Former Labour MP Dan Norris becomes new West of England metro mayor
By Martin Booth, Saturday May 8, 2021
Dan Norris is the West of England’s new metro mayor, with the Bristol City fan beating Tory Samuel Williams into second place.
The former Labour MP, who lives in Pensford, will now preside over the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), which has secured more than £1.15bn of new funding for the region since its formation in 2017.
Norris was effusive in his praise for Labour leader Keir Starmer in his victory speech at the SS Great Britain.
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MELKSHAM Travelodge has denied showing the door to a homeless couple who had booked in for four nights to keep warm and dry. Ollie Broome, 29, says he and his partner, Charlene Shord, 24, were told to leave the hotel in Commerce Way, Bowerhill, on Tuesday after arriving soaking wet and cold. He claims the manager was “really rude” after saying they could not stay - despite having paid £177.96 for four nights from May 4-8. “We were soaking wet through when we arrived and told the manager we had booked four nights. “We had our sleeping bags with us and told her we were homeless but she would not believe us.
A canal craft owner told how he tried his best to stop his boat from sinking in the Kennet & Avon Canal lock at Bradford on Avon Wharf on Wednesday evening. The 43-year-old man - who would only give his first name as Peter - scraped one of his knuckles while trying to save his 25-feet fibreglass craft from sinking. He was rescued unhurt from the lock but says he has lost everything I own and that his £3,000 boat is a write-off. It is only insured for fire and theft. The painter and decorator, who rents a room in a house in Frome, was travelling towards Bath when he entered the lock at the canal wharf.