Business

Osprey eggs set to hatch for second consecutive year

by Zachary
written by Zachary

The only pair of breeding ospreys in southern England have laid four eggs at their nest site for the second year in a row.

Ospreys typically lay three eggs, so for four to be laid two years on the run is highly unusual and it would be "unprecedented" if all four hatch again this year, according to the Birds of Poole Harbour group.

A reintroduction programme began in Poole Harbour, Dorset, in 2017 and in 2022 female CJ7 and male 022 became the first nesting pair of ospreys on the south coast of England in 180 years.

Liv Elwood, Birds of Poole Harbour manager, said: "The team at Birds of Poole Harbour are delighted to see CJ7 lay four eggs for the second time."

Ospreys are classed as Schedule 1 species, which means that they have the highest level of protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

The birds share incubation duties, with males also responsible for hunting to feed the pair during this period.

Hatching is expected to start towards the end of this month.

Ms Elwood said: "This nest is so important for the recolonisation of this special species on the south coast, and every chick that fledges from the nest is a reason to celebrate.

"We can't wait to see what the rest of the season holds."

Interest in the ospreys has been significant, with live-stream webcams allowing viewers to observe the nesting process.

Innovation

Rare Turing papers worth £397k saved from export

by Megan
written by Megan

A collection of rare documents by World War Two codebreaker Alan Turing have been saved for the nation.

Last year, a temporary export bar was placed on the wartime project writings to prevent them being taken abroad.

A successful campaign was launched to keep the papers on home soil, which were described by the government as some of Turing's most "inventive, secret, and overlooked work".

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has announced that the documents will join the largest collection of Turing artefacts at King's College, Cambridge.

"This is a powerful example of what can be achieved when private and charitable sectors come together," she said.

"This collaboration has ensured that these treasures will be preserved for years to come."

In the UK, significant cultural objects require a licence to be exported.

Items considered too important to leave can be placed under a temporary export ban, which allows British buyers time to raise funds to purchase the items instead.

Once digitised, they will become part of the Turing Papers online archive, freely available to scholars.

PA Media
The papers consist of two bound notebooks and six separate gatherings of loose sheets

The papers, valued at more than £397,000, relate to the Delilah project, which developed a portable encryption system – or voice scrambler – to protect secrets during military operations.

Turing worked on the project at Hanslope Park, near Milton Keynes, in 1943 following his groundbreaking work on the Enigma machines at Bletchley Park.

The documents consist of more than 40 pages of unpublished notes written by Turing and colleague Donald Bayley.

Unpublished evidence of Turing's work has rarely survived.

PA Media
The papers comprise the notes of Turing, from 1912-54, and Donald Bayley, from 1921-2020

The project to save the documents was led by the Friends of the Nations' Libraries charity.

Other donors included the National Heritage Memorial Fund and King's College.

The algorithmic trading firm XTX Markets donated £250,000.

King's College provost Gillian Tett said: "Alan Turing's work laid the foundations of computer science, artificial intelligence and much of our modern world.

"We are honoured to house the Delilah papers at King's and are deeply grateful to our partners in this endeavour."

Turing arrived at King's College as an undergraduate in 1931 and was made a fellow in 1935.

The Turing Archive was founded in 1960 following a donation of his papers by his mother, Sara Turing.

Turing died of cyanide poisoning in June 1954. His death was thought to be suicide.

Economy

Dance award launched to celebrate late Strictly star

by Adam
written by Adam

A new award has been created to celebrate the life of late Strictly Come Dancing star Robin Windsor.

The professional dancer, from Ipswich, died last year, aged 44. His cause of death has not been given.

The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and mental health charity Sane – of which Windsor was an ambassador – said the Robin Windsor Award would be given to "an individual whose mental health has been transformed by dance" and who would "benefit from receiving extra mentorship and funding".

The winner will receive a prize of £500 and a dance lesson with a leading dance professional.

Actress Lisa Riley danced with Windsor in 2012 and co-hosted his tribute show

Alexander Campbell, Artistic Director of the RAD, said: "In memory of Robin Windsor, the RAD and Sane have launched an award that honours Robin's passion for dance and his dedication to mental health advocacy. 

"Robin believed deeply in the power of movement to heal, uplift and connect. This award seeks to recognise dancers who embody that same spirit."

Marjorie Wallace CBE, Chief Executive of SANE said: "Robin spoke bravely about his struggles, hoping to help others feel less alone. We at SANE are proud to honour his legacy through this new award, in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Dance."

Windsor partnered actress Anita Dobson in 2011 on Strictly Come Dancing

Windsor started his dancing lessons at the Ipswich School of Dance, aged three.

During his time on Strictly, Windsor was partnered with Patsy Kensit, Anita Dobson and Lisa Riley, and won the 2011 Children In Need special with presenter Susanna Reid.

He was also partnered with Alison Hammond and Sara Cox on Strictly Christmas specials and is the only person to have performed on Broadway, the West End and Strictly Come Dancing in the same year.

Global Trade

Recounts and random chance – an election in numbers

by Leo
written by Leo

Last Thursday's Shropshire Council election was as fascinating as it was unpredictable.

Nobody I spoke with before the election, including national party leader Nigel Farage, expected Reform UK to win as many seats as they did in the county.

On the other hand, though we were almost certain the Conservatives would lose control at this election, their bone-crunching fall from grace took many by surprise.

Friday was a day of recounts, a Reform surge and random chance as the Liberal Democrats took charge, with one seat even decided through the electoral equivalent of drawing lots.

Here is the tale of Shropshire's election in numbers.

34 votes gave the Lib Dems a majority

Liberal Democrats
Heather Kidd and Alex Wagner are expected to be confirmed as leader and deputy leader of the council

Some of the seats being contested were won by incredibly thin margins.

In fact, eight of the 74 seats on offer were decided by fewer than 20 votes each.

The Liberal Democrats won five seats with a grand total of just 34 votes, including Whitchurch South (9), The Strettons (1), St Oswald (8), and Cheswardine (15).

Bridgnorth South and Alveley was finally won by the Lib Dems following three recounts.

Colin Taylor and Reform UK's Karen Webb-James each received 508 votes, but there could be only one winner.

The vote was decided by two ballot papers being put back into a ballot box and one randomly taken out. Mr Taylor won the contest and took the seat by an extra vote.

The five narrowly-won Lib Dem seats gave the group their majority and overall control of the council.

Tory support down 60%

Former Army major Ian Nellins was a key member of the former Conservative administration

All six Conservatives standing for re-election who were part of the council's previous leadership team, or cabinet, lost their seats.

Former deputy leader Ian Nellins, who was the face of unpopular decisions like the £56 garden waste charge and the now-cancelled tip booking system, came third in Market Drayton North with 199 votes, behind Reform UK and the Lib Dems.

The councillor in charge of finance, Gwilym Butler, who oversaw cuts totalling more than £100m in the last few years, also lost his seat in Cleobury Mortimer.

He said he was disappointed not to have been re-elected after years of hard work, but proud to have avoided bankruptcy for the authority.

The councillor who championed the controversial northern Shrewsbury bypass, the North West Relief Road, lost Burnell to the Lib Dems.

Four other Cabinet members, including leader Lezley Picton, did not stand for re-election.

England's 'single biggest election win'

Heather Kidd led the now defunct South Shropshire District Council from 2003 to 2007

Seasoned councillor Heather Kidd won the largest vote of any councillor up for election in England last Thursday, according to the Liberal Democrats.

Kidd, who will officially become the new council leader later this month, took 71% of the vote in Chirbury and Worthen.

In 2021 she received 84%.

Fellow party councillor Ruth Houghton, who won Bishop's Castle, was a close second with 70%.

From 97 votes to 27,732

Most of Shropshire's Reform UK candidates met national leader Nigel Farage in Shrewsbury ahead of the election

Reform UK's success at last week's election cannot be overstated.

The party stood candidates in all 74 seats, won 16 of them and officially became the party in opposition. In total, the group received 27,732 votes, which is around 27% of the vote share.

In 2021, the party fielded just two candidates and won 97 votes between them.

Reform's victory saw the group take chunks out of both the Labour and Conservative groups.

Labour received almost 11,000 fewer votes, resulting in their number of councillors dropping from nine to four.

Meanwhile, support for the Tory group fell by 60%, from 51,442 in 2021 to 20,118.

Economy

British Steel creates 180 jobs in production drive

by Hannah
written by Hannah

British Steel is to "ramp up" production and create more than 180 jobs.

The company said the majority of the roles would be based at Scunthorpe, with the rest at the Teesside and Skinningrove plants.

Officials said there would be a "wide variety" of opportunities, including jobs in engineering, cleaning and workplace safety, as well as legal roles.

Plans to make 2,700 workers redundant were scrapped last month after the government took control of the company from its Chinese owner, Jingye.

Allan Bell, the company's interim chief executive, said the new roles would help to "build stronger futures" for British Steel and the UK economy.

"With the backing of the government, we are focused on cementing British Steel as one of the world's leading manufacturers of steel," he said.

"To help achieve this, and meet customer demand, we will be upping production across all our sites and recruiting more than 180 people to help drive us forward."

The BBC has been told 165 of the 182 jobs will be in Scunthorpe, with 17 at Teesside and Skinningrove.

An open day for prospective applicants will be held at the Scunthorpe Conference Centre, on Brigg Road, on 17 May between 10:00 and 16:00 BST.

Last month, the government passed an emergency law to take control of British Steel amid accusations that Jingye was planning to switch off two blast furnaces in Scunthorpe.

The closure of the furnaces would have left the UK without the capability to produce "virgin" steel, which is used in major construction projects such as new buildings and railways.

Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds latest episode of Look North here.

Tech

Headlines: 'Pier boycott' and 'nightclub closure'

by Jayden
written by Jayden

Here's our daily pick of stories from across local websites in the West of England, and interesting content from social media.

Our pick of local website stories

There are calls to boycott Weston-super-Mare's Grand Pier after it was announced that right-wing commentator Katie Hopkins will be performing there as part of a stand-up comedy tour.

A newly-qualified teenage driver was sentenced to two years' detention after killing three friends and seriously injuring two children and an adult in a "catastrophic" head on crash.

Finally, there was some good news for Swindon's conservationists after Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and a group of councillors discovered a population of rare Great Crested Newts in the town.

Our top three from yesterday

Tech

Future of handmade lace 'hanging by a thread'

by Evan
written by Evan

One of Nottinghamshire's most distinctive crafts is at risk of dying out if new people are not trained, enthusiasts say.

Bobbin lace-making is a centuries-old hand technique that evolved into machine lace-making and made Nottingham world famous.

But fans of the traditional bobbin lace-making say it is a skill in danger of being lost as few new people are discovering it.

Heather Harris, 80, said: "It used to be taught in colleges and schools, but now people just don't seem to know about it."

Getty Images
Bobbin lace-making was for years seen as a useful craft for women to learn

The craft began in Italy in the 15th Century but spread across Europe due to its relative simplicity.

A pattern is laid on a pillow, then pinned out, and threads, each held on a weighted bobbin, intricately wound round the pins.

In Nottingham this developed into a literal cottage industry where families would have frames in their homes.

But the arrival of the machine-driven Industrial Revolution turned this into a global trade which dominated part of the city, which is still known as the Lace Market.

Ms Harris took up bobbin lace-making 45 years ago when her then six-year-old daughter struggled to learn it at school.

Ms Harris said: "She brought it home but couldn't work it out.

"It seemed clear to me, and when I spoke to the lady who was teaching the children, she said I should go to night classes."

Getty Images
The craft requires patience, planning and concentration

Despite its seeming complexity, Ms Harris insists it is relatively easy to start.

"It is basically two stitches," she said. "You can learn those in 10 minutes, but it's how you put them together, that's the secret.

"I find it very calming. You sit with the pillow, and you can have the tele or radio on, and you lose yourself in it.

"If you are feeling down or worried or whatever, you sit at your lace pillow and you make your lace, and you enjoy what you are doing.

"And when you finish, you have such a lovely piece – I make wedding hankies or wedding garters for all my family."

Heather Harris
Two of the three teachers in the society are aged 80

Ms Harris feels the craft has been squeezed out of the public's consciousness.

She said: "There used to be clubs in schools and evening classes run by colleges, but these seem to have gone.

"We demonstrate at the industrial museum and Brewhouse Yard every month, and we have tried and tried to put it out there, but it is hard.

"We need someone who can learn and then teach it because it feels like its future is hanging by a thread.

"Two of us are 80, and the other teacher is a bit younger, but we need someone to come along and build experience.

"It seems like I've got to keep strong and go on for a few years more."

Christopher Lillimen, a trustee at the Nottingham Industrial Museum, said: "The lace industry is a major part of the area's history, and bobbin lace is a major part of that story.

"Having the bobbin lace makers here really shows the impact of mechanisation – hand lace uses a few dozen bobbins, while one of our machines here has 4,500.

"And visitors can have a go at bobbin lace-making – which they can't do with the big machines!"

Industry

Contract signed to transform old bus station site

by Parker
written by Parker

An agreement has been signed to transform the site of an old bus station that was demolished a decade ago.

The Greyfriars development in Northampton will include 1,000 homes, an amphitheatre, shops and restaurants.

The 25-acre (10.1ha) site also includes two existing car parks, a disused corn exchange, and a derelict office block.

West Northamptonshire Council said the deal would "revitalise a long-neglected area of the heart of the town centre".

The site includes the space left by the demolition of the old bus station in 2015

Ever since Northampton's Greyfriars bus station, labelled "the mouth of hell", disappeared in a huge cloud of dust in 2015, the site has been vacant and unused.

The agreement that has now been signed means work could be starting soon on a project that will, according to the council, "unlock the true potential of Northampton".

The signatures on the document are those of the council and ECF which is a joint venture between the government's Homes England agency and private firms Legal & General and "placemakers" Muse.

ECF
The vision includes affordable homes as well as built-to-rent houses and student accommodation

As well as the bus station site, the regeneration area includes the Mayorhold and Victoria Street Car Parks and the traffic islands either side of the bus station.

There is also the Corn Exchange, built in 1851, and Belgrave House – a giant 1970s brutalist office block.

Under the plans, Belgrave House is set to become a "flexible space for established and emergent businesses".

ECF
A new linear park is included in the vision along what is now Lady's Lane

The Corn Exchange is likely to be turned into art and performance space, alongside a new amphitheatre on what is now the West Island.

A park is included in the plan, occupying the area which is now Lady's Lane.

The plans include affordable, built-to-rent and student accommodation alongside shops, restaurants and leisure facilities.

The council claims 7,000 full-time equivalent jobs will be created during the construction phase and "over £1bn in economic value" will be "unlocked".

Martin Heath/BBC
Reform UK's James Petter, nearest the camera, said the project would strengthen the local economy

James Petter, cabinet member for local economy at the Reform UK-controlled council, said: "The regeneration of Greyfriars will not only revitalise a key part of our town centre but also strengthen our local economy, improve connectivity, and create a more inclusive and vibrant place to live, work, and visit."

Sir Michael Lyons, who chairs ECF, said: "Entering a development agreement will enable us to take the next important step in the delivery of this important opportunity."

He added that both parties would now "move at pace" to deliver a masterplan for the project.

Economy

Date set for referendum on mayor for Plymouth

by Harper
written by Harper

A date has been set for a referendum to decide if Plymouth should have a directly-elected mayor paid in the region of £75,000 a year.

Plymouth City Council has to hold a referendum after a campaign, led by Angus Forbes, former banker and husband of celebrity dancer Darcey Bussell, gathered more than 10,000 signatures in favour of the process.

Opponents said the campaign was based on false promises and hundreds of thousands of pounds spent on it would be a waste of money.

Campaigners for the referendum, due to be held on Thursday 17 July, claimed it was a chance to change how the city was run.

Tudor Evans, the Labour leader of Plymouth City Council, says the referendum is a waste of money

If Plymouth residents vote in favour of a directly-elected mayor, the first elections will be held in May 2026.

At a heated meeting at Plymouth City Council, members expressed their frustration with the process that the council said would cost about £410,000.

Several councillors spoke about other areas such as Bristol, Liverpool and Torbay which have had directly elected mayors but then abolished the posts.

The leader of the Labour-led council, Tudor Evans, said there was a great difference between a possible mayor for Plymouth and the directly-elected mayors in London and Greater Manchester who have greater powers.

Evans also pointed to the current reorganisation of local government taking place, in which the government has indicated it wants to scrap directly-elected mayors for single authorities such as Plymouth in favour of mayors for combined authorities.

The city council's chief executive, Tracey Lee, acknowledged the reorganisation as a potential risk and said talks were ongoing with the government.

Forbes claimed the cost of the referendum was "the best money a Plymouth taxpayer could ever spend to change to a successful system of direct democracy".

He said the current system had "failed to grow the economy".

Forbes said: "Our greatest opportunity is to have a place-based leader to galvanise us, to unify us with a vision for Plymouth, and to be an ambassador, to attract private capital and private citizens to come to Plymouth."

Industry

Suspected arson at derelict pub

by Natalie
written by Natalie

A severe fire overnight at a derelict pub in Dudley is being treated as suspected arson, police have said.

Six fire crews were dispatched to the former Crown Inn in Netherton at the height of the blaze, after it was reported at about 00:30 BST on Friday.

It involved the roof space at the old Simms Lane pub, which closed in 2018. No-one was believed to have been injured, the fire service said.

West Midlands Police has asked anyone with information to get in touch with officers.

The road, which was closed in both directions, has since reopened.