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Southern has launched a legal challenge to stop this week’s strikes as guards have been told to accept new roles by a rail union.

The RMT have been locked in a bitter dispute with Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) over its plans to bring in on-board supervisors, with union members holding five walkouts already this year.

Another 14 days of strikes have been planned in five different weeks between now and Christmas, with the first-three day walkout starting tomorrow (Tuesday October 11).

Talks to resolve the dispute ended last week between the two sides, but according to national reports RMT general secretary Mick Cash has written to its members urging them to volunteer for the new on-board supervisor roles.

But the union has hit back at the rail operator for launching a formal legal challenge to stop the strikes.

Charles Horton, chief executive officer at GTR, said: “It is welcome that the RMT has finally seen sense and recommended their members take the excellent roles on offer.

“They reject an offer one day, tell conductors to sign up to the role the next, but then still issue a clarion call to strike about it a few days later.

“Their own union has lost them each a £2,000 bonus which was on offer last Thursday only to tell them to sign-up 24 hours later. Their mandate, like their position on this six months old dispute, is built on quicksand.

“Now to go ahead with these strikes just days after telling conductors to accept our offer sets new standards in union militancy. They don’t care that hundreds of thousands of commuters will face yet more travel misery this week; it’s clear this is all about the union trying to hang on to power and control.

“We’re guaranteeing a job till 2021 and no loss of pay or overtime. Our aim is to modernise our operations to give passengers better customer service with a dedicated second safety-trained member of staff working each and every train where we currently have a conductor and the driver in sole control operating the train.

“I urge them to call off what is a pointless and unnecessary dispute, as it always has been.”

But Mr Cash said: “RMT can confirm the receipt of a formal legal challenge from Southern Rail in the guards safety dispute.

“It is appalling that rather than sitting down with us at ACAS today to seek a resolution the company have chosen to run to the courts under the cloak of the anti-union laws.

“The union intends to continue with the planned action and is examining the details of the paperwork. We will issue a further statement in due course.”

On national reports he has told guards to accept the new role, Mr Cash added: ”Despite the company spin today there is no climb down from the union. Our dispute remains on and the fight for safety continues.

“We have a duty to issue our members with clear legal advice that protects their position in the teeth of the threat of mass sackings. That is what we have done.

“The union offered to bring ACAS in at the talks at the back end last week in an effort to close the gap between the two sides and to reach a negotiated settlement. GTR turned that down flat but the offer still stands. The union is geared up and ready for those talks on Monday.”

A spokesman for Southern said: “On Friday the RMT told their conductor members to accept a deal, and then tomorrow they plan to strike against it.

“It is a situation which will leave our passengers baffled. We have written to the RMT about the validity of their dispute in light of recent developments. We await their response and will consider all possible options to stop the strike and that includes a legal challenge.”

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Workplace stress has reached record levels, according to a TUC report for World Mental Health Day.

The survey, which questioned more than 1,000 health and safety reps showed that seven in ten of those questioned regarded stress at work as the top health hazard - a figure up on the 67 per cent figure from 2014.

Those in public sector jobs appear to be worst hit according to the report. 93 per cent of those representing central government employees regarded it as one of the top five hazards, while nearly nine in 10 of respondents in the education sector and more that four out of five in the health services also listing it as a major concern.

However, medium-sized private sector companies have also seen a rise in concerns over stress since the 2014 survey. Three-quarters of reps in firms with 50-99 workers rated it as a top five concern, compared with 62 per cent two years ago.

Stress is also the most widespread concern across the 11 UK areas which the survey covered.

The biggest increase in the last two years has been in Northern Ireland - up by 13 per cent to 78 per cent.

The North’s figure is up by 11 per cent to 78 per cent, while in Scotland there is an eight per cent to 74 per cent. The rise in the South West is six per cent to 81 per cent while there are five per cent rises East Anglia (64 per cent) and the South East (67 per cent).

Of the figures, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “The message from the shop floor is clear, stress is becoming a bigger and bigger problem.

“Pressures of long working hours and low job security are being felt in workplaces across the UK.

“Stress is preventable if staff have reasonable workloads, supportive managers and a workplace free from violence, bullying and harassment.

“Anyone worried about their workload or being unfairly treated at work should join a union, to get the support they need and their interests represented at work.”

Shoreham Horticultural and Allotment Society ended its 2016 season with a stunning autumnal display.

The society holds three flower and produce shows a year, usually at the Shoreham Centre.

Daphne Thomas, show secretary, said: “Amidst the hubbub of the Shoreham Centre on Saturday, the Shoreham Horticultural and Allotment Society held their autumn show.

“Again, the exhibitors filled Room 3 with their marvellous achievements of growing skills, displaying flowers, pot plants and vegetables.

“The photography section was very well supported and delighted the visitors, the category being wellington boots, shoes and slippers.

“The society would like to thank all those who have supported them over the past year and look forwarded to seeing them again in 2017.”

The red rosette for best flower in show went to Julie MacCulloch. She also won the Fred Hill Memorial Salver for dahlias and Farmer Cup for flowers and vegetables.

The green rosette for best vegetable in show went to Brian Thomas.

Other autumn show winners were:-

Bruce Button, Bayley Cup for chrysanthemums.

Ann Cox, G. Nixey Cup for fruit.

Ian Swyer, Society Cup for vegetables.

Mary Green and Sue Saunders, joint winners of the Harwood Challenge Cup for homecrafts.

Leatham Green and Doug Rowland, joint winners of the Men Only Homecraft Trophy.

Gill Robbins, Tingley Bowl for floral art.

Sue Saunders, novice floral art.

Lorraine Saunders, Ryan Trophy for photography.

Anne Fryer, crafts.

Visit www.shorehamhorticulturalsociety.org for more information about the society.

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Concern is growing for a 15-year-old girl from Bognor Regis who has been missing for a week.

According to police, Chanelle Fay was last seen leaving her home address in Halson Close on Monday, October 3 at around 9.45pm to meet some friends near Tamarisk Road.

Police are concerned about her welfare and have described the teenager as white, 5ft and of slim build with shoulder length black hair and brown eyes.

It is believed that she was last seen wearing a black/green check shirt, a black t-shirt, black leggings and trainers.

Sussex Police missing persons co-ordinator Mark Green said: “We’re concerned about Chanelle because of her age.

“It is thought she is still in the Bognor area and could be with friends. We would just like to make sure she is OK.”

Anyone who has seen Chanelle or has any information about her whereabouts is asked to email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk or call 101 quoting, serial 1794 of 03/10.

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Police are advising pranksters not to dress up as a clown and frighten strangers with a weapon after the force received numerous calls over the weekend from people feeling intimidated by the new trend.

Inspector Simon Starns said, “We are aware this is a trend that has come over from America as Halloween is approaching.

“However while is not an offence to dress up as a clown and prank your mates, we don’t advise people to do this to strangers in the current climate of heightened security and it is an offence to carry an offensive weapon or an item which could be perceived to be a weapon.

“We will respond if someone feels threatened and the culprit could end up being arrested and then they won’t find it so funny.”

Last week police have received a report from a cyclist, who was riding north along the national cycle route to Golden Jubilee Way, Eastbourne, on Wednesday (October 5), about a person dressed as a clown who jumped out from a bush holding what he believed to be an offensive weapon.

The man didn’t speak to him and made no attempts to harm him but was still shaken by the incident.

Insp Starns said, “While we realise that reports of this kind are not restricted to just the Sussex area, the issues of intimidation, potential arrest and waste of public resources are the same across the country and we would urge people to refrain from such activity.”

Picking Heathrow for expansion would be a ‘decision for more delay’, Gatwick’s boss said today (Monday October 10).

National reports suggested that Gatwick was considering forging ahead with a second runway even if the Government decided to give the green light to a third runway at Heathrow, with a decision on airport expansion in the South East expected later this month.

But speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme this morning, Gatwick’s chief executive officer Stewart Wingate explained that they were waiting for ministers to make a decision and thought they should ‘opt for Gatwick’.

He said that a ‘decision for Heathrow is a decision for more delay’.

He added: “Any decision will indeed get bogged down in legal challenges if it’s a decision for Heathrow. Gatwick is the option that has more certainty of delivery, we can get spades in the ground this Parliament [by 2020] and we can get the runway up before the end of the next [2025].”

He continued: “We are at the critical stage of decision making process where Government has to decide and over the coming days and what we anticipate is led by [Prime Minister] Theresa May the sub-committee of the Government is going to look at evidence once again and as it is presented today come out in favour of a new runway at Gatwick.”

Recently Gatwick had seen an ‘explosion of long-haul routes’, while he argued a second runway could be fully privately financed, would be faster to deliver and better environmentally than Heathrow.

But he thought a new runway at both airports would be an ‘excellent outcome’ for consumers.

A statement for Communities Against Gatwick Noise and Emissions said: “If the Government does not select Gatwick and yet Gatwick applies for expansion anyway, it is highly unlikely that the airport would offer to provide any funding for roads and rail improvements as its management has said in the past that ‘onward surface access is not its problem’.

“That means that it will be our problem, taxpayers, and we can expect our air quality to continue to deteriorate through the lack of rail and road capacity.”

Meanwhile this morning the Scottish Government has announced its support for a third runway at Heathrow, arguing that it offered the ‘greatest strategic and economic benefits to Scotland’.

In response, a spokesman for Gatwick said: “We are surprised that the Scottish Government has chosen to support a proposal which we believe will undermine Scotland’s connections with the world, making it more dependent on London and the South East of England and restricting the choice available to Scottish travellers by forcing more of them to fly through London.

“Furthermore, some of the suggested benefits to Scotland are unlikely to bear serious scrutiny, which makes the decision all the more curious.

“However, we are confident that expansion will happen at Gatwick and that competition will prevail over the old-fashioned monopoly being planned by Heathrow.

“That would be the best outcome for Scotland.”

Gatwick has also continued to challenge passenger forecasts used by the Airports Commission to recommend a third runway at Heathrow, as in September 4.3 million passengers travelled through the airport which is up almost seven per cent on the same month in 2015, with the airport now serving 42.3 million passengers a year.

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The Observer has sent an open letter to the secretary of state for transport urging him to keep the Oving traffic lights.

Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP is expected to make a final decision on the junction within days.

It follows Chichester District Council planning committee’s decision in September to approve Oving Parish Council’s application to save the lights, earmarked for closure, which saw the casting vote deferred to Mr Grayling.

The letter, emailed to Mr Grayling on Friday, states: “In writing this open letter today, the Observer series of newspapers is appealing to you to personally uphold that decision, made by the democratically elected local authority and supported by a great number of residents and councils, and keep the lights.

“Since the decision was made to close the Oving junction, as part of planning approval for around 500 homes at Shopwhyke Lakes in 2013, our newspapers have been inundated with letters and comments from the many residents who will suffer if they are removed.

“For many, especially elderly residents of villages neighbouring Chichester, it is their only way of accessing the city safely without having to use busy roundabouts where traffic moves extremely fast.

“People living in Oving, Tangmere, Shopwhyke and further afield have told us they will be left isolated and cut off if the lights go.

“By closing the junction to all vehicles except buses, the 9,000 vehicles on average which use it every day will be funnelled either north, onto the Portfield roundabout, or south, onto the Bognor roundabout, only adding to an already diabollically congested A27.

“Oving Parish Council’s planning application to keep the lights has been backed by many hundreds of residents, a large number of parish councils, as well as Chichester City Council and Chichester District Council’s planning committee.

“With such overwhelming strong local feeling, we urge you to demonstrate that the concept of localism is alive and well by supporting the decision to keep the Oving traffic lights.”

The Department for Transport is understood to have receieved the planning documents from Chichester District Council on October 5, and has 21 days from that date to make a decision.

Do you agree with the Observer that the Oving lights should be kept? Take our unofficial poll here

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Anti fracking campaigners are keeping a close eye on the Broadford Bridge drilling site at Billingshurst following the government’s landmark ruling for the oil and gas industry that horizontal fracking can go ahead on a Cuadrilla site in Lancashire.

A spokesman for Keep Billingshurst Frack Free said: “This site is ready to go, so it’s whenever the rigs turn up really, and we are keeping a very close eye on it. The government’s ruling makes us all the more concerned.

“We are very worried because UKOG say it’s not fracking but they are talking to their investors about shale oil and gas.

“We understand they will be drilling down to the shale bearing formations during this exploration phase at Broadford Bridge. This is not the development stage, which comes later in the planning process. This is the ‘creeping’ method we are seeing used by the industry up and down the country – they ‘just want to see what’s down there’ then announce they’ve found shale oil or gas-bearing formations.”

Celtique Energie gained planning permission for conventional drilling at the site. Although it was prepared, the well was not drilled as Celtique and its partners Magellan Petroleum UK became locked in a bitter legal dispute about funding the well.

The Broadford Bridge site was part of PEDL 234, for which Celtique was granted a licence for exploration from the Oil and Gas Authority in 2008. It was due to expire on June 30 this year.

But four months ago UK Oil & Gas Investments PLC (UKOG) announced it was paying £3.5m to buy the whole of PEDL 234. The deal, including the Broadford Bridge site, was conditional on the OGA extending the initial term of the licence for at least one year to allow the well to be drilled. The OGA has now extended the licence for another two years.

Campaigners from Keep Kirdford and Wisborough Green (KKWG) which successfully opposed exploratory drilling plans from Celtique in 2014 and Keep Billinghursst Frack Free have mounted a legal challenge to the extension saying it would be inappropriate for UKOG to be ‘singled out for preferential treatment’.

The group is seeking a judicial review and calling for the extension to be quashed.

Communities secretary Sajid Javid approved plans, on Thursday (October 6), for fracking at a Cuadrilla site in Lancashire. It means, for the first time, UK shale rock will be fracked horizontally, which is expected to yield more gas.

Anit fracking campaigners believe the decision could have implications around the country.

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A man is in a life-threatening condition following a two car crash in Storrington over the weekend.

Emergency services were called to Mill Lane on Saturday (October 8).

Police said a grey Mini One, travelling north, and a silver Ford Galaxy, travelling south, collided at about 4.45pm.

A 20-year-old Storrington man, who was driving the Mini, was treated for serious injuries and was rushed to hospital. Police said he is currently in a life-threatening condition.

A 35-year-old woman, from Pulborough, suffered a broken hand, officers added.

The road was closed throughout the evening whilst the incident was dealt with.

Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to contact police on collision.appeal@sussex.pnn.police.uk quoting Operation Arnfield.

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Lancing Brass Band of the Royal British Legion is celebrating 50 years since it was founded.

Alf Crowther, the legion chairman at the time, worked tirelessly to lay the foundations of a new band after the closure of the Royal Sussex Regiment and Lancing Brass Band was formed in March 1966.

The first musical director was Bill Jacques. In 1974, Norman Warnes was appointed and he was succeeded briefly by Maurice Ozanne, followed by Tim Lincoln.

In 1991, Tim stood down for ten years while Alan Salter took up the baton but resumed control in 2000 until the present musical director, David Martin, succeeded him in 2012.

The band is no longer a competition band but it did enjoy success in the 1970s in the southern counties competitions, finishing second and third. In the 1980s, the band won prizes in quartets and septets.

Nowadays, it performs regular concerts locally and throughout Sussex.

Over the years, the band has toured the UK and Europe - France in 1982, the Low Countries in 1986, Germany and Austria in 1998, Brittany in1992, and the Isle of Wight in 1995.

Many members of the band have been involved for more than 20 years, some for 25 and in the case of Marilyn Salter, 40 years.

The current band, consisting of 28 members, practises weekly at the Royal British Legion, Culver Road, Lancing. New members are always welcome, especially new cornet players.

The band celebrates its golden anniversary with a concert at St Michael’s Parish Church, Lancingm on Saturday at 7.30pm. Free admission.

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Primary school children donned their high visibility vests with pride when they took part in International Walk To School Month.

The youngsters, from Jolesfield School, Partridge Green, and Palatine School, in Worthing, were given 30 of the vests by Barratt Homes, which built homes in Bishop Park, Henfield.

International Walk to School Month was established to encourage pupils to walk to school to reduce congestion on the roads and at the school gates, as well as improving health and wellbeing and encourage sociability.

Lynnette St Quintin, of Barratt Southern Counties, said: “By donating fluorescent hi-vis vests, we are encouraging parents, carers and pupils to walk, cycle or scoot to school in a much safer fashion.

“As well as being better for their health, it reduces the number of cars on the road which can only be a positive thing.”

Catriona Goldsmith, head of Palatine School said: “It is great to receive this donation of vests from Barratt Homes. We work hard as a school community of parents and teachers to support our pupils developing road safety skills both when walking to school and during trips into the local community and these brightly coloured vests will help us all.”

Sue Uff, headteacher at Jolesfield, added: “We appreciate it’s not always easy but even trying to walk to school once or twice a week will definitely be a step in the right direction.”

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A teenager has been charged with being in possession of a bladed article following an incident at the Pavilions in the Park.

Police were called to the Horsham leisure centre, in Hurst Road, at about 7.30pm on Friday (October 7).

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: “A man was seen with a knife at around 7.30pm in the Pavilions on Hurst Road after he was seen fighting with another group. No-one was injured.

“Reece Miller, 18, a student of Albion Way, Horsham, has been charged with possession of a bladed article in a public place. He will appear at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on October 24.”

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MPs have reaffirmed their support for low-funded West Sussex schools which are struggling to make ends meet.

Last year, every headteacher in the county signed their name to the Worth Less? campaign for fairer funding, asking why West Sussex students were deemed by the government to be worth less money than their peers in other counties.

Since then, they have warned they may have to take drastic measures such as increasing class sizes, reducing school hours and narrowing the curriculum because they simply cannot afford to meet their costs.

The county’s MPs have now released a joint statement, issued by Crawley MP Henry Smith, explaining how they have taken the Worth Less? fight to the halls of power.

The statement said: “The Conservative government recognises that West Sussex is one of the areas that does not receive fair funding for its schools, and its manifesto last year gave a commitment to introduce a National Funding Formula to ensure fair funding in the future.

“The West Sussex Conservative MPs have lobbied hard for this particular change, which the previous government failed to make despite strong efforts, and we are proud that it is to be finally delivered.

“This is a major and fundamental reform which will affect our schools across the country and it is thus proper and wise that the government should consult very carefully about the new formula, which is due to be introduced in the 2018-2019 academic year.”

The formula had been due to be introduced a year earlier before it was postponed by Secretary of State for Education, Justine Greening.

As a result, headteachers found themselves facing another year with rising costs and too little money.

They have pleaded for an interim payment of £20million, to be divided among the county’s school, to plug the funding gap until the formula is introduced.

The MPs’ statement added: “We fully recognise that there are pressures on West Sussex school budgets in the meantime, and we have been very actively lobbying Ministers over the need for interim funding to help.

“Immediately after the General Election, Mid Sussex MP, Sir Nicholas Soames, asked the then Secretary of State for Education on the floor of the House if he may lead a delegation to meet with her to press the case for West Sussex.

“The West Sussex MPs subsequently met with the Secretary of State and the Childcare Minister in September 2015.

“In May 2016 the West Sussex MPs received a delegation of head teachers from West Sussex at the House of Commons to listen to their concerns.

“At her very first appearance in the House of Commons as Education Secretary on the 21st July 2016, Rt Hon Justine Greening MP was urged by Horsham MP, Jeremy Quin, to consider transitional funding for all West Sussex schools.

“We have subsequently arranged a meeting with the Minister for Schools on the 18th October and also with the Secretary of State on the 2nd November in order that we may further press our concerns and those of our constituents.

“The West Sussex Members of Parliament are seeking a Parliamentary debate on this issue when the House returns and they will continue to push hard for transitional funding and for the successful introduction of the new national formula which will, not before time, make a real difference to our schools.”

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A West Sussex man already serving a prison sentence for fraud now has to pay back £92,000 profits from his crime, following an investigation by Sussex Police financial crime investigators.

On Thursday, September 29 at Chichester Crown Court, a confiscation hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) took place in relation to James Fyfe, 26, of Hurston Lane, Storrington, Pulborough, Sussex Police said.

On June 9, Fyfe had been sentenced to four years imprisonment for fraud. This also activated a one-year suspended sentence given to him in May 2015 for previous fraud offences.

Police said that Fyfe had registered a company called Prestige Lifestyle Supercars Limited under the guise that his alleged wealthy business partner had a fleet of supercars for hire.

He used social media to promote this alleged business which in fact did not own any luxury vehicles at all and he then went on to offer for sale high-end luxury vehicles that he did not own or have title to.

Police said he duped his victims and friends into believing this was a legitimate business but used the proceeds of his crimes to live a lavish lifestyle by hiring luxury supercars for himself and his friends, purchasing designer clothing and treat friends and family to meals out and hotel stays.

This was all in an effort to continue the impression that he was a successful businessman but the police investigation by West Sussex detectives revealed no evidence of any legitimate trading, police said.

They added that the subsequent proceeds of crime investigation revealed that Fyfe had benefitted from his criminality to the value of £282,543.60 and following an investigation into his current available assets, he was ordered to pay the sum of £92,464.21. A compensation order for this sum was awarded to one of his victims and will be paid from the sums recovered from his confiscation order.

Fyfe’s two mobile phones which were used in the commission of his fraudulent activity were ordered to be forfeited and destroyed.

Police said he was given three months to pay and if he fails to do so will receive a further 30 months imprisonment, and will still have to pay.

They added that while the order does not reflect the vast amount of money he defrauded from various victims, POCA allows for the confiscation order to be revisited, should further assets be identified in the future.

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A three-day strike affecting Southern rail services is set to start today (Tuesday October 11).

The RMT union has already held five walkouts already this year and has planned another 14 days of industrial action between now and Christmas.

It has been locked in a bitter dispute over plans by rail operator Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) to change the role of guards to on-board supervisors, with drivers opening and closing train doors.

The union has raised safety concerns about the move, which it argues could lead to the loss of a second safety-critical member of staff on Southern services.

Travel advice during the strike is available on Southern’s website.

Talks to avert the latest strike broke down last week, with GTR saying afterwards it would forge ahead with plans to introduce the new on-board supervisor role.

While the RMT’s general secretary Mick Cash was reported to have written to his members urging them to volunteer for the new roles, this week’s industrial action is still set to go ahead.

However the union then criticised GTR for launching a formal legal challenge to stop the strikes.