Berkshire weekly round-up: 18 December - 23 December 2023

Sam Ryder has been promoting his Christmas single in shopping centres

Sam Ryder playing a surprise gig at The Oracle in Reading was among our most read stories this week in Berkshire.

A variety of local issues featured on the BBC News website, BBC Radio Berkshire and South Today.

We have picked five stories to keep you up to date.

Sam Ryder plays surprise gigs at shopping centres

Sam Ryder played surprise gigs at shopping centres in an ultimately unsuccessful bid to push his Christmas single to number one in the charts.

The Eurovision star treated excited shoppers to live shows at the Westgate in Oxford and outside The Oracle in Reading.

His team handed out leaflets with QR codes with which to download his festive song You're Christmas To Me, which was released only on Amazon Music.

Coroner says Ofsted must act following head's suicide

Ruth Perry was the head teacher at Caversham Primary School in Reading

There is a risk of further deaths following the suicide of head teacher Ruth Perry, "unless action is taken", a coroner has told Ofsted and the education secretary.

Mrs Perry, 53, killed herself in January, while waiting for an Ofsted report to be published.

At her inquest, Heidi Connor ruled the inspection had "contributed" to her death. Ofsted previously said it was making several changes.

Mascot with autism gets support from football club

A football player wore ear defenders to show support for a team mascot with autism.

Slough Town FC's Josh Jackman wore the ear guards while walking out for a match against Farnborough.

Roseanne is a young fan with autism who wears ear defenders during games to limit noise and help to keep her calm.

Family ordered to pay £40,000 in kidnap ransom

Erlind Demiraj was described by police as the ringleader of the gang

A family were told their son would be freed from kidnappers if a gang was paid £40,000, police have revealed.

Four members of the gang were jailed at Reading Crown Court for their involvement in the kidnapping of two men in December 2021.

Thames Valley Police said the kidnappers had shown an "alarming" level of violence during the incident.

Stopping areas added to smart motorways

The orange-coloured refuges provide extra places to stop in an emergency on a smart motorway

Spaces where drivers can pull over in safety are to be added to smart motorways on the M3, M4 and M27.

The all-lane running motorways - which turn the hard shoulder into a fourth driving lane - will have additional places to stop in an emergency.

The building of new smart motorways was cancelled by the government in April over cost and safety concerns.