Summary

  • News, sport, travel and weather updates for the West of England on Tuesday, 1 August 2017

  1. Good night from Local Livepublished at 21:55 BST 1 August 2017

    That's it for Tuesday!

    We'll be back from 7am tomorrow with all the latest news, sport, weather and travel updates from across the West.

    Have a great rest of your evening. Here's Ian Fergusson with the weather forecast.

    Media caption,

    Watch: Ian Fergusson with the weather forecast

  2. One of the naughtiest pooches in the West?published at 21:36 BST 1 August 2017

    Media caption,

    Watch: Buster the dog's owners still love him dearly

    Buster the beagador (a beagle and labrador mix) is a troublesome pooch from Salisbury.

    He has an appetite for £20 notes, and furniture, and appliances, and plenty of other things.

    He's cost his owners around £10,00 to fix the damage he's caused, but they say they still love him dearly.

  3. Gurkha guard of honour for the world's oldest skydiverpublished at 21:13 BST 1 August 2017

    Media caption,

    Watch: Verdun Hayes presented with his certificate

    A D-Day veteran from Somerton has been presented with a Guinness World Records certificate.

    101-year old Verdun Hayes became the oldest person ever to skydive when he jumped out of a plane at 15,000 feet over Blackdown Hills on the Somerset/Devon border.

    Mr Hayes was greeted by a Gurkha guard of honour at Royal British Legion's Somerset House when he received his award.

  4. Several officers injured in Erlestoke Prison disturbancepublished at 20:40 BST 1 August 2017

    Media caption,

    Watch: The BBC's Will Glennon reports from Erlestoke Prison

    Several prison officers have been treated in hospital after a disturbance at Erlestoke jail in Wiltshire.

    The violence broke out this morning - only days after a report which criticised conditions inside the prison.

    The Prison Officer Assoication's Mark Fairhurst said officers are working in "atrocious conditions".

  5. Care across the generationspublished at 20:16 BST 1 August 2017

    A group of preschool children in Bristol have taken part in a social experiment to transform the lives of the elderly.

    Eleven residents at St Monica Trust care home and 10 children from local nurseries feature in a Channel 4 documentary tonight.

    Based on the latest research from the US, the young volunteers shared activities with the older residents, while their physical and mental health was monitored.

    Media caption,

    A social experiment saw children and the elderly brought together at a residential home.

  6. Tewkesbury Festival Lyme Disease warningpublished at 19:51 BST 1 August 2017

    Tick
    Image caption,

    Lyme Disease is a tick-borne infection

    The organisers of this year's Tewkesbury Medieval Festival are warning anyone who attended the event this year to look out for Lyme Disease symptoms.

    They say two members of a group who attended the festival on 8/9 July have had confirmation that they were infected with Lyme Disease from insect bites they received there.

    Anyone who thinks they may have it are being urged to visit their GP for a blood test immediately.

    Quote Message

    This is a nasty disease which can be debilitating and can cause serious symptoms (including memingitis) for years if it goes undiagnosed, but if caught at a fairly early stage is easy to cure with antibiotics.

    Tewkesbury Festival, Spokesperson

  7. Prison officer chief calls working conditions 'atrocious'published at 19:32 BST 1 August 2017

    Media caption,

    Watch: Mark Fairhust calls working conditions "atrocious"

    A disturbance at Erlestoke Prison is being described as "a major incident" by the acting chair of the Prison Officers Association Mark Fairhurst.

    Five officers are believed to have been seriously injured.

    Mr Fairhurst said prison officers work in "atrocious" conditions of any sector and added "we cannot sustain what is happening to our members much longer".

  8. Cheltenham Town season preview: Gary Johnson 'on your case 24-7' says playerpublished at 19:06 BST 1 August 2017

    As the new season approaches, we go behind the scenes with Cheltenham Town boss Gary Johnson.

    He reveals how he aims to help the club punch above its weight, while players tell why he motivates them for the next game.

    Media caption,

    CTFC boss Gary Johnson "on your case 24-7" says player.

  9. Minor injuries unit to close 'once waiting times hit four hours'published at 18:46 BST 1 August 2017

    Hospital ward genericImage source, PA

    A two-month trial has begun at the minor injuries unit in Yate, which will close once waiting times hit four hours.

    The unit, run by Sirona Care and Health, said patients preferred not to wait four hours but get help elsewhere.

    Director of Nursing Operations Jenny Theed said: "They're saying they would rather not wait and by doing this we think we'll provide a better service."

    She added that a recent pilot showed the unit re-opened within two hours once nurses had caught up with demand.

  10. Pub's house martin chicks: 'We haven't given up'published at 18:15 BST 1 August 2017

    Media caption,

    Watch: Emma Atkins says they won't give up on the chicks

    Emma Atkins and her daughter are caring for three house martin chicks who lost their nest when it fell from the eaves of a pub in Pill, North Somerset.

    She says the birds haven't given up, so "we haven't give up".

  11. Bugs left homeless by vandalspublished at 17:48 BST 1 August 2017

    WIltshire Police are appealing for witnesses after a project by a cub scout group was vandalised.

    A month ago, the 1st Lavington Cub Scouts spent an evening constructing a ‘bug hotel’ in the small copse between Market Lavington and Easterton.

    But yesterday, Scout leaders discovered the project had been destroyed.

    Police community coordinator PC Teresa Herbert said: “This group of young children put a lot of hard work into the project and were very proud of their achievement. They are really sad that the project has been destroyed, and angry at this pointless and spiteful act of vandalism."

    Police want anyone who might have information about the crime to call 101.

    Bug hotelImage source, Wiltshire Police
    Bug hotel ruinedImage source, Wiltshire Police
  12. Erlestoke Prison disturbance 'a major incident'published at 17:07 BST 1 August 2017

    Erlestoke Prison

    The disturbance at Erlestoke Prison we reported earlier is being described as "a major incident".

    Acting chair of the Prison Officers Association Mark Fairhurst said around 60 prisoners were involved in a disturbance on the Silbury Unit at the prison this morning which was brought under control at 1:00pm.

    Five officers are believed to have been seriously injured. The Ministry of Justice confirmed that a number of prison officers have been taken hospital and are currently being treated.

  13. Nail bar trafficking and slavery arrests in Bristolpublished at 16:39 BST 1 August 2017

    Nails being filedImage source, bbc

    Four people have been arrested on suspicion of human trafficking and slavery offences following a raid at a nail bar in Bristol.

    Officers launched a search on Monday morning after concerns were raised for the welfare of a woman.

    Avon and Somerset Police said a woman found at a premises in Southmead had been taken to a place of safety.

    Three women, aged 46, 24 and 21, and a man, 18, were arrested on suspicion of trafficking and slavery offences.

    Click here to read more.

  14. Five prison officers 'seriously injured' in Erlestoke disturbancepublished at 16:15 BST 1 August 2017
    Breaking

    Erlestoke Prison

    The Prison Officers' Association says five prison officers were seriously injured in a disturbance at Erlestoke Prison in Wiltshire earlier.

    The officers involved are currently being treated in hospital.

    The POA says two have suspected broken jaws and missing teeth and one female officer has a suspected broken arm.

    A Ministry of Justice spokesman has confirmed that “a number of prison officers have been taken hospital and are being treated at the moment”.

    The MOJ says the incident involved “fewer than 10 prisoners" and a police investigation is now underway.

    Last week the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) published its annual report into the prison. It said a lack of experienced staff remains "a concern" after a riot in 2016.

  15. Archaeologists back at Yeovil Roman villapublished at 15:51 BST 1 August 2017

    Archaeologists from Newcastle University are back in Yeovil today, carrying out more investigations into a fourth century Roman Villa

    Archaeologists from Newcastle University are back in Yeovil, carrying out more investigations into a fourth century Roman Villa.

    Work at the site in Lufton last summer found animal bones, a lady's hairpin and tiny glass beads from a necklace.

    This time the team hopes to find out more about the bath area of the building - which was first excavated in the late 1940s.

    The villa is one of four known Roman villas in the country with a similar structureImage source, Newcastle University
  16. Disturbance at Erlestoke Prisonpublished at 15:29 BST 1 August 2017
    Breaking

    Erlestoke Prison

    Prison officers have quelled a disturbance at Erlestoke jail in Wiltshire earlier today.

    A Prison Service spokesman said staff successfully resolved an incident involving a "small number" of prisoners.

    He added: "The offenders responsible will be referred to the police and could spend longer behind bars."

    Last week the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) published its annual report into the prison. It said a lack of experienced staff remains "a concern" after a riot in 2016.

  17. Mary Berry to judge new BBC cooking contestpublished at 15:09 BST 1 August 2017

    Mary BerryImage source, PA

    The BBC has announced a new TV cookery competition - with Bath-born Mary Berry as the lead judge.

    Britain's Best Cook will be broadcast on BBC One and presented by Claudia Winkleman.

    The BBC said 10 contestants will compete across eight episodes, serving meals that reflect both the modern and classic dishes of British home cooking.

    Click here to read more.

  18. On-the-run sex offenders foundpublished at 14:04 BST 1 August 2017

    Christopher Addison (left) and Scott Noon absconded from HMP Leyhill on ThursdayImage source, Avon and Somerset Police
    Image caption,

    Christopher Addison (left) and Scott Noon absconded from HMP Leyhill on Thursday

    A convicted rapist and a man serving a sentence for sexual assault, who absconded from Leyhill open prison, have been found.

    Christopher Allison, 37 and Scott Noon, 41, were arrested yesterday in the Humberside area.

    A 17-year-old girl and a 41-year-old were also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

    All four remain in police custody.

  19. Quid no quo: Some car parks still don't take new £1 coinpublished at 13:46 BST 1 August 2017

    Wiltshire Council parking meters

    People wanting to park in some Wiltshire Council car parks are still unable to pay using the new £1 coin - more than four months after it entered circulation.

    Some of the machines are yet to be converted, leaving some motorists fuming.

    The sign pictured above was put up in Marlborough High Street in March and is still there now.

    But the council says that replacing the machines early wouldn't be a cost-effective use of taxpayers' money.