After a long spell in hospital the thought of going back home and coping with ordinary life can be daunting at first. The sudden switch from being in bed for most of the day and having things done for you to having to do everything for yourself again
A man was charged last night with the murder of 33-year-old Charmian Falkner. James Samuel John Flynn, 35, of Brighton, was due to appear before magistrates today. Miss Falkner, a former security guard at the Brighton Centre, was found dead at a bedsit
Train services were hit today as thousands of workers went on strike over pay. South West Train's services, which run from Brighton to Reading via Chichester and Basingstoke, were halted, forcing hundreds of commuters to make alternative travel plans.
Hundreds of jobs are at risk if British Airways decides to pull its international flights out of Gatwick. The airline, which occupies most of the north terminal, is considering moving services to Heathrow as a cost-cutting option. However, the company
A rail company is offering a £1,000 reward following an unprovoked attack on a train guard. The guard received head injuries in the assault, which happened at Portslade station. South Central Trains is offering the reward for information leading to the
A campaign group is defying United Nations sanctions by selling dates grown in Iraq. Voices In The Wilderness, which campaigns for sanctions against Iraq to be lifted, said it would be selling the fruit in half-kilo boxes in Brighton and Hastings today
A young mother will be unable to walk for months after suffering leg injuries in a collision with a double decker bus. Vannessia Carrillo, 21, was badly injured on New Year's Eve when she fell under the wheels of a bus in Western Road, Brighton, while
Liberal Democrats are calling on Brighton and Hove to become the first UK city to embrace the Euro. Britain is one of the few EU members not to have joined the single European currency this year. Lib Dems say the council should encourage shops and other
Builder Sean Ashcroft has been left fuming by untaxed cars taking up parking spaces and preventing motorists with up-to-date tax discs from parking near their homes. Mr Ashcroft was given a parking ticket at 8.56am on New Year's Eve because he could not
Hospitals across Sussex are bracing themselves for an expected rush of patients over the next month. January is traditionally a busy period with dozens of patients having operations cancelled or waiting a long time in accident and emergency departments
A Sussex hospital has one of the busiest maternity units in the UK. A book published today by medical research group Dr Foster shows there are 1.2 births per bed, per day at Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton. The hospital is one of 21 to record
Employers in the finance sector have predicted an increase in employment prospects for the coming three months. Figures from Manpower's survey of employment prospects show optimism in the sector. The survey asked companies, spanning 12 regions and 19
Crime was all but wiped out in a city centre over Christmas. Figures just released show swamping streets with bobbies paid major dividends, with no crime at all being recorded in one busy shopping area. High-profile patrols in Blatchington Road, Hove,
Sussex Deputy Chief Constable Maria Wallis has promised extra community officers for Brighton and Hove. Mrs Wallis, who received the Queen's Police Medal in the New Year's Honours, has also praised the crime-busting work of police in Hove and Shoreham
Adam Trimingham is not doing himself justice as the "Sage of Sussex" (The Argus December 27). The whole point about staying out of the euro arrangements is the UK keeps control of its interest rates and therefore of the economy. It has nothing to do with
I am not very often upset by anything I read in The Argus but I was by Adam Trimingham's column of propaganda for the EU (The Argus, December 27). Not just because I have a different stance, rather because of the pathetic nonsense he chose to try to support
Britain is supposed to be a nation of animal lovers but you wouldn't think so if you looked at some of the centres for dumped pets. Sussex is one of the worst places in the UK for abandoned animals, with thousands of them being left every year. The discarding
On Christmas Eve at 7.20pm, I was sitting in my red/white Mini Cooper preparing to drive into our car park, waiting to allow another motorist to pass. When the driver passed, it was free for me to proceed. However, when I started to move towards our entrance
A call for mandatory life sentences for child abductors was made by Steve Fuller (Letters, December 29). The timing coincides with more calls in papers such as The News Of The World for tightening laws against paedophiles and even locking them up without
I can't very well let the letter from Lisa MacMurdle (Letters, December 28) go without a reply. I am 81 years old and have had excellent treatment from our local hospital, The Royal Sussex County. A friend of mine, a woman aged 64, was recently mugged
I think it is disgraceful that roads off Dyke Road, Brighton, have not seen a dust cart since before Christmas and are expected to have to wait until after new year. There has been no collection in Matlock Road since the Wednesday before Christmas so
I wonder why any poor soul would choose to live in Brighton. What a place to live. All I do is pray to God to take me away. How I miss those wonderful war years when I was out of Brighton. A city? Never. I hate it. -C W Pratt, Springfield Road, Brighton
As a teenager, Lorna Pyke must have driven her driving instructor round the bend. She failed her test four times and had a tendency to end up in a hedge. Soon after scraping through the test, she signed up for a life of adventure by joining an Army driving
Dame Vera Lynn has joined a campaign for a memorial to the women of the Second World War. The Forces Sweetheart, who lives in Ditchling, is supporting calls for a memorial in Whitehall to remember their contribution. She said: "Some time ago I wrote a
If Tony Blair has made any New Year resolutions for 2002, I hope one of them is to tackle the chaos of getting round this country. Having tried to save the world since September, he should now apply himself to the even more intractable problems of transport
One could be sympathetic towards the outcry of the residents of Henfield over plans to open a new abattoir in the area (The Argus, December 27) if the opposition was based on the cruel suffering and death of thousands of animals at such a hell hole. However
I was glad your recent article on ME (The Argus, December 27) highlighted the severity of this illness. As a telephone contact for the Sussex ME/CFS Society, I am contacted by many people who have become disabled yet cannot obtain appropriate local services
When the snow starts to fall, most children rush outside to build a snowman or have a snowball fight. But Chris Maher Loughnan and his children, Amber, six, and Dylan, eight, went one better and built an igloo in their garden. With the help of neighbour
A massage during the working day could keep the sick days away. This is the latest idea in the battle against stress in the workplace. Personal fitness trainer and masseur Lee Quilter is launching a new service in Brighton in the hope of persuading open-minded
After a long spell in hospital the thought of going back home and coping with ordinary life can be daunting at first. The sudden switch from being in bed for most of the day and having things done for you to having to do everything for yourself again
A man was charged last night with the murder of 33-year-old Charmian Falkner. James Samuel John Flynn, 35, of Brighton, was due to appear before magistrates today. Miss Falkner, a former security guard at the Brighton Centre, was found dead at a bedsit
Train services were hit today as thousands of workers went on strike over pay. South West Train's services, which run from Brighton to Reading via Chichester and Basingstoke, were halted, forcing hundreds of commuters to make alternative travel plans.
A man suffered serious head injuries when he was beaten up on New Year's Eve. The 25-year-old from Hailsham was celebrating the New Year at the George Hotel, George Street, Hailsham with friends. At 10.30pm he went to the toilet and a short time later
A rail company is offering a £1,000 reward following an unprovoked attack on a train guard. The guard received head injuries in the assault, which happened at Portslade station. South Central Trains is offering the reward for information leading to the
A drug addict who stole from his mother's purse was sent to jail for four months. Sean Baker, 29, of Bodiam Avenue, Brighton, admitted a charge of theft when he appeared at Brighton Magistrates Court. The court heard Baker was visiting his mother's home
A campaign group is defying United Nations sanctions by selling dates grown in Iraq. Voices In The Wilderness, which campaigns for sanctions against Iraq to be lifted, said it would be selling the fruit in half-kilo boxes in Brighton and Hastings today
Builder Sean Ashcroft has been left fuming by untaxed cars taking up parking spaces and preventing motorists with up-to-date tax discs from parking near their homes. Mr Ashcroft was given a parking ticket at 8.56am on New Year's Eve because he could not
A man walking his dog was head-butted by a man in his late 60s. The victim saw a man approaching with five dogs and asked him to pull them away from his own animal dog in Bersted Street, Bognor, on New Year's Day at 10.20am. The man responded by head-butting
A teenager was attacked by a gang and hit over the head with a metal bar. The 16-year-old boy was walking along South Road, Hailsham, on Saturday at 9pm with his girlfriend when he was approached by a group of 12 youths and attacked. The boy was taken
Crime was all but wiped out in a city centre over Christmas. Figures just released show swamping streets with bobbies paid major dividends, with no crime at all being recorded in one busy shopping area. High-profile patrols in Blatchington Road, Hove,
Paul Elphick has declined an invitation to play for Brighton's senior team at the Sussex inter-league championships at Westergate, Fontwell, next Saturday. The Brighton champion and six times holder of the title has not said why he will not be appearing
I am not very often upset by anything I read in The Argus but I was by Adam Trimingham's column of propaganda for the EU (The Argus, December 27). Not just because I have a different stance, rather because of the pathetic nonsense he chose to try to support
Britain is supposed to be a nation of animal lovers but you wouldn't think so if you looked at some of the centres for dumped pets. Sussex is one of the worst places in the UK for abandoned animals, with thousands of them being left every year. The discarding
Robin Dean urges us to adopt the euro so our shops, hotels and restaurants will prosper (Letters, December 29). He believes saving the pound lost votes for the Conservatives at the last election. If only it were that simple. Firstly, joining the euro
Spiritual healer Ross Heaven has helped a woman bury herself in the middle of a wood. She stayed in the grave overnight, covered with earth, in a bid to get rid of her trauma. Ross, who hails from Hove, says the earth becomes a womb for people who undergo
A call for mandatory life sentences for child abductors was made by Steve Fuller (Letters, December 29). The timing coincides with more calls in papers such as The News Of The World for tightening laws against paedophiles and even locking them up without
I can't very well let the letter from Lisa MacMurdle (Letters, December 28) go without a reply. I am 81 years old and have had excellent treatment from our local hospital, The Royal Sussex County. A friend of mine, a woman aged 64, was recently mugged
I think it is disgraceful that roads off Dyke Road, Brighton, have not seen a dust cart since before Christmas and are expected to have to wait until after new year. There has been no collection in Matlock Road since the Wednesday before Christmas so
I wonder why any poor soul would choose to live in Brighton. What a place to live. All I do is pray to God to take me away. How I miss those wonderful war years when I was out of Brighton. A city? Never. I hate it. -C W Pratt, Springfield Road, Brighton
A man suffered serious head injuries when he was beaten up on New Year's Eve. The 25-year-old from Hailsham was celebrating the New Year at the George Hotel, George Street, Hailsham with friends. At 10.30pm he went to the toilet and a short time later
Crime has dropped for the third month running in East Sussex, according to police figures. The number of recorded crimes dealt with by police in Eastbourne, Hailsham, Lewes, Peacehaven, Seaford and Newhaven has shown a decrease between August and November
Hundreds of jobs are at risk if British Airways decides to pull its international flights out of Gatwick. The airline, which occupies most of the north terminal, is considering moving services to Heathrow as a cost-cutting option. However, the company
The Gatwick Express train company is scrapping its middle-of-the-night services between Gatwick and London. The hourly service, operating both ways in the small hours, will end from Sunday. There will be no trains between 1.30am and 4.30am and then the
Plans to create a new burial ground to ease a chronic shortage of space are set to be delayed again. The new site is planned for Jane Murray Way, in Burgess Hill, but a row has erupted over the kind of gravestones the bereaved will be able to have to
Hero Jeff Marriott used a garden hose to battle his way through a blazing house to rescue a toddler who was frozen to the spot with fear just feet from a searing fire. The little girl is now being treated for 20 per cent burns in a specialist hospital
As a teenager, Lorna Pyke must have driven her driving instructor round the bend. She failed her test four times and had a tendency to end up in a hedge. Soon after scraping through the test, she signed up for a life of adventure by joining an Army driving
If Tony Blair has made any New Year resolutions for 2002, I hope one of them is to tackle the chaos of getting round this country. Having tried to save the world since September, he should now apply himself to the even more intractable problems of transport
Along with my first Heard World column appearing this time last year, it was also the time I took up judo - at just turned 50! Like many people, the turn of the year is my ritual time for having a bit of a look at how my life's going. But, in my case,
I was glad your recent article on ME (The Argus, December 27) highlighted the severity of this illness. As a telephone contact for the Sussex ME/CFS Society, I am contacted by many people who have become disabled yet cannot obtain appropriate local services
As the Clock Tower in Brighton remains in mothballs during its ongoing refurbishment, we must take comfort in the knowledge it will re-emerge as its famous old self before too long. Soon, people will continue to say "see you at the Clock Tower" as they
A massage during the working day could keep the sick days away. This is the latest idea in the battle against stress in the workplace. Personal fitness trainer and masseur Lee Quilter is launching a new service in Brighton in the hope of persuading open-minded
A woman who devoted her life to caring for others has celebrated her 100th birthday. Elsie Dibbell spent the day surrounded by more than 50 guests who lavished her with cards, presents and flowers at Rustington Hall care home, near Littlehampton. The
Photographer Stewart Weir is to visit a refugee camp in Afghanistan for one of his most challenging assignments. He has been commissioned by UK charity War Child to take pictures showing the daily horror endured by ordinary families in a country devastated
A 17-year-old girl was telling police last night how she was kidnapped and repeatedly raped. She told officers: "I never thought this could happen." The victim, shocked and traumatised by her six-hour ordeal, was being interviewed at a police safe house
Recycling points have been set up for people wanting to dispose of their Christmas trees. The drop-off points, opened by Brighton and Hove City Council, will operate until January 30. Locations in Brighton include Wish Park Recreation Ground, Bevendean
House prices in the South East are rising above the national average and threatening a boom and bust cycle. Figures released today showed prices rose 15.8 per cent in the last year - the national average was just under 14 per cent. The average price of
A man suffered serious head injuries when he was beaten up on New Year's Eve. The 25-year-old from Hailsham was celebrating the New Year at the George Hotel, George Street, Hailsham with friends. At 10.30pm he went to the toilet and a short time later
A drug addict who stole from his mother's purse was sent to jail for four months. Sean Baker, 29, of Bodiam Avenue, Brighton, admitted a charge of theft when he appeared at Brighton Magistrates Court. The court heard Baker was visiting his mother's home
A National Trust garden is asking people to dig deep and unearth any unwanted foreign notes and coins to help in an appeal. People can donate their change to Sheffield Park Garden, near Haywards Heath, to help support its Planting for the Future appeal
Nigel Freedman reports on the deepening crisis at The Old Market arts centre in Hove amid fears the Hanover Band, which it was relying on for support, could collapse. The trustees of The Old Market had a dream to turn it into one of the best-performing
Train journeys on one of the UK's most popular steam railways could be in jeopardy. The Bluebell Railway, based at Sheffield Park, near Haywards Heath, has been unable to finalise its timetable for 2002 because it needs planning permission to run trains
Credit card borrowing rose at its highest rate for nearly a year during November as repayments slowed in the run up to Christmas. Although spending on credit cards was three per cent lower than October, a fall in the amount of debt being paid off led
Ross Heaven has just returned from helping a woman bury herself in the middle of a wood. The woman dug her own grave, stepped into it and covered herself with earth. Ross was on hand to help make the grave as comfortable as possible for her overnight
Albion fear Saturday's FA Cup third round clash against Preston at Withdean could fall foul of the Big Freeze. If the game is postponed it would be the third game at Withdean out of the last four to be hit. A precautionary pitch inspection is likely to
Albion goalkeeper Michel Kuipers is on course for the briefest of comebacks. The Seagulls will make a late decision on the big Dutchman's availability for Saturday's FA Cup third round clash against Preston at Withdean - if it goes ahead. Simon Royce
West Sussex club GS Stella, who last year notched up eight open wins before the end of March, will be stronger than ever this year. They have signed Hampshire rider Dave Dent who lives just over the West Sussex border in Clanfield. Dent, who won the 2001
Paul Elphick has declined an invitation to play for Brighton's senior team at the Sussex inter-league championships at Westergate, Fontwell, next Saturday. The Brighton champion and six times holder of the title has not said why he will not be appearing
Robin Dean urges us to adopt the euro so our shops, hotels and restaurants will prosper (Letters, December 29). He believes saving the pound lost votes for the Conservatives at the last election. If only it were that simple. Firstly, joining the euro
The history of the Second World War is often written as if all the acts of heroism were performed by men. But millions of women played a vital effort in ensuring Hitler was defeated and the people of Britain could be free. Few did more than Dame Vera
Spiritual healer Ross Heaven has helped a woman bury herself in the middle of a wood. She stayed in the grave overnight, covered with earth, in a bid to get rid of her trauma. Ross, who hails from Hove, says the earth becomes a womb for people who undergo
I wonder if any readers have had problems changing from South Eastern Electric Board to British Gas electric or any other supplier. I decided to change from SEEB to British Gas. I read the meter and sent the final reading to British Gas for them to inform
A man today pleaded guilty to an attack that left a 24-year-old woman temporarily blinded. Teresa Marie Chase was punched repeatedly in the head and face, leaving her left eye badly swollen. She said today: "I'm glad justice has been done but I would
Along with my first Heard World column appearing this time last year, it was also the time I took up judo - at just turned 50! Like many people, the turn of the year is my ritual time for having a bit of a look at how my life's going. But, in my case,
As the Clock Tower in Brighton remains in mothballs during its ongoing refurbishment, we must take comfort in the knowledge it will re-emerge as its famous old self before too long. Soon, people will continue to say "see you at the Clock Tower" as they
Jane Kirby investigates why Sussex has the unenviable distinction of having the joint highest rate for abandoning animals. SIMBA is a boisterous, happy puppy looking for a new home. The German shepherd was brought to the Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare
A woman who devoted her life to caring for others has celebrated her 100th birthday. Elsie Dibbell spent the day surrounded by more than 50 guests who lavished her with cards, presents and flowers at Rustington Hall care home, near Littlehampton. The
Photographer Stewart Weir is to visit a refugee camp in Afghanistan for one of his most challenging assignments. He has been commissioned by UK charity War Child to take pictures showing the daily horror endured by ordinary families in a country devastated
A 17-year-old girl was telling police last night how she was kidnapped and repeatedly raped. She told officers: "I never thought this could happen." The victim, shocked and traumatised by her six-hour ordeal, was being interviewed at a police safe house
Recycling points have been set up for people wanting to dispose of their Christmas trees. The drop-off points, opened by Brighton and Hove City Council, will operate until January 30. Locations in Brighton include Wish Park Recreation Ground, Bevendean
House prices in the South East are rising above the national average and threatening a boom and bust cycle. Figures released today showed prices rose 15.8 per cent in the last year - the national average was just under 14 per cent. The average price of
Hundreds of jobs are at risk if British Airways decides to pull its international flights out of Gatwick. The airline, which occupies most of the north terminal, is considering moving services to Heathrow as a cost-cutting option. However, the company
A young mother will be unable to walk for months after suffering leg injuries in a collision with a double decker bus. Vannessia Carrillo, 21, was badly injured on New Year's Eve when she fell under the wheels of a bus in Western Road, Brighton, while
Liberal Democrats are calling on Brighton and Hove to become the first UK city to embrace the Euro. Britain is one of the few EU members not to have joined the single European currency this year. Lib Dems say the council should encourage shops and other
A National Trust garden is asking people to dig deep and unearth any unwanted foreign notes and coins to help in an appeal. People can donate their change to Sheffield Park Garden, near Haywards Heath, to help support its Planting for the Future appeal
Hospitals across Sussex are bracing themselves for an expected rush of patients over the next month. January is traditionally a busy period with dozens of patients having operations cancelled or waiting a long time in accident and emergency departments
A Sussex hospital has one of the busiest maternity units in the UK. A book published today by medical research group Dr Foster shows there are 1.2 births per bed, per day at Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton. The hospital is one of 21 to record
Nigel Freedman reports on the deepening crisis at The Old Market arts centre in Hove amid fears the Hanover Band, which it was relying on for support, could collapse. The trustees of The Old Market had a dream to turn it into one of the best-performing
Train journeys on one of the UK's most popular steam railways could be in jeopardy. The Bluebell Railway, based at Sheffield Park, near Haywards Heath, has been unable to finalise its timetable for 2002 because it needs planning permission to run trains
A headteacher has said it will be business as usual for pupils on Monday after part of a school was destroyed by fire. The sixth form common room at the Grove School, Darwell Close, St Leonards, was vandalised and gutted by fire on New Year's Eve. Headteacher
Employers in the finance sector have predicted an increase in employment prospects for the coming three months. Figures from Manpower's survey of employment prospects show optimism in the sector. The survey asked companies, spanning 12 regions and 19
Credit card borrowing rose at its highest rate for nearly a year during November as repayments slowed in the run up to Christmas. Although spending on credit cards was three per cent lower than October, a fall in the amount of debt being paid off led
Ross Heaven has just returned from helping a woman bury herself in the middle of a wood. The woman dug her own grave, stepped into it and covered herself with earth. Ross was on hand to help make the grave as comfortable as possible for her overnight
Albion fear Saturday's FA Cup third round clash against Preston at Withdean could fall foul of the Big Freeze. If the game is postponed it would be the third game at Withdean out of the last four to be hit. A precautionary pitch inspection is likely to
Sussex Deputy Chief Constable Maria Wallis has promised extra community officers for Brighton and Hove. Mrs Wallis, who received the Queen's Police Medal in the New Year's Honours, has also praised the crime-busting work of police in Hove and Shoreham
Albion goalkeeper Michel Kuipers is on course for the briefest of comebacks. The Seagulls will make a late decision on the big Dutchman's availability for Saturday's FA Cup third round clash against Preston at Withdean - if it goes ahead. Simon Royce
West Sussex club GS Stella, who last year notched up eight open wins before the end of March, will be stronger than ever this year. They have signed Hampshire rider Dave Dent who lives just over the West Sussex border in Clanfield. Dent, who won the 2001
Adam Trimingham is not doing himself justice as the "Sage of Sussex" (The Argus December 27). The whole point about staying out of the euro arrangements is the UK keeps control of its interest rates and therefore of the economy. It has nothing to do with
The history of the Second World War is often written as if all the acts of heroism were performed by men. But millions of women played a vital effort in ensuring Hitler was defeated and the people of Britain could be free. Few did more than Dame Vera
On Christmas Eve at 7.20pm, I was sitting in my red/white Mini Cooper preparing to drive into our car park, waiting to allow another motorist to pass. When the driver passed, it was free for me to proceed. However, when I started to move towards our entrance
I wonder if any readers have had problems changing from South Eastern Electric Board to British Gas electric or any other supplier. I decided to change from SEEB to British Gas. I read the meter and sent the final reading to British Gas for them to inform
A man today pleaded guilty to an attack that left a 24-year-old woman temporarily blinded. Teresa Marie Chase was punched repeatedly in the head and face, leaving her left eye badly swollen. She said today: "I'm glad justice has been done but I would
A young mother will be unable to walk for months after suffering leg injuries in an accident with a double-deck bus. Vannessia Carrillo, 21, from Hailsham, was badly injured on New Year's Eve when she fell under the wheels of a bus in Western Road, Brighton
A town clerk has been fired a few weeks after landing her job because councillors decided she was unsuitable. Dr Helena Hodges was appointed clerk of Lewes Town Council in October to take over from Christopher Walsh, who had been in the post for 30 years
More than 1,700 jobs could be lost costing the economy £38.7 million because of a shortage of office space. Sussex Enterprise, the largest organisation that represents and helps businesses in Sussex, has predicted the whole of the country will suffer
Developers plans to open a children's nursery on a controversial site have been recommended for refusal for a second time. Haywards Heath Town Council's planning committee discussed the resubmitted scheme to convert a house in Heath Road, Haywards Heath
Campaigners have set up a group to raise cash to restore a 19th Century mill to its former glory. Friends of Oldlands Mill has been formed to help restore the mill in Keymer to working order and eventually open it to the public. County records show the
Train services were hit today as thousands of workers went on strike over pay. South West Trains' services, which run from Brighton to Reading via Chichester and Basingstoke, were halted, forcing hundreds of commuters to make alternative travel plans.
Dame Vera Lynn has joined a campaign for a memorial to the women of the Second World War. The Forces Sweetheart, who lives in Ditchling, is supporting calls for a memorial in Whitehall to remember their contribution. She said: "Some time ago I wrote a
One could be sympathetic towards the outcry of the residents of Henfield over plans to open a new abattoir in the area (The Argus, December 27) if the opposition was based on the cruel suffering and death of thousands of animals at such a hell hole. However
When the snow starts to fall, most children rush outside to build a snowman or have a snowball fight. But Chris Maher Loughnan and his children, Amber, six, and Dylan, eight, went one better and built an igloo in their garden. With the help of neighbour
Jane Kirby investigates why Sussex has the unenviable distinction of having the joint highest rate for abandoning animals. SIMBA is a boisterous, happy puppy looking for a new home. The German shepherd was brought to the Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare
