West News In Brief

Police in Bristol say they are concerned for the welfare of a 35 year old man who has gone missing.

Owen Crowther was last seen in the Eastville area of the city at around 4am on Friday 4th January when he was walking with another man. Mr Crowther is 5ft 9ins tall.

Officers are asking anyone who has seen Owen Crowther not to approach him but to call the police on 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Police in Wiltshire are looking for two men who used a stolen van to smash their way into a Co-op store in Corsham. The men reversed the van several times into the front of the shop, causing extensive damage, before unsuccessfully trying to steal a cash machine from inside.

The burglary happened at about 11.15pm on Thursday 3 January 2013 in Macie Drive. It's thought local residents who heard and saw the break in may have disturbed the men.

The blue VW Transporter van, which had been stolen from the Chippenham area on Christmas Eve, was found abandoned near by.

Police believe the suspects may have used another vehicle to get away.

Officers want to hear from anyone who may have seen a white car being drive suspiciously in the Katherine Park area late on Thursday night. The two men were wearing dark clothing and hooded tops.

A woman saw the New Year in with a bang when her boyfriend proposed to her - using fireworks.

John Spooner popped the question to Elena Costa using a 4ft by 2ft firework which spelt out the words "Marry Me".

Delighted Elena, from Swindon, said 'yes'.

Police made 36 arrests and dealt with 359 incidents during the New Year festivities in Gloucestershire.All the incidents, most of which were drink related, happened in the ten hour period between 8pm on New Year's Eve and 6am on New Year's Day.

Inspector Andy Morford said 21 of the arrests being for assaults or public order offences. Most of the other arrests were for criminal damage.

An attempt to increase the prison sentence given to a Wiltshire murderer has failed. Minicab driver Chris Halliwell was jailed for life, with a minimum term of 25 years, after he admitted murdering Sian O'Callaghan in March last year.

The Crown Prosecution Service said this was too lenient and appealed for a longer minimum tariff. Today the Court of Appeal threw out that challenge. Police believe Halliwell also killed Swindon girl Becky Godden. Afterwards Becky's mother said she was disappointed.

Court of Appeal judges have ruled against raising the 25-year minimum term imposed in the case of taxi driver Christopher Halliwell. The 48 year old former Swindon cab driver was jailed at Bristol Crown Court in October, after admitting to the murder of 22-year-old Sian O'Callaghan.

A report presented to the West of England Joint Transport ExecutiveCommittee today has found that a range of planned transport schemes for the West of England are critical to its future economic growth.

Produced by independent consultants Atkins, ‘Unlocking our Potential: The Economic Benefits of Transport Investment in the West of England’ looks at how the schemes would support economic growth and job creation, impact on Gross ValueAdded (GVA) and the return on the capital investment.

The report also says the transport schemes would effectively unlock almost 19,000 jobs across seven key growth areas. The three rapid transit schemes, alongside the Bath Transportation Package and the Weston Package, are estimated to unlock a £600 million increase in future economic output.

Unemployment has risen in the South West, according to the new figures out today. Two thousand MORE people were out of work between August and October compared with earlier in the year.

But despite that, the South West still has the lowest unemployment rate in the country - at five point seven per cent. Employment Minister Mark Hoban gave us his response.

South Somerset District Council plans to develop a new Artificial Grass Pitch at Yeovil Recreation Centre moved a step closer last week after the Somerset County Council Regulation Committee rejected the application to register Yeovil Recreation Centre as a Town or Village Green.

The decision comes following the submission of the application by a number of local residents to which the council objected on the basis that there was no legal justification to support the registration of what was, effectively, an existing fully managed and controlled public recreational facility.

A further Public Inquiry into the proposed diversion of two public footpaths at Yeovil Recreation Centre will now commence in January 2013, which if approved, will enable construction of the new Pitch to commence.

Police have released CCTV images of two men who they would like to speak to in relation to a burglary at a house in Berkeley.

The incident happened at a house on Leaze Close between 8.30pm and 8.45pm on Friday December 07.

It is believed that the two men entered the house through a door at the side of the house and took jewellery, bank cards and a television.