A religious row broke out between the RSPCA and the Hindu community after a cow was killed at Bhaktivedanta Manor in Aldenham.

Representatives of the Hindu community accused the police and RSPCA of "religious sacrilege of the worst kind" after 13-year-old Gangotri was killed. The cow was said to have been in constant pain and suffering but protests were raised because the animals are sacred in Hinduism.

Brookside Boys' Club was given grants totalling £7,000 to allow it to remain open for another year. The funding came after two emergency meetings with the county, borough and town councils.

Primary school league tables revealed that all but two schools in the Borehamwood area had improved over the past year. Thirteen out of 15 schools in Borehamwood, Radlett and Elstree recorded better results in the 'three Rs'.

Newly unveiled plans for healthcare determined that Hertsmere patients would have to travel further for operations.

Almost two-thirds of patients from the area who currently use Barnet Hospital will soon have to travel to Enfield's Chase Farm Hospital for planned surgery.

A Radlett girl with leukaemia was granted her Christmas wish when she was flown to Lapland to meet Father Christmas. Faith Slade, six, was treated to the trip by the Starlight Children's Foundation, a charity which grants wishes for seriously ill children.

A couple who fostered more than 300 children were honoured with MBEs from the Queen. She congratulated John and Moira Doneo for their contribution and told them their work was "marvellous" at a ceremony held at Buckingham Palace.

An Aldenham-based religious organisation was criticised for suggesting only strictly religious children should be allowed to attend Britain's first state-funded Hindu school.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, based at Bhaktivedanta Manor, had given admissions policy advice to the charitable foundation which will run the school in Edgware.

Shenley Cricket Centre was earmarked to undergo a £2 million revamp, which will include building a new pavilion and banqueting hall.

Quotes: "This is shocking and duplicitous behaviour. We have been deceived by those who had given us their word." - Gauri Das, president of Bhaktivedanta Manor, criticises the police and RSPCA for slaughtering a cow

"Before the ceremony I was telling my wife to remember to bow at the end and then I forgot myself." - John Doneo was all nerves before receiving his MBE from the Queen for fostering 300 children with his wife "One solution we came up with was that every Friday, people who have been really nasty get a water sponge thrown at them." - Nine-year-old Stanley Gough took a hands-on approach at a meeting with the Mayor to suggest solutions to bullying