A serial rogue trader serving a three-year jail sentence for fleecing elderly customers has been ordered to repay his victims in full. James Saunders, 51, charged extortionate sums for shoddy repairs to roofs and drains and used the proceeds to fund a lavish lifestyle which included luxury cars, holidays and designer clothes. Victims included an … Continue reading
Trading standards officers are warning about the dangers of using the drug 2.4 Dinitrophenol for weight loss and bodybuilding in a campaign aimed at students. They are handing out beer mats with the message Would you play Russian Roulette with DNP? and talking to students at campuses in Surrey to raise awareness of the dangers of … Continue reading
Surrey trading standards officers have uncovered a haul of unsafe hoverboards destined to be sold as Christmas presents or used at children’s parties. They intercepted a £7,000 consignment of 51 self-balancing boards imported from China and sent them for testing to see if they complied with electrical safety standards. They will now ensure the boards … Continue reading
A father and two sons have been ordered to pay £3,700 after admitting mis-selling used cars. Charles Wenman Snr, Charles Wenman Jnr and Mark Wenman falsely advertised second-hand cars as being covered by a 12-month warranty from a warranty company. The trio, who run Cranleigh-based dealership Walton Motors, were sentenced by Redhill magistrates following an … Continue reading
As it celebrates its 50th anniversary, Godalming Library has officially reopened after being revamped to better meet the needs of 21st century readers. When the library was built in 1965, all its stock was manually catalogued on cards and baby story and rhyme time sessions were unheard of. Now the Bridge Street library boasts tens … Continue reading
Crossrail 2 drop-in sessions in Surrey The first of a series of events in Surrey to help people find out more about the planned Crossrail 2 railway takes place in Epsom. Transport for London is holding the drop-in sessions at the Ebbisham Centre tomorrow and Thursday from 12pm and further events will be held in Surrey … Continue reading
A landscape gardener who ripped off elderly and vulnerable residents by overcharging for shoddy work has been jailed for three-and-a-half years. Benjamin Brown, 62, was stopped in his tracks by Surrey County Council’s trading standards officers and pleaded guilty in June to fraud and money laundering offences relating to sums up to £665,000. He was … Continue reading
A Surrey father and son have been ordered to pay more than £4,000 after admitting rogue trading offences. Frank Wenman Snr and Frank Wenman Jnr, of Dunsfold, near Godalming overcharged for poor quality roofing and driveway work at two homes last year. They were sentenced by Wycombe magistrates following a prosecution brought by Buckinghamshire and … Continue reading
More than 25,000 cyclists will take part in this year’s Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 event, hours before some of the world’s best riders compete in the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic. Famous faces riding the mass participation event include X Factor winner Sam Bailey and sports stars Jonathan Edwards, Darren Gough and Sally Gunnell, while competitors lining up … Continue reading
An army of volunteers is needed to help uncover the secrets of a former Surrey military camp where renowned war poet Wilfred Owen penned a prelude to his famous ‘Anthem for Doomed Youth’. A century after Owen trained for First World War service at the camp near Godalming, Surrey County Council’s archeological unit is leading … Continue reading
Cobham Library has reopened in a spacious new building which also offers a range of community services. The revamped library is part of the new Cedar Centre in Cedar Road – a busy community hub which also boasts a children’s centre, meeting spaces, information drop-in sessions and coffee facilities. Surrey County Council runs the centre … Continue reading
A cowboy gardener who charged exorbitant sums for substandard work has pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering offences. Benjamin Brown, 62, of Cox Lane, Epsom preyed on elderly and vulnerable victims who were unable to look after their gardens themselves. He was prosecuted by Surrey County Council’s trading standards officers and last week pleaded … Continue reading
A serial rogue trader who fleeced vulnerable Surrey residents out of more than £100,000 by overcharging for shoddy building work has been jailed for three years. James Saunders, 51, charged extortionate sums for repairs to roofs and drains before he was stopped in his tracks by trading standards officers. He preyed on elderly people, using … Continue reading
A book that vanished from a Surrey library has turned up nearly 4,000 miles away in an American city. John Van Der Kiste and Nicola Sly’s More Cornish Murders was last seen at Surrey County Council’s Dittons Library five years ago. Now the true crime book has resurfaced at Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. … Continue reading
Trading standards officers are warning that bleach-like chemicals touted as a miracle cure for cancer and other diseases could be on sale at an event in Surrey this weekend. Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards* is concerned that potentially harmful products will be available to buy or consume at an event being held in the Farnham … Continue reading