James Diamond

The Royal Entomological Society is working with conservation groups to update habitat-management guidance for six endangered species in lowland chalk grasslands across Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire. Funded by Natural England and the Crown Estate, the project responds to increasingly severe heatwaves, drought and outdated guidance. While the Avon Wildlife Trust reports desiccated plants, eroded soil and stressed trees, a National Trust project at Holnicote Estate shows that beaver-created wetlands can retain water, reduce flooding and support wildlife. The work forms part of Natural England’s £60m Species Recovery Programme.

Laura Bayliss said she was “unbelievably relieved” after a suitcase containing the ashes of her late fiancée Gavin and their two dogs was mistakenly taken by another passenger on a train. The suitcase was recovered after Bayliss’s social-media appeal was widely shared, and she plans to collect it from Juliana Friend before returning to Holywell Bay in Cornwall to scatter the ashes. Bayliss had waited five years before feeling ready to carry out Gavin’s wishes; he died by suicide after struggling with long COVID.

NHS England has made Fampridine available to eligible people with multiple sclerosis in England, offering hope to Wiltshire actor Jules Hobbs, whose mobility has deteriorated significantly. The drug helps electrical signals pass through damaged nerve cells and clinical trials found walking improvements in about four in 10 users, but only around 5,000 of England’s more than 120,000 MS patients are expected to qualify. Gloucester resident Emma Richards said it did not help her, while acknowledging that it benefits many others. Hobbs hopes the treatment will improve her ability to walk and continue working, despite uncertainty over whether it will be effective for her.

More than £3m from the West of England Combined Authority, National Lottery Heritage Fund and South Gloucestershire Council is funding the regeneration of Kingswood High Street and nearby Kingswood Park. Work includes restoring shopfronts, improving roads and walkways, refurbishing the clock tower and public toilets, adding public art, and upgrading the park with new play, performance and visitor facilities. Construction began in 2026 and is expected to finish by the end of 2027, with scaffolding moving along Regent Street as shopfronts are improved.

Michael Bretton, 41, denies murdering Craig Hurcombe with a samurai sword at a Somerset workplace on 1 January. Giving evidence in his own defence at Bristol Crown Court, Bretton said Hurcombe died accidentally after falling onto sharp metal. Prosecutor Mark Cotter KC challenged this account, citing Bretton's use of tracking devices, repeated visits to Hurcombe's workplace and former partner Kate Saunders, and his actions after the death, including moving and burying the body, burning clothing, and accessing Hurcombe's WhatsApp messages. The trial is continuing.

Construction has begun on the £1bn Golden Valley cyber and technology campus in Cheltenham, expected to create about 12,000 jobs and generate £151m for the local economy. Phase one includes an innovation centre bringing together government, academia and private industry, along with a transport hub featuring cycling facilities and retail space. The wider development will incorporate about 1,000 homes, a primary school and extensive technology infrastructure next to GCHQ. Local officials describe the project as nationally significant, with GCHQ emphasising its role in addressing emerging security challenges. Completion of the first phase is expected in early 2028.

A record-breaking UK heatwave created unprecedented pressure on the South Western Ambulance Service, which handled its busiest days on record in May and June as temperatures exceeded 37C. Officials warned of increasingly frequent and extreme heatwaves driven by climate change and urged the public to reserve 999 calls for genuine emergencies. With millions expected to visit the region during the summer holidays, new contingency plans are being implemented to bolster service resilience. Amber heat-health alerts have been issued for large parts of England as temperatures are forecast to rise again.

A record heatwave drove the South Western Ambulance Service to its busiest day ever, prompting new summer plans to handle rising demand driven by increasingly frequent extreme temperatures. Officials warned of unnecessary emergency calls related to heat exposure and advised the public to reserve 999 for true emergencies. Consecutive record temperatures in Somerset and Suffolk and new amber heat‑health alerts reflect a broader trend of more common and intense heatwaves linked to climate change. With millions expected to visit the region during the holidays, ambulance and air ambulance crews are preparing for sustained pressure in the weeks ahead.

Two men from Yeovil and London were sentenced to 30 years in prison for attempted murder after firing a pistol at another vehicle during a targeted chase through a trading estate. A jury at Taunton Crown Court found them guilty of multiple firearms offences, with police emphasising the severe risk posed to the victims and the public. No injuries occurred, which police attributed to luck, and both men were arrested shortly after the incident.

A three-month partial closure order was issued for Berkeley House in Bath following a sharp rise in severe anti-social behaviour, including drug use, intimidation and unsanitary conditions. Avon and Somerset Police and Curo Housing Association reported escalating incidents that left vulnerable residents frightened and caretakers feeling unsafe. The order restricts access to residents, authorised visitors and approved personnel, aiming to restore safety and stability for those living in the building.