Local headlines: Womad, unsafe vapes and railways

There is never a dull moment here in the West as things heat up for the summer holidays and the busy festival season.

There is excitement for Womad Festival, in Wiltshire this week. Other local stories covered by local papers and website include unsafe vapes, plans for a heritage railway and a graduation proposal.

WOMAD Festival has a wet start on Thursday, but that did not dampen festival goers spirits.

The Wiltshire and Gloucestershire Standard reported Wiltshire's largest festival was gifted "positive" weather for the rest of the weekend.

B24/7 journalist Gavin Mcnamara said it was "comforting" that WOMAD remains an annual fixture amid "a staggering number of festivals biting the dust this year".

Musician Peter Gabriel first started the event in 1982 at the Bath and West Showground, and showcases music from around the globe.

On Thursday Paula Henderson, programmer at WOMAD, told BBC Radio Wiltshire: "You never know what is going to happen.

"That is the beauty of the festival."

This week Somerset Live reported the The West Somerset Railway, the UK's longest heritage railway line, could soon be directly connected to mainline rail services.

More news in the world of travel, the 13-mile, pier-to-pier cycling and walking path opened up this week.

The Weston Mercury said it consists of "quiet roads and traffic-free sections" and will hopefully "improve tourism" in the area.

Do you know what is in your vape? A video from the University of Bath, on children unknowingly smoking the drug Spice, in vapes labelled as containing "cannabis" or "TCH", got a lot of views this week.

The video, which was reported on by ITV and the Daily Mail, explains how researchers tested various vapes for the substance and shared advice for teachers and parents.

Student-led news provider The Tab discovered graduation day was an extra special celebration for two Bath Spa University (BSU) students.

Sociology graduate Joe proposed to his new fiancée, and BSU alumni Emily, at their graduation afterparty.

Is summertime too early to make Christmas plans? The Swindon Advertiser reported on the new Christmas market coming to Swindon Town Centre this Winter.

It is set to open on 23 November with a light switch-on event.

Tristan Cork from Bristol Live wrote an article about a charity song for a special boy which surpassed singer Kylie in the download charts this week.

Bristol singer-songwriter Daz Sims has been raising money with his song Cowboy Jack, for five-year-old Jack from Somerset, who has stage four high risk neuroblastoma, to get much needed treatment.

Samir Abraham from Weston Mercury reported on Weston-super-Mare AFC forward Alex Fletcher announcing his retirement at the age of 25.

He had only just returned to the sport following a near fatal head injury 2022.

Gloucestershire Live published an article on the plans to review ticket prices for the Tall Ships event.

Gloucester City Council leaders said some of the feedback they received suggested families were being "priced out".