Coping with two small children can be challenging for any family but when James Hopkins was born 25 years ago, parents Vance and Heather had their lives turned upside down.

James, who was born at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in September 1987, was diagnosed with rare neuro-muscular disease myotubular myopathy, which hampers muscle development, resulting in an inability to swallow and he could not sit up or walk.

"He was very floppy and was not able to sit up. He spent four months in a special care unit," said Mr Hopkins. "It took Heather and I a few weeks to learn how to feed up him through a naso-gastric tube. He needed regular suctioning of his throat to stop him choking. It was not a shock to us but the diagnosis was a problem given to us and we had to deal with it. It was a 24-hour regime to care for James."

At the time, the couple also had their daughter Sophie, three, to care for.

In 1980, Heather became pregnant with baby Richard who was born six weeks early. He stopped breathing on his second day and never recovered. He died two-and-a-half weeks later.

Two years later, Heather fell pregnant again with Matthew who was sadly stillborn. The post-mortem gave no explanation as to what had happened to cause the two deaths.

Vance, a former engineer at Xerox, said: "James was a very happy and bubbly little boy and when he turned one, he started saying a few words. Heather did a lot of physiotherapy with him. He did attend hospital a few times to give us respite care and Heather was able to have a physical break.

"Unfortunately we believe he picked up an infection on one of the visits and sadly died at just 20 months old, in May 1989."

However, James' death was not in vain. The couple's incredible journey began when in September 1989 the James Hopkins Trust was born. Today the trust, which is based in Barnwood, provides overnight respite care for two children on Fridays as well as respite care in the family home and at their day centre.

"It all started with a jumble sale which my aunty actually organised. From this we raised £300. The aim was to provide respite care to families with disabled children. The only respite care we could get was when the hospital looked after him. With the money raised we hired nurses to go out to the family home," said Vance.

The very first child to receive care in their home from the trust was James Tingle from Gloucester. Over a year the trust focused their attention on children with severe disabilities including Rett Syndrome, brain injury or severe spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy.

Vance, who lives in Mitcheldean, added: "If there was something like this around when James was born, I think he would have lived longer. When the trust first started there were only four or five of us on the committee and we ran it from Malcolm Nelmes' office in Turley, who was chairman for the trust. He previously worked for another charity.

"We would often hire nurses from the British Nursing Association in Cheltenham. As it progressed we got more and more support from people."

In 1995, the trust moved to Jordan's Brook House in North Upton Lane where it was based until 2002. Vance and Heather then took a massive step and decided to build their very own base on a site next door. Once the build was complete, the couple named it Kite's Corner, which symbolises a child's freedom and their spirit to fly freely, which is also illustrated in the trust's logo.

The two-storey building is home to the committee, volunteers and their own bank of registered nurses. It has two bedrooms which provide overnight care for two children on a Friday evening. It also has a nursery for daytime respite care, a multi-sensory garden and hosts holiday clubs. The nursery was judged 'outstanding' by Ofsted in 2011. The trust continues to provide respite care for sick children in their own homes too.

Vance said: "We always had a vision that we wanted to provide respite care but we did things in stages and when funds allowed us too. The trust has always listened to parents, they identify needs and we try to raise the money to fulfil their needs."

In 2012, Vance and Heather launched a vision for the future of their charity – an ambitious appeal to improve the overnight service for families.

The aim was to raise £500,000 in a bid to extend Kite's Corner so they could build extra bedrooms.

At the moment there is a 16-week waiting list for parents. However, the extra bedrooms will provide care for eight children a week.

Last year there was not a dry eye in the room as volunteers, supporters, nurses, families and children gathered to celebrate the trust's 25th birthday and the start of the building project. The trust successfully reached its target to raise £500,000. Vance and Heather's aim was to raise the money and start the build on the trust's milestone birthday. The extension will be complete in spring this year.

Although the year was a joyous one, the family was also hit by some devastating news. In January last year, Heather, 61, was diagnosed with metastatic breast disease which spread to the spine. After a routine blood test in September, it was initially thought that Vance had cancer of the oesophagus. Fortunately, further biopsies proved this was not the case.

Vance, 61, has now decided to retire from the trust. He said: "Although there is no cure for Heather's illness, it is manageable and she is learning to live with it. Heather has the potential for a reasonably long lifespan. It has made us seriously think about the future. We want to spend our retirement together; we have plans, places we would like to visit, things we want to do while we can. Now that all these pieces of the jigsaw are in place at the trust, we feel like it is the ideal time to step back and allow someone else to take the helm.

"Heather and I would like to say a very big thank you to all the staff, committee members, volunteers, businesses, community groups and individuals who have contributed to and supported us over the last 25 years. Without their help, the James Hopkins Trust wouldn't be where it is today."

The couple plan to tour Scotland and go on their dream holiday to the Maldives later this year. They will also be back at Kite's Corner for the grand opening of the new build.

Vance is also keen to take up photography again and to enjoy his painting set which was a present from Sophie. Vance will be handing over the reins to assistant manager Joanne Page, who joined the trust 10 years ago, along with head of fundraising Sarah James, who joined in August last year.

Joanne said: "I'm not sure I can put into words and do justice to describe Vance and Heather's dedication to the trust and the hundreds of families they have supported over the last 25 years. It is simply phenomenal and their shoes are impossible to even contemplate filling.

"Prior to joining the trust, I had enjoyed a long and successful career in financial services, but after losing my first son Matthew from an extremely rare condition, I decided to take time out to allow me to come to terms with my loss and therefore took a year's career break. It was in fact Heather and Vance who played the greatest role in helping me come to terms with my own personal grief."

Sarah added: "From when I first entered Kites Corner as a scared and exhausted Mum, I knew I was somewhere special, I was welcomed with open arms and made to feel safe and supported. Vance and Heather were upstairs working and initially I wasn't aware of who they were. That is indicative of how unassuming and modest they were and still are.

"I still am in awe of what Vance and Heather have achieved and will be forever indebted to them for helping my family to learn to enjoy and treasure our new normal of living with a child with complex nursing needs. We cherished our time with Ollie who was severely disabled, who died in 2011.

"I found it hard to express my gratitude to Vance for what he had done for us as a family, the only way I could think to show him how much he meant to Ollie and us was to ask him to be a pall bearer at Ollie's funeral. Vance did this without question and we will be forever grateful that Vance and Heather were part of Ollie's full circle of life."

A 15-YEAR-OLD boy has become the first juvenile banned from Gloucester's city centre after a campaign of abusive behaviour and assaults as part of a 21-strong mob.

The teenager from Tuffley is the first youth to be slapped with a "red card" in the Gloucester City Safe scheme, which blocks those committing crimes and antisocial behaviour from a large number of the city's businesses.

He formed part of a large gang of teenagers terrorising takeaways and shops in recent months, which included a number of assaults on security staff as well as hurling abuse at passers-by.

McDonald's, Burger King, Subway and KFC had been particularly targeted.

The group, ranging in age from 14 to 19, have all been hit with yellow card warnings meaning they are only one more indiscretion away from being banned themselves.

The 15-year-old, as well as a 19-year-old from Gloucester, have now received their second warnings, meaning a red card and no access to large parts of the city.

If they were to breach this banning order they could face prosecution from Gloucestershire Police who are working in partnership with the scheme.

Gloucester City Safe manager Rich Burge said the actions from the group had gone far beyond a simple nuisance to retailers and the decision to take action had not been made lightly.

"They have overstepped the mark by intimidating staff and customers which is why we have worked with the police to solve it," he said.

"It has caused significant problems to staff and has been going on for a couple of months now. It has become a big problem for the stores.

"Bottom line is that people need to behave when they come to the city or face the consequences."

As part of the scheme, each of the teenagers' parents received a visit to explain the warning their child had received, with varied results.

"The majority of the parents have been very supportive and have worked with us to get their kids to see the light," added Mr Burge.

"But some of them are really off the rails and do not have that parental support.

"It is important to say the stores have worked very closely with the police and City Safe to resolve the issues, which is very much what City Safe is about."

So far the project has issued 380 yellow cards and 30 red cards since its inception almost a year ago and Mr Burge believes it has had a significant effect on the level of crime in Gloucester.

Darren Simms of Simms Security, which provides protection personnel for a number of Gloucester businesses, said youths becoming aggressive in large groups were the biggest problem faced by security officers day-to-day.

"It is the culture now. We're limited to what we can do now and youngsters are abusing that," he said.

"For some of the guys new to the job it can be quite frightening to come up against a large group of confrontational youths the first few times.

"When it happens it happens so quickly the guys have no chance to be nervous or worry, they have to use their instincts and remain professional at all times.

"It's great we can now threaten to ban them because people are realising the error of their ways. It's a useful tool."

The scheme has more 90 Gloucester businesses signed up now and has recently joined forces with Stroud companies, meaning a ban applies in that town as well.

Closures to a major road in Kingsholm for each of the last five years have left a business planning to leave the area due to lost earnings.

Resurfacing work is under way on Kingsholm Road as the area prepares for thousands of visitors to the Rugby World Cup in September.

The works, which began last week, are the latest in a long line of disruptions which have severely affected The Garage, in Kingsholm Road.

Benita McLean, owner of The Garage, said takings have halved over the past five years due to the continued works and it has led her to put her business up for sale.

She is calling for more access to be made available in nearby Denmark Road.

Benita said: "Kingsholm Road is closed from both sides and there's no access to my property. Three customers didn't turn up yesterday, and that's time I'll never get back.

"Over the years it's had a huge impact. But we can't get any compensation from anyone if we can't earn any money."

Major sewer works were carried out for six months in Kingsholm Road in 2012, which came after 11 month-long works in 2011 and seven month-long closures in 2010.

In 2013 the road was closed for three months, and last year it was closed for weeks while Severn Trent cleared a sewer pipe blockage near to the rugby club.

The Garage was forced to became an independent business in 2012 after losing a contract with Hyundai due to lost earnings because of the works.

Benita said: "The works have taken my business away from me, but no one is being held accountable.

"I absolutely understand that the council have to make the surface good. But we weren't notified that Denmark Road would be closed as well."

Severn Trent Water has previously said it tried to keep disruption to a minimum when they worked in the road.

Jason Humm, area highways manager for Gloucestershire County Council, said: "We wrote to residents and businesses at the beginning of February and no concerns were raised about this access.

"However, we appreciate the situation The Garage is in and we will speak to the workers on site to see if they can be as flexible as possible in allowing vehicles to access Kingsholm Road via Denmark Road wherever it is safe to do so."

England need to put an arm around Jonny May to unleash his attacking talent according to Gloucester legend Phil Vickery.

May has been below par so far in the Six Nations, with little opportunity to display his dazzling footwork and pace.

He has come in for criticism from some quarters but Vickery, who won 73 caps for England, believes he is not being given the ball in the right areas and deserves time to shine.

Vickery said: "It's been a bit frustrating with Jonny. He has his frailties defensively and psychologically - you sometimes see him drift through games - but I feel sorry for him.

"He is the sort of player that needs space. He is a different type of player to Jason Robinson but in just the same way if you give him the ball with space and opportunity then he will do something.

"England need to use him more and give him the ball with that space and on the counter attack. They need to find him, make him come in and give him mismatches to expose.

"He also just needs to back himself because he has something that 99 per cent of other players don't have, pure gas. He has x-factor and can win you games.

"If he was in my team and he was making little mistakes like at Twickenham and the Millennium Stadium then I would have an arm around him and be telling him that he's the bees' knees.

"There is no reason for him not to be selected against Ireland. Us front rowers can go years without a try, it's about packing down and pushing but for these boys on the outside, their confidence comes from scoring and making big breaks. If you are not having a sniff it's amazing how quickly that confidence goes.

"They should stick with him, Stuart Lancaster has to back a team some time before the World Cup and hopefully Jonny is a part of that."

All eyes are now on a potential Championship decider against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on March 1.

Both sides are so far unbeaten in the tournament with victories over Wales and Italy and Italy and France respectively.

But Vickery, who was part of three triumphs over the men from the Emerald Isle, believes England have the edge and can keep their unbeaten record intact in Dublin.

He added: "England need to work on the way they start matches but there is nothing seriously wrong and everything is very positive after the opening two rounds of the Six Nations.

"Ireland were the favourites going into the tournament but this is now a bit of a watershed moment for both teams and I fancy England.

"I still think France can throw a spanner into the works somewhere but it doesn't take a brain surgeon to see it is a clash of two unbeaten teams and it will have a huge impact on who wins the Championship.

"England can go there and come away with the spoils. If they can play consistently with that physicality that we have seen glimpses of then they can do it.

"The English pack has sometimes held the team back but this team can offer so much more. You look outside and it's so exciting – give the ball to them in the right areas and with momentum and they can cause damage.

"It's just a case of tightening up little things and the top two inches. They need to back themselves more. They are certainly not the complete article but when they back themselves they are very good."

One area to have frustrated Vickery in the opening weeks of the Championship has been England's lack of killer instinct.

In both victories to date the Gloucester legend, who toured twice with the British Lions, reckons England missed an opportunity to turn the screw by raising the tempo.

Instead of increasing the pace of the game they have offered the opposition respite but he has urged them to be ruthless against the Irish.

He added: "It's about that mental toughness, that ruthlessness. They can go for the jugular more during period when the ball is dead by raising the tempo. Don't let the opposition regain their composure."

A mixture of shopping and pancakes ensured that customers had a flipping good time at Over Farm Market today.

Whether they were planning a pancake race with the kids, or looking to tuck into a treat after work, staff made sure customers had everything they needed to ensure their Pancake Day got off to a flying start.

The farm shop had all the right ingredients on display ahead of Shrove Tuesday and free pancakes were handed out to dozens of customers throughout the day.

Ben Loughrey, from the farm shop, said: "I made the mixture in the morning and had to make some more by midday.

"We must have made more than 50 pancakes. People seemed to love them.

"We had all the essentials on display - local flour, milk and eggs - plus toppings such as sugar, lemons straight from the grower and syrup."

Earlier in the week farmers took on shop staff in a pancake race around the farm. It was won by farmer Kate Ezra who completed the race on a quad bike.

England's chariot keeps on rolling?

England were quite workmanlike at first against Italy, they obviously had a power advantage through the scrum and when they started to keep the ball and did the basics well it allowed the guys outside to do their stuff.
Jonathan Joseph once against displayed his attacking talents, he's very good and is in great form at the moment.
Stuart Lancaster said he was not happy with certain aspects and there are elements to work on but he will also be happy that they got through another game without any injuries apart from the concussion to Mike Brown.
The guys who have been coming back, like Dan Cole, will only get better and there are other players returning to fitness and coming back into contention. They are two from two, they have momentum and the Championship looks very attainable.
There has been a lot of talk about Jonny May and I hope he doesn't get tagged as a bad defender. He didn't have the best of games but if you look at the stats, he carried the ball more than any other England player and actually didn't miss a tackle. Sometimes he just gets a bit lost in his positioning.
People forget he is still young, especially in terms of this environment, and he will only learn and get better. It is much better that he learns from these mistakes in games like Saturday which was a comfortable win in the end. With ball in hand he didn't really have a chance to shine but he did set up a try for Danny Cipriani.
It's a different tale with Billy Twelvetrees and so far he has not put a foot wrong. When he has had the opportunity to come on he has taken the opportunity and been very impressive, that's all he can do.
Ireland are next up and there's no doubt that will be a step up from both Italy and Wales. Everyone raises their game for England, it is their biggest game – every nation wants to knock England off their pedestal.
If they manage to win at the Aviva Stadium then they're more than half-way there and will be looking very good for a Grand Slam.
The last time they did that was before the 2003 World Cup and of course we all know what happened there. That time it was in Australia and this year it's on home soil so the omens are very good.
That said they cannot afford to get ahead of themselves and have to keep working hard. With the coaching staff they have they will certainly be doing that. They are all very grounded, they know what sport means and they remain humble. They are doing a great job.

Anything less than a bonus-point win will be disappointing against London Welsh

It is always difficult to beat Leicester at Welford Road and having come so close Gloucester will be kicking themselves.
Of course it was Freddie Burns' six penalties from six that proved the difference, it was his best game for the Tigers and against his former club. He did very well and will be pleased with the way he went.
He will now have a good run in the number 10 jersey and with Owen Williams ruled out for the season he maybe feels a bit more relaxed over things.
Gloucester were going into the game with five wins from five under their belt but this was their biggest test and an opportunity to move up the table.
It was a good time to go up there and get a scalp and they probably needed it if they want to break into the top six.
In tight games you have to take your chances and if you don't you will rue them as Gloucester are. Of course there are positives and the defence and pack are the two big ones. The pack and set-piece will be one of the big plus points of the season and they are slowly getting back that traditional foundation of Gloucester play.
They have London Welsh next and that should and will be a bonus-point win. The Exiles are gone and it must be very hard to stay motivated when you are being hammered each week. They had that bravery earlier in the season but they cannot be in good shape mentally now.

Nev is a game changer

IT'S now been confirmed that Nev Codlin has left Cinderford and he's been a brilliant servant to the club.

He's very powerful, strong and fast and when he's physically and mentally right he can be devastating.

He had the opportunity to play at a higher level when he was younger but ended up with Lydney and then Cinderford.

He hasn't done a lot recently because of the injury issues, but from my time there I know full well that when's he's in form he is a game changer.

Hartpury come up short as Ealing end their winning run

Hartpury will be disappointed after losing to Ealing even though Ealing are top of the table. But after nine wins from nine they would have gone into the game very optimistically, and conceding 6 tries will have also been a disappointment based on their recent good form.

Cinderford will be very happy after a fantastic win over Loughborough Students in a game they simply had to win. Their only disappointment will be that they didn't get a fourth try to take a bonus-point.

It was a dominant performance from the pack which stands them in good stead for the remainder of the season.
This week they have Old Albanians who are just two points above them and it could very well be a definitive game in their season. I'm growing increasingly optimistic that they will stay up, they have enough in the tank and the fixtures should be kind to them.
On the other hand Lydney are a big concern. They are now putting in decent performances, getting close on the scoreboard but not getting any reward for their endeavours.
Their quite a bit adrift now and probably have to win two games away from home now which they haven't managed to do all season.

Coney Hill beat Oakhampton in the RFU Intermediate Cup and have already been in contact with Raging Bull to get some blazers made. They must be pretty bullish about their chances and I hope they do it because it would be wonderful for rugby in Gloucestershire.
Longlevens also overcame Wessex by 40 odd points and face East Dorset in the next round of their competition.
In the Forest of Dean Combination Cup, Newent beat Drybrook which is yet another great scalp for them. Apart from three losses to Coney Hill they have beaten everyone else they have faced which is a great achievement.

Player of the week

Sergio Parisse (Italy). Even in a pack that is going backwards, Parisse manages to get on the front foot. A player that would genuinely get in any other international team.

Teams of the week

Coney Hill and Longlevens for advancing in their respective cup competitions. Both are now just two games from a final.

Acclaimed Gloucester DJ Martin Sheen died after his powerful motorbike went out of control and careered 35 metres off the road, finally somersaulting into a hedge, an inquest heard yesterday.

DJ Sheenie, as he was affectionately known, of the Ash, Great Boulsdon, Newent was out for a summer's ride on the B4213 with his friend Josh Ramsey, also on a motorbike, when the tragedy occurred in the early afternoon of June 2, 2014, Gloucestershire Coroner's Court was told.

Sarah Whittaker, a resident of Lower Apperley, where the collision occurred, said she saw two motorbikes travelling at "great speed" along the stretch of road outside her driveway. But Mr Ramsey later said that "we were not even going very fast".

Mr Ramsey, in written evidence at the Barnwood inquest, said: "I was on my Suzuki 600 and Martin, who was a very experienced motorcyclist, was on his Suzuki 1000 and in the lead.

"We were on our way from Maisemore to Tirley and I suddenly noticed that Martin was in an unnatural position, near to the nearside, and without any warning he wobbled and the bike drifted onto the grass verge.

"Then his bike catapulted up into the air, hit a tree stump and Martin was thrown from the bike. I stopped and ran over to him and tried to revive him but he did not respond. I started mouth-to-mouth and another man turned up who did CPR."

Recording a conclusion of road traffic collision on the 35-year-old's death, assistant coroner for Gloucestershire David Dooley said: "These two men were out for a pleasant ride on a warm summer's day when this tragedy happened and his bike went out of control."

After his death tributes were paid to a man described as "integral to Gloucester's nightlife".

Richard Payne, 37, who owns Zest in Eastgate Street, said: "Everybody who knew Martin will be gutted. He was an integral part of the Gloucester nightlife – since I have known him he has always been part of it."

Mr Sheen's successful hobby as a DJ started at Jumpin' Jaks, a former Brunswick Road, Gloucester, nightclub. He was also well-known for his six-year role as general manager at Innteraction Nightclub in Bruton Way, which he had until March 2009.

Mr Sheen took on a managerial role at Liquid Nightclub in Eastgate Street in March 2009, where he stayed until November, 2011.

Barriers must be put back up across Merchants Road at Gloucester Quays before someone is seriously hurt, it has been warned.

The barriers were originally put up by the Peel Group, which owns Gloucester Quays, to ensure cars did not use the street as a cut through from Llanthony Road to St Ann Way.

But last week, Gloucestershire County Council removed the bollards because they were "illegally blocking the highway."

With a European-style outside seating area being created along Merchants Road and the relocation of Cineworld, concerns have been raised that a pedestrian could be injured if motorists are allowed to cut through.

Mark Owen, chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses for Gloucestershire, said: "The tragic incident in Bath last week shows how little protection pedestrians have from vehicles when something goes wrong.

"There is a fantastic atmosphere being created at Gloucester Quays with many people enjoying food and drink in the outside seating areas.

"Vehicles travelling up and down not only ruins the atmosphere but presents a serious hazard.

"Someone is going to get hurt and I don't want it to be my child.

"Common sense must prevail, and I would encourage councillors and business people to lobby the GCC to review this decision."

Gloucestershire County Council said action had been taken following complains from traders, taxi drivers and members of the public.

Jason Humm, area highways manager, said: "After looking into it, we discovered that once the roads were adopted they became public highway and the bollards were therefore there illegally, blocking that highway.

"Because we'd had complaints we had no option other than to ask the developer to remove them, though we understand the police stepped in and actually took the bollards out themselves.

"However, we're more than happy to look into this again to see if there's another solution which suits everyone.

"If any of the local businesses or residents would like to get in touch we'd be happy to talk to them about this."

Speeding motorists using a road through Matson as a "racecourse" are to be clamped down on, as community leaders look for a long-term solution to the congested route.

Homeowners are complaining about cars tearing through Winnycroft Lane as well as young drivers loitering and revving their engines late at night and on weekends.

A number of wing mirrors have also been reported smashed off of parked cars.

Several near misses and minor collisions have been reported on the street as well.

Community leaders are calling on the police to enforce the 30mph speed limit on the road which they believe has become dangerous.

Liam Kelch, the chairman of the Matson and Robinswood Association, said there had been a number of complaints of drivers "using it as a racecourse".

"We have spoken to the police before about this but I think the problem has got worse," he said. "People are being really silly on the road."

As well as antisocial behaviour, the neighbourhood is concerned with increasing congestion on the route during peak hours as it is increasingly used as a rat run for commutersinto the city.

Cars are often parked by the pavement, meaning the road is often reduced to one lane, hampering progress for vehicles and causing delays.

The problem is expected to become worse in the future with the area earmarked for up to 650 new homes in coming years.

Barwood Development Securities hopes to build 450 at Winnycroft Farm and 200 homes are being proposed by Linden Homes on adjacent land at Corncroft Lane.

Councillor for Matson and Robinswood Kate Haigh (Lab) is hoping the developers can be encouraged to work with local authorities to introduce a better layout for the road.

"In the short or medium term we could do with some traffic calming measures put in place," she said. "They really need to look at the design of the road and the junctions."

A 60-year-old Gloucester man collapsed and died outside a drug den after taking a cocktail of heroin, morphine, methadone, codeine and alcohol, an inquest heard today.

Roger Hawker, of St Catherine's street, Gloucester had been taking drugs and drinking cider with two other men in a Worcester Street flat on September 6, last year, Gloucestershire Coroner's Court was told.

Detective Sergeant Hannah Matthews said that initially the two other men – Peter Bull and Benjamin Tooth – were arrested on suspicion of administering noxious substances but there was insufficient evidence for the matter to be proceeded with.

Assistant coroner for Gloucestershire David Dooley said: "Police were called to the rear of the Coach and Horses public house at around 10.26pm and paramedics declared Mr Hawker dead at the scene.

"The three men had been drinking and taking drugs in the flat and the deceased had been sick and so they walked him outside for 'a breath of fresh air'.

"But he collapsed and an ambulance was called."

A toxicology report revealed that Mr Hawker had methadone, alcohol, heroin, codeine and morphine in his blood which, according to Mr Dooley, had "a drastic and fatal" effect.

He concluded a drug-related death.

Doctors have come in for criticism from a couple whose underweight son will eat only cereal, crisps and biscuits.

Anastasia and Andrew Shields say Harvey-Jay won't eat properly and is surviving on little more than high-fibre milkshakes they sneak into his hot chocolate.

They said the two-and-a-half-year-old weighs just 15lbs when he should be at around two stones and they fear he could die unless the situation improves.

Despite Harvey-Jay spending 10 days in Gloucestershire Royal Hospital this month, the couple said doctors are no nearer to telling them why their son weighs the same now as when he was a year old.

The pair, from Northway in Tewkesbury, feel the problem is not being treated seriously enough and they claim they have been left in the dark by the hospital's experts.

Anastasia, 23, said: "Something needs to be done before we end up putting him in a coffin. He weighs less than a three-month-old baby. It's just ridiculous."

She said he will generally only eat yoghurt, cereal, crisps and biscuits plus his hot chocolate - and even then he would only pick at his food. And because he had shown such a resistance to eating for virtually his whole life, she feared there might be something seriously wrong with him.

She said she wished hospital staff had tube-fed her son, to see if that might have led to him putting more weight on but she said they decided not to do that.

She added that the couple, who have a healthy five-year-old daughter, Lilly, had tried everything to try to get Harvey-Jay to eat wholesome and nutritious food but to no avail.

Andrew, 30, said it felt like the medical experts were fobbing him and his wife off.

They gave the impression, he said, that Harvey-Jay's weight problem was nothing more than the fussy eating of a young child.

A spokesman for Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, said: "We are committed to providing high quality and safe care for our patients and we take complaints seriously. We are disappointed to hear that Mrs Shields was unhappy and would like to continue to work with her to look into her concerns through our Patient Advice and Liaison Team so we can answer any questions she may have about her son's care."

Ewe couldn't fail to spot what film was showing at the cinema at Gloucester Quays with the arrival of popular character Shaun the Sheep today.

The Aardman favourite has now hit the big time with a film of his own, which was out in time to entertain the kids during the half-term holidays.

Children descended on the waterfront leisure quarter to take in Shaun the Sheep: The Movie at Cineworld.

They could also have a go at a range of free family activities which had been put on by Gloucester Quays to tie in with the release of the film.

As well as meeting Shaun there was also craft activities and a children's trail to find the missing sheep around the centre with prizes on offer for those who finished the route.

Families hoping to meet Shaun can pop down tomorrow and Thursday at 11.30am, 12.30pm, 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm.

Businesses in the Forest of Dean benefited from hundreds of visitors at the Wyedean Rally, according to organisers.

A total of 175 cars, featuring the quickest crews from across the country, headed to the Forest to challenge the very best county stars and champions.

Organised by the Forest of Dean Motor Club, Phil and Lillian Turley again hosted the largest forest rally Gloucestershire has to offer.

Cumbrian Paul Bird made it third time lucky by taking a comprehensive victory in the race after finishing second in his past two visits.

Scores of spectators lined the course throughout the Forest of Dean, and crews for each car brought hundreds of people to the race's base in Chepstow.

Andrew Haill from the rally said the volume of visitors brings huge economical benefits to the Forest of Dean every year.

He said: "The rally is worth a huge amount to the local economy. The rally was based in Chepstow and the crews would have used hotels, restaurants and facilities there.

"It went very well and there were no major incidents. The competitors told us they were taken aback by the number of visitors there. There were hundreds of them.

"The rally brings a lot of money to the area and it's a great family day."

As well as taking maximum points in the 2015 BTRDA Series opener, it was Bird's third successive rally victory to add to the Legend Fires North West Stages and Coppermines Grizedale Stages Rally.

Bird continued his relentless charge without any problems and after five stage wins and three second fastest times, arrived at the finish 34 seconds to the good over Scottish rivals David Weston and Kirsty Riddick in their Subaru WRC.

Hugh Hunter and Andy Marchbank finished a further nine seconds in arrears in third, while local favourite Nik Elsmore won the B13 class and finished fifth overall.

The popular event saw 120 cars finish, and saw its best ever line-up.

Shock swept over Coleford after a gas explosion shook a 'peaceful' street to its foundations early on Saturday morning.

Neighbours feared thought they had found a man in the property, rushed to hospital and later released, could have died after the explosion severely damaged the house in High Nash shortly after 7.30am.

Nobody else was in the property at the time and nobody else was injured in the explosion. The adjoining house had to be evacuated.

Kenneth Brown, 43 from Gloucester, has been charged with arson with intent to endanger life and criminal damage after the incident.

He will appear before a judge next month in connection with the explosion.

Mayor of Coleford, Paul Kay, said the incident would have a "devastating effect" on the family who live at the property.

He said: "It caused a massive shock to people to people who were living close to it. Our thoughts are with the family who live in the house.

"High Nash is usually a very quiet, peaceful area of the town.

"It also caused a lot of traffic problems in the town on Saturday when the road was closed."

Neighbours said the explosion blew out an internal wall and have described the property as unsafe.

Police closed the road for much of Saturday so the house could be examined by structural engineers and the cause of the explosion is being investigated.

Paul McMahon, Forest of Dean district councillor for Coleford, said many people awoken by the explosion thought the nearby Ribena factory had been the source of the noise.

He said: "Everyone was quite shocked at the time but life is back to normal now.

"People were very frightened and the impact to the building was serious.

"High Nash is quite a normal road and there are no anti-social behaviour problems there. It's out of the ordinary.

"The emergency services were brilliant and were there within minutes."

UKIP's three county councillors have today voted against the Labour motion to cancel the existing contract for the Javelin Park Incinerator.

Councillor Colin Guyton, councillor Richard Leppington and councillor Alan Preest, who all represent divisions in the Forest of Dean, have issued this statement explaining their decision.

It states: "If we were starting this project today, we would have handled this decision making process very differently, and would have insisted upon holding a democratically binding local referendum for all residents within a 10 mile radius of Javelin Park.

"We have all looked into this issue very carefully and have studied the details in great depth. Our decision reflects our careful scrutiny of all the facts.

"We are very clear that cancellation of the contract would cost Gloucestershire County Council taxpayers up to £100million. We believe this would bankrupt our county and would be a catastrophe for all residents, business and our entire community.

"However, we are where we are. We have had to make a responsible decision based upon today's facts, the history of what has happened over many years, and based on the best interests of the people of Gloucestershire.

"As a UKIP team, following our elections in May 2013, we now find ourselves pushed into a corner and in a decision making capacity on a situation that has not been of our making, and one on which we have had no input or control.

"We find ourselves in a very difficult situation with potentially the very future of Gloucestershire at stake. On this issue we have adopted a neutral, un-whipped stance, looking objectively, constructively, with much research, meeting with others, with all the pros and cons closely examined.

"In addition, we strongly object to being forced under an undemocratic European Union Directive, to pay an ever increasing landfill tax.

"Our decision, has been a difficult one, and has been guided by what we believe to be a responsible, pragmatic and rational analysis of the facts and options as they currently stand.

"UKIP Councillors are un-whipped. We are proud of this as it allows us to faithfully represent our local electorates, irrespective of "party line". In some instances, however, this will mean that our local UKIP colleagues may think differently to us on important local issues. This plurality is healthy for democracy and enables all UKIP representatives to fully reflect the precise views of their own local constituents."

A bid to scrap the contract to build Gloucestershire's £500 million incinerator at Javelin Park has failed.

Labour councillors called on the rest of Shire Hall to back their call to rip up the deal to build the giant burner at Javelin Park.

But a tense vote was lost by 27 votes to 24 after the Conservative administration was supported by Ukip councillors.

Labour's motion requested Shire Hall's cabinet cancel the incinerator contract "with immediate effect".

 Dozens of protestors had filled the steps of Shire Hall before the meeting calling for the county council to listen to concerns and pull the plug on the incinerator.

Meanwhile, the campaign group GlosVain presented a petition with more than 7,000 signatures calling for the contract to be torn up at the start of the meeting.

But they were unable to sway enough councillors to vote in favour of abandoning the incinerator project. 

The leader of the Labour group, Lesley Williams, proposed the motion and said building the incinerator would "scar the natural beauty of the area for generations to come".

She said: "The public doesn't want this massive, dirty monstrosity of an incinerator built at Javelin Park.

"Don't let the administration scare you into thinking that we no longer have a choice. We do have a choice. We can listen to the public."

But Mark Hawthorne, the leader of the council, said the county council "simply cannot afford" to cancel the contract with Urbaser Balfour Beatty to build the incinerator.

Cancelling the contract would cost taxpayers in Gloucestershire up to £100 million, according to Shire Hall.

Mr Hawthorne said: "We face a very simple choice… between savings of £150m and cancelling a contract 10 years in the making."

"Can we really afford a £100m bill? No, of course we can't. Even if it was £40m we couldn't."

He said paying the bill would be "financial suicide".

Sue Oppenheimer from the GlosVain group presented a petition with 7,600 signatures to the meeting calling for the incinerator contract to be cancelled.

"We are a massive grassroots movement and we should be listened to," she said.

She described the fight to cancel the contract as a "righteous cause" adding that going ahead with the incinerator would lead to "half a lifetime of regret".

During the meeting Green Councillor Sarah Lunnon said the incinerator motion would be agreed if there was a "free vote" on the issue.

"It is an open secret that there is widespread concern on the Conservative benches," she said.

"It is massive, it is ugly and it should not be in anyone's backyard – not even Stroud."

Stroud District Council started legal proceedings last week against the Government's decision to green light the incinerator.

Improvements made to the C&G and Walls roundabout last year have won an award from The Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT).

The work took place last year to address a known pinch point on the two strategically important Gloucester roundabouts.

As part of Gloucestershire County Council's continued investment in the local transport infrastructure, the lanes and approach roads were widened on both C&G and Walls roundabouts, an intelligent traffic light system was installed, and the drainage and street lighting were improved.

To minimise disruption, the council looked carefully at how traffic would flow while the work was carried out in order to put a plan in place before construction started.

Restricted working hours were imposed which limited work to off-peak hours and overnight. This significantly reduced the impact on businesses and commuters, resulting in an unprecedented level of positive feedback for a highway scheme of this size in the county.

It was announced on 12^th February that the £3.13 million improvement work had won the Major Project of the Year Award in a ceremony held by the CIHT South Western Branch in Exeter.

Judges praised the scheme for its strong partnership working and good communication, which helped the scheme to be delivered on time and on budget.

One judge said: "Best submission, clearly setting out what was innovative in its approach.

"Work on a live carriageway is always challenging and to do it whilst minimising disruption by good communication with the travelling public, and the establishment of a good working relationship between client, consultant and contractor is particularly exemplary.

"A really well written submission, good use of comms in a live operational environment – and nice to see a celebration of finishing on time and budget and thanking the public for their patience."

Gloucestershire County Council had a strong working relationship with partner Amey and contractor Hewlett Construction with strong project management and regular progress meetings to pick up any issues and address them early.

Good communication was a key priority throughout, with regular media releases, radio interviews, public information events and weekly bulletins sent to over 200 stakeholders until the end of the project.

The attendance at monthly Barnwood Business forum meetings, which represented a large number of local employers, meant active engagement throughout, and since completion the county council has been inundated with compliments about the work.

Cllr Vernon Smith, cabinet member for highways said: "The fact that this scheme has won recognition at a national level demonstrates how hard we worked to get this right.

"The scheme was hugely important for Gloucester and the surrounding areas and we managed to deliver it on time, on budget and with minimum disruption to road users and that's testament to the commitment of our teams working on it.

"I'd like to thank everyone involved for their hard work and I'd also like to thank the public for their patience while we got the work done."

Ruth Kinsella, account director at Amey, said: "To be part of the winning team for this award is an amazing achievement and one at Amey we're incredibly proud of.

"We're delighted that the judges recognised the collaborative approach adopted by all the organisations involved to work together seamlessly to deliver all aspects of the project, whilst minimising disruption to residents and local businesses and deliver an end-result which is improving traffic flow in the area – a key priority for Gloucestershire."

Graham McGuire, site manager at Hewlett, said: "All the work for the C&G and Walls Roundabouts Improvement Scheme took place in live traffic conditions. In addition to the construction elements the ability to efficiently manage existing traffic flows, programme service diversions and work around existing services has been fundamental to the success of this project. This award is testament to best practice construction and a great team effort."