Latest news with #Gloucestershire
Sky News
7 hours ago
- General
- Sky News
Toddler suffers serious burns after boat explosion in Gloucestershire
An 18-month-old child has suffered potentially life-changing burns following an explosion on a boat on the River Thames, Wiltshire Police say. The toddler is among three people still in hospital following the incident at the weekend. The force received a report of a boat fire in Lechlade, Gloucestershire, around noon on Saturday. Officers said the vessel was "away from the bank" at the time and all nine people on board "ended up in the water". The nine, including five adults and four children aged from 18 months to seven, were taken to hospital. Three remain there and are in a "stable" condition. Two of them, including the toddler, have "potentially life-changing burns", the force said. Witshire Police added it was a "miracle" that no one had died during the "tragic incident". Detective Superintendent Joe Garrity said this was due to the "heroic bravery" shown by two holidaymakers from Wales who were in the area. He said: "With no thought for their own safety, they jumped into the Thames to help save the lives of those involved, some of whom couldn't swim." A cordon put in place on the river has now been lifted, Wiltshire Police added.
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Child suffers potentially life-changing burns after explosion on boat on the River Thames
An 18-month-old child has suffered potentially life-changing burns after a boat exploded on the River Thames. Wiltshire Police rushed to deal with the blast which sent all people on board into the water on the River Thames in Lechlade, Gloucestershire, at around 12pm on Saturday. The vessel had been away from the bank on the Wiltshire side of the Thames when it exploded and sent nine panicked adults and children into the river - some of whom 'couldn't swim'. But two brave 'holidaymakers' who were passing by when the blast occurred rescued many of those struggling in the water before ambulances, fire engines and multiple police units arrived. Five adults and four children - aged 18 months to seven - were taken to hospital where three people remain in a stable condition. A toddler was airlifted to Bristol Royal Hospital for Children while another person was also taken by air ambulance to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. However, police said today that two of those hospitalised, including the 18-month-old child, have suffered potentially life-changing burns. The force say they are still investigating the cause of the explosion. Detective Superintendent Joe Garrity of Wiltshire Police said: 'Our thoughts are with those affected by this tragic incident. 'It is a miracle there were no fatalities, and much of that must be put down to the response of two holidaymakers from Wales who happened to be passing. 'With no thought for their own safety, they jumped into the Thames to help save the lives of those involved, some of whom couldn't swim. 'It was heroic bravery. 'I would also like to thank Gloucestershire and Thames Valley police officers who were the first to respond to the incident, RAF Fairford who also provided support, and the ambulance and fire services. 'A cordon remains in place on the river to ensure the safety of other canal users and for further inquiries into the cause of the explosion to be carried out. 'The boat itself also needs to be recovered. This scene is likely to remain in place for the next few days.' Anyone with relevant information has been urged to contact Wiltshire Police quoting log 129 of May 31.
BBC News
12 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Gloucester stabbing: Trial date set for man accused of murder
A trial date has been set for a man accused of murdering another man and attempting to murder two Kotwica, who is 39 and of Longford, appeared at Bristol Crown Court on Monday, accused of the murder of 53-year-old Matthew Cainey, from charges relate to an incident on 28 May in Bedford Street in the city at about 07:40 BST, with police responding to reports of multiple people being who has been remanded in custody, will next appear in court on 15 August for a plea and trial preparation hearing before his trial, which has been estimated to last for three weeks, begins on 17 November. Following the incident on Wednesday, three men were taken to hospital to be treated for their injuries. A murder investigation was launched by Gloucestershire Police when Mr Cainey died from his injuries later that day.
Daily Mail
18 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Try and stay on your feet, if you fall do an army roll... Cheese-rolling winner reveals tips for success in Britain's most adrenaline-inducing race
A former Cheese-rolling champion has shared his tips for success at Britain's wackiest and most adrenaline-inducing race. Chris Anderson, 37, is something of a legend in Cooper's Hill in Gloucestershire, having earned a place in the Guinness World Records for his cheese-chasing triumphs. Having stepped back from competing, he now offers advice to competitors on how to stay safe. It comes after a competitor in last week's annual competition was airlifted to hospital, and another was carried away on a stretcher. A video from the event captured the terrifying moment one competitor, dressed as a wizard, came flying down the huge hill before slamming into the ground. Reflecting on the race, Anderson told The Guardian: 'It's risky, there is no doubt about it. You've just got to be able to try and stay on your feet as long as possible and lean backwards so you can stay in control of yourself.' He said that it is better for competitors to stay in control rather than going flat out for speed. If you fall, the best bet is to do an army roll and then get back on your feet as quickly as possible, the former military man said. The event challenges people to pursue a 3kg Double Gloucester cheese rolling down the steep 200 yard hill, though has also prompted safety warnings in recent years. Hundreds of people have been gathering at Cooper's Hill to watch the occasion that is thought to have its roots in a pagan festival celebrating the return of spring. Competitors chase the cheese down the 180m-high hill, with many tripping and tumbling on their way - only to pick themselves up and resume the pursuit. The first runners to catch the cheese, which can reach speeds of up to 70mph, are declared victors in various races across the event that dates back to the 1800s. Anderson believes mid-20s is the ideal age for competitors, blending fitness with a bit of experience. But being an adrenaline junkie is also crucial. The 23-time winner of the event suggested that anyone taking part should visit the site before the event itself. He said that many willing competitors turn up on the day to run the race and pull out after viewing the hill for the first time. Now a ground worker for the event, Anderson had his preferred route down the hill, avoiding a tricky hollow. He grew up in Brockworth where the event is held each year and witnessed the race every year since he was young. He admitted that in his teenage years he and his friends used to go up the hill and 'push each other down'. In 2004, Anderson finished second place aged just 16 and vowed he would return to win the race in the future. Wasting no time, he won the event the following year, but broke his ankle when he fell in a hole while celebrating. Anderson returned to win the event another 22 times, becoming a local legend of the event. In 2022 he retired after breaking the record for the most wins. It is not known when the race was first run, but it is thought to date back for hundreds of years. The event is now a global phenomenon which attracts visitors and viewers from all over the world. Rebel cheese rollers have been staging their own unofficial event after health and safety fears caused the official competition to be cancelled in 2010. This year's event prompted a safety warning from the local ambulance, police and fire services, who warned they could be overwhelmed if there was a 'mass casualty incident'. But it went ahead as planned, with Tom Kopke, a 23-year-old YouTuber from Munich, retaining the title he won last year. Luke Briggs won one of the men's contests dressed in a Superman costume - while first-time racer Ava Sender Logan, 20, from London, was triumphant in the first women's event before admitting she did not even like cheese. She told of not remembering most of her downhill tumble, but said of the occasion: 'It's such a cool tradition.' Assistant Chief Constable Arman Mathieson from Gloucestershire Police has previously described the event as a 'unique tradition', adding that the force had 'no desire to stop it'. But officers said they had a duty to tell the public the local Tewkesbury Borough Safety Advisory Group had declared it unsafe, raising concerns about the potential strain on emergency services. The advisory group is made up of multiple agencies, including emergency services, who work to promote safety and welfare at events. Members have told of concerns about how officials could respond if there were a major incident, after ambulances struggled to access the site in 2023. The winner of that year's women's race was knocked unconscious at the finish line and only discovered had won after waking up in a medical tent. The tradition could be given an official honour by being added to a UK heritage list. The Government is asking the public to nominate their favourite traditions that best reflect Britain, to be recorded in a new Inventory of Living Heritage in the UK. Other traditions in the same county such as surfing the Severn Bore and Woolsack Races in Tetbury have also been touted as potential contenders for the list, with heritage minister Baroness Twycross saying last month: 'The UK is rich with wonderful traditions.' The history of Cooper Hill's Cheese-Rolling event The ceremony originally took place on Whit Monday, but was later moved to the Spring bank holiday. The first evidence of cheese rolling is found in a message written by the town crier in 1826. But even then, the writing suggested it was an old tradition, believed to be about 600-years-old. Two possible origins have been proposed for the event. Some believe it may have evolved from a requirement for maintaining grazing rights on the common, while others believe it has pagan origins from the custom of rolling objects down a hill. It is understood that bundles of burning brushwood were rolled down the hill to represent the birth of the New Year after winter. It is also believed to have links to a traditional fertility rite where buns, biscuits and sweets are scattered from the top of the hill by the Master of Ceremonies (the official host). This in turn encourages the fruits of the harvest.
Daily Mail
19 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Tortoise who escaped to find a mate nearly a year ago at a speed of 0.13mph is found... just ONE mile away
A tortoise who escaped 11 months ago to find a mate at a speed of 0.13mph has been found just one mile away from home. Ginger dug under a garden fence before making a slow getaway across countryside fields in the quest for love, following the death of her longtime companion Fred. She was eventually found behind a pub by a horse rider last week in Stanton, Gloucestershire. Sarah-Jane Muirie, 51, is now celebrating the unexpected return of her beloved pet who she has owned since she was a 10-year-old girl. Devastated by Ginger's disappearance last June, the mother-of-one had initially put up signs around the area but said that she had given up hope after nearly a year without a single sighting. Fearing that she would 'never see' the reptile again after she vanished, Ms Muirie, of Bredon, Worcestershire, said: 'We had another tortoise called Fred who we lost a couple of years ago and a vet friend of mine believes she went looking for a mate. 'It's that time of the year and she's always had Fred so she's dug herself out under the garden fence and through next doors before getting into some fields. 'She is that well camouflaged we thought there's no chance we would ever find her but we put up missing posters anyway.' Almost 11 months after Ginger disappeared, Ms Muirie got the call she was never expecting - a horse rider had discovered the small tortoise behind the Mount Inn pub, just a mile away from home. Initially, given her natural camoflauge, Ginger had been mistaken for a rock. However, after returning to the scene, the horse rider then noticed both a head and legs. Ms Muirie, who believes that her beloved pet was likely in hibernation for at least part of her disappearance, said: 'Amazingly, somebody remembered the posters we put up nearly a year ago and we then got the call. 'At first I thought it couldn't be Ginger but then realised there's probably not too many people around here with tortoises. 'It was amazing to get her back because we thought there was no chance she would survive the winter out there alone.' I genuinely couldn't believe that she survived a year of the wild.' Since being reunited with her family, Ginger has been enjoying the warm weather, finding herself a secluded area where she can sunbathe and eat food. Describing her tortoise's return as 'like a childhood dream come true', Ms Muirie added: 'To have a pet for 40 years, she could outlive me so it means a lot. We're very happy to have her back.' At the end of April, a family in Ulverston, Cumbria, were overjoyed when their tortoise Leonardo, who had been missing for nine months, was discovered a mile away from home. The reptile was found shuffling down a street and was taken to a pet shop, Little Beasties, where staff helped to find its owner, Rachel Etches. Speaking to the BBC, Ms Etches said: 'It was totally my fault; we were out in the garden, we'd just had our second child, I got a bit distracted and he just wandered off out of our sight. 'He's led a very comfortable life for 13 years under a heat lamp in my house, so we didn't think he was going to survive the winter being out for the first time.' She believed that Leonardo may have hibernated for winter and woke up when the weather started to improve. There are an estimated 700,000 tortoises and turtles currently being kept as pets across the UK, with an average of 1.6 per cent of households owning one.
