POLICE are investigating following the unexplained death of a pensioner at East Surrey Hospital, Redhill.

Officers were called to the hospital at just before 5pm after a man in his 70s was found collapsed in the car park, suspected to have been hit by a car.

He was taken to A&E and was pronounced dead a short time later. His next of kin has been informed.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death and to establish if the man was hit by a vehicle in the car park.

Anyone who was in the area of the Canada Avenue car park between 4.30 and 5pm or who has other information relating to the incident is urged to contact police on 101 quoting reference P14247973.

MEMBERS of Limpsfield Riding Club have held a nine-mile ride in memory of a former colleague.

Wendy Norris, 47, was taken ill and died last year after suffering an aneurism at a yard in Tatsfield, where she and daughter Hannah kept two ponies.

A crew from Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance service battled to save her. She was transferred to St George's Hospital, in Tooting, where she later died.

Yard manager and Limpsfield Riding Club chairman Alex Bonnell said: "It was a dreadful evening, and one we will never forget, particularly when it became clear just how critical Wendy's situation was.

"But when the air ambulance team attended, we knew she was in the best possible hands.

More than 60 people took part in the memorial ride on August 3, raising £4,800 for the air ambulance service.

It is hoped the ride will become an annual event in Wendy's memory.

Donations can still be made via justgiving.com/limpsfieldridingclub

THE regeneration of one of the most deprived areas in the borough is well underway, with proposals for new homes expected to be submitted shortly.

Developer Croudace Homes is expected to lodge a detailed planning application for 130 flats and houses on the Merland Rise Recreation Ground site, in Preston.

The multi-million-pound project involves demolishing the existing Banstead Sports Centre and building the new homes in its place.

Reigate and Banstead Borough Council sold the Merland Rise site to Croudace in order to fund the construction of a new state-of-the-art leisure and youth facility, which began last month.

Regeneration portfolio holder, Councillor Natalie Bramhall, said it was "all hands to the pump".

She added: "A number of developers wanted to buy the land but Croudace came up with what we thought was the best use.

"Now it's up to them to put in a more specific planning application."

The construction of the houses, said to range from one-bedroom flats to four-bedroom family homes, is scheduled to start in autumn 2015.

A NEW public inquiry could decide the fate of a castle built in secret.

Salfords farmer Robert Fidler built his citadel without planning permission in 2002, hiding it behind stacks of straw bales before unveiling it in 2006.

Since then, Mr Fidler, who has been farming on the green belt site for 40 years, has been locked in an eight-year battle with Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, the authority responsible for planning issues.

At the time, he believed the property, on Honeycrock Farm in Axes Lane, Salfords, was immune from council enforcement under the "four-year rule" contained in the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, which provides protection for buildings that have been standing for four years. But the council ordered its demolition, a decision upheld by the planning inspectorate.

Mr Fidler has since failed in attempts to overturn the decision, including an earlier public inquiry in 2008 and an unsuccessful plea to the High Court.

In March last year, Mr Fidler submitted another application to save his home but the council's planning committee again rejected the proposals, with some claiming a lack of cattle on the farm site meant he had no reason to live there. It was suggested a full-time, live-in worker would not be required until the farm was managing 60 cows.

But in February this year, Mr Fidler submitted a new planning application to retain the property on the basis of agricultural need, along with the conservatory, fish pond, patio, hard standing, walls and garden.

A 72-page report by Kernon Countryside Consultants, submitted with that application, claimed Mr Fidler had more than 100 cattle. It claimed Mr Fidler's herd was significantly depleted when the last application was submitted because most of it had been incinerated during the "mad cow disease" crisis.

But that application was refused by the council's planning committee on April 9.

Then, on June 13, the council obtained a High Court injunction requiring Mr Fidler to comply with four outstanding enforcement notices to demolish the house, along with its associated features.

The court also ordered Mr Fidler to pay costs of £7,000 to the council.

The injunction means he must demolish the building, conservatory, patio, and associated features he built without planning permission.

Mr Fidler was given 90 days to demolish the house and associated development, subject to the outcome of his one outstanding planning appeal, lodged earlier that day.

Mr Fidler's appeal against February's refusal of planning permission will now be heard at a public inquiry at Reigate Town Hall on November 4 and 5.

A spokesman for Reigate and Banstead Borough Council said it would not be commenting on the case while it was ongoing.

Mr Fidler said: "Three independent agricultural advisors, two of which have been employed by Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, one of which was employed by me, have all come to the conclusion that there's an essential need for the farmer to live permanently on the site.

"This is because I have a herd of suckled Sussex cattle; in excess of 100 cattle.

"Despite these findings, the Reigate and Banstead planning officers, or the planning committee, seem determined to have the only house on Honeycrock Farm demolished and this refusal is to be heard by the inspectorate at this appeal."

GATWICK Airport bosses have warned that allowing Heathrow to build a third runway would threaten the viability of other airports by creating a monopoly in the industry.

In the battle to secure the right to expand, Gatwick has highlighted what it sees as the adverse effects on the industry, should Heathrow be recommended by the Airports Commission for expansion.

Gatwick has pointed out that airports such as Manchester, Edinburgh, Newcastle and Birmingham are increasingly able to offer passengers affordable, direct flights across the world.

This trend is likely to continue with new fuel-efficient aircraft.

However, Gatwick has told the Airports Commission that a third runway at Heathrow would reduce choice – and push up costs.

Stewart Wingate, Gatwick's CEO, said: "A new runway at Heathrow would give the airport too much market power. However, if Gatwick built a second runway it could compete more vigorously with two-runway Heathrow, which would deliver benefits for consumers and other UK airports."

ONE lane is closed just before the Clacket Lane services on the M25 clockwise due to a collapsed manhole.

There are severe delays between junction 5 for the M26 and junction 6 for A22 Godstone while emergency repairs are carried out.

THE man found collapsed at East Surrey Hospital yesterday afternoon had seen doctors earlier in the day, but died of an "unrelated illness" according to the hospital.

Police officers were called to the hospital in Canada Avenue after a man was found collapsed in the car park at around 5pm yesterday.  

He was taken to the A&E department but declared dead a short time later.

Eloise Clarke, the hospital's head of communications, said: "We can confirm that a man in his 70's was treated with a routine procedure at East Surrey Hospital yesterday afternoon. 

"At the time of his discharge he was well but unfortunately he became seriously unwell with an unrelated illness while in the hospital car park. The police are investigating the incident.

"Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time."

 An investigation is underway to establish the full circumstances surrounding the death.

Call police on 101, quoting reference P14247973, with information.

POLICE are still investigating the circumstances of a pensioner's death after he was found collapsed in the car park of East Surrey Hospital yesterday evening (Tuesday).

Surrey & Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, said the man in his 70s died near the entrance to the golf club car park on the Earlswood hospital site following an outpatient appointment.

This followed an initial statement sent this morning saying the man had "unfortunately he became seriously unwell with an unrelated illness" after leaving the hospital.

Surrey Police said they are trying to establish whether the man was hit by a car in the hospital grounds.

The newstatement from the hospital, issued at 1pm today (Wednesday) said:"We can confirm that a man in his 70's collapsed and died near the entrance to the golf club car park on the East Surrey Hospital site following a routine Out-patient imaging appointment. The police are investigating the incident to ascertain if a vehicle was involved prior to his death. Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time."

MERSTHAM were able to celebrate with extra vigour on their 150th anniversary family fun day on Sunday after clinching the Fuller's League Division Two title on Saturday.

Naveed Saeed's side were slightly depleted of their regulars through holiday commitments but others stepped up for a side which has suffered only two league defeats this season.

Arsalan Abass struck a fantastic 68 as Merstham ran up 238-9 at John Fisher, who were second bottom in the division.

Shakir Khan had begun the visitors' innings with 36 and Manish Patel struck 38 and there was a flourish from Asim Jafferi, who put on a partnership of 29 with skipper Saeed at the end.

The wickets were shared as Merstham dismissed their hosts for 168, with Wasil Mohar gaining 2-39 and Humayoon Nasir also taking two.

Saeed was also impressed with Gus Locke, a 16-year-old who has come through the ranks at the club and took a wicket with his second ball. Liam Powell, who leads the club's development side on Sundays, also stepped in.

The skipper said: "It's been a fantastic season and a real team effort. At the end of last year, we only had six players from the team we knew would be staying because some had moved away or stopped playing.

"We knew where we were short and we tried to build a settled side, so that if we knew we were going to be missing an opener one week we would replace them with an opener.

"We've constructed a side that bats all the way down and which has a variety of bowlers and hopefully we can have another great season next year."

Merstham's host bottom side Warlingham on Saturday.

BANSTEAD Athletic moved up a gear against Staines Lammas and into fourth place in the Division One last weekend. With two goals in the first 11 minutes from debutant player Ferdinand Takyi and one from Sean Bradley they were 3-0 up within 35 minutes. Staines Lammas pulled one back by half-time but the A's had the measure of their hosts.

In the second half, Banstead came off the pedal. Some sloppy football allowed Lammas to produce some skills of their own and, but for some safe hands in Banstead's goal from Jordan Knight and a strong back-line and midfield, they would have only brought back a point to Merland Rise.

Assistant manager James Cameron said: "It was important we got back to winning ways as we don't want to be playing catch-up. With some players unavailable we had to make some changes, and gave debuts to Casey McCabe and Lee-van Sullivan who acquitted themselves well."

Manager Jack Johnson added: "This is a good young side who have a lot of potential and could be up there at the end of the season."

SKIPPER Dan Newton admitted there was "no excuse" for Banstead's dismal batting on Saturday after the side were skittled out for less than 41 runs for the second time this season.

The Rams did their narrow hopes of avoiding relegation no favours with a 187-run home defeat to Wimbledon.

The south Londoners won the toss and decided to bat first, but some good bowling from the home side saw Wimbledon fall to 226 all out, falling just short of their 50 overs.

With bottom of the league Banstead in desperate need of the full ten points on offer, they looked to have put themselves in a good position.

However, the reply could not have gone worse.

Not a single Banstead player made it to double figures as they were skittled out for just 39 runs.

Earlier in the season the Rams were all out for 40 at Leatherhead, and skipper Newton admits it is not good enough.

"I was optimistic of getting a win when I saw the Wimbledon total because we had done quite well with the ball," he said. "We bowled quite well despite having a really, really young bowling attack again.

"Freddie van den Bergh was the outstanding bowler again taking 3-32 and Connor Cody took two wickets as well. Saying that, 35 extras was far too many to give away.

"And as for our batting, I don't really know what to say.

"There is no excuse for getting bowled out for 39 and there is definitely no excuse for getting bowled out twice for less than 41 in a season."

The Rams still have a slim hope of avoiding the drop if they win both their remaining games and other results at the bottom go their way.

They face Sutton at home on Saturday before travelling to Valley End on September 6.

"Availability has been a big issue this season," Newton said. "I've been going through the scoresheets and I've only got to the fifth game but we have already used 22 players in that time.

"We lost nine core players over the winter and that really affected us.

"We knew players like Matt Spriegel, Rory Burns and Matt Dunn wouldn't always be available but we haven't had other senior players who we expected to have.

"Last season we had Tom Lancefield for the whole summer and the county players played at least three games each, but availability really hasn't gone our way this summer."

OXTED & Limpsfield achieved their third promotion in five seasons with a crushing win over Churt on Saturday.

Oxted captain Stuart Fletcher lost the toss and was invited to bat first at Churt. The Oxted openers, Fletcher and Simon Jackson, very quickly adjusted to the wicket which was playing slow and low. Jackson found the boundary on a number of occasions early on, but Fletcher (4) was trapped lbw when the score was on 24 and Jack Lloyd (8) followed shortly after.

Jackson (29) continued on scoring freely, however, he had one keep low to trap him in front and Bharath Rangarajan (1) fell the same way straight after, Oxted were 57-4 and in trouble.

Alex Pizzey went on the counter attack and was scoring exclusively in boundaries before he fell for 16. Oxted's innings could have imploded if it wasn't for the experienced pair of Gordon Boxshall (23) and Michael Adamson (30), who steadied the ship. The pair put on 44 valuable runs in the conditions before Boxshall fell, then Ross Powell (20) continued the recovery with Adamson.

Powell fell trying to clear the in field and it was left to Michael Wood (23) to push the scoring rate on further and help post a very competitive 194 on a difficult wicket.

The Churt batsmen would have seen how the wicket played and it was no surprise that they came out on the attack against the new ball. Churt had already put 36 runs on the board inside four overs but Fletcher took the pace off the ball, bringing Adamson and Powell into the attack and this bought immediate results.

Adamson was the first to strike, trapping Daniel Higgins (13) in front and he was followed in the next over by Jon Palmer (22) off the bowling of Powell. This was a start of a major collapse for Churt as both bowlers took turns taking wickets as they crashed to 77 all out.

CHIPSTEAD, Coulsdon & Walcountians are just one win away from their fourth promotion in five years.

The High Road team have had a meteoric rise through the Surrey Championship and will be playing in the league's second tier in 2015 if they beat either league leaders Ashtead on Saturday or Purley on September 6, or should third placed Epsom not win either of their remaining fixtures.

Chipstead showed their credentials as they comfortably beat Epsom on Saturday.

After losing the toss and being asked to bowl first Michael Bradley took 4-51 as Epsom amassed a healthy-looking 214.

Will Moore top scored with 36 while wicketkeeper Jack Baker made 35.

But Chipstead made lightwork of the reply, although David Ward and Malinda Thotiwilage both fell for 17 to Moore.

Salil Oberoi went for 47 after a good partnership with Grove Venter (55).

Skipper Nick Woods scored an unbeaten 44 off as many balls alongside Ben Sandhu (22no) to see Chipstead home for a valuable win.

MIKE MAHER was left ruing missed chances after Redhill lost 4-3 to ten-man Merstham on Bank Holiday Monday.

In an entertaining derby game that had everything, the Lobsters dominated the opening 15 minutes but only had a single goal, an eighth-minute header from Tre Mitford, to show for it.

Their advantage was cancelled out after 16 minutes when Merstham skipper Fabio Saraiva scored a stunning strike and Tommy Hutchings extended the advantage after the break.

Aaron Rhule was sent off for the Moatsiders after 57 minutes, but despite the numerical disadvantage the home side never looked likely to drop points with substitute Omar Folkes proving a nuisance for the Reds' defence.

It was the tricky forward who was felled in the box by Redhill's Sean Kelly, Saraiva scoring the penalty to make it 3-1.

Tom Bold pulled a goal back with a shot from the edge of the box on 75 minutes but just four minutes later, Merstham were two goals in front again when keeper Adam Faith deflected a Hutchings corner into his own net.

Redhill reduced the deficit on the stroke of full-time through Leyton Regan, but after losing 3-2 at home to Whitstable Town on Saturday, manager Maher was left lamenting lost points.

"Even when they had 11 I thought we were on top and by far the better team on the day," the Redhill boss said. "It's the story of our last two games. I couldn't say a bad thing about my team or the way they played. The penalty I didn't think was a penalty, especially considering Joe Bingham got clattered by two men and that wasn't given.

"Adam made a bad mistake which was the story on Saturday as well. The keeper we had on Saturday made two mistakes.

"And Chris [O'Flaherty] is disappointed in himself that he gave the ball away cheaply for their second goal, other than that I don't remember another shot that Adam had to save from open play. We must have had 12 or 14 shots, not all on target, but I thought we hounded them."

And Folkes, whose introduction changed the game, believes Merstham can build on the win over their local rivals, admitting he is targeting promotion.

"I was very pleased with the way I played but also how the team as a whole played," he said.

"It was hard work playing up front on my own, it wasn't easy, but I was told to try and change the game, and I hope I did that. I won the penalty and set up Tommy Hutchings' goal.

"I think we will kick on from here. We have a great squad with a great spirit and a great manager. This will be a starting block, we are aiming to go up. Play-offs or automatic, whatever it takes, we're going up this season.

MERSTHAM boss Hayden Bird praised his team of "gladiators" after they beat local rivals Redhill with ten men, believing they can build on that success.

Redhill dominated the early chances but failed to make them count and despite going a man down with more than half an hour to play, Aaron Rhule picking up a needless second yellow, Merstham always looked the more likely to take the three points.

"We were second best at times in the first half but they gave us an opportunity because they didn't finish us off," Bird explained. "We addressed it at half-time, changed personnel and I thought Omar Folkes' inclusion in the second half was pivotal to changing the game.

"Immediately we had two off the post and one off the line. We deservedly went 3-1 up but the game was obviously made very difficult after some petulance from Aaron Rhule. I think the referee had no option, they were two bookable offences.

"He is a young player who needs more discipline in his game, but he is a young man with a lot of talent, and so we will work with him because we like him.

"However, in the end the ten men had the courage and the spirit of 11. They were gladiators, warriors, and were deserving of the three points.

"The boys dug in and I was really pleased we were able to beat Redhill because it means a lot to the fans and to the club."

The Moatsiders were among the pre-season promotion favourites but have suffered an inconsistent start to the campaign.

But after a fantastic end to last campaign that saw Merstham finish just outside the play-offs, Bird is confident his team will secure a top-five spot this season.

"It's a nine-month campaign and I have absolutely no doubt that we will go one step further this year," he said.

ANTHONY JUPP challenged his Horley Town team to take four points from their Bank Holiday weekend fixtures, and they did exactly that - beating Raynes Park Vale 3-1 on Saturday before drawing 2-2 at Epsom & Ewell on Monday.

But while the joint-manager is pleased with Horley's start to the Combined Counties League season, he wants the side to concede fewer "poor" goals.

"We are scoring enough but the goals we are conceding have been avoidable," Jupp said. "As a defender myself, you don't want to give away poor goals.

"I was pleased with the four points though. I said before the game on Saturday I wanted four, I didn't want to be too greedy. I wanted three from Saturday, because it was a home game, and then at least a point on Monday because in recent seasons we haven't done that well against Epsom & Ewell.

"It was a tough game against Raynes Park because they hadn't lost before that. We had a few players out and I put some youth team players in. I was really pleased for Ben Rogers who got the third goal on his first team debut, and it was an important goal as well because it was a bit nail-biting at 2-1.

"I took a few of the youth team players to Epsom as well. Justin Ford came on in the last 20 minutes and he did really well."

Horley currently sit 11th in the Premier Division and Jupp admits a mid-table finish would represent progress for the side, who avoided relegation in the final game of last season.

"I always said to myself that finishing mid-table in our first full season with a team of local boys would be good," he said. "But the way games have gone, I can't help thinking we should have a couple of points more."

WOODMANSTERNE'S dreams of promotion ended on Saturday, despite a two-wicket victory over Warlingham.

Chaldon's win at Newdigate gave them an unassailable lead in the race for second spot.

Asked to bat first, Warlingham were soon in trouble at 5-3 thanks to Lloyd Noblett and George Sims, and although they recovered to 110-4, leg-spin duo Rushi Deshmukh (2-35) and Tom Wortley (3-25) bowled them out for 138.

Woods, with seven wins in eight games, fancied their chances, but Warlingham openers Adair Delaney (4-39) and Nikhil Patel (2-36) put the result in doubt.

Ian Miller (29) stuck around but when he fell the score was 87-7. However, number eight Noblett crashed 50 to see Woodmansterne over the line.

Woodmansterne's T20 team's Fuller's League final on Monday was washed out. Woods, in their third successive finals, were hoping for a first win, but finals day will now take place next April.

BANSTEAD Cricket Club Colts have had a successful couple of weeks – topped off by a pair of NEC Surrey Cup triumphs.

The U11s won the NEC Surrey cup in the tournament held at Beddington Cricket Club last week and the U8s went on to win the cup in their category this week.

The U8 boys came up against some strong competition, playing games against Purley, Sutton and Trinity Whits to get to the semi finals where they met Wimbledon in a nail-biting game that resulted in victory meaning, meaning they played Reigate Priory in the final.

Reigate have always been strong competition, which meant that players and parents alike, were all sitting on the edge of their seats enduring this excruciating final.

Banstead put on a sterling batting attack which gave Reigate a challenging total to chase, and chase they did.

In true cricketing style, the game came down to the last ball where Reigate needed two to win and one to draw, but a wicket secured the win for Banstead.