Inside this week's Hastings Observer (February 17)

We lead on the tragic death of a man following a house fire in St Leonards. Firefighters tackled the blaze on Thursday evening (February 9) but sadly the body of the man, believed to be 74, was found inside the property. An investigation into the cause of the blaze is ongoing.

Also inside this week’s paper, there is a touching tribute issued by the family of Brian Hill, who died following an assault in Hastings town centre earlier this month, and an obituary for Dr Jeremy Lee, joint founder of the Sara Lee Trust, who died following a long battle with dementia.

In some positive news, the Hastings RNLI station crew were thrilled to be told they will be getting a new all-weather lifeboat after years of campaigning, and a loo paper petition against the proposed closure of public toilets in the town was submitted to Hastings Borough Council last week, before the council’s cabinet recommended the Ore Valley facilities remain open. A final decision on the closures will be made by full council next week.

The paper also marks 20 years since the death of schoolgirl Billie-Jo Jenkins, with continued called for justice for the murdered teenager.

In politics news, around 50 people staged a protest outside Hastings and Rye MP Amber Rudd’s house demanding more child refugees are admitted into the UK.

There is a double-page spread on the launch of the Sussex Heritage Awards, and two pages of pictures from Yellow Week, with various businesses and schools getting dressed up to support St Michael’s Hospice.

There is also a feature on spoken word and poetry competitions in the area, and how they are boosting confidence among youngsters in the town, and a page of pictures from the annual Time to Dance Festival.

Another page is dedicated to a feature on the Hastings Coastguard search and rescue teams, and we also run a page of pictures from half-term family fun at Priory Meadow.

Nine pages of sport leads on Mark Davis’ stunning comeback to beat the great Ronnie O’Sullivan in a televised contest on Wednesday night, and includes a report from Hastings United’s emphatic mid-week victory.

Eleven pages of What’s On listings includes a look ahead to Music in the Meadow, a taster for the Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition, and the top ten things to do this weekend.

This week’s nostalgia offering takes a look at the history of the St Andrews area, and there is also voting forms for our Gym of the Year competition.

On top of all that, there is the usual court listings, letters, puzzles and essential information.

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