Industry

A Welcome to Frome road sign has been moved to another Somerset town 10 miles (16km) away.

Drivers were left confused when the sign appeared on the B3355 going into Midsomer Norton on Friday.

It follows a spate of sign swapping across the West Country region in March, which included the welcome sign for Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire, ending up in Portland, Dorset – more than 60 miles (97km) away.

A spokesperson for Somerset Council said: "We are aware of this latest incident and remind those involved that this is an act of criminal damage which will need to be repaired at public expense. If residents see something like this happening they should contact the police."

Jersey politicians have unanimously backed a proposal to slap a lifetime ban on hit-and-run drivers.

Deputy Catherine Curtis proposed the creation of a new offence under the Road Traffic (Jersey) Law 1956 for failing to stop and report an accident following a serious or fatal injury.

The proposition requested penalties for an offence included, but were not limited to, a lifetime driving disqualification.

Curtis said a lifetime driving ban would stop dangerous drivers from getting back on the road and possibly hurting someone else.

The current penalties for causing death by dangerous driving, introduced in 1997, include a maximum of 10 years' imprisonment and a minimum of two years' driving disqualification.

In December 2024 Dylan John Pounds, 29, was jailed for 15 years for causing the deaths of a father and his 11-year-old son in a hit-and-run in Jersey.

Pounds, who was sentenced for seven offences, was banned from driving for 12 years.

'More responsible driving'

Curtis said she hoped stricter laws "bring some comfort to victims, their friends and families".

"I hope it will encourage safer and more responsible driving," she said.

The States Assembly voted to approve the proposition, as amended, with 47 votes for, no votes against and no abstentions.

Six men arrested on suspicion of modern-day slavery offences in Devon have been bailed, police said.

The group was arrested by Devon and Cornwall Police after a crash involving a van and lorry on Dolvin Road in Tavistock on 19 May led to the discovery of eight potential modern-day slavery victims.

Police said the suspected victims, who had all been receiving support, were identified in the van involved in the crash and at an address in the Gulworthy area.

The force added an investigation into the incident was ongoing.

The family of an 18-year-old driver who died following a crash have described him as "always our light – our joy, our pride, a part of our hearts".

Nojukas Korzeniauskas died at the scene of the collision on the A47 at Guyhirn in Cambridgeshire at about 14:45 BST on Saturday.

"Though your journey here was far too short, your presence was a miracle full of endless love," his parents and brother said of the teenager, who lived at Cygnet Crescent in March.

Cambridgeshire Police said officers continue to appeal for witnesses or dashcam footage of the collision.

A tribute, issued via the police force, read: "Our dearest Nojukas – you were always our light – our joy, our pride, a part of our hearts.

"Your smile lit up every room, and your laughter was music to our home.

"We – your mama, dad, and brother – say goodbye not as to someone gone, but to someone who will always remain with us – in our memories, our dreams, our hearts."

Mr Korzeniauskas was driving a silver Mazda MX-5 at the time of the collision with the Scania double-decker bus.

The road was closed between the Rings End roundabout and Wisbech for several hours.

A man who indecently assaulted a girl several times over a three month period has been jailed for two years and three months.

Samuel Fletcher, 33, carried out the assaults between December 2021 and February 2022.

Douglas Courthouse heard his actions had affected "every part" of the victim's life.

Placing Fletcher on the sex offenders register for 10 years, Deemster Graeme Cook said she had been "particularly vulnerable" at the time and was now a "damaged young girl" who needed support.

Fletcher had denied the charges, but was found guilty of three counts of indecent assault on the girl, who was under the age of 16 at the time, after a trial in April.

The court heard his offending took place between 11 December 2021 and 5 February 2022.

In a victim impact statement read to the court the girl said she felt numb as a result of Fletcher's actions, suffered from stress headaches, and her education had been "ruined".

"Every part of my life has been impacted by what happened. I have no focus in life anymore," she added.

Deemster Cook said Fletcher being under the influence of alcohol at the time of the offending was an aggravating factor in the case.

He said the 33-year-old's actions had caused his victim "severe psychological harm".

It was important to be mindful of the impact of this type of offending on children, the Deemster said.

Fletcher was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order restricting his contact with anyone under the age 16.