THE ROSE Theatre has been awarded for its community based work at the first Kingston Business Awards.

More than 150 businesses in the borough registered for the first annual awards which were created to celebrate innovation and hard work.

The theatre was one of 12 winners and was presented with the Best Commitment to the Community Award, for their workshops, drama groups, free events and graduation ceremonies that they put on at the High Street theatre.

SCHOOLS have been closed across Kingston as heavy snow fall hit the borough last night.

Up to 15cm fell over night which has left roads icy, shut schools and disrupted train routes.

Temperatures will remain freezing and light snowfall is expected to continue throughout the day.

All routes in the borough will be gritted this morning

Closed Schools:

Coombe Boys, Girls, Juniors and Infants,

Grand Avenue Primary,

Hollyfield School,

Kingston College,

Knollmead Primary,

Malden Manor Primary,

THE LEADER of Kingston council has publicly opposed the rise in tuition fees and is supporting students who are demonstrating against them.

Councillor Derek Osbourne has spoken out against the government's plans to increase tuition fees to £9,000 a year after hundreds of school, college and university students opposed the proposals by marching through Kingston and Surbiton last Wednesday.

Mr Osbourne, whose 14 year old daughter took part in the march, believes that an increase in fees will not just be detrimental to students but to the community as a whole.

STUDENTS opposing the increased rise in tuition fees have organised a sit in at Kingston University this afternoon.

It is believed 30 to 40 students have peacefully occupied a room at the university's Penrhyn Road campus.

Last week hundreds of students took to the streets of Kingston and Surbiton to protest the plans to increase the cost of tuition fees rising to £9,000 a year.

A spokesperson for the University, said: "The University supports the right of students to protest peacefully about issues that matter to them."

HUNDREDS of university, college and school students marched through Kingston and Surbiton this afternoon protesting against rising tuition fees.

The impromptu march started from Kingston University at around 1.30pm, after speakers at a demonstration encouraged the crowd to take action.

Students were protesting against the plans to increase tuition fees in England to £9,000 per year and withdrawing funding for university teaching budgets.

A PETITION with more than 100 signatures opposing plans to build a primary school on the Surbiton Hospital site was submitted to the council this week.

Kingston council have announced proposals to develop a new healthcare building and a new primary school on the hospital site, in Ewell Road.

On Monday (15), residents went to the Guildhall to hand over the petition, which asks the council to submit the plans as two proposals, so they can support the new healthcare clinic but oppose the school.

TO AVOID disappointment in Surbiton and Tolworth this year, residents are appealing to the council to help them fund their Christmas lights.

Kingston council have revealed that due to the current economic climate they are unable to sponsor either of the towns with festive lights this Christmas.

Both New Malden and Kingston have had their lights donated by local businesses but traders in Surbiton and Tolworth have this year not come forward.

RESIDENTS across Kingston will be commemorating Remembrance Sunday on November 14.

A day of events is taking place across the borough to help raise money for the British Legion's annual poppy appeal.

The first official Legion poppy day was held in Britain on November 11, 1921, inspired by the poem 'Flanders Fields' written by John McCrae.

After the fighting in World War One in the Flanders and Picardy regions of Belgium and Northern France, the poppy was the only thing which grew in the aftermath.

THE Madingley tower block resident who started the fire that left over 100 people homeless has been sectioned indefinitely.

Liya Bushman, 32, appeared at Kingston Crown Court this morning, after she admitted causing the fire that destroyed the top four floors of the tower block, on the Cambridge Road Estate, on July 12.

Bushman, 32, who suffers from schizophrenia, was given a hospital order under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act 1983 by his honour Judge Price, to be served in the Ruby Ward, at the Springfield Hospital, in Tooting.

THE A3 was closed this afternoon after gas cylinders caught alight in a Surbiton garage.

Firefighters were called to a garage in Barnsbury Crescent, at 1.07pm, after reports that settling cylinders, which are normally used for welding, had caught alight.

Due to the highly flammable content of the cylinders, a 100 metre hazard zone was put in place, closing the A3.

Three fire engines were called and 15 firefighters were on the scene trying to cool the cylinders.

Within the last half an hour, the hazard zone has been reduced to 10 metres.