People

Elmbridge borough council wants to know what residents think about their council tax and what it should be spent on.

A meeting is being held on Tuesday, January 19 with chief executive of the council Rob Moran and leader of the council, councillor Roy Taylor to find out exactly what residents think about upcoming services.

The event, which is being held at the civic centre, in High Street, Esher, is invitation only.

To attend, please contact the council on 01372 474391 or by visiting www.elmbridge.gov.uk/taxation/ctax

Former opera singer Isabel de Felice will be the guest speaker at the Elmbridge Women in Business meeting on Thursday, January 14.

Starting at 6.30pm and being held at The Ship Hotel, in Monument Green, Weybridge, the topic of discussion will be 'new year, new image'.

The price is £17.50 for members and £22.50 for non members.

Networking and the buffet supper is at 6.30pm with the meeting starting at 7.30pm.

To book, visit www.ewib.co.uk

Firefighters were called to a house in Field Common Lane, on Friday, January 1, to put out a chimney fire.

One appliance from Walton fire station attended the scene and spent an hour and a half putting out the fire, which had gotten out of control.

The firefighters arrived at around 5.30pm, and had to take what was left of the fire at the bottom of the chimney outside and extinguish it.

Chelsea goalkeeper Peter Cech was at the Xcel Leisure Complex on Thursday, December 14 to open the centre's new football pitch.

The keeper, who opened the complex in Waterside Drive three years ago, cut the ribbon on the new synthetic turf pitch which will be used to provide a range of footballing activities to players of all ages and abilities in Elmbridge.

The pitch, which is called Xcel3, was made possible after the Football Foundation, the country's largest sports charity, gave a grant of £949, 500 for it to be built.

A Mechanical Crane smashed into a block of flats on Friday (11) which resulted in a sheet of glass falling for eight stories before hitting the ground.

Colliding with the Wellington Close flats, in Hepworth Way, Walton, at around 10am, the crane, crashed into a flat on the eighth floor of the block.

Fortunately the flat was empty at the time, but the collision resulted in a pane of glass being knocked loose and left hurtling towards the ground.

No-one was injured during the incident but both fire services and Surrey police attended the scene.

Due to the extent of residents concerns, the Seven Hills Road will only be closed for 12 weeks while a new gas main is fitted.

The original period of seven months was changed by Southern Gas Networks (SGN), who will be undertaking the work, to 12 weeks after spending many hours talking to residents about their traffic fears.

A woman believed to be in her 40s was stopped by members of the public from jumping off Sir Richard's Bridge, in Ashley Road, on Saturday (November 21).

The bridge, by Cleves School, Weybridge, goes over the railway tracks.

Celebrity dancer Camilla Dallerupp from Walton from Walton was advised to leave the I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here jungle due to low blodd sugar levels it was announced on Wednesday (November 18).

The Walton Festival of Light will take place on Friday, December 4, from 5pm.

Organised by the Walton Business Group, The Heart and the RC Sheriff Trust, shops will be open until 8pm and the annual lantern procession will take place outside Hobbs on Nettlefold Walk at 7pm.

The Christmas tree outside The Heart will be switched on at 7.30pm.

For more information contact Walton Business Group on 01932 221895.

Firefighters were called to a bin fire in Walton on Monday November 9 believed to have been caused by a firework.