‘Half marathon returns’ and ‘rare eagle spotted’

Here is our daily pick of stories from across local websites in the West of England, and interesting content from social media.

The date for this year’s Swindon Half Marathon has been confirmed, after the race returned to the town in 2025 following a six-year hiatus. The Swindon Advertiser reports the event will take place on 27 September.

Darts fans on the Somerset Live Facebook page have been cheering on Scottish player Gary Anderson, who lives in Burnham-on-Sea. He has reached the semi-final of the PDC World Darts Championship – ending the hopes of Glastonbury player Justin Hood in the process.

Some bins in South Gloucestershire went uncollected due to an “abnormally large amount” of recycling, with people told to store their waste until their next collection day, according to Bristol Live.

As the New Year gets off to a chilly start, gritters have been out across the West Country making roads and pavements safe. Swindon Borough Council posted to its Facebook page on Friday to say 210 miles (337km) of road had been gritted across major routes.

Hundreds of people reacted online to a beautiful shot of a white-tailed sea eagle spotted taking flight on Exmoor on New Year’s Day. A small number of the rare species were released into the national park at the end of 2024.

Welsh Rugby Union player Louis Rees-Zammit has signed a long-term deal with Bristol Bears after joining the team for the 2025-26 season following an 18-month stint in the National Football League (NFL) in the United States.