Jeff Tooley was a policeman who was mown down and killed a year ago at a speed check in Shoreham.

Now the Argus is launching an annual award in his memory to mark the unsung heroes of Sussex.

They are people such as paramedic Mike Crockford, who plucked a drowning girl from the sea, and Doug Drake, who devoted himself to looking after his sick wife, Mary.

They are like brave police officer James Williamson, who rescued a pensioner from his blazing flat.

We will be writing profiles of more such heroes over the next few weeks, but there are more whose deeds we have not even heard of yet.

You can give them the honour they deserve by letting us know about them and voting for the winner.

Every community has its heroes. Often they are modest and do not draw attention to themselves.

Now you can to sing their praises and honour the memory of a fine officer who died doing his duty.

Take control

Dr Stuart Newton, head teacher of a school in Croydon, has some wise advice for councillors dealing with East Brighton College of Media Arts.

He says schools need vision, enthusiasm and commitment. The head must be able to deliver these qualities and impose discipline that is welcomed.

Dr Newton, who lives in Horsham, should know. He was seconded to bring new life to a school in trouble in south London.

He says the new head, whoever he or she might be, has got to be able to deal with disruptive kids who can wreck schools if unchallenged.

The message is clear. Don't let a minority of awkward pupils get out of control or it may be impossible to turn the school around.

Stage fright

It's all change backstage at the Theatre Royal in Brighton, where new health and safety rules mean more mechanisation.

Some practices at the stage door date back to when fishermen, their arms toughened by hauling in nets at sea, operated the stage ropes.

Now the theatre is adopting 21st Century methods. But the stage door team shouldn't be surprised if they hear ghostly sounds at night, for they could be something fishy.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.