Western Daily Press
Daughter to follow in dad’s tracks at helm of mini railway
CLEVEDON’S beloved miniature railway is set to be restored – with the daughter of the man who ran the iconic Rio Grande train planning to bring it back to the town. The miniature railway which loops around the Salthouse Fields next to Clevedon’s...
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Firm brands campaign of protests ‘deplorable’
BOSSES at a defence company on the edge of Bristol that has been the subject of years of protests and direct action over their links to Israel have hit back, and said the campaign against them is “deplorable”. Elbit Systems told our sister website...
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Give UK farmers a ‘level playing field’, MPs urge
RURAL Labour MPs have called for a “level playing field” and Australian-style origin labelling to help make British farms more profitable. With British farmers facing a “perfect storm” of higher costs, more regulation and tougher competition from...
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West politicians herald potential of ‘new town’
MINISTERS have selected seven locations for new towns to be built across the UK – with the West at the forefront. Each proposed location is expected to deliver at least 10,000 homes, with several, including South Gloucestershire, being in line to...
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Gnomes back in business after flower show lifts ban
GNOMES will be making an appearance at the worldfamous Chelsea Flower Show as organisers lift their “gnome ban” for the second time in history. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) said it was inviting celebrities to decorate gnomes to feature in...
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£19m will see pier ‘become a symbol of Weston’s comeback’
HERITAGE vessels could once again call at Birnbeck Pier thanks to £19m of government funding announced today for the iconic Weston-super-Mare attraction. The investment will fund the restoration of the buildings on Birnbeck Island and support the...
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Farm inheritance battle reaches the High Court
THE Government denied farmers a voice “when a voice was promised”, the High Court has been told in a challenge over inheritance tax changes. Farmer Thomas Martin, his father George Martin and the campaign group Farmers and Businesses for Fair Tax...
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Flood defence projects to share £1.4bn funding
MORE than 600 projects aimed at better protecting communities from flooding will receive a share of £1.4 billion, the Environment Department (Defra) said. The money, which had already been earmarked for flood defences, will be allocated to more than...
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Protest outside city shop after teenager attacked
ANGRY protesters gathered outside a Cabot Circus store in Bristol on Saturday following a vicious street attack on a child. Around 20 people assembled at lunchtime outside the Zara store. They could be heard shouting “shame on you” or “shame on Zara”...
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‘Monster’ is jailed for 27 years for child sex abuse
ASEX offender described as a “monster” has been jailed for 27 years after pleading guilty to rape and several other non-recent sexual offences against children. Philip Garrett, 70, inset, of Berrow, near Burnham-on-Sea, was sentenced at Taunton Crown...
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Couple attacked month before Calocane killings
VALDO Calocane attacked two members of staff when he was working at a warehouse a month before he committed the triple killings in Nottingham, an inquiry has heard. The killer fatally stabbed University of Nottingham undergraduates Barnaby Webber,...
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Fjords’ freezing waters no barrier to the Marines
SPECIALIST Royal Marines carried out reconnaissance missions in the freezing fjords of Northern Norway ahead of a major Nato Arctic operation. The Shore Reconnaissance Troop (SRT) from the expert Commando Force Boat Operators branch are trained to...
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Bombers’ arrival at West airbase sparks protest
DEMONSTRATORS gathered outside a Gloucestershire RAF base to protest against America’s bombing campaign against Iran on Saturday. RAF Fairford is being used by US forces as a base to strike Iran. Multiple US bombers have been spotted at the base in...
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Flying Scotsman on track to mark 50 years of West railway
THE world’s most famous locomotive is returning to the West this autumn to mark the 50th anniversary of a cherished heritage rail line. The Flying Scotsman will thrill crowds and those lucky enough to ride aboard carriages hauled by the celebrated...
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Strictly dancing for MPs ‘while world teeters on brink of WW3’
STRICTLY Come Dancing stars including Angela Rippon and Alex Kingston cha-cha-chad across Parliament’s Portcullis House with MPs yesterday. Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle danced with Rippon after welcoming the celebrities from the BBC programme to...
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‘Silence in family’s lives’ after father dies in crash
THE family of a man who died in a crash near Wells have paid tribute to “a devoted son, a caring brother, a loving daddy, and a loyal friend”. Michael Knowlson has been named as the man who died at the scene of the collision on the A371 in Dinder, at...
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Police ‘halted’ Calocane case over doctor’s email
TRIPLE killer Valdo Calocane should have been referred to prosecutors to decide whether he should be charged with a crime years before he fatally stabbed three people, a police officer has told the Nottingham attacks public inquiry. The former...
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Worker’s shock at immigration enforcement raid
A DELIVERY driver has told of her shock and anger after Immigration Enforcement raided the depot she works at. The driver, who is Bristol bornand-bred, said the immigration officials targeted “black people first” when they raided the Brislington depot...
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Keep an eye out for letter with Marie’s own stamp of approval
THE work of a Somerset artist is featured on a new range of rose flower stamps issued by Royal Mail. Acclaimed botanical artist Marie Burke, based in Glastonbury, was commissioned to paint 10 watercolours that now beautifully adorn 10 collectible...
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‘I’ve counted 150 potholes on street outside my home’
AMAN is living on one of the most potholed roads in Britain, with over 150 potholes on the street outside his house. Pat Swift, 78, a former civil engineer, said he has counted the cavities on a 200-yard (182cm) stretch across the bottom of his drive...
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Man ‘caused death of wife by controlling her’
AMAN controlled his wife through “physical and sexual violence”, leading to her taking her own life because she could not escape him, a court has heard. Christopher Trybus, of Swindon, Wiltshire, is accused of the manslaughter of Tarryn Baird, who...
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Inquiry questions delay to detention of Calocane
ASCHIZOPHRENIC man who killed three people caused a woman to jump out of her window after he was released by mental health professionals who considered the “over-representation” of young Black men in detention, an inquiry has heard. Valdo Calocane,...
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Name revealed for city’s ‘world-class’ new 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...
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Valentine’s Day trial for robot dog takeaway deliveries
ROBOT delivery drivers are no longer the realms of science-fiction as a futuristic Valentine’s Day trial between Just Eat and eight Bristol restaurants took place at the weekend. People looking to order from a select group of local establishments saw...
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F1 champion Lando makes special pit stop at old school
FORMULA One world champion Lando Norris has paid a visit to his former primary school near Bristol. The driving sensation took time out of his busy schedule on Monday, flying in from Monaco to speak to children at a special assembly at Chew Stoke...
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Boy, 15, is charged with murder of ‘bold’ Shayne
THE father of a stabbed teenager has paid tribute to a “brave and bold young man” and the “wonderful” hospital staff who tried to save him. Shayne Hambakachere, 16, was found seriously injured on London Road, Chippenham, just before 4pm on Saturday,...
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Probe into linked deaths after bodies discovered
POLICE have launched an investigation following the deaths of a woman in Torquay and a man 150 miles away. Emergency services were called just before 4pm on Saturday after concerns were raised for a woman at an address in Shirburn Road, Torquay. The...
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I just want less work and more play, says Prue
DAME Prue Leith has said her decision to quit The Great British Bake Off came from a desire to “work less and play more”. It was announced last week that Dame Prue was stepping down as a judge on the popular Channel 4 baking show after nine series,...
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Vital £800k dam repairs to safeguard iconic landscape
THE National Trust has begun vital £800,000 conservation work on the dam that holds the iconic lake at Stourhead – one of the world’s most celebrated landscape gardens. The Wiltshire dam was built over 275 years ago to flood the landscape to create a...
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Discount for pubs after business rates backlash
PUBS and music venues will get 15% off their business rates bills from April as part of a support package, the Treasury has announced. But some publicans said it was only just better than getting “a slap around the face with a wet cod”. Many pubs are...
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‘Evil’ abuser who ‘took away childhoods’ jailed
A MAN who committed sex crimes in Wiltshire over a 20-year period was yesterday jailed for 23 years. Michael Barker, 72, currently of Albert Hill, Durham, but previously of Swindon, was described as a “cruel, evil, manipulative sex offender”. Barker...
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UK may enjoy bumper year for migratory birds after cold spell
BIRD lovers could enjoy a bumper year for migratory species in their local outside spaces after cold and unsettled weather across Europe, according to the RSPB. Launching its Big Garden Birdwatch today, the charity said the recent chilly spell could...
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Study freezes out ice delivery theory for Stonehenge stones
NEW research by Australian academics has delivered the strongest scientific evidence yet that people – not glaciers – transported Stonehenge’s famous bluestones to the ancient site. The Curtin University study challenges one of archaeology’s most...
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Former crew to mark 50 years since debut flight
AEROSPACE Bristol is set to welcome its biggest gathering of former Concorde flight crew to the museum today, with excaptains, first officers and engineers coming together to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the supersonic plane’s first commercial...
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Mascot shock for Mark, 60, in Hereford FC birthday stitch-up
A60-YEAR-OLD man turned out as a mascot for his favourite football team after being “stitched up” by his mates for his birthday. Mark Bond walked out onto the pitch alongside child mascots when non-league Hereford FC took on AFC Flyde in the FA...
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‘Zombie’ fungus and strange snowdrop in top new species
A“ZOMBIE” fungus, a “bloodstained” orchid and a strange snowdrop are among the plants and fungi named new to science in 2025, experts have said. Scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and international partners have unveiled a list of the top...
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West star’s new fantasy role even scares his kids
HE’S best known in Bristol as the voice of the morning radio airwaves, or perhaps still as the plumber Nigel Carter, who everyone thought was the murderer in Broadchurch, but this is Joe Sims as you’ve never seen him before. The actor and presenter...
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City told to find room for 5,000 more 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 review of its Local Plan. The review means Bristol City Council...
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Six face court as man is accused of drugging and raping ex-wife
AHUSBAND accused of drugging and raping his ex-wife over a 13-year period has appeared in court along with five other men who are charged with sexual offences against her. Philip Young, 49, was remanded in custody yesterday morning after a first...
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‘Bewildered’ farmers in need of a profitable deal
THE farming sector is “bewildered and frightened”, with inheritance tax and farming payment changes causing significant ongoing concern, a review for the Government has found. The farm profitability report by former National Farmers’ Union president...
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Seven men to face trial over child exploitation
SEVEN young men will face a trial next May over a series of sex and drugs offences relating to girls as young as 14 in Bristol over more than two years. The group appeared before a judge at Bristol Crown Court for the first time yesterday, in a case...
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Lando fan: I burst into tears when he won the world title
MEET the Lando Norris superfan who has followed her hero around the world. McLaren supporter Sarah Merritt, 51, has supported the Bristol-born F1 champion since 2016 and met him ten times across the globe from Shanghai to Monaco. She says he struck...
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British Empire artefacts stolen from city museum
ACITY council says it is “deeply saddened” by the theft of more than 600 artefacts from its museum collection. Four men are believed to have gained entry to a building in the Cumberland Road area of Bristol, which houses Bristol Museums’ British...
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Carer found not guilty of manslaughter of man, 75
ACARE home worker who gave the wrong medication to a resident who later died has been acquitted of manslaughter, police said. Jane Barnard, 66, denied killing Derek Davies, 75, who lived at the care home where she was employed, Wheatridge Court in...
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AI up, Gromit – Aardman says it will ‘embrace’ tech
WALLACE And Gromit creator Nick Park has said Aardman Animations will “embrace” artificial intelligence (AI) while being “very cautious not to lose our values”. It comes as entertainment trade union Equity holds an indicative industrial action ballot...
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