Health

A young boy was the centre of attention at a carnival style theme day held to celebrate his remission from cancer.

Seven-year-old Alfie Ward, whose birthday was on Monday May 25, found he no longer had neuroblastoma, a tumorous cancer which affects the nerves, on April 28, so on Thursday May 21 Spelthorne Infant and Nursery School, in Chertsey Road, Ashford, held an event for him.

Blood donor sessions take place on Sunday, March 8 at Ashford Community Centre in Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, from 9.30am-12.30pm and 2pm-4.30pm.

Volunteers need to be between 17 and 60 years old, in general good health and weigh more than 7st 12lbs.

For more information call 0845 771 1711 or visit www.blood.co.uk

A ward at Ashford Hospital has been refurbished and reopened to offer additional beds and improve services for patients.

The 22-bed Fielding Ward, which reopened last week, incorporates four side rooms with en suite facilities and has been refurbished to bring it into line with the latest guidance on infection control and the elimination of mixed sex wards.

Tennis courts in Spelthorne are to be refurbished after the borough council allocated 110,000 over the next three years.

The money will be spent resurfacing the courts in Cedars Park in Lower Sunbury, Clockhouse Lane in Ashford, the Lammas in Staines, Stanwell Recreation Ground, Fordbridge Park in Ashford, Staines Park and Bishop Duppas Park in Shepperton.

A Volkswagen Polo careered into the gates of Fordbridge Park in Celia Crescent, Ashford, in the early hours of Sunday (November 30).

The green car left the road and crashed into the gates at about 2.40am, and the driver was taken to St Peter's Hospital in Chertsey with minor head injuries.

Ashford Hospital has been spared ward closures by the Healthcare Commission after taking action following warnings about inadequate hygiene.

The hospital was threatened with having wards shut down after an inspection in June by the health watchdog found 'serious' failures in the cleaning of medical instruments and mattresses.

A pan of mince left on the stove in a home in Ashford smoke-logged the ground floor on Monday October 6.

The woman occupier of the house in Denham Drive, Ashford, had left the saucepan boiling at about 3.15pm and called the fire brigade when she saw all the smoke.

The fire crew helped dispose of the saucepan and ventilate the property.

Spelthorne Council has called a special meeting to review the proposed polyclinic at Ashford Hospital.

Borough councillors want to establish exactly what services the GP-led health supercentre will provide and the effects it will have on the availability of local services.