Monthly Archives: December 2025

Teddy bear adoption drive at Somerset St Margaret’s charity shops

Teddy bear adoption drive at Somerset St Margaret’s charity shops

A long-standing volunteer at a charity shop has made it her personal mission to ensure every teddy bear finds a home for Christmas.Mary Peto, 71, has been telling customers at the St Margaret's Hospice shop in Langport, Somerset, "no bear will spend Christmas alone".Her initiative has spread to all 31 shops in the charity's chain, which are now on a collective mission to rehome their bears of all shapes, sizes and colours."With their little faces looking out from…

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Alleged Palestine Action protesters deny break-in charges

Alleged Palestine Action protesters deny break-in charges

Three alleged protesters from Palestine Action who are accused of breaking into a UK subsidiary of an Israeli defence firm and causing £1m worth of damage have denied the charges against them.Finn Collins, from Whitstable, Salaam Mahmood, from Abbey Wood, London, and Liam Mullany, from Poole, pleaded not guilty at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday to charges of aggravated burglary, criminal damage and violent disorder.The prosecution alleges members of the group were armed with sledgehammers and whips at…

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Poole’s Twin Sails bridge repair hit by manufacturing delay

Poole’s Twin Sails bridge repair hit by manufacturing delay

Manufacturing delays "outside" a council's control could mean Poole's Twin Sails Bridge remains closed for longer than expected while repair work is carried out.The lifting bridge, which connects Poole with Hamworthy, has been shut since 26 August after engineers inspecting the mechanism found "abnormal creaking" noises.Work on the bridge, scheduled to begin on Monday, had been anticipated to last about a week.In an update, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council (BCP) said there had been a hold up in…

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Colombia’s ELN rebels prepare for battle amid Trump ‘intervention’ threat | Donald Trump News

ELN conducts military drills, orders civilians indoors, as Trump warns drug-producing nations face potential attack.Colombia’s largest remaining rebel force has told civilians living under its authority to stay at home for three days while it stages military drills in response to burgeoning United States threats.The National Liberation Army (ELN), a left-wing rebel group, ordered the lockdown on Friday, instructing residents to keep off major routes and rivers from Sunday morning as fighters conduct what the group describes as…

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Plymouth artist Ellie Johnson wins award for murals work

Plymouth artist Ellie Johnson wins award for murals work

A mural artist has won an award for her work beating more than 2,000 people.Ellie Johnson, known as Mrs Murals, was awarded the Women in Arts, Media and Culture Award at The West Country Women's Awards at a ceremony held in the Crowne Plaza, Plymouth.Among her work, Mrs Murals has transformed subways in Plympton and a primary school in Sherford, Plymouth.Judge Trish Caller praised her community-focused artwork and said her application stood out for its impact and strong…

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Nativity exhibition brings together sets from around the world

Nativity exhibition brings together sets from around the world

Caroline RobinsonSouth WestNorthlew Nativity ExhibitionThe exhibition is open for the weekend at St Thomas's Church in NorthlewA nativity exhibition made up of about 80 nativity sets collected from around the world is being put on display this weekend.Organisers said the display at St Thomas's Church, Northlew, Devon, was believed to potentially be the largest Nativity Exhibition in the South West. Luisa Hulbert began collecting nativity sets from Africa, South America and across Europe after her husband, Victor Hulbert,…

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Charity funds retired Devon police dog’s urgent leg surgery

Charity funds retired Devon police dog’s urgent leg surgery

The Thin Blue Paw FoundationMax's career was cut short and he retired in 2022The owner of a retired police dog said she was "incredibly grateful" to a charity for funding her pet's surgery ahead of Christmas. Former handler Natalie Sutton, 33, from Cornwall, adopted Belgian Malinois Max, 8, who served as a general purpose dog with the Ministry of Defence Police at HMNB Devonport in Plymouth for three years.Max retired in 2022 after injuring his cruciate ligament and…

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Lanterns reveal scale of Echo Wood living trees artwork

Lanterns reveal scale of Echo Wood living trees artwork

Sarah TurnnidgeWest of England Avon Needs Trees/Elastic Pie FilmsThe lanterns were placed exactly where each of the 365 trees will be planted The scale of a new living trees artwork has been revealed by an installation of hundreds of lanterns. Echo Wood, between Bristol and Bath, is the latest project by artist Luke Jerram who created a giant Earth artwork which toured the country. When finished, Echo Wood will feature 365 different species of trees planted in a…

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Why do sea creatures end up on beaches after storms?

Why do sea creatures end up on beaches after storms?

Ros TappendenSouth of EnglandAllan CummingsOne seal pup was found underweight and exhausted near SeatownSeal pups and jellyfish-like creatures are among the wildlife washed up on Dorset's beaches during storms this week.Thousands of by-the-wind-sailors - organisms carried by ocean currents and the wind - were reported in Poole Bay and Kimmeridge.Seal pups have also been washed ashore in recent days, with part of Weymouth beach temporarily cordoned off on Wednesday to ensure one of them could return to the…

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Fifteen miles of BCP cliff to get £1.4m safety improvements

Fifteen miles of BCP cliff to get £1.4m safety improvements

Amy WoodwardLocal Democracy Reporting Service BBCRock and soil near the East Cliff Lift fell away engulfing the promenade below in NovemberMore than 15 miles of cliff will have safety and maintenance improved after £1.4m funding was approved by a council.Across the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council area there is 15.5 (25km) miles of coastline.Fourteen-point-one miles of these are owned and managed by the council with the other 1.4 miles privately owned, according to the Local Democracy Reporting…

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