A LADIES barbershop chorus are to compete at a world famous festival.

On Saturday (11) Capital Connection will be pulling out all the stops to join the finalists and compete for the title of "Choir of the World " at the highly acclaimed Llangollen International Eisteddfod Music Festival.

The group's 32 ladies, who rehearse at South Ruislip Community Centre, in Long Drive, South Ruislip, are performing in the Barbershop Category of the International Choir competition.

If successful they will go forward to the "Choir of the World" finals on Saturday evening.
Go to www.capitalconnection.org.uk and www.llangollen2009.com for more information.

A TEENAGER has been charged with attacking a man outside a pizza shop.

Sam Chapman, 18, of Dulverton Road, Ruislip, was charged with assaulting Sarbjeet Singh Shina, causing actual bodily harm (ABH), outside Village Pizza, in Field End Road, Eastcote, on May 9.

He is due at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on August 18.

A FATHER and son duo are heading off up north to take on a gruelling 96 mile walk to raise cash for Help for Heroes.

Peter Edwards, 51, a manager at Ruislip Rugby Club, in West End Road, Rusilip, and his son Ben, 14, who plays for the Under 14s team are setting off to walk along the Pennine Way on July 11.

The pair will walk for an average of seven hours a day for six days from Malham in North Yorkshire to Dufton in Cumbria to raise funds for the charity.

Mr Edwards, who lives in Harrow, said: "As a family we do a lot of walking. We normally only go away for a couple of days though so this is going to be quite a challenge.

"The terrain is very hilly in places. I think the highest point is about 600 metres but I'm reasonably fit for my age and my son is very fit because all he does is sport.

"I think as long as we stay injury free we will be okay. Our legs will ache but it'll just be like a long day's shopping, which I try and avoid at all costs.

"We had the opprunity to take a week off so we decided to go on a walking holiday, but that was before we decided to do it for charity. When the publicity around Help for Heroes started we thought it would be a good idea to raise money for them.

"Personally I think the Govermnet should go more for them. They're sending these young lads off to war and they're coming back brutally injured and they don't get enough care. It's heart wrenching.

"People are quite happy to put money forward for this cause so we decided to go public with it.

"This is the first time I have actually organised a charity event myself. A couple of times I have felt a bit apprehensive but genereally I feel fairly confident. Ben is very excited as well. He's just been to Cornwall on a cadet course camp with his school so I imagine he's full of beans."

Go to www.justgiving.com/96togo to sponsor the duo.

A ROAD that has been bombarded with applications to build flats over the last three years has just been hit again.

An application to convert 16/18 Kingsend, Ruislip, into three one-bedroom and eight two-bedroom flats has been submitted to Hillingdon Council.

Resident Sue Browne, 54, has been the lead petitioner in fighting off the applications since the first one back in September 2006 and has already started a petition against these plans.

She said: "People are against flats because the houses in this road are very distinctive and it's the depth of the flats as well. The houses are two storey but the flats will be three storey. What the developers are trying to do is turn two homes into 11. It's a huge multiple.

"A lot of the neighbours have obviously got their own issues as well about it overlooking into their back gardens."
Both 16 and 18 Kingsend were bought by developers in August 2007 and two plans to turn them into flats have already been refused.

Mrs Browne said: "The developers are arguing that this latest plan will improve the character of the area but we will argue that it doesn't.

"They say the brick work will conform to the standards unlike their last plan, which was turned down at appeal, but it's the density and the scale of the thing that is out of character with the area. It will be a big block on the landscape."

Since December last year Kingsend has also been in the Ruislip Village Conservation Area, so this may make it more difficult for developers.

To comment on the application go to www.hillingdon.gov.uk by July 17.

Mrs Browne said: "I don't know if it will make a difference if neighbours write in but at least the council will be aware of local opinion on the issue."

An application to build 13 flats including an extension to the spa at 157-161 High Street, Ruislip, was refused by the council but has now gone to appeal.

A MOTORCYCLIST who was almost killed in a horrific crash is now appealing for witnesses to come forward to help his case.

Liam Halpin, 38, of Southbourne Gardens, Ruislip, was driving down Chelston Road on his way home on October 20 last year when a cab pulled out in front of him.

The father-of-three said: "My bike had been off the road for six months and I had only been back on it for about four days when the crash happened.

"I was riding home and I had come off the roundabout just after 4pm when I saw a mini cab parked on the right hand side of the road.

"He went to do a U-turn and just pulled straight out in front of me. He might have looked in his mirror but he didn't look in his blind spot.

"I pulled the breaks sharply but because it was raining the bike just slipped and I went straight into the car.

"I hit it at about 35mph and the bike bounced off of it and came back in between my legs and smashed my pelvis. The petrol tank burst as well so I had 15 litres of petrol all over me.

"The air ambulance had to lift me to hospital. My hand was nearly severed off, I broke my toe, I lose my left testicle, I got chemical burns from the petrol and two of the bones in my pelvis broke.

"I've had numerous operations since but I'm still waiting for an operation to fix my pelvis.

"At the moment I'm still limping heavily and sometimes I have to use crutches because the pain is so bad. The bike is a total write-off as well.

"I run a building company and I was very hands on before the accident but I haven't been able to work at all since. It's been a long hard slog.

"I have been riding for 12 years but I probably won't be able to get back on a bike now and my partner and three children certainly don't want me to."

Anyone who witnessed the accident is asked to call Mr Halpin on 07770 820 907.

AN AUTHOR has just had her first novel published in the UK and is due to do a book signing in Uxbridge.

Victoria Connelly, 38, has had two novels published in Germany, the first of which was made into a film last year, and now her first UK novel 'Molly's Millions' has been published by Allison & Busby.

The book is a fast-paced romantic comedy about a lottery winner who gives it all away and it is the best way to beat the credit crunch blues this summer.

Mrs Connelly, who lives in Ruislip Manor with her husband, Roy, has taught creative writing for the Workers' Educational Association in Northwood and Hillingdon.

She also has two short stories appearing in anthologies this year called A Suitcase Full of Stories and Loves Me, Loves Me Not.

A book signing of Molly's Millions will take place at Waterstone's, in The Chimes, High Street, Uxbridge, between 11am and 2pm on July 18.

She will also be talking about her route to publication at Waterstone's in Notting Hill on July 16 at 7pm. Tickets - which are redeemable against a purchase on the night - can be booked on 020 7229 9444.

A competition has also been set up to win a signed copy of her book together with a goody bag. Go to www.victoriaconnelly.com for more details.

STUDENTS from Ruislip have headed off to Africa for two weeks on a sharing and learning trip.

On Monday (29) 20 Year 12 students from Bishop Ramsey CE School, in Hume Way, Ruislip, jetted off to Malawi.

They will be spending time with pupils at Malosa School - a school that has forged special links with Bishop Ramsey after fundraising efforts enabled them to purchase a minibus. Sixth form students from Bishop Ramsey also visited the school two years ago.

The sharing and learning theme of this year's trip will involve Bishop Ramsey and Malosa School pupils finding out about each other's lives. Some of the Bishop Ramsey students also made a video tour of their school's new facilities to show in a Powerpoint presentation.

The students will also visit a variety of institutions, including a local hospital, a blind school, a primary school, a township and a mother's union. Wherever they go, they will be taking gifts with them provided by the school's fundraising.

The pupils are being accompanied on their trip by Head of Humanities Faculty, Donna Petford, and the School Chaplain,the Reverend Laurence Hillel.

Ms Petford said: "This is an exciting opportunity for us all to live in the community and gain first hand experience of a way of life very different to our own.

"We will appreciate what it is to be affected by poverty, HIV and AIDS and see the difference even the smallest gift can make. A real learning experience."

Reverend Hillel said: "Bishop Ramsey School has had a link with Malosa Secondary School in Malawi for the last decade.

"Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world. Yet as we discovered when we visited back in 2007, the people are generous, friendly and welcoming.

"This repeat visit gives us the opportunity to strengthen our ties, to build bridges of understanding and for our students to learn that wealth is not necessarily the key to happiness."

THE family of a man who died in a motorbike accident have paid tribute to the loving father and husband who always had a smile on his face.

Spencer Gibbons, 38, of Clyfford Road, Ruislip Gardens, died in Dawley Road, Hayes, at about 6.20am last Wednesday (24).

He was on his way back to work at Hendricks Lovell, a building material distributors in Dawley Road, when he was involved in a crash with two other cars.

His wife of 15 years, Sharon Gibbons, 38, said: "Everyone will remember him for his big cheesy smile and his infectious laugh. He was very easy going and didn't take anything too seriously."

The motorbike fanatic had two sons, Jack, nine, and Alfie, four, and the family had a holiday booked to go to Disneyland Resort Paris next month (Aug).

Mrs Gibbons added: "He was an absolutely lovely father and he was a big Liverpool FC fan too."

Flowers have also been laid at the crash scene along with a Liverpool FC scarf and messages from his friends and family.

One message read: "My darling brother I love you with all my heart. Sweet dreams. Love you always and forever. Sammie."

Another said: "Spencer, life is so unfair. A lovely guy with a great smile and personality. A great loss to your family. In our thoughts."

A few of his friends have also emailed the Gazette to pay tribute to him.

Paul Shelford said: "I worked with Spencer and have to say I was deeply shocked and upset at the news. Such a nice bloke and a great dad. All of us at Skyline Roofing will miss him dearly. Hope he rests in peace."

The funeral is being held at Breakspear Crematorium, in Breakspear Road, Ruislip, at 3pm on Friday (3).

Anyone who witnessed the crash should call the Collision Investigation Unit on 020 8998 5319 or Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

A RUISLIP teenager made it through to the final of Britain's biggest climbing competition.

Jonny White, 15, came 4th out of 32 competitors in the 14 to 16 year olds boys' category in this year's national final of the BMC Youth Climbing Series, held at Westway Sports Centre in West London on June 20.

His team - London and South East - came 2nd overall in the 14 - 16 category.
Two hundred young climbers, aged between 8 and 16 years old, competed for a place on the podium in the final

The Series gives young climbers, who are not yet in the British Team, the chance to get a taste for competition climbing in a fun and friendly atmosphere.

ALMOST half a million pounds worth of cannabis was found at a house in Ruislip following a police raid.

West Ruislip, South Ruislip and Cavendish Safer Neighbourhoods Teams raided the five bedroom detached bungalow in Marlborough Avenue at 4.45pm last Wednesday (24).

Between £400,000 and £450,000 worth of cannabis was found in five rooms of the house.

A 26-year-old man was arrested and charged.