Cheltenham Town sign defender Dan Bowry on a one-year deal after his release by Charlton Athletic.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

National adoption databases must continue to be maintained, despite increasing numbers of regional services joining forces to find parents to adopt.

That is the warning coming from Wiltshire Council leader Jane Scott at her last cabinet meeting before stepping down as leader.

She spoke about the need to keep a national database of parents and children to make sure that families can continue to be matched across the country.

Adoption services in Wiltshire joined forces with five other local authorities as part of Adoption West in March.

She said: “It worries me that there is a focus on regional work but a national database might be cut. We can’t just stick to our regions, we need to work nationally as well.”

Wiltshire Council adoption services were rated requires improvement during an Ofsted inspection of children’s services in 2015.

Cabinet heard that since then the time it takes to find a home for a child has been slashed and adoption for children with disabilities improved.

Figures released up until March this year show that the average time between a child entering care services and being adopted is now 397days, compared to a national average of 486.

Cabinet member for Children’s Services Laura Mayes said: “We say if a child’s best option is adoption, no matter how complex it is, that’s what we will do. We perhaps have children that take two years but we don’t care because that is what is right for them. Our performance continues to improve.”

A search for David Moore was launched after his boat was found washed up on a beach in Somerset.

American-born Judy never knew her father's work led to the first civil rights laws in the UK.

A driver deliberately takes aim at the birds which suffered "horrendous injuries", the RSCPA says.

Gerry Watkins buys up old buses to convert them into night shelters for people without a bed of their own.

Richard Lock had been at a wedding before the accident near Burford.

The Norwegian singer will meet Nina, 13, who was overcome with emotion during her Glastonbury set.

Thieves used the vehicle in an unsuccessful attempt to pull a cash machine from a supermarket.

Vanessa Hodge, from Somerset, was last seen on 29 May and last heard from the following day.

Image source, First Bus

A permanent fuel station for a fleet of buses running on gas produced by food waste has opened in Bristol.

The £960,000 station in Bedminster will serve the city's 22 bio-methane gas-powered buses, providing fuel storage and easier refilling at the pumps.

Bio-methane is a natural gas produced by breaking down organic materials such as food waste and manure.

The UK's first "Bio-Bus" powered by sewage as well as food waste launched in Bristol in November 2014.

Image source, First Bus

A car was stolen by an armed man from a car wash in Cirencester on Tuesday.

More than 400 different faults have been identified at the house, which is only two years old.

Nursing staff shortages forced several inpatient wards to close on a temporary basis.

The cutting down of grass verges in the Totterdown area of Bristol prompts criticism from locals.

An animal rescue centre in Somerset is appealing for homes for "motivated feral" cats.

St Giles Animal Rescue says it currently has two "working cats" which would need to be kept outdoors or in a barn.

"Feral cats haven't socialised with humans very much and can't be confined in a home," said Amy Cooper, from the centre.

"They're working cats and want to be outdoors - doing what a cat does."

The owner of the luxury care home in Yeovil has said it was experiencing serious cash flow problems.

Sgt Susan Gaitely tweeted about people in custody from an anonymous account for three years.

League Two side Walsall sign Bristol City full-back Cameron Pring on a season-long loan deal.