Sophie Parker

Ten people were arrested after anti-immigration and counter-protests in Bristol involving an estimated 150 anti-immigration demonstrators and 300 counter-protesters. Police reported pockets of disorder, attempted breaches of police lines and alleged offences including assault, obstruction and concealing identities under new face-covering restrictions. Around 300 officers from Avon and Somerset Police and 10 other forces were deployed, while the demonstrations disrupted traffic and access in the city centre.

A fire at Standish Woods near Stroud was started by a barbecue or similar activity, abandoned and allowed to spread before being reported. Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service sent three crews and brought it under control, preventing potentially significant damage. The National Trust is urging visitors to avoid barbecues, extinguish cigarettes safely and take precautions during continued dry weather.

Efforts are underway to protect the UK’s chalk streams, which host rare and diverse wildlife but face threats from pollution and water extraction. A parliamentary bill would require the government to apply for Unesco Natural World Heritage Site status to strengthen protections, though it is unlikely to become law. Supporters say the move would help raise awareness and influence future legislation. Local conservationists and MPs highlight the ecological importance of chalk streams and the need to safeguard them for communities and future generations.

Swindon’s council leader criticizes the town’s exclusion from proposed regional devolution plans involving Oxfordshire and Berkshire, calling the decision devastating and contrary to earlier government signals. Disagreements among local leaders, particularly Oxfordshire’s view that Swindon is outside the Thames Valley, contributed to the breakdown. The government redirected the region toward forming a Foundation Strategic Authority with limited powers instead of a mayoral authority, prompting frustration from several leaders who say the shift undermines months of work.