FEARS that inconsiderate and bad parking near Crawley Mosque could put lives in danger have been raised by residents struggling to drive down their roads.

People living in Broadwood Rise and Hobbs Road, in Broadfield, are concerned fire engines and ambulances could be delayed from reaching or even be left unable to reach homes in an emergency. The roads become congested on both sides during popular prayer meetings and when events are held at the mosque on Broadwood Rise.

Speaking last Friday, Sean Reynolds, 50, from Broadwood Rise, said: "It took me ten minutes to drive 25 yards from the roundabout to my home today due to cars parked everywhere and the amount of people still looking to park.

"Friday prayer times are when there is the biggest issue and it is getting worse and worse. It is not fair on the people that live here. Grass verges have been ruined by cars driving over them and parking on them. If this was happening at Crawley Town's ground the police and traffic wardens would be out moving vehicles on and handing out parking tickets.

"My fear is that it is going to take a child trying to cross the road in the middle of the congestion getting hit and killed for the authorities to take notice.

"If there was a 999 emergency in either Broadwood Rise or Hobbs Road there is no way an ambulance or fire engine could travel up either road to get there." Other residents living in the area agree that there is an issue.

Thain Gibbons, who lives in Broadwood Rise, said: "You can barely get past the cars parked on both sides when driving down the road.

"And vehicles are not only parked on the roadside, they are left by the roundabout which is dangerous and makes it difficult for other drivers to see what is coming towards them. Nobody should be parking like that."

Sarah De Sousa, who lives in Hobbs Road, believes a solution could be to build a multi-storey car park. She said: "The people that attend the mosque are all lovely people but there isn't enough parking for everyone. With the large number of cars parked I'm always surprised that everyone attending the mosque can fit inside.

"I have lived here for 14 to 15 years and the parking problems have progressively got worse.

"More people are moving into Crawley and the mosque is growing in popularity but the amount of parking space has not been increased enough.

"A solution could be to build a multi-storey car park where the existing car park is."

In 2011 West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service issued a warning about bad parking after fire engines were obstructed in Cherry Lane, in Langley Green.

The warning followed an incident where fire engines were delayed by several minutes as they made their way to rescue a woman trapped by a fire.

This was caused by vehicles parking on both sides of the narrow road, making access awkward and progress slow.

A fire service spokeswoman said crews would investigate whether a leaflet drop warning of the dangers is needed in Broadfield or if an awareness initiative should be run at the mosque. Arif Syed, chair of the mosque, was asked for a comment but had not provided one as we went to press.

1: A decision on Gatwick expansion

THE debate has been rumbling on for a long time, but we are tantalisingly close to getting a final decision on whether Gatwick should get a second runway.

The significance of this decision should not be underestimated. It will shape the very landscape of Crawley, and a decision either way will have a long-lasting effect.

Housing, employment, the local economy, roads and rail infrastructure, air quality, noise pollution and Crawley's status all depend on what the Airports Commission recommends when it publishes its final report in the summer.

2: The general election

WITH the borough council having changed hands from Conservative to Labour last year and the national political picture seeming very uncertain, this year's election is unpredictable.

It could be a very close call between Tory Henry Smith and Labour's Chris Oxlade, which will hopefully mean that people will be more encouraged to go out and vote.

It is hard to say how well Ukip will do in Crawley, but both main contenders will be worried about losing potential voters to the party.

3: Crawley Town surviving relegation

A RELEGATION scrap is the last thing any football fan wants, but the elation and relief that comes with avoiding the trapdoor can be as joyous as any trophy win.

Crawley Town are in a precarious position at present, sitting in the relegation zone at the time of writing. But new interim boss Dean Saunders is confident the Reds can turn things around and in a tight division we aren't going to doubt his belief.

4: An impressive line-up at The Hawth

IT seems that the town's theatre is getting more and more of the sort of big-name stars residents want to see, and 2015 is already shaping up to be a great year for entertainment.

Anyone under the age of 20 will probably not know who we are talking about, but older readers will definitely love the idea of comedy legend Jasper Carrott teaming up with Alistair McGowan for a show in March.

Strictly Come Dancing favourite Brendan Cole will be entrancing us with those wiggling hips as he brings a bit of ballroom to town this month.

Milton Jones will be returning to Crawley in February to unleash his customary barrage of quickfire jokes, some of which take a few seconds for you to realise just how clever they are.

And Lee Nelson, who last year had to escape from a gig at a Tilgate pub via the back door after the crowd became a little rowdy, will be braving Crawley again in April.

5: Queens Square getting a facelift

IT will be a real treat to be able to walk through Queens Square without having to keep your eyes firmly fixed on the ground to look for protruding corners of paving slabs ready to trip you up.

It's not going to be a complete redevelopment, but a £3million investment will at least be enough to give the square a bit of colour and vibrancy.

Fountains, trees, plants, seating and eye-catching paving could all feature once a design is chosen. Yes, the repositioning of the bandstand has caused a bit of controversy, but you cannot argue there is a need to do something to bring Queens Square into the 21st century.

6: The zombie apocalypse returning

TULLEYS Farm is well known for its famous Shocktoberfest, but a new event was trialled in September which is even more scary and exhilarating.

The Turners Hill attraction ran its first ever Hunted: Zombie Survival event, which saw its fields turned into a hunting ground for the bloodthirsty undead, played by about 100 actors.

A plane crash released a deadly virus, infecting people and turning them into mindless zombies, and 160 players had to work in teams to create an anti-virus in a three-hour battle for survival.

Hunted: Zombie Survival is returning in April, from when it will become a regular fixture at the farm.

7: Major architectural projects

CRAWLEY is sometimes accused of having quite a drab environment, but 2015 will see work start on some striking modern buildings.

Cancer treatment technology manufacturer Elekta will be opening a radiotherapy centre of excellence next to its current site on Fleming Way. It is scheduled to open in 2017, but building work on the Cornerstone project will begin this year.

The Gatwick School, which opened in September, will have a brand new sports hall constructed as part of an £8.6million project. It should be completed by September.

On top of that, clothing company Next is expected to begin construction of a flagship store at County Oak retail park, and an eye-catching office block known as the Leonardo Building is scheduled for completion in Manor Royal, just off Fleming Way, by the end of the year.

8: Optimism over the town's economy

THE feeling among the business community is that Crawley is on the up, and 2015 is already shaping up to be a positive year for retail in the town.

Aldi and Smyths Toys have already signalled their intentions to move to Manor Royal in 2015, maintaining the momentum created by the arrival of a glut of new names in 2014, including Avensys, Turtle Bay and Tesla Motors.

And if these big names start to experience success in their new homes, you can be sure that other businesses will follow.

9: Big plans for Tilgate Nature Centre

THERE was a big split in opinion when the Conservative council decided to keep the running of the nature centre in house and invest into it.

That appears to have been a wise decision, as the site has not only remained accessible to most Crawley residents with low ticket prices, but has seen new animals brought in too.

A new European section will be open in time for Easter, with snowy owls, red squirrels and honey bees among the new arrivals.

A new raccoon dog house is under construction, and the centre has just welcomed its first-ever reindeer and some new alpacas.

10: Construction of a new ambulance centre in Manor Royal

CRAWLEY will become the central point for the area's ambulance services and its specialist hazard response team in 2016, and construction of a new base will begin this year. The "make ready" centre will be built on the former Alexir Packaging site, and initial fears over the loss of other ambulance stations have been allayed.

There will still be mini ambulance stations across the region where staff can stop and rest, but Crawley will become the hub for the vehicles.

It will bring extra jobs to the town, as non-clinical staff will be employed to clean and swab the ambulances, while mechanics will also be based on the site.

POLICE have rushed to Ifield Station to help a "distressed" woman on the footbridge over the tracks.

Sussex Police were called to the train station at 8.42am this morning (Tuesday, January 13) following a report from staff.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "Station staff had seen a distressed woman on the footbridge over the tracks.

"Sussex officers attended and with the station master talked the woman away from the bridge.

"She was unhurt and has been detained for assessment under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act." 

A British Transport Police (BTP) spokesman said officers were called to the station at 8.48am to reports of a woman attempting to harm herself.

The spokesman added the incident was dealt with entirely by Sussex Police.

TWO schools for children with special needs in Crawley have had their lunch meals given the stamp of approval by a new independent body backed by Jamie Oliver.

Pupils at Manor Green Primary School and Manor Green College are starting 2015 with meals which are guaranteed to comply with new school food standards.

The schools are among 11 in West Sussex to have had their menus approved already by the Children's Food Trust's new menu checking service.

All schools now have to follow certain standards, which include providing one or more portions of vegetables or salad each day.

But so far only some schools' menus have been checked to see if they comply.

At least one portion of fruit a day is also needed, as well as a dessert containing at least 50 per cent fruit two or more times a week.

There are to be no more than two portions of deep-fried, batter-coated or breadcrumb-coated food a week.

The only snacks available to eat will be nuts, seeds, vegetables or fruit.

Chocolate or chocolate-coated products are not allowed.

The only drinks permitted are water, milk, fruit or vegetable drinks and tea, coffee and hot chocolate.

All school menus had to be compliant from January 1.

Approved menus will display a logo to show they comply with the standards and they will be reviewed twice a year.

Jeremy Hunt, the county council's cabinet member for education and skills, said: "It is important to us to ensure that all meals in our schools are served to a high quality and it is great to see that we are achieving this in our special schools.

"A lot of pupils at these schools have complex dietary issues and this accreditation process gives us peace of mind that we are meeting their requirements, while also meeting the new food standards.

"The meals served at these schools are freshly prepared and cooked by county council staff, on site in the schools.

"As part of our focus on meeting the new standards, we are now only using seafood which has been caught using sustainable fishing practices.

"That means as well as improving food quality, we are also improving our ethical sourcing policy."

The Children's Food Trust was created in 2005 by the Department for Education and Skills, following celebrity chef Oliver's critique of the nutritional quality of school meals in his TV documentary Jamie's School Dinners.

A HOMELESS shelter marked its 20th anniversary at Christmas as dozens of volunteers, including a blast from the past, and a mountain of donations showed Christmas truly was a time for giving in Crawley.

The team at Crawley Open House have been left stunned by the scale of the public's generosity during the festive period, with more donations received than ever before.

Dinner was served to 64 people in need on Christmas Day, made up of roast turkey and all the trimmings, plus dessert.

The meal, served at one large sitting, was prepared by volunteers using donated ingredients.

Charlie Arratoon, Crawley Open House's director, said: "We were overwhelmed by the level of donations.

"There were churches, schools, businesses and individuals all kindly providing a mixture of food and items specifically for Christmas and goods that will keep us going. We had more individuals than ever before donating. People were so generous this year.

"It meant we could also put on buffets between Christmas and New Year on top of the main dinner."

Each year the team at the shelter are inundated with offers from people to volunteer during the festive season.

On Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day there were a total of 33 volunteers who helped out. One of them was a surprise visitor who offered to help out on Christmas Day.

Charlie added: "I arrived just after 9am and the buzzer went off. There was a gentleman outside who said he had lived with us back in 1996 and he asked if he could help out. It was a lovely surprise. He swept the yard for us and emptied the bins and stayed for a drink before having to go to work."

Charlie explained that Christmas is always a popular time of year for people to volunteer to help at the shelter. As only so many volunteers can be accommodated at once the Christmas period was fully booked at the start of December. Anyone who would like to volunteer can be accommodated at other times of the year.

Christmas Eve was a special milestone for the charity because 20 years earlier it opened a hostel for the first time. Vacant office space was converted to provide 12 single and four-double rooms plus an office, a shower, a toilet and a laundry area.

Now the hostel, based at Riverside House, on Stephenson Way, in Three Bridges, has 24 beds and there is also a day centre.

Charlie added: "We always run at 100 per cent occupancy. If somebody leaves us in the morning we are always full that evening."

The constant demand for the homeless hostel's support meant 2,500 people were turned away last year.

Among the benefactors over Christmas was Crawley Lions Club, whose members donated £200, while Asda provided a truckload of food.

Hayley Kusnierz, from Burney Court, in Bewbush, set up her own Facebook campaign to help the homeless keep warm over Christmas.

The 23-year-old and her mum, Debbie Strudwick, collected donations from people across the town.

These were given to Crawley Open House and rough sleepers in nearby Tent City, a piece of woodland close to the hostel where some homeless people camp while waiting for a bed to become available.

The mother and daughter collected blankets, sleeping bags, gloves, deodorant, chocolate and food, the weekend before Christmas.

Hayley said: "It started with my own personal collection of 34 items and then it built when lots of people came forward. There were so many blankets and clothes donated that we had to go in the car three times."

Another annual tradition for the last five years has been the Crawley Open House Has Got Talent show – and this Christmas was no different. The event took place on December 23 with six acts battling it out for the title.

There was plenty of singing ability on display as four acts belted out famous songs My Way, The Wonder of You, I Believe I Can Fly and All I Want For Christmas Is You, which was judged to be the winner.

For more information about volunteering at Crawley Open House go to www.crawleyopenhouse.co.uk

Deborah Hanson was sentenced for assaulting PC Pauline Lane on July 15 last year at Crawley Police Station when she appeared at Crawley Magistrates' Court on December 22.

She had pleaded guilty to assaulting a constable in the execution of her duty at an earlier hearing on November 12.

Hanson, 48, from Shaws Road, Northgate, was given a community order and told to attend four sessions of an alcohol intervention course by June 21. In addition to the compensation she was fined £25. Both sums will be deducted from her benefits. Hanson also admitted breaching a conditional discharge by committing the offence just 13 days after it was imposed. No further punishment was handed out for the breach, although the conditional discharge remains in place and any further offences could activate a more severe sentence.

Prolific fundraiser Maria Hains is starting to collect toys and other goodies to give to the children who go to Manor Green Primary School and Manor Green College in Ifield.

Maria is appealing for donations such as colouring books and teddy bears, to pass on to pupils next Christmas.

Anyone wishing to make a donation can do so by dropping off items at Crawley Hospital or call Maria on 01293 403432.

TRAFFIC is congested on the M25 at the turnoff for the M23 this morning.

On the clockwise carriageway traffic is backed up at Junction 7 with delays also occurring clockwise between Junction 9 (Leatherhead) and 10 for the A3.

On the M23 there is congestion from Junction 9 (Gatwick) to Junction 8 (M25) on the anti-clockwise carriageway.

Meanwhile there are problems on the trains with services on the East Grinstead line suffering some delays and cancellations. The Uckfield line is also experiencing delays with a replacement bus having been requested to run from Edenbridge Town at 08.09am to Oxted due to expected overcrowding.

An earlier train fault is also causing delays coming out of London with some services from London Bridge towards East Croydon and East Grinstead running late and being revised to skip stations.

Passengers are advised to check National Rail Enquiries before travelling.

ATHLETICS: The 2015 West Sussex Fun Run League has begun, and Crawley Saints & Sinners have started in style.

On New Year's Day, 31 runners took part in the Goring Road Runners Hangover Five Mile Race, a tough multi-terrain course taking in the climb to Cissbury Ring.

There were just over 300 runners and Stacey Buche led the Saints home, finishing with a very impressive tenth place overall.

Saints and Sinners' results: Stacey Buche 35min 08sec, James Tombs 39:22, David Penfold 40:12, Steve Baker 41:25, Martin Presland 43:19, Mark Clawson 43:26, Mark Austin 44:10,

Darren Hunt 44:21, Raj Sorroy 44:56, James Mason 45:36, Jo Fiveash 46:06, Stuart Davies 46:36, Lisa Caig 46:43, Mary Freestone 46:53, Rob Kernaghan 47:58, Ange Stark 51:13, Stella Daff 51:39, Andrew Middleton 52:27, Lois Jerry 52:38, Gail Johnson 53:24, Malcolm Wiltshire 53:36, Cathy Holroyd 54:42, Nina Williams 55:52, Julie Wyeth 56:29, Yvonne Miller 58:28, Vanessa Harrold 1.01.53, Elodie Cottee 1.02.07, Brian Purnell 1.02.44, Carole Martin 1.03.53, Janet Lee 1.13.31, Debbie Wiltshire 1.15.20.

Two club members ran in the junior race: Ellie Buche 5min 57sec and Isobel Buche 6:33.

OAKWOOD have not played a competitive game in more than a month and manager Mark Gilbert admits it is a situation that does not look likely to improve any time soon.

The Oaks, who share their ground with Crawley Town, have three consecutive home games coming up but, having not played at their Tinsley Lane home for more than two months, Gilbert admits Saturday's game against Saltdean United is already in doubt.

"There is a bad patch down the middle and the weather has been that bad that it hasn't had time to dry out," the manager explained.

"We have a run of three home games now but it's expected to rain all week and, if it does, I can't see Saturday's game being on. It's rubbish and frustrating, but a lot of other clubs are in the same situation."

However, Gilbert has been using the time without a game well, working on strengthening his squad.

"We lost our left-back Harry Lowe to Crawley Down Gatwick but we have signed Glen Woodburn, who has previously been at Worthing," he said. "Glen's a centre-half who has played for the club before and he knows a lot of the boys.

"We have put in a few other seven-day requests as well, so hopefully we might get a few more in."