What's On

A transport collectors fair takes place at the Hythe Centre, Thorpe Road, on Saturday, February 13, from 10.30am until 3.30pm.

The fair will feature collectables for bus, tram, trolleybus, rail and underground. Access is via the vintage bus service 441c from 10.10am via Staines bus station, stand 3.

And also served by First Bus route 71 and travel Surrey route 441. Hot and cold snacks all day. For more details call 01784 455955.

A mini car boot sale will take place at St Paul's Church on Saturday, February 6 from 8am.

Car pitches cost £10 and hot food is available from 8am onwards. The sale is open to the public with free entry from 9am until 12noon.

No hard standing and no commercial sellers. For more details visit www.stpauls-eghamhythe.org.uk

The nights are drawing in, Christmas is lurking round the corner, it must be Pantomime time (Oh, no, it isn't! Oh, yes, it is!) This year Thorpe Players have a brand new, credit-crunch busting panto, "Jack and the Queenstalk", which has been specially written for them with two Dames (Buy One Get One Free)! With a large cast, it is full of action, jokes, colour and singing, and has lots of opportunities for the audience to boo, cheer and join in. The story follows the well-known tale, but with plenty added: extra characters, the two Dames for the price of one, a beanstalk, and a giant - well, a gigantic Queen anyway! - and is suitable for children of all ages, from 4 to 104.

"Jack and the Queenstalk" takes place in Thorpe Village Hall, which is just the right size for such a show, as it is not too big to frighten the little ones. Performances are on Friday 27th, Saturday 28th November, Friday 4th and Saturday 5th December at 8pm, with matinees at 2.30pm on the Saturdays. Tickets are just £4 for children and £8 for adults, with family tickets (2 of each) at £20, and further discounts for larger groups. For bookings and enquiries phone 07923 583295. The show is suitable for all the family, so if you can't borrow a child, come along and be one yourself!

A pantomime featuring the music of rock band Queen will be performed in the Village Hall this month.

Jack and the Queenstalk is being put on by the Thorpe Players on Friday, November 27 and Saturday November 28. A repeat performance will take place on Friday, December 4 and Saturday, December 5.

The show starts at 8pm. Tickets cost £8 for adults, £4 for children and £20 for a family (two adults and two children). To book call 07923 583295.

A special van giving advise on saving energy will be showing visitors to Thorpe Park how to be more engery efficient.

The visit from Runnymede Council's Energy Explorer exhibition is part of national Energy Saving Week and will be at the park on Saturday, October 24 from 10am until 5pm.

This exhibition vehicle has free information about more efficient in the use of energy in households. 

An extremely rare brown shrike was spotted on Staines Moor prompting thousands of birdwatchers to drop everything and flock to the beauty spot over the last ten days to catch a view of the small brown spectacle. Herald & News reporter Russell Butt donned his wellies and grabbed his binoculars to see what all the fuss was about.

There's not many things more frustrating than when your holiday plans go awry.
So imagine the surprise of one small, brown bird who should be heading from Siberia to South East Asia for the winter, but has found himself perched atop a hawthorn bush in Staines.

Imagine its further surprise to instantly achieve celebrity status on arrival, with more camera lenses being pointed at it than Kate Moss gets stumbling out of a Soho nightclub.

Children get design their own frightening outfits during a special Halloween-themed event on Tuesday, October 27.

The Halloween Costume Making and Scary Fashion Show is a free event organised by Runnymede Council's ROAR children's activity scheme and takes place in the Village Hall on Coldharbour Lane.

For more details contact Emma Parnell on 01932 425677, or email emma.parnell@runnymede.gov.uk.

Council bosses will raise objections to aspects of BAA's Airtrack proposals as concerned residents have just a week left to lodge their own concernns.

When Runnymede Borough Council's Economic Development Commitee meets at the Civic Chambers in Addlestone on Thursday (September 17)night it will be reviewing and responding to the Transport & Works Act application submitted by BAA to begin building work on the Airtrack express rail link from London Waterloo to Heathrow Terminal 5.

Popular theme park evenings, Fright Nights at Thorpe Park look set to be the scariest ever in 2009.

The parks has extended its opening hours between Monday October 12 and Sunday November 1 for the scariest Halloween season yet, with thrills being sought up until 10pm on some nights.

Terrifying rollercoaster, SAW - The Ride will feature in its first Fright Nights and four terrifying live action mazes, The Curse, Se7en, Hellgate and The Asylum will scare anyone brave enough to enter.

Fright Nights attractions open at 4pm between 12th October - 1st November 2009. Visit www.thorpepark.com for more information.

Ever wondered where your local newsreporter is? Now you can follow him daily at website Twitter.

Your dedicated reporter, Russell Butt, (that's me) can often be found roaming around Thorpe hunting for stories, or sometimes in the Surrey Herald office in Chertsey.

Other times I might be seen running up Egham Hill in a vague attempt to try and keep fit, while always keeping an eye out for newsworthy stories.