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Archives for December 2010

"Odds on for 2011"

Mark Cummings | 11:15 UK time, Tuesday, 28 December 2010

Paddy Power sign above Cheltenham racecourse

Paddy Power appeared on today's programme to give his predictions and odds for the year ahead.

Of most interest was that is odds against any huge "PADDY POWER" sign going up on Cleeve Hill again. Indeed, he says he's retired the sign and offered to put it up in my back garden as its final resting point !

Elsewhere he is of course looking forward to the National Hunt Festival in March but also to all the big events of 2011. He's even prepared to offer odds on Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall having a joint wedding with "William and Kate".

I'd like to see Zara and Mike have the wedding service at Gloucester Cathedral followed by the reception at Kingsholm (or if they want a smaller gathering I'm sure "The Jockey" can fit them in !)

I'm back on the radio in the new year ... and looking forward to being with you all throughout 2011.

Winter wonderland

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Mark Cummings | 11:07 UK time, Tuesday, 28 December 2010

Jonathon Watkins has delighted us with his photographs throughout the year so what better way to go into 2011 than a new selection from him.

Jonathon is a professional photographer and you can see his work on his website at www.photoglow.co.uk

Digger broken down on Crickley Hill

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Mark Cummings | 08:10 UK time, Tuesday, 28 December 2010

Many thanks to Elvin Young from Hempstead for these photos.

Today we were talking about the history...people... and traffic flow on Crickley Hill.

These shots are from 1968 when our favourite road was widened. Any photos and memories on this top bottleneck very welcome.

Advent calendar - 23rd December

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Mark Cummings | 11:00 UK time, Thursday, 23 December 2010

For a magical hour of festive music and readings tune into our Christmas Celebration on Christmas Eve at 4.00 pm...or Christmas Day at 9.00 am.

Advent calendar - 22nd December

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Mark Cummings | 12:00 UK time, Wednesday, 22 December 2010

Sledging on Cam Peak. With thanks to John Wilks


Advent Calendar -21st December

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Mark Cummings | 05:03 UK time, Tuesday, 21 December 2010

It doesn't get much better than this...thanks to Chris from Ruscombe.

Chris wrote

Hi Mark

We always have hilarious fun playing Articulate at Christmas when the family are together. Also judging by the screams of laughter emanating from a rashly agreed to all night party that my daughter had with some friends, Cranium must be highly amusing!

Have a good Christmas - love the photos of Gloucestershire so I attach one of our dog, Saffy, checking the sunrise over Ruscombe valley.

Best wishes,

Chris, Ruscombe, Stroud

Advent calendar - 20th December

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Mark Cummings | 00:01 UK time, Monday, 20 December 2010

Board games...dogs...Christmas trees...perfect !

Advent calendar - 19th December

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Mark Cummings | 00:06 UK time, Sunday, 19 December 2010

Thanks to Carol from Duntisbourne Abbots.

It just goes to show you can still be a big kid whenever you want! If you have any gems from this weekend cummings@bbc.co.uk

Advent calendar - 18th December

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Mark Cummings | 00:02 UK time, Saturday, 18 December 2010

Saturday's treat is a sunrise in the North Cotswolds taken yesterday morning. Thanks Fiona!

If you can capture some of this weekend's snow I would be a very happy chappy! Cummings@bbc.co.uk


Sign up to the no internet day pledge!

Mark Cummings | 12:45 UK time, Friday, 17 December 2010

Can you live without the internet for one day?

I am challenging you to spend 24 hours over Christmas where you dare to tell your children they can't go on Facebook and other internet related items.

I floated this proposal to my 14 and 11 year old daughters...they agreed...with a little reluctance. Anyone one with teenagers will know only too well the tension created when our little darlings become surgically attached to a laptop.

Is it possible to spend a day having quality family time? Here is a list of board games suggested on the show this morning to while away a cold winter day. Buckaroo...Twister...Balderdash...Cluedo and Monopoly now using credit cards!

So here is the deal...Can you suggest some board games we might have missed out on...AND more importantly will you pledge to join an internet free experiment?

If you will join me and several others who have already committed to the cause please post a comment or email me cummings@bbc.co.uk


Suggestions from the show this morning...

Dave in Tetbury has the most well behaved 15 year olds in Gloucestershire...if they leave any mess...are cheeky...or are back late then his wife threatens to take the Blackberry or laptop off them.

Robert from Cheltenham said it is a bad state of affairs if children can't live without computers and mobile phones

Ian says just disconnect your broadband from your end then no-one can get online!

Advent calendar - 17th December

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Mark Cummings | 00:04 UK time, Friday, 17 December 2010

The simple pleasures of a field in Cam. Enjoy!


Advent calendar - 16th December

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Mark Cummings | 12:22 UK time, Wednesday, 15 December 2010

I've tried to resist this one because it might be cuter than mine!

Thanks to Ann Marie from Up Hatherley for this image of Toffee...is it better than my offering from Dec 2nd? cummings@bbc.co.uk

Advent calendar - 15th December

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Mark Cummings | 00:02 UK time, Wednesday, 15 December 2010

Sometimes you don't need words!


All I'll say is a huge thanks to Nigel Phillips. This was taken on Friday...a view of Littledean Hill with the ice floes on the Lower Severn.

The River Severn seal

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Mark Cummings | 15:52 UK time, Tuesday, 14 December 2010

It's true .. there's a seal in the River Severn near Tewkesbury.

The seal has been spotted by Richard Edwards who recorded this video at the weekend. If you've seen the seal anywhere else on the river do let me know.

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Elf and Safety

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Mark Cummings | 12:33 UK time, Tuesday, 14 December 2010

The Breakfast Show's Claire Carter has been experimenting with seasonal jobs!



Enjoy hearing about her antics on Wednesday's Breakfast Show. She was the star of the show in Santa's Grotto at the Regents Arcade in Cheltenham.

If you have ever taken on an "interesting" Christmas job I'd love to hear from you especially if it involved dressing up in a costume! cummings@bbc.co.uk

Advent calendar - 14th December

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Mark Cummings | 12:23 UK time, Monday, 13 December 2010

Thanks to Shirley from Bourton on the Water. Her cosy cottage sums up what a magical month we have had already.



If you want to find out what the week might bring have a listen to my Weather Warden. Ian Thomas from Dursley is a mine of information about Gloucestershire's weather. His records date back before Jesus was a lad. Thursday, Friday and Saturday look particularly interesting!

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Over the next few days I will delight you with images of a frozen river Severn...a ghostly rugby pitch shrouded in frozen mist...and another lazy dog curled up by the fire. I would love any other photos that sum up our record breaking December...cute pets...Christmas lights...frozen landscapes...all gratefully received at cummings@bbc.co.uk

Tim - the litter hero !

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Mark Cummings | 00:36 UK time, Monday, 13 December 2010

A Cheltenham man who spends his time picking up rubbish thrown out of people's cars is appearing on a 91Èȱ¬ Inside Out programme tonight at 19.30.

It's ahead of a government-backed 'litter summit' being held on Thursday - in which the major food and drink companies could be told to do more to stop their packaging getting strewn across the countryside.

Click below to see a clip of Litter Hero Tim Barnes and the rest of the film...

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Advent Calendar - 13th December

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Mark Cummings | 00:04 UK time, Monday, 13 December 2010

Our offering for Monday takes us to the Alpine ski resort of Dursley. This image knocks Aspen into a cocked hat! Many thanks to Dursley's finest photographer John Wilkes.



Advent Calendar - 12th December

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Mark Cummings | 00:05 UK time, Sunday, 12 December 2010

I thought an iconic place of worship would be good for a Sunday! Many thanks to Dave Witts for his enchanted Tewkesbury Abbey masterpiece.

Enjoy a peaceful Sunday. Soak up the joy of a lazy night watching the X factor final...or maybe the Enchanted Wood walk around Westonbirt...or it could be Tan House Christmas Singers at Highnam Church tonight.

Whatever you do make sure you tune in this Monday from 0600 for another rollercoaster ride of radio entertainment.

Advent Calendar - 11th December

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Mark Cummings | 00:02 UK time, Saturday, 11 December 2010

Saturday's treat is from that little devil Robin Pywell.

Over the next few days we will delight you with Gloucestershire's Narnia landscape. This dramatic image was taken at Devil's Chimney near Leckhampton last Wednesday.

Thank you Robin for your efforts. I hope everyone has a wonderful wintry weekend and keep snapping! cummings@bbc.co.uk

Advent calendar - 10th December

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Mark Cummings | 00:04 UK time, Friday, 10 December 2010

Many thanks to Mark from the Forest of Dean for Friday's delight! Today we have Alpacas in the snow photographed last week on Harrow Hill




Bridging the tuition fee divide.

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Mark Cummings | 12:48 UK time, Thursday, 9 December 2010

Tuition fee mania has swept the county this week...demos in Cheltenham...plenty of political intrigue...and we been making quite a few phone calls to Cheltenham's Lib Dem MP Martin Horwood who is in Mexico at a climate change conference.

The fees rise only effects students in England. Pupils at the Wydean School in Sedbury have an interesting view on the issue. Some live in Gloucestershire but others come from over the border. We spoke to Abbey Cahill-Kearns who lives in Wales and Shannon Bartlett-Smith who lives in the Forest of Dean. In the future friends at the school will pay different fees at university depending on which side of the border they live on.

Your thoughts on tuition fees always welcome - would you even move house to save money and to get free prescriptions.

Advent Calendar - 9th December

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Mark Cummings | 00:03 UK time, Thursday, 9 December 2010

Thanks to Lisa for this little festive treat.

This is Alfie who loves a winter walk on Painswick Beacon. By the way Lisa would like to say Hi to her lovely mum...Margaret from Longlevens!!


Advent calendar - 8th December

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Mark Cummings | 00:05 UK time, Wednesday, 8 December 2010

Your photos continue to come in for our special breakfast advent calendar.

Today we reveal a lovely sunset as seen from Up Hatherley. Thanks to Ann-Marie Nixon for today's photograph.

Sunset in Up Hatherley

Advent calendar - 7th December

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Mark Cummings | 00:04 UK time, Tuesday, 7 December 2010

Today we are off to Puzzlewood for our Gloucestershire advent calendar


Robin in Puzzlewood Gloucestershire

Many thanks to Ann-Marie...Jon...Emily...Jozef...and Toffee the lurcher for these photos!

Advent Calendar - 6th December

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Mark Cummings | 00:10 UK time, Monday, 6 December 2010


Monday's offering is a classic from the



Advent Calendar - 5th December

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Mark Cummings | 00:12 UK time, Sunday, 5 December 2010

The cute dog photos are flying in. This one speaks for itself.



Advent Calendar - 4th December

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Mark Cummings | 00:09 UK time, Saturday, 4 December 2010

Thanks to Rich for this aerial shot. He thinks it's Littledean in the Forest if Dean...but he's not sure!

If you can confirm or deny this.cummings@bbc.co.uk


Advent Calendar - 3rd December

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Mark Cummings | 00:01 UK time, Friday, 3 December 2010

Today's treat was taken by John from Dursley. Enjoy Cam Peak and Long Down from the top of Crawley Hill.

I'm still looking for photos of Christmas lights...cosy pets...frosty landscapes...frozen ponds...anyone or anything dressed as Father Christmas...holly...etc...

You know what I want! cummings@bbc.co.uk

Advent Calendar - 2nd December

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Mark Cummings | 00:42 UK time, Thursday, 2 December 2010

I can't drag my lurcher away from the fire!

Stella the rescue hound has set up camp and she won't budge. In these freezing temperatures she even refuses the offer of an evening walk...and we all know how important the last stroll of the day is.

I think this a classic portrait of this freezing winter...if you have any images of pets curled up somewhere warm...a photo of a snowy landscape...maybe getting your tree up early...anything delightful for the calendar please email them into me. cummings@bbc.co.uk.

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