Summary

  • Updates for the West of England on Tuesday, 14 March 2017

  1. Trowbridge murder: Victim 'had a heart of gold'published at 18:21 Greenwich Mean Time 14 March 2017

    Jordan Taylor posing for the camera while on holidayImage source, Taylor family

    In a tribute to Jordan Taylor, external , 25, his family say he was the "most loving young man":

    Quote Message

    We would like to say thank you to every one for the loving support we have received in the past few days. He had a heart of gold; he loved and cherished each and every friend he had; his friends were his life and because of his funny personality and charm he had thousands of them. He was also a loving brother to Damian and Poppy. He loved and lived life to the full and we are so glad he did as his life was cut so short... Jordan, goodbye my best friend and son. We will miss you so much. Rest in peace with the angels, sleep tight and God bless xxxx

    Family statement

    Jordan Taylor as a young boy in a school photographImage source, Taylor family

    Detectives are appealing for help to find a man, external they want to speak to in connection with Jordan's death.

    He's described as white, approximately 25-30 years old, at least 6ft tall, of large build (weighing around 17-stone) with a round, chubby face and a dark goatee beard. 

  2. Butcher fined for illegal sales and dirty shoppublished at 18:01 Greenwich Mean Time 14 March 2017

    Dirty kitchen at shopImage source, Forest of Dean District Council

    A butcher has been ordered to pay £54,000 for selling meat to pubs and restaurants without authority from the Food Standards Agency.

    Inspectors also found David Tomlin of The Country Butcher in Huntley, Gloucestershire, had failed to maintain hygiene standards on the premises.

    Tomlin, 66, of Hucclecote admitted 10 offences.

    He was fined £24,000 and ordered to pay costs of £30,000 at Gloucester Crown Court.

    The Country Butcher shop closed down in December.

  3. McCoy 'honoured' by Cheltenham statuepublished at 17:34 Greenwich Mean Time 14 March 2017

    Media caption,

    Watch: Tony McCoy reacts to the unveiling of his statue at Cheltenham

    Twenty-times champion jockey Sir Anthony McCoy says he is "honoured and flattered" to have had a statue built in his honour at Cheltenham.

    Read more on this story.

  4. Runner tried to skewer ex-Bristol player Ralph Knibbs 'like meat' published at 17:14 Greenwich Mean Time 14 March 2017

    Earlier we told you how fell-running champion Lauren Jeska has been jailed after stabbing three athletics officials in Birmingham last year.

    The court in Birmingham has heard how she stabbed former Bristol player Ralph Knibbs in the head and left him with "blood pumping out" of his head.

    It was like Jeska was "trying to skewer meat", the court was told.

    Lauren JeskaImage source, Facebook
  5. Logan gets into the spirit at Cheltenhampublished at 16:54 Greenwich Mean Time 14 March 2017

    Media caption,

    Watch: BBC presenter Gabby Logan gives her thoughts about the new alcohol limits at Cheltenham

    Organisers have taken steps to limit the amount of booze punters will be drinking at this year's Cheltenham Festival.

    Racegoers will only be allowed to buy four pints per round and water points are available at every bar on site.

    Presenter Gabby Logan has been enjoying a day at the meet and said she didn't really like the idea.

  6. Threatened dermatology clinic saved by hospital partnershippublished at 16:35 Greenwich Mean Time 14 March 2017

    Dermatology patients in Somerset could be spared a longer trip for treatment.

    Musgrove Park Hospital's dermatology clinc was under threat due to a lack of consultants but it has now teamed up with the Bristol Royal Infirmary to use some of its doctors' time.

    Media caption,

    Watch: Taunton's Musgrove Park Hospital has teamed up with Bristol Royal Infirmary

  7. Cheltenham Festival: road closures in placepublished at 16:14 Greenwich Mean Time 14 March 2017

    Those driving near the Cheltenham Festival site are advised to expect delays over the next four days.

    Road restrictions are in place and no through traffic is allowed on A435 Evesham Road Southbound between Southam Lane / Hyde Lane (The Smiths Traffic Lights) and B4075 New Barn Lane / Swindon Lane (Swindon Lane Roundabout) from 4.30 - 7.30pm. 

    Race traffic will be allowed on this route. 

  8. Pratchett bust: Who was Sir Terry?published at 15:55 Greenwich Mean Time 14 March 2017

    InfographicImage source, Other

    Earlier we told you about an artist who is helping to create a larger-than-life bronze statue of Sir Terry Pratchett . Here's a reminder of the author's importance:

    • Was most famous for his Discworld series of books which started in 1983
    • By 2013 he had written more than 40 installments
    • Terry had a striking dress sense and wore a large black fedora
    • At the turn of the century he was Britain's second most-read author, beaten only by JK Rowling
    • His quirky and satirical view of the world won him a worldwide following
    • In August 2007 it was reported he had suffered a stroke but the following December he announced he had been diagnosed with a very rare form of early-onset Alzheimer's disease
    • He died in March 2015
  9. Athlete met with victim week before stadium stabbing to discuss dispute published at 15:30 Greenwich Mean Time 14 March 2017

    Judge Simon Drew QC told running champ Lauren Jeska her stadium triple stabbing was a "cool, calculated" attack carried out with "chilling precision".

    Jeska had been in dispute with UK Athletics over issues connected to her transgender status and, the prosecution told Birmingham Crown Court, she'd had a meeting to try to resolve it with the body's employee and one of her victims Ralph Knibbs - a week before the attack in March last year.

    But the judge said meetings had not resolved to her satisfaction, adding the case was not about the dispute but "what happened thereafter" at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium, included the attempted murder of Mr Knibbs, a former player for Bristol RFC, to which she had earlier admitted.

    Lauren Jeska

    Jeska, 42, of Machynlleth, Powys, has today been sentenced to 18 years in prison, with the judge having told her "it's clear that you have had many issues to struggle with" and "one came to a head last year".

    Defence counsel Julie Warburton, in mitigation, said the dispute - which had caused a mental breakdown - was over hormones, with Jeska fearing she would have to undergo tests that would bring into public her transgender status - against, Ms Warburton said, a backdrop of whether her race results would be expunged. 

    Two other UK Athletics employees were injured when they intervened as Jeska set upon Mr Knibbs as if, the prosecution said, she was "trying to skewer meat". 

  10. Councils to fund threatened bus servicespublished at 15:09 Greenwich Mean Time 14 March 2017

    As a new report shows the scale of cuts to rural buses, parish councils in west Somerset are dipping into their own pockets to support services.  

    bus cuts graphics

    Four parish councils are putting together more than £13,000 to keep the number 10 bus service between Minehead and Porlock running for another year.

    An FOI investigation by Campaign for Better Transport, external has revealed that a total of over £9.6m funds for buses have been cut since 2010 in the West of England. 

    In the past year nearly 45 bus services have been withdrawn in the region and 30 services have been cut.  

  11. Illegal motorbikes in restricted areas at all-time highpublished at 14:51 Greenwich Mean Time 14 March 2017

    The number of people riding illegal motorbikes and driving 4x4s on restricted areas of Salisbury Plain is at an all-time high.

    That's according to Salisbury Plain Watch who say they found 50 motorbikes that weren't road legal in just one weekend.

    Warrant Officer Les French says he's never seen the situation this bad.

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  12. Cheltenham Festival in the hunt to earn millionspublished at 14:30 Greenwich Mean Time 14 March 2017

    Media caption,

    Watch: Cheltenham Festival in the hunt to earn millions

    The world's biggest National Hunt horse racing event canters into Cheltenham this week, providing a huge financial boost to both the sport and the local economy. 

    The Cheltenham Festival brings in more than £20m though ticket sales, hospitality, sponsorship and other income, while there's some £4.3m in prize money on offer - the most of any jump festival in the world. 

    The four-day event is also estimated to bring in £100m to the wider Gloucestershire economy. 

  13. Missing three-year-old foundpublished at 14:11 Greenwich Mean Time 14 March 2017

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  14. Boy, three, missing in Gloucestershirepublished at 13:49 Greenwich Mean Time 14 March 2017
    Breaking

    Police are looking for a three-year-old boy who has gone missing in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire.

    He has blonde hair, blue eyes and was last seen wearing burgundy jeans and a white jumper with burgundy sleeves and blue shoes.

    He was riding a red and white scooter in the alley way between the shops and the flats in the Park area of the town.

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    Police officer
  15. Fell runner champion jailed over triple stabbingpublished at 13:27 Greenwich Mean Time 14 March 2017
    Breaking

    Former champion fell-runner Lauren Jeska has been jailed for 18 years for the attempted murder of UK Athletics official Ralph Knibbs over a row about her test samples. 

    Jeska, 42,  admitted attempting to murder former Bristol rugby player Mr Knibbs at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham in March last year.

    She also pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm to Kevan Taylor and Tim Begley, who tried to intervene, and two counts of possessing a knife.

    Lauren Jeska
  16. Hospital skin clinic reprievedpublished at 13:20 Greenwich Mean Time 14 March 2017

    A skin clinic facing closure due to a shortage of dermatologists will remain open after a partnership deal was struck with a teaching hospital.

    The move will see the department at Taunton's Musgrove Park Hospital share doctors with Bristol Royal Infirmary.

    Patients with skin conditions will still receive treatment at Musgrove Park for a year, but new patients will have to travel to Bristol or Exeter.

    It is hoped the plan will attract new recruits to fill vacancies in Taunton. 

    Musgrove Park HospitalImage source, Geograph/ Barbara Cook
  17. Andy Howard's selfie guide to Cheltenhampublished at 12:59 Greenwich Mean Time 14 March 2017

    Media caption,

    Take a tour around the Cheltenham Racecourse with BBC Points West's Andy Howard.

  18. Cheltenham Festival: more pictures from the coursepublished at 12:45 Greenwich Mean Time 14 March 2017

    Our reporter Andy Howard has been looking around and taking in the views....

    Men dressed in yellow suits
    People watching at Cheltenham
    Bookies waiting at Cheltenham
  19. The charity rehoming former racehorsespublished at 12:29 Greenwich Mean Time 14 March 2017

    Media caption,

    Cheltenham Festival 2017: How Greatwood use racehorses to help disadvantaged children

    BBC Points West visit Wiltshire-based charity Greatwood to see how they rehome former racehorses for life after sport.

    The charity, based near Marlborough, was set up in 1993 and is home to nearly 50 retired racehorses.

  20. UKIP rejects Arron Banks' suspension claimpublished at 12:18 Greenwich Mean Time 14 March 2017

    The UK Independence Party has rejected claims by one of its biggest donors that he has been suspended from the party membership.

    Bristol-based Arron Banks, who funded the Leave EU campaign in last year's EU referendum, made the allegation via Twitter, external .

    But a spokesman said his membership had lapsed earlier this year.

    Nigel Farage (left() and Arron BanksImage source, AFP/Getty