News flashback: Lord Lucan confusion and a murder in Thailand

In the news 40 years ago this week... (Image: Havering Library)

1959: Romford's plan for a super shopping centre behind South Street was jeopardised by landowners who asked "enormously inflated" prices for their properties.

It was hinted they valued their land at £20,000 - an acre at £10,000, more than the market value.

The investment company prepared to lay down half a million pounds for the ambitious project gave a warning that negotiations had gone on far too long.

There were 21 owners in the 12 acres of the land bounded by South Street, Western Road and the Market Place, where one of the biggest and most modern centres in the Home Counties was proposed. Plans included a contemporary block of offices, a traffic tree shopping area and a car park.

In the news 20 years ago this week... (Image: Havering Library)

Hammersons and its 1,000 investors were getting impatient. To keep half a million pounds lying idle was an unprofitable policy.

There was a real fear the company may take its money elsewhere.

1979: A Havering sportsman found himself at the centre of an international murder hunt when police thought he was Lord Lucan.

But detectives' hopes that they had found the missing earl were quashed when mother of six Ann Doherty told them they had arrested her ex-husband, Ken Knight.

She had not seen him for four years since their separation when he moved to Australia.

But a striking resemblance was noticed between Mr Knight, 40, and Lord Lucan, who had been hunted for questioning since 1974 when his children's nanny was murdered.

Both Mr Knight and Lord Lucan were the same height - 6ft 1 - about the same age and both had a scar on their middle right finger.

Thousands of miles from his haunts in Havering Mr Knight had to prove his identity.

The riddle was solved by the woman he married in 1965 in Gidea Park.

1999: One Havering holidaymaker was shot dead and another seriously injured during an horrific attack in a Thai tourist resort.

Terry Morley, 31, of Dagnam Park Drive, Harold Hill, was killed and his best friend, Dean Sheerin, 30, of Broadfield Close, Romford, was shot in the stomach in a bar at the beach resort of Pattaya.

Dean's was now recovering in a Thai hospital. Speaking from his hospital bed, he said: "I've no idea why we were attacked.

"We were sitting at the White Horse bar chatting to a couple of girls when a Thai guy came in wearing a balaclava.

"He started throwing chairs at the girls serving drinks. Terry ran over to stop him but the man picked up a bottle and lunged it at him."