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Abuser jailed, a £1 ferry ride and top GCSE pupil

Wiltshire Police A police mugshot of Joe Martin who is staring blankly straight ahead. He has a short ginger beard and darker-coloured hair and a silver ring through his nose. His eyes are light blue. The background is pale grey and his white T-shirt is just visible. Wiltshire Police
Joe Martin, 28, has been jailed after he told a woman he was going to "pay someone to cut her head off"

Here's our weekly roundup of stories from across local websites in the West of England.

We have a daily round up as well. Make sure you look out for it on the website and the local section of the BBC News app.

What have been the big stories in the West this week?

A student from Swindon, who lost her mum just one month before taking her GCSEs, has achieved the highest results in her school. The family of Jodi Omar - who got eight grade 9s, two grade 8s and one grade 7 at Abbey Park Academy - described her results as "a testament to her hard work, determination and resilience".

A man from Melksham has been jailed after he threatened a woman in her 20s. He told her he was going to "pay someone to cut her head off", reported Somerset Live. Joe Martin, 28, pleaded guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour after he grabbed the woman from a Bath pub and locked her in his car.

Cotswold District Council is investigating amid concerns over contamination of popular lakes in Cirencester after a group of children who visited needed hospital treatment. The Swindon Advertiser reported that the Cotswold Country Park and Beach has refuted the claims.

Bristol Live reported on the new £1 ferry ride which has been introduced to take people across Bristol Harbour while Pero's Bridge is out of action

Wiltshire Wildlife Hospital has put out an urgent plea for donations of newspapers as they currently have 223 hedgehogs being cared for that need bedding.

Top five local stories for the BBC in the West

Something longer to read

Bristol Cable ran a feature exploring whether a younger generation of Bristolians is turning to the 400-year-old faith of Quakerism.

According to Quakers in Britain - also known as the Religious Society of Friends - the community has been steadily ageing in recent decades.

However, according to reporter Sofia Lambis, the number of young people gathering outside the Redland Friends Meeting House on a Sunday might tell a different story.

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