March 2008 Burnham-On-Sea News Archive

February 2008 news archive
January 2008 news archive

Pubs pass underage drinking test
AN UNDERCOVER operation carried out by Trading Standards officers and police in Burnham-On-Sea over the weekend has found pubs in the town centre are not willing to break the law by selling alcohol to under-age drinkers. A special operation on Friday evening (March 28th) saw two volunteer teenagers - aged fifteen and sixteen - try to illegally buy drinks. More...

New oil spill probe in Mark
The Environment Agency was called to investigate a second oil spill in Mark, near Burnham-On-Sea. A resident spotted what was thought to be more oil in a rhyne on Monday morning (March 31st) and alerted the Agency. Animal rescue centre Secret World was contacted and checked out if any wildlife was affected. More...

Shop window contest to start
OVER 30 Burnham-On-Sea town centre businesses are taking part in a 'spot the odd item in the shop window' competition during April. The competition, run by Burnham-On-Sea Chamber Of Trade, will involve items that firms do not sell being put into their windows. More...

High Street gets a spring clean
BURNHAM-On-Sea's pavements should be looking a lot cleaner this week after the town's bi-annual street wash got underway. Contractors working for Sedgemoor District Council are completing the first cleaning session of the year along the High Street, pictured here. More...

1,000 music fans flock to Brean
OVER one thousand Queen fans descended on Brean at the weekend for the 23rd annual Queen Fan Club Convention. The three-day event, held at Pontins holiday camp, attracted fans from all over the world, including from as far away as America and Australia. More...

John introduces summer time!
Photo special: ANYONE annoyed about losing an hour's sleep on Sunday (March 30th) should spare a thought for 79-year-old John Comer who has to climb the steep tower of St Andrew's Church in Burnham to turn forward the clock's hands. Mr Comer oversees the clock. More...

Burnham hit by power cut
THOUSANDS of homes across Burnham-On-Sea were without power on Saturday night (March 29th) after a "major" electricty cut. Western Power Distribution confirmed to Burnham-On-Sea.com that a fault had occurred just after 7pm, affecting 3,000 homes across Burnham. More...

Fireworks light up Brean skies
THE skies above Brean were lit up with fireworks on Saturday night (March 29th) when the resort's leisure park held the first of a series of four displays. Heavy rain throughout Saturday dented the size of the crowds watching, but the spectators enjoyed the display. More...

Motorist in hospital after crash
A MOTORIST was rushed to hospital on Saturday evening (March 29th) after an accident near Burnham-On-Sea. Burnham fire service was called at 7.27pm to a crash involving a single car in Mendip Road, Rooksbridge where one female was trapped within the vehicle. More...

New shoppers guide to launch
A FEW last places remain for Burnham-On-Sea shops wanting to bve included in the town's 2008/2009 Shoppers Guide. Burnham Chamber Of Trade is putting the finishing touches to a new version of the pocket-sized booklet, which provides an A-Z guide to the best shops. More...

Highbridge council office shuts
FINANCIAL cutbacks led to council offices in Highbridge closing down on Friday (March 28th). The Alpha House cash office in Market Street has been permanently shut by Sedgemoor District Council in order to save tens of thousands of pounds a year. More...

New delay for pool decision
A DECISION about the future of Burnham's closure-threatened swimming pool has been further delayed and will not now be made until April 8th, it was announced on Friday (March 28th). The decision has been put back due to "highly complicated legal processes." More...

Stranded vehicle towed free
RESCUERS in Burnham-On-Sea were scrambled on Friday afternoon (March 28th) after a beach surveying company's vehicle became trapped in thick mud. The high-tech quad bike was being used by Titan Environmental Surveys to carry out a number of measurements along the beach when it sank into the mud. More...

Car parking charges set to jump
CAR parking charges across Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge are set to increase by up to 20 per cent next week. The higher charges come into force on Tuesday (April 1st) and have been partly prompted by Sedgemoor District Council's huge £1.8m funding defecit. More...

New Pontins owners unveiled
PONTINS holiday camps at Brean and across the UK have been bought for £46 million by a Bristol company. Businessmen Clarke Osborne, Ian Smith, Graham Parr and John Parr intend to take the chain of camps - including Brean Sands, near Burnham - upmarket. More...

Moose Lodge's cash handouts
GENEROUS members of a Burnham-On-Sea fraternal group have handed over a donation of £100 to the town's rescue hovercraft charity. Members of Moose International Lodge 123 and their ladies circle made the donation after a talk on Thursday (March 27th). More...

New recycling service for town
SIX hundred households in Burnham-On-Sea will soon be able to recycle food waste, plastic bottles and cardboard items when a brand new home recycling scheme launches in the town this May. The trials for new waste and recycling collections are to be launched in Burnham by the Somerset Waste Partnership. More...

Over 200 watch town concert
MORE than 100 young people from the Burnham-On-Sea area gathered in Highbridge on Thursday evening (March 27th) to take part in a special concert organised by the town's Rotary Club. They came together for Burnham Rotary Club's 'Youth Makes Music' concert. More...

Job centre shuts for final time
BURNHAM-On-Sea's job centre closed its doors for the very last time on Wednesday afternoon (March 26th). The Job Centre Plus premises in the High Street has shut down as part of a cost-cutting "modernisation programme" by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). More...

Climate group starts in town
A NEW group has been launched in Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge to promote local awareness of the risks of climate change. The Green World Trust was set up to boost public awareness of the "true nature of the major threats to the survival of the human race." More...

Gas leak drama in Burnham
A ROAD in the centre of Burnham-On-Sea was closed for several hours on Wednesday (March 26th) after a car accident caused a gas leak. Technical Street was shut for much of the day after a vehicle collisioin caused the drama in the centre of town. Fire crews and gas workers were called to the scene. More...

Motorist hurt in road accident
A MOTORIST was rushed to hospital following an accident near junction 23 of the M5 motorway for Highbridge on Wednesday morning (March 26th). Traffic was brought to a standstill around the Dunball roundabout after the morning rush hour collision involving two vehicles. More...

Caravan left in road at Brean
POLICE taped off a caravan which appeared to have been abandoned in a dangerous position on the side of a country road in Brean this week. Burnham police were called to Wick Road on Wednesday (March 26th) after the vehicle was left on the edge of the road. More...

Anger as cars keyed by vandals
Exclusive: HUNDREDS of pounds of damage was caused to vehicles in the centre of Burnham-On-Sea over the Easter weekend when vandals 'keyed' several cars, leaving them with deep scratches. Residents in Adam Street said the vehicles were so badly damaged that they now require expensive respray work. More...

£4m garden centre plans on show
PLANS for a huge £4million expansion of a garden centre near Burnham-On-Sea went on show to the public for the first time on Tuesday evening (March 25th). Burnham-On-Sea.com broke the news earlier this month that Sanders Garden World at Brent Knoll is hoping to extend its premises by 35,000 square feet. More...

Police to hold store surgeries
SHOPPERS in Burnham-On-Sea will get the opportunity to speak to the town's police officers about their concerns when a series of crime surgeries is held in a town supermarket. Burnham police are to hold regular surgeries in the town's Somerfield supermarket. More...

Fireworks show this Saturday
BREAN Leisure Park has this week unveiled plans to hold a series of free fireworks displays throughout the 2008 holiday season. The first of four displays will be held this Saturday (March 29th) at 8pm with further events on May 31st, August 30th, and November 1st. More...

Pool decision delayed til April
A DECISION about the future of Burnham-On-Sea's closure-threatened swimming pool will not be made until April, it was announced on Tuesday afternoon (March 25th). Sedgemoor District Council said it expected a report to its Executive committee would be deferred until April 2nd. More...

Easter tourist trade hit by cold
BITTERLY cold weather and an early Easter have hit Burnham-On-Sea's Easter tourist trade this week, but holidaymakers have been putting a brave face on it. Sedgemoor Tourism Association said trade among its members was down 25% and the Pavilion said its trade was down by up to 80%. More...

Tim to sing for charity at Brean
LOCAL opera singer Tim Pitman will be raising the roof to help raise funds for charity at Brean, near Burnham-On-Sea, next month. He will be performing during an evening of entertainment at Brean Leisure Park to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Society on 18th April. More...

Active Learning Centre to open
A TASTE of Tai Chi and a free buffet will be on the menu this week at the launch of a new Active Living Centre at Balliol Hall in West Huntspill, near Highbridge. Residents aged 50 are invited to the official opening on Thursday (27th March) between 10.30am and 2pm. More...

Cyclist hurt in Berrow accident
A YOUNG cyclist was taken to hospital following an accident along a dangerous stretch of road at Berrow, near Burnham, on Sunday evening (March 23rd). Emergency services were called to Coast Road at around 6pm after a collision involving a lorry and a young cyclist opposite Berrow Church. More...

High winds topple street light
STRONG winds on Bank Holiday Monday (March 24th) toppled a street lighting column onto a seafront pavement in Burnham-On-Sea. Council workers were quickly drafted in to remove the debris, pictured here, and to ensure that the safety of walkers was not be at risk. More...

In photos: Pub music round-up
CROWDS of music fans enjoyed a foot-tapping line-up of live music in Burnham-On-Sea over the Easter weekend. Over a dozen groups and bands performed at town centre pubs, with some of the best music at Burnham's Old Pier Tavern in the town's Pier Street. More...

Big crowds watch top BMX action
In photos: OVER 350 of the UK's top BMX riders were in action in Burnham-On-Sea on Sunday (March 23rd) when the town's cycle track hosted the UK National BMX Championships. Big crowds of spectators lined the track to watch the fast-paced action at Apex Wildlife Park, which is home to Burnham BMX Club. More...

Coastguards in Stert probe
BURNHAM-On-Sea Coastguards were called out to investigate a mystery object on Stert Island on Saturday afternoon (March 22nd). Several walkers along Burnham seafront reported seeing the large white object, which appeared to be the shape and size of an upturned boat. More...

Music fans set for Brean event
OVER one thousand Queen fans are expected to descend on Brean, near Burnham-On-Sea, for the 23rd annual Queen Fan Club Convention next weekend. The event, being held at Pontins from March 28th-31st, will attract fans from all over the world, including America. More...

Seafront pub removes decking
THE owner of a seafront pub in Burnham-On-Sea has this week dismantled a controversial raised decking area outside his premises after losing a planning bid to retain it. Sedgemoor planners ruled last year that Chaplins on The Esplanade had breached planning regulations by installing the raised decking area. More...

Lucky escape for car driver
THE occupants of this car had a lucky escape near Burnham-On-Sea on Friday evening (March 21st) after apparently misjudging the steepness of a roadside verge. Burnham-On-Sea police were called to the A38 near the M5 Edithmead roundabout at around 11.00pm. More...

Post mix-up in Burnham
A BURNHAM-On-Sea resident has called on Royal Mail to smarten up its act after she received 21 letters that were meant for other people in the town on Saturday morning (March 22nd). Liz Monday said the heap of mail was pushed through her letterbox even though it was meant for other people. More...

Sara's set for 11th marathon
A WELL-known face at Highbridge's King Alfred Sports Centre is to run her 11th consecutive London Marathon next month for charity. Staff member Sara Marsh will be pacing the streets of London on Sunday April 13th to raise money for visually impaired children. More...

100 children ready for concert
OVER 100 young people from the Burnham-On-Sea area will gather in Highbridge next week to take part in a special concert organised by the town's Rotary Club. The schoolchildren will come together on 27th March for the Rotary's 'Youth Makes Music' concert. More...

Hot cross buns cause fire!
SEVERAL hot cross buns left unattended in a toaster caused a small fire in Highbridge on Friday morning (March 21st). A fire engine from Burnham-On-Sea was sent to Sparks Way at 11.16am after an alarm was activated in a residential home for young people. More...

Rescue groups hold open day
BURNHAM-On-Sea's marine rescue services are inviting local youngsters to a Young Persons' Coastal Day during April when they will be able to find out more about their life-saving work. The event will be held on 26th April at the RNLI, BARB and Coastguards. More...

Anger as public loos go on sale
THE chances of a block of public loos re-opening in Burnham appear to have been flushed away after Sedgemoor District Council began inviting bids from firms interested in buying the building. The district council has begun inviting offers for the loos in Sea View Road. More...

Live music this Easter weekend
A busy weekend of Easter entertainment is in store for residents in Burnham-On-Sea, with more than a dozen bands and groups providing live music in the town. Burnham-On-Sea.com has a full preview of what's on and where across Burnham this Easter weekend. More...

500 sign town car park petition
HIGHBRIDGE residents fighting the potential sale of the town's Bank Street car park handed over a 500-name petition to Sedgemoor District Council bosses on Thursday (March 20th). The huge petition was unveiled during a public meeting held in the Community Hall. More...

Public get their say on policing
ANTI-social behaviour, illegal parking and speeding are the top three issues that police need to tackle in Burnham-On-Sea as their top priorities, according to a survey of residents and Neighbourhood Watch leaders who attended a special open meeting in the town on Wednesday (March 19th). More...

Fire crews tackle farm blaze
BURNHAM-On-Sea fire crews were called to tackle a deliberate blaze at a farm in Puriton on Thursday morning (March 20th) for the second time in a week. Fire crews from Burnham, Street and Bridgwater rushed to Down End Farm in the village at 3.48am. More...

'Eggs-tra' special Easter visit!
FUN-loving children from Brent Knoll Tadpoles Pre-School were treated to an 'egg-stra' special Easter visit this week. Staff at the school arranged a trip to a local egg farm which provides the school with its eggs. The eight children had the chance to collect eggs. More...

Paramedics help elderly man
THE centre of Burnham-On-Sea briefly came to a standstill when paramedics were called to treat an elderly person who had collapsed in the town this week. Two ambulances were sent to the High Street on Tuesday afternoon (March 18th) to provide emergency treatment. More...

Dozens join town flats protest
Exclusive: OVER 75 residents in Burnham-On-Sea have signed a petition calling on planners not to allow a seafront property to be turned into a multi-million pound block of apartments. Residents in Allandale Road are up in arms over the plans to convert a home into a three-storey block of 14 apartments. More...

Rail anniversary event planned
THIS May sees the 150th anniversary of the extension of the Somerset Central Railway to Burnham-On-Sea jetty, a major step in the original promoters' dream of a link from South Wales to Northern France by train and boat. The Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust is holding a special event. More...

BMX bikers flock to Burnham
OVER 160 BMX enthusiasts flocked to Burnham-On-Sea's cycle track at Apex Wildlife Park at the weekend for an fast-paced day of two-wheeled race action. Burnham-On-Sea BMX Club hosted round one of the South West Regional BMX series on Sunday (March 16th). More...

Burnham MP's blog updated
BURNHAM-On-Sea MP David Heathcoat-Amory's official blog on Burnham-On-Sea.com has been updated. In his latest entry, he gives us his thoughts on last week's budget, the debate over the EU Treaty, and his opposition to post office closures across the region. More...

24 new homes for Burnham?
Exclusive: DEVELOPERS have unveiled plans to build 24 new homes on land in Burnham-On-Sea this week. House builder Persimmon has applied for full planning permission to build the homes on land to the north of and including 63 Links Gardens off Berrow Road. More...

Pool prospects given a boost
THE prospect of a new owner being found to take over Burnham-On-Sea's closure-threatened swimming pool rose this week when the district council confirmed that several bids had been received to save the facility. The District Council confirmed more than one bid had been made. More...

Future of fireworks in doubt
THE future of Burnham-On-Sea's popular seafront fireworks display was plunged into doubt on Monday night (March 17th) when the town council said it needs to raise thousands of pounds to save the event. Cash-strapped Sedgemoor District Council has run the display for several years. More...

Cold callers arrested by police
POLICE in Burnham-On-Sea have applauded the quick-thinking action of residents at Berrow on Monday (March 17th) which resulted in the arrest of two people. They alerted police to two cold callers in the area, whom officers arrested for operating without pedlar's certificates. More...

Tennis academy welcomes MP
In Photos: BURNHAM-On-Sea MP David Heathcoat-Amory has become the patron of the Nathan Edwards Tennis Academy, it was announced during a fundraising jazz night held in the town at the weekend. The MP visited the Avenue Tennis Club this week. More...

Cycle lane plan for seafront
A DEDICATED cycling lane could soon be introduced along Burnham's seafront pavements as part of plans to make them safer for walkers. Town councillors are considering the introduction of a special cycle lane along the wider pavements of the Southern Esplanade. More...

Isleport expansion approved
A HIGHBRIDGE firm's multi-million pound expansion scheme has this week been given the green light by district council planners. Isleport Foods had applied for full planning permission to build a 3,000 square metre extension to its production facility outside Highbridge - and planners this week gave it the nod. More...

New-look charity shop opens
BURNHAM-On-Sea's Deputy Mayor has helped officially re-open a charity shop in the town following a major refit. St Margaret's Hospice shop in Burnham High Street has had a major refurbishment during recent weeks - including a re-fit and repairs to its roof. More...

Hair-raising drama event!
BURNHAM-based Curtain Call school of Performing Arts is teaming up with a local hairdresser to put on a charity extravaganza with a difference. The evening will include various musical numbers and a showcase of new 'funky' hair dos from a Brent Knoll hair stylist. More...

Electricity restored to homes
WORK to restore electricity to 80 homes in East Huntspill, near Burnham-On-Sea, was underway on Sunday (March 16th) after a "major cable fault". Dozens of homes were left in the dark for almost six hours after an underground power cable fault developed in the early hours of the morning. More...

Lifeboats help 'struggling' surfer
TWO Burnham-On-Sea lifeboats came to the rescue of a windsurfer who was spotted struggling in blustery conditions in Bridgwater Bay on Sunday afternoon (March 16th). Coastguards had reported the man in difficulty at around 2.30pm and both RNLI lifeboats were able to quickly help the man. More...

'Stick your oar in' for charity!
HUNDREDS of pounds was raised for BBC Sport Relief during a sponsored rowing event held in Burnham-On-Sea on Sunday afternoon (March 16th). Members of Burnham Sailing Club took to the waters of Bridgwater Bay in a small flotilla of 'tenders' for the mile-long row. More...

Fish stay away from anglers
SCORES of angling enthusiasts lined the beach at Burnham-On-Sea on Sunday (March 16th)... but the fish decided to stay away! Only seven were caught by the 82 competitors, making it the worst-ever event held by fishing club Weston Outcasts in Burnham. More...

Fire crews tackle farm blaze
BURNHAM-On-Sea fire crews helped to tackle a big farm blaze at Puriton in the early hours of Sunday morning (March 16th). Three fire crews from Burnham and Bridgwater, plus the command support unit from Street, attended a property fire at Down End Farm at 5.02am. More...

Bridge closes again for repairs
A NINE week closure of Highbridge's Walrow Railway Bridge came into operation on Saturday (March 15th) as Network Rail began strenghtening work. The bridge was cordoned off on Saturday afternoon and diversion signs put into place along routes on both sides of the bridge. More...

Armed police in second raid
THESE were the scenes in Highbridge on Friday evening (March 14th) as armed police made a second swoop on a property as they searched for a suspect wanted in connection with a serious crime. The armed police unit was initially seen in the Newtown Road area of Highbridge at around 6.30pm. More...

'Best ever' arts festival ends
THE 61st annual Highbridge Festival of The Arts came to a colourful end on Saturday night (March 15th) when this year's closing concert was held in front of a capacity audience in Burnham's Princess Hall. The festival attracted over 1,700 entrants this year