SUPERMARKET giant Tesco is pressing ahead with its bid to build new stores in Ashtead and Dorking.

The company has told the Advertiser its plans for an Express store in Reigate Road will be submitted to council planners imminently.

Tesco has also confirmed the development of a Metro store in Ashtead will go ahead after gaining planning permission last year.

The announcement by the supermarket chain comes after it announced last month it would scrap more than 100 store developments that had been in the pipeline following a fall in profits – its first drop since the 1990s.

Asked about the Dorking plan, Beth Greenhouse, spokeswoman for Tesco, said: "We're committed to opening our store in Reigate Road, Dorking and will be consulting with the community in the coming weeks before submitting our plans to the council.

"If our application is successful we hope to open during the summer, creating 20 new jobs for people in the community."

Reacting to the news, councillor Margaret Cooksey (Lib Dem, Dorking South) said: "Of course if it's just a small Express one then being where it is it's not too bad but it's not something we particularly would have wanted.

"The concept of an edge-of-town supermarket is one that we would be wary of."

Jacquetta Fewster, from Mole Valley Green Party, added: "We're very keen to support local businesses so when national supermarkets come in to the town, like Tesco, then that's a concern.

"It's going to bring in more competition for smaller businesses who generally are looking to do things in a more sustainable way than the big chains.

"Even though it's physically a small store, it's obviously part of a very big company.

"Our approach is that smaller businesses are better for the environment, and better for communities. We'd prefer to see the Frankie and Benny's site used for a local business."

Planning permission for the Metro store in Ashtead was granted by the district council's planning committee in September 2012 after a four-year battle between Tesco and campaigners in the village and three previous rejected applications.

The approved proposal is for a 690sq-m Tesco Metro store, with nine flats above.

Asked about the future of the Ashtead site, Ms Greenhouse continued: "We intend to proceed with our plans for our Metro store in Ashtead and will update the community once we have confirmed timeframes for opening the store."

On hearing the latest news on the Ashtead store, councillor Simon Ling (Independent, Ashtead Village) said: "I think it would be good for Tesco to actually do something now.

"It's a bit of an eyesore so we'd like them to get on with it. The local traders were all keen for them to be there because – rightly or wrongly – they think it will bring more footfall and trade for them."

THERE were wildly different reactions to this week's news that retail giant Sainsbury's had pulled the plug on its bid to build a new store in Dorking town centre.

The company revealed late on Friday that its three-year bid to develop the area behind the St Martin's Walk shopping arcade – meaning the demolition of flats in Church Gardens and the recently opened Malthouse youth centre – had been withdrawn.

A company spokesman told the Advertiser: "Mole Valley District Council and Sainsbury's have been in discussion with the other landowners, Surrey County Council and Mole Valley Housing Association, and have regretfully concluded that, despite the best efforts of all concerned, a viable scheme cannot be delivered on the proposed site.

"We are deeply disappointed at this outcome but want to reassure our customers that we will continue to give them the best possible service from our existing High Street store while we look for wider solutions to bring a new Sainsbury's store to Dorking."

John Northcott, the district council's planning portfolio holder, was similarly downbeat.

He said: "It is very disappointing that this particular proposal cannot be developed, but the council remains fully committed to improving supermarket provision in that part of the town."

Sainsbury's had outlined plans for a 3,250 sq m store on the site – identified in the council's Area Action Plan as a "primary shopping area" – but never submitted a formal planning application.

News of the scheme's withdrawal was greeted with jubilation by St Martin's Walk cafe owner Ashley Baker, who last year collected a 1,200-signature petition in opposition.

"It's great news for Dorking," he said. "They were doing this not for the benefit of Dorking, but just for a company to make lots of money.

"If they had looked at the facts, they would have seen it was not really possible unless there was a relief road. They were going to destroy the town by trying to get something in there that plainly wasn't going to work."

See page 11 for the latest on Tesco's plans to build stores in Dorking and Ashtead.

PUPILS celebrated their last day at secondary school on Friday and handed over a cheque for more than a thousand of pounds for charity.

Sixth-formers at Oxted School dressed up as their favourite childhood characters to wave goodbye to education at the Bluehouse Lane school.

They were also celebrating raising £1,323.15 as part of RAG (raising and giving) week to be split between two charities.

The students had organised numerous events to raise money for Matthew's Friends – which focuses on all aspects of dietary treatments for epilepsy – as well as Cancer Research UK in memory of Sue Richardson, the former Oxted School science teacher who died in 2012.

Student Layla Doyle, 18, said: "We chose Matthew's Friends because it's a charity that we, as a school, have close links to.

"And we chose Cancer Research in memory of Mrs Richardson and because we feel that cancer is something a lot of people have been effected by, whether it be directly or indirectly."

Students presented a cheque for £661.58 to Emma Williams, founder and chief executive of the Matthew's Friends charity in the Year 13 leavers assembly.

Events that took place during in RAG Week included a Staff v Sixth Form Hockey Match, a Staff v Sixth Form Football Match, a bean bath for the head boy, head girl and teachers, as well as a sixth form man auction.

THIS year's Reigate and Redhill Music and Drama Festival climaxes tonight (Thursday), with a stirring gala concert in the Harlequin Theatre, Redhill.

Festival chairman Angela Barker said it had been a "difficult task" in assembling the programme from so many outstanding performances from the two-week event.

The second week of the festival saw some excellent acts.

Two brothers, Ryan and Sean Murrough, aged 13 and 15, sang the Queen hit Only The Good Die Young, specially arranged for the duet in memory of their much-loved grandmother.

The Encore Brass Quintet of young players showed why they've already had the distinction of performing at Fortnum & Mason and the Hurlingham Club. And a total of 17 harps performed together "just for fun".

Many guitarists, from young beginners to experienced adult performers, charmed the audience with their music at Reigate Baptist Church, in Hatchlands Road.

An assembly of young cellists made beautiful music at Redhill United Reformed Church Hall at Shaw's Corner, and talented young pianist Rhia Patel gave a moving performance, with a professional chamber orchestra, of a movement from the Shostakovich Piano Concerto No2 – which she will repeat at tonight's concert.

Tonight's show begins at 7.30pm in the Harlequin Theatre, Redhill. Tickets cost £7 for adults, £5 for seniors, and £3 for children. Tickets are available from the theatre box office on 01737 276500.

For more information visit www.reigate-redhillmusicfest.org.uk

TWO extraordinary sisters from Oxted have just completed their first triathlon – despite being almost completely blind.

Helen and Amanda Whitely are identical twins who suffer from eye conditions which means they both have only one per cent vision.

The sisters, who live in Station Road East, both suffer from conditions known as Macular Dystrophy and Nystagmus – which means their eyes deteriorate and involuntarily move from side-to side.

But last weekend, the 46-year-olds teamed up with "pilots" to guide them through the gruelling running and cycling part of the East Grinstead Sprint Triathlon.

"It was really hard for us," said Helen. "We had to completely rely on our pilots to guide us throughout the course. But they were amazing and friends and family were there cheering us on throughout it."

The twins are registered blind and walk with a white cane, but on Sunday, May 12, the duo competed over the same course as other able-bodied athletes, at the competition at the Kings Leisure Centre, in Moat Road, East Grinstead.

Amanda said: "I've always wanted to do a triathlon as I've always enjoyed running, swimming and cycling.

"A friend mentioned the East Grinstead/Sussex Triathlon to me and I thought it would be a good thing to tackle with my twin sister, Helen, who has the same condition as me."

They swam ten lengths of the pool before jumping on tandem bikes to "peddle like mad" for 11 km with their pilots.

And with legs as wobbly as jelly, they then jumped off their tandems and ran, with their guides, for the final 2.5km.

For Helen and Amanda, preparing for the event was a labour of love.

Finding their properly fitted-out tandem bikes and the two pilots at similar fitness levels to help steer took weeks in itself.

Helen added: "This was a totally new challenge for us. I think we are living proof that you can accomplish anything, no matter what your ability is.

"It was a fantastic experience and now we know what to expect, I hope we will do it again next year."

Helen finished 19th and Amanda finished 30th out of 78 participants.

The twins regularly commute into London where Amanda volunteers for Sparks, the leading children's medical research charity, and where Helen volunteers for Farm Africa, a British charity which is tackling hunger in eastern Africa.

Go to http://uk.virginmoneygiv ing.com/yorkshiretwins to show your support.

A NIGHTCLUB boss has been removed from his post following a conviction for possessing a Taser.

Gray Coe, who co-owns Flirt! nightclub in Consort Way, Horley, was stripped of his role as the designated premises supervisor of the nightspot by Reigate and Banstead Borough Council this week. It comes after he was convicted of possessing a Taser, which police found at the club during a New Year's Eve raid, following a tip-off.

Representing the police, Robert Talalay told a licensing hearing on Monday: "The offence should not be diminished in its seriousness. A Taser is an extremely serious weapon. It can stun, and it can, for people with a weak heart, kill. It is not a toy gun."

Mr Coe said he had confiscated the weapon from a member of staff – who was later sacked – on December 27 and put it in his safe for police to later collect.

But Mr Talalay said that when police raided the club on December 31, Mr Coe denied having a weapon, said he could not find the keys to the safe, and threatened to sue officers if they removed the safe.

"Effectively there was a long and drawn out procedure whereby Mr Coe sought to dissemble and sought to evade, so the police would not find the Taser in the premises," he said.

He questioned why Mr Coe had not reported having the weapon to officers. Mr Coe said he had told two PCSOs about it and was waiting for it to be collected, along with a knuckle-duster found in the club's smoking area on December 28.

"I was doing what I thought was the right thing to do," he told the committee. "To confiscate an item that is classed as a firearm and put it out of reach of the public, [and] children."

Asked by his counsel Richard Williams why he did not tell officers about the Taser when they raided the club, he said: "I panicked at the time. We had a full club of 300 or 400 people and with all those armed police present I panicked."

Police statements suggested there were between six and ten customers there at the time. Mr Coe intimated they had lied.

In its decision statement, the committee stated: "A Taser gun on the premises is very serious and the committee feel Mr Coe should have reported it immediately.

"The committee also recognise there are several inconsistencies in Mr Coe's evidence. It is the committee's view Mr Coe was not forthcoming with the police when they visited on December 31, which is of great concern in his ability to be a designated premises supervisor."

Speaking after the hearing, Mr Coe said the committee's decision was "no drama". His wife Caroline intends to take over as designated premises supervisor and the club will open as usual tonight (Thursday).

TWO elderly women were fleeced of hundreds of pounds when a gang of three conmen tricked their way into their homes.

The men talked their way into the women's Redhill flats, in Redlin Court, Linkfield Lane, between 10 and 11pm on Sunday.

Hundreds of pounds was stolen from each victim, who were both in their 70s.

The borough's Neighbourhood Inspector Richard Haycock said: "Elderly residents were approached by three men claiming to have apprehended a male downstairs with a large quantity of money.

"They used the ruse to gain access to the occupants' flats, saying 'we're trying to establish whose money this is, show us where you keep your money'. Unfortunately, the occupants did, and tragically that money was then stolen.

"It is a really nasty type of crime and I would urge anyone who saw anything to contact us."

The three suspects are all described as white. One was in his late teens, between 5ft 5ins and 5ft 6ins tall, and wore a grey woolly hat.

The second man was older, in his mid-40s, stockily built, with short dark hair and was clean shaven. He wore dark-coloured smart clothing.

The third suspect is described as aged in his late teens and of slim build.

Anyone with information should call police on 101 quoting reference RB/13/3897.

IT IS the standard checklist for any restaurateur opening a new business: tables? Check. Plates? Check. Cave where the kitchen should be? Check.

But that is the reality for builders at Reigate's new Giggling Squid restaurant, who discovered a 60 cubic metre cave just under the building's foundations last week.

As workmen tried to lower the basement floor to create a kitchen, they hit open air and unearthed the chasm, which may not have seen the light of day in almost 100 years.

"It may well have been a silver sand mine," said Giggling Squid owner Andy Laurillard.

"It was a bit of a shock; we knocked through the wall and underneath the foundations found this cave.

"It wasn't on any map, it's just been rediscovered. There are some dates on the wall and it seems the last time it was used was 1905."

The discovery has put the High Street restaurant's opening date back by about four weeks.

But Mr Laurillard – who owns four other branches of the Thai restaurant – has no plans to fill the cave in. Instead, he wants the discovery to add something different to his business.

"We are going to make it a feature," he told the Mirror.

"We will move the kitchen, light the cave up and put in a glass floor and wall. It is certainly an interesting find."

There is a large network of caves under Reigate town centre which date back hundreds of years, but experts believe this is a separate cavern.

Peter Burgess, of the Wealden Cave and Mine Society, said: "It is probably an isolated small cave.

"We will go and have a look when we can."

Currently accessed through a small hole in the basement wall, the cave drops away down a slope of mud and brick to the floor.

The walls are, in places, adorned with numbers and letters carved into the rock and there are at least three shelves fashioned out of the stone.

Site foreman John Taylor is overseeing the restaurant's rebuild.

He said: "It was quite exciting; we've found a little bit of history. We were digging away and suddenly the tools just went into infinity, we dug away and found the tunnel to the cave."

The Giggling Squid will open on the former site of Puccinos, which closed about four years ago. The outlet has been empty since.

Surveyors have said the cave poses no danger to the building and Mr Laurillard now hopes the restaurant will open in about four weeks' time.

EAST Surrey Hospital has welcomed the first babies to be born at its new-look birthing unit.

Following a £400,000 investment and the creation of four en-suite rooms, Natasha Tickner, 30, from Caterham on the Hill, and partner Lewis Kitson, 26, became proud parents of the unit's first delivery, baby Danielle Emmie, on May 8.

Heather Hards, from Earlswood, was the first mum to give birth using one of the new pools, to daughter Phoebe Annabell. She said: "Her birth was a very relaxing, positive experience.

"When I had my first daughter it felt very clinical. This time, as soon as I came into this lovely room I felt I could do this. I didn't need lots of drugs and being in the pool really helped."

The 31-year-old was inspired by the bluebell photograph decorating one wall of the rooms when it came to her daughter's second name, Annabell – Anna after the baby's aunt and bell after the blue flowers on the wall.

Three of the new rooms are for low risk deliveries while the fourth is available for high risk patients who would still like the option of a water birth. Soft lighting and walls decorated with flowers and meadow scenes are designed to create a more relaxing environment.

WORK has begun to demolish a large social housing block in Redhill to make way for 19 self-contained flats, a small meeting room and office space.

Colne House, which is run by Raven Housing Trust – the borough's biggest provider of social housing – had fallen into disrepair in recent years with trust bosses saying it was no longer usable.

After plans were approved by Reigate and Banstead Borough Council in February to flatten the land in Linkfield Lane, building work is now set to begin within the next few months.

The new build will house 19 flats along with associated parking and landscaping. It's hoped they will go some way to relieving the emerging housing crisis with councillors stating the loss of Colne House was a big reason the problem was so bad in the area.

Raven Housing's Susan Lea said: "We're on track and have started the demolition process and stripping out the inside. They'll now be working to demolish the whole building. It was just a really old style temporary accommodation with shared facilities but the new build is going to have self-contained units which will benefit the local area."

EMERGENCY rescue volunteers took part in a training exercise in Westcott last week.

Surrey Search and Rescue (SurSAR) was given permission by National Trust to simulate a rescue on Landbarn Farm on Thursday.

The training day was a joint exercise with HM Coastguard, which gave SurSAR team members an introduction to helicopter and winch evacuations.

Pier Page, a SurSAR medical officer and doctor, said: "SurSAR is a Lowland Rescue unit and like our Mountain Rescue colleagues may find itself managing casualties in locations inaccessible to ambulances.

"We have previously managed such scenarios in conjunction with our colleagues at Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance, but a helicopter such as the one we used today gives us the option to extract casualties on a winch without the helicopter actually having to land.

"This means we can rescue people from far more confined spaces, or where flat landing sites are scarce which is ideal for areas such as the Surrey Hills."

The training was facilitated by the National Trust, which owns Landbarn Farm and areas of the Surrey Hills where a helicopter evacuation could well be necessary.

Head warden Rob Hewer said: "We delighted to be able to help with such an important part of the emergency training.

"I have been a long-term fan of volunteers at SurSAR."

ROCKING moves to everything from 70s disco to Lady Gaga, almost 600 youngsters celebrated their love of dance.

The East Surrey Steps Up dance festival returned to the Harlequin Theatre in Redhill to wow audiences for the fourth time, with performances on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Hannah Everitt, co-director of dance, music and drama school Star Steppers, which ran the event, said: "The lovely thing about it is we get lots of different children every year of all ages and all abilities – some who have never danced before. There are new people coming in to the festival every year and it is always very exciting – they get to perform on a big professional stage in front of their friends and families.

"It is lots of fun, it is not a competition in any way, everybody is there to celebrate their love of dance and have a really good time."

She said the inclusion of dance in the school curriculum, and the popularity of talent shows including Britain's Got Talent, have contributed to a surge in interest in the art.

"It has played a huge part. This is our own local version – although we are all winners here," she added.

Star Steppers members from groups in Caterham and Reigate performed in the show along with pupils at St Bede's, St Joseph's and St Matthew's in Redhill, Reigate Priory Junior School, The Beacon and Banstead Infants, Banstead.

St Mary's in Oxted, Hamsey Green Primary, Salfords Primary, Yattendon School in Horley, Audley, St John's and Essendene Lodge schools in Caterham, and Whyteleafe and Warlingham Village primaries also took part.

A SITE for a new secondary school to meet imminent demand has been identified, according to the MP for Reigate.

Crispin Blunt says Surrey County Council has earmarked a location, as it plans to prevent the schools place crisis that has hit primaries in Reigate and Banstead graduating to our secondary schools.

However, he declined to say where. Mystifyingly, the council contradicted him, saying no site had been found.

"There is a site that is being looked at," said Mr Blunt.

He called on the authority to ensure there was progress with the plan.

"Secondary schools are full. The population has risen in my constituency by about 10 per cent between 2005 and 2010, and many of that is young families moving in to the area.

"The county council mismanaged the number of primary school places required and it led to an acute shortage."

"I am confident the county council is across this in a better way," he added.

"Secondary schools obviously have a larger catchment area so the site is less critical than for a primary."

Although there are enough secondary places in the borough at the moment, the council has predicted a shortfall by 2014.

Head teacher at The Warwick School in Redhill, Ron Searle, said he was not aware of a specific site for a new secondary, but suggested the Park 25 and Watercolour housing developments could generate increased demand in Redhill.

Mark Brunt, borough councillor for Merstham, has previously called for St Nicholas special school in Taynton Drive, Merstham, to revert back to a state secondary for the first time since the 1980s to plug the demand gap.

Council spokeswoman Joy Ridley said: "There is a need for secondary school expansion in Reigate and Banstead, and we are discussing this with the schools in the area. There are various options available to us, and there may be a need for a new site, but we haven't identified a site or preferred option at this stage."

Meanwhile, the search goes on for a site for a new primary school to cater for younger children in the Reigate area, according to Mr Blunt. As first reported by the Mirror last year, it is in addition to the new Lime Tree Primary School which will take its first pupils in September at a temporary site in Reigate and move to a new building in Merstham if plans currently being drawn up win approval.

Mr Blunt said: "The ideal thing would be to extend St John's Primary School [in Pendleton Road, Reigate] but that is physically not possible. But that would be the centre of the search."

NOT content with going the extra mile as a regular Red Cross volunteer, one Dorking resident has decided to go an extra 60 to raise funds for the charity.

Jay Thompson, of Dukes Ride, North Holmwood, will take on the daunting task of running 100k from London to Brighton later this month despite never having run a marathon.

The 30-year-old said he wanted to take on an unusual challenge in order to attract more sponsorship for a charity which is close to his heart.

He told the Advertiser: "I started running in 2007 when I gave up smoking and I've just done 10ks and things since. I've never done anything longer than a half marathon.

"I tried to do this year's London Marathon and didn't get a place so instead I just thought I would try something that's a bit 'out there'. It's mad but, the way I saw it, it was a case of just go head first. From a sponsorship perspective, I'm hoping it will wow people."

Mr Thompson, who manages London's network of railway station information boards for a living, has been taking on 20-mile runs twice a week since November. But the full horror of running three times that distance in one go – on May 25 – is yet to hit his body.

"I've not gone over 20 miles in my training, which is deliberate because I don't want to end up injuring myself and scuppering my chances," he explained.

"My main fear is eating – how I will take on food. On a 20-mile run there's no requirement to eat while you're doing it. But if I do 60 miles I will need food at some point, and I'm not quite sure how I'm going to react."

Mr Thompson, who helps as a Red Cross volunteer at local events such as village fetes, aims to complete his run in under 16 hours.

To sponsor him, visit http://uk. virginmoneygiving.com/JayThompson