Stories of the week: December 31-January 6

Don't let politicians kill off your local papers

Not since state licensing of newspapers was abolished 300 years ago have papers – and freedom of speech itself – faced a bigger threat. A threat in the form of a new law that could bankrupt local papers like the Advertiser and rob all newspapers of their ability to defend democracy by holding wrongdoers and the powerful to account.

Cyclist dies after Winkfield Road crash

A cyclist has died after a collision with a van in Winkfield Road near Legoland on Thursday morning.

The man, who was in his 50s, was taken to Frimley Park Hospital after the crash involving a silver Volkswagen Transporter van at 6.35am.

Emergency stroke unit closes at Wexham Park Hospital

Stroke victims in Slough and the Royal Borough will have to go to Wycombe or Chertsey after Wexham Park Hospital closed its acute stroke unit on Sunday.

The change has been led by the East Berkshire Clinical Commissioning Groups, who are responsible for planning healthcare in the region.

The Centre to be demolished as work on new leisure centre begins

Work to build a new leisure centre in Slough’s Farnham Road will begin next week with the demolition of The Centre.

The building, which has been closed since November, was built in 1997 and will now be replaced with a leisure facility which will include a 25m swimming pool, sports hall, gym and exercise studios.

Elderly man tricked out of cash after being told of 'lottery win' in Slough park

An elderly man was conned out of £1,500 after fraudsters approached him in a Slough park to say he had won £5million on the lottery.

A man in his 80s was taking his regular walk around Salt Hill Park at about 11am on Saturday, December 3, when he was approached by a pair of men who told him he had won the money.

Father of Bryony Hollands completes challenge in her memory

The father of a 19-year-old killed by a drink-driver has raised more than £3,240 for a music therapy charity.

Mark Hollands set out to complete a Parkrun challenge in less than 20 minutes, as his daughter Bryony, who died in August 2015, would never reach the age of 20.

Rail fare hikes a 'kick in the teeth'

Commuters returning to work after Christmas have been given an unwanted late present by rail operators in the form of price increases.

Branded a ‘kick in the teeth’ by union bosses when they were announced last year, the new fares came into effect on Tuesday.

Christmas footfall figures up for Maidenhead town centre

More people visited the town centre in the run up to Christmas last year than in 2015, latest figures show.

Despite a national trend of more people doing their Christmas shopping online, footfall in Maidenhead High Street for November to December 2016 was up 2.6 percent on 2015, with 1,046,912 visits to the town centre.

Tarpey says move away from Maidenhead United must be right for him and family

Maidenhead's prolific frontman Dave Tarpey says he wouldn’t rule out a move away from the club in the coming weeks, but insisted it has to be right for him, the club and his family.

Tarpey has scored a phenomenal 28 goals for the Magpies this term to spearhead the club’s rise to the top of the National League South.

Watch: Coldstream Guard praised for 'wonderful gesture'

Social media has hailed a Coldstream Guard who gave a young boy who attended Windsor Castle wearing full uniform a birthday to remember. 

Having stood to attention to salute the passing procession of guards, the four-year-old is then beckoned over to have his photo taken next to one of his heroes.

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