The last of the old Thameslink trains have been withdrawn from service as the rollout of cutting-edge replacements nears completion.

The Siemens Class 700s have replaced the mostly four carriage and eight-carriage twice-hourly service, creating 9,000 extra seats each weekday and more space for passengers at Gatwick and families travelling between London and the south coast.

The new trains run by Govia Thameslink Railway have wider doors and aisles, two-by-two seating, more luggage space, adaptive climate-controlled air conditioning, electronic signals showing which carriages have more space, fully accessible toilets, and spaces for full sized bikes in the off-peak and storage for fold-up bikes in the peak.

Already Thameslink has 50 per cent more carriages in services in the peaks on the network than before the new trains were introduced.

More 12-carriage trains will be introduced early next year when extra stabling facilities are built in Bedford.

Gerry McFadden, GTR engineering director, said: “Thameslink is now a Class 700-only route marking a significant milestone in our journey of modernisation towards a new high-frequency service through central London.

“Right now it means trains up to three times longer on the off-peak services between Brighton, Gatwick Airport and London Bridge and from May next year hundreds of thousands of new passengers from east Kent, Sussex, Cambridge and Peterborough will be plugged into the cross-London route when the Thameslink network expands.”

All the trains across Thameslink’s entire network are now new Class 700s. These travel between Brighton, St Albans and Bedford, Sevenoaks, Wimbledon and Sutton crossing central London via Blackfriars.

The trains have a spacious design and cutting-edge information systems that will tell passengers how London’s Tube trains are running and even which direction to walk to find more space on the train.

Paul Maynard, the Government’s rail minister, said: “I am delighted we have reached this significant milestone for the multi-billion pound Thameslink Programme. It shows how our investment in the railways is delivering better journeys for passengers across the network, as well as supporting jobs and growth.

“This new fleet of hi-tech trains is now making a real difference for passengers, giving them more space and more comfort. This investment will transform north-south travel across London and the south east by a providing a modern, accessible service in time for the expanded Thameslink network from 2018.”

Vernon Barker, managing director of the rail systems business at Siemens UK which manufactures and maintains the Class 700 trains, said: “We are really pleased to mark this major milestone in the introduction of the state-of-the-art Class 700, which is one of the largest and most technologically advanced fleets of trains ever introduced in the UK.

“With almost half of the high-tech fleet now in service, passengers will really start to experience the full benefits of these modern and innovative trains through more comfortable and reliable journeys in and out of London.”

Guy Stephenson, chief commercial officer at Gatwick Airport, said: “Gatwick continues to grow with record numbers of passengers travelling through the airport every month. These new carriages are ideally suited for air travellers and the longer trains will make a real difference to the increasing number of passengers using the airport and travelling by rail.

“The new Thameslink trains also form part of the exciting transformation of rail services at Gatwick. By 2018, rail capacity through Gatwick will have doubled in just ten years and our passengers will start to see the benefit of trains leaving the airport for London with Tube-like frequency every three minutes.”

Staff and customers were evacuated from a Horsham store as firefighters were called to the town centre.

Crews attended an incident at Swan Walk after an alarm was set off in the basement of the shopping centre just before 3pm.

Staff and customers were evacuated from the Wilkinsons store as a precaution.

The fire service said it was a false alarm and customers have been allowed back into the store.

A teenage boy has admitted to starting a farmyard blaze which raged for almost 30-hours last week.

Six fire crews were called to St George’s Park farm in Ditchling Road, Burgess Hill, on Wednesday (September 13) after a fire broke-out in a barn.

Around 1000 bales of hay caught fire in the 20 metre by 30 metre building which burnt until 12am on Friday morning.

Police were also called.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: “A 14-year-old boy, who called the fire service and stayed at the scene, admitted starting the fire.

“He was not arrested at the scene, the matter has been passed to Eastbourne Investigations Team.”

Related stories: PHOTOS: Crews tackle blaze as 1000 hay bales catch fire on farm

Police are appealing for witnesses after suspected drug dealers crashed a car into several parked vehicles in Bognor Regis before fleeing the scene.

The incident happened in Ockley Road on Saturday (September 16) afternoon, leaving ‘considerable damage’ to several vehicles, police said.

According to police, a grey Vauxhall Astra was approached by officers on foot on Ockley Road after the occupants of the vehicle were thought to be acting suspiciously, suspected to be dealing drugs.

When the driver of the vehicle spotted the officers, he reversed the Astra into another car and collided with other vehicles before leaving the area.

Police have received two reports of car damage in relation to this incident, a spokesman said.

Sergeant Andy Baynes said: “The driver of the Vauxhall Astra caused a considerable amount of damage to other vehicles when he drove away from the scene.

“The driver was a black man and the passenger a young mixed race woman with blonde hair and aren’t believed to be from the area.

“It is believed the car may have travelled back to the London area.

“We are keen to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has information on the driver and passenger of the car.”

If you witnessed in collision please report online or call 101 quoting reference 749 of 16/09.

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Rescuers rushed to a town centre coffee shop this morning after a small deer was discovered there.

Whilst staff were out the back of Coffee Republic in Eastbourne they inadvertently scared the animal inside the shop, said East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service (WRAS).

Staff managed to contain the young muntjac deer in the rear section of the shop with the help of local PCSOs until rescuers arrived.

Off duty rescuer Chris Riddington from WRAS was asked to attend due to the urgency of the situation.

He said, “Trevor called me asking me to attend, as a loose deer running around inside a store is likely to cause serious injury to members of the public and itself.

“The staff did the right thing in clearly the back of the store and keeping it contained in the end section of the shop.

“When I arrived they had managed to catch the deer and were pinning it to the floor. Deer can be very unpredictable, so I took over controlling the deer till back up arrived.”

Trevor Weeks also attended on site with WRAS’s Technical Rescue Ambulance. He said, “When I arrived Chris already had the deer secured and covered.

“The deer was clearly very frightened. We needed to get the deer out of the coffee shop without it escaping and causing any further problems.

“It was strapped and secured to a stretcher and carried through the shop and out to the waiting Veterinary Ambulance. We drove up the road to a quieter location where it was better assessed. Unfortunately a wound to its tail needed treatment before the deer could be released. “

According to a spokesperson for WRAS, it is always difficult dealing with deer as rescuers have a very limited time window to get them caught and out for released or into care or they could die of a heart attack.

With veterinary authorization the deer was given three sutures and antibiotics out on site before being taken to the edge of the Downs for release. “It was very wobbly at first but, once in the fresh air and after a couple of minutes to compose himself, the deer suddenly rocketed off into the distance,” said Chris.

Trevor said, “This has to be one of the most unusual deer rescue locations we have ever dealt with.

“We have had three deer rescues in the past week. The first at Burwash had half its rear leg missing and had to be put to sleep due to its poor condition.

“The second was a deer with its antlers caught in electric rope at Waldron which was successfully caught, the netting removed and released and then this muntjac deer in a coffee shop in Eastbourne Town Centre.”

The video shows rescuers freeing the deer caught in the electric rope at Waldron.

For more information about WRAS visit www.wildlifeambulance.org

Photo by Tracy Honey.

Town hall bosses are preparing a government funding bid which could lead to the demolition of Worthing’s Grafton car park.

Fresh from announcing plans last week to knock down the Teville Gate car park, Worthing Borough Council’s wrecking ball could next turn to the much-maligned concrete carbuncle.

The Herald understands officers hope to prepare a business case for next round of the Local Growth Fund by Christmas, with options for development presented to the market in the first quarter of 2018.

Councillor Kevin Jenkins, cabinet member for regeneration, said: “It’s positive and the officers know, as with Teville Gate, that the expectation now is that we go very much on the front foot to bring these sites to the market and find developers.

“While there is a huge amount that might not be said there is massive amounts happening behind the scenes.”

Proposals to transform the Grafton - one of the council’s key regeneration sites - could see new retail units created, together with a footway connecting the seafront to Montague Street.

Mr Jenkins said the council was open to ideas but said future development could include larger retail spaces to attract major brands.

He said: “We have lost Next purely because their outlet didn’t provide them with the space they needed. Would we be capable of attracting them or some of the other big players spoken of? We don’t know. That would be the basis but it’s got to be mixed use.”

The council last week confirmed it would seek permission to demolish the Teville Gate multi-storey car park, which it leases from site owners Mosaic.

The project, which could be funded using cash secured through earlier rounds of the Local Growth Fund, would save the authority money on long-term maintenance.

The Grafton, which received a jazzy £14,000 facelift in July, also has a large maintenance bill. More than £700,000 was needed to bring the building up to ‘minimum’ standards, cabinet members were told in April.

Mr Jenkins said the specifics of what the funding bid would seek were yet to be agreed.

He did, however, confirm that any proposals would focus on saving the council money in the longer term, addressing the many complexities of the site and for being a ‘catalyst for change’ rather than giving developers money as an incentive to build.

A Worthing bar visited by a woman who later suffered a fatal accident has been banned from selling alcohol.

Molotov Cocktail and Vodka Bar saw its licence revoked by councillors last night after a marathon four-and-a-half-hour hearing called by Sussex Police (Monday, September 18).

Police claimed ‘multiple breaches’ of the licensing conditions, including failing to provide a duty of care to 45-year-old Gina Pickett, who died seven days after a fall after leaving the Chatsworth Road venue in February, gave them ‘no confidence’ in its management.

Bar co-owner Barry Wells insisted the venue was well-run, despite incidents of highly-intoxicated customers, ‘consistently high’ readings of cocaine throughout the premises and poor record-keeping.

But Worthing Borough Council’s licensing committee ruled last-minute changes to appoint a new premises supervisor were not enough to save the premises from losing its licence.

Speaking after the meeting, police head of licensing Jean Irving said: “Police are appreciative the committee listened hard to all the evidence, considered their options and took the right decision to ensure public safety in Worthing. It is a good decision for the town.”

Peter Saville, barrister for Sussex Police, explained how the venue had been subject to a licence review in 2013, when it was known as Light Bar.

Problems, he claimed, had worsened since the review, which saw numerous extra conditions attached to the bar’s licence.

The committee viewed CCTV footage of Ms Pickett staggering along Chapel Road, before a shop’s camera captured her disappearing off screen near the underpass.

She was found in the early hours of February 20 unconscious and died in hospital.

Holly Yandall, public health lead for West Sussex County Council, said: “From a public health perspective this is as bad as it gets. Someone has lost their life and this cannot be allowed to happen again.”

Louis French, barrister for Mr Wells and business partner Peter Mott, said the venue could not be blamed for Ms Pickett’s death.

He said the ‘evidence’ was she was refused drink by bar staff early in the evening and remained there to dance.

He said an inquest, which found her severe intoxication had led directly to her death, had also heard evidence of her drinking earlier in the day.

“It is unfair to blame the licence holders as even suggesting there is a degree of negligence on their part,” he said.

“All possibilities are open but in our submission it is not clear cut in this case.”

Mr Wells staunchly defended his staff, who he believed had dealt with Ms Pickett correctly.

He said she spent the night dancing and chatting, despite being refused alcohol earlier in the evening.

Mr Wells denied the club had a drug problem. He indicated a willingness to work with police and that he wanted to rewrite the bar’s licence which had ‘misleading’ conditions.

Mr Saville, however, told the committee no objection had been received to the conditions imposed after the 2013 review.

He argued there was ‘no point’ in the committee imposing additional conditions to deal with the problems, as the management was unable to comply with its existing responsibilities.

Mr French said the case was not one where there was ‘no option’ but to revoke the licence.

He pointed to improvements made in recent weeks, with the appointment of a new premises supervisor, ex-councillor Vino Vijayakumar.

Asked whether the measures were a case of closing the stable door after the horse had bolted, Mr French said: “Our stable door needs adjustments but the horse is still in the stable and the stable can be a very successful stable for all involved.”

Councillors Lionel Harman asked Mr Wells why it had taken an incident like the death of a customer for the owners to ‘wake up’.

Mr Wells replied: “We haven’t just woken up. That is not the case. We have worked hard over four years and we had very few issues. We are a well-run club. It is not run like a backstreet pub.”

Reading the committee’s verdict, licensing chairman Paul High said breaches included not providing CCTV body-worn video footage as per requirements, door staff failing to implement a dispersal policy to ensure customers left safely, staff not being proactive in assisting patrons to safely consume alcohol,failing to provide training records or maintaining an incident refusals register were among its concerns.

“This demonstrates there is poor management of the premises and there is disregard for the current conditions on the licence which compromises both the crime and disorder and public safety licensing objectives.”

An arson investigation is under way following a fire at the MFA Bowl ten-pin bowling centre Horsham on Sunday night, police said.

No one was hurt, but the blaze caused extensive damage to the building and police are keen to speak to anyone who saw anything suspicious or who may have other information relating to the incident.

Fire broke out in the roof of the centre in Albion Way, on the edge of Horsham Park, at around 11.30pm on Sunday, September 17.

Any witnesses are asked to contact police online or call 101, quoting serial 1445 of 17/09.

Alternatively, people can visit the Crimestoppers website or contact the independent charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Drivers faced delays on the A24 this morning (Tuesday September 19) following an accident.

The main road at Kingsfold, both ways at Marches Road, was partially blocked and there was slow traffic due to the incident.

Reports are that two cars were involved.

Police have been at the scene and there have been delays affecting traffic between Horsham and Dorking.

However, the area has now been cleared and traffic is flowing freely.

Senior doctors from across West Sussex will be questioned on making services more effective by the county’s health scrutiny committee.

Representatives of the three Clinical Commissioning Groups will update members of the West Sussex Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee (HASC) at a meeting in public to be held at Chichester’s County Hall on Friday September 29 starting at 1pm.

The three CCGs in the county, Coastal West Sussex, Crawley, and Horsham & Mid Sussex, were placed in ‘special measures’ in July as they faced significant financial challenges.

They are also being tasked to find millions of pounds of efficiency savings through the Sustainability and Transformation Plan process by central Government.

HASC members will also receive an update from South Central Ambulance Service, which took over the patient transport service contract in Sussex back in April.

Bryan Turner, chairman of HASC, said: “Making sure patients receive the best care is vital and ensuring services are being run as effectively as possible is part of that. It is really important the committee is satisfied that commissioning of services is as effective as it can be.”

HASC has 20 members, made up of 12 county councillors, seven district and borough councillors, and one non-voting local Healthwatch member.

Crawley Town dropped into 20th place after conceding a single goal win to bogey side Notts County and the final whistle saw supporters’ spirits at a low ebb.

Paired for the second game running against the team holding second place, Crawley could not dislodge them.

Their play generally matched their more efficient opponents but they could not deliver any telling blows.

Rightly or wrongly, manager Harry Kewell is collecting the blame and more than one voice in the West Stand suggested he was lucky not to be employed by Crystal Palace.

In a disturbed atmosphere I was exhorted to get behind the club. I am right there, but there is no virtue in ignoring the realities.

Some Crawley players have commented on the gruelling training sessions, yet in the closing stages it was the visitors who looked the fresher and furthermore the Reds looked short of craft.

That shortcoming was again most apparent in front of goal. Enzio Boldewijn had most chances and deserved success with a splendid low shot that just eluded the far post.

But the popular Dutchman erred badly in the closing stages by horrendously screwing his diagonal shot aimed to the near post almost square over the penalty spot. I’m sorry, Bruce Talbot, but it was certainly not intended as a cross.

Ibrahim Meite again excited with his pace and control, but he failed to muster a solitary shot.

In fact, the stats only confirmed that Reds did not register a single effort on target, ensuring an unstressed afternoon for ‘keeper Adam Collin.

The midfield selection, though strong, showed why Crawley lacked creativity.

It was a young schoolboy near me who encapsulated the problem commenting: “Does he know he’s got four defensive midfielders out there?”

Oddly the more inventive Josh Payne was given the holding role and while Crawley won the ball well they did little with it. Where was Dean Cox? I hope HK is not sidelining him as he did Matt Harrold.

Almost inevitably it was Payne who was unfairly hooked to allow the return of Jordan Roberts.

It should have been Lewis Young who had a torrid time overall as his game was riddled with inconsistencies and it was just a tad better than a total ‘mare.

Once again the Reds’ passing caused concern with short and simple ones going astray whilst a number of daring wing-to-wing passes went to feet.

Surely the training routine needs a different emphasis.

The ultimate question is whether it is more important to play good football or to win ugly.

I think the league table gives a ready answer to that one.

We need the safety of a midfield placing before the management tries to build a quality side.

Whatever Kewell’s ideals and long-term plans, the club will not be helped if it is back in the National League when they come to fruition.

Southwick Players chose a difficult play for this year’s Brighton and Hove Arts Council Drama Awards.

Goodnight Mister Tom is a moving story, written for the stage by David Wood and based on the novel by Michelle Magorian.

The television film adaptation with John Thaw in the lead role is well known and may explain the capacity audience for judging night at The Barn Theatre, Southwick, on Thursday.

The Players’ new president, Harry Atkinson, was their choice for the lead, Tom Oakley, a bitter and lonely old man whose life is changed by the arrival of evacuee William Beech.

His performance was declared ‘fabulous’ by Trevor Jones, judging the awards for the second year running.

Equally fabulous where the two 12-year-old Worthing lads, Henry Andrews as William and Thomas Scott as his new found friend Zach, both making their debut with the Players.

Henry gave a very moving performance as the shy evacuee who has been tormented by his mother and Thomas was brilliant as the exuberant Zach.

Louise Yeo told Trevor afterwards that she had found the role of Mrs Beech difficult, as it involved beating a child, but she give a brilliant portrayal of William’s cruel yet disturbed parent.

There were, indeed, excellent performances throughout the cast, from the facial contortionist H Reeves, who slipped easily between each of his three roles, and the sweet-voiced Sharon Churchill, who was recognised for her moving song in the air raid shelter, to the children playing the evacuees, taken from London to Dorset.

There were few problems with the performances, in fact, but there were some issues with the set and the scene changes, which Trevor picked up on.

Director Ron Common chose to have the cast moving the props, which must have put extra strain on them in a play that has so many different scenes. This would have been fine, I think, but having made that decision, it seemed odd to keep dimming the lights for the set changes.

A final word must go to Sammy, the dog, with Jenny Burtenshaw as puppeteer. It was the star of the show, it seemed, getting the largest applause and the greatest of praise from Trevor.

There is no doubt Jenny did her job well, giving Sammy real character, but I found it omnipresent, detracting from the main action, and the fact it was greeted with huge hilarity just did not ring right.

Another two days of Southern rail strikes have been called in a dispute over driver-only trains.

The RMT union has been fighting the further extension of driver-only operation on the Southern network by Govia Thameslink Railway since April 2016.

The changes make drivers responsible for opening and closing train doors, with the RMT raising safety and access concerns.

The union has instructed its members not to book any shifts on both Tuesday October 3 and Thursday October 5.

Mick Cash, general secretary at the RMT, said: “RMT is bitterly disappointed that Southern Rail and the DFT continue to reject our call for round table discussions involving all parties with an interest in resolving this dispute.

“The failure to get those talks moving following our face to face meeting with Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has left us no option but to call further action.

“RMT pays tribute to our Southern Rail guards and drivers who have stood firm for 18 months in the fight for rail safety.”

He added: “They are a credit to their communities and to the whole trade union movement as they continue to take action for safety in Britain’s longest running industrial dispute.

“RMT has a clear plan for resolving this dispute but that requires round table talks now to push forwards.

“This fiasco cannot be allowed to drag on any longer.

“The union stands ready and waiting for genuine and meaningful talks with all parties and we are pressing Mr Grayling to get his contractors into line as a matter of urgency.”

More to follow.

Southern Water has promised to minimise disruption when it hopes to build a 10km sewer pipeline across the north of Chichester.

It would connect three strategic housing sites at Whitehouse Farm, Westhampnett and Tangmere to its Tangmere treatement works, which is currently being upgraded.

If given planning approval, work should start next summer and last 18 months.

Though much of it will run under fields, staff warned of disruption along Norwich Road, with the pipe running the length of the residential road in Parklands.

Southern Water showed off its plans at public consultations last week.

Claire Taylor, planning consultant, said: “We hope to submit a planning application in November but we wanted to show our plans early so people can comment.

“We knew the biggest issue would be for people living in Norwich Road, but I think people can see we are trying to minimise disruption as much as possible, it won’t be a full road closure but partial with traffic lights.”

MGJV engineer Nathan Ewing said work to Norwich Road would last three to four months and would happen in summer holidays to limit disruption to nearby schools.

Three new pumping stations will be built at each housing site and the work will generally be carried out east-to-west, starting from the Tangmere station.

For more about Southern Water’s plans click here

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Police were called to a report of a woman having been hit over the head with a metal pole.

The incident happened in Westgate, Chichester, at 5.16pm on Saturday, September 9, police said.

A police spokesman said the woman, aged 47, from Chichester, was taken to St Richard’s Hospital where she was treated for a facial and a head wound, adding she was discharged later that evening.

The spokesman added that a 52-year-old man from Chichester was arrested on suspicion of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

He was questioned and later released under investigation, the spokesman added.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any further information should contact Sussex Police by calling 101.

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The manager of a Horsham bowling alley targeted by arsonists over the weekend has heaped praise on the fire service and said it’s business as usual at the centre.

Seven crews tackled a blaze at the MFA Bowling Centre on Sunday evening (September 17).

The fire service said smoke filled the building in Albion Way after a fire broke out in the cladding of the roof.

Bowling alley area manager Matt Scotney paid tribute to the fire service, thanking crews for their ‘superb’ response.

He said: “The fire guys put the fire out so quickly. They were absolutely fantastic. Ten-11 minutes later and we would have been looking at a lot worse damage.

“If it hadn’t been for them the staff and the managers would have been coming into a pile of ash.

“They must have been here quick sharp to act as quickly as they did to stop a massive disaster.

“What a service these guys provide. I mean wow.”

He said when firefighters first arrived on the scene, the building was empty. As they entered, they triggered an intruder alarm and manager - Steve Allen - was alerted. Steve stayed on the scene all night.

The following morning maintenance work was carried out before the bowling alley opened as usual.

Matt added: “The fire damage was to the exterior of the building and there was virtually no internal damage, so it’s very much business as usual.”

No-one was injured in the blaze.

Firefighters used four breathing apparatus, one hose reel and a water jet to extinguish the flames.

The fire service said the flames were put out by 12.30am on Monday but crews remained at the scene carrying out investigations for a further hour.

The building is owned by Horsham District Council and is leased to national chain MFA Bowl.

A spokesman for the council said: “The council’s property services team have visited the location to review the extent of the fire damage and consider it to be relatively minor. As a result, the bowling alley is still open to the public and is fully operational.

“The fire affected a section of the roof, which is of a tiled construction and cladding was not a factor in the incident.”

Police were also called and officers have opened an arson investigation following the blaze.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact 101, quoting serial 1445 of 17/09.

Related stories: Arson investigation launched over Horsham bowling centre fire

Police have released a CCTV image following an incident where a man exposed himself to a young woman in a graveyard in Horley.

Officers originally appealed for help in August, but have now issued the CCTV image to see whether the public can assist with their enquiries.

The incident took place on Saturday August 12 between 3.15pm and 3.45pm in the graveyard of St Bartholomew’s Church in Church Road in Horley.

The man is described as white, aged in his late 20s, around 6ft tall with an athletic build. He is said to have dark brown hair which was slicked back on top and short at the sides. He wore a dark blue hoody, blue shorts and sunglasses.

PC Ben Purdew said: “I urge anyone who may recognise the description of the man or may have seen anyone acting suspiciously in the area at the time of the offence to contact Surrey Police.

“If you live near the church and have CCTV cameras, please check footage as you may be able to provide us with images of the suspect. This type of offence is unacceptable and incidents of this nature are taken extremely seriously.

“For anyone who would like advice on personal safety, we have lots of information that can be found on our website www.surrey.police.uk/advice/ ”

Anyone with any information can call Surrey Police on 101 quoting 45170088293 or can use the online reporting system found at https://report.police.uk and enter the reference number in the ‘Additional information’ section.

Alternatively, information can be given anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

More than 200 stroke survivors each year will be benefiting from a new West Sussex service.

The Stroke Association has launched a new Six Month Review service, funded by two local Clinical Commissioning Groups: Horsham and Mid Sussex, and Crawley.

As part of the service, a team of three Stroke Association co-ordinators will work with stroke survivors, their families and carers.

They’ll provide essential information, emotional support and practical advice in the six months after someone has had a stroke.

One stroke survivor who has already benefited from Stroke Association support in West Sussex is Patricia Lilly.

Patricia, 75, from Burgess Hill, had a stroke last August at the hairdressers.

It left Patricia with weakness on the right hand side of her body, and with problems with her memory and concentration.

Patricia said: “I really don’t think I could had got to where I am today without the Stroke Association. They were extremely helpful and supportive after I had my stroke.

“Having a stroke is completely frightening, that’s why getting the right support is vital. I couldn’t understand why simple tasks like writing a cheque or remembering a word suddenly felt impossible.

“The Stroke Association guided me through the effects of my stroke, made me understand what was happening and gave me the best support to help me live my life after stroke.”

Tara Galloway, Interim Lead for the Stroke Association in the South East Coast, said: “Stroke has a massive and sudden impact. People’s lives are changed forever - not just for the stroke survivor, but for their family and friends as well. Our new Six Month Review service in West Sussex will help people affected by stroke to rebuild their lives.

“Being able to return to work, live independently and take control of your life again after a stroke are all vitally important steps on the road to recovery for stroke survivors. We look forward to working together with two local Clinical Commissioning Groups to help more people recover from the devastating impact of stroke.”

For more information about the Six Month Review service, contact Tara Galloway at tara.galloway@stroke.org.uk or 01622 351966

Community figures have rallied to attack a lack of council consultation over a 20,000-home blueprint for Arun district.

Stinging criticisms were aimed at Arun District Council on Monday as residents claimed efforts to engage them in the local plan process were inadequate.

Public examination of the crucial housing document, which outlines the council’s vision for housing and economic growth up to 2031, is ongoing.

Speaking at the first day of the examination, Littlehampton town councillor Derrick Chester outlined the issues faced by the public in having their say.

He said: “‘It was hideously complex’.

“We never had a series of presentations or public meetings to explain to the public what is being proposed. It’s never been done.”

The local plan has been years in the making but has significantly changed in the last two years, with Arun facing a near doubling of its annual housing target – now 1,000 homes per year.

Arun carried a consultation over the latest changes between April 10 and May 30.

Arun officers told inspector Mark Dakeyne they believed they had met the legal requirements.

Local plan team leader Julia Dawe said: “I believe people were able to respond and continued to respond throughout the consultation process.”

Parish councillors confirmed Arun had called a series of briefings to discuss the plan. They argued, however, they were instructional in nature rather than inviting true consultation.

Walberton parish councillor Edmund Camerer-Cuss said: “We absolutely support parishes on the lack of consultation regarding the parish council meetings with have been conducted with megaphone diplomacy by Arun.”

Angmering Parish Council clerk Rob Martin said his authority had only been engaged because it had ‘forced the issue’.

Discussing Arun’s claim things were in order, Aldingbourne Parish Council chairman Martin Beaton said: “As far as our parish is concerned it has not been an inclusive or effective period of consultation and engagement.

“I’ve clearly been living in a parallel universe as it simply hasn’t happened.”

Villages Action Group chairman Laurie Ward suggested Arun could hide behind a ‘legal point’, yet said such a stance was not appropriate.

Siding with residents, planning consultant Paul Collins, representing Keith Langmead Limited said: “It seems to me that where the council have gone wrong with consultation starts with not properly understanding what the previous inspector was asking the council to do.

“He was at pains to stress the council should start with an open mind and not lead to predetermination or a suspicion of predetermination as to the outcomes.

“The answer we have just been given by the council where they said they didn’t look at the alternatives and just looked at the modifications to me summarises the problem with consultation.”

Day one of the examination also saw Mr Collins question whether Arun had fully met its obligation to talk to neighbouring authorities to discuss meeting their housing shortfalls. Arun plans to assist Worthing and Chichester – but not others further afield.

The hearings continue. Click here for a background piece about the local plan.

A ‘serious collision’ involving a Sussex Police car has injured a man, weeks after a pedestrian died in a police car collision.

The A259 in central Brighton has been closed both ways from West Street to the A23 at Old Steine, just outside of the Brighton Albion hotel, for a couple of hours.

Sussex Police said: “Police are appealing for witnesses after a police car was involved in a collision with a pedestrian in Brighton.

“Officers were responding to an emergency call when their car collided with a man in Kings Road, at 6.05pm on Tuesday (19 September).

“The 59-year-old man has been taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, with a shoulder injury. The road is currently closed from West Street in both directions while investigations are carried out.

“Following the collision, the force has referred the incident to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

“If you witnessed the collision or have any information please contact police online or ring 101 quoting Operation Cornhill.”

There are queues backing up to Hove, with long delays expected.

Buses are being diverted down North Street, which has been reopened for the evening after closing yesterday for eight weeks of repair work, according to a tweet from Brighton and Hove Bus.

This comes after a fatal collision involving a pedestrian and a police car in Brighton on August 25, which is already being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. Click here for more.