Weekly round-up: Five stories you may have missed

Stories about the New Forest fire, a fleet of wheelbarrows replacing the Red Arrows, and a hidden coin worth a pint have been among the most popular in the South this week.

In case you missed them, we have picked five articles from the past seven days across Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Dorset, Berkshire and Oxfordshire to keep you up to date.

A woman has claimed a free pint of beer after finding a coin and a mysterious message hidden in the wall of her house.

The card, discovered by Ellie Mead in Bicester, Oxfordshire, revealed the cache was left there in 1971 by electrician David Judd, who promised "one pint best beer if penny returned".

A Facebook appeal traced his daughter, Helen Russell, who revealed he was now aged 92, living in Devon and happy to honour the offer.

She said: "I do know that there are others all over the place but he won't tell me exactly where."

Ancient oak and beech trees, rare heathland and even wetland have been devastated by the recent fire that swept through the New Forest, a survey has found.

More than 1 sq km (247 acres) of the national park has been destroyed since the fire broke out on 9 August, Forestry England said.

The government agency found areas devoid of vegetation, dead wildlife and scorched bogs in an initial inspection of the damage.

It said it would take decades for the environment to fully recover.

The Red Arrows were replaced by a squadron of wheelbarrows at a seaside show after the team was stranded in Canada.

The RAF's aerobatics team was due to perform at the RNLI's Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis, Dorset, at 11:30 BST on Sunday following its tour of the US, but poor weather has grounded the squadron.

However, Devon-based wheelbarrow performance group the Bradninch Red Barrows have stepped in to fill the void left by their high-flying counterparts.

Lifeboat Week lead Mark Ellis said a "squadron of wheelbarrows is not quite what was planned" but the event was delighted to welcome them at such short notice.

Reading Festival has been given permission for music on its main stage for a fourth day despite residents' objections.

More than 100,000 people typically attend the August bank holiday weekend event and organisers Festival Republic will be able to use the main stage on Thursdays between 17:00 and 23:30 BST from 2027.

Associations representing hundreds of residents opposed the change over potential disruption and increased noise affecting those living nearby.

Managing director Mevin Benn told Reading Borough Council's licensing committee that it wanted to "give people better value for money".

A nineteen-year-old swimmer has said he will win "3,000 gold medals" in the Special Olympics Great Britain.

Sam Craddock, from Dorchester in Dorset, has Down's syndrome and will be competing in the 50m freestyle, 50m breast stoke and 100m individual medley.

The event in Birmingham, between Thursday 27 and Sunday 30 August, will see more than 1,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities compete across several sports.

Craddock said: "I like swimming because I like to be stronger and work out in the gym."