Lucy Bickerton
BBC Radio Oxford

Ever wondered how many bottles of champagne are drunk at Henley Royal Regatta?

Boaty McBoatface, the UK's favourite yellow submarine, has returned from its first major science expedition.

The vehicle was made in Southampton's National Oceanography Centre.

It was used in the Antarctic to map the movement of deep, cold water as it moves away from the White Continent towards the Atlantic Ocean.

Image source, P.ABRAHAMSEN/BAS

Scientists say this flow of water plays an important role in helping to regulate the Earth's climate system.

Boaty made a total of three dives, reaching down to 4,000m below the surface.

Researchers have said it acquired a remarkable set of new data.

Adam Williams
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Oxford United owner Darryl Eales has told BBC Radio Oxford he is considering six candidates for the vacant manager's position - three of which have been interviewed.

The U's chairman is searching for a replacement for Michael Appleton who joined Leicester City as assistant manager.

Eales refused to name individuals under consideration with former Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard (pictured above) and ex-Leeds United assistant Pep Clotet among several with short odds among bookmakers.

Eales hopes to complete interviews by Friday with an announcement on Monday.

Up to 100 affordable homes are set to be built in Reading under new plans being considered by councillors next week.

Almost £20m would be used to fund the potential development as part of the council's house-building programme.

The money is made up of funding from Right to Buy receipts from sales of council homes, developer contributions and £12.6m borrowing.

Reading Borough Council's housing, neighbourhood and leisure committee will be asked to recommend the plans for approval on 5 July and plans would then go to the policy committee later next month.

The Henley Royal Regatta begins with more than 200 races taking place on the River Thames.

Oxfordshire's chief fire officer has been speaking about the safety of Oxford's tower blocks, following the Grenfell Tower fire.

It was announced earlier this week that the Evenlode and Windrush towers in Blackbird Leys are to have their rain-screen cladding replaced.

Simon Furlong spoke to BBC Radio Oxford's David Prever about residents' concerns raised during the programme.

The defence secretary has announced plans to start a six-year £48m Apache helicopter training contract.

Sir Michael Fallon revealed the investment in Apache air and ground crew would support around 70 jobs in Dorset and Suffolk with Aviation Training International Ltd.

The Apache training has been described as a "vital" part of the British Army's fighting force and is expected to host around 700 Army personnel per year, including 50 pilots and 400 ground crew.

Image source, PA

The level crossing was once dubbed the most dangerous in the country.

The number of smokers across the Solent has seen a "significant drop" since the ban of indoor smoking.

Figures from Public Health England have revealed that since the ban was imposed 10 years ago more than half of adults in Portsmouth and Southampton have never smoked.

Both cities have seen a fall in smoker rates with around one in five adults now smoking.

According to the research the south east has one of the lowest smoking rates in England and one of the lowest rates of hospital admissions due to smoking.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Southampton have restated their intention to keep defender Virgil van Dijk.

The Dutchman has been the target of a number of leading clubs this summer.

Liverpool apologised amid claims they had made an illegal approach for Van Dijk.

The Reds also said they had “ended interest” in the 25-year-old.

However, Jurgen Klopp remains a fan and there has been speculation Liverpool and Chelsea may yet make an attempt to sign him.

Executive director Les Reed has confirmed Southampton’s star players are “not for sale”.

Following the arrival of Mauricio Pellegrino as manager, Saints are keen to keep all their leading players and are building their summer recruitment around improving their squad rather than allowing it to be weakened.

A post-mortem examination found Jacqueline Pattenden died from a stab wound to her chest.

Oxford is the 14th, external most dynamic city in Europe, according to Savills IM's Dynamic Cities index, external.

Researchers ranked cities after taking into account their infrastructure, interconnection, inclusion, inspiration, innovation, and investment.

London came first, with Paris, Cambridge, Amsterdam and Berlin rounding out the Top 10.

Reading came 35th, external, even though it was a town last time we looked.

Image source, M J Richardson

The match commander on the day of the Hillsborough disaster, former South Yorkshire Police Ch Supt David Duckenfield, potentially faces being charged with the manslaughter by gross negligence of 95 football fans at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest on 15 April 1989.

Image source, Reuters

For legal reasons, Mr Duckenfield cannot be charged with the manslaughter of the 96th Hillsborough victim Tony Bland, who died four years after the disaster.

The CPS must also apply to the High Court for the lifting of an order which was imposed after Mr Duckenfield was prosecuted privately in 1999.

This would have to be lifted before he can be charged.

Mr Duckenfield now lives in Ferndown, Dorset.

Councillors have voted unanimously to back Poole Hospital as Dorset's main facility for emergency care.

The hospital is at risk of losing its A&E and maternity services in a planned shake-up of health services in the county.

Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group wants one hospital to specialise in emergency care and its preferred site is at Bournemouth.

Protesters also gathered outside the council meeting yesterday in support of the hospital.

The council has been advised to get the defective cladding off the two blocks as soon as possible.

Thames Water has come under fire from the water regulator Ofwat.

The body's chairman Jonson Cox said on Monday that Thames Water should "quickly change the way it operates", following a string of fines for water and sewage leakages.

Last week it emerged the company faces a fine of £8.5m from Ofwat for an "unacceptable failure" to control leakages, after missing its reduction target by 47 million litres a day.

The company disclosed it had paid out £100m in dividends to shareholders in the last financial year.

In a statement, Thames Water says it's "working hard to address" Ofwat's concerns, and recognises "the need to conduct all activities in an open and transparent way".

University student support workers have walked out in a row over plans to cut their night-time shift allowances.

Public service union Unison said University of Southampton staff working evening or night shifts in halls of residence faced pay cuts of up to 20%.

The university said the shift allowance originally proposed had been increased and the 42 affected staff would also receive a "compensatory payment".

The 24-hour walk-out at the halls of residence was due to end at midnight.

Image source, University of Southampton

The five-day rowing spectacular that is the Henley Royal Regatta begins today on the River Thames.

Spectators are bound to be thrilled by over 200 races of international standard, which includes both Olympians and new crews.

The regatta was first held in 1839, and apart from the two World Wars, has been held every year since.

According to the regatta's organisers, the total cost of staging the event is nearly £3m a year.

In 2017 three new events for women are introduced (The Women's Fours, The Women's Pairs and The Women's Double Sculls) offering equal events for men and women in the open categories.

There is live coverage across the next five days on BBC Radio Berkshire.

Oxfordshire County Council says it has started a review of fire risks related to the construction, materials and cladding used in its buildings, including schools, following the Grenfell Tower fire.

"Should any unacceptable risks be identified, work will be carried out to address them," a spokesman said.

"These reviews are being conducted as a precaution, and are not the result of any concerns about specific buildings.

"No school in Oxfordshire has more than four storeys and the majority are single storey. The review will initially focus on those buildings that may present the greatest risk due to speed of evacuation such as schools for children with special educational needs or where children stay overnight.

"We have written to all schools to explain the planned review, and to remind them of the advice about fire safety."