Cyclists take on Cobble Wobble hill climb in Frome

Clara Bullock,West of England and Alastair McKee,SomersetBBCChildren and older athletes take part in the Cobble Wobble, as well as some in fancy dressA race taking cyclists up a steep and narrow cobbled hill has taken place in a Somerset village.The Cobble Wobble in Frome attracted people in fancy dress alongside professional athletes on Sunday.The route up Catherine Hill is designed to test the riders' strength and skill, and the winners are crowned the King and Queen of the…

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One man dead and two others injured in Somerset crash

A man in his 50s has died and three other people taken to hospital after a single-vehicle crash, police have said.Officers were called to the incident on the A303 between Sparkford and Wincanton in Somerset at 14:15 GMT.Avon and Somerset Police confirmed a man in his 50s died at the scene - his next of kin have been informed.Of those taken to hospital, one is believed to be in a life-threatening condition, the second remains there with injuries…

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Las Vegas Grand Prix: ‘Lando Norris remains strong title favourite but Max Verstappen properly in the game’

McLaren's predicament is not an uncommon situation in F1.Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari was disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix at the start of the season for the same reason, as well as the 2023 US Grand Prix when he was at Mercedes, along with Charles Leclerc's Ferrari in the same race.George Russell's Mercedes was disqualified from victory in Belgium last season for being underweight - partly because the underfloor wore down more than the team expected.It happens because teams…

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Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri disqualified from Las Vegas Grand Prix as Max Verstappen wins

Had the result stood as the cars finished the race, Norris would have had a 30-point lead over Piastri and 42 over Verstappen.At the start, Norris was true to his claim that he was "not here not to take risks" as he fought hard to defend his advantage from pole position from Verstappen.But after an aggressive cut in front of Verstappen to head off the Dutchman's attack on the inside, Norris misjudged his braking point and ran deep…

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Somerset shop supporting young people into employment opens

Charlie Taylor,BBC Radio Somerset and Chris Lockyer,SomersetYoung SomersetA Bold and Brave store has opened in Angel Place Shopping Centre in BridgwaterA new charity shop, which aims to help young people who face barriers getting into employment, has opened.Run by charity Young Somerset, the new Bold and Brave store in Angel Place Shopping Centre, Bridgwater, will help train 14-25-year-olds in retail, hospitality and entrepreneurship.The charity, which has also relocated its Taunton store to the town's Independent Quarter, supports young…

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Snowy alpaca and Gromit lantern

BBC Weather Watchers/Zach NailorFreezing temperatures and a dusting of snow have not stopped people - and animals - from getting out and about in the region this week. This gorgeously fluffy alpaca in a field near Cirencester was unsure about the snow on Wednesday morning.And Christmas is definitely in the air, with preparations for events from lantern parades to carnivals already underway. Here is a selection of pictures from across the West in our weekly round-up.Gloucester Cathedral/Jordan ChungRoyal…

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Inside the rise of a £1m Glastonbury tickets scammer

Carlo Mole, Laura Gaynor and Joseph LeeBBC/SpunGold TV/Getty ImagesMiles Hart struck deals to sell £1m of Glastonbury tickets - then vanishedMiles Hart had a reputation as a guy who could get anything. Friends from the elite private school he used to attend say he once surprised them with an all-expenses-paid trip to Paris on a private jet with less than 24 hours notice.So when he started selling Glastonbury tickets, hospitality passes and VIP Access All Areas passes -…

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Rock pooling competition held in Somerset to find rare species

Clara Bullock,West of England and Dan Ayers,SomersetThe Rockpool ProjectDespite the cold and wet weather, people waded through rock pools on Klive BeachVolunteers have waded through cold water to compete in finding the most species in rock pools.The Rockpool Project held its first Somerset competition at Klive Beach earlier, where participants raced against time to identify wildlife and score points for the species they discover.The project hopes to gather valuable data on biodiversity in rock pool beaches.Athene Allen, volunteer…

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Taunton pastor concerned over Sunday parking charge proposals

Daniel MumbyLocal Democracy Reporting ServiceLDRSSomerset Council proposed to introduce Sunday parking charges across the countyA church leader says implementing car parking charges on a Sunday would "irrevocably damage" town centres.Somerset Council estimated the implementation of the charges across the county would raise £730,000 of additional funding every year.However, councillors and Judith Butler, a Taunton church leader, warned the move would severely damage high streets and would result in fewer people shopping, eating out or attending religious services.While the…

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GB clinch two skeleton golds in World Cup opener

Great Britain's Matt Weston kicked off his skeleton World Cup campaign in perfect fashion by winning Friday's opening race of the season in Cortina.The 28-year-old finished 0.15 seconds ahead of Austria's Samuel Maier in Italy after the two runs to earn his 10th World Cup gold medal.Later on Friday, British pair Tabby Stoecker and Marcus Wyatt triumphed in the team race with a combined time of two minutes 1.23 seconds.That left them five hundredths of a second clear…

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Las Vegas Grand Prix: Lando Norris eyes prize but weighs question of risk v reward

The conflict in Lando Norris' mind as he closes on his first world title was clear after he took pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix.Norris expertly navigated the treacherous wet conditions on a track almost devoid of grip to take pole position from Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a margin of 0.323 seconds - a gap that could have been significantly larger had the Briton not had a major wobble through the chicane at the end…

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Somerset board game marathon in aid of children’s cancer charity

Rachel Candlin,West of England and Simon Parkin,SomersetRikh HartRikh Hart (L) and Stuart Perrin aim to stay awake for the full 24-hour marathonBoard game enthusiasts in Somerset are taking part in a 24-hour marathon to raise money for charity.The event is being hosted by Bridgwater Geek and Gaming at The Activity Warehouse - and people can take part in eight-hour slots."People get really passionate about these different games, be it board games, role-playing or card games, so it's an…

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