Hundreds of December drink and drug drivers arrested in the West

Post published:December 17, 2025
Post category:BBC Somerset
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Chris LockyerWest of EnglandPA MediaDrink and drug driving offences are slightly up on last yearMore than 200 arrests have been made in the first two weeks in December by police forces in the West of England for drink or drug driving offences.It is part of action over the festive period to tackle the offence on the roads of Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.Officers have been conducting roadside checks, warning drivers there is "no safe way" to drink and…

£760m scheme to ‘dramatically reduce’ sewage spills in south west

Post published:December 17, 2025
Post category:BBC Cornwall
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Kirk EnglandSouth West environment and tourism correspondent, DawlishBBCGraham Murphy, director of engineering at SWW said the project in Dawlish will make a "massive difference" to the number of sewage spillsA £760m project is aiming to "dramatically reduce" sewage spills at beaches in Devon and Cornwall, South West Water (SWW) has said.Construction is under way at locations including Dawlish and Falmouth for the scheme which the company said would cut discharges at key bathing water and shellfish sites over…

Police are urging sports clubs to be vigilant following break-ins

Post published:December 17, 2025
Post category:Devon News
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Sports clubs are being urged to be vigilant following recent break-ins which involved high-value machinery being stolen.An orange 2024 Kubota ride-on lawn mower and trailer worth £30,000, was taken from Ogwell Football Club after a storage area was broken into overnight on 12 December.Hours later on 13 December, burglars broke into a lock-up at Bude Town Football Club and stole a new Holland Boomer 25 Compact tractor, valued at £16,500.PC Neil Sommerfeld said: "These burglaries are the latest…

Barnstaple ‘hero’ honoured at Christmas tree festival

Post published:December 16, 2025
Post category:Devon News
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BBCLisa Wilson said she is so proud of her son's legacy A "hero" who saved nine lives through donating his organs has been honoured at a Christmas tree festival with a special display.To mark the ten-year anniversary since Tom Wilson's death, his mother Lisa Wilson has made baubles featuring his face to hang in his hometown's church.Tom, from Barnstaple in Devon, died after being hit on the back of the head with a hockey stick during a training…

Devon and Exeter pre-Christmas hospital strike goes ahead after “too little, too late” from health secretary Wes Streeting

Post published:December 16, 2025
Post category:Exeter Observer
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A five-day strike by resident doctors in England – formerly known as junior doctors – is taking place from Wednesday 17 to Monday 22 December after British Medical Association members rejected an offer from health secretary Wes Streeting as “too little, too late”.The strike involves resident doctors from the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust which operates hospitals across the county including Exeter Community Hospital in Whipton, Nightingale Hospital in Sowton and the Royal Devon and Exeter…

Devon And Exeter Pre-Christmas Hospital Strike Goes Ahead After Too Little, Too Late From Health Secretary Wes Streeting – Exeter Observer

Post published:December 16, 2025
Post category:Devon News Exeter

Devon And Exeter Pre-Christmas Hospital Strike Goes Ahead After Too Little, Too Late From Health Secretary Wes Streeting – Exeter Observer

A five-day strike by resident doctors in England – formerly known as junior doctors – is taking place from Wednesday 17 to Monday 22 December after British Medical Association members rejected an offer from health secretary Wes Streeting as “too little, too late”. The strike involves resident doctors from the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS

Cheltenham A&E closing for five days amid doctors’ strikes

Post published:December 16, 2025
Post category:BBC Somerset
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Daisy BodkinGloucestershire BBCThe department will reopen once the strike ends on the 22nd of DecemberAn A&E department is closing for five days as doctors strike across the country.Cheltenham General Hospital's emergency department will shut between 20:00 GMT on Tuesday until 08:00 on Monday. The site will instead be used as a minor injury unit from Wednesday until Sunday.Dr Ananthakrishnan Raghuram, the hospital's chief medical Officer, said: "This is a difficult time... but we're ready, we're prepared and we…

Probe as drone footage appears to show illegal fox hunt

Post published:December 16, 2025
Post category:BBC Somerset
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Paul BarltropWest of England political editorSomerset Hunt Saboteurs released drone footage showing hounds repeatedly pursuing a foxPolice have launched an investigation after footage appears to show a fox being illegally hunted. Somerset Hunt Saboteurs released drone footage appearing to show hounds repeatedly pursuing a fox, with members of the Vale of Taunton and Banwell Harriers Hunt nearby.Avon and Somerset Police is investigating the video and has also hosted a meeting with several local hunts to remind them of…

Teenage boy arrested in Worle on suspicion of murdering girl, 9

Post published:December 16, 2025
Post category:BBC Somerset
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Sarah TurnnidgeWest of England BBCPolice say a teenage boy has been arrested in Worle, North Somerset A teenage boy has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a nine-year-old girl.Police were called to Lime Close in the Mead Vale area of Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, at 18:09 GMT on Monday, where the girl was pronounced dead at the scene. The boy was arrested in nearby Worle at 18:19 and is currently in police custody. House-to-house inquiries are being carried out,…

Triple gold European medals for green-minded running star Innes Fitzgerald

Post published:December 16, 2025
Post category:Exeter Uni News
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Exeter student running sensation Innes Fitzgerald has won gold at the European Cross-Country Championships, bagging her a triple gold win in her age bracket. On Sunday, Innes, 19, won the 4.5k race in Lagoa, Portugal for a third consecutive year, this year with a time of 14.35. Her 32-second lead is the biggest margin of victory in women’s under 20 racing in the history of the events. It caps a year that has seen the rising star smash…

Dinah’s Hollow landslip road to close for a year for safety work

Post published:December 16, 2025
Post category:BBC Dorset
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A stretch of road affected by landslips will close for a year for stabilisation works.Work on the C13 at Dinah's Hollow, near Shaftesbury, Dorset, will start on 5 January and the road will remain closed for most of 2026.Dorset Council previously said there was a risk of a fatality at the site 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…

Apology after St Austell fuel contamination causes breakdowns

Post published:December 16, 2025
Post category:BBC Cornwall
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A petrol station has apologised after motorists in Cornwall were affected by a fuel contamination incident.EG On The Move said a number of customers had experienced vehicle breakdowns after purchasing fuel from its St Austell Services site on Penwinnick Road.The company said there had been an oversight during a recent pump installation by an engineer which led to the issue.It added customers who believed they had been affected by the incident should send an email to constructionclaims@penunderwriting.com with…