Inside this week's Rye and Battle Observers (January 13)

The Rye Observer leads on a story about an 87-year-old man who was left in a hospital waiting room for more than five hours following a mix-up with patient transport. His daughter brandished the care of her wheelchair-bound father ‘disgraceful’.

The Battle Observer leads on the news the town council is set to increase its proportion of the council tax to help fund projects including the reinstatement of a Tourist Information Point and taking responsibility for the Christmas lights.

Other news includes a villager’s fears someone could die on her narrow lane in Brede if nothing is done to slow speeding motorists down, with a road sign left in a hedge for over a month.

We also feature a piece on a brave young woman who has launched an online video diary answering people’s questions about brain tumours after she fought a tumour herself.

The papers include the latest on the rail dispute, with Rye College’s principal insisting the matter is resolved ‘asap’ as it is costing the college to run additional transport for students to get them to school. Battle’s MP Huw Merriman has also spoken out on the rail debate, defending the government by saying it isn’t the one ‘refusing to drive Southern trains decreed as safe’.

Also inside this week’s paper, we feature a piece on a group of golfers taking the sport to the fore with a charity golfing challenge over five European countries in less than two days this summer, and a final farewell to Battle’s Christmas lighting volunteers as they hand over responsibility for the decorations.

Our special report this week looks at education funding, and reveals dozens of cash-strapped primary schools have over-spent on their budgets by as much as tens of thousands of pounds. The double-page report included facts and figures from schools across the area.

Nine pages of sport leads on Rye Town Football Club’s five-star start to the year as they extended their lead at the top of the table, and Battle Baptists’ brilliant victory over title rivals Hollington United.

An 11-page What’s On guide features full listings and the top ten things to do this weekend, while paper also includes two pages on the launch of the 2017 Big Garden Birdwatch, and a 16-page reader travel guide.

On top of all of that, we have 12 pages of Village Voices, two pages of letters, essential information, court listings and puzzles.

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