IT IS amazing what a community can achieve if it pulls together.

At least that is the message the folk of Colham Avenue, Yiewsley, want to get across after they refused to pay a slew of parking fines they felt were unjustly slapped on them.

Caroline Earley might echo the sentiment - up in Harefield, she was blown away by the response of villagers to her brain tumour awareness campaign after it featured in the Gazette. Catch up on the latest in the Harefield edition.

Also riding high this week - high on Google, that is - is crime prevention expert Calvin Beckford, whose home security website is top of the hit parade when it comes to advice on keeping burglars out.

And someone else used to being top of the hit parade might be on his way back to Northwood Hills, in bronze, at least.

Of course the biggest story this week is the death of Baroness Thatcher, and we have tributes from borough politicians to The Iron Lady, who died on Monday.

Expansion of Heathrow Airport is a debate that is still very much up in the air, and with a referendum for borough people soon to open, we look at the issues and examine the choices everyone in this area will have to make.

Natricia Duncan takes a look at the academic achievements and prospects for black pupils and a new booklet to help them aim high, and a new Asian soap is filming in Hilingdon - with a local director.

In your area news: a cheeky star is in Hillingdon filming for his new series; Hayes faces up to its fire station challenge; there are all the flavours of the ice cream rainbow in Northwood; and in Harefield,
a star might be about to be born ...

And if you live in Sipson, you will know Jackie Clark-Basten, our latest Local Heroes nominee. Now we need yours. Clip the coupon on page nine.

We have some cracking reader pictures, including a white blackbird, plenty of sponsorship appeals - from three friends heading across Europe in a taxi to a very reluctant London Marathon runner, plus three sisters about to jump out of an aeroplane - all your local arts and theatre, things to do this weekend and Easter school holiday pictures - and with cricket season nearly upon us, fully seven pages of sport!

Not bad for just 80p.

Your Gazette - out now.