SIX historic walks arranged by the Harrow Heritage Trust are taking place this weekend as part of the Mayor of London's 'Story of London' Festival.

Meet at 10.30am on Saturday, June 6, at one of the following stations: Pinner, Hatch End (for both the Grimsdyke and Hatch End trails), Stanmore or Harrow-on-the-Hill.

A MULTIPURPOSE hall that would host community events and adult learning classes could be added to Harrow Arts Centre.

Harrow Council, which runs the centre in Uxbridge Road, Hatch End, has applied to itself to demolish a storage shed and put up a 240 sq m brick building of almost identical dimensions.

A MAN who hired an escort to help him celebrate his birthday allegedly held a gun to her head and waved a Samurai sword at her.

Janardan Ganesh, 27, of Argyle Road, North Harrow, hired Aijamal Abdieva - who went by the name Sienna - from Bubbles Escort Agency on August 11 last year.

When she arrived at his flat at Postmasters Lodge, Exchange Walk, Pinner, everything was going well at first, Harrow Crown Court heard today (Wed).

However, Ganesh, who had been drinking vodka and orange, then started acting strangely.

The prosecution described how he asked her to go the bedroom with him and when she asked why he told her to shut up and became aggressive.

He then left the living room, but when he did not return she decided to go and look for him. She found him in the bedroom and at that stage he went over to his wardrobe and pulled out a gun and put it to her head.

Not knowing it was a toy gun, she became scared for her life.

He put the gun back and went back to the living room where he removed a Samurai sword from the shelf and began waving it at her in a cutting motion.

When he put the sword down she managed to escape from the flat and rejoined her driver.

Ganesh was later charged with possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and affray, but denied both the charges.

The trial continues.

A GROUP of supermarket employees are taking part in a sponsored skydive to raise money for their chosen charity of the year.

The team of 14 from Tesco, in Ash Hill Drive, Pinner Green, have decided to test their nerves by taking the plunge to raise funds for Muscular Dystrophy Campaign.

Checkout team manager, Anna Mozdzynski, 20, who organised the skydive, said: "I did a skydive last year in Australia and I was just sitting in the canteen one day at work thinking about it and I asked someone if they wanted to do a skydive.

"Our store doesn't do a lot for charity compared to other Tesco stores so I thought it would be nice to do it for the store.

"I wanted to do a skydive because I think it will be a better incentive for people to sponsor us than if we were just doing a sponsored walk or something similar.

"Apart from me, everyone who is taking part hasn't done a skydive before.

"Originally it wasn't going to be so many people doing it. One of the people taking part is over 50.

"We are going to hold different events in store to raise money like a fancy dress competition and we're going to hold a car boot sale."

The skydive is being held in Norfolk on June 7.

Go to www.justgiving.com/tescoskydive to sponsor the team.

A PINNER primary school has received an outstanding Ofsted report.

St John Fisher Roman Catholic First and Middle School, in Melrose Road, Pinner, received a Grade 1 in every area measured during the inspection in January.

Headteacher, Anne Lyons, said: "I am extremely pleased that the inspectors acknowledged the hard work that pupils and staff have put into the varied and wide curriculum.

"The breadth of curriculum has given everyone involved an opportunity to explore new avenues and find areas of interest, hence motivating pupils as well as the staff beyond their initial expectations."

The school choir has also made it through to a national festival after taking part in a regional festival competition.

The competition was organised by Music for Youth - a charity that provides free access to educational and performance opportunities for young musicians and audiences though a nationwide series of festivals and concerts.

The festival will be held in Birmingham in July.

A COURSE to learn about how to buy and sell on eBay is being held as part of Silver Surfer Day and Adult Learning Week.

Pinner Library, in Marsh Road, Pinner, is holding a series of taster sessions for those who have never used the internet or email before starting on Monday (11).

A five-week £65 course for more advanced users to learn about eBay is also on offer.

Call the library on 020 8868 7827 to book a place or for more information call 020 8429 1700 or go to http://silversurfers.digitalunite.com.

FIFTEEN volunteers are needed to pick up a paddle and take part in dragon boat race to raise cash for the UK's only specialist hospital for colorectal disease.
St Mark's Hospital Foundation, which supports St Mark's Hospital in Watford Road, Harrow, has entered a team into the 12th Rotary Dragon Boat Festival on Sunday May 17 but the original scheduled participants have had to pull out.
Dragon boat racing involves a crew of around 20 sitting two abreast in a long canoe-like boat and paddling in synchronism to the sound of a drum beat.
The races will take place on the River Thames at the Docklands Sailing Centre located at the Millwall Outer Dock in south-east London between 10am and 3pm.
An entry fee of £10 per person is required along with a minimum guaranteed sponsorship of £100, and all participants get a T-shirt.
n For more information and to register, call Maxine McNeil, the foundation's fundraising manager, on 020 8869 2371 or email maxine.mcneil@nwlh.nhs.uk

A GROUP of supermarket employees are taking part in a sponsored skydive to raise money for their chosen charity of the year.

The team of 14 from Tesco, in Ash Hill Drive, Pinner Green, have decided to test their nerves by taking the plunge to raise funds for Muscular Dystrophy Campaign.

Checkout team manager, Anna Mozdzynski, 20, who organised the skydive, said: "I did a skydive last year in Australia and I was just sitting in the canteen one day at work thinking about it and I asked someone if they wanted to do a skydive.

"Our store doesn't do a lot for charity compared to other Tesco stores so I thought it would be nice to do it for the store.

"I wanted to do a skydive because I think it will be a better incentive for people to sponsor us than if we were just doing a sponsored walk or something similar.

"Apart from me, everyone who is taking part hasn't done a skydive before.

"Originally it wasn't going to be so many people doing it. One of the people taking part is over 50.

"We are going to hold different events in store to raise money like a fancy dress competition and we're going to hold a car boot sale."

The skydive is being held in Norfolk on June 7.

Go to www.justgiving.com/tescoskydive to sponsor the team.

THE Victory pub will be re-opening within the next fortnight after its mysterious closure three weeks ago.

Punch Taverns, the owners of the pub in High Street, Pinner, have confirmed that the pub will reopen but refused to comment on why it has been closed and why they are looking for a new landlord.

A spokesperson from the pub company said: "We are delighted to confirm that The Victory will be re-opening within the next fortnight.

"We are talking to a number of interested parties about taking on the pub on a long term basis.

"We remain committed to the future of the pub and preserving its place at the heart of the local community."

When the pub closed out of the blue almost three weeks ago rumours quickly started to gather pace around Pinner as to the reason why.

Terry Farr, owner of Friends restaurant, in High Street, Pinner, said: "It's one of those things you take for granted so at first I didn't notice it was closed.

"Rumours have been rife about what actually happened and some of it is obviously fact, but I think there's more to it than that.

"In the community we normally know what each other is doing but The Victory has never really been part of the overall catering community. It has always been a pub on its own because it caters to a different clientèle. I don't even think I have ever seen the landlord.

"Pubs are almost a dying phenomenon. There sued to be five pubs in Pinner but now there are just four including The Victory, but maybe that is one pub too many.

"It never seemed to be busy apart from the occasional evening and no commercial business can survive on just two nights a week. Some nights I have seen just one or two people in there. You do get a bit of trouble in there as well so maybe it needs a change."

A MEETING about flooding in Pinner is being held by the Environment Agency.

The open drop-in session will give people the chance to meet officers from the agency, discuss concerns regarding flooding, arrange to receive flood warnings and consider being a flood warden.

The Pinner Association and The Hatch End Association will also be at the meeting, which is being held in Pinner Village Hall, Chapel Lane, Pinner, on May 7 from 7.30pm to 9.30pm.