In Pictures: Leaping sheep and lightning bolts

Baking sunshine, a duck race and Martin Clunes at the Royal Bath and West Show... this week in the West had it all.

The heatwave may have left us sweltering but it did not stop us from keeping busy.

An empty building is soon to be reopened after being turned into a bowls club and community hub and a paddle steamer started its season touring the Bristol Channel.

From sheep competitions to people throwing themselves down a steep hill for a wheel of Double Gloucester, here is a round-up of pictures from across the region.

Derby delight for Bears: Bristol edged a tight contest against Bath 21-19 in front of more than 21,000 fans at Ashton Gate on Friday night.

She's majestic: The world's last seagoing paddle steamer, Waverley, started its Bristol Channel season earlier this week. It will call at Clevedon, Minehead, Portishead, Weston-super-Mare, Ilfracombe and Bideford.

A slice of talent: One of the finished artworks in North Street, south Bristol, created as part the annual Upfest street art festival.

Ready to play: Earlier this week it was announced that St George Bowls & Social Club in east Bristol will reopen on 3 June as a local hub after a community-led project transformed the site. It was founded in 1936 but closed several years ago.

Nice day for it: A packed crowd saw England's women enjoy a 26-run victory over India at the County Ground in Bristol on Saturday afternoon.

Pioneering project: Music artists from the West, including Portishead guitarist Adrian Utley, are working on a 360-degree, immersive composition called Flow. It has been recorded at the world-renowned Real World Studios in Wiltshire and will be livestreamed at SXSW London festival.

Next chapter: Works on the new Bristol Brabazon railway station moved forward this week. A 750-tonne crane lifted into place the nine pieces that make up the staircases and bridge deck, the West of England Combined Authority said. The station is due to open in autumn, and will serve the 20,000-capacity Aviva Arena.

Roll out the red carpet: A film made by students at the University of the West of England will be released in June. What I Meant to Say explores themes around people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Full steam ahead: The locomotive Earl Of Mount Edgcumbe came through Bristol on Saturday morning on its "Whistling Ghost" tour from Birmingham to Minehead, in Somerset.

Beaten by a whisker: It was a surprise the wheels of Double Gloucester did not melt on Monday at the annual cheese-rolling on Cooper's Hill in Brockworth.

The women's race down the 1:2 gradient slope was won by Alis Heugas from France, who wore a mouse onesie.

Modern day heroes: In the second men's race at Cooper's Hill event, many wore fancy dress outfits for a stylish descent – one came as Superman.

Party time: Thousands of music fans headed to the Wychwood Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse, where headliners included Sophie Ellis-Bextor and the Kaiser Chiefs.

Electric flash: The heatwave was broken by thunder and lightning in parts of the West this week.

Don't blame you: These cows were spotted on Minchinhampton Common taking the chance to be in the shade as temperatures soared earlier in the week.

Hold your horses: Doc Martin actor Martin Clunes was in his element at the Royal Bath and West Show, which got under way on Thursday. The show is held every year near Shepton Mallet.

Well done beef: Blue ribbons were awarded to cattle, horses, pigs and sheep at the show.

And... action! Axbridge doubled up as Little Kilton for the second series of TV show A Good Girl's Guide To Murder, which has been released on BBC iPlayer. Hollywood star Emma Myers stars as teenage sleuth Pip Fitz-Amobi.

Don't forget the suncream: Weston-super-Mare, like much of the rest of the country, sizzled in the heat this week.

In the moment: British-Jamaican soul singer Ruby Turner kicked off the BlueTone Festival in Taunton's Vivary Park – a new four-day event showcasing jazz, soul and blues music.

SUPer activity: A pair of stand-up paddleboarders took to the River Avon in Bath during the peak of the heat.

Remembering Freddie: The Freddie Pring Memorial Fund hosted its biggest ever event on Saturday, with 16 teams taking part in a five-a-side tournament at Minehead AFC.

Money was raised at the event to pay for sports coaching in memory of 20-year-old Freddie Pring, who died in an accidental fall from a hotel balcony in 2019.

Here it comes: The sun rose over Stonehenge on Monday as the heatwave began to begin in earnest.

Ideas please! Submissions are now open for the names of four peregrine chicks at Salisbury Cathedral.

Totally quackers: Bank Holiday Monday in Bradford on Avon saw hundreds brave the heat to attend the annual duck race, won by local resident Alison. Volunteers at the town's rowing club made sure no duck got left behind.

Wild weather: Seen from the vantage point of Westbury White Horse, an enormous storm cloud settled over Chippenham before subjecting residents to a soaking on Tuesday.

Mud baths: Rhinos at Longleat frolicked in cold showers to cool off and protect their sensitive skin from the sun and high temperatures.

Free to pee: A new community toilet scheme has been rolled out in Melksham. It means the public can visit any pubs and coffee shops signed up to the scheme – like the Hiding Place.

Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.