South London News

NIHL 1 National Championship champions Streatham RedHawks have moved to retain a significant bulk of their squad for next season, writes Christopher Beal.

Danny Milton, Sam Waller, Tomasz Skokan, Jordan Gregory, Preston Tombs and James Warman – celebrating his testimonial campaign – have all signed up again.

Ziggy Beesley, Jared Lane, Luke Brittle, captain Ryan Watt and player-coach Ben Paynter are also all staying on.

Labour has swept to victory across Lambeth, securing all constituencies including three new seats and a Lambeth by-election.

Dominic Armstrong, the party’s candidate for Streatham Common and Vale, finished in first place, picking up 2,796 votes.

The by-election, which took place on the same day as the general election, was called after former Labour councillor Henna Shah resigned.

Green Party candidate Duncan Eastoe was second with 1,354 votes and Conservative Party candidate Lachlan Rurlander was third with 918 votes.

A campaign group anxious to see a locally famous old theatre return to something of its former glory is worried that the chances of that ever happening are receding as the evangelical church that bought it prepares to move in.

Streatham Hill Theatre has, since 1994, enjoyed Grade II listed building status and has a proud past, but succumbed to financial pressures decades ago to become a bingo hall until 2017.

A woman whose baby was stillborn due to mistakes midwives made during labour said she was “appalled” by the lack of compassion shown.

Charlotte Warner, of Streatham, was 23 when she lost her baby boy, CJ, after midwives at St George’s Hospital failed to notice he was being starved of oxygen during labour. They had stopped taking regular heart readings despite having induced labour.

Mrs Warner, now 29, said: “The pain of losing a baby like we did never goes away.”

A former bus conductress celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends last week.

Lillian Stromdale, a resident at Mary Holben House in Thrale Road, Streatham, said: “I don’t feel 100, I feel as though I’m cheating!

“I can’t say I feel 20 but I feel, well, normal.

“It’s a bit of a surprise, but I’m pleased to have reached 100.”

Ms Stromdale, born in the East End of London in 1924, worked in factories for most of her working life, although she also passed a stint as a bus conductress during the 1950s and said that she enjoyed the job.

Residents are desperate to stop the proposed closure of their NatWest branch which would leave the area without a single bank.

The NatWest branch in Norbury is relied upon by the area’s large elderly population, as well as charities and small business owners.

The community opposition to the closure has been backed by Labour’s Croydon North candidate Steve Reed, who set up a petition that attracted 471 signatories. Residents across the area believe this potential closure demonstrates a “decline” of high streets in general and across Croydon.

A man is searching for his beloved penny farthing after it was snatched outside a hair salon on Monday afternoon.

Robert Torto, 44, of Harlesden Road, Willesden, is appealing to the public to help him find his 56” Trotts and Son’s penny farthing with a distinctive red rear tyre after it was stolen in Streatham Hill Road at around 1pm.

The civil engineer said: “I cycled down to the same hair salon I’ve been going to since 2007, but must have not fastened it securely enough at the bike rack.

A community group has been granted council funding for 12 new community projects aimed at reducing health inequality in the area.

The Streatham Action Grant Scheme – funded by Public Health Lambeth – is a programme for people and voluntary organisations in Streatham with plans to support community well-being, particularly those focused on support for minority ethnic backgrounds, parents, carers and those struggling with mental health.

Landlords will be required to buy a £923 licence to rent out properties in certain areas of one borough under a council plan to tackle poor quality homes and reduce antisocial behaviour.

People letting a single property to less than three households in Knight’s Hill, Streatham Common and Vale, Streatham Hill East and Streatham St Leonard’s will be required to purchase a licence from September.

The four areas of Lambeth were chosen for the scheme’s launch because properties in these wards have nearly double the national average of serious hazards.

A man has been jailed for multiple sexual offences against a woman.

Raphael Fakoya of Beatrice Avenue, Streatham, was sentenced to nine years in prison after a hearing at Croydon Crown Court on Monday.

The 35-year-old had been found guilty at the same court on January 24, of three counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration and one count of sexual assault.

The offences relate to an incident that took place at Fakoya’s address in February 2022.

Fakoya will remain on the sex offenders’ register for life.