The Bradley Stoke Journal

An article in Bradley Stoke Town Council’s latest newsletter reports a worrying increase in incidents of vandalism directed at Council-owned facilities in the town.

The Council says it spent over £7,000 to repair vandalised property during the last financial year (2010/2011) and a similar sum (£6,750) has already been spent in the first half of this year.

The figures do not include the time taken by Council staff to deal with the damage nor the many smaller scale incidents which can be fixed ‘in-house’.

Over the summer holidays, four of the seven Council-managed play areas in Bradley Stoke had items out of use whilst waiting for replacement parts.

The Council says it makes regular checks at its plays areas, activity centres and bus stops, adding that all criminal damage is reported to the police and South Gloucestershire Council’s Anti-Social Behaviour Team.

More: Vandalism incidents listed in a report to the Planning Commitee »

Dave Baker, headteacher of Bradley Stoke Community School, has called for an urgent review of road safety measures on Bradley Stoke Way following last Friday’s accident that has left a 13-year-old student from the school in a coma in Frenchay Hospital.

The boy, now named as Ben Thompson, is reported to have broken arms, a broken right upper leg, possible injuries to internal organs and swelling of the brain. His condition is said to be “critical but stable”.

In a letter to parents/carers of children at the school, Mr Baker says that police are at an early stage of their investigation and have drawn no conclusions as to who is at fault for the accident, which led to Bradley Stoke Way being closed in both directions for over four hours.

Referring to an earlier incident in February this year, which left a 10-year-old cyclist with life-changing injuries, Mr Baker writes:

“As this is the second incident this year involving young people being seriously injured in exactly the same place on Bradley Stoke Way, I am in contact with other headteachers locally and other community groups to seek an urgent review of speed limits and safety measures on and around Bradley Stoke Way, as there appears to have been no change since a meeting with the Highways Department at South Gloucestershire Council in July during which major safety concerns were raised.”

Mr Baker also reports that police are concerned at some “irresponsible and inappropriate” use of social media in relation to the accident, including naming Ben immediately after the incident, before members of his family had been contacted about what had happened.

Police have been monitoring online activity, which is said to have included a hate campaign against the motorcyclist involved in the incident.

Related link: Police seek witnesses after teenager seriously injured in collision (Avon and Somerset Police)

A serious accident, believed to have involved a motorcyclist and a young pedestrian, has led to the closure of Bradley Stoke Way in both directions between Patchway Brook Roundabout and Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre.

The accident happened at around 4pm on Friday afternoon. An eye witness told The Journal that a motorcyclist travelling north on Bradley Stoke Way had collided with a lone child crossing the road on a scooter at the crossing point just north of Savages Wood [Streetview].

Police, ambulance and fire services remain at the scene.

UPDATE 4:55pm: A police spokesperson said the emergency services had been called to the scene at 3:50pm. The collision involved a motorcyclist and a teenager. The teenager has been taken to Frenchay Hospital with serious injuries. There is no news about the motorcyclist. Police cannot say when the road will re-open.

UPDATE 5:45pm: Police accident investigators are working at the scene. Unofficial estimate of 6:40pm for re-opening Bradley Stoke Way.

UPDATE 7:30pm: Reports say that the road is still closed.

UPDATE 8:30pm: Bradley Stoke Way has now been re-opened.

UPDATE Saturday 12pm: Police have issued an appeal for witnesses. The condition of those involved in the accident is described as follows:

“The youngster on the scooter, aged 13 years, suffered serious head, abdomen, arm and leg injuries and was taken to Frenchay Hospital, where he remains in a critical but stable condition.”

“The motorcyclist suffered an arm injury and was also taken to Frenchay Hospital, where he is to undergo surgery. His injury is not thought to be life threatening or life changing.”

More: Road closed for more than four hours during Friday rush hour »

A Bradley Stoke motorist is claiming that police and community volunteers carrying out speed checks in the area have been improperly “hiding” behind road signs and bushes during their monitoring operations.

Mark Setterfield, 26, claims that members of the recently formed Community Speed Watch team and assisting PCSOs are violating police guidelines that require speed traps to be clearly visible to drivers and says warning signs should be displayed to warn drivers that checks are being made.

Mr Setterfield told The Journal of an incident last Saturday afternoon in which two volunteers and a PCSO were carrying out a check on Bradley Stoke Way, close to the Patchway Brook Round (near Pizza Hut and Aldi). After passing the speed trap, which he claims was not visible because the volunteers and police officer were “hiding” behind the pillars of a road sign, he returned to take a photograph (reproduced above).

He also says that a week earlier he noticed volunteers operating a speed trap “in the bushes” further down Bradley Stoke Way, close to the Willow Brook Centre.

In the latest incident, Mr Setterfield says he asked the PCSO why the team were “hiding” behind the road sign, to which the response was: “we’re not hiding and we needed something to lean on while doing this.”

When the motorist said he would be sending a report to the press, the PCSO said “there’s no need for that” and the team quickly packed up their equipment.

Mr Setterfied said:

“I feel it is disgusting that normal everyday people of the community are put through these unauthorised police tactics.”

Read on for a reaction from Avon and Somerset Police »

Police are warning cyclists to be on the alert after a spate of bicycle thefts from streets across South Gloucestershire last month.

Thieves have targeted bikes left outside leisure centres, youth clubs and shops in areas as diverse as Bradley Stoke, Staple Hill, Stoke Gifford, Thornbury and Yate.

Police have stepped up patrols and are liaising with local bike shops and cycle clubs to encourage them to pass on security advice.

Community Safety Inspector Gerry Treacy said:

“Officers have found many of the stolen bikes were left unlocked, while in a few cases thieves have cut through inferior security chains.”

“Thieves also break into sheds and garages to take bicycles, so make sure outbuildings are sturdy with ‘Sold Secure’-quality anchor-points, bolts and locks.”

“A key problem is that fewer than 15 per cent of cyclists can give us enough details to identify their bike.”

Asked where in Bradley Stoke bike thefts had occurred, a police spokesperson told The Journal:

“We have had one report of a bike stolen on Thursday 18th August at about 2:15pm after being left unlocked outside an supermarket in Fox Den Road, Stoke Gifford.”

“It’s a silver Mongoose mountain bike with disc brakes.”

Read on for police advice on how to keep your bike safe »

Police are appealing for information following an unprovoked assault in Bradley Stoke.

At around 8:30pm on Monday (15th August), a 29-year-old man was walking alone in the Three Brooks Local Nature Nature Reserve, near to Ormonds Close.

He was approached from behind by two men who went on to assault him by kicking him in the head and stamping on one of his arms before running off into Savages Wood.

The victim has been left with a suspected fractured cheekbone.

Police would now like to speak to anyone who may have witnessed this incident or who may have seen two white men in their mid-twenties acting suspiciously in the area around this time.

Anyone who may be able to help is asked to call police on 0845 456 7000 quoting reference 97700/11 or call the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The latest incident follows one in October 2010 in which a cyclist was assaulted and robbed in the Three Brooks Local Nature, close to Bowsland Green Primary School.