Meridian Thames News

Eastbourne's new lifeboat is ready to take part in the flotilla! She'll be in the Royal Squadron - the group of boats directly behind the Queen's barge.

• UK
• RNLI
• jubilee pageant

• UK
• pageant
• jubilee

The RNLI's brand new lifeboat "The Diamond Jubilee" is taking part in the royal pageant on the Thames. Following the event, the £2.7million vessel will be stationed at Eastbourne. It will be ready for active service along the Sussex coast by the end of the month.

• UK
• RNLI
• jubilee pageant

The death of a teenager in the Thames prompted a warning of the dangers of cooling off in rivers as the UK's mini-heatwave continued.

The entire nation was bathed in sunshine as the mercury rose to almost 28C (82F) in places yesterday - bringing hotter temperatures than in popular Greek resorts. Most of the country is expected to bask in sunshine again today with similar temperatures, although some coastal areas may be cooler.

• UK
• Thames
• river death

A man has died after he fell from his mobility scooter into the Thames. The incident happened close to Abingdon Bridge in Abingdon yesterday afternoon. The man in his 70s was pulled from the water and flown by air ambulance to Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital. He was pronounced dead at 9pm.

• UK
• Thames
• Abingdon

Councillors in Reading will vote tonight on whether to charge supermarkets £15 for each abandoned trolley found in the town. The move comes as more trolleys are found in the River Thames.

• UK
• Thames
• Reading Council

Hundreds of jobs will be created in the Thames Valley after a contract to electrify the Great Western mainline was awarded to construction company Amey.

It is part of a five billion pound upgrade of the route from Paddington to Reading, Newbury, Oxford and the west country.

The work is expected to take up to five years to complete and should allow more trains to run on the most overcrowded line in the country.

• UK
• Thames
• jobs