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Portland incinerator set to go ahead after court decision

Portland incinerator set to go ahead after court decision

Stephen StaffordSouth of EnglandStop Portland Waste IncineratorCampaigners had taken the case to the Court of Appeal after losing a High Court decision in MarchA planned waste incinerator near Dorset's Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site is set to go ahead following a Court of Appeal decision.The application for the facility at Portland Port was given the go-ahead by the government in September 2024, despite initially being refused by Dorset Council.The court rejected a legal challenge by the Stop Portland…

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Service on Exeter to Waterloo train line to return to normal

Service on Exeter to Waterloo train line to return to normal

South Western RailwayExtremely dry weather conditions had caused problems to the speed and frequency of trains Normal hourly services on a rail route connecting Devon and London are set to resume at the end of November after months of disruption.South Western Railway (SWR) and Network Rail have said they will restore the full West of England Line timetable on Saturday 29 November, connecting Exeter St Davids and London Waterloo.A reduced two-hourly service has operated since August due to…

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Paramedic ‘worried about safety’ in killer’s house in Somerset

Paramedic ‘worried about safety’ in killer’s house in Somerset

Family handoutPaul Wells was killed by his neighbour in Highbridge, Somerset, in 2020A paramedic was concerned about his colleague's safety during a visit to the house of a man who went on to kill his neighbour the same day, an inquest has heard.Richard Matthews, who had severe mental health problems, admitted fatally stabbing his neighbour Paul Wells in Highbridge, Somerset, on 25 June 2020.Andrew Richardson, an operational officer at South Western Ambulance Service, told the inquest that he…

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Somerset man jailed for eight years after raping teenager

Somerset man jailed for eight years after raping teenager

Carys NallyWest of EnglandAvon and Somerset PoliceSam Jones was convicted of three counts of rape against his victimA man has been jailed for eight years after he raped a teenager in a hotel room.Sam Jones, 32, was jailed on Friday at Bristol Crown Court after he was found guilty following a trial in September.Jones, who lived at Preston Road in Yeovil at the time of the offences, was sentenced concurrently for three counts of rape and one count…

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Gold bar ‘worth thousands missing in post’ from Devon

Gold bar ‘worth thousands missing in post’ from Devon

A man has said a gold bar worth thousands of pounds had gone missing in the post. Rob Hobson, from Torquay, said the 100g (0.1kg) gold Britannia bar he bought as an investment had been valued at £9,731 and he had agreed a buyback offer from The Royal Mint. He said he sent it by special delivery with extra insurance - where the maximum compensation is £750 - but it did not arrive at its destination. Royal Mail…

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Cycle centre closes at Lanhydrock in Cornwall

Cycle centre closes at Lanhydrock in Cornwall

A cycle centre at a National Trust site has shut after it was deemed no longer financially viable to operate.The centre at Lanhydrock offered a range of bikes for various ages and abilities.However, National Trust said it must make "careful decisions" about where and how it spends its money.Trails at the site remain open and the charity encouraged visitors to get out in nature and explore the history of Lanhydrock all year round. Source link

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Ferry bill would end ‘rip-off prices’, Isle of Wight MP says

Ferry bill would end ‘rip-off prices’, Isle of Wight MP says

Stephen StaffordSouth of EnglandAndrew Matthews/PA MediaThe MP said there was "no fair competition" in cross-Solent ferry servicesTravellers are "tired" of paying "rip-off prices" for ferry travel to and from an island, an MP has warned in his call for bolstered boat rules.Isle of Wight East MP Joe Robertson introduced the Ferry Services (Integration and Regulation) Bill in the House of Commons, which would bring boat routes throughout the country more in line with railways and buses.The Conservative MP…

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Police investigate reported attack at Bournemouth park

Police investigate reported attack at Bournemouth park

A cordon has been set up at a park as police investigate a reported rape.Dorset Police said a woman, aged in her 30s, reported being attacked by a man in a wooded area off Maxwell Road in Bournemouth at about 21:20 GMT on Wednesday.The force said a detailed investigation was being carried out and the victim was being supported by specially trained officers.Police remain at Winton Recreation Ground carrying out inquiries and urged anyone with information or concerns…

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Missing flamingo spotted flying over estuary

Missing flamingo spotted flying over estuary

A bird spotted flying over an estuary in Cornwall has been confirmed to be missing flamingo Frankie.Frankie escaped from Paradise Park in Hayle on Sunday morning, despite having her wings clipped.The park team confirmed a sighting of a large bird flying over the Hayle estuary at about 12:30 BST on Sunday was the missing flamingo."It helps show how she looks when flying, and she appears much pinker in flight than we expected," the park said.The public has been…

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Peatlands project wins prestigious ERC grant

A project studying the impact of climate change on peatlands has won a prestigious Synergy Grant from the European Research Council. CLIMPEAT (Northern Peatlands in the face of climate warming and abrupt changes) has been awarded €12.5 million over six years. The project will investigate how peatlands in the northern hemisphere respond to climate change and future warming. These peatlands contain huge amounts of carbon and nitrogen which, if released, could amplify global warming. CLIMPEAT is led by…

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Fatal A396 Somerset coach crash reconstruction carried out by police

Fatal A396 Somerset coach crash reconstruction carried out by police

Chloe HarcombeWest of EnglandBBCThe A396 was closed on Wednesday while police carried out a partial reconstruction of a fatal coach crashPolice investigating a fatal school coach crash have conducted a partial reconstruction to help them work out the circumstances which led to the incident.Oliver Price, 10, died of a head injury when a coach carrying Minehead Middle School pupils left the A396 near Wheddon Cross in Somerset and slid down a 6m (20ft) slope on 17 July.Avon and…

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Beaver supermoon captured over the south of England

Beaver supermoon captured over the south of England

ArtickleThe moon was glowing over Crowmarsh Gifford, Oxfordshire, in this picture by BBC Weather Watcher ArticklePhotographers across the south of England have been sharing their pictures of the Beaver supermoon.The largest, brightest Moon of the year rose on Wednesday with many areas of Dorset, Hampshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire lucky enough to have a clear sky.The Beaver Moon was bigger and brighter than earlier supermoons this year due to the fact that it is the closest full Moon to…

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