THE Co-op store in Tilgate is due to reopen next week following a £400,000 refurbishment.

The store on Tilgate Parade will reopen on Thursday next week (February 5) with an improved in-store bakery, and "a focus on fresh, healthy foods and essentials".

The store is also pioneering a new role, known as a Community Pioneer, where a staff member will be in charge of involving the store in community activities such as fundraising for local causes.

Andy Gurr, manager of Tilgate Parade branch, said: "We are thrilled to have made such a significant investment in our Tilgate Parade store, and we are delighted that we will have a fantastic new food store with which to serve the community – it is an exciting time for the whole team."

He added: "The store will be a hub for the local community, and customers will be able to find out what is going on locally, and learn about how The Co-operative can benefit local groups."

WARDENS will be patrolling the town and handing out on-the-spot fines to anyone caught fly-tipping, as part of a new campaign.

Crawley Borough Council has launched the new initiative to rid the town of illegal and unsightly dumping of rubbish.

Almost 1,800 incidents of fly-tipping were reported to the council in 2014 – costing about £75,000 to clear.

Streets in Bewbush, Broadfield, Furnace Green, Gossops Green, Pound Hill and Southgate have been highlighted as problem hotspots.

The council's community wardens will be knocking on doors in these neighbourhoods to give advice on all of the legal ways bulky waste items can be disposed of.

The wardens will also be patrolling known problem areas and fining anyone caught in the act.

Fixed penalty notices of £80 will be issued for small items of fly-tipping, up to the size of two filled refuse sacks.

Larger items, such as washing machines and large piles of garden waste, can attract fines of more than £50,000 plus a prison sentence.

Colin Lloyd, the council's cabinet member for environmental services, said: "We will be taking a harder line on fly-tipping so people who flout these rules will be liable to prosecution.

"We're asking for residents' help to tell us when they see someone illegally dumping rubbish."

The wardens have been moved into the council's community services department, which includes the staff who remove illegally dumped waste, so both teams can work closely together to share intelligence.

The council aims to clear reported fly-tipping items within two working days.

Legal ways to get rid of unwanted items include going to the Household Waste Recycling Site, in Metcalf Way, behind County Oak Retail Park.

If you catch someone fly-tipping call the wardens in confidence on 07884 492324.

For more information on disposing of waste legally visit www.crawley.gov.uk/recycling or call 01293 438772.

A COUPLE from Pound Hill have lost their home and had to give up their jobs after a mould problem in their flat got so bad they had to move out.

Sam Johnson, his girlfriend Jade and his three-year-old son Nathan are currently being housed by Crawley Borough Council in a hostel in Worthing.

They say they were left with no option but to quit their jobs in Crawley as they did not have enough money to commute from the south coast.

They have also had to take Nathan out of nursery.

Mr Johnson had previously rented a two-bedroom maisonette on Worth Road from a landlord through Choices estate agents, based in Broad Walk in the town centre.

But the damp and mould in the flat got so bad that after raising the issue with the council, one of its housing officers ruled that the family couldn't be expected to live there.

Mr Johnson said: "The mould grew so much over six months – literally everything was green.

"In the end we all had to sleep on the floor in the front room as every room was green and black."

A council spokesman explained that its officers have been in contact with Choices and the property owner about the mould.

He said: "We were made aware of the problems and found the property to be suffering from what seemed to be severe damp, condensation and mould.

"It was not reasonable to expect anyone to live in the property so we offered the tenants alternative accommodation.

"The property owner has organised repairs and we will reinspect the property when work is completed.

"Further action will be taken if the remedial works aren't carried out."

But Mr Johnson says his landlord has now served notice on him, meaning that he faces remaining in Worthing, where he and his family have lived for two months.

Mr Johnson is also in a dispute with the landlord over the £1,200 deposit he claims he is still owed.

The 25-year-old used to work in a warehouse in Manor Royal, while his girlfriend worked part-time at Halfords.

He said: "I think it's appalling.

"My little boy has had to be taken out of nursery. It has probably cost me £3,000 to £4,000 in furniture that has been damaged.

"We have had to move to Worthing. And I've had to pay to move stuff down here and to put things in storage."

Mr Johnson added that he is now having to claim benefits to make ends meet.

A spokeswoman for Choices said: "The deposit has been dealt with in accordance with the Tenancy Deposit Scheme regulations."

The Tenancy Deposit Scheme is a government-approved provider of tenancy deposit protection.

The Crawley News attempted to contact the landlord about the issue but he had not replied as we went to press.

FIREFIGHTERS came to the rescue after a car crashed on the M23.

Crews from Crawley Fire Station were called to the southbound carriageway between junctions 9 (Gatwick) and 10 (Crawley) to a report of a single vehicle collision at 7pm last night (Monday, January 27).

A total of three appliances were dispatched to the incident, including the heavy rescue tender vehicle as a precaution.

On arrival the firefighters found there was nobody trapped in the vehicle but the South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) were called to treat someone at the scene for minor injuries.

The crews cleared the stretch of motorway and left the scene at 7.20pm.

A SOUTHGATE author has tackled playground abuse and explored the relationship between young bullies and the children they target in her first published book.

Eve Mitchell, who writes under the pseudonym Eve Ainsworth, was inspired to write Seven Days after her experiences working at schools including Thomas Bennett Community College.

Promoted under the slogan "one bully, one target, two victims", Seven Days is a dual narrative that switches between the beautiful and popular Kez and the awkward, overweight Jess.

Ms Mitchell, who lives in Coogan Row, Southgate, said: "Most people are bullied at some point and are ashamed to speak about it; it's a stigma.

"People can be bullied at school and at work, in all sorts of scenarios, and we tend to play it down, but it does have an impact on how we think and feel."

Seven Days will be published by Scholastic in February and is aimed at young people aged 11 to 16.

Ms Mitchell, 36, is a pastoral support assistant at Thomas Bennett Community College and has talked to children who have been the victims and perpetrators of bullying.

She said: "I talk to children who are dealing with huge emotions, on a daily basis.

"The book is completely fictional but working at a school has helped me develop the characters' voices and see how a teenager might react."

Seven Days looks at issues that plague young people, such as low self-confidence, as well as the modern dangers of cyber-bullying.

"There's so much on the internet now, one little comment can escalate so quickly," said Ms Ainsworth, who has seen the types of abusive messages students have received.

Ms Mitchell wanted Seven Days to also explore bullying from the perpetrator's side.

"There are two sides to every story," she said.

"I wanted to show why someone could become a bully, and also the feelings and emotions of someone who bullies."

More than 45,000 victims of bullying called Childline in 2014 but Ms Mitchell hopes Seven Days will give these young people strength.

Ms Mitchell will be visiting bookshops and schools from February to promote Seven Days and to talk about bullying with parents and children.

The mother-of-two also has a two-book deal with Scholastic and her second book, which explores teenage relationships, will be published in February 2016.

Read more about Ms Mitchell and her books at www.eveainsworth.com

AT an extraordinary meeting of Crawley Borough Council last night councillors voted to oppose a second runway at Gatwick Airport.

Of the 36 councillors present, 25 of them voted against supporting Gatwick expansion while 11 were in favour. One councillor, Conservative member for Southgate Liam Marshall-Ascough, boycotted the meeting saying he believed there should have been a public referendum on the issue.

Here is how your local councillor voted:

Support: 11

Marion Ayling - Bewbush (Labour)

Brian Quinn - Broadfield North (Labour)

Tim Lunnon - Broadfield South (Labour)

Colin Moffatt - Broadfield South (Labour)

Chris Oxlade - Ifield (Labour)

Peter Smith - Ifield (Labour)

Stephen Joyce - Langley Green (Labour)

Lenny Walker - Maidenbower (Conservative)

Peter Lamb - Northgate (Labour)

Michael Pickett - Southgate (Labour)

Raj Sharma - Southgate (Labour)

Oppose: 25

Chris Cheshire - Bewbush (Labour)

Michael Jones - Bewbush (Labour)

Ian Irvine - Broadfield North (Labour)

Duncan Crow - Furnace Green (Conservative)

Carol Eade - Furnace Green (Conservative)

Keith Blake - Gossops Green (Conservative)

Chris Mullins - Gossops Green (Labour)

John Stanley - Ifield (Labour)

David Shreeves - Langley Green (Labour)

Brenda Smith - Langley Green (Labour)

Duncan Peck - Maidenbower (Conservative)

Ken Trussell - Maidenbower (Conservative)

Geraint Thomas - Northgate (Labour)

Saly Blake - Pound Hill North (Conservative)

Keith Brockwell - Pound Hill North (Conservative)

Richard Burrett - Pound Hill North (Conservative)

Howard Bloom - Pound Hill South and Worth (Conservative)

Bob Lanzer - Pound Hill South and Worth (Conservative)

Beryl Mecrow - Pound Hill South and Worth (Conservative)

Bob Burgess - Three Bridges (Conservative)

Brenda Burgess - Three Bridges (Conservative)

Nigel Boxall - Tilgate (Conservative)

Colin Lloyd - Tilgate (Labour)

Karen Sudan - West Green (Labour)

Bill Ward - West Green (Labour)

Didn't attend: 1

Liam Marshall-Ascough - Southgate (Conservative)

POLICE are growing increasingly concerned for the safety of a man from Crawley who has gone missing from Langley Green Hospital.

Markus Gall was last seen on Saturday (January 24) heading out of Crawley on a London-bound train at about 12.50pm.

The 25-year-old is a patient at the mental health unit on Martyrs Avenue, in Langley Green.

He is described as white, 6', with short brown hair, of medium build and was last seen wearing a grey hooded top, blue jeans, a brown coat and grey trainers.

PC Heather Mackay said: "We are concerned for Markus as he left Langley Green Hospital mental health unit where he was a patient. If anyone knows where he is or has seen him, please contact police."

Anyone with information is asked to call Sussex Police on 101.

THE initial building work for a £700,000 hall which will be the "new heart" of Copthorne is nearing completion.

The old hall at St John the Evangelist Church was deemed unfit for purpose, so was knocked down and the land sold off in the late summer to fund a brand new building.

Construction of its replacement is now well under way, with the majority of the external building work complete and just the roof to finish off.

The internal building work should be complete by the beginning of May.

Worth Parish Council will be moving into an office on the first floor, and its clerk Jenny Saunders is sure the new office will be much better for everyone.

She said: "We will have disabled access now because we have a lift, so that will be much better for residents who want to come and see us.

"We only have a parish office at the moment so we don't have the ability to hold parish meetings. With the new hall we will also be able to have parish meetings there."

The sale of the land where the old hall stood raised £430,000 to go towards its replacement. Another £160,000 came from grants and donations, while the remainder is coming from the church's own funds. About £20,000 still needs to be raised.

The new hall, which is within the grounds of St John's churchyard, will be used by art groups, toddler groups and other local clubs, which have been using temporary premises at Borers Arms Yard since the old hall was closed.

The building should be completely finished by the beginning of May.

Reverend Simon Hill, vicar of St John's, said: "We are absolutely delighted. It looks absolutely as if it is meant to be there. It's very exciting because it provides a new heart at the centre of the Copthorne community."

A "topping out" ceremony, attended by the Bishop of Horsham, will be held on February 3.

Anyone who donates to the project will have their name displayed on a brick wall-style banner which will be hung in the new hall.

For details on how to donate towards the project to plug the funding gap which still remains, visit www.copthornechurch.org

CRAWLEY Town Girls claimed an emphatic 8-1 win over Horsham Sparrows in their Surrey County Women's & Girls League U18 clash.

Crawley started by passing the ball well and Jade Page scored twice within the first 20 minutes, while Brooke Webb also netted her first of the season.

A fourth just before the break from Lauren Tyler made the half-time team-talk easy.

Crawley were soon in command again. Chloe Higham got a rare goal and Webb grabbed her second.

Pulling the strings in midfield was Tayla Hill, who cleared up loose balls with Alice Horton but also passed intelligently to the front. Hayley Grinham and Courtney Holmes kept everything tight at the back, Holmes weighing in with an assist.

Chloe Chesworth scored and Tyler got her second, taking the tally to eight. But for outstanding goalkeeping from the Horsham custodian, it would have been many more.

Crawley keeper Ellie Stow did not have a great deal to do but she made a brilliant save to knock the ball against the underside of the crossbar; it fell to the feet of the Horsham striker, who scored their solitary goal.

Players of the match: Alice Horton, tireless hard work, brilliant passing; Tayla Hill, craft and unselfish play.

CRAWLEY Wasps U14 reached their first-ever cup final with a 4-1 win over Cuckfield Cosmos in their Sussex County Cup semi-final.

Wasps started with lovely football and five minutes into the game a great ball from Chloe Coaker found Yas Church, who hit a low and hard shot to open the scoring.

As Cosmos kicked off, Wasps were quick to seize possession and Lily Beckett tested the Cosmos keeper.

Wasps were playing with passion and another quality pass from Josie Stannard found Beckett, who struck the ball hard into the back of the net.

Towards the break, the midfield of Baigent, Church and Chart were supplying the strikers with all they needed to score more goals, while stand-in keeper Jodie Barker was making some great saves to keep Cosmos out.

A long throw from Coaker found Topaz Luxford, who beat the Cosmos defence for a 3-0 score at half-time.

After some team changes, Wasps went out and attacked again. On 60 minutes, Beth Clawson found Luxford, who sealed the win.

Cosmos grabbed a late consolation, but it was Wasps who progressed.

PAUL FAILI has told his Three Bridges side they have to improve on the basics after admitting they didn't deserve to draw at Ramsgate.

It was almost 5pm when substitute Ben Godfrey fired in the leveller as a thrilling clash at Southwood ended 3-3.

Allan Tait had put Bridges ahead, but Macualey Murray brought the hosts level.

Murray then saw his penalty saved by Kieron Thorp after John Lansdale handled in the box, but Tom Chapman put the struggling hosts ahead just before half-time.

Nathan Crabb levelled, but James Sherman restored the lead before Lansdale missed a penalty of his own – and his miserable afternoon was complete when he was sent off for a second yellow card.

But Bridges kept plugging away and finally took one of their chances when Godfrey finished smartly deep into stoppage time.

Boss Faili was happy to scrape a draw. "We didn't deserve the point," he said. "I thought our defending was absolutely dire at times, I thought it was schoolboy.

"Their desire was greater than ours.

"I don't think their football was any better than ours, our football was better but sometimes you've got to have a bit of a muddy game to get the win and we didn't get stuck in today."

The score really could have been anything with both teams spurning several chances, and Faili hailed his keeper for keeping his team in it.

He added: "My man of the match today was Kieron Thorp, I thought he was immense and when you say the goalkeeper was immense that shows what sort of game it was. The boys didn't give up, they kept trying to chip away but it was the basics we got wrong.

"I criticise the boys openly for that, they know that, they know they've come away with a lucky point.

"This is the best squad we've ever had. I still believe we can go on and do great things but this year we've really got to learn the basics.

"I think if we can get that right we'll be a force to be reckoned with."

ST FRANCIS finally played a league match, having had three games cancelled by opponents and one by the weather.

Bognor's thirds were the first to feel their frustration as Saints started off strongly and got deep into Bognor's half, with Saints' forwards putting in a masterful display. Fly-half Antonio Privetara controlled the lines with great delivery to the backs, who attacked time and again before a try came from full-back Adam Pique after excellent passing from Jack Norrie and man-of-the-match Arjan Kershavarz.

Shortly after Pique's try, there was another from wing Chris Zerafa, who enjoyed a sublime debut for the Saints.

The long-overdue return of the experienced Paul Sparkes, Adie Perry and Ryan Lace added strength up front.

Bognor now tried to outmuscle the Saints by shifting positions with four changes, aiming to break through Saints' defence, which had been impenetrable in the first half.

Bognor were suddenly the ones on the attack against a Saints side who were constantly being forced to defend.

Bognor ended up using their entire bench against the Saints and scored after a handling error saw the ball knocked on.

In a very physical last 15 minutes, the Saints dug in while Bognor tried desperately to score, but Saints held on for their first win of 2015.

This weekend, St Francis play a vital home game against top-of-the-table Pulborough.