Hampshire and Isle of Wight weekly round-up: 22 January - 2 February 2024

Greta Thunberg joined marchers at Farnborough Airport

Climate change activist Greta Thunberg's appearance at a protest in Farborough was among our most read stories this week in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

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

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

Drone video shows scenic road close to collapsing

An aerial video has shown how close an island road is to collapsing.

Filmed by resident Philip Sheath, the footage of Military Road on the Isle of Wight has attracted hundreds of comments online.

A Save the Military Road Facebook group also now has 2,000 members.

Water company u-turn on River Test sewage discharge

Equipment to allow over pumping has been installed along the Test

A water firm boss has admitted it was a mistake to plan to pump diluted sewage into a renowned chalk stream.

Residents and anglers, including The Crown actor James Murray, protested after Southern Water installed overland pipes near the River Test in Hampshire.

In a letter to a parish council, the firm's chief executive Lawrence Gosden said: "It was a mistake to do so and I intervened to stop it."

Criticism of council plans to close tips

The tip in Bishop's Waltham is one of those listed to be at risk of closure

Residents have said potential plans to close 12 tips in Hampshire are "madness".

The county council has put forward proposals to reduce the number of refuse sites to plug a £132m budget shortfall by April 2025.

Users and district councillors in the New Forest have raised fears it could lead to an increase in fly-tipping and less recycling.

The authority is running a consultation period for the plans until 31 March.

Thunberg joins airport protests

Greta Thunberg joined activists to protesting against an airport expansion.

Farnborough Airport has submitted plans to move from a cap of 50,000 to 70,000 flights per year.

The Hampshire airport, which mainly serves private jets, said the change would meet demand for business trips.

But the protesters called for a total ban on private jets, which they said were up to 30 times more polluting than passenger airliners.

Small firm hits the big time with London premiere

The cast of The Chosen took to the grey carpet in Leicester Square for the premiere of Season 4

Putting on a European film premiere in Leicester Square was a "different ball game" for a small Hampshire-based PR firm, its owner has said.

Hundreds of fans turned out for the screening of the first episodes of The Chosen Season 4.

The streaming series has been viewed more than 600 million times worldwide.

The premiere cost about £1m and took more than six months to organise, with all the planning taking place at Kova International's office in Southampton.