'Record numbers' living with HIV
A record number of people in the UK are living with HIV, new figures show, but a quarter of people don't realise they've been infected.
Meridian region on Flood Alert
A total of nine Flood Warnings are in place across the Meridian region and more then 40 areas are on Flood Alert.
Sunny with scattered showers
The Meridian weather forecast for Saturday October 13, presented by Simon Parkin.
Live updates
Edwards leaves London Irish
Surrey's London Irish have confirmed that Shaun Edwards consultancy role with the rugby club has ended.
Edwards will now concentrate on his commitments with the Welsh Rugby Union as it prepares for the fourth coming Six Nations Championship and the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
London Irish director Brian Smith said: “I have always been a supporter of Shaun Edwards and that will not change.
"He is a world class defence coach and has put in place structures, strategies and techniques that we will take forward. I will step up on the defensive side for the remainder of this season. We would like to thank him for his efforts over the last six months and wish him well for the future.”
Police appeal after arson in student digs
Police are appealing for witnesses after an arson attack at a student house in Southampton.
Officers were called by firefighters just before 7am on New Years Day to Milton Road. They had discovered a number of fires that had been started in different rooms in the building.
No one was hurt in the blaze as all the occupiers were out at the time. It’s believed the fires were started sometime anytime after 10.45pm the evening before.
Officers are now appealing for anyone with information or who saw anyone suspicious to get in touch.
They are asked to contact Det Const Gavin Jordan at Shirley CID on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
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Boat on fire off Beachy Head
Both Eastbourne lifeboats were launched this morning when distress flares were spotted two miles south of Beachy Head.
Several vessels in the area, including the Newhaven pilot boat Pelorus, reported the sighting to Dover Coastguard who requested the immediate launch of Eastbourne lifeboats.
The vessel was considered to be a hazard to navigation . The owner was treated for possible smoke inhalation.
Cyclist dies after Southampton collision
A 48-year-old Dorset cyclist has died in a collision involving a number of vehicles in Southampton.
The man from Wimborne was riding along the Mountbatten Way flyover when the collision took place around 08:45. He died at the scene.
Two Hampshire men were arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by careless driving. A 37-year-old from West End and a 56-year-old from Fordingbridge remain in police custody.
Police name man who died in M3 crash
Police have named a man who died in a collision on the M3 on Saturday evening. He was Andrew John Greest, 54, of Pelham Road, Gosport. Mr Greest died after the Vauxhall he was driving was in collision with a second Vauxhall on the southbound carriageway at WInchester Services.
Police link three suspects in OAP theft and burglary
Police are appealing for information following a theft from a pensioner and a burglary in Winchester.
The theft took place just after 2pm on Wednesday, December 4th. The 78-year-old victim went into a shop where she used her debit card to make a purchase.
She was then followed by two men and a woman who stole the victim’s purse from her handbag. They then used her debit card to withdraw £150 from a cash machine.
The victim realised her purse was missing when she went to use her debit card a short time later.
In a separate incident, a burglary took place at around 12.30pm on Thursday, November 8, when a woman entered the staff room of Regis hair salon, Colebrook Street.
Once inside she stole an Apple iPhone 4 worth £599 and three sets of GHD hair straightners with a combined value of £320. Officers believe these incidents are linked and the same people may be responsible for both.
All three suspects are believed to be Eastern European.
PC Adam Quantrill said: "Winchester City Centre has an excellent CCTV system which has meant that we have been able to capture these clear images of the people we would like to speak to.
"We believe the same people are responsible for both incidents and are appealing for anyone who recognises the people in the CCTV to come forward and speak to us."
Anyone with any information is asked to call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
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Child's shorts left at scene of burglary
Police are appealing for information after a pair of shorts were left at the scene of a burglary in Bedhampton. The incident occurred at a house in Park Lane between 6.15pm and 9.25pm on Friday, December 7th.
An iPad, Toshiba laptop and Kindle were all stolen in the raid, along with cash withdrawn for Christmas presents.
PC Samantha Hockley said: “A pair of green and grey boy’s shorts were left at the scene. The shorts were for a 14-year-old and may have been taken from someone’s washing line.
“I would like to hear from anyone who recognises the shorts and who may have lost a similar item missing. I’d also like to hear from anyone who may have been offered any of the stolen property for sale.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Havant police station or Crimestoppers.
Police investigate assault on teenage girl - statement
Detectives investigating a report of an assault in Larkfield, Kent, have released this computer generated image of a man they would like to speak to.
The incident occurred on December 13th at around 6.40pm, in an alleyway off Heron Road.
A 14 year-old girl reported that a man grabbed her as she was walking home. The girl shouted and the suspect let go and ran off in the direction of Lunsford Lane.
The girl was not physically hurt.
The suspect is described as around 55 years old with white hair and a white beard, and wearing a black woolly hat, with a white fringe sticking out from under it.
Ch Insp Jon Kirby said: "The victim was left shaken but has been able to provide us with a good description of the suspect and helped us produce a computer generated image. We have assigned additional officers to the area, both in uniform and in plain clothes to try and identify him.
"If anyone has any information, or recognises the man, I would urge them to call us.”
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Kent Police by calling 101, quoting crime reference YY/23106/12. Alternatively, contact Kent Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.
Warning after mother and child rescued from fire
“Don’t rely on others to alert you to a fire,” is the message from fire crews who needed to force entry to a Dartford flat that didn’t have any smoke alarms to rescue a mother and child.
Crews were called to the shop fire in The Brent at 11.40pm last night and discovered smoke from the blaze had spread to the flat above and the neighbouring premises.
– Watch Manager Lee AbelNeighbours told us they thought there maybe people inside, so we quickly entered the first floor flat and rescued a woman and child, who were asleep at the time.
“I really can’t emphasise enough the importance of having working smoke alarms fitted on each floor of your home. Don’t rely on others to alert you to a fire.
"Just three breaths of fire smoke can render you unconscious and as this incident highlights, if you are asleep already, and without a smoke alarm to wake you, your chances of escaping are significantly reduced.”
The pair were taken to hospital by ambulance suffering from the effects of breathing in smoke. Two dogs were also rescued from the flat unharmed.
The cause of the fire is being investigated but is not thought to be suspicious.
Two questioned over car kidnap robbery
Two men have been arrested in connection with a robbery in which a woman was kidnapped at gunpoint from outside her home in Hampshire and driven around in her own car before being released.
At about 9.30am on December 14, a man approached a man and a woman outside their home in Rookes Lane, Lymington, and threatened them with a gun.
The man, in his 70s, suffered a minor head injury as he confronted the robber.
The woman, in her 60s, was then forced to go with the robber when he stole the couple's car, a silver/grey Peugeot 207 convertible.
The suspect drove around the Lymington area, making more demands for money.
He returned to the house in Rookes Lane around 15 minutes later with the woman, who was released unharmed, before he drove off again in the car which he then abandoned. A total of £100 in cash was stolen.
A 48-year-old man from Lymington was arrested on suspicion of robbery and aggravated burglary and then released on bail until January 11.
A 44-year-old man from New Milton was arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
New Forest district commander Chief Inspector Tony Rowlinson said: "I would like to thank members of the public for their response to our appeals. Information received over the weekend gave detectives new leads which had to be followed sensitively as well as swiftly."
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