October was a varied month in Watford with a number of stories catching readers’ eyes.
The Hornets’ joyous 4-0 win over rivals Luton was one of the biggest stories of the month both on the pitch and off of it.
There had been a great deal of concern and careful preparation ahead of the match, with pubs shutting and police putting plans in place to control fans as they warned disorder would not be tolerated.
Some clashes did break out ahead of the first meeting in Watford with fans in 16 years, but enough officers were stationed to stop anything getting out of hand.
When all was said and done, the game itself was the real story from the day.
On October 12, there was a dramatic incident as a school was forced to activate its lockdown plan due to a police search.
A man had allegedly been bundled into a car in North Watford before being driven off.
Enquiries led officers to an address in Croxley Green and a search resulted in three men being arrested.
In an email to parents, Rickmansworth School confirmed that it went into “lockdown” at around 1.20pm as police needed to search a small area of the site.
It added that the lockdown was implemented “in order to keep your children safe” and the incident was unrelated to the school.
Around 10 minutes later, police informed the headteacher that the “incident was concluded” and the lockdown was lifted.
A man from Watford has denied a kidnap charge in relation to the incident and he and two others are set to appear in St Albans Crown Court on March 27, 2023.
A popular event set for later that month was cancelled on October 7 after a row between the museum putting it on and the land owner.
Chiltern Open Air Museum, in Chalfont St Peter, which usually hosts regular events and filming for TV and movies, said it had been forced to cancel multiple plans, including its Halloween Spectacular on October 28.
Staff at the museum have said they were not given a reason for the “shock” move as the land owner, property developer Comer Group, blocked access to the field used for overflow parking.
By the end of the month the issue had been raised in Parliament by Chesham and Amersham MP Sarah Green. Both parties announced a “way forward” had been agreed, asking that they “are left to conclude these matters in private”.
Perhaps the most unusual story of the month came when a Rickmansworth alleyway went viral on TikTok, passing a million likes.
TikTok sensation ALLEYWAY KING built a massive audience by live streaming the comings and goings between Rickmansworth High Street and Northway, near Boots.
Rickmansworth's social media fame even attracted a series of increasingly bizarre visitors which ranged from police waving at the camera to hoax kidnappings, a Punch and Judy show, and a spooky clown.
Viewers in the comments appear confused over what is so captivating about the stream.
One person wondered “why’s it famous” with someone answering “it's live reality TV”.
Another viewer said: “I think it’s because it’s actually about the comings and goings of just ordinary working people”
On October 19, a meeting was held to address traffic issues in Bushey.
Costco agreed to make some changes to the queuing system for its Bushey petrol station to try and solve traffic problems in the area.
Bosses at the wholesaler’s Bushey branch admitted to being “overwhelmed” by how much demand the forecourt had.
The huge popularity came at a cost to the wider community with queues for the petrol station sometimes spilling out onto Hartspring Lane and even the A41.
After the meeting it was agreed a third lane would be added for queues, the opening hours would be extended, and signage would be put up to make the site more efficient.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here