A MAN who crashed into a hedge while drink-driving on his way to a service station has appeared in court in Crawley.

Peter Watters, 26, drank beer and several glasses of wine on the evening of December 22 before getting into his Renault Clio to drive to the Hickstead Services on the A2300.

At about 10.30pm he lost control of his car, which did not have a valid MOT, and crashed it into a sign at the entrance to the services and then into a hedge.

When he was arrested, Watters was found to have 97 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of his breath - almost three times the 35 microgrammes legal limit.

Watters, of Victoria Avenue, Burgess Hill, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and driving a vehicle without an MOT when he appeared at Crawley Magistrates' Court on January 30.

He was banned from driving for 24 months, told to do 80 hours of community service and ordered to pay a £50 fine, £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

Chief Inspector Phil Nicholas, of Surrey and Sussex roads policing unit, said: "Watters could have been seriously hurt or even killed in the crash - or could have killed someone else.

"When officers arrived he was clearly intoxicated, was unsteady on his feet and was having difficulty speaking.

"He is lucky to have escaped with just community service and a ban from driving because in other circumstances his selfish behaviour could have proved deadly."

A total of 55 people have so far been convicted after being arrested as part of Operation Dragonfly, Sussex Police's December drink and drug-driving crackdown.

People in Sussex can text officers on 65999 with the details of people they suspect of drink or drug driving or visit www.operationcrackdown.co.uk.

They can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

A WEBSITE similar to Wikipedia but which allows anyone to edit information at any time has created a rather surreal description of Crawley.

The town's landmarks, famous residents and demographics have been given a tongue-in-cheek overhaul.

The website, called Uncyclopedia, describes Crawley as having been "founded by Saddam Hussein in 1258 BC" and "with 90 per cent of grandparents being in their late 20s to early 30s".

It goes on to say that Jesus once settled in the town, and that "Francis Drake sailed here in 1569 to meet Christopher Columbus who had flown in from Antarctica via Gatwick Airport".

There are some real facts within the current article, which is susceptible to editing by anyone so can constantly be evolving.

It mentions the annual World Marbles Championships which are held in Tinsley Green and the K2 being one of the best sports centres in the south east.

A section entitled Ancient Settlers reads: "The inhabitants of Crawley are looked down on by the rest of the population of Sussex in spite of the fact that, unlike the East Sussex yokels, they have the regulation number of fingers and toes. All the best looking women come from Crawley - a fact that is easy to spot by their lack of hair on the upper lip."

Under Population, it also states: "Crawley boasts the youngest mother in the world, who can't be named here for legal reasons (plus she'll get expelled from kindergarten)."

The article shows a picture of Bruce Forsyth wearing a Burberry cap and clutching a can of Fosters.

To see the full page go to http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Crawley

A NUMBER of people have appeared in court accused of playing a part in a "large" fight in Bewbush, where crowbars and iron bars were used as weapons.

Doris Robertson, Kenny Robertson and Ansley Robertson all stood in the dock at Crawley Magistrates' Court today (Wednesday, February 11). They were joined in the court by three male teenagers who cannot be identified due to their age.

All six defendants are charged with affray and no pleas were entered at the hearing. Kenny Robertson, 22, also faces a count of dangerous driving. Again no plea was recorded.

They are all alleged to have been involved in a violent brawl that took place in and around Dorsten Square on July 27 last year.

Melanie Wotton, prosecuting, said: ""Police were alerted to a number of calls indicating there was a large fight in that location.

"Some people indicated there were 30 people involved, while others said less, but there were at least 10 people taking part in the fight.

"The fight involved weapons and on one occasion someone goes to drive a motor vehicle at some of the parties involved. Unfortunately it hit a member of the public."

Ms Wotton added crowbars and iron bars had been used in the fight and that police had found a number of weapons in bushes in the area during searches afterwards.

Magistrates adjourned the hearing and sent to the case to the crown court.

Mrs Robertson, 49, previously of Britten Close in Bewbush, was released on conditional bail.

Kenny Robertson, from Martyrs Avenue in Langley Green, and Ansley Robertson, 25, from Britten Close, were both released on unconditional bail.

Two of the youths were also released on unconditional bail while the third was given conditional bail.

All of the defendants are next due to appear at Lewes Crown Court on February 27.

*For the full story pick up next week's Crawley News 

COUNCILLORS who served alongside Crawley's longest-serving politician Bert Crane have paid tribute to him following his death last night.

Bert Crane, who served as Labour representative for West Green for 58 years, stepped down in 2012. He passed away at East Surrey Hospital last night.

Current Crawley mayor, Cllr Brenda Smith, said: "It's a sad end of an era. Bert was one of the founding fathers of the new town and his passion for social housing saw many new homes built for the rapidly growing population of the time.

"I have many fond memories of working alongside Bert; his vast knowledge and experience has been invaluable to me, the council and Crawley as a whole. He will be sorely missed and my thoughts are with his wife, Valerie, their family and friends."

Crawley Borough Council Leader, Cllr Peter Lamb. said: "Bert was one of a kind, his generation of councillors built Crawley into the place we call home today and as a representative he has set the bar high for those who follow.

"I know that his loss is felt across both sides of the council chamber today and to all those who knew him he will be sorely missed. My thoughts are with his family at this difficult time."

Cllr Duncan Crow, leader of the Conservative opposition, added: "We are all deeply saddened by the loss of Bert who is a part of the fabric of Crawley's history. His contribution to Crawley has been both immense and unique over the last six decades and he rightly commanded respect on both sides of the political divide."

Crawley's crest was flown at half-mast today in honour of Bert and a book of condolence will be available in the Town Hall foyer in the next few days. A minute silence will be observed at this evening's cabinet meeting and also at the next full council meeting.

Born in London, Bert was only 16 when he joined the Royal Navy and was in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese surrendered towards the end of the Second World War. He was discharged on health grounds when diagnosed with Tuberculosis in 1948 and in 1952 he arrived in Crawley before contesting his first election in 1953, which he lost.

Bert was then elected in 1954 and remained on the council until 2012.

AN Ifield man who drove along the A23 while over the drink-drive limit on New Year's Day has been banned from driving.

Waqas Mahmood, from Nuthurst Close, appeared at Crawley Magistrates' Court last Wednesday, when he changed his earlier plea of not guilty to one of guilty.

On New Year's Day the 23-year-old was stopped by police carrying out spot checks on the A23 between Hickstead and Bolney.

Mahmood gave a reading of 64 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The limit is 35 micrograms.

Geoff White, defending, told the court: "He had been to Brighton with friends for New Year's Eve and they partied the night away.

"The next morning he couldn't find his car, reported it as stolen but then found it.

"When he was stopped by police he was genuinely surprised that he was over the drink-drive limit.

"He wrongly thought he would be fine to drive the morning after drinking.

"He recognises there is no defence."

Mahmood was disqualified from driving for 16 months, which will be reduced to 12 months if he completes a course to make him more aware of the dangers of drink-driving.

He was also fined £110, and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

A "KEY member" of Three Bridges Football Club who has died is to have his ashes scattered on the pitch at their home ground.

Ron Opper died in his sleep at East Surrey Hospital, surrounded by his family, on February 1, having contracted pneumonia. He was 83.

Mr Opper had been a board member at Three Bridges FC for 40 years, joining the club following a move to Crawley in 1971 from Tooting.

He did everything from helping with social events to ensuring the changing rooms were clean and looking after the team's kit.

Alan Bell, president of Three Bridges FC, has been Mr Opper's friend for four decades, having met through the club.

Mr Bell, of Three Bridges Road, said: "Ron is without question one of the key members of the football club over the last 40 years.

"He was a very hard worker and he was passionate about the club being successful.

"His happiest time at the club was probably when we won the Sussex County League and League Cup in 2012."

Mr Opper worked for the Royal Mail in London for 41 years, starting as a postman before being promoted to different positions.

While he lived in the capital he supported Tooting and Mitcham and would occasionally travel back to watch them play during his first years living in Crawley.

Mr Bell, 70, said: "It was quite an occasion for Ron when we were promoted to the Ryman League in 2012 and played against his old favourite club."

He added that rather than being torn between which team to cheer on, Mr Opper was "clearly supporting Three Bridges".

He also followed Arsenal – and "was a happy man if Bridges and Arsenal won on the same day".

Mr Opper had played football himself in his younger days, for Park Hill Athletic, where he was a right back and then club treasurer.

Once he moved to Crawley he played for two years for The Tavern On The Green's pub team.

Mr Opper, who lived in Pound Hill, leaves his wife Heather, daughter Holly, Holly's partner Bruce, grandchildren Amy and Oliver, daughter Fern, Fern's husband James, and grandchildren Isabella and William. He also had two brothers, Michael and Leslie.

Mr Bell said: "Ron was a very strong character and during his life it was clear he was very loyal, and he was to the football club.

"He had a really good sense of humour and would make people laugh.

"Having said that, he worked hard, and at the Royal Mail he never had a day off.

"He had his own chair and table in the bar at Three Bridges. It was Ron's table and chair and he was at the club almost every day sitting there having a cup of tea, reading the paper and chatting to people who came in during the day.

"Ron perhaps knew more people associated with the club than anyone else."

Mr Opper's funeral will be a private family gathering, with a date yet to be arranged.

If anyone would like to pay their respects to Mr Opper they can do so when his ashes are scattered on the pitch at Jubilee Field, off Three Bridges Road, on March 1, at noon.

THE borough council is hoping to set up a temporary ice rink in the town centre this Christmas – so it can gauge whether there is enough interest to warrant building a permanent one.

The issue of how to get more people visiting and spending money in the town centre was again raised at a public debate last week.

The proposed regeneration of Queens Square was discussed at the annual Crawley Question Time.

Members of the audience offered a range of suggestions for bringing the town centre back to life such as opening an indoor market and staging an outdoor film festival.

And the idea of building an ice rink – which has always proved popular with the public – was again discussed.

Last year four companies expressed an interest in building an ice rink in the town after a Facebook group – called Crawley needs an ice rink – was set up and quickly received more than 1,200 "likes".

Speaking at last Wednesday's debate, Crawley Borough Council leader Peter Lamb said: "There is enthusiasm for this and we have had discussions around having an ice rink.

"Last Christmas came too soon but our idea is to have a trial run at Christmas [this year] on a temporary basis to see if the interest is there [for building a permanent ice rink].

"That would help to conclude if it is viable in the long run."

After the debate, Councillor Lamb told the Crawley News that "all options are on the table".

He explained: "We want to find a way to make it work and I think a temporary rink could work at Christmas, in Queens Square for example, because they tend to be popular at that time of year."

The example of Somerset House, in London, which hosts film festivals and ice skating at different times of the year, was put forward as a model Crawley could follow.

Sam Trumpeter, who spoke at the debate in his role as vice chairman of the Crawley Young Person's Council, said: "We definitely want more leisure options.

"We have shops and a lot – a lot – of coffee shops in the town but we want more things to do."

Cllr Lamb added that the success and high footfall at Crawley Leisure Park suggests that some of its facilities could be replicated successfully elsewhere in the town centre.

Duncan Crow, leader of the town's Conservative opposition, said: "The town centre cannot be left to stand still and die.

"There needs to be a mix between leisure, retail and housing.

"Morrisons, the Travelodge hotel and Turtle Bay have opened in the town centre so there is reason to be positive.

"It sadly felt like a lack of ambition to drop the Town Centre North regeneration [plans] last year, though.

"There may not have been concrete plans to go on but I thought it was premature to drop them."

Audience members at the public meeting, held at The Hawth, expressed concern at the number of empty town centre units and the impact the proposed Westfield shopping centre in Croydon could have on Crawley.

Cllr Lamb said that the council was having to work with "one hand behind its back" because it does not own the buildings where the empty shop units are.

"The people that own the buildings are businesses such as pension companies," he added.

"They don't have long-term plans for what to do with these sites, they don't want to invest and don't have the incentive to lower business rates and rent.

"We have no regulatory or legislative role to make the landowners do anything but we are wanting to work with them to create an attractive space.

"Getting small businesses into some units would be great because I know people love the small independent feel.

"Having an internal market where smaller firms could be based is something we have looked at.

"When it comes to the redevelopment plans in Croydon I don't have any secret information but I think people need to wait and see what actually comes forward."

THIS nostalgic video will take many people who worked at Gatwick during the 1990s back to a time when air travel was supersonic.

Concorde was the next generation of air travel when it was brought into regular commercial use in 1976 and in 1996, Pepsi attempted to halt Coca Cola's increasing market share in soft drinks by painting their livery on one of the aircraft.

The video shows the Air France jet sporting the famous brand's colours and logo at Gatwick Airport, having been painted in Paris in March 1996. It required 200 liters of paint and 2,000 hours of work.

The operation to paint it was undertaken secretly, as Pepsi wanted to keep the advertising stunt under wraps. The plane left the hangar at night on March 31 and took off for Gatwick, where it was towed to a hangar upon its arrival.

Flying at supersonic speeds and resembling a fighter pilot more than a passenger plane, Concorde cut travelling time dramatically. The fastest transatlantic airliner flight was from New York JFK to Heathrow on February 7, 1996 by a British Airways plane G-BOAD in two hours, 52 minutes and 59 seconds from takeoff to touchdown.

In April 2003, Air France and British Airways announced they would retire Concorde later that year. Low passenger numbers, partly due to the effect the September 2001 attacks had on air travel, and rising costs of maintenance were blamed.

A CRAWLEY footballer's life has been saved after a player on the opposition team performed lifesaving CPR on him when he collapsed during a match.

Michael Gaunt, who works as a retained firefighter, performed CPR for "what felt like 25 minutes" on Ismael Vasconcelos during a game on Northgate Playing Fields on January 31.

Michael, 25, who was a substitute for Forest Row, sprang into action after Ismael, who was playing for Stones FC, suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch.

Michael, who works as a builder during the day, explained that he almost missed the match, which had only just started when Ismael collapsed.

He told the Crawley News: "To be honest, I very nearly wasn't there.

"My missus and I went to the bank to see if we could sort out our joint bank account but they couldn't see us.

"If they had been able to see us, I wouldn't have been at the match and wouldn't have been there to help. Perhaps it was fate.

"We were just four to five minutes into the game and I was on the bench at the time when I saw the guy collapse. They thought at first he was having an epileptic fit but then someone attempted to give CPR, but not in the right way, and I ran over.

"It was obvious there was something wrong, he had no pulse and was turning grey – I've seen that look before and it's never a good sign."

Michael took over CPR for what he thought was just five minutes – only for his teammates to tell him it had been more like 25 minutes.

He added "We got a pulse fairly quickly and he started to get some colour back in his cheeks. I continued working on him after the paramedics arrived."

The match was subsequently abandoned, and Michael has since been thanked by Ismael.

Michael said: "We've spoken briefly on Facebook, but I don't know if he knows how close he came to dying. I'm just glad he's on the mend."

Ismael, who lives in Crawley and is a former Central Sussex College and St Wilfrid's School student, told friends on Facebook that he has since undergone successful surgery to have a pacemaker fitted – and that he is on the mend.

Before his operation he had written: "So here it is. The story of my three days of hell. I collapsed and couldn't breathe.

"Everyone thought I having a fit but after a while I stopped breathing."

Ismael added that as well as Michael two other people performed CPR on him and that after about ten minutes his pulse came back. Then the paramedics arrived and gave him a shock from a defibrillator three times to get his heart going and he was taken to East Surrey Hospital.

Ismael said: "They said I was out for a good 40 minutes to an hour and I am a very lucky guy to still be here."

He thanked Michael, a man called Shane Bumstead and another man called Lee adding: "If it wasn't for you lot I wouldn't be here." A spokesman for the South East Coast Ambulance Service has also praised the men who stepped in to save Ismael. He said: "We would like to thank and praise the efforts of everyone who helped at the scene of this incident and Michael for his quick thinking and actions. "We would also like to highlight the life-saving treatment provided by our crews which would likely not have been possible without the CPR provided at the scene prior to their arrival. "This incident clearly highlights the importance of bystander CPR and we wish the patient a good recovery."

Lauren-Daisy Jones appeared at Crawley Magistrates' Court last Wednesday to answer charges of assault by beating and causing criminal damage to property valued under £5,000.

The 23-year-old pleaded not guilty to both allegations.

On January 17 she is accused of assaulting a man in Crawley.

On the same date she is also alleged to have damaged toiletries of an unknown value.

Jones, from Waterfall Crescent, Bewbush, was released on conditional bail to appear for trial at Horsham Magistrates' Court on April 30.

A WAR veteran who was one of only 132 British troops to survive the most infamous beach landing during the Allied invasion of Normandy has died, aged 89.

George Osgood, an RAF wireless operator, was among a band of 180 Brits who joined their American colleagues during the landing at Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944 which proved a turning point in the Second World War.

Omaha saw the fiercest fighting and highest casualties of any of the Normandy Landings.

The bravery of Mr Osgood, who lived in Gossops Green for 30 years and later in Southgate, so inspired his grandson Richard Coleman, that he too joined the RAF and served for seven years, during which time he was a parachutist and patrol commander in Northern Ireland.

Paying tribute to his late grandfather, who died at a care home in Horsham on January 11, Mr Coleman said he was "an absolute legend of a man".

He said: "He had an amazing life. He grew up in a time when men were men and when people had a moral compass which has been lost in the generations which followed.

"The standards they set in every part of their lives were so different.

"He used to garden in the communal gardens at the flat he lived in during his later years and he would always be wearing a blazer and tie even while doing his gardening."

Mr Coleman found out the extent of his grandfather's bravery, and the significance of his role during the D-Day Landings, while helping him sort through his service history and photographs.

Until 2012 the British troops who supported the Americans on Omaha received no official recognition and still it is a relatively unknown fact that they took part in the bloody assault.

As an advanced wireless operator and because British radar equipment was considered the best in the world at the time, Mr Osgood was handpicked to provide communications support to the Americans.

The bloody nature of the battle at Omaha Beach is depicted in the opening 27 minutes of Oscar-winning movie Saving Private Ryan.

Mr Coleman said: "Of the British servicemen involved, 48 were killed when they landed on the beach so it was pretty horrific. Remember that these guys were not combat troops.

"They would have been trampling over hundreds of dead bodies while still being fired upon."

Mr Osgood was a member of the Normandy Veterans Association and of the Market Garden Veterans Association, having joined US troops during the unsuccessful Operation Market Garden, when they attempted an airborne assault in the Netherlands.

It was in the mid-1970s that Mr Osgood moved to Crawley.

He lived in Gossops Green until he moved to Walstead Court, a sheltered housing scheme in Southgate, with his wife about eight years ago.

Mr Osgood still walked his dog on a regular basis around the town into his 80s and would "stop and talk to anyone".

Mr Coleman, 37, from Greatham Road, Maidenbower, named his first son George after Mr Osgood.

"He was more like a father to me than a grandfather," he explained. "I called him dad and everyone knew him as my dad. I am immensely proud of him.

"The grief of losing him is far outweighed by the pride of having had him in my life."

Mr Osgood leaves a daughter, Alison, five grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

SOME of Crawley's biggest employers have committed their future to the town even if Heathrow is awarded a new runway instead of Gatwick Airport.

There has been feverish speculation in recent weeks about the possible impact on local jobs if Gatwick isn't chosen for expansion.

Many residents and business leaders have expressed fears that some of Crawley's biggest employers could even move out of the town.

So this week the Crawley News contacted five of the biggest employers in the town, including Thales and Virgin, to find out if they are committed to staying in the town whatever the outcome.

The firms questioned together provide thousands of jobs in the town and all but one pledged to stay put.

Thales, based in Manor Royal, says it will not be leaving the town.

A company spokesman said: "Thales UK has a long and proud history at our Manor Royal site and around 2,000 of our employees are currently based there.

"As one of the largest employers in Crawley we have been and remain fully committed to the site and the local area.

"While we recognise the business benefits a new runway at Gatwick would bring to the region it does not affect our decision to maintain our presence in the area."

Sir Richard Branson has made Crawley a home for large parts of his business empire.

The head office of Virgin Holidays is at The Galleria, in Station Road, in the town centre, where 660 people work and Virgin Atlantic has its training base, called simply The Base, in Fleming Way, Manor Royal.

There are a total of 2,100 Virgin Atlantic staff based in Crawley and at Gatwick Airport.

A spokeswoman for Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays said: "We are fully engaged in the Davies Commission process and in fact made our submission last week.

"What we have been clear about is that the UK's ability to compete for global trade will continue to be damaged without additional hub capacity and we believe this would be best achieved through expansion at the UK's existing hub, Heathrow.

"What we have additionally been very clear about is that Gatwick is an important airport for us, with a huge demand for leisure/holiday traffic and it will continue to be important to us.

"We have no plans to relocate our base to Heathrow."

The TUI Group has three offices in Crawley – TUI Specialist Holidays, in The Atrium, on London Road, TUI Travel House, on Fleming Way, and TUI Jetset House, on Church Road.

The travel company has more than 500 staff in the town.

A company spokesman said the runway decision would not have an impact on what happens in Crawley.

The spokesman said: "The TUI Group's UK headquarters in Crawley has functions such as HR, finance, investor relations, PR and IT.

"Our airline operations are located in Luton, hence there is no direct relation of our office with Gatwick Airport."

Nestlé moved its UK head office to City Place, in Manor Royal, in 2012 bringing 840 jobs to the town.

The company refused to comment on its future plans when approached.

Steve Sawyer, executive director of Manor Royal Business District, which represents local businesses, is hopeful that no businesses would jump ship.

He said: "I've not heard of companies threatening to move out if Gatwick does not expand but greater connectivity and ease of moving people, customers and goods around nationally and internationally is important to companies operating overseas or with owners or visitors from overseas.

"Arguably companies may look elsewhere if they feel these needs can be better met elsewhere but I've not picked that up in my discussions.

"A number of our key companies are actually expanding and investing now before they know the outcome of the second runway debate.

"Elekta is a prime example, investing £50 million with the Cornerstone project (a new building being constructed in Manor Royal).

"The worst possible case, I think, is that Heathrow is allowed to expand and we still have to safeguard land indefinitely (for a possible future runway) thereby restricting our ability to grow and creating more uncertainty into the future."