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Angry residents fight homes
DOZENS of angry residents in West Huntspill, near Burnham, have stepped up their campaign to fight plans for 14 new homes to be built on a field in the village. The residents, pictured above with the controversial field behind them, held a public meeting on Saturday (May 10th) to discuss the next stage of their campaign. More...

Toddler air-lifted to hospital
A THREE-year-old boy was airlifted to hospital from Burnham-On-Sea on Saturday afternoon (May 10th) after he suffered a serious foot injury. The toddler was stabilised at the scene by paramedics, but due to the nature of his injuries, paramedics decided the quickest way to get him to hospital was by using a helicopter. More...

More success for cadets
SEVERAL cadets from Highbridge and Burnham St John Ambulance are celebrating again this weekend after winning a regional first aid competition. Christopher Marsh, 9, Harry Pike, 9 and Jaymie Whitehouse, 6, competed against teams from across the region. More...

Walker suffers broken ankle
BURNHAM-On-Sea Coastguards were called to Brean Down on Saturday (May 10th) to help a walker who had suffered a suspected broken ankle in a fall. The team rushed to Brean Down Fort at 1.30pm after the lady, aged in her 60s, was reported to be in a lot of pain. More...

In photos: Bluebells at Brean
A WEEK of warm sunshine has created these wonderfully colourful scenes on Brean Down, near Burnham-On-Sea. Thousands of bluebells were in full bloom on the northern slopes of the rocky outcrop on Saturday afternoon (May 10th), as pictured here by Burnham-On-Sea.com. More...

Jetty safety warning issued
COASTGUARDS in Burnham-On-Sea have issued a safety warning after the town's jetty was partially blocked by parked vehicles on Saturday (May 10th). As these photos show, six vehicles were using the slipway, much to the concern of the town's marine emergency services. More...

Injured gannet is released
AN injured gannet which was found in Burnham-On-Sea earlier this year has been released back into the wild from a cliff-top in Devon. The bird had been blown inland during heavy storms back in March and needed care and attention, which it received at the RSPCA's Wildlife Centre near Taunton. More...

Delays on M5 after incidents
TWO separate incidents - a van fire and an accident - left traffic at a standstill on the M5 motorway at Burnham-On-Sea on Friday (May 9th). Long queues of vehicles developed after the incidents near to junction 22. Fire services were called to the northbound carriageway at 9.38am after plumes of smoke drifted across the motorway, prompting speed restrictions. More...

Famous names head to Brean
A WHOLE host of celebrities will be appearing at Brean Leisure Park's annual Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament on Tuesday (May 13th). Top sporting names including jockey Tony McCoy (pictured), Sam Thomas, Dominic Elsworth, Dave Crosse, Jimmy McCarthy, Will Kennedy and Carl Llewellyn are to take part. There are still places left for those wishing to take part. More...

Hinkley Point reactor 'tripped'
ONE of the nuclear reactors at Hinkley Point power station, near Burnham-On-Sea, has been shut down after unexpectedly "tripping" on Thursday morning (May 8th) following an "engineering issue." British Energy told Burnham-On-Sea.com that Hinkley Point's B8 reactor stopped unexpectedly and engineers at the plant are working on a restart plan. More...

Step forward for charity walk
WALKERS are being encouraged to step forward to take part in the annual fundraising walk between Burnham-On-Sea jetty and Brean Down and back to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society. The 15-mile beach walk will start at 11.30am on Sunday May 25th. A shorter, eight-mile walk is also available to the entrance of Berrow Beach and return. More...

Council backs protestors
PARISH councillors in West Huntspill, near Burnham-On-Sea, have this week backed dozens of residents who are campaigning against plans to build 14 new homes in the village. Over 40 residents attended West Huntspill Parish Council's monthly meeting on Tuesday evening (May 6th) to air their views about the controversial and unpopular scheme. More...

Second Lib Dem stands down
LIBERAL Democrats in Burnham-On-Sea have been rocked by a second resignation in a month, Burnham-On-Sea.com can reveal. Highbridge town councillor Chris Williams told Burnham-On-Sea.com on Wednesday (May 7th) he is quitting the Liberal Democrats to become an independent councillor. The surprise announcement comes just a fortnight after fellow Lib Dem Danny Titcombe stood down. More...

Pottery shop opens in town
A NEW shop that invites artistic children and adults to paint their own pottery has opened on Burnham's seafront this week. Purrr-fect Pottery, which is sited next to Sunspot Amusements, is the idea of Highbridge crafts enthusiast Anya Burridge. She had the idea of letting people choose a piece of pottery, paint it and then allow it to be sent away for glazing and firing in an industrial kiln before collecting it. More...

Body on beach is named
A NAKED body washed up on Burnham-On-Sea beach earlier this week has been formally identified as a man from Weston-super-Mare. West Somerset coroner Michael Rose told Burnham-On-Sea.com the man has been named as 43 year-old Gary Lane, who was living in sheltered accommodation in the resort. His body was washed up on Burnham beach on Bank Holiday Monday. More...

£5,800 donation for lifeboats
FIDDINGTON resident Belinda Llewelyn-Jones has just handed over a total of £5,800 to Burnham-On-Sea RNLI Lifeboat station after completing the London Marathon in five hours and three minutes.
Belinda, who served in the merchant Navy for four years as a catering officer, raised approximately half the money online and the rest from direct sponsorship donations. More...

Top award for cider maker
A CIDER which is produced in Brent Knoll, near Burnham-On-Sea, has this week won a top award in a national competition. West Croft Cider's Janet's Jungle Juice was named the silver winner at the National Cider and Perry Championships, at the Reading Beer and Cider Festival. The best ciders and perrys in Britain were sampled over two days by judges from The Campaign for Real Ale. More...

Brean barrage gets boost
PLANS for a ten-mile barrage across the River Severn, from Brean Down near Burnham-On-Sea to Wales, moved closer this week with the appointment of an American engineering company to study the proposals. Parsons Brinckerhoff will head a two-year assessment of the project. More...

Crime in Burnham falls
CRIME in Burnham-On-Sea has decreased year-on-year for a ninth consecutive month, according to the latest official figures. Levels of monthly crime fell in Burnham between June 2007 and the end of February 2008, when compared to the same months last year. Criminal damage, assaults, harassment and thefts of vehicles have fallen the most during the last year. More...

£6,000 donated by lodge
BURNHAM-On-Sea's Moose International Lodge has handed out over £6,000 of donations to worthy local groups at its annual charity payout. The group presented a grand total of £6,306.86 to a long list of local groups and worthy causes during a ceremony at Berrow Village Hall. More...

'Famous' village mascot dies
A GOOSE which became such a familiar sight in the village of Mark, near Burnham-On-Sea, that it was named the village's mascot has died. The seven-year-old bird, called Errol, was often seen in the centre of the village and its 'fame' rose recently when it was featured on ITV. More...

New Mayor to be chosen
TOWN councillors will choose Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge's new Mayor next week. The council's annual meeting on Monday evening (May 12th) will include the election of the Chairman of Council and Town Mayor for the coming year. Councillor Pauline Pollard is the current mayor. More...

Driver rescued from car in ditch
A WOMAN was rescued from her car after it careered into a ditch at an accident blackspot in Burnham-On-Sea early on Tuesday morning (May 6th). Ambulance, police and fire crews were called to Stoddens Lane at 4.45am after the Ford Puma left the road. Fortunately, the occupant was not injured. More...

Six tickets for car owner!
THE owner of this illegally parked vehicle in Burnham-On-Sea will get a nasty surprise when they return to drive it away. For the Peugeot has been given no fewer than FOUR parking tickets and TWO road tax expiry warning notices by traffic wardens over the last few days - much to the interest of local residents. More...

Body of man found on beach
THE body of a naked man was found washed up on Burnham-On-Sea beach on Monday morning (May 5th). Emergency services were called to the scene, next to Burnham jetty, shortly after 7am after a seafront walker made the unpleasant find. Police have not yet formally identified the man. More...

'Poor weekend' for traders
TRADERS in Burnham-On-Sea were disappointed by a poor Bank Holiday weekend of business. While the town's High Street and Esplanade were busy with crowds of visitors, many shops and tourism businesses in Burnham reported a quiet period of trade, according to the Burnham Chamber of Trade. More...

Boxer Frank Bruno visits town
BOXING legend Frank Bruno dropped into Burnham-On-Sea on Sunday (May 4th) to cheer on his son at a rugby tournament in the town. The former World Heavyweight Champion mingled with the large crowds at the BASC Ground during the second day of Burnham Rugby Club's junior rugby festival. More...

Club's £1,400 BARB boost
A BUMPER cheque for £1,400 was handed over to BARB, the Burnham-On-Sea charity that runs the town's two rescue hovercrafts, by fundraisers from the Somerset branch of The Caravan Club on Monday afternoon (May 5th). The club has chosen BARB as its charity of the year and will be raising money in coming months. More...

Horse rider treated after fall
AN ambulance crew gave emergency treatment to a horse rider in Brean on Sunday afternoon (May 4th) after she fell from her horse when it bolted. Paramedics were called to Weston Road at 3pm when the lady's horse was startled by a vehicle passing by, sending her onto the road. More...

Fresh warning on sea levels
LARGE areas of the West Country's coastline - including Stert Island and low-lying land around Burnham - could disappear into the sea within 50 years, a leading scientist has warned this week. Land could be lost as sea levels rise by 60cm says Chris Turney, a geologist. More...

O2 wants to keep town mast
Exclusive: MOBILE phone giant O2 has applied for planning permission to keep a 'temporary' phone mast in the centre of Burnham-On-Sea for another year. The company wants full planning permission to retain the 15-metre mast south of Pier Street for an extra 12 months. More...

Alcohol seized by police
BURNHAM-On-Sea police have stepped up their campaign against underage drinking this weekend with alcohol being seized from youngsters on the town's seafront. The Esplanade has been a no-alcohol zone since 2006 and police can seize bottles and cans from under-age drinkers. More...

Flower show boosts organ fund
A COLOURFUL three-day flower festival opened in East Huntspill, near Burnham-On-Sea, on Saturday (May 3rd). The show is being held in All Saint's Church throughout the Bank Holiday to raise funds towards the £5,000 cost of refurbishing the church's organ. More...

Youth Club re-opens after revamp
HIGHBRIDGE Community Youth Club officially re-opened its doors on Friday evening (May 2nd) following a £14,000 revamp. These were the celebratory scenes when the club in Morland Road marked the completion of several weeks of renovation work with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. More...

Birthday donation for RNLI
A GENEROUS RNLI enthusiast has marked his 65th birthday by handing over hundreds of pounds to Burnham-On-Sea lifeboat station. John Swayne is a paid-up governor of the charity and decided that to present donations to the RNLI in lieu of presents. More...

Fire crews rush to town firm
BURNHAM-On-Sea fire crews were sent to a Highbridge furniture company on Friday morning (May 2nd) after reports of smoke being spotted at the property. Two fire engines from Burnham-On-Sea rushed to Caxton Furniture in Commerce Way at 11.15am. More...

Call for better street cleaning
Exclusive: BUSINESSES in Burnham-On-Sea are calling for more frequent rubbish collections over the summer months. Traders at the latest Chamber Of Trade meeting called on Sedgemoor District Council to increase street cleaning along the High Street and Esplanade. More...

Hotel boss attends public meeting
OVER 60 Highbridge residents flocked to the town's community hall on Thursday evening (May 1st) to hear Derek Mead, owner of the fire-ravaged Highbridge Hotel, speak about his future plans for the property. The meeting came just hours after two teenagers were arrested in connection with last Tuesday's blaze. More...

Seafront cafe earns five stars
STAFF at a Burnham-On-Sea cafe are celebrating this week after officially being told they offer a 'five star' service. The Bay View Cafe on Burnham's Esplanade is one of only a handful of cafes and restaurants in the town to earn 5-star ratings in Somerset's Food Scores scheme. More...

Two arrested after hotel blaze
TWO teenagers have been arrested by police in connection with last week's fire at the former Highbridge Hotel. Burnham police confirmed on Thursday (May 1st) that a 16 and 17 year old had been arrested. Police spokesman Dan Mountain told Burnham-On-Sea.com about the arrests. More...

Council tackles grave problem
PRESSURE on space at Highbridge cemetery will result in the last few remaining graves being used within the next year. The Chairman of Bunham Joint Burial Committee, Arthur Thorogood, said on Wednesday (April 30th) that Brent Road cemetery will be used. More...

Call for better CCTV monitoring
A HIGHBRIDGE County Councillor has called for better monitoring of CCTV cameras following a night of vandalism at a town car park. Cllr Rosemarie Parsons told Wednesday's town council meeting that said she had seen "a large group of youngsters" causing trouble. More...

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