Bed from ‘crooks’ and ‘unsustainable’ heat pump

Family pictureGwen Farler, 84, and her late husband had to take out a of loan of £5,000 in 2015 to pay for a custom-made bedHere's our daily pick of stories from across local websites in the West of England, and interesting content from social media.Our pick of local website storiesOur top three from yesterdayWhat to watch on social media Source link

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RNLI reveals plan to move inshore lifeboat build from East Cowes

RNLI/Glyn EllisThe Inshore Lifeboat Centre has a team of up to 70 workers and spans three buildings in East CowesThe RNLI is looking to move from its Isle of Wight site where its builds and maintains its inshore lifeboat fleet after more than 60 years.The Inshore Lifeboat Centre (ILC) in East Cowes supplies and maintains over half of the charity's inflatable B class and D class lifeboats, as well as lifeguards' inshore rescue boats (IRBs).The RNLI said it…

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India’s Himalayan villages slowly reviving decades after conflict | In Pictures News

Published On 15 Oct 202515 Oct 2025Click here to share on social mediashare2ShareDozens of dilapidated stone buildings are all that remain of the once-thriving border village of Martoli, in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand. Nestled in the Johar Valley and surrounded by Himalayan peaks, the most notable being Nanda Devi, once considered the tallest mountain in the world, this village had traded sugar, lentils, spices, and cloth for salt and wool with Tibetans across the border.The nomadic…

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£15.5 million to continue South West health research partnership

A partnership that carries out vital health research across the South West Peninsula to directly benefit patients and NHS services has been awarded £15.5 million by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The Applied Research Collaboration South West Peninsula (PenARC) is a regional research partnership hosted by the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, in collaboration with the Universities of Exeter and Plymouth. Set up in 2008, it has conducted and supported projects which…

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Major new study discovers diet and migratory behaviour shape neophobia

The largest-ever study on neophobia, or fear of novelty, has discovered the key reasons why some bird species are more fearful of new things than others. Published in the journal PLOS Biology, the global multi-species study was led by the University of Exeter’s Dr Rachael Miller while at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), and the University of Cambridge – with ARU funding the publication of the research – alongside a core leadership team from the ManyBirds Project. Neophobia plays…

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Driver sought after girl, 12, injured in Dorchester hit-and-run

The driver of a people carrier car who drove away after striking a 12-year-old girl at a crossing is being sought by police.The girl suffered a leg injury after she was hit by a car on Bridport Road, Dorchester at the traffic light crossing near to the St John Roundabout on 30 September at about 18:00 BST.Dorset Police said the car, that failed to stop at the scene, was described as grey with a taxi sign on top…

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Television and movie productions help boost Somerset economy

Bulldog Film DistributionUnmoored was set on Exmoor and used local crews to film itFilms and television productions, including The Salt Path and 28 Years Later, have helped boost Somerset's economy with millions of pounds worth of investment. Companies who chose Somerset as the base for their work have contributed around £4.2m to the economy according to the local council. Councillor Mike Rigby, who is the lead for economic development, said the success is down to Somerset's various coastal,…

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Carnival will try and make Somerset event more accessible

Charlie TaylorBBC Radio Somerset andChris LockyerSomersetBBCEvery autumn, processions of illuminated carts pass through ChardOrganisers of a popular carnival have agreed to discuss how to make the event more accessible with two parents of children with additional needs.Every autumn, processions of illuminated carts pass through Chard as part of the South Somerset Carnival Circuit. The events are often noisy and bright, meaning those with sensory processing disorders can find the experience overwhelming.Belinda and Livvy, from Chard, are calling for…

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Dorset Olympic palm tree petition to be presented to Weymouth town council

Sophie CridlandSouth of England, South of EnglandBBCA petition to save two much-loved palm trees on an esplanade in a seaside town is to be discussed at a local council meeting.Since Weymouth Town Council announced the removal of the trees, local people and some tourists have said they want them to remain in place.Now it has been agreed that an attempt will be made to replant the palm trees elsewhere in the town.800 paper and 350 verified online signatures…

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Dorset cancer charity hosts ‘life-affirming’ fashion show

Galya DimitrovaSouth of EnglandIan MetcalfThe Charity Angels UK Dorchester Fashion Show debuted in 2023, raising about £9,000"When they first walk on the catwalk, they're quite tentative. By the final scene, they're living life."Jane Hinnrichs is the lead organiser of the second Charity Angels UK Dorchester Fashion Show, featuring 14 Dorset women who have experienced breast cancer.The sold-out event is in its second year and aims to raise funds for research into secondary breast cancer, as well as show…

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Dog owners asked about Cornwall beach restrictions for pets

Christine ButlerSouth WestBBCDelilah the greyhound-cross loves a run on a beach, like here at Carlyon BayDog owners in Cornwall are being invited to have their say on restrictions put in place for dogs during the summer months. Cornwall Council is about to update its Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) for the next three years. It currently bans dogs from 46 beaches, usually after 10:00 BST and before 18:00 from 1 July to 31 August, although Blue Flag beaches have…

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Cornwall and Isles of Scilly facing child poverty ‘crisis’

Brian Lawless/PA WireOne in five children across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are living in povertyPublic health officials have issued an "urgent call" to tackle child poverty in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.The 2025 director of public health annual report said 27,000 babies, children and young people up to the age of 19 lived in "relative poverty".One young person said living in poverty was a "hard place to grow up", but added: "It definitely makes you…

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