Round-up 2024: Five of the south's biggest stories

A story about a man who caused an online storm when he found a Mars bar without its signature ripple was among our most-read stories in the south this year.

We have picked five stories from 2024 in Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Dorset, Berkshire and Oxfordshire which racked up the highest views.

Head teacher Jason Ashley asked "how difficult is it to bake a potato?" in a despairing letter to parents about the state of food at his own school in March.

The head of Redbridge Community School in Southampton, said meals served in its canteen were "completely unacceptable".

He blamed caterers Chartwells for the issues and said he had no control over what was on offer to pupils.

At the time the firm apologised and promised an "immediate action plan".

A criminology student was found guilty of a "senseless" murder and attempted murder after stabbing two women on Bournemouth beach in May.

Amie Gray, 34, was killed and 38-year-old Leanne Miles was seriously injured in the attack on Durley Chine Beach after they were "chosen at random".

Nasen Saadi, 20, from Croydon, was found guilty following a trial at Winchester Crown Court in December - where the prosecution said he "seems to have wanted to know what it would be like to take life".

The most-read story across the south this year was about the death of a mother who admitted ending the life of her terminally ill son.

Antonya Cooper, 77, from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, died in July, following a diagnosis of incurable breast, pancreatic and liver cancer.

She had previously admitted to giving her terminally ill son, Hamish, a fatally large dose of morphine to end his suffering in 1981.

Ms Cooper made the admission about her seven-year-old son in an effort to change the law on assisted dying.

Hundreds of people queued for hours to be among the first customers at Jeremy Clarkson's new pub on its first day of trading

The Farmer's Dog, in Asthall, near Burford in Oxfordshire, opened to the public in August.

The former Top Gear presenter previously revealed he had paid "less than £1m" for the pub, previously known as The Windmill.

A mammoth operation was put in place to manage traffic at the time of opening, following parking problems following the success of his Diddly Squat farm shop.

A man caused an online storm when he found a Mars bar without its signature ripple has received £2 in compensation in November.

Harry Seager's picture of the confectionery generated interest from thousands of members on the Dull Men's Club Facebook page, with one labelling it "hideous".

The 34-year-old said while Mars Wrigley UK would not give him a reason for the imperfection, group members said the bar had escaped being blown by air.

Mars Wrigley UK said the bar "slipped" through its production line and confirmed the swirl was being kept.

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