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...