Brentwood School students have been celebrating another impressive set of GCSE results.

A notable 97 per cent of this year's GCSE students achieved A* to C grades, up on last year's total of 96.1 per cent. It was also a year for exceptional scholars, with a record number of students securing all A*grades and all A* and A passes.

A* grades alone reached over 21 per cent, and just over 55 per cent of all students celebrated passes at A* or A grade. Nearly 84 per cent of students gained A*to B grades.

There were nine straight A* students, and 33 who opened their envelopes to find just the letter A, either on its own or with a star, gracing their results letter. This was up on last year when seven students were awarded all A* grades and 29 A*/A grades.

Exceptional scholars included Julia Cockcroft, Izzy Fewster, Lucy Hirst and Lily Wood who all gained an incredible 12 A*s.

An amazed Julia said: I am so surprised, I cannot quite believe it. The teachers here are absolutely amazing and give you so much support and make you feel so comfortable if you go to them for advice."

Deputy headteacher of Brentwood Ursuline Convent High School, Angela Corless, says she is "very pleased", after the all-girl year 11 over pass rate improved from 98 to 99 per cent.

The number of pupils attaining five or more A* to C grades also increased from 89 to 91 per cent year on year.The pass rate for five or more A* to C grades including English and Maths was frozen at 77 per cent.

More to follow.

A PARTIALLY paralysed 79-year-old, who worked as a nurse at Brentwood's Highwood Hospital for around 30 years, was forced to wait two-and-a-quarter hours for an ambulance after collapsing at home.

Margaret Day, who cannot speak and lost the feeling in the right-side of her body following a stroke six years ago, fell while using the toilet on Saturday afternoon.

Her carers, who were with her at her home in Kensington Road, Pilgrims Hatch, when she took her tumble, called for an ambulance at 5.14pm, only to be told their call was not urgent and they would have to wait.

Mrs Day's son Richard then called 999 twice from his home in Church Road, Mountnessing, but without success.

Paramedics finally arrived at 7.31pm after Mr Day contacted the police to see if they could help.

The 60-year-old said it was "disgusting" that his mother, who weighs nearly 20 stone and can barely walk due to her poor health, was not labelled top priority.

It is the second time she has fallen in recent weeks and on the last occasion Mrs Day, a widow, bruised her face and broke her right wrist.

Mr Day said: "I think it's disgusting – she could have fallen down and broken something again.

"The way she is, anything could have happened to her. It should have been treated as an emergency, I think."

The East of England Ambulance Service has a station in Sawyers Hall Lane, Brentwood, just over one mile away from Mrs Day's home.

Ambulance service spokesman Gary Sanderson said calls such as these were taken "very seriously".

He said: "We initially received a 999 call at 5.14pm to a woman who had lost her footing in a bathroom and experienced a pain in her arm. Due to the clinical triage of this call, it was deemed non-life threatening as the patient was conscious and breathing."

He added: "Whilst the ambulance crew were en route to this address, a welfare/comfort call was made to a carer at the address from our control room to check on the patient.

"The ambulance arrived at 7.31pm and the patient was not transported to hospital."

The ambulance service has a target of meeting Category A (life threatening) calls within eight minutes while Category B (non-life threatening) calls are split into four sections based on a clinical assessment.

The response time ranges from 20 minutes for the most important Category Bs to no ambulance at all, depending upon the details of the case.

For more information visit www.eastamb.nhs.uk/how-we-respond-to-999-calls.htm

A HORSE rider says she is lucky to be alive after her mount toppled on top of her when it lost its footing in a deep rut created by 4x4 off-road drivers.

Sarah Warren now wants Essex County Council to ban drivers from using the bridleway that runs alongside her home in Maltings Hill.

She says the public right of way is now so badly rutted and churned up that it is only useable by the most tenacious of walkers.

The 41-year-old cattery owner, who has been riding since she was four, was trapped for 30 minutes under her horse when it lost its footing in a deep rut and toppled into a ditch.

Her 30-year-old black gelding, Ebony had already lost his footing three times on the bridleway.

She said: "The horse went down three times, but each time it managed to gain its footing again.

"But the fourth time, it was unable to get back, it went down on its knees and then fell over into the ditch next to the path.

"I was under him for half an hour.

"I really think I nearly died.

"It wasn't bad to start with but my whole body started to go numb. I couldn't move at all, I was going to give up. I didn't have any strength left.

"But then I thought 'I've got to do something', so I smacked him on the cheek which frightened him enough to move and that gave me just enough room to use my arms to crawl away."

Sarah raised the alarm with a neighbour, who managed to rescue her horse after another 90 minutes.

She escaped with a battered face and badly bruised ribs and now has trouble breathing.

Horse riders like Sarah are becoming increasingly frustrated with off-road driving, which is blamed for causing damage to countryside routes.

She says that long ,water-filled ruts caused by the vehicles are making the paths virtually impassible for horses and walkers.

She said: "The road has been blocked off by the council before, but vehicles were allowed recently to use it again.

"I don't know why they can't block if off again. I just hope that this raises the seriousness of what is happening.

"My concern is really for the horse who is quite old and the trauma he had to go through."

An Essex County Council spokesman said: "Essex Highways are sorry to hear about the rider and her horse. A Highways inspector will visit the site to assess the defects. If they meet the criteria for a repair they will be fixed."

TWO polio sufferers from the third poorest nation on earth have thanked Brentwood for its kindness and generosity as they prepare for the Paralympic Games.

Wheelchair racers Nikiema Kadidia and Gasbeogo Lassane have been a regular sight in the town since they arrived from the small west African nation of Burkina Faso on August 6.

Since then, the pair, who both live in the capital Ouagadougou, have been putting in countless miles on Brentwood School's athletic track ahead of their road race events at the beginning of September.

The pair are part of a two-person national team – one of the smallest taking part in the Games – who have been living at the Grange, in Queens Road.

Nikiema, who will be competing on a handcycle in the women's H4 road race over 48km and the H4 time trial over 16km, will be carrying the flag at the opening ceremony on August 29.

The 32-year-old, who lost the use of her legs after contracting polio aged four, is hoping to reproduce the form that crowned her African champion in 2009.

She said: "It's wonderful. Brentwood has been so generous and it's really beautiful.

"It has been really great. The people have been so kind and hospitable."

Nikiema added: "It's my first time at the Paralympics but I am just delighted to be here and competing against other nations of the world."

The borough is far removed from tiny Burkino Faso, which relies heavily on agriculture and where the average wage is around $300 a year.

So stretched are the team's resources that they have to share their hand-powered cycle, that itself was paid for by the US.

Gasbeogo is no stranger to the thrill and pride of taking centre stage.

The 26-year-old, who contracted polio aged two, competed in Beijing four years ago but is hoping to improve on the disappointment of coming last at that showing, where he was Burkino Faso's sole athlete.

He has been churning out 160-lap circuits of the school's 400m track as he trains for the men's 64km H4 road race and the H4 time trial.

He said: "The problem in Beijing is the equipment we had just wasn't good enough, but the bike we have now is much better."

He added: "We are just a small team – there are only two of us competing – but we are so proud to be representing our country."

Cycling is now the third largest sport on the Paralympic programme.

The events will take place at Brands Hatch in Kent between September 5 and 8.

Head teacher Ian Davies said: "The school has a proud sporting tradition and the use of our facilities by such dedicated and inspiring athletes will provide encouragement to both our pupils and the whole community."

In the run-up to the Olympic Games, the running track was used by modern pentathletes from across the world as they prepared to compete.

The school was one of a handful of official training venues for the London 2012 Olympic Games, providing facilities for four of the five modern pentathlon sports: épée fencing, pistol shooting, 200m freestyle swimming and a 3km cross country run.

ESSEX are waiting to see if Harbhajan Singh's call up to the Indian World Twenty20 squad will mean the player misses the back end of the domestic season.

The off-spinner could be needed for a pre-tournament training camp ahead of the competition which is taking place in Sri Lanka, starting on September 18.

Essex's final games of the season against Yorkshire finishes only four days earlier.

"We're just waiting to find out when he's got to go back," said Essex's head coach, Paul Grayson.

"If it's a little bit earlier or not, we're not sure at the moment.

"Hopefully he can stay for the rest of the season and help push us up the table because there's no doubt that since he's come in he's helped the team enormously."

The Indian has taken a total of 23 wickets in eight games for Essex, returning his best figures of 5-37 in Sunday's 117-run victory at Colchester against the Netherlands. But hopes of qualification for the semi-finals of the Clydesdale Bank 40 competition are over as Essex now can't finish in the second luck losers spot.

The only hope of success this season remains promotion out of LV> County Championship Division Two. Last week's high scoring draw against Glamorgan didn't really help their cause and Hampshire, in second place, are now 25 points in front with three games remaining against Derbyshire, Hamsphire and Yorkshire.

"We know we're going to have to beat them (Hampshire) down at the Rose Bowl in a couple of weeks' time," said Grayson.

"There's three games to go and we start up at Derbyshire next week and they haven't had a win for a while, they look like they're going to go up but anything can change very quickly in four day cricket - I'm looking for a massive effort now."

One bright spot from last week's draw was a career best from Tom Westley who hit 185 as Essex complied a mammoth 520-9 in response to the visitors' 438 all out.

Grayson said: "Tom's always had a lot of ability with the bat and the talent to play all the shots that you ask players to play, he can cut, he can drive, he can pull, he plays spin well. I think in the past he's just struggled putting the innings together and he's started to do that more this year."

But try as they might, at one stage Glamorgan were 63-4, Essex just couldn't take the wickets they needed for victory. Jim Allenby hit a century as they closed on 260-6.

"We tried everything," said Grayson. "I thought our bowlers put a really good effort in, particularly Harbhajan who was outstanding, and a little bit more lady luck and he could have bowled them out on the last day."

Dave Masters is expected to be fit after discovering his side injury wasn't as bad as first feared.

Essex's leading wicket-taker has only bruised his side rather than a strain.

KENNY Clark could return to the Chelmsford City starting line-up for Saturday's home clash against Bromley.

The centre-half has missed the start of the campaign with an ankle injury and last term's player of the year has certainly been missed as the Clarets registered a draw and a defeat from their opening two fixtures.

"I'm crossing my fingers that he'll pull through," said manager Glenn Pennyfather.

"He's key player for us and with Adam Tann out too it's been difficult."

Max Cornhill and David Bridges could also return after knocks but Cliff Akurang has left to join Bishop's Stortford and Greg Morgan has rejoined Boreham Wood.

Pennyfather said: "At the start of the season it feels like the heart's been ripped out of our team but that's not an excuse, we just have to get on with it.

"I'm looking for one more forward but it's not easy at the moment, a lot of players have just joined clubs and nobody's throwing toys out of the pram yet."

After an encouraging opening day 1-1 draw at Havant & Waterlooville, Jamie Slabber scored City's goal, Chelmsford were beaten 3-2 on Monday night by Welling United. Although he admits defeat was, on the balance of play, the right result Pennyfather feels his side need to improve defensively.

"We've got to learn lessons and quickly," he said. "They've scored a wonder goal, a comedy of errors goal and an own goal. At this level you can't afford to give teams anything, that's the benchmark of a good team.

"We've got to improve and we need to work harder, I've told the players that."

The manager expects another stern test this weekend when Bromley visit Melbourne Park. He said: "I know they flirted a bit with relegation last season but they've got some good players.

"You can see that only one team (Salisbury City) has won their opening two games. It's going to be such a tight league. I know it's a cliche, but there are no easy games."

A WHEELCHAIR-RUGBY player, paralysed in a car crash as a teenager, will carry the Paralympic Torch today.

Jonathan Coggan, from South Woodham Ferrers, was left paralysed from the shoulders down after a car crash but summoned the courage to keep doing what he loves best – playing sport.

He said: "Carrying the torch is just the most amazing thing to be doing. I'm really excited about it and for me it's just a really big bonus.

"I can't really express how excited I am about the Paralympics and for it to be at home, in London, is just the most brilliant thing ever."

The 29-year-old former William De Ferrers pupil was nominated as a torch bearer by his father, Nigel, who himself was left with a broken jaw from the accident which happened on the A312 while he was driving his son to South Essex College.

After an operation to stabilise his spine, Jonathan, who was 16 at the time, spent a total of 11 months in hospital before starting on his path to become a Paralympian.

He will carry the torch in Trafalgar Square.

ONE of the Gazette's most popular reporters has moved to the Channel Island of Guernsey to work for a daily newspaper.

Paul Ainsworth, who lived in Brentwood, left the 93-year-old institution last Friday after nearly four years.

Known for his laid back and affable style, the 29-year-old formed strong relationships with many Brentwood groups during his time at the Gazette, including the Royal British Legion (RBL), Recoil Twisters and the Brentwood Bus and Rail Users' Association.

Alan Marsh, the chairman of Herongate and Ingrave Parish Council, dealt with Paul on many matters over the years, including the battle against drug dealing in Ingrave.

Describing Paul as "really good to deal with," Mr Marsh added: "I think he was very good and he was always impartial as far as I am concerned. He always reported what were the facts, rather than having a biased view and he had a very pleasant manner. He was a nice guy to deal with."

Recoil Twisters trampolining club chairman, Tricia Sharpe, who ran a leg of the Olympic Torch relay, was very appreciative of Paul's commitment to providing regular coverage for worthy community groups.

She said: "People always got the gist of what we were saying to him. He always got our message spot-on.

"In the grand scheme of things what we were dealing with was quite small but to us it is really important and he well understood that.

"He would do whatever he could to support the community groups particularly and I shall miss him a lot."

John Wyndham, the founder of Brentwood's RBL Youth Band, said: "I'm dumbfounded that he has gone.

"I know he had a fondness for the band and for the RBL.

"He was always sincere and you felt that he understood how we operated."

Gazette editor Neville Wilson thanked Paul for his efforts, which included launching the Safety At Schools campaign, promoting sensible driving outside the school gates.

He said: "I got to know Paul when I first joined the Gazette almost two years ago and he has made a huge contribution to the team.

"He is a class act and became very popular around the community because he genuinely cared about the lives of people in Brentwood."

Paul has taken up a role with the Guernsey Press.

Prior to joining the Gazette in 2008, he worked for the Newark Advertiser in Nottinghamshire.

TWO brothers have met for the first time in their lives, thanks to the power of the internet.

No one could mistake Ian Corley and Paul Hatton, the manager of The Ivory Rooms in Billericay, as anything but brothers.

However, the fact that the pair, who were both born in Doncaster 15 months apart, but had never seen each other up until ten days ago, makes it all the more extraordinary.

They are clearly brothers.

But they have the same taste in clothes and their mannerisms are uncannily similar.

Born Justin Hatton, Ian, the oldest of the two at 43, was put up for adoption when he was just a few days old after his mother Denise Roberts gave birth at 14.

He was subsequently adopted by Pontefract couple Joyce and Bryan Corley, now aged 78 and 80 respectively.

Paul, who now lives in Chafford Hundred, was born in Doncaster but spent much of his childhood in Bedfordshire.

He was born 15 months after Ian and then a third brother Mark was born on July 20, 1972.

After years of failed searches, the family was united thanks to the Genes Reunited website.

Ian, who has lived in Sydney, Australia since 2000, said: "When Paul and I first spoke it was very surreal. What do you say to someone who is your brother, who you have never met?

"But actually it was clear right from the beginning that we were really similar. It's eerie."

The two brothers, who are working together for the next month at The Ivory Rooms until Ian heads back Down-Under, have astounded staff who find it hard to believe they have only just met.

Paul, who was also christened Justin by his mother in memory of the child she gave away, said: "We were working together side by side at the weekend and the staff here are all blown away about how similar our mannerisms are and the way we talk."

Ian had attempted to find his biological family before – the last serious attempt in 2003 when he placed an advert to find his mother in 2003.

After recently Googling his mother again the Genes Reunited link came up with Denise Roberts' birth certificate from Doncaster register office."

Paul said: "After seeing a request from Ian Corley I went on to Facebook. One of the first photos was this guy from Australia. I immediately said: 'that's my brother'!"

He added: "The lead-up to meeting a long-lost brother is stressful. You just don't know how it will work."

Ian said: "At the end of the day, the parents who brought me up are my mum and dad. I've had a fabulous upbringing.

"I didn't know what adoption meant until I was 11 and I've never had an issue being adopted.

"My parents have always said they knew this day would come and said if you are happy we are happy."

He added: "Your head is spinning. On the surface we may appear very cool but on the inside it's like bedlam. My head is a whirl – it's been emotionally draining but it is mind-blowing."

DEPRESSED, tormented and vulnerable, Jodie Marsh has gone through several dark moments when she has considered taking her life.

She is the envy of thousands of young girls who clamour for a moment in her limelight or to be flown by private jet across the world in free designer clothes.

The 33-year-old South Weald girl is a champion bodybuilder, model, TV star and part-time wrestler.

But the unorthodox redhead has won adoration at a price.

Her dare-to-be-different attitude and success has made her a target for trolls – not monsters in fairy tales or Tolkien novels, but malicious people who use popular social media sites Twitter and Facebook to harass, bully and torment innocent people, "whether famous or not", says Jodie.

Just last month, a 17-year-old boy was arrested after sending an abusive tweet to Team GB Olympic diving star Tom Daley, accusing him of letting down his father – who died of cancer last year – by failing to win a medal in his opening event.

"You let your dad down, you let our country down," the message read.

Every day Jodie logs on to a barrage of obscene insults and she has also received death threats since joining Twitter in October last year and building up 360,000 followers. She has blocked close to 800 Twitter identities since signing up.

Among the insults hurled at her across the internet from trolls are "you dirty ****", "your a top ****, look like yourv (sic) been hit with a pan", "imagine trying to find 7 @jodiemarsh for a i.d parade you'd be struggling to find anyone ugly enough', 'I heard Jodie Marsh got bitten by one of her chihuahuas. That's what she gets for looking like a dog's dinner'.

Twitter may be the modern day celeb's favourite PR vehicle and popularity barometer, but along with Facebook it is also a gateway for anonymous bullies to torment the vulnerable, according to Jodie.

She told the Gazette: "People say to me you're ugly, you're a tramp, you're vile, you've got a face like a melted whatever, that's just bullying and nastiness.

"I get frustrated at how ignorant people are and how thick they are. It's not anger, it's frustration at their stupidity and their ignorance.

"But what does anger me is that they are doing this to other people who are not as strong as me."

Earlier this year, while filming Jodie Marsh: Bullied My Secret Past, a documentary for Channel 5, Jodie met the relatives of Thomas Mullaney, a 15-year-old boy who took his life after being targeted by internet bullies in 2010.

Jodie said: "These trolls, these bullies, they do not affect me at all but they will be affecting other people.

"There will be people sat at home crying, depressed, wanting to kill themselves – there are kids killing themselves.

"I met a family last year whose little boy killed himself because of abuse over Twitter and Facebook so this is happening.

"I went and met them and this little boy, because of abuse online, he hung himself in their back garden, and that's the very reason I started the Delete and Block campaign."

#Deleteandblock encourages everyone to join forces and block people on Twitter who send abusive, aggressive or threatening messages.

When entered before a phrase on Twitter, the hash-tag symbol denotes a mood, consensus or instruction that other users can search, follow or support.

So far it has been backed by celebrities including boxer Amir Khan and morning TV favourite Lorraine Kelly.

Jodie is no stranger to childhood trauma, having suffered abuse at the hands of school bullies from the age of 13.

"Years and years ago I wasn't this strong and when they would abuse me years ago I would spend the day in bed crying, I would literally be an emotional wreck." she said.

"I got punched by a boy when I was 17 and I left the school at that point, but up until that point it had been verbal bullying."

The constant name calling almost caused the teenage Jodie to take her own life.

She said: "There were some times when I wanted to kill myself over it because it was so upsetting. As a young girl to have every part of your face and body abused and pulled to pieces: 'you're fat', 'you've got cellulite', 'you're ugly', 'you've got a dodgy nose' and when you've had every part of you ripped to shreds by the public, it's very, very upsetting.

"You spend years and years of your life thinking you're ugly and worthless and useless or whatever they are calling you. In my case it was I was ugly and I was called a geek and a boffin because I studied hard, I got bullied for being clever.

"I have now discovered that it's actually worse to be verbally bullied than it is to be physically bullied and most kids if you ask them they will also say I would rather they just beat me up.

"And I felt the same way I'd rather they just beat me up than the verbal abuse I suffered for years because the verbal stuff never ever leaves you.

"But here I am in my life now and it doesn't bother me at all.

"You can say what you want about my body, what you want about my face, I don't care I'm happy.

"Nothing that you can say about my face and body will upset me now, because I love my face, I love my body, I love myself.

" I respect myself and therefore it doesn't hurt me, but it does upset me that they might say this to someone else, who is not as strong and does want to kill themselves, who is depressed or who can't handle it as well."

WITH Britain's biggest annual regatta starting today, one sailor is celebrating 80 years since his grandfather put Burnham on the sailing map.

Will Dallimore, 54, has always lived in Burnham and has sailed the Royal Burnham One Design Boats since he was just three.

His grandfather, Norman Dallimore designed the new class of racing boat, which made Burnham famous in the sailing world, enabling more people to get out onto the water.

And with Burnham Week now here, the entire fleet of boats is planning the biggest celebration of its 80th birthday yet.

The father-of-three said: "I think the Royal Burnham One Design boats helped Burnham become a hub for sailing. My grandfather was commissioned to make boats which were less expensive and more accessible to members of the public soon after he moved to Burnham in 1918.

"And that's what he did. The boats are very successful in racing and are suitable for all ages, from 18 to 80 years-old."

Built in 1932, Norman oversaw the building of 23 boats which have always been kept and raced in Burnham.

"Unfortunately, we have lost two over the years – one to a fire and one sunk," said Mr Dallimore, who is a member of the Royal Burnham Yacht Club, the organisers of Burnham Week.

Certain boats' birthdays have already been celebrated this year, with owners making a special cocktail in the colour of their vessel and wearing that colour too.

The former merchant navy recruit, Mr Dallimore said: "The climax of the celebrations will be throughout Burnham Week. Everyone who is involved in the club will be there."

Burnham Week is a celebration of the sailing culture at the riverside town.

Starting this Saturday, the longest running UK regatta runs for eight days and involves a number of prizes for different classes.

"We have had a big surge in interest in the boats this year," said Mr Dallimore.

"All of the boats are kept in Burnham, although obviously some of the owners live in London or further afield."

The Royal Burnham Yacht Club commissioned the building of the boats, which cost just £120 when they were first constructed.

On Sunday, the club is hosting a special dinner to celebrate the fleet's 80th birthday.

If you would like more information on the boats or Burnham Week, call the Royal Burnham Yacht Club on 01621 782044 or go to burnhamweek.org.uk

THE Chelmsford Chieftains are looking good in pre-season training according the head coach Gary Clarke.

The team returned to the ice this week ahead of today's first pre-season fixture against Sutton Sting as they look to improve on last season's runner-up position in the English National Ice Hockey League Division One South.

"Everyone is upbeat and excited and it should be a good campaign," said Clarke.

"I've been surprised by the fitness levels of the local guys.

"First and foremost our average age is 25, so everyone's fit anyway, everyone's active, everyone's involved in sport outside of hockey, so that's all good.

"We have quite a few guys that are fitness instructors and they're in the gym an awful lot."

With overseas players Tibor Schneider and Julius Sinkovic both set to arrive this week alongside Scotsman Mike McKay, Clark is pleased with the way his squad is shaping up but he's mindful that he's lost the experience of Tom Long, who has joined the marines, and Dwayne Newman, who has left to join MK Thunder as assistant coach.

"In terms of whether or not we think we're better than last year, I'm not sure," said Clarke.

"What I would say is that we're in a slightly different dimension. The one thing I felt we were lacking overall last year was size in our defence and I feel we've improved that.

"I would like to think that we've got some very talented players offensively that can put the puck away and create great scoring opportunities.

"I also felt we were missing a bit of grit up front last year but with what we've brought in we've got more hockey players with a lot more grit. The size and the grit was what I wanted to achieve and I think I've done that. What I may have lost is the experience and I'm relying on some of the younger guys to step up."

Clarke knows that with several changes in the close season it could take some time of the new faces to gel.

"There's quite a few new guys," he said.

"They're new to the country and they've got quite a bit of adapting to do and learning in terms of the types of systems and the types of hockey that I want us to play.

"So we have got to get used to each other as teammates and line-mates. On top of that there are systems that I want to play when we go into games; they will be the two main elements along with the fitness levels.

"When you've been off the ice for so long you do tend to get a bit rusty. It's just getting used to feeling a puck again, getting around and getting the conditioning right. Next week we'll go into more tactics and be properly ready for the weekend."

CHEAPER flights and a walk-in, walk-off airport could be in store, if low budget airline Ryanair buys a 25 per cent share of Stansted Airport.

The airport has been put up for sale after the BAA failed to overturn a decision made in 2009 by the Competition Commission.

The commission ruled that BAA had to sell Stansted because of competition concerns arising from its ownership of the UK's biggest airport, Heathrow.

BAA announced on Monday it would not be taking the ruling to the Supreme Court, after a fourth attempt to overturn the decision was thrown out by the Court of Appeal last month.

Irish-based Ryanair has made public its interest in buying a share of the airport, which is reported to be worth £1 billion.

Stephen McNamara, of Ryanair, which operates to 41 destinations from the airport, said: "The sale of Stansted into separate ownership will lead to more competition, lower passenger charges, improved passenger services and the roll-out of additional and much-needed traffic growth at competitive prices in Stansted."

The company claims it would revolutionise air travel, with a "walk-in and walk-off" service to speed up journey times.

Mr McNamara added: "Since 2008, the BAA has doubled prices at Stansted and overseen a decline in traffic from 24 million in 2007 to 18 million in 2011, with this decline continuing in 2012.

"The BAA's seven failed court appeals were a blatant attempt to delay the sale while BAA and its Spanish owners, Ferrovial, fattened up its monopoly profits at the expense of airlines, passengers and British jobs."

THE final curtain could be falling on a renowned youth theatre group unless it can find the financial support it needs to keep going.

Brentwood Operatic Youth Society (BOSSY), which has helped hone actors' skills for 14 years, fears it will be holding its final show in October, in the absence of a vital cash injection.

The group even has the backing of Hollywood actor Stephen Moyer, whose former St Martin's teacher co-runs the school.

Moyer, a star of hit US vampire series True Blood, has previously financially supported BOSSY. But the group is now appealing to Brentwood for help.

In total it needs another £3,500 to keep going after failing to land local or national funding, or individual sponsorship.

The news has been meet with a crisis of support from the very people who have benefited from the classes and its award-winning productions, coupled with pleas for support in keeping the non-profit making group on the stage for years to come.

Gaynor Wilson is the director of what could be BOSSY's last production between October 2 and 6.

The play is their version of Elton John and Sir Tim Rice's Aida. She said that groups like BOSSY were crucial in helping members secure places at the top drama, musical theatre and music schools.

She added: "The experience they gain is all training for being in a full-scale production in a theatre.

"There is vocal training, for example, so they can sustain their vocals for a week of shows. Most children from school productions would not have a voice after three nights."

She added: "The bigger picture is the kids of tomorrow will lose out if we fold. But sadly, without further funding, this could be BOSSY's last show."

Anyone individuals or companies willing to sponsor BOSSY should call musical director Andy Prideaux on 07725 328686.

You can also get in touch via Twitter at @BOSSYTheatre or e-mail bossybrentwood@gmail.com