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April
2006 Burnham-On-Sea News
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BMX bikers fly into Burnham
HUNDREDS
of BMX bikers and enthusiasts flocked to Burnham-On-Sea on Sunday for
the opening round of the UK's national championships.
More than 450
riders competed in the popular event at the town's BMX track in Apex
Park.
We have a full photo round-up of the event. More...
Sea water quality to be tested
BATHING water
in Burnham-On-Sea will come under scrutiny this week when the Environment
Agency starts its annual programme of rigorous quality testing. Between
May and September, 20 samples are taken from each of the 191 EU bathing
waters. On Tuesday, it's the turn of Burnham and Brean. More...
Fishing boat stranded in mud
A FISHING boat became the latest victim of Burnham-On-Sea's
treacherous mud and soft sand on Saturday afternoon (April 29th) after
it became stranded at the end of the town's jetty. Boat owner Gerald
Smith said he misjudged the tide and got stuck in the mud next to the
jetty.
More...
Dogs put best paws forward!
BARKS,
woofs and growls filled the air on Saturday (April 29th) when hundreds
of Burnham-On-Sea dog owners flocked to a popular pet show. Organised
by Burnham's Canine Training Club, the Companion Dog Show attracted
more than 125 animals and hundreds of spectators. More...
Grave problem for Burnham
GRAVEYARDS
in Burnham-On-Sea are running out of space, meaning mourners in the
town may soon have to bury their loved ones in a nearby village. Town
councillor Arthur Thorogood said cemetries in both Burnham and Highbridge
are both nearly full, and that Berrow may have to be used instead. More...
Hinkley 'all clear' in new study
INCREASED
monitoring of beaches and sea water around Hinkley Point nuclear power
station has shown radiation levels to be within acceptable limits, the
Environment Agency announced on Friday (April 28th). The Agency recently
stepped up its monitoring after a dog died on Kilve beach. More...
Biker recovering after crash
A QUAD bike
rider who was seriously injured in a crash on the outskirts of Burnham-On-Sea
on Thursday is starting to recover. Police spokeswoman Elaine Parr told
Burnham-On-Sea.com that the rider, a man in his 50s from East Huntspill,
was no longer critical and was beginning to recover. More...
New shopping guide unveiled
A BRAND new pocket-sized guide providing residents and visitors
with an A-Z guide to Burnham-On-Sea's shops was unveiled this week.
The town's Chamber Of Trade Chairman John Edwards showed traders the
new brochure, which is to be launched in May, at the group's annual
meeting.
More...
Quad biker seriously injured
A QUAD bike
rider was seriously injured in a crash on the outskirts of Burnham-On-Sea
on Thursday morning, April 27th. The person was injured while riding
over a bridge on the busy B3139 road which crosses the M5 motorway near
junction 22. The person's injuries were described as potentially "life
threatening." More...
Round Table AGM photo review
MEMBERS of
Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge Round Table gathered this week to look
back at a busy year of activities and choose new leaders for 2006. More
than 20 members gathered at the Battleborough Grange Hotel at Brent
Knoll. The group has raised large sums for local charities. More...
Tesco inquiry starts on May 9th
CONTROVERSIAL
proposals to increase the size of Burnham-On-Sea's Tesco supermarket
are to be debated at a public inquiry over the next fortnight. Burnham-On-Sea.com
learns the public inquiry into the Love Lane store's plans to expand
will be held in Burnham's Princess Hall from May 9th. More...
Company fined for sewage discharge
AN ENGINEERING
company has been ordered to pay £3,859 in fines and costs for
allowing sewage to be discharged into a drainage ditch in Burnham-On-Sea.
Magistrates heard on Wednesday (April 26th) that Avent Engineering,
of Chippenham, was digging a trench
when the incident occurred. More...
Cash stolen in distraction theft
BURNHAM-On-Sea
police have warned residents in the town to be on their guard after
money was stolen from a house in a distraction burglary earlier this
week. The incident took place between 2-3pm in Stoddens Road on Monday
afternoon, April 24th. Local residents have been asked to be wary of
callers. More...
Wind farm boss hits back
THE man
behind plans to build a controversial wind farm between Burnham-On-Sea
and Brent Knoll hit back on Wednesday (April 26th) at protestors in
a heated row over power generation calculations. Dale Vince (pictured)
disputed claims made by the KNOll to Wind Farm group. More...
Hitch cancels farmers market
BURNHAM-On-Sea's
first farmers market to be held in the town's High Street had to be
cancelled this week after an eleventh hour hitch. The April farmers
market was due to be the first to be held away from the Princess Hall
and Swimming Pool Car Park - but a problem with stalls meant it never
happened. More...
Marathon efforts from runners
TWO Burnham-On-Sea
runners who took part in Sunday's London Marathon have raised more than
£4,000 for charity. Jason Vickers, 36, who has suffered from Crohn's
Disease for the past 13 years, ran the 26-mile course around the capital,
raising a huge £3,000. Both runners hope to take part again next
year. More...
Fire chiefs offer blanket check
THE County
Council and Somerset Fire Brigade are encouraging Burnham-On-Sea residents
to get their electric blankets tested at a free electric blanket testing
event in the town. Some 40% of all electric blankets are unsafe, according
to the fire service, making testing essential. More...
Wind farm boss challenged
THE group
of protestors fighting plans to build a wind farm between Burnham-On-Sea
and Brent Knoll have issued a challenge to the boss of Ecotricity to
come and meet them to discuss the proposal. The KNOll to Wind Farm group
wants to meet Ecotricity's Dale Vance to discuss the company's figures.
More...
Fire at Burnham Holiday Village
FIRE fighters
were called to Burnham Holiday Village in the early hours of Sunday
morning (April 23rd) after a blaze in a storage area at the site. A
Somerset Fire and Rescue spokesman told Burnham-On-Sea.com that crews
from Burnham and Bridgwater had been called and quickly tackled the
fire. More...
Kiters fly in to garden centre!
VISITORS to
a garden centre near Burnham-On-Sea this Bank Holiday weekend (April
29th to May 1st) will see something 'out of this world'. Local company
UFO Power Kites will be putting on demonstrations and chatting to customers
at Sanders Garden World about kite flying. More...
Lost family found on Brean Down
COASTGUARDS
from Burnham-On-Sea were called to Brean Down on Saturday night (April
22nd) after a family of four became lost while walking in darkness.
A lady raised the alarm at 9.30pm after realising she and three children
were unable to find their way off the Down. A beach warden helped to
find them. More...
Burnham rally drivers finish in second
BURNHAM-On-Sea's
Neil Dashfield and Steve Winter narrowly missed out on victory at Saturday's
2006 Somerset Stages Rally in Minehead. The
turbo-charged duo in their Subaru Impreza were narrowly pipped to the
top spot on the podium,
but did break a time record at the event. More...
Rock fans raise £800 for Gatway Club
BURNHAM-On-Sea
rock music fans have raised £800 for a charity in the town which
looks after people with learning difficulties. Five
local bands held a special 12-hour concert, called 'Rock Skool', in
Burnham's Railway Inn earlier this month in aid of the town's Gateway
Club.
More...
Burnham crime drops 13 per cent
BURNHAM-On-Sea
Police say they are winning the war on crime after unveiling new figures
which show there has been a 13 per cent drop in incidents in the town
over the past year. Inspector Dale Baker and Sergeant Roger Tolley unveiled
the figures at this week's annual town council meeting. More...
New pizza restaurant for town
A BRAND new
Italian pizza restaurant is to open in the centre of Burnham-On-Sea
during May. Owner Haci Joch revealed his plans to Burnham-On-Sea.com
this week, saying he intends to transform the former Premier Restaurant
in Abingdon Street into the new restaurant and take-away. More...
Rally drivers ready to roar!
RALLY drivers
from Burnham-On-Sea will be among the 200 teams taking part in the 2006
Somerset Stages Rally this weekend. Saturday's event will include a
number of local competitors, including Watchet's Steve Winter and co-driver
Neil Dashfield from Burnham-On-Sea with their Subaru. More...
Three car accident blocks A38
THE A38
on the outskirts of Burnham-On-Sea was briefly blocked on Thursday afternoon
(April 20th) after a three car accident. Long queues of traffic built
up in the area around Brent Knoll following the pile-up, which occurred
at 3pm. There were no immediate reports of serious injuries. More...
Coastguard search called off
COASTGUARDS
from Burnham-On-Sea were called to Brean on Thursday afternoon (April
20th) amid concern that a motorcyclist had gone missing in an area of
quick sand. A walker had contacted police in Taunton after claiming
to have seen the man heading out into the sands. More...
Barrage plan 'threatens rare fish'
WILDLIFE trusts
have claimed that two endangered species of fish could be lost forever
from the UK if plans for a proposed barrage in the Severn Estuary, near
Burnham-On-Sea, get the go-ahead. The trusts are opposing plans to build
a barrage from Brean Down to Lavernock Point. More...
Bumper Easter for local traders
BURNHAM-On-Sea
traders have enjoyed a bumper week of profits, thanks to an influx of
Easter visitors flocking to the town's cafes, amusement arcades and
shops. Buckets and spades were out in force on Burnham-On-Sea beach
during the first main holiday of the year. More...
Beach to become a movie set!
PART of
Berrow beach, near Burnham-On-Sea, is to be turned into a movie set
in May when an action-packed feature film about a hostage situation
in the Iraqi desert is filmed there. A crew of ten and three actors
will descend on the beach in May to film 'The Cell'. More...
Anti-social behaviour initiative
BURNHAM-On-Sea
residents can now quickly report anti-social behaviour in the town following
the launch of a brand new hotline. The Anti-Social Behaviour hotline,
which is being launched across Sedgemoor, can be reached on the number
0800 585 360 around the clock. More...
New beach patrol truck in use
BEACH wardens
in Burnham-On-Sea, Berrow and Brean now have a faster vehicle to patrol
the coastline with. A brand new truck went into service this week and
has already been used several times to caution holidaymakers venturing
into dangerous areas over the last few days. More...
MP visits local plastics firm
BURNHAM-On-Sea
MP, David Heathcoat-Amory, visited a thriving manufacturing company
on the town's Isleport Business Park this week. He was given a tour
of the Amcor Flexibles Baricol factory, which manufactures plastics
and packaging materials, and met some of the firm's staff. More...
Two arrested after girl's attack
TWO youths
were arrested as police stepped up their investigations into a serious
assault on a 15-year-old girl in Burnham-On-Sea. Police told Burnham-On-Sea.com
that the teenager had been walking along Burnham Road at lunchtime on
Sunday April 9th when she was attacked by a male youth. More...
Sailors warned as barge visits
FISHING boats
and yachts sailing in the waters around Burnham-On-Sea were warned to
take caution when this huge barge sailed past the town at the weekend.
The 100 metre Terra Marique manoeuvred off Burnham for about 45 minutes
on Saturday and then left with its cargo on Sunday evening. More...
Appeal after fail-to-stop crash
POLICE have
appealed for witnesses to come forward after a 'fail-to- stop' road
traffic collision occurred on the A38 at Rooksbridge, near Burnham-On-Sea,
injuring both the driver and passenger. A Ford Fiesta car was being
driven by a woman when it was struck from behind. More...
Jet skiers' van pulled to safety
BURNHAM-On-Sea's
hovercraft crew came to the rescue of a group of four jet skiers whose
van had become stranded in the sea on Sunday, April 16th. Crowds of
Easter holidaymakers lined the town's seafront to watch the rescue unfold
after the Volkswagen became stuck, as shown in our photographs. More...
Police break up pub 'disturbance'
THREE teams
of police officers rushed to a seafront pub in Burnham on Sunday night
(April 16th) after a disturbance inside involving up to 15 people. A
large group of drinkers was broken up in a seating area near to the
main bar in The Reed's Arms by officers amid concern from staff. More...
Planning row hits sea defences
PART of
a privately-funded Burnham-On-Sea sea defence scheme built by a group
of residents may have to be taken down because of a wrangle over planning
permission. The
defences built at The Colony consist of rock boulders and had been there
for some time before they were told permission woud be needed.
More...
High fliers at the Yacht Club!
LARGE crowds
of onlookers gathered at Burnham-On-Sea's Sailing Club on Friday afternoon,
April 14th when a huge crane lifted yachts from the town's boat yard
into the River Brue. The annual 'crane-in' is held every year at this
time when scores of boats are lifted into the river.
More...
New clothes shop for Burnham
A NEW upmarket,
quality menswear store is to open in Burnham-On-Sea's High Street during
June, we can report. Dennis Preddy, pictured, has bought the vacant
shop on the corner of Cross Street previously occupied by the Blazing
Saddles Gift Shop.
We speak to him about his plans. More...
MP switches on seafront lights
SIXTEEN
new seafront illuminations were switched on along Burnham-On-Sea's Esplanade
by the town's MP on Thursday, April 13th. David Heathcoat-Amory pushed
down a specially-made plunger to turn on the colourful new set of blue
and white lights
in a ceremony at the hovercraft station. More...
Appeal after arsonists attack
ARSONISTS
are thought to be behind a fire which destroyed a caravan in Highbridge
on Wednesday night (April 12th). A
Burnham-On-Sea fire crew rushed to Market Street at 10:04pm amid reports
that a caravan at the rear of a supermarket near the railway line was
alight.
More...
 Royal
invite
for 80 year-old
A
BURNHAM-On-Sea resident who will be celebrating her 80th birthday on
the same day as the Queen has been invited to a special tea party being
hosted by the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, Lady Gass, to celebrate the
occasion. We caught up with Beryl North to find out about the event.
More...
 Land
Rover lost in mud drama
THE owners
of this Land Rover were said to be "distraught" on Wednesday
April 12th after their vehicle dramatically became the latest victim
of thick mud on Brean beach this week. Coastguards from Burnham-On-Sea
were called, but there was nothing they could do to save it.
More...
 Lap
dancing bid is approved
LAP
DANCING looks set to be introduced at a controversial Burnham-On-Sea
night club after a request submitted to town planners got the go-ahead
on Tuesday, April 11th. It comes after Burnham-On-Sea.com exclusively
reported on Monday that Shakers night club had requested a variation
to its licence.
More...
Burnham fire crews tackle blaze
FIRE-fighters
from Burnham-On-Sea helped to tackle a big blaze in Bridgwater on Tuesday
evening, April 11th. Two pumps from Burnham-On-Sea were mobilised shortly
after 6.30pm to a fire in a three storey Victorian building in Monmouth
Street
in the town. We have a full report. More...
Beaches win top clean awards
THREE of our local beaches have been praised as being among
the UK's cleanest. Berrow Beach, Brean Beach and Brean Cove are all
on a list of the UK's top rural beaches, released on Tuesday April 11th
by campaigners Keep Britain Tidy. It rated them on overall cleanliness.
More...
Exclusive:
Lap dancing plan revealed
LAP DANCING could controversially be introduced into a Burnham-On-Sea
High Street night club if a proposal submitted to town planners gets
the go-ahead this week. Shakers in the High Street has requested a variation
to its licence
to allow the dancing and 4am opening on Fridays and Saturdays. More...
 Fresh
row over wind figures
THE group of protesters fighting a proposed wind farm on the
outskirts of Burnham-On-Sea has again challenged claims by the developer
that it would produce enough electricity to power 8,000 homes. The
KNOll to Windfarm action group hit out at the claims on Monday
April 10th.
More...
 Workers
disrupted by gas leak
SEVERAL
Burnham-On-Sea residents were caught up in disruption at a Bridgwater
industrial estate on Monday afternoon following a gas leak. Workers
on the Express Park industrial estate had to down their tools for two
hours and several buildings were evacuated
during the incident. More...
 Aquathon
is runaway success!
MORE than
100 athletes from across the South West took part in the gruelling 2006
Burnham-On-Sea Aquathon on Sunday morning, April 9th. The event was
split into two races with one being a 500m swim and 5km run, while the
longer one was a 1,000m swim and 10km run.
We have full photos and results. More...
Trapped
car freed from mud
COASTGUARDS
helped to free a car trapped in thick mud on Burnham-On-Sea's beach
on Sunday morning, April 9th. A white Audi became stuck near the town's
paddling pool after its occupants, who were Polish are visiting the
area on holiday, drove along the beach and encountered difficulties.
More...
 Town
beach gets Spring clean
A BIG clean-up
operation was underway on Burnham-On-Sea beach on Saturday afternoon
(April 8th) in time for the Easter holiday period. Several
parts of the beach have been strewn with debris following the recent
storms and high tides,
so bulldozers were called in to tidy up. More...
 VIP
visitor at hovercraft AGM
LADY Elizabeth Gass, Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, stepped onboard
Burnham's Spirit of Lelaina hovercraft for a flight along the coastline
before attending the Annual General Meeting of BARB, the charity that
runs the life-saving service, on Friday evening, April 7th. Several
awards were preseted to the crew. More...
 Hotel
is back on the market
THE sale
of a well-known seafront hotel in Burnham-On-Sea has fallen through
and the property is back on the market again. Burnham-On-Sea.com reported
last winter how the Royal Clarence Hotel on The Esplanade was up for
sale.
Since then, plenty of interest has been shown in the property. More...
 Crime
fighters reach third year
A SUCCESSFUL Burnham-On-Sea
crime-cracking group is celebrating its third year of making the town
a safer place. The Mid Burnham Local Action Team (LAT) was set up by
residents and the police in a bid to reduce anti-social behaviour and
it has been incredibly successful in doing so.
More...
Chimney
blaze extinguished
BURNHAM-On-Sea
firefighters tackled a chimney blaze at Bason Bridge on Thursday evening,
April 6th. The crew was called out at 7.30pm after the owners of a private
house in the village dialled 999 to report their chimney was well alight.
The blaze was quickly put out by the fire team. More...
 Bus
routes boost for Burnham
TOWN councillors
have this week welcomed plans by Somerset County Council to improve
bus services in Burnham-On-Sea. Mark Pedlar, Passenger Transport Group
manager at the county council, revealed that a review of all bus services
which is underway will have a positive effect on Burnham.
More...
 Matt
clinches £5k fashion deal
BURNHAM-On-Sea
fashion student Matthew Bowkett, who starred in Sky One's Project
Catwalk TV show, has received a £5,000 financial boost from
one of the fashion industry's top names. The owner and chairman of clothing
firm Jaeger, Harold Tillman, has offered him and another runner-up in
the show a deal.
More...
 MP
attacks confusing markings
BURNHAM-On-Sea's MP David Heathcoat-Amory says a set of 'confusing'
road markings running across a busy road junction in the town could
be a potential danger to motorists. The double yellow lines run across
the junction of Pier Street, next to Somerfield. More...
 Body
of cliff plunge dog found
THE owners of a dog which plunged over the edge of cliffs at
Brean Down in March have found the body of their pet. A big search of
the Down, involving Coastguards from Burnham-On-Sea, was held in late
March after the four year old greyhound called Blue plunged over the
edge. More...
 15
new flats win go-ahead
DISTRICT planners have this week given the go-ahead to plans
to replace a row of empty shop units in Church Street, Highbridge with
15 flats. At Wednesday's April 5th Development Control Committee meeting,
the thumbs-up was given to the controversial plan despite concern from
town councillors. More...
 New
river path officially opens
MUCH to
the delight of local cyclists and walkers, a new river path which links
Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge was officially opened this week. The Brue
Estuary Path - which has cost £155,000 to complete - was officially
opened in a ceremony on Tuesday morning, April 4th.
More...
 £390k
lotto win for town family
MEMBERS of
a National Lottery syndicate from Burnham-On-Sea are planning their
futures after scooping nearly £400,000 on a jackpot win. The five-strong
family syndicate run Poples Domestic Appliance Repair Services in Abingdon
Street and have been celebrating their win.
More...
 Gypsy
site gets planners' nod
SEDGEMOOR District
Council's Planning Committee has given planning permission to two gypsy
families living on a controversial site at Rooksbridge, near Burnham-On-Sea.
After a long-running debate, the committee voted on Tuesday April 4th
to give the green light.
More...
 Seafront
move for phone mast?
PLANS to
move a phone mast in Burnham-On-Sea onto the town's seafront were unveiled
this week. O2 is under pressure to move the mast on Marine Drive, pictured,
to a new location, and has submitted a pre-planning enquiry asking to
move it to the Marine Rescue Centre.
More...
 Armed
robbers strike petrol station
BURNHAM-On-Sea police issued an appeal for information on Monday
after an armed robbery in the town. The incident happened at about 9.10pm
on Thursday, March 30th at a service station in Burnham Road. The man
entered threatened staff with a Stanley knife. More...
 Fresh
blow for Rebels team
BURNHAM-On-Sea's speedway team, the Somerset Rebels, has suffered
a new injury blow after rider Jamie Smith sustained a broken leg as
a result of an unfortunate accident during a match at King's Lynn. While
completing a celebration lap, he was unaware that the tractor had taken
to the track. More...
 Mayor's
concert hits right note
MORE than £320 was raised for Burnham's hovercraft and
lifeboats at the weekend when the town's Mayor and Mayoress held a special
fundraising concert. Curtain Call Performing Arts School and the Burnham
and Highbridge Town Band put on a special performance. More...
Gas
leak tackled by fire crews
A CARBON dioxide leak sparked a night-time incident in Burnham-On-Sea
during the early hours of Sunday morning (April 2nd). Fire crews from
across Somerset rushed to a pub in Love Lane in the town after gas started
leaking from a bulk supply in a cellar, leading to an evacuation. More...
 EU
safety threat to lighthouse
BURNHAM-On-Sea's lighthouse may have to be painted vibrant orange
because it poses a "danger to shipping," EU safety bosses
said this week. A delegation of EU officials visited the town in March
as part of a month-long tour of coastal resorts in the South West. More...
 Seafront
parking 'shambles'
MOTORISTS in Burnham-On-Sea were left scratching their heads
on Saturday when summer parking charges came into force along the town's
seafront, but few parking payment machines were able to print tickets!
Four of the seafront machines were out of action. More...
 New
gift shop opens its doors
A BRAND new shop selling a wide variety of gifts, from candles
to cards and mirrors, opened in Burnham-On-Sea on Saturday. Gift Gallery
in Cross Street run by Sue Childs, pictured, opened its doors for the
first time and is open seven days a week, all year round. More...
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