The Final Salute: War Veteran Documentary from Ted Donnelly on Vimeo.

POLICE have released this CCTV picture of two people who pocketed money left behind at a cashpoint.

The man and woman were caught on camera at the Asda store in Tiptree last month, police said.

Someone was distracted at the cashpoint and left their money behind, before the couple in the CCTV image picked up the money and left the store, Essex police said in an appeal to the public.

Pc Carly Mond, who is investigating, said: "This is theft, the money did not belong to the couple and they should have handed it over to store staff."

Anyone with information about the couple's identity is urged to call Pc Mond at the Area Investigation team at Colchester police station on 101.

 station on 101.

POLICE have released this CCTV picture of two people who pocketed money left behind at a cashpoint.

The man and woman were caught on camera at the Asda store in Tiptree last month, police said.

Someone was distracted at the cashpoint and left their money behind, before the couple in the CCTV image picked up the money and left the store, Essex police said in an appeal to the public.
Pc Carly Mond, who is investigating, said: "This is theft, the money did not belong to the couple and they should have handed it over to store staff."
Anyone with information about the couple's identity is urged to call Pc Mond at the Area Investigation team at Colchester police station on 101.

WARLEY blacksmith James Todd may be looking forward to his retirement after 50 years of shoeing horses but he is also deeply worried about the future of his art and the standard of farriery in the 21st century.

Mr Todd, 67, has been making and fitting his own horseshoes at The Forge in Great Warley Street since the early 1960s and is convinced that the old ways remain the best. Not only does he believe modern, machine-made shoes are inferior to those crafted using forge, anvil and hammer, he also thinks the skills of today's crop of farriers leave a lot to be desired.

Mr Todd, who has won dozens of awards at farriery competitions across the UK, said: "My shoes are better because they are well made and invariably they last longer too.

Mr Todd, who won his latest first prize at a show in Warfields, Surrey, in July, continued: "I don't know whether the youngsters have got the same work ethic or they can't be bothered or whatever.

"I shouldn't be winning prizes in competitions because I am not shoeing regularly enough so it does make you wonder where the new hopefuls are and what they are doing."

He added: "Farriers these days are farriers only – they are not farriers and blacksmiths.

"It is a really sad state of affairs as far as us old pros are concerned that the skills we have got will be lost."

When Mr Todd took The Forge over from his uncle in 1973, he built up his client base quite considerably.

"When I took it over I was doing 40 horses a week but as time went on we would often have 25 to 28 horses through here a day," he said.

"People used to bring their horses here from a hell of a wide area."

The Forge is now on the verge of being sold to a developer and although Mr Todd is preparing to relocate to Carmarthen in Wales, he admits he will miss the place.

"I will be sad to see the place go," said Mr Todd, who has trained five apprentices over the years.

"It has been here for a long time and it has given me a good living.

"The only problem is that nowadays a farrier could not get a living here because the business rates are so high."

He believes this is one reason why he has got out at the right time.

"The demand for what I do has dropped off because there are a lot of farriers trading now and because of the economic climate, people can't afford to have their horses shod as regularly as they used to," he said.

"Now that there are more farriers they are all chasing the same work."

During his career, Mr Todd once shod a pony for former world heavyweight boxing champion Frank Bruno and even showed 60s pop legend Marty Wilde how to make a shoe.

Yet one of his proudest moments was when a photograph of him at work graced the front page of The Times in December 1980.

"It was fantastic," he smiled. "There was an article in Essex Countryside Magazine because I was in a book called East Anglia, The Rarer Breed.

"The editor of The Times read this article and I got a call asking if they could come and take a picture.

"I presumed there was no news with it being just a few days before Christmas but anyway they came in, did the pictures and off they went.

"We used to get people coming in here all the time taking pictures so I thought no more of it but when I saw it on the front page I couldn't believe it."

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but Mr Todd, who has been married to Jenny, 63, for six years, is clear that if he had his time over again he would not do anything different.

"I have always been shoeing and I have always liked it," he said.

"It is a passion of mine and there is a sense of achievement with it. You get horses come in that have got problems and you try to address those problems and 99 times out of 100 you are successful."

The Great Warley Street resident continued: "Being a blacksmith has kept me fit – I have only had one and a half days off through illness in my life.

"Plus horses are like a drug and a lot of horse owners say the same – once you get into them you just keep on and on."

He modestly added: "I don't think I would be good at anything else."

A BUSINESSMAN says the £20,000 he helped raise for the heart attack rehabilitation centre that put him back on the road to recovery is just the start of his fundraising commitment.

Tony Preston, who collapsed while on a family holiday in Spain last year, said the two months of rehabilitation therapy at the Basildon Hospital specialist centre was "lifesaving".

When asked what he could do to help, staff initially asked only for tea and coffee.

But Mr Preston instead took it upon himself to organise a charity ball at Stock Brook Manor Country Club , in Billericay, on October 18.

Fresh from the efforts in Billericay, the 47-year-old is now looking to call on the efforts of his friend Jimmy Doherty, who shot to fame in the TV show Jimmy's Farm, to help stage a fundraising festival next year.

The 47-year-old builder from Goodwood Avenue, Hutton, said: "I want to do all I can to help the unit. I know Jimmy and I know we can raise quite a bit of money."

He added: "Without the team in Basildon I wouldn't be here today. I call them my little angels. I was considering suicide at one point. I couldn't cope. I couldn't do what I wanted. I couldn't walk anywhere without getting out of breath."

When Mr Preston started suffering pains in his chest and stomach while on holiday, he initially thought it was just indigestion.

But the pains persisted and culminated in him suffering a heart attack on August 9 last year.

Returning to the UK, Mr Preston underwent intensive physical rehabilitation supplemented with counselling.

"When you have a heart attack it is very scary. I was having a nightmare time. But they were there for me all the time.

"I'll be forever grateful to them but now I want to help other people who are going through what I went through."

A lifelong West Ham fan, Mr Preston was helped by Stockbrook Manor owner David Sullivan, who underwent a quadruple heart bypass 18 years ago. Mr Sullivan donated £1,000 and a signed West Ham shirt to the event, which had a West Ham theme.

Former players Tony Cottee, Tony Gale, Stuart Slater and Alan McKnight also attended, along with Mr Doherty.

Among the items that added to the impressive total was a signed Lionel Messi boot that went for £800, a signed Tottenham shirt that went for £950, a Jimmy's farm package for £550 and a Sugar Hut VIP experience that was auctioned for £750.

Mr Preston's wife Coral added: "What a huge success and most of all everyone had a fantastic time. We were so overwhelmed by everyone's generosity and support. The evening could not have gone any better than it did.

"Please can we thank every single person who bought a ticket and attended the event, without them we wouldn't have raised the amazing figure."

Donna Jessup, Cardiac Rehab Sister at the Essex Cardiothoracic Centre in Basildon, said: "Tony is a great example and inspiration to us all as he has overcome both the emotional and physical impact of his heart attack, with time, effort and perseverance.

"Many patients will benefit from the money by allowing us to purchase additional equipment to help their recovery."

A NEW sixth form course running at an Ingatestone school has been such a success, students are flocking to sign up.

The Anglo European was the first state school in the country, and only the 12th in the world, to run the IBCC – the International Baccalaureate Career-related Certificate – in 2010. Its first cohort of 12 students received their results this year and all, some unexpectedly, achieved places at their first choice of university.

Co-ordinator of the IBCC Deborah Gallagher, said she and her colleagues at the Willow Green school were thrilled.

She told the Gazette: "Originally we thought it was ideal for people who do not know if they want to go to university or go straight out to work. However, our entire first cohort during the course of the two years decided they did want to go to university. They were ambitious and applied to institutions they did not think they would get into.

"They received really good offers, and despite some not quite making the grade they were asked for, they all got in, which is amazing. I do not think they would have got into those universities had they taken straight A-levels."

Having seen the success of the first cohort, numbers of students signing up to the course, which allows students to undertake a combination of practical and academic A-levels, are steadily rising. There are now 14 in the current upper sixth, and 19 in the lower sixth form.

Mrs Gallagher said: "It was a big step to take to start the IBCC, and it was particularly crucial to me to make it work, but it could not have been more successful.

"However its success is a double edged sword. Obviously we are pleased the course is popular but the key to its success is keeping the groups small."

Part of the IBCC is an Approach to Learning course which is run by Mrs Gallagher, allowing her to see how individual students are progressing with their studies, and if they are not on track put in place measures to help them.

She said: "I make sure they're all performing as they should be. They really benefit from being monitored much more closely and working together as a whole group at that time."

Students taking the IBCC study a vocational A-level such as business studies, textiles or product design, alongside an academic A-level, plus two IB subjects at IB standard level. If none of these courses is a language they must also study one additionally.

As well as undertaking the Approaches to Learning course, the teenagers must also complete a reflective project, and undertake 50 hours of service to the school or community.

Co-head teacher David Barrs said: "The IBCC is for students who are good all-rounders but want a more applied rather than academic programme.

"I think part of why our first cohort was so successful when applying to university was because they stood out from other candidates. Most universities value breadth and these students show they have it. It is also ideal for our students who are considering applying to European universities, as having the IBCC will give them a head start."

FOR many teenagers, taking part in work experience may be the first time in their lives that they are treated like an adult.

Michael Mander recently joined the Gazette team for a two-week work placement, and he revelled in the responsibility given to him.

The 15-year-old Billericay boy now believes the experience provides a vital hands-on taster for young people wrestling with the raft of further education options and career choices.

"Having heard that many people of my age group are losing the opportunity to do a work placement while at school, I wanted to say how valuable I believe it is," he said.

"I'm considering a career in journalism and my two weeks at the Gazette taught me so much about what the job entails and what is expected of you.

"Maybe I was a bit lucky in my choice, but they gave me the opportunity to do some proper reporting."

For decades schoolchildren have faced the daunting plunge into the world of nine to five.

But is 15 the right age to get a glimpse into the world of work, and are enough teens actually getting an opportunity to make the most of their chance, or are they just being handed a stint as an office junior or a tea-maker?

The Government believes work experience should be a feature of sixth-form study.

Last year the Wolf Report, commissioned by the Department for Education, made a statement that vocational training at schools, in the main, doesn't lead to jobs and university places.

It also recommended an end to pre-16 placements, instead suggesting it be shifted to Year 12 to keep GCSE pupils focuses on academic studies, but ultimately the decision lies with schools.

Brentwood County High School cancelled Year 11 work placements ahead of this academic year, and as yet it has not been moved into sixth form.

Head teacher Stephen Drew, who took up the post in September, believes there are "ongoing concerns with the quality of placements".

He said: "Getting work experience for 240 Year 11s in one two-week hit, you will get a varied experience.

"If you have a person who is very positive about the school and has a bad work experience, that does not really help."

Mr Drew believes that if pre-16 work experience is to be offered it needs to be targeted to those considering vocational studies after the school leaving age, but students following an academic pathway would get a better experience in the sixth form.

His deputy head girl, Nula Gooderson, 17, was one of the last to complete a placement as a 15-year-old in 2010.

She spent a fortnight at Lloyds of London, the City insurance market.

She said: "I think everyone should do it pre-16.

"I think when you move into the sixth form you have refined your choices, but you needed that work experience before you make your A-Level choices.

"What I think is the problem with it is that I got my experience from my dad, and the people that do not have these connections, for whatever reason, are left to use the Trident scheme.

"The problem with that is that you could end up working up your local High Street. That's not really emulating the reality of real life at work with the travel involved.

"It's important that you are taken out of your comfort zone on work experience."

Many current year 11 students across Brentwood and Billericay completed their stint last week, but will they be the last to get afforded the opportunity?

Students at The Billericay School only discovered the October scheme had been ditched at an assembly in July, but one student who spoke to the Gazette, asking not to be named, doesn't think she is missing much.

She said: "I know a bit about work and employment but I don't know how the business environment would treat me and how I would cope in certain situations.

"I don't think my insight about A-Level choices would improve with work experience because the school keeps us up to date. We have talks with our form tutors about the options available to us."

Meanwhile, Mayflower High School will be continuing to run work experience in Year 11.

Jonathan Rowlands, deputy head at the school, said: "We believe work experience is an essential element to develop knowledge, skills and understanding in the workplace, and all students can benefit from it.

"We may move work experience into sixth form, but at the moment work experience is an important element of our Key Stage 4 curriculum.

"We've just won an award for our careers education".

WITHAM started well, pressuring the Basildon defence and showed promising form.

The forward line of Chloe Barber, Lauren Kempen and Helen Came supported by midfielders Becca Baker, Laura Smith and Clare Bellehewe had ample opportunities but just could not convert.

Basildon had a few breaks down the pitch to the Witham goal but the defence of Sara Smith, Sarah Smith and April Gardner and keeper Michelle Fussell made light work of keeping the home side at bay.

Witham upped their game in the second half and it wasn't long before they were finally rewarded for their efforts after a strike from Laura Smith found the back of the goal.

This seemed to spur the visitors on and the forward line continued to pile on the pressure.

Barber's play on the right won Witham a short corner and the chance to go two ahead.

After the initial strike from Smith was saved Florencia Loray picked up the ball and fired it in to double Witham's lead.

Basildon made several runs at the Witham back line but to no avail.

Half-backs of Loray and Sue Rayner worked hard to send the ball back to the Witham forward line but it was player-of-the-match Loray who sealed the win with her second and Witham's third, hit hard in the 'D' and bouncing off a Basildon foot into the goal.

POLICE today dropped their long-running investigation into Lord Hanningfield's county council expenses.
The former leader of Essex County Council was jailed for nine months in July last year for cheating the taxpayer out of nearly £14,000, but released after just nine weeks behind bars.
Lord Hanningfield, real name Paul White, had claimed expenses for overnight stays in London when he had in fact been chauffeured back to his home in West Hanningfield, in his county council funded car.
But today City of London Police, who launched their investigation into his County Council expenses shortly after he was found guilty of fiddling his Parliamentary expenses, said they had dropped the case.
A spokesman said: "Allegations of unauthorised expenditure against a 71-year-old man from Essex, originally made to Essex Police by Essex County Council, have been fully investigated by the City of London Police Economic Crime Directorate, after being referred to them in December 2011.

"Following a full review of the evidence obtained from this investigation and consultation with the CPS, a decision has been made to take no further action regarding these allegations as there is insufficient evidence to justify any criminal charges in this case. The police investigation into this matter is now closed."

Eric Pickles has thanked fellow Tory politician Nadine Dorries for encouraging Liberal Democrats to vote for a Conservative.

The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government took the opportunity to comment on the Mid Bedfordshire MP's appearance on ITV's I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here in his fortnightly column for the Brentwood Gazette newspaper.

Writing for the Gazette, published tomorrow (Wednesday, November 14) The Brentwood and Ongar MP said: "I have this week found myself being interviewed about a subject I never thought would cross my path: the ITV programme  I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here.

"The Member of Parliament for Mid Bedfordshire, Nadine Dorries, has chosen to leave her constituency and constituents for several weeks, and spend time in the jungle with Ant and Dec.

"It's an interesting decision to have made, and has resulted in the Conservative whip being withdrawn from Ms Dorries.

"As I have said on a number of occasions this week, I will obviously miss her and will have to struggle on bravely without her.

"I will watch the programme when time allows, and have her voting number on speed dial to ensure she is able to appreciate all the challenges which lie ahead for her, be they culinary or bug-related.

"However, my greatest pleasure from this whole episode is to read on Twitter that so many Liberal Democrats have seen the light, and are finally voting for a Tory on a regular basis. Long may it continue."

Mr Pickles' comments follow his own brief appearance on the popular BBC comedy quiz Have I Got News for You on Friday, where he told viewers he would be "calling in religiously to keep her there".

BILLERICAY Town boss Craig Edwards has hailed "a cracking draw" after The Blues were plucked from the hat to play non-league giants Cambridge United in the first round of the FA Trophy.

Edwards's side will take on the Us at New Lodge on Saturday, November 24 after battling past Enfield Town 3-2 in the third qualifying round on Saturday.

For winning that game the Blue Square Bet South club earned £4,000 and they'll collect a further £5,000 if they can overcome Cambridge, a former league side that plays in the division above.

"It's a great draw, a real cracking prospect," said Edwards.

"Want you want (in the draw) is a big club or a club that you should be able to beat. We've got a home draw against a big club and you can't ask anymore than that."

He knows it'll be a tough prospect against Jez George's side even though they're struggling in 18th place in Blue Square Bet Premier. "They're a full time professional club and we're under no illusions as to the size of the task facing us," he noted.

"But we go in to the game under no pressure for probably the first time this season: it's not rocket science we know we'll have to play well to get a result."

In recent weeks Town have been on a run of five unbeaten games, ironically the last team to beat them were Cambridge City – Cambridge United's closest rivals. But away from the glamour of the Trophy it's back to the bread and butter of league action this weekend and a trip to lowly Bromley before a Tuesday night game at Dover Athletic.

"They're tough games but then they all are in this league aren't they?" said the manager.

"I'm excited about it to tell you the truth, it's a good week."

In other news Chairman Steve Kent is unhappy that striker Alex Osborn has been sidelined for six weeks with an injury.

The forward was on loan at The Blues until January 1 but picked up the knock while he was back training with the Power League Two outfit.

On his blog on the club's official website, www.billericaytownfc.co.uk, he wrote: "Alex has been a big part of our team this season and his absence will certainly be our loss.

"It's not a situation I'm at all happy with. Alex was on loan to us and as such he should be our player until the loan was over.

"There was no agreement in the loan that stated Alex had to return for training or games, so I'm a little bemused as to why he was there at all."

Edwards added: "The door is still open for Alex to come back in the future. He'd stuck up a really good partnership with Charlie (Taylor) so it's really disappointing news for us."

Although star striker Jay May has returned from eight weeks out Edwards is now on the hunt for a new striker.

"We've got a few out on duel registration that we can call back," he said.

"I'd like to get one in but they've got to be right for us and affordable."

THEY may be amateur artists, but as these pictures show Brentwood Art Society's many members certainly aren't amateurish.

On Friday, around 150 people, including art enthusiasts, their friends and families gathered at Brentwood Library for the official opening of the society's annual exhibition, now in its 54th year.

The display, which features 50 artworks including oil paintings, watercolours, acrylics, paintings and clay works, can be viewed free of charge during normal opening hours at the New Road library until Saturday, December 1.

Each item on display was created by one of the society's members, of which there are currently 50.

Chairman Anna Hughes told the Gazette why the exhibition was staged each year.

"Most people in the art society have a body of work by the end of the year that they would like to display," the 69-year-old former art teacher said.

"It is a good way of introducing ourselves to the rest of the world really."

The deputy mayor of Brentwood, Madeline Henwood, was among the guests at Friday's opening night, which she described as a "delightful and very enjoyable occasion".

She added: "The standard of each item that was hanging was very high.

"They were all wonderfully executed."

Brentwood Library is open between 9am and 6pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and from 9am until 1pm on Wednesdays.

On Saturdays, it is open from 9am until 5pm and it is closed on Sundays.

The pieces on display can be bought from library staff.

Call 01277 264290 for details.

Brentwood Art Society was founded in June 1958 and at present it costs £23 a year to become a member.

New applications are welcome.

For more information, call 01277 227205 or visit www.brentwoodartsoc.co.uk

MORE than two dozen cub scouts were given a taste of Zen when they visited Brentwood's Buddhist centre for an educational and fun visit.

Teacher, or Sifu (to give Jane Ward her proper title), welcomed 26 cubs and their leaders from 3rd Brentwood to the Buddhist Centre in Merrymeade House.

The cubs, members of the only Catholic Scout group in Brentwood, which was originally formed in the 1930s, had a simple lesson in Buddhism and meditation.

Ms Ward said: "My message to the youngsters was simple – respect everyone especially your parents."

The youngsters were all allowed to light a candle and make a prayer for another person which was then put on the altar during their Tuesday night outing last month.

The cubs also experienced chanting and meditation, a big part of the discipline in Buddhism.

Ms Ward said: "I recently heard a quote from the Dali Lama which is, if every child at the age of eight was taught meditation then violence in the world would be eradicated within one generation.

"Our mission is exactly this: to teach as many children as possible at the centre and in local schools on how to practise meditation correctly and to give them continued support."

The group is currently busy fundraising towards building a new Scout Headquarters so that it can be reunited under one roof with all its equipment.

The old scout hut was demolished last year after 40 years of service.

The Buddhist Centre in Merrymeade House, Merrymeade Chase opened this year in June and has already attracted over a thousand visitors.

If you have a local group, school or club who would like to visit or know more about meditation or Buddhism, call the centre on 01277 212600.

AN acclaimed gospel singer who fleeced lonely women out of more than £120,000 after meeting them on a dating site is facing a lengthy prison sentence.

Oluwamayola Ajayi pretended to be an American fighter pilot, an oil executive and a grieving widower in his ploy to win the affections of four love interests on Match. com.

With a string of aliases the 31-year-old conman, of Sherman Gardens, Chadwell Heath, resorted to outlandish methods to dupe his internet lovers out of cash.

In one case he sent e-mail threats, purportedly from a captor, claiming he had been kidnapped and demanding a ransom to secure his release.

Ajayi – who under the stage name MaioJoe was nominated for best international act at the 2011 Gospel Music Awards in Ireland – blew the cash on a lavish lifestyle including a luxury holiday in South Africa.

He was convicted of conspiracy to defraud after a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court and faces sentence later this week.

The court heard how he gained the women's trust before persuading them to hand over their savings to fund business enterprises insisting the cash would be repaid.

Ajayi's victims, who all live in America and Canada, were "completely taken in" by his elaborate lies.

They were left humiliated and some were financially ruined by the scam, which ran between November 2009 and August 2010.

One victim handed over more than $125,000 (£78,662) from her late husband's life savings and dead mother's estate, which she had earmarked for retirement.

Another disabled woman from Nova Scotia was duped into giving Ajayi almost $38,000 (£23,913) after he pretended to be Travis David McFly, a United States Airforce pilot serving in Iraq.

"He told a story to her about some gold bars he had found and that he wanted to get them out of Iraq so they could secure their financial future," said prosecutor Marcus Rickard.

"This inevitably led to the woman having to supply money via an intermediary in London, to enable the gold bars to be taken from Iraq.

"She was completely taken in by him and intended to spend the rest of her life with him.

"At one point, she arranged to meet him at an airport and waited for five hours for him, but he did not turn up.

"This has left her flat broke and deeply embarrassed."

Ajayi pocketed around $30,000 (£18,873) from another internet lover.

He posed as a project manager in the oil and gas industry to fleece $7,000 (£4,404) from his final victim, telling her he needed the cash for expenses including a Crude Oil Lifting Licence.

He told all but one of the women that he was a white widower with children from Britain called Mark West, who was currently living in the US.

Ajayi funnelled his ill-gotten gains through false bank accounts, mainly using the fictional identity of José Fernando Rodrigues-Guedes.

Mr Rickard added: "The defendant systematically and repeatedly misrepresented himself to lonely females using the internet and cheated them out of £120,000 from November 2009 until August 2010.

"The victims of his deceptions have been left embarrassed and fearful, and they have all suffered substantial financial loss or ruin."

Ajayi was arrested last August 16 at the terraced home he shares with his wife.

During interview in a prepared statement, he insisted one of his victims was the girlfriend of a friend who owed him money.

He claimed he used an account in the name of Rodrigues-Guedes as he did not have one in his own name.

The computer equipment on which police found scores of e-mails with money transfers, credit card details, bank statements, personal information and photographs belonged to the "real" Rodrigues-Guedes, Ajayi claimed.

But Rodrigues-Guedes has never been found, prompting police to believe he is simply an identity dreamed up by Ajayi to carry out his con.

Ajayi denied conspiracy to defraud, fraud, concealing criminal property, using criminal property and two counts of possessing articles for use in frauds.

He was unanimously convicted by a jury on all counts after a trial after admitting a single count of possessing a false identity document with intent.

Adjourning sentence, Judge Sarah Paneth told Ajayi he was facing a "lengthy" prison term.