Laura Jones

A beaver colony at Heal Rewilding’s 460-acre former dairy farm in Somerset has built dams, created wetland habitats and produced five kits, contributing to increases in recorded birds, butterflies and other wildlife. The project also hosts Wild Memories, a dementia support group whose members benefit from outdoor experiences that can evoke long-term memories and provide emotional respite. Heal Rewilding plans to establish a similar site in Yorkshire and hopes to create a recovery site in every English county.

A beaver colony on Heal Rewilding’s 460-acre former dairy farm in Somerset has built dams, created wetland habitat and produced five kits, an unusually successful development following the species’ return to England. The project has coincided with rising bird, butterfly, mouse and vole populations, while the wetlands may help reduce flooding, store carbon and improve ecosystem resilience. The site also hosts Wild Memories, a dementia support group whose members benefit from the outdoor setting, which can evoke long-term memories and provide a sense of healing. Heal Rewilding plans to develop a similar project in Yorkshire and eventually establish recovery sites across every county in England.

Former Bristol deputy harbourmaster Mike Ferguson says there is “no chance whatsoever” that missing student Jack O'Sullivan entered the River Avon without being found, citing the waterway's currents and known catchment points where bodies are recovered. O'Sullivan disappeared after leaving a house party in Hotwells on 2 March 2024. Avon and Somerset Police say they have considered the water-entry scenario, reviewed third-party submissions and commissioned independent expert reports. O'Sullivan's family says Ferguson's report gives them renewed focus and reinforces their belief that the investigation should look beyond the harbour.