Parley waste site seeks to increase planned incinerator capacity
An energy-from-waste firm is seeking to increase the capacity of a planned incinerator that has been granted permission in Dorset. BCP Council agreed plans for the energy recovery facility (ERF) in Parley, near Christchurch, in 2022, despite 730 objections. Eco Sustainable Solutions said it is in talks with BCP about applying to increase the agreed […]
Hospitality staff shortages leave rural pub managers working alone
BBC Alex Barry says he sometimes has to run a rural pub and hotel single handedly Closing entire floors of hotel rooms and offering a £500 reward for new staff are just some of the ways hospitality owners in rural areas say they’ve had to cope with an ongoing “recruitment crisis”. Hotel and restaurant owners […]
Primary schoolchildren referred to East Midlands online crime unit
Getty Images Some youngsters have hacked school websites to post rude messages, officers said Fifty young people including children of primary school age have been referred to a specialist policing team that tackles online crime across the East Midlands. The East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) says this was due to the behaviour of some […]
US man awarded $1m after 27 years wrongfully jailed
Michael Sullivan spent more than 27 years in a Massachusetts prison for a murder he insisted for years he didn’t do. He was released in 2013 after a new trial and new DNA technology proved his innocence. Earlier this month, Sullivan was awarded $13m (£10m) from the state, though Massachusetts regulations cap rewards for wrongful […]
The Leeds factory bringing back Wurlitzer jukeboxes
Sound Leisure Wurlitzer family members Gudrun and Luise are joined by Chris, Alex, Alan and Michael Black A family firm is celebrating one year of making one of music’s most distinctive jukeboxes after bringing the distinctive player back to the market. Leeds manufacturer Sound Leisure has been creating jukeboxes since 1978 but partnered with the […]
Australian social media ban on under-16s approved by parliament
Australia will ban children under 16 from using social media, after its parliament approved the world’s strictest laws. The ban, which will not take effect for at least 12 months, could see tech companies fined up to A$50m ($32.5m; £25.7m) if they don’t comply. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the legislation is needed to protect […]
Dorset couple wins prize for ‘unique’ theme park design
Inspiring Heritage Portal Riders beat off competition from more than 30 countries to win a £20,000 prize in the Storyland Studios challenge A couple have said they are still “in disbelief” after winning a competition for designing a “unique” theme park ride. Richard and Amy Hale, who live near Weymouth, Dorset, said that after seeing […]
Jon Egging Trust boss bows out after helping 45,000 young people
BBC Dr Emma Egging is leaving the trust she set up after the death of her husband The founder of the Jon Egging Trust, which works with disadvantaged children, has stepped down. Dr Emma Egging, 45, set up the charity in the name of her husband Flt Lt Jon Egging, who died in 2011 whilst […]
New Transport for London bus involved in crash on launch day
Transport for London (TfL) has said it is investigating after one of its new electric “tram-like” buses collided with a car on the day the new fleet was launched. The Go-Ahead London bus was reportedly involved in the crash on Sevenoaks Road in Orpington, south-east London, on 20 November, when the new 358 buses came […]
Robot could sniff out profits for farmers
BBC Tracked robots are used to carry a sensor Robots could help farmers more quickly assess the health of soil, scientists hope as a technology trial takes place in Cornwall. A gamma ray detector on a device developed by a Cornish company is being used to assess soil quality. Farmer Malcolm Barrett, a tenant farmer […]