Burnham-On-Sea.com

No 3am booze for new shop
Exclusive: Town councillors in Burnham-On-Sea have this week recommended that a new food store opening in Burnham-On-Sea should not be allowed to sell alcohol until 3am. Councillors want the new convenience store in Abingdon Street to stop booze sales at 10pm.

'Hinkley must help Burnham'
Exclusive: TOWN councillors have this week asked energy giant EDF to deliver more benefits to Burnham-On-Sea if proposals for a new Hinkley Point nuclear power station get the go-ahead. Simon Dunford, EDF Project Manager, was in town on Monday to discuss the plans with town councillors.

Armed police siege ends in town
A DRAMATIC police siege at a property in Burnham-On-Sea has ended this evening (Tuesday, December 8th) after a huge search for a missing man. Officers were initially called to a home in Rectory Road on Monday night after 54 year-old Robin Graham was reported missing.

| Video Full Monty performers in town
BURNHAM-On-Sea's very own Full Monty group will be stripping off at a town pub this Friday (December 11th) in aid of a good cause. The event, to be held at the Somerset And Dorset pub on Burnham High Street, hopes to raise hundreds of pounds for Cancer research.

Helicopter search for missing man
A POLICE helicopter hovered over Burnham-On-Sea in the early hours of this morning (Tuesday, December 8th) as part of a police operation to find a missing man. Police have been hunting for a 54 year-old, Robin Graham, who was last seen at his home in Rectory Road in Burnham at around 11pm on Monday evening.

Decision due over school merger
THE proposed merger of two Highbridge schools could be decided on Wednesday (December 9th) when councillors meet to discuss the plans. As first reported by Burnham-On-Sea.com in April, proposals to amalgamate Beechfield and St John’s are being considered by the county council. Two car crash leaves one hurt
POLICE were called to a two car accident on the Edithmead roundabout next to junction 22 of the M5 motorway at Burnham-On-Sea on Monday (December 7th). Police were called to the scene shortly before 10.30pm when a Peugoet 307 collided with a Vauxhall Vectra. More... Four cars seized by town police
Exclusive: The introduction of dispersal areas in several Burnham-On-Sea car parks has this week been hailed a success by the town's police after four vehicles were seized and reports of anti-social driving plummeted. Sgt Ian Kennett said on Monday that since the new dispersal orders came into operation in October one person has been arrested. More...

Rapping pensioners bid for no.1!
A GROUP of rapping pensioners from Burnham-On-Sea have this week launched their first album with the hope of clinching number one in the seasonal pop charts! The Wrinkly Rappers' CD, called "Wrinkly Rappers Unrapped", will hit shop shelves later this week and will be raising money for charity.

Turnip Prize winner is just pants!
THIS pair of baggy underpants was judged the winner of Somerset's annual Turnip Prize on Monday night (December 7th). The winning artwork, named 'Manhole Cover', was displayed above the bar at the New Inn in Wedmore, near Burnham-On-Sea, where the winner was chosen.

Speed camera torched by driver
Exclusive: A disgruntled motorist is thought to be behind a blaze which destroyed this roadside speed camera near Burnham-On-Sea early this morning (Monday, December 7th). Fire crews were called to Rooksbridge at 5am to put out the blaze, which appeared to have been started deliberately by placing a burning tyre at the base of the structure.

Santa sets up grotto in Burnham
SANTA Claus will visit Burnham-On-Sea over two weekends in the run-up to Christmas - and families are being encouraged to come along and meet him. Part of Burnham's rescue hovercraft station on The Esplanade will be transformed into a grotto for Father Christmas over two weekends.

BBC's Emma switches on lights
A BBC radio presenter was the guest of honour to help switch on a Burnham-On-Sea couple's display of 20,000 Christmas lights on Saturday night (December 5th). Mike and Denise Perrin have decorated their home to raise funds for St Margaret's Hospice for nine years.

MP steps up pylons fight
BURNHAM-On-Sea's MP told a public meeting of over 170 residents on Sunday night (December 6th) that he is "optimistic" of halting controversial plans for a new network of electricity pylons running through our area from Hinkley Point to Avonmouth. The National Grid wants to connect a proposed new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point to a new sub-station near Bristol.

190 attend Xmas charity concert
MORE than 190 people filled Burnham-On-Sea's Princess Hall on Saturday night (December 5th) for a Christmas concert performed by youngsters from two local schools. Organised by Burnham Lions Club, the 'Children Singing For Children' event raised more than £700 for charity.

Bulbs planted along town road
GRASS verges along a busy Burnham-On-Sea road will be bursting into colour next Spring after hundreds of bulbs were planted by members of the town's Rotary Club on Sunday (December 6th). Volunteers from the group grabbed spades and shovels to bury the daffodil bulbs.

'Stranger danger' alert at school
Exclusive: Pupils at a Burnham-On-Sea school have this week been issued with a 'stranger danger' warning after a child was approached by a motorist as he cycled home. The incident occurred last Friday after the boy left St Andrew's School to cycle home. The headteacher has written to all parents.

110 trees planted in record bid
Photo Special: OVER 100 new trees were planted in one hour at Highbridge's Apex Park this morning (Saturday, December 5th) when residents armed with shovels took part in a nationwide attempt to set a tree-planting world record. Almost 40 people planted a total of 110 saplings around the main car park area.

Dozens attend Bond theme night
DOZENS of Burnham-On-Sea residents dusted off their tuxedos and stepped into the world of James Bond on Friday night (December 4th) when a Casino Royale evening was held in the town's Princess Hall. The event was organised by The Friends of The Princess and was well supported.

Berrow Road shuts for fortnight
Exclusive: A BUSY route between Burnham-On-Sea and Berrow will be closed for two weeks next month while essential roadworks are undertaken, it has been confirmed this week. The County Council has announced that Berrow Road will be shut to all traffic from January 11th between the junction with Links Gardens and Ash Tree Road.

Musical lights show switched on
A STUNNING display of more than 10,000 light bulbs, accompanied by Christmas music, has been unveiled in Burnham-On-Sea this week. Keith and Jane Mitchell switched on their annual display at the front of their Winchester Road home this week attended by neighbours and charity supporters.

Mayor joins festive celebrations
TURKEY and tinsel were the order of the day for a group of residents in Highbridge this week when the town's Mayor and Mayoress were the guests of honour at a special Christmas luncheon. Over 20 people attended the annual Christmas Dinner organised by the trustees of Southwell House.

Tourist centre 'is in UK top ten'
STAFF at Burnham-On-Sea Tourist Information Centre were celebrating today (Thursday) after being praised in a nationwide customer service awards scheme. Over 290 tourist centres across the UK took part in this year's Visit England Mystery Shopper Programme, with Burnham named seventh overall.

New £140k play area opens
THE long-awaited £140,000 revamp of Apex Park’s play area in Highbridge has been completed and the new facility was officially opened by Cllr Jane Moreton, Chairman of Sedgemoor District Council, on Thursday (December 3rd). A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the new play area, attended by parents and children.

Police in CCTV video appeal
BURNHAM-On-Sea police have this week released CCTV footage of a man they want to interview in connection with an alleged public order offence in Highbridge in June. The man is described as white, in his 50s with a bald head, 5'6" in height and of stocky build. It follows an incident in Market Street.

Young water skier scoops award
A YOUNG water skier from Burnham-On-Sea is celebrating this week after making a splash at a national awards ceremony. Teenager Toby Duggun was presented with the end-of-season winning trophy and the award for 'most improved skier' at the national water ski awards in Oxford.

Rag Week fun planned in town
SIXTH formers at Highbridge's King Alfred School have been busily organising their annual Rag Week, which will take place between December 7th and 11th. The students will be supporting three charities this year - Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, BIBIC and Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Town road re-opened after crash
A BUSY road in Burnham-On-Sea was closed for several hours today (Wednesday December 2nd) following a car accident. Stoddens Road was closed by police after a two-car collision on the bend near the entrance to the town's BASC Ground. A large amount of oil was spilt and officers sealed off the road.

Bomb handed in at police station
BURNHAM-On-Sea police felt very fortunate when the bomb disposal team were on hand to make safe a live shell that had been handed in at the front desk. The shell was discovered with other live explosives that had been brought to the police station's front desk and handed to the front office clerk.

£330k pool expansion approved
Exclusive: THE £330,000 expansion of Burnham-On-Sea's Swim and Sports Academy has this week been approved by district council planners. Burnham-On-Sea.com reported earlier this year how owners Mark and Sara Cox-Conklin wanted to build a huge new two-storey extension at the Berrow Road property.

Police seek speedwatch helpers
Exclusive: A NEW speedwatch group could soon be set up along a busy Burnham-On-Sea road if volunteers can be found. Police are seeking volunteers from the Berrow Road area who are interested in being part of the new group to help reduce speeding along the busy route.

Six week closure for swim pool
Exclusive: BURNHAM-On-Sea's swimming pool is to close for six weeks later this month when thousands of pounds of repairs to the base of the pool are carried out. Burnham Swim and Sports Academy's pool in Berrow Road will close at 6pm on December 12th and not re-open until 6am on January 25th.

Rescued otter is recovering well
THIS adorable otter cub is being looked after by carers at an animal rescue charity near Burnham-On-Sea. The 10-week-old animal, called Puddle, was brought to Secret World in East Huntspill after getting separated from her family in flooding She was swept along a river in the floods and was found in a distressed state.

Trinity Close lights up for Xmas!
A BURNHAM-On-Sea cul-de-sac whose impressive display of Christmas lights was featured on national TV last year burst into festive colour again on Tuesday (December 1st) when residents lit up their homes. A large crowd of onlookers watched the eight Trinity Close homes switch on their decorations and residents celebrated with a Christmas street party featuring live music.

Three arrested after cash theft
THREE youths have been arrested after the theft of a cash box from a gaming machine at Burnham-On-Sea's Sunspot Amusements earlier this week. It came after police received a report from a walker on the town's seafront on Sunday (November 29th) about suspicious activity on the beach below.

Concern over new flats scheme
NEW plans for a controversial block of 13 beachfront flats in Burnham-On-Sea have been submitted to the district council. The proposed building, pictured above, is next to the beach in Allendale Road and is different to the original scheme which caused uproar last year - however nearby residents are still opposed to the plans.

Britain's Got Talent star in area
MERLIN Cadogan from ITV’s Britain's Got Talent will be making a special appearance at a circus show in Brent Knoll over the next few weeks. The escapologist, who reached the semi-finals of the talent show earlier this year, will be performing on December 7th and December 8th.

MP will honour daring promise!
BURNHAM-On-Sea's MP has this week congratulated the team behind Berrow's successful bid for £50,000 of grant funding towards a new play area in the village and vowed to honour a promise he made if the bid was won. Last week, the village won the grant from a People's Millions contest. More..

Legal students win mock trials
A GROUP of Burnham-On-Sea students who became lawyers and court officials for a day won two out of three cases in a mock trial held at the weekend. Students from Highbridge's King Alfred School Sixth Form took part in the National Bar Mock Trial Competition in Plymouth at the weekend.

Oops... I wouldn't park there!
Exclusive: THE owner of this BMW was lucky to to scramble free after careering off a road into a rhyne in Mark, near Burnham-On-Sea, this morning (Monday, November 30th). Police and fire crews were called to the Causeway at 6.50am, as pictured here, after the driver of the high-performance vehicle lost control.

Pylon protest goes to Prime Minister
Exclusive: CAMPAIGNERS who are opposed to proposals for a new corridor of 400,000 volt electricity pylons running through the Burnham-On-Sea area have this week taken their fight to the Prime Minister. The National Grid wants to connect the proposed new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point with a new sub-station near Bristol using 46.5m high electricity pylons.

£2k boost for marine services
ALL three of Burnham-On-Sea's marine rescue services have benefited from a year of fundraising at a Brean bar. Krackers held raffles, music nights and a sponsored 'shootout' to raise a total of £2,100 for Burnham's BARB, RNLI and the local branch of the Coastguard Association.

Calm conditions hit sand yachts
DOZENS of the UK's top land yachting experts were left disappointed in Brean on Sunday (November 29th) when the UK's national championships were cancelled due to a lack of wind. After a week of heavy winds, it was ironic that calm weather hit the event and led organisers to abandon it.

Five jobs go as off-licence shuts
Exclusive: Burnham-On-Sea's Threshers off-licence is to shut by the end of this year with the loss of five jobs, it has been confirmed. The College Street store has been formally earmarked for closure by KPMG, the administrators acting on behalf of the retailer's parent company, First Quench Retailing.

Over 120 finish Brent Knoll Run
OVER 120 runners from across the South West took part in the annual gruelling race from Burnham-On-Sea to the top of Brent Knoll and back on Sunday morning (November 29th). The 5.5 mile Brent Knoll Run has been held for more than 20 years. It was won in a fast time despite the slippery conditions.

Fire crews tackle big blaze
BURNHAM-On-Sea fire crews were among dozens of firefighters tackling a major blaze in Bridgwater on Saturday night (November 28th). Fire engines from Bridgwater, Taunton, Nether Stowey, Burnham, Street and Yeovil were called to Penel Orlieu in Bridgwater at 9.31pm, as pictured here.

Christmas lights switched on!
BURNHAM-On-Sea's Carnival Queen and her Princesses joined the Mayor in switching on the town's Christmas lights today (Saturday, November 28th). A special ceremony was held in front of hundreds of spectators outside the Victoria Hotel in Victoria Street, where music and entertainment was laid on for the crowds.

Video: Christmas lights event
BURNHAM-On-Sea's Carnival Queen and her Princesses joined the Mayor in switching on the town's Christmas lights on Saturday (November 28th). A special ceremony was held in front of hundreds of spectators outside the Victoria Hotel in Victoria Street. We have full highlights from the event.

All change at water users group
A LONG-running group that represents Burnham-On-Sea's anglers, marine rescue services and boat users has a new Chairman and Secretary following a meeting on Friday (November 27th). Ricky Holmes stepped down as Chairman of the Burnham Water Users' Forum.

Crash delays traffic on M5
THIS was the scene on the M5 motorway on Friday evening (November 27th) after a car crashed into a central reservation during heavy rain. Fire and ambulance crews from Burnham-On-Sea were called to the southbound carriageway shortly before 6pm after a car accident in slippery driving conditions.

£50k lotto cheque handed over!
DELIGHTED fundraisers in Berrow were handed this bumper cheque for £50,000 on Friday afternoon (November 27th) after they won a phone competition for National Lottery funding towards a new play area in the village. The village was named the 'lucky loser' of a phone poll.

Burnham Xmas switch-on today
BURNHAM-On-Sea's Carnival Queen and her Princesses will join the Mayor in switching on the town's Christmas lights today (Saturday, November 28th). A special ceremony with live music and entertainment will be held outside the Victoria Hotel in Victoria Street from 3pm.