Weekly round-up: Five stories you may have missed

2 days ago

Craig David grew up on the Holyrood Estate near Southampton city centre

Shelter A composite image. On the left is modern day Craig David stood outside his former home, and on the right is an archive image of a young Craig David stood outside the same building. — Craig David grew up on the Holyrood Estate near Southampton city centre

A pop star, a seagull dropping a rock and mysterious missing puffins were among our most read stories this week.

We have picked five articles from the past seven days in Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Dorset, Berkshire and Oxfordshire to keep you up to date.

Rock-dropping seagull closes university building

A video from Oxford Clarion shows the seagull dropping a stone on a glass roof

A University of Oxford building was closed this week when a seagull broke a glass roof by repeatedly dropping a stone on it.

A spokesperson for the Blavatnik School of Government has confirmed the bird caused damage to a glass panel on the roof on Wednesday.

In a video from the Oxford Clarion, the bird can be seen bouncing a large stone off the glass roof of the building.

Craig David makes social housing plea at former home

Craig David said "growing up in a social home meant everything to me"

Craig David returned to his childhood council house to push for social housing, which he said "heartbreakingly" many children do not have access to.

The singer, whose hits include 7 Days, lived on the Holyrood Estate near Southampton city centre from the age of one until his music career took off in his early 20s.

He has made a film for housing charity Shelter's campaign, going back to the estate with his mother Tina.

Cliff cameras fail to solve missing puffins mystery

Puffins at Dancing Ledge may be facing extinction

Pete Christie A puffin, showing black and white plumage and an orange bill, on a cliff at Dancing Ledge — Puffins at Dancing Ledge may be facing extinction

Wildlife cameras have failed to explain why the last known colony of puffins on the south coast of England has failed to raise young.

In 2023, naturalists noticed that the seabirds near Swanage, Dorset, had stopped bringing fish to their nests on the cliffs.

They speculated that rats or crows had eaten the chicks.

However, motion-sensor cameras installed at the site in 2024 have recorded no predators and have not provided any other explanation, the National Trust said.

Runaway coach caught on CCTV seconds before crash

CCTV from the Ocean View Hotel showed the coach seconds before the crash

Two cars were written off after a runaway coach crashed into them outside an Isle of Wight hotel.

CCTV footages showed the vehicle, which had reportedly suffered a handbrake failure, seconds before it smashed into a white van and white Ford Fiesta.

No-one was hurt in the incident, which happened outside Ocean View Hotel.

Hotel manager, Simon Willis, said the driver had been dropping people off so no-one was in the vehicle at the time.

Memorial for PC Andrew Harper given go ahead

PC Andrew Harper was killed in August 2019 while on duty

Family Handout A black and white wedding photo of PC Harper he is grinning widely and looks slightly off camera, wearing a white shirt, silk tie and black blazer, with a white rose in the button hole. Behing him are two ornate picture frames in different sizes with landscape paintings. — PC Andrew Harper was killed in August 2019 while on duty

A permanent memorial to a police officer killed while on duty is set to be installed in Reading town centre.

PC Andrew Harper was killed while chasing men who had stolen a quad bike in August 2019.

A permanent memorial to him is now due to be installed next to a statue of Trooper Fred Potts at The Forbury, and will feature a replica of his Thames Valley Police badge.

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