Bristol

Avon and Somerset police declare major incident and say cause is being treated as suspiciousTwo adults have died after an explosion at a house in Bristol.Avon and Somerset police have declared a major incident after the explosion at an address in Sterncourt Road at about 6.30am on Sunday morning. Continue reading...

Programme of events announced on anniversary of Bristol bus boycott aimed at inspiring societal manifesto for cityBristol has long been a city of activists prepared to work for change, from followers of John Wesley in the 18th century to the 21st-century citizens who toppled the statue of slave trader Edward Colston.On Wednesday, a new campaign was launched – on the anniversary of the start of the groundbreaking 1963 Bristol bus boycott – aimed at making the city the UK’s capital of civil rights. Continue reading...

Independent inquiry into Bristol Brunel Academy found visit by Damien Egan was postponed solely on safeguarding groundsAn independent inquiry into a Bristol secondary school, which found itself at the centre of a media storm after postponing a visit by a local Jewish MP, has found no evidence of antisemitism or influence from lobby groups.Damien Egan, the Labour MP for Bristol North East and vice-chair of Labour Friends of Israel, was due to visit Bristol Brunel Academy (BBA) last September to talk to students about democracy and his work in parliament. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Retired NHS worker Nicholas Stone, 65, died after becoming unwell at protest against far-right group Bristol PatriotsThe daughter of a retired NHS worker is calling for a full and independent investigation into the death of her father after it emerged he died after police contact at a protest against the far right.Nicholas Stone, 65, who lived in Bristol, died on 10 January after becoming unwell at a protest opposing the rightwing group Bristol Patriots, who were staging a demonstration in the city centre. Continue reading...

Zack Coughlan accused of killing fellow student Jamie Collins, who was found dead at property they shared in FiltonA man has been charged with stabbing his university housemate to death at their house share in Bristol last week.Jamie Collins, 21, a robotics student at the University of the West of England, was found dead in the rear garden of a property in Filton with “a number of stab wounds” in the early hours of 9 April. Continue reading...

Tribunal dismisses claim that the Welsh government’s financial package breached competition rulesCardiff airport has won a legal challenge brought by its rival in Bristol over the fairness of a £205m Welsh government subsidy package.A judgment by the competition appeal tribunal on Tuesday unanimously dismissed Bristol airport’s case against the Welsh government, which the south-west England hub had argued distorted the market and breached the Subsidy Control Act. Continue reading...

Five miles from their former city zoo, seven gorillas are exploring their new ‘African forest’ homeIt has been an eventful few months for Bristol’s gorillas. The troop made headlines across the world when an urban explorer snapped pictures of them looking downbeat in their old, almost deserted home near the city centre. Then they were moved – under armed police escort – to a new out-of-town base and promptly suffered a shock bereavement.On Monday, in warm spring sunshine, the western lowland gorillas were to be found exploring a new woodland habitat at Bristol Zoo Project, five miles from their former city home. Continue reading...

Judge describes Nathan Bennett as ‘incorrigible and dangerous’ over string of offences including rapeA “dangerous paedophile” who sexually abused five children in his care at a nursery in Bristol has been jailed for 24 years.Judge William Hart described Nathan Bennett as “evil” and said that he had thought seriously about imposing a life sentence because it was difficult to assess whether he would ever not be a risk to children. Continue reading...