Following an investigation by North Somerset Council's Trading Standards team, a Weston-super-Mare shop owner has been sentenced after being convicted of a series of offences involving the sale and possession of illegal tobacco and vaping products. Naseh Mahmoodi appeared before North Somerset Magistrates Court for sentencing. He was given a 12-month Community Order with a requirement to complete 100 hours of unpaid work. The court also ordered him to contribute £8,500 toward

A man has been jailed for 20 years after trying to kill a woman he was in a relationship with. James Stock was convicted of the attempted murder of Caroline Goddard and has been sentenced for his crimes today (Wednesday 15 July). Caroline called 999 at about 3.20am on 27 July 2025 and reported to police that Stock was trying to kill her at a property in Kewstoke, Weston-super-Mare. James Stock was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment (Photo: Avon & Somerset Police) He repeatedl

Weston-super-Mare Town Council and North Somerset Council have announced an important milestone in the local Devolution programme (community asset transfer programme), with Weston-super-Mare Town Council now taking on the day-to-day management of eight local play areas from 6 July 2026. The new arrangements mark the first phase of the Town Council's management of these much-loved community spaces while the legal process to transfer the freehold ownership of the sites is compl

The controversial movement of raising the flag on public property has returned to Weston-super-Mare with a Union Jack flag being placed on Mendip Roundabout by a group calling themselves “Flagman UK”, and with an insinuation that more flags are to come. The incident comes just weeks after a recent meeting of Weston Town Council, where Inspector Lee Kerslake of Avon & Somerset Police Neighbourhood Policing Team was asked by councillors if any action had been taken regarding fl

Families across Weston-super-Mare are set to save hundreds of pounds a year, as four more local schools join Labour's free breakfast club programme from September. When pupils return to the classroom after the summer holidays, Walliscote Primary School, Milton Park Primary School, Christ Church C of E Primary School and Mendip Green Primary School will all begin offering free breakfast clubs as part of Labour's Best Start programme. The expansion means even more children in W

A Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) scheme to check on the welfare, rights, dignity and conditions of detainees in police custody has received a national Gold Quality Assurance Award. The Independent Custody Visitors (ICV) Scheme in Avon and Somerset, led by PCC Clare Moody’s office, makes unannounced visits to police custody suites to provide independent scrutiny, help maintain standards, and support continuous improvement. Avon & Somerset PCC: Clare Moody (Photo: PCC) Ove

The Crown Prosecution Service has charged four teenagers in connection with a rape investigation in Weston-super-Mare. Detectives from Avon & Somerset Police’s specialist serious sexual offences investigation team, Operation Bluestone, coordinated the arrests after receiving a report about a woman being threatened and raped at a property on Sunday 21 June. The increased police activity on Thursday last was linked to the arrests of the four males. The four people charged are:

Unity Beach Holiday Park in Brean is preparing to unveil its biggest-ever outdoor leisure investment later this month, with the opening of a new £11 million development featuring a lido, splash pool and a range of new family attractions. Unity Beach Holiday Park (Photo: burnham-on-sea.com) Former Team GB Olympic swimmer Dame Sharron Davies has been invited as the VIP guest to officially open the new facilities on Friday, July 18. The centrepiece of the development is a large

Avon & Somerset Police have issued a statement regarding “heavier than normal police activity in Weston-super-Mare and Worle today. A spokesperson for Avon & Somerset Police said: “We would like to reassure people that this is part of a pre-planned policing operation as part of an ongoing investigation. Thank you for your patience and understanding, and people can expect to see a heightened police presence for the remainder of the day.”

“Pupils flourish socially, emotionally and academically in caring, inclusive Locking Primary School” according to a Ofsted report that was released this week Following a visit from Ofsted on 16 June 2026, Locking Primary School has been praised for its high standards across safeguarding, leadership, inclusion and pupil development. Ofsted Inspectors confirmed that safeguarding standards are fully met, noting that leaders have “established an open culture in which safeguar

Mountain Warehouse have submitted a planning application in order to facilitate a branch opening in the former Marks & Spencer’s store on the High St, Weston-super-Mare A new Heritage Statement (dated June 2026) has been submitted regarding proposed ground-floor façade alterations for the former M&S building, paving the way for its new occupier: Mountain Warehouse. A summary of what is being proposed includes; refining the shop front and modernising the exterior with new door

Yesterday afternoon, North Somerset Magistrates’ Court granted a three-month extension to the closure order imposed on a business premises in Weston-super-Mare that had been found to be involved in the sale of illicit tobacco and vapes. The extension comes after the shop was originally forced to close by police in January against a backdrop of numerous allegedly vape related health incidents in the town. A spokesperson for Avon & Somerset Police said; “The extension follows o

The star has discovered on his travels over the years that when you are six foot four inches tall, it’s hard to find comfort for the night. It seems he likes to become a hotel inspector - just like the ones in his own 1970s BBC sitcom – and check out the rooms before he agrees to check in anywhere. One B&B owner has revealed how Cleese turned up, unannounced, at her luxury property in the village of Uphill – where he was born - looking for a bed for the evening. But after he

A 15yr old girl has accused a hotel cleaner of grabbing her and making inappropriate comments whilst she stayed at The Savoy Hotel, Weston Independent News can exclusively report The male who is alleged to have carried out the attack has been described as a light brown male with a heavy accent and broken English, according to the girls mother Avon & Somerset Police are investigating a report of an assault at the hotel. No arrests have been made as of today. The girl who can n

A major road safety scheme aimed at reducing collisions on one of North Somerset’s busiest roads has been proposed by North Somerset Council. Photo: Google Maps The plans would see speed limits reduced along the 3.8-mile section of the A370 between M5 Junction 21 and Hildesheim Bridge in Weston-super-Mare, following concerns over the route’s long-standing collision record. The dual carriageway carries around 35,800 vehicles every day but, despite an overall decline in road tr

“Welcome to the first of our regular updates from the Weston Neighbourhood Policing Team.” Inspector Lee Kerslake (Photo: Avon & Somerset Police) “Weston, like any busy town, presents a wide range of policing challenges. Every day we respond to calls ranging from domestic abuse and burglaries to road traffic collisions, missing people, anti-social behaviour and neighbour disputes. The list could easily fill this entire article, which would probably make for a fairly boring re

Emergency services are at the scene of a house fire reportedly on Rigger St in Locking Parklands. Eyewitnesses have reported a property well ablaze with the roof having collapsed and a significant amount of smoke can be seen in the vicinity. It is unknown at this time if there have been any injuries Avon & Somerset Fire Service have been contacted for a statement

Cllr Mike Bell (Lib Dem), the leader of North Somerset Council has been criticised by parents after he called on schools to "show flexibility" over children's attendance on Monday as England play Mexico in the World Cup with a 1am kick off. In a social media post on Facebook Cllr Mike Bell said: "After England’s qualification for the last 16 of the World Cup, the next big match against Mexico kicks off at 1am GMT on Monday 6 July. That is, admittedly, a bit of a late kick-off

Depending on what we do, one side won’t be happy’ - Weston police inspector explains difficulties force faces dealing with young people gathering at Marine Lake A Weston police inspector has outlined the difficulties law enforcement face when dealing with groups of young people gathering at Marine Lake. Anti-social behaviour at the lake has been a frequent topic of discussion in Weston since it was the scene of a “number of issues with litter, antisocial behaviour and inappro

Cllr Terry Porter, the Conservative member of North Somerset Council, representing the Hutton and Locking ward has died. Cllr Porter served as councillor on North Somerset Council since 2009 and during that time chaired the Community and Corporate Organisation Policy and Scrutiny Panel (during the previous Conservative administration). He also served on a number of committees, including the Planning and Regulatory Committee, where he was Vice-Chair until his recent passing Cl