A man from Crawley has received a Mental Health Hero Award.

20 year old Kai Moore is founder of the ‘Free Your Mind’ campaign which he began with support from West Sussex County Council’s Young People’s Service two years ago.

It is aimed at confronting the stigma and challenges around young people’s mental health.

Kai is a former Youth MP and was named overall winner for the South East Region.

A spate of telephone scams have been targeting residents in Crawley and Horsham.

As part of the scam people are being told their bank accounts have been compromised and are asked to withdraw money and hand to couriers or taxi drivers commissioned to deliver it to ‘Scotland Yard’.

Around 20 people have been targeted recently and 2 of those were tricked into handing over several thousands of pounds in cash.

Police are reminding people that neither banks nor the police would ask anyone to withdraw cash and transport it by courier or taxi.

Anyone who has received such a call should contact the police on 101.

Renewed appeals are being made for information relating to an attempted robbery in Oxted.

East Surrey CID have released CCTV images of a distinctive motorcycle helmet which they would like to trace.

The attempted robbery took place at the One Stop shop on Holland Road at around 10.30pm on Tuesday 3rd February.

Three members of staff and a customer were injured during the incident.  The three suspects, all wearing dark clothing, left empty-handed.

This week firefighters are urging people to ‘Stand By Your Pan’.

It forms part of National Chip Week.

In West Sussex over half of all accidental house fires are started in the kitchen with the majority caused by unattended or careless cooking.

West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service’ tips on frying safely:  

. Most kitchen fires occur when people leave things unattended. Don’t let yourself be distracted while cooking, if you are called away from the cooker take pans off the heat

. Never fill a chip pan (or other deep-fat fryer) more than one-third full of oil

. Consider using a thermostatically controlled deep-fat fryer – this will ensure that the fat does not get too hot

. Fit a smoke alarm on each level of your home and don’t forget that weekly test!

If a pan catches fire:

. Don’t move it – it is likely to be extremely hot

. Turn off the heat if it’s safe to do so – but never lean over a pan to reach the controls

. Don’t use water on a chip pan fire – the water reacts with the oil creating a potentially lethal fireball

. Don’t use a fire extinguisher on a pan of oil – the force of the extinguisher can spread the fire

. If you have put the fire out, leave the pan to cool completely