news

Parents’ plea over closure of Dorchester SEND pre-school

Parents’ plea over closure of Dorchester SEND pre-school

Ros Tappenden andFiona ClampinDorsetLucy CapesLucy and Joel Capes say the closure of the pre-school will have a huge impact on their livesParents of children with special educational needs and disabilities attending a specialist pre-school in Dorset have launched a petition to stop it from closing.The Dorchester Opportunity Group, which has been running for more than 30 years, has announced it will close in December.The charity's trustees said the service was no longer financially viable and, despite discussions with…

Continue ReadingParents’ plea over closure of Dorchester SEND pre-school

Seal entangled in fishing net on west Cornwall beach saved

Seal entangled in fishing net on west Cornwall beach saved

Marine medics have saved the life of a young seal after it became entangled in discarded fishing net which snagged on a mussel bed in shallow water.The grey seal was caught in a mass of net which became caught on the mussel bed, anchoring it down and risking the mammal's life at a beach in west Cornwall on Sunday. British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) said had the tide been coming in, the water would have drowned it.A…

Continue ReadingSeal entangled in fishing net on west Cornwall beach saved

Cornwall Council to sell 37 modular units for homeless

Cornwall Council to sell 37 modular units for homeless

Lee TrewhelaLocal Democracy Reporting ServiceCornwall CouncilThe council bought the units in response to housing pressures during and after the Covid pandemicCornwall Council is set to sell nearly half of a modular home system designed to provide accommodation for single homeless people.The authority said it was looking to sell 37 of its 79 SoloHaus units, adding it would cost about £9m to set them up - a figure which would increase if it had to purchase land.The council bought…

Continue ReadingCornwall Council to sell 37 modular units for homeless

Cyclist beats Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar in uphill race

Cyclist beats Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar in uphill race

Eben Morrish-CroadSomersetAndraz CorelAndrew Feather from Bath was the only rider out of 1,189 cyclists to beat PogačarA 40-year-old cyclist has beaten the four-time Tour de France winner and current world champion in an uphill charity race.Andrew Feather from Bath was the only rider out of 1,189 to beat Tadej Pogačar in a 15km climb in his home country of Slovenia.All the amateur riders were given a six-minute head start by Pogačar, who some commentators believe is the greatest…

Continue ReadingCyclist beats Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar in uphill race

Devon rail link ‘could give £1bn economic boost’ if restored

Devon rail link ‘could give £1bn economic boost’ if restored

The possible reintroduction of a train service between between Barnstaple and Bideford could generate up to £1bn for the local economy, according to a rail group.The Northern Devon Rail Development Partnership is looking at extending the current Tarka line between Exeter and Barnstaple back into Bideford, with a half-hourly service and other improvements to produce the economic benefits by 2040.Roger Blake, of Railfuture, which leads the partnership, said any plans would first "look at restoring the original route…

Continue ReadingDevon rail link ‘could give £1bn economic boost’ if restored

Cornwall Council operations chief resigns after less than a year

Cornwall Council operations chief resigns after less than a year

Cornwall Council's chief operating officer has resigned from the role after less than 12 months.The authority said Alice Gunn, who replaced her predecessor Tracie Langley in January, had stepped down due to "personal family reasons".The role was advertised with a salary of up to £165,000 in August 2024 after Ms Langley retired. In a statement to council staff, chief executive Kate Kennally said Ms Gunn had intended to relocate to Cornwall from Newcastle, but the move had not…

Continue ReadingCornwall Council operations chief resigns after less than a year

Men kick driver’s car in road rage incident near Cornwall school

Men kick driver’s car in road rage incident near Cornwall school

Police have appealed for witnesses after two men kicked and damaged a driver's car door in a road rage incident near a school in Cornwall.Devon and Cornwall Police said the incident happened on the A3047 in Redruth at the traffic lights opposite Redruth School on 8 October at about 21:00 BST.The force said two men, in a suspected white BMW, attempted to drive the motorist off the road before damaging a car door. Police have asked any witnesses…

Continue ReadingMen kick driver’s car in road rage incident near Cornwall school

New town councils for Bournemouth and Poole given go ahead

New town councils for Bournemouth and Poole given go ahead

Tristan PascoeDorset political reporterBBCThe Lib Dems said it would give communities more "identity" and powerNew town councils for Bournemouth, Poole and Broadstone have been approved.The controversial plans were passed at a full council meeting of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council.Three MPs in the area criticised the plans as undemocratic while opposition councillors, including Conservative, Labour, Green, Reform UK and Independents, claimed the new councils were not needed.But the Lib Dems, which helps runs the council under the…

Continue ReadingNew town councils for Bournemouth and Poole given go ahead

Dog rescued after spending the night stranded in Studland

Dog rescued after spending the night stranded in Studland

A dog has been rescued after going missing during a walk and spending the night stranded in a nature reserve.Chihuahua-Jack Russell cross Ozzie disappeared on Thursday night before he was found at Littlesea, a small body of water in the Studland and Godlingston Heath National Nature Reserve in Dorset, on Friday.The Poole Coastguard Rescue Team said a mud rescue was requested because of the soft ground under foot.Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service joined the mission and…

Continue ReadingDog rescued after spending the night stranded in Studland

Bed from ‘crooks’ and ‘unsustainable’ heat pump

Bed from ‘crooks’ and ‘unsustainable’ heat pump

Family pictureGwen Farler, 84, and her late husband had to take out a of loan of £5,000 in 2015 to pay for a custom-made bedHere's our daily pick of stories from across local websites in the West of England, and interesting content from social media.Our pick of local website storiesOur top three from yesterdayWhat to watch on social media Source link

Continue ReadingBed from ‘crooks’ and ‘unsustainable’ heat pump

RNLI reveals plan to move inshore lifeboat build from East Cowes

RNLI reveals plan to move inshore lifeboat build from East Cowes

RNLI/Glyn EllisThe Inshore Lifeboat Centre has a team of up to 70 workers and spans three buildings in East CowesThe RNLI is looking to move from its Isle of Wight site where its builds and maintains its inshore lifeboat fleet after more than 60 years.The Inshore Lifeboat Centre (ILC) in East Cowes supplies and maintains over half of the charity's inflatable B class and D class lifeboats, as well as lifeguards' inshore rescue boats (IRBs).The RNLI said it…

Continue ReadingRNLI reveals plan to move inshore lifeboat build from East Cowes

India’s Himalayan villages slowly reviving decades after conflict | In Pictures News

Published On 15 Oct 202515 Oct 2025Click here to share on social mediashare2ShareDozens of dilapidated stone buildings are all that remain of the once-thriving border village of Martoli, in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand. Nestled in the Johar Valley and surrounded by Himalayan peaks, the most notable being Nanda Devi, once considered the tallest mountain in the world, this village had traded sugar, lentils, spices, and cloth for salt and wool with Tibetans across the border.The nomadic…

Continue ReadingIndia’s Himalayan villages slowly reviving decades after conflict | In Pictures News