Summary

  • Southampton FC sack Claude Puel

  • Consultation shows opposition to NHS plans in Dorset

  • Oxford will not hit air pollution targets, says city council

  • Blue plaques revealed for BBC Music Day

  • Updates from Thursday 15 June

  1. Howard Hillsdon Room unveiledpublished at 17:50 British Summer Time 15 June 2017

    The refurbished breakfast and music room at Yarnton's William Fletcher School in Oxfordshire is now the Howard Hillsdon Room.

    The idea was suggested by his mother Julie Hillsdon, and his father Graham Hillsdon made the sign for the building. They unveiled it earlier.

    Julie Hillsdon and Graham Hillsdon

    Howard Hillsdon was 21 when he died. His car was hit by a vehicle coming the other way on the A4142.

  2. WATCH: 'WW1 relic' left for BBC reporterpublished at 17:35 British Summer Time 15 June 2017

    Media caption,

    A bell, apparently from the wreck of the WW1 ship SS Mendi off the Isle of Wight, is found in a plastic bag

  3. Lennon and McCartney 'spotted in Caversham'published at 17:30 British Summer Time 15 June 2017

    OK, they're from tribute act The Upbeat Beatles, who both offered to Help (see what we did there?) at the blue plaque unveiling for BBC Music Day.

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    In other Lennon news, the legendary Beatle, who used to live in Tittenhurst Park near Ascot, will now share a songwriting credit with Yoko Ono on his hit Imagine.

  4. Reading high rises 'meet high safety standards'published at 17:25 British Summer Time 15 June 2017

    Councils across the UK are continuing to reassure tower block residents that they are safe following the fire at a west London block of flats.

    Reading Borough Council says it is confident its three 14-storey blocks in Coley and four eight-storey blocks in Granville Road, Southcote, "meet high levels of fire safety standards".

    On the subject of cladding at Coley, it says the flats have "very few cavities between any external cladding panels and the main concrete construction but on the limited elevations where they do occur fire breaks are in place to stop the spread of fire".

    It adds: "The council takes fire safety extremely seriously and is continually reviewing measures as new information arises or updated guidance is issued."

  5. WW1 shipwreck's bell 'recovered' after tip-offpublished at 17:17 British Summer Time 15 June 2017

    A relic of one of Britain's worst shipping disasters has apparently been recovered after a ship's bell was anonymously given to a BBC reporter.

    It bears the name of the SS Mendi which sank off the Isle of Wight during the First World War, killing more than 600 black South African labourers.

    bell
    Image caption,

    The bell was left for the BBC at Swanage Pier in the early hours of this morning

    The bell is thought to have been stripped from the wreck by divers.

    Maritime archaeologist John Gribble, who has surveyed the ship, said the bell was probably genuine.

  6. Cogges Manor Farm receives grant for upgradepublished at 17:05 British Summer Time 15 June 2017

    Cogges Manor Farm in Witney has received a £50,000 grant from West Oxfordshire District Council.

    It's to go towards a £1.3m development programme over the next two years to improve facilities at the tourist attraction, which in recent years played a starring role in Downton Abbey.

    Cogges Manor FarmImage source, Rabbi WP Thinrod

    Jeanette Baker, cabinet member for leisure and health at West Oxfordshire District Council, said: "We are fortunate to have a heritage centre such as Cogges Manor Farm in our district. It is unique and plays an important part in our local history and in our lives today."

  7. Strikes 'disrupt' UK weapons programmepublished at 16:53 British Summer Time 15 June 2017

    A union claims strikes have resulted in "serious disruption" to the UK's nuclear weapons programme as it announced further industrial action.

    Unite union said workers at the Atomic Weapons Establishment's two Berkshire sites would strike for 12 days during the summer over a pensions dispute.

    Trident submarineImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    AWE builds the UK's Trident submarine warheads

    AWE, which builds the UK's Trident submarine warheads, said it had put "resilient measures in place".

    It added that its pension scheme was "very competitive".

  8. The man who saw Lennon and McCartney in Cavershampublished at 16:43 British Summer Time 15 June 2017

    Adam Whitty
    BBC South

    Ricky snuck into a pub in Caversham in 1960 to see an unknown duo perform in the back room.

    But he didn't know that pair would go on to become some of the biggest stars the world has ever known.

    He was in the Fox and Hounds on the evening where 'The Nerk Twins', made up of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, performed their only known gig.

    He returned to the pub on the day that performance was celebrated with a BBC Music Day Blue Plaque.

  9. Outside the unveiling of Lennon and McCartney's Blue Plaquepublished at 16:36 British Summer Time 15 June 2017

    Adam Whitty
    BBC South

    Paul McCartney's second cousin, a Lennon and McCartney tribute act, and a blue plaque makes...?

    A magic combination, it turns out.

    We caught up with Kate Robbins and the Upbeat Beatles, as they unveiled a BBC Music Day Blue Plaque.

    They were celebrating John Lennon and Paul McCartney's only known gig as 'The Nerk Twins' at the Fox and Hounds pub in Caversham.

  10. Blue plaque tribute to Harbour Lights songwriter Jimmy Kennedypublished at 16:22 British Summer Time 15 June 2017

    The man behind the hit song Harbour Lights has been remembered with a blue plaque at a Hampshire pub.

    The plaque was awarded by BBC Local Radio with the British Plaque Trust, to mark people or places, that have influenced the musical landscape across the country.

    Jimmy Kennedy's son, Jimmy Kennedy Jr, came over from the South of France to unveil the plaque at the Harbour Lights pub in Portsmouth which inspired his father to write the song when he saw it in the 1930s.

    The Northern Ireland-born songwriter also penned songs including Teddy Bears' Picnic and Istanbul (not Constantinople) during a 50-year-career.

    Media caption,

    Blue plaque unveiled as tribute to Harbour Lights songwriter

  11. Here's a closer look at that Chipping Norton blue plaque...published at 16:14 British Summer Time 15 June 2017

    It reels off an impressive roll call of talent that recorded at the old Chipping Norton Studios in the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

    Blue plaque

    Blue plaques have been unveiled across the country as part of BBC Music Day. Also commemorated were David Bowie (twice!), John Peel and Delia Derbyshire, the composer of the Doctor Who theme tune.

  12. Woman arrested as part of Blackbird Leys murder probepublished at 16:13 British Summer Time 15 June 2017

    A woman has been arrested as part of an investigation into the death of a man who died after a fight in Oxford.

    A brawl broke out on 1 June in Jourdain Road, Blackbird Leys.

    Christopher Lemonius, 27, was found injured at the scene and died in hospital.

    Four men and a boy have so far been charged with his murder.

    On Wednesday, a 31-year-old woman from Oxford was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and is in police custody.

    Blackbird Leys murder scene

    She joins a 63-year-old man and a 56-year-old woman, from Oxford, who were arrested on Tuesday, also on suspicion of assisting an offender, but who have since been released under investigation.

  13. 'The single greatest object on planet Earth'published at 16:03 British Summer Time 15 June 2017

    Historian Dan Snow is in Portsmouth doing a podcast, and he starts off by talking about HMS Victory.

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  14. Man tried to 'usher' 16-year-old girl in Weymouthpublished at 16:02 British Summer Time 15 June 2017

    Police are carrying out extra patrols in Weymouth after a girl was approached by a man as she walked on the Rodwell Trail.

    The 16-year-old was asked by a man if she would go for a walk last Sunday evening. She said no, but he then tried to usher her in the direction of Sandsfoot Castle.

    She refused and walked off. Police say they are keen to trace the man, external said to be in his 30s.

  15. Man admits to Christmas Eve killingpublished at 16:02 British Summer Time 15 June 2017

    police in front of crime scene tapeImage source, PA

    Joseph Storr was staying in 48-year-old Warren Duke's house when he stabbed him in the neck.

    Man admits to Christmas Eve killing

    Joseph Storr was staying in 48-year-old Warren Duke's house when he stabbed him in the neck.

    Read More
  16. Catch whooping cough and get £3,500published at 16:02 British Summer Time 15 June 2017

    Michelle Roberts
    Health editor, BBC News online

    Researchers at Southampton University are offering people up to £3,526 to be deliberately infected with whooping cough for the sake of medical science

    They want to make a better vaccine to protect babies, toddlers and vulnerable adults against the disease.

    To help, you must be aged 18-45, in good health, willing to live in an isolation unit for 17 days - and sing.

    Coughing manImage source, CHRISPECORARO/GETTY
  17. Engine fault delays Liberation sailing to Poolepublished at 16:00 British Summer Time 15 June 2017

    Ben Chapple
    BBC News Online

    A fault with Condor Liberation's port main engine means it will have to sail on reduced service for the rest of today, the firm has said.

    The issue was discovered en route to Guernsey this afternoon.

    While it is only due to leave Guernsey five minutes later than scheduled at 15:45 is due to arrive in Poole an hour and five minutes later than planned at 19:45.

    Condor LiberationImage source, Jonathan Le Ray
  18. NHS trust boss praised for improvementspublished at 15:57 British Summer Time 15 June 2017

    Inspectors praise a hospital trust's 'outstanding' chief executive for lunching with patients.

    Read More
  19. Chipping Norton Studios blue plaque unveiledpublished at 15:34 British Summer Time 15 June 2017

    BBC Radio Oxford's Nick Piercey is broadcasting from outside the former Chipping Norton Studios today, unveiling a blue plaque as part of BBC Music Day.

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    He's also been joined by a host of Oxfordshire music talent, who have been performing their versions of songs that were recorded there.

    They are Nikki Petherick (covering The Proclaimers' 500 Miles), Band of Hope (Gerry Rafferty's Baker Street) and Anne-Marie Sanderson (Radiohead's Creep).

    With songs as famous as those, no wonder it's getting one of the blue and shineys.