Bringing you the news, sport, travel and weather for the Channel Islands

BBC Weather

A dry Wednesday night with some long clear spells expected, following some evening sunny spells. Moderate to fresh east to north-easterly winds.

Minimum Temperature: 4 to 7C (39 to 45F).

A bright day in general on Thursday with spells of sunshine. However, there will be areas of cloud around, drifting in on the east to north-easterly wind.

Despite some sunshine, it will feel rather cool. Maximum Temperature: 6 to 11C (43 to 52F).

BBC Radio Jersey

A man threw his takeaway coffee over a bus driver after he was told he could not bring it on board, Jersey Police report.

They are appealing for information about the assault, which took place at the bus stop opposite St Aubin’s Parish Hall at about 13:15 on Sunday.

The driver was "shaken" but not injured, police said.

The man is described as in his 40s, 5ft 7in (1.7m), with a medium build, tanned skin, and a Welsh or Liverpudlian accent.

He was wearing a light grey jacket, dark grey baseball cap and dark cargo trousers.

Anyone with information can contact Jersey Police, external or Crimestoppers anonymously.

BBC Radio Jersey

Image source, Getty Images

An-ex finance worker in Jersey has claimed in a book he was a secret agent for the French equivalent of MI6.

The former fund administrator wrote that he volunteered as a spy to expose a rogue world - with systems set up to escape tax - which he described as like Russian dolls.

Maxime Renahy, 40, worked for Mourant International Finance Administration in Jersey for three years from 2007. State Street bank later bought the company., external

The States of Jersey said it would not comment on the book's "unverified claims".

BBC Radio Jersey

Indigo the gorilla, from Jersey Zoo, has already made a friend in his new home in Belgium - two weeks after leaving the island.

Zookeepers say he's settling in well with fellow bachelor Tebogo who arrived at a similar time from Dublin Zoo.

Indigo will meet his uncle Lomako at the end of the month, but until then, Tebogo and Indigo will get the chance to improve their bond, Jersey Zoo said.

Indigo - the adolescent western lowland gorilla - was the mascot for Jersey's 2015 Island Games.

Image source, Jersey Zoo

BBC Radio Guernsey

Alderney's only rugby club says it's shifting its focus to youth development.

The Ridunians celebrated their first anniversary on Tuesday and say the club is now hoping to host more games in the island.

Image source, Alderney Rugby Club

Coach Harry Symington says young islanders have already proved themselves in touch rugby tournaments in Guernsey and are already playing an "increasingly important role" in the squad.

"At the moment, on our books, we've got about 26. At training, we're hitting about 15 or 16 every session.

"We've got four or five teenagers coming down which is obviously good for the development for rugby in Alderney - once all the old boys stop playing," he said.

Rob Byrne
BBC News Online

Sark's electricity crisis cost the island £330,220 last year, Chief Pleas' 2018 accounts show.

The financial statements, external have been released for political approval at May's spring meeting.

They show £328,184 was spent in legal fees, while a further £2,036 was spent on contingency planning as the island braced for an island-wide power outage at the end of November.

A last-minute deal to avoid the blackout was struck, but only after Sark Electricity and a price commissioner agreed the tariff could revert to a higher price while the government looked at buying the company.

The cost of dealing with the crisis was more than the £298,103 generated in tax from the sale of alcohol and tobacco last year, the accounts show.

The island's price control commissioner incurred a £171,184 cost in defending its legal case against Sark electricity, and paid £115,000 in an out of court settlement.

A further £42,000 was due in legal costs for invoices received after the end of 2018, the accounts show.

Sark Electricity - which supplies about 300 islanders with power - charges significantly more than the UK average tariff, citing the costs associated with importing diesel by ferry and burning it in four generators in an old coal store.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A man was arrested after hitting a wall with his car in Jersey and leaving the scene, police have said.

It happened at the bottom of Queens Road at about 19:50 on 6 April.

A green Mini Cooper, driving down the hill towards the roundabout at Rouge Bouillon, skidded and stuck a granite wall near to the bottom of the hill, officers said.

Two men were seen getting out of the car and leaving the scene before police arrived.

A 30-year-old man was arrested on Monday for failing to stop to report and driving without due care and attention.

He was released on police bail several hours later.

Anyone with information is asked to contact States of Jersey Police.

Image source, Google

BBC Radio Jersey

A Jersey skateboarder says skaters will be tempted to ride on the streets if a new location for a park is not decided upon soon.

The minister responsible for sport is hoping to announce a site for the park soon.

But Steve Harben says there's been slow progress and the popularity of the sport is only going to grow.

Stephanie Gabbatt
BBC Radio Guernsey

A campaign in Alderney is encouraging shoppers to hand back their plastic packaging at supermarket tills.

The Surfers Against Sewage Plastic Free Communities, external campaign will be holding a mass collection of packaging in a bid to show islanders how much unnecessary plastic islanders use.

Shoppers will be asked to decant their goods into paper bags and leave any unnecessary plastic packages, which will then be put in a trolley for recycling or disposal.

The group hopes it will put pressure on UK supermarkets to help local shops make changes and reduce the impact of single-use plastic in the island.

The event is taking place on Saturday at Jean's Store between 10:00 and 11:00 and at Alderney Farm Shop from 11:00 to 12:00.

Simon Fairclough
Guernsey Political Reporter

The most senior committee of the States of Guernsey is being questioned today about progress made on the transformation of public services.

The Scrutiny Management Committee's latest panel hearing is with the Policy and Resources Committee at the Castel Douzaine.

Scrutiny President Chris Green says the focus will be on the actions taken by government to support the transformation of its services, budget savings and the objectives in the Policy and Resource Plan.

BBC Radio Guernsey

Children in the Bailiwick suffering from kidney stones will have access to a new treatment at Southampton Hospital.

The twin surgeon model - which has led to complete removal of stones in almost all cases - is carried out by both a paediatric and an adult urologist.

Normally, kidney stones in children are either removed surgically or ultrasound is used to break the stones into smaller pieces.

However, about half suffer a recurrence after treatment.

The new method combines the skills of a paediatric urologist - who is more experienced in looking after young patients - with an adult urologist who performs a ureteroscopy.

This involves inserting a thin blue tube into the kidney through the bladder to see the stones before removing them using a small forceps-like tool or a laser beam to break them up.

Results from a recent study showed the stone-free rate in patients after treatment was 99%, with an average length of stay in hospital of just one day.

Stephanie Gabbatt
BBC Radio Guernsey

Nature enthusiasts are being encouraged to get involved in Guernsey's first ever Bioblitz, taking place next month.

Environmental experts are looking for volunteers to help them record as many species as possible in a 24-hour search of the grassland, scrub and inter-tidal zone of the L'Ancresse East area.

It's part of a UK initiative, external to highlight the extent to which Britain's wildlife is under threat.

Guernsey Biodiversity Education Officer Julia Henney said: "It's a big ask to try and record every single species from this site, so we need as many people as possible who know about flowers, or bugs, or birds.

"We're calling on every biological recorder on the island to come and give us a hand."

The event is taking place on 14 May.

Guernsey Press

Tribute has been paid to former stipendiary magistrate of the Guernsey court, John (Tony) Gillett, who died last month five days short of his 92nd birthday., external

Jersey Evening Post

After towering over St Helier for nearly 50 years, the derelict building that housed Fort Regent’s swimming pool is finally due be demolished this summer., external

BBC Radio Guernsey

The States disability champion says despite some improvements to accessibility, Guernsey still has a long way to go.

Deputy Sarah Hansmann Rouxel was speaking as surveyors from AccessAble are on the island carrying out a two-week review of facilities and venues in order to update their app, which highlights disabled-friendly locations.

She says the historic layout of Guernsey creates many barriers to inclusion and we should be adopting the best possible standards and not hide behind the excuse.

BBC Radio Jersey

A law change allowing children of midwives, nurses and social workers to get jobs in Jersey without living in the island for five years first could be extended to other professions.

The new rules - which come into effect today - will apply to young people between the ages of 16 and 25.

Constable Chris Taylor, Assistant Chief Minister, says the intention is to expand it to other jobs, like teachers.

"We want consistency, " he said.

"We want people who are here making Jersey their home, making their careers here and we are not having different people one day to the next."

BBC Weather

It will be cloudy this morning with periods of rain and drizzle.

Also breezy and rather cool.

The rain should clear gradually later and the skies will brighten up though the wind and cool temperatures are set to remain.

Maximum temperature: 7 to 10C (45 to 50F).