THE revelation that April Jones' murderer Mark Bridger spent his formative years in Selsdon has shocked residents of the road he grew up in.

Now condemned to the rest of his life in jail for the abduction and murder of five-year-old April, Bridger's early years were spent in leafy Foxearth Road.

The Advertiser also understands Bridger's sister, Karen, still lives in Croydon.

Bridger, 47, was born in 1965 in Carshalton. The family are said to have been very involved at Selsdon Baptist Church, in Addington Road, where his father Graham was a "very affable" deacon.

His family attended Selsdon Baptist Church, where his father was a deacon and his mother and sister helped at the Sunday school.

He attended John Ruskin College, which he left with 7 CSEs before failing to complete an engineering diploma at Croydon College.

Bridger was said to have been difficult to manage; so much so that his father threw him out of their house.

A Selsdon resident, who asked not to be named, said her grandsons knew Bridger and had told her that "he seemed normal".

Bridger was sentenced to his "whole life" in jail last week despite pleading not guilty to the murder of April.

April vanished on October 1 last year after being let out to play on her bike near her home in Machynlleth, Wales.

Despite the UK's biggest police search in history, April's body has never been found.

Bridger, who was charged with the murder just five days after April went missing, claimed he ran her over accidentally in his car while drunk.

He also said he could not remember where he hid April's body but prosecutors said her bone fragments had been found in Bridger's house.

Judge John Griffith Williams, who handed Bridger his sentence at Mold Crown Court in Wales, called him a "pathological and glib liar".

He also said there was no doubt in his mind Bridger was a paedophile with a perverted interest in the violent sexual abuse of children.

Max Radachec, 46, of Foxearth Road, said: "It's shocking that he lived here.

"It is a bit odd that you can grow up in a nice area like this and turn out like he did, but he was clearly a nut."

Other Foxearth residents questioned whether life was a suitable sentencing for such a horrific crime.

Hugh Sullivan said: "Prison is too good for him.

"How he's like that when he's come from such a typical suburb I do not know."

Another resident, Vera Lewis, 89, who has lived in the road for 37 years, said it was strange to think of someone like Bridger living on her doorstep.

Mrs Lewis said: "It makes you wonder what sort of people there are out there these days."

PURLEY DOWNS' Joseph Carmody-Firth showed perseverance as well as talent to become the Surrey U18 champion on a tough day at Camberley Heath.

It was the first county title for 17-year-old Carmody-Firth, who plays off an impressive two handicap.

"It was a bit of surprise really," he said. "I have not been playing much golf as I have been studying hard for four AS Level exams and the conditions were quite tough."

Indeed, this was a championship that very nearly did not happen. At 7am the course was still flooded from overnight rain, and only a huge effort from the greenstaff saved the day. As it was, the course held up well, with soft greens allowing the players to attack the pin positions.

After the morning round five players, including Carmody-Firth, shared the lead on 72, which was great scoring under the circumstances.

"I think the game change for me was the eighth where I holed a monster 60ft putt right across the green," he enthused.

Carmody-Firth held his nerve and came out the winner with an afternoon score of 74, one shot ahead of Alfredo Curbishley (Burhill) whose scores of 73 and 74 were remarkable for a 14-year-old.

"It got a lot windier in the afternoon," he added.

"So it was just a question of holding on for the best score you could get."

Carmody-Firth goes forward to the Junior Champion of Champions Final later in the summer.

HER political opponents have long described her as terrifying but Ann Widdecombe never expected to be used to scare off the crows.

But the former Conservative MP is to be immortalised by a group from Kenly, who are creating life-sized scarecrows of her and Strictly Come Dancing partner Anton Du Beke.

Milly Kidd, 75, from Park Road, who is a member of the Kenley Valley Women's Institute (WI), is already celebrated for her masterpiece scarecrows which she made for the RHS Garden Wisley in Woking, depicting the WI past and present around two years ago. Since then, the centre has called on the WI in Surrey and the surrounding area to fill the garden once again, this time with a Strictly theme.

"It was such a success back then with around 20 scarecrows in their garden that they have asked the WIs in the area to make some more.

"My WI decided I should submit one on their behalf but I have chosen to go one step further and will be making two.

"I'm going to call it Ant Ann Dec because it will be Ann Widdecombe being dragged across the floor by her dance partner Anton Du Beke.

"She is going to be a bit like a rag doll on the floor with her arm outstretched and Anton will be much more solid and standing up, looking like he's dragging her."

The scene is based on a scene from the 2010 show which has become a modern classic – the pair performing a 'paso doble' where Mr Du Beke represented a matador and the former MP was his cape.

"I could have done any scene from the programme but that one is one of my favourites. It was really funny and I think she had a lot of pluck doing it.

"She now goes around the country doing tours and she has had a lot of fun out of it. I admire her too – I saw her speak once at Fairfield Hall and she had the audience eating out of the palm of her hand.

"I think she will be amused by this, not offended. She has a great sense of humour and can laugh at herself."

The Advertiser decided to test Mrs Kidd's judgement and gave the politician-turned-performer a call.

"Of course I am not offended" she said. "I very much hope this lady will send me a photo. In fact, I will be most offended if she doesn't. I have enjoyed many things off the back of Strictly and this is just the latest episode."

The Wisley garden is expecting their scarecrows at an event on July 16 but Mrs Kidd hopes to finish hers by the end of June.

A FORMER Croydon businessman is still puzzling over how he managed to end up as a guest at the service held at Westminster Abbey on Tuesday to mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen's Coronation.

Alex Falk can only assume that the reason he and his wife Miriam were invited was because on Coronation Day itself he was working for PA Reuters in the Abbey as a junior to the press agency's photographer.

Mr Falk, who ran the Mr Cad photographic shops in Croydon for more than 50 years, said: "I have no idea at all how they found me after 60 years.

"On the day I was just working but Tuesday was so fabulous. It was an amazing day."

Mr Falk, 76, moved his business out of Croydon because his shop in Windmill Road, Croydon was close to the scene of the 2011 riots.

He said: "We also found a lot of our overseas customers would not come to Croydon because it had got a bit of a reputation."

Mr Falk and his wife were pictured going into the Abbey by Ian Stratton, who was working for Picture Partnership, the photography firm run by Andrew Dunsmore in Shirley.

Mr Dunsmore was asked to supply two photographers for Tuesday's service, with Mr Dunsmore taking pictures inside the Abbey and Mr Stratton outside. Mr Dunsmore said: "We were asked to take pictures of the Royal wedding two years ago and it was an honour to be invited to cover this week's service as well."

A CHILDREN'S salsa group brought back a total of ten trophies from the World Dance Championships in Hungary.

The self-funded group, called Salsa Naturally, represented England in the prestigious competition organised by the International Dance Federation.

Ten children, a mixture of seven girls and three boys, ranging from nine to 14 years old, won ten trophies throughout the competition, including five golds.

Ruth Ferguson, founder of Salsa Naturally, who meet at the Coulsdon Manor Hotel, said: "It was such a proud moment when they got their trophies and to see the excitement on their faces.

"I felt a sense of relief that all the hard work over the past year had paid off."

Sharon Morgan, mother of ten-year-old dancer Safiya, who won three of the five gold trophies, said: "There was really fierce competition and at one point I thought we'd leave with nothing so I was so pleased with how well they did. In particular, our newest dancer, Mohammed Eldin, who is 11, did extremely well, as he has only been dancing for five months.

"The way he spins my daughter it's as if he's been professionally dancing for years."

Safiya Morgan who attends Wattenden Primary School, in Kenley, has been dancing for four years

"I really enjoyed the competition," she said. "It was the best world championships because we came first in most of our dances."

The children took part in activities to raise £2,500 needed to fund their accommodation and kit for the contest, which was held from May 22 to 26. They included a sponsored walk of London Bridges.

THE most valuable items from Croydon's renowned collection of Chinese ceramics may be sold by the council.

Bowls and vases from the Riesco Collection will be auctioned to raise nearly £13 million towards refurbishing Fairfield Halls.

Labour accused the council of orchestrating a "scorched earth" approach to culture, in which the arts complex will be the only attraction left standing in the town.

The David Lean Cinema, the Clocktower, the Warehouse Theatre and Croydon Summer Festival have all been scrapped or subject to funding cuts in recent years.

The council now plans to sell 24 items, including artifacts from the Tang and Ming dynasties, from a 230-piece collection which was left to Croydon by local businessman and collector Raymond Riesco in 1959.

It said the decision "comes after escalating insurance and security costs meant the full collection was becoming too expensive to maintain".

But when asked by the Advertiser to provide more detail, a spokesman said the sale would reduce the loan repayments on the £27 million it had committed to the planned Fairfield refurbishment by approximately £700,000 a year.

This would also allow the council to deliver the refurbishment sooner, the press officer added.

The council also said it had the blessing of 98-year-old Jean Riesco, Raymond's last surviving child.

Labour is backing a petition that has been set up calling on the plan to be dropped.

"At the last two council elections the Tories have promised to refurbish Fairfield Halls," said Timothy Godfrey, shadow cabinet member for culture.

"If the sale the Riesco Collection does not happen, does that mean the refurbishment of Fairfield is off as well?

"Their scorched earth approach to culture, where nothing but Fairfield matters, is turning Croydon into a dormitory town where people sleep but have to go to London to get their culture.

"I don't think we should sell off our heritage.

"The Riesco Collection is something nice we should be encouraging people to come and see.

"Instead the council seems intent on making us more and more like Sutton – empty and without any character."

The pieces in question were, until six weeks ago, stored underneath the Town Hall in Katharine Street, before being moved to a bank at a secret central London location.

The council said increased insurance costs would cost £22,000 a year.

It would not be the first time items from the collection have been sold.

In 1970 and 1984 around half of the original collection was "disposed of", the council said, the latter sale raising £250,000.

"We are now looking at the possibility of more of the cultural benefit bequeathed to the borough by Mr Riesco being realised by breathing new life into the Fairfield Halls," a spokesman added.

"This is a sensible and practical move as otherwise there would be an increase in annual insurance costs to the collection.

"There is also the need to significantly upgrade our existing security measures."

The council would not reveal how much new safeguards would cost or why they were suddenly needed.

There are currently 206 pieces of the collection on display in the Museum of Croydon.

The Ashcroft Theatre may be renamed the Riesco Theatre in tribute to one of the borough's most respected families.

Paul Sowan, vice-president of the Croydon Natural History and Scientific Society, said: "I would say this was the thin end of the wedge but we've already seen that when the previous items were sold.

"We're beyond the thin edge and you have to wonder how long before we end up selling off the rest of the family silver?"

The council's corporate services committee will make a final decision about the sale on July 24.

AN independent organisation is needed to develop an arts strategy for the borough, it is being claimed.

A report calling for a rethink on the arts has been produced by the South Croydon Community Association and sent to the Arts Council, London Mayor, Boris Johnson and leading local political and business figures.

The association believes Croydon is missing out on essential funding to develop the arts mix in the borough because too much financing and operation is or has been tied in with the council.

It argues that cuts in council funding in recent years have seen the demise of the Warehouse Theatre in Dingwall Road, Croydon, the David Lean cinema and the arts facilities based in the Clocktower complex in Katharine Street and the Croydon Mela and World Music Festival.

Charlotte Davies, chair of the association said there were vibrant smaller arts communities and arts facilities in Croydon.

An independent charitable comprising national arts figures and local input would be able to provide the vision to help these prosper that did not exist now, she added.

The association's report said benefits for these groups and venues from an independent body would include: helping them access funding beyond Croydon; share resources and facilities; promote their activities and communicate and celebrate the vibrancy and diversity of Croydon.

DEVELOPERS Menta are seeking permission to pull down the former Bank of America offices in Cherry Orchard Road, East Croydon.

A demolition order would be a precursor to proposals from Menta, in conjunction with housing developer Redrow, to build a total of 290 new homes on the site.

The mix of one, two and three bedroom flats would be provided in four new buildings.

Menta and Redrow will be making a second pre-planning application presentation to the council's strategic planning committee on Thursday.

Menta boss, Craig Marks, said the development proposals were largely similar to those outlined to a meeting of the committee in March.

But it will take into account issues raised by committee members including concerns about the affordable housing in the development.

He said: "Our consultation with residents about the development has gone very well and people are generally very supportive.

"We have got an opportunity for really delivering on that site."

Menta is also behind the 54-storey Morello residential tower, nearby in Cherry Orchard Road.

Mr Marks said in March he hoped work on the Morello tower would start early next year.

BIG cat burglars have struck in New Addington – with the bizarre theft of a lion statue.

Valerie Andrews, 75, of Homestead Way, had the lion, which she calls Leo, swiped from her front garden last week.

The collector's item is one of a pair she bought from a Beckenham garden nursery 45 years ago.

Miss Andrews, who was the first woman in the country to work with police dogs, said: "I was shocked when they took them.

"They're made of stone and would take two or three men to lift one. I'm not surprised they didn't take both."

Miss Andrews said she bought the lions to spruce up her garden and added that they had become well-known in the area.

She said: "I didn't just want a boring garden and I love animals, so when I saw them I had to have them.

"It was so long ago I can't remember how much they cost, but I know I had to save up for a good while.

"People are always complimenting me on them and I know the people I've told are missing them too.

"They were a landmark in the area but now I've had to put the other lion, Simba, in the back garden because I'm worried they might come back for him."

Miss Andrews has been a lover of animals all her life, spending more than 33 years as a kennel maid for the police.

Since retiring in 1995, she has used her own experiences to help breast cancer patients at Croydon University Hospital.

Miss Andrews said: "I was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was about 40 and had to have a mastectomy.

"I now go in and talk to the women to help them fight their illness and give them reassurance."

And after all these years of fighting, Valerie is not going to give up the fight for her lion.

She said: "I can't believe someone would do this. I'm not a shy, retiring old woman. I want Leo back and I will give a reward. But I'd very much appreciate if the people who took him would give him back."

Anyone with information about the stolen lion should contact newsdesk@croydonadvertiser.co.uk

TWO healthcare teams have been praised for the quality of their work.

A Care Quality Commission (CQC) report said the Croydon Urgent Care Centre (UCC) service was considered "first-class" among patients.

The CQC inspectors said the centre was run efficiently, with well-maintained premises and staff who were caring and helpful.

Meanwhile, Croydon Health Services' chief pharmacist Louise Coughlan last week collected the Final Presentation Award from the London-wide Together to Improve Value programme set up under NHS London.

The award was for the pharmacy's team's project work which has cut the time patients have to wait before they can go home from hospital.

Figures show that before the changes, around 50 per cent of prescriptions on Queens 3 ward were written on the day of discharge meaning patients had to wait an average of six hours for these to be filled before they could go home.

Now 94 per cent of prescriptions are written the day before, meaning the medicines are with the patient by 10am the next day, ready for them for when they are discharged. This has meant a 50 per cent increase in the number of patients on the ward who were able to go home before noon.

A CHARITY fundraiser was shocked to receive a substantial donation out of the blue from the daughter of a bestselling author.

Peter Smith, who lives in South Norwood, decided to cycle the Land's End to John O'Groats challenge to raise almost £10,000 for the Royal Marsden hospital in Sutton which has treated him for his cancer.

Although his knees played up throughout the entire ride, the 69-year-old was buoyed by news from his wife, Hilary, that Glynis Ludlum had donated a whopping $3,000 to his JustGiving page.

"I am complete mystified. How she got my details in the US and why she decided to give money to my cause, I really don't know. I am going to investigate and would like to get in touch with her.

"My wife told me three days before we finished. She had seen it on my page and tracked it back to Robert Ludlum's daughter. He wrote all the Bourne books which were turned into films."

Mr Smith was diagnosed with cancer in 2009 and had a tumour the size of his fist removed during surgery.

However, it was soon discovered his cancer had spread to his liver and ever since, he has been treated at the Royal Marsden in Sutton. He now takes monthly hormonal treatment to allow him to carry on his day to day life. He was joined by his friend James Malone from Coulsdon whose wife, Tara, is also a patient at the Royal Marsden.

The three of them, along with Peter's wife, Hilary, joined 23 riders and their supporters at the start of the ride on April 30 and arrived at the top of Scotland on May 11, averaging 82 miles a day.

Together, the two cyclists have raised more than £15,000.

WITH their starched blazers and pressed collars, these students were ready for more than just the first day back after half-term.

Monday marked the opening of Addington High as an academy, and the school's new incarnation includes a new, smarter uniform.

Gone are the anonymous black jumpers; in are crisp, deep blue blazers and ties, emblazoned with the school's initials in gold.

Acting head teacher James Malley said the new uniform was a "big symbolic step" reflecting changes in the school.

"I think the uniform is a symbol of change and it means students are wearing blazers to school for the first time," he said.

"Both the tie and the blazer have got the school badge now, and that is helping us create that sense of pride for the students and the school."

Addington High is being sponsored as an academy by Ravens Wood School in Bromley, in a bid to improve after being dogged by scandal and poor exam results in recent years.

It was an otherwise normal Monday for the students but the head, for one, was thinking of the longer-term benefits of the academy move.

"It brings in experts from outstanding schools and outstanding leaders from the Ravens Wood Learning Trust, and that is really helping drive the school forward," Mr Malley said.

"Our executive principal leads one of the most improved schools in London, so our main driver in terms of improvement is the additional support and expertise that brings."

The school has already made changes around students' behaviour, he added, and "the momentum of school improvement" is building.

"There will be a key focus on literacy from September," he said, "driving more curriculum time to literacy skills, particularly among younger students."

The school's executive head, John Hernandez, introduced uniform changes when he took over as head teacher at Norlington Boys' School in Waltham Forest.

He has previously told the Advertiser how he believes uniform can help set expectations around behaviour.

Dean Messenger, whose step-daughter attends the school, said: "I have to say the uniform looks very smart.

"It is easy to recognise kids from Addington High School now and gives the impression of much-needed improvements.

"Maybe it also give the pupils something to take a little pride in."