Bristol Post

BRISTOL LIGHT FESTIVAL GETS UNDER WAY

THE Bristol Light Festival got under way on Thursday night – bringing a much-needed splash of colour to the winter cityscape. The festival takes place across the city until February 28 – with installations in place from Clifton to Cabot Circus car...

‘VIVA AVIVA ARENA!’

THE name of Bristol’s longawaited arena has been announced. The 20,000-seater venue will be called Aviva Arena following a major deal with the UK insurance giant. The details of the transaction have not been disclosed but it is understood it is a...

BLOW FOR BUS CAMPAIGNERS

WEST of England Metro Mayor Helen Godwin has dealt a blow to all those who have campaigned for years for the region’s buses to be brought back into public control, after she said she would need to create a region-wide council tax precept to pay for...

‘48 HOURS TO LEAVE, OR FACE EVICTION’

PEOPLE living in caravans on a Bristol street have been told to leave by tomorrow or face eviction. Bristol City Council has secured a court order to force van dwellers to leave Goodneston Road in Fishponds after a raft of complaints and a spate of...

‘‘ SAFETY FEAR AT HARBOUR

THE Cascade Steps ferry landing stage at the top of Bristol Floating Harbour is rotting and needs replacing urgently. And it has emerged that a member of the public fell partway through the wooden structure back in 2022, but only now has the city...

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Court Nursery worker guilty of abusing kids in his care

ABRISTOL nursery worker is facing jail after being found guilty of multiple sexual offences against children in his care. Nathan Bennett, 30, was convicted at Bristol Crown Court of eight charges including rape, sexual assault and assault by...

Knife crime ‘Don’t let children become desensitised’

YOUTH campaigners fear young people risk becoming desensitised to knife violence. Martin Bisp, chief executive and co-founder of Empire Fighting Chance, a Bristol boxing charity which uses programmes to help young people impacted by inequality and...

Parks Commercial dog walkers and fitness coaches must get licences

EXERCISE and dog-walking businesses operating in Bristol’s parks risk £500 fines if they fail to get a licence. From April, organisations running paid-for activities in green spaces must hold a Parks Business Licence costing up to £960 to operate...

Lotto win is like ‘help from above’

A MUM and hairdresser from Bristol has spoken about how her Set For Life lottery win feels like “help from above” after a very difficult few years. Emma Parkins, 46, won £10,000 every month for a year after matching five main numbers in The National...

SEVEN HELD IN MURDER PROBE

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Housing How far is too far from a train station?

THE largest train station in the West Country is a kilometre away from Princess Street, where developers want to build hundreds of homes – but they were told this was too far away for future residents to walk to public transport. Galliard Apsley...

Hydrotherapy tubs Sisters launch city’s first dedicated spa for babies

BRISTOL’S love affair with spas dates back hundreds of years with well-heeled folk flocking to take the waters at the Hotwells resort during Georgian times. And now it seems the pursuit is attracting a very new generation of fans. The city has...

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MAN , 21 , ‘WANTED TO BE AN ISLAMIC STATE MARTYR’

A SUSPECTED Islamic State extremist from Bristol is accused of travelling to a terrorist stronghold in Somalia with the hope of becoming a “martyr on the battlefield”, a court has heard. Mohammed Mohamoud, 21, who lives in Horfield, allegedly plotted...

Transport No Weca funding for Park Street plans

ACONTROVERSIAL plan to ban cars from driving through Park Street has been blocked by the West of England metro mayor. But Bristol City Council could still press ahead with the scheme, which would stop through-traffic from using the shopping street, to...

MUM IN CALL FOR PRISON PHONE CRACKDOWN

THE mother of one of two best friends murdered in Bristol has launched a petition calling for a crackdown on young offenders using mobile phones in prison. Nikki Knight said her family is being “continuously harassed” by the teenagers who killed her...

It’s Prince Wheel-iam

THE Prince of Wales was visibly impressed by Bristol’s “incredible” achievements in sustainability and innovation – and revealed he is using some of the technology in his own home. William carried out three separate engagements across the city...

Artist brings the sunshine inside

AN art installation inspired by the sun has appeared at Jubilee Swimming Pool in Bristol. Helios, named after the ancient Greek mythological god who personified the sun, was created by acclaimed artist Luke Jerram. The sculpture measures five metres...

Labour call for flags to be removed from posts across city

BRISTOL City Council’s opposition Labour has called for England and Union flags unlawfully attached to lampposts to be taken down. The Green-led local authority took the decision not to routinely remove flags, which started to go up last summer,...

SCHOOL: WE DID NOT BAN JEWISH MP

ABRISTOL school has insisted it did not ban a Jewish MP and only rearranged his visit to avoid disruption to pupils from a planned protest. Damien Egan, who represents Bristol North East, was meant to visit the Bristol Brunel Academy in September....

CYCLIST KILLED IN ‘HIT AND RUN’

A MALE cyclist has been killed in a suspected hit and run in Bedminster. The crash took place in North Street yesterday lunchtime and roads around the area were closed to allow investigations to take place. Last night police revealed they had...

HOSPITALS IN PLEA TO PUBLIC OVER A&E

A POLICE officer has gone on trial accused of causing death by dangerous driving. Matthew Pike, 38, an Avon and Somerset Police constable, faces two charges relating to the death of Keryl Johnson at Newfoundland Circus, in Bristol city centre, in...

‘OUR BROTHER WAS LEFT TO ROT’

AN investigation is under way after a man died at a Bristol homeless shelter and his body was not discovered for a week, despite his family reporting him missing to the charity running the hostel and to the police. Avon and Somerset Police has...

ROVERS ‘EXPLORING’ MOVE FROM MEM

BRISTOL Rovers are considering leaving the Memorial Stadium after studies into redeveloping the ground returned significant issues. Chairman Hussain AlSaeed revealed the club is now assessing other options if expanding the current site proves...

CITY TOLD TO FIND ROOM FOR 5,000 EXTRA HOMES

BRISTOL will have to find sites for 5,265 more homes than the tens of thousands already pencilled in over the next 15 years, a Government-appointed inspector has told city planners in a damning review of its Local Plan. The review means Bristol City...

POLICE SWOOP ON NEW YEAR RAVES

POLICE officers came under attack as they tried to shut down a New Year’s Eve rave in St Philips. The event was one of three raided, with a combined attendance of more than 1,000 people. Last night police revealed they had made a number of arrests...

TERROR AS CASH AND GOLD SNATCHED IN ARMED RAID

GOLD and cash was stolen from a safe by four masked men who broke into a property in Bristol. The aggravated burglary happened on Park Road, Stapleton, at around 12am on Wednesday, August 20. Gold and cash was stolen from a safe as the men threatened...

‘CALCULATING’ PAIR JAILED FOR RAPING VULNERABLE WOMAN

TWO sexual predators have been found guilty of raping a vulnerable woman at a Bristol guest house six years ago. Riaz Muhammed, 51, from Easton, and Muhammed Zahid, 46, from St Phillips, have been jailed following an eight-day trial at Bristol Crown...

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‘NOBODY’S HAPPY WITH CITY’S TRANSPORT SYSTEM’

TACKLING the city’s housing crisis and terrible congestion - along with further transport issues - will be high up in the priority for 2026 for the leader of Bristol City Council. Green Councillor Tony Dyer said several major regeneration projects will...

ROGUE BUILDER CONNED VICTIMS OUT OF MORE THAN £1.25M

ONE of Britain’s worst rogue builders has been jailed after fleecing dozens of customers out of more than £1.25 million. Mark Killick, who was known to his customers as Marc Cole, dishonestly took payments from customers – including some in Bristol –...

DOUBLE MURDER DRIVER HAD BEEN STOPPED WITH MACHETE IN CAR

Antony Snook, who in his defence in court claimed he’d never been around such weapons

U-TURN OVER BUS GATE

SOME of the key aspects of the controversial East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood are being scrapped - following public feedback. Bristol City Council has announced some of the bus gates, bollards and ‘modal filter’ planters around Barton Hill will be...

DOCTORS STRIKE AS FLU BITES

BRISTOL’S resident doctors walked out yesterday for the first of five days in the run up to Christmas. The strike – over pay and conditions – comes amid a “significant rise” of flu in the city with around 100 people in local hospitals as a...

‘MY SON WENT ON HOLIDAY HAPPY AND HEALTHY, BUT NEVER CAME HOME’

ACORONER has criticised the conduct of a carer who argued with an autistic man hours before he died. Jamie Cole, 25, a shop assistant who lived on Greville Road in Bedminster, fell to his death from a hotel balcony in Tenerife following a row with his...

CONCERNS OVER ‘MEANWHILE SITE’ PLANS FOR VANS

SAFETY fears have been expressed over so-called “meanwhile sites” where an exodus of people living in caravans on the Downs could soon be sent to. Claims have emerged at one of bullying, harassment, a dog bite and a knife attack, with scant support...

HUNT FOR FOUR AFTER WAREHOUSE RAID

BRISTOL Museum bosses say they have tightened security after more than 600 items were stolen in a “high value” heist. The raid took place on September 25 but had been kept quiet until a police appeal was launched yesterday. Four men are believed to...

Council moves to reassure community groups despite price rises

COMMUNITY groups will be hit by price increases when they hire out city-owned venues for major events, the leader of the council has confirmed, as it is confirmed a fourth community group has been affected by a decision to corporatise the spaces. But...

QUEEN IN CITY FOR BOTTLEYARD TOUR OF NEW ‘RIVALS 2’ SET:

THE Queen met the cast and crew behind the dramatisation of her late friend Dame Jilly Cooper’s bestseller Rivals, expressing sadness that a woman who meant so much to her was not there. During a behind-the-scenes tour of Bottleyard Studios in Bristol...

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Pop into Holland & Barrett while you’re out enjoying the festive season and pick up a free pack of Iron & Vitamin C tablets a simple way to help reduce tiredness and support your energy as we step into the first days of winter. These high-quality...

The one we’ve bean waiting for...

IT’S the giant pantomime we’ve all BEAN (sorry!) waiting for... The Bristol Hippodrome’s pantos are always a highlight of the Christmas calendar, and this year audiences are in for a gigantic treat as an all-star cast present Jack and The...

HARBOUR SAFETY PLEA

THE city council has issued a safety plea after the latest “tragic” death at Bristol harbour but stopped short of announcing any new physical measures to keep the public safe. PC Rehaan Akhtar, 28, was recovered from the water on the morning of...

SHOCK AS STUDENT STABBED TO DEATH

THE family of a Bristol student who was stabbed to death have asked for help to repatriate his body back to India. Vijay Kumar, 30, was found at around 4.15am on Barbourne Road, Worcester, on November 25. He was taken to hospital with serious...

Thousands join fight to save Bristol Blue Glass –

THOUSANDS of people have signed a petition calling for urgent action to save a historic glassmaking company from homelessness. Bristol Blue Glass faces an uncertain future as the lease on its Brislington premises is due to expire in February. A...

ARRESTS IN SILENT PROTEST OUTSIDE CITY HALL

POLICE in Bristol who arrested 30 people for silently holding up signs – including a former adviser to the King – said they tried to explain to them that what the sign said constituted a criminal offence before taking them into custody. The mass...

SLUM VAN-LORD PROBE

ASILVER Range Rover has been spotted dropping off caravans on the Downs in the middle of the night. Several of the caravans which are parked around the Downs appear to be rented out to the tenants living there, with a few landlords potentially “making...

‘In just three seconds you chose to deprive us of years of love, dreams, memories, hopes, achievements, milestones and joy’

THE mother of Eddie Kinuthia came face-to-face with his killer yesterday – bravely setting out the impact of his crimes and calling on him to encourage his followers to find a better path. Irene Muthemba, the mother of Eddie Kinuthia, told Zacharia...

BODY FOUND IN SEARCH FOR MISSING MAN

POLICE searching for a “passionate” Welsh footballer who went missing following a night out in Bristol city centre have recovered a body from the harbour. Rehaan Akhtar, 28, was last seen near the Arnolfini at 1.05am on Sunday. The 28-year-old, from...

WITNESS APPEAL AFTER MAN SERIOUSLY HURT IN STREET ASSAULT

POLICE are investigating a serious assault on a busy street in Bristol on Saturday morning. Officers were called to the scene on Ashley Road by the ambulance service at around 5.30am. The police later confirmed that one person was in hospital in a...

GROOMING GANG PROBE: SEVEN IN COURT

WATER FIRM FACES £11M FINE

WESSEX Water should be fined £11million, regulator Ofwat has said. The watchdog said failures by the company, which is responsible for Bristol’s sewage, had resulted in polluting spills from storm overflows. Ofwat stressed the company would not be...

‘TEN STRANDS OF EVIDENCE’

AMAN accused of the murder of teenager Eddie Kinuthia in St Pauls two and a half years ago has 10 different pieces of circumstantial evidence that incriminate him, prosecutors told the jury at his trial yesterday. Zacharia Talbert-Young is accused of...

DEALER’S ‘LIFE OF LUXURY’ OVER

THE luxurious lifestyle of the “greedy” boss of a Bristol drugs ring has come to an end. Joe Hatherall was found to have played a “leading role” in a lucrative operation involved in the supply of class A drugs across the South West. Hatherall, along...

Mamma Mia! Look what’s coming back...

HERE we go again!… Mamma Mia!, the ultimate feel-good musical phenomenon that was penned here in Bristol, is singing, strutting, and sparkling its way back into the city this month. The enchanting and surprisingly moving tale of family and friendship,...

SCHOOL STAFF ON STRIKE ACROSS CITY

ADOZEN schools across Bristol were either closed or partially closed yesterday as a strike by support staff took place. The teaching assistants, special needs assistants, admin, lunchtime and catering staff at all 12 schools run by the Bristol-based...

‘WE NEED TO CUT TRAFFIC’

THE new leader of the Green Party came to Bristol, pledged to fight hard to win more Westminster seats in the city, and defended the Green-run city council’s performance since they took over 18 months ago. Zack Polanski also called out people who put...

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DEFEND YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW.

Plans for licensed premises in your neighbourhood could be hidden from view if new government proposals for secret alcohol licensing notices get the green light.

‘LIKE A PUNCH IN THE STOMACH’

TWO people jailed for the killing of a young Kingswood rapper at a 16th birthday party have had their manslaughter convictions quashed at the Court of Appeal. Cartel Bushnell and Leo Knight were sentenced to nine years and nine and a half years...

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Major blow for blue glass firm

BRISTOL’S last blue glass company may shut after being forced to move – bringing an end to a tradition dating back more than two centuries. The famous glassware has been made in the city since the 18th century. But now Original Bristol Blue Glass is...

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‘MONSTER’ PAEDO USED VIDEO GAMES TO TARGET VICTIMS

A“CALCULATING” paedophile who groomed children he met through video games has been jailed. Kieran Francis, of Fishponds Road, has been sent to prison for five years after admitting to messaging and grooming children. The 22-year-old used video games...

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IT’S TIME FOR US TO BE A ‘CHRONIC PAIN’ TO COUNCIL

PEOPLE complaining about more than 100 caravan and van-dwellers living on The Downs have been asked for £40,000 to help start a legal battle to force the city council to move them on. And the chairman of Protect the Downs, a group of residents set up...

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ARE you in need of some spending money for Christmas, or fancy treating yourself to something new? We’ve got the ideal prize for you. We are giving readers the chance to win £200 of shopping vouchers. There are five prizes up for grabs. Just think of...

DOWNS CHARGES TO RAISE £200K A YEAR

» PARKING charges will be introduced on the Downs under plans to raise money in Bristol City Council’s annual budget. The new pay-and-display meters are expected to bring in £200,000 a year after their introduction from April 2027, while another...