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STAFF at Wotton Lawn hospital attended a service of reflection in memory of their former colleague Sharon Wall. The 53-year-old grandmother from Tuffley was working at the Wotton Lawn mental health unit in Gloucester when she was allegedly stabbed in one of the wards on Wednesday morning. Despite the efforts of colleagues and staff at the nearby Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, she died an hour later. The service of reflection was held at the hospital on Thursday morning, led by the 2gether NHS Foundation Trust's chaplain. Chairman of 2gether NHS Foundation Trust has spoken of her pride at the way staff have dealt with the tragic events. Ruth Fitz John said: "We are very proud of the way in which staff at Wotton Lawn and across the trust have continued to support our service users and carers who have also been deeply affected by this event. "Wotton Lawn is a very close community, as is all of our trust. I have spoken to many of our staff over the last few days, and I have seen them supporting one another and remaining strong in a very difficult situation. As caring professionals staff have continued to make sure that our service users and carers receive high quality care." Meanwhile James Wright, matron of Wotton Lawn Hospital, has also paid tribute to Miss Wall. "Sharon was committed to helping the people she worked with move forward with their recovery," he said. "Sharon's death has affected all of us at Wotton Lawn, the trust and our wider community. She will be deeply missed and the impact of her death will be felt by many people for a long time to come. "We have also received many messages of condolence as well as tributes from the public, local officials and organisations and other health trusts. The outpouring of support has been very comforting to our staff, and we hope it will also have provided comfort to Sharon's family and friends." 2gether's Chief Executive Shaun Clee yesterday wrote to all colleagues and paid tribute to Sharon. He also encouraged all staff affected by the incident to access the wide range of support services the trust offers.

Staff at Wotton Lawn attend service of reflection in memory of Sharon Wall

JUST over 100 years on from the summer when suffragette Emily Davison died for the right to vote research suggests that many women in Britain are disengaged from politics. But the female vote is an important one – don't forget that we make up 50 per cent of the electorate. Prime Minister David Cameron has struggled to appeal to women but this week I interviewed Labour's so-called secret weapon Gloria De Piero, Shadow Secretary For Women and Equalities, during her What Women Want tour. She spoke of how women feel disillusioned and disconnected from politics and that it was something she wanted to fix. I realised that I take for granted my interest in politics. It is something I am passionate about due to my line of work but speaking to some of my female friends this week I was shocked to learn how little they cared about something so important. They are happy to take the time to vote for Joey Essex to win I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here but you won't find them walking to their nearest polling station come election day. I asked them if they voted in this year's EU elections and they unanimously said 'no'. Would they vote in next year's General Election? A few said 'maybe'. And (dare I ask) do they vote in their local elections? Shockingly, the majority didn't even know what local elections were. This frustrated me so I questioned them about their views on women's suffrage and the importance of voting. Their responses were very disheartening and showed a serious disillusionment with voting among young women in Britain. One said: "I'm not really interested in politics and I don't think it really affects me." Another said: "I do value my right to vote but I don't think it would make a difference." I explained that their vote does make a difference, especially in marginal seats, and that politics definitely does affect them – even more than they think at a local level. And finally, that if more young women did vote, politicians would have no choice but to take notice and serve their interests. But one response highlighted a key issue we have in this country. She said: "I don't know enough about politics. I think it would be wrong for me to vote on something I don't know about. Why wasn't it taught to me at school?" I was inclined to agree with her. In primary school we learnt about the suffragette movement and the effort these women made to get the vote, but then our education in politics stopped until we chose to take it up again at A-level. Perhaps all schools should start teaching basic politics so that each pupil at least has enough grounding to inform their future decisions. Of course there are many young women who are politically engaged but I know that my friendship group is not alone. Polls show it is women who are more alienated by the political scene and the major parties have significant work to do to engage them. Research by Mori found a third of British women did not cast a ballot in the 2010 General Election and the Hansard Society recently found that women are less certain to vote and less interested in politics than men. I will continue to try to get my friends interested in politics and will be urging them to get down to their polling station next year to cast their vote. We are lucky to live in a democracy and the best honour we can do Emily Davison is exercise the right that she sacrificed her life for.

Hayley's Comment: My girl friends will vote for Joey Essex, but not an MP

AFTER a week of summer weather, the weekend will deliver more inconsistent and unpredictable conditions, according to forecasters. Today will be mostly dry, bright and warm with temperatures reaching 24C but there will be outbreaks of increasingly persistent and heavy rain. Tonight will be cloudy at first with further outbreaks of rain or drizzle. Clear spells will develop from the west overnight and most parts should be largely dry by dawn. It will be a fairly cloudy start tomorrow and any patchy rain will soon clear. The county will remain dry with increasing amounts of sunshine and a maximum temperature of 22C. The outlook for Monday to Wednesday is largely dry with some sunny spells.

Gloucestershire weather: Unpredictable weekend with rain and sunshine

GLOUCESTER mum-of-two Rachel Perkins has lifted the title of National Standard Bearer. Rachel, a member of the Gloucester City branch of the Royal British Legion, secured first place in the women's section of the national competition recently. She is already the county standard bearer and regional standard bearer but has now taken top place nationally. "I was shocked when they announced that I was the winner but so pleased as it is something I have been working towards for years," said Rachel, who lives in White City with her husband and two children. Rachel has been a standard bearer for 28 years since joining the Gloucester branch as a youth member. She has been taking part in competitions for the past five years. The first stage is a county competition and the winners progress to a regional round. Regional winners then took part in the national stage of the competition at the legion's annual conference held in Llandudno. "We were judged on basic drills, high standards of smartness and the maintenance of our equipment," said Rachel, a team leader at the city centre Argos store. "I spent hours practising beforehand and making sure my uniform and equipment was to a high standard. "Winning this competition is an achievement that I have been aiming for since I started entering these competitions. "I have been a regional winner for the last five years so to get this far is just brilliant." Rachel is a standard bearer for Royal British Legion at events throughout the year including Remembrance Sunday. This year is a particularly busy year for Rachel with many events organised to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War. Anny Reid, Royal British Legion Gloucestershire county chairman, said: "Rachel has been a consistently excelled standard bearer. "She has won the county for a number of years and been regional winner for the last five years but the icing on the cake for us as a county is that she is the national winner in the centenary year. "We are all just so proud of her."

Gloucester's Rachel Perkins lifts the title of National Standard Bearer

Ryan Matthews, the man charged with murdering healthcare assistant Sharon Wall at Wotton Lawn Hospital in Gloucester, has made his first appearance in court. In a three-minute hearing in front of Cheltenham magistrates, the 61-year-old spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and that he'd been residing at the mental health hospital.

He was flanked by two security guards in the dock and appeared unshaven and dishevelled, wearing a plain blue t-shirt. No pleas were entered and he was remanded in custody to appear at Gloucester Crown Court on Tuesday.

Ryan Matthews appears in court charged with Sharon Wall's murder at Gloucester's Wotton Lawn Hospital

SAMBA fever is coming to Gloucester this evening. Live music will keep people entertained as they walk around Gloucester tonight. A street party has been organised to support the evening economy and create a buzz around the city. It is the brainchild of councillor Tarren Randle, Gloucester City Council's evening economy champion. There will be a stage in Westgate Street next to the Fountain Inn with music from 5pm to 10pm including JPR Music, Emil Mcdade , Mystic Royals and King Solomon. Meanwhile, Samba Brazillian band Ola Samba will perform in the streets from 9pm till 11pm. There will also be a stage in Eastgate Street from 10.30pm to midnight.

Samba fever comes to Gloucester tonight

STREET artists will start again on hoardings in Greyfriars after their masterpieces were removed. Hoardings covered in art, including the stunning picture of Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka and Nelson Mandela by Gloucester graffiti artist Trix have been taken down. Linden Homes, which owns the hoardings, says it is due to damage. They have been replaced with new panels. But the blank canvas didn't last long, with a new piece by Trix emerging overnight. A large image of Mahatma Gandhi has appeared, including the words "First they ignore you, they they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." It took Trix two hours to complete and he said it is an image he has wanted to paint for a while. He hopes other street artists will lay down their marker again. Trix said: "Flava rang me and he was in an angry way but I said to him that at the end of the day it is criminal damage and there isn't a lot we can do. "But I almost feel it is allowed at Greyfriars now. It is promoted and people walking by enjoy it. "It's alright because we will start again and we will cover the new hoardings. "I think there are more street artists in Gloucester that haven't come out yet so I want us all to meet at Greyfriars and spend a day covering the hoardings." Linden Homes has been providing budding young street artists with the opportunity to showcase their skills through an urban art project at the company's Greyfriars Quarter development, in Brunswick Road. The project with Gloucester City Centre Community Partnership and Young Gloucestershire has seen youth groups develop artworks on the development's hoardings facing the Via Sacre – which runs along one of the boundaries of the site. But the hoardings have also become a popular destination for established artists such as Beastie, Flava and Trix to showcase their talents. The hoardings were taken down earlier this week but are being safely stored by the Gloucester City Centre Community Partnership. Barry Leach, from the partnership, said he hopes the panels will be reinstalled somewhere else in the city for the public to enjoy. "It is a shame that Linden Homes has taken it down because the art work is very impressive and I know that it was enjoyed by many people who walked by," he said. "Something will be done with the panels and I would hope it is all back on public view as quickly as possible." A spokesman for Linden Homes said: "We have replaced some damaged panels around the Greyfriars Quarter development. "This does not involve any of the panels forming part of the urban art project with Gloucester City Centre Community Partnership and Young Gloucestershire. "The damaged panels are being kept safe by the Gloucester City Centre Community Partnership."

FARMHOUSE Deli is spicing things up this summer with its new hot chilli sausages. Staff at the Northgate Street shop have created the "Inferno" and are daring customers to give it a try. The hot sausages, which were created to celebrate the World Cup, are proving extremely popular. "As fast as we are making them they are selling out," said Darren Payne, co-owner of Farmhouse Deil, which sells 20 different types of sausage. "I have always enjoyed spicy food and I made sure that if we were going to do a chilli sausage we were going to do it properly." Darren and his sausage technicians have perfected their fiery creation using four types of chilli - powdered chilli flakes, fresh red chilli, fresh green chilli and the secret extra spicy ingredient capsaicin oil. "We haven't had the sausages tested but they are hot," said Darren. "The capsaicin oil has a kick of three million scovilles." Family-run Farmhouse Deli has been trading for over 40 years. Staff will be giving out tasters of the Inferno to passers-by outside the shop. The creation of the Inferno comes as experts say that chilli is the hottest trend of the summer, with an explosion in fiery sauce sales and the pepper itself appearing in everything from sweets and desserts to drinks. According to consumer analysts Mintel, spending on chilli sauce rose from £18million in 2012 to £19million in 2013, with chilli representing 40 per cent of thin sauce sales. Britain's love affair with hot food began in the sixties and seventies with the curry house boom. By the nineties, Thai and Mexican food featuring whole cooked hot chilli peppers took our taste buds to new levels. But the past ten years have seen an explosion of chilli culture with not only sauces but super-strength varieties of chilli peppers such as Scotch Bonnets and even the world's hottest Dorset Naga becoming widely available.

Sizzler! Farmhouse Deli dares customers to try their

THE RISING price of cannabis saw a Gloucester man start growing his own in a sophisticated set up. Around 25 plants, with a potential value of £14,000, were found when police raided a Stephen Major's Worcester Street flat on March 6. The 30-year-old was told by a judge to stop smoking and get himself a job after he pleaded guilty to the production of the class B drug on Friday. Prosecutor Janine Wood told the court: "It was quite a sophisticated set up with a watering butt feeding each plant. "There was a large ventilation device and work had been done to concealing the growing. "Sheets were put on the windows and shut across the door. "The electricity supply had been bypassed." She said officers discovered enough flowering head to sell for £14,000 in gram deals. But Judge Jamie Tabor QC said: "That seems quite high. I think the defendant would have been very surprised by that. "But the gravity of the offence is the deliberate set up and growing it." Mrs Wood added: "In interview he said 'I am a smoker and the price has gone up, it is hard to get hold of so me and a friend decided to set it up ourselves'." Defending Dermot Clarke said he had been quite candid in his interview. He told the court Major, now of Bourton Road in Tuffley, had worked occasional for his dad who ran a mobile mechanic business. Judge Tabor replied: "Why is he not working? Why is he sat at home smoking cannabis? Whatever problem it causes, it causes lethargy." "You are a young man, you have got a skill and you sit at home growing rather than working," he told Major. "You should understand that the law takes a very dim view of the production of cannabis like in this case because it is premeditated and ongoing. "It required some skill and management on a day to day basis." The judge ordered Major to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, pay a £750 fine, £100 costs and a victim surcharge, telling him: "If you can afford the equipment you can pay the fine."

Rising cost of cannabis in Gloucester led to man growing his own

ATHLETES pounded past some of Gloucester's most iconic landmarks on Sunday morning for the city's revived 10K. Around 500 runners took part in the race, which passed the cathedral, dock, quays, canal before finishing in the park. The event seemed to be doomed as the Bath-based organisers behind it pulled out of staging the event, before Gloucester law firm Davies and Partners stepped in and the race was reborn. Marketing Gloucester supported the event too. Gloucester AC members and couple, Nathan Smith and Hayley Winters, were pleased to be taking part in the race which went passed their city centre home four times. Nathan, 30, who came in fourth, said: "I really enjoyed it. It was a good course and well organised. It is a great way of seeing some of Gloucester's landmarks and gives you a good sense of the city. "Every city has a 10K race and so Gloucester was behind for more having one. "I think they could make the bigger next year and go from 500 to 800 runners. "We will definitely be back next year." Hayley Winters was the first woman across the finish line. The 32-year-old said: "It was amazing to have got 500 runners signed up in quite a short time really considering people do need to train. "There were people watching along most of the way, so being an early morning and with the splattering of rain, it way a good turn out." Mark Langman from Sprinbank in Cheltenham took part in the race. The 27-year-old member of the CLC Striders said: "It is a nice course around Gloucester and a really decent turn out. "It was well organised and attracts people for all areas and helps to promote Gloucester." Send your shots from this morning's run to citizen.news@glosmedia.co.uk and see more at www.instagram.com/VisitGloucester

Your pictures: Hundreds take part in the revived Gloucester 10K

DISABLED John Smith is feeling positive about his future now that a care company has given him a helping hand. John, who suffered a major brain bleed four years ago, needs just one hour of support in the morning so that he can get on with his day. Gareth Powick, director of Bluebird Care, was so moved by his story that he offered him free support for a month. A carer will start visiting John tomorrow to help him with simple tasks that he struggles with such as dressing, washing and making the bed. "I am so pleased," said 34-year-old John. "It means that I can start sleeping properly and make a start getting my life back on track. "The struggle in the morning kicks off the depression which results in me sitting in my room angry at the world. "This help will take away so much stress and I won't have to struggle anymore." Despite having no use of the left side of his body, John, from Brockworth was told that he does not fit the criteria for a care package. A carer who works for Bluebird Care, read John's story in the Citizen and asked Mr Powick if the Gloucester-based firm could help. Mr Powick said: "We wanted to take the strain off him for a month and work with him to link up with other organisation which can offer him similar support. "Our team has visited John and talked through the care package he needs and we are happy to do what we can to help him. "We will assist him every morning to help him get up and ready because John is trying so hard to live a normal life." John spent the first seven months of his recovery at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital having intensive physiotherapy sessions after coming out of an induced coma. He moved to a care-assisted home in Abbeydale for three years before moving to his flat in Brockworth in March. At first he had carers visit three times a day but that got reduced to one and soon there were no carers at all. Until now he has had to rely on his elderly parents and his friends for help. John is trying to be fully independent and is hoping to gain office experience through the Brockworth Community Project to help him get back into work. Candace Plouffe, director of service delivery for Glouc- estershire Care Services NHS Trust, said: "Our community team, which includes physiotherapy and reablement, is continuing to work with Mr Smith to support his needs and we are sorry to hear of his concerns. "We value all feedback from everyone who receives our services and one of the ways in which any concerns or feedback can be raised is through our service experience team. "We would welcome the opportunity to speak to Mr Smith about his concerns so that we can respond directly to him."

Disabled John Smith gets the one hour of care he needs

ALL eyes will be on the Maracanã in Brazil this evening as Argentina take on Germany in the World Cup final. The Germans, fresh from their demolition of the host nation's team, go in as hot favourites to seal a fourth World Cup triumph. But reporter Joe Lane warns not to rule out a Lionel Messi-inspired victory for Argentina. What is it Gary Lineker says about football: it's a game of 11 against 11 and in the end the Germans always win? Well I firmly expect the former England striker to be proved wrong on this occasion. Despite Germany's brilliance in the World Cup so far I predict Joachim Löw's men will come unstuck in Rio. The blue and whites have not just one little magician, but two, who I think will be influential in equal measure. Lionel Messi has not been at his best in the tournament so far but he knows a win tonight will elevate him to the status of 'all time great'. People say he had a poor match against Holland. But despite being quiet for long periods against the Dutch, he still did enough to create a match-winning opportunity which should have tilted the match decisively His sudden burst down the right-hand flank showed a glimpse of what he can do, putting the ball on a plate for Maxi Rodríguez who somehow failed to convert. And what of their other little master? I am talking about Javier Mascherano in case you hadn't realised. His last-ditch tackle on Arjen Robben was a pivotal moment in the semi-final – and he will have to play a central role if Argentina are to triumph this evening. He provides the steel to complement Messi's silk. Something just tells me this will be their night. Germany, so often painted as little more than a ruthless machine, have played by far the most stylish football of the tournament. Their assault on the Selecao included delightful passing interplay and a patience reminiscent of outgoing champions Spain. But like most sport football is all about confidence and Toni Kroos, Bastian Schweinsteiger and co were allowed to dominate by a lily-livered Brazil who were shown up as lightweight when it really mattered. In Argentina they will come up against far more formidable opponents. I expect it to be close with a strong possibility of extra time and penalties. But when the dust settles I believe it will be Messi holding up the World Cup to seal his place in history.Germany will be world champions, says head of sport Roger Jackson So, the best team in the world competes against the team with the best player for football's biggest prize. Sorry Joe, for me there is only one winner - Germany will be crowned world champions tonight and Lionel Messi will have to wait another four years to win the one trophy that is missing from his CV. So much has been written and said about Argentina's finest, but let's be honest here, the little magician has not had a great World Cup. Yes, he has scored four goals, but those came in the group games and he has looked short of his best for large parts of the knockout stages. Is he carrying an injury, is he jaded or is the weight of expectation proving too much even for Messi? Whatever the reasons he was anonymous for large parts in the penalty shootout win against the Dutch and it's difficult to see him dominating against a German side that boasts half-a-dozen players who would walk into a best World Cup XI. The Germans will have a plan for Messi - they always have a plan - and then it will be up to the other Argentina players to step forward to try to take the initiative. That will be difficult against a German side who ruthlessly swept aside Brazil in the semi-final. Argentina are better than Brazil and they don't rely on Messi as much as the World Cup hosts relied on Neymar but man for man they are well short of the Germans. Even allowing for the excellent Javier Mascherano, I expect the German midfield trio of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Sami Khedira and Toni Kroos to control the centre of the field and supply the bullets for the likes of Thomas Müller and Miroslav Klose. Messi at his best could unnerve the Germans but Joachim Low's side are good, very good, and this is their time.

World Cup 2014: So who will win the World Cup tonight?

JAMES Simpson-Daniel is up and running and hopes to be fit for the start of the new season. The 32-year-old Gloucester wing, who underwent surgery after dislocating and fracturing the joint of his left ankle against Newcastle in November, is back in pre-season training and said: "I want to be available for selection for the first game and I feel I am three-quarters of the way there now. "I had two weeks at the end of last season and then had a couple of weeks in Barbados and came back and cracked on with the rehab in the off-season. "I can now run at a decent clip over a short distance and the next stage of the rehab is to do it farther. "When I can run over a longer distance I can get off line and when I'm off line just give me that egg-shaped thing and I can run around. "It's been a long time and it's been tough watching the other guys play while I've been on the sidelines." Gloucester's first game of the new Premiership season could not be more testing – a date with champions Northampton at Franklin's Gardens on Friday, September 5. Before that they have three weekends of pre-season friendlies – starting with a game against Yorkshire Carnegie on August 16, then Munster, also at Kingsholm, on August 23 before travelling to Ospreys on August 30. If all goes according to plan Simpson-Daniel wants to be available for the game against the Welsh club and stake a claim for a place against the Saints six days later. There is no doubt that there will be huge cheers from the travelling Gloucester fans if he does feature against Northampton. The former England wing has had more than his fair share of injuries over the years but has always bounced back and it is often overlooked that he has made almost 200 Premiership appearances for the club. This latest injury, however, could have been career-ending for some players and Simpson-Daniel admits that there were times when he did wonder if he would ever pull on the cherry and white shirt again. "Yes, there have been doubts," he said. "When I was injured I knew it was a bad one and the surgeon told me it was a serious injury. I was worried then and there have been doubts since. "I never thought 'this is the end' but I did think 'is this the end?'". Simpson-Daniel has been grateful to Gloucester for the support they have shown over the past seven-and-a-half months. In January he signed a new two-year contract which he expects to be his last. "The staff and the club have been brilliant," he said. "They've not rushed me in any way. "The injury was not my fault, of course, but it's a business and the club want me out there playing." If Simpson-Daniel has his way, that will be on September 5.

Gloucester wing James Simson-Daniel hoping to be fit to face Northamton

Oldham 46 Gloucestershire All Golds 6 THE Gloucestershire All Golds suffered their heaviest Kingsrone Press Championship One defeat on the road at the hands of a rampant Oldham side at Whitebank Community Stadium. The home side shaded a fast and physical first half though the visitors had the advantage of the slope and a strong breeze. Having pulled themselves back into the game, the All Golds were undone by a try right on the hooter. The second half was largely one way traffic with Oldham running in scores almost at will and denying the visitors a sight of the tryline. Oldham survived the All Golds' opening attack after the visitors won possession from the kick-off but they could not break through and Oldham opened the scoring on 10 minutes when a high kick to the corner was well fielded, Phil Joy supported to score. Lewis Palfrey added the goal. With big defence the order of the day from both sides, the All Golds were hit by injury. Having lost Richard Jones in the first minute, there was concern as James Walter was taken off after being knocked unconscious in a tackle. Craig Cook was held up on 19 minutes for the visitors and Oldham put in some probing kicks as both sides battled for the next score. It came the way of the home side as Palfrey stepped through the goalline defence to score on the last tackle to finish a sweeping attack. The All Golds got on the scoreboard with five minutes to the break. Matt Bradley's towering bomb was misjudged by Mo Agoro. Scott Claridge was first to the ball and gave Ben White the scoring pass. Bradley converted. However, right on the hooter, a rampaging break up the middle from Josh Crowley ended with Agoro crossing out wide for an unconverted try to send the Roughyeds into the dressing rooms with a narrow eight point advantage. They extended that after a minute of the second period, good hands from Jon Ford sent Dale Bloomfield in at the flag as Oldham took their chances. Michael Ward spun out of two or three tackles to go over, Palfrey adding the goal. The All Golds battled hard but there was simply no way through against such good defence. The Roughyeds were having no such difficulty and just before the hour mark, Bloomfield went in from Kenny Hughes' quick pass. Bloomfield completed his hat-trick from Crowley's excellent reverse pass and in the final few minutes, Oldham put a gloss on the scoreline that their performance deserved when Ben Wood plucked a high kick from Casey Canterbury's grasp to score and finally Palfrey supported Sam Gee's break for Oldham's ninth try. OLDHAM: Steven Nield; Mo Agoro, David Cookson, Jonathan Ford, Dale Bloomfield; Steven Roper, Lewis Palfrey; Phil Joy; Sam Gee, Jason Boults, Josh Crowley, Danny Langtree; Liam Thompson.. Reps: Kenny Hughes, Michael Ward, Ben Wood, Nathan Mason. ALL GOLDS: Danny Thomas; Jarrod Ward, Sam Te'o, Phil Cowburn, Scott Claridge; Ben White, Matt Bradley; James Walter, Craig Cook, Miles Fairbank; Jason Muranka, Richard Jones (Capt.); Brendan Smith. Reps: Casey Canterbury, Frank Foster, Harry Chapman-Walker, Joe McClean. Referee: Jamie Bloem (RFL Appointment) Attendance: 516.

JAMES Bellward was the first to cross the line in the Gloucester 10K. The RAF runner completed in a time of 34 minutes 21 seconds. About 500 runners took part in the event and Mark Edwards was Bellwood's closest challenger. The Bristol and West AC runner came home in 34 minutes 56 seconds and was 36 seconds ahead of Swansea Harrier Ross Simpson. The women's race was won by Hayley Winters of Gloucester AC. She came home in 39 minutes 49 seconds, more than two minutes ahead of Amber Bullingam, of Almost Athletes, who recorded a time of 42 minutes 12 seconds. Third place went to Jane Colman, of Bristol and West AC, in a time of 42 minutes, 47 seconds. Other results: men, 40-49 category, James Oram (CLC Striders) 36.17; 50-59 John Buck (Running Somewhere Else) 40.47; 60-69 Terry Whitson 46.36; 70+ Brian Pitt (Running Somewhere Else) 50.48. Women, 35-44 Kelly Caple (Spirit of Gloucester) 47.39; 45-54 Sue Higgins (Gloucester AC) 45.01; 55-64 Sharon Smith (Running Somewhere Else) 48.39; 65+ Pat Cameron (Tewkesbury AC) 56.44.

James Bellward win the Gloucester 10K

MICHAEL Klinger is set to lead out Gloucestershire at the Cheltenham Cricket Festival tomorrow after overcoming a toe injury. The opening batsman returned to action in the seven-run T20 Blast defeat against Somerset in Taunton on Friday making a quickfire 35 and sharing a first-wicket partnership of 89 with Alex Gidman. Klinger broke his toe in the T20 Blast game against Hampshire on June 20. Gloucestershire start a four-day game against Derbyshire tomorrow and while Klinger's return is welcome, Gloucestershire are resigned to being without three of their seam bowlers for the entire duration of the Festival. It had been hoped at least one of the injured trio of Craig Miles, Matt Taylor and James Fuller might be fit for some of the games at the College Ground. But director of cricket John Bracewell has now ruled out that possibility, revealing Miles (back), Taylor (shin splints) and Fuller (foot) will all need more recovery time. He said: "Craig is not ready yet. He has bowled well in the second XI, but does not have sufficient overs under his belt to be considered for the Cheltenham games. "Matt Taylor is still someway down the line from recovery and the same applies to James Fuller." Graeme McCarter is added to the squad who dominated the drawn Championship game with second-placed Hampshire last week. Bracewell added: "We are used to having our squad stretched by injury and coming through tough times. "Winning at Cheltenham is going to be important to our season. There is still time for the Championship Second Division to squeeze up and a couple of victories would put us in a decent position." Gloucestershire (from): M.Klinger (capt), C.Dent, W.Tavare, A.Gidman, H.Marshall, I.Cockbain, B.Howell, W.Gidman, T.Smith, A.Rouse (wkt), L.Norwell, D.Payne, G.McCarter.

Michael Klinger set to lead Gloucestershire against Derbyshire at Cheltenham Cricket Festival

THE team behind one of Gloucester's busiest shopping outlets has welcomed the opening of two new shops in the past week. New home and bedding store Bedeck has replaced the former Home Curtains and Bedding shop at Gloucester Quays, while the Gift Company opened a new branch at the centre yesterday. Bedeck is renowned for its luxurious bedding collections, decorative accessories and bath linen. A spokesman for the company said: "Our inspirational ranges are combined with a commitment to quality and creativity that will ensure you are investing in stylish design that will enhance your home. "Our friendly staff are always on hand to help and look forward to welcoming you to the Bedeck Home store at Gloucester Quays. "Complementary plain dye is available in a wide variety of colours and our duvet and pillow inners range from micro fibre through to premium Siberian down, allowing you to find the perfect quality for a great night's sleep." As well as the Bedeck brand the company also offers collections from famous brand names including Sanderson. The Gift Company sells furniture, candles, jewellery, frames, ornaments, garden decorations and much more. Richard Rawlings, centre manager for Gloucester Quays said: "It's fantastic news for shoppers that these great brands have chosen to locate to the Gloucester Quays Outlet. "With these two new stores on board our fashion and homeware offering is even stronger giving our visitors more reasons to return to the outlet, time and time again." The opening of the two new shops follows several closures at the centre over the course of the year. The White Company closed back in February, while outdoor clothing company Helly Hansen shut its doors for the final time in May. In July handbag company Ollie & Nic also closed its Gloucester branch. This weekend will see visitors from across the country arrive in the city ahead of the Gloucester Quays Food Festival 2014. The big event will be live, entertaining cooking demos in the Aga Rangemaster Cookery Theatre from big name celebrity chefs, with Food Festival favourite James Martin returning by popular demand and British baking king Paul Hollywood making his Gloucester debut.

Bedeck and the Gift Company have both opened branches in Gloucester Quays

PUPILS, staff and parents got together for a game of cricket and picnics to bid a fond farewell to The King's Junior School headmaster Cameron Dickie as he retired after 14 years at the helm. The event saw the introduction of a House Cricket Tournament with the Mr Dickie Trophy going to the winners. However, the cricket matches were not the only tributes to the departing head which were held during the last week of term. A special assembly in the Chapter House at Gloucester Cathedral saw pupils from Reception through to Year 6 entertain an audience of current and former staff, all who were there to thank Mr Dickie for his time at the school. The pupils presented the headmaster with a book full of comments and memories from them. Staff presented a similar book and took a slightly more unusual approach to providing him with a lasting memory by doing a flash mob version of Pharrell Williams' No1 UK singles chart hit Happy at the end of lunch on the last day of term. Mr Dickie said: "It has all been a bit overwhelming. I thought I'd just have a few drinks and a nice goodbye but the pupils and staff have taken a lot of time to use their talents and provide me with some lasting memories. "King's is a wonderful school to work at. The family-orientated community atmosphere is something that I will cherish and, after a break, I looking forward to continuing to be part of the King's community and seeing the children and the school continuing to progress." Mr Dickie, who lives in the Forest of Dean, will hand over the reins to the new head of junior school Anne Haas, who joins from Rendcomb College in September. The King's School headmaster Alistair Macnaughton said: "Mr Dickie will be greatly missed by children, parents and staff alike. He has played a crucial part in the life of the school. "We look forward to welcoming Anne in September and I know she is looking forward to building on Cameron's work."

Mr Dickie bows out of King’s at wicket

ARSENAL legend Tony Adams flew in from Miami to present awards to troubled young people who took part in a Gloucester football tournament today. Despite being jet-lagged from his time stateside where he was a TV presenter for the World Cup coverage, he was delighted to show his support to Cheltenham's County Community Projects (CCP) which hosted the event for recovering alcoholics and drug addicts and other vulnerable people in Quedgeley. Adams, who also made 66 appearances for England, said: "Obviously I am in this service area with Sporting Chances which is 12 years old and close to my heart so this kind of links in." The no-nonsense defender's recovery from alcoholism inspired him to launch Sporting Chances, an organisation which helps young amateur sports people deal with behavioural problems. He spent time signing autographs and having 'selfie' photographs taken with dozens of young fans who have worked with CCP, the Nelson Trust, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre, YMCA Housing and dozens of other organisations. Nick Anthony and Dave Gilchrist, who organised the tournament on behalf of CCP, were "absolutely delighted" to win the backing of a former top-flight footballer. Nick said: "We put this event on to try and get as many local organisations that work with vulnerable young people together. "But this was just a chance for them to get together and play and we always try and promote healthy living and we do have keen footballers in our organisation." Dave said the event was really enjoyable, despite a little stressful organising, and said a barbecue earlier in the day shifted 200 burgers. Cheltenham Mayor Councillor Simon Wheeler, James Brown, head of media and communications at Cheltenham Town Football Club, and players Joe Hanks and Craig Braham-Barrett, also attended the event. James said: "We are Gloucestershire's only Football League club and we take our work in the community very seriously. "We are massive fans of the work CCP do and we like to help them as much as possible."The winner of the CCP Charity Shield six-a-side tournament, which was held at Quedgeley Wanderers sports complex in Waterwells, was Gloucestershire Police.

Arsenal and England icon Tony Adams turned up at six-a-side football tournament in Gloucester today

A BABY girl born with a rare heart condition died at the age of just five weeks when a pump fitted to help pump blood around her body became blocked. Emily Kingscott, from Berkeley, had hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a rare congenital condition where the left ventricle of the heart is severely undeveloped. Days after her birth at St. Michael's Hospital, Bristol she underwent surgery to fit a shunt into her heart to help her blood circulation. The operation on September 6 last year at Bristol Children's Hospital was a success and Emily was sent home with her mum Marie on September 18, Gloucester Coroner's Court heard that on October 11 Emily caught a cold but was otherwise fine. But two days later she took a turn for the worse and Marie had to give her life support as she waited for an ambulance which took her to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. Hospital doctor Lucy Plum said: "Emily had her last feed at 1.30am on October 13 and she was very unsettled and crying. "Mum phoned 999 and started life supporting treatment herself. "Paramedics arrived and found mum providing life supporting treatment to Emily." The paramedics gave Emily CPR in the ambulance and arrived a hospital at 3.20am. Gloucester Coroner Katy Skerrett continued to summarise Dr Plum's statement: "Dr Plum says that they made strenuous efforts to revive Emily. They gave her seven doses of adrenaline. "After 39 minutes of CPR the decision was made to stop resuscitation efforts. Emily's parents were present." A post-mortem investigation found Emily's shunt had become blocked and bacteria had built up in her heart. The pathologist noted that Emily was "well cared for, loved and well-nourished". Coroner Skerrett said: "Emily was born with a hypoplastic heart and had surgery. She seemed to be recovering and was discharged. "She caught a cold and had trouble breathing. "Mum acted swiftly and called an ambulance. She was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital where she tragically died from natural causes." Verdict: Death by natural causes.

Five week old baby girl died from natural causes - inquest