Summary

  • News, sport, travel and weather updates for the West of England

  1. Winger Williams agrees new Bath dealpublished at 16:01 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Bath winger Jeff Williams signs a contract extension to keep him at the Premiership club until the end of the season.

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  2. Christmas 'motor-sleigh' hits the streets of Bristolpublished at 15:53 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Media caption,

    Watch: Dawn and Edwin Simons

    A Bristol couple have been riding around town on their motorbike - decked out in fairy-lights and playing loud Christmas music.

    Edwin and Dawn Simons lost their son and daughter-in-law in a hit-and-run tragedy in 2013.

    They say the motorbike is a way of giving something back to the people of Bristol, who looked after them in their time of need.

    Their good cheer is also raising money for Great Western Air Ambulance.

  3. Inside the illegal gun factorypublished at 15:45 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Media caption,

    Watch: Paul Edmunds made ammunition to fit antique weapons

    From his semi-detached home in the suburbs Paul Edmunds ran an illegal gun and ammunition empire.

    When he was arrested at his home in 2015, police found he had three armouries he used to make ammunition to fit antique weapons.

    100,000 live rounds were seized from the armoury inside Edmunds' garage, while seven wheelie bin-loads of gun and ammunition components were recovered from a bedroom and attic.

    Edmunds has today been jailed for 30 years after being found guilty last month of conspiracy to supply firearms and ammunition.

  4. Noema-Barnett extends Glos contractpublished at 15:31 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    All-rounder Kieran Noema-Barnett signs a one-year contract extension for County Championship Division Two side Gloucestershire.

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  5. Appeal after 23-year-old woman sexually assaultedpublished at 15:25 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

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    Police in Bristol are appealing for help in identifying the man in the above CCTV image.

    It's after a woman was attacked on Newfoundland Road near the M32 on Tuesday evening.

  6. Thousands sign anti-pigeon spike petitionpublished at 15:02 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Over 26,000 people sign a petition opposing spikes installed to stop birds pooing on cars.

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  7. Football: Joe Bryan is 'a Champions League player'published at 15:01 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Joe Bryan

    Bristol-born left-back Joe Bryan was hailed as a “Champions League player” by head coach Lee Johnson after his display in Wednesday’s win over Manchester United.

    A product of the Robins’ youth academy, Bryan shone in the club’s highest-profile match since the 2008 Championship play-off final.

    The 24-year-old - who can also play at left-midfield or wing-back - opened the scoring with a powerful drive into the top corner after a slick team move which he had started himself with a clever, skillful touch.

    "Joe Bryan is a Champions League player, without question,” Johnson told BBC Radio Bristol.

    “I can honestly say Joe’s done that 20 times in the past four or five days in training.

    “Showing the technique to keep a straight core, tighten that straight back and just keep his head still and fire through it, he’s a top player."

  8. This baby deer is safe and sound - in the living room!published at 14:20 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Media caption,

    Watch: See Nooby

    Nooby, a Muntjac deer fawn, was injured last month and has been taken in by a Wiltshire woman.

  9. The dizzying heights of being a ball boypublished at 13:56 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Jaden has become a champion ball-boy.

    It's after Lee Johnston swung him round in excitement, when Bristol City won their match against Manchester United last night.

    The Bristol schoolboy says he wishes he was still in class to celebrate the moment with his friends.

    Media caption,

    Dizzying moments as Jaden gets swung around in celebration.

  10. Motorbike pair spread Christmas joypublished at 13:38 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Colourful bike returns to Bristol following the death of the son and daughter-in-law of the bike's owners.

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  11. Almost 20,000 badgers killed in TB cullpublished at 13:01 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Almost 20,000 badgers were killed in 2017, as part of a government plan to control the spread of bovine TB.

    BadgerImage source, Thinkstock

    The animals were culled in 19 areas within Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Cornwall, Devon, Herefordshire, Cheshire and Wiltshire.

    Culling is part of the government's 25-year strategy to eradicate bovine TB, but opponents say there is no evidence it is effective.

    Data for two further supplementary cull zones, in Gloucestershire and Somerset, had not yet been analysed, Defra said.

    The cull began in parts of Somerset and Gloucestershire in 2013 and has widened to the other counties.

  12. Nine arrests after football violencepublished at 12:54 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Nine men, including three from Oxfordshire, have been arrested for violent disorder in the centre of Swindon following a football match last month.

    It happened at about 17:40 in the Fleet Street area after a game between Swindon Town and Newport on 25 November.

    Wiltshire Police says three of the men came from Wantage, Oxfordshire - while the others came from Calne, Swindon and Chippenham in Wiltshire.

  13. Home for Christmas after months in hospitalpublished at 12:41 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Dylan Woodley suffered irreversible brain damage after choking on his lunch.

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  14. Rogue gun dealer jailed for selling armspublished at 12:36 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    The court heard 66-year-old Paul Edmunds supplied guns and ammunition used in three killings.

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  15. Roman coffin and coins found in Somersetpublished at 12:31 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    Roman coinsImage source, Jason Massey & Kevin Minto
    Image caption,

    The coins were found by metal detectorists in a field

    More than 250 Roman coins and a Roman lead coffin have been discovered in a field near Ilminster.

    The coffin's one of only a handful of its type ever found in Somerset and is believed to date back to 400AD.

    Kevin Minto from the Detecting for Veterans Group discovered the coins first, followed by the grave, when he returned with the county archaeologist.

    Digging for the graveImage source, Jason Massey & Kevin Minto
    Image caption,

    They also found a rare lead-lined coffin

  16. Bristol players' and fans: reaction to that victorypublished at 12:09 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    It will be a day of celebration and rewind for Bristol City fans today, as the reality of a win against Manchester United - last night - sets in.

    United were knocked out of the Championship with Bristol's two goals over one.

    The club go on to play Manchester City in the two-leg semi-finals.

    Here are more of your reactions, and players' thoughts.

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  17. Bristol's Christmas motorbike hits the streetspublished at 12:07 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    The motorbike plays loud Christmas music and is lit up by fairy-lights

  18. Bristol City are winning at goal gifspublished at 11:42 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    The Championship side show off their dancing as they knock Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup.

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  19. 'Chuffed to nuts' with lead coffin findpublished at 11:27 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    The hoard of coins found at the burial site is being examined by experts at the British Museum.

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  20. Pigeon petition gets thousands of protests against spikespublished at 10:56 Greenwich Mean Time 21 December 2017

    More than 20,000 people have signed a petition to remove spikes from trees in Bristol, that are being put up to deter birds.

    A property management company in Clifton said the spikes were put up to stop pigeons soiling expensive cars.

    The petition page says: "The sense of entitlement these residents have shown by altering the ecosystem just to protect their Audis and BMWs is egregious."

    The petition is 1,000 signatures away from its target of 25,000.

    Pigeon petitionImage source, Care2