A 24-year-old man has been jailed after he was caught drink-driving just days after being banned from the roads for the same crime.

Paulius Burlingaitis was arrested in December after officers stopped his car in Pegler Way, Crawley, when checks on the police database suggested it was being driven without insurance.

Burlingaitis is the first person to be jailed after being arrested as part of Sussex Police’s crackdown on drink and drug drivers in December last year.

You can text officers on 65999 with the details of people you suspect of drink or drug driving, along with their car make and registration number.

To report anyone driving anti-socially visit operationcrackdown.co.uk.

If you know someone is driving after drinking or taking drugs call 999.

Surrey County Council has said that 4,500 tonnes of furniture which could still be used are thrown away in the county each year.

Twenty five thousand pieces of furniture that were thrown out last year would stretch around Box HIll 10 times.

To encourage the reuse of more furniture, Surrey County Council is supporting the Surrey Reuse Network (SRN). Made up of local charities, the SRN finds new homes for donated furniture and kitchen appliances by selling them at affordable prices.

For locations, to arrange a collection and more information about the SRN, call 0800 082 0180 or visit http://www.surreyreusenetwork.org.uk.

A challenge set by Surrey County Council to fill 500 apprentice places in a year has smashed its target two months early.

Nearly 540 young people have landed apprentice roles since last April as part of three schemes run by the council.

More than 410 apprentices have been hired by businesses through a cash incentive initiative and the council took on a further 100 young people and contractors filled around 25 places.

The apprenticeship drive is part of the council’s push to stimulate economic growth; it has also seen the number of young people in the county not in education, employment or training cut by more than half.

More here:

http://news.surreycc.gov.uk/2014/02/05/drive-to-fill-500-apprentice-places-smashes-target/

Three men are in police custody following a robbery at a flat in Brighton Road, Salfords on Monday 3rd February.

The owners of the flat were disturbed by the sound of breaking glass between 1 and 2am before being faced with three hooded intruders.

It’s believed that they forced entry to the property through the front door which is behind a row of shops on the Brighton Road at Salfords.

Two of the suspects are reported to have threatened the occupants with weapons before fleeing empty handed in a small dark coloured hatchback.

Detectives from East Surrey CID are appealing for witnesses and information, and anyone who can help should contact Surrey Police on 101.

More here:

http://www.surrey.police.uk/news/witness-appeals/all-witness-appeals/article/8445/detectives-appeal-for-help-from-members-of-the-public-following-salfords-aggrav#sthash.AfIpzSX9.dpuf

Gatwick Airport has announced that owners of more than 1,000 homes in Sussex, Surrey and Kent are now eligible to claim noise insulation grants of up to £3,000,

The grants will go towards double glazing as well as loft insulation.

The boundary for the scheme’s been extended by about 10 miles to the east and west of the airport.

Noise level boundaries have also been lowered for those qualifying.

The extended noise insulation programme will begin on 1 April.

[Source: BBC News http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-26016757]