Summary

  • End of the line for Dorset dinosaur museum

  • Oxford set for zero-emmission zone

  • Poole in top 10 happiness list

  • Portsmouth owner Eisner's journey from Disney to Pompey

  • Updates from Wednesday 11 October

  1. Just for Pets store to close in Readingpublished at 18:02 British Summer Time 11 October 2017

    Seven Just for Pets stores are to close including one in Reading.

    Just for Pets storeImage source, Google

    Almost 200 jobs have been saved after the company was bought by Pedigree Wholesale.

    The acquisition will enable 18 out of the 25 stores to continue to operate.

    However, Pedigree said it had decided "with regret" to close sites in Northampton, Reading, Wellington and Nottingham, Bessie & Boo (Evesham), Burton upon Trent and Yardley.

  2. Triffid-like plant 'taking over Thames', says professorpublished at 17:54 British Summer Time 11 October 2017

    An "invasive alien plant with Triffid-like growth" is about to take over parts of the Thames, a professor says.

    Plant in river

    The Floating Pennywort, which can grow up to 20cm a day, is in the river downstream of Reading.

    River management specialist Prof Alastair Driver said: "If the Environment Agency don't eradicate the Floating Pennywort this autumn, then it will be too late."

    The Environment Agency (EA) has been approached for comment.

    The plant, latin name Hydroctyle ranunculoides, was first naturalised in 1990 after being thrown away by people with garden ponds.

  3. Golfer Justin Rose collects MBEpublished at 17:43 British Summer Time 11 October 2017

    Hampshire golfer Justin Rose collected his MBE today at Buckingham Palace.

    Justin RoseImage source, PA

    The 37-year-old was awarded the honour in the New Year Honours list for services to the sport.

    Rose, from Hook, won gold at the Rio Olympics last year and is currently ranked number 13 in the world.

  4. Man stabbed in leg in Readingpublished at 17:35 British Summer Time 11 October 2017

    A man has been taken to hospital after being stabbed in the leg in Reading.

    Cem junctionImage source, Google

    Police were called to London Road at about 13:30 BST and remain at the scene while investigations continue.

    No arrests have been made.

  5. Portsmouth tower blocks cladding: 'No government cash for removal'published at 17:22 British Summer Time 11 October 2017

    The government will not fund the removal of hazardous cladding on two tower blocks in Portsmouth, an opposition councillor has claimed.

    Horatia HouseImage source, Google

    Aluminium composite panels on Horatia House and Leamington House is due to be removed by February at a cost of £1.5m.

    Liberal Democrat city councillor Tom Wood said it was "very much clear" the government would not foot the bill.

    The city council and Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) said funding talks were ongoing.

  6. Jurassica project reaches point of extinctionpublished at 17:00 British Summer Time 11 October 2017

    Plans for a £80m dinosaur-themed museum in a 40m (132ft) deep quarry have been scrapped.

    Jurassica was the idea of science writer Michael Hanlon who died last year aged 51. Sir David Attenborough was the project's patron.

    A model of the planned museum released in 2015 showed Jurassic seashore and animatronic swimming dinosaurs but the project's future had been in doubt ever since it was turned down in its application for a £16m national lottery grant.

    The scheme is downsizing and merging with a biodiversity project to create a new attraction called The Journey.

    The new attraction is predicted to attract 325,000 visitors a year, create 79 year-round jobs and offer an ongoing programme for 30 apprentices on Portland.

    JurassicaImage source, Jurassica
  7. Unborn baby RSV vaccine to be trialledpublished at 16:43 British Summer Time 11 October 2017

    Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) affects millions of children worldwide each year.

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  8. The Journey begins in Portland minepublished at 16:20 British Summer Time 11 October 2017

    Briony Leyland
    BBC South Today

    Plans for an £80m dinosaur-themed museum in Dorset have been shelved.

    The Jurassica attraction inside a quarry on Portland would have seen robotic marine life swimming in giant aquariums - as the area's prehistoric past was brought to life.

    But after the project failed to get off the ground, those behind it have teamed up with a rival attraction, Memo.

    They're now working together on what will be called The Journey, based inside a mine

  9. Ex-Portsmouth captain Paul Merson set for Welsh movepublished at 15:52 British Summer Time 11 October 2017

    BBC Sport

    Former England, Portsmouth and Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson is set to make a comeback with Welsh fourth-tier team Caerau.

    The Maesteg club are awaiting international clearance for the 49-year-old to appear against Pontyclun on Wednesday, 18 October.

    Merson signed for the then second-tier Portsmouth, external in 2002 and captained the club to the First Division Championship title and promotion to the Premier League.

    Paul MersonImage source, Getty Images
  10. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine to be trialled on unborn babiespublished at 15:17 British Summer Time 11 October 2017

    A new vaccine aimed at protecting babies against a virus that can cause deadly respiratory infections is to be clinically trialled in the UK.

    Pregnan womanImage source, PA

    Pregnant women in Southampton, London, Bristol and Oxford will be the first in the world to take part in the testing of the vaccine.

    It aims to prevent respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) that causes about 30 baby deaths a year in the UK.

    The virus can cause severe infections in lung and breathing passages.

  11. From green borders to the green baizepublished at 14:51 British Summer Time 11 October 2017

    Billy Joe Castle is happy to have swapped plant pots for long pots in his first year as a professional snooker player.

    Read More
  12. Cowes Enterprise College statement on injured studentpublished at 14:37 British Summer Time 11 October 2017

    Cowes Enterprise College has issued a statement after a teenage student was seriously injured after falling from a height at the school.

    Quote Message

    All of our thoughts and prayers are with our student and her family and friends at this difficult time. All of us across our school community are of course incredibly worried and would ask that the family’s and the school’s privacy is respected. As an academy we are providing every help we can for our students and staff, including making professional counselling available.

    Rachel Kitley, Principal

  13. Teenager seriously injured in school fallpublished at 14:34 British Summer Time 11 October 2017
    Breaking

    A teenage girl has suffered serious injuries after falling from a height at a school on the Isle of Wight.

    Hampshire police said emergency services were called to Cowes Enterprise College shortly before 13:00 BST.

    The girl's injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. Police said the circumstances are not being treated as suspicious.

  14. Christmas ice rink returns to Weymouthpublished at 14:22 British Summer Time 11 October 2017

    Weymouth's Christmas ice rink is to return this festive season, the town's Business Improvement District (BID) has announced.

    The rink will be part of the Big Christmas Festival and starts operating on 1 December following the lighting of the resort's Christmas tree.

    Ice rinkImage source, Weymouth BID
  15. Village pub 'best restaurant in world'published at 14:10 British Summer Time 11 October 2017

    The Black Swan beats Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck and Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir.

    Read More
  16. Road call following Jurassica-Memo announcementpublished at 14:03 British Summer Time 11 October 2017

    The two planned visitor attractions for Portland - Jurassica and Memo - are to join together.

    Jurassica, which was to be a dinosaur-themed museum about the Jurassic Coast, will be joining with a biodiversity project to create a single visitor experience.

    It is predicted to attract 325,000 visitors a year and create 79 year-round jobs

    Jeff Cant, leader of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, said the project should lead to road improvements to accommodate the expected visitor numbers.

    Portland
    Quote Message

    For many, many years we've been petitioning government and county council for investment in a road from Portland through Wyke and through West Dorset. That is going to be back on the table and once we have this project more firmly in place we'll have a better base to go to the government and say 'we must sort out the infrastructure'.

    Jeff Cant, Leader of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council

  17. Teacher branded gay people 'sick in head'published at 13:54 British Summer Time 11 October 2017

    Joshua Onduso told students gay people "have a disease" and are "sick in the head".

    Read More
  18. Billy Joe Castle on pro snooker movepublished at 13:39 British Summer Time 11 October 2017

    BBC Sport

    A landscape gardener from Hampshire has been talking about his decision to give up his job to become a professional snooker player.

    Billy Joe Castle won the English amateur championship last year, and since turning pro has already done well in major finals, including defeating veteran player Jimmy White in the European Masters.

    Billy Joe Castle
    Quote Message

    In the next couple of years, if I can break into the top 64 that would be my goal. After that I'd love to play at the Crucible - that would be amazing.

    Billy Joe Castle

  19. Daredevil 85-year-old raises thousands for charitypublished at 13:29 British Summer Time 11 October 2017

    She's completed a skydive, a wing walk and even been swimming with sharks. But she's no ordinary daredevil, she's an 85-year-old grandmother from Oxfordshire. Every year Trish Wagstaff, from Appleton, near Abingdon, takes on a new challenge and raises thousands of pounds for charity.