A CRIMEWATCH appeal for information following an armed burglary in Kingswood has identified a man.

Three members of millionaire entrepreneur Robert Stiff's family were threatened and assaulted by a burglar, who came into their home on the evening of November 12. 

Catherine Stiff and two daughters, Katie - who was six months pregnant at the time - and Chloe, were told to remove their jewellery and lie on the ground while the lone intruder demanded access to the safe.

East Surrey CID appeared in the BBC One show on Wednesday appealing for information. Several lines of enquiry are now being followed up.

During the programme CCTV of a man on the platform at Kingswood Railway Station was shown and officers appealed for information on this person

Following the show a name was provided by members of the public. The man was spoken to on Thursday and it has been established he is not connected to the offence.

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Chief Inspector Antony Archibald, said: "Once again the media has proved to be a vital tool in helping our investigations and I would like to thank all those people who tuned into the show and took the time to help our enquiries.

"We received a number of calls from people identifying the man caught on camera at Kingswood Railway Station and after speaking with him yesterday we have established he was not connected to the offence and have been able to eliminate him from our investigation.

"I would continue to urge anyone who has information on the aggravated burglary to come forward and speak with police; all information will be treated in the strictest of confidence."

Anyone with information is urged to call East Surrey CID on 01483 631 239 quoting Op Vesuvius.

Information can be passed to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 where you may be eligible for a reward if your evidence leads to the arrest and conviction of a person responsible.

A woman was injured in a two-vehicle crash in Hooley this morning.

A Surrey Police spokesman said: "We attended Netherne Drive at 7.44 this morning following reports of a two-vehicle collision.

"One woman was taken to hospital by ambulance."

A REIGATE biker was travelling at more than 80mph in a residential road when he collided with a car and died, an inquest has heard.

Kevin Corbett, of Blanford Mews, was riding with one passenger on a motorbike on Reigate Road at around 4.15pm on May 5 last year when he collided with a car at the junction for Deerings Road.

At an inquest into his death at Woking Coroner's Court on Monday morning, Linda Wickens, who was the passenger on Mr Corbett's bike that day, said the pair were on their way home.

She added: "[It was a]beautiful day, the weather was perfect, couldn't have been any better to go out on the bike. That was why we went.

"We pulled away from the lights pretty quick. I would imagine that by the time we reached the top of the hill we could have been doing anything from 40 to 80 [mph]. It was difficult to say.

"As soon as he saw the car he [Mr Corbett] braked sharply, not a constant brake, but immediately braking really hard. I could really feel the down force pushing me. He dropped the bike down into crash position."

She then described slipping off the back of the bike and sliding along the road before hearing a "big bang".

The inquest heard that Mr Corbett, who had a 22-year-old daughter and five siblings, collided with the car of David Clowes, who was leaving his Deerings Road home to take his dog for a walk.

Mr Clowes told the court: "I got to the top [of the junction], there was nothing coming both ways. I started to drive across to turn right and as I had already started leaving the junction I then saw a bike. I saw the bike on its side coming towards me but that is the first thing I saw. It all happened very quickly."

PC Carly Longstaff, a Surrey Police officer who forensically analysed the crash scene, told the inquest that CCTV from the nearby Reigate Grammar School had enabled officers to calculate Mr Corbett's speed as being at 82mph.

Summing up on Monday, assistant coroner for Surrey Karen Henderson said: "He was someone that knew and had been around motorbikes for a long period of time, clearly an experienced motorcyclist. It was a warm summer day, what can only be described as a perfect day for getting out on your motorbike."

But she said Mr Corbett was "clearly going too fast" and accepted that he was travelling at over 80mph in a 30mph zone.

She added that Mr Clowes did not have enough time to be able to see the bike before moving into the road

Ms Henderson said: "It's really speeding, and excessive speeding, in an area where there should not be excessive speeding that has resulted in Mr Corbett's death. It was just purely as a result perhaps of Mr Corbett enjoying his motorbike a little bit too much in an area where there are quite clear speed limits."

Speaking after the inquest, Mr Corbett's brother Anthony said: "We just do not know what was in his mind that day. We just don't know what he was thinking that day. All his friends can't understand. It's very unlike him.

"Mum is devastated. We weren't able to read it out [her statement] it was too severe to read out. It's still very hard."

A verdict of accidental death was recorded.

Mr Corbett moved from County Cork in Ireland 25 years ago to Harrow, before spending time in Sutton and then moving to Reigate seven years ago. From 1989 he ran his own well-known local business, Wheel Medic – an alloy wheel refurbishment company whose clients included Amir Khan and Ronnie Corbett.

A SECOND man has been arrested in connection with a "suspicious" incident in Horley on Friday morning.

The incident took place in Lumley Road between 8.20am and 8.50am, when a man approached a young girl, who ran away after he spoke to her. 

The man may have also been in the area the previous day (January 22).

Investigating officer DC Laura Chambers said: "This could have been a completely innocent conversation, so if you were that person please contact us so we can conclude our investigation.

"I would like to reassure residents that we have had no other reports of similar incidents in the area and we are carrying out enquires to locate this individual. We have stepped up patrols in the area and officers are available to answer any questions and provide reassurance.

"I would also urge residents to remain vigilant and to always report any suspicious incidents immediately so we can take appropriate action."

The man is described officers as white, in his mid-40s, with short curly dark hair, of medium height and build and with stubbly facial hair. He was wearing a dark coloured jacket, with a grey and black small check pattern.

Anyone with information about this incident should call Surrey Police on 101 quoting reference P15019607.

*The 51-year-old man from the Redhill area who was arrested in connection with this incident is currently on police bail. He is due to return to Salfords custody centre on 24 February.

A vocal minority has "hijacked" the debate over Oxted School's academy plans, a school leader claimed today.

Tonight's meeting with parents to discuss the governors' proposals has been cancelled because of fears of disruption.

Rhona Barnfield, the school's executive head, told the Mirror: "We are disappointed that a vocal minority has attempted to hijack things, preventing current and prospective parents from engaging in the consultation process.

"A significant minority at a 300-strong public meeting last Tuesday shouted down some governors and teachers, and inimidated others from taking part in the debate.

"So much misinformation has been bandied about on social media."

She said information was being circulated via students.

And the school is considering extending the February 4 deadline for the consultation period on the proposals.

The plans can be viewed at www.oxtedschool.co.uk

PLANS for a new library and sixth form centre at Reigate Grammar School have been approved.

Last Wednesday members of Reigate and Banstead Borough Council's planning committee gave the green light to proposals to demolish Merrick House and develop adjacent land in Reigate Road.

A new building is to be constructed, which will then serve as a "flagship library" for the Reigate Road school.

It is the first phase of the school's "masterplan" and staff hope it will allow them to "unlock" other parts of its site for improvement.

The existing library will be converted into presentation and lecture space.

The new building, which will also include a sixth form centre with a café and study area, is set to open in summer 2016.

The building's cost will be supported by a £4 million donation from The Peter Harrison Foundation, a Reigate-based charity which offers financial support to help develop children's future.

Reigate Grammar's headmaster, Shaun Fenton, said he was "delighted and humbled" by the donation.

He added: "The new facilities will enable increased technology-rich learning for students of all ages and will be surrounded by landscaped gardens."

Sir Peter Harrison, who started the foundation, said: "This new investment complements the foundation's longstanding support for the Harrison bursary scheme, which has so far benefited 51 Harrison scholars who would not otherwise have enjoyed the educational opportunities which this school can offer."

Merrick House contains 20 bedsits and is owned by Raven Housing Trust, which will organise the demolition.

The council approved the proposal with the condition that nine replacement homes are provided to the borough within five years. Failing this, Reigate Grammar and Raven Housing Trust will need to pay the council an affordable housing contribution.

Mr Fenton said: "Reigate Grammar School's ongoing bursary partnership with Raven Housing Trust saw the school take the logical step of purchasing the Merrick House land following Raven's decision to sell the site and invest in improved housing in better locations in the borough."

ASBESTOS has been removed from a strip of land in Godstone earmarked for housing.

It comes after Tandridge District Council granted planning permission for two homes on grassland behind Fairalls' builders' depot, off High Street.

Soil analysis on the site revealed a "hotbed of contamination" on the land.

It had formerly been used for allotments until the 1970s, with fragments from greenhouses and sheds found in the soil.

Remedial work was carried out there last month.

Dorking-based Blue Signal (Water and Environment) Ltd carried out soil analysis.

In a report to the council it said: "A 'hotbed' of contamination was identified, which contained a small amount of asbestos cement.

"The material excavated from the site was done so in a careful way and the contaminated soil removed by a licensed contractor."

It said the earth where the asbestos was found would be buried deep before building work on the homes takes place.

A HORLEY pensioner says he was scammed out of hundreds of pounds by fraudsters claiming to be from Sky.

Howard Bretman was at his Oldfield Close home at around 3pm last Tuesday when he answered his landline phone.

The 72-year-old told the Mirror: "I had this person saying I would be getting new viewing cards and I said, 'Yeah OK fine'. I thought, 'Why are they telling me, normally it just turns up'."

The retired engineering lecturer was then left even more baffled the following day when he received a second call.

Mr Bretman continued: "I got a phone call from a chap who says 'I'm from Sky'. He said we wanted to give security codes for the viewing cards. I said to him, 'How do I actually know you are from Sky?' and he said, 'Ask me any questions you like'.

"I asked, 'How much am I paying?' and he told me exactly how much and my Sky package details. So as far as I am concerned this is now genuine.

"He said that I had been overcharged so much a month because they had me down for a protection scheme which I wasn't actually in and they wanted to give me a refund."

Mr Bretman says the caller explained Sky could not transfer the refund without his bank details and so persuaded him to reveal details from his card reader, a device used for internet banking.

He said the caller already knew his card details.

Mr Bretman added: "I had only used that card once the day before to pay for a holiday. It was brand new. About ten minutes later I got a call from Nationwide saying they had noticed strange amounts of money leaving the account and asked if I had made a payment of £290 to someone."

A member of bank staff also informed Mr Breton that £4,000 had been moved from his savings account into his current account, ready to be transferred.

Nationwide closed his online account before this could take place.

In the wake of the crime, Mr Bretman has urged others to be wary of similar calls.

He added: "I'm going to be a lot more suspicious in the future. I thought I was doing it right by asking all the questions. The caller just seemed genuine."

Mr Bretman informed Surrey Police who have transferred the incident to Action Fraud, the UK's national fraud and internet crime reporting centre.

Sky have a issued words of guidance for any customers who may receive a hoax call:

"-we would advise any customer who is concerned whether or not a call really is from Sky to hang up and call us back on 03442 414141

- In terms of this particular scam, it's worth noting that we would never contact a customer to request payment over the phone for a replacement viewing card

- If you are due a refund on your account it's very unusual for us to ask for your bank details over the phone, if you are suspicious at all please hang up and call us on the number above

- Our advisors are trained on what to do when customers contact us to report alleged fraudulent activity, including where the fraudster claims affiliation with Sky, and we have a robust security system in place which means we log complaints from customers relating to fraudulent or criminal activity committed by third parties

- We advise customers where relevant to report details to Action Fraud, the central body for all fraud reporting in the UK"

A SCHOOL in Horley has threatened to fine parents who are late collecting their children at the end of the day.

Manorfield Primary and Nursery School in Sangers Drive will charge parents £3 for every 15 minutes they are late after 3.10pm.

A notice in the school's January newsletter said: "Due to a large number of children being picked up late we are now having to employ a member of staff to watch the children which is an extra cost to the school. Office staff cannot do their job and ensure the children left behind are safe.

"You will be issued with an invoice if payment is not settled there and then. Emergencies however do occur and we understand this. As long as you have phoned to say you are going to be late, and it is a one off, there will be no charge."

The school says no parents have been fined but the move received mixed reactions from parents.

Michelle Harman, whose daughter attends Manorfield, told the Mirror: "I suppose for parents that are working and they can't get away from work in time, I think that is going to be a little bit unfair. If you are going to be an hour late it is quite a lot of money because parents can have more than one child at the school.

"I have noticed a few children in the office area waiting for people to collect them so it may have got a bit out of hand."

She added: "It may be that it has been put in place to buck a few parents up but it does seem to be a little extreme."

Others have welcomed the move. A Facebook post by the Mirror asking for readers' views received more than 15 comments.

One response, from Alex Hamilton, said: "Very fair. If driving, pull over, ring them, save yourself the fine. Simples!"

Dawn Light wrote: "Who would not pick their child up on time unless it was physically impossible to do so, totally agree."

Head teacher Nicola Jones said children's safety is "paramount", but since September the number of children being collected late has apparently risen visibly

She added they had since decided fines would not solve the problem.

She said: "We now refer any persistent late parents to the relevant local authority department when necessary."

Should more schools consider fines? Call on 01737 783873 or e-mail editor@ surreymirror.co.uk

Major congestion is building on the M25 between junctions five and six as emergency repair work on the central reservation continues.

Work has been going on in the area for a few days and one lane remains closed after a HGV crashed through the concrete wall making a nearly nine metre gap.

There are also reports of heavy traffic at junction 10 while queues are developing at j23 because of a broken down lorry.

Rail passengers are also experiencing some delays into London this morning with on-going work at London Bridge.

MORE than three years of fundraising will come to fruition at the end of the month when Outwood celebrates the opening of its new village hall.

Stage and screen legend Dame Judi Dench will open the new facility, which is built on the site of the original Lloyd Hall, bequeathed to the village and its community by resident Theodore Lloyd in 1938.

When problems with the foundations rendered the original hall impossible to insure, a fundraising campaign was launched in 2011 to build a replacement.

Since then, members of the village community have thrown their support behind the project, with youngsters donating pocket money and adults accepting an increase in council tax to allow Outwood Parish Council to secure a £200,000 loan towards the project.

Caroline Durance, a member of the fundraising committee, said: "Outwood residents enthusiastically embraced the need to build a new Lloyd Hall and pulled together to raise the money."

Residents have generated more than £600,000 through balls, race nights, Easter egg hunts and selling flapjacks at the London to Brighton Bike Ride.

Ms Durance added: "Theodore Lloyd created a centre of community by bequeathing a village hall to the residents of Outwood, and thus created a community culture which persists to this day and is a central theme of Outwood life.

"Outwood villagers know one another, care for one another and watch out for one another. People want to live in Outwood, and one of the main reasons is to enjoy the community spirit."

The project to rebuild Lloyd Hall has been supported by grants from Gatwick Airport Community Trust and Surrey County Council's Community Improvement Fund.

The new structure has improved foundations, an oak frame, and uses bricks saved from the original hall.

The updated facility, which will be used by groups including the WI, the youth club, the horticultural society and the cricket club, has seating for 120 in the main hall, two meeting rooms, a kitchen, toilets and storage rooms.

It will also host pantomimes, wedding receptions, fundraisers and the annual village show.

The opening event takes place on January 31, with Dame Judi Dench cutting the ribbon at 11am. Members of the public will then be able to tour the new building.

A fundraising event will be held that evening.

GATWICK is being a "negligent neighbour" according to East Surrey MP Sam Gyimah, who also condemned the airport's "aggressive" marketing campaign for a second runway in the face of community opposition.

Last week, the Mirror reported how Mr Gyimah had accused Gatwick bosses of trying to kick issues regarding controversial changes to flight paths over East Surrey "into the long grass" and called for more clarity on when the changes will be reviewed.

But flight paths are not his only concern. The MP says he remains staunchly opposed to any second runway at the airport, believing the effects on East Surrey would be "deeply troubling".

He believes Gatwick bosses are pushing ahead with their plan without paying due deference to massive community opposition.

He told the Mirror: "I don't think there's broad-based community support for what Gatwick is doing, I say 'broad-based' because there are some pockets of people who obviously support it, as you would expect.

"And the reason why they are losing the community support is they are being seen as a negligent neighbour.

"They are not being upfront about the potential this could have to change the nature and the character of the area, or the strain it's going to put on local infrastructure, not to mention services."

He added: "There is a sense in which Gatwick was acquired and promises were made to local people for their consent and it looks like those promises have been reneged on and almost the worst fears of some of the residents at the time Gatwick was bought seem to be coming to fruition."

Gatwick was bought by Gatwick Airport Ltd when it became independent from Heathrow in 2010.

My Gyimah, who will stand for re-election in East Surrey this May, says he believes the airport should grow to capacity before bosses consider expansion.

"They bought the business at the time knowing there couldn't be a second runway before 2019, right?" he said.

"That was the basis on which they invested and I think, from a local resident's perspective, they bought the business at that time making those promises.

"It sort of sticks in the craw that we haven't even got to 2019 and they are talking about a different plan."

A second runway at Gatwick is currently being considered by the Government's Airports Commission, as is a third runway at Heathrow.

Despite waiting until now to speak out on the issues surrounding Gatwick and a potential second runway, Mr Gyimah says he has already had meetings with Gatwick CEO Stewart Wingate, the Civil Aviation Authority – which controls UK airspace – and relevant ministers.

A LONG-STANDING Reigate and Banstead borough councillor has branded the Care Quality Commission a "disgrace" for not shutting a "dirty" care home sooner.

About 25 elderly residents, some with dementia, were moved out of Merok Park Nursing Home in Park Road last month after care inspectors deemed it unsafe.

But Joan Spiers, former leader of the council who ran a care home business for 25 years, said earlier inspections which deemed it satisfactory were wrong.

She told the Mirror: "I visited Merok Park five years ago. I went with a friend who was looking for a place. We walked out after a couple of minutes. It was a disgrace. I checked the CQC report afterwards and it bore no relationship at all to the state it was in. It was filthy, it smelled. The residents looked neglected."

Mrs Spiers criticised the CQC after news that three residents of Grantley Court in Sutton, another home run by Merok Park's owners, Soondressen Cooppen, 51, and his 42-year-old wife Maleenee, suffered unexplained injuries

The Cooppens have not commented on the closure.

The CQC visited Merok Park from November 28 to December 1 after Surrey County Council raised concerns about it. Inspectors were met with an "overpowering" smell of urine in the "dirty" home, people were being washed in cold water, were at risk of bed sores and not supported to eat.

This was despite a routine inspection in February giving it a clean bill of health. The home was evacuated on December 10.

Mrs Spiers said: "It's an absolute disgrace. "They must have seen it. It didn't happen so quickly. It's been like that for years."

She added: "Surrey County Council should be able to rely on the CQC. They clearly can't. They should have a social worker going into look at all the patients that they place. If it smells of urine, get out. Old age doesn't smell. Lazy nursing does."

The councillor for Kingswood and Burgh Heath also urged people to speak up about poor standards. "My instructions to my staff were to always tell the CQC the absolute truth," she said. "I said, 'don't do anything to my patients you wouldn't do to your own mother'."

The Home Office is also looking into claims Merok Park staff were in the country illegally.

Southern Rail has apologised to passengers and admitted that changes to the layout of the approach to London Bridge has made it hard to stick to the amended timetable put in place during the development of the station.

It has now made additional changes to the timetable, that came in to effect on Monday, in an effort to improve services.

Those most likely to effect Surrey passengers are listed below:

OXTED

• 05.58 East Grinstead to Victoria retimed to depart 05.55, Dormans 05.59, Lingfield 06.02, Hurst Green 06.09, Oxted 06.14 then as now
• 06.14 East Grinstead to London Bridge retimed to depart 06.13, Dormans 06.17, Lingfield, 06.20, Hurst Green 06.27, Oxted 06.30, Woldingham 06.35, Upper Warlingham 06.39, Riddlesdown 06.42, Sanderstead 06.46 then as now
• 06.35 East Grinstead to Victoria retimed to depart 06.32, Dormans 06.36, Lingfield 06.39, Hurst Green 06.47, Oxted 06.50, Woldingham 06.55, Upper Warlingham 06.59, Riddlesdown 07.02, Sanderstead 07.07 then as now
• 06.43 East Grinstead to London Bridge retimed to depart 06.40, Dormans 06.44, Lingfield , 06.47, Hurst Green 06.54, Oxted 06.58, Woldingham 07.03, Upper Warlingham 07.07, Riddlesdown 07.10, Sanderstead 07.14 then as now
• 07.05 East Grinstead to Victoria retimed to depart 07.02, Dormans 07.06, Lingfield 07.10 then as now
• 07.36 East Grinstead to Victoria retimed to depart 07.33, Dormans 07.37, Lingfield 07.40, Hurst Green 07.49, Oxted 07.52, Woldingham 07.57, Upper Warlingham 08.01, Riddlesdown 08.04, Sanderstead 08.08 then as now

CATERHAM

• 06.35 Caterham to Victoria retimed to depart 06.32 – 3 minutes earlier to Purley
• 06.45 Caterham to London Bridge retimed to depart 06.42 - 3 minutes earlier to Purley
• 07.01 Caterham to Victoria retimed to depart 06.58 - 3 minutes earlier to Purley
• 07.15 Caterham to London Bridge retime to depart 07.12 - 3 minutes earlier to Purley
• 07.30 Caterham to Victoria retimed to depart 07.28 - 2 minutes earlier to Purley
• 07.45 Caterham to London Bridge retimed to depart 07.42 – 3 minutes earlier to Purley
• 08.01 Caterham to Victoria retimed to depart 07.58 - 3 minutes earlier to Purley
• 08.17 Caterham to London Bridge retimed to depart 08.14 - 3 minutes earlier to Purley
• 08.27 Caterham to London Victoria retimed to depart 08.24 - 3 minutes earlier to Purley

An altered timetable that was put in for Redhill station during the work will also remain in place.

REDHILL

• The 16.14 Reigate to London Bridge service after East Croydon will be diverted to London Victoria calling at Clapham Junction at 16.50, arriving at Victoria at 16.57.