Car fire cuts off internet to Beaminster homes and businesses

Post published:October 14, 2025

Hundreds of homes and businesses in part of Dorset are without broadband for a second day after a car crashed into a telegraph pole and burst into flames.The road between Beaminster and the A356 was closed due to the fire in White Sheet Hill at about 22:45 BST on Sunday. Police said they were trying to locate the driver.Openreach said about 1,000 customers had been affected by the outage.In an update on Tuesday afternoon, it said Dorset Council had arranged for the burnt-out vehicle to be removed and engineers had begun work replacing the pole.An Openreach spokesperson said: "With the burnt-out vehicle now removed, we've been able to fully assess the impact and begin restoration work. "Installing a new pole and rebuilding the damaged fibre network is a complex task, but we understand how disruptive it is for local residents to be without broadband. "We're working as quickly and safely as possible to restore services and get things back to normal."On Tuesday morning, Dorset Council said it had "begun the process of recovering the vehicle".A spokesperson said: "We appreciate the public's patience and understanding."Beaminster councillor Craig Monks said: "The reality of being disconnected from a utility like the internet is havoc…

Gaza journalist buried as brother is freed from Israeli prison | Newsfeed

Post published:October 14, 2025

NewsFeedThe brother of killed Palestinian journalist Saleh Aljafarawi was freed under the Gaza ceasefire deal, only to be told of his brother’s death just days earlier.Published On 14 Oct 202514 Oct 2025Click here to share on social mediashare2Share Source link

Avon Fire and Rescue service is helping more obese people

Post published:October 14, 2025

Adam PostansLocal Democracy reporterAvon Fire and Rescue ServiceAvon Fire and Rescue said it is often using specialist equipment to help ambulance crews move patientsThe number of obese people being rescued by one fire service has increased by nearly 50 per cent in the last three years, according to new figures.Avon Fire and Rescue Service, which covers Bristol, Bath, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, is now carrying out an average of nine "bariatric rescues" a month compared to six a month in 2022.Increasingly, fire crews using specialist equipment are being called on to help the ambulance service to move patients who weigh more than 20 stone (127 kg).Natalie Mainstone, the service's community risk management planning manager, said these incidents can often be "protracted and resource intensive" and costly.The service responded to 50 bariatric rescues between August 2022 and April 2023 which rose to 72 between April 2024 to December 2024 and 73 between January and August 2025, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.Categorised as "special service calls" (SSCs), the rise in bariatric call-outs contributed to the service responding to more non-fire related incidents than fires for the first time ever in 2024/25.In a report to the Avon Fire Authority policy and…

Warning over dumped batteries after Devon bin lorry fire

Post published:October 14, 2025

Devon and Somerset Fire ServiceSeveral firefighting crews were called out to the incident in AxminsterResidents are being reminded to dispose of lithium-ion batteries properly after a blaze in a bin lorry.Devon and Somerset Fire Service crews were called to Millwey Rise Industrial Estate in Axminster at about 07:40 BST after reports of a "small waste fire" from the vehicle's driver.Firefighters from Chard, along with crews from Charmouth and Bridport in Dorset, extinguished a blaze after the contents of the lorry were removed. No injuries were reported.Biffa, which owns the lorry, said the cause of the blaze was unknown but it had seen a "growing number" of fires involving lithium-ion batteries.The waste management firm said the batteries, often found in products such as vapes, laptops, mobile phones and decorations for Halloween and Christmas, can burst into flames when crushed in the back of a truck or at a waste site."They must not be put in your general waste bin or your recycling bin," a spokesperson said."Instead, look for special vape and battery bins found in many shops, supermarkets and household waste recycling centres."Some councils also offer kerbside collections."Firefighters from Devon and Somerset have dealt with several blazes involving lithium-ion batteries.On 2 July,…

Devon and Cornwall Police digital device investigations rise

Post published:October 14, 2025

More than 3,000 digital devices containing the equivalent of two million movies' worth of data were investigated by a police force last year.Devon and Cornwall Police's specialist Digital Forensics Unit (DFU) said the devices had more than two petabytes - 2,000 terabytes - of data involved in offences which included drugs, child abuse, murder and terrorism.The force said the number of mobile phones investigated had risen by 200% over the past two years and the volume of data had doubled over three years.Alison Hernandez, Devon and Cornwall's Police and Crime Commissioner, said more digital forensic officers were needed to keep up with demand.Hernandez said courses at Plymouth Marjon University were helping bridge the gap as the "ever-increasing expansion of technology" continued.The university updated its criminology and forensic courses with the introduction of a forensic investigation degree-level course, along with a digital forensics module."Digital evidence plays a significant role in the majority of police investigations and is vital in helping arrest and convict offenders and give victims justice. The volume of that work is growing all the time," Hernandez said."It was wonderful to see how the university has responded to this demand by creating a new course specifically aimed at boosting recruitment…

Warning over dumped batteries after Devon bin lorry fire

Post published:October 14, 2025

Devon and Somerset Fire ServiceSeveral firefighting crews were called out to the incident in AxminsterResidents are being reminded to dispose of lithium-ion batteries properly after a blaze in a bin lorry.Devon and Somerset Fire Service crews were called to Millwey Rise Industrial Estate in Axminster at about 07:40 BST after reports of a "small waste fire" from the vehicle's driver.Firefighters from Chard, along with crews from Charmouth and Bridport in Dorset, extinguished a blaze after the contents of the lorry were removed. No injuries were reported.Biffa, which owns the lorry, said the cause of the blaze was unknown but it had seen a "growing number" of fires involving lithium-ion batteries.The waste management firm said the batteries, often found in products such as vapes, laptops, mobile phones and decorations for Halloween and Christmas, can burst into flames when crushed in the back of a truck or at a waste site."They must not be put in your general waste bin or your recycling bin," a spokesperson said."Instead, look for special vape and battery bins found in many shops, supermarkets and household waste recycling centres."Some councils also offer kerbside collections."Firefighters from Devon and Somerset have dealt with several blazes involving lithium-ion batteries.On 2 July,…

Three-vehicle crash on A30 Devoran roundabout

Post published:October 14, 2025

A liquid waste tanker has overturned in an accident on a roundabout on the A39 between Truro and Falmouth.Devon and Cornwall Police said three vehicles had been involved in the collision in Devoran at about 09:45 BST on Tuesday.They said one driver had been released from their vehicle and, although injuries were not currently known, they were not believed to be life-threatening.The road was closed at the top of Carnon Downs carriageway and police asked drivers to avoid the area while emergency services worked at the scene, although at 12:20 traffic monitoring service Inrix reported traffic was coping well. Source link

Woman’s death in Camelford treated as suspicious by police

Post published:October 14, 2025

Police have confirmed that one of two deaths at a property in Camelford is being treated as suspicious.Emergency services were called to Treclago View at about 22:00 BST on 24 September after a report of a concern for welfare.Husband and wife Anthony Buxton, 71, and Michelle Buxton, 69, were pronounced dead at the scene.Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed that Mrs Buxton's death was being treated as suspicious, that both fatalities were linked, and officers were not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident. Source link

‘Furniture scammers left me on antidepressants and unable to sleep’

Post published:October 14, 2025

Furniture 'crooks' scammed families out of £1,000sFamilies have been sharing their anguish after "crooks" working at a mobility furniture firm persuaded them to spend thousands of pounds.Gwen Farler, 84, from near Bridgwater in Somerset, said she was "bullied by crooks" into buying a £5,000 bed they falsely claimed was custom-made to suit her sick husband's needs.She said: "I often slept on the sofa in the lounge as the bed they sold us was awful. The stress kept me awake at night and I ended up going to the doctors and taking antidepressants."The company's former owner Peter Kitson has since been jailed after his firm, The Mobility Furniture Company, conned vulnerable customers across the UK out of £65,000.Ms Farler was one of 20 victims whose evidence was used by Trading Standards South West to bring the prosecution.She continued: "We were really duped. I had four mattress toppers on it to make the £5,000 bed sleep-able. "The salesman measured our height and weight. But when it came it was not custom-made and didn't really fit into the space we wanted it."Ms Farler purchased the bed in 2015 because her husband, who died in 2018, needed a mattress that was adjustable as he had…

FA Cup: Weston-super-Mare ‘excited’ for Aldershot tie in first round

Post published:October 14, 2025

Weston-super-Mare are yet to concede at home across seven matches and more than 10 and a half hours in all competitions this season, including a 1-0 final qualifying round victory over seventh-tier Needham Market on Saturday in new boss Scott Rogers' first match in charge."Our home defensive record has been impeccable so far," said Dawes, speaking after players and fans watched the televised first round draw at the club's 3,500-capacity Optima Stadium."Hopefully, we can keep it intact between now and the [tie] and beyond. "It should be a really good day for the club. Aldershot will bring a few fans, we'll have a lot of fans."I know a couple of people at Aldershot, so I've been messaging them. We're really excited."We were really close [last season against Rovers] - we'd have had a replay down at our place if we'd played the year before, but that's no longer the format."That will suit us this year, if it goes all the way. With our fans behind us, extra time and penalties will be an advantage."Aldershot lifted last season's FA Trophy but have won just one of their past nine league matches, with manager Tommy Widdrington resigning on Monday after two-and-a-half years at…

Bridport stalking dog sculpture reinstalled after appeal

Post published:October 14, 2025

Bridport Town CouncilCrowdfunding supporters attended the unveiling of the recast sculptureA popular sculpture of a dog has been reinstalled after a crowdfunding appeal to get it recast.Stalking Dog, by Greta Berlin, was removed from the weir outside Palmers Brewery in Bridport in May after corrosion made it unsafe.The dog, based on Berlin's family pet, Queenie, had been displayed as part of the Bridport art trail.Campaigners raised more than £6,000 to get it recast in resin and, on Monday, a ceremony was held to unveil the replica.Bridport Town CouncilQueenie was unveiled by writer Ros Huxley, mayor Anne Rickard and sculptor Greta BerlinArt trail curator Cleo Evans and author Ros Huxley launched the crowdfunder, with the support of the sculptor and local businesses.The original was returned to the artist for repairs before a specialist mould maker cast a new version of Queenie.A spokesperson for Bridport Town Council said: "It was Cleo and Ros's energy, creativity, and sheer persistence that made this possible."Without them, she wouldn't be back in place."Thanks to the generosity of the community, including many of whom attended an unveiling on Monday, the target was reached ahead of time."Neil BarnesThe dog stands above the weir outside Palmers BreweryThe town council also…

Truro homes protected from floods ‘for next 30 years’

Post published:October 14, 2025

Environment AgencyThe new gates were installed in August 2024 using a 400-tonne craneNew flood defence gates to protect 185 properties in Cornwall are "fully operational", the Environment Agency (EA) says. The EA said the "major infrastructure refurbishment project" would secure the city's flood defences for the next 30 years.It added that the engineering project, which began in April 2024, involved replacing the existing gates which had "reached the end of their serviceable life".Operations manager Andrew Houghton said: "This project represents a significant investment in Truro's flood resilience. The barrier and its controls are more reliable, meaning we can ensure effective flood risk management for the community into the future."'Reliable' flood protectionThe EA said the newly-refurbished tidal barrier formed a "critical part of Truro's comprehensive flood risk management system", working alongside the Idless and New Mills dams to reduce risk to commercial and residential properties in the city centre.It said the new gates themselves were successfully installed in August 2024 using a 400-tonne crane, with work afterwards to make them operational.Philip Ramsay, an operations director for contractor Kier, said the team was "proud" to have been involved in the refurbishment."We've applied innovative techniques and experience from other sectors to make these gates…