Motorists are advised they may experience delays between Lewes and Polegate this afternoon (Wednesday, August 31) as police escort an ‘abnormal load’ through the county.
Officers from the Sussex Police Roads Policing Unit will take ownership of the load – parts for the wind farm – at Clacket Lane services on the M25 at about 12.15pm.
They will then travel southbound on the M23 and the A23, before turning west on the A27. Due to the road layout, the load will turn around at Shoreham clover leaf roundabout and make its way to Shepham Wind Farm in Polegate, via Lewes.
The abnormal load is being escorted outside of the morning and afternoon rush hours to keep disruption to a minimum.
Sergeant Dan Pitcher, of the East Sussex Roads Policing Unit, said, “Some of these loads are significant in size and it is inevitable that they will cause delays for roads users on the A23 and the A27 between Lewes and Polegate.
“Officers will periodically be closing roads while the load passes, however we will endeavour to maintain the free flow of traffic where possible.”
The load is expected to reach Lewes between 1.30pm and 2pm.
A further two abnormal loads will be escorted on the same route an hour earlier on Wednesday September 7 and Thursday September 8.
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Police warn motorists ‘abnormal load’ will cause delays on A27


Motorists are advised they may experience delays between Lewes and Polegate this afternoon (Wednesday, August 31) as police escort an ‘abnormal load’ through the county.


In our new weekly column, Back Of The Net Ltd round-up the weekend’s football in Sussex and Surrey.
Arundel 2-2 Crawley Down Gatwick
After losing their opening game 4-2, Crawley Down Gatwick were looking to get three points at Arundel, who had lost their first game 5-0. The Anvils dominated play in the first half, but found themselves 2-0 down after thirty-five minutes through Rory Biggs’ goal and Scott Tipper’s penalty. The Anvils were back in it just before half time, when Oli Leslie tucked away Kieran Greig’s cross.
In the second half, the Anvils continued to press, but were always at risk of going further behind through Arundel’s counter attacks. The Anvils finally equalised just before the hour mark through Lee Thomas. Thomas went from hero to villain, picking up a red card on 80 minutes after tangling with the Arundel full back. Despite being a man down, the Anvils held on to get a point.
A disappointing week for Crawley Down Gatwick ended with them being knocked out of the FA Cup qualifying, losing 3-2 to Corinthian Casuals. Next up for the Anvils is the visit of Eastbourne town on Saturday.
Burgess Hill Town 1-0 Enfield Town
A late goal for the Hillians secured all three points; their first win of the season!
Despite gusty, difficult weather conditions, both teams played a lot of wasteful long balls throughout. In the first half there were a few chances for both sides, however the majority of play was in the middle of the field and lacked momentum. A long stoppage, caused by a clash of heads stalled all impetus and both teams sustained head injuries. More injuries were to follow and reluctantly, Manager Ian Chapman was forced to make changes.
As the clock ran down, it seemed both sides would secure a point. In the ninetieth minute, a burst of energy saw play go from end to end; a penalty shout for Enfield was denied and from one box to the other, Dan Thompson snatched up all three points for Burgess Hill.
Crawley Town 1-1 Barnet
Crawley Town’s unbeaten start to the season continues after a hard-fought draw with Barnet, which leaves them sitting at 2nd in the League Two table.
The visitors took the lead after just three minutes, when Sam Togwell’s long headed pass found former Crawley striker John Akinde, who smashed his shot past the keeper. Akinde was causing all sorts of problems for the reds, and will be frustrated that he didn’t add to his tally, having three excellent chances in the first half.
The Reds drew level in the second half on sixty-seven minutes when defender Joe McNerney headed in from point blank range after James Collins’ shot cannoned off the bar.
Manager Dermot Drummy was full of praise for his side’s comeback;
“We did fantastically to get back into the game, we’re building and the fans are getting behind us… Barnet are a very good side and I think they will be up there this year”.
Chipstead 2-1 Beckenham Town
Chipstead held on to beat a spirited Beckenham Town in their FA Cup preliminary round. A competitive and even opening half an hour showed both sides’ thirst to progress further in the competition. Raheem Sterling-Parker and Erivaldo Felix showed offence, however failed to hit the target. It was Beckenham, who had the ball in the net first after thirty-eight minutes, but
the assistant referee had already raised the flag for offside. Chipstead took the lead just before halftime, when skipper Jordan Martin scored in the forty-third minute.
Chipstead’s lead doubled shortly after the break, when Erivaldo Felix fed the ball through to Chris O’Flaherty, who meandered his way through the defence and into the box and fired hit shot.
On fifty-five minutes, Chips keeper Sheikh Ceesay punched the ball to clear a corner, the ball however bounced up and hit the hand of Steve Betancourt, to which the referee pointing to the penalty spot. The penalty was converted and Beckenham Town were back in the game.
With Beckenham failing to find the back of the net again, and Chipstead safeguarding their narrow lead, the Chips are through to first qualifying round of the FA Cup.
Dorking FC 0-5 AC London
Midweek saw both Dorking FC and AC London win their games, scoring a combined total of eleven. With goals forecasted, the visitors certainly lived up to expectations; scoring five.
A fairly open and even start to the game quickly crumbled when AC London rippled the woodwork. From then on in, the visitors controlled the game and dominated possession. After sixteen minutes AC took the lead on the break from a free-kick, with a goal scored by Djalo. Their lead soon doubled when a free-kick was awarded just outside the penalty area. The ball curled over the Dorking defence, and keeper Day was unable to save the shot, despite getting his hands to it.
The visitors entered the second half with the same momentum they built in the first. Their third goal came two minutes after the interval with a Santos volley when the Chick’s left their defence too open. London’s fourth goal was a replica of their second, the only difference being a new goal-scorer, with Sumaca adding his name to the scoresheet. With twenty minutes to go, a long ball to Fotso made it five, after chipping Chick’s keeper in a one-on-one.
Playing tirelessly until the final whistle and using all three substitutes was not enough for a consolation. A tough fixture, too early in the campaign for the youthful and inexperienced side, perhaps? However, onwards and upwards is the attitude of the club and its support!
Chipstead held on to beat a spirited Beckenham Town side 2-1 in their FA Cup
preliminary round at the High Road, but credit to Town for not giving up at 2-0
down with 40 minutes still to play - they created 2 good chances to equalise, &
hit the post. However, Chips had chances of their own to kill the game off
before the end too
East Grinstead 2-3 Dorking Wanderers
Dorking Wanderers are off to a flying start this season, making it two wins in two after beating East Grinstead, as they look to improve on last season’s play-off finals defeat.
Wanderers went behind against the run of play after nine minutes, but fought hard to come back and equalised fifteen minutes later thanks to Jerome Beckles’ excellent finish. Wanderers’ dominance continued in the second half and they took the least as James McShane scored his first goal for the club after fifty-two minutes. Despite their controlling of the game, a lack of decision making in defence allowed the hosts to equalise in the sixty-first minute through Alex Gaggin. Wanderers went all out to regain their lead, and didn’t have to wait long when Matt Briggs struck a low finish six minutes later. The visitors were able to hold out for the win, to the delight of manager Marc White, who said;
“Pleasingly we created the best part of 20 chances during the game, and the players are beginning to get somewhere near full match fitness after our quiet pre-season”.
Wanderers picked up another win in the FA Cup preliminary round, beating Shoreham 4-3 away. The side will be full of confidence as they travel to Tooting & Mitcham United on Saturday, but will need to tidy up at the back if they are to continue their winning run.
Hailsham Town 0-5 Lingfield
Lingfield had a game to remember when they took on Hailsham Town on Saturday with an empathic 5-0 away win at The Beaconsfield in the Peter Bentley Cup.
Despite the somewhat indifferent weather conditions on the day, the visitors more than rose to the occasion. Lingfield opened up the scoring in the twelfth minute through Marc McEvilly, it was then doubled through Daniel Firth on twenty four minutes to lead into the break 2-0 up.
Lingfield then made it 3-0 through Nathan Hull eighteen minutes after the restart before Finley Woods and a second from Daniel Firth before time completed an impressive win to progress through to the next round.
Hassocks 1-2 AFC Uckfield Town
Taking a short break from league action, Hassocks and AFC Uckfield went head-to-head in the Peter Bentley Cup on Saturday 20th August. The first half saw little offence in both teams; neither goalkeepers had a single shot to save! Reaching half time goalless, all the action was to come. Shortly after the break Uckfield took the lead when a low cross was delivered into the box and then fired into the back of the net. In response, Hassocks made a double substitution which seemed to up the tempo. With the clock running down, a super save for U’s keeper Dann in the eighty-third minute in a one-on-one, was Hassock’s best chance of the game to equalise. Two minutes later however, a sloppy mistake in the D resulting in a red card and a penalty granted Hassocks a life line. A beautifully taken penalty by Hawkes, sent Dann diving the wrong way, levelling the game and taking it into extra time.
Uckfield substitute, Finlay Brown scored the winner in the one-hundredth and tenth minute after Dalehouse broke away down the right wing and delivered to his feet. Ten-man Uckfield progress to the next round!
Hythe Town 1-1 Chipstead
Chipstead as still looking for their first league win of the season after they had to comeback from behind to snatch a point at Hythe Town. The hosts took the lead on thirty-eight minutes through Charlie Webster’s header, and he nearly doubled their lead just before half time on the counter attack, but his shot just skimmed past the post. The Chips came out stronger in the second half, but had to wait until the ninetieth minute when Erivaldo Felix equalised with his second goal of the season. Felix then had the chance to win the game deep in to stoppage time, but his shot was well saved by the keeper.
The Chips are through to first qualifying round of the FA Cup after beating Beckenham Town 2-1 through goals from Jordan Martin and Chris O’Flaherty. They will now face Slough Town away on the 3rd September.
Lewes 6-1 Redhill
This weekend saw the Lobsters take a trip to Lewes in the FA Cup at the Dripping Pan. The Isthmian League Premier side proved too much for Gavin Gordon’s side as they succumbed 6-1 overall.
Lewes had the game under control as early as half time, being 3-0 up and despite Redhill’s keeper Jindrich Vokaty keeping out a chance for Lewes to convert from the spot. Joshua Jones, Alex Laing, James Hammond and a hat trick from Lloyd Dawes all made their name onto the scoresheet for the hosts before Connor Westney grabbed a late consolation nine minutes before time.
The quality of the higher league opposition was clear to see on the day and the hosts progress onwards and Redhill fall at the first round of the competition.
Despite the disappointment of exiting the FA Cup, Redhill face two away games in the league to come, starting with Balham this coming Saturday followed by a visit to Worcester Park two days later on Bank Holiday Monday.
Speaking with Redhill manager Gavin Gordon after the game, he told us how disappointed he was with his team’s performance;
“It was a poor performance against a good team. Until the last ten minutes we didn’t do ourselves justice. Our main business is the league and now we need to focus on the weekend and go and pick up 6 points. It’s really tough having such a short turnaround, and we’ll have to utilise the whole squad”.
Merstham vs AFC Sudbury
Hayden Bird’s side had a frustrating game on Saturday as they hosted AFC Sudbury at the Moatside in the Ryman Premier League. Despite creating most of the chances throughout the match, including various opportunities for Merstham’s Pat Cox, Xavier Vidal and Arron Hopkinson in particular, it was the visitors who broke the deadlock. Merstham switched off defensively three minutes from time, and AFC Sudbury took their chance, and snatched an unlikely 1-0 victory.
There were a couple of controversial moments during the game, non-more so than a penalty shout within seconds of the final whistle as Merstham substitute Dan Hector looked to have been brought down in the Sudbury box, however this was dismissed and the game brought to a close.
After the game Merstham boss Hayden Bird was visibly disappointed and frustrated by the lack of finishing in the final third which the Moatsiders have lacked in the last couple of games. Speaking to us after the game he said;
“There were no positives. You can’t play football like that. I said to them after the game I stopped counting at 15 chances, and the result was inevitable. They are blaming the officials, but it’s not their fault. Even if the officials have made a mistake on their goal, we should have been winning 5-1”.
Northampton Town 0-0 AFC Wimbledon
A point’s a point! Wimbledon secured their first point of the campaign in goalless draw at Northampton. Having lost their first three league games, a more familiar fixture for the Dons saw them lift off the bottom of the League One table. The newly promoted sides, met their match and failed to outperform the other. Wimbledon posed greater threat with more shots on goal and on target, however Northampton retained more possession throughout. On reflection, a fair result; neither side deserved all three points.
Oakwood 0-1 Billingshurst FC
Things did not go to plan for Oakwood on Saturday as they played against Billingshurst FC at Tinsley Lane. Despite playing with a quickly assembled defensive back line, and playing with a centre back as a goalkeeper, Oakwood succumbed to a lone Billy Lannon goal in the twentieth minute to give their opponents a historic first win in senior football. A milestone moment for the visitors and an outstanding achievement given their hastily created starting XI for the game!
We spoke to an extremely disappointed Jimmy Ferrar after the game;
“We were absolutely dreadful. We just can’t break teams down at the moment. We should have won yesterday, we probably had about 95% of the possession in the second half, but we just couldn’t get past their back four. There are no excuses and we must look to the next game. I know Loxwood’s manager and we played them during pre-season. They are a very good team”
Reading 2-2 Brighton
It was an eventful visit to the Madejski stadium when they took on Jaap Stam’s Reading in the Championship. The hosts took the lead through a John Swift free kick before Brighton were on level terms through a Joey Van Den Berg own goal six minutes later. The Gulls were straight out of the blocks as Anthony Knockaert made it 2-1 immediately after the break with a low drive past Al HabsI.
The lead lasted only thirteen minutes however as Paul McShane equalised for Reading. The hosts eventually ended the game with ten men as Van Den Berg was sent off for a 2nd yellow just before full time. The match finished honours even at 2-2.
Chris Hughton admitted that Reading had more of a threat on goal compared to the Gulls and was disappointed with the way his team performed in the first half considering their performances of late;
“I was especially disappointed with our first-half performance. For the levels that we’ve been at recently, I don’t think we reached those levels in the first half. There’s no particular reason for that. We’ve made a couple of changes and perhaps that rhythm wasn’t there. Periods in the game became very open and I thought Reading did it better than us. At times, they looked more of a goal threat than us.”
Sevenoaks Town 4-2 Horsham
Another local side in FA Cup action this weekend was Horsham FC as they visited their opponents Sevenoaks Town in a goal-filled cup tie.
The hosts were 3-0 to the good by half time through a brace by Joe Bingham and an unmarked Adam Marsh header. Sevenoaks Town were awarded two penalties in the first half and the visitors were lucky not be 4-0 down, Horsham keeper Pelling saving the first, Bingham converting the second on the stroke of half time.
Horsham’s Darren Boswell came within inches of making it 3-1 as his effort hit both posts to opening the away side’s scoring but to no avail. Yancie Gnachre made it 4-0 on seventy-nine minutes before Horsham did rally back through a Terry Dodd penalty and a Scott Harris header but it wasn’t enough as the game ended 4-2 and the host’s progress through the next round.
Next up for Horsham will be Hythe Town away on Saturday before hosting Lewes FC at home on Bank Holiday Monday.
We spoke to Matt Dale after the game and he gave us his thoughts;
“It was disappointing to be honest. I think the supporters thought we might have got something from the game, at least a replay. We started badly and it was a mistake from us that gave them the lead. We needed to find an equaliser and we pushed for it, but another mistake gave them their second goal. Mistakes are killing us at the moment. Josh Pelling became the third goal keeper we’ve used already this season, and he gave away two penalties, although he did save one. So that’s the kind of day it was. Our two late goals was a positive, but it was too little too late. Over the ninety minutes it was a disaster. We can score goals, but we need to tighten up at the back”.
Sittingbourne 4-4 Three Bridges
Three Bridges recovered from a two goal deficit to salvage a point at Sittingbourne in a thrilling 4-4 draw. The Bridges took the lead after 6 minutes through Tony Garrod’s volley, but were brought back level just two minutes later after Miles Cornwell headed past Kieran Thorp. The hosts then took the lead after a defensive mix up allowed Remell Davis to run through and lob the keeper.
Three Bridges bounced back quickly after the interval, with new signing Devon Fender heading in Tony Garrod’s cross. Sittingbourne regained their lead on fifty-nine minutes when Dan Tanner tapped in a corner. Another defensive error from the visitors allowed Sittingbourne to double their lead after sixty-eight minutes, with the ball ricocheting into the path of Cornwell who hit home from three yards.
The Bridges looked beaten at 4-2 down, but lowered the deficit in the eighty-fifth minute when substitute Ben Godrey’s free kick set up Steve Sargent, who drilled in from twenty-five yards. As the board came up to show five minutes added time, Bridges were awarded a free kick just outside the box, which was converted superbly into top corner by Godfrey.
Three Bridges couldn’t bring their scoring form to Ashford United, who beat them 1-0 in the FA Cup preliminary round on Saturday, and will be hoping to change that and get their first league win of the season when they travel to Walton Casuals on the 27th.
South Park 2-0 Phoenix Sports
The Sparks had a successful afternoon in the FA Cup as they managed to record their first win of the season, defeating Phoenix Sports 2-0 to progress through the next round.
The game reached half time goalless. In the second half, South Park’s Dylan Merchant broke the deadlock for the home side after sixty eight minutes. Four minutes later, Merchant duly converted again for the Reigate based side to make it safe and take the win for Malcolm Porter’s side.
Next up for South Park sees them on the road to visit Sittingbourne in the league next Saturday before hosting Guernsey at King George’s Field on Bank Holiday Monday.
After the game we spoke to Malcolm Porter
“It’s been a tough start to the season, but we watched Phoenix during the week, and we knew how tough it would be. To get the victory was fantastic, and we thoroughly deserved it. I hope this will kick us on in the league. We have a few injuries, but we’ll just have to get through the bank holiday weekend”.
Sutton United 2-0 Macclesfield Town
Sutton United now sit in third place in the National League, their highest ever league position, after their third win in a row at home to 10 man Macclesfield.
The U’s dominated Macclesfield throughout, and took the lead on 25 minutes when Ross Stern slotted past keeper Craig Ross from close range. French midfielder Bedsente Gomis doubled the lead, rounding off an excellent passing move for the host. The U’s continued to pressure Macclesfield, but were unable to add to their goal tally after striking the woodwork twice. Defender Andy Halls was then sent off in the 65th minute, ending any chance of a comeback for the Silkmen.
Manager Paul Doswell comments
“We stuck to a rigid game plan today, I thought we won the battle of the midfield and that was really important… Everyone’s fighting for their place and the players have done a sterling job”
Next up for the U’s is the visit of Dagenham & Redbridge on Bank Holiday Monday, and they will be confident they can continue their winning run.
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Back Of The Net: Sussex and Surrey football round-up


In our new weekly column, Back Of The Net Ltd round-up the weekend’s football in Sussex and Surrey.


Worthing WOW (World of Words) Festival announces Kenneth Branagh’s Much Ado About Nothing as part of BFI Presents: Shakespeare on Film.
The season is a UK-wide series of screenings and events celebrating the impact the playwright’s life, work and legacy has had on cinema.
Worthing WOW’s special screening takes place on Thursday, September 15 at the Dome Cinema in Worthing and forms part of national celebrations marking the bard’s 400th anniversary.
Melody Bridges, artistic director of WOW, said: “Kenneth Branagh’s exuberant 1993 adaptation of this classic feel-good comedy stars Mr Branagh himself alongside Emma Thompson, Kate Beckinsale and Hollywood hunks Denzel Washington and Keanu Reeves. WOW have received funding from BFI Film/London to host the event and include Worthing as part of this countrywide celebration. They chose Much Ado for its summery romantic feel – a perfect frolic to end your summer.
“Much Ado is being shown in screen two at the historic Dome Cinema, Worthing for one night only, and is being introduced by Miles Leeson, senior lecturer from the University of Chichester who will be giving a brief pre-screening talk about the potent mix of farce and politics in this, one of the Bards most important comedies.”
Presented by the BFI Film Audience Network (FAN) and led by Film Hub London, BFI Presents: Shakespeare on Film will see more than 300 screenings and events taking place across the UK with multiplexes, independent cinemas, film clubs, pop-ups and community venues the length and breadth of the UK.
Melody added: “I'm thrilled to share this uplifting film with Worthing audiences. Worthing WOW has been looking for a really special way to tie in with the celebrations of Shakespeare this year – and this evening is our way of Worthing being a part of these national events. I'm excited to learn beforehand from Dr Miles a bit more about the story and then enjoy a glass of Italian white wine whilst watching one of Shakespeare's finest plays on film. "
Adrian Wootton, chief executive of Film London and the British Film Commission, said: “Shakespeare might have been a man of the theatre but his work offers endless possibilities to film-makers. Somehow the power of his stories, characters, his all too human resonant and relevant themes of power, politics, family, romance, tragic conflict and joyous comedy, manages to transcend barriers of time and the English language such that specific cultural settings can be interpreted by filmmaking artists, in all different kinds of locations, contexts and languages.”
Much Ado About Nothing is screening for one night only on September 15, 7.30pm at the Dome Cinema; tickets are £5 adult, £4 concs, £3 students available in advance only from http://www.eventbrite.com/e/much-ado-about-nothing-tickets-26898961518.
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Worthing WOW (World of Words) Festival announces Kenneth Branagh’s Much Ado About Nothing as part of BFI Presents: Shakespeare on Film.


England’s Medieval Festival, at Herstmonceux Castle, is the largest of its kind in the UK.
The festival has been taking place now for 24 years and it continues today (Monday, 29th August).
http://www.englandsmedievalfestival.com/
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PICTURES: Herstmonceux Medieval Festival


England’s Medieval Festival, at Herstmonceux Castle, is the largest of its kind in the UK.


Motorists from around Sussex are being advised to avoid using the M20 if travelling to Kent after a bridge collapsed.
Kent Police said that officers were called at 12.10pm today to a report of a bridge collapsing between Junction 4 and Junction 3 on the M20 London-bound.
Police said a lorry collided with a pedestrian bridge which collapsed onto the carriageway below.
Officers are in attendance along with Kent Fire and Rescue Service and South East Coast Ambulance Service.
No people are believed to be trapped in the debris, however one person is believed to have suffered injuries, not reported to be life threatening at this time, Kent Police said.
Police are treating this as a major incident and the M20 has been closed in both directions to allow this incident to be dealt with.
The scene on the M20 between Borough Green and Leybourne in Kent after a lorry hit a foot bridge and it collapsed. Picture: @emmaraphaelx / SWNS.com
Motorists are advised to avoid the area and take an alternative route.
Highways England has said that the road closure will last until at least tomorrow. For the latest updates, click here.
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The scene on the M20 between Borough Green and Leybourne in Kent after a lorry hit a foot bridge and it collapsed. Picture: @emmaraphaelx / SWNS.com
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COUNTY NEWS: Warning to Sussex drivers after bridge collapses


Motorists from around Sussex are being advised to avoid using the M20 if travelling to Kent after a bridge collapsed.


Fickle Friends may be under the radar at the moment, but Charlotte Pearson predicts big things.
For anyone heading to Reading and Leeds festivals this weekend or Together the People next month, you might be forgiven for thinking that Fickle Friends are the new kids on the block.
However, the Brighton band have been a firm fixture on the festival circuit for the last two years playing Bestival, BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend and Secret Garden Party.
“We have been going for a while,” says lead singer Natti Shiner. “But it isn’t until you get played on commercial radio that people say ‘oh wow those guys have come from nowhere’.
“The 1975 have been going for about eight years under different guises but it is only really now people are starting to take notice.”
Natti formed the band, made up of Harry Herrington on bass; Chris Hall on lead guitar; Sam Morris on drums and Jack Wilson on keyboards, about three years ago when the quintet met at the University of Brighton.
The name came not long after they formed, with Natti explaining that Fickle Friends was just meant to be a name to tide them over and the plan was initially to change it to something else.
“As time went on it kind of just stuck so we kept with it,” she smiles.
The band’s first EP Velvet was released in 2015 and Natti says they were very much a ‘DIY band’.
“That has shifted now as we have signed with a record label,” she explains. “The first EP we did ourselves and worked really hard to get it out.
“We have the luxury of someone else doing the work now and telling us when the singles are coming out.
“It is exciting and everything is a lot more structured than it was before.”
Releasing an EP was a great way for the band to show people what they are all about and Natti reveals that it got the band the buzz they needed to get noticed.
This lead to them being signed, with work then able to begin on an album which should be released at the end of this year.
The plan for the band is to record 17 songs and then pick the ones that will make the album.
“We are always writing and figuring out what we want the album to be,” explains Natti.
Fickle Friends’ sound has been described as upbeat with an 80s synth-pop feel to it, which is probably best illustrated by single ‘Swim’.
It is clear that many of their songs wouldn’t sound out of place on the 2011 film Drive’s motion picture soundtrack – something that crossed Natti’s mind when she heard former Radio 1’s DJ Zane Lowe curate such a thing with the likes of Bastille, The 1975, and CHVRCHES.
“I would love for the BBC, or anyone, to do a re-imagining of the soundtrack again. We would love to get on it and think our sound would fit really well,” she enthuses.
As for musical influences, Natti lists bands like Bombay Bicycle Club, Justice, Two Door Cinema Club, Friendly Fires and Michael Jackson, and admits you can hear a bit of all of them in Fickle Friends.
“Our sound has changed a lot over the years. I think it has got a lot more intelligent,” she reveals.
“Before it was really hectic and chaotic, but it would be because we would play bits and be like ‘oh I love that, put that in’, ‘that is great we need to have that’, so we would get it all in.
“Now we use sounds that complement each other so it works better as a song.”
The last few months have been hectic for the band, with a diary filled with festival appearances as well as trying to fit in recording their new album in LA.
“Our weekends would be filled with festivals then we would head over to America to record the album and then back over here for a performance,” reveals Natti.
The band have never played a festival in Brighton before so Natti says they are really looking forward to performing at Together the People this month at Preston Park.
The summer may be over, although many might debate it never really started, but thanks to Fickle Friends at least the sound of summer can continue well until the end of the year.
Fickle Friends will play the NME/Radio 1 stage at Reading Festival on Friday, August 26, and the same stage at Leeds Festival on Saturday, August 27.
Together the People takes place on September 3 and 4 at Preston Park, Brighton.
Other performers include Suede, Brian Wilson performing Pet Sounds, Peter Hook and the Light, The Horrors and Turin Breaks.
For more information on the line up and to buy tickets, visit www.togetherthepeople.co.uk
To find out more about Fickle Friends, visit www.ficklefriends.co.uk
For more features like this visit etcmag.net

Brighton band Fickle Friends to play at Reading and Leeds


Fickle Friends may be under the radar at the moment, but Charlotte Pearson predicts big things.


Bill Bryson didn’t pull any punches when he compared a Sussex town to a ‘patient on life support’ in his latest book.
The famous travel author made the comment about Bognor Regis in The Road to Little Dribbling, which documents Bryson’s journey from the West Sussex seaside town to Cape Wrath in Scotland.
In the book, Bryson criticises the local authority for its handling of the Bognor Regis Regeneration Task Force initiative, which he said had an initial goal to bring £500million of investment into the town before being ‘quietly reduced’ to £100million and then £25million before being ‘wound up’.
He then went on to say: “As far as I could tell, all the authorities are doing for Bognor is just keeping it ticking over, like a patient on life support”.
Despite his criticisms – and his observation that the second-most popular Bognor Regis attraction behind Hotham Park was ‘a shop selling mobility scooters’ – he goes on to say that Bognor ‘isn’t such a bad place’, complimenting its ‘long beach with a curving concrete promenade’.
He is more reserved about the town centre, describing it as ‘compact and tidy, if not thriving’.
As far as I could tell, all the authorities are doing for Bognor is just keeping it ticking over, like a patient on life support Bill Bryson
Do you agree with his comments? Have your say with our poll.
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POLL: Bill Bryson bashes Sussex town in new book


Bill Bryson didn’t pull any punches when he compared a Sussex town to a ‘patient on life support’ in his latest book.


Nodding off in the middle of the day may be down to pollution generated by traffic, suggests new research.
The study shows exposure to traffic pollution is a trigger for daytime sleepiness - and may also trigger SNORING.
More than 12,000 adults were included in the Respiratory Health in Northern Europe (RHINE) study.
The findings show that people exposed to high levels of pollution had a 65 per cent greater chance of suffering from daytime sleepiness, compared to those who had no exposure.
Traffic noise in the bedroom was also a trigger - with people 46 per cent more likely to feel sleepy in the day if exposed.
And the research also suggests that people are also 29 per cent more likely to be a habitual snorer if they are exposed to traffic noise while they sleep.
Daytime sleepiness affected one in five people involved in the study, while one in four reported habitual snoring.
Ane Johannessen, an epidemiologist at Bergen University in Norway, wrote the study together with Professor Thorarinn Gislason and other Northern European researchers.
She said: “Exposure to traffic should be taken into account when planning treatment for patients with sleep disturbances, because reducing noise and pollution exposure in the bedroom may have a beneficial effect.
“Reducing exposure through relocating the bedroom away from pollution sources or making the bedroom more soundproof to protect against traffic noise, as well as mapping alternative and less polluted outdoor everyday routes may help patients with their sleep disorders.”
The study also showed that men, older subjects, smokers and those with lower education were more likely to report habitual snoring.
They were usually less physically active, with a higher BMI, and more likely to have a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).
Women, older people, smokers, and those with lower education were more likely to report daytime sleepiness.
The new research is due to be presented at the European Respiratory Society’s International Congress in London next month.
Professor Jorgen Vestbo, President of ERS and Professor of Respiratory Medicine at the University of Manchester, said: “The question of who snores may be a running joke in some households but for many snoring is a serious issue, with direct links to physical and mental well being and the same is true for daytime sleepiness.
“We want people to think more about the environment around them and the impact it can have - from the way they sleep to the air they breathe.”
To coincide with Congress, the ERS will be holding some free public lung function testing, starting in Trafalgar Square on September 2 and 3.

Sleepiness linked to traffic noise and pollution


Nodding off in the middle of the day may be down to pollution generated by traffic, suggests new research.


Albion midfielder Beram Kayal looked ahead to tomorrow’s Championship trip to Newcastle United and said: “It’s one of our biggest games this season.”
Brighton travel to St James’ Park in a league fixture for the first time since 1992 looking to extend their unbeaten start to the season.
Chris Hughton’s side sit second in the table having collected two wins and two draws from their four Championship games so far this season.
However, Saturday’s tea-time clash with relegated Newcastle provides them with their biggest test to date.
Toon boss Rafa Benitez remained at Newcastle this summer and has added several quality additions.
Kayal is expecting a tough test and said: “I think it’s going to be one of our biggest games. We need to be ready, focused and know our strengths.
“We go into it with a lot of confidence, we respect Newcastle and know they have big players and a big manager with a lot of experience but we are going to do a job.”
Having played in Champions League matches and Old Firm derbies for Celtic, Kayal has experienced some great atmospheres.
Saturday will be his first outing at St James’ Park and he said: “It’s going to be massive. I have heard a lot about this stadium. It’s a massive club, massive fans, so it’s going to be a great atmosphere, great experience for all of us and hopefully we will go to them and get the result we want.
“It’s not going to be easy but professional players love the challenge against these teams. We have done everything this week in preparation to be ready.”
Liam Rosenior will be missing for the game following an ankle injury picked up at Reading, while Hughton is yet to make a decision on Dale Stephens’ place in the matchday squad.
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Kayal excited ahead of ‘massive’ away trip


Albion midfielder Beram Kayal looked ahead to tomorrow’s Championship trip to Newcastle United and said: “It’s one of our biggest games this season.”


A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder in Sussex after a woman’s body was found, police have said.
Sussex Police said that at just before 9.45am today, officers were called to the address in Chrisdory Road, Mile Oak, which is in Portslade, East Sussex, over concerns for the welfare of a 18-year woman living there who had not arrived at work this morning.
Our thoughts are with the deceased and with her family and friends Superintendent James Collis
The body of a woman, believed to be the resident, was found inside the house, police said. Formal identification has not yet taken place.
They added that nobody else was in the house at the time.
The cause of death has not yet been established but it is being treated as suspicious by police and detectives from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team led by Detective Chief Inspector Paul Rymarz, are investigating.
A 27-year old Portslade man was arrested this afternoon at an address in Burgess Hill, West Sussex, on suspicion of murder and is currently in custody for interview and further enquiries.
Superintendent James Collis of the Brighton and Hove Division said: “Our thoughts are with the deceased and with her family and friends, who are receiving our support at this time.”
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COUNTY NEWS: Man arrested for suspected murder as woman’s body found


A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder in Sussex after a woman’s body was found, police have said.


Search comes after RNLI provided lifeguards to patrol beach over Bank Holiday weekend
Member of the public sounded alarm after seeing abandoned pair of flip flops
Police have confirmed they are looking for a missing swimmer at Camber Sands – days after five men lost their lives at the beach.
A coastguard helicopter is circling above Camber Sands, and a spokesperson for the RNLI confirmed they had lifeboats at the scene.
Sussex Police said they were called to the scene after a member of the public contacted them and the coastguard at Camber Sands after seeing an abandoned pair of flip flops next to the sea and a female diving into the water at this location.
A spokesperson added: “Officers at the scene are doing coastal checks to see if there are any persons swimming having difficulty”.
An RNLI spokesperson said the search for the ‘potentially missing swimmer’ was being co-ordinated by Sussex Police and the coastguard, and that their lifeguards were keeping watch from the beach with binoculars.
This search comes after five men lost their lives at Camber Sands last week, and the RNLI donated lifeguards to patrol the beach over the Bank Holiday weekend. Click here to read more.
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Search for ‘missing swimmer’ at beach days after tragedy


Police have confirmed they are looking for a missing swimmer at Camber Sands – days after five men lost their lives at the beach.


The focus at Sussex this season has been very much on nurturing players for the future.
Fast bowlers George Garton, Stuart Whittingham and Jofra Archer have all emerged and played their part in both red and white-ball cricket.
Chris Nash. Sussex v Hampshire, NatWest T20. Picture by Phil Westlake SUS-160717-110048001
But coach Mark Davis still relies on a core of experienced players – none more so than opening batsman Chris Nash who, along with skipper Luke Wright, is the last survivor of the team which became serial trophy winners a decade ago.
Nash was seriously considered for the captaincy when Ed Joyce stepped down at the end of last season but Davis opted for Wright instead.
The 33-year-old instead poured his energies into re-booting his technique in South Africa under the guidance of Gary Kirsten and on making sure he and Joyce gave Sussex a strong platform in the County Championship.
At Cardiff this week the peerless Joyce passed 1,000 runs for the ninth time in his career and, all being well, Nash will join him on that landmark after making 132 in the first innings against Glamorgan to move onto 994 runs.
Job done, according to Nash.
“At the start of the season we knew it would be a transitional season and that the senior players had to stand up,” he said.
“Ed Joyce and I have put a huge emphasis on our opening partnership and for him to go past 1,000 runs already and me to be on 994 is just what we wanted really, and there are still four more games to go to push on.
We have put a lot of the onus on ourselves to get off to good starts because it takes a bit of pressure off some of the less experienced guys behind us in the middle order.
“I was delighted with the way I played because, on the second day, Glamorgan bowled outstandingly.”
With Essex beating Leicestershire in three days to stretch their lead at the top, Sussex probably need to defeat Glamorgan and win another three matches to have any chance of finishing in the one promotion place.
The likelihood is that Sussex will still be in the second division next season but it remains to be seen whether Joyce, who turns 38 next month, will be striding out with Nash to open the batting.
Davis and Joyce, who is out of contract at the end of the season, will sit down soon to talk about the future but Joyce might be tempted to extend his stay so he can finish his career with 50 first-class hundreds. He is currently on 45.
Meanwhile Nash was among several Sussex players to offer messages of congratulation to coach Phil Hudson, who played club cricket at Horsham with Nash, and his Sussex under-15s after they beat Staffordshire on Thursday to win the Royal London National One-Day final at Kibworth. Among the Sussex team was opening batsman Scott Lenham, who could one day continue the family tradition which is woven into the fabric of Sussex cricket.
His father Neil and grandfather Les both played for the county - as opening batsmen.
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The focus at Sussex this season has been very much on nurturing players for the future.


This is the latest column from Lucy Saunders, who provides a regular agony aunt feature - Ask Lucy.
Dear Lucy. My husband has got this terrible habit of washing his hands lots of times and checking all the switches to make sure they’re off. It takes us hours to leave the house every day as he has all these rituals. In fact, his life has become unbearable as it seems like he has become a prisoner in his own world of checking. Please can you explain in detail, what you think is wrong with him?
Lucy: I am sorry for your distress regarding your husband’s condition it must be an anxious time for you? It sounds like your husband is suffering from an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder OCD. This is a complex condition that occurs in many people. Your husband could have a genetic predisposition in his personality or it could also be a social conditioning due to stresses he feels in his life. It seems he is acting out rituals and repetitive actions in order to block out thoughts and feelings that he is uncomfortable with. There are many unconscious conflicts in the sufferers mind that can cause the OCD and it will help him if he finds an outlet to explore these through counselling or a support group. Your first port of call should be his G.P. who will advise him. This is a journey that affects both of you and I am sure your husband can find the help he needs for both of your sakes. I would definitely advise him to join a local Support Group as this will give him the ongoing support until he feels he has conquered the condition.
Dear Lucy. I don’t know which way to turn. I could really use some advice.
I have been married eight years and feel out of love. I stay with my husband as he recently had cancer. But both myself and my teenage daughter are unhappy in this loveless argumentative home.
What should I do?
Lucy: It sounds like you’re in a difficult situation. I hope your husband has recovered well but this is clearly difficult for you as his illness can make you feel obliged to stay. You say you are out of love but I am wondering if it may be the cancer that might have got in the way of your relationship. Perhaps you and your husband have been preoccupied with his battle. The stress of the cancer plus life’s daily struggles would put a strain on any marriage and I can understand that you may have felt shut out at times. I am wondering if you can try and find the love with your husband that you once had when you first met him? It is very important that you both try and work on your relationship to figure out what has caused the problem and try not to argue in front of your daughter. Maybe the stress has stopped you from spending enough special time together. I also do suggest you could try some couples counselling to work through honestly what has caused the problem together and how his cancer impacts on your marriage and your decisions. These sessions could also be used to discuss your own feelings about your own inner world, which understandably has taken a back seat in recent times. All marriages deserve open communication and honesty with each other and a commitment to try and understand what has gone wrong whether you stay together or not.
Lucy is a BACP Accredited Qualified Counsellor. She previously worked in the media as an actress.


This is the latest column from Lucy Saunders, who provides a regular agony aunt feature - Ask Lucy.


University of Chichester graduate Joe Perkins tries to capture a little bit of chaotic Quo in his new album.
Joe, who studied commercial music graduating in 2012, has long been a huge Status Quo fan: he first saw them, aged ten, in Bristol 16 years ago.
“And I have seen them with the modern line-up loads of times, always the perfect Quo. But then they played with their original line-up, and they were just all over the place in terms of the timing and the notes, but in terms of the musicality, they were just so exciting.
“They had the danger back, and it was just so much better for not being perfect, and I think that is one of the lessons I have learnt.
“You record a song and then you can edit it and edit it until it is perfect, but that’s not necessarily the best way to do it.
“You want the edge, which is what Quo had. They looked terrified! But that nervous energy made it the best Quo show I’d ever seen. It was so much more exciting for being edgy and dangerous. It was four humans all playing together with the whole thing likely to implode at any point. It was pure rock & roll!
“We are human beings. We are not perfect. We all make mistakes. With technology, you can make it perfect, but you lose the fact that we are all musicians playing together. It’s about the spontaneous things that can happen, and that’s what I have wanted to capture.
“There are little mistakes, but the album is what I sound like when I play the guitar. And it is the first album I haven’t done in a recording studio. I did it in the dining room at home. It was about giving free rein to the music.”
It was while he was at Chichester that Joe did his first album: “It was a very good course, but for me the most important thing was the studio facilities that we could book out. The course was very wide-ranging, but in your spare time you could get into the studio and having the studio was great. You got taught all the basics of making a record, but then you could develop it all further.
“I did my first album then which I released free online. So many people had got involved and given their time for free that it wouldn’t have been right to try to sell it.
“It was call Host of Other Artists. It was all songs I had written and played pretty much every instrument, but it was other people doing the lead vocals. I did some backing vocals, but I am not strong enough a singer to do the lead vocals.”
Now comes the new album, purely instrumental. Double Denim is released on Friday, September 2, as a vinyl + CD bundle (limited to 300 copies) and as a download – both available from joeperkins.co.uk. Both are priced at £7.99.
“Releasing the album on vinyl isn’t purely nostalgic,” Joe says. “Sure, I personally prefer buying music as a physical entity and enjoying it as a piece of art, and I think vinyl is the best for that.
“But the audio is actually much higher definition than the CD and has a more dynamic master. You’ll have to turn it up a bit, but it sounds more natural. Nowadays we all need to own our music digitally too, so with the enclosed CD you get that as well.
“So that’s Double Denim. There’s rock; bluegrass; ballads; a snare drum with far too much reverb on it; potentially the world’s loudest cajón; an army of pots and pans; an outrageous amount of guitars; a sense of humour; and real human musicians playing their instruments.
“And who else gives you all that on an outdated format from the 1930s?”
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University of Chichester graduate Joe Perkins tries to capture a little bit of chaotic Quo in his new album.


University of Chichester graduate Joe Perkins tries to capture a little bit of chaotic Quo in his new album.
Joe, who studied commercial music graduating in 2012, has long been a huge Status Quo fan: he first saw them, aged ten, in Bristol 16 years ago.
“And I have seen them with the modern line-up loads of times, always the perfect Quo. But then they played with their original line-up, and they were just all over the place in terms of the timing and the notes, but in terms of the musicality, they were just so exciting.
“They had the danger back, and it was just so much better for not being perfect, and I think that is one of the lessons I have learnt.
“You record a song and then you can edit it and edit it until it is perfect, but that’s not necessarily the best way to do it.
“You want the edge, which is what Quo had. They looked terrified! But that nervous energy made it the best Quo show I’d ever seen. It was so much more exciting for being edgy and dangerous. It was four humans all playing together with the whole thing likely to implode at any point. It was pure rock & roll!
“We are human beings. We are not perfect. We all make mistakes. With technology, you can make it perfect, but you lose the fact that we are all musicians playing together. It’s about the spontaneous things that can happen, and that’s what I have wanted to capture.
“There are little mistakes, but the album is what I sound like when I play the guitar. And it is the first album I haven’t done in a recording studio. I did it in the dining room at home. It was about giving free rein to the music.”
It was while he was at Chichester that Joe did his first album: “It was a very good course, but for me the most important thing was the studio facilities that we could book out. The course was very wide-ranging, but in your spare time you could get into the studio and having the studio was great. You got taught all the basics of making a record, but then you could develop it all further.
“I did my first album then which I released free online. So many people had got involved and given their time for free that it wouldn’t have been right to try to sell it.
“It was call Host of Other Artists. It was all songs I had written and played pretty much every instrument, but it was other people doing the lead vocals. I did some backing vocals, but I am not strong enough a singer to do the lead vocals.”
Now comes the new album, purely instrumental. Double Denim is released on Friday, September 2, as a vinyl + CD bundle (limited to 300 copies) and as a download – both available from joeperkins.co.uk. Both are priced at £7.99.
“Releasing the album on vinyl isn’t purely nostalgic,” Joe says. “Sure, I personally prefer buying music as a physical entity and enjoying it as a piece of art, and I think vinyl is the best for that.
“But the audio is actually much higher definition than the CD and has a more dynamic master. You’ll have to turn it up a bit, but it sounds more natural. Nowadays we all need to own our music digitally too, so with the enclosed CD you get that as well.
“So that’s Double Denim. There’s rock; bluegrass; ballads; a snare drum with far too much reverb on it; potentially the world’s loudest cajón; an army of pots and pans; an outrageous amount of guitars; a sense of humour; and real human musicians playing their instruments.
“And who else gives you all that on an outdated format from the 1930s?”


Only 19.3 overs were bowled on the third day at the SSE Swalec because of rain and bad light, and when play was called off at 5pm Glamorgan had reached for 149 for 2 – an overall lead of 118.
With one day remaining, and Sussex hoping for a result that will challenge Essex at the top of Division 2, there is a possibility that the two captains Jacques Rudolph and Luke Wright, will agree on a target that Sussex could chase in the final innings.
We need to win games, especially after Essex’s performance against Leicestershire. Sussex coach Mark Davis
Essex’s win over Leicestershire puts them 44 points clear in the race for the one promotion spot.
Rudolph and Will Bragg had resumed on 50 for 1, and after striking three boundaries off Steve Magoffin, the Glamorgan captain was only three runs from his third fifty of the season when the Auatralian seamer got his revenge by trapping Rudolph leg before.
The second wicket pair had put on 67 for the second wicket, and when David Lloyd replaced Rudolph he was quickly off the mark with two boundaries off Jofra Archer. Magoffin, who had taken the two wickets, was Sussex’s most accurate bowler, and twice had confident lbw appeals turned down.
With Will Bragg playing watchfully at the other end, Lloyd continued to attack, and when George Garton replaced Archer, the left arm seamer was twice driven to the extra cover boundary by Lloyd.
The third wicket pair had put on 72, before the gloom descended and the umpires decided that the light was too bad for play to continue at 3pm.
Mark Davis, the Sussex coach was frustrated by the day’s events, especially after two good days’ cricket.
When asked about a possible arrangement between the two captains, Davis said “We haven’t looked into that yet, but we need to win games, especially after Essex’s performance against Leicestershire. We will see how things pan out in the morning, and take it from there.”
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County championship: Sussex and Glamorgan frustrated by weather


Only 19.3 overs were bowled on the third day at the SSE Swalec because of rain and bad light, and when play was called off at 5pm Glamorgan had reached for 149 for 2 – an overall lead of 118.


Albion signed Belgium international defender Sebastien Pocognoli from West Brom on a season-long loan last night.
The 29-year-old left back adds competition to Brighton’s full-back areas, with Gaetan Bong the only recognised senior left-back in the squad, while Liam Rosenior missed the Newcastle game with the ankle injury he sustained at Reading.
Albion boss Chris Hughton said: “We are delighted to add Sebastien to our squad, as the injury to Liam has left us a little bit short of cover in both full-back positions.
“Sebastien has a vast amount of experience having played in some of the top divisions in Europe, as well as in the Champions League. He is the type of quality player we want to add to the squad, and we are looking forward to working with him.”
Pocognoli began his career in the youth team at Standard Liege before moving to Genk at the age of 15.
He made his first team debut aged just 16, and went on to make a total of 46 appearances before moving to Dutch side AZ Alkmaar. After 70 appearances and five goals for the Dutch outfit he returned to Standard Liege, where he played 98 times, scoring twice. A move to the Bundesliga followed with Hannover 96, before switching to the Premier League with West Brom in July 2014. He has made 21 appearances for the Baggies. Pocognoli has represented his country at under 16, 17, 19 and 21 levels, as well as making six appearances for Belgium in the Beijing Olympics. He has won 11 senior caps.
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Pocognoli joins Brighton on season-long loan


Albion signed Belgium international defender Sebastien Pocognoli from West Brom on a season-long loan last night.


Ferring Football Club boss Ross Harnes felt his side were a little unfortunate in their Southern Combination League Division 2 opening-day defeat on Saturday.
Harnes’ side made the trip to newly-promoted Jarvis Brook and went down 18-0.
Nathan Millroy caused Ferring’s backline all sorts of problems as he netted seven times, while Michael Fuller chipped in with five.
Jarvis Brook were leading by seven goals at the break, before a rampaging second half showing saw them net a further 11 times.
Having had to form a totally new squad over the summer and completing just 45 minutes of competitive pre-season action, Harnes admits things can only get better.
He said: “None of last year’s squad stayed on at the club so I’ve had to reshape the whole team over the summer.
“We were only able to get 45 minutes of competitive action in pre-season, so we’re playing catch up.
“Facing a team that hasn’t lost at home for four years was not an ideal start for us and it was a tough day.
“I don’t think we disgraced ourselves and I believe we will get better as the season goes on.
“It’s a case of building for us and trying to get better week on week.
“We’re at home tomorrow and everyone will be hoping to do better than we did on Saturday.
“We want to make sure we try and make ourselves hard to beat and see what we can do.”
FERRING: Standen; Muddle, Yates, Henton, Wolverston; Kachere, Holt, Rae, Cook; Neave, Eguren.
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Football boss upbeat despite 18-0 opening-day defeat


Ferring Football Club boss Ross Harnes felt his side were a little unfortunate in their Southern Combination League Division 2 opening-day defeat on Saturday.


Bede's Senior School is celebrating its academic success after achieving a record-breaking set of GCSE results.
The school reports more than 92 per cent of all GCSE grades achieved by students were within the A* to C range, with 45 per cent of all grades at A* to A and 20 per cent at A*.
Students celebrate GCSE success
More than 60 per cent of pupils at the school achieved at least one A* grade and more than 80 per cent achieving at least one A grade, setting a new school record.
Bede’s newly appointed Headmaster Peter Goodyer said: “To arrive at Bede’s when the school is enjoying its best-ever results both at GCSE and in the Sixth Form is extraordinarily exciting. Even more gratifying is to see the breadth of these successes, from ancient greek to modern languages to applied business BTEC. As a school which celebrates every conceivable talent, the pupils and staff have a huge amount of which to be proud.”
The school saw improvements to several individual subjects including the sciences, where pupils achieved a 77 per cent A* to A pass rate in biology and physics and a 90 per cent A* to A pass rate in chemistry.
It also made significant progress in its in English language and maths where pupils achieved 41 per cent and 47 per cent A* to A grades respectively .
Outstanding achievers include James Grimmond who gained 10 A*s, Sussex tennis player Andre Bennett who secured nine A*s and budding actresses Lily Potter and Jaz Scott, who gained eight A*s and two As and seven A*s and two As respectively.
County hockey champions Kyle Mathieson and Harry Wootten both achieved seven A*s and three As while musical virtuosos Archie Taylor, Rosa Witts and Ruby Moody achieved a combined total of 18 A*s and 10 As.
Bede’s Academic Deputy Head John Tuson said: “Once again, Bede’s pupils have proven that being an elite sportsperson, dramatist, artist or musician is entirely compatible with achieving the very highest academic outcomes. Our school welcomes children with a staggering diversity of talents and perceived abilities and they never fail to exceed expectations.”
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Bede's celebrates record-breaking GCSE results


Seaford Head School is celebrating after students achieved a record-breaking set of GCSE results.
The school, which was identified as one of the UK’s top 100 state school for its performance in 2015, saw its results improve again this year.
Seaford Head School students open their results
Teachers at Seaford Head say 77 per cent of students secured five GCSE with A*to C grades, with 75 per cent achieving these top grades in English and maths.
All students who took triple sciences secured A* to C grades in chemistry, physics and biology; with more than 90 per cent of students securing grades of A* to B.
Outstanding results include Kieran Edmonds, Tawny Barden, Llewellyn Deeprose-Morrison and Calvin Liu who achieved a staggering 44 A* and A grades between them.
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Seaford Head School is celebrating after students achieved a record-breaking set of GCSE results.


Seaford Head celebrates record-breaking GCSE results


Sixteen years ago to the day, Steve James created a new Glamorgan individual batting record of 309 not out against Sussex at Colwyn Bay, after Chris Adams had elected to field after winning the toss.
Luke Wright also decided to field, but had a much better day than Adams who saw Glamorgan resume on 457 for 1 on the second day. Wright’s bowlers dismissed Glamorgan for a below par 252 in 60.1 overs, before Chris Nash and Ed Joyce compiled an opening partnership of 111. Sussex trail by 142, and are well placed to gain a substantial lead on first innings.
Not for the first time this season Glamorgan relied on their middle and late order batsmen to get them out of trouble after they had slumped to 56 for 5 before lunch. The last five wickets added 196 runs with Graham Wagg and Mark Wallace scoring half centuries and Owen Morgan, who last week scored an undefeated 103 as night watchman against Worcestershire, again impressing with 32 not out. Jofra Archer achieved career best championship figures of 4-91, but he will bowl better than this and be less rewarded.
Nick Selman, who three weeks ago carried his bat against Northants, scoring 122 not out, was out to the fifth ball of the innings, and has now failed to score in four successive innings. He was quickly followed by Jacques Rudolph, whose miserable season continued when he gloved an innocuous delivery from Archer down the leg side to the wicketkeeper. The Sussex seamers continued to take wickets, but Glamorgan’s batsmen contributed to their downfall with some poor shot selection- Will Bragg following one from Steve Magoffin and David Lloyd- who struck his first ball for six- nudging to slip.
Wagg and Aneurin Donald began Glamorgan’s revival with a partnership of 50, before Donald played on to Archer, and although Craig Meschede was out soon afterwards, Wagg went on to score 57 with ten boundaries before giving David Wiese a return catch. Wallace top scored with 61 from 59 balls, putting on 44 with Wagg and 62 with Morgan who surely deserves promotion in the batting order from number 9. He shared a stand of 33 for the last wicket with Michael Hogan that enabled Glamorgan gain two batting points.
The green pitch was soon put into perspective by Chris Nash and Ed Joyce, who were soon into their stride, striking nine boundaries from the opening twelve overs, as Glamorgan’s opening bowlers Meschede and Van Der Gugten failed to make any impact. Nash reached his fifty from 89 balls, but Joyce nibbled at one from Meschede three overs before the close, having completed his thousand runs for the season after scoring 45.
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County Championship: Archer takes career-best figures as Sussex dominate Glamorgan


Sixteen years ago to the day, Steve James created a new Glamorgan individual batting record of 309 not out against Sussex at Colwyn Bay, after Chris Adams had elected to field after winning the toss.


Twin sisters who both go to St Philip Howard Catholic High School achieved some quite phenomenal GCSE results today.
Katherine and Emily Broadhurst, from Lyminster, shared a staggering 22 A* and A grades between them.
Katherine gained three A*s, seven As and one B, while Emily got five A*s and six As.
They admit there was competition between them, but that it’s always friendly as they helped each other revise for their exams.
“We’re both really happy,” Katherine said. “We studied hard together, we made index cards for each other.
“I was actually hoping to do a bit better, the one B is quite annoying.”
Emily added: “I won’t be rubbing it in too much (about doing slightly better). We’re really happy for each other.”
St Philip Howard in Barnham celebrated some of their best ever results, see the full story here
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GCSE results: Twin sisters share 22 top grades


Twin sisters who both go to St Philip Howard Catholic High School achieved some quite phenomenal GCSE results today.


The noise and aroma of oil and steam has returned to Hellingly this Bank Holiday Weekend for the 41st Festival of Transport.
The show was founded back in 1976 by the Eastbourne Historic Vehicle Club. The event continues today (Monday, 29th August).
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PICTURES: Hellingly Festival of Transport


The noise and aroma of oil and steam has returned to Hellingly this Bank Holiday Weekend for the 41st Festival of Transport.


Musicians are planning a 21-hour marathon piano concert to raise funds for the Steinway grand piano in St Luke’s Church, Queens Park, Brighton.
Event organiser Adam Swayne, of the University of Chichester, who will be among the performers, said: “Thirty-five professional and amateur pianists will play the entire 840 repetitions of Erik Satie’s Vexations in a concert starting at 7.30pm on August 26 and continuing without a break until 4.30pm the next day.
“The performance will be accompanied by a live tweetalong from the @TheVexator account, and the performers are seeking sponsorship via www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/piano-restoration.”
Adam explained: “Our beloved Steinway is going to piano hospital for a few months, and the bill will come to £10,000. The old piano is a great asset to the church, but it needs a complete overhaul – repairing splits in the soundboard, replacing felts, re-stringing the piano, regulating the keys, action, dampers and pedal mechanism etc.
“Satie composed this atmospheric and mesmeric piece in 1893 following a difficult break-up with his girlfriend, and it wasn’t performed in its entirety until 1963 in a concert organised by notorious experimentalist John Cage.”
A complete programme for the performance may be found at www.adamswayne.com/vexations. To find out more about the series, visit www.stlukesconcerts.webeden.co.uk or contact musicandwineatstlukes@gmail.com to join the mailing list.


Musicians are planning a 21-hour marathon piano concert to raise funds for the Steinway grand piano in St Luke’s Church, Queens Park, Brighton.


Lewes author Julian Warrender launches her fourth illustrated children’s book, The Railway Land Dogs’ Club – Three Further Tails, with a series of free readings and workshops at The Hearth Pizzeria in Lewes.
Julian, who is also the founder of Ouse Valley Foods, is running the workshops in conjunction with an exhibition of artwork by the book’s illustrator Lyndsey Smith during Artwave.
A long-standing believer in the power and importance of reading and writing, Julian regularly gives readings at schools and children’s groups in the area.
She said: “The opportunity to launch the book in tandem with an exhibition of Lyndsey’s work is really exciting.
“Hopefully at the workshops we’ll inspire a few children to both get reading, and pick up their paintbrushes, particularly as it contains colouring-in elements.”
Julian’s latest book is the second in the Railway Land series, and as with the first, Ivy’s Lost Ball, the Lewes nature reserve provides the inspiration, and setting, for the narrative.
The stories aim to capture the enchanting wilderness of the Railway Lands while teaching children to observe and respect this natural asset through a dog’s tales.
The idea came to Julian after she moved near the reserve and began to take her dog Ivy on daily walks there.
“It’s a beautiful wild space right in the heart of Lewes,” said Julian.
“Whether I’m thinking about new recipes for my other life at Ouse Valley Foods, or having adventures with Ivy, which provide the spur for the tales, I never tire of it.”
She continued: “The book is a collection of three tales, which look at the lives of the ‘club members’, but it also investigates the interesting history of the area before it became a reserve.
“This is really surprising, and includes a few fascinating characters, both human and canine.”
The new book marks Julian’s third collaboration with Lewes artist Lyndsey Smith, whose work has brought the stories to life. A well-respected artist, primarily working in watercolours, Lyndsey was commissioned by Westminster Abbey to design a Christmas card and advent calendar in 2015. Her painting was voted favourite at The Weald of Sussex Art Club Exhibition in 2015.
She was elected as a full member of the Society of Graphic Fine Art in 2016.
The dates of the workshop and readings are Saturday, August 27; Monday, August 29 and Saturday, September 3. Sessions take place from 12.30pm to 2.30pm (free) at The Hearth Pizzeria, Eastgate Street (opposite Waitrose), Lewes.
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Kids’ author Julian Warrender offers free readings and workshops


Lewes author Julian Warrender launches her fourth illustrated children’s book, The Railway Land Dogs’ Club – Three Further Tails, with a series of free readings and workshops at The Hearth Pizzeria in Lewes.


Join Clare Balding for an afternoon of family entertainment to mark the publication of her first children's book, The Racehorse Who Wouldn't Gallop at Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre on Saturday, October 1 at 3pm.
The number-one bestselling author and broadcaster will share stories from her own childhood growing up surrounded by animals, give a reading from her new book and offer expert advice on working with and caring for animals.
The Racehorse Who Wouldn't Gallop introduces Charlie Bass: a horse-mad ten-year-old who dreams of owning her own pony. So when she accidentally manages to buy a racehorse, Charlie is thrilled. The horse she buys, Noble Warrior, looks the part: strong, fit and healthy. There's just one problem – he won't gallop. In fact, he won't even leave his stable without his best friend, a naughty palomino pony called Percy.
This event will end with an audience Q&A and a chance to have your book signed, as well as some funfair-style foyer entertainment for all the family.
Clare became the face of the BBC’s horse racing coverage in 1998 and now works across a wide range of sports for television and radio. She has been a lead TV presenter for the Olympics, Paralympics, Winter Olympics and Commonwealth Games.
In 2012, Clare was awarded Achievement of the Year at the Women in Film and TV Awards, the Media Award at the Red Hot Women of the Year Awards, was made TV Personality of the Year by Attitude magazine and won Racing Broadcaster of the Year for the second time.
Tickets on 01483 440000 or www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk.


Join Clare Balding for an afternoon of family entertainment to mark the publication of her first children


A nail-biting wait for thousands of pupils across East Sussex came to an end yesterday as this year’s GCSE results were announced.
With 26 results in from 27 of the county’s schools, provisional results show 60 per cent of students received five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C including English and maths.
That represents a significant increase on last year’s figure of 56 per cent and was described by East Sussex County Council as ‘fantastic news for young people and their schools’.
A total of 22 out of the 26 secondary schools and academies that have currently reported their results either maintained previously strong performance or improved on their performance last year.
The average for the county in terms of 5 A* to C including English and maths has improved for the second year running by approximately 4%.
Outstanding improvements against this measure can be seen at Rye College which has gone up by 19 per cent, The Eastbourne Academy up by 18 per cent, Heathfield Community College up by 12 per cent.
There are a further nine schools which have improved by more than five per cent including Beacon Academy, Bexhill High Academy, Chailey School, Hailsham Community College, Peacehaven Community School, Seahaven Academy, St Richard’s Catholic College, The Cavendish School and The Hastings Academy.
For the first time, this year’s results are also measured against the new Attainment 8 indicator – the new national benchmark for performance at key stage four.
In East Sussex, the average Attainment 8 score, which measures a student’s average grade across eight subjects, was 4.9.
Cllr Nick Bennett, East Sussex County Council lead member for education and inclusion, special educational needs and disability, said: “This is always a nerve-wracking time for young people awaiting their GCSE results.
“Achieving good grades gives them a solid step on the ladder towards a successful future in their educational and professional life.
“I’d like to congratulate all our students for the effort they’ve put in not just in the run-up to their exams but over the last two years, and to wish them every success as they go on to further education or training.
“We’re very pleased to see an improvement in this year’s results, which is testament to the hard work and dedication of our young people and the teachers who’ve guided them.”
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East Sussex bucks national trend and records better GCSE results


A nail-biting wait for thousands of pupils across East Sussex came to an end yesterday as this year’s GCSE results were announced.


The Festival Players Theatre Company bring their outdoor summer tour of Shakespeare’s Hamlet to the Brighton Open Air Theatre (BOAT) on Thursday, August 31.
Spokeswoman Su Gilroy said: “This year is the 400th anniversary of the death of the nation’s (arguably the world’s) greatest playwright, William Shakespeare, and The Festival Players Theatre Company is proud to present his most famous play, Hamlet. This theatre company from Gloucestershire, which has been touring professional outdoor Shakespeare productions for over 30 years, is taking the play across the UK and into Europe.
“Presented in full costume, an all-male company brings the excitement of this great thriller: intrigue, ghostly visitations, passion, a play-within-a-play, a gripping duel, and humour, in a crystal-clear and fast-paced two-hour production.
“The players perform more than 80 shows over the summer across England, Scotland, Wales and the Isles of Scilly and as far afield as Belgium, Berlin, the Netherlands and Norway, at an increasingly varied number of locations from stately homes to London commons, Scottish castles to English village greens, island botanical gardens to Roman amphitheatres.”
Su added: “Thought to have been first performed in 1600 and possibly the greatest tragedy in the English language, Hamlet is a story of revenge. Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, is haunted by the ghost of his father, who tells him that he was murdered by his own brother, Claudius. Claudius not only wears the late king’s crown but has also married his wife, Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother. Hamlet has lost his father and his opportunity to be king, and possibly his sanity; can he believe the ghost, and if so how should he exact revenge? And who else will suffer along the way?”
Festival Players Artistic Director Michael Dyer has reduced the play to two hours.
He said: “Our shows are an amalgam of energy, entertainment and colour, and we aim to make them clear and transparent, as well as keeping them short for the comfort of our patrons. We set out to take audiences of all ages on a journey and make them feel very much part of the production.
“A small cast of six play multiple roles demanding quick costume changes, as well as performing as singers and musicians. This gives an exciting opportunity for the actors to show their energy and versatility.”
This will be Michael’s 12th all-male production in a row for the Players: “It is, of course, totally authentic. We are following in the footsteps of Shakespeare’s own Globe Theatre when all roles were taken by men. The Players have built a reputation for strong, all-male shows over the past eleven years.”
Last year The Festival Players toured As You Like it and Henry IV and many of those actors have returned this year. The title role of Hamlet will be played by Benjamin Way, who was Rosalind in As You Like It and Poins, Justice Shallow and Prince John in Henry IV. Mark Spriggs was Falstaff in Henry IV and Touchstone in As You Like It, and this year will play Claudius. Joel Daffurn, who has been with the company since 2013, will play Laertes, Guildenstern and the First Player, and taking the roles of Polonius, Gravedigger and Second Player is Paul Mills, also with the company since 2013. Michael Dyer himself will play the part of the ghost of Hamlet’s Father.
Newcomers to the company this year are Lee Peck and Jonny James-Jones, both of whom trained at East 15 Acting School. Lee Peck will be playing Gertrude and Horatio and has previously played Romeo in Romeo & Juliet and Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream for the Young Shakespeare Company, and was Malcolm in a radio production of Macbeth. Jonny James-Jones will be playing Ophelia, Rosencrantz and Osric.
Tickets on www.thefestivalplayers.co.uk/tour.
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The Festival Players Theatre Company bring their outdoor summer tour of Shakespeare’s Hamlet to the Brighton Open Air Theatre (BOAT) on Thursday, August 31.


Embattled patient transport service provider Coperforma should be stripped of its contract, one union has suggested.
The private company took over from South East Coast Ambulance Service back in April, but during the first few months patients complained about numerous incidents of crews either not turning up or showing up late.
One of its sub-contractors VM Langfords went into administration earlier this year and Coperforma had to step in to guarantee the pay, jobs, and terms and conditions of employees by transferring them to other companies working under them on the contract.
However the GMB union, which represents staff working for sub-contractor Docklands Medical Services, has warned that many of its members could lose their jobs without money owed to them from their previous employers.
Gary Palmer, GMB organiser, said: “No more chances, no more waiting until the dust hopefully settles, the time has come to remove Coperfoma and all those that would put profit before patients and staff.”
He explained that the union had been made aware that all transferred staff could be given notice and dismissed from their current NHS contracts with a view to offering them inferior contracts on a take it or leave it basis, which could affect up to 60 staff.
The tender process for the contract was led by the High Weald Lewes Havens Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) on behalf of all seven CCGs covering Sussex.
Mr Palmer added: “The GMB have written assurances and viewed public broadcasts where Coperforma CEO Michael Clayton clearly states that their new providers would not only pick up the PTS work after the collapse of Langfords, but that staff would be looked after and not out of pocket, and importantly that all their terms and conditions would remain and be protected and not just during any inbound move to a new provider but with assurances that it would also do so for any future outbound transfer as well.
“Right from the very start when this contract was awarded to Coperforma despite the missed warning signs around their inability to deliver such a vital service for Sussex being ignored by the CCGs and its accountable officers, their delivery, accountability and responsibility has been seen to fail all measures, standards and targets by everyone except those who are ultimately responsible, the CCGs.”
Coperforma have been approached for comment.
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Calls to strip Coperforma of Sussex patient transport service contract


Embattled patient transport service provider Coperforma should be stripped of its contract, one union has suggested.