Berkshire weekly round-up: 24 February - 1 March 2024

Welford Park's breathtaking carpet of snowdrops normally last for five weeks until March

A story about Bake Off snowdrops destroyed by slugs in Newbury was among our most read stories this week in Berkshire.

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

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

Bake Off snowdrops destroyed by slugs in Berkshire estate

The estate has warned visitors to expect to see a much-reduced number of blooms

A carpet of snowdrops at an estate which plays host to The Great British Bake Off's famous white tent have been gobbled up by an horde of slugs.

Welford Park in Newbury, Berkshire, said its white blooms normally lasted about five weeks until March.

But the park's team said heavy rainfall and warm temperatures had caused an epidemic of snowdrop-hungry slugs.

In a message posted online, the estate warned visitors to expect to see a much-reduced number of blooms.

Reading-London Paddington route set for overhaul

Network Rail has announced a recovery plan for the Reading-London Paddington route after months of poor performance.

It made national headlines when broken wires left 4,000 passengers stranded on trains for four hours at night, near Ladbroke Grove, on 7 December.

Most passengers had to walk along the tracks to reach safety. There have also been a spate of failures, including broken rails and signalling faults.

The route is now set to be overhauled in three phases over 18 months.

Runners pound pavements in Wokingham Half Marathon

More than £100,000 is raised each year by people taking part in the event, say the organisers

Thousands of runners have taken to the streets for an annual half marathon in Berkshire.

About 3,500 competitors, including elite runners, began running the Wokingham Half Marathon at 10:00 GMT.

Starting and finishing at Cantley Park, the race takes participants through the town centre, although a contingency route has been put in place this year due to flooding.

Organisers said the event raises more than £100,000 for charity each year.

Beloved Bracknell stag sculpture damaged by 'wanton vandalism'

Resident Ken Toogood described the statue as "a bit of a local icon", especially popular with parents and children

Antlers on a life-size stag sculpture were sawn off in a spate of "wanton vandalism", a resident has said.

Clean cut marks can be seen towards the base of each antler on the monument in Savernake Park, Bracknell, suggesting they were deliberately removed.

Ken Toogood, one of those to spot the damage, said those responsible must have been "clandestine" and it looked "premeditated" given the use of tools.

Berkshire civil nuclear site first to be fully decommissioned

A sign still points to the site of the reactor centre

Were it not for a nearby sign, passers-by would have no clue what once stood on a grassy spot in Berkshire.

Beside an arrow pointing to a campus gym, another points to the Imperial College Reactor Centre in Ascot.

While the sports building is clearly visible, all that stands in front of it now is an open field.

But for almost half a century, the patch of grass - not far from Ascot's world-famous racecourse and Legoland - was home to a nuclear reactor.

Now, after 10 years' work, it has become the first civil nuclear site in Britain to be fully decommissioned - the point where regulators have been able to revoke its licence and end the strict controls imposed to protect the public.

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