Ten years ago...

A YOUTH prison could be closed and replaced with an adult jail. The number of inmates at Huntercombe young offenders institution, near Nuffield, has fallen, leading to a suggested change of use. The all-male facility currently holds 150 15- to 18-year-olds but has a capacity for about 360. Staff were called to a meeting on Monday to be told about the plans and that the facility could be closed within weeks. None of the 282 employees is expected to be made redundant.

A woman from Sonning Common was among 32 people arrested on Tuesday by police investigating an international network of firearms and drugs gangs. The 29-year-old was held at a house in Wood Lane during simultaneous dawn raids across Europe. She was released without charge on Wednesday.

Firefighters were called to St John’s Church in Stoke Row after a blackbird got its head trapped behind a lightening conductor 70ft up the tower. Eileen McTegart, the village school’s administrator, noticed the distressed bird on Thursday and called the RSPCA. The charity sent out an inspector who summoned the fire service. Six firefighters took an hour to release the trapped bird.