Headlines in the West of England: Lion sculptures and 'thigh-deep' mud
Our pick of local website stories
Punk duo Bob Vylan played a last-minute gig in Bristol on Friday, amid two police investigations into the band, Bristol Live says.A Swindon woman whose cat was killed by a loose dog is calling for a change to the law, writes the Swindon Advertiser.And a Gloucester exhibition is asking to loan people's music memorabilia for their exhibition celebrating the last 100 years of bands in Gloucester, Punchline says.
Our top three from yesterday
What to watch on social media
People have told the RNLI in Weston-super-Mare that they had to wade through thigh deep mud for an hour and a half to reach the sea. The "biggest walking rugby festival in the world" took place in Kingswood on Saturday, with clubs from across the UK visiting.A parade of lion sculptures has invaded Gloucester and Cheltenham and people can log the trail on a mobile app.Gloucester Police seized an e-bike on Saturday which was capable of going more than 30mph.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
New Gloucester Cathedral ale gets official holy blessing
An ale blessed by a cathedral dean is being sold to raise money to renovate cloisters made famous in the Harry Potter Zihni, the Dean of Gloucester, blessed CathedrALE at Gloucester Brewery on city's cathedral cloisters will be the focus of a "significant project" lasting 10 years, Mr Zihni said, Pietro Lovato, head brewer at Gloucester Brewery, said the session ale is "a light, fruity, hoppy, easy-drinking IPA". Mr Zihni said the "exciting collaboration" between Gloucester Cathedral and Gloucester Brewery was "particularly special" due to the history of monks and brewing."It harks back to the medieval tradition of brewery and beermaking that used to happen amongst the Benedictine monks that were part of the cathedral in medieval times, when it was an abbey rather than a cathedral," he said."I think there's a wonderful image of our cloisters on the cans and I hope that this will be a way for those who haven't been to the cathedral before to come and see the glory of the building and come to know the deep wonder, the spirituality, the peace, the prayerfulness of the cathedral." Mr Lovato, who has worked at Gloucester Brewery for six years, said he is "very, very happy" with how CathedrALE has turned out."One of the guys at the cathedral approached us and it seemed like a perfect match for our ethos," he said."I do believe it is paramount for us to leave the place in a better place than we found it and this product is doing some incredible work when it comes to that."
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Bristol domestic abuser left woman 'looking like a skeleton'
A woman has described how she was left in "permanent survival mode" and "looking like a skeleton" as a result of her former partner's controlling behaviour. The victim, who has not been named, said she had also been "embarrassed and humiliated in public" on "many occasions" by Cody Smith-Alwood, a statement read out on her behalf at Bristol Crown Court, she said the trauma she endured over years in their relationship meant she struggled to from St George in Bristol, was jailed in June for more than three years, after pleading guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour, assault, four public order offences and breaching a restraining order against a second woman. In the statement, Smith-Alwood's ex-partner told the court she "constantly worried" he would carry out his threats of suicide and self-harm, leaving her in "permanent survival mode" and "unable to make the right choices"."Over years I spent with Cody, this has left me shaken to my core and I still struggle to come to terms with what has happened," she said. "Mentally, I am struggling to cope with the trauma. I find it difficult to trust others and am constantly worried about the possibility of something like this happening again." Stab threats While refusing to acknowledge the relationship was over, the court heard, Smith-Alwood spent long periods in the victim's home, controlled her phone – calling her constantly – and threatened to reveal confidential information about her. As a result of his manipulative behaviour, the victim said, she found it "difficult to trust others" and suffered physical symptoms that her doctor linked to trauma from the relationship. "The emotional and mental impact left me unable to eat and I lost a significant amount of weight," she said, adding that she had been left looking "like a skeleton". Smith-Alwood was arrested in November 2024, following an argument at Avonview Cemetery in which he made threats to stab his ex-partner's brother and his friend. He also threw his ex-partner over his shoulder, police said, which led to her grazing her knee. Even from prison, he persisted in contacting her in the run-up to his court hearing. He has now been served with a seven-year restraining order to protect her. Det Con Annabelle Reeves-Linney, from Avon and Somerset Police, said the case had been "extremely complex".She said: "I am glad that we have been able to finally give the complainant the justice and peace she deserves after a long, hard and exhausting battle with domestic abuse."
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
1980s pop icon coming to Australia for first tour in 27 years - and she looks very different to her heyday
Pop-punk icon Wendy James is bringing Transvision Vamp to Australia next year. The iconic frontwoman is returning Down Under in 2026 for a slew of shows across the country, marking the British band's first gigs in 27 years. However, the rocker looks a little different from her heyday in the 1980s, when she performed hit songs such as 'Baby I Don't Care' and 'I Want Your Love.' The bleach blonde beauty, known for her doe-eyes, babydoll dresses and neon pink lipstick, looks a little more rock 'n' roll these days, with heavy eyeliner her new trademark. It's been a few years since the now-59-year-old was storming the pop charts, but Wendy released her solo album, The Shape Of History, to critical acclaim last year. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The record managed to reach the top 40 in the UK. Transvision Vamp disbanded in 1992 after falling out with their record label, but Wendy went on to make seven solo albums in the years that followed, moving to New York in 2002. However, it was only last year that the self-managed singer emailed a few Australian promoters after making the decision to get back on the road. Speaking to The Advertiser, Wendy revealed that the goal with her latest album was to not only go on tour, but to return to Aussie shores, where her musical journey began. 'I knew when I made this 10th album I wanted to not just do the UK again but go back to Australia where the whole thing started,' she said. Furthermore, the singer's desire to tour Australia was fuelled by a trip down memory lane after she stumbled upon old Super 8 footage of the good old days. 'I found a lot of Australian footage, especially film we captured in Melbourne, and I remember there were riot police on horses and people in the street and this one girl who screams: "They're bigger than the Beatles,"' she told the publication. During their peak, Transvision Vamp made headlines after Nirvana's Kurt Cobain wore one of their band tees on stage. Kurt donned the iconic shirt repping the group during Nirvana's 1991 US tour, as well as at his iconic MTV performance. Speaking of the moment, Wendy said that it became known as the 'Kurt shirt'. 'He came to quite a few of those shows we did in America in 1991 and he purchased his tour T-shirt and wore it for quite a few of his performances, including the MTV one,' she said. Transvision Vamp is preparing to play a number of shows across Australia in February. They will be kicking off the tour at Brisbane's The Triffid before moving on to The Station on the Sunshine Coast. The band then heads to King Street Bandroom in Newcastle and the Metro Theatre in Sydney. Transvision Vamp next head down to Northcote Theatre in Melbourne and The Gov in Adelaide, before finishing off the tour at Perth's Magnet House. General tickets to the Australian tour go on sale from July 15 at 9am.
