The first week back to work after Christmas is always hectic, but even more so for keepers at London Zoo.

On Tuesday (5) last week, zoo keepers at the Regent's Park-based zoo were head counting every animal during their annual stocktake.

Community champions in Westminster were last night honoured for improving the lives of people in the borough.

Shirley Nicolaou-Grana, David Hogarth, Alice Bailey and Christine Yau were all awarded prizes of £1,000 each at Westminster Council's neighbourhood leadership awards on Thursday (7).

Fifty people were evacuated after a fire broke out at a four-storey block of flats in Bayswater in the early hours of this morning.

The fire damaged part of the basement of the Leinster Gardens block.

A blaze broke out at a six-storey block of flats in Kensington Gardens Square on Wednesday.

Three left the building before the fire brigade arrive, and a further 30 were evacuated by police.

Advice on a range of issues will be given out at drop-in sessions to be held next week.

The Advice Plus events offer information on topics such as housing, financial support, finding work, immigration, problem neighbours, pensions and health questions.

Schools have been warned to be on the lookout for fraudsters posing as classified directory Yellow Pages after a scam was uncovered in Westminster.

Conmen have been tricking innocent victims into parting with £499 or £599 a time to place adverts for what they were told was an online entry in The Yellow Pages, although the company, which calls itself The Yellow Pages 24, has no connections to the genuine directory.

A Paddington woman has picked up an award after donating enough blood to save more than 225 lives.

Deidre Skinner, of Chilworth Street, was among 156 dedicated blood donors honoured by the National Blood Service at the Donor Awards Ceremony.

A young North Paddington student has scooped top prize in a public speaking competition.

Dina El-Deeb, 15, of Paddington Academy, in Marylands Road, won the Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea regional final of Jack Petchey's Speak Out! Challenge.

A man is recovering in hospital after he was shot in Bayswater last night.

A 27-year-old white man was found with a gunshot wound in Elms Mews, at around 8pm on Tuesday (Dec 29).

Sleigh bells rang and snow was glistening as a Bayswater estate was transformed into a winter wonderland.

A synthetic ice rink was put up behind Newbury House on the Hallfield Estate, in Bishop's Bridge Road, bringing young and old together for some festive fun yesterday.

Friends and family who watched as skaters made their way round the ice were treated to hot chocolate and warm waffles with maple syrup.

The event was organised by Westminster Council's housing arm CityWest Homes.