James Felton

Emergency services attended Merrywalks in Stroud after a van was reported to be on fire, resulting in a road closure and police presence. Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service found no active fire and attributed the smoke to a mechanical fault. Firefighters inspected the vehicle and disconnected its battery to make it safe; one engine from Stroud attended.

Students across Stroud, Dursley and the surrounding district received their GCSE results, with local schools reporting strong or improved outcomes. Stroud High School and Marling School recorded particularly high proportions of grades 9–7, while Maidenhill described its results as the best in its history and Rednock reported its strongest grade 4-plus performance in years. Schools also highlighted individual achievements, improved progress among disadvantaged and SEND pupils, and students’ progression to sixth form, college or training.

A group of children lit a campfire in a dry field at Heavens Valley despite a temporary fire ban. Volunteers from the Heavens Valley Action Group extinguished the fire and warned the children about the risks. The group also reported that fire-warning signs had been torn down and that broken glass was found elsewhere in the valley. Its volunteer Walking Guardians continue to patrol the area and coordinate responses to hazards.

Tesco’s Stroud superstore on Stratford Road briefly closed at around 8 p.m. on Monday, August 17, because of an intermittent in-store lighting issue. The store reopened later that evening, and Tesco said it was operating as usual while apologizing for the inconvenience. Similar closures were reportedly believed to have occurred in recent weeks.

The Old Nelson pub-restaurant in Stroud, formerly part of the Brewers Fayre chain, has reportedly been sold to Queensway Inns as part of its acquisition of 53 sites. The new owner is expected to transform the venue into a new hospitality venture, potentially preserving local jobs and maintaining a popular destination for families and older customers. The sale follows Whitbread's plan to close Brewers Fayre venues and focus on expanding its Premier Inn hotel business, cutting around 3,800 jobs while targeting £250 million in cost savings.

A 24/7 Tuckshop vending machine has opened in Stroud town centre near Domino’s and the Five Valleys Shopping Centre. It sells sandwiches, cake pots, brownies, savoury treats and drinks supplied by local Gloucestershire bakers and makers.

Rowcroft Medical Centre in Stroud is reserving all parking spaces on the left side of its car park for staff, while retaining spaces for patients and pharmacy users. The practice is also urging patients to leave promptly after appointments and discouraging non-patients from using the car park while visiting the town.

A two-vehicle collision on the northbound M5 between junctions 13 for Stroud and 12 for Quedgeley/Hardwicke caused significant traffic delays. Gloucestershire Police said the vehicles had been moved to the hard shoulder for recovery, while AA traffic information reported partial blockage and queuing traffic.

Sections of Westerleigh Road and Shire Way in Yate will close overnight from August 24 to August 31, between 8pm and 6am. The closures will enable installation of underground ducting for new pedestrian crossings and other essential works connected to the Yate Spur project, which aims to improve walking, wheeling and cycling links between Yate, Westerleigh and nearby communities. South Gloucestershire Council warned of possible delays and urged drivers to plan ahead.

Detectives were granted additional time to question a woman in her 60s from Gloucester who was arrested on suspicion of murder and arson with intent to endanger life after a fatal house fire in Hardwicke. A woman in her 90s was found unconscious at the Elmgrove Road West property and later pronounced dead. Police and fire investigators remain at the scene, while Gloucestershire Constabulary appeals for information from the public.

Josh Scott, 36, of Hanham in South Gloucestershire, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court to 21 years and four months for more than 10 offences involving the sexual abuse and grooming of children and possession of indecent images. He will serve 13 years in prison, with the remainder on licence, and received a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order. Investigators found about 9,200 indecent images on his devices, including 1,969 category A images, after referrals from the National Crime Agency, US Homeland Security Investigations and Greater Manchester Police. Scott used Snapchat and TikTok while posing as a teenager to contact more than 40 children aged seven to 16 and coerce them into sending intimate material.

A grassfire broke out in the churchyard of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Minchinhampton, damaging several graves and prompting an emergency response. Local residents used hoses and buckets to stop the flames spreading toward nearby homes and the church. Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service attended with one engine from Stroud, extinguishing the blaze by 12:32 p.m., while church officials asked residents to leave the area so firefighters could complete dampening-down operations.

Swan Lane in Winterbourne, South Gloucestershire, is being closed around the clock for drainage improvements near Old Gloucester Road. The closure includes a signed diversion to maintain property access. The work follows the replacement of 270 metres of a deteriorated stone culvert and the realignment of a field-edge ditch, measures intended to resolve persistent flooding and improve drainage along the road.

Rasmachaz, a charity shop in Stroud town centre formerly known as Refugee Aid Stroud, is holding a closing-down sale with all items half price. The shop has supported displaced people for ten years by selling affordable clothing, shoes, books and household goods. It was inspired by activist Hassan Akkad and previously operated on Kendrick Street before moving to the corner of Kendrick and Threadneedle streets.

Stratford Park Lido in Stroud reopened after repairs costing nearly £500,000, including work on the main pool, pumps, walls, paving and children’s pool. The reopening was attended by Stroud MP Simon Opher and Stroud District Council leader Chloe Turner, with campaign groups Save Our Lido Stroud and Friends of Stroud Lido praised for their support. A new café has also opened, and the lido is scheduled to operate through the 2026 season, subject to weather conditions.