Friday 15th April 2011 Police station in the toilet
Police officers in Old Windsor in Berkshire could be working from a
former toilet if a parish council proposal gets backing. The parish
council have put forward a plan to turn a run down disused public
toilet block into a police outpost, a council office, an information
stand and two lavatories. Council chairman, Tony Troughton, said: "The
existing toilet block is very dilapidated and has been for sometime.
We do have a police presence but one of the problems is if they want
to access a computer they have to make the three mile journey back to
Windsor police station to complete their administrative work. It will
be a big advantage to the residents of the village." Berkshire

Friday 30th July 2010 Urinating taxi drivers upset Slough residents
Residents' in a quiet residential area Slough are angry with taxi drivers stopping to take a leak in their street. People living in Kenilworth Close, Slough, have even gone as far putting up a sign saying, "This is not a public toilet" and have photographed drivers using the street as a toilet. Taxi firms in the area have said the behaviour would not be tolerated and one firm has gone as far as suspending a driver. Resident Colin Davey, who has started a campaign against the drivers’ actions, said that the drivers were acting like animals urinating in an area where disabled and elderly people live. "Taxi drivers come into the close, urinate and drive out again," he said. Berkshire

Tuesday 1st June 2010 Council seek to reopen ancient abbey
Reading Borough Council is to hoping to reopen a 12th Century abbey in
Reading Berkshire which has been closed to the public for more than a
year.

The council is seeking millions of pounds-worth of funding to repair
the abbey which was put off-limits because the structure is too
unsafe. A study costing £90,000 is required to assess the state of the
structure, while the cost of repairs was estimated to reach about £3m.
The abbey would be closed for up to a further five years if the work
goes ahead. The abbey was originally built in 1121 by Henry I who is
also reputed to be buried there.

Culture and sport councillor Thomas Stanway said: "We will be looking
at the Heritage Lottery Fund and other funding bodies to try and get
the money for the building from them because currently the budgets are
all very tight. It's going to be a challenge but we are determined to
find the money to restore the building." Berkshire

Monday 10th May 2010 Ramblers' anniversary marked by Kennet and Avon Canal relay
A relay along the length of a 200-year-old canal has been organised as
part of the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the Ramblers.
Walkers will join the 87-mile relay along the Kennet and Avon Canal,
from Reading to Bristol, in an event that is one of is one of a series
of being held around the country. The canal relay will run from 8 to
15 May and has been divided into 26 short walks for the ramblers to
enjoy.

Ramblers president Julia Bradbury said: "Accessible to all, walking is
a perfect form of exercise. Even walking for half an hour five times a
week makes a real difference. Make walking part of your life as the
more you do the better you'll feel." Berkshire

Tuesday 2nd March 2010 Olympic torch found in Maidenhead
Back in 1948 an Olympic torch was carried through the Berkshire town
of Maidenhead ahead of the games, held in London that year. Carried by
a member of the Maidenhead Athletic Club, the torch was recently
rediscovered at Maidenhead Heritage Centre. Experts do not know how
many of the 200 or so Olympic torches used on the relay from Greece to
Wembley remain undiscovered.

Historian Richard Poad said: “"This torch was carried by the 1948
Olympic relay team. Everyone thinks there was only one torch, but it's
the Olympic flame that goes all the way along the route. We think each
torch was used for about 3km, as it could only stay alight for 15 to
20 minutes." Berkshire

Thursday 26th November 2009 Get yourself into Cromwell’s boots
A pair of boots thought to have belonged to Oliver Cromwell are due to
go to auction in Berkshire today. The historic footwear is described
as in remarkably good condition for the age - Cromwell died in 1658.
The 24 inch high riding boots are expected to fetch in excess of £500.

Will Richards, of auctioneers Dreweatts, said: "They're in quite good
condition and were very sturdily made. There are many collectors of
items like these, as they fall into both the historical and militaria
areas of collecting.

There is no hard proof that the boots actually were worn by Cromwell.
But the story that they belonged to the man who dethroned and beheaded
King Charles I has been handed down with them through time with the
boots. Berkshire