The South Glos Post

Trading standards officers in South Gloucestershire have stepped up their efforts to combat incidents of rogue trading in the area with the introduction of four more ‘No Cold Calling Zones’.

The zones were set up by trading standards at the request of residents and Neighbourhood Watch groups, who have chosen to say ‘no’ to uninvited doorstep callers.

The new zones cover Cooks Close in Bradley Stoke, Simmonds View in Stoke Gifford, Kings Drive in Hanham and Sunningdale, Sandy Lodge, Troon and Hoylake in Yate.

Visitors to the No Cold Calling Zones will see street signs on lamp posts to warn traders, and residents will also be provided with information packs and a door/window sticker to display. The aim is to protect residents as well as empowering them to refuse traders selling at their door, through advice and information.

Residents are encouraged to report breaches of the zones to trading standards and the police as traders who ignore the zones could find themselves being arrested for committing an offence.

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Source: South Gloucestershire Council

Budding young engineers from five schools in Bristol and South Gloucestershire are set to take up the task of researching, designing and building solutions to real engineering problems.

Hanham High School (Bristol) will host the Faraday engineering challenge day on Thursday 4th November. Teams from Yate International Academy (Bristol), Mangotsfield School (South Glos), Sir Bernard Lovell School (South Glos) and The Grange School & Sports College (Bristol) will also take part.

The event is one of 45 Faraday engineering challenge days, which will involve pupils from 270 schools across the UK. The events are organised by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).

The challenge days aim to encourage more young people to study and consider careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) by encouraging creativity, innovation and problem solving skills.

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Source: Institution of Engineering and Technology

Police are appealing for witnesses and information following an incident on Memorial Road in Hanham.

At around 2:10am on Saturday 16th October, the 20-year-old victim was walking along Memorial road when she was approached from behind and assaulted with a solid object.

The woman managed to run away but suffered a head injury which required hospital treatment.

The man ran back to his car which was described as a silver Ford Galaxy with a taxi light on the roof. He drove off in the direction of Abbots road.

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Source: Avon and Somerset Police

South Gloucestershire police have charged a woman in connection with a robbery in Hanham in which an elderly woman had her hands slashed with a knife.

The robbery happened on Thursday 9th September 2010 and the 77-year-old victim needed hospital treatment for the injuries to her hands.

A 25-year-old woman from Kingswood was arrested on 1st October and appeared before Bristol Magistrates on 2nd October charged with robbery and possession of an offensive weapon.

She has been remanded in custody to appear before Bristol Crown Court on 8th October 2010.

Source: Avon and Somerset Police