April 2009 Burnham-On-Sea News Archive

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Second rescue for stranded boat
BOTH Burnham-On-Sea's lifeboats were launched on Thursday morning (April 30th) to help a fishing boat in difficulty on Brean beach. The boat, which had also required assistance from emergency services on Wednesday evening, encountered fresh problems on Thursday morning. More...

New name for tourism group
BURNHAM-based Sedgemoor Tourism Association is broadening its focus with a new name that will see it representing the whole of Somerset. Members of the 100-strong association gathered at the Oak Tree Arena on Wednesday evening (April 29th) where they unanimously backed the plans. More...

Antiques Roadshow surprise!
Exclusive: A SCRAPBOOK full of old postcards owned by a Burnham-On-Sea collector has been valued at hundreds of pounds by experts from the BBC's Antiques Roadshow. Nikki Triggol travelled to Bath last Thursday to take part in the taping of an episode of the long-running BBC1 series. More...

Stranded boat towed from mud
THIS fishing boat was towed to safety after its owner got into difficulty on the mudflats on Brean beach on Wednesday evening (April 29th). Burnham-based charity BARB used its tractor to pull the stranded craft from mud and soft sand a quarter of a mile from the shoreline, as pictured here. More...

New Coast Road protest planned
SCENES of mass protest like this in Berrow last year are set to be repeated on Saturday (May 2nd) when angry villagers step up their campaign to get safety improvements introduced along a busy road. Berrow's Local Action Team will hold the protest march in Coast Road on Saturday, starting at 11am at Berrow Church. More...

Rally aces clinch second place
AN action-packed day of rallying saw Burnham-On-Sea Motor Club members Dave Phillips and Tim Bagg finish second in the annual Somerset Stages Rally held in Minehead. The duo were competing in their BMW against 150 other crews from across the UK and this was their best-ever result. More...

Sky televises speedway match
MILLIONS of TV viewers got the chance to watch live speedway racing from Burnham-On-Sea's Oak Tree Arena for the first time on Tuesday evening (April 28th). A huge crowd of supporters flocked to the track to watch the televised clash between Somerset Rebels and King's Lynn Stars, which was shown live on Sky Sports 1. More...

New home rises from the ashes
Exclusive: LONG-awaited work to re-build a Brean couple's home that was completely destroyed by fire last year has begun this week. Burnham-On-Sea.com reported last November that a devastating fire had swept through the wooden chalet owned by Brean beach warden Ron Sharrard and his wife Angela. More...

Lighthouse steps set to return?
Exclusive: A FLIGHT of steps leading up the outside of Burnham-On-Sea's historic beach lighthouse is to be restored almost 25 years after being removed due to storm damage. Sedgemoor District Council, the owner of the much-loved landmark, has applied for Listed Building Consent to make alterations to the town's low lighthouse - and re-introduce the steps. More...

A38 re-opens after accident
THE A38 on the outskirts of Burnham-On-Sea was closed to all traffic this evening (Tuesday April 28th) after a two-vehicle accident. Police and paramedics were called to the junction with Burnham Moor Lane, as pictured here, following the rush hour collision. Two cars suffered front and side damage. More...

Residents' delight at road re-think
Exclusive: RESIDENTS in Highbridge are celebrating this week after forcing Somerset County Council to reconsider its plans to introduce parking restrictions along a busy road. Members of the recently-formed RAPYD (Residents Against Proposed Yellow Disaster) group set-up to fight the proposals for double yellow lines at the junction of Burnham Road and Pepperall Road. More...

Brean postman's snake shock
Exclusive: THIS post box at Brean has been taken out of use after the village's postman got bitten by an adder lurking inside. Shocked postie Alan Wakley, pictured, was bitten on the hand by the sneaky snake last Thursday afternoon as he emptied the contents of the box at Brean Cove. More...

New Governor for town group
BURNHAM-On-Sea town councillor Eric Gill has this week been chosen as the new Governor of the town's Moose International Lodge. Retiring Governor Terry Cornelius handed over the role to Cllr Eric Gill and Dot Anderson became the group's new President Lady, replacing the outgoing Yvonne Cornelius. More...

Stolen charity banner replaced
STAFF at a local garden centre have given a charity a new advertising banner to replace one stolen from Burnham-On-Sea in March. Employees at Sanders Garden World in Brent Knoll heard that Freewheelers Emergency Voluntary Service had a banner stolen last month. More...

Shoppers raise £400 for club
GENEROUS shoppers at a Highbridge supermarket dug deep into their pockets and gave hundreds of pounds to a local youth group at the weekend. Members of Highbridge Community Youth Club collected £410.22 in the foyer of the Highbridge's Asda store during Saturday April 25th. More...

Diversity lesson for school kids
POLICE in Burnham-On-Sea have organised an event at West Huntspill School to promote cultural awareness and diversity to young people. The event will be led by a group called Storytree, who use story telling, discussion, painting and song to educate youngsters and children. More...

Local police priorities revealed
DOZENS of residents in Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge have attended public meetings over the last few days to set local police's priorities for the coming three months. The PACT (Partners and Communities Together) meetings have been held in the two towns to give people a voice. More...

Shops warned over fake notes
Exclusive: SHOPS in Burnham-On-Sea were warned on Saturday (April 25th) to watch out for fake bank notes circulating in the town. It comes after a visitor attempted to use several counterfeit £50 notes to buy a large quantity of stationery products from Bastins on the High Street on Saturday morning. More...

Long-service award for Brian
A LONG-serving member of Burnham-On-Sea's Moose Lodge has been presented with a scroll of honour to mark his half a century of membership. Brian Saunders was presented with a special scroll of honour by Moose Grand Governor Trevor Savage this week to celebrate his 50 years' membership in the Loyal Order of the Moose. More...

Huge barge passes Burnham
ONE of the largest vessels to travel through Bridgwater Bay for several years glided past Burnham-On-Sea on Saturday evening (April 25th). The huge 100-metre Terra Marique barge was pulled by a tug past Burnham at 8pm, having collected industrial equipment from Combwich. More...

In photos: Prince visits Burnham
DRAMA occurred during Prince Edward's visit to Burnham-On-Sea's rescue hovercraft station today (Friday, April 24th) when crews were called out to an incident on the mudflats at Brean. The Earl Of Wessex was visiting the seafront headquarters of BARB to mark the fifth anniversary of the Spirit Of Lelaina hovercraft going into service. More... | Gallery | Video | Rescue call-out

Anglers prompted rescue call-out
BURNHAM-On-Sea's hovercraft crew was called to Brean after two anglers got into difficulty at the same time that Prince Edward was making a special visit to BARB, the charity behind the rescue service, on Friday (April 24th). The anglers had been fishing on rocks at the foot of Brean Down and were trying to get back to the shore when they encountered problems in the mud. More...

Video: Prince's visit to Burnham
PRINCE Edward visited Burnham-On-Sea on Friday (April 24th) when he visited the town's rescue hovercraft station and Coastguards. Burnham-On-Sea.com has compiled this special video highlights package featuring still images and video of the day's activities around the town. Video

Police in foot chase in Burnham
Exclusive: POLICE were called to an incident in Burnham-On-Sea on Friday afternoon (April 24th) involving a group of travellers. Officers halted a convoy of vehicles in Berrow Road at around 4.15pm, as pictured here, after one was stopped on suspicion of not having valid insurance. More...

Man assaulted in churchyard
POLICE issued an appeal for information on Thursday (April 23rd) following an assault in Burnham-On-Sea earlier this month. The incident occurred at approximately 8pm on Tuesday 7th April in St Andrew's churchyard, pictured, when a 46 year old man was attacked by a group of youths, including three males and two females. More...

Lay-by barriers now permanent
THE introduction of barriers along lay-bys on Burnham-On-Sea's seafront has been so successful in halting groups of 'boy racers' congregating there that permanent bollards are now being installed. The plastic temporary bollards were introduced last December to stop anti-social driving. More...

Prince Edward visits town today
BURNHAM-On-Sea will host its first Royal visitor for 14 years today (Friday, April 24th) when Prince Edward visits the town's rescue hovercraft charity. The Earl Of Wessex will visit the seafront headquarters of BARB to mark the fifth anniversary of the Spirit Of Lelaina hovercraft going into service. More...

Gridlock returns to town centre
HIGHBRIDGE has once again been brought to a standstill this week as disruptive roadworks returned. Church Street ground to a halt, as pictured here, as major work to replace gas mains re-started on Monday morning (April 20th) after a two week break over the Easter holiday period. More...

Lib Dems back roads campaign
BURNHAM-On-Sea's Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Tessa Munt has this week backed new campaign group Residents Against Proposed Yellow Disaster (RAPYD)'s fight to stop controversial plans for a new roundabout at a road junction near the soon-to-open Frank Foley Parkway in Highbridge. More...

Store starts free bus service
SHOPPERS in Burnham-On-Sea can take advantage of free buses to Weston-super-Mare using a temporary service launched this week by a supermarket in the town. Morrisons, which took over the Somerfield store in Pier Street, has launched the free bus service to take shoppers to Weston. More...

Big crowd at Brean fireworks
MORE than 1,500 spectators enjoyed a sparkling fireworks display in Brean at the weekend when the village's Leisure Park held the first of four free events. The first display of the year was a huge success with over 1,500 spectators watching a display that illuminated the skies above Brean. More...

Highbridge schools set to merge?
PROPOSALS to amalgamate two schools in Highbridge to form a single primary school are set to be considered by Somerset County Council’s Executive Board next week. Beechfield Infants School and St John’s Church of England Junior School, which are on adjacent sites on Burnham Road, could merge to form a new primary school. More...

Nursing home could close down
Exclusive: THIS prominent nursing home on Burnham-On-Sea's Esplanade is under threat of closure due to a drop in the number of elderly people staying there. The owners of Beverley Cottage residential care home confirmed that closing the home is being considered. More...

Anger over 'chainsaw massacre'
Exclusive: RESIDENTS in Highbridge have been left fuming this week after chainsaw-weilding council workers "butchered" several prominent trees besides the town's clock. Work to trim back foliage in Jubilee Gardens, besides Highbridge's town clock, has been carried out by Sedgemoor's Clean Surroundings Team in order to allow CCTV cameras to get a better view of the area. More...

New group to fight roundabout
A NEW Highbridge campaign group has this week been formed to fight plans for a controversial new roundabout. Burnham-On-Sea.com was first to report last month how Somerset County Council wants to build a mini roundabout, safety mesaures and new yellow lines on Burnham Road. More...

Chamber's farewell to Chairman
MEMBERS of Burnham-On-Sea's Chamber of Trade praised their outgoing Chairman during his final meeting in charge on Tuesday (April 21st). Alex Turco has stepped down from the high-profile role after two successful years. He was presented with a gift on behalf of the Chamber's members by member Geoff Shickle and President Gerry Germain during Tuesday's AGM. More...

Shop contest winners revealed
THE winners of Burnham-On-Sea's annual competition to find dozens of odd items hidden in shop windows in the town were announced on Tuesday (April 21st). Burnham's Deputy Mayor, Derick Coooper, and the Chamber of Trade's outgoing Chairman, Alex Turco, handed over prizes to the winners before the group's AGM, as pictured. More...

Crime figures in Burnham fall
Exclusive: LEVELS of crime in Burnham-On-Sea have fallen over the past year compared to the previous 12 months, according to new figures out this week. Burnham's Neighbourhood Inspector Sam Williams told Monday's Town Council Meeting that crime in the town has dropped. More...

£100m plans for Highbridge
PLANS for a major £100m project to regenerate Highbridge were unveiled on Monday night (April 20th) amid controversy. Toni Hammick from development company Property Link unveiled the ambitious plans for a huge new development at the town's old boat yard on the banks of the River Brue featuring a hotel. More...

Six arrests from Brean camera
Exclusive: A HIGH-tech number plate camera which was introduced at a busy road junction in Brean last autumn has already helped police make six arrests. Last September the camera was installed in Church Road in the village in a bid by police to crackdown on travelling criminals. More...

Scout leaders' service praised
TWO Scout leaders from the Burnham-On-Sea area are celebrating this week after receiving awards for good service. Burnham's Dave Burland and Huntspill's Sue Hunter each received their Medals of Merit during a ceremony at the Bishop's Palace in Wells on Sunday (April 19th). More...

Trade group holds AGM tonight
BURNHAM-On-Sea's Chamber Of Trade will be holding its annual general meeting this evening, Tuesday April 21st. The meeting will be held in the upstairs function room of the Somerset & Dorset public house in the High Street and will be open to all businesses in the town. More...

Police probe political graffiti
Exclusive: POLICE in Burnham-On-Sea are investigating a fresh incident involving political graffiti in the town centre. The word 'BNP' was scrawled over a wall outside a restaurant in Victoria Street on Friday night, as pictured here. Burnham police are investigating whether the incident is linked to a series of attacks last year. More...

New Princess Hall trust formed
A NEW charitable trust is being set-up in Burnham-On-Sea to look after the town's Princess Hall - and business-minded local residents are being sought to help. The Friends of the Princess is creating the trust as part of its work to ensure the future of The Princess as a community facility. More...

Lifeboat rescues dinghy couple
TWO Australian holidaymakers who got swept out to sea while fishing on a dinghy in Bridgwater Bay were rescued by a Burnham-On-Sea lifeboat crew on Saturday afternoon (April 18th). The couple, from Perth, set sail from Burnham beach in their dinghy before they were swept into the sea by the falling tide. More...

Cows rescued from river estuary
A HERD of cows trapped in the River Parrett estuary near Burnham-On-Sea prompted a huge rescue operation on Friday afternoon (April 17th). Five fire crews from across Somerset, plus two rescue hovercrafts and a tractor from Burnham-based charity BARB, were called to West Huntspill at lunchtime after seven bullocks were reported to be stuck in deep mud. More...

In photos: Easter holiday fun
YOUNGSTERS have been enjoying a busy week of Easter holiday activities in the Burnham-On-Sea area over the last few days. Apex Wildlife Park hosted several well attended kite-making sessions and Punch and Judy shows, while youngsters also enjoyed an Easter party. More...

Motorbike crash shuts busy road
A motoryclist was rushed to hospital on Friday morning (April 17th) after a road accident outside Highbridge. Police and paramedics from Burnham-On-Sea were called to the B3139 Mark Road following the accident. The road was closed for several hours while investigations began. More...

Car plunges into roadside ditch
Exclusive: THE driver of this vehicle was lucky to escape without injuries after careering off a country lane on the outskirts of Brean, near Burnham-On-Sea, this week. The Vauxhall Astra estate went off Accommodation Road on Tuesday evening and ended up veering on its side in the ditch. More...

In photos: Easter Dreamscheme fun
DOZENS of youngsters in Highbridge have been busy over the school holidays, creating crime prevention cards with an Easter theme as part of the town's Dreamscheme project. An Easter Card was designed by the children featuring crime reduction advice inside. More... | Photo gallery

Fire crew called to factory blaze
A FIRE engine from Burnham-On-Sea was called out to help tackle a factory blaze in Bridgwater on Friday morning (April 17th). Fire crews from Bridgwater, Burnham, Street and Taunton were sent to a wood factory on Bridgwater Business Park after smoke was spotted at 7am. More...

150% jetty fees hike defended
Exclusive: SEDGEMOOR District Council has this week defended its decision to hike up the charge for boat users using Burnham-On-Sea jetty by a whopping 150 per cent. The annual cost of launch permits for water craft using the town's jetty has leapt from £20 to £50 - much to the anger of frequent users. More...

Man arrested in new drugs raid
Exclusive: POLICE investigating drug dealing in the centre of Highbridge swooped on a property in the town on Wednesday afternoon (April 15th) and arrested a man. These were the scenes as police drugs officers entered a building in Church Street for the second time in a fortnight. More...

Loos could be turned into homes
Exclusive: A FORMER set of public toilets in Burnham-On-Sea could soon be turned into two bungalows if a planning application gets the go-ahead. The new owners of the building, off Seaview Road, have submitted a planning application to convert the property into two bungalows. More...

Burnham anglers reel in awards
THE fishing equivalent of the Oscars in Burnham-On-Sea took place on Wednesday (April 15th) when over 40 trophies and awards were handed to members of Burnham Boat Owners Sea Angling Association. Dozens of members gathered at the Oaktree Arena for the event. More...

Have your say on police matters
BURNHAM-On-Sea and Highbridge residents will be able to have their say about policing in the town when the next quarterly Partners and Communities Together (PACT) meetings are held. The regular meetings are on 21st April in Highbridge and 23rd April in Burnham-On-Sea. More...

'Race track' fears for new road
WORK to build the final section of Burnham-On-Sea's long-awaited Frank Foley Parkway is "progressing well" and is on track to be completed by this summer, it was confirmed this week - but fresh fears have been raised about the safety of the new road. Somerset County Council told Burnham-On-Sea.com that the controversial road is on schedule to be completed over the next few weeks. More...

Five new homes turned down
Exclusive: PLANS to build five new homes in Burnham-On-Sea have been turned down by Sedgemoor District Council. A planning application to build the homes on land at 13 Rectory Road was initially turned down by the council last June, but the land owners submitted an appeal against the decision. More...

Youth cafe needs volunteers
BURNHAM-On-Sea's recently-opened youth cafe has this week appealed for more volunteers to come forward to help run the facility. More adults are needed to help organise the Burnham Area Youth Centre's cafe in Cassis Close, which has become a great success with dozens of frequent users. More...

New art classes to start in town
SOMERSET County Council's Skills and Learning Centre in Burnham-On-Sea will be starting two new art courses later this month. Both courses will be taught by local artist Ade Bowen and will take place at the Skills and Learning Centre in Princess Street in the centre of Burnham-On-Sea. More...

Easter trade boost for Burnham
BUSINESSES in Burnham-On-Sea have enjoyed one of their busiest Easter holidays for many years, despite the recession. Crowds of visitors put the economic gloom behind them and flocked to the town in large numbers, resulting in bumper takings for traders. Geoff Shickle of Shickle Shoes is among the delighted traders. More...

Cash windfalls for local groups
THOUSANDS of pounds have been handed to local good causes by Burnham-On-Sea's Moose International Lodge 123 during the group's annual charity donations hand-out. Devon and Somerset Air Ambulance and Weston Hospice Care were among the groups sharing a pot of £9,000. More...

Van swamped by incoming tide
THE owner of this van got a sinking feeling on Easter Sunday morning (April 12th) when it became stranded in soft sand besides Burnham-On-Sea jetty. The wheels of fisherman Mark Draper's van got stuck in the soft sand at 7.30am, and within a matter of minutes his vehicle had been swamped by the incoming tide, as pictured here. More...

In photos: Folkfest fundraiser
A DAY of non-stop live music at a Burnham-On-Sea pub raised more than £1,000 for the town's annual FolkFest on Easter Day (April 12th). Ten acts performed at the Railway Inn to raise a total of £1,200 towards the ever-increasing costs of holding Burnham's annual folk festival. More...

African bishop visits Burnham
AN African bishop was the VIP guest at a Burnham-On-Sea church on Easter Sunday (April 12th). Bishop Andrew Proud was in town during a three month visit to the UK and he read the sermon during Sunday's service at St Andrew's Church. Andrew is the Bishop of the Horn of Africa – giving him leadership of the Anglican Church in that area. More...

Charity auction to help RNLI
A FRAMED version of this photograph of Burnham-On-Sea's Staines Whitfield lifeboat venturing out into Bridgwater Bay during rough seas is one of the items that will be go under the hammer at a charity auction being held in the town this coming weekend. The event will be held at the Ritz Club. More...

Head-on crash in town centre
A head-on crash involving these two vehicles closed a busy road in the centre of Burnham-On-Sea on Saturday afternoon (April 11th). These were the scenes in Oxford Street after a Volkswagen Polo and a Vauxhall Astra collided at the junction of Adam Street. Seven people inside were left 'shocked' but not seriously hurt. More...

Exhibition showcases local art
MORE than 20 art students from across the Burnham-On-Sea area have been showing off their work at an exhibition in the town over the Easter period. Sixty pieces of artwork, ranging from acrylics to water colours, are on show at Burnham-On-Sea Community Centre in Berrow Road. More...

Sign up now for beach walk
A CHARITY beach walk from Burnham-On-Sea jetty to Brean Down and back is set to be held on Sunday May 31st to raise money for the Alzheimer's Society. This year's 15-mile Brean Challenge will start at 11.30am on Burnham's beach and organisers expect it to take 4-5 hours. More...

New Coast Road protest planned
Exclusive: SCENES of mass protest like this one in Berrow last summer are set to be repeated next month when angry villagers step up their campaign to get safety improvements introduced along a busy road. Berrow's Local Action Team is planning a protest march in Coast Road on Saturday May 2nd. More...

Vandals hit town internet cafe
ANOTHER shop in Burnham-On-Sea's town centre is this week counting the cost of crime after being struck by vandals. The Link internet cafe in Cross Street had a window smashed - leaving its angry owner to pick up the bill to get the damage repaired. It comes after a spate of crimes in the town in recent months. More...

In photos: Easter open day
HIGHBRIDGE residents flocked to an Easter-themed open day at Highbridge's Morland Hall this week. The event, held on Wednesday (April 8th), included Easter craft-making sessions and cookery and healthy eating advice. The day was held to publicise several new activities at the hall. More...

Council halts promotional blitz
Exclusive: TOWN council staff have this week halted a supermarket chain's cheeky attempt to promote its Burnham-On-Sea store as one of its rivals closed for the final time. A long line of roadside signs promoting Lidl's store in Oxford Street were put up along Queen's Drive, just yards away from Tesco, on the same day that Burnham's Somerfield store shut for the final time. More...

What's on in Burnham at Easter
THERE'S a busy weekend of entertainment lined up across the Burnham-On-Sea area this weekend. Our exclusive guide takes you through all the highlights, from a visit by the Easter Bunny to an art exhibition, live music and a bingo session! Read Burnham-On-Sea.com's complete Easter guide. More...

Prince Edward to visit Burnham
THE Earl of Wessex is set to visit Burnham-On-Sea's hovercraft station later this month, marking the fifth anniversary since the life-saving Spirit Of Lelaina hovercraft went on service. He will be arriving at the seafront headquarters of BARB, the charity that operates two life-saving rescue hovercrafts, on the afternoon of Friday April 24th following visits to other parts of the county. More...

Date of town meeting announced
POLICING in Burnham and Highbridge is among the topics set to be discussed at the 36th annual town meeting, due to be held on Monday 20th April. The public meeting will be held at 7pm in the Old Courthouse in Jaycroft Road under the chairmanship of the Mayor Cllr Peter Burridge-Clayton. More...

Apex Park given funding boost
MEMBERS of Highbridge's Friends of Apex Park received a grant cheque worth £2,615 from the Somerset Community Foundation on Wednesday (April 8th). The funding will enable them to provide a new events workshop programme and also to run national activities during the year. More...

New £7k park fence launched
CELEBRATIONS were underway at a Burnham-On-Sea park on Wednesday (April 8th) when a new two metre high fence costing £7,000 was officially opened in a bid to stamp out anti-social behaviour. Members of the Rosewood Action Team launched the project last year. More...

Piano star to play in Brent Knoll
HIGHLY-renowed piano player Paul 'Harry' Harris will be performing a special concert in Brent Knoll, near Burnham-On-Sea, later this month. The TV and radio star will be in action at a concert being held in Saint Michael's Church at 7.30pm on Saturday 18th April. Tickets are now available for the event. More...

£330,000 expansion for pool
Exclusive: BURNHAM-On-Sea's Swim and Sports Academy is to get a £330,000 expansion, its owners have revealed this week - exactly one year on from when the pool was saved from closure. Meetings have already been held with Sedgemoor District Council about the plans to create a two-storey extension. More...

Missing surfer found in Wales
COASTGUARDS from Burnham-On-Sea were among the rescue teams searching for a missing kite surfer in the sea near Brean Down this evening (Tuesday, April 7th). An RAF helicopter from Chivenor in Devon plus lifeboats from Penarth and Weston were called out to help in the search north of Brean Down. More...

£29,000 stolen from post office
A FORMER sub-postmistress at Brent Knoll has escaped an immediate prison sentence after pleading guilty to stealing nearly £29,000. Caroline Chennels, of Brent Street, was told she would have faced at least two years in jail if she had denied the offence. Taunton Crown Court heard she had taken about £2,000 a month. More...

Burnham police seize illegal cars
DOZENS of police held a police operation targeting criminals across the Burnham-On-Sea area on Monday (April 6th), leading to several illegal cars being seized. The operation focused on outstanding offenders, anti-social behaviour and vehicles, which were either stolen, untaxed or uninsured. More...

Puppy owner thanks website
THE owner of a puppy that has been missing for over a fortnight has this week thanked readers of Burnham-On-Sea.com for helping her in the search for her much-loved pet. A notice was placed on Burnham-On-Sea.com's forums within hours of owner Victoria Aldworth, pictured, placing dozens of posters around the town. More...

New roundabout plan attacked
Exclusive: Controversial plans to build a new roundabout at a busy road junction in Burnham-On-Sea have this week been attacked by residents living in the area. Somerset County Council wants to construct a mini roundabout, plus a new pedestrian crossing, at the junction of Pepperal Road and Burnham Road. More...

Seven drugs raids in ten days
Exclusive: POLICE have carried out seven drugs busts in the last ten days in Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge, it was revealed on Monday evening (April 6th). Officers have carried out raids on properties across the two towns in a concerted effort to crack down on drug dealing. More...

Attempted break-in at shop
Exclusive: POLICE have appealed for witnesses to come forward after an attempted break-in at a shop in the centre of Highbridge early on Monday morning (April 6th). Officers were called to the One Stop shop in Market Street at 12.15am after a window was smashed at the front of the premises. More...

£5,000 boost to park security
SECURITY in Burnham-On-Sea's Manor Gardens is set to be boosted this summer, thanks to £5,000 of council funding. A brand new infra-red CCTV camera is to be installed after Burnham and Highbridge Town Council gave £3,000 of grant funding and Somerset Council handed over £2,000 of cash on Monday (April 6th). More...

Buy local food, urges town's MP
BURNHAM-On-Sea's MP has this week urged shoppers to buy West Country products in an effort to help local farmers and food producers during the recession. David Heathcoat-Amory has long been an advocate of British produce and is asking the public for support. More...

Temporary end to road misery
Exclusive: LONG-suffering businesses in Highbridge have finally been given some good news after a temporary end to major roadworks in the town centre. Work in Church Street has come to a halt for two weeks over the busy Easter holiday period to avoid additional traffic congestion. More...

Easter crosses blessed on Knoll
Photo Special: Dozens of people clambered up the steep slopes of Brent Knoll on Sunday afternoon (April 5th) to watch the traditional blessing of three Easter crosses. Churches from across the Burnham-On-Sea area were represented at the 20-minute service, which was led by Reverend Christine Judson. More...

School head teacher retires
STAFF and pupils at Burnham-On-Sea Infants School have this week bid a fond farewell to head teacher Sue Horne. Mrs Horne has retired from her position after a long and successful career. Staff members presented her with a cake and held a party on Friday to mark her departure. More...

Chimney fire at Burnham home
A FIRE crew from Burnham-On-Sea was called to a chimney blaze in the town on Sunday evening (April 5th). One fire engine was sent to Grove Road at 6.45pm, as pictured here, when the occupants of a house raised the alarm after spotting a large amount of smoke emerging. More...

Students meet TV stars at forum
SIXTH form students from Highbridge's King Alfred School took part in a Somerset Student Forum last week - and met two TV stars! The group met other sixth form and college students from across Somerset during the forum at Somerset College of Arts and Technology in Taunton. More...

999 call-out during cadets visit
MEMBERS of Burnham-On-Sea's Sea Cadets visited the town's Coastguard hovercraft rescue teams on Thursday (April 2nd) - and got to see a real incident unfold around them. The eight youngsters were given a tour of the Coastguard and BARB stations on Burnham seafront. More...

Elderly man in river bank drama
EMERGENCY services were called to Burnham-On-Sea Sailing Club on Saturday evening (April 4th) after an elderly man fell from a boat and briefly became stranded on the muddy banks of the River Brue. Police, Coastguards, paramedics and a rescue hovercraft were sent to the South Esplanade at 6.30pm. More...

Parachute jump for Malcolm, 72
A PLUCKY pensioner from Burnham-On-Sea is set to fulfil a lifelong dream by completing a parachute jump for charity at the age of 72. Malcolm Hill, of Herbert Road, served in the Royal Marines during his National Service but he missed out on parachute jumps and this is behind his unfilled ambition. More...

Scoop! Ice cream parlour opens
A NEW ice cream parlour opened on Burnham-On-Sea's seafront on Saturday (April 4th) in time for the start of the Easter holidays. Owner Robin Luxom is keeping his fingers crossed for a warm spring and summer, having launched the shop, called The Whole Scoop on The Esplanade. More...

Shop window contest begins
DOZENS of Burnham-On-Sea town centre businesses are taking part in a 'spot the odd item in the window' competition throughout this month. The annual contest sees the public being invited to find items that shops do not usually display in their windows during the rest of the trading year. More...

Doorstep callers zone launched
THE village of East Brent, near Burnham-On-Sea, has this week become the latest area to be designated a 'no cold calling zone'. Local residents had raised concerns at the level of aggressive cold callers in the village and this led to the issue being designated a priority for local police and it was decided to set-up the new zone. More...

Records tumble at seafront run
MILD temperatures and calm weather provided ideal conditions for the 68 runners who took part in a race on Burnham-On-Sea seafront on Thursday night (April 2nd). Records tumbled during the 5km event, which was the final race of a series of six runs held over the winter months. More...

Traders' anger over compensation
Exclusive: ANGRY businesses in Highbridge have this week hit out at Sedgemoor District Council's offer of financial help during the town's disruptive roadworks after several firms received cheques of just £20 and less. Several months' work to replace gas mains along Church Street began in January, causing endless traffic queues and severely denting the trade of nearby businesses. More...

Elderly lady in beach drama
AN elderly lady who became disorientated in the dark on Burnham-On-Sea's beach was helped to safety by Coastguards on Thursday night (April 2nd). A team of Coastguards was called to the paddling pool area on the town's beach at 8.45pm, as pictured, after the lady reported she had got into difficulty. More...

Fire crew called to garden blaze
BURNHAM-On-Sea firefighters were called to a small blaze outside a house besides the town's lighthouse on Thursday evening (April 2nd). One fire engine was sent to the Lighthouse Cottage in Berrow Road at 6.30pm, as pictured here. A garden fire got out of control and began burning down several hedges. More...

Tree-rific! Saplings for school
PUPILS at Burnham-On-Sea Community Infant School have been presented with 81 saplings to help them with their environmental projects. The school on Winchester Road was awarded the saplings by Monkton Elm Garden and Pet Centre at Monkton Heathfield, near Taunton. More...

Business rates relief for traders
SEDGEMOOR District Council is to help traders in the centre of Highbridge whose trade has been adversely affected by long-running road works. Work to replace gas mains in Church Street began in January and has caused endless queues and hit the trade of shops and businesses. More...

Prince presents MBE to Andrea
Exclusive: PRINCE Charles has this week presented a community-minded resident from Berrow, near Burnham-On-Sea, with an MBE during a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace. Andrea Johnstone travelled to London with her daughters to receive the award, which recognised her voluntary service to the community. More...

Town's beach gets Spring clean
A TEAM of nine council staff has this week completed a three-day clean-up operation on Burnham-On-Sea's beach. Five truckfuls of rubbish and over 150 sacks have been taken away in readiness for start of the busy Easter holiday season by Sedgemoor's Clean Surroundings Team. More...

In photos: Easter bonnet parade
EASTER was on the minds of a group of Highbridge youngsters this week when they created these colourful bonnets for an annual parade. Pupils at Beechfield Infants School held the procession on Wednesday when bonnets of all shapes and sizes were shown off i front of friends and parents. More...

£1.5m revamp for golf club
AN extended golf course is one of the many improvements being made to a holiday park in Brean this year, which has invested £1.5m into upgrades. Holiday Resort Unity and Brean Leisure Park have been undertaking a major upgrade programme during recent months, which includes an extended golf course. More...

Viewing tower an April fool!
EXCITING proposals for a £3million viewing tower and visitor centre to be built on the top of Brent Knoll have been unveiled this week. The 60 metre tall 'County Tower' will be a concrete and steel structure that rises from the top of the Knoll and offers 360 degree panoramic views. More...

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