With up to 20cm snow falling in some areas,  many major roads are experiencing heavy congestion. The heavy snowfall comes only 10 months after similar weather brought Britain to a standstill.

The Highways Agency has warned against travelling unless the journey is essential. They also advise checking local and national weather forecasts before setting out, taking warm clothes, water, boots, a torch and spade with.

Despite the inconvenience caused, many have been playing in the snow, with many hoping for a white Christmas.

By Ave Tampere

Author: Ave Tampere

It is feared that Eastern European gangs are flooding into parts of London with thousands of bottles of fake vodka, intending to sell them in Harrow.

The bottles of booze are said to cause extreme sickness and blindness, posing a real threat to the community.

Environmental health officers from Harrow council are set to make visits to shops, bars and clubs hunting for the counterfeit vodka which could potentially be life-threatening.

Health officers last year seized more than 50 bottles of the fake vodka, which contained more than 38 times the permitted level of methanol. So far this year, they have already removed six bottles of imitation vodka and are on the lookout for more than could be on shelves in Harrow shops.

Officers are asking the public to be extra vigilant when buying alcohol. Councillor Susan Hall, deputy leader of the council, said: “This isn’t about being killjoys at Christmas, it is about the council ensuring that if the public ask for a branded drink, they get what they ask for and not a noxious copy laced with potentially dangerous levels of methanol.”

If you are concerned, take a look at the Food Standards Agency website.

By Carly White

Elaine McLeod a mother of two said “Last year was a nightmare I left everything to the last minute and ended up getting my children the wrong presents because all of their toys had been sold out by the time I started”.

Another shopper Terry Smith said “ I usually am very relaxed when it comes to Christmas but after last year when I couldn’t buy a Christmas turkey, I said to myself I am not going to go through this again, especially after the wife gave me a bit of a telling off”.

However it is not just the shopping aspect which has captured the festive spirit in the city. From the moment you hear the Christmas carols ringing out around St George’s centre you can just feel the sense of Christmas. Christmas is about communities and families coming together at this time of year and sharing with one another. And although we remain in the mist of the recession, there is no doubt that the town of Harrow has engaged in the spirit of Christmas.

By Maynard Baynes

The beginning of the film is instantly recognisable as a Disney production. The opening scene is synonymous of many Disney films with the storybook opening as an introduction to what the film is about.

The animation and attention to detail made it appear on screen like a popular period drama. It really is like a real life Dickens adaptation.

The cast is very well chosen with Jim Carrey providing the very convincing voiceof miserable Ebenezer Scrooge as well as the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. Convincing performances from Bob Hoskins, Colin Firth and Gary Oldman also compliment the period in history, Victorian London. It may have been deliberate but the character played by Colin Firth resembles the actor himself, adding to the feeling of realism.

The three dimensional element is a little disappointing. Although it is clearly visible, watching the film in 2D would not take away much of the quality. During certain moments in the film, the power of 3D really does add to some of the action but it could have been used more. There are not many moments when objects and characters jump out of the screen as if they were two feet away from the audience.

The film is rated as Parental Guidance (PG), the correct classification. There are moments in the film when things suddenly happen without warning. These moments are accompanied by music that could frighten younger children.

The director, Robert Zemeckis who has also directed popular hits like Forrest Gump and the Back to the Future trilogy really has impressed with this version of the Dickens classic.

A Christmas Carol is the perfect festive film for families. Whether it is seen in 2D or 3D it is guaranteed to be a firm hit with adults and children alone.

By Lee Collins

The six monster-like creatures seem very scary to the boy at the beginning but then they turn out to be friendly and nice. They are just looking for happiness and harmony. After realising that Max starts to like them and he becomes their king. This is where the wild things are…Before he gets into his fantasy world lonely Max dresses up in his wolf suit and starts being wild. He expresses his wildness by chasing a dog, starting a snowball fight with his sister’s friends and bites his mother. Obviously the boy is overstrained with his emotions containing anger. His overworked and exhausted mother calls him therefore “a wild thing”. Max’ sadness about not being accepted or understood makes him run away into his own fantasy world where he meets six “wild things”, which are both scary and appealing. They are brought to life through animations and good old-fashioned actors in costumes.

Carol is a pushy and slightly difficult thing that announces Max the king of the things. His best friend Douglas is a bird-like peace keeper. Alexander is an introvert goat-like creature who is ignored by the others. Judith is the “downer” of the group. She is the only one who is doubtful about Max’ appearance and does not believe him when he says he has magical power. Ira, Judith’s boyfriend, is a gentle-speaking pushover however. There is also The Bull, which is a calm intimidating monster that is kept to himself. The sixth is K.W. She has a knotty relationship to the other wild creatures, above all to Carol.

Having the king’s position, Max sees himself as a mediator. He wants to please everyone and confronts the creatures with their problem of being unhappy, which in truth reflects Max’ difficulties in real life. Each monster embodies a little part of Max character. After he deals with it and understands some of the traits, he decides “to go home”. His mother awaits in the kitchen and embraces him. She gives him a cake and sits down with him at the table while he eats up and gives him a happy smile, which breaks their argument and both make up.

When the American author Maurice Sendak released his book “Where the wild things are” in 1963 he achieved worldwide recognition and reached millions of children’s bedrooms with his work. Until 2008 the book has sold over 19 million copies successfully all over the world.

The idea about turning the book into a movie held on for decades, especially as the book is only ten pages long. But director Spike Jonze has managed to transmit Max’ emotion to the screens with little words. In collaboration with screenwriter Dave Eggers they created monsters with complex personalities.

This film is not for children, as it is far too complex for an infant. That movie is for adults about childhood. It shows how children tend to think; it’s an illustration of a world full of miracles and fear. Throughout the film the audience develop a sense of danger because they do not know how to estimate the wild creatures.

As children have to learn adult’s behaviour in real life, adults get a chance to understand a child’s world through ‘Where the wild things are’.

By Larisa Gejsman

Barry Gardiner has been accused of costing the taxpayers £11,500 when he moved into a flat in Wembley in May and making a large profit on his previous home.

It was claimed that Gardiner made a £200,000 profit on taxpayers’ money when he sold his home in Pimlico. However, he has since responded that the profit made was from investment he had put directly into the flat, not money from the general public.

The £11,500 that was spent on the Labour MP’s new home in Wembley included £7,800 on stamp duty and nearly £2,700 on redecorating. Gardiner has again responded to this allegation stating that although he did claim these expenses, they were later paid back in full with an added £3,700. He also states that full details were published on his website when the expenses were claimed in May.

Gardiner has been criticised by Lib Dem councillor, Paul Lorber. Lorber, another Brent MP, has said he was ‘appalled’ at the actions of the Labour politician.

By Lynne Sloggett

St Luke’s cares for terminally ill patients young and old, providing medical care, and on-call doctors and nurses. The race was to raise money for the general requirements of the Harrow based Hospice.

The 15 volunteers were joined by 10 marshals and 15 PCSO’s who all maintained a steady watch over the two and a half mile race through Wealdstone. Among the runners were 37 students from Sacred Heart School, who raced on behalf of a classmate’s mother, who sadly died in the hospice shortly before the race. Exhausted, the determined Saint Nick’s were delighted to cross the finish line and be rewarded with a goodie bag from the organisers.

Esther Gillham was among the volunteers, “it’s great to see everyone take part in such a huge thing for St Luke’s, it means so much.” Hoping to raise the £3million pounds needed for the hospice to stay afloat, Gillham revealed that only a third of the funding comes from the government, “We’re just not seen as an essential role”, she explained.

The £3million will go towards the upkeep of the hospice, “we have 12 beds, a day care facility and a ‘Hospice At Home’ service, so we need to get the money somehow”, said Gillham.

Hopes are high as the staff from St Luke’s awaits the total amount raised from the race and more fundraisers are already being planned. St Anns Shopping Centre are holding a ‘Gift Wrapping Service’ during the weeks leading up to Christmas and an abseil down Nothwick Park Hospital is already organised for 13^th February 2010.

By Jenni Becket