion, they damaged the driver's door, stole the radio and CD player and, having failed to remove the

  • Equal rights

    I find a lot of parents with children use Asda's disabled bays for parking, as do people who are neither disabled nor with children. Sometimes the only free bays near the shop are the parent-and-child ones. I am entitled to park in both because I am disabled

  • I'm sick of children dominating my life

    Mrs N J Harris (Letters, February 22) feels parents with children are treated as second-class citizens at supermarkets. On the contrary, I find everything is geared towards parents with children - preferential parking, special child trolleys, reward schemes

  • Meet the female Nasty Nigel

    Despite reducing aspiring actors to tears on national television, Kate Marlow insists she is not the next Nasty Nigel. The drama coach is the latest in a long line of figures the public loves to hate on the small screen. Following in the footsteps of

  • £700,000 for a two-bed flat

    Property price records look likely to be broken when two exclusive luxury penthouses go on sale. With views of the Royal Pavilion and Regency Gardens, the apartments in Princes House, North Street, Brighton, are expected to be the most expensive of their

  • Tough love

    Many actors have become famous policemen but John Thaw was renowned as hard-man Regan in the Seventies' tough police drama The Sweeney and, from 1987, as the intellectual Inspector Morse. His very first television appearance was in Z Cars in 1964, aged

  • Local lustre

    Des Lynam's roots are humbler than Martha Buckley realises (February 21). Des lived his early days in the Fifties in Kipling Avenue, Woodingdean, on the estate of prefab "homes fit for heroes". He is only one of a host of "glams" linked to Woodingdean

  • Unforgivable

    What a fiasco. On Sunday, less than 24 hours before the concert celebrating the Dome's re-opening was due to start it was cancelled because of the venue's inability to gain a public safety certificate. Did the Bridgewater Hall (Manchester), the Waterside

  • Athletics: Charlotte triumphs

    Charlotte Browning has won the girls' under-15s' title at the National Cross Country Championships at Ashton Court, Bristol. The success followed her triumph in the Inter County Championships two weeks ago. Last year the Chichester runner won both events

  • Crash victim was set for judo glory

    A teenage boy killed in a car crash was destined for a glittering judo career. Laurie Suckling, 13, had just qualified for the Southern Area Judo squad after impressing selectors with a clutch of gold and silver medals. His teachers at Uckfield Community

  • List lengthens

    It is beyond belief the fire services were brought in to check the fire safety mechanisms only hours before the fanfare opening of the Brighton Dome last Sunday. With three years of renovation and delays, I should have thought they would have been involved

  • It's not over for the pier

    Many people thought the historic West Pier in Brighton had been saved when the National Lottery promised one of its largest grants of almost £14 million. But the ailing pier's problems were only just beginning. It has become plain that more than lottery

  • Divine justice

    As a person who had a ticket for the grand re-opening of the expensively re-ordered Dome concert hall, I find it ironic that at a time when Brighton and Hove City Council decides to remove all grants from the Philharmnic Society, the opening event with

  • Big drop in police complaints

    The number of complaints against Sussex Police has fallen dramatically - but the overall figure may never be known. The force has changed its system for recording complaints and many minor moans are dealt with informally instead of being written down.

  • Dome fiasco lost us a golden opportunity

    If Brighton and Hove City Council wants to apply to become Capital of Culture, it should think a bit harder about how it treats its artists. The long-awaited re-opening concert at the Dome, a return home for Brighton's very own orchestra, the Brighton

  • Brooker's bolt from the blue

    Paul Brooker kept Albion on course for promotion last night with a bolt from the blue with his wrong foot. Brooker's spectacular 25-yard strike in the first half earned the Seagulls a 1-1 draw in the south coast derby at Bournemouth. His second goal of

  • Outcry over late post plan

    Leaders of a million businessmen and women who work from home have attacked plans to deliver post later in the day and end second deliveries. The Royal Mail said the changes, to be tested in Crawley and 13 other areas, will mean a single delivery arriving

  • Sick student's charity head-shave

    A woman who shaved her hair off before it fell out during chemotherapy has raised thousands of pounds for charity. Relatives and friends cried as Chantelle Penderghast's auburn locks fell to the floor of the Henty Arms pub in Ferring, near Worthing. The

  • No sign of rough sea victim

    The search for a woman washed out into the Channel off an East Sussex beach was called off this morning. Lifeboats and a rescue aircraft had been scouring the Sussex coast for signs of the 25-year-old Hastings woman. The woman, who has not been named,

  • New homes 'put school under pressure'

    A flood of new homes has been blamed for increasing demand at an over-subscribed school. Peacehaven Town Council says too many single homes are being replaced by two-for-one housing schemes or flats. Young families moving into Peacehaven in place of pensioners

  • Baby murder trial adjourned

    The trial of an East Sussex man accused of murdering his two-year-old stepson has been put on hold. Solictors in the case of Aaron Goodman and Emma Back met with presiding Judge Raffety this morning. Goodman, 27, was believed to have become too ill to

  • Stand-off as migrants seized

    Illegal immigrants dangled children over the side of a ferry and threatened to throw them into the water. The incident happened during a stand-off as police and immigration officials tried to detain 16 immigrants found aboard the ferry Sardinia Vera at

  • Boy, 8, dies of meningitis

    A mother has told how she cradled her eight-year-old son in her arms as he died from meningitis. Theresa Banks, 27, climbed into a hospital bed and cuddled her son Ross as he lost his fight against the virus. Also at the boy's bedside was his father,

  • Villagers buy their shop

    Villagers plan to save their only shop by buying it themselves. They are forming a community group to run the Old Village Stores and sub-post office at Slinfold, near Horsham, on a non-profit-making basis. They became concerned their only shop could go

  • Worker loses sex claim tribunal

    A woman who said she was forced to resign from her job because of a leering colleague lost her claim for sexual discrimination. Office worker Jacqueline Marks, of Marine Parade, Worthing, made the claim against Boustead International Heaters, Southwick

  • Mother's fears for missing teenager

    A mother whose daughter has been missing for a week fears she is being held against her will. Hairdresser Donna Duplock, 18, has not been seen since she kissed her mother goodbye on February 19, saying she was going to a nightclub. Her mother, Linda,

  • Man jailed for frenzied stabbing

    A drug abuser who stabbed a man repeatedly in the head during a frenzied attack has been jailed for six years. John Paul Darcy, 21, of Westbourne Place, Hove, pleaded guilty to assault causing grievous bodily harm. Lewes Crown Court heard yesterday how

  • Car tax dodgers

    If traffic wardens wish to catch a few more tax-dodgers, they should walk around Sutherland Road, Craven Road and The Queensway, Brighton. I counted 17 cars untaxed last Sunday as I went for a newspaper. -G R Mills, Brighton

  • Opportunism?

    Why on earth should Brighton and Hove have a statue to the New York firefighters (February 25)? Obviously, these people did a great job. But their job it is. The attempt to get funding for such a project reeks of opportunism. Is the sculptor related to

  • Parking polarity

    Vallance Gardens is the centrepiece of the central Hove Zone N parking scheme. Here, seven months into the scheme's operation, you will still find the residents-only bays meticulously marked outside each of the big houses. They all have off-street parking

  • Breakdown

    I urge the three Brighton and Hove Labour MPs to do one of two things. Either tell Stephen Byers to resign or call on the Prime Minister to sack him. Since Mr Byers has been Secretary of State for Transport, there has been crisis after crisis. Clearly

  • Theft effect

    The antisocial scum who vandalised my son's car on his last two visits to Brighton and Hove should know the distress they have caused. On the first occasion, they damaged the driver's door, stole the radio and CD player and, having failed to remove the

  • Surface noise

    Brighton and Hove City Council has achieved a massive deficit which will doubtless be passed on to the electorate. It has also raised in excess of £2,000,000 from the new parking enforcement scheme. The council says this scheme is not commercially driven

  • I'm sick of children dominating my life

    Mrs N J Harris (Letters, February 22) feels parents with children are treated as second-class citizens at supermarkets. On the contrary, I find everything is geared towards parents with children - preferential parking, special child trolleys, reward schemes

  • Meet the female Nasty Nigel

    Despite reducing aspiring actors to tears on national television, Kate Marlow insists she is not the next Nasty Nigel. The drama coach is the latest in a long line of figures the public loves to hate on the small screen. Following in the footsteps of

  • 30 millionth in the Rich List

    I see Bill Archer is listed 119th on the rich list and that Sir Paul McCartney came in at 39th (February 25). By a complex calculation using several wage packets, bank statements and loose change in my pocket, I have determined that my position in the

  • Have your say on station

    Commuters and residents are being urged to attend a public meeting to call for the redevelopment of a train station. The Haywards Heath Society has organised the meeting with Railtrack and Govia to give people the chance to ask about the future of commuter

  • Father jailed after high-speed chase

    A father-of-three sparked a high-speed car chase when police tried to pull him over. Matthew Edden, 32, of Plymouth Avenue, Brighton, was jailed for seven months after admitting dangerous driving. Officers spotted him driving erratically in his adoptive

  • Falmer memories

    In answer to the points put to me (Letters, February 23), I am old enough to remember Falmer before the University of Sussex was built. I am surprised those opposed to the stadium at Falmer are not advocating demolition of the university's buildings and

  • I commute too, says rail chief

    Passengers on the Brighton line will get a glimpse of the trains that will take rail travel into a new era next month. It will be the beginning of the end of the slam-door stock, which has been a feature of the Sussex rail network since the first routes

  • Big drop in police complaints

    The number of complaints against Sussex Police has fallen dramatically - but the overall figure may never be known. The force has changed its system for recording complaints and many minor moans are dealt with informally instead of being written down.

  • Stand-off as migrants seized

    Illegal immigrants dangled children over the side of a ferry and threatened to throw them into the water. The incident happened during a stand-off as police and immigration officials tried to detain 16 immigrants found aboard the ferry Sardinia Vera at

  • MP puts case for better health care

    Health minister John Hutton will today be asked to approve a package of measures to improve long-term care for the elderly in Crawley. The town's MP, Laura Moffatt, has secured a Westminster Hall debate on the issue. She was due to present a report to

  • Tax bills up 8.9 per cent

    Taxpayers in the Horsham district are likely to face a hike of 8.9 per cent in their bills after a council meeting today. Tony Higgins, director of finance for Horsham Council, said: "It is lower than originally expected." The council will use some of

  • Travellers bill tops £4,000

    Security guards hired to keep track of travellers in Worthing have cost council tax payers almost £4,500 in five days. The borough council brought in guards after the group moved on to an unofficial site at Brooklands Park. The travellers were evicted

  • Farewell to Desmond

    How sad I was to read of the death of Desmond Plunkett (February 21). I met and entertained him at Storrington Royal Air Force home on my birthday three or four years ago, only two weeks before my own RAF brother died. Mr Plunkett was such a nice gentleman

  • £700,000 for a two-bed flat

    Property price records look likely to be broken when two exclusive luxury penthouses go on sale. With views of the Royal Pavilion and Regency Gardens, the apartments in Princes House, North Street, Brighton, are expected to be the most expensive of their

  • From the depths

    The viola, larger and deeper-toned than the violin but lacking the cello's sonority, used to be something of a Cinderella instrument until Lionel Tertis released its magic. He was among the first to make the viola an accepted solo instrument in its own

  • Tough love

    Many actors have become famous policemen but John Thaw was renowned as hard-man Regan in the Seventies' tough police drama The Sweeney and, from 1987, as the intellectual Inspector Morse. His very first television appearance was in Z Cars in 1964, aged

  • Local lustre

    Des Lynam's roots are humbler than Martha Buckley realises (February 21). Des lived his early days in the Fifties in Kipling Avenue, Woodingdean, on the estate of prefab "homes fit for heroes". He is only one of a host of "glams" linked to Woodingdean

  • Crash victim was set for judo glory

    A teenage boy killed in a car crash was destined for a glittering judo career. Laurie Suckling, 13, had just qualified for the Southern Area Judo squad after impressing selectors with a clutch of gold and silver medals. His teachers at Uckfield Community

  • Youth in action: Brave Emma in at the deep end

    Emma James, a swimmer with the potential to be national standard, made a successful comeback in the Sussex Champion-ships at Crawley. The Brighton youngster beat the pain barrier to finish a surprise fourth in the girls' born 1991 100m breaststroke behind

  • It's not over for the pier

    Many people thought the historic West Pier in Brighton had been saved when the National Lottery promised one of its largest grants of almost £14 million. But the ailing pier's problems were only just beginning. It has become plain that more than lottery

  • Rugby: Bionic Rob earns England call

    Rob Lawrence's has been called up to the English Schools under-18s squad after recovering from knee surgery that threatened his rugby career. The 17-year-old hooker, from Chichester, said: "England selection proves dreams can come true. But I honestly

  • Dome fiasco lost us a golden opportunity

    If Brighton and Hove City Council wants to apply to become Capital of Culture, it should think a bit harder about how it treats its artists. The long-awaited re-opening concert at the Dome, a return home for Brighton's very own orchestra, the Brighton

  • Non-league: Sub Knee grabs brace

    Substitute Mark Knee scored two goals in two minutes to give Worthing their first win in 13 games with a 3-2 victory at Uxbridge Ryman Division One. Rebels roared back after being 2-0 down at the break and an incident packed game saw Andy Alexander take

  • Brooker's bolt from the blue

    Paul Brooker kept Albion on course for promotion last night with a bolt from the blue with his wrong foot. Brooker's spectacular 25-yard strike in the first half earned the Seagulls a 1-1 draw in the south coast derby at Bournemouth. His second goal of

  • Outcry over late post plan

    Leaders of a million businessmen and women who work from home have attacked plans to deliver post later in the day and end second deliveries. The Royal Mail said the changes, to be tested in Crawley and 13 other areas, will mean a single delivery arriving

  • Bid to put nail in marital coffin

    Pensioner Brian Behan is taking his campaign against marriage to a wedding fair - dressed as an undertaker. Mr Behan, 75, founder member and secretary of the Anti-Marriage Society, will be warning young couples not to tie the knot. He will be spreading

  • Sick student's charity head-shave

    A woman who shaved her hair off before it fell out during chemotherapy has raised thousands of pounds for charity. Relatives and friends cried as Chantelle Penderghast's auburn locks fell to the floor of the Henty Arms pub in Ferring, near Worthing. The

  • Sacked worker's harassment claim

    A sacked Eastbourne office worker with learning difficulties who was dismissed after pushing three colleagues wants his job back. David Hobbs, 47, was punished for violent behaviour at the Dental Practice Board in Eastbourne after working there for 14

  • Crash victim was set for judo glory

    A teenage boy killed in a car crash was destined for a glittering judo career. Laurie Suckling, 13, had just qualified for the Southern Area Judo squad after impressing selectors with a clutch of gold and silver medals. His teachers at Uckfield Community

  • New homes 'put school under pressure'

    A flood of new homes has been blamed for increasing demand at an over-subscribed school. Peacehaven Town Council says too many single homes are being replaced by two-for-one housing schemes or flats. Young families moving into Peacehaven in place of pensioners

  • Baby murder trial adjourned

    The trial of an East Sussex man accused of murdering his two-year-old stepson has been put on hold. Solictors in the case of Aaron Goodman and Emma Back met with presiding Judge Raffety this morning. Goodman, 27, was believed to have become too ill to

  • Retiring bobby slams merger plan

    Hove will lose more of its identity when its police merge with Brighton, according to a community beat bobby. PC Barry Jeffcoat retires in July with more than a tinge of sadness about the planned amalgamation, scheduled for the end of next month. He said

  • Sick student's charity head-shave

    A Worthing woman who shaved her hair off before it fell out during chemotherapy has raised thousands of pounds for charity. Relatives and friends cried as Chantelle Penderghast's auburn locks fell to the floor of the Henty Arms pub in Ferring, near Worthing

  • Villagers buy their shop

    Villagers plan to save their only shop by buying it themselves. They are forming a community group to run the Old Village Stores and sub-post office at Slinfold, near Horsham, on a non-profit-making basis. They became concerned their only shop could go

  • Mother's fears for missing teenager

    A mother whose daughter has been missing for a week fears she is being held against her will. Hairdresser Donna Duplock, 18, has not been seen since she kissed her mother goodbye on February 19, saying she was going to a nightclub. Her mother, Linda,

  • Man jailed for frenzied stabbing

    A drug abuser who stabbed a man repeatedly in the head during a frenzied attack has been jailed for six years. John Paul Darcy, 21, of Westbourne Place, Hove, pleaded guilty to assault causing grievous bodily harm. Lewes Crown Court heard yesterday how

  • Where few dare venture

    Although our police force is nowhere near the standard it used to be, it is one of the few things we really need. People are all too ready to criticise them for being ineffective but our police choose to put themselves where few dare venture. We should