Western Daily Press

Undercover Soldier Was Kidnapped and Murdered by Ira

The final moments of West Country hero Captain Robert Nairac as he desperately tried to escape from his brutal IRA kidnappers remained secret for decades. But according to a book, Captain Nairac, from Standish, near Stroud, had been warned by the SAS that his undercover work seeking information about Irish terrorism was about to be blown.

Cyprus Emergency Was One of Britain's Forgotten Bloody Wars

Often described as Britain's bloody "forgotten war", the soldiers of the Cyprus Emergency were nothing less than heroes, although to this day are woefully under recognised. Members of the Somerset Light Infantry, now in their late 60s and 70s, were teenage National Servicemen when they were plucked from the towns and villages of Somerset and sent to the far end of the Mediterranean, to be shot at, bombed and stoned by schoolchildren as Cyprus tried to end decades of British rule.

War, Many Worlds Away From the West

It's not a cosy image that the veteran war photographer Don McCullin projects of his experiences as a war correspondent, but at the age of 75 he's found a kind of peace there that at one time seemed beyond his reach in his adopted county of Somerset. Last autumn, the Victoria Art Gallery in Bath featured the disturbing Imperial War Museum exhibition Shaped by War, in which more than 100 photographs showcase his lifetime's output. It is now a book under the same title.

A Figure of Hate On Ireland's Troubled Streets

In the latest of our West at War series, we look at how British security forces were involved in the struggle in Northern Ireland, with the West Country's Royal Marine regiments heavily called upon. Former Marine Ken Lake served four tours in Northern Ireland when the 'troubles'' were at there peak. He professes to having matured on the streets of Belfast and learned responsibility and something about human nature. His first book 'A Pawn for the Queen'' was nominated by the national library o...

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Heather Pickstock

The annual show, organised by North Somerset Agricultural Society, is being staged on May Day Bank Holiday, May 2, this year, at the showground in Wraxall. This year will see, for the first time, the Rockwood Dog Display team performing in the main arena.

Show's Heritage Protected for Future Generations

The North Somerset Agricultural Society was formed out of the North Somerset Ploughing Society in 1840 by a small group of farmers. Its sole purpose was to further agricultural development by communicating agricultural issues and providing a showpiece to the local, general public. To this day these aims still ring true.

Ploughing Match Keeps Rural Traditions Alive

The 167th Ploughing Match took place at Brockley Court Farm on September 11 last year and the organisers' thanks go to the Fortune family for hosting the event and being so accommodating to the society during the run up to the match. Match day saw a damp start with drizzle and fog however as the sun broke through the competitors and public arrived at the site. We had over 50 competitors in the Ploughing classes as well as improved numbers in the Hedging and the Craft and Produce section repor...

Countryside Day to Engage with Children

For the first time, the North Somerset Agricultural Society is organising a free educational event for local school children. The event, a Countryside Day, is to be staged in July this year, and aims to educate children on the production and origin of food and different aspects of countryside management.

; Obituaries

Britain's foremost television comedy scriptwriter John Sullivan has died at the age of 64. Most famous for creating the favourites Only Fools and Horses, Citizen Smith and Roger Roger, the writer died after a short illness. Mark Thompson, the BBC Director General, said: "John created some of the UK's most-loved comedies, from Only Fools and Horses to his most recent work, Rock & Chips.

Get Growing Now to Enjoy a Summer Bounty

At this time of year, no-nonsense TV gardener Christine Walkden's dining room table looks like a potting shed paradise, disappearing under a sea of seed trays, plant pots and other bits and pieces to encourage young plants into growth. Some space will be taken up with summer veg including tomatoes, runner beans and sweetcorn.

Explains

This week Dirty Nails has been in the greenhouse planting runner beans. Now is the perfect time of year for stealing a march on the season by starting off seeds of this popular climbing vegetable under cover. Runners come in many different varieties and have a decorative value in the veg patch which is well worth considering. Blooms range from all red (for example, Enorma) to white (White Emergo) and even two-tone (Painted Lady). They will be produced in abundance until late summer from seed ...

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