Image source, Google

A Bristol service for people suffering a mental health crisis is to have its hours slashed by health bosses forced to make budget cuts.

The 24-hour “Core 24” mental health service has been operating around the clock at the Bristol Royal Infirmary for the past four months.

But local NHS commissioners have decided to scale back the hours in a bid to plug a large hole in their finances.

Julia Ross, chief executive of the clinical commissioning group (CCG) for Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, said: “We’ve had to make some difficult decisions and that was one of them.”

The crisis team’s new operating hours and their start date are still under discussion, according to a spokesman for the CCG.

Reverting to the previous operating hours would save £0.8million and would have “no significant impact”, the group’s governing body heard on June 4.

The CCG is also pulling £1.5million from non-urgent operations, £1.6million from its budget for cancer and maternity care, and £1.3million from a “Rapid/React” initiative to support people to leave hospital.

Lewis Gregory takes 6-32 on a remarkable second day between Kent and Somerset that sees 22 wickets fall at Canterbury.

Unemployment in the South West was at 2.7% in the three months ending April 2019.

The UK’s unemployment rate has stayed at 3.8%, its lowest since late 1974.

Read more here - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48594011

Sussex stand-in opener Will Beer bats all day for an unbeaten 76 out of 257-5 against Gloucestershire at Arundel.

The Football Association approves plans to turn the Women's Super League into a one-tier league from 2018-19.

Colin Cameron died when his Land Rover was hit by a train near Stroud in February 2017.

Midfielder Adam May joins League Two club Swindon Town on a season-long loan from Portsmouth.

Two Royal Military Academy officer cadets were accused of pouring water over a colleague's face.

Image source, Google

Cheltenham Borough Council will make a decision tonight on whether to limit the number of houses of multiple occupancy (HMO) in St Paul's.

The district, named after St Paul's Church, is popular with students, who often end up living in large groups under one roof. The council estimates 12% of housing stock in St Paul's is a HMO.

In a cabinet paper up for discussion, external, the council says HMOs can have a "potentially negative impact on communities" because of parking issues, and waste management.

A local scrappage scheme is also being considered as part of Bristol's air quality proposals.

Image source, Longleat Safari Park

A lion at Longleat Safari Park has been photographed in the branches of a 20-metre-tall tree.

Staff said the eight-year-old animal, named Kiana, had always been a "keen climber" but they had never before seen her so far from the ground.

She climbed the giant sycamore in her enclosure within the park, which is close to Warminster in Wiltshire and Frome in Somerset, and was photographed by keeper Caleb Hall.

Mr Hall said: “Many of our lionesses do go up trees here at Longleat, but there are a few particular individuals who seem to do it just for fun and Kiana is definitely one of those."

He said the behaviour was also seen in the wild by lions seeking "shade or a cooling breeze away from the heat of the ground or to avoid insects or animals threatening the lions".

Image source, Longleat Safari Park

Image source, Longleat Safari Park

Day one of Kent's County Championship Division One game against Somerset is abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Great Western Railway has confirmed all services are suspended in both directions between Bristol Temple Meads and Taunton after a pedestrian was hit by a train.

Image source, Google

Somerset County Council is pouring £1M into projects designed to reduce pressure and demand on its front-line services.

The council has launched three new funds designed to help community or voluntary groups with projects which will prevent individuals’ problems from developing or escalating.

Every Somerset division will be given grants to encourage these groups, with money also being given to the county’s youth parliament and larger projects designed to transform the way in which services are delivered.

The new funds were approved at the council’s cabinet meeting in Taunton on 10 June.

Each county councillor can bid for £2,000 (out of a total pot of £125,000) for their division, to be spent on community or voluntary projects which improve people’s lives and prevent needs from escalating – such as reducing loneliness or promoting healthy eating.

Councillors will be able to submit applications for these grants between September 1 and November 30. A further £25,000 will be given to the Somerset Youth Parliament, which its members can put towards initiatives that focus on young people.

Plans for the remaining £850,000 – dubbed the Improving Lives to Prevent Demand Fund – will be unveiled in the coming months.

The rare white squirrel spotted pinching nuts from a bird feeder.

Image source, RSPB

Salisbury Cathedral's peregrine falcon chicks have been sexed, weighed and ringed... and named!

There are three females and one male and names pulled out of a hat were Sky, Pansy, Petunia for the females and Perry for the male.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said all four were put back in the nest tray and seemed none the worse at all for their encounter with humans. We'll tell you all the sensible Colour Ring labels ASAP!

Read more at the RSPB website, external.