Plane 'tail strike' at Jersey Airport

Jersey's courts will deal with most cases of people found using a mobile phone while driving.

Until recently, anyone caught using a phone behind the wheel faced a Parish Hall inquiry.

But a new order has been issued by the Law Officers Department saying most cases should be charged in court instead.

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Jersey police recently launched a campaign to clamp down on the number of people using a mobile phone behind the wheel after 444 drivers were prosecuted last year, up from 374 in 2015.

We'll continue to see a fairly cloudy afternoon across Jersey, although it should remain dry throughout.

Through tonight, the cloud will continue to build, perhaps becoming thick enough to give the odd spot of rain, although most will stay dry. 

As a result, it will be milder than previous nights. Minimum Temperature: 9C (48F).

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Thursday will start cloudy with a few further spits and spots of rain.

However, most will stay dry and it will become brighter later. Maximum Temperature: 12C (54F).

The new buses due to be operating on Guernsey's roads from next month are described as "narrow-bodied" by the States, but how much smaller are they?

• 63cm shorter
• 7cm narrower
• Can carry 31 passengers, which is three fewer

The buses also have front, side and rear destination boards, a passenger announcement system offering "timely reminders", USB charging points and can support wi-fi access.

The 12 buses are the first part of a phased replacement for the existing 41-strong fleet.

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The head of Environmental Health in Jersey has said the nitrate levels in Jersey's drinking water "aren't high enough to cause health problems".

Stewart Petrie was responding to a scrutiny report calling for more to be done to reduce the levels, which are among the highest in Europe.

Quote Message: The water that we're drinking is fine, it's been within limits, and actually it's coming down because we're getting better at detecting when the incoming water is high in nitrates." from Stewart Petrie Head of Environmental Health, Jersey

The water that we're drinking is fine, it's been within limits, and actually it's coming down because we're getting better at detecting when the incoming water is high in nitrates."

Firefighters used a turntable ladder to help paramedics get a casualty off a visiting boat.

Guernsey Fire and Rescue ServiceCopyright: Guernsey Fire and Rescue Service

Firefighters were called to St Sampson's Harbour just before 08:00 this morning to help the ambulance service with a casualty on the bridge area of the cargo vessel.

The casualty was brought ashore using a cage mounted stretcher and transferred to an ambulance and on to A&E.

A man who was found walking around naked at the old police station at Rouge Bouillon late on Friday night has been bound over to be of good behaviour for three months.

A woman was allegedly assaulted by a man as she walked along Havre De Pas, from the direction for the White Horse towards Mount Bingham, Jersey police say.

Officers are looking for witnesses in the area yesterday evening from 22:30 to 23:00.

Police are particularly looking for a man who saw the man and woman by Havre Des Pas Gardens who then informed two other women that the woman in question was being assaulted.

Children currently aged 5-9 in Guernsey will be the first group to be allocated to secondary school entirely without sitting the 11 plus selection tests, the Education, Sport and Culture Committee has said.

"Allocation to all-ability schools will be based predominantly on a feeder system from primary schools. 

"Which primary schools feed into which secondary schools will depend on the structure approved by the States later this year."

The changes are part of a wider overhaul of secondary and post-16 education on the island.

Jersey PoliceCopyright: Jersey Police

Jersey police have released a statement from the family of Ana Maria Rebelo, whose body was found in St Helier last week.

Quote Message: Ana was a loving mother who will be deeply missed by all of her family here and in Portugal. As a family, we continue to grieve her passing and try to deal with what has happened on a day to day basis. We are still working with the police to establish what happened and how she met her death. We have seen many condolences online from the public and read the kind words from strangers wishing us well and sending their thoughts and prayers to us, this means a lot to our family and has offered us some comfort during this tragic ordeal. However, now we would like to kindly ask that our privacy be respected whilst we try to come to terms with our loss." from Rebelo Family

Ana was a loving mother who will be deeply missed by all of her family here and in Portugal. As a family, we continue to grieve her passing and try to deal with what has happened on a day to day basis. We are still working with the police to establish what happened and how she met her death. We have seen many condolences online from the public and read the kind words from strangers wishing us well and sending their thoughts and prayers to us, this means a lot to our family and has offered us some comfort during this tragic ordeal. However, now we would like to kindly ask that our privacy be respected whilst we try to come to terms with our loss."

A rare pistol from the early 17th Century has been found in St Aubin’s Bay by a member of the Jersey Metal Detecting Society. 

Detectorist Tony Collins made the discovery in February when he was scanning the beach at low tide.

Jersey HeritageCopyright: Jersey Heritage

Jersey heritage said the pistol was in "remarkable condition" considering its age and location.

A spokesperson said "It has an unusual wheel-lock mechanism found on pistols typical of the early 1600s.

"It is considered rare because they were complex to make and therefore expensive to buy.

"Few people would have owned one and it is therefore thought likely that it belonged to an officer."

GSPCACopyright: GSPCA

The Guernsey society for the protection of cruelty to animals (GSPCA) have said Sami, the grey seal pup rescued just after Christmas in Jersey, is making "fantastic progress".

A spokesperson said: "Sami continues to eat between 20 to 30 mackerel and herring a day and we continue to appeal for support towards her care.

"The team are extremely pleased with her progress at the GSPCA and each day she gets closer to being strong enough and of a healthy weight to be released back to the wild."

The first of the new buses bought by the States for use by Guernsey's public bus operator CT Plus are due to arrive in the island next month.

The Environment and Infrastructure Committee said it hopes the first bus will begin operating from early May, with all 12 vehicles due in the island by the end of May.

It said they will be painted in a new livery.

States of GuernseyCopyright: States of Guernsey

Quote Message: This is an exciting time for the local bus service with twelve brand new vehicles entering service and offering significant improvements in customer comfort, passenger information and associated services." from Deputy Barry Brehaut President of Environment and Infrastructure Committee

This is an exciting time for the local bus service with twelve brand new vehicles entering service and offering significant improvements in customer comfort, passenger information and associated services."

Permission to change the use of a former Guernsey vinery site was denied earlier today.

Applicants wanted to change the use of the Pulias Vinery, so it could house light industry. 

It was one of two sites earmarked by the States for businesses being moved from another former vinery site at the Fontaine. 

Pulias site neighbour Andrew Ayres said the rejection of the plans by the Development and Planning Authority this morning was a victory for "common sense".

Quote Message: The island does need land for light industrial use, but as many of the objectors said, it's just the wrong place for it. You've got a site which is at a lower level than the public areas the road that goes by it and the coastal path. So it would just be a sprawling mass like you have at the Fontaine vinery but in a beautiful part of the island. from Andrew Ayres

The island does need land for light industrial use, but as many of the objectors said, it's just the wrong place for it. You've got a site which is at a lower level than the public areas the road that goes by it and the coastal path. So it would just be a sprawling mass like you have at the Fontaine vinery but in a beautiful part of the island.

The Department for Infrastructure has said they are looking into potential sites for another batch of shelters at stops in St Helier and elsewhere.

The proposed sites are:

• Route du Fort, westbound at Cleveland Road car park, St Helier
• Trinity Road, southbound at Trinity Gardens, St Helier
• Janvrin Road, northbound at Springfield Stadium, St Helier
• Grande Route de la Cote, westbound at Avalon Park, St Clement
• Les Nouvelles Charrieres de Bonne Nuit, bus terminus layby, St John
• Route de St Aubin, eastbound at Bel Royal Gardens
• Longueville Road, westbound at Rue des Pres Trading Estate

Deputy Eddie Noel said: "I would be pleased to hear what members of the public think of these seven additional sites for shelters, and I am committed to identifying further locations later in 2017".

Islanders are being asked to make sure they go to the toilet and take a shower before using the public swimming pool at Beau Sejour. 

Guernsey's Head of Recreation Services, Sam Herridge, said the pool, which is filled with half a million litres of water, dumps twenty thousand litres each week in the backwash cleaning process. 

He said manual efforts to ensure high levels of cleanliness will be undone if swimmers are not responsible. 

Additional revenue of £175,000 is expected as Guernsey Post revealed new postal rates to combat higher costs brought about ‘by the fall in value of the pound’.  

The Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) has confirmed it is looking into an incident in which a Blue Island plane's tail "scraped" the runway whilst landing at Jersey Airport.

The plane, from Southampton, had "minor damage" after the incident, according to the Aviation Herald. 

A full report is expected in the coming months, according to the AAIB.

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Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

Drivers are being urged to watch out for Guernsey's hedgehogs which are coming out of hibernation. 

Conservationist Dawn Robin said they are often dehydrated and malnourished at this time of year after the long winter months. 

She said now is the time islanders are most likely to see them on the roads.