THERE were plenty of stars shining at Sackville School last week as Ofsted inspectors gave the thumbs up to the school's progress and pupils celebrated the life of a renowned astronomer.

Inspector Stephen Long praised the strong improvement in the school's exam results last summer and its plans to improve them further.

There was also praise for consistency and the collaborative approach of subject leaders.

An Ofsted inspection of the school in April concluded it "required improvement", saying teaching needed improving, homework was going unmarked and students made poor progress in English.

But a report published on July 22 said changes the school had subsequently made were having a positive impact.

Head teacher Julian Grant said of the latest inspection, which is yet to be published by Ofsted: "This visit was extremely encouraging and endorsed the tremendous dedication of teaching staff, support staff, students, parents and governors of the school.

"Sackville is a great place to be, not least due to the sheer enthusiasm of the whole community in the work it is doing. Our Ofsted visit confirmed that we have the correct focus and that recent achievements are worthy of praise. We have set ourselves regular milestones to ensure that our progress remains strong."

Swiftly following this success were a visit from the town mayor, Councillor Margaret Belsey, and an evening celebrating the life of astronomer Sir Patrick Moore, who lived in East Grinstead.

Several Sackville students received awards for achieving their astronomy GCSEs two years early on a fast-track basis.

A DISABLED woman has had jewellery worth thousands of pounds stolen in a daylight attack in which she tried to fight off her attackers with a crutch.

The woman was approached by two men as she walked through Three Bridges and was robbed of her handbag and jewellery worth £2,000.

The incident happened at about 11am on November 15, as she was making her way along a footpath between The Snooty Fox pub and the Lidl supermarket.

As the woman, 50, who walks with the aid of two crutches, reached a point near Cover House she saw the two men coming towards her.

One was of Asian appearance, 18 to 25 years old, of slight build, about 5ft 10in to 6ft tall, with dark, collar-length unkempt hair.

He was wearing a dark blue hoodie with the hood up, blue jeans and clean, sand-coloured suede boots. He spoke with an English accent.

The second man was white, possibly eastern European, aged 18 to 25, of athletic build, 5ft 8in to 5ft 10in tall, and wearing a maroon hoodie with the hood up, blue jeans and white trainers. He did not speak.

The Asian-looking man demanded the woman hand over her black leather handbag, which she did. He then demanded her jewellery, which she refused, striking him with one of her crutches. This was wrenched from her grasp by the second man. She was knocked to the ground, and both robbers then forcibly removed her jewellery before running off in the direction of Three Bridges station.

The jewellery had belonged to her mother and grandmother before her. Two of the items – a ring and a bracelet – bore distinctive Welsh dragon designs. The woman was left badly shaken but otherwise unhurt.

Anyone who saw what happened or who has other information is asked to call Sussex Police on 101.

HENRY Smith has defended his decision to vote against dropping the Government's controversial policy in reducing benefit for council tenants deemed to have a spare bedroom.

A Labour challenge in the House of Commons to get rid of the "bedroom tax" was defeated by 26 votes – 252 to 226 – earlier this month and Crawley's MP was among those against the proposal.

Council or social housing tenants of working age who have one or more spare bedrooms are having their housing benefit reduced.

It is cut by 14 per cent of the total rent paid every week for those with one spare bedroom. Households with two or more spare bedrooms will lose 25 per cent.

Mr Smith said: "Part of this is about fairness. If you are in private rented accommodation and cannot afford an extra room then you have to downsize.

"It is a difficult policy but I do not think it is right in these times of tight budgets that tax payers should pay for social tenants to have extra rooms.

"We have to discourage under occupation because there are families in Crawley who are in over-occupied accommodation.

"Part of the solution is to build more houses and that is what we are doing in Kilnwood Vale and the North East Sector."

LITTLE monsters have been let loose in County Mall after Santa set up his grotto there – and they're not the sort he is used to.

The shopping centre kicked off Christmas on Saturday at a fun day featuring an appearance by Poppet and Katsuma from the hit online game Moshi Monsters.

Excited youngsters also put in their orders with Father Christmas and there were art and craft areas and free face painting from the team at The Hawth.

Alexis Gibson of the mall said: "The mall was bustling with activity throughout the day."

Santa's Grotto is open from Friday to Sunday up until December 16, and then every day up to Christmas

HER bag had been packed for months, ready to rush at a moment's notice to hospital for the arrival of her first child.

And when the time came expectant mum Aime Edge got to East Surrey Hospital without any drama, ready for the planned water birth.

But, despite feeling certain she was in labour, staff decided she wasn't ready and told her to go home.

Amie's gut instinct had been correct, however – and just hours later she was forced to give birth on a bed at her mum's house in Booth Road, Bewbush.

Her mum, Fay Bright, 46, played a pivotal part in the delivery of granddaughter Nancy-Fay before a paramedic and ambulance technician arrived.

Amie, 24, said: "I had felt so prepared for it all. I'd looked up everything and my bags had been packed for months."

Having been sent home Amie headed for her mum's to save her from having to go up three flights of stairs to the flat in nearby Byrd Road she shares with her partner Antony Barden, 38.

"It was scary," she said. "I'd been back from the hospital for a couple of hours.

"I was concerned something would go wrong."

Antony, who had been at the couple's flat, "came strolling in the back door" of Fay's home not realising how close his partner was to giving birth.

Having been told by Fay to come round, he assumed there was no urgency and that he would be taking Amie back to East Surrey.

But he soon ran to her side when it became clear there would be no time to head back to hospital.

Paramedic Vicky Jago and ambulance technician Darren Hudson, based in Crawley, arrived in time to help Amie through the final stages.

Despite the pain, Amie gave birth at 3.02pm on August 23.

Last week, the happy family met Vicky and Darren again at the ambulance station in West Green to thank them for their help.

Amie said: "It was lovely. We had kept going to the ambulance station in the hope that we would see them, to give them some gifts and a thank you card.

"It was nice for them to have a cuddle with Nancy-Fay."

Amie was also full of praise for her mum.

She said: "It ended up being lovely. Now there is a strong bond between Nancy-Fay and my mum.

"My mum was absolutely amazing. We have always been close, but this has made us so much closer."

Indeed the experience proved so memorable that when she has a second child Amie added that she wants a home birth.

EAST Grinstead library has been inundated with lost property over the past 12 months – with visitors leaving behind a host of bizarre items.

After taking a rummage in the lost property box, library staff have found, alongside the usual run-of-the-mill items such as passports, wallets and mobile phones, some more unusual finds – many of which are often left in the toilets.

One visitor would seem to have popped in to the library with the aid of a walking stick – only for their gait to have improved to such a degree they felt able to leave without it.

An unlucky dad left without his Father's Day cards, and perhaps also his present of a new shirt.

More than one library user left their marriage certificates behind – which hopefully didn't cause any domestic difficulties – while another left a pot of black peppercorns.

Staff at the library in West Street log in a book a date and description of each item they find, in the hope of reuniting the owner with their possessions.

But they are astonished by the number of people who just never come back for their property – and ultimately some items are given away to charity.

Senior library assistant Linda Block said: "We are picking up things on an almost daily basis. We find a lot of mobile phones, keys, clothes, children's toys and all sorts.

"Every month we take a few bits down to the charity shops because we can't keep it all forever.

"But anything valuable we keep in a safe. We've had a bracelet which looks quite valuable, since July, and we'd like to think someone will come back in for it."

At least eight mobile phones have been either found or handed in at the library during the past 12 months, in addition to eight sets of keys, six wallets, four USB memory sticks, a few pairs of glasses and several items of clothing including jackets, and odd gloves.

A number of documents have also left behind, including the marriage certificates, birth certificates, some planning documents, an end-of-year financial statement for the Women's Institute and an old black and white photograph.

"I think a lot of people come in to use the photocopier and end up leaving their original documents behind," Mrs Block said. "A lot of people do come back and are reunited with their possessions, but it's amazing how many people don't come back for some of these things. None of our staff have had to buy an umbrella for years, simply because so many get left behind."

The library toilets and the photocopier are the most common places where items are found.

Mrs Block added: "Sometimes people come in and leave their details in case we find something they think they have lost in the library. If money is found, we take the finder's details and give it to them if it isn't claimed after three months.

"We do find a lot of mobile phones, but we're usually able to trace the owner by calling someone in their phone book."

If you think you have lost a valuable bracelet – or any other item – at the library, visit the enquiry desk or call 01342 332900.

THE book started out as a quest to find out more about my grandfather's service in the First World War – I have his medals, and one day I will pass them on to my son.

I wanted to be able to pass on the story behind them as well.

Having delved into my grandfather's war, I decided to look into his brothers' roles.

Four of them also served, so I was interested to see what I could find out about them as well.

From there it was a short step to a wider project to research what contribution the town as a whole made to the war effort.

It was obvious there was an important story to tell.

Not only were there poignant examples to uncover about local people's experiences in the Armed Forces, but there were other less well known aspects of those times, such as charitable work and refugee relief.

Like many other communities up and down the country, Crowborough hosted some of the quarter of a million Belgian refugees who sought sanctuary over here.

Not many people now are aware of the Belgian refugee phenomenon of the First World War, but it was a very serious issue at the time, and was hugely important in rallying popular support for the war effort.

Very early in the conflict it was decided by the military authorities that Crowborough would be a good place to station troops. Initially men were accommodated under canvas at St Johns Common and at Brown Knoll (the Warren Camp).

The latter soon developed into a major transit and training camp.

In the second half of the war, a Canadian machine gun training school was opened at the camp, which began Crowborough's long affiliation with the Canadian military.

In addition to the Army camp on its doorstep and troops billeted in the town, Crowborough also hosted a military hospital which treated hundreds of British, Australian and Canadian casualties.

Crowbrough's most famous resident during the war years was, of course, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Sir Arthur, as well as cutting an avuncular figure about town, worked tirelessly on war-related causes from the very beginning to the very end of the war.

He also served as a private in Crowborugh's First World War equivalent of the Home Guard.

I also wanted to paint a picture of what the town was like during the First World War.

In its heyday it was a tourist destination of some note. It had a couple of big hotels and numerous smaller hotels and guest houses.

Large numbers of people came to Crowborough on holiday because of its bucolic nature.

Consequently, a lot of contemporary postcards of the area sent by visitors survive today and paint a picture of what the area was like during the First World War.

Troops based at the Army camp and billeted in the town have also left a substantial postcard legacy. Postcards were quicker to write than a letter, and consequently they were very popular with the troops.

They are the equivalent of text messages and tweets today, usually brief and informal, and capturing something of the writer's experience of places and events.

I have included quotes from postcards sent from Crowborough during the war years in the book, to help capture the mood of the time, as well as numerous postcard images, many previously unpublished.

Crowborough's War 1914-1918 was launched at The Coffee Hut, Wolfe Recreation Ground, Blackness Road, Crowborough.

As well as being stocked by The Coffee Hut, it will also be available from The Stamp Shop, Castle Street, Tunbridge Wells, and by online mail order from Ebay.

FATHER Christmas made a stylish entrance to his grotto in Heathfield for the Christmas lights switch-on as he rode into town on a Harley-Davidson on Saturday.

He headed a convoy of more than 30 of the motorbikes to kick-off a festive fun day.

The event, organised by the Heathfield Chamber of Commerce, drew large crowds with live music by local band Doctor's Orders, Santa's grotto at Union Church, where more than 200 children got to meet Father Christmas and enjoy carol singing by Punnetts Town Primary School pupils.

There was a special guest appearance by Peter Bayless, winner of Masterchef in 2006, who spoke about the competition and his life as a professional chef.

Children were also challenged to a window competition in which they had to find helicopters hidden in the window displays of 54 High Street shops.

The winner, Emma Clarke, was given the final honour of switching on the lights along with Father Christmas.

Cash raised on the day has been donated to Kent Sussex Surrey Air Ambulance.

"Everything went very well and it was a really good effort all round," said Trevor Goldsmith, president of the chamber of commerce.

"It was all quiet in the High Street when the bikes came through. Everyone came out of their shops to see what was happening.

"The Union Church did an excellent job with the grotto. They made teas and coffees and kept the children entertained while they waited to see Father Christmas."

A WADHURST accountant has taken on one of the most challenging roles in British football.

David Somers was appointed non-executive chairman of Rangers Football Club last Friday.

The 65-year-old, an expert in fund management and corporate governance, is tasked with getting a board in disarray back into shape after the Glasgow club was liquidated and reformed in 2012, following financial difficulties.

Originally from Scarborough, Mr Somers moved to the area after finding work in London and meeting his wife 34 years ago. He has lived in Wadhurst for 20 years and is very fond of the village.

"Although I still have family in Scarborough, Wadhurst is my home, we love it here," he said.

Although he now spends a lot of time in the City and in Glasgow, when he is in Wadhurst Mr Somers enjoys playing golf, as well as fishing and sailing.

"I do have a lot of hobbies, I was a member at Lamberhurst Golf Club for several years, but I like to put my feet up in front of the TV too."

"We are really spoiled for choice for things to do around Wadhurst, there's so many places to eat and drink.

"My favourite place to go for a drink is The Old Vine – most people I know in Wadhurst I met on the station platform when commuting or at the pub."

The reborn version of the 54-time winners of the Scottish League were placed in the fourth tier of Scottish football after they folded, and are fighting their way back to the top.

"Rangers have got a great fan base and ground, but it seems they have been let down by the board and governance," said Mr Somers

"When I was first contacted [about the role] I said, 'but I don't really know anything about Rangers', they told me that was perfect, they wanted someone completely separate from the club.

Mr Somers said he was initially unsure about taking the position.

He added: "But how often in your life will someone come and ask you to work at a major worldwide football club? Probably only once.

"It's not an insurmountable challenge, we are building a business board, the business just happens to be football."

"I spoke to Ally McCoist [the club's manager] on the phone and he said to me in 33 months we could be back in the Premier League.

Despite his new role, Mr Somers admitted his football allegiance lay with Tottenham Hotspur, although he was still sulking about the club selling Gareth Bale.

A FRANT resident is calling for lowered speed limits on a "lethal" road after a 64-year-old woman was killed in a crash on Monday.

Jean Beames, from Southampton, died after losing control of her silver Ford Mondeo in Wadhurst Road and colliding with a tree.

The incident occurred about 200 metres from the junction with the A267. Firefighters from Wadhurst were able to free Mrs Beames, but paramedics were unable to resuscitate her and it is believed she died on impact.

She is the seventh person to be killed on Wealden's roads this year.

Police are still investigating the crash and its causes are not yet determined.

But Wadhurst Road resident George Shaw said this fatality highlighted the dangers of the road, and added weight to his long campaign to lower the 60mph speed limit.

"Local residents, businesses and councillors have been campaigning for the speed limit to be lowered here for more than a decade," he said.

"There have been countless petitions and the council have sent people to sit and watch the road and monitor speed."

Mr Shaw claimed that after assessing the road, council officers had come to the conclusion lowering the speed limit would increase the risk to drivers.

He said: "It's laughable that they have said reducing the speed limit would make it more dangerous. It's a 60mph road with multiple fatalities. I wouldn't drive down that road anywhere near the limit.

"They say that because it is such a wide road with no safe overtaking points that people would get frustrated driving behind people only doing 50. I don't think 50 is too slow.

"Perhaps other councils should follow their lead and raise limits to improve road safety.

"This has been going on for over a decade, I have lived here for ten years and we have had people dying outside our front door.

"My wife and I have both been involved in accidents pulling out of our drive.

"Why are these things about league tables and enough people dying to get it changed. Surely one person dying is enough for a change?"

PC Shirley Ross, of the Sussex Road Policing Unit, said: "Anyone who saw what happened is asked to call us on 101 or e-mail collision.appeal@sussex.pnn.police.uk quoting Operation Contrast."

An East Sussex County Council spokesman said: "We are very sorry to hear about this tragic accident and our thoughts are with the family of the victim.

"The detailed circumstances of this crash are still under investigation and we will have a full discussion with the police once this is complete. We have in the past carefully considered the speed limit on this part of the road and some safety measures have been put in place.

"We will in due course look at the circumstances of this particular incident and consider whether any future action is required."

WEALDEN'S Conservative candidate for the next general election will be decided in an American-style open primary in which anyone can vote on Thursday.

Current MP Charles Hendry, who has held the post since 2001, will be stepping down next year.

More than 100 applicants have been whittled down to just four, and the candidate who will contend the constituency seat at the 2015 General Election will be chosen by members of the public next week.

Wealden Conservatives Chairman Huw Merriman said the final candidates represent four very different options.

"I believe that the voters of Wealden who come on the 5th will be genuinely surprised and pleased by the choice before them," he said.

"The process has produced four candidates who could not be more different.

"These candidates are diverse and give real choice to the people of Wealden as to the type of person they want as their MP.

"We hope that every elector in Wealden will get involved in choosing their candidate for the next general election and join us on the night

"We have enjoyed meeting those who applied and we had no fixed template in mind."

Mr Merriman added the open primary would help build trust and increase voter's interest in the democratic process.

He said: "With the decline of membership of traditional parties and public scepticism of the political process, we wanted to give every voter the chance to be involved at the earliest possible stage.

"It will be straightforward and inclusive. The public will be able to cast their ballot at an open hustings for the candidate they prefer."

The vote takes place at East Sussex National Hotel, doors open at 7pm.

Anyone wishing to attend must pre-register by 5pm on December 3 by calling 01323 489289 or e-mailing jeanette@ wealdenconservatives.com

PUPILS from Bonners Primary School have planted a 'royal' tree in Maresfield recreation ground.

Eight members of Year 6 helped Maresfield parish councillors plant the Royal Oak sapling to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee, the London Olympic and Paralympic Games and the 2014 Commonwealth games.

It was given to the council as part of the Queen Elizabeth II Fields Challenge campaign, which aims to protect green spaces.

Toni Birbeck, who accompanied the pupils on the trip said: "It's great that we can be part of this because the children are doing a big project in class at the moment on Maresfield.

"They really enjoyed it, they dug the ground, planted the tree and smoothed it over afterwards. They were very interested in what the tree was for and they talked to the parish councillors about what it signified.

"We talked about the history of it and whether their children and grandchildren might be able to visit the tree in the future."