Berkshire weekly round-up: 11 May - 17 May 2024

A story about a King's medal being awarded to a twin who fought crocodile off her sister was among our most read 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.

Refuse workers seen on CCTV dodging exploding gas canister

Video has been released capturing the moment a gas canister exploded and nearly hit two refuse workers.

The container flew out of the truck in Marcia Court in Slough, Berkshire, on Tuesday, landing between refuse supervisor Tom Conway and acting up supervisor Ray McNally.

Slough Borough Council said it had been wrongly left in a waste bin for collection.

King's medal for twin who fought crocodile off sister

Georgia Laurie (right) saved her twin sister Melissa from a crocodile attack nearly three years ago

A woman who saved her twin sister from a crocodile attack by punching it will receive a King's Gallantry Medal.

Georgia Laurie, 31, from Sandhurst, repeatedly hit the reptile in the face after it attacked Melissa while they were swimming in Mexico in June 2021.

The twins were treated in hospital where Melissa developed sepsis and was put into a medically induced coma.

Georgia said: "I feel really privileged, it's a silver lining to have come out of the terrible ordeal."

Bibby Stockholm 'like a prison' for Iranian pro cyclist

Mohammad Ganjkhanlou said his home country of Iran was unsafe

A professional cyclist who has applied for asylum in the UK has said the Bibby Stockholm barge would be like "prison" for him.

Mohammad Ganjkhanlou came to Glasgow to compete in the world championships, then applied for asylum because he felt his home country of Iran was unsafe.

He was put in a hotel in Reading by the Home Office and joined a local cycling club, but has now been told he is being moved to the boat in Portland, Dorset and will be unable to take his bike on board.

The Home Office said Mr Ganjkhanlou would be allowed to store his bike in a lock-up at the port and ride it elsewhere.

Homeless mum feels 'out of control'

Tasha has been living in hotels for three months

A mother of two who has been homeless since her marriage broke down said she was refused accommodation despite being able to afford it.

After viewing a property Tasha was told she needed a salary of £56,000, despite the annual rent being £18,000.

She has been living in hotels, paid for by West Berkshire Council, since February, and said she felt "degraded" and like "everything's out of my control".

The council's deputy leader Denise Gaines said Tasha's case was "tragic" and she would be offered temporary accommodation as soon as space became available.

Palace winger Olise's agent banned for six months

Michael Olise signed his first professional contract at Reading in 2019 before moving to Crystal Palace in 2021

Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise's agent has been banned for six months for breaching rules around a future transfer of the player when he was at Reading in 2019.

Glen Tweneboah was found to have breached Football Association rules by entering into an agreement that would see him eligible for a 10% cut of Olise's future transfer fee, although no such payment was ever made, The Athletic reported., external

Olise graduated from the Royals' academy and signed his first professional contract in 2019.

Reading have been fined £200,000 for their part in the breach, while the club's chief executive officer at the time, Nigel Howe, has been suspended for 12 months and fined £5,000 by an independent regulatory commission.

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