county news

BBC Radio Solent launches campaign to collect hygiene products

  • Post category:BBC Dorset
BBC Radio Solent launches campaign to collect hygiene products

Helen Head and Patrick HughesSouth of EnglandBBCBBC Radio Solent's Soapbox Appeal will collect donations at over 50 drop-off points across Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of WightA BBC campaign aims to help charities and community groups by organising drop-off points for toiletries and hygiene items to be donated to people who need extra support.The BBC Radio Solent Soapbox Appeal will collect donations at over 50 drop-off points in Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight across January.They will…

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Devon clog dancers appeal in bid to keep tradition alive

  • Post category:Devon News
Devon clog dancers appeal in bid to keep tradition alive

A clog dancing group in Devon is appealing for new dancers and musicians to join them.The group Plymouth Clog was formed in the 1980s but group members said in recent years their numbers had dwindled.Clog dancing is similar to Morris dancing but the dancers wear wooden clogs on their feet. The group said it would welcome anyone who wanted to give it a try and previous experience of dancing was not required.Plymouth Clog was originally called Plymouth Maids…

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Project to help Atlantic salmon in Devon shows signs of success

  • Post category:Devon News
Project to help Atlantic salmon in Devon shows signs of success

Briohny Williams,South WestandChloe Parkman,South WestBBCThe project near Fernworthy Reservoir has been running for 11 yearsMore than 1,000 tonnes of gravel has been added to a river since 2015 to improve Atlantic salmon populations. South West Water (SWW) and Westcountry Rivers Trust have worked on the project for 11 years to restore spawning habitats at the River Teign, below Fernworthy Reservoir.Olivia Cresswell, head of fisheries and ecology at WRT, said: "Dams and reservoirs reduce the natural supply of gravel…

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Isles of Scilly lifeline cargo vessel repairs to take two months

Isles of Scilly lifeline cargo vessel repairs to take two months

BBCCargo ship Gry Maritha has been taking supplies to the islands since 1982Repairs to the cargo vessel that supplies the Isles of Scilly will take at least eight weeks.The windlass, or winch, which winds the anchor and tightens moorings was damaged on Gry Maritha while at St Mary's harbour in heavy winds on 12 December.The ship was built in 1982 and will still be able to operate but only when winds are below force five on the Beaufort…

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Tamar crossing charges ‘critical’ for commuters

Tamar crossing charges ‘critical’ for commuters

Julia GregoryBBC News, South WestTomasz Maciulewicz/BBCRegular travellers with a Tamar Tag pay discount crossing feesMPs are calling for a rethink to a proposed 150% increase in the monthly fee for the discounted toll and ferry scheme over the Tamar.The proposal would see the Tamar Tag admin cost rise from 80 pence to £2 a month for the service which costs between £15m and 18m a year to run.South East Cornwall MP Anna Gelderd said the increase proposed by…

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Somerset Slinky on-demand bus providing ‘lifeline’ for passengers

Somerset Slinky on-demand bus providing ‘lifeline’ for passengers

BBCThe Slinky Bus in Somerset is an on-demand bus service across the countyA council says it is "determined" to protect an on-demand bus service which provides "a vital lifeline" for its passengers. The Slinky Bus, run by Somerset Council, allows people who do not live near a regular public transport route to ride into town or to the doctors by booking on an app or telephone.It uses existing bus stops and landmarks as pick-up points to connect people…

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Dinah’s Hollow landslip road closes for a year for safety work

  • Post category:BBC Dorset
Dinah’s Hollow landslip road closes for a year for safety work

A stretch of road affected by landslips has closed for stabilisation works, expected to take a year.Dorset Council previously said there was a risk of a fatality on the C13 at Dinah's Hollow, near Shaftesbury, Dorset unless tree felling and stabilisation works went ahead.The road will be closed between Boundary Road and the B3081, with access for residents and emergency services between Boundary Lane and West Lane.The C13 is a key north-south route for Dorset. Previous landslips have…

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Winter wellbeing scheme urges people in Bath to ‘reach out’

Winter wellbeing scheme urges people in Bath to ‘reach out’

Jasmine Ketibuah-FoleyWest of EnglandAlicia CopeAlicia Cope said the charity's new scheme reminds her to check her mental healthA charity volunteer is urging people struggling with their mental health this winter to "reach out for that connection because facing it alone is so, so difficult".As part of their "season to breathe" social media campaign, Bath Mind is sharing tips and support to people in Bath and North East Somerset.A spokesperson for the charity said national data has revealed three…

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Engineers working to restore gas to 4,600 homes in Devon

Engineers working to restore gas to 4,600 homes in Devon

Jonathan MorrisSouth WestWales & West UtilitiesMore than 100 engineers have been called out to reconnect homesA gas company is working to restore supplies after a major outage caused by damage to a mains pipe that has affected thousands of homes and other buildings.Wales and West Utilities (WWU) said every affected property would need a visit from engineers to switch the gas supply off followed by another to turn it back on safely.On Sunday it said the majority of…

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Group hopes to build affordable homes at Watchet’s old paper mill

Group hopes to build affordable homes at Watchet’s old paper mill

Daniel MumbyLocal Democracy Reporting ServiceLocal Democracy Reporting Service Wansborough paper mill in Watchet, Somerset, has stood empty for 10 yearsA community housing company is hoping to transform the site of a former paper mill into affordable rental homes.Base for Life wants to build community-owned properties at Wansborough paper mill in Watchet, Somerset, which was in operation from 1652 to 2015.Previous plans from developers did not come to fruition but Base for Life is hoping to break the deadlock…

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Travel warnings as snow and ice predicted in Devon and Cornwall

Travel warnings as snow and ice predicted in Devon and Cornwall

A yellow warning for ice and snow is in place across Devon and Cornwall, and is scheduled to last until Tuesday. The Met Office has warned of scattered sleet and snow showers, and icy patches which may cause some travel disruption on Sunday, Monday and into Tuesday morning.The ice, sleet and snow warnings start at 12:00 GMT on Sunday and run continuously until 11:00 on Tuesday.Some roads and rail journeys are likely to be affected and there is…

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Historic England status to protect Cornwall and Devon buildings

Historic England status to protect Cornwall and Devon buildings

A train station, a barracks and a dairy are among the 10 buildings in the South West that were granted protected status in 2025.Historic England (HE) listed nine buildings across Devon and one in Cornwall on the National Heritage List for England for their special architectural, historic or archaeological interest.There are more than 400,000 buildings, sites and landscapes on the list and 199 places across England were added to the list over the past year.Claudia Kenyatta and Emma…

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