Major News The good and the bad

Here is a selection of Ilford news. Any major stories, national news concerning Ilford or anything that particularly catches the eye you can count on us to tell you! This is not meant to be comprehensive weekly news, for that see Wanstead and Woodford Guardian or similar. Feel free to comment on each story by clicking the link below it! Interpretation and summary by the author of this site.

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• Robert Allen Ilford's X Factor contestant still in
  The headline says it all. This week he was not one of the bottom two like he was last week.
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• Ilford's X Factor contestant still in!
  If you've been watching X Factor on ITV1, contestent Robert Allen, who lives in Barkingside, is still in the competition after another week.
  
  Robert has been making an impact on all the judges, particularly Sharon.
  
  This week's theme was Abba and the public and the judges (who still seem to have the deciding vote even after telephone votes??) have kept him in. All the renditions of the Abba songs were pretty dire and just embarrasing to watch.
  
  Personally, I (the author of this site) am not a fan of X Factor however Robert does seem to be the only one that can sing comfortably and puts on a good show too. Let's hope he wins it. (The only reason I watched X Factor is because I was not feeling energetic enough to change the channel - I hope not to repeat the experience)
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• West Ham player arrested after assault outside Faces
  Anton Ferdinand, brother of England player Rio Ferdinand, was arrested on suspicion of assault following an alleged assault outside Faces nightclub. Apparently up to 15 people were involved in the disturbance which occured on 2nd October 2006.
  
  Click for more info.
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• Searching for Robert Elston and Eddie Elston
  Nikki Morris writes: "I am looking for any information on my uncles Robert Elston and Eddie Elston, they are half brothers with the same father, Edward Percy Elston, who died in 1954. Eddie was in the RAF, in his teens, Eddie married a lady called Doreen, they had wedding photos taken by Eric W Jackson, 15 Goodmayes Rd, Seven Kings 9060, they were in their 20's, and it was probably in the 1950's maybe early 1960's. They emigrated to America, I don't know if they came back, I think he went to work for an eletrical company. I am desperate to find any surviving relatives that I may have, or any information about them, if you know any thing at all. Please contact me."
  
  A colourful photographic illustrates family history may jog memory.
  
  
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• Christmas 2005 lights switch on
  For an event where the council's website promised something 'special' I just had to cancel my evening's plans to come along. When I got there a gathering, attendence figures boosted by a noticably enhanced police presence, was waiting in the cold and singing along to some cheery Christmas tunes lead by children from the Kenneth More Theatre with the lady who always dresses as a fairy also from the KMT. She was the star of the show as always.
  
  This something special was sure to be good; not many celebrities command so much Police protection, aside from the Queen and J-Lo. It was until I spotted the policeman walking around clutching a big roll of blue Police tape did I wonder what exactly this 'something special' could be!
  
  The event passed without incident, and without much else to note really, save for the little kids who were easily pleased by Exchange Shopping centre balloons on sticks distributed by the 'mall monster' and branded party bags, thje distributers of which being careful not to give any to grown-ups, exclaiming 'these are for the kids!'. These seemed to mask the pain of having local newspaper reporters one foot away from their poor faces firing their mega flash gun units.
  
  Some lights seemed to be new for this year and the local paper sponsored Christmas tree has been dug out again. No celebs/snow machine/street entertainers/champagne in the 'mall' but the fireworks were quite good. One for the kids in future.
  
  If you want the 'this spectacle was the best event i've ever been to' and 'how the mall monster saved my sight' stories, please see this week's local newspaper.
  
  
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