Summary

  • Live news, sport and travel for the West of England on 3 - 7 December 2018.

  1. Man released in Amesbury death probepublished at 13:23 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2018

    HouseImage source, Google
    Image caption,

    The woman was found dead at Bence Court in Amesbury, Wiltshire

    A 35-year-old man who was arrested yesterday in connection with the death of a woman from Amesbury has been released under investigation.

    The man, who lives locally, was held on suspicion of murder.

    The body of the woman, who is believed to be her in 30’s, was found at in Bence Court, in the Wiltshire town, last Friday.

    A police spokesman said the woman's death is currently being treated as "unexplained" but added detectives were "keeping an open mind" over the circumstances.

  2. Avonmouth level crossing barrier damaged in crashpublished at 13:02 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2018

    Media caption,

    Avonmouth level crossing barrier damaged in collision

    A vehicle has crashed into a level crossing near Bristol, ripping off a safety barrier.

    Network Rail said the incident between Bristol Temple Meads and Severn Beach was causing disruption to train journeys locally.

    The crash happened at 08:30 GMT, and delays were expected until at least 11:30 GMT.

    All lines have re-opened and a repair has been made to the barrier, but there is a backlog to services.

  3. Somewhere over the (triple) rainbowpublished at 12:32 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2018

    After we published a piece on Monday about an amazing triple rainbow in Gloucestershire, you've been sending in your own snaps of this unusual sight.

    When rays of light are reflected three times within a rain drop, a triple rainbow is produced.

    BBC Weather Watcher Gordon photographed the triple rainbow in the village of Frampton on Severn.

    "I've never seen such a thing before," he said.

    There have only been five scientific reports of triple rainbows in 250 years, says international scientific body the Optical Society.

    RainbowsImage source, Sally Pegler
    Rainbow panoramaImage source, Ben Daniels
    Image caption,

    Ben Daniels snapped this amazing panoramic shot which captures two of the rainbows from Nailsea

    Triple rainbowImage source, Wendy Walnut
  4. Worms 'too old' to go to spacepublished at 11:46 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2018

    A launch is delayed due to mouldy food bars, meaning the worms could be a day too old for research.

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  5. Glos sign Whittingham from Sussexpublished at 11:43 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2018

    Gloucestershire sign Stuart Whittingham after the right-arm fast bowler is released from his contract at Sussex.

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  6. Software behind asthma 999 call delaypublished at 11:37 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2018

    It took 17 minutes to send an ambulance to former policeman Stephen Thurman-Newell, an inquest hears.

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  7. Almost 100 university staff facing redundancypublished at 11:02 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2018

    University of Gloucestershire sign

    The University of Gloucestershire is set to make almost 100 staff redundant.

    It is understood the cut would affect staff in a mix of academic and support posts.

    In a statement the university says it is operating in a "challenging" environment and its costs are rising faster than its income.

    Unions are in discussions with the university about the proposal and supporting affected members of staff.

    They say miscalculations over the predicted numbers of students and spending on new facilities have not helped.

  8. Level crossing struck by lorrypublished at 10:57 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2018

    Network Rail said delays to trains between Severn Beach and Bristol Temple Meads will last most of the morning.

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  9. Man who died in crash near Amesbury is named by policepublished at 10:47 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2018

    A man who died in a crash near Amesbury last week has been named by police.

    Mark Simpson, 58, was from Marlborough, and died following the crash at Winterbourne Bassett.

    He was driving a white Ford Focus, collided with a grey Land Rover Freelander.

    Police accident sign
  10. Rail disruption set to continuepublished at 10:22 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2018

    Disruption of trains around Bristol is expected for the rest of the morning, say Network Rail.

    It follows the collision of a lorry into a level crossing barrier between Avonmouth and Clifton Down stations.

    The lines have reopened following repairs, but a backlog of trains is causing the delays.

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  11. Level crossing crash: Picture from the scenepublished at 10:17 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2018

    We are told the barrier was hit at around 8.30am by a lorry.

    Level crossing crash
  12. Level crossing crash: More informationpublished at 09:36 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2018

    We understand the level crossing that has been hit is the one beneath the M5, just behind the Portway Park and Ride.

    Network Rail says that the "barrier has been ripped off".

    We have a reporter on the way to the scene.

    Level crossing sceneImage source, Google
  13. Gardens and golf club housing planspublished at 09:34 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2018

    Some 40,000 homes could be built in 20 years under plans by South Gloucestershire Council.

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  14. Level crossing crash: Trains delayedpublished at 09:27 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2018

    Some trains are delayed in the Bristol area because of a vehicle crashing into level crossing barriers between Avonmouth and Clifton Down.

    Great Western Railway said services running through these stations "may be delayed or revised".

    The delays are expected to clear by about 10:00 GMT.

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  15. Coroner calls for clarification on 999 responses after asthma deathpublished at 08:54 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2018

    Stephen Hartwell Thurman-Newell

    A coroner is calling for clarification on how asthma attacks are handled by emergency services - following the death a man from Somerset.

    Retired policeman Stephen Hartwell Thurman-Newell, 62, dialled 999 but it took 17 minutes for an ambulance to be dispatched, which was too late to save him.

    His family are pursuing a medical negligence claim against South Western Ambulance Service (SWAS).

    SWAS says it has implemented further staff training and now classifies asthma attacks as the highest emergency category.

  16. BBC local radio headlines across the Westpublished at 08:42 Greenwich Mean Time 4 December 2018

    Radio presenter
    • BBC Somerset:Somerset's senior coroner is calling for clarification on how asthma attacks are handled by emergency services.
    • BBC Radio Bristol: Royal Life Saving Society say young people are more at risk of drowning when drunk than any other age group.
    • BBC Wiltshire: Wiltshire’s much loved outdoor education centres, which had been due to close later this month, could now be funded for another year.
    • BBC Gloucestershire:Two deer have been found tangled in barbed wire fencing in the Forest of Dean.
  17. Gang sentenced for £500k drugs racketpublished at 19:58 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2018

    The men were convicted of drugs and blackmail conspiracies following two trials held in Bristol.

    Read More
  18. Adventurer answers our quickfire questionspublished at 19:12 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2018

    "Britain's most inspiring maniac" tells us why he chooses to live in a Lake District village.

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  19. Ecstasy pills worth £500,000 seizedpublished at 18:20 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2018

    An industrial pill press and logo punch sets were confiscated during the inquiry.

  20. Deer strike train delayed for six hourspublished at 17:43 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2018

    Passengers were stuck on a train for six hours after it hit a deer on the line.

    The CrossCountry Manchester to Bristol train hit the animal between Cam and Dursley and Yate at about 10:00 GMT.

    A spokesman for CrossCountry said: "The impact resulted in all onboard systems failing and the train unable to move.

    "Regrettably, it wasn’t until 16:00 that the train could safely be moved to Gloucester where arrangements were made for the customers to complete their journey."

    CrossCountry train