Latest news with #RachelJones
North Wales Live
5 days ago
- North Wales Live
'Are the National Park gates locked at night' - holiday boss on amusing tourist mishaps
The boss of a holiday park in North Wales has spoken about the amusing tourism mishaps as she urged visitors to "ask a local". Rachel Jones runs Cadair View Lodge in Trawsfynydd and is a huge advocate for tourism in the region. While she values the benefits visitors bring to the region she is sometimes left surprised and amused by some of the questions. These often stem from poor online advice, booking sites and sat-navs. The questions have included someone asking what time Eryri National Park closes it gates and another who booked one of her rural retreats and then complained there was nothing around. The park even printed hoodies with "Everything was miles away and there weren't many shops" emblazoned on the front to remember the review. . One common one that started a few summers ago was people turning up at Trawsfynydd asking questions about the train up Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) or other things related to Wales's highest peak. Rachel said: "I couldn't understand why so many cars were stopping in our tiny village and asking where they could catch the mountain train. Turned out they'd been putting ' Snowdonia (Eryri)' into their SatNav rather than Snowdon(Yr Wyddfa). "Eryri (Snowdonia) covers some 823 square miles and is the second largest National Park in England and Wales, just a tiny bit smaller than the Lake District. Our little village of Trawsfynydd is in the dead centre, hence all those bewildered drivers. "We tend to measure distance here in hours and minutes rather than miles, and that can change a bit depending on the time of year. On average we're about an hour's drive from Llanberis, where you can catch that mountain train up Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon). Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox "But only if you've booked, and only if it's running. And you've sorted your car parking. And the road's not closed for Ras Yr Wyddfa. Or because of roadworks. Or a police emergency. "Your SatNav's not going to give you all that local knowledge, but I can. As well as plenty of alternative suggestions when your plans don't work out. "And to the confused young couple who wanted to know if the gates to the National Park were locked at night, the answer is no, you're welcome here 24/7. So if there's anything else you need to know, just ask a local." She added that it was good to get that advice before even coming with a phone call or email. She said: "We had a guest a few years ago who booked one of our quiet rural cabins then complained that 'everything was miles away and there weren't any shops'. We had it printed on hoodies for the team." If she's not about to help, there are hundreds of others who will offer that helping hand. Rachel said: "I'm so proud of the folk in our village and the local shop in particular, Siop Glyndwr - they go out of their way to help everyone who comes in looking for directions. So patient and welcoming - we give all our guests a shopping voucher to get them in there and support a local business.
BBC News
11-07-2025
- BBC News
PC who resigned would have been sacked for child sex offences
A former West Mercia Police officer, who admitted making indecent images of children, would have been sacked had he not resigned, an misconduct hearing has found. Jamie Bunting, aged 27, of Westminster Close in Bromsgrove, resigned from the force and pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children in August November, he received a 10-month sentence suspended for two years at Shrewsbury Crown Court for a category A image, the most serious also got six months for a category B image and four months for a category C image to run concurrently and suspended. Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Jones said: "We will continue to rid West Mercia Police of individuals who have no place in our force and hold them to account to ensure they can never work in policing again."Bunting seriously breached not only the standards of professional behaviour, but he broke the law. He has rightly faced the repercussions of his actions."Bunting was an officer based at Kidderminster Police Station and worked as a Cadet Leader for North Worcestershire Volunteer Police Cadets.A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said: "Bunting seriously breached the professional standards of behaviour by discreditable conduct, by bringing the force in disrepute through his actions while off duty."An accelerated misconduct hearing found that he would have been dismissed from the force had he not already resigned."The former officer has also been added to the College of Policing Barred List preventing him from ever working for a UK police service in the future. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
30-06-2025
- BBC News
West Mercia Police officer sacked after drunk Worcester crash
A West Mercia Police officer has been sacked after he was convicted of drink driving. In February, Liam Williams was driving to work when he crashed into a wall on Deansway, Worcester, while he was over the legal alcohol limit. The 21-year-old student officer, who was based at Worcester's police station, appeared at Birmingham Magistrates' Court in April where he was banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay a £250 accelerated misconduct hearing was held on Monday by the force, found Williams had seriously breached their standards of professional behaviour and he was also banned from working for any UK police force in the future. Williams' crash caused substantial damage which took three months to repair but no-one was hurt, a spokesperson the crash, he was suspended from after the hearing, Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Jones said: "Our communities expect our officers to adhere to the law and to keep others safe. "Williams fell far below the standards that the public expect. Williams committed a criminal offence and put himself and other road users at risk. "This is inexcusable and he will no longer serve in our force."He was added to the College of Policing's barred list, preventing him from future work for a police force in the hearing was subject to the usual appeals process, the spokesperson for the force added. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
21-06-2025
- BBC News
West Mercia PC made false statement and forged signature
A police officer who made a false entry in his police-issue pocket notebook, claiming a victim of a crime did not want any further action, and forged their signature on the statement, would have been dismissed if he had not already resigned, a disciplinary hearing has Christopher Sargeant, who worked for the West Mercia force, showed "dishonesty and total lack of integrity", Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Jones Jones said the 55-year-old "totally undermined the trust which the victim had placed in the force" in November Sargeant, who was the subject of a gross misconduct hearing on Friday, was previously based in Market Drayton, Shropshire. Ms Jones said he had abused his power, adding: "His actions were totally unacceptable."Mr Sargeant will be added to the College of Policing's Barred List, banning him from working for police in the future. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
Police officer banned for 'vulgar' comments
A gross misconduct hearing has upheld allegations that a male police officer engaged in inappropriate behaviour repeatedly towards female colleagues. PC Nathan Rogers would have been dismissed from West Mercia Police if he had not already resigned, the force said after the hearing on Tuesday. Mr Rogers made "highly offensive" and "vulgar" comments as well as initiating unwanted contact through social media - with his behaviour deemed "derogatory" and "harassing in nature". The former officer, who was based in the Operations and Communications Centre in Worcestershire, will be banned from working for a UK police service in the future. The hearing upheld an allegation that his behaviour, between June 2023 and May 2025, amounted to gross misconduct. West Mercia Police said his conduct was first formally addressed in June 2023, when he was sanctioned with a written warning. The force said despite both informal and formal interventions he continued to breach policing standards of professional behaviour. It said: "Despite prior disciplinary measures, Rogers repeatedly failed to uphold professional standards, showing a blatant disregard for his colleagues and for the values of the force. "The hearing found his actions breached the standards of authority, respect, and courtesy, and amounted to discreditable conduct." Mr Rogers resigned from the force in April 2024. Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Jones said: "Nathan Rogers was given opportunities to learn and change his behaviour, but he continued to act in a wholly unacceptable and unprofessional manner. "His actions were highly unprofessional and undoubtedly made his female colleagues feel deeply uncomfortable and such behaviour will not be tolerated." He will now be added to the College of Policing's barred list, banning him from working for a UK police service in the future. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Police officer who faked working from home banned Second gross misconduct notice for chief constable West Mercia Police
