'Hefty school fines' and 'new bellringers sought'

Here's our weekly roundup of stories from across local websites in the West of England.

The Swindon Advertiser reported on the "hefty" fines being owed by parents over unauthorised school absences. Official data published in August suggested absence rates were "above pre-pandemic levels, with nearly a fifth of pupils missing 10% of school last year".

A church is looking for new bellringers to keep the 20-year tradition ringing out, said Burnham-on-Sea.com. St Andrew's Church invites local residents aged 9-99 to join its team of bellringers.

Bristol Live spoke to three young Bristol actors who star in the latest Hollywood film Bad Apples.

Cheltenham residents raised concerns over plans to extend the opening hours at The Moon Under The Water in Bath Road. Gloucestershire Live said local residents have complained of noisy, drunk, and aggressive customers leaving the Wetherspoons pub.

And the leader of Bristol City Council has defended his decision to fly to New York to take part in a conference about Net Zero and climate change, Bristol Live said.

Bristol Live took an in-depth look at plans for a huge new town housing development on a golf course next to the Almondsbury Interchange on the M5 near Bristol.

Hundreds of people have already objected to developers' proposals to build 1,800 homes plus a primary school, shops and sports facilities.

One of the biggest concerns was that the site, next to a busy motorway junction, would only be served by one country road, with the nearest bus stop on the other side of the M4 in Bradley Stoke.

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